The Capital Empire

Prologue

Eight men stood against an army of hundreds.

It was the last stand. For the hundred-man army.

Chaim stood atop the only hill of the plains, looking at the poor souls running toward their deaths on the hill. His hill.

Hundreds of men thundered across the plain, feet trampling on the virgin grass, witnessing their first battle. Infantry carrying pistoned lances led the attack with soldiers carrying swords with steaming thrusters just behind them. Furthest behind were those who carried hand cannons and flame guns, trying to get as close as they could to Chaim and the eleven other men standing with him
Chaim's mouth quirked in a grin. Any general would see a hopeless situation for the men at the top. They were outnumbered and their long range weapons were left with the main force back in The Capital. The clockwork covering their arms and legs were nothing compared to the heavy armor the soldiers wore.

"Last battle!" A voice beside Chaim boomed. "No one should die."

Chaim directed his too-dark eyes at the man beside him, his grin turning into a pleasant smile as if they were talking about how nice the weather was for crops. And it was a fine weather for crops if Inwe cared anything for plants.

"How can we win if we don't kill them, Inwe?" Chaim cocked his head to the side like an innocent child asking a question.

"Chaim..." Inwe's warning tone made Chaim laugh as he pulled out steel boomerangs.

"Oh, relax. I just wanted to lighten the mood a little. Besides, without a real commander leading their ranks, this will only be slaughter."

Off to Chaim's right, Shazar nodded. "Whoever their acting leader is, he isn't even smart enough to think of a basic pincer attack. Not that it's going to make much of a difference, but still..."

"In any case," Inwe loaded three arrows on his bow before splitting the limb into three separate directions, "they still fight with bravery for what they believe in. Give them the respect they deserve."

Beside Chaim, Haj stepped up--his quiet voice carrying enough in the wind, "Kill them as painlessly as possible."

"No mercy, then." Sagara lifted his fauchard from his shoulder. His wild hair whipped around in the sudden breeze sending the smell of earth, sweat and steam in their nostrils. The war cries grew louder and the thundering was ready to shake the earth.
The eight men stepped forward in silence as flames arched through the air toward them. They bathed in showers of dirt from the impact of the canons' load.

"We will all remember you," Chaim whispered in the chaos. His blade cutting across the battlefield, attacking, defending, and aiding his comrades. Each of the eight men moved with such precision that one easily took five enemies without much effort and still have enough time to see if they were needed elsewhere.

Victory was certain. Dead men began piling up as the ground beneath them turned to mud. Chaim killed each man as painlessly as possible, and as their numbers dwindled their charge never wavered. The tatters of the army continued to fight. Desperate men picked up weapons from their comrades' lifeless fingers, only to join their ranks a while later. It was easy to see that they weren't trained soldiers. Some weren't even men yet.

As the sun set, only eight men stood around the hill. Each still as a statue unwilling to look at those who would soon find themselves burned or in a mass grave. The crows and ravens were the first to arrive examining the feast that none of the men would even look at. Sagara could still recall the last moment the breeze stirred and not even a gust was present as the plains chilled.

"They weren't much older than we are," Sagara voiced the thoughts of everyone. "Anyone got any extra of the blue stuff? I think I'm going to need double."

Benn deposited the unused arrow back in his quiver and tossed Sagara his. "We did what we had to do. That's all."

"If that makes you sleep at night," Sagara shrugged and lifted the vial. "I need this."

Silence. Stillness. And then, a slow, rhythmic clapping. Everyone turned to Chaim.

Chaim turned to everyone with a smile on his face. "It's my way of appreciating what they did. They were braver than I am. I never can rush to certain death."

One by one, the plains filled with the clapping of eight men as black feathers started to blanket all around the hill.


Chapter 1

Alethi watched the Great Leader saunter our of her father's office at their estate with a satisfied smirk on his face. She kept her face passive and agreeable, but deep down, she wanted nothing but to throttle him and kick him from behind as he exited the doors. In her mind, she whacked him senseless with random things she randomly thought of. This time, she was hitting him with a mop until the doors closed behind him. She turned to her father who finally slumped in his sliver gilded seat.

Once, people told them how similar they looked, from their dark wavy locks, to their fiery hazel eyes and stubborn features. But looking at her father, all the stubbornness was gone, replaced by resignation and defeat. His hair had grown gray too fast over the last few months and his eyes had grown dull as he stared at his desk.

"You can't agree to giving him more land and people!" Alethi hissed, trying to contain her anger. "You're a noble. You have a right to your property and the people under you. You can't just give them away."

Lord Rehanathi looked at her daughter and sighed. "Don't worry my dear. I won't leave you a pauper."

"Pauper? Is that what you are thinking of? Oh, I'm sure you'll be able to marry me off to some lord's son, but that is not my point!" Alethi stood beside her father holding his hand. "It's your rights as a ruler I'm concerned about. You're just letting that man take everything from you."

"That man is the Great Leader, Alethi. We follow what he says."

"Father, you can't just succumb to this! If he tells you to kill me, would you?"

"I would never--"

"Exactly! You would never. What makes this different? You give him more land and more people for his factories, the less food we produce."

"Alethi, I am growing impatient with you." It was all her father said, but the fire returned to his eyes and she backed off. They held each others' eyes for a moment until Alethi broke her gaze and headed out of the council room.

Something was wrong in all this. Her father used to be a greater man than this. He used fight when he thought the Great Leader was wrong and spoke of other options that can be taken. Now, he only nodded whenever the Great Leader opened his mouth.
Alethi gripped her skirts and headed to her room startling her old maid as she went to her closet taking out her riding goggles and pulled on a pair of leather gloves and a jacket over her red corset. She changed her billowy skirt for a pair of skin-tight leather pants over low-heeled boots. "Tell the garage hand, to ready the steam cycle."

"May I ask where you are going, miss?" the maid asked, helping her out with her metal belt.

"To the city."

"Shouldn't you be taking the carriage instead? The trip is a little long. You should be traveling in comfort."

"It's unnecessary to announce myself as a lady where I'm going, Millie."

"Miss, I have been taking care of you ever since you were a babe, and I'm not liking the sound of this."

Alethi sighed. She knew that she couldn't do this by herself. "If there's anyone I can trust, Millie, I know it's you. So please, don't tell anyone where I'm going. Not even father."

"I would have to insist that I have to know why, miss. At least let me have a reason for lying to your father when he asks for you."

Alethi considered for a while. She had no reason to distrust Millie. The old woman had become her mother when he own died and was more loyal to her than to her father, covering up for her when she did something wrong. Right now, she needed the her old maid to cover for her again, but how much should she tell her? "Something is horribly wrong. Ever since the Great Lord called my father to his office in The Capital, he stopped resisting and arguing. Always giving in to what the bloody man tells him. You've known father for years, Millie. He never stood for anyone taking advantage of our workers, much less himself. And now, he's just letting this--this tyrant walk all over him. Something happened when father visited him and I'm going to find out what it is and reverse it."

"Miss, I have to stop you right there." Millie held herself up and for the rare instances in her life, looked every bit like Alethi's senior. "This is the Great Lord. If you move against him, it will get very dangerous. He keeps the world together and at peace. That's what matters, right? Even if it costs some things like your lands and people."

"He's also stealing my father!"

"Alethi, I'm asking you to be reasonable."

"I am being reasonable. He stole my father and I'm getting him back. That's all. Even you can feel it, can't you? He's not himself. I can hear the murmuring of the people too. I'm not deaf or blind."

"Miss..."

"No, Millie. I'm going and I'd really want you to be on my side for this. If I get in trouble, at least it saves my father and everyone else in this household from what might come since I'll be acting alone."

"But--"

"No, Millie. You take care of my father and everyone. I know you're worried for me, but if I don't do this, I'll lose my father forever. That's all I want Millie. Nothing more."

Millie sighed and slumped her shoulders, deflating. "It's not like I can stop you even if I want to, miss. But please be safe, and write us constantly, so that we know you're fine."

Alethi nodded. "So, what story are you making up for me?"

Millie gave her a conspiratorial smirk. "That you were on a trip to explore outside the estate because you're being very stubborn and stifled in this place."

Alethi laughed hugging her old maid. "Oh, Millie. Thank you so much! I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Just promise me you'll be safe, child."

"I'll do my best to stay alive. I'm not planning on getting my father back only to be missing myself!"

Satisfied, Millie moved to lift her skirts and handed Alethi a curved dagger, sheathed in leather and copper engravings. "Take this with you. It's the only protection I can give you."

"Thank you." Alethi smiled and strapped it up her thigh. She knew a little of hand to hand combat, taking lessons from her father's retainers. It all stopped after her father's visit to The Capital, forbidding her from engaging in unladylike activities.

"Bring him back, miss."

"I will."

Alethi smiled at her maid full of confidence, but behind her smile, her stomach churned, her confidence but a shadow. She knew nothing of The Capital, never having visited. She didn't know what to expect aside from the stories, the photos and the paintings her father brought back. She didn't even know where to start looking for answers or how. The only thing she could remember from her father's tales that could help her was that there was an underground operation detached from the government capable of doing may things for a price. It was her only hope for getting information without getting the attention of the Great Leader.