[Sins of Marka : Age of Bze] - Worldbuilding.Activate meta-neural transmitter to py video...Loading............

  'Marka... Oh Marka...' the voice of an extremely old man began.

  'Greetings, stranger from nds afar, I see you've woken up.I am...'The Wandering Prophet' and I shall tell you a tale before you depart on your adventure. A tale about this world. About Marka, world of tales and legends, world of swords and magic. World pgued by Sins and Demons and evils... The adventurous path you are about to take is one of dangers and wonders. Marka is a treacherous realm after all.'

  "Cut ! This instant, I want some fire effects as a transition with the next scene. And the loading time of the video is a tiny bit too long. "

  "Yeah... the data is a backup from one of the servers that overheated. There's still some optimization that needs to be done... But don't worry Mr. Vil, we got that."

  The still image of the strange old individual in a dark cloak started moving again, filling the room with his deep, mysterious voice.

  '-... I shall share the vast knowledge I have accumuted in these bones of mine. But... do note that all information that I have in my old head... may not be up to date, hehehehe-So, traveler from afar, what knowledge do you seek ?'

  The Thassa Union'Oh... the Union. The twin nation. The country of man, zephyr and ocean.An interesting pce to visit, O traveler from afar. The Union brings many possibilities, should you be blessed by Wind and Water.'

  'The Thassa Union's origins are deeply rooted in the vast expenses of the Seas, with centuries of voyage across the waves, and a legacy of piracy. Some legends even say that the Unionians first founded their country as a fleet of ships and vessels rather than on nd. However, the most believable origin story about the sea-faring nation... is less poetic.'

  'It is believed that pirates in search of hideouts to hide their treasures, ventured on nd, founded huts, then housings made out of broken ships and raided vilges. And then towns that grew in reputation ! As safe havens for the outws of the Seas !These battle-hardened corsairs, these cruel pirates found a strange peace in rexing on nd. They enjoyed mead, beer, wine... and more and more began to live in these free cities.'

  'But... After strife and other invading nations tore apart and reformed the settlements countless times, two former rivals, two pirates of five hundred years ago, decided that the pirates should finally stop the bloodshed and repel invaders together.Together, they united crews, vilges and wless towns to build a Union. A Union that has been standing tall for half a millennium, with the children of the duo of pirates as its rulers.'

  Whistles and light cpping rose from the dimly lit room."That lore is incredible, detailed but omitting enough important details for the future pyers to discover most of it..." someone pointed out wisely.

  'But... do not mistake the youth of this nation for weakness, traveler.The wind and water magic of these children of piracy is unparalleled, with magi strong enough to split boulders in half with terrifying wind bdes, or extract all moisture from your body with a gesture of your hand !They possess war contraptions like no other... Flying magic ships, mast-less vessels of metal, powered by hot water, wind-boats as fast as an acidic eel ! the voice marveled at the images of fleets of zeppelins and armored steam boats.'

  'The old figure from the other side of the screen fell silent, contempting at the memories conjured with his magic.'

  'Thankfully, this country, although it possesses mighty naval and aerial firepower, is now a peaceful one. It attracts many year-round, who are in search of sandy beaches and the kiss of the sun. Their culinary culture, with well-known seafood, is a staple for any gourmet. The gold that flowed through the callous thieving hands now flows with tourists and sunbathers. Moreover, many adventurers find themselves interested by the many endemic creatures living in the seas, on the sandy beaches and the tropical jungles of the Union, many monsters are choice targets for an experienced warrior in search of exoticism...'

  'Say, stranger, would you take the risk ? To challenge a kraken ? Should you grow strong enough, that is.'

  ...

  The image froze still and the many figures in the shadows cpped at the dispy. Not out of politeness, but because they were genuinely impressed. This was next-gen gaming.

  "Impressive. Marketing team really outdid themselves. I can almost feel the vibe of an ancient sage retelling some long-forgotten tale. And with nowadays' tech... Lips-sync and graphics have reached an outstanding level. What do you think Camellia ? You guys ?"

  "Oh course boss ! We've been working on that project for half a decade by now. But the level of polish is outstanding. Agh... I can't wait for unch day ! I'm so excited !"

  "Be patient, everyone. One more week."

  "Yeah... Oh, by the way ! We're received a bunch of resumes. We just wanted to let you know before we resumed watching everything. I think that Camellia gave them to you during the start of the meeting."

  The figure at the end of the table took the holo-folder and opened it.

  "... What the... Chris Topher ? What the heck is that name ?"

  "I know boss... But his skills are impressive. He's sent some files and the modeling he uses for his rigs is seriously godlike."

  ...

  "What should we show next ? I say the empire. It has consequential lore, and I want to avoid any mistakes... or bug."

  "Let's do that."

  The Akwa Empire'... The Empire ? Really... ? the virtual individual questioned with an astonishing life-like tone of wariness and surprise.

  'You're bold. Jumping right into the lion's den. Quite literally...But very well. I shall entertain your curiosity... I shall tell you about the Pride of mankind. The hegemonic power that stands atop of this world.' the old sage muttered slowly.

  'The Empire's history stretches back during the early ages of Marka. Ages when man still wandered the nds in leather and pelts, and slept in houses of dirt and logs. A tribe of nomads who mastered the magic of ice, and lived near the Frosty Death , settled in foreign fertile nds where crops grew tall and cattle fattened.The locals, impressed by the strange and terrifying powers of the outsiders, began to revere them, granting them nds and offerings.'

  'Soon enough... the territories under the ice magi's control grew and grew. Huts became houses, barricades of logs and stone became icy walls that could hide the sun away !Armies as wide as waves and as big as icebergs strengthened an already rising power!'

  'Then, during a dark Age of fire and death, one magus procimed himself Emperor ! He turned the nds he governed as his Empire ! The many who had sworn allegiance to them were Proud to belong to such a nation-'

  "That's really, really good. But... isn't the narration too weighty with this whole 'ages' and 'years' thing ?"

  "The lore team is working on it. They're making sure that NPCs, objects and books can fill in the bnks. We'll also weed-out some things we don't deem truly necessary. Everything is already sorted out."

  "I see. Other than that, good job to everyone. This is next gen storytelling we have here."

  '-at this time, this Empire had already grown far faster than the neighboring nations... But it was not enough ! This prideful magus, these prideful soldiers, these prideful subjects wanted more nds to conquer and thrive in !And so they did. They crushed the elves' outposts, the dwarven mines, the beastfolks tribes, the scattered pirates, and the churches of the men of faith... They expanded and grew even more powerful.'

  'Though... All wasn't victory however. The armies of the magus were stopped by the beings of scales and fire. For more a millennium, the armies of his successors and the creatures cshe-... ... ... ...'

  "What's happening ? Did the video stop ? Did someone pause it ?"

  Confused murmurs arose in the meeting hall. The footage had been fine until now. Why was it crashing now ?

  Technical staff tweaked the settings around with their holo-screens and debug windows, but nothing worked. Meanwhile, the executives started reading the resumes of potential new recruits, some candidates seemed very promising and the direction team members were already imagining the responses they would send.

  Then, the screen fshed purple and something akin to a low rumble reverberated from the speakers of the room. The staff frowned and as they began to forcefully reboot the system... a powerful roar that locked everyone in pce, from fright and from pain. At the same time, the markings of sharp cws and animal bites appeared behind the flickering screen.

  The deafening and bestial roar seemed like it was defying anything and everything that heard it. The speakers, unable to stand the volume and intensity of the sound, simply burst into smoke while the holographic dispy retracted after shutting down entirely.

  ...

  ...

  "... What just happened ?" someone finally asked after a long moment of awkward silence.

  "I want a detailed report of everything that happened on that console. We cannot allow something like this to repeat. Especially when unch day is so close ! Find whoever put... whatever that was in the footage. I want them fired ! If they want to clown around they should get a job at- Argh !"

  ...

  "They're really going for it. And the whole First Army nonetheless... Already waiting at our borders. I can't believe that..."

  "Your Holiness, do you believe we stand a chance ? We have... no allies per say. Elfort is busy with preparing defenses against the Demons, the beastfolks of the Wild Pteaux would be... terrified of the Sin of Wrath... and the Union recently signed a pact of non-aggression with de Wandermer."

  "... If it was two of three legions... I would say yes. But against his entire First Army... We may have to use the Sacred Buster. To stall their advance at the very least."

  The advisors who were listening to Pope Kari began to cough or wipe beads of sweat off their foreheads. The Sacred Buster was something no Pope had used since forever. Moreover...

  "Y-your Holiness... The Sacred Buster's may not even be totally functional !" a priest argued "Its power must have declined tremendously after of The Divine's disappearance ! What if the angels do not respond to the calling ? Moreover, it would also drain significantly our reserves of blessed oils !"

  The priest's worry was not without reason. Ever since The Divine has disappeared to carry out a divine mission, the power of many holy relics and weapons had decreased to a noticeable extent. Using the Buster would maybe not have the full effects everyone expected. It also needed about ten years of production of holy oil to be used.And... what if the angels in heaven had other matters to attend ? What if they had picked up The Divine's work during Their absence ? What if they didn't answer to the summoning... ?

  "You do raise a good point. I haven't... thought of that. Shit... But what about our forces ? How many padins and knights can we rally right now ? The Shining Rapiers are unavaible, they're on their way to Elfort... The Fly Guard could be back in what ? Three days ?"

  "..."

  The council kept silent. They all knew they had to face a hard truth. The Papal States were not ready for such a rge scale-invasion. The padins would be lucky to even hold the lines for two days. These knights were well-trained and had powerful magic and skills, but the sheer numbers on the other side made individual abilities ughable.

  The holy nd wasn't a country of military might, their defenses were neutrality and The Divine's presence. Without it, not many things could stop an army from advancing deep into the nds. Moreover, the channel northwest of the country was linked to the ocean. If the empire wanted to, it could very well unch part of the invasion from the shores, effectively attacking from all directions but northeast.

  "This is bad. Really bad." a bishop muttered anxiously.

  The ones holding this council were individuals who preach about Divine Faith, not guards, not padins, not sellswords. The ones with military knowledge were already making desperate preparations and setting up defenses.

  "Why don't you hire these adventurer people for the time being, uh ?" an abrasive woman's voice rang out from the entrance of the door. Then a mass of messy crimson hair peeked out of the doorway, reptilian eyes scanning the room.

  "They're here. C'mon uncles."

  Accompanied by the hero party of the old era, Raya of Wrath revealed herself after pushing the door. She lowered herself down to avoid hitting the doorway with her head and gestured for the others to follow.

  "I hope we weren't too te..." she followed in a terribly worn-out voice.

  Instead of answering, the clergymen stood up and put their hands in a prayer position."We greet The Drake Sin of Wrath ! And greetings to you too, members of the Hero party."

  The five newcomers nodded and seated themselves. Raya tucked her tail around her body to avoid smming it into others, all while trying to avoid moving her left arm-wing, half-encased in thick ptes of iron and magic steel.Sun Mane and Ragnar briefly looked at the world-map before giving the st two sits to Millia and Skal.

  Pope Kari cleared her throat and the meeting resumed wit the Wyvern repeating her question.

  "So, why can't you recruit mercenaries ? I get that is would embark more people into more suffering but... if theses guys from the empire get their hands on your country, your subjects could also be caught up in the whole mess. Your relics would get stolen and holy monuments would be desecrated."

  "The problem is more of a monetary and quantity one that a... moral one, O Wrath. While, our country is a prosperous once, most of the excess gold we receive from selling ointments and performing miracles goes to the betterment of the nation. As you've surely seen, we do not grow our armies by mass-mobilization. Padins are elite knights, of A-to S-rank by adventurer standards, but there's few of them. Our regur forces are bigger, but not enough."

  "Yes..." another added "The true problem lies in our ability to... pay these sellswords. Let's say we can pay one of these adventurers a hundred gold coins per day, a fairly good amount of money, if I may add... In return, the Empire could pay this very same adventurer with a thousand gold coins ! All ends up being a battle of which country has the deepest pockets !"

  "Oh..." the Sin in scaleless form let out, scratching the pte of adamantite holding her fractured jaw.

  "Moreoever..." Ragnar began "the Empire uses war beasts. Something the Papal States detests using as they are unpredictable. And unlike humans or even beastfolks, these things don't get slowed down by terrain or pain and they track scents... They will not stop if someone asks for mercy. They don't even listen to beasts stronger than themselves."

  "... beasts stronger than themselves, uh ? Moreover, this aura the emissary carried... It was Pride. Right Kari ? We've felt it already but it still felt weird. Now that you're saying that they use war beasts... I will try to fly over the country to confirm this suspicion but this might be even more troublesome than you think..."

  "Wait wait wait Raya ! What you're saying is that the Akwa Empire somehow harnessed the power of the Sin of... Pride ?" Skal excimed standing up, her voice filled with worry.The Wyvern's scornful gre froze the woman in pce and forced her to sit down again.

  "Watch your words... Skal. The power of a Sin is not harnessed, not borrowed, not given, especially not to a simple emissary... The issue is that it would mean this empire took enough of Their power to distribute to... anybody in their armies, and usurp it to use beasts... A Sin would never allow Their power to spread like that. Especially the Beastly Sin of Pride, the Sin that makes heart and mind stray further from The Divine... It is against everything we aim to achieve..."

  The Wyvern turned away from the group, muttering her thoughts in a murderous tone that sent shivers down everyone's spine. Eventually, the rest went back into the topic. The former Hero party spoke about potential choke-points to slow down enemy forces and ndmarks that would offer tactical advantage. Topics about sabotaging bridges and outposts that were likely to be conquered came up.

  Meanwhile, Raya was walking in circles in a pza, under the concerned gazes of passersby, thinking about various duties she should have been handling, if not for her injuries and this decration of war.First was the matter of the Wyvern and wyverian students she should have had watched over. They would surely go home during this week. That was disappointing. She wouldn't get the chance to put the children of the deserters in their pce.

  Second was how to handle the invasion. The wings and legs would be healed in a few days. Raya could fly over the enemy army and set everything on fire. Never thought I'd thank my experiences in Astria... Tsk...

  But Raya wouldn't be everywhere. And anywhere she wasn't, would be causalities. She wasn't at the level of the Progenitor. She couldn't destroy an army in a single breath.

  ...But I can destroy a city in a day. And kill that bastard atop of his country. And I can... Boast about it... To Pride ! Oh yes, I'll rub it in his face when I see the Progenitor's brother. Khahahahah-

  The Wyvern bolted away in direction of the meeting she had left, ughing evilly at the genius idea she came up with.

  ...

  The meeting room was now cramped with not only the Hero party and the eminent members of the clergy, but also padins and regur knights, who were all discussing methods to slow down the Empire's First Army.

  The majority of people here had agreed that the best course of action was to sabotage key parts and passages of the country to prevent the invader from advancing. Elite forces would target siege machines and flee over and over again.Spies and assassins would csh with small groups of soldiers during the night, and resort to guerril tactics in cities that would get destroyed or raided. Then, everyone would try to hold in BncheVille until the seven days of conflict would be over.

  Her Holiness was giving a st-minute recap and was about to dismiss everybody when the double door of the room smmed open.

  "Kaaaaaaa-ri ! I've got an idea ! It's fabulous !"

  Pope Kari's heart fluttered at the Wyvern's overjoyed tone.Oh... How she loved seeing Raya happy. Listening to the charming, almost innocent Raya. The Raya who felt like a young adult unburdened by her Divine Duty.How she loved hearing her voice too... It was like Kari was young again. A silly, useless, fleeting crush.

  Pope Kari knew, Millia knew. She was so doomed.

  Grotesque figures of bck, horns, spikes and many appendages were slowly advancing in the tundra of the Frosty Death. Among them, an imposing figure advanced. A giant of almost four meters, whose features were hidden away by a cloak of red and grey. A skeleton-like skull with dry grey skin, two sets of horns and pitch bck eyes.

  At the figure's right, a blue slime that had taken an humanoid shape, walking with a cane made out of some unknown bone.

  "O great King. We are halfway through in the Frosty Death. We would need about a month of fast-walking to reach the territory of the elves. The sacrifice of part of your mana allowed us to greatly shorten the length of our journey. This teleportation spell you came up with was impressive, for it to allow all of our forces to be transported..." the slime thanked.

  "I hope that using a fifth of my mana reserves was worth it. It's a hit, or a miss... Time is not on our side after all, we cannot let the Hero grow. This would be our greatest failure as Demons. Sigh... I wonder why none of the previous Demon Kings tried to kill the Heroes before they accumuted experience. It it incredibly counter productive and it threatens our whole race...What were they thinking for fuck's sake ?!"

  "I believe... they were not thinking at all. The four previous Demon Kings I've served were all Demons who let their instincts and powers rule over their minds. They weren't exactly... mentally active.You are the first ruler of Demons who adopts a proactive approach to our problem. Does that answer your question, my King ?"

  "... So basically they were just overpowered brutish animals who waited for their killer to come ? Why would... ? Nevermind."

  "That... sums up my expination very crudely, but very accurately too." the gooey being replied as he crackled a tiny ugh.

  "Ugh... I hope I'm not making a mistake. I hope I'm not sending you guys to your death..." the ruler of the Demons sighed.