《The Conquest of Terrastria - The Revelation's Saga》


 Preface

    Friedrich of Mer?ndia is remembered as a villain by historiography. A murderer, conqueror, and traitor. However, new historical sources, recently removed from the forbidden archives of the Basilica of Men¨¢rdia, the central hub of the Ladissan Church of the Order, reveal the factual truth regarding his role in the conflict that would come to be remembered as the Theomachy. He is not the villain that tradition insists on portraying, but rather a hero who, with the help of his family and friends, stopped the advance of the plans of those in power at the time.


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    The Alliance Dossier, a collection of various files and documents produced by different members of the organization, tells the complete journey of the group. These sources, particularly Sarah''s diaries, were the final missing piece in the dramatic puzzle of this forgotten hero''s story. For decades, the descendants of this group have searched for any information regarding their founders while also evading enemy persecution.


    It is in this turbulent period that studies on Terr¨¢stria shall begin...

 Episode I: A Wick, a Secret

    It was one of the coldest days of the year...


    That same week, the south of Bass¨ªlia was overtaken by intense rains and devastating floods that inundated and destroyed the region''s cities and villages. The Academy, located atop one of the region¡¯s hills, took advantage of its privileged position to provide support and shelter to those most in need, who without this help could not have survived the low temperatures caused by these storms.


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    On this frigid and cloudy afternoon, the Student Union, encouraged by its members'' resentment towards the Academy, decided to take advantage of the institution¡¯s vulnerable situation by invading and occupying it. A fire consumed the Academy, which saw its streets bathed in the blood of its students and professors. After invading the institution, the unionists marched towards the Rectory, ready to face the Academic Knights, led at that moment by Sarah.


    No one expected such an attack, much less the consequences that would come with it...

 Section I: The Sarcophagus Conspiracy

    During sunset, a fierce battle took place between one of the battalions of the Order of Academic Knights and the rebels of the Student Union. Initially, Sarah of Alvanista, one of the order¡¯s leaders, tried to negotiate with the unionist rebels, but they, at the peak of their arrogance, rejected any proposal made by her, thus proceeding to attack. Sarah and her battalion bravely defended the Rectory, resisting until the rest of the academic troops could defeat the main body of the Unionist army.


    It is after the end of the battle and the withdrawal of the Unionist troops that we meet the central figure of our story: the tifferine Friedrich of Mer?ndia. He was the commander of the order, chosen by Rectoress Lucia Hellene of Dalania herself to take care of the protection of the institution and the well-being of the students.


    At the time, the appearance of a tifferine in the public sphere was seen as a prelude to disgrace, as they are known for their nonconformity with social norms, demanding change and freedom at all costs. It was visible that, with the choice of Friedrich to command one of the most important cavalry orders in the country, Lucia Hellene sought to bring real changes to academic society.


    Like his past, Friedrich¡¯s personality was a mystery. Publicly, he always showed himself to be cold and distant, even with Sarah, his girlfriend at the time. His expression was always serious and his words were harsh and cruel. He did not seem to care about the feelings of those around him, assembling his plans and strategies always skeptically and pragmatically. His intelligence was remarkable, rivaled only by that of his closest friends, who seemed to instigate joy in Friedrich, no matter how much he tried to hide it when seen by eyes that shouldn¡¯t.


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    For their efforts in battle, Friedrich and Sarah were decorated by Lucia Hellene with Medals of Honor. A ceremony filled with tension and silence, seen as unfair by the public, who blamed Friedrich for the attack. Before he could take action, as he always did, news that ¡°the lifeless bodies of Maristelle and Edmund, Sarah¡¯s parents, were found in the basement of the Rectory¡± was brought to the public, who immediately demanded the arrest of the order¡¯s commander.


    When they arrived at the basement of the Rectory, which until then was sealed and hidden, Friedrich and Sarah had a vision of the scene: a closed room with an open sarcophagus, whose lid is covered in blood. In addition, the bodies of Sarah¡¯s parents were knocked down and full of combat marks. There was no idea of what had happened, nor who was guilty of such an attack. Academic society clamored for Friedrich to be punished for these crimes, but the rectoress did not listen, giving more traction to the media and the unionists, who spread the latest events throughout the world, further destabilizing Terr¨¢stria.


    The fuse was prepared, it only lacked a spark, a spark that would offer the terrastrian nations another chance to wage war...

 Section II: Belligerence

    For days, the press tried to profit from every possible drop of information about the tragedy at the Academy, news that quickly reverberated throughout Terr¨¢stria. Politicians and businessmen tried to take advantage of the situation to capitalize on it, while students protested against Friedrich¡¯s presence at the Academy, accusing him of being the murderer of Maristelle and Edmund. In the last hours of that night, Rectoress Lucia Hellene gathered the four leaders of the Academic Knights to make them a request.


    "The results of our investigations show that the attack on the Academy was not spontaneous. Someone is planning to start a world war in Terr¨¢stria," announces Lucia Hellene, with tears running down her face. ¡°I fear for my safety and that of the family I have left. I need your help, my loyal subordinates, to depart for the League of Nations immediately. Only there will we find refuge and a way to prevent this war from starting.¡±


    Friedrich accepts the mission and opens the discussion to his colleagues: his girlfriend Sarah and his friends Clement and Ariel. Despite agreement on the main themes, they all disagreed regarding the use of violence: Clement, known for being a logical pacifist, argued that using violence would only be doing what the enemy wants.


    ¡°Belligerence, besides being immoral and unjustified, in our situation is not even a pragmatic solution, considering our position before our enemy,¡± said him, calmly and coldly.


    Ariel, however, known for being a convinced revolutionary, argued that maintaining pacifism in the face of the enemy¡¯s violence is to invite the enemy to be more violent.


    ¡°Pacifism in a situation like this is the same as inaction. It¡¯s a selfish attitude, of connivance with the massacre and oppression of those who dominate based on force,¡± said Ariel, who sought keywords and other more understandable expressions to counterbalance his stutter and difficulty in expressing himself.


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    Sarah, known for her noble heart and heroism, ended up leaning towards Ariel¡¯s side.


    ¡°I agree with Ariel, maintaining pacifism now is a selfish attitude and connivance. I will not allow them to continue acting with impunity,¡± comments Sarah, directing her criticisms at her boyfriend. ¡°I understand that you like to be patient and strategic, my love, but this is unacceptable. We can¡¯t wait any longer!¡±


    Friedrich keeps his eyes closed, focused on his thoughts.


    ¡°He knows I¡¯m right,¡± responds Clement, confidently. ¡°Consequences, risks, results... Nothing you¡¯ve said is a sufficient argument to justify bloodshed. You will never be able to distort the truth, it is one and will always be.¡±


    Sarah and Ariel grit their teeth silently, giving Friedrich the chance to express his decision.


    ¡°Once again, you managed to present your case solidly, Clement. But, once again, you failed to convince me. I don¡¯t judge you, maybe there¡¯s something inside me that doesn¡¯t accept your answers, that doesn¡¯t accept pure logic to answer a question like this. Although I see that your arguments are solid, I still believe that Ariel and Sarah¡¯s position is the truest. Even though violence is never justified or correct, failing to protect those who need it and who are important to me just for mere belief or reason is even worse. If I have to use violence to protect other lives, then so be it. I am prepared to face the consequences of my belligerence.¡±


    Clement is visibly moved by the response but maintains a smile on his face.


    ¡°I understand your position, Friedrich. I hope we can continue working together then, despite our disagreements.¡±


    Friedrich agrees and hugs his best friend.


    ¡°Of course. I couldn¡¯t keep my head in place without the help of all of you. Each of us has something to offer to this group, each of us is a fundamental piece to maintain the balance and principles that govern us.¡±


    Clement then, even with some insecurities, agrees. The next day, Friedrich delivered his plans and strategies to Lucia Hellene, who, after reviewing them, approved them for action, thus creating the Liberating Alliance...

 Episode II: The Seeds of Discord

    The events that followed at the Academy only intensified the tension between the terrastrian powers. The League of Nations, an organization whose function is to maintain the balance of power among the nations of Terr¨¢stria, demanded that Bass¨ªlia thoroughly investigate the massacre and its perpetrators. When it was discovered that the group had been funded just days before the attack by an anonymous donor, the existing diplomatic crisis only intensified, with the great powers accusing each other of having financed the attack.


    The powers that maintained common enemies forged alliances, fearing that this diplomatic crisis would be the spark for the beginning of a war. And so two alliances were formed, based on their common ideologies and interests: the Alliance of Disorder, consisting of the Avelissan Empire and its allied powers; and the Alliance of Order, consisting of the Holy Ladissian Empire and the Midorelf¨®rmic People¡¯s Empire, along with their allied powers.


    While nations were setting the perfect geopolitical stage for conflict, the Liberating Alliance marched towards the Avelissan Empire, where the League of Nations building was located, spreading its message of protest against the start of a war. The words might not have been the most comprehensible, but the sentiment of indignation was echoed by the masses, who joined the Alliance in search of justice. Each of the three leaders sought a way to contribute to the progress of the march:


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    Ariel sought to attack directly, instigating indignation and courage in the hearts of the masses, recruiting people for the march, and initiating revolts, protests, and rebellions wherever the Alliance passed;


    Clement sought to attack indirectly, gathering as much useful information as possible for the Alliance and sabotaging potential enemies, thus facilitating the possibility of negotiations and other peaceful solutions;


    Finally, Sarah sought to spread the word, instigating people to question their ruling authorities, and not to accept what is told to them as immediate truth. She exposed the exploitation of the poorer classes, perpetrated by the richer classes, and the persecution of academics, perpetrated by ideologues, which reached its apex in the Twilight Massacre.


    With their efforts, the Liberating Alliance managed to foment a conflict between classes in several cities of Bass¨ªlia, raising their voice against those who allowed the massacre to happen. As they left their kingdom to enter foreign territory, Friedrich and his companions would face their first trial, their first obstacle.


    It was the beginning of the Liberating Alliance¡¯s journey, a journey that would go down in Terr¨¢stria¡¯s history...

 Section I: The Benefactor

    It was a rainy late afternoon in Mesl¨¢dria¡­


    Adriana watched the raindrops fall through one of the windows in her palace¡¯s throne room, wearing an expression devoid of surprise or astonishment. The lack of emotion on Her Imperial Majesty¡¯s face struck terror in the hearts of the impious lords of the Congress. It was impossible to predict what was going on in the heart and mind of that tifferine.


    ¡°I cannot understand your actions, my lords,¡± comments Adriana, avoiding eye contact with her subordinates. ¡°The reasoning made by the congressmen to support such a massacre in Alvanista is beyond my comprehension. What did you hope to achieve? Did you believe that this attack would undermine my control over the Empire? That this risky gamble would weaken my influence, or worse, result in a coup d¡¯¨¦tat and remove the crown from my head?¡±


    One of the lords, unfazed by Adriana¡¯s seemingly innocuous tone of voice, responds to the empress with subtle audacity:


    ¡°No, Your Imperial Majesty, we did not seek to affect you with such an attack. On the contrary, we have our reasons and personal interests for attacking the Academy. Such ambitions do not in any way affect your crown.¡±


    The lunarian¡¯s voice visibly disturbs Her Majesty, who for the first time shows some emotion on her face: discontent.


    ¡°Tell me then, Marquis Leopold de Lim¨¦ria, what would these reasons and interests be? Are they related to your dispute with Friedrich de Mer?ndia? You, as leader of the Congress, would be capable of ordering the massacre of countless innocents just for a petty grudge? If it¡¯s for this reason, your shot has backfired. Friedrich is marching towards Mesl¨¢dria at this very moment, demanding explanations regarding the Massacre and its ¡®anonymous financier,¡¯¡± Adriana then approaches Leopold, her eyes fixed on his. ¡°I will allow myself to be more direct with you, Marquis Leopold: I have reasons to believe that this attack came from you and the other lords, the true financiers of this massacre.¡±


    Leopoldo, seeing the expression of discontent in Adriana¡¯s eyes, smiles maliciously.


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    ¡°Do you have proof that such a plan came from the Congress? Accusing us like this could generate a scandal of great proportions, this one indeed costing you your crown. Remember what happened to the president of the Confederation of Bass¨ªlia, for example. His connections to the mentors of corruption schemes irreparably tarnished his public image, to the point of ending up in prison soon after. I don¡¯t think you would like that to happen to you,¡± Leopold rejoices at the growing anger in Adriana¡¯s eyes, then proceeds to provoke her even more. ¡°What I can tell you is that ¡®no¡¯, it didn¡¯t come from us. You have no way to doubt my word. For that very reason, I can say calmly that it did indeed come from an anonymous mentor, who knew about our problems with Friedrich and decided to motivate us to do something about it. The identity of this anonymous benefactor I cannot say, as he only communicates indirectly with us, but what I can say is that we will continue working together, whether Her Imperial Majesty wants it or not. I have my scores to settle with Friedrich, and it won¡¯t be his mother who will prevent me from pursuing my goals.¡±


    Paola, who was with her friend at that moment, does not allow this scene to continue.


    ¡°How dare you? Who do you think you are to offend Her Imperial Majesty with such ease?¡± questions Paola, holding Leopold by the collar.


    Leopold does not lose his composure, doubling down.


    ¡°I¡¯m impressed you didn¡¯t advance against me before, Paola. I expected no less from the Duchess of Mesl¨¢dria, Prime Minister and Captain of the National Guard. With so much favoritism from Her Imperial Majesty, it was to be expected that you would be ¡®so loyal¡¯ to her,¡± responds Leopoldo, laughing at Paola¡¯s fury.


    Adriana then gives up interrogating Leopoldo.


    ¡°Let him go, Paola, it¡¯s not worth persisting without more information. He¡¯ll only insult us more.¡±


    Paola then releases him, letting him withdraw along with the other lords. When they are alone, Paola lets her indignation manifest.


    ¡°We are so close, Adriana! Why doesn¡¯t anyone spill the beans? Threats, bribes, blackmail, nothing serves to reveal who the perpetrator was!¡± responds Paola, furious.


    Adriana sinks into her throne, frustrated by another failure in her investigations.


    ¡°They won¡¯t talk. They know they are in a comfortable position, so much so that they would never have accepted such a plan if they weren¡¯t. We can¡¯t do anything, not even start a public investigation without them accusing me. Meanwhile, Friedrich and the Liberating Alliance continue to demand the perpetrator¡¯s head. I feel like a failure, Paola.¡±


    Paola then tries to console her friend.


    ¡°I will continue investigating, Adriana. For your sake and Friedrich¡¯s,¡± responds Paola, who leaves the throne room.


    The only reaction Adriana can express at this moment is a smile¡­