Good Lord above, Elias the Madman has done it. Well, it certainly looks like Earth will be a dead world come Stellaris. What a mess, what a bloody mess.
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I can't believe that aged perfectly.Wait a second....
I'm not sure if he's still following this AAR, but damn, @Osterreich Will Rule's comment aged well after this update didn't it.
They definitely inspired later colonization efforts at the very least. Maybe I could even tie it to that hermetics’ guild quest with the boat trip to Africa I was talking about a couple days ago.
From what I remember, the original real life legend was the emperor wanted new lands to conquer but the fleets found nothing but water and went back home. Maybe something like that happened here, only it actually found something.
The new chapter writing style was really fun to write and allowed me much more narrative freedom than the old style, so I’m excited to build on it.
Spoilers.
Post apocalyptic origin intensifies
Seems like the Emperor of Mankind will come in the the 21st Century of the 3rd Millennium instead of in the 30th Millennium during the Age of Strife.
Or the Terran Empire is coming along right on schedule.
Make that just antagonist.
You know that would actually be a great twist tbh, all these buildup on the Annoniaverse being the ultimate bad guys trying to invade the Galaxy in the Stellaris part, but they're actually the lesser evil. Like I said in previous occasions, I am looking forward to when we eventually get there. For now, I'm hyped for the various worldbuilding updates for now, plus the revamped storylines for the CK2 portions.
We've been led to think the Annionaverse would be our final boss, but the twist is we are the Annionaverse's final boss.
I'm very excited to do the worldbuilding for Stellaris. Watching Battlestar Galactica and Stargate recently has given me so many great ideas for space civilizations and interactions
I’m looking forward to seeing the Stellaris portion and how you intend to world build that part of the story. I’d also like to recommend the futurist YouTube channel Isaac Arthur and similar channels as a resource you could use to help world build the Stellaris portion. I’m existed to see how you develop alien civilizations, the socio-political situation of future humanity after Jerusalem, Ancient humanity and the Worm/Annionaverse storyline.
I wonder what something like the Alexiad would be like here? Obviously Alexious Kommenos was never Byzantine emperor, though he could’ve still been a significant ally of Fredrich the Great and earned a high ranking position that way, later inspiring his daughter to write an epic history about the two Fredrichs and Saint Wilhelmina’s early reign.
I’m also wondering what the careers and works of people like Dante Allergeri and Niccolo Machiavelli would be like here, as Italy during the Renaissance here was in a very different position from OTL and the Schweinfurts don’t seem like the type to exile political enemies.
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LKR Guy: becomes an eldritch entity more powerful than even the WormOr that both sides are the same.
I'll keep him in mind when I get closer to Stellaris. But it feels like every year I estimate I'll start Stellaris the next year...but then NWO keeps chugging along.
That is possible. Or maybe a Hohenzollern who wasn't in the line of succession wrote their own version of the Alexiad, like one of Saint Wilhelmina's younger children.
I was thinking more of the Renaissance artists who would now be able to collaborate with each other (if they got along) within the Schweinfurt court. Again, not sure of details, because I'd have to research a lot of different Renaissance figures and how their careers went with the people who commissioned them and how they interacted with each other.
From what I can gather about Dante Aligheiri's life (wikipedia and a few books) he was exiled out of Florence due to politics, and this inspired him to write the Divine Comedy. Obviously this would not occur in the Hohenzollernverse due to a united Empire, Dante was apparently also instrumental in the emergence of the modern day Italian language due to his book, here, he would probably be one of the leading Lombard figures that ensured the culture thrives into the modern era (At least until ya know, Jerusalem takes over) his Inferno book would probably replace his enemies with those of the Reich's enemies definitely, Pagans and Heretics alike. Virgil is still his guide of course. The Divine Comedy would probably be commissioned under the Schweinfurt's tutelage, and with the crisis of the 13th Century still in full swing at this time (Assuming Dante's entire life is at the same span as his OTL Counterpart's ((1265-1321)) ) there would definitely be some Apocalyptic themes, the Book of Revelations would be cited more, and the Beast of Babylon would probably be a combination of Nero and the Aztecs.
Now regarding the Alexiad, if I recall from the 1066 start, Alexios Komnenos would still be around at the time, though still a kid by the start, he'd probably be around his early adulthood by the time Anna Doukas reigns as Empress. Considering the Komnenoi were still serving in the CK2, I can see Alexios being one of the loyalists that are protecting the young Fredreich from intrigue, especially if his grandfather has business away from Constantinople. If the Alexiad is still being written here, it'd be a series of books focusing on Fredreich the Glorious' early reign, the Komnenoi themselves, and definitely the state of the Eastern half, with added commentary from Alexios' daughter (OTL, Anna Komnena apparently had a huge crush on Bohemund of Antioch, and that was very much evident on the Alexiad)
Now regarding the Alexiad, if I recall from the 1066 start, Alexios Komnenos would still be around at the time, though still a kid by the start, he'd probably be around his early adulthood by the time Anna Doukas reigns as Empress. Considering the Komnenoi were still serving in the CK2, I can see Alexios being one of the loyalists that are protecting the young Fredreich from intrigue, especially if his grandfather has business away from Constantinople. If the Alexiad is still being written here, it'd be a series of books focusing on Fredreich the Glorious' early reign, the Komnenoi themselves, and definitely the state of the Eastern half, with added commentary from Alexios' daughter (OTL, Anna Komnena apparently had a huge crush on Bohemund of Antioch, and that was very much evident on the Alexiad)
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Sounds interesting, he’d probably have some jabs at Catholicism, given how he was exiled in OTL for being against the pope at the time.
As for the other influential Italian figure known for being exiled from Florence and then writing a book, I know Machiavelli is known for realpolitik and thus would probably still get a bad wrap tyrannical regimes like the Inquisition and Jerusalem that seem like they were inspired by his ideas in The Prince, but he was also a major fan of both Classical and Renaissance era republicanism (something that Enlightenment scholars I’m sure would like) and founding political science and philosophy as a whole from what I see so I wonder how that would translate here?
I did not know that actually, as I remember Anna having a low opening of the First Crusaders in OTL due to Byzantine conflict with the Latins. Also, isn’t that the son of Robert Guiscard, the leader of the Norman Sicilians and a major Byzantine enemy in the 11th century? That guy sure did leave a mark on Mediterranean history didn’t he.
I'm operating on the idea that the other Italian cultures weren't fully eradicated, it was just that Lombard culture became the most influential and prestigious among them all (and some cultures were still purged).
Dante's Inferno would probably be more apocalyptic. Instead of criticizing the politics of the Italian rulers, it would be commentary on the Sunset Invasion as you pointed out.
The schism had been mended and the Catholic Church had been absorbed into the Orthodox Church for decades by now, so that wouldn't have happened here, but he could have heard (exaggerated) stories about the Pope.
I'm guessing he would have the same pop culture reputation as being a ruthless authoritarian, but his works are actually more moderate relative to today than believed. Again, I don't know any details about what he might have written here.
I should mark down Alexios Komnenos as a significant character to cover in the 11th century retelling. I like the idea of him being one of Friedrich the Glorious' first supporters and protectors.
Perhaps Anna had another crush here instead of Bohemund. She'd definitely still talk a lot about Friedrich the Glorious and the early reign of Saint Wilhelmina.
Wikipedia does say Bohemond is Robert Guiscard's son. Robert is shaping up to be a major character in the 11th century arc because he has ties to both the Italian and Byzantine stories.
Storm
Tenochtitlan
“Confirming detonations in the following cities,” a general reported, “Markland, Gunnolfsfell, Tejas City, Michigan City, Hongzhou, Cusco…Zhumasi, Conoy, Jinshan, Panama City, New Peten, Harbor City…”
“My gods,” Ollin said, “They’re hitting every major city in the Eimericas.”
Even those cities where Crusaders and Argus were conducting operations. Did the “support the troops” committee think its own soldiers’ lives were that expendable?
“May not be just the Eimericas,” the general reported, “We have unconfirmed reports of Kaunas being hit as well. Possibly Riga and Copenhagen. Other cities in Africa and Asia too.”
“No,” Ollin said, pounding the table, “No! It can’t end like this!”
“We need to get you to shelter!” the general said.
Ollin looked out the window, watching the bright skyline of nighttime Tenochtitlan. He figured he wouldn’t be seeing it for much longer.
“Go,” he said.
“But sir,” the general said.
“I have something I want to broadcast,” he said, “To put the people at ease. Get the Huehuetlatoani to safety.”
“Of course, sir.” The general saluted and left.
Ollin went to the press briefing room. He checked the cameras to see if there was still tape he could use, and then turned them on. After making sure they were broadcasting, he stepped up to the podium.
“My fellow Mexicans,” he said, “On December 2, 1236, Ocuil Acatl landed in the Hebrides, establishing contact between the Triple Alliance and the Reich. Three years later, on January 1, 1240, he invaded Caledonia intending to conquer the Reich for the glory of the Alliance. This began eight hundred years of warfare and conflict between our two nations. Since then, we have been locked in a struggle of supremacy and revenge. The Romans fought to save their nation from the Mexica invaders, but once they had driven them back into the sea, they set their sights on coming to our homes and visiting on us what we had done to them. And thus the Sunrise Invasion began as payback for Sunset Invasion. The Alliance crumbled after that invasion, and we blamed the Romans for destroying our empire. Many successive regimes—the Aztecatls, the equalists, and the Paulluists—came to power with the promise of revenge against the Romans. That revenge informed the Mexicanists who flew planes into the Twin Towers, killing thousands of innocent Romans and provoking a Roman invasion, which spurred another wave of vengeance by Mexicanists. And in the Roman homeland, Mexicaphobia continued as Romans never let go of the hatred of their ancient enemy. And that has culminated in the current moment, as Mexico faces a darkness it has not seen for a long time. To that, I say…no more.
“Many of us on both sides sought to end the cycle of hatred, revenge, and violence, but we were branded cowards, traitors, and heretics. All we wanted was to see our two people stop fighting each other. Because we’ve spent the last eight centuries trying to kill each other, instead of growing as societies and learning from each other. Generation after generation of Romans and Nahua murder each other for something their ancestors did centuries ago, just because their elders raise them to hate the other and continue the cycle. Growing up, I was like that. I was told the Romans were responsible for everything wrong with our country, and the only way to save Mexico was to help Zolton fight against the Romans. So I loyally served as his general for fifteen years. Then…I lost my family.”
He stopped for a moment. He didn't want to recall those memories. But he had to. There wouldn’t be another chance.
“It was 2003. The Romans had just begun their invasion. They had plans for air strikes all across northeastern Mexico. One target was the town I grew up in. My wife and kids lived there with my parents and siblings. I knew they were going to attack and prepared to issue an evacuation order. But Zolton overruled me. He told me we couldn’t let the ‘Roman infidels’ learn we broke their encryption patterns, and that sacrifices were necessary in order to avenge the Sunrise Invasion. When the air strikes began, Zolton sprung an ambush, sending his own jets to intercept the Romans over the targets. And in the battles that ensued, hundreds of civilians on the ground were killed. Including my entire family. The farmhouse they lived in was completely flattened by a bomb. Roman or Mexican, I still don’t know. I don’t care. Doesn’t matter to me. It was the stupid eight hundred year feud between our two nations, started by a glory-obsessed Acatl general in the thirteenth century, which got them and thousands more killed. That is why I chose to help the Roman occupation, although it would mean briefly letting the Reich control our country.
“I wanted to heal the divides between our two peoples. Yes, I know I made plenty of mistakes. I know the occupation’s very existence radicalized many who saw the Romans as perpetrating another Sunrise Invasion. But I fought against those people. I fought to stabilize Mexico, reform its government into something the people could participate in. All I wanted was to see a Mexico at peace, both with itself and with the Reich. Our two peoples aren’t destined to fight each other for all time. We can make amends. We can reach out to each other and move into the future as friends, not hated enemies. Stop killing each other senselessly. Instead of destroying we can rebuild and build even better than before.
“Unfortunately, the Jerusalem regime has made it almost impossible now. They have validated the radicals within our society by being outwardly hostile to everything Mexican. They are trampling our cities and murdering our people again, this time actually intending to repeat the Sunrise Invasion all over again. Yet I must tell you something. While we may be at war, please, I beg of you, don’t see this as a clash of civilizations. Don’t see it as the Roman and Mexican people continuing their eternal war against each other. See it as the rogue Jerusalem regime cloaking itself in the idea of Roman civilization as the polar opposite to alleged Mexica barbarism. They benefit from hating us and getting us to hate them. Hatred feeds the regime. They hate us, so we hate them, giving them a reason to hate us more. They goad us to commit barbarities so they can label us barbarians and pagans and then invade with the justification of bringing civilization, which they are doing now. Do not play their game. Show them we are not barbarians. Show them the history of our nation is just as long and storied as theirs. Show them we are not polar opposites destined to fight, but two peoples who can work together. Show them we are equals. Show them what it means to be Mexican. Show them we are proud to be Mexican! I stand here, even when I should be leaving for my own safety, because I firmly believe these ideals, and I love my country and want to see it thrive. That Mexico and its people can only move forward if they break out of the cycle of violence that has trapped them for eight centuries. It’s time we abandoned our past of bloodshed and hatred. Please, I beg of my fellow citizens, look forward to the future! Reject Jerusalem and welcome the Romans for who they can be—our friends. Fight for your freedom, but do not hate—”
At that moment, a nuke flattened Tenochtitlan, while a wave of Jerusalemite cyberattacks shut down the Internet and TV networks in Mexico.
Tiger’s Defense command center, Vilnius - November 3, roughly 3:00 AM
Kowalski suddenly jolted awake after hearing the frantic beeping of almost every computer in the room.
“What is it?” he said.
“General Kowalski, we’re seeing a massive BGP attack radiating out from Jerusalem!” a technician reported. “Websites are going down by the hundreds!”
“We’re detecting multiple DDoS attacks against government servers!” another reported.
“Reports of attacks on the Russian government servers!” another said.
“They’re hitting Scandinavia too!”
“Vilnius first responders reporting a ransomware attack has locked up their hotlines!”
Soon everyone was reporting a massive cyberattack of some kind. Kowalski turned to his own work computer and logged into Tiger’s Defense. The screen glitched for a moment, and the main menu took several minutes to fully load.
“Oh…no…” Kowalski said. “Someone wake up Chancellor Bradziunas!”
Suddenly, the ground shook, and the lights flickered. Some of the computers went dark.
“What was that?” he said.
Downtown Vilnius
Boris climbed out of bed…or what was left of it. Half of his room had been obliterated by a sudden explosion. He was lucky it hit where it did. If the bomb had exploded just a few feet to its right, he would have been killed. He looked out across the wreckage and saw he now had an unobstructed view of downtown Vilnius. Smoke rose from across the city, but he heard no emergency sirens blaring. As he watched, SVI beams came down from above and obliterated more city blocks.
His bodyguards finally appeared through the door. “Sir! We have to go!”
Boris followed them out into the hallway and to a bunker underneath the chancellery. There, several generals had already gathered.
“What’s happening?” he asked.
“We aren’t quite sure ourselves,” one general said, “It just started a few minutes ago.”
“Contact General Kowalski,” Boris said,
“We’re trying, but we can’t reach him,” a general said, “Everything’s down. Phone lines, Internet, wireless, TV…they’ve shut it all down.”
North of Stockholm
The royal jet streaked through the clouds, quickly leaving Stockholm behind. A minute later, Aleta made out a flash of light from the corner of her eyes, no doubt the nuke hitting the city. Fortunately, they were already far enough for the blast, shockwave, and EMP to not affect them, and the pilot continued on his path.
“How many more missiles are in the air?” Aleta said.
“I don’t know, ma’am,” Olaf said, “Our communications with the rest of the world are still very spotty and unclear. But it seems like certain cities aren’t being targeted. Vilnius, Tsarberg, and Kiev have all been hit with SVI attacks instead of nukes, at least for now. That’s all we know right now.”
“We’ll probably know for sure when we reach Bunker Ragnarok,” Aleta said.
“I knew that bunker would come in handy!” Olaf said.
Aleta glared at him.
“…not that I wanted this war to happen, ma’am,” Olaf said.
“At least change the name to something less cheesy,” Aleta said.
Suddenly, the pilot’s controls beeped urgently. The radar systems showed several rapidly incoming signatures.
“We have incoming!” the pilot said.
“Who is it?” Aleta said.
“I don’t know,” the pilot said, “But from their speed, I can only assume them to be fighter jets.”
“Where’s our escort?” Olaf said.
“I don’t know!” the pilot said. “We hastily put this operation together an hour ago.”
“Can we outrun them?” Aleta said.
“I’m not sure,” the pilot said.
Olaf picked up the radio.
“Enemy craft in pursuit!” he said. “We can’t escape them! Someone help us!”
But nobody came. A missile slammed into the jet and destroyed it. The Angel pilot who fired the missile saw the explosion briefly light up the night sky and flaming metal shrapnel begin raining down to earth. The radar signature on his HUD was no longer there.
“Target destroyed, praise be,” he radioed, “Returning to base.”
Irina’s house, outside Stockholm
Irina regained consciousness and found herself half buried by rubble that was formerly her house. Her eyes were blurry, and her ears were still ringing. She tried feeling her legs, but they were pinned down. Her arms and stomach flared with pain. She definitely had a few broken bones. Definitely not good, for a woman her age. In the distance, she heard people shouting.
“We found another survivor!”
“Over here! We need help!”
“Someone help us lift the rubble!”
Suddenly, there were people around her, grabbing on to the rubble and lifting it up. The strain on her legs subsided. Arms grabbed her around the shoulders and pulled her out. She winced in pain as the hands jostled her broken arms, but she said nothing. As soon as she was clear, the others set down the rubble and rushed to her side.
“Are you okay, ma’am?”
“I…I think I broke my arms,” Irina said.
“Don’t worry, I know first aid.”
“Let me set your arms and make a splint.”
“Where’s the hospital?” Irina said. “Ambulances?”
“Either destroyed or overwhelmed.”
“What’s going on?” Irina said. “What is happening here?”
“We don’t know.”
“But we’re going to get you to safety.”
They hauled Irina onto a stretcher and carried her to a nearby van, loading her in the back. The van drove off through the ruined streets of the rural neighborhood, in search of more wounded. Irina strained her neck to look out through the windows. The once lush rolling fields behind her house had been reduced to cinders.
“Mighty Rod, reigning from above…creator of all past, present, and future…complete and absolute, one and indivisible, your will be manifested through Svarog and Lada, Perun and Veles, and your sons and daughters above, on, and under the earth,” Irina whispered, “May you forgive us as we forgive those who wish us harm. Save us from the Times of Troubles…deliver us from the Black God, Chernobog…and please, I beg of you, watch over my sister and daughter.”
Oslo
The subway tunnel was jam-packed with people, all crouching and huddling on the floor. The lucky ones used the side of the platform or the tunnel wall to brace themselves. Sylvia and Clara only had each other to hold onto, with Oliver in between them. Occasionally, they felt the tunnel shake as another SVI blast hit in the aftermath of the nuclear detonation, and dust trickled down from the ceiling.
“Mom?” Oliver said.
“Yes, sweetie?” Clara said.
“Are we going to be okay?” Oliver said.
“I’m going to make sure nothing bad happens to you, Oliver,” Clara said.
“Mommy?” Oliver said. “How long do we have to stay here?”
“Until they stop hitting us,” Sylvia said.
“And when will that be?” Oliver said.
“I don’t know,” Sylvia said, “I’m sorry.”
“Well, Angelica…” Clara muttered. “ Looks like I won’t be able to hold up my end of the bargain. But please, Angelica…don’t die on us.”
France
It was truly an apocalyptic sight, watching the nukes launch. They had started launching an hour ago and were still going, even now. Missiles lifted off from in the distance, creating towers of smoke tipped with light disappearing into the night sky. Angelica’s team was returning from a late-night operation when Ruby stopped the car in shock. Everybody slowly got out, in various stages of horror, powerless to watch as more and more missiles launched. Barley able to process what was going on and what was going to happen, Tania fell to her knees. She was unable to form any words. She wanted to do something. She wanted to just go to the silos and stop any further launches. But it was useless. There were too many silos. They were too far away. They were too heavily guarded. And they were already launching. They would be done by the time she got to the nearest one. She could only watch as what surely was the end of the world began.
“Oh, God…” Angelica stammered. “Oh, God…Oh, God…”
That was all she could say.
Isfahan
Thea rummaged through her workshop, searching for parts. Alex impatiently stood at the door, waiting for her.
“We don’t have time for this!” he said. “We need to go now!”
“This is important!” Thea said. “We need the Panopticon nullifier if we’re going to have a chance against the Crusaders!”
“The nullifier will mean nothing if we die here!” Alex said. “And we’re not even sure it works!”
“I can fix it!” Thea said.
“There’s no time!” Alex said. “We have to go! Thea, please!”
“Here it is!” Thea said, holding up the nullifier.
“Let’s go!” Alex said.
They ran out of the apartment.
“Seriously, why do you keep rushing me lately?” Thea said. “It’s always Thea we don’t have time this, Thea we can do this later that, I mean, come on, I can handle myself!”
“I just don’t want you to get hurt,” Alex said, “I’ve lost too many people. I don’t want to lose you as well.”
“Well, you could at least give me some room,” Thea said.
“I’m only looking out for you!” Alex said.
“And I can’t look out for myself?” Thea said. “You’re starting to talk like Theo.”
Alex tried saying something, but he couldn’t.
“I…sorry,” he said, “Look, everything’s burning down and I don’t want you to burn too. Is that too much to ask for?”
“I get it, I get it,” Thea said, “I know what’s happening. But I also know how to not be burned. And I have something I want to contribute to the world, like we did with the betharium reactor.”
"Can we please discuss this somewhere else?” Alex said.
They left the building. Alex checked his phone, but it had no signal.
“Do you have a signal?” he asked. “Hope Alexandra is okay.”
Thea checked her phone. “No dice. Internet’s down too.”
“What the hell is going on?” Alex said.
He heard a roar from the sky and looked up just as antiaircraft flak detonated several missiles high above Isfahan, preventing them from destroying anything. As the warheads hadn’t been armed before they were destroyed, the explosions were relatively tame compared to what Alex feared. They had been lucky, unlike so many other cities. They still had to get to shelter, though. There was no guarantee they would be lucky a second time. Alex found his car and got in with Thea. He took out his keys and turned the ignition. The engine turned over and coughed.
“Damnit,” he said, “Not now! Did they drop an EMP?”
“Well, the engine turned over, so no,” Thea said, “It’s an engine issue.”
“Of all times, it chose now!” Alex said. “Seriously?”
He pounded the wheel. “Work, damn you, work!”
Suddenly, the engine roared to life. He was so used to the radio turning on right afterward that he was surprised and a little creeped out to hear only static. No, there was no time to think about listening to music. He had to go.
“Alright…” he said. “We’re a go..”
He sped off. In the skies above Isfahan, and soon above other Persian cities, the first SVI blasts started raining down.
“An EMP…” Thea said, thinking out loud. “An EMP…that’s it!”
Imperial Palace, Delhi
“I’ve lost contact with Amit Shah!” General Banda Ahluwalia said.
“I don’t care, frak him!” Jayasimha said. “What about everyone else?”
“I don’t know!” Banda said.
The bunker shook again. Lakshmi screamed, and Jayasimha held her close, protectively.
“It’s going to be okay, Lakshmi,” he said, “It’s going to be okay.”
Imperial Palace, Nanjing
Tsai, Han, the Emperor, Prince Lian, and Princess Hao ran through the palace hallways, occasionally stopping to brace themselves as another SVI blast hit. The air was filled with the steady buzzing of antiaircraft machine guns firing off into the skies, intercepting all incoming nuclear missiles. They were lucky the missiles bound for Nanjing were among the latest of Jerusalem’s opening salvo, and despite SVI having crippled their nuclear countermeasures and second strike capabilities, they managed to shoot down plenty of nukes. However, other cities in the west and south weren’t as lucky.
The Emperor turned a corner. “The bunker entrance is this way!”
They followed him down the corridor to a metal door which looked very out of place in the traditionally-built hallway. Lian input the passcode to unlock it, and the door swung open.
“Everyone inside!” he said.
The Emperor went in first, followed by Lian. But when Tsai went to enter…
“HEEYUH!” Han kicked her out with a horribly executed kung-fu kick, sending her sprawling on the ground. “I’ve always wanted to try that out! I’m really a kung fu master! Suck it monks!”
But he silently clutched his leg in pain and hopped into the bunker.
“Han, what are you doing?!” Tsai said.
“You’ve gotten in my way too long,” Han said, “With you out of the way, there is nothing stopping my plans. There will be nothing holding China back!”
“You’re crazy!” Tsai said.
She got to her feet, but Han casually slammed the door behind him. Tsai reached for the handle, but she heard the lock buzz and click. She angrily pounded on the door.
“Han, this isn’t funny!” she said. “Let me in! I’ll die out here!”
“That’s the point,” Han said.
“Frak you, Han!” Tsai said. “Why would you do this?”
“Why not?” Han said. “Because I can.”
“DAMN YOU!” Tsai said.
“Hope you enjoy your last moments!” Han said. “I’ve got better things to do, like make my emergency address to the nation. You know the people are going to go crazy when they hear Jerusalem murdered their precious Tsai Ing-Wen.”
Tsai heard Han’s footsteps getting fainter and fainter.
“COME BACK HERE AND OPEN THIS DOOR, HAN!” Tsai said. “You hear me?!”
No response.
“Come back!” she said. “Please!”
Another SVI blast hit somewhere nearby. It wouldn’t be long now. Wait a minute. What if there was another bunker entrance? Surely there was another one. And she knew what the code was. She could just get in another way, and then deal with Han afterward. She set off running through the palace, her balance occasionally thrown off by another nearby explosion. The Emperor had said there was another entrance near the old chaguan, didn’t he? She’d go there then. She ran across a courtyard, recalling many of her old lunches with Georg, Wilhelmina, and Jayasimha. The chaguan might be gone, but it could still be her salvation. After several tense minutes, she reached the chaguan, only to stop in shock as she saw what had happened to the place. The garden that now covered the chaguan had been destroyed, and a crater now sat in its center. In the middle of the crater, a fifteen-foot tungsten round still stuck out of the ground almost straight up. This was the most destructive part of each SVI blast. Although the rounds were surrounded by superheated plasma, it was being accelerated to supersonic speeds in the orbital railguns that made it the perfect nuke neutralizer. There were some models that just fired the plasma without the rounds, but those were being phased out. Tsai couldn’t help but approach the round, still feeling some residual heat coming off it. When she drew close enough, she noticed patterns which she soon realized to be writing.
“Do unto your neighbors as they would do unto you.”
“Isn’t that iro—” Tsai never finished her statement as another tungsten round came down right on top of her, obliterating the former chaguan yet again.
Thus ended the long since stagnant and irrelevant life of Tsai Ing-Wen, bringing the fifty-year Chinese democratic experiment to a definitive end. An end of failure.
Tsarberg
“Here we go again,” Wilhelmina said, tossing clothes into her suitcase.
“Wonder where we’re going to go now,” Franz said, “Since Jerusalem can hit anywhere.”
“I don’t know,” Wilhelmina said.
“Yavdi’s a good bet,” Olga said, “There’s a massive bunker complex deep in the Urals. Far from any population centers, deep enough to not be destroyed by a nuke. I’m sending as many troops as I can to escort you there. Amur will do the same.”
“What about Russia itself?” Joseph said. “Aren’t you going to defend your country?”
“Of course I will, but I know better than to fight a losing battle,” Olga said, “I’ve already executed my contingency plans. We’re going to make those Crusaders bleed for every bit of land they take.”
“Let me help with the city’s evacuation,” Wilhelmina said, “I shouldn’t be the only one being moved east.”
“No, you’re too important,” Franz said, “You’re the princess. You need to survive.”
“And everyone in Tsarberg doesn’t, because they’re not me?” Wilhelmina said.
“I…but you’re a world leader,” Franz said, “You can’t just put your life in danger.”
“How can I keep running away?” Wilhelmina said. “My people are here, in this city! And not just the Romans, but the Russians too! They’ve done so much for me after I came here. I can’t just leave them behind.”
“Mom, we should really go before they nuke us,” Joseph said.
“They’re not going to nuke us,” Wilhelmina said, “If they did, they would’ve already. They intend to take this city the old-fashioned way.”
“So we should probably leave before they show up,” Franz said.
“I’m not leaving until I’ve gotten as many people out as I can,” Wilhelmina said, “If you don’t want to stay, then go on ahead of me. I won’t mind.”
Franz thought for a moment. “Is there anything I can say to get you to reconsider?”
“No,” Wilhelmina said.
“Franz, don’t worry,” Olga said, “I’ll protect her. Personally, if I need to.”
“Aren’t you a little old to be protecting people?” Joseph said.
“Trust me, kid, I’ve still got it.” Olga held up her gauntlet. “Jessica made me a second one too.”
Franz sighed.
“Well…I guess I’ll leave it to you, then,” he said, “Willie, promise me you’ll leave Tsarberg as soon as it gets too dangerous.”
“I will,” Wilhelmina said.
“I’ll make sure she leaves,” Olga said.
“You better,” Franz said, “We’ll just go on ahead with Friedrich to the Ural bunker.”
“We’ll meet you there,” Joseph said.
Franz picked up Enonon’s case. “We’re taking this ahead with us.”
“It’s just a sword,” Wilhelmina said.
“Come on, Mom,” Joseph said, “You know better than anyone how important this is. We can’t let the committee take it back.”
“Alright, alright,” Wilhelmina said, “You better not lose it, then.”
“Of course I won’t!” Joseph said.
“Remind me how many car keys and credit cards you’ve lost?” Wilhelmina said.
“I…Mom!” Joseph said. “This isn’t the time for that!”
“Oh, it’s definitely the time for that,” Wilhelmina said, “Franz, help our son out, would you?”
“Sure,” Franz said.
“And no incidents, Franz,” Wilhelmina said, “Like that time we were planning the trip to New Berlin!”
Constantinople
Ferdinand Gaillard’s phone rang.
“Hello?” he said.
“Hello, Colonel Gaillard,” Elias said, “This is Elias Anhorn. You know who I am.”
“Herr Anhorn, sir,” Ferdinand said, “I…wasn’t expecting your call. To what may I give the honor of this conversation?”
“How would you like to lead troops under my personal command?” Elias said.
“I’d be honored, sir,” Ferdinand said, “May I ask what the mission is?”
“All you need to know is we’re heading to Tsarberg,” Elias said, “I’ll give you more details when we meet up.”
“Understood, sir,” Ferdinand said.
“Well, thank you for getting on the phone with me,” Elias said, “Get your squad ready to deploy. We’ll be sending a plane to pick you up this afternoon.”
“Looking forward to it, sir,” Ferdinand said.
Heinrich’s house, Berlin - 9:00 AM
Heinrich’s regular alarm rang on schedule, and he stirred awake. He pulled himself out of bed and slowly got dressed. After putting on his uniform, he went downstairs and put some bread in the toaster while he drank a glass of water. Then he went to the front door to pick up the morning paper. As soon as he opened the door, he heard the roar of fighter jets overhead. He became more confused when he bent down to pick up the newspaper and noticed the headline.
“…What the frak happened while I was sleeping, and why the hell did ABSOLUTELY NOBODY WAKE ME UP?!”
---
I'm going to be going on vacation later today until next Tuesday, but I'll see if I can post the next few updates on schedule since they still line up with the real life dates.
- 3
Well it seems that World War Four has truly began.
That was a niece speech by Ollin but I fear that it will have all ben for nothing. Especially if those Jerusalemite cyberattacks are any indication his speech might not have made it out at all.
RIP Tsai Ing-Wen. In a messed up way it is almost fitting that her end was similar to Merkel's at the start of all of this. I hope some of the characters that have survived so far continue to do so.
Not a good time to be stubborn Wilhelmina. I do wonder were Friedrich and Ilyana are since I do not see them in this part only Wilhelmina, Franz and Joseph?
Of course no one bothered to wake Heinrich up.
Enjoy your vacation.
Welp, looks like Jerusalem is determined to conquer the world and remake it in the Commitee's own image after baptising it in nuclear hell fire. This update really gives me simlar vibes to the Jerusalem AAR that inspired the HOI3 "ending". At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if Theodor unleashes the Annionaverse smallpox virus now.
I think this is a very fitting song for this moment. TNO's version of Himmler would be very pleased at what's happening here I think.
Of the many deaths in this update, Ollin and Tsai's death strike me as the most tragic, as everything they worked for has been blown away and their respective civilzations look like they are on their death throws now. Hopefully Olin's speech will deter mad dictators from taking power and getting everyone killed like they have in the Sinosphere.
Olga and Wilhelmina staying back to hold the line against Elias is brave, but I don't think there's much other nations can do against Jerusalem now that they've had their military and political leadership eliminated and economic/industrial potential destroyed.
Hopefully Thea and her group can stop Jerusalemite crusaders with their inventions, in a era where many world leaders and military officals are being killed and resistance movements are powerless, its funny how Alex's group may be the most crucial to defeating Jerusalem.
I feel like whatever the world population is at the moment, it is definitely lower than IRL at the moment, pretty sure Jerusalem has killed billions at this point
Hope you have a good vacation Zen, I think you deserve a break after the crazy things that have happened in these updates lately.
I think this is a very fitting song for this moment. TNO's version of Himmler would be very pleased at what's happening here I think.
Olga and Wilhelmina staying back to hold the line against Elias is brave, but I don't think there's much other nations can do against Jerusalem now that they've had their military and political leadership eliminated and economic/industrial potential destroyed.
Hopefully Thea and her group can stop Jerusalemite crusaders with their inventions, in a era where many world leaders and military officals are being killed and resistance movements are powerless, its funny how Alex's group may be the most crucial to defeating Jerusalem.
I feel like whatever the world population is at the moment, it is definitely lower than IRL at the moment, pretty sure Jerusalem has killed billions at this point
Hope you have a good vacation Zen, I think you deserve a break after the crazy things that have happened in these updates lately.
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This is only the beginning too.Well it seems that World War Four has truly began.
Nobody is safe now.
They left as well. I'll mention it in the future.
Nobody cares about him anymore. Not even to kill him.
Thanks.Enjoy your vacation.
hmmmmm
I was getting more Taboritsky vibes but that works too.I think this is a very fitting song for this moment. TNO's version of Himmler would be very pleased at what's happening here I think.
That is, if anyone hears and cares about it.
You'd be surprised what some nations might be able to do.
Josh: laughs
I calculated the death toll from this attack to be at least 790-800 million already, and it's only going to increase.
Yeah, I really do.Hope you have a good vacation Zen, I think you deserve a break after the crazy things that have happened in these updates lately.
If I remember I think that Josh is part of Ferdinand Gaillard’s Squad if so then with them headed to Tsarberg then how can he harm Alex's group?
Yeah, I think the Committee is about to start a complete and total genocide of the rest of the world, something tells me that Jerusalem's new world order will leave no room for anyone who isn't a German Christian once they have conquered the world, so entire cultures like the Chinese and Eimericans will be wiped out and/or enslaved. So basically something similar to Nazi plans to depopulate occupied territories as part of Lebensraum. After that, Jerusalem would definitely become a fanatical purifier empire that's super religious and authoritarian in Stellaris if they last that long. I believe Elias has truly lost it enough for him to think of something like this.
Of course, all of this will create a serious backlash against Romans both within the Reich and internationally should Jerusalem fall, despite people like Olin trying to prevent tensions from escalating.
Wait a minute, Josh is heading towards Tsarberg? Oh no! I think the final part of the Worm's prophecy about X-Divsion's demise is about to come true soon with Josh killing Olga. I just have to hope that Elias doesn't get his hands on Wihelmina as he's personally commanding the Crusaders heading towards Russia. Guess it's a good thing the rest of the Hohenzollerns are away in Yavadi now.
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I think he might be but I am not sure. If true then I guess the only good thing is that the remaining Hohenzollerns are in the Yavadi Mountains.
He's taking the scenic route, of course.
About to start? It's already begun.Yeah, I think the Committee is about to start a complete and total genocide of the rest of the world, something tells me that Jerusalem's new world order will leave no room for anyone who isn't a German Christian once they have conquered the world, so entire cultures like the Chinese and Eimericans will be wiped out and/or enslaved. So basically something similar to Nazi plans to depopulate occupied territories as part of Lebensraum. After that, Jerusalem would definitely become a fanatical purifier empire that's super religious and authoritarian in Stellaris if they last that long. I believe Elias has truly lost it enough for him to think of something like this.
Serious backlash would be a dramatic understatement.
Elias has tasked Ferdinand's squad (which includes Josh) with accompanying him to Tsarberg, so...
Yes indeed.