It is one thing to fight the Empire from the opposing side and actively prepare for it. Normally, I prefer to take an active in conflicts throughout Arda. If those conflicts involve Epa in any way, then my involvement is made certain unless another, more pressing issue is about. Yet now, I have been made a spectator. This conflict between the Empire and Tartarus is their war, not mine. The position as the Arbiter of the White Pantheon's Peace is no longer relevant in this day and age.

But as terrible as it is, there is some curiosity too. Maisara agrees. Our experiences warring against Arascus' Empire from the Great War are relevant, but they are ultimately tarred through the perspective of our own lack of internal analysis. Arascus will no doubt try to write his own chain of events for how this went and his version will no doubt make it into history, but I care not if this text is burned or destroyed or preserved in the highest echelons of Arda's classics. I am in the position to record these events from the side of spectators, so they shall be recorded.

Today, on the 26th, at exactly 17:04, I sat with Maisara and saw every Imperial News station cancel its broadcast and cut to a live feed of their Minister of Internal Affairs, Wilhelm Trosk. The speech lasted a mere ten minutes, there was no question session. At 17:06, General Mobilization was declared. Imperial policy of open diplomacy once again reared its head: at 17:07, the checkpoints I did not even know the existence of to the Second Expedition were declared void. At 17:08, the purpose of the Second Expedition was announced. In the same minute, Trosk brought out pictures of Imperial Legionnaires standing over the corpses of Tartarian demons. At 17:10, a satellite map of Arda was shown. Trosk brought attention to the cloud of ash over the Sassara, stated that theories regarding geological activity resulting from the continent settling and instead admitted what everyone could work out by then. Tartarus was on the surface. At 17:13, Trosk declared that the Imperial fleet was going to assist in the evacuation of North Arika.

At 17:14, Minister Wilhelm Trosk gave the upcoming conflict a public name: 'Prepare for Surface War.'

And so I sit and I stare into this paper. It is not my war and it is not my place to advise either side. I will not choose favourites in this conflict and I still hold to the notion that admission of Tartarus and the creation of the Three-World Alliance was the White Pantheon's greatest mistake back then. Experiencing fighting alongside the demons has convinced me only of the fact they are not fit for this world.

So now, spectate two beasts fight. Monsters from another world versus the beast of bureaucracy Arascus has built brick by brick. His major battlefield Divines are underground. We will have no better example of whether this modern monster of his is nothing but a palace with rotten beams or whether it's the fortress he professes it to be.

- The Beginning to "Spectator the Surface War", written by Goddess Fortia, of Peace.

Helenna stood in her black imperial HAUPT uniform with her hands behind her back. When everyone had come here, they had all thought that this was a matter of settling this little matter of the Norn Declaration. Epa would not be allowed to tear a project that would one day rule the world apart simply because it thought itself oh-so-high-and-mighty. The meeting had not even began. A single half-a-minute phone call from Iliyal two minutes after everyone had arrived had changed everything. Now Helenna stood in her black uniform that hung to her knees. A white shirt underneath, a cap on her head. It bore her emblem of a rose with thorns. The same emblem appeared on her belt.

Everyone sensed that the mood was poor and that they were going to be receiving bad news. That much was certain at this point. If the silence of the Goddesses of Love and of Hatred who had been waiting here for the representatives of Imperial Epa did not get the message across, then the fact Helenna's hair had been deathly black from the very beginning should. Malam pulled out her phone, her wallpaper was a picture of herself at night.

Helenna pulled her eyes away to look over the various officials that had been pulled here. The leaders of the Big Five, as they had started to be known, were here, obviously. So were there Divines: Paida, Olonia, Saksma, Agrita and Aliana. Everyone had forsaken their standard uniforms and came in the unified Imperial colours of black and white, some of them had added gold. A small set came in the jackets that had been bestowed upon during the Epan War. The Rancais delegation was dressed in the formal garb for officers on parade although it was common knowledge that Paida had chosen exclusively veterans of the Anarchia Crisis for her government.

They had been arranged before the same stage that they gave the Norn Declaration on, in the same town hall of Norn. The only difference was that instead of cameras in the audience, it was the people who were once speakers. Malam leaned close to Helenna, her breath smelled of vodka, and showed her phone. She had opened some notes application: Do you know what this is about?

Helenna dug out the minty chewing gum she had and passed it to the Goddess. Malam rolled her eyes as she took it. A shake of Helenna's head gave the answer. Her pale fingers were deft in writing. Do you watch the news? Another shake of the head.

Malam brought up her browser. Of course she used some horrible thing that had some monochrome icon Helenna did not realise and went to Everything in Epa. Helenna felt her hair shift red as it matched the shock of the site's red banner at the top: State of General Mobilization has been announced. Reporting live right now.

"Is that real?" Helenna asked. "Not…" She trailed off. She didn't think the script from a few hours ago would have come into effect so fast. Did they even check it? They must have! Or was she so deep in now that her word was law? Helenna glanced at the audience before saying anything else, there were Divines and elves here. At this distance and in the silence of the auditorium, they would hear even a whisper.

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Malam brought up Doschia Today. That too had seen an emergency revamp: Imperium hat die Generalmobilmachung eingeleitet! Weitere Details folgen in Kürze. She quickly translated it to Allian: The Empire has entered General Mobilization! More details soon. "I know Doschian." Helenna said.

Of course the woman had one of her replies ready. "They call it Dosch."

"Whatever."

"This lot like it though." Malam switched tabs to the Lubskan Czas. They had edited their sight so that a banner was at the top: Wojna! Rozpoczyna się powszechna mobilizacja! Helenna rolled her eyes at that one: War! General Mobilization is beginning!

"Do you have more details?" Helenna asked.

"Didn't you write it?"

"It was just a general script. Procedure." Helenna replied, although Malam was already scrolling down to a presentation minister Trosk had just twenty minutes ago. On it was a map of the Sassara with lines stretching up to Epa and down into Imperial Arika. Helenna stared at the map and then at the various representatives. Suddenly, it all made sense why Iliyal told her to delay the meeting and why they had received confirmation he was coming here himself. The issue of the Norn Declaration suddenly faded into the background.

They did not have to wait long. Malam put her phone away. Her pitch black eyes looked down the stage as Iliyal Tremali walked in with men of the Emperor's Guard behind him. Tall soldiers all, with blade at their side and rifles on their back. The mood here had already been cold but the echoing footsteps of the dozen arrivals had set it to freezing. Helenna didn't know if she was supposed to salute the elf or not. In private, she never did, in the military she always did. But how did they operate now? Did General Mobilization not imply military hierarchy?

Malam solved the question. She turned and saluted to Iliyal. Helenna followed along. The audience caught on and copied. Iliyal dismissed them all with his own. There was no prompting, no entry into the conversation, he just immediately started talking to Malam as if the rest of the room was empty. "The SIS has been made independent as of today." He made a show of checking his watch. "Some six hours ago."

Malam made a satisfied smile and lounged back before the elf, even though he only reached up to her chest. Helenna knew her well enough at this point to know that. "I'm honoured." She replied. Iliyal did not even acknowledge her comment. He just spoke over the Goddess of Hatred. Helenna's hair went to a sullen grey as she monitored the reactions. It was one thing to have the authority of the Emperor but even Arascus did not speak over his daughters…

Her eyes went to Malam. The Goddess of Hatred gave no reaction even as Iliyal continued. That wasn't like her either. "The SIS will assist Internal Affairs in the enforcement of a gold ban. Military locations have to be cleared out at a top priority."

This time though, Malam did stop him. "That's a lot of work."

Another comment ignored. "If Internal Affairs begins to dawdle, then report to me and I will hand organisation over to you. If a replacement for Wilhelm Trosk needs to be found, then one will be found."

Malam's smile was downright devilish. "And if I don't want to?"

Helenna's hair went changed into a brighter shade of red. Iliyal did not bother even looking at the Goddess of Love though, nor at the crowd they were arguing in front of. He brought out the Seal of Arascus. A solid circle of gold emblazoned with a crown looped around a sword. "That is the reason the Divine Emperor has chosen me and not you to act as his replacement." Iliyal held it for Malam and everyone else in the room to witness. "Internal Affairs will institute the gold ban, they will need SIS assistance. Draw up the men from Second Expedition checkpoints and assign them as Confiscators."

Although Helenna struggled to pull her eyes away from that badge but Malam had not glanced at it even once. Instead, she just met the elf's gaze. "Authority is a mighty thing." She replied dryly.

"It is." Iliyal put the badge back into his pocket. "Is it settled?"

"It is settled." Malam said. Both the elf and the Goddess turned on the Epan Divines almost if they were working unison. Helenna blinked as Malam began to talk to Iliyal, although her eyes were focused entirely on the crowd. "This will be nothing like the Epan War Iliyal." It was a dry tone. One that sounded as if it was going to say nothing of importance, but that people would try to read into. Helenna had used the exact same voice in the Pantheon during meeting.

"It will not." Iliyal affirmed in one just as dry and finally spoke up. "Ladies and Gentlmen." From, he looked down at his watch. The maths in his head was immediate. "As of two and a half hours ago, the Empire has entered a state of general mobilization." Those last two words almost echoed through the hall. "This is unlike the partial mobilization during the Epan War."

That could have been said more diplomatically but Helenna maintained her silence, she obviously was not needed for this part of the presentation. And besides, instinct told her that Malam had folded too quickly. "We will not tolerate setback, slowdown nor scandal. Goddesses Paida, Aliana, Olonia and Saksma will find temporary replacements for their position." Helenna turned to the four mentioned in the crowd. They stood tall over the rest of humans and the small amount of elves that had been dragged here. Faces went pale and eyes grew wide as they listened. Iliyal, true to his word, did not slow down for a moment. "King Aimone will take on Goddess Agrita's duties." The human turned apologetically to the Goddess by his side. "The simple fact of the matter is that the situation right now is too serious for civilian operations. You have until dawn at tomorrow to forward me the name of the replacement. Inability to do so will be handled by Goddess Malam."

And now, snow-white haired Malam came in. "The SIS will be happy to provide their own men if you find yourself short of talent."

Helenna caught it. The crowd certainly did not but the crowd was unprepared. And inexperienced. Not Helenna though, that entire argument had been a farce to show. In the words of Malam herself: authority is a might thing. And here, none had more authority than her bar Arascus. They had all just witnessed her folding to Iliyal. The message was simple. If Malam, the commander of the Empire's secret police would fall in line, with all her connections would fall in line, then so would they.

Devilish. Downright devilish. Here Helenna had assumed they weren't capable of such beautiful subterfuge. Iliyal turned to the side. "Mikard!" He shouted. "Bring out the map!" One of the elf's assistant started to wheel in a huge military map as Arascus took a step forward and clapped his hands. That got everyone's attention.

"Ladies and Gentlemen." He began. "Goddesses, I welcome you to the first meeting regarding the defence of Epa." Mikard came to a stop behind, the elf stepped to the side, picked up a pen and began to organise. "Prepare that the plan is being made in real time, any order given today may be rescinded or altered tomorrow but the general structure has been designed by me." He began to draw. "Tartarus has breached the Sassara…"

Helenna only watched as the elf issued commands. Maybe people considered it a blessing but she finally understood what Kassandora meant when she said her Orchestra was an addictive curse. When he had been made the peace-time replacement for Arascus, the elf had been suffering like a malnourish beggar on medieval streets.

Now though? War had set a whole banquet down.

And Iliyal Tremali was ready to feast.

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