Ennio Volare had given his life to the Church of Celestialism. Sacrificed everything to protect the holy lands of the Theocratic Confederacy of Cerulea.
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Now he kneeled in front of the eight-pointed star of Cerulea in prayer.
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"Um deyði mín skal fáa frið, um hann skal fáa hetta óheilaga stríð at enda... so tak meg nú, o Astarius av Cerulea. Eg eri til reiðar!" He intoned in the ancient tongue of the Ayerians before repeating the final segment of his prayer in Empyrean Basic, "If my death will bring peace, if it will bring this unholy conflict to a close...then take me now, O Astarious of Cerulea. I am ready!"
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His voice rang through the empty Cathedral of Aur. The dying echos of his humble message to Astarious the Star of Cerulea brought him to tears.
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"My Lord, you ask too much of your devoted servant. But I, and none other, shall shoulder the burden of negotiating the surrender of Aur Province to give our the blessed Guardians of Celestial Balance, our mighty Order of the Dragoon the time they need to defend the faith." He said aloud.
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Archdeacon Volare of Aur knew all too well that he had been a constant thorn in the side of the Grand-Generals invading the Southwestern region known as the Theocratic Confederacy of Cerulea. But, his fight was over; his all Holiness, the ecumenical Archbishop Vance of Ecclesia - Starpope, divine will of the Directionals and representative of Astarious on Empyrea - had ordered Aur Province to surrender to Seebhom Massaena to remove an excuse for the Biotechnological Commission of Umbracrest to join the war directly.
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The Bishop of Aur - a fat, cowardly man bloated with false piety and wine - had gone on a "pilgrimage" to Sur Chapelle. What this meant was that he had scurried off in terror.
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Cerulea, as history would tell us, was not - and never will be - made for war: the Theocratic Confederacy had no military, instead relying on the Order of the Dragoon to defend its lands. To make matters worse, the Guardians of Celestial Balance numbered only ninety thousand - of which around 75% were non-combatants - compared to the ten million personnel of the Grand Army. One of Aeroadmiral Sophie Exonault`s craft would be a challenge to the Dragoons, the Grand Fleet had three hundred and eight airships excluding utility craft.
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The Southwest trusted their Southern and Southeastern allies to protect them from UEGNA.
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However, Archdeacon Volare did not fear the Grand Military, but rather what they could accidentally bring with them: the BCU.
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Despite not being fond of groups like the Academy of the Adept, the Church of Celestialism governed Cerulea as a peaceful region that had historically been a voice of reason. However, there were two groups that the Southwest utterly loathed: the Covenant of the Void and the Biotechnological Commission of Umrbracrest.
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The first was defunct, having been dissolved in 68 AE with the deaths of the Æbyssal Triumvirate at the hands of CATAE (Coalition Against the Æbyss) members. The second had been branded as heretical because of its tendency towards weaponising diseases, genetic modification, and experimentation on humans. The antagonistic relationship between Celestialism - and by extension, Cerulea - had been neatly summed up in 19 YAP with, "The Biotechnological Commission of Umbracrest is, as should be obvious to all of Empyrea by now, plainly evil. It is the main instrument of the House of Hessen, a family of sinners, sadists and apostles, for inflicting suffering at their leisure. Such an unholy organisation will never be tolerated by the Church of Celestialism so long as I am its head." - Archbishop Francisco Solitari.
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"The presence of the Venerable Archdeacon Volare of Aur is requested in the meeting room." Muttered the Abbot of the Cathedral of Aur. He was a tall, gaunt man with ghostly pale skin.
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"Thank you, Reverend Abbot." He replied with a faint smile on his face.
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And now it was time to enter the Dragon`s lair. Would Archdeacon Volare emerge, or would he never be seen alive again? Ennio Volare pressed ahead, banishing these thoughts through willpower.
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The Ceruleans may be peaceful, but they are a strong people. The last person to truly conquer the Southwest of Empyrea was Duxeière Osric of the Colestis Imperii, the Hammer of the Ayerians.
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Inside the meeting room sat Grand-General Seebhom Massaena and his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant General Montgo. They were accompanied by a fragile-looking young woman and a stern, bookish man.
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"Welcome Venerable Archdeacon Volare. I am Seebhom Massaena, Grand-General of the Northwestern Army Group," He said grandly, the words accompanied by a theatrical flourish.
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"So, this is the General the Narcissians called the Actor," thought Ennio to himself.
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"Aur welcomes Mr. Massaena. I fondly remember going to see your mother, Miss Sora Euphony. The Larkspur had a truly wonderful lyric soprano." He said.
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The mention of his singer-prostitute mother threw Massaena off balance.
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"Er y-yes, of course. This is Lieutenant General Montgo of the 2nd Northwestern Field Army, my aide-de-camp." Breathed Seebhom, managing to regain his flow.
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Montgo was a neurotic, sickly man. A fanatic logician and strategist, it was no wonder he had been chosen for that role. Oliver Montgo was what made the Northwestern Army tick.
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He spoke up in his wheezy voice, "Yes. Margrave Aunax sends his regrets that he can't be here. He had other...business to take care of in Cerulea." He managed to say before descending into barking coughs. Anuax`s business was probably full of threats, secrets and murders - like anything he was involved in.
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"But..b-but he has sent two representatives of his organisation to see you. Vizegraf Xeina Hessen-Archaea of Eukaro and the Trainee Adeptus Xenobiological represent the interests of the Biotechnological Commission of Umbracrest in Cerulea."
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Volare - who was a descendant of the great instrument maker, Sage Volatari* - settled uneasily into an uncomfortable chair, in an unwelcoming room, full of unfeeling occupants.
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*Volatari had invented the Cerulean Volare and the Tauno Volare, the highest and lowest chordophones (strings) in an Empyrean Orchestra.*
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"So you want to surrender, then?" Seebhom asked solemnly in the sort of voice you might read out a close family member`s eulogy in.
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"Yes."
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"Why?"
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This was going to take some time. Ennio began to wonder if Anuax Hessen`s presence might have sped up the proceedings after all. It wasn't torturous, though.
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No, the only thing happening this time that could be described as torturous was the fate of Margravine Joanna De Napton, quietly eliminated as Aur surrendered itself to the might of the Grand Army. Despite victory being in its grasp, a huge counterattack was in the works - one that would do more than bruise Narcissian and Umbracresti Egos.
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