Anthology of War, Greed, Fame, Pride, and Nationalism

New Tale

A/N: As always hit the star if you've enjoyed this follow-up one shot.

Previously...

The Kingdoms of Bosco and Iceberg had reached an agreement where in exchange for vouching for Iceberg's King Stalin's legitimacy on the throne, King Napoleon of Bosco would be granted the right to open Boscan markets in Saint Petersburg, along the coast overlooking the Arctic Ocean. It brought about a new era in geopolitics, for two neighbors were able to come to an agreement that would benefit both parties. Despite the death of Napoleon and Stalin, friendly relations remained strong through the decades. When Napoleon's descendant died heirless, a new royal dynasty came to power called the House of Bourbon. Like the Bonapartes that came before them, the Bourbons were originally a family of nobles, politicians, high-ranking civil servants of the Crown, and Prime Ministers. The only difference is their nationalistic pride in their country. The Bourbons were more nationalistic than the Bonaparte family, because they wanted Bosco to dominate the entire continent of Ishtar, no matter the cost in manpower and in money. Sadly this goal contradicted the Romanovs, the succeeding royal dynasty to power after the extinction of King Joseph Stalin's line. So the friendly ties were slowly beginning to unravel. Warning: there will be horrific instances of betrayal.

Now...

King Louis I was the inaugural monarch of Bosco from the Bourbon lineage, whereas in Iceberg, the coronation of King Rurik I marked the remarkable advent of the Romanov dynasty. Regrettably, the two rulers were unable to find common ground on matters concerning foreign economic and social policy. Rurik desired to preserve the existing balance of power in Ishtar, ensuring that no nation wielded excessive influence. Louis, however, had a different vision for the continent. He had a strong desire for his nation to obtain full power, even if it required engaging in multiple conflicts to successfully conquer the various kingdoms and their independent islands. The Islands of Caelum were, in fact, autonomous territories ruled by King Basil IV, who coincidentally served as Louis' ultimate adversary. Contrary to popular belief, the enchanting Enca archipelago was actually ruled by the mighty King of Sin, the esteemed King Kenneth McAlpin. King Louis summoned a war council and discussed with his generals a plan to control the continent. Eventually, everyone present ruled in favor of a proxy war. Bosco, in a noble gesture, would extend their services to a country facing imminent attack. In exchange, they would rightfully seek an economic and political monopoly as a form of compensation. Louis would have the power to decide who buys what goods in exchange for goods from abroad and at what price. If a leader dared to go back on his word, it would be Louis' right to defend his country's interests. So he ordered a mass conscription of all able-bodied wizards and waited for someone to call for help. His patients ultimately paid off, when an urgent letter was mailed, desperately asking for assistance. It was from King John VI Xiphias of the Kingdom of Minstrel. The forces of Sultan Ahmed I of Desierto launched a ruthless attack, with clear orders to invade the neighboring territory and leave no one unharmed. Unfortunately, Ahmed's men were no ordinary soldiers. These were courageous Tungusic warriors hailing from Siberia, an eastern region of the distant kingdom known as Russia, which lay far to the east of Ishtar's border, neighboring an uncharted continent. Their raids were remorseless, unleashing brutal massacres on innocent villagers in eastern Minstrel, regardless of the Sultan's desires. The Tungusic mercenaries were renowned for their lethal skills on horseback, raining arrows upon their foes from all directions and employing strategic retreats to lead their adversaries onto advantageous battlegrounds. King Louis knew about the rumors circulating about the hiring of Tungusic soldiers to participate in battles fought by Ishtarian leaders. But he also knew they were quick to betray, if you offered a better reward and that's what Louis did first. In order to secure the loyalty of the Tungusic mercenaries, he wisely made an enticing offer: 50 trillion dollars' worth of precious gold and bronze coins, along with the hand of his nieces in marriage. Their commanding officer enthusiastically accepted Louis' offer and together, they invaded deep in Desiertan territory. Ibrahim Pasha's cautionary message about their betrayal left Sultan Ahmed furious with anger. Consumed by rage, he took it upon himself to command a formidable legion of 70 billion Janissaries, unleashing their mighty force to apprehend the King of Bosco and ruthlessly eliminate the mercenaries, sparing no mercy. The Tungusic commander, using his native language, fiercely commanded his troops to hold their positions and resist the advancing Janissaries. The following turmoil rattled the desert, giving rise to small swirling whirlpools of sand. In a spectacular display of power, the ground erupted with intense bursts of magical energy, completely obliterating the enemy. Soldiers from both factions either plummeted lifeless or were flung in every conceivable direction, momentarily stunning them before their adversaries ruthlessly thrust their swords, delivering the final blow. Throughout the entire day, the air was filled with the resounding clash of swords, the echoing cries of soldiers, and the authoritative voices of commanding officers issuing orders to their men, until the sun gracefully disappeared beyond the western horizon. When everything fell silent, both sides accounted for their dead and wounded. A shocking turn of events unfolded when a courageous Janissary hastily warned his fellow soldiers, unraveling a grisly revelation—Sultan Ahmed had fallen victim to a ruthless act of mutilation. His hands had been mercilessly severed, leaving behind agonizing bleeding stumps. To make matters even more distressing, a spear had been mercilessly thrust through his heart. The esteemed Sultan of Desierto, who had ruled for an astonishing 13 years, sadly came to a tragic end. Some soldiers wanted to avenge their fallen leader, while others wanted to bury him first. Eventually, the commander-in-chief of the entire Janissary Corps decided vengeance. The plan was to launch a devastating sortie of enemy lines when the sun came up at dawn. Meanwhile, at the Boscan encampment, Louis and his mercenaries slept the night. As they awoke at the crack of dawn, they were shocked to find angry Desiertan soldiers charging blindly right at them. However, the King expected this, so he personally dug trenches along their side of the battlefield, placing sharp wooden pikes on them to impale the enemy before they breached his army's positions. In perfect Tungusic, he ordered his mercenaries to wait above the trenches for his signal to attack.