A New World, New Start (REMAKE)

Chapter 2: New World

"Life is like a dick. Sometimes it's up, sometimes it's down. But it will never be hard forever."
- Someone from Tiktok

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Empire of Elysia, Néa Konstantinoúpoli
June 7, 1986
7:23 PM

The millions of stars glittered over the city of Néa Konstantinoúpoli, accompanied by three moons casting an eerie glow. The roads were choked with vehicles, traffic at a standstill as people everywhere-on the streets, in buildings, and beyond-gazed up at the night sky. The city was in chaos, with numerous car crashes resulting in fatalities and injuries. Ambulances and medics rushed through the streets, transporting the wounded on stretchers, while law enforcement struggled to restore order.

In the Great Palace of Andréa, a slender figure stood on the balcony. Their bandaged hands rested on the smooth white concrete terrace, illuminated by candles in sconces overhead. The figure had long, single-braided blonde hair and bandages wrapped around the left side of their face, obscuring their left eye. The emerald eye on their right glowed faintly in the dim light. Despite the appearance, it was indeed Emperor Andréas II Marenovian.

He stared up at the night sky, his right eye reflecting a mix of awe and confusion as he took in the sight of the three moons. It felt surreal, as if he were in a fantastical realm, yet the reality of the situation weighed on him. "Woah..." Andréas II murmured, his voice barely a whisper.

A tall, bulky man emerged from the shadows behind the young Emperor, his presence imposing in the dim candlelight. He wore a black peaked cap adorned with a golden double-headed eagle and a long black leather trench coat. Beneath it was an elegant black uniform, barely visible in the darkness. Andréas II glanced back as the man revealed himself to be Callissian, dressed in the formal attire of the General of the Imperial Armed Forces of Elysia.

"Ah, uncle, look at the sky. It's awesome," the young Emperor said, his voice carrying a weak but noticeable trace of enthusiasm as he pointed to the heavens.

Callissian's gaze followed, his eyes reflecting the indifferent calm of a man hardened by decades of duty. "Huh, yeah, it is," he replied, though his tone lacked the awe of the moment. His attention quickly shifted back to the Emperor. "Your Imperial Highness, it's time to sleep. You must wake early tomorrow. We'll be discussing this with the Senate," Callissian ordered, his voice firm but respectful. Despite being the Regent, his authority over the Emperor would only last until Andréas II turned eighteen, after which he would lose his power.

Andréas II pouted, disappointment evident on his young face. "B-but... I want to-" he began, only to be cut off by Callissian.

"No buts," Callissian said firmly, his voice brooking no argument. The young Emperor sighed, his shoulders slumping as he reluctantly walked past the Imperial Regent, his excitement for the night skies fading into resignation.

As Andréas II exited the balcony and headed to his room, Callissian lingered a moment longer, his gaze drifting back up to the eerie sight of the three moons shining brighter than usual. His mind weighed heavily with the troubling news that had arrived earlier. They had lost contact with their key allies, the Union of Free Nations, abruptly and without explanation. Every attempt to re-establish communication had failed. Then there was the strange phenomenon at the border with Panama, where what was once a bustling region had transformed into an impenetrable sea of thick forest. Sensors had detected humanoid life forms, but no clear information could be gathered.

What unnerved him most was the devastating loss of over 45% of the Empire's air capabilities—fighters, bombers, transport planes, even civilian aircraft—vanished without a trace. Along with that, 31% of their land forces, from battle tanks to personnel carriers, trucks, and even small arms, had disappeared. It was a catastrophic blow, gravely weakening the Empire's military might in an instant. While they could ramp up production to replace the losses, Callissian knew it was only a temporary fix. The sheer scale of the vanishing threatened to destabilize everything.
(A/N: Tryna be realistic guys. KINDA realistic lol)