Empire Of Ash

Chapter 18: The Fall of Everun

Everun, a small but proud nation, lay just north of Veldar’s newest acquisition—Altreia. In the aftermath of Altreia’s shocking and swift defeat, many across the continent had expected Everun to become the next target of Veldar’s seemingly unstoppable war machine. Positioned strategically on the northern coast, Everun had long enjoyed the protection of geography and neutrality, believing that the oceans and mountains would shield them from invasion.

But those illusions crumbled as soon as Veldar’s warplanes were spotted on the horizon.

The Invasion Begins

At dawn, the skies darkened over Everun’s capital city, Velan. Hundreds of Veldar bombers soared overhead, their engines roaring like thunder. The first explosions rocked the outskirts of the city as key military targets were obliterated within moments. Velan’s air defense systems, already outdated, were overwhelmed almost instantly. The nation’s military had prepared for a possible invasion, but no one had expected Veldar to strike so quickly after their victory over Altreia.

General Harlan Vex, the commander of Everun’s forces, had barely enough time to coordinate a defense. Reports flooded in from the north—Veldar's mechanized infantry were already crossing the borders, bypassing natural defenses with ease, thanks to their superior technology and tactics.

“Mobilize everything we have,” Vex barked to his officers. “We have to hold them off long enough to get civilians to safety.”

But deep down, Vex knew it was futile.

Crushing Resistance

Everun’s soldiers, though determined, were outclassed at every turn. While the infantry scrambled to set up defenses on the outskirts of Velan, Veldar’s forces closed in rapidly, their war machine moving with the precision of a finely tuned instrument.

By mid-morning, Veldar's troops had broken through Everun’s defenses. Tanks rolled across the fields, their sheer size and power intimidating the already weary Everun forces. Veldar's air superiority ensured that any attempt to regroup was met with bombing raids that left entire battalions decimated.

Velan’s radio stations were overwhelmed with desperate messages from the military as outposts and defensive lines fell one by one. Civilians were evacuated as quickly as possible, but it soon became clear that there was no escape. Veldar's forces had already encircled the capital.

General Vex, standing in the war room with a map of Everun before him, slammed his fist on the table. “We can’t hold them. We’re running out of time.”

“Sir, we need to consider surrender,” one of his advisers urged, his voice trembling. “If we don’t, Velan will be destroyed.”

Vex clenched his jaw, staring at the map for a long moment. He knew that surrender was inevitable, but the thought of giving in to Veldar sickened him.

The Surrender

Just six hours after the first bombs had dropped, King Thelian of Everun stood before his war cabinet. His once confident demeanor had been shattered by the grim reality of their situation. Reports had come in from all across the nation—Veldar had already occupied most of Everun’s key cities, and their forces were closing in on the palace itself.

“There is no point in prolonging this,” the king said, his voice barely above a whisper. “If we continue to resist, more of our people will die. We must surrender.”

The ministers, many of them pale with fear, nodded in reluctant agreement. A message of surrender was quickly sent to the Veldar commanders, who responded within minutes. Veldar’s demands were simple: unconditional surrender and the full annexation of Everun into the Reich.

By the time evening fell, Velan’s streets were occupied by Veldar soldiers. The citizens of Everun, who had once believed their nation would stand tall against any invader, now found themselves under the boots of a foreign army.

A Nation Subdued

As Veldar's banners were raised over the royal palace, Everun became the latest casualty of the Reich’s insatiable hunger for conquest. The speed of their defeat had sent shockwaves across the remaining free nations of the world. How had Veldar managed to conquer yet another country in mere hours?

In Eldoria, Argonia, and the distant lands overseas, leaders watched in disbelief as news of Everun’s surrender spread. With Altreia and Everun now under Veldar's control, the Reich’s borders stretched wider than ever before, its grip tightening on the continent.

Yet, even as Veldar celebrated its latest victory, resistance began to simmer elsewhere. Those who had yet to fall under Veldar’s iron fist knew that time was running out.

For now, however, Everun—once a beacon of hope for many smaller nations—was nothing more than another piece of Veldar's growing empire.