Chronicles of Two Powers

Chapter 22 - Two Eagles, One Nest.

If you are interested in seeing any updates for Chronicles of Two Powers, Golden Gates and my newest release, Soldier to Summoner.

Please feel free to join my server "Smoke's Prison" for discussions and suggestions.

Link: https://discord.gg/YfMCwZcTs7

Kingdom of Alervon — Sollan Bay.

8:41 HOURS | December 12th, 1773.

It was a hectic day in the capital. The locals sweated under the relentless sun, working day and night to rebuild what remained of the ruins left behind. Supported by Japanese and American combat engineers who rebuilt much of what remained. The city was filled with the clang of hammers against wood, the grind of jackhammers shattering stone, and the whir of machines working around the clock.

Local police continued their patrols along the streets, while the Alervonian Military Police stood watch for anything amiss. Out of the corner of her eye, the ambassador saw Alervonian-manufactured vehicles rumbling by, their cargo bays loaded with material for the rebuilding process.

It was nearly picturesque, a picture of renewal and resilience. The poor, hands hardened by labour, reconstructed their old-style homes and stores brick upon brick, while newer buildings sprouted up next to them, their contemporary architecture mixing with the old in a narrative way: a city forged by many hands and by many worlds.

Although they remained political prisoners, their work had calmed the tensions between Jylon and the Coalition, who had granted them limited clearance to roam the capital, always with observers stalking their every move.

Bakerine navigated through the streets, her eyes wide with silent wonder. To witness Americans and Japanese working together, building new skyscrapers in days, left her profoundly impressed.

"Wow..." she whispered, her eyes focusing on one building to her right. It stood out above the rest, its gleaming white front rising brightly in the afternoon sun, a vision of new life among the older red-brick buildings huddled around it.

She reached out and tapped Director Remington on the back.

"Their design choice is far more different from ours..."

Remington didn't react immediately. His focus had diverted long enough for Bakerine to swing around and figure out why. To her amazement, it was like watching a kid in a candy store. Remington froze, eyes glued to the USMC's standard service firearm.

The rifle was bristling with new-age features: rail systems along the top and each side of the handguard, a pre-mounted optic with dials and markings spilling over, and even a vertical foregrip.

"Is that some sort of LMG?" Remington finally quizzed the standing Marine private.

"Ain't no LMG, dawg," replied the Marine with a heavily North African American accent, idly slinging the rifle up into the air. "This here's the M27. We're phasing out most of our M4S in favour of these boys. Can take out a commie at under 500 yards, farther if you actually know how to use the optic."

Bakerine cocked her head to the side, examining the weapon. She had seen rifles before, but not weapons so full of strange parts. To her, it resembled more of an intricate machine than a soldier's rifle. She pictured the price of arming an entire army with devices like this and what it would be like if her own nation ever had weapons such as these.

"Do all American soldiers carry those add-ons? "Remington asked. "For what reason?"

"Yeah...man... war's evolved. We learn to cope. We don't mess around with iron sights anymore. We are equipped for any weather, anywhere, everywhere.