The Fall of Erricus Vane pt I

PART ONE

For 80 years the people of Grandomina have been told that the last Vane King, Erricus, made a deal with the devil to win the War of Convonia. It is said that this deal went awry and the world was cursed because of his treachery. According to King Hux and Cardinal Syliban, the rulers of Grandomina circa 2145, hell on earth wracks the lands outside the city walls and only they offer safe haven from the evils of the Outworld.

This is the story of Erricus Vane's final hours, and what really happened.

December 2085

After ten years of war, Erricus Vane is struggling to hold his forces together. His army, camped on the front line amidst the ruins of London, is gradually diminishing, and only the arrival of his Swemerican allies from across the Atlantic can save the fractured nation he rules over.

Convonia Brittaine, once the heartlands of the greatest empire the world has ever seen, is now a shadow of its former majesty, rife with rebellion and famine. The dual armies of the Wallachian and Vaticanian empires lay in wait on the south downs, attacking by night and bombarding London with heavy artillery. Meanwhile, their vast dirigibles drop explosive barrels of Greek Fire on the fatigued defenders, and the parks and thoroughfares of the once beautiful city burn from dawn to dusk. In the north, the rebel Daimyo-Barons Bryn Hux and James Frain-Kitzu block the route of any reinforcement ground troops from Grandomina.

Convonia is falling.

*

As the sun sets, Erricus Vane stands atop Traitors' Hill in Hampstead Heath, awaiting word from his Shogun Razaul Shallow, who is fighting Hux-led rebels in the north. Visibly anxious and tired, Erricus is despondent to his generals, and can be seen whispering to some invisible presence.

It's soon decided that someone must rouse the King from his malady, and it is one General Ayub Raine who pulls the short straw.

"Your Grace," calls the bald muscular Raine as he trudges up the hill towards his mechasuited King, "we're yet to receive word from Shogun Shallow. What do you ask of us?"

Erricus turns from his contemplation, a look of grim frustration marking his chiselled features. "I ask you to avoid interrupting my private conversations," he answers bitterly. "Especially when you have nothing utter but silly questions one cannot hope to answer."

General Raine removes his helmet and kneels before his King. What "private conversations" can you be having? he wonders miserably. I've not seen another human being in your presence for 6 hours; and you left your radio in your tent!

"I'm sorry to offend you, Your Grace," he says to the back of Erricus' head, keeping quiet about his reservations. The King has already returned his gaze to the broken city.

Perhaps he's preparing for when Grandomina finally looks like this, Raine muses, looking out over carnage as engynegun fire clatters in distance. He can see the Convonian watchtowers less than a mile away. That is where Convonia ends, he thinks, looking to Erricus.

"Is anything I can do, Your Grace?" he asks cautiously.

"You could leave me to my communications," the King replies, unmoved. "You could let me think!"

"Very well," Raine mutters, turning away to stomp miserably past Erricus' Honour Guards and back down the hill towards the woodland command centre.

At the gate, he meets a fellow officer by the name of Solil Keane. Tall, coal-skinned and fierce eyed, General Keane is Raine's closest friend, one thing to be glad of during these end times... he thinks.