Sovereign

The world was once again at war.

“Our righteous drive shall succeed! Brothers of the revolution, believe not the lies of the MN and of women. You know where you must be right now. On our side. On the side of those who fight for righteousness—those who fight for change—for liberty—for equality—for liberation! Poznek is united in that cause. We are united in that cause. Our forces are now routing the snobby Queen of Gallia, and soon, her armies will fold and join our brothers on the ground!”

The leader of the Pozneki Unity Government stepped down from the podium while the cameras flashed, as the roars from the halls of Braslau High Council, the place where the members of the Unity Government met, erupted. Poznek was down for this war. And they would not back down. Not until Gallia was toppled. Not until Poznek regained the rightful territories it lost in the First Great War.

Not until the global matriarchy was toppled.

“They have beaten us once! Once! But we fought till the end, gentlemen. That’s what we did. The Volunteer Armies may have been beaten, but we are still here today! As is natural, the revolution cannot fail. The future has been clear for us. Just as we yearned for liberation when we were defeated by our previous tyrant Queen, the Confederacy intervened and ended her wicked regime as if she was nothing but wet paper. It is of no difference now. Our brothers in Gallia, in Constania, in Latia, in Lorathia, even in Orland, Arkelia, and Lieplatz are waiting for us, for the great coalition, to march in and liberate them. We will not back down, we will be with the coalition wherever they go, all to liberate the world!”

The current sitting “High Commissioner” of the so-called “Republic of Lombardia” waved on the rallied Lombardian troops in the Lacertan Square, all of whom chanted death to the Mandate of Nations, as the flags of the New Lombardian Republic were raised. The Republic of Lombardia, established by the Confederacy after they were “liberated”, would now vow to do what it must to ensure the triumph of the CFN, as their troops finally deploy to face their former allies in the Ivory Alliance. And they would not back down. Not until the Republic secured its survival.

Not until the global matriarchy was toppled.

“Our independence has always been challenged. Our revolution is always besieged by those who aim to destroy the light that we have lit in Loviedo. That has always been the goal of these nations, of these, self-righteous, arrogant, and bloodsucking Queens and Empresses. And they would not stop until our democracy, our new fragile system that we have tried to establish, however flawed it is, is crushed and snuffed out. We cannot, thus, tolerate any talk of criticism against the CFN. We cannot, thus, tolerate any talk of surrender, of false peace, and of traitorous negotiations, all to escape a war that is our war. We cannot escape the fires, Asturia. And we will not until we have extinguished it. Asturia will never back down from its obligations to the Vanguard Republics of the CFN. We will fight on with our allies until our triumph is ensured.”

More artillery from the Gallians fell on the trench lines, as the Asturian soldiers that manned it huddled together in the muddy hell they called home. Yet, even as the terror above continued, none of them faltered, as they listened to the words of their President on one of the radios. It was not just words of encouragement. It was a call of arms. Their nation, their new Republic, besieged as it was on all sides since the first days that Loviedo fell to revolution, was now not alone.

They were in this together, the soldiers knew. Once Gallia fell, they would finally link up with their brothers in the CFN. All they needed to do now was hold this line. All Asturia needed to do now was hold on until relief came.

Until the global matriarchy was toppled.

“One day, all of Hebei shall know, which side fought against the light of change. One day, all of Hebei shall know why this all had to occur. It is for justice. For liberation. For the future of Hebei. And because of you, all of Hebei will one day agree to that, unaffected by the tight grip of long-dead Empresses who have oppressed men, and even women at times. Remember, brothers and sisters, we shall triumph against the mad women who ruled this world soon. Discontinue resistance, and join the right side. Every proud Hebeian must do just that.”

The words from the speakers of the passing truck, which carried pro-Republic propaganda in the streets of a recently captured South Hebeian city, fell on deaf ears as a woman hid from the roving revolutionary troopers outside. The entire city itself was in chaos, with rubble everywhere, uncontrolled fires on each block, and civilians hiding and begging for their lives, as convoy after convoy of military vehicles passed uncaringly.

All while revolutionary troopers on the ground looted everything that they could see, almost as if the city wasn’t owned by their own people. The woman soon realized that she was spotted, as one of the soldiers pointed at the half-destroyed home that she hid in. She immediately ran as best as she could, as shots rang out, with the troops shouting, “Insurrectionist!”, “Insurrectionist!”.

And they would never stop shouting those words until South Hebei was defeated.

Until the global matriarchy was toppled.

“The Mandate of Nations has forced our hand into these extreme measures. There is no turning back. We had to strike first, and we struck first. We cannot let the enemy muster their strength any further. They will not de-escalate. They will not accept us. They will not accept men having power. Thus, every method to secure and defend the revolution must be used. That’s why we struck first. And that’s why we shall win. The coalition will liberate all of Pollos, and the end of the disaster that the Arcane Wars had left us…will soon be over.”

The Larissan Confederate general closed the radio as he sighed, resigning himself to puffing smoke with his cigarette. Their Chancellor certainly spoke with his usual fire to stoke the fires of patriotism for all of Larissa. Soon, his adjutant called him over, and he left his military tent to meet with his officers. Outside, the men were hard at work preparing their temporary command post. He hoped they would not be stuck here for too long. His division, after all, must drive to Toldoi as quickly as possible. And he vowed that they would do everything to win quickly.

All to topple the global matriarchy.

+++

West Orland

November Palace

Alice hated all of this.

How could it all have reached this point?

The little girl scarcely understood why her older sister allowed it to reach this scale. The two had already rarely talked for months, as Amelie had been burdened with such heavy work, that little Alice had rarely seen her leave her office without those eyebags and tired smile that she would give her with her goodnight pats.

She watched the news left and right. The TV in front of her was her friend. It kept her eyes open to all the developments in the world that Amelie thought were something her young mind should not know. She was supposed to just watch mere cartoons in her break from her studies.

But the girl was a sneaky one. Once all of the adults left her in the room, she had already switched the channels. That was what she did all the time. She didn’t like to entertain herself with cartoons and children’s shows. Not when she knew that the country that she was Princess of was now in its darkest days.

And so she watched, as the news continued showing clips of what was happening in Gallia. In Hebei. In Asanai. In her own country. She watched as news anchors, left and right, mostly women, spoke of grim news from all corners of the world, all of them presenting the revolution as an evil that must be toppled unitedly for humanity’s survival.

Then, she watched as her older sister, Amelie, spoke again and again to the people of Orland. First from her own office. Then, she spoke again in another press conference. Then, she spoke again in the Parliament, the MPs of her Kingdom’s government cheering her words with unbridled jingoism.

Alice had heard those words again and again.

Hope.

Democracy.

Liberty.

Equality.

Defense.

Future.

She wondered, why then, did they all fight like this? Why let the world fall into this brutal flame, where those words would all be nothing?

How would there be hope when bullets flew everywhere?

How would there be a democracy when those who opposed the words of one side were crushed?

How would there be liberty when millions of young men and women would be dragged against their will to the frontlines?

How would there be equality when they were trying to defeat a group of people who said they only wanted equality?

What future would her generation have when the only world they’d inherit was one destroyed by this war?

She felt a hand pat her head, as a soft voice spoke.

“Alice…do you really have to watch all that?” Amelie softly said from behind, as Alice looked up to see her older sister looking down at her with a tired smile. “Really, I find it embarrassing that even you listen to my words. Those speeches are kinda…not good, you know?”

“Amelie,” Alice frowned. “Why did you do this? You’re just…calling for more war, and more war, and more, and more…”

“I know.”

Alice looked back at the TV, as it showed more scenes of planes being shot down above a Gallian city, with dozens of smoke trails, which she learned came from missiles, still visible on the blue skies.

“It’s a difficult world we live in today, Alice,” Amelie said. “I hate it. I hate so much…how it all has to come to this. But Alice, what can I really do other than to prepare, and win?”

“Amelie…even if we win,” Alice’s voice became smaller. “So many people would die.”

“And the more I don’t act, and worse, if I simply surrender, more people would die,” Amelie said. “I don’t know, Alice. I don’t know why it has to be this way. Why do all decisions that I can take always lead to tragedies? Our enemies aren’t saints, Alice. They…they hate us women to the guts. They’d enact revenge on us, in ways that I cannot accept as a fate for billions of us. Fate I cannot accept for you to face, Alice.

“But at the same time, we’re not so different. Alice…remember these words, our side are monsters, Alice. Our side, us women, have so much blood on our hands. Each time I learn of all the things we did to men, I’m not so surprised that they turned the way they are now. They’re monstrous, brutal, bloodthirsty, and devoid of humanity…because we’re no different, and that’s the only life we showed them.

“But how can I change all of that without first pacifying them? How can I end this entire cycle until peace is bought and justice, equality, democracy, liberty, and everything I promised when I was crowned can be implemented in full? How can I do that, when those who want to burn the world are still strong, and they want to burn the world? How can I do that, when across the world, petty monarchs with their backward thinking are still strong and in power?

“Alice, I realized, sometimes, change can only come in turmoil. But change after said turmoil is not assured to be a good change. If they win, all they would enact is change by revenge. That’s…what drives them to these lengths, Alice. And I don’t blame them for that. But I cannot accept that change, not for the interests of the innocent in this world.

“What I want is positive change. And it cannot come from a side already driven by revenge. And yes, it’s also hard to come from our side, the side of those who inflicted great pain on this world for centuries. Our side that…created this entire disaster in the first place. But that’s why I’m devoted to winning. Our side…has to realize the wrongs in our ways, and finally fight to clean up the mess we made.”

Alice felt Amelie stop patting her head, as Alice felt her lean down on her, and whisper on the back of her ear.

“Alice…I promise you, that I’ll do everything to clean up the mess we made. For you, and for your generation. I don’t know if I’d be the right person for this job. I don’t know if I even have what it takes. But I’ll go on until hope is returned to this world. If I have to do a million sins all for that…all to do one good thing, then so be it.”

Alice turned back to Amelie, horror slowly taking over her young face.

“Amelie…you’re not you anymore…”

Amelie only smiled tiredly again.

“Yeah, Alice. I’m not. I’m the Queen now. And I have to turn my hands red for the sake of this world. I’m sorry. If no one forgives me, then so be it. I’ll…I’ll do everything to finish the words I promised in my coronation. It’s the only way to save this world. It’s the only way for all of these tragedies to end.

“And if the price to end this enormous tragedy is to make hard decisions myself that cause tragedies, then I’m willing to do that.”