July 7th, 2032 | The Final Influx Arrives

Kaze opened his eyes when he felt a pair of nails scraping against his chest. He looked at the ceiling in his dark room for a moment before glancing down and frowning.

Kiera gripped his body involuntarily, her face wincing from a nightmare. He took a deep breath, reflecting on the speech and why she was so on edge.

—

"Now that you've bent your knee, you have vowed to protect Immortal Skye with your lives." The emperor began, speaking to the 1,550 ex-Maltian soldiers and officers kneeling before him.

Kane and General Michaels had spoken to them, letting them know Malta planned to take Immortal Skye's families hostage, and Kaze would slaughter them and their families within a fortnight as a result.

Torn between two family-endangering options, the general accepted the offer for citizenship. The soldiers' families would get taken hostage with Immortal Skye's, protecting them.