Chapter 60.1: True to His Words and The Mighty Empire of Elms-Arkanus (1)
Chapter 60.1: True to His Words and The Mighty Empire of Elms-Arkanus (1)
Year 0003, I-III Month: The Imperium
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The Order to March East!
True to his words, Emperor Janus Cornwall I, ordered one of his generals to march to the eastern subcontinent of Arkanus. His orders were clear: quell the troubles that corrupted that place and, simultaneously, drive the Great Evil and its dark forces back to whence they came.
His Imperial Expeditionary Army under the Ducal House of Solmane would be the first to venture east.
They needed to establish a stronghold they could occupy and create a stable supply route, but which region should they temporarily claim? The question lingered in the air until a welcomed suggestion from his Grand Advisor broke the silence.
"Your Imperial Highness," the advisor began with a respectful bow, "might I suggest we make Earl Serverus's region our staging ground? Since you have elevated the man to greater heights, and he has become one of your most loyal vassals, he would surely be obliged to follow your commands without hesitation."
The Grand Advisor adjusted his ceremonial robes before continuing. "Another advantage is the strategic position of his town—situated at the center near the border between the Imperial Central East, where our allies and other vassals hold their territories, and the east, where our enemies grow stronger with each passing day."
Emperor Janus contemplated his Grand Advisor's counsel, stroking his dark beard thoughtfully. After a moment, he nodded in agreement and issued his command.
"Tell the General who leads my army to head there first without delay. He is not to be stopped by the slithering snakes of lords who will undoubtedly try to please him with countless treasures to secure their own borders."
The Emperor's eyes hardened, reflecting the golden light of the throne room's braziers. "Inform the General that his Emperor orders him to slay any man or woman who dares impede our imperial march to save the entirety of our Eastern subcontinent from the rot that plagues it."
The Grand Advisor understood immediately and bowed deeply, his forehead nearly touching the polished marble floor. He then left Janus to his own devices, planning and strategizing against the growing threat to their east—a threat that had already claimed three provincial capitals and countless villages.
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Maximilian Solmane
Meanwhile, General Maximilian, Duke of House Solmane, had prepared his Emperor's Imperial Expeditionary Army for their upcoming march toward the east. It was a formidable division of 100,000 strong men and women, bred and prepared solely for combat, with an additional 200,000 in supporting units that would follow this main combat force.
This would not be the last of the armies to march, as many of the Great Pillar Houses that supported the Empire would surely join the war effort. All would eventually arrive in the Eastern subcontinent, where unruly lords and ladies had fallen to the enemy's deception.
Together, they would bring these traitors to heel before their Emperor.
Duke Maximilian Solmane hailed from a loyal house formed around the time of the founding of the new Elms-Arkanus Empire. His great ancestor was once a comrade-in-arms, a companion, and a trusted friend of their current emperor. Though a hundred generations had passed since that heavenly birth, the Duke's lineage remained unbroken, much like the Emperor himself—a half-deity, half-man who had lived through countless seasons of change.
House Solmane stood proudly as one of the 20 loyal vassals and companions that served their Emperor, the great ancestors who all took seats among the 21 strong pillars of the Empire.
Emperor Janus stood as the innermost pillar, with four Archduke houses supporting the inner pillar, eight Grand Duke houses upholding the middle pillar, and the final eight Ducal houses reinforcing the outermost pillar of the new Empire of Elms-Arkanus.
These noble bloodlines carried both the ancient blood of Elmisians and the proud heritage of the Arkanians, a magical combination that granted them strength, longevity, and wisdom beyond mortal men.
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Aethelgard
The new regional capital, Grand City Aethelgard, encompassed an astonishing 41 million square kilometers out of the 70 million square kilometers of the entire western subcontinent of Arkanus. Massive walls encircled it as far as the eye could see, their enchanted surfaces gleaming in the sunlight like the scales of some massive, protective dragon.
This massive tiered city was further divided into four great sections, each with its own purpose and prestige:
**THE INNERMOST TIERED CITY SANCTUM**
The innermost part of the Grand City Sanctum, where the imperial throne sat, encompassed 1 million square kilometers of the regional capital city.
It housed not only the Regalia Imperion, the Crownhold Aethelgard—the heart of the capital city which held the magnificent Crystalline Throne of the Emperor—but also the highest echelons of the empire. Here resided the most prestigious academic institutions that educated the different walks of life, their military headquarters with maps detailing every corner of the known world, their well-guarded treasuries filled with wealth from across the empire, economic institutions that regulated trade, and every other important facility that administered the vast territories under Janus's rule.
Protecting this sacred center were walls as high as 200 meters, constructed of ancient stone infused with protective magics that had never been breached. Elaborate carvings depicting the empire's founding adorned these massive barriers, telling the story of Janus's rise to power and his sacred mission to unite the land.
**THE INNER TIERED CITY SANCTUM**
The Inner Grand City Sanctum occupied another 5 million square kilometers, housing the four Archducal houses that further divided it into four distinct sections of 1.25 million square kilometers each. Of this land, 250 thousand square kilometers consisted of meticulously maintained arable lands, where specially trained farmers, selected from the most skilled laborers of the outermost section, cultivated rare herbs and exotic fruits that could be found nowhere else in the known world.
Within these sacred walls lived the higher-tiered citizenry who specialized in managing the regional capital's economy and, by extension, the entire empire's wealth. They were masters of trade and commerce, the place where merchants, noble houses, and other high-echelon members worked tirelessly to keep the empire's vast machinery running smoothly.
Walls standing 150 meters tall surrounded this section, their surface embedded with precious gems that glowed softly at night, illuminating the pathways for nobles returning from evening councils and banquets.
**THE MIDDLE TIERED CITY SANCTUM**
The Middle Grand City Sanctum encompassed 12 million square kilometers of land and water. Eight million square kilometers housed the citizens and important facilities used for industry, businesses, and the Elite Tier of the Military—2.1 million strong warriors, each capable of facing ten ordinary Imperial soldiers in battle. These elite forces were divided equally among the Noble Ducal Houses and the Emperor's Personal Elite Soldiers, supported by 4.2 million specialized support personnel.
Another million square kilometers was dedicated to preserved forest, where magical creatures roamed under imperial protection. Five hundred thousand square kilometers contained woods processed for construction, and another five hundred thousand square kilometers held mountains rich with rare minerals and precious stones used for intricate jewelry and the construction of the empire's most important ritual sites and defensive structures.
This middle tier was further divided among eight Grand Ducal Houses, each administrating 1.25 million square kilometers, with 250 thousand square kilometers of arable lands producing the empire's staple foods.
It was here that the empire's industrial heartbeat is the strongest, specializing in manufacturing, commerce, and military training. The middle-tier citizenry who lived here were masters of craft and war, producing the finest weapons, armor, and luxury goods in all the known lands.
They employed many from the lower tiers as laborers, recognizing that skilled hands were the foundation of imperial prosperity. These workers represented perhaps the most important part of a functioning society—the invisible force that kept the wheels turning throughout the Regional Capital City.
Walls rising 100 meters encircled this tier, their surfaces inscribed with spells of reinforcement and vigilance that had withstood centuries of testing.
**THE OUTERMOST TIERED CITY SANCTUM**
The Outermost Grand City Sanctum spanned an impressive 23 million square kilometers. Sixteen million of these were occupied by the lower-tiered citizenry, along with various institutions and the Regular Military Houses and Complexes that housed the Regular Imperial Army and its Support Forces.
This expansive tier was divided into eight sections, each administered by one of the eight remaining outer pillars of the Empire—the Ducal Houses that governed the outer city. Each section consisted of 2.5 million square kilometers, with 500 thousand square kilometers dedicated to farming the common crops that fed the empire's masses.
Two million square kilometers contained scattered forests preserved for greenery, beautification, and royal hunting expeditions where nobles tested their skills against magical beasts. Another million square kilometers provided woods processed for various construction projects, from humble dwellings to grand performance halls, along with material for handicrafts and everyday tools.
The mountains, covering one million square kilometers, yielded minerals and stones used in constructing the empire's ever-expanding infrastructure, while the rarer elements were crafted into jewelry that adorned the empire's elite and even the common people.
Most impressive were the Outer Sanctum Grand City Walls, spanning the entire 41 million square kilometer perimeter. These massive structures housed the Regular Imperial Army and the Noble Ducal Houses that commanded them, along with the Imperial Royal Army that moved only under their Emperor's direct orders.
Each great house was responsible for defending 1.9 million square kilometers of the outer wall, commanding a combined force of 21 million combat oriented specialists and 42 million support personnel. These tremendous numbers were divided equally among the Great Ducal Houses and the Emperor's Personal Imperial Royal Army, though ultimately, all answered to Janus's command.
The walls themselves were engineering marvels—200 meters thick at the outer face, with 150 meters of interior living space, and another 200 meters of reinforced backing. Standing 60 meters tall and 550 meters in total thickness, they circled the entire 41 million square kilometer city, their parapets constantly manned by vigilant sentries scanning the horizon for any sign of hostile approach.
To prevent the soldiers from feeling confined within these massive fortifications, they rotated monthly between wall duty and assignments within the city proper, where comfortable housing complexes and military institutions provided rest and training.
These forces also patrolled the inner to outer tiered cities, ensuring peace and order throughout Aethelgard. Only the Imperial Royal Army was entrusted with guarding the sacred innermost city sanctum where Emperor Janus himself resided.
In total, the military comprised 23 million combat specialists and 46 million support personnel, tasked with both security control and military matters over the entire Regional Capital City of Aethelgard—a force so vast and well-trained that no enemy had dared launch a direct assault on the capital in over three centuries.
As General Maximilian prepared his expedition to the troubled eastern lands, he knew the full might of this military machine stood behind him—ready to be unleashed should the initial forces prove insufficient against the darkness that threatened to engulf the empire's eastern territories.
The fate of Arkanus now rested on his armored shoulders, and he would not fail his Emperor's trust.