Preparing for war

Christiana's POV - Continued

The land was ours—at last. But what would an empire be without its enemies, its obstacles to crush? Those who once held power in the regions outside the Blackwood Empire had underestimated us, and now, they were paying the price.

We weren't just expanding our borders; we were eradicating any traces of resistance. The moment we set foot on their land, the royals, nobles, and military leaders who once considered themselves untouchable began to scatter like rats.

They fled, not knowing that there was nowhere to hide. We, the Blackwood Empire, had already set our sights on them, and no matter how far they ran, there would be no place for them to rest.

I stood at the head of this massive military campaign. The Black Axe Men, our relentless soldiers, were sweeping across the land with ferocity, chasing down the fleeing nobles who had once governed their territories. The remaining resistance was nothing more than a nuisance—a few scattered militias trying to hold out in remote areas. They wouldn't last long.

It wasn't enough to merely seize the land. We were determined to erase any claim, any history, any trace of the old regimes. The cities they once controlled were now being evacuated, their wealth and resources stripped clean. Anyone who resisted was captured or eliminated. Those who couldn't escape fast enough were left behind as nothing more than reminders of what happens when you challenge the might of the Blackwood Empire.

As we began our sweep, the civilians—the common folk—were told to leave their homes. They had no say in the matter. The rich and powerful, those who had once lived in luxury, were forced to give up everything. Their palaces, their estates, their lands—all of it was now forfeit.

"You've had your time," I whispered as I watched the last noble family being escorted out of their homes, leaving behind all the wealth that once made them untouchable. "Now, it's ours."

The lands they had ruled for generations would no longer be their sanctuary. Those who managed to escape fled to the only place they thought they could—territories outside the Blackwood Empire. But that was nothing more than a temporary reprieve. They thought they were safe, but they were wrong.

Our military had already positioned itself at the borders of the non-Blackwood areas. The moment the traitors crossed into those regions, we would seize them, too. The borders were being tightly controlled, and anyone attempting to cross without Blackwood authorization would be detained or eliminated. No one was exempt from the reach of the empire.

I was ruthless. I had learned from my father. I watched the desperate nobles flee with nothing but their pride, and it was a sight I couldn't help but relish. They thought they were safe—but they weren't. Not anymore.

Our soldiers moved with precision, setting up fortified camps along the borders where the refugees tried to cross. The moment any of them entered non-Blackwood territory, we had already infiltrated those regions. Nothing was beyond our reach.

I had personally ordered the evacuation of the cities we seized. I wanted the land cleared, so that no trace of their rule would remain. Buildings that once stood as symbols of power were reduced to rubble.

The evacuation process was methodical. As we moved through the territories, we made sure every royal family, every noble, and every military leader was accounted for. Those who had sought refuge in neighboring lands were swiftly taken into custody—no one would escape the empire's grasp.

We weren't just seizing land. We were laying down a legacy—one that would never be forgotten. These nobles, these rulers of the old world, were nothing more than forgotten names in history now. Their titles, their lands, their power—gone.

And as the last of them were driven out, I stood in the midst of the land we had claimed. The Blackwood Empire was unstoppable now. It was more than just the power of the military or the strength of our soldiers. It was our will, our unyielding desire to rule, to reshape the world as we saw fit. We would never be challenged again.

But my work wasn't done. Now came the real task. The cleanup. I would need to ensure every corner of the land was firmly under our control, that every last noble was either brought to heel or erased. The Blackwood Empire was not just a place—it was a force that would sweep across the world.

The power had shifted. No one could escape now. The Blackwood Empire would stand, and we would reign forever.