Chapter 200 – Lo and Behold, the thunder of God

I jolted awake. Pain electrocuted my body and I couldn’t calm myself down. I painfully open my eyes. I’d thought that the snow would welcome my eyes. But I was wrong.

Three pillars of light erupted in the general direction of the Demesne and the Holy Midland. It didn’t stop and more pillars appeared in my field of view. They soon turned into one giant pillar and I was left shocked to my whole core.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS THISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS”

I shouted. I stood upright and looked at Alexander who was standing frozen at the sight of the golden pillars. Near him was someone who I didn’t know. I tried going to him. I tried to move my legs. But I couldn’t feel them as time slowed down for me.

My body moved on its own. I turned around and started sprinting away from where I was standing. I shouted at Alexander. It made him unfroze and he grabbed the person that he probably defeated while I was knocked out. He tried calling me but I couldn’t hear him as the shockwave from the blast rumbled my ears.

I ran as fast I could until I found myself falling down a cliff. I was able to somehow slide down the cliff. I didn’t have the time to think because my selfish ability made me move on my own.

I cowered down the cliff. The shockwave that the pillars of lights created flung the forest away. I wondered what happened to Alexander but I didn’t have time to think. I prayed for my safety. I prayed for deliverance. I was shaking all over.

The shockwave vanished. I climbed out of the cliff and saw mushroom clouds everywhere. I’ve seen such sight before in pictures and videos. It was the result of humanity’s greatest weapon. It was the pacifying weapon that created a deadlock between superpower nations back in my world.

“They just fucked nuked this fucking continent!”

I looked above. The clouds were red and I could see images of skulls appearing on the clouds. I trek through the ruined path. I looked around and saw no one.

My heart was pumping too hard. I clutched my breast. I tried to stay calm. But even the ability to stay focus on the floating words didn’t help me. My mental health was down the gutters.

“THE HELL IS THIS SHIT!”

I shouted. I kneeled and looked down. I cried and bawled like some madman. I couldn’t understand. But I know that there were people I know back in the demesne. The bright flashes destruction was obvious enough to me.

They didn’t drop a nuke on the Freelands. I don’t understand why. I continued walking, swaying my hands without any care.

The snow vanished from sight. There was nothing to see other than that the snow was completely melted. The road was too confusing. I didn’t know where I was going. I blacked out while walking.

...

I awoke. I looked up above and saw planes flying above. The planes were different from the skyships. They look more like the ones that I saw back on earth. There were also helicopters flying around.

I stood up. I walked to a direction aimlessly and found myself in some town I didn’t know about. There were helicopters flying around the town. Paratroopers dropped down to the town along with tanks and mechanized vehicles.

It was an invasion of a grand scale. The enemy wore uniforms that looked like what a modern soldier back from earth would use. They were professional and before long they were able to capture the town.

I didn’t bother hiding. The soldiers found me and they surrounded me. They spoke the common tongue so I was able to understand their intentions.

I raised my hands up and kneeled down. I was then lead back to the town and was thrown along the citizens in the town hall. It was packed to the brim with people clutching their heads in despair.

How can they fight an army that could send down nukes? It was a show of force and every soldier in the town didn’t bother to take up arms. What was the point anyway? There was no way to win against these people. They fucking nuked the whole of the demesne.

All of the preparations went to shit.

I couldn’t help but laugh loudly. The soldier heard my laugh and introduced the butt of his rifle at my face. I continued laughing as I vaguely recalled Eiya talking about what did the minion of the high lord meant about the continent burning. I understood now. There was no way for us to win. The Empire known as Valor have already known that doing a ground invasion against the demesne would cost them.

Shock and Awe, it was a direct attack that made anyone unable to rise up.

I don’t know many days have passed. We were herded by the soldiers of the Empire and we told that we’ll be working for them now. We will be used as miners and workers without any pay. We will be fed and when we gathered enough contributions. We would be allowed the chance to join the Empire as a citizen.

I didn’t have any loyalty. So I followed mindlessly into this mine where I raised my pickaxe and worked until my limbs weren’t able to move.

I worked alongside many like me who was working without thinking. I couldn’t blame them for they know how terrifying it was to witness such might that destroyed the demesne and holy midland in one swoop

The Bali and Cagan tried resting. They fought the forces of the Valor Empire to the bitter end. They died fighting as the nuclear bombs wiped their existence.

I witnessed the two pillars of light turning into mushroom clouds. I was basked in that light. I looked at it and that despite all of it. It was all useless.

All of the planning didn’t do anything. Absolute power was able to smash every scheme and plans that the Holy Midland had. I survived but I felt like I died inside. I wasn’t the only that felt this way. We all felt the helplessness. To live we need to work as slaves for them. It was funny really. I went back to what I was when I arrived in this world.

By the end winter of 1810, the whole Livia Continent was neutralized by the Empire of Valor. The scorched earth tactic that was employed took the lives of the people that were living on the Holy Midland, the Demesne, Bali, and the Cagan.

The Empire of Valor was victorious.

.