Chapter 4: Chapter 4 – War

As he sat in the castle courtyard, Zarek received a letter from one of his scouts. In the past day, he had been busy training the knights on the best formation to use during the siege of the rebel camp, informing the Queen to make a public announcement about their efforts to make peace with the rebels as a diversion tactic, and using his Quantum computer to map out the key points they needed to control in order to gain the upper hand. 

"Who's this from?" He asked the scout.

"From the rebel leader," He bowed, "His name is Ironar."

"Interesting name," Zarek replied.

"Indeed," the scout nodded. "He's known for his iron-clad resolve and his strategic military mind. He's been a thorn in the side of the kingdom for years, and it looks like he's finally ready to seal the deal."

"I... don't care."

As he tore open the letter, Zarek's eyes scanned the words with growing intrigue. "I have heard your pitiful requests for a peace offering," it read, dripping with contempt. "But let it be known that I believe it is no longer the time for such cowardice. It is often the biggest dogs that bark the most, and you will pay the price for going back on your word to your own people. You would do well to prepare for war, for I will hold no hostages."

"Yeah, I thought as much," Zarek said with a roll of his eyes as he crumpled the letter and handed it back to the scout. "Just stall them for a bit. Maybe bring them some fancy chocolates or something. Whatever it takes to keep them from launching an attack right away. We should be done with our preparations in a couple of hours anyways." He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Go send an envoy or something."

Day by day, the rebels were drawing closer to the main capital. With their increasing support, the cities under their control were facing heavy pressure to revolt. Zarek understood the reasons behind the rebellion better than anyone, and he couldn't blame the rebels for their actions. It was clear that there had been tension between the royalty and the commoners for some time, and it had finally erupted into full-blown chaos.

"Do we have any allies at all?" Zarek asked the scout.

"Unfortunately, no," the scout replied, shaking his head. "This kingdom was only founded around two hundred years ago, so we don't have the military might negotiate with the powerful Empire of Kalasira, which is the closest kingdom to us."

"Damn, so we're complete shit." Zarek chuckled.

The scout didn't know how to respond, so he simply stood there awkwardly, fidgeting with the hem of his tunic.

"Well, we'll just have to make do with what we have," Zarek said, a mischievous glint in his eye. "I mean, how bad could it be? We have a couple of knights, a not-so-secret weapon or two, and a fierce determination to win. That's all we need, right?"

The scout stared at him blankly, clearly not convinced. "Uh, I guess so," he said.

"Alright, team. Time to gear up and get ready to roll out," Zarek declared as he stood up. He had spent the past hour preparing for this mission, double-checking every detail and making sure he had everything he needed. "Eliza, I hope you've got everything handled on the logistics front."

Eliza nodded confidently. "I've got everything covered, Zarek. The teams are all set and ready to go, and I've made sure everyone knows their roles and responsibilities."

"Excellent," Zarek said, clapping his hands together. "Then let's get this show on the road. We'll group up and make sure everyone is on the same page, and then it's time to split off and take on this mission head-on. I know I'm supposed to give a grand, rousing speech or something, but I think we all know what needs to be done."

*****

Eliza stood at the edge of the castle courtyard, watching as the two squadrons of knights rode off on their deadly mission to capture the leader of the rebellion. As she turned to tidy up after their intense preparations, she couldn't help but wonder if this was a suicide mission or if they stood a chance of victory. The King had gone above and beyond to ensure that the knights were well-fed before their departure, offering them the finest meals in the kingdom. Was this a sign of his confidence in their ability to succeed, or a farewell gesture to brave men and women riding off to their doom? Eliza could only contemplate.

As Eliza tidied up the courtyard, her mind was preoccupied with the countless tasks and responsibilities that came with her role as chief advisor to the King's hand. She was used to being busy, but ever since Zarek had appeared out of nowhere and quickly climbed the ranks of lordship, her workload had only increased.

Of course, Zarek may not have had an official title, but it was clear to everyone that he was destined for greatness. It was as if the fates had brought him to their kingdom for a specific purpose, and even the mysterious Oracle had foreseen his arrival. It was as if the god of fortune himself had blessed Zarek's path, and everyone knew that he would play a vital role in shaping the kingdom's future.

It was a mystery to her how he had managed to do it, but she had to admit that his sudden appearance had been fortuitous for the kingdom. She had spent years trying to uncover the corruption that had plagued their tax accounts, and just when she thought she was getting nowhere, Zarek had appeared and solved the problem in a matter of days.

It was a testament to his keen mind and determination, and although she knew they still had a long road ahead to root out all the corruption in the kingdom, cutting the head of the snake was of huge benefit.

"I have to say, I'm quite impressed by Zarek's tax policies," Eliza remarked as she entered the council chamber. "He's really thought things through and has come up with a clear, concise plan to increase revenue and streamline the kingdom's finances. My only concern is how we'll actually go about implementing these policies."

"I completely agree," one of the other advisors nodded. "Zarek's ideas are truly ingenious. He clearly has a knack for this kind of thing and has proven himself to be a valuable asset to the kingdom. With his guidance, I have no doubt that we'll be able to turn things around and see increased prosperity in the future."

"I couldn't agree more," another advisor chimed in, twirling his mustache thoughtfully. 

"How is progress on the land ownership policies coming along?" Eliza asked, her eyes narrowing in concentration.

"We're almost finished," the advisor replied, shuffling through a stack of papers. "But have you had a chance to look at the trade policies with other city-states yet?"

"I have, and we need to be mindful of the pressure the Kalasiran Empire is putting on us," Eliza replied, her brow furrowing in concern. "They're restricting access to some of their luxury goods and, with the current rebellion, they're hesitant to trade with us any longer."

You are reading story The Emperor Lives Again at novel35.com

"We'll figure it out by the end of the day," the advisor nodded, determined. "It's going to be a long one, but we'll get through it.

*****

Zarek had fine knights by his side, but he was the one to lead the front charge. Pistol at his side, he was given a sturdy sword and light chainmail armor to at least have a semblance of fitting in. Since he couldn't exactly tell them he was from the future, wearing light clothing on a battle of big importance would make him stand out like a sore thumb.

With the main camp of the enemy within striking distance, Zarek and his knights took cover behind the trees, using their natural surroundings to their advantage. They were just far enough from the enemy's line of sight to set up their defenses and prepare for the upcoming battle.

"Wait for the signal," Zarek instructed. He had cobbled together a makeshift smoke contraption using only basic materials, and had entrusted it to the other team. Once they had executed their pincer maneuver and created enough chaos, he and his squadron would charge in headfirst and catch the enemy off guard. They were outnumbered, but they had a plan.

With only three horses among them, Zarek and his knights had to get creative if they wanted to even the odds. Their plan was simple: steal as many of the enemy's mounts as they could and turn the tables in their favor. It was a risky move, but one that could pay off if they executed it perfectly.

Most of the knights were clad in heavy armor, which made them formidable in close combat but slow to maneuver. To give them an edge, Zarek had enlisted the help of some of the court's artisans days prior, and together they had crafted a number of longbows. The ratio of longbowmen to knights was 2:1, and Zarek hoped that this would give them an advantage in a long siege like this.

"Make sure to set up your spikes before the signal comes," Zarek instructed, his voice low and steady. He knew that the success of their mission would depend on their ability to outmaneuver the enemy, and every little detail mattered. The archers were already ahead of the game, setting up their defenses without him even having to ask. It was a good sign that this was a well-trained and disciplined squadron, and Zarek was grateful to have them by his side.

It was a tense wait, but after about thirty minutes, the camp of the enemy erupted in flames. The smoke signal was lit, and Zarek knew that the second group had successfully infiltrated the main camp and set it ablaze. No doubt they had used a good deal of oil to create as much chaos and destruction as possible, and now the rebel leader was caught in the midst of it all.

Zarek could see him from a distance, a formidable foe with bulging muscles, a thick beard, and a surprisingly tall stature. He must have been a commander of some sort, but that didn't matter to Zarek. All that mattered was that they had the upper hand, and it was time to strike while the iron was hot.

"Charge!" Zarek commanded as the knights ran forward with caution in their steps.

Zarek himself was mounted on a horse, and he charged straight towards the enemy with all the grace and elegance of a drunken rhinoceros. Brandishing his Hyperion Sidearm with a fierce cry, he let loose a barrage of shots that would have made any gunslinger jealous.

The pistol ran on a recharging energy cell, and it didn't take him long to mow down the defenders in his path. He switched to fully-automatic mode and let loose a veritable storm of bullets, his aim true and his shots unwavering. Or at least, that's what he told himself. In reality, he was just spraying and praying and hoping for the best.

Rallied by Zarek's wild and reckless antics, the knights moved with a newfound ferocity, their swords flashing as they fought their way through the enemy ranks. The archers in the back, who had been hanging back to protect their flanks, could be seen slowly inching forward, past the spikes they had set up as a defense.

They were gaining ground quickly, and it was clear that the tide of battle was turning in their favor. Zarek, for his part, was having the time of his life. With a weapon that never needed to be reloaded, he was able to wipe out most of the rebel camp with ease, reveling in the chaos and destruction he was causing.

The rebels finally realized the tide of battle was turning against them, and they began to retreat in disarray. They sounded their horns to alert the other camps nearby, but it was already too late. Zarek, seeing an opportunity, dismounted from his horse and charged towards the rebel leader with a ferocity that was almost superhuman.

His body, reinforced with nanoparticles, was almost impervious to harm, and no matter how strong the rebel leader was, he was no match for Zarek's insane speed and strength. With a mighty tackle, Zarek brought the rebel leader crashing to the ground, his defeat all but assured.

"Eat shit, loser," Zarek taunted as he punched the rebel leader's face with a satisfying crunch. "Don't ever send me a letter like that again, or I'll make sure you regret it."

"Auagh," the rebel leader groaned, his eyes rolling back in his head as he passed out from the pain.

And just like that, the battle was over.

*****

Maya couldn't believe her eyes as she watched the carnage unfold before her. This wasn't a war, but a massacre. Zarek, wielding a strange crossbow-like weapon, fired multiple arrows at the enemies without batting an eye. They fell one by one, each arrow curving to strike them in the head with deadly precision. It was like nothing she had ever seen before.

A weapon like that couldn't possibly exist in this world, and Maya couldn't help but wonder who Zarek really was.

It took Maya a few moments to snap out of her trance, but by the time she had regained her senses, the battle was already over. Zarek was standing tall, his weapon at his side as he surveyed the field of battle.

"Maya," he called to her, "Tie this guy up. We're going to interrogate him later."

"Wh-what?" Maya stammered, her words caught in her throat. She had expected a hard-fought battle with many casualties on both sides, but to her surprise, no one on their team had died. Several were injured, but Zarek had emerged from the fray unscathed, a true hero in every sense of the word. She didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing to have this level of might on their side, but she knew that she was on the right side of history.

"Alright everyone, fall back and regroup our formations," Zarek called out, his voice echoing across the battlefield. "And bring this loser with us. We're going to use him as an example to the rest of the rebellion. We're taking back our cities, and nothing is going to stand in our way!"

A huge roar erupted across the camp as the knights and soldiers cheered their victory.

You can find story with these keywords: The Emperor Lives Again, Read The Emperor Lives Again, The Emperor Lives Again novel, The Emperor Lives Again book, The Emperor Lives Again story, The Emperor Lives Again full, The Emperor Lives Again Latest Chapter