Specters of the Past - Prologue
#1 of Specters of the Past
The House of the Seven
Renton, Galvanta
November, 3 1986 RE
In a beautiful structure that dominated the cityscape around it there was an important discussion going on. The ruling body of the nation of Galvanta was meeting to discuss events that had recently occurred. Primarily, they were discussing an issue that had damaged the nation's pride. Their much hated enemies, the supposed anthropomorphic abominations that ruled the nation of Firanel had managed to thoroughly defeat their invading armies. It was supposed to have been their moment of triumph. The Firanelians military had been severely weakened by a devastating bombardment from an orbital kinetic energy weapon two years ago. Even after that time the Firanelians had not yet come close to recovering from losing well over 90 percent of their combat personnel and weapons productions capabilities. Victory should have been easy for the mighty forces of Galvanta, except for one thing, one thing that was being hotly debated at the meeting of the seven ruling families of Galvanta.
"How the hell could this happen. They were ours. Some over sized abominations should not have been able to repel the forces we threw against them," said the head of House Virtan. Despite wearing a suite that was of the cutting edge in Galvantan style and costing more than most Galvantans made in more than a decade Lord Virtan still looked like something the cat had dragged in. "My forces were devastated. I barely have enough troops left to keep order in my own territories."
Across the room a red haired woman whose hair was showing the first signs of gray sat smirking. She was the head of House Delvinia, the Lady Delvinia. "You were warned something like this may happen. Every bit of intelligence we had been receiving confirmed that the abominations over 4,000-feet in height would be beyond our ability to kill," Lady Delvinia said mockingly.
"You were probably looking forward to this outcome weren't you," the counterpart of Lady Del, the elderly Lady Rhotaban, almost screamed at her. "I'll bet you, Johnton, and Yorik wanted this result. Your houses suffered little to no casualties in our most recent conflict with those demons. You were probably working more towards enhancing the power of your own houses once more rather than taking on your righteous duty to wipe those anthropomorphic abominations from the face of our pure world. Don't think the rest of us don't know why The House of the Thirteen is now The House of the Seven."
"It's The House of the Seven now because six of the great Houses were run by fools and wastrels that brought nothing but ruin to anything around them. Remember, we all opposed the attack on Firanel and we held our forces back because the defeat we suffered was inevitable," responded the imposing figure of Lord Johnton.
"Don't burden us with your lies and half truths," said a red faced Lord Teveric, "If we had had your forces we would have at least been able to burn much of Firanel to the ground before being forced to retreat. You just let our forces be sacrificed to the Firanelian beasts in your own petty attempts to gain power within this country."
"Calm yourself Teveric," said the island of calm within the room, Lord Yorik. "You were told that we should hold off the invasion until our weapons projects were completed. It is by your own actions that our efforts to finally wipe Firanel from the face of our world have been delayed by well over a decade."
"Stop trying to act high and mighty with us Yorik," said Lady Madison, "Don't think that just because your nephew was the one that devastated the Firanelian military two years ago you get to act like our leader now. He still failed to complete his mission and he lost us the only matter teleporter small enough to be implanted in a human body in the process. It is your handling of that situation that allowed those beasts to obtain the power they enjoy today. If I had been allowed to handle it..."
"If you had been allowed to handle that situation it would have been an even bigger disaster than the invasion of Firanel," said Yorik. It was one of the rare occasions that he ever raised his voice. "I had told you we needed to invade Virania before we sent my forces out over that country of abominations and heretics. Unfortunately, you four went so far as to threaten to use your own forces to seize my land if I did so because you were all too frightened to risk the wrath of Virania. We may have been able to expose that weapon they used against us before hand and taken the proper steps to ensure my forces reached their destination well in advance of the Caresseans. Instead, my forces were practically annihilated before they even reached the Tarkel Jungle and it was only through the effort of my nephew that anything was salvaged from that mission. Based on the public behavior of your own progeny, Lady Madison, it is easy enough for everyone here to tell that we would be slaves to the Firanelians at this very moment had they been in my nephews place.
"But, that is in the past and we need to concern ourselves with the future. We all know that by the time our projects are complete the Firanelians will be about ready to attack us as well. With our new weapons and their unnatural and overwhelming physical advantages we will be right back were we were before the events two years ago. I don't think any of you wants to return to that dreadful stalemate between the two of us."
"Of course not," said Virtan, "But what are we to do about it?"
Yorik gave Virtan a tight lipped smile and said, "Not much for now. There is another option that will become available to us in the future though. I have recently become aware of an old...relative that will be returning to aid us."
Rhotaban actually snorted in derision and said, "What is one person supposed to do for us that all the technological wonders we've obtained can't do?
"You would be surprised at what a single individual can do my dear Rhotaban. And I have received quite a few assurances that my long lost relative will be able to strike a blow against the abominations like the which we would have never dreamed of," said Yorik.
"I think you're being deceived by some vagabond. But, at this point I'm willing to take anything we can get," said Madison.
"I have also heard from this relative of Yorik's," said Delvinia, "And I would not suggest calling him a vagabond to his face. He is an extremely dangerous man and he seems like the type to payback insults with interest."
"And you want the rest of us to consent to bringing someone like that among us," Teveric said incredulously.
"Yes, especially since what he offers us does not require a large amount of material investment on our part and even if his plan fails we will not be left any more vulnerable to a Firanelian attack than we are now," said York.
At those words Virtan seemed to perk up a bit and he said, "Really. I would not mind letting someone like that have access to whatever of our resources that he needs. After the results of that last war I was extremely worried about a counterattack from Firanel. Since my lands are closest to Firanel it makes sense that they would have come after me if they could have. I have no interest in begging at the talons of that abominable bird prince or his mother for my life."
"For some reason I don't find it hard to imagine you groveling before one of the abominations Virtan," said Delvinia.
Noticing Virtan about to make a hot retort, Yorik interrupted and said, "Now, now, there is no need for that Delvinia. This is a time for unity among us. The goal we have struggled to obtain for so long is finally coming within our reach. When this is all over we will have finally returned our world to the pure state our ancestors meant for it to be."