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Valkyrie ? Chapter XVIII ? Civil War
Fire. Smoke. Wailings and lamentations. The Empire was burning. By the hand of the Empire. The Emperor''s forces moved in swift and merciless, taking down every region that wouldn''t immediately surrender and swear their loyalty to him. The rebels retaliated to the invasion of their villages by ravaging the roads, indulging in guerilla warfare and terrorism. But like the Union Palace, they too were infested by a very skilled spy network.
The Emperor''s net reached deep. His men in the shadows not only wore dark robes, but whatever was needed. They were chameleons, malleable, adaptable, they could infiltrate anything and anyone. So it is no wonder that some of the high-ranking rebels actually turned out to be subjects of the Emperor, with the aim of destroying the rebellion from within.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Yet, the rebels were cunning and prepared to do what it takes, similar to the Emperor. They already have proven their capability at the invasion of the Union Palace. But still, the Emperor had a much more capable propaganda machine. Compared to them, he managed to maintain all the pomp and grandeur while fighting this war, rallying people from all around the Empire for his cause. However, truth be told, the brutal campaign against the rebels tore considerably at his reputation, and correspondingly also at that of the Valkyries.
Matters were further aggravated by the fact that the Emperor directed some Valkyries to take part in the attack against some rebel cities—to even lead them. The Valkyries'' main task might be the direct protection of the Emperor, and they usually do not have command authority. But if the Emperor orders it, they rank above everyone, even Generals.
One Valkyrie in particular, Cecilia II, the oldest among them, found the favor of the Emperor in these matters. She showed the world more than clearly that it is better not to make an enemy of the Valkyries. Calculated, beautiful, but also cold-blooded, she fulfilled her assigned tasks with complete loyalty, even if this meant that women, children, and innocents had to burn in the process. For her, like for the other Valkyries, there were no innocents. Only those for the Emperor, or against him.