📖 The Sun Rises Over Aurensport
(Short Novel Scene – Vesperia's Declaration of War, 1942)
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The sky over Aurensport was bleeding gold.
From the balconies of the Imperial Palace, thousands of citizens crowded the plazas below, their voices a restless sea. Flags—crimson and ivory with the golden phoenix crest—snapped violently in the salt-tinged wind. For three years, the Great Empire of Vesperia had watched the Second Gaia War unfold from afar. They had sent condolences, diplomats, and warnings. They had maintained neutrality with the cool arrogance only a global empire could afford.
But now the war had come to their shores.
It began two weeks ago, when Valkyros forces stormed the Vesperian colony of Asterra. The radio broadcasts had carried stories of burning ports, massacred officials, and civilians executed in the streets. The sun of Asterra had been extinguished.
At the heart of the plaza, President Elias Rathmore stood tall on the marble balcony. His dark suit was immaculate, his voice carrying like a trumpet blast over the tense city.
"People of Vesperia—sons and daughters of the Empire. For too long, we have held to peace. For too long, we have watched this war consume Gaia, hoping it would never reach our shores."
His hands tightened on the railing.
"But now our colony of Asterra lies in ruins. Our people slaughtered. Our ships sunk. This is not a war we chose—but it is a war we will finish."
A hush fell. Then the great doors of the palace creaked open, and Queen Celestine IV, sovereign of the Imperial Concordat, emerged in her ceremonial golden armor—a rare sight for a monarch who had long remained a symbol rather than a warrior. The sun caught the phoenix crest on her breastplate as she raised her hand for silence.
"The Great Empire of Vesperia will not kneel to tyrants." Her voice was iron wrapped in velvet. "From this hour forward, we are at war with Valkyros and their allies. Our fleets sail, our armies march, and the sun of Vesperia will burn away the darkness across Gaia's seas!"
Thunderous cheers erupted as the Sunfleet's great horns sounded from the harbor below. A dozen battleships and carriers began to steam from Aurensport's docks, their decks lined with soldiers saluting the crowds. The sky was blackened by squadrons of bombers and fighter planes streaking westward to reinforce Asterra.
Across the globe, radio signals carried Rathmore's and Celestine's declaration. In the war rooms of Valkyros, generals cursed as maps were redrawn overnight. In Koryu's admiralties, the navy shifted to counter the looming threat. And in the offices of the United Auric States and Sovaros Union, leaders quietly celebrated—the Great Empire's entry would split the enemy's focus.
But for Vesperia's people, there was no celebration. Only a quiet, collective resolve. For they knew the war would not be won with speeches alone.
As the sun dipped behind the horizon, Aurensport glowed like a torch. The phoenix banners rippled, and the great bell of the Imperial Palace tolled—marking the beginning of the Empire's fight for survival.
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