November 14, St. Ye Katerina Fortress, Summer Palace.
Early in the morning, Tsar Nicholas V burst out of his room, loudly demanding an explanation from his servant, "How could there be thunder at this time?"
The servant looked troubled.
Nicholas V persisted, "Tell me! There shouldn't be thunder in this season!"
Only then did the servant glance at the windows in the corridor.
Nicholas V rushed to the window, placed his hands on the sill, and leaned forward as if to press against the glass.
He stared at the source of the thunderous noise in the distance.
The servant explained, "That's the Eternal Fortress at Karanskaya, with a history of one hundred years. It was built by military engineers of that time after the Conqueror retreated from Ye Fort, intended to forever protect Ye Fort."
Nicholas V, with his hands braced on the windowsill, stared at the fortress being bombarded and murmured softly, "Forever protect Ye Fort... now it's being destroyed by the enemy!"
