The City Hall in the center of Etoll city was a hive of activity, with the residue of the previous day's disaster still lingering, the echoes of footfall echoed throughout the huge structure as a slew of employees, exhausted from a sleepless night, lingered within its boundaries, with no time to return to their homes.
Yesterday, after Commander Khato had communicated the news that all of the Aloki had been dealt with, while underlining the importance of sustained surveillance, a signal received from the capital, it announced that the Emperor himself would pay a visit to the city, accompanied by the remaining commanders, with the intention of calling a meeting on city grounds.
The news about the Emperor's visit also meant that he would personally tour the shelters to offer support and encouragement to the citizens who had endured the recent calamity, his promise to rebuild the city in its entirety was intended to infuse hope in the people, preventing them from succumbing to despair.
However, the city hall in its preparations for the Emperor's arrival, found itself without a mayor, the head of the city had been missing since the disaster began, and given the lack of knowledge of his whereabouts, his demise was heavily suspected.
Not only had the city lost its leader, the mayor, but also a significant portion of its workforce had been lost in the catastrophic event, Etoll city which had enjoyed a period of thriving prosperity for the past two decades, had crumbled almost instantly, its stability shattered within a single day.
If it hadn't been for the timely presence of Commander Khato from the 7th Division, who happened to be in the city when the disaster struck, and the prompt response of Commander 8th who swiftly responded to the plea for aid, Etoll would have suffered the same fate as other regions that had recently fallen.
This disaster not only destroyed a large part of the city, but also destroyed their morale, over the past five years, humanity has been in a series of many losses, so when Commander Khato told them that they had managed to defeat the Aloki, the deputy mayor ordered that this news be broadcast in all the shelters and everywhere in the City, he even ordered the news to be reported to all other regions to announce that humanity has a chance against these savage creatures.
The news brought a surge of optimism to the employees of the City Hall, infusing them with renewed energy and determination, their efficiency heightened, and their productivity doubled, they worked diligently and tirelessly, pouring their utmost effort into preparations for the Emperor's visit.
Remarkably, despite the significant reduction in manpower and the profound fatigue that plagued them, the employees managed to complete all preparations in less than half a day.
------------------------
When a convoy of black cars came up to City Hall, the doors opened to reveal men in dark uniforms who were well-trained and had small earpieces and pistols fastened to their belts, they searched the area thoroughly, examining every square inch of the surrounds.
The Imperial Outer Guard entered the hall and went through each member, member by member, in a meticulous manner, their in-depth inquiry did not exclude the division commanders either.
Upon examining every inch of City Hall, both inside and out, and scrutinizing every individual, the Commander of the Imperial Outer Guard sent a brief call using the device in his ear to verify that everything was secure.
A point of light could be seen reaching the City Hall after thirty minutes, despite the smoke still engulfing the entire city, the point became more visible the closer it approached, and eventually it was obvious that it was a helicopter that had landed in the City Hall square.
The helicopter touched down, and the Commander of the Imperial Outer Guard raced quickly over to it, he opened the door right away, and two very different-sized men emerged, perceptive onlookers may notice a little similarity in their features, suggesting a family relationship, standing proud the taller man was obviously the son of the shorter, elderly man who had his back hunched down, furthermore, a deeper examination of the Commander of the Imperial Outer Guard's face showed unmistakable resemblances to the other two men's characteristics, pointing to a possible family connection.
"It is with great relief that I note your safe arrival, Your Honor" the Commander of the Imperial Outer Guard respectfully declared, his tone dripping with submission to the shorter man adorned in a flowing, white orange-striped robe, embellished with the emblem of the four-pointed star - the revered symbol of the Empire.
The Emperor sighed heavily, a touch of humor lacing his voice as he jested, "It's strange, each time you address me in that manner, it makes me feel like a wretched father tormenting his own children, Baltho."
"Commander of the Imperial Outer Guard, did you ensure the security of everything?" the tall man standing behind the Emperor, clad in a unique military uniform unaffiliated with any of the Ten Divisions, inquired with a formal tone.
"Yes, Commander of the Imperial Inner Guard, I personally conducted a thorough check."
The elderly Emperor, whose long beard swayed gracefully, confidently advanced, followed closely by his two sons, he declared with an air of authority, "Alright, let's move on. We mustn't keep the commanders waiting."
As the Emperor's entourage approached the entrance to the hall, the deputy mayor stepped forward to extend a reluctant greeting, in silence, he led the way, his head bowed with shame, the deputy mayor felt humiliated by the state of the city, not wishing for their first meeting to be under such circumstances.
The Emperor, sensing the deputy mayor's embarrassment, gently addressed him, "You shouldn't feel ashamed, Mayor, no one foresaw this calamity, Instead, you should be proud that your city withstood a danger that others couldn't withstand."
His tone turned slightly somber as he mentioned the fall of other cities, "After all, it's no small feat, given the dire situation facing other regions." The Emperor added, his words carrying a hint of concern and sympathy for the deputy mayor's troubled state of mind.
"I am merely the Deputy Mayor, Your Majesty," the Deputy Mayor respectfully corrected the Emperor, his gaze lowered in humility.
The Emperor, in response, inquired, "Since no one is aware of the mayor's whereabouts, and you bravely took charge during these trying times, managing the city effectively, why aren't you the new mayor? Using my authority as the Emperor of Mankind, I hereby appoint you... Ah, please pardon my ignorance, would you mind telling me your name?"
"My name is Paryut Arja, Your Majesty" the Deputy Mayor graciously replied.
"By the authority vested in me as Emperor of Mankind, I appoint you Paryut Arja as the new Mayor of etoll."
The way to the council was not long, the new Mayor Paryut leading the Emperor's entourage in the direction of the meeting place of the ten division commanders, they trudged onwards until they reached a massive door, the entrance to the council room, the two brothers approached the door and respectfully opened it for their father.
In the capacious city council, over two hundred seats were laid out, the vast majority of which were empty, only thirty seats were filled, the commanders occupying them while their assistants sat nearby, the first thing that drew immediate attention was a colossal, bald man, approximately fifteen feet tall and dressed in a military uniform, he stood since no seat was large enough to accommodate him, unsurprisingly the Emperor and his entourage were not the only ones observing the giant, as soldiers stationed within the council also cast disapproving glances in his direction.
All the soldiers straightened their backs and stood at attention as the Emperor, trailed by his two sons, entered the room with quiet reverence, the mayor discreetly withdrew himself from the space, acknowledging that the meeting had nothing to do with him and that he had plenty to keep him occupied given the ongoing chaos in the city.
Once the Emperor reached the center of the council, he announced, "A council meeting of the division commanders will now take place to discuss the recent developments."