The convoy carved its way through the mountains, the mechanical growl of engines disrupting the eerie silence of the wilderness.
The uneven road twisted and turned, its pothole-ridden surface a testament to years of neglect. Dust billowed into the air, clinging to everything—the armored cars, the supply trucks, even the soldiers seated inside, their expressions set in grim focus.
At the forefront, Marina Velkas rode in an open-top jeep, her hazel eyes locked on the horizon. The wind tangled loose strands of her black hair, and she tightened her grip on the hilt of her revolver.
Aeger. The forsaken kingdom.
A paradox of wealth and ruin.
A land where golden palaces rose above slums trapped centuries behind the rest of the empire. A place where nobles gorged themselves on excess while children wasted away in the streets.
A bitter scoff left her lips.
"Do you think they can break me?" she murmured, more to herself than to the man beside her.
Leslie Locke, her aide and childhood friend, barely glanced up from the stack of documents balanced on his lap. He knew exactly what Marina was referring to—how the twin kings had sent home six previous governors, broken or weeping, unable to withstand the relentless push and pull of Aeger's brutal political landscape.
His lean frame was clothed in his usual crisp uniform, his steel-gray eyes peering over the rim of his glasses. His dark brown hair, neatly styled at the start of the journey, remained in perfect order despite the wind, a testament to his meticulous nature.
Despite his usual composed demeanor, there was a sharpness in his gaze, one that spoke of a mind always calculating the next move.
He decided not to answer her directly, instead allowing the weight of history to speak for itself.
"Aeger is not what it was meant to be," he said, voice calm but laced with the weight of history.
Leslie adjusted his glasses with a practiced motion. "The Emperor created it as a holding ground for his capable yet 'defective' sons. A means to keep them occupied while ensuring they remained within the empire's grasp. To accomplish this, he clubbed together all the desert cities bordering the western frontiers into one vast kingdom. It was named Aeger, after Aeger City—the largest settlement among them."
Marina frowned slightly. "A kingdom built from scraps?"
Leslie nodded. "Though the land is vast, its resources are painfully limited. It is surrounded by desert on all sides, with only a few scattered oases and barely enough fertile land to sustain its people. Trade is difficult, agriculture nearly impossible beyond isolated settlements. Yet, it was expected to function as a fully-fledged kingdom, all while remaining subservient to the empire."
Marina's jaw tensed. "Useful," she echoed, her voice edged with quiet disdain.
Leslie let out a slow breath. "The theory was sound—station them at the border, have them serve the empire by keeping foreign threats at bay. But in practice?"
He shook his head, his tone wry. "Aeger was never meant to thrive. Its role was never to progress alongside the empire—it was to remain a shield, a wall between El-Shihara and the desert nations beyond."
Marina's gaze flickered across the landscape, the ruined state of the roads, the villages she had passed. "So, it was never given a chance."
Leslie sighed. "When the rest of the empire gained electricity, Aeger barely received proper roads. When the cities grew into hubs of industry, Aeger remained a stronghold of crumbling stone. The people here… they are relics of a time long past. And no one cared to change that."
Marina's grip on her revolver tightened. That has to change.
The convoy pressed forward as the sun began its descent, casting long shadows over the jagged peaks. By the time twilight claimed the sky, the soldiers had begun setting up camp along the roadside.
The night air carried the scent of burning firewood, mingling with the distant chirping of nocturnal insects. Tents rose swiftly, the perimeter secured by watchful guards. Soldiers moved with quiet efficiency, some huddled around makeshift fires, their murmured conversations blending into the night's symphony.
Marina stood at the edge of the camp, her gaze flickering between the men patrolling the perimeter. Then—
A ripple of movement. A shadow darting between the supply crates.
"Stop right there!" A guard's voice cut through the night like a blade.
A small figure stumbled, caught by the scruff of her tattered dress. The girl couldn't have been older than eight, her dirt-smudged face twisted in fear. Clutched in her trembling hands was a loaf of bread, its crust already broken from hasty bites.
"Please," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I… I just needed food."
Leslie stepped forward, his usual composure shifting into a frown. "Governor, we should—"
Marina raised a hand, silencing him. She lowered herself to a crouch before the child, studying her with an unreadable gaze.
"What's your name?"
The girl hesitated before murmuring, "J-Jess."
Marina's expression remained unreadable. "Do you have family, Jess?"
Jess's fingers tightened around the stolen bread. She nodded, her voice small but determined. "My little brother… he's sick. My mother works in the city. She won't be back for two days."
Marina observed the child carefully. Unlike the nobles she had been raised among, Marina had never seen a child so painfully malnourished. The hollowness of Jess's cheeks, the way her limbs looked too thin for her small frame—it was a sight she would never have encountered in the Imperial Capital.
She gestured for the guards to release her.
Something snapped in Jess at that moment. She realized Marina was the one in control. That the one who had the power to punish her… had instead spared her. Her fear shifted into desperation.
"Please," she whispered, her voice trembling but firm. "Do you have medicine?"
Leslie stiffened. "Governor, this could be a trap. Someone might be using her—"
Marina exhaled sharply, cutting him off. "If this is a trap, they would've attacked us on the road regardless. These roads have rarely been traveled on. And if it isn't, then a child will die because we hesitated."
Her gaze flickered to the soldiers around her. "I trust my guards are strong enough to handle a couple of malnourished country folks."
She rose, turning to her soldiers, her voice leaving no room for argument. "We're going with her."