<strong>Realm Year 770 Descending Fire 18, Nexus, Lookshy Embassy</strong><br/><br/>One a half years ago, the message came throughout Creation like a wildfire:  The Scarlet Empress has returned!  There were shouts for joys, there were dreadful moans, and there was everything in-between.  Regardless the balance of power in Creation was shifting again, and not for the better.  No one knew what the Empress was doing in the Realm, and neither did her opposition, all that was seen was that the Empress was re-solidifying her power through various means such as dissolving each of the House Legions and restructuring the military as the single Imperial Legion, rebuilding the devastated lands that was brought by internal strife, and the like.<br/><br/>For Lookshy and the Confederation of Rivers this was a time for them to get their internal situations solved and get ready for another future battle with the Realm once the Scarlet Empress consolidated her power and was ready to make another military strike.  It took little more than half a year for the Empress to gather enough military power to make a strike at Lookshy once again.  She poured her military power and resources into taking out Lookshy, but the city-state stood strong and repelled the invasion.  She made another invasion again, this time bringing heavier weapons to bear, and Lookshy and the Confederation fought once again, what was disturbing to Lookshy officials were the reports of heavy amounts of demonic forces that were there during the last series of battles, and the fact that the Empress did not care about trying to preserve the city at all, only wanting it to grind it to the dust.  The next thing that was concerning, were the rumors that the Imperial City and the Imperial Manse was blocked off from admittance to anyone within ten miles.  Something wasn't right to the General Staff and so rather than sit and wait with most of their stockpiled resources sitting in Lookshy, they ordered for a complete evacuation of the city until what could be determined of the Empress' intentions for they feared that after the last time they saw the desperation to smash Lookshy into the ground they feared she would do something more drastic and so instead of trying to protect Lookshy and having the rest of the Confederation to be taken over they chose to instead to aid the Confederation and to spread their resources out and about so that they would be ready throughout the Confederation of where the Empress would strike and would be able to react quickly to the situation.<br/><br/>Unfortunately, they were almost done with getting the evacuation done when the Imperial Manse obliterated the city, killing the 30% of the population and wiping out the same amount of military strength that was still there which included most of the General Staff that was still there ensuring that everything of importance was take out of the city.<br/><br/>Lookshy, now a smoking crater laid as an example to how the Empress would no longer tolerate those who defied her rule, and how crazy she has gotten if demonic forces-bound by sorcery or not-are comprising a good chunk of  the Realm's military now.<br/><br/>With most of Lookshy's and the Confederation forces gathered at Nexus, Karal Linwei one of the remaining members of the General Staff stands and observes the gathering forces and observers in Nexus at Lookshy's Embassy as she felt that this is where they should rally.<br/><br/>"My countrymen, members of the Confederation, and anyone else here today, I thank you for coming.  As you know Lookshy has fallen and the Empress means to stamp out anyone who does not bend to her will.  Since the day Lookshy was found, we have never bent to her will and fought back repelling her each and every time.  The devastation that we have seen is great and is a burden to my heart, but it gives us two things, one the desire for vengeance, and two it shows the Empress is desperate or has gone mad from her ancient age," she pauses and continues, "Whatever is left of the 7th Legion is now spread amongst the Scavenger Lands ready to attack or defend wherever the Empress chooses to attack.  Yes she has shown to us the might of her power, yes she has more than likely made a lot of our allies surrender and given up so that they too do not get devastated like Lookshy.  We can not let the Empress win by making us fear her, we can not let the ideals of what Nexus has, what the ideals of Lookshy has, or anyone's ideals and dreams to be crushed by this madwoman.  We must fight, and defeat the Realm, bring the fight to her.  It will be hard, long and arduous as crossing the sea to the Isle will be hard, which why I say and the remnants of the General Staff have agreed that we will not refuse anyone wanting to bring down the Scarlet Empire, and the demonic forces she has bound to her will.  If you are willing please stay if not leave and go about your business."<br/><br/>She waits for those who wish to leave, leave.