Resident Evil: Nebuchadnezzar's Harvest

It is the year 1513 AD (After Dawn). Humanity is gone, wiped away by it's desire to create weapons bred from nature's darkest designs. The only dominant creatures left alive are those based on the viruses concocted by Umbrella and their offshoots (e.g. Abyss) and the terrifying plagas parasites. Warring parasite hives fight for dominance, while Master plagas struggle to maintain some semblance of control over their burgeoning populaces. Meanwhile, the virus-based lifeforms have developed varying levels of sentient as well, fighting for their own stake of the burning Earth.

This is not a world of dashing police heroes or cute-yet-no-nonsense young women with ponytails. There are no pampered corporate executives, clueless teen boys who are easily distracted by hot asses in tight jeans, corrupt Washington politicians, or annoying eight-year olds.

There is only rust, blood, and sand. The only gods are ones that reward those with the blackest souls and the sharpest claws. And the tiny slivers of good have to struggle to just barely not be extinguished by the suffocating blanket of death and decay.

This is Nebuchadnezzar's Harvest.




I'll be adding the first part of the story tonight.

Monster Mash wrote:

clueless teen boys who are easily distracted by hot asses in tight jeans.

Well, looks like I'am one of those.

Overall sounds really cool dude, the picture is very cool too.

cool ill be sure to check it out when you post

My body is ready.

Mass Distraction wrote:

My body is ready.

Thats what your sister said

OWNED!

00biohazard wrote:

Thats what your sister said

OWNED!

Ooooohhhh, he really got you on this one Mass.

Part 1: Red Sand

"I walk through the fire, for you. Your fever, it cools me." - Scott Kelly, The Ladder in my Blood

The Sun beat down on the Earth like the wrathful stare of an angry god. To many humans, the desert had been the epitome of hell; hot and mostly lifeless. But for many of Earth's denizens, it represented perfection. It was the only part of the world that was still mostly pure, a stark contrast to the bustling metropolises that seemed to be filled with little more than violence and deceit. The hot Sun was a pure metaphor for the Dawn, the day when the new order had arose from humanity's ashes.

Across the plain could be seen two individuals; a man and his horse. They strode across the hard ground, a mixture of sand, gravel, and crushed bones. Melekath and his horse Aburson were on their way to the nearest city to trade some goods and meet with relatives. He was clothed from head to foot in the garments similar to what had been worn by Sahara nomads. Of course, this was technically the region once known as the American Southwest, but a beating desert is a beating desert. He carried a belt with several pouches around his waste, an assault rifle slung over his shoulder, a pistol one on hip, and a dagger on the other, plus there was a small knife in one of his boots. Dark sunglasses covered his eyes. Across Aburson's back were numerous goods to be traded. At first glance, there was nothing too strange about the pair. But upon looking closer, one could see their eyes shimmering blood red, a sign of Plagas infection. Underneath their veneers were deadly parasites that could emerge at any time to do battle. Plagas were the dominant lifeforms on Earth, but they did not go unchallenged, and they had to remain on guard at all times. Then again, everyone did.

It has been a while since I've seen my relatives in Godface, thought Melekath. Unlike many Majini, his family was scattered across North America continent. That did not mean that he would not make the rounds to visit them every couple years. For a Plaga, one's clan was the most important thing in the world, even more important than one's own life. The Kitabu Cha Mngu, the Majini holy book stated that one's family "was part of one's soul, bound by Mokoroth before time." To ignore one's family was not only anti-social, it was offensive to the gods. Thus Melekath was almost always on the move to visit his relatives, making the life of a wandering trader perfect for him.

Melekath noticed several beings off in the distance. Taking out his binoculars, he tried to make out what they were. Their awkward saunter and rotted skin were dead giveaways; Zombies, and not sentient ones. Millions of these undead things roamed the Earth; they were little threat by themselves, but if they swarmed you, you could be in trouble. As none of them appeared to be the swift-footed Crimson Heads, they were little threat. If he stayed far enough away, they might not even notice him. But there was no profit in that. Zombies often carried small items from their past lives that could be pawned at market. Grabbing his rifle, he moved towards them.

"Hey, shitskins!" he yelled. He wanted to get their attention so they would all move his way and would thus be easier targets. They turned towards him and began moving in his direction, moaning. He took aim at their heads and clipped off several rounds. Within a matter of seconds, it was over. He moved towards the corpses carefully; these things had tendency to get back up even after you thought you had put them down. As none of them were moving, he started rifling through their pockets. There were a few cell phones, a pocketknife, a small mirror, and some coins that could be melted. There was tons of paper money; it was all useless in the market, though he kept some to use as rags.

As night fell, he set up a camp for himself. After eating dinner and feeding Aburson, he poured out a liquid made of antifreeze and boric acid into the fire. The fire then blazed green. This was done as a ritual in honor of Ulo, Majini god of wanderers.

A little ways on, he saw more figures. They were not regular Zombies, as they all moved purposefully and without a limp. They were members of the Cult of Omnium. They only wore thin rags for protection, and carried no other personal goods. They did not beg, though they occasionally stole; they mostly lived by scrounging. Their philosophy was the since life was little more than suffering, there was no use in trying to work a better life for yourself. They accepted any hardships that came their way without complaint; what made them really unique is that they did not fight back when they attacked. In a world where violence seemed to be the only certain thing, self-defense was a necessity, and yet the Omnites rejected this. This made them easy prey for the monsters that roamed the wasteland, but they didn't care; indeed, they saw death as relief from suffering, although they strictly rejected suicide. They felt that accepting all that came your way gained the favor of the gods and led to a happy afterlife. To try to struggle to make you way in the world, they believed, disrupted the divine plan and only made things worse.

Most of them appeared to be enlightened undead (or Endead for short; Zombies that possessed intelligence), though there also appeared to be a Majini and a Tyrant. Unlike many religions, the Omnites did not discriminate on the basis of race, as they believed that suffering was a universal truth.

A few hours later, Melekath and Aburson finally arrived at their destination; the city of Godface. It rose up like a monolith to the cursed heavens, bearing the face of the king god, Mokoroth. Its grim facade was neither happy nor sad, but appeared simply to be resigned to the blackened world, a mute acceptance and nothing more



Fires and lights burned from the inside, either from dwellings or from random violence. Melekath moved towards the main gate.

well this is...different. But nonetheless, interesting. Keep it up!

[Part 2: World of Rust

"The wind sings alone for the martyr, a man against the age." – Steve Von Till, Twice Born

The streets of Godface were packed as usual. Tall, closely packed buildings shot up towards the sky, some of them pointing out into open air, while others were covered by a partially completed ceiling, built for when it was intended for Godface to a be a monastery. The buildings were tall, but many weren't straight; instead, they were twisting, and full of uneven rooms, hallways. The floor of one building could be several stories high, but the one right above might be barely tall enough for someone to walk around erect and not hit their head. It was not hard to consider that the whole place had not originally been meant to be a secular city. Everywhere was filth and dust, and the stench of violence and treachery. At the same time, there was great vibrancy, as beings came in from all over to live or do business in the city.

Creatures and beings of all kinds jostled for space. Vendors sold all sorts of wares; food, electronics, clothing, medicine. It was illegal to sell weapons in open market, but if one was looking for arms, they wouldn't have much trouble finding a black market connection.

"Heat deflection robes! Go out into the wasteland and not sweat a drop!"

"Vintage computers! Quality pre-Dawn!

"Human meat, get your human meat! Frozen and as good as the day it was harvested!"

Melekath and Aburson walked over to one of the tables belong to a being named Rogerton. Sitting behind it was a creature dressed in a thick robe. One could see the shoulder bones jutting at the back. It was eyeless, and had rows of sharp teeth. A long tongue whipped in and out. Rogerton was a Licker, a Licker A to be exact, the same kind that had run wild during the Racoon City Incident centuries ago. Those kinds had also come to reproduce asexually after the Dawn as their more advanced cousins had pre-Dawn. Rogerton had lived for years as a forager, and thus had a knack for making use out of almost any trinket that he came across.

"Still ugly as ever, eh, lumphead?" said Melekath.

"I may look ugly, but you smell like shit pot pie." he replied. "Then again, you bug people are known enjoy living in filth. How have you been doing, old friend? What brings you to this fine city of gentle, civilized beings?"

"Somehow I don't think you a big bather yourself, Roberton." said Melekath. "You know me, never in one place. Most Plagas develop a fierce attachment to their home, but I just can't be like that."

"Sometimes I get the itch to wander again" replied Rogerton. "But I guess I'm getting too old for that life. I'll probably be at this stand for the rest of my life, trying to rip off gullible outsiders of their hard-earned goods."

Melekath opened up his satchel. "I have some things you might be interested in. Fresh vitamin packs from Rothdor, as well as some odds and ends from some Zombies that I looted early this morning."

"Those Zombies are just walking salt mines, aren't they? Let's have a look." As Lickers had no eyes, they analyzed objects mainly through touch. It was easy to think that their massive claws were good for little else than gutting enemies, but they had developed incredibly sensitive tiny hairs on their claws that allowed them to make feel the minute details of an item to a greater degree than even a human could. Roberton moved his fingers over the objects slowly, feel every part of them.

"What is this thing?" he asked Melekath, rubbing one item. "It's awfully smooth."

"It's a mirror." Melekath replied. "I found it on one of the Zombies."

"A mirror?" he said, whipping his tongue in annoyed disbelief. "What use could I have for this? Well, I could always break it apart and use the fragments for knives, but objects like this are rare. Better sell it to one of the Ashfords. Those vain sons of bitches love to dote on their looks."

"So how much will you give to me for these things? My cousin will never let me hear the end of it if I come to his house with nothing to show for my travels. My whole family has always felt that my nomadic life is a waste of time, and that I should just pick one city to live. But where's the fun in that? I'd get fat not fighting off bandits and running from Grave Diggers." he said, laughing.

"Well, I can give you ten pounds of salt for all of this." exclaimed Roberton. "I would give more, but a monk came in the other week with some vitamin packs, so I kind of have too many at the moment."

Just like in ancient times, salt had once again become a sought-after commodity that was accepted as curreny in many places. The expansion of the desert regions made everyone sweat and lose lots of salt. Some creatures, like the Zombies, required a daily allotment of salt or they would cease to function properly.

Ten pounds was a good deal, probably the best Melekath could get just about anywhere. Many merchants would have given him no more than seven pounds. Despite its somewhat anarchic exterior, there was a rhyme and reason to trade in the cities. Personal connections were a must or else you were bound to be ripped off.

After completing the transaction, Melekath took a left down a narrow winding alley, Aburson following behind him. Filthy clothes hung out to dry on stories above (monsters had a different definition of "clean"). Beggars crouched in corners, holding out hands for coins and small salt packs. They were mostly zombies who were too brittle to move much anymore. Melekath gave them a few coins, and then moved on.

Turning onto a wider street, he saw a Zombie preacher standing on a box going on about the nature of Mokoroth, the Supreme God.

"The Lickers teach that Mokoroth is above us, that he does not care for what we do, that He is as placade as his likeness on the face of this city. I say to you, they speak falsely! The spirit of Mokoroth dwells in every sentient being on this planet. His commands are not suggestions on how we might handle ourselves, but they are His Will, and to disobey them is to spit on God and deny the divinity of ourselves and of all creation."

"If we all have God inside us, then why can't we make this world better than the shithole it is now?" asked a Hunter. "Answer that one, holy man."

"As long as we continue to disobey the teachings of Mokoroth, this world shall remain cursed. If we know God, we shall know peace. If not, then there shall be no peace. From the glorious Dawn of this world, we were tasked to purify it, to make it straight for the time when Mokoroth would come in physical form with his Avatars. Instead, we have given in to our baser instincts, and act as if we are still creatures in a lab. In the words of Holy Scripture 'discard thine former filth, and live as how Mok would have thee live.' It is our fault, not God's, that this land is filled with pain and strife."

The preacher then turned to Melekath.

"Ah, a Majini. No doubt a follower of the Kitabu Cha Mngu. A fine piece of work, that book is. I shall speak plainly; I believe that many of the stories and myths of the Plagas are nothing but that, and should not be treated as Scripture. But you Majini take religious scholarship to new levels, and truly get at the heart of understanding the divine. Tell me, what do you think the solution to all the suffering around us is?"

"I think we can only do our best in following what Mokoroth has decreed." Melekath replied. "We may have God inside us, but He is not all of us. I don't think we can ever expect perfection, and I don't think that we have control over His actions. If He comes today, or tomorrow, or in a thousand years, it will be His decision, not one based on the behavior of a bunch of bottom dwellers like ourselves."

"If we were to truly do 'our best' as you say," said the Zombie, "we would become perfect. There is no limit to the power of the teachings and of Mokoroth, as well as his divine justice. The corrupt rulers of this world would be well to remember that."

In the highest tower of Godface, Nemesis sat on his iron throne. He had no shirt on (the air conditioner had broke again, but his pants were made entirely from multiple layers of kevlar.

He towered close to eight feet, and had a surgical scare where his right eye should have been. He was spitting image of his "brother" that had massacred Racoon City's STARS unit. Unlike that BOW, he was not a dumb brute, but instead had a keen political intellect. That being said, his temper was just as noticeable as his intelligence, and everyone around his knew quite well not to say anything out of place. Standing in front of him was Commander Orax, a purple, venomous Hunter that was in charge of the city's garrison.



Nemesis had ruled Godhand for little over a century. During his rule, the city had retained its spot as being a valuable trade depot between North and Central was one of the largest city states in the region, and it continued to grow.

'But,' he thought, 'my city is facing renewed threat from the north. The large and arrogant empire of Majinia was a serious threat to the city's security. I have driven the Majini away before and I will do it again. I am a Tyrant, one of the most powerful lifeforms on the planet, and I will not be brought low by foul insects!'

He would have loved to march into the halls of the palace in Baltimore, to strangle the Emperor and to rip his heart out. But that would never happen. So he had to be content with smashing imperial armies on the battlefield. No easy task, to be sure, but he would not be beaten.

Not like his brother had been, over a millennium and half ago.

"Raiders from the east have died down ever since we destroyed a large force of them in the Gash, but some of our men were killed in a sortie with some Plagas from Majinia." stated Orax, standing straight and at attention. "I think it is quite clear that they don't intend to respect our sovereignty. If it weren't for these walls, we may well have been overrun by now."

Hunter backs weren't meant for standing completely erect, and he was quite uncomfortable at the moment. But he respected Nemesis too much to show any laxity in his presence. If it wasn't for the massive being who ruled with an iron fist, the city might have collapsed into utter anarchy decades ago.

"Damn bugs." replied Nemesis. "Are we equipped to take on a full assault?"

"We've been reinforcing the city walls with layers of plated steel and have a glut of weaponry, sir. An air assault would completely fail, and an attack from the ground would suffer massive casualties. That being said, a blockade would devastate us. Trade is the lifeblood of this city, and our underground meat gardens won't feed the entire populace for very long if a siege keeps supplies from coming in. Social unrest would be bad, as this is a multi-species city and many neighborhoods are almost little cities unto themselves. This is not a place with a lot of community spirit."

"Wouldn't the fear of becoming slaves to the parasites be enough incentive?" said Nemesis.

"To a certain extent, but if things got bad enough, panic might set in. We might even have factions who want to let in the Plagas to get special treatment from them."

"Continue with your work in the fortifying the city. Also, reinforce the outposts and have them conduct raids on some of Majinia's remote villages. I especially want Godhand to be in our possession; take back the other fingers whatever way you can. We show worms things any sign of weakness and they will attack. If we can hold the northern copper strip, that will force the Majini on the defensive and leave their entire southern border at risk. We cannot hope to destroy them, but we can at least prevent an invasion of our territory if we make it clear that messing with us is more trouble than it's worth. And contact Tetu in Blackbadge; we need all the help we can get."

Those fucking bugs, he thought angrily to himself, his brow furrowing. They just couldn't be happy with the huge empires they already had, they had to gobble up even more land for themselves. At least the Majini weren't as bad as those Illuminados folks who felt it was their religious duty to conquer the world. Even the other Plagas generally stayed away from them. Still, if any sort of order was to be brought to the world, all of the Plagas, Majini and Ganados alike, had to be cut down to size.

00biohazard wrote:

well this is...different. But nonetheless, interesting. Keep it up!

I know right, I love how his story is original overall.

Sargent D wrote:

00biohazard wrote:

well this is...different. But nonetheless, interesting. Keep it up!

I know right, I love how his story is original overall.

Is this a deliberate knudge at me? you didnt even read mine you bad person you

Before I post the next part later on, I just want to say that I made some adjustments. The years is now 1513 to give the monsters more history to work with. Also, I capitalized the various species names so that they were more like nationalities. I'm also giving names to the different chapters.

Ok bro, Im waiting on it!

Part 3: Flames from the Hand of God

The air was filled with the sounds of gunfire and explosions. On the eastern "finger" of Godhand, Orax's men fought valiantly against an onslaught of Majini. Well, they weren't really men, but a mixture of Uplifted zombies, Hunters, two Lickers, and a few Ganados. Despite being hopelessly outnumbered, they fought on, for they knew if this finger was taken, Majinia would hold all of Godhand and would have a direct line of attack straight into the territory of Godface.

Godhand was a semi-natural formation that partly straddled a large strip of land that contained numerous copper deposits. Few were interested in mining the copper, but the area created a viable natural border between Majinia and the realm of Godface. Key to securing this region was Godhand. From the sky, Godhand appeared to be an open hand with four "fingers," two pointing northeast, one west, and one southwest. This design was created by a series of cliffs, trenches, rocky hills, and small military outposts. The "palm" was a plain of massive boulders and a small flat area. Control of the area had varied over time, and this was not likely to change any time soon, as both sides had a vested interest in controlling it. Were Majinia to hold it, the outposts to the south would have been extremely hard-pressed to prevent military incursions, and several of Godface's vital trade routes would have been in serious jeopardy of being blocked. Were Godface to control the area, Majinia's southernmost villages would have been wide open to attack, as most of that country's forces were massed in the east.

As of the moment, Orax's men held the southwesterrn figure, while the Majini held the northeast ones. The western finger had been made into something of a no man's land, lined with mines and booby traps of all sorts. The palm was mostly empty, though the Godites (name of the denizens of Godface) had managed to keep the Majini out of most of it. Still, they barely had a toe hold in it themselves.

All along the side of the finger, Majni forces pounded away at the Godite militiamen. The high, thick rock walls, layered with clay, made it difficult for the shells to cause much damage. Due to the shape fo the structure, there was no easy way for the Majini to lauch an attack, and the Godites were able to shoot down any enemy soldiers that tried to climb the walls. On the other hand, the defenders' forces were stretched very thin, and they tried to cover all points of the long strip of land.

"I don't know how much more of this we can take!" yelled Pvt. Sikle.

"We hold the line here, or Godface will be ripe for attack." said Sgt. Gringor. He was a tall endead Crimson Head who had served in the militia for over ten years. He was not going to have the city's most important line fo defense broken under his watch.

Armored dune buggies zipped around the embankments, lobbing grenades at the top of the walls. The Godite soldiers fired back with HEI rounds.

A number of large containers were fired at the cliffs walls, burying into them partially but not exploding. From their tops, hatches opened and several dozen plagafied six legged creatures crawled out and began to scale the walls. On their backs were mounted machine guns.

"Drain Demos!" shouted one soldier. The troops up top began to fire downwards at the ascending monsters. Meanwhile, the artillery cannons began to swivel in place for another shelling.

Suddenly, one of the cannons exploded. Then another. High above Godhand were four military choopers that rained fire down upon the Majini. In the distance, a large force of armored vehicles rolled towards the Majini army, opening fire. As they got closer, several of the transports opened up, and Godite troops poured out.



When humans moved over to weaponized warfare, within a few centuries, melee combat had all but disappeared. Not so for these creatures. The fight soon became a blur of teeth and claws, as the armies ripped into each other with abandon. They may have developed intelligence, but deep down, they had all of the instincts of the BOWs grown in the labs of Umbrella and Tricell.

Out of one the carriers came Orax himself. Carrying a portable plasma cannon, he took aim and blew one of the Majini dune buggies to pieces. Caught between the newly arrived reinforcements and the gunfire from the cliffs, the remaining Majini were slowly pushed back, and finally fled towards the northeast fingers.

A cheer went up from behind the cliffs. A few minutes later, Sgt. Gringor went out to meet with Orax.

"I can't tell you enough how much we needed your help, sir. I'm not sure how much longer we would have lasted."

"Nemesis has desginated this fortress to be the highest priority in the defense of Godface." he replied. "Holding this part was crucial, but he has ordered an offensive against the other fingers. As long as one Majini is left alive in Godhand, our people aren't secure."

"My men and I have actually been formulating a plan to retake the entire area, we just weren't able to put it into action until you arrived." Gringor said as they walked toward the a mobile command center. "The Majini won't know what hit them."

---------

The wandering Omnites had finally reached their destination. It was the remain of an old Spanish-style town that had been built along the former border between Texas and Mexico. It had now been turned into the Omnites' most scared shrine.

All throughout the town, the bones of the dead (mostly humans but there were a few monster corpses) lay strewn in a high ritualistic manner. In the center of the town lay the main part of the shrine. It was a mess of corpses glued together to give the appearance of life, but the final result was a ghastly collage of death. On the ground were a number of small wooden figures, each representing different gods. Their central placement was to show their importance in the grand scheme of things, but their small size relative to the corpses was to represent how even they were not as great as their ultimate plan of extinction.



The pilgrims stripped off their rags and exposed themselves to the burning sun. They then poured boiling water on their back to increase the pain. However, none of them made a single sound or grimaced in a manner than would show discomfort. To them, this was the ultimate expression of their devotion to the gods' plan, and how to give yourself in fully to all life had to throw at you was the penultimate way of showing piety. The kneeled their in the sun, and stayed their motionless until the raging day gave way to the chilling night.

00biohazard wrote:

Is this a deliberate knudge at me? you didnt even read mine you bad person you

No it's not lol.

I'am a bad person.

Interlude: A Brief History of Godface



Godface was not initially meant to be a city, but rather, a massive temple to the High God Mokoroth. Work on it was started in 493 AD by the Followers of Mok, members of a cult who reject worship in all other gods except Mokorth. While most creatures are polytheistic to various degrees, the idea of a massive temple devoted to the Supreme was very popular, and resources poured in from all over the world. Work was slow going, as only the Followers were allowed to do the actual contruction. In 504, the temple was nearing completion; it was meant to have multiple shrines and chapels to Mokoroth, a library, living quarters for the Followers, and winding Halls of Reflection where different designs would be painted to reflect the various deeds and attributes of the god.

The Scourge War put an end to this work, as the majority of Followers were killed in the conflict. The survivors believed that they had done something to anger the god, and they abandoned the project. For almost twenty years, the site remained vacant except for a few wild animals and the occasional vagrant. No one knew what to do with the place. The building materials were valuable, but no one dared to demolish something that had Mokoroth's face on it. Also, many were too afraid to actually live in it for fear of bringing down divine wrath.

Then, in 530, a T-1 Tyrant and some Hunters decided to carve homes out of the massive structure. When they were not struck down from heaven, displaced individuals from all around flooded in. Though neighborhoods quickly became segregated on the basis of race, there were no restrictions as to who could enter the city. For about two hundred years, the city basically had no government, as the different neighborhoods largely ran themselves. In 736, the city fell under the control of the Confederation of Li (a Licker government), that sought to turn the city into a Licker-only metropolis. This was obviously met with great resistance on the part of the non-Licker populations. Moreover, the Confederation alienated the native Lickers by seeking to end their traditional autonomy by getting rid of their town council and appointing a regional governor. In early 739, the entire city revolted and expelled the Confederation. In it's wake, the Godface Congress was established that decreed equal rights for all members of the city. While the Congress no longer exists, the laws that it passed are still largely in place. For the next four hundred and fifty years, this body would control Godface, handling all city-wide matters but delegating much authority to local neighborhoods.

This period is considered by many to be Godface's golden age. New trade routes were forged that brought in much wealth, and the territory that Godface controlled expanded. In 910, the formation now known as Godhand was founded as a key fortress in the north. Small settlements and towns were established outside of the city itself that brought in new tax revenue. Also, the city's original religious mission was rediscovered somewhat, as pilgrims began to see the city's prosperity as a sign of divine favor and started to visit. Unfortunately, as they rejected the city's secular status, they would often stay on the outside and pray rather than going inside, thus not bringing in more money.

The rise of Great Majinia put an end to this era. The massive and well-organized armies of Irving II successfully united most Majini factions and embarked on a campaign of world conquest. As Godface was relatively close to the empire's territory, the city was first ignored by the Majini as something that could be dealt with later. However, once West Africa, Siberia, and most of North America had been conquered, the Majini turned their attention towards Godface. Their armies swiftly took the city's northernmost territories, and then besieged Godhand. After five months, the fortress finally surrendered and all inside were massacred.

The massacre at Godhand sparked both panic and anger within Godface. Public outcry was turned towards the city's local Majini population. Though they had few ties with Great Majinia, they became the victims of violent riots and pogroms. Soon, this violence was turned against other Plagas in the city, then those who belonged to species that were seen as allies of Great Majinia. The city descended into chaos, with the Congress unable to restore order. Under these circumstances, no real effort was made to combat the Majini army, and soon, it was stationed just a few miles outside the city.

In 1201, out of the chaos emerged the powerful Xelax, a Tyrant who is credited with saving the city. He belonged to the same strain of Tyrant as the infamous Mr. X had, and was a lieutenant in the Godhand militia. Him and a group of militiamen broke into the Congress during session and had everyone arrested. He then set himself up as dictator, and through a combination of propaganda and terror, he managed to restore a modicum of civilized life. His next task was to build as large and well-trained an army as possible, spending the next two years drilling the recruits.

It is believed by many that the only reason Godface did not fall during this time is that Irving did not want to directly attack the city. If a great deal of damage was done to the facade, the provinces might rise up in revolt at the destruction of something that had the face of Mokoroth. Multiple attempts to contact the Majini inside the city and get them to open the gates failed, and trying tobribe others to do the same got nowhere. Finally, an infiltration team was sent in through the sewers. When they emerged during nighttime, they hoped to sneak through the darkened alleys to reach the main gate. However, they were discovered was passing through the Majini neighborhood. Despite the abuse heaped upon them by their fellow citizens, the Godface Majini had no desire to be subjects to the empire and fell upon the saboteurs, ripping them to pieces. In the wake of this, most anti-Majini attitudes in the city subsided.

Despite this victory, the army outside the walls greatly outnumbered the city's militia. Thus it was a stroke of luck when Irving died and the empire erupted into civil war. The best elements of the army were recalled to Great Majinia, leaving a rump force behind. Xelax took this opportunity, and leaving out a back entrance, he and his forces took a long, circuitous route that positioned them behind the Majini. On the morning of April 3, 1203, his army made a surprise attack on the imperial army. The Battle of Godface was an incredibly bloody affair, but when it was over, the vast majority of the imperials lay dead, with the remainder scattering. Xelax was acclaimed as a savior, and he was made Dictator for Life. In his first act, he rededicated the city to Mokoroth and had a large cathedral built in the god's honor. He also created the Council of the People to replace the Congress. The Council, like the Congress, represented all of the different neighborhoods and ran most of the day to day activities. However, any of its decisions could be revoked by the Dictator and is had no authority in areas concerning national security.

With the Majinian Civil War still raging, Xelax took the opportunity to reconquer the now lightly manned Godhand. The battle was relatively quick and easy, though Xelax realized that mof the northern territory was mostly undefendable and lost for good; he thus reset the border at the Copper Strip, where it remains mostly to this day.

Xelax ruled Godface for about two hundred years. On his death, his appointed successor was a Chimera who was a respected councilman but something of a weak personality. The Council began to exert more authority, which led to a gradual uptick in public disorder (though it was always bad) and a neglect of the border. In 1411, a blitz attack by Majinia allowed the principality to take back Godhand, though they weren't able to go much further. This led to the rise of Nemesis, another officer in the militia, as a popular leader who called for a Godites to reclaim their former glory. Seeing the writing on the wall, the Chimera resigned in exchange for being able to retire peacefully. Nemesis then launched a siege of Godhand that returned it to Godface control in about two months. He also created a more powerful police force that managed to put down some of the more violent syndicates, though the usual problems still remained.

Godhand has gradually seen a return to prosperity, though it can hardly be called a golden age. Bandits have recently plagued some of the city's outermost provinces, requiring military action. In the wake of this, Majinia has been able to take back part of Godhand. Nemesis has sworn to reverse this and drive the enemies from the country.

great read man, keep going!hey a question, do you create these awesome landscapes? if so, they are really awesome.If not, where do you get them?

Thanks. And sadly no; I wish I could draw that well. Look up Zdzislaw Beksinski for more work similar to this. I'm gonna do a few more parts of this normal story before doing a prequel story of how this timeline came about.

Part 4: Bloody Horizons

The commanders of the Godite miltia sat in the mobile command center. Sgt. Gringor rolled out a map of Godhand.

"The assault on the Majinian strongholds need to be fast, furious, and from multiple angles all at once. We do not have the resources to attack both fingers at the same time. Moreover, the final finger is lined with mines. It would take more time than we have to disable them all. Fortunately, if we play it right, those mines will be the imperials' undoing. Lieutenant?"

Lt. Alvarez stepped forward. He was a short Ganado who's family had been in Godface since the earliest days of its settlement.

"The palm of Godhand is lightly garrisoned with no more than a handful of Majini. Neutralizing them quietly will give us a direct line of assault into the two fingers. That being said, even then, having the advantage of not having to climb the walls from the plains, taking both fingers would still be too difficult outright. We need a diversion of some kind, and this is is where the western finger will come into play. A small force will circle around there and fire several grenades into the finger, which will set off the mines. This will cause troops from westernmost northeast finger to be sent over to plug up any holes in the defenses. The diversionary force will then hunker down and engage the enemy but will make no move to push forward. Bereft of many soldiers, the troops that have taken the palm who by then will have been reinforced will storm the finger and will seize its main cannons. The Majinian soldiers who had gone to hold the western finger will be totally exposed, and our men will be able to blow them to pieces. This will leave the Majini with only one finger in their posession. Our men in the occupied finger will open fire on it from the cannons. This shall be supplemented from rockets which we will have put in place in the palm. With any luck, it will all be over very shortly."

"We set out in 0200 hours." said Sgt. Orax. "Remember that the fate of the country hinges on our actions this night. May the gods watch over all of us."

---------

Melekath parked his horse outside of his family's house. Before he went in, he gave it a salt and vitamin pack to eat. A normal horse would have eaten it with his mouth, but as this one was plagafied, its snout instead opened like a flower, and a long tongue came out and pulled the pack in. The the mouth closed, and Oburson looked again just like a regular horse.

Going up to the from door, Melekath knocked.

"Who is it?" a gruff voice from inside said.

"Someone to kill you and feast on your flesh." Melekath replied.

The door unlocked and opened, and standing their was a tall, dark-skinned Majini. His name was Riketh.

"Melekath, you worthless shitstain, you came!"

"You know I always visit at this time of year, cousin." The two embraced.

"Mera, Baro, Melekath is here!" From another room came another man and a woman. They were both portly but muscular. Baro was Riketh's brother, and Mera was his wife.

"So, I guess the great worms still haven't gotten you after all this time."

"Nonsense, Baro." said the woman. "Melekath has been traveling for years, he knows all the safe paths."

"There is no truly safe path out there, only ones that are slightly less dangerous." Melekath replied.

"Well you're here and that's all that matters." said Riketh. "Come, Mera was just setting the table for dinner."

What would be a perfectly respectable meal for a Plaga would repulse most humans. Like most post-Dawn creatures, Plagas did not cook their food, but ate it raw. Their kind had been doing so for centuries. Unlike most other species, plagas took the time to set the table and generally ate with utensils as humans had. They also used a great deal of spices. Thus the table was a mixure of bowls that contained uncooked hands, hearts, eyeballs, and half a brain, all of it finely marinated. For a human, the sight would have been grotesque beyond imagination and the stench would have induced instant nausea. For these Majini, it was a meal fit for a king.

After they sat down, Mera turned to Melekath.

"Would you like to lead us in the blessing?" she asked.

"I would be honored." They all bowed their heads. "Mokoroth and spirits of our greatest forebears, look well upon this blood harvest and make it nourish us in standing against the impure. Amen."

They all then dug in, with the various bowls passed around the table.

"Any adventures in the great wasteland?" asked Baro.

"Nothing too special. I ran into some pure Zombies and took their personal belongings. Other than that and a few Omnite pilgrims, nothing too special. Rogerton still gives good deals."

"Sometimes I wish none of the zombies and been Uplifted." said Riketh. "That way we could rob them all with no consequences."

"If that was the case, then almost half otf the Godface militia would exist." replied Mera. "They may be filthy, rotten corpses, but endeads are some of the most trustworthy beings out there, maybe even more trustworthy than Majjini."

"Trust, now that's something that's not in heavy circulation." Melekath said. "What of local events? I heard that there has been an increase in hostilities between Godface and Majinia."

Baro chimed in. "Yeah, we've been fighting with them for control of Godhand recently. They still think it's the days of Irving the Great. They actually have had the nerve to covertly send in recruits to the Majini and Ganado neighborhoods to try to get recruits for their army. Most of them have been discovered expelled from the city, but they'll undoubtedly keep trying. The emperor just can't understand that there are many Plagas out there who don't want to live under his slavery. We've always been stronger in the long run when we stick together in small groups where everyone knows each other, not in vast, impersonal empires. And who wants to live in a world where everyone has a Plaga parasite? I am not ashamed of my heritage, but I like the fact that not everyone out there is linked together in some large superhive. I like diversity and having to deal with different kinds of people."

"Unfortunately," said Riketh "there are some here who think that deep down, we all support the empire. A Majini was beaten up last week by some Hunters. Things aren't nearly as bad as they were right before the rise of Xelax, but if there isn's some kind of settlement with Majinia soon, tensions could flare up. I'm afraid we might be seeing some difficult times ahead."

00biohazard wrote:

great read man, keep going!hey a question, do you create these awesome landscapes? if so, they are really awesome.If not, where do you get them?

I haven't read this or yours yet, but I do love that landscape...

Honestly, I will read both this one your's Bio. I promise.

Interlude: A Brief History of the Majini, Part 1



From a technical standpoint, Majinis are an artificial species. Plaga and leech DNA spliced together in the Tricell labs created a new, more deadly species of Las Plagas which devastated the small African country of Kijuju. After the death of Wesker, the contaminated area continued to be quarantined, with the international community divided on how the crisis should be resolved.

The subsequent global monster outbreak and the Dawn made this question a moot point. As one of the most intelligent of the new species and made ever more self-aware by the Dawn, Majinis spread to every corner of the globe, their numbers exploding. Communities sprang up everywhere that were a fusion of Plaga worldviews and older human cultures (as Plagas absorb many characteristics of their hosts). They soon came into conflict with other creatures that were establishing themselves, including the Ganados. How the two Plaga peoples should interact with each other is a source of debate that continues to this day.

Until about 50 AD, there was little written history about how the Majini organized themselves. It is known that most of them lived in small city states and villages. Until the other creatures began to organize themselves, the Majini felt little need to form large confederations. As per their biological imperatives, they spread out and infested whatever organisms they could, but following the extinction of the last humanss, they felt little need to aggressively conquer territory. Indeed, for the most part, they simply moved into abandoned towns and cities and made them their own.

This changed with the rise of other species, most notably the Zombies and the Hunters. In 62 AD, the Alliance of Lovakon was formed in Central Asia and Eastern Europe encompassing the former Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Georgia to combat the rise of an aggressive Zombie principality that had come to conquer much of former Tajikistan, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Along the eastern coastline of the former United States, Majini and Ganados came together to create the Vanguard to fight off heavy Hunter and Chimera attacks from the Midwest. Inspired by this, Majini in northern South America, West Africa, and the Mediterranean Basin all began to organize. For the most part, these were voluntary arrangements with little armed coersion.

Initially, these groupings were purely defensive in nature, but soon, they began to push outwards. In 110 AD, Lovakon launched a major invasion into India, bringing much of Asia under it's direct rule, and exacting tribute from as far away as Korea and Indonesia. This victory brought about great social change.

In 111, Mikorvi I was crowned King of Lovakon and Emperor of the Majini. He was the first Plaga monarch and and arguably the first absolute ruler of the Plaga since Osmund Saddler. Biologically, he was a Master Plaga, and thus was born to lead others of his species. But up until that time, the authority of Masters Plagas had not been absolute. They had often served as community leaders and military commanders, but up until Mikorvi's coronation, they had had mostly treated each other as equals whose rank was purely based on their prowess in battle. They had even at times took leadership from non-Masters who were forceful and skilled enough. The willingess of other Masters to submit their authority voluntarily to another was a big step in the growing political sophistication of monsters everywhere.

By the time of his death, Mikorvi had an empire that stretched from Turkey to China. Many Majini communities in other parts of the world recognized him as the ruler of the entire race even if he did not actually exert authority over them. He granted toleration to other creatures living within his borders (meaning, he allowed them to go about their business without have a Plaga spore shoved down their throat). Still, zealots would carry out forced "conversions" and revolts were endemic. On his deathbed, his final wish was that no more territory was to be added to the empire, for fear that it would not survive being overstretched.

Of course, his son Mikorvi II completely ignored his father's wishes, and launched a major invasion of the Balkans in 136. Majini forces penetrated as far as former Austria, but this left other areas of the empire to do undefended. A major revolt of Zombies in southern India, coupled with attacks from Lickers in Thailand threw the eastern half of the empire into chaos. The Masters demanded to be heard so that a solution to the chaos could be found. The emperor agreed, but he had no intention of actually changing his plans. Meeting in the ruins of Kiev, the Masters did not hide their anger, and demanded that troops be taken out of Europe to defend the Asian provinces. The conclave was massive, as Majini leaders from all over the world came; ones from areas outside the empire did not have any say in the proceedings, though that did not stop some of them from stating their mind.

Instead of trying to come to an agreement, the emperor used the innate ability that all Master Plagas have to control their subjects, and began to force all of the Majini in the room to bow to him and swear their allegiance to him and his plans for world domination. He succeeded, but it was a terrible strain on his body and mind. When one of the barons resisted, this was too much for Mikorvi, and he died instantly from an aneurysm. The baron, Rothmor, was acclaimed as emperor. His first act was to pull all troops out Europe west of the Aegean. These troops were then able to restore control over most of India and expel the Lickers. Unfortunately, he died childless eight years later. The nobles then went to Kiev again to vote on a new leader. They chose a Majini duke name Middin. He was a rather weak ruler who over saw the losses of nearly all of the provinces that had been won my Mikorvi I. In 155, Lovokan barely managed to fight off a massive invasion from a nomadic army of Ganados that had come down from northern Russia. The general who defeated the Ganados at the Battle of the Cold was crowned emperor at Kiev. His original name is not known; he took the name Mikorvi, and the dynasty of Lovakon has stayed in his family every since. The core of the empire became increasingly inward looking, and largely retreated from international affairs. Majini influence in the area has declined ever since.

Nevertheless, as this empire declined in power, another one was growing, right in the heart of the Majini's homeland of Kijuju.


I'll post the next part tomorrow.

Just a heads up: I'm preparing a major update which is why nothing was posted here yesterday. I hope to have it up either by the end of today or tomorrow.

Interlude: A Brief History of the Majini, Part 2

As Lovakon was sinking into long-term decline, a new Majini power was on the rise in the ruins of the small African state of Kijuju. The first country to be taken by the Majini, it had been overshadowed by the growth of other Majini states throughout the world. But in 154, the Majini there finally managed to unlock the vaults of Tricell's underground facility. With access to advanced prototype weapons and with a burgeoning population, the Majini initiated a ten-year long war of conquest that brought all of the western coast of Africa under their dominion.

At the same time, the Majini state known as the Vanguard was solidifying it's position. By 160, it ruled roughly entire territory held by the US in 1790. Diplomatic ties between the Kijuju and the Vanguard were initiated, but in 173 AD, over trade and territorial disputes in the Atlantic, the two went to war. It was mostly a naval conflict with some air battles. After four years of fighting, the two sides realized that the fight was pointless, and instead decided to join together to form a supreme Majini state. It was named Majinia (the first time the term had ever been used), and it's capital was Alqazar. This city was built on the artificial continent of Blackpoint, a small landmass that was constructed by the Majini in the middle of the Atlantic. To follow in the tradition of Lovakon, they raised their own ruler to the level of Emperor in 178, a Majini who came to be known as Wesker II.



Majinia soon became wealthy from trade and its exports of iron and ivory. For about 300 years, it was one of the great powers of the world, along with the Zombie empire of Lil in Asia, the Licker kingdom of Tung in South America, and the Hunter Republic of Seth in Europe. Majinia benefited not just from the the support of its own citizens, but from the backing of Majini throughout the world. Almost every Majini state allied itself with Majinia. Also, large scale migration to the empire of Majini from all around the world strengthened the state even more. It also benefited from the support of many Ganados. While several Ganado states remained very wary of the colossal empire, many other Ganados saw it as a protector of all Plagas everywhere. Within Majinia, most non-Plagas were tolerated though were treated as second-class citizens. Ganados though were given full rights and many achieved high status within the state. These laws incurred grumbling on the part of some conservative factions, but for a long time, this equality played out well.

The period known as Classical Majinia was a flowering of arts and culture. The major cities became centers of learning, especially Alqazar, whose universities attracted students from all over the world, many of whom weren't Plagas. The metropolises were adorned with gold and ivory, and reflected the influences of multiple Plaga and human cultures. At the peak of this was the Emperor, who held absolute authority over the realm (though much power did have to be delegated to regional governors for practical purposes). During his coronation, he would be decked out in flowing gold, purple, red, and green robes. After processing through the streets of Alqazar, he would meet the High Priest of the Great Temple of Mokoroth. Disrobing completely in front of hundreds of thousands, he would then clothe himself in the ebony armor of the Emperors (see above picture). The celebration would last a week.

One major development during this time period was the creation of a definitive Majini religion. During the time of Lovakon, Majini had worshipped a variety of different cults. The Emperor served as the high priest of all of these faiths, but no attempt was made to unite them, and when Lovakon crumbled, so to did the Emperor's religious authority. Under the rule of the Emperors Osmund III and Rikoreth I, the eight volumes of Kitabu Cha Mngu (Swahili for "God's Book") were compiled, pulling together many of the different Majini legends into one mythology. With a few noteworthy exceptions, these became the sacred texts for Majini everywhere.

The Majinian army was a powerhouse that was probably the best fighting force in the world until the mid-fourth century. Only Majini and Ganados could join the legions, though non-Plagas were encouraged to enroll in the auxiliary units. As the Atlantic Ocean took up a bulk of imperial territory, the empire had a massive navy that completely locked down the ocean for Majinian control. Even on the empire's deathbed, citizens could travel at sea and expect a good bit of safety. At it's peak, the Majinian armies contained almost two million soldiers, over a million auxiliaries, and hundreds of thousands in other branches of the military.

It is important to note that following the union of the Vanguard and Kijuju, few conquests of note occurred. In Africa, there was some greater penetration into former Nigeria, and in 214, the Florida peninsula was annexed. But one the whole, the Majinia's borders stayed mostly static, something which many believe helped it to last as long as it did.

Despite it's wealth and culture, Majinia was plagued with incessant court strife and political instability. Wesker II ruled for twenty years and was able to pass on the empire to his son, Wesker III. He was a weak ruler, and was deposed four years later by his chief bodyguard, Morton Fibelius. To create some sense of continuity, Morton took the name Mikorvi after the old Emperor of Lovakon. He in turn was murdered by cabal of noblemen who raised one of their own, Wesker IV, to the throne. Wesker ruled well for twelve years, but his death sparked a major succession crisis. His two sons refused to honor his wish to rule the empire jointly, and engaged in a bloody three-year civil war. The elder son, Wesker V, was a great general and fought both his brother and an alliance of Chimera and Hunters originating from the Canadian Northwest. He was victorious on all fronts. He pushed back the invaders, and then defeated his brother whom he had burned alive in the center of Alqazar. Made undisputed Emperor in 219 AD, his dynasty ruled for three more generations, but ended with the assassination in 260 by a disgruntled government employee who had been fired a year earlier. Despite the somewhat rapid turnover of emperors, crowning ceremonies never lost their splendor or political power. At times they seemed so common that the phrase "to have a coronation" referred to just throwing a party in general. The lack of any long term dynasties or the ability to peacefully have the throne pass from an individual from one family to an individual would be major causes in the fall of Classical Majinia.

The roots of the destruction of the empire lay in several religious and political events in the earlier fourth century. In 303, Emperor Rikoreth II died, leaving no heir apparent. Desperate to avert a civil war, they elected a duke by the name of Vindor Eraxus. Upon coronation, he took the name of Wesker VII. He was a vibrant and intelligent ruler who sought to keep the empire at the peak of its power and reaffirm the central authority of the throne in the face of increasingly powerful local rulers. Problem was, he was a Ganado. Like all Emperors before him, he was a Master Plaga, and Ganados weren't barred from assuming the throne, so their weren't any legal problems to his rule. Still, for a Ganado to rule the most powerful Majini state rankled many, and his whole reign was filled with quashing coups and consipiracies against his rule. This might have blown over had it not been for the birth of two important religious movements.

The first of these were the Felusians, named after their leader Felus. While they accepted all of the volumes of the Kitabu Cha Mngu as holy, they did not see them all as being equal. Rather, they believed that the first three were the holiest, while the last five were simply clarifications of the first three. They believed that any time passages in the last five seemed to contradict those in the first three, the interpretations of the first three were deemed authoritative. This flew right in the face of Kitabu teachings that all volumes were equal in teaching the same truths. Felusianism was declared a heresy and banned, but its teachings continued to gain support in the easternmost African provinces.

The other was the Plagmok movement, a name derived from their basic philosophy. Plagmokians taught that Mokoroth was Plaga, not human as was universally accepted across the world. This too was deemed a heresy and outlawed, but it's followers spread among the southern provinces of the American region. Soon, Majinia was faced with two major religious schisms on both sides of the Atlantic that would not be suppressed simply through edicts.

Wesker was a tolerant individual when it came to race. As a minority himself (albeit a privileged one), he sought to protect the other species of the empire by reissuing laws forbidding forced infection and punsihed strngly those who engaged in it. But when it came to religion, he was as hardline as they came. Ganados have their own religious teachings separate from that of Majini, and it's quite likely that he did not even hear a single word of the Kitabu Cha Mngu until he was an adult. But as he had been part of the Majinian aristocracy, he had completely adopted its religious culture. Thus, his response to Plagmok and Felusian teaching was to send in Kitabuan clergy backed by troops to re-convert the local populations. This only antagonized the Dissenters, and violence broke out among Dissenter and Orthodox populations. A few in the Majinian government wanted to grant a measure of religious toleration and then levy a heavy taze on the Dissenters to get them to abandon their beliefs, but Wesker was intransigent.

Thus the empire was thrust into a civil war on two sides that would flare up with varying intensity until the empire's end. Most Dissenters remained loyal to the empire despite persecution, but a few communities on the edge fo the empire allowed for enemy infiltration, causing many of the provinces to be mostly lawless regions. The grand, learned culture of the cities remained, but the luxury afforded by the upper classes, coupled with the war expenses, became an increasing tax burden on the common people. Indeed, as the countryside decayed, many nobles sought to retreat further into their worlds of scholarship and luxury, creating an even greater social gap. Whereas before the gilded life of the cities was looked upon as something to be emulated, it was now increasingly viewed as parasitical, squeezing the lifeblood out of rural workers.

Wesker VII was long-lived, and though his reign was seen as the beginning of the troubles, most of the empire remained relatively peaceful and prosperous while he was on the throne. His son who succeeded him in 351, Wesker VIII, was little short of an imbecile, and a religious fanatic to boot. He ordered huge numbers of troops into the provinces to put down the heresies by any means necessary. Troops were allowed, and even encouraged to, butcher anyone they deemed un-Orthodox. While many Dissenters were killed, rampaging troops often preyed upon anyone whom they felt like. Anyone who had ever had any sort of dealings with a Dissenter at any point in their lives was at risk, regardless of their own beliefs. The aristocracy, though they hated the Dissenters, felt that this was going too far. Wesker, an unbelievable pious Majini who only wore the royal robes in official occasions and preferred to be donned in the simple habit of a Kitabuan monk, believed that he was receiving messages directly from Mokoroth to put down the heresies. He responded to to questioining of his religious policy with unbridled fury, executing most anyone who called for any sort of moderation. People were so terrified of him that despite his unpopularity he remained on the throne for almost twenty years. Then in 370, after a popular local politician was publically executed for being suspected of having Felusian sympathies, the streets of Alqazar exploded into riots, with the local garrison refusing to put them down. With a massive crowd moving in on the royal palace on no one inside willing to support him, a terrified Emperor Wesker flung himself from the window of his bedroom, allegedly yelling "All for God!" as he fell. A jubilant crowd ripped him limb from limb and paraded his head through the streets on a stick. With Wesker having no children, the nobility raied to the throne a baron whose name has now been lost to the position of emperor. He took the name Rikoreth III. Surprisingly, he too was a Ganado (simply because he was the only competent leader on hand). Eschewing the traditional coronation for a time, he ordered the immediate toleration of all Dissenting sects, provided that they pay an extra tax. The pogroms were ended, and for a period of about two years, it looked like peace and order might be returning.

But the toleration of the Felusians and the Plagmoks infuriated reactionaries, and in 372, an organization called the Sons of God began to conduct brutal attacks on Dissenting communities. When local authorities refused to do anything, either out of fear or secret sympathy with the Sons, the Dissenters began to respond with equal violence. Once again troops were sent in, this time to promote general order and the security of all citizens, and once again, abuses occurred on their part. The violence and extortion of the soldiers was not nearly as bad as it was before, but coupled with the growing guerilla conflict, large parts of the provinces were once again thrown into chaos. The empire might have been able to regain order once again were it not for two major developments outside the borders.

In North America, various wandering tribes of Hunters, Lickers, and Chimera had coalesced into large confederations. These creatures pierced deep into imperial territory, looting and destroying wherever they went. Majinian troops were perpetually moving up and down the border trying to strop more incursions. However, imperial attention to this problem was limited due to an even greater threat in Africa. Around about 370, the various Zombie communities had come together into the Kingdom of Xel around the area of former Kenya. Spreading out, the kingdom began gobbling up small principalities, accruing an ever large army as its victories generated more recruits. Even before they reached the borders of the empire, the Zombie conquest was causing problems for it as masses of refugess crossed into the border, begging for protection and charity. This put even more pressure on already strained Majinian resources. In 383, the two powers crashed into one another when Xel crushed a Majinian army in former western Congo. The Zombies laid waste to much of Nigeria and began to head north. Rikoreth put together a massive force and was able to stop them at the Battle of Yaounde. But Nimbotu, the Zombie king, merely brought in reinforcements, and clashed once again with the Majini just north of the city a few days later. Both sides suffered massive casualties, but in the fight, Rikoreth was struck down. It was the first time that a Majinian Emperor had been killed in battle.

His son, Rikoreth IV, did not have to deal with Xel early in his reign, as the Zombies had to retreat somewhat to recover from their losses. But the religious violence and the raids in North America continued, hampering any chance of a recovery. When Xel began its attacks again, instead of immediately putting together an army, Rikoreth turned to religion, and not the Kitabu. He instead sought help from the Dark Ones and their ideological relatives, the much-diminished Los Illuminados. Their rituals and pryaer services that Rikoreth attended were aimed at trying to bring about divine aid for the whole empire, but to many citizens, it looked as if the Emperor had turned from the one true religion, and had instead put his faith in heathen rituals. As the cults were almost exclusively populated by Ganados, and as the Emperor was a Ganado himself, a wave of anti-Ganado feeling broke out across the empire that merely piled on top of the religious conflicts. The Emperor sought to assuage the feelings that he had become an apostate by personally overseeing the Day of Mokoroth's Ascension in Alqazar, the greatest celebration in all the empire. He also dedicated numerous temples and chapels to Mokoroth and the other Majini deities across the empire. But it wasn't enough; in 392, Rikoreth VI had his throat slashed while sleeping by an ultra-Orthodox servant of his. Following his death, Ganados were banned from becoming Emperor.

The next fifty years were an almost ceaseless cycle of violence and destruction for the empire. Emperors came and went quickly on the throne, some inhibating it only a few months. In this atmosphere, the formely elaborate coronations ceremonies were drastically cut back. This saved the state alot of money, but it demoralized the people as it was a visual sign of the empire's decay and eroded at the public respect of the position of Emperor. Xel conquered almost all the way to the former borders of old Kijuju itself. A desperate struggle by the local populace stopped their advance, but most of the territory that had been won in the 150's and 60's was lost. In America, Hunters, Lickers, and Chimera mananged to carve out small fiefdoms from imperial provinces. While a number of regins along the eastern seaboard remained secure due to large garrisons, they become less imperial provinces and more independent states, as it became increasingly difficult to communicate and coordinate with one another. By now religious violence had practically become a fact of life, though many of the areas where it was the worst were not controlled by the empire at all, so it really didn't matter anymore.

The situation was briefly reversed in the 450s when the energetic Emperor Filipian took the throne. Recruiting heavily from non-Majini, he managed to patch up many of the areas on the American sector and return a measure of imperial control to the area. In Africa, he took advantage of turmoil within Xel to retake most of the West African coast and parts of the interior. Besieged Majini communities welcomed his assisstance, and many joined his army. By 460, the rough shape of the empire had been restored, though chunks of it still remained out of its control, and its core territories were closer to the seaboard than before. He also began a repair of the roads and other infrastructure, and began to restructure the police force so that it could deal with banditry.

Unfortunately, this wasn't to last. In 465, he was killed by a deranged cousin who thought he was a demon. Though the empire did not immediately crumble, many of Filipian's efforts stalled as no one but him had the vision to fully implement them. A resurgent Xel began to assault the African empire again, gradually breaking off pieces of it. By 471, the remaining African provinces outside of Kijuju were largely on their own and cut off from imperial aid. In North America, the empire just fell apart rather peacefully, as the old pre-Filipian political structure reasserted itself.

In 473, Emperor Mikorvi VIII tried to launch an invasion of the region of former Equatorial Guinea. It failed miserably, and he was killed by a stray bullet in battle; in retaliation, King Mxeth of Xel ordered a massive bombing of the imperial capital of Alqazar. Despite the great decay that the empire had suffered, the bombing of the beautiful city shocked the world. The city had once had formidable anti-air defenses, but in the centuries of security, they had fallen into disrepair. Much of the city was destroyed, and the imperial government relocated to a heavily fortified fortress ten miles outside the city called Blackiron. Though safe from aerial attacks, the government was able to do little to halt the final decline of the empire, as it was rapidly being gobbled up by foreign powers or becoming independent Majini states. In 476, Emperor Wesker X moved much of his court to the province of Virginia. Virginia was still loyal to the empire, and Wesker was given a grand imperial procession into the regional capital of Williamsburg, the last such ceremony the empire would ever see. Though his subjects were loyal, Virginia was surrounded by non-Majini powers. In 478, Lickers that lived in former Kentucky invaded the province; at the Battle of Charleston, the imperial army was defeated and Wekser was personally beheaded with the tongue of the Licker Leader, Ciketh. Back in Blackiron, the nobles were trying to decided who to choose to the be Emperor, when the army marched on the fortress to restore order. Though they were secure in the bunker, they had few soldiers to protect them, and most of them scattered in fear to their countryside estates The remaining few agreed to stay and accept their fate without resistance. The soldiers' commander, General Montax, sprared the nobles' life in exchange for them agreeing to supply his men with food from their farms. While many of his officers wanted him to become the next Emperor, Montax realized that that title held no power anymore and was more a liability than anything else. Instead, he declared himself Martial Vizier of Blackpoint, with him having complete control over military and foreign affairs, while the nobles handled domestic policy. Thus three hundred years of Majini grandeur came to an end.

The Majini world would then sink into a centuries-long interregnum where no one group held absolute authority, but the memory of Majinia would not die. It would someday rise up again to form some of the largest and most powerful empires evers, most prominent of which the continent-spanning Great Majinia.



To the readers: there's gonna be one more part to the interlude, then I will get back to the main story.

Interlude: A Brief History of the Majini, Part 3

For centuries after the fall of Classical Majinia, Majini largely played roles only on the local level. Zombies and Hunters became dominant, ruling over large numbers of Majini. The areas that did remain independent became increasingly inward looking, reverting their pre-imperial traditions. In Kijuju for example, the local king donned the robes of a Ndipayan chief. The most powerful Majini state covered most of former Brazil and southern Columbia, and even it made no attempt to expand further.

Nevertheless, Classical Majinia had a profound effect on the development of its successor states. In many of the areas that were not overrun when the empire collapsed, the imperial bureaucratic system continued on a small scale. The military was organized in the same way, and in a few former provinces, the documents continued to use imeperial dating. A handful of non-Majini powers that had overrun part of the empire adopted a Majinian form of government.

On a cultural level, the most powerful legacy of the empire was religious. The Kitabu Cha Mngu became the standard religious text for most Majini across the world. Notable exceptions included the Plagmoks (Felusians are considered within the Kitabuan tradition) and a few communities in South American and southern Asia who clung to their old belief systems. This universality helped to further develop ties between different Majini states, setting the stage for great unification at a later date. Even a few non-Majini communities adopted the Kitabuan faith.

Warfare during this period was endemic. Oftentimes, Majini states fought each other just as much as they did other species.

The first rumblings of a resurgence came in 801, in the wake of the collapse of the Confederation of Li. Several Majini communities in the former Mid-Atlantic and Upper South eastern United States banded together to form the the Republic of Mar. The Republic stretched roughly from Pennsylvania to Kentucky, and then down to North Carolina, encompassing everything in between. For the two centuries, it would hold this territory, gradually growing in wealth and influence. It granted religious tolerance to all, although tax money did go toward the upkeep of Kitabuan churches.

In Africa, a Majini coalition in Ghana was able to absorb the shrunken state of Kijuju in 813. As mostly an amalgamation of various clans, this coalition had no distinct culture of its own and quickly adopted that of Kijuju, including the imperial ideology from centuries ago. Over the next seventy years, the state retrospectively called Neo-Kijuju spread gradually, sucking in territory stretching from Cameroon to Liberia.

These two countries might never have connected had not for the presence of a wholly imperial creation; Blackpoint. This small state roughly 1 1/3 the size of Borneo had stayed mainly isolated, ruled by the Martial Vizier and the local nobility. In response to the growth of Mar and Neo-Kijuju, Blackpoint established separate trade treaties with both in 830. This led to the rise of a trading network which spanned the Atlantic and was mediated by Blackpoint. Through these economic ties, traders and manufacturers came into contact with individuals on the other side of the ocean, gradually reconnecting the cultural ties that had been lost almost four centuries ago. Still, it was not a political union, and the two Atlantic powers almost went to war twice over shipping lanes.

This status quo might have been continued had it not been for two happenings. First, in 902, the Martial Vizier Montax XIII died without an heir. The military, without any commanders forceful enough to take the throne, split among various noble factions who all vied for power. As Blackpoint was crucial to the Atlantic trade, Mar and Kijuju stepped to mediate a settlement. It took ten years for peace to be established, as none of the aristocratic families were willing to easily give up their claims to the throne.

At about the same time, Kijuju began to experience savage attacks from Zombie forces to the south. These were in fact descendants of the Kingdom of Xel, though they were much more decentralized than before. The Kijujan king, Bpfasa, requested aid from Mar. Over the course of the nest twelve years, the Zombies were pushed south again from that region were never a major threat ever again. Though Kijuju had been victorious, it had ceded much military authority to Mar during the course of the war. This imbalance would greatly affect the development of Great Majinia.

In 1110 a civil war broke out in Kijuju when the southern provinces tried to install one of their own nobles on the throne. Even after succeeding, they continued to loot and plunder the north. In response to this, the northern provinces asked for assistance from Mar in exchange for a complete surrender of autonomy. A massive Maran army was sent in and ultimately took control of the entire country. Under Maran rule, the whole area began to grow in prosperity, though there was also growing resentment over Maran rule. In this atmosphere, the Imperial Society grew in prominence.

The Imperial Society was a group of intellectuals and enthusiasts for Classical Majinia who believed that the old empire was the natural order for all Majini. They supported the Maran rule over Blackpoint and Kijuju, but felt that it should only be a step towards the eventual re-creation of the the old empire. By the beginning of the eleventh century, the organization included members from all levels of society, including high ranking governmental officials.

The Society might not have gotten anywhere politically were it not for several unrelated events. First, in 1110, the Brigade for a Free Kijuju started a guerilla war to free Kijujan West Africa from Maran rule. While the Brigade enjoyed some popular support, especially in the rural areas, many Kijujans liked the security that Maran dominance brought, thus leading to a bloody civil war. Secondly, a large force of Ganados was moving down from former Libya across the Sahara. The year after the civil war broke out, these Ganados came into contact with the northeastern portion of Kijuju. Powerful warriors, they raided deep into the country. Third, in 1112, a warlord Hunter leading an army of cyborg Bandersnatches invaded Florida (then a Maran protectorate) from Cuba. As southern Florida was not garrisoned, the Bandersnatches soon occupied nearly half the state, terrorizing the local populace. The faction-ridden Maran Congress and the imbecilic King Nyobe took little substantive action.

Into the breach stepped Col. Pieter Jaszon, a skilled commander in the Maran army and devoted member of the Imperial Society. Transmitting a message across both sides of the Atlantic from his own private home in August, 1112, he called on Majini everywhere to aid him in "driving out the invaders and restoring glory to the Majini race." His call attracted tens of thousands of followers, many of whom were in the military. His first course of action was to save Kijuju. Taking his force to Africa, he was able to ambush and destroy the bulk of the Ganado force outside the ruins of Niamey, forcing the rest to retreat back north. Gaining even more followers from grateful Kijujans, he then sailed for Florida. While he was briefly stopped by a Maran fleet, when he explained when his mission was, they defected to his side. Landing at Vero Beach, his army crushed the Bandersnatches at Sebring, and their Hunter leader was executed.

It was at this point the governments of Mar and Kijuju stepped in...and called for Jaszon's arrest for subverting military authority. An infuriated citizenry rose up and rioting broke out on both sides of the Atlantic. Taking advantage of the momentum, Jaszon went to Baltimore, the capital of Mar, and marched into the Maran Congress, ordering the arrest of all the congressmen. To avoid such a fate, the King of Kijuju resigned and retired with his family to Cameroon. Only the Martial Vizier of Blackpoint had totally thrown his support behind Jaszon after he had driven off the invaders. For this, he was allowed to stay in power.

On November 30, 1112, the armed forces marched into Alqazar with Jaszon at their head. Marching up the steps of the old capital building, he greeted the High Priest and Martial Vizier. Then stripping naked, the anciet ebony armor was placed on his body (it had been bought back from Ciketh centuries earlier at a very high price after the death of Wesker X). The High Priest then endowed him with the royal authority and declared him Emperor Wesker I of Great Majinia (it was a name he had come up with right on the spot to distinguish it from the original Majinia). The crowd erupted into thunderous applause.

Great patriotism for the the empire swept both sides of the Atlantic. Most of the support for the Brigade for a Free Kijuju fell away, and the core supporters were soon rounded up and arrested. To make sure that separatist tendencies did not return, Wesker declared all portions of the empire to be equal, with none subordinate to any other. Most of the provincial organization of before was kept in place to keep continuity, and the flags of Mar and Kijuju were woven into the imperial crest, but their old independence was gone. To satisfy the Marans who had been the dominant partner, the imperial capital was moved to Baltimore, though much of the city was rebuilt to look like Alqazar. And to keep religious disputes from flaring up, he decreed religious tolerance but that state money would go towards the upkeep of Kitabuan religious institutions. Finally, the Imperial Society became a highly privileged organization in the government hierarchy whose goal was to promote the idea that Great Majinia was the natural and legitimate successor to Great Majinia.

In order to draw further parallels with Classical Majinia, he swiftly began retaking all of the outlying areas that had been part of the old empire. This was quite easy in America, as after his defense of Florida, many of the Majini communities in the eastern US welcomed imperial protection. Things were a little more difficult in Africa, as some of the regions did not wish to lose their local autonomy, but by 1119, all of the regions once held by Classical Majinia were united.

Under Wesker II and Wesker III, the pre-Irving empire reached its height. Once again, Majinia was the wealthiest country in the world, and became a center of culture and learning.

In 1169, Wesker III died without an heir. As the nobles were unable to come up with a candidate immediately, many feared civil war. But two days after Wesker's death, a general from Blackpoint known only as Vitilian rushed over Baltimore in an Air Force carrier, landed in the palace pavilion, and had himself declared Emperor. No one bothered to oppose him.

Things might have stayed pretty much the same had not a large expanding Zombie kingdom invaded the American territories. Penetrating as far deep as West Virginia, they were stopped by the Emperor at the Battle of Charleston. Going on the offensive, he completely conquered this kingdom whose capital was in eastern Kansas, and then took a large portion of Nebraska and Colorado as buffer territory. Surveying the region to the west and the north, he saw a patchwork of small, independent Majini and Ganado states interspersed with political organizations of other species. He decided to take it upon himself, to "liberate" these scattered Plaga communities.

Before moving north, he turned his attention to the African provinces. He first moved south, conquering as far as Cape Town, so as to give Great Majinia an even greater monopoly over the Atlantic. He then moved north of Kijuju, coquering as far as Oran in former Algeria so as the empire would have a toehold in the Mediterranean.

After dealing with Africa, he embarked on a colossal war of conquest that brought the entirety of the Louisiana Purchase under imperial control, as well as Oregon Country and most of the rest of Texas. Moving into Canada, he conquered most of the west and northwest, and then moved into Alaska.

Irving may have stopped there, but raiders from Russia convinced Irving the need to establish a presence on the other side of the Bering Strait. Once he entered Russia, he saw a similar circumstance of small Plaga city states and principalities among many others. He then embarked on another set of conquests where he got as far as Perm.

Great Majinia now hovered over the ancient empire of Lovakon. Though it was still large, Lovakon was underdeveloped, not very wealthy, and had very out-of-date weapons. Some of Irving's generals wanted him to conquer it as a crowning end to his ambitions, but Irving realized that he was spread thin as it was. He allowed Lovakon to retain independence in exchange for an annual tribute and supplying soldiers for the Majinian army.

At the end of Irving's conquests, he ruled an empire twice the size of that of Alexander the Great's. He then began to organize the new territories largely along their preexisting lines. He passed edicts that forbade forcible infection. He was a tolerant man, but this policy also reflected reality as large parts of the empire now had no Plagas and he needed their loyalty to maintain order.

Upon his death in 1203, he bequeathed the empire to his four sons; Irving III got Russia, Rikoreth I got North America, and Wesker IV got Africa. Mikorvi I, who had little interest in ruling large territories, received Blackpoint. This arrangement might have worked had Irving II not put in the will a clause that decreed that whichever brother lived longest would inherit the entire empire. Right after the Emperor's funeral (which was a massive affair where his body was paraded from Oran to Perm), Mikorvi tried unsuccessfully to have Wesker poisoned. This through the whole empire into a war which lasted six years.

During the War between the Brothers, Lovakon actually attacked Russian Majinia in an attempt to drive them out of Asia. They got pretty far, but when Irving III rushed back to the front, he pushed them out and annexed all of their territory in former Kazakhstan. He also forced the Emperor of Lovakon to give up the title Emperor of the Majini.

In the end, the original settlements of Irving II's will remained in place, and the borders were formalized at the Treaty of Toronto. The borders largely remained static until most of the Canadian provinces broke off to form its own kingdom under Wesker VI in 1302. In Blackpoint, the title of Emperor largely vanished, and Martial Vizier returned as the head of state, though the line was kept in the dynasty of Irving. In 1330, at the death of Winig II, all of the nobles swore their allegiance to Irving VIII, thus temporarily recreating the massive Great Majinia. He ruled for three years before dying. Upon his death, nobles within their respective parts elected kings and since then, the areas have drifted apart.

But Siberia was not among these. In 1210, after the death of Rikoreth I who left no heirs, the nobles opted not to elect a new king, but instead they created an oligarchy with a limited voting pool which controlled almost all the national policy. To replace the king, the top general in the Siberian armed forces was given wide latitude in handling foreign policy and nation defense. This system was heavily inspired by the political organization on Blackpoint.

In 1230, Siberia took northern Manchuria and the Japanese island of Hokkaido. An invasion of Honshu filed due to the efforts of a mixed-species coalition. The border has remained relatively stable ever since.

The five great Majini powers together make Majini the dominant species on Earth. Yet, they are constantly at each other's throat, trying to snatch small pieces of territory from one another. Who knows how this will all play out eventually?

For anyone interested, as I'm posting this story on fanfiction.net, I've added some new content to the first two chapters. I'll probably keep doing this until I write the next original chapter.