The Congress of Norgalia, also known as the 120 Chairs, filled quickly with important figures, even at that hour before dawn. The iron doors shut at 04:12 under one single order from the king: to seal the entire nation.
Pablo III stood before them, not in his ceremonial robes but in a gray coat, deep shadows under his eyes, his brow furrowed.
"The calm is over. What happened in Agrobia was no accident. It was a terrorist act within our borders… and we still don't know who committed it."
The ministers murmured among themselves. General Anaris raised his hand.
"Majesty, the epicenter of the explosion was the zone of the Six Pillars of Light… an uninhabited area. Could it be sabotage by some internal cell?"
"I do not rule it out," Pablo answered, his voice heavy. "Not yet. But we cannot take chances."
From the advisors' stand, Erivan Thalos read the measures already taken:
"Effective immediately, Protocol Shadow Zero is enacted:
1. All interstate borders are sealed.
2. A total curfew is in place.
3. Absolute lockdown for 72 hours.
4. Only military personnel, doctors, and emergency responders may move freely.
5. All construction projects in Comertion, Sportium, and Hospitale are suspended."
The senator of Laboris, Gregor Klesh, rose in fury:
"This will paralyze the nation! It goes against the very spirit of the new era!"
"We are not in a new era," Pablo cut him off, his tone sharp as steel. "We are standing at the edge of a new war."
⸻
Meanwhile, in an unofficial bunker within the State of Fortis, in a place without a name… the screens flickered.
A man watched the monitors closely, clad in a long black coat and leather gloves. His face was unknown to any Cintekis database. In the corner of one screen, an insignia pulsed: a three-headed eagle over a dark stripe.
The man smiled.
"So… the king still breathes. Interesting."
He opened a coded transmission. A voice answered on the other side, foreign in accent, cold as the steel of the North.
"Is it done?"
"Yes, President Trabiok Suleman. The first spark has ignited the chaos."
"Excellent. Then let the second movement begin. We will declare war in twenty-seven minutes. Be ready."
The man nodded and switched off the screen.
⸻
Across the country, every public screen changed its broadcast. The lights dimmed. The kingdom's crest appeared on every corner. The people, already awake from the tremor, now watched in utter silence as the king's emergency address began.
Pablo looked weary. The crown was absent from his brow. But his voice was firm, his gaze unflinching:
"Citizens of Norgalia…
First of all, with respect and humility, I stand before you. We have faced a threat. Something vast approaches…
For your safety, I ask you to remain in your homes. Do not go to your workplaces. The country is to be brought to a full stop.
The great iron gates will seal every entrance and exit. As monarch, and as your representative… I ask this of you…"
There was a pause. Pablo bowed his head for a moment. Then he lifted it again, his voice burning with resolve:
"May God bless you. And may God guard Norgalia."
The transmission ended.
⸻
Twenty-seven minutes later.
All national communications across Norgalia were hijacked by an unknown signal. A distorted transmission, misaligned with static lines and screeching audio, appeared on the screens.
A man, clad in a black military uniform, short-bearded, his accent Russian-tinged, appeared. His face was pale, his eyes bloodshot.
"People of Norgalia…
I present myself to you as Trabiok Suleman, the new president of a nation reborn from the ashes: the Republic of Galeks Morginiun.
Today, at this very moment, I declare total war upon the country of Norgalia. For its territory. For its throne. For its false history.
Long death to Norgalia." He grinned, chilling, then laughed. "Ha… ha… ha…"
The signal cut. The entire country was left in silence.
⸻
In Agrobia, the second explosion shook the mountains.
In Fortis, the army mobilized with unprecedented speed.
In Cintekis, the scientific towers began to seal their gates.
And in the Palace of Suns, Pablo dropped the teacup still in his hand.
The Fourth War of Norgalia… had begun.