The Winter Palace, St. Petersburg.
The grand halls of the Winter Palace were eerily silent as Tsar Nicholas II read the telegram from Vladivostok. His fingers clenched the paper so tightly that the edges crumpled. The words burned in his mind.
Total defeat. The Pacific Fleet decimated. Admiral Kornilov dead. Japan holds Tsushima Strait.
The Russian Empire—one of the greatest powers on Earth—had lost to the Japanese.
The Tsar's breath was slow, controlled—but his eyes burned with fury.
A group of ministers and generals stood before him, each waiting for his reaction. The air was thick with tension. No one dared speak first.
Finally, Grand Duke Alexei, his closest advisor, took a step forward.
"Your Majesty… this is a setback, but it is not the end. We must—"
The Tsar slamd his crystal glass against the wall, shattering it. The room flinched.
"A setback?" Nicholas spat. "You call this humiliation a setback?"
His voice echoed through the chamber.
"The world is laughing at us! The West mocks us! Our empire—our mighty empire—has been shad by a nation of fishern!"
General Fyodor Kazakov, the commander of the Eastern Army, stepped forward cautiously. "Your Majesty, we underestimated them. Their navy was stronger than anticipated, but we still hold the advantage in land forces. If we move now—"
"Move?" Nicholas snapped. "They have declared war on Russia. They have killed our n, sunk our ships, and spat in the face of our empire." His eyes narrowed, cold and vengeful. "Burn them. Crush them. Show them the might of Russia."
Silence.
Alexei, ever the strategist, nodded slowly. "If that is your command, then we must escalate. Japan has no true allies. If we push hard enough, we can force them into submission before the West has ti to act."
Nicholas sat down, running a hand over his face. His breathing slowed, his mind calculating.
Then, finally, he spoke.
"We mobilize. All forces in Manchuria and Siberia are to prepare for invasion. Reinforcents from Moscow will be sent imdiately. Our navy may be wounded, but our army will break them."
Kazakov saluted. "And the Japanese mainland?"
The Tsar's gaze darkened.
"If they dare resist, we will make them regret ever challenging us."
January 16, 1898.
Vladivostok, Russian Empire
A bitter cold wind howled across the military encampnts as thousands of Russian troops gathered along the Manchurian border. Cannons, supply wagons, and endless lines of infantry stretched across the frozen landscape.
In the command tent, General Kazakov stood over a massive map of the war front. Officers surrounded him, each awaiting orders.
"The Japanese have strengthened their positions," an aide reported. "They expect us to invade. Their defenses in Korea and Manchuria have been reinforced."
Kazakov smirked. "Good. Let them dig in. Let them think they have a chance."
He traced a gloved finger along the map. "We will strike three fronts. Our main army will push into Manchuria, cutting off their supply lines. A secondary force will move south into Korea, ensuring no reinforcents reach the Japanese mainland. And finally…"
He tapped the Sea of Japan.
"The Black Sea Fleet is en route. We will land an expeditionary force on the northern coast of Japan. We will take their cities. Burn their fields. Break their will."
A lieutenant hesitated. "Sir, we are moving into enemy waters without naval superiority. The Pacific Fleet was destroyed—"
Kazakov turned sharply. "Then we will take their ports. If we cannot fight at sea, we will fight on land. Let the Japanese drown in their own blood."
The officers saluted, their expressions grim yet determined. The Russian counteroffensive had begun.
Tokyo, Japan.
Inside the Imperial Palace, the air was tense as Emperor Yoshihito read the latest intelligence reports. The Russians were moving fast.
"They are not retreating, Your Majesty. They are doubling down," General Yamagata said gravely.
Minister Takamura clenched his fists. "We knew they would retaliate, but this—this is a full-scale invasion."
Admiral Togo, still recovering from the Battle of Tsushima, spoke next. "Our navy can hold them at sea, but if they land on our shores…"
He let the thought hang. The room was silent.
Yoshihito looked up. "Then we must not let them land."
Yamagata nodded. "We will need to reinforce Korea and Manchuria. If they establish a foothold, they will be impossible to remove."
The Emperor exhaled. "How long do we have?"
"Days. Maybe a week."
Takamura shook his head. "If Arathia does not intervene soon, we may be overwheld."
Silence.
Yoshihito's gaze flickered to the map of the Pacific. His mind was made up.
"Then we prepare for the greatest battle in our history."
Washington, D.C.
The White House was in crisis mode.
Collins stord into the Oval Office, slamming a fresh report onto Matthew Hesh's desk. "The Russians aren't stopping, sir. They're mobilizing everything."
Matthew picked up the report, reading it carefully.
Full-scale invasion of Manchuria and Korea imminent. Russian troops moving toward Japan's northern coast.
Matthew rubbed his temples.
"Damn it."
Hastings spoke next. "If Russia takes Japan, the balance of power in the Pacific shifts permanently. They'll control Asia. And if that happens… Arathia is next."
Collins nodded. "We either act now… or we let Russia rewrite history."
Matthew exhaled slowly. He had avoided direct involvent, but now—now there was no more ti.
He stood.
"Get a eting with Congress. We need to act."
Collins hesitated. "Sir… are you saying we're going to war?"
Matthew stared at the map.
"I'm saying we can't stand by anymore."
Silence.
Collins nodded. "I'll set it up."
As he left the room, Matthew looked out the window, watching the cold Washington sky.
The war had begun.
And now, Arathia had to choose a side.
Matthew Hesh sat at his desk, staring at the report in front of him. The weight of the decision he had to make pressed on him, but there was no ti to hesitate.
If Arathia did nothing, Russia would overrun Japan, gaining full control of the Pacific. That would threaten Arathian trade, security, and influence in Asia. If they stepped in, it could an war—sothing he had tried to avoid.
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