Chimère Chapter 1: Prelude

Read chapter 1 of Chimère by theBlynded on NovelPedia.

The year was 583. 583 years since the end of the Golden Era of the Empires of Humanity. Almost 6 centuries since Mankind was introduced to powers beyond their meager abilities and to monsters that culled them down to half of what they amounted to. Six centuries of hardships and accumulation of generations of parents and children, of heroes and sinners. And what did that culminate into? “Another War”, mumbled Entonie. As one of Leshi’s hundreds of Champions, he was being sent on a particular mission. Of course, the fact that he would be paid handsomely for his performance was also a great motivator. He was seated at the front passenger seat of a military transport truck, carrying one of the many squads sent for this assignment. Their goal? Evacuate a city. His goal? A bit different, but even more vital. “Colonel? If I may?” asked the driver. “Sure. What’s on your mind private?” Entonie turned to look at the driver. He was a young bloke, clearly fresh out of boot camp. No scars, no… haunted gaze, just a deep worry for what was about to come. He went silent for a few seconds before uttering just two words: “Why us?” The weight of the question and it’s meaning seemed to float between them. ‘Why us, huh.’ Entonie’s lips curled into a bittersweet smile. Maybe because Leshi had short of a billion inhabitants, a crucial aspect in the potential of a nation. Or perhaps it was because their territories were plentiful and held many strategic resources that could feed the growth of infrastructure and national might. Or it might have just been because they were seen as too threatening to other countries. In truth, Entonie knew that it was just because they were weak. Unlike the Ergon Union or the Empire of Haran, the two superpowers behind all of their current troubles, the United Provinces of Leshi had no Paragons to protect them. Paragons were the apex of human evolution. They were destruction and creation made manifest, through gathering ambient energy and accumulating it within the body. And Paragons were those who had reached the endpoint of that process. Capable of rendering destruction upon a region with little difficulty, they could raze a city if they had to. If they had to. And they could do it again. Unlike nuclear bombs. Thankfully, most of the countries who had the fortunes to nurture their own paragons came to an agreement not to send them on such missions thoughtlessly. Still, this had led to an arms race. For more paragons. More never hurt, and no other country was keener on acquiring and grooming more paragons than the Ergonians and Haranis. Both held the desire to be the sole authority on the planet. And they hadn’t held back. The Greed Embargo, the Karani Split, the Pig Crisis or even the more recent Biri Incursions, they all had the fingerprints of Harani and Ergon financers, supporters and influencers. All meant to bring their targets to their side. Unlike the Biri or Greed Island, when the two superpowers sent ambassadors to meet them, the Leshite Council refused any help or aid from both sides. They were confident in the unity of the country. They had seen how the Enclave of Pigs had managed to stay neutral in the end. But they had made one small misjudgment. The Enclave had a very powerful and feared paragon. They had none. And they had paid dearly for it. They lost two provinces to the Ergonians and Harani. The Ergonian-backed Biris took over Wishi Province, and the Haranians forcefully took control of the Amaranian Province. Meanwhile, the Council could only stare and save what it could save. Entonie had a headache thinking about it, but soon gathered back his attention and answered. “Why us? Because we’re weak private.” “We’re not weak! We just don’t have-” “Yes, and that’s what makes us weak. Nothing else can compare to having a paragon.” Entonie replied bluntly. Keeping his silence for a minute or more, looking at the road ahead, the greenery becoming sparser as they sped ahead, he let out a sigh. “What’s your