Pyre Academy
The Imperium Encounter

Ariel had been given an assignment to scout the Steppe, Ashe accompanied her. They had been loaned a motorbike by the Academy, to cover the distance of the Steppe and were speeding down the empty motorway. The Imperium had been making advances onto Raryst territory in recent weeks, and final year students were regularly given assignments to scout out the surrounding areas.

"What do we do if we replace something?" Ashe asked.

"Report back, if possible, if not, we are to try and deal with the matter ourselves" Ariel replied.

"So what's the difference between the Empire and the Imperium? I mean, aside from they're two different nations" Ashe asked.

"While Aranei is Imperial in nature, they aren't actively hostile with every nation outside their borders. The Imperium however is, they treat all outsider as lesser, any other races in their cities are treated as second class citizens" Ariel explained.

"They sound like a friendly bunch" Ashe chuckled.

"Yeah, positively charming" Ariel smirked.

The scanner on the bike's central console began bleeping.

"What's that?" Ashe panicked.

"We got hostiles" Ariel said, summoning her Celestial Steel blade, Ashe summoned her Ice Blade and the bike sped ahead. Ariel pushed three buttons.

"Autopilot mode engaged" The Bike's computer stated.

"Look ahead!" Ashe shouted. Ariel looked up to see two heavy Imperium trucks, equipped with machine gun turrets.

"Get ready" Ariel yelled, Ashe nodded, an energy shield surrounded the bike, to protect the pair.

The bike sped at full speed toward the Imperium trucks, which began firing rounds of bullets at the bike. The bike made evasive manoeuvres, and drove in between the vehicles, when it did, Ashe dove onto the left vehicle and Ariel onto the right.

In unison the pair made short work of the turrets. Ashe looked back to see the bike had spun around and was now following closely behind. Suddenly vehicles ground to a halt, and the bike sped ahead.

Several troopers got out of the truck, followed by a Commodore. The Commodore wore heavy power armour, which was coloured pure white and had the deep blue symbol of the Imperium emblazoned on it's chest.

"What now?" Ashe whispered over to Ariel. Ariel shrugged, and motioned for Ashe to stay low.

"Come out now and we will show mercy, Rarystian scum" The Commodore shouted. His voice echoed across the Steppe. He removed the visor covering his face and smirked. "You think two Academy students have the might to take on a squadron of Imperium troopers?" He laughed.

He paced back and forth in silence for a few moments, before noticing the bike was making a beeline for him. The Commodore dodged, but the bike hit the surrounding troops and sent them flying.

At Pyre Academy, in the computer centre, a large room, filled with several people wearing VR visors, a red haired girl smirked as she controlled the bike remotely.

Ariel back flipped from the roof of the truck and landed on her feet, Ashe jumped down and the pair approached the Commodore.

"Ah, I apologise, your majesty" The Commodore teased, recognising Ariel as the former Princess of Aranei. "If I'd have known you were here, I would have made rolled out the red carpet." He smirked.

"Quiet" Ariel yelled, charging at the Commodore, she raised her sword to strike, the Commodore deflected the strike and kicked her backwards. Ariel shot a blast of ice at the Commodore, but he sliced it pieces in midair and chuckled.

"Amateurs" He sighed. The bike had spun around again and was about to strike him from behind, but the Commodore turned around and drove his sword through the bike, causing the electronics to fail.

"Argh!" The red-haired girl screamed in pain as her nose began to bleed, a nearby technician quickly removed the goggles and injected her with a hypo-needle, bringing her back to reality.

"They're in danger, quick, get help!" She panted, grabbing the technician's arm. The technician nodded and ran out of the room.

Ashe and Ariel laid on the floor, covered in bruises and scrapes.

"So" The Commodore began. "If the former Princess of Aranei is here, I assume that you are Ashe of Disceath" He continued.

"How do you know me?" Ashe said, looking up at the Commodore who had his sword pointed at her neck.

"You and your friends have become quite well known" the Commodore shrugged. The sound of a bike approached, the Commodore turned and sighed.

"What are you doing here, brother?" He said, sounding annoyed. Ashe looked in the direction of the bike, an Imperium Praetor was sat on the bike, not just any Imperium Praetor, it was Arwyn, the man who assisted the group as they arrived in the Western Continent.

"The dragon has been spotted on Imperial territory, you are recalled with immediate effect." Arwyn ordered.

"But I was just about to..." The Commodore began.

"That was an order, Hiran" Arwyn commanded.

Commodore Hiran sighed and turned to Ariel and Ashe.

"I'll see you two again" He smirked, Hiran got into one of the trucks and turned it around, before driving it away. Arwyn helped Ashe and Ariel up.

"I don't have much time before Pyre show up, but I have some intel" Arwyn whispered.

"What is it?" Ariel asked, rubbing a scrape on her elbow.

"Rychard Pyre is working on something, something big" Arwyn began. "He's pulled all forces out of the Eastern Continent, and has been having multiple shipments being delivered to a research facility beneath Pyre Academy almost nightly" Arwyn explained.

"Is that why the Imperium is acting out lately?" Ariel asked.

"Yes, they believe it is a weapon to be used against us" Arwyn said, as he began pacing.

"What do you believe?" Ashe asked, as she leaned against the remaining truck.

"I don't know yet, if you two could help gather intel, maybe we can stop this war before it breaks out" Arywn smiled.

Ariel thought for a second.

"I don't know about this, supplying the Imperium with intel? I dunno" She sighed.

"You don't have to give me an answer today, just think about it" Arywn said, as he got back on his bike.

"I'll give it some thought" Ariel nodded, and watched as Arwyn sped away. She turned to Ashe and sighed with relief.

"So, what we gonna do?" Ashe asked.

"We'll look into it, but..." Ariel began, "we'll do it for ourselves and Dex and Roisin. Not for Raryst or the Imperium" She stated.

"What if we do replace something?" Ashe asked.

"Then we can consider telling Arwyn. But we're not gonna rush into a decision" Ariel smiled.

"Got it" Ashe smiled, and hugged Ariel, who hugged her back, as a Pyre rescue airship arrived on the scene.