A week later, in Esparia.
As the week commenced, officially marking the fourth week since the onset of the negotiations and escalation between the two countries, a different kind of atmosphere could be sensed, compared to the other weeks.
Since the start of the week, Esparia had started a large-scale mobilization of its military forces.
Troops, equipment, and resources were being openly prepared and organized, hinting at the possibility of the upcoming combat operations.
Simultaneously, several countries that had diplomatic ties and embassies within both Eden and Esparia had started the evacuation of their personnel, temporarily closing their embassies.
This was followed by Esparia starting public awareness campaigns during the same time, informing the population regarding the prevailing situation, potential risks of a war and recommending many national security measures.
Throughout this period, Eden’s response always remained a step behind. A fact that was acknowledged by the whole world was akin to the calm before the storm, however, no one wanted to be the first to say it, waiting for either of the two countries to burst the bubble and just set the events into motion.
Tensions had reached their zenith as the world collectively held its breath, observing what could be considered as the first official war declared between the two countries while also being one of the wars to be fought in the modern era and was a clash between countries with comparable military might, raising the expectations of it not completely being one-sided beatdown like the many other wars fought in the twenty-first century.
With each passing day, the tension in the atmosphere continued to increase, culminating in the arrival of Friday, when Esparia announced an upcoming press conference that would be taking place in a few hours.
When the appointed hour came, the press conference’s live feed started being broadcasted worldwide. The background didn’t show the customary conference room, but the serene presence of trees in the garden, indicating that the conference was taking place in the palace grounds. This was due to the overwhelming attendance of reporters that were attending the event, forcing them to hold the conference on the open grounds of the presidential palace.
This time, however, instead of the usual presidential spokesperson, the President of Esparia, Emanuel, had taken over the podium, showing that whatever he was going to address was going to be important.
“Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed citizens of Esparia,” he said, starting his speech by extending his greetings to all the viewers watching the broadcast worldwide, though primarily it was being watched by the people of Esparia and Eden.
Continuing his address, he articulated, “Today, we gather on this somber occasion, marking the passage of a month filled with arduous negotiations aimed at securing the release of our unjustly imprisoned compatriots. These individuals have become tragic victims of an unwarranted and merciless assault, driven solely by the insatiable greed of Eden.” He paused slightly after saying that before he continued
“Throughout this challenging journey, we have steadfastly extended the hand of diplomacy, seeking a peaceful resolution to this distressing ordeal.”
“However, despite our unwavering commitment to finding common ground, we have witnessed the unrelenting growth of their voracious demands.” He paused as his hand crumpled the paper he was having difficult reading from, due to anger as he he continued with difficulties, “Every concession we made, every compromise we reached, has only continued to fuel their insatiable hunger for power.”
“As we engaged in these negotiations, we have observed their appetite for dominance intensify, akin to vultures feasting upon our desperation. Our efforts to reach a fair and just agreement have been met with ever-increasing rapacity, leaving us with no choice but to reassess our course of action.”
“With a heavy heart, and after careful consideration, I hereby declare that the hour of negotiations has come to an end,” he stated, pausing for a moment before continuing, “We have explored every avenue for a peaceful resolution, yet the scales tip relentlessly towards conflict.”
“Today, I bear the weight of the trust and support you, the citizens of our great nation, have placed in me. It is with this solemn authority that I make this proclamation: We shall no longer engage in such fruitless parleys.” He paused once again, allowing for tension in the compound to grow, followed by continuing his speech, however this time became as calm and as confident as possible as he said “Instead, we hereby declare war Eden.” while his eyes were looking straight at the camera to project confidence.
The moment he said that, the entire compound seemed to have frozen for a moment, even the constantly flashing cameras stopped, causing a slight dimming in the compound, together with the utter silence spreading throughout the entire press conference, silencing the attendees for a few seconds before the flashes on cameras started to reappear, now so frequently that they formed a continuous burst of light, illuminating the president’s face brightly.
He then continued, “This declaration is a testament to our unyielding dedication to justice, our commitment to safeguarding the lives and dignity of our people, and our resolve to confront those who think that they can bully us and threaten us.”
“In the face of adversity, we shall unite. In the presence of challenge, we shall stand firm. And as we embark on this difficult path, may history remember our resilience, our courage, and our unwavering pursuit of a just and equitable future.”
“May our determination shine as a beacon of hope, even as the drums of conflict echo in response to the encroaching destruction.”
“Thank you, and may our nation find strength and unity in the days that are to come. God bless Esparia” With those words, he concluded the address and left the compound, making his way back to his presidential palace.
Helicopters could be seen arriving at the palace which was closely followed by trucks filled with soldiers and armored vehicles starting to enter the compound as well. All of the cameras broadcasting the press conference continued to roll, capturing the scenes, but not for too long since the feed was shortly cut after around a thousand soldiers had arrived, with more of them en route.
…
Moments after the press conference concluded.
The skies had started to be filled with the screaming sounds of jet engines, courtesy of five of Esparia’s newly bought planes– fifty in total – a feat in itself, and had started donning the sky on patrol to make sure that nothing passed through their airspace. At the same time, the remainder of the fighter aircrafts that were stationed at different bases took off for the sky too, heading in the direction of Eden.
This marked the first action of the war, with forty-five planes preparing to face off against four of Eden’s fighter jets which they were sure that the pilots of them were tired after having spent the entire previous three weeks in constant sorties against the Esparians due to their airspace violations.
The Esparian pilots forged their way to Eden’s airspace with confidence, trusting in their pilot training and the experience they had received from their previous militaries before they were hired by the different mercenary companies owned by the Morgans.
Each pilot carried the dream of earning the chance of gaining the coveted ACE designation before their name if they got the chance of shooting down Eden’s underserviced fighter jets which they were bound to encounter today.