Asmodeus stood silently watching as the distant fleet approached, his teeth sinking deeply into the inner flesh of his lips, trying to soothe his anger.
'These damn Imperial dogs!'
"It's the Empire! The Empire's Imperial Fleet is approaching!"
For a moment, the wind itself seemed to stop.
Asmodeus turned toward the eastern horizon as the shouts spread from ship to ship. Sailors abandoned their rhythm. The once calm Golden Hare mercenaries rushed across wet decks, avoiding accidents as they shot signal flares in frantic colours while horns screamed through the fleet.
'Of course it couldn't be simple...'
His fingers tightened around the rail until the reinforced wood cracked beneath his grip.
The Human Empire had chosen the worst possible time to appear, not during their preparation or mid-battle, but right on the border before the fleet even had a chance to set sail and gather their morale.
To many of the humans, the Imperial fleet remained a symbol of terror.
