The political tremors within the Dunbar Kingdom finally erupted, fueled by resentment over King Dunbar's costly, humiliating dependence on Scorpia and his continuous push for industrialization. For the old guard, this modernization was a profound insult to their magical heritage, substituting the power of ancient arcane arts for the vulgarity of Max's diesel and steel. They saw the King's alliance as unforgivable weakness.
The breaking point arrived when a powerful coalition of conservative nobles, led by the fiercely traditionalist Gigante, launched a decisive coup d'état. Their ambition was simple: depose the 'weak' King Dunbar, sever all ties with the technologically superior State of Scorpia, and restore the Kingdom's sovereignty and the primacy of its magical traditions.
👑 Retreat to Sovereign Soil
The coup's initial kinetic actions were devastatingly effective. King Dunbar, who had dangerously diminished his own military strength to invest in Max's expensive, temperamental infrastructure, found his minuscule royal guard utterly overwhelmed. Facing certain capture and execution by his own subjects, the King made the most desperate decision of his reign. Under the cover of darkness and a fog conjured by his few remaining mages, he fled the capital with his immediate family and a handful of loyalists.
His sole sanctuary was the recently established, heavily fortified Scorpian Trade Embassy, the very symbol of the dependence his nobles despised. The embassy, built upon purchased land under the guise of trade, was, in reality, a critical DEA operational node.
Inside, Ambassador Veth, a coolly efficient senior DEA operative, met the frantic King. "Your Majesty, welcome to sovereign Scorpian soil," she greeted him, her voice professional and devoid of emotion. "You and your family are under the absolute protection of Pro-Consul Maximilian. Please proceed to the secure basement level. Our security protocols are already active."
King Dunbar, breathless and defeated, grasped her arm. "Ambassador, Gigante and the rebels have taken the city. They despise your presence. We are protected by our treaties, are we not?"
Veth simply nodded. "Your protection is absolute. Your personal security is now guaranteed by Scorpia."
💥 The Siege and the Technological Wall
Outside the gates, the rebel army mobilized with startling speed. Gigante, mounted and radiating furious resolve, led the column—a force estimated at ten thousand soldiers, augmented by several hundred powerful, traditionalist mages. Gigante roared a challenge toward the embassy, his voice booming across the courtyard: "King Dunbar! Surrender! We fight for the soul of Dunbar, not the dictates of the machine! Surrender, or we will breach that wall and take you!"
Ambassador Veth, observing the massed forces alongside Commander Kroll, the veteran Scorpian Guard security chief, remained calm. "Ten thousand men," Kroll noted, checking the integrated firing systems. "And their mages are powerful. They genuinely believe their ancestral magic can pierce our shields."
"Let them believe," Veth replied, her gaze cold. "Their entire rebellion is based on the premise that Max's kinetic power is weak compared to their arcane heritage. They have no concept of integrated defense. Do not engage until they cross the primary perimeter line. No warnings."
Gigante, confident in his numbers and the power of his mages, gave the order to advance. The rebel ranks surged forward, the mages raising their hands to unleash torrents of raw fire and lightning against the embassy structure.
The moment the leading ranks crossed the clearly marked perimeter, they were met by a disciplined, horrifying hail of gunfire. The embassy guards—select personnel from the Scorpian Guard (Tier 5) and Army Rangers (Tier 1)—opened fire from hidden, reinforced positions. Machine guns (LMGs) laid down devastating, sustained suppressive fire, their specialized rounds tearing through the conventional formations. The sheer volume and lethality of the automatic assault rifles (SARs) instantly broke the advance.
The Dunbar mages reacted immediately, slamming their full force of elemental magic against the embassy walls. Their unrefined, volatile energy met the building's integrated Mana Shield System. Outside, the air crackled and hissed as the magic discharged harmlessly into the energy field. Inside, Commander Kroll watched the readings. "Shield holding at 99%! Their arcane output is massive but lacks frequency control. They're hitting us with a sledgehammer."
Veth gave the decisive order over the secure comms: "Sniper teams. Neutralize the primary energy emitters—the mages near the front gate. Target the highest mana concentrations."
The Scorpian snipers, positioned in the diplomatic tower, were mercilessly efficient. Using precision fire, they surgically eliminated the key mage leaders. One after another, the Dunbar mages, focused entirely on generating the power to breach the shield, fell, their spells dissolving harmlessly.
Gigante watched in horrified realization as his ten thousand soldiers were decimated by unseen fire, their mighty arcane attacks neutralized by the unyielding, invisible shield. The rebellion's initial thrust was utterly broken. By attacking the embassy, Gigante had not only failed to capture the King but had provided Max with the unimpeachable legal justification for full military intervention.
In the secure basement, King Dunbar heard the fading gunfire. He looked at Ambassador Veth, a woman who now held the keys to his nation.
"The rebellion is crushed," the King whispered, utterly defeated.
Veth closed the military channel and turned to him. "Indeed, Your Majesty. They have provided Pro-Consul Maximilian with irrefutable proof of the political instability that threatens the trade agreements and the safety of our Scorpian assets on sovereign soil." She paused, her voice hardening with political finality. "You are safe. But your Kingdom, Your Majesty, is no longer capable of governing itself. Pro-Consul Maximilian will respond with the necessary force to restore Order. Your cooperation is expected."