Trier, capital of the Republic of Intis.
The residents of this international metropolis had not let the sudden war disrupt their lives.
Or rather, they knew the fighting was on the southern border. It would not reach the capital anytime soon.
Besides, years of government publicity had given them confidence in Intis's defenses.
The Intis government had nearly a million soldiers, and people had heard it had formed numerous Heavy Armored Corps and church knightly orders.
Lenburg, meanwhile, supposedly had a pitiful army of just over two hundred thousand, facing two military powers—Intis and Loen—at once!
As everyone debated the "declaration of war" just issued by the Presidential Palace, more than a dozen points of light appeared on the horizon, trailing long tails.
Some thought it was a meteor shower and began making wishes.
Some thought they were unusual clouds and grabbed their brushes, hoping to capture the breathtaking sight.
Some thought it was a divine miracle and began praying to their gods.
Then the air-raid sirens sounded. It took a moment for people to react before they fled toward the squares in panic.
Air-raid sirens had only become widespread over the past year. Supposedly, they had been installed to warn of a flying weapon developed by Lenburg.
Newspapers had spent months reminding everyone that, when the sirens sounded, they must run into open ground. The enemy's first targets would surely be buildings, so they must never shelter inside them.
That conclusion only showed how little they understood air-force tactics.
As they ran, people noticed the points of light growing larger. Then they realized the lights were not expanding—they were falling toward the ground, toward Trier.
At that moment, a small sun appeared in the sky and moved to meet the lights.
But in the next instant, a thin veil