The Defection Plan

Two hours later, the "mana-dulling stone" dust that had filled the air along the Star Empire's border and around its military bases gradually settled back to the ground. Magical communications were restored throughout the empire.

"Begin an open broadcast over a wide area immediately," Xialike ordered, handing the text to a communications officer. "Broadcast it three times in succession!"

"Yes, sir!" the communications officer answered loudly.

He hurried toward the communications array, checking the text as he went. It read:

[At 4:35 this morning, the false princess Janet sent an urgent magical communication to Saint Lan Cathedral, number J2720724132, rune key &&#@★●.]

[In the name of the Star Empire, we hereby declare war on the Divine Covenant Faction's church administration within the Temple of Light. Anyone who obstructs our empire's actions will be considered a follower of the Divine Covenant Faction, and our army will crush them without hesitation!]

The communications officer could make no sense of such a baffling declaration of war. At least it could have stated the reason for the declaration!

But he did not dare delay for a moment. He quickly reached the communications array and handed the text to the mage in charge. "Broadcast it in the clear, three times!"

The mage took it and was startled to find it was a declaration of war. He could not understand the contents either, but he promptly began carrying out the order.

The officer moved over to an idle communications mage nearby and lowered his voice. "Do we have a record of this J2720713132 message?"

The mage was just as curious. He quickly began searching the communications intercept records from early that morning. He found that, at the specified time, a message had indeed been sent from a hastily established station within the empire to the pope's