Zaheran
02-10-2008, 18:10
The Stahlhelm International Airport was a hive of activity as Zaheran prepared for the visit of the Emperor of Xin Han. An entire section of the gigantic airport had been closed to civilian traffic, guarded by heavily armed soldiers. Inside the closed section, nobles and government official were adding the final touches to their appearances, waiting for the foreign delegation to arrive. Heavy cloaks in the colours of the bearer's house was what the noblemen chose, worn over shirts in the finest silk, heavily embroidered in gold and silver. The noble ladies wore long gowns, decorated with hundreds of precious stones. In the otherwise brightly-coloured crowd, the government bureaucrauts were easy to recognise, dressed in expensive suits in black or dark grey.
In the middle of the crowd, guarded by a sizeable force of grim soldiers, the Inner Circle of the government was standing, flanking their ruler. Dieter I of Zaheran was a tall and broad-shouldered man, standing a full head higher than most of his subordinates. A robe in dark purple covered his body, making him stand out from the crowd. But it was the silver mask that covered the left half of his face, masterfully crafted to resemble his facial features, that drew attention. Most thought it was just a ceremonial accessory, but its real function was to hide the destroyed part of the Emperor's face.
Thirty years earlier, burning napalm had hit the young captain he had been then, causing severe damage to his upper body and the left half of his face. The incident had disfigured him forever, with nothing but scar tissue remaining in the damaged areas. Still, despite his grievous injuries, he had managed to take power over the country nineteen years later, now ruling as the sovereign monarch of an empire with over three billion inhabitants. Zaheran had regained the strength it had lost in three hundred years of never-ending warfare. The gigantic airport was just one of many monuments of the young empire's strength and pride.
Another was the city it served, the city the Emperor of Xin Han would visit. Zahran was a sprawling metropolis with over two hundred million habitants, the economical and administrative heart of the Empire. Razed by decades of war, it had been rebuilt in record time, flourishing once again. Mighty renaissance palaces and gothic catedrals once again rose to the skies, competing with modern skyscrapers in glass and steel. The middle of the city was dominated by the Imperial Palace, with the sun glittering in its silver dome and the lakes of the extensive gardens. Such was the city that the Emperor of Xin Han would visit. At the airport, the welcoming committee was waiting for his arrival.
In the middle of the crowd, guarded by a sizeable force of grim soldiers, the Inner Circle of the government was standing, flanking their ruler. Dieter I of Zaheran was a tall and broad-shouldered man, standing a full head higher than most of his subordinates. A robe in dark purple covered his body, making him stand out from the crowd. But it was the silver mask that covered the left half of his face, masterfully crafted to resemble his facial features, that drew attention. Most thought it was just a ceremonial accessory, but its real function was to hide the destroyed part of the Emperor's face.
Thirty years earlier, burning napalm had hit the young captain he had been then, causing severe damage to his upper body and the left half of his face. The incident had disfigured him forever, with nothing but scar tissue remaining in the damaged areas. Still, despite his grievous injuries, he had managed to take power over the country nineteen years later, now ruling as the sovereign monarch of an empire with over three billion inhabitants. Zaheran had regained the strength it had lost in three hundred years of never-ending warfare. The gigantic airport was just one of many monuments of the young empire's strength and pride.
Another was the city it served, the city the Emperor of Xin Han would visit. Zahran was a sprawling metropolis with over two hundred million habitants, the economical and administrative heart of the Empire. Razed by decades of war, it had been rebuilt in record time, flourishing once again. Mighty renaissance palaces and gothic catedrals once again rose to the skies, competing with modern skyscrapers in glass and steel. The middle of the city was dominated by the Imperial Palace, with the sun glittering in its silver dome and the lakes of the extensive gardens. Such was the city that the Emperor of Xin Han would visit. At the airport, the welcoming committee was waiting for his arrival.