A War Diary

Last night (and a majority of the early part of my day) was spent grinding through Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance and doing my best to max out the stats of my main party. So I'm taking a much-needed break today from video gaming to talk to you about that thing I was talking about yesterday.

Just wait 'til I put it all together.

Yeah. Legos. And that project I was talking about.





CURRENT MUSIC:
Keiki Kobayashi - "Razgriz ("Ace Combat 5 Main Theme")"
Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War Original Soundtrack

Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War is a game that I need to play again. It's one of those games that really gripped me from start to finish, and I want to experience that feeling again.

I began that today by booting up my PS2 and loading the game. As I watched the introduction, I began to get enthralled again by the game...

15 years ago, there was a war.

Well...war's broken out here plenty of times before. They've tried to invade the southlands through the northern valley time and again. Luck was never on their side, though, and their victories didn't last long.

They didn't realize that times had changed. Facing one defeat after another, losing territory and watching their nation dwindle, they built up their industrial strength to unprecedented heights and used it to wage one final battle against the world.

That was 15 years ago. They fought ferociously, but were utterly defeated.

I loved that introduction. By opening The Unsung War that way, the game felt like I was playing a bit of a documentary rather than just playing a game. I love when games do that... it gets me out of reality and places me in one they constructed for me.





Evening, everypony. I apologize for my lateness, but I had to write something cool up. Here's an excerpt of it!

19 SEPTEMBER 2012

SRS Shining Hope

Off the coast of Telaso

Freedom... that word was the reason why we were thrust into war.

Serecles always was a proponent of rights and liberties. Formed centuries ago by an exiled nobleman named Louisville Serecles, the future nation that would bear his name was born when he vowed to wage war against his former country: the Federation of Cremisa. Outcrying the superpower's corrupted political system, he gathered supporters and movements of tribesmen wanting to break off from the Federation's tight grasp. Despite lacking in both numbers and material, this little alliance was able to perform the impossible: they bested a world power.

Over the course of time, the Royal Republic of Serecles became an inspirational story - how the unjustly-treated could strike back at a bully thought to be invulnerable... and win. Many sects of people - from religious zealots to persecuted citizens - found themselves inspired by "Mother Serecles." They openly revolted against their oppressors and fought to form their own countries to govern themselves. This occurred over the course of three hundred violent years... and when the influx of new nations finally ceased in 1847, the world looked as if it was finally ready for peace.

That was... until about seven years ago.

The Federation of Cremisa had lost much of its territories and lands over the centuries. Its lands once spanned half of the continent of Alizaria and various places across the globe, but by 2005, it had a fraction of that still waving its banner. Despite its loosening grip on the world, it was still considered a major superpower...

...and they decided to prove it by starting the Alizarian War. On June 29, 2005, the Cremisan Federal Navy bombarded the eastern countries of Alizaria, paving the way for a massive invasion force. One by one, the nations fell to the hands of the Federation, who wasted no time in indoctrinating its former territories back into its system.

And then the time came when Cremisa set its eyes on Serecles. Ever since Louisville Serecles wrested control of our country from Cremisan hands, the Federation vowed revenge... and they got it. On New Year's Day 2012, the Federation of Cremisa launched an invasion force 100,000 strong in a move that most military generals are still calling "the most impressive display of force ever seen." Despite fierce resistance, the Royal Republic of Serecles found its capital city of Rexaria overrun and conquered in less than a week.

It is now September 19, 2012. Rexaria still flies the banner of Cremisa, and Serecles is now just another territory of Cremisa. My land is gone... my country is gone... my people are now subjects to a bloodthirsty despot of a Federation. I've heard stories of resistance here and there, but it's not enough to shake free of this war.

As I stared up at the skies tonight, I found that the air carried with it a scent of change. A soft breeze grazed my cheek before I began to write - as if the world is comforting me and telling me that my beloved country will no longer have to fly the flag of a tyrannical brute.

Perhaps, if the Fates allow it, I'll be presented with the opportunity to decapitate this brute. We shall find out tomorrow.

- Allisenna G. Novelli, Second Princess of Serecles
[from the personal diary of Princess Allisenna G. Novelli]

Well, I hope you like it. There'll be an explanation somewhere along the way later on. Until then, sleep calls!