Chapter Thirty-Five

The underground military base buzzed with anticipation, the cold, fluorescent lights reflecting off the polished metal walls and the sleek, advanced machinery that hummed with life. Soldiers, scientists, and engineers moved with purpose, their faces stern and focused as they completed final checks, double and triple-confirming the settings for what was about to happen. Today was not just another day; it was a turning point in history. A statement that would echo across continents and ripple through the hearts of rulers from Braavos to Asshai.

High General Taren stood at the heart of the control room, a colossus of a man draped in the dark, pristine uniform of Eden's military. His eyes, sharp and cold, scanned the room. There was no room for doubt or hesitation. Today, Eden's righteousness would be unleashed upon a world that had long resisted its peaceful calls for change.

The circular command center was an awe-inspiring sight, fitted with holographic displays that hovered above the massive war table. Real-time maps of Slaver's Bay, the Free Cities, and even the far reaches of the Dothraki Sea flickered before them. Taren's generals and high-ranking officers were assembled in front of him, all standing at attention, waiting for his words. The moment had come.

Taren's voice boomed as he began his speech, his words cutting through the hum of machinery. "Brothers and sisters of Eden, today marks a day that will be remembered for generations. For years, our beloved Supreme Leader has extended a hand of peace, offering these so-called civilizations of Essos a chance to abandon their vile practices of slavery, to rise from their ignorance and cruelty and step into the light of justice."

He paused, his jaw clenched as the tension in the room thickened. "But each time, they spat in our face. Each time, they sent armies to challenge Eden's might, believing their antiquated ways and hollow strength could resist the future. How many times have we had to repel their desperate assaults on our borders, their armies marching only to meet their demise against our defenses? They have answered our calls for peace with blood, and now we will answer their blood with fire."

The gathered officers nodded, their expressions grim. They knew what was about to happen. Taren's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the holographic maps, the glowing dots indicating the great cities of Essos: Meereen, Yunkai, Astapor, Volantis, Lys, Myr, Tyrosh, Qohor, Norvos, and the rest. The Slaver Cities were the worst offenders, but many of these so-called "Free Cities" were just as guilty, their economies fueled by human suffering. Today, that era would end.

"The people of Essos have ignored our mercy," Taren continued, his voice rising with righteous fury. "But today, we will show them the fist of Eden. Let the world know that Eden will not stand idly by while the innocent are chained and sold. We will strike fear into the hearts of every slaver, every tyrant, and every ruler who dares to defy justice."

He turned, walking with purpose toward the massive red button that dominated the control panel, its transparent shield gleaming under the lights. Every eye in the room followed him as he moved. There was no sound, no murmurs of dissent, only a quiet resolve. Taren stopped in front of the button and flipped the protective cover open.

"This," he said, his voice low but filled with a terrible finality, "is the price of their defiance. May the gods, if there are any, have mercy on them. For Eden will not."

With that, he pressed the button.

The silence that followed was deafening. Then, a deep rumble reverberated through the base, shaking the ground beneath their feet. The screens flickered, switching to a live feed as three massive missile silos opened somewhere deep in the desert. The warheads rose slowly at first, the sheer size of them dwarfing the landscape, before rocketing into the sky with a thunderous roar that rattled the very air.

The command room burst into applause, but it was a subdued, somber celebration. They weren't cheering victory; they were witnessing judgment.

On the screens, the warheads streaked across the skies of Essos, their sleek forms leaving contrails as they sped toward their targets. Three enormous missiles, each capable of wiping entire cities from existence, arced over the horizon. Meereen. Yunkai. Astapor. The ancient cities of Slaver's Bay, where human flesh had been traded for centuries, where entire economies were built on the backs of slaves.

But this wasn't just about Slaver's Bay. The missiles weren't the only weapon Eden would unleash today. As the warheads sped toward their targets, enormous holographic screens blinked into existence above the skies of every major city in Essos. In Pentos, Qohor, Norvos, Volantis, Lys, and Tyrosh, the citizens looked up, bewildered, as massive translucent screens appeared out of thin air, hovering like silent sentinels above their streets.

The screens showed the same image: the calm, composed face of Mark Lantrun, Supreme Leader of Eden, his blue eyes filled with both warmth and an undercurrent of severity. His likeness was so perfect, so lifelike, that it was as though he stood among them, gazing down on their cities from the heavens.

"People of Essos," Mark's voice rang out, carried on the winds and translated into every tongue. It echoed in the squares of Volantis, in the marketplaces of Pentos, in the narrow streets of Norvos. "Today marks the end of an era. For too long, this continent has thrived on the suffering of the innocent, shackling men, women, and children for profit. Eden has shown you mercy, time and time again, offering you the chance to change. But you have refused."

His gaze hardened, and a ripple of fear swept through the crowds watching. Rulers, merchants, and slavers alike felt a cold dread settle in their bones. The power they had grown accustomed to wielding now seemed so fragile, so fleeting.

"Slaver's Bay will no longer exist," Mark continued, his tone unyielding. "And let this be a warning to all who would engage in such barbarism. Today, Eden shows the world that we will not tolerate the enslavement of any soul. If you do not end it, we will end you."

On the screens, the cities of Slaver's Bay appeared: Meereen's great pyramids, the sprawling marketplaces of Yunkai, the crumbling walls of Astapor. The missiles were seconds away. The people of these cities had no time to react, no time to flee. And then, in a blinding flash, the skies above the cities were consumed by a storm of nuclear fire.

A hush fell over the Free Cities as the warheads detonated. Mushroom clouds rose into the sky, blotting out the sun. The sheer force of the explosions rocked the very ground for miles, sending shockwaves across the continent. Meereen, Yunkai, Astapor—cities that had stood for centuries—were gone, reduced to ashes in an instant.

Mark's voice returned, calm but filled with a deadly promise. "This is the fate of any city that continues the inhuman act of slavery. There will be no further warnings. Eden will not ask again."

The broadcast ended, and the holographic screens disappeared as quickly as they had come.

Across Essos, the reaction was immediate. In Volantis, where the Black Walls had long hidden secrets of slavery, the Triarchs were in panic, calling emergency councils, scrambling to cut ties with their slaving ports. In Pentos, the Magisters cursed under their breath, knowing that their wealth and power would be next if they did not heed Eden's warning. The guilds of Qohor, the merchant princes of Lys and Tyrosh, the rulers of Myr—they all understood that today was the day the balance of power had shifted. The slaving cities would either abandon their practices or face annihilation.

Only Braavos, the proud Free City that had outlawed slavery long ago and held great influence in Eden's economy, celebrated the fall of their rivals. The Iron Bank's wealth was secure, and Braavos' position as the moral center of Essos had just been validated in the most dramatic way imaginable.

Back in Eden, the soldiers in the control room stood in silence, eyes fixed on the screens as the fires of Eden's wrath slowly died down. Taren looked at the map, where the cities of Slaver's Bay had once been. Now, only empty space remained.

He turned to his generals, his expression hard. "Let the world know that Eden's justice is swift and absolute. Today, we showed them the fist. Tomorrow, they will learn what peace truly means."