?With the alliances secure between the Germanic Star-Empire and its two neighboring powers the Dvrakian Consortium and the Great Oni Empire things progressed smoothly. The Dvrakian Defense Forces continued to grow in size, and with the technology they were given by the Germanic Star-Empire they quickly became what Erich would not so kindly put as “Adequate Meat Shields.”

Meanwhile, the GSE had already been constructed defenses on the Dvrakian Borders, the robotic labor legions that Tia had created had indeed proven to be a valuable asset as they never needed to rest, and were always operating at peak efficiency.

While Erich continued to work with Hans and Tia to ensure that the GSE was ready for its eventual war with Terminus, Mirage continued in her efforts to bring down the criminal underworld. The newfound inspiration she had received from a single night drinking with Erich had proven to be enough to aid her in these methods.

And after another two years, not only had the crime syndicates which hid in the shadows of Germanic Space been completely obliterated, but the preparations for the war with Terminus were completed.

Any day now the bugs would rear their ugly head, and thus the triple alliance watched, and waited for the day this occurred.

—

On board the Naraku Queenship was the Queen of the Terminus hive herself. This was not the same Terminus that Erich had slept with during the previous timeline after being infected with Naraku pheromones and forced to enter an agreement with her. But rather, she would technically be that bug’s older sister. Born from the same queen, but centuries older. She had long since ruled over the Terminus Splinter Fleet.

In fact, this Queen was not speaking with her mother Behemoth who had birthed all the other Queens in the Milky Way Galaxy, but rather her grandmother, the Naraku Empress who still dwelled outside the Milky Way Galaxy, devouring what remained of biological life in the Andromeda Galaxy.

It had been hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of years since the Naraku first stepped foot in the Milky Way Galaxy, and that was long ago, in an era long forgotten by those current young civilizations who survived the Collapse of the Primeval Era.

And during this time, the majority of their species were fighting those powers that existed within Andromeda, devouring all life they came across. Like they did every other galaxy before them. The Naraku Empress was beyond ancient. She was said to be the first of her species, not that anyone was old enough to remember such a thing.

Biologically immortal, and supremely powerful, with a single thought, she could command countless numbers of bugs to swarm a world, a system, a galaxy even, and devour all life within. And for years she had been focusing on a cluster of galaxies, which the Milky Way was not only a part of, but the last on her menu.

Terminus bowed before her grandmother, who she worshipped as living goddess, while explaining the ongoing situation in the Milky Way Galaxy.

“We have dealt a great blow to the balance of power in the Milky Way… The Rylonian Imperium was one of the primary armed forces which the Light Elves used to maintain supremacy. The Light Elves and an ancient and powerful race, and though their current Empress has ruled since the end of the Schism, which caused the collapse of the old Elven Empire, I have no doubt that she still holds onto some ancient secrets that may aid her people in their time of need.

But with the Rylonian Collapse, her rivals and allies will begin making plays against her. And once we get rid of her newest attack dog, an upstart race whose level of violence is something that most other sapient races fear, it will only be a matter of decades before the Alfheim Dominion finds themselves isolated and surrounded by enemies. All is going according to plan, your Majesty…”

The Naraku Empress sat silently as she stared at Terminus, who was the spitting image of her younger sister who had yet to be born in this timeline. She did not know why, but she felt as if something was seriously wrong. And she had felt this way for the least a few years.

Thus, she was quick to inquire about the only other thing she knew about that might pose a threat t other Naraku plans to invade and devour the Milky Way Galaxy.

“And what of the Sages? Have they begun to make a move yet? Have they detected our ambitions?” Follow current novls on o(v)elꜰre.et

Despite this being a severe issue, Terminus was quick to remind her grandmother as why this was not possible.

“No, they continue to watch and wait for the rise of another threat they have prophesied. Besides, you and I both know that each hive is equipped with a prophetess that acts as a shield against those beings across the universe that have psychic abilities. The Elven sages of the Primeval Era may have been a threat, but they went extinct a long time ago.

This new lot who claim the same name are but pretenders, not capable of the same degree of power, or the same strength of premonition. We have nothing to fear, as my mother has assured you time and again.”

Despite Terminus’ assurances, the Naraku Empress still felt a deep pit of anxiety in her stomach. Like something was terribly wrong. It was a curious sensation that never seemed to disappear no matter how hard she tried to make it do so. And it had only been like this for the last five years.

Though the Naraku Empress had no idea why she was feeling this way, she had constantly consulted her own hive’s Prophetess, which was a class of Naraku which had similar powers to Erich and the Sages.

Yet, although they also felt this sense of worry, they assured the Empress that they had not perceived any potential difficulties in their plans, or any cause for concern. Ultimately, she decided to trust in her offspring and their capabilities, regardless of this eerie feeling she could not shake.