A castle made of glass

Mentes had once been at the forefront of mechanical warfare, producing thousands of Exo-Suits that turned the tide of battle. But power came at a cost.

Their suits required a rare energy source—uranium.

SF’s eyes narrowed.

“They used to mass-produce war machines… what happened?”

He continued reading.

For years, Mentes’s Exo-Suits had dominated the battlefield, allowing their small population to rival larger nations. But when their uranium mines ran dry, they were forced to rely on weaker fuel sources.

Without uranium, their war machines began breaking down.

Realizing their dire situation, Mentes stopped production entirely. They focused instead on repairing their remaining suits and securing what little uranium they could find on the black market. But their numbers dwindled.

“That explains why I haven’t seen any new models.” SF’s jaw tightened. “The only Exo-Suits still in use must be old, scavenged, or stolen.”

A thought struck him, his grip on the book tightening.

“…They used to sell Exo-Suits to other nations. Could it have been Mentes’s machines that killed my original family?”

The idea lingered, but SF pushed it aside. There was no room for distractions.

“If Mentes couldn’t produce suits anymore, they would’ve needed protection… That must be why they joined the Coactus Union. Pathetic.”

A smirk played on his lips as he turned the page.

Unlike Mentes, which relied on machines, or Diurna, which manipulated information, Numeri’s power came from sheer numbers.

Its military was its life line. Patriotism ran deep, and every citizen was raised to serve their country. But that loyalty had come at a cost.

Corruption bled into their government. Widespread protests erupted over reckless military spending, endless wars, and soldiers sent to die for causes they didn’t understand. Civil unrest drained their economy, and soon, they found themselves on the verge of collapse.

A country that depended entirely on its military but couldn’t even manage its economy? SF scoffed. “Idiots. They didn’t realize their population was their military?”

With their government crumbling and rebellions threatening to overthrow them, they had no choice.

They joined the Coactus Union.

pecunia had never been a military powerhouse. Their strength lay in trade, in controlling the skies and seas. But without an army to defend their ports and airbases, they were vulnerable.

When Varkadia formed the UAF, pecunia had no real choice. They followed their most powerful trading partner into the union.

SF rolled his eyes.

Of course they did. They’re nothing without protection. They can trade all they want, but if they can’t defend their own shipments, what good does it do them?

Weak.

He flipped to the final section.

Unlike the others, Diurna didn’t use soldiers or weapons—they controlled minds.

For years, they had manipulated global narratives, twisting public perception in Varkadia’s favor. Through censorship and propaganda, they fabricated victories, erased failures, and ensured no one questioned the truth.

SF narrowed his eyes.

“They control the media and the flow of information. That level of control means heavy surveillance. No wonder no one dares to challenge them.”

just Like Pecunia, Diurna had joined the UAF soon after its creation—not for military reasons, but for the power of influence.

And finally Varkaida

Varkadian origins date back only a few hundreds years, a region rich with gold, silver, and other rare minerals hidden deep within its towering peaks. While neighboring kingdoms waged wars over territory Varkadia was left alone sense none was interested in a few mountains, Varkadia focused on one thing during this time, wealth.

From the very beginning, they understood that power didn’t always come from swords or soldiers—it came from Cash.

Unlike other nations that relied on military conquests, Varkadia used its vast wealth to buy influence, fund wars from the shadows, and control economies. It never needed a large army it simply paid others to fight for it.

By the time other nations realized what was happening, Varkadia had already entrenched itself as an economic superpower

SF closed the book and exhaled.

“This research will come in handy.”

He pushed back from the table, standing up and stretching slightly. He took a quick look at the watch realizing he researched all night, “i guess i better go back now uh” As he turned toward the exit, the door slid open—revealing K9 standing at attention outside.

“Good morning, Sir.”

SF raised an eyebrow. “Good morning, K9. How long have you been standing there?”

K9 straightened his posture, though exhaustion was evident in his expression. “The entire time, Sir. I wanted to make sure no one disturbed you.”

SF blinked, surprised. “I don’t remember giving that order.”

K9 hesitated for a moment before responding. “I thought you wouldn’t want any interruptions.”

SF took a slow breath, studying him. Then, a small smirk formed.

“Thank you, K9. Or is it Fidus now?”

K9’s eyes widened slightly in surprise before a glimmer of pride surfaced.

SF placed a firm hand on his shoulder. “I heard you were accepted for a code name. Congratulations.”

Fidus looked almost stunned for a moment before nodding sharply. “Thank you, Sir.”

SF stepped past him, walking down the dimly lit hallway.