Hans strode into the grand chamber, the heavy oak doors closing behind him with a firm thud. The guildmasters were already seated, their faces polite but guarded, eyes flickering with cautious appraisal. The air was thick with tension and the faint scent of waxed wood and stale incense.
Sir Edmund Fairfax of the British Silver Star Guild broke the silence with a measured tone."Commander Reinhardt, welcome. We trust your journey was without incident."
Greta, the Ironwood Guildmaster, gave a curt nod."Your recent operations in Austria have certainly made waves. The Coalition appreciates your cooperation during these difficult times."
Takahashi from the Kusanagi Syndicate inclined his head slightly."Maintaining regional balance is paramount, Commander. We rely on your understanding and support."
Marceau LeBlanc of the Crimson Guild smiled thinly, the edge in her voice barely concealed."Europe's future depends on patience and unity, not rash unilateral actions."
Hans forced a tight smile, his jaw tightening. The same rehearsed platitudes, the same carefully measured words he'd heard too many times.
Finally, the weight of it all broke through his restraint.
He slammed his fist onto the polished oak table with a thunderous crack, silencing the room instantly.
"Enough!" Hans's voice roared, raw and commanding. "I'm done with your endless polite nonsense! With your games played behind closed doors while people suffer and die!"
The guildmasters blinked in surprise, exchanging uneasy glances.
Hans's eyes blazed with fury as he stepped forward, his voice rising like a storm.
"This is Europe's crisis! So why the hell are Japanese and American guilds sitting here, pretending this is your fight? What right do you have to dictate what happens on our soil?"
The room fell into a heavy silence. No one dared answer.
Hans's voice cracked, thick with passion and frustration.
"The Polish state of Wysoka—one of the last bastions of democracy—has been crying out for help! Its leader reached out directly to the Coalition, begging for support, for aid to reunify their shattered land. And what did you do? Nothing! Nothing!"
He slammed the table again, making the room tremble.
"Who stood by Mehmed when his homeland burned? WHO? I did! Who pulled Hungary back from collapse when no one else would? I did! And you?"
His eyes burned as he scanned the silent faces.
"YOU did nothing! You hid behind committees and councils, letting the world fall apart while you fiddled with politics. You are useless! Cowards!"
The guildmasters shifted uncomfortably. Sir Edmund opened his mouth, then closed it. Finally, in a hesitant voice, he stammered,"B-but Commander, w-we have to consider... the international ramifications—"
Hans cut him off sharply, "International ramifications? Your fear of stepping up is killing us! You sit here with your fancy titles and you do nothing!"
Greta's lips pressed into a thin line. "Commander Reinhardt, these decisions are never simple—"
Hans snapped, "Simple? There's nothing simple about watching allies fall apart and hearing nothing but silence when they scream for help!"
Takahashi's voice was calm but strained, "The Coalition acts to maintain stability. Rash moves can—"
"Rash?!" Hans shouted, eyes wild. "You call fighting to save people rash? When I was fighting on the ground, you were passing papers and signing agreements!"
Marceau's smile faltered. "We must maintain order—"
Hans took a deep breath, voice lower but no less fierce. "Order? There is no order without action. Without courage."
He turned on his heel, boots echoing as he marched toward the exit.
"Your council is a cage. And I'm done being trapped inside."
The room fell into stunned silence.
Sir Edmund finally whispered, "He's lost control... but maybe that's the only way to shake them awake."
Greta's eyes narrowed. "Dangerous. Reckless. But his fire might be what we need."
Takahashi's voice cut softly, "This changes everything."
Outside, Hans's breath came hard, his heart ablaze with resolve.
The Coalition's facade was cracking—and he was ready to shatter it.
Hans's footsteps echoed down the marble corridor, leaving behind a stunned silence that filled the grand chamber. The guildmasters exchanged glances—some eyes narrowed in anger, others flickered with uncertainty.
Sir Edmund cleared his throat, his voice steady but edged with concern."Hans Reinhardt's outburst has forced us to confront uncomfortable truths. The instability in Poland, Hungary, and beyond is far worse than we acknowledged."
Across the table, Greta's eyes flashed coldly."We cannot allow his defiance to unravel everything we've worked for. He is still a threat—one that grows with every alliance he forges."
Marceau leaned forward, her tone more measured."But perhaps we have been too rigid. The Polish state of Wysoka sent a desperate call for help—ignored for too long. Hans answered it. That speaks to something we've overlooked."
Takahashi nodded slowly, adding, "The Coalition's hesitation may have cost us valuable time. There is merit to engaging with Hans instead of pushing him further away."
Sir Edmund looked around, noticing the divide."It seems we are split. Half see Reinhardt as a danger needing containment; the others question if containment has only fed the chaos."
Greta's voice was sharp, cutting through the murmur."I stand firm—he threatens our control. We cannot back down."
Marceau countered, "And I argue that ignoring his calls risks losing the very stability we claim to protect."
The chamber grew tense, factions forming in whispers and glances.
Later that Evening – Hans' Quarters
Hans sat alone in the dim light, the flickering candle casting shadows that danced like ghosts. His fingers gripped a fresh letter—this time to Mehmed.
The Coalition fractures, he wrote. Half of them question their own fears and see what I have been saying all along.
Wysoka's plea was ignored—until I answered.
Austria moves toward unity. Czechia's fate will soon follow.
Our time is coming. We must be ready.
Hans sealed the letter with the Iron Crown emblem, determination set hard in his eyes.
The Next Day – Emergency Coalition Session
The grand hall buzzed with restless energy as guildmasters and government leaders debated fiercely.
Sir Edmund opened, "We cannot pretend Reinhardt's rise is something to be ignored."
Greta's voice sliced through, "He's a threat we must crush before it's too late."
Marceau argued, "But dismissing his alliances with Mehmed and Hungary could isolate us further."
Takahashi added, "Dialogue might salvage what remains of peace."
The room fractured between hardliners and moderates, each side watching warily for the other to break first.
Back at Oberfeld
Hans stared out at the falling snow, the cold wind whispering ancient truths.
His ancestors' voices mingled with the storm—warnings and encouragement alike.
His hand rested on the Luger, a symbol of the battles yet to come.
The Coalition is divided. he thought.
And so shall we be—united where it counts, fractured where they fear us most.