Peace at last! (And FG surprise)

Hey everyone! By some uncanny miracle, I should be free in the next three days (well, aside from school, but that doesn't count because college is really more of a sabbatical than anything), so expect my replies to finally come into your inboxes! I know, I'm so relieved I'm hyperventilating.

To celebrate my joy, I'll present some more FG City details (I know I could be forthcoming with character profiles, but they're not as numerous as cities, and besides, I decide what I want xþ), as well as... Well, wait and find out.

Full name: Sky City Celestia
Leader(s): ******** *******
Town Centre: Platforms B-1 to B-4.
Founded: End of the Third Age
Current political orientation: Neutral/Hylian Alliance
Location: Skies south of Hyrule, north of the Waker shores
Geographical advantage: Accessible only by air; unimpeded view for miles around.
Climate: Atmospheric
Weather: Blown by strong winds, otherwise sunny and warm.
Economy: Bordering on bad; the Guardian Alliance has damaged a few infrastructures and some debts still need to be paid.
Technology: Advanced.
History: A very recent city. Built as a challenge, its main purpose was to defy critical minds, ones that argued that a floating city was impossible. Starting with the simple platforms A-1 to A-5, which were built first to become resource docks, it expanded to include the much larger and more impressive structures B-1 to B-4 (the city core), and, recently, structures C-1 to C-3 and platforms D-1 to D-6. Platforms E-1 and E-2 are still in construction. The obsessive engineer who mapped it out is its leader and the Sky City continues to expand. For now its main population consists of engineers, mechanics, sustenance teams, and aristocrats rich enough to afford living there.
Main races: Hylian, Oocca, Rito
Layout: While the city originally fed off the lower Platform A blocks, it's actually centered around Block B, which hovers higher. Block C, D and E are attached to Block B and one another as an interconnected web.
Architecture: The Sky City Celestia floats thanks to its massive hovercrafts (the largest in the known world as of yet). Under the huge city blocks is a maze of large steel rafters and structural beams, as well as tubes, wires, cables that form a jumble of functionality and strength. Above the city, however, the buildings are clean, white, and gardens are flourishing, a result of hidden complexity.

And now, because you were all so patient and because I'm feeling so generous, here's an excerpt from FG.

That's right, an excerpt from FG. Rejoice!

It had taken centuries to build the Hylian Alliance. Eight countries had banded together and sworn to defend each other from outside forces if need be by forming economical and political trades. For ages, the Hylian Alliance had done all it could to survive the test of time. It had suffered civil wars and been threatened more than once, but it had stood strong nonetheless.
The eight countries ―Twilight and Calatia to the north; Hyrule in the middle, flanked to the west by Holodrum and to the east by Termina and Minish; Labrynna to the south of Holodrum, and the Waker Islands archipelago to the far south of Hyrule― had until then been so powerfully linked that no outside force had dared to attack them.
Was it any surprise that the threat had come from the inside?
The Guardian Alliance had started off as an underground revolutionary movement. It rebelled against the stable, unchanging nature of the Hylian Alliance; mostly, it willed itself the ‘Guardian of the Future’.
It was lead by a strong military man. Ganondorf Dragmire, born in the arid lands of western Hyrule, was a mercenary. He’d gathered strong followers and his inherited fortune had assured him a choice spot in Hyrule’s military ranks. He’d grown to the level of Air Commander in the Hylian Alliance ranks…
Until the Scission.
Convinced that he would get nowhere with mere military advancement, Dragmire had slowly begun to make ripples in the Hylian political pond. In his wake, many leaders had chosen to join him. Queen Ambi of Labrynna, Princess Midna Black of Twilight, Prince Komali, lord of West Waker, and the titled princess Ruto Watters ―though her rule was soon annulled by the rest of Hyrule’s court who feared Ganondorf’s rise.
This last event had caused the Scission. The rogue self-proclaimed Admiral had cut off his ties with the Hylian Alliance altogether, and had sworn to reclaim it for himself. To make it stronger, he said. He'd pronounced an incendiary speech soon after the final decision to divest princess Ruto of her rule was made. Revolts had spawned; the injustice propelled Ganondorf Dragmire to new heights of popularity. The countries of Twilight and Calatia declared themselves his ally; Holodrum and Labrynna were soon to follow.
Civil war, though undeclared, had broken.
At the frontier, Hyrule and the Waker archipelago struggled to maintain their composure. Waker was torn between the followers of Prince Komali ―who approved of Ganondorf and his ideals― and the followers of the recently deceased Laruto, whose ideals for peace and cooperation her daughter Rutela sought to uphold.
Hyrule was in the worst situation. As the political centre of the Hylian Alliance, it was nearly surrounded by the Guardian Alliance. The capital ―the city of Castleton― was the place where all would be decided. Its Citadel of Time, which had been the host and guide of the Hylian Alliance for ages, became the command centre for military and political leaders.
War was raging, and already a large part of Labrynna was devastated.
Thousands had died and thousands more would die soon.
The western islands of Waker were heavily fortified and threatened the east.
Calatia was waging a war on Hyrule’s northern border and had invaded a part of Minish’s territories.
Slowly, parts of the country were getting eaten away. The people lived in fear. The Hylian Alliance was in shambles. The Guardian Alliance seemed unstoppable. Ganondorf Dragmire seemed to gather supporters wherever he went.
The future of the Hylian Alliance seemed bleak and dismal. They were going to fall.
But not without a fight.


And that's that for the excerpt. ...You didn't think I'd introduce characters just yet, did you? ;)

Love,
CM