May 27, 4 years BTC

Crown Castle, Duchy of the Crownlands, Kingdom of Night's Watch

The violent crack of splintering wood echoed through the castle as the old Outlander and the young nobleman sparred in the courtyard. The Outlander swung his sparring blade above the young man's head, only for his target to somersault under it. As the young man stood up again, he felt his trainer's boot plant itself between his shoulder blades before the ground rushed up to meet him.

Ringing, and the taste of blood. He tried to climb to his feet, but he felt the blunt wooden point of his instructor's sword on the back of his neck.

"Damn," he grumbled. The old man merely laughed.

"Celtic, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. Your form has improved remarkably; you nearly had me there a few times." The Outlander gestured disappointedly towards Celtic's legs. "Your stance, however, is lacking. If an enemy puts their weight into a strike, you'll fall."

Celtic II grumbled. "Yes, Yokei."

Yokei chuckled. "So glum, are you? You'll have plenty of losses in life. Don't let this one get you down. If you really want to work on your stance, talk to Greatness. The man's built like an ox." He leaned down and helped his young pupil up.

"I'm flattered, Yokei!" Greatness' booming voice invaded the courtyard and the pair turned to face the source. Greatness and Yukon strolled into the courtyard, hands folded behind their backs. Yukon was without his mask; a rare sight in the castle.

"How's Junior doing?" Yukon asked lightheartedly. Celtic rolled his eyes at him but failed to repress a smirk.

"His form is good," Yokei remarked, "but his stance is lacking. I was hoping one of you could teach him the things I can't. Greatness?" He looked at the mercenary, who wiped the hair off his face.

"Of course. Anything to make sure that Celtic's favorite nephew doesn't get himself hurt." Yokei, Yukon and Greatness all laughed while Celtic rolled his eyes once again.

"Ah, well." Yukon looked up at the sun. "It's about midday. Greatness, should we fetch Maker? She's been in her lab for a while. We don't want her to be in one of her brain-addled dazes again, do we?"

"Definitely not," Greatness said as they began walking off. "Remember the time she was so entranced she nearly fell off the walls? Let's get her before the fumes do."

Yokei stretched his back before turning to his pupil. "Ah, they're good folk. We're lucky they're on our side."

Celtic cocked his head. "How so?"

The Outlander made sure that Yukon and Greatness were out of earshot before leaning down to speak with his pupil. "You see, they're good people, but they're underhanded. They don't follow the rules. It doesn't make them bad people, but it makes them dangerous people."

"Dangerous how?" Celtic asked.

"When you battle an honorable man, you must play to his weaknesses, you must counter his technique. If he's strong, you must be quick. If he's aggressive, you must be calm. If he's erratic—"

"I must be patient," Celtic finished. "I understand all the techniques and counters."

"Yes," Yokei said. "I know. But if you ever have to face an underhanded man, and as Celtic's heir, you will, you must know this: there is no counter. You must fight on their level. You must stoop below them. If they cheat, you must cheat more. There's no advantage in fighting with honor against the dishonorable. You have to play like them or you will lose. Understand?"

Celtic nodded, soaking in this sobering information. "Yes, Yokei." He paused, looking up at the sky. "It's midday, like Yukon said. Should we go get lunch?"

Yokei laughed at his ward. "Yes, Celtic. I think we should."

July 28, 8 ATC

King Coronam of Renora sat in his carriage, gazing placidly out the window at the gray White Rosian landscape. Rubia was always so drab in the fall. So rainy. So glum. Nothing like the brilliant red and orange forests of his home.

His advisor Opifexa sat across from him with her legs crossed as she gnawed on a pear she had brought with her. Coronam looked even more distracted than usual. She took another bite and leaned over.

"My liege, what is bothering you?"

His response was curt and filled with venom. "That bitch Inferno."

Another bite. "What of her?"

Coronam rubbed his temples and groaned. "She's far too ambitious for anybody's good. In the last two years she's restored her family's union over Crosshares and restored the Fan-Art League with those infernal little Cofvyan states. She is expanding far too quickly for comfort. How? How is she doing it? She must have help. But from whom?"

Opifexa wrenched the last morsel of pear off of the core and set it in the basket she brought with her.

"I could always have Cinder investigate. He's good at producing results."

Coronam waved her off. "No need. We can stop her bid for power here. The Mod Council will certainly vote against this measure."

Opifexa saw through his illusion of confidence, but she held her peace. "If you say so."

"Are we fighting this wrong, Opifexa?"

The blonde-haired advisor cocked her head, taken aback. "Fighting this...wrong? How so?"

Coronam sighed and slumped back. "A wise man I once knew told me there was no point in fighting an honorable war against a dishonorable opponent. He told me that we had to be worse than they were. He told me that we had to fight like them, because that was the only way we would win." He sighed. "Should we fight fire with fire? Or should we take the high ground?"

Opifexa stroked her chin and pondered the question, but before she had a chance to respond, the carriage came to a jolting halt. The driver descended from his seat and brusquely opened the carriage door.

Coronam nodded to Opifexa, and they stepped out onto the muddy White Rosian ground. By the Almighty, Coronam thought, even the air seemed steeped in gloominess. He sighed, straightened his crown and began making his way up the steps to the Mod Council's citadel.

Out of the corner of his eye, the Prime Minister of Guns N' Roses walked up the steps, his advisor in tow. Both wore matching cloaks, embroidered with the mountain and the rose that made up Guns N' Roses insignia on the back. Coronam sped up slightly to keep pace with them.

"Prime Minister Nitesco. Minister Gwydion." He nodded at both of them, and they nodded back.

"King Coronam," Nitesco responded. "How fares Renora these days?"

"It fares well. We had a good summer for mining. Found a few gold deposits near the north mountains. And how fares Guns N' Roses?"

Nitesco shrugged. "Not bad, not bad. This year hasn't been particularly good or bad. I'm up for reelection in February, so maybe something good will happen. I don't particularly need the help, but it's always good to have a cushion."

Coronam nodded. "Such is the fate of republics, no offense. At least you kept a king."

"Kings are what got us into the Great Revolt," Gwydion commented while smirking. "No offense."

The Renoran king laughed. "Oh, you haven't lost your touch, Gwydion."

They made their way down the halls into the Mod Council chambers, taking their respective seats at the table. Eleven heads of government sat at the large round table, their advisors standing closely behind them. Only one seat was left empty.

Coronam reclined in his seat and looked to either side of him. To his left sat Duke McDouggal, leader of the Interteam League and Duke of Milk and Cereal. They exchange a curt nod of mutual respect.

To his right sat Colonel Strike, one of Arkos' five Oligarchs. Behind him stood the Presbyter of Crocea, dressed in priestly white robes.

At long last, the missing Councilwoman arrived. Queen Inferno strode in, emanating superiority, and her bodyguard strode along beside her. At last, she took her seat.

"Figures you'd be late to your own meeting, Inferno," Coronam remarked, and several other Councilmen smirked. Inferno smiled unassumingly.

"Fashionably late, my dear Coronam. Fashionably late. Now that I'm here, let the proceedings begin, yes?"

Coronam grumbled. "Very well. Let us recount the proposition brought by Queen Inferno. She proposes to unite the Subreddit under a single Emperor." He paused, glaring in Inferno's direction. "Or Empress."

Inferno raised her hands in a placating gesture. "My friends, my friends. Do not fall for Coronam's honeyed words. He plans to paint me as a tyrant and a power-hungry dictator."

"He doesn't need to paint you as those," Opifexa muttered. Coronam silenced her with a wave of his hand, but he could not suppress a smirk.

Inferno continued, ignoring Opifexa's snide commentary. "The truth is, we need a strong, central authority to govern this Subreddit. Without it, we will continue to squabble and war amongst ourselves, when we could all move towards one common good under one common ruler. Think of it! No more infighting. No more needless intrigue. No more Great Revolts."

Coronam cleared his throat and sat up straighter.

"Beyond the mountains that make up our caldera, there is a bounty of new land to conquer. But alone, we are too broken and too decentralized to do anything. If we are to persevere, then we must unite. Otherwise, we will continue clawing over scraps while the rest of the world advances without us."

Murmurs of discussion. Each Councilman glanced around the table, wondering which side the others would vote for and judging accordingly.

Coronam did the same. He didn't need a majority to succeed, but Inferno's influence was quite extensive. Who could he count on to vote with him?

Nitesco and Gwydion were conversing quite grimly, as were the Arkosians and the Bumblebeeans. Since the non-monarchies and the League representatives had to gather the support of their entire governments, they voted beforehand. Knowing Guns N' Roses, they almost certainly voted to keep the realm decentralized. He looked over at Strike and Zealander. Strike gave a nod. Two votes against Inferno.

McDouggal, Princess Canada and the Bumblebeean representatives were less certain. He was fairly sure Canada and the Bumblebeeans would vote with him, but he couldn't be sure. McDouggal's face was completely placid. He was a wild card.

The three Heroan representatives: Nuts and Dolts, Eclipse and, of course, Inferno of Crosshares, would certainly vote against him. Who did that leave?

The Archpresbyter of Gelato knit his hands together grimly. As the representative of the Villainian Straightist churches, he had full authority to act on his own. He, too, would most likely side with Inferno.

King Cesario III of Emberald and King Vermilion of White Rose. Of course. Another unpredictable vote. Coronam knit his hands together and weighed the probability of his success.

At last, the deliberation ended, and the Councilmen gave their attention to Inferno. She stood and announced her vote.

"I vote to pass the legislation, so that we may be united under one ruler, as elected by a Diet of the Subreddit."

Coronam was unconcerned. This was expected. He exchanged glances with Opifexa before turning to Nitesco, who was slated to vote first.

The Prime Minister stood and folded his hands behind his back. "The legislature of Guns N' Roses has voted against the legislation."

The Bumblebeean representative stood and announced his vote: "The Oligarchy of Bumblebee has voted against the legislation."

Colonel Strike stood and cracked his neck. "The Oligarchy of Arkos has voted against the legislation."

Coronam took a glance at Inferno. She did not seem the least bit surprised, but her eyes betrayed a sliver of worry. It gratified him immensely.

It was McDouggal's turn. He stood up uneasily, his crown leaning slightly off his head.

"The Interteam League has voted to abstain from this legislation."

The Council looked around, surprised. Abstaining was allowed, but it most certainly did not happen often. Coronam exchanged worried glances with Gwydion and Nitesco.

Princess Canada stood. "The Ilian League has voted against the legislation."

With the republics, oligarchies and Leagues having voted, the Archpresbyter of Gelato stood. "The Archpresbyterate of Gelato has voted for the legislation." He coughed raspily and sank back into his cushioned seat.

With the republics, oligarchies, Leagues and spiritual leaders having voted, it was the monarchies' turn at last. Vermilion stood to deliver his vote.

"The Kingdom of White Rose votes in favor of the legislation."

Coronam grumbled, and Inferno smiled. She knew that with the Church's sway over White Rose, Vermilion's vote was guaranteed.

Coronam stood up and delivered his vote. "The Kingdom of Renora votes against the legislation." He locked eyes with a smug Inferno as he sat back down.

Nuts and Dolts and Eclipse voted with Inferno, as expected. The only vote left unaccounted for was Emberald's. All eyes turned to look at an uneasy King Cesario. He stood.

"The Kingdom of Emberald votes to abstain from the legislation."

The rest of the Mod Council gasped and began talking to one another. To have one abstaining vote was rare, but two was unheard of. Coronam and Inferno locked eyes across the room. Their steely glare silenced their compatriots.

"You don't have the votes to continue, Inferno." Coronam grinned triumphantly.

"Not so," Inferno stated. "The Guidelines of the Mod Council state that to pass legislation, I need a majority vote, with a limit of one abstaining vote. If two or more Councilmen abstain, the legislation is deadlocked."

Coronam narrowed his eyes. "Then we are at an impasse."

"Also untrue," Inferno said. "In cases like these, the Guidelines state that I can either revote, drop the legislation, or call a Diet." She paused. "I wish to invoke my right to a Diet."

The entire room was uncharacteristically silent. Coronam narrowed his eyes at Inferno.

"Then a Diet there shall be." He turned to the still-silent assembly. "What are you all still here for? The session's over. Go home."

Ignoring Inferno's victorious grin, Coronam stormed out of the Mod Council citadel, Opifexa tagging behind him. They stepped into the carriage and waited for the driver to pull away in tense silence. Once certain nobody could catch a stray glance of him from the citadel grounds, Coronam let out a ferocious scream.

"That whore! That scheming, conniving bitch! Who is she to act like she is already Empress? How dare she-" He stopped himself, folded his hands in his lap and counted to ten.

"She won't get away with this."

"No," Opifexa said. "She won't. I assure you, my liege, we will take care of this."

"You're damn right!" Coronam exclaimed, but he wrestled his anger back under control. "Tell Cinder it is time. I want him to bribe, blackmail, cajole and extort his way through the entire four corners of the realm. We must win this Diet."

Opifexa nodded politely, and they both returned to staring out the window at the dreary White Rosian landscape.