Over five hundred years after the creation of Xyntriav, three emperors had built their dominions on the west of the continent Noelle and expanded them across the oceans to the continents Platavan and Kallak. For fifteen years they had successfully held their alliance as the United Empires, but as those years passed, it became increasingly difficult to keep it in one piece. Once they had encountered their fifth collective political issue, they were unable to conclude the affair. Desperate to come to an accord, they involved the subjects of their empires. Now, on Malla 23, 467 (April 5), it was time to announce the result of the poll to the emperors themselves.

The meeting took place in a dark stone forum a few miles away from the coast in the town of Helvetica, the capitol of the Noelle Empire. Located in the very center of the capitol, the forum was supported by obsidian pillars and a black steel frame. Aside from the palace, it was the largest building in town.

Lavish candelabras shown on the large number of silk-cushioned chairs inside, yet no one was seated. Representatives of each and every town in the United Empires took up ninety percent of the breathing space and their bodies made it hotter than the warm spring day outside. In total, eighty-four mouths bickered and argued at the meeting and the oxygen seemed to be running out. Malicious rage showed on everyone's faces in the colorful light shining through the stained glass windows, and the arguing failed to cease.

The three emperors debated amongst themselves at the front of the forum where the floor was raised and two of them seemed to side against the younger one. They were dressed in black, red, and dark purple robes. Large gold collars hung around their shoulders and connected on their right to the crests of their empires. Yet the appearance of maturity and professionalism didn't seem to fit the mannerisms of the younger emperor.

The oldest of the three, Emperor Plake of the Noelle Empire, finally began the conference after realizing the arguments were only agitating everybody. To attract everyone's attention (and release some anger of his own), he shattered a vase on the concrete floor.

"Will everyone silence themselves long enough to end this?" he demanded. "Sit down!"

All present took their seats silently. The emperors sat at separate ebony tables at the front of the room and a scribe, barely noticeable, stood by a column to take note of the votes.

"So," Emperor Plake sighed when everyone seemed ready. "Let us end this once and for all and inscribe it on a tablet. What have we decided, Noelle?"

The representatives of each town in the Noelle Empire announced the votes of the residents for which they spoke, each word echoing around the steel columns that blocked the room in. After the last vote had been recorded, Emperor Plake peered down at his notes seeming disappointed in his people. He nodded to Emperor Mandingo of the Bonn Empire, who was next.

"Bonn," Emperor Mandingo said, radiating a certain confidence in his subjects. "What have our towns decided?"

When Bonn's votes finally ended, Emperor Mandingo was incredibly shocked and dissatisfied in his empire's choice. His chubby face glowed red as he looked over his notes before turning to Emperor Mentir of the People's Empire to continue.

"People," said Emperor Mentir, the youngest of the three emperors.

He was clearly delighted with the direction in which the voting was headed and he held his squared chin high. He could almost be mistaken as Emperor Plake's son with the same long skull and angled body structure, except he had a darker complexion and blonde hair.

"I'm sure we've chosen the right alternative," Mentir continued. "What's our decision?"

At first, Emperors Plake and Mandingo felt completely hopeless at what seemed to be the end of the voting. They sat there with shoulders slumped as they took notes and glanced at each other in despair. But Emperor Mentir was proud and not afraid to show it. Suddenly, the expressions of the two dismal emperors changed to sheer relief after an unexpected shift in the middle of the People's votes. The third emperor's smile vanished.

"I'm going to over-rule my empire's vote," Emperor Mentir declared after the voting had ended. He shot to his feet so quickly that he almost knocked over his chair.

"Mentir, you cannot do that," replied Emperor Plake. "We have an accord."

"I don't care! I over-rule."

"We are not even aware of the final result yet." Emperor Mandingo turned to the scribe. "Cal, what is the verdict?"

"It appears the miracle workers are in business, Sire," answered Cal.

"There you have it," said Emperor Plake. "The problem is settled."

"This isn't officially over yet, I override my empire!" Emperor Mentir insisted pointing at Cal.

The scribe looked at the other two emperors with concern, hoping they would save him from their raving rival.

"That is against our contract," Emperor Mandingo stated simply as he stood and straightened his papers. His large body wiggled with his every movement.

"I over-rule the contract then!" Emperor Mentir asserted. "Either way, my empire's votes will have no effect on this matter."

"That is not possible," Emperor Plake said, laughing slightly. All of the representatives shuffled out of the forum in case the argument turned violent. "And you do not have the kind of power in my empire to over-rule an accord which the three of us have formally recognized."

"I over-rule you then!"

"That is enough!" Emperor Plake shot up from his chair. The walls increased the volume of his demand, emphasizing his insistence for silence. His voice even muffled the sound of his iron chair crashing against the stone floor. "You cannot over-rule me, in my empire!"

"You cannot over-rule us ourselves at all!" Emperor Mandingo added leaning against his table. "Have you gone mad?"

"Of course I'm mad! At first this voting was headed exactly where it should have, then once we got to my empire, everything fell apart. Therefore I eradicate my empire's vote."

"According to our agreement, you must respect your subjects' choice," Mandingo reminded. "Now if we may, we will sign the bill, seal it, chisel it into stone and put it away with the other laws."

Cal set a gold tray in front of Emperor Plake which held the bill, a quill and an ink well. Mandingo approached the table to await his turn to apply his own signature at the bottom of the parchment.

Mentir balled his fists with rage, but then sucked a long breath through his nose before he asked, "May I see our agreement, please?"

"I do not think you should," Mandingo answered suspiciously as he turned back to look at Mentir.

"I just wish to make sure that what all you said is true, my memory has faded. Allow me to reread it."

Emperor Plake stroked his short black beard and studied his ally with his dark, sunken eyes squinted. Red and gray rings surrounded his gaze, contrast with his ashy skin. Indeed, he looked ill. He finally nodded to Cal, giving him permission to bring out the stone tablet.

"I would not do it, Emperor," Mandingo warned.

"Silence!" Mentir snapped.

Mandingo glared at him threateningly to make him watch his tone.

"Do not worry, Mandingo," said Emperor Plake.

Cal returned quickly with the tablet and handed it to Emperor Plake, then he bowed and walked away. The emperor began to read the tablet out loud.

"We, the Emperors of the – "

"I would like to read it myself, please," Mentir interrupted. "I'm perfectly literate."

Emperor Plake hesitated, but began to hand over the tablet.

Mandingo stopped him. "What do you think you are doing, Emperor?"

"What can he do with a piece of stone, Mandingo?"

Suddenly Mentir snatched the tablet from Emperor Plake's hands and deliberately threw it onto the ground. Emperors Plake and Mandingo gaped as pieces of the stone flew in every possible direction and turned to powder. Mentir glanced at them with a smirk that claimed he was now in complete control. There was no longer any proof that the three emperors would be fair with this issue. Mandingo scowled at Mentir, but Emperor Plake remained placid.

"In that case," he began. He set his chair back on its legs and took his seat. "I over-rule my empire as well."

"I thought you said we couldn't," Mentir replied proudly.

"Now, there is no proof of that, is there? And if you are over-ruling, why can I not?"

"Well then, I over-rule my empire as well," Mandingo said with a smug grin, realizing Emperor Plake's game. With both of them over-ruling their empires' votes, the bill could still be made into law.

"You will not sign that bill," Emperor Mentir said in a threatening voice. "Neither of you will sign that bill." Emperor Plake proceeded to dip his quill into the ink well and signed his name at the bottom of the scroll. "Don't expect me to."

"You do not have to," Emperor Plake said as he handed Mandingo the quill. "If you do not wish to, you may leave. You are dismissed."

"That law can't be passed unless I sign as well," Mentir said, jabbing his finger at the scroll.

"It can."

"No, it says so in our agreement."

"Forgive me, but I do not recall making any such agreement. Do you, Mandingo?"

"I am afraid not," Mandingo answered playing along.

Mentir wouldn't take anymore. He stormed up to his two rivals, ripped the bill from under their noses and held it above the flame of a candle before Emperors Plake and Mandingo had the chance to react.

Emperor Plake stood slowly after the bill had become ash and he stared deep into Mentir's eyes.

"I do not believe what I am seeing," Mandingo stated with a look of shock.

"You are asking to be removed from my empire in chains, Mentir," growled Emperor Plake. "I will not be disrespected like this."

Mentir stood his ground and lifted his chin to the emperor of Noelle. "And you are asking for a war, Plake."

"I believe that has been your objective all along," Emperor Mandingo replied folding his arms across his chest. "I do not think you really care about this whole miracle worker business – you just want a war. Why?"

Emperor Mentir basked in an incredible feeling as though he ruled over them both. This was the moment he had been waiting for.

"Because, you two have no idea what you're doing. Order is vanishing under our noses and you are blind to it. Crime is at an all-time high, the population is increasing and resources are disappearing. We need to keep the empires in one piece and in order to do so, we need to be strict and organized. Tighten the purse strings along with our grip on the people. It's the only way we can prevent things from falling apart. But you two want to give the people more power, it seems! You are going to destroy the United Empires and it is my responsibility, as the only competent man in this room, to keep you from doing that."

"I have had enough of this!" Mandingo said, completely disgusted with what he was hearing. "You are going against everything we agreed to when we formed the United Empires, Mentir. You want a war? I will fight. Even if it is just you and me!"

"It will not be just between the both of you," Emperor Plake stated coolly. Mentir smirked. "You will be fighting against two empires, Mentir. I hope you are prepared. We will settle this your way."

Emperor Mentir glowed. "Wonderful," he said.

Then he turned and made his way to the intricately engraved double doors, his steps echoing throughout the silent room.

"We shall be in touch!" were his final words before he left the other two emperors to listen to the sound of the doors booming closed. Mandingo looked at Emperor Plake with raised eyebrows, but Plake only tossed the quill onto his table with frustration.

                                                               ~~

Later that evening, Emperor Plake had Cal write an announcement on a scroll to be copied and posted all over his empire. It described what had transpired during the meeting in the forum, mentioned the Stone War that Emperor Mentir wished to fight, and that he required two men from every household (if possible) to arrive to a specific place at a specific time to serve in the military.

Everybody in every town saw these announcements, and if someone had missed it for any reason, they were certainly informed of it. Somehow, everyone knew what was written on that scroll that reached all across the Noelle Empire, even in the territories across the oceans. The citizens were shocked and somewhat terrified. Most of the residents of the United Empires had not lived during a war before, and now, sure enough one was about to begin... and it wouldn't be a short one.