Inside a small fortified building, an elf named Karmaw Zot’erna — an ambassador from Vao’Lan, the Elven Kingdom — stood over a glowing seeing stone, attempting to contact his king, Emeret van Ko’oul. After a moment of focus, the connection succeeded.

  “Hello, Emeret. I need to know what you’re planning. It seems like you’re trying to stir up a war between us. Why?”

  “Our beliefs say we are superior. We are stronger, we live longer, we possess more mana. This world was promised to us.”

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  “Yes, but you need to understand — they are far ahead in their magical research. They probably have some kind of weapon to fight back.”

  “And we have the White Riders — the greatest army in the world.”

  “I understand that. But there are only three hundred of them. That’s far too few to stand against the Empire.”

  “You’re underestimating us. You have one month to prepare them. We will attack either way. Farewell, Karmaw.”

  The seeing stone dimmed and went dark. Karmaw sighed and muttered to himself.

  “Things were better when I ruled. Unlike him, I understand that diplomacy is far more important than our beliefs... but we must re-elect the king every hundred years, or one person would hold too much power…”