Very early morning, atop the castle tower. HRH Merlinus walks slowly, pensively. His Royal Highness, Merlinus, the reigning sovereign to more than 410 million people (May His Light forever shine!) seems lost in thought. It is quiet out here, on the parapet. Crickets softly chirp their messages to one another. A clear and cloudless night, the moon is full. It's rays fall upon His Royal Highness as a spotlight falls upon the player on a stage. Our monarch is clearly troubled. As we know so very well, heavy is the head which wears the Crown. Our beloved King worries for us, his subjects. From my hiding place (I didn't intend to hide here; I came to speak with His Highness about urgent incoming communiques from the Alliance and the war front. I dare not disturb Him. Yet.) I can see his movements, hear his voice as he speaks quietly to himself. From my particular vantage point, it seems there is a shimmering trail on his cheek. Are those tears?

I listen for several moments, and understand. No matter how much I would prefer otherwise at this moment, I must do what my King has required of me in all things, at all times. I must take his wounded heart now, and cause it to shatter into untold numbers of pieces. The task so overwhelms me that I consider the number of parts into which the heart will fall. It will be my first task to make certain each piece is carefully and lovingly re-assembled. I love him as my King. I know him as a man. He is also my boss, and his expectations for those in his service never waiver, nor falter--no matter what. This man, Merlinus is also my closest and dearest friend. That is not unique unto me. His subjects universally revere him, but they also love him deeply. I wish I could comfort him now, as he obviously struggles within himself. I know that the news I bring to him is not merely discouraging news, but devastating news. Looking out over all he rules, Merlinus is in a severe state of agitated sadness. Rarely have I seen him this way. When was it last?

Oh, yes. It was the eve of the Great War of Heroes. I know what lies within these communiques I hold, because it is my responsibility to know. It is my duty to summarize each transmittal from the alliance and, for the past ten days now, battle reports from the current conflagration. All signs point to what will, in all likelihood, be the complete annihilation of the planet. The usually dependable gyroscope of reason has become disengaged, and the entire world is going mad! These are matters of the anguish of my Sovereign this early January morning. But, they are not the sum total of them. I must advance to him, and give him these communiques. They will, in all likelihood, kill him right where he now stands. In less than two short weeks, a fortnight, the entire globe upon which we sit has turned in upon itself. A joke? That is the joke in all of this. If had, at any time, ANY time, calmer heads had simply prevailed, we would be spared this conflagration. Yet, one man's folly, ONE MAN, has brought us to this brink of destruction. The good rulers among us have marshalled their troops and they are dying by the moment. Already, alliances cease to exist. We cannot escape this madness! Shall we launch a rocket to a new home? No.

But, as my good and mighty King has so often said, it is not so difficult to die. Everyone does it once. The difficult thing is understanding why you die. There is no reasonable explanation for such travesty to be laid at the feet of such honorable persons as this! But, even in our earlier conversations this very night, Merlinus said to me that lest a man stand for something, he will fall for anything. To his thinking, our only good course is to try to unite as many as we possibly can, even our adversaries. That one man, one crazed individual will forever hold the responsibility for this action which now threatens us all, is almost unthinkable. That one Kingdom declares unto itself its own utter destruction by a mad lunatic for a leader is almost unthinkable. Has the good of many come from this? Is there a principle, a reason which holds the last glimmer of hope for survival?

HRH Merlinus has said that he believes there is just one such hope. In all the history of our planet, men have lived, fought, and died honorably. Even in the very worst of our history, good shone through, as a beacon of hope to a troubled world. Never before in our history has it been the single, purposeful intent of one man, or one Kingdom, to completely annihilate the entire globe to its utter and final destruction, NEVER! Nor has it ever been true, until this present conflict, that one Kingdom would march into battle without an honorable reason; just for the sake of battle itself. NEVER has the planet community permitted one Kingdom to set out to achieve singular, individual power over every other Kingdom on the sphere. There are rules of common decency! My King believes that is still true, even in this darkest hour. He told me himself, today.

Oh, Admin! What will this do to him, his beliefs? His hopes, and with them the hopes of his Kingdom?

"Oh, there you are!"

"Yes, Excellency. I bring news." He looks at me with his kindly face, then looks again.

"Oh, no! Please tell me it isn't so!"

I hand him the letters, and walk with him to the doorway. Holding the door open, my King, my friend begins to read. His hands begin to tremble. Tears rush from his eyes. I look at him, feeling his terrible pain. I watch as the news sinks into his breaking heart. He looks down, and away from me. I dare to put my hand upon his shoulder. When again I see his immortal face, there is anger and...something else. Determination?

He stands tall, he does not waver.

"Order my jet! Immediately!"

"Yes, Sire."

Robes sailing, HRH Merlinus speeds down the dim passageway. If he is going where I think he is going, it is only because he has found one true believer that he can parlay with, to perhaps turn the tide of this insanity.

"Well, come on! We have to go, NOW!"

"Yes, Sire"