Chronicles of the empire of Dark Men : The Cross Roads

9
 The cross-roads It had been envisaged that they would meet at the cross-roads Of the roads of Bernilatch Termivacht and Répomine. One that would arrive in advance he would await the others An inn not far from the cross-roads of the three roads could accomodate them It was of great importance that th e emissaries of the three major ar eas of the confederation Are meeting in order to develop a new protocol concerning their relations. Admittedly the former protocol would continue to apply So much it would not have been r eplaced  But its insufficiencies made increasingly difficult the good mutual relationship And one knew only too at what ended up driving accumulation of benign incidents of which One adding to other had finished for example formerly by reaching this war of Seventy Y ears Who had devastated not only the areas but also the hearts of their inhabitants It had followed a return to barbarism  The word is not too strong Since as the fields had been burned reserves had been plundered the famine had reigned And leads the few survivors to cannibalism Only way for them not to die of hunger and  To try to start a new civilization Of Which one could date the beginning fr om t he abandonment of cannibalism Replaced by the consumption of animal meat From the moment that some animals were found wandering Become again wild but that it was possible to tame again As the monkey the dog the cat the rat the pigeon the turtle the bat Which now form the bulk of meat food  The three envoys were carefully chosen In the class of scholars of the Confederacy  They were three mandarins of high science and legal literature Renowned judges with advanced age with long experience But to avoid any pressure on them  Their names were kept secret  The counting of ballot conducted by dumb deaf and blind tellers As there were not many recount lasted long enough  The ballots of the candidates were provided with signs in the coded language of blind  They were the only ones able to decipher

Transcript of Chronicles of the empire of Dark Men : The Cross Roads

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 The cross-roads

It had been envisaged that they would meet at the cross-roadsOf the roads of Bernilatch Termivacht and Répomine.

One that would arrive in advance he would await the othersAn inn not far from the cross-roads of the three roads could accomodate them

It was of great importance that the emissaries of the three major areas of theconfederation

Are meeting in order to develop a new protocol concerning their relations.Admittedly the former protocol would continue to apply

So much it would not have been replaced 

But its insufficiencies made increasingly difficult the good mutual relationshipAnd one knew only too at what ended up driving accumulation of benign

incidents of whichOne adding to other had finished for example formerly by reaching this war of 

Seventy YearsWho had devastated not only the areas but also the hearts of their inhabitants

It had followed a return to barbarism The word is not too strong

Since as the fields had been burned reserves had been plundered the faminehad reigned

And leads the few survivors to cannibalism

Only way for them not to die of hunger and To try to start a new civilization

Of Which one could date the beginning from the abandonment of cannibalismReplaced by the consumption of animal meat

From the moment that some animals were found wanderingBecome again wild but that it was possible to tame again

As the monkey the dog the cat the rat the pigeon the turtle the batWhich now form the bulk of meat food

 The three envoys were carefully chosenIn the class of scholars of the Confederacy

 They were three mandarins of high science and legal literatureRenowned judges with advanced age with long experience

But to avoid any pressure on them Their names were kept secret

 The counting of ballot conducted by dumb deaf and blind tellersAs there were not many recount lasted long enough

 The ballots of the candidates were provided with signs in the coded languageof blind They were the only ones able to decipher

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In the northern region the too small number of tellers resultedA delay in the counting

What had awaked the mistrust of the two other areasWhich had begun to start negotiations of alliance to carry out the war

 That they suspected probable if not imminent

Under the pressure also of their respective guild of the defenders of peace

At the appropriate currency well knownSi vis pacem

Non solum para bellumSed etiam incipit also begin it

Because they assumed that the unexplained delay had no other cause That the will of the Northern Region to launch a lightning assault against them

for invadingBoth regions were about to lead the alliance and

Launch a defensive preventive offensive

When the good news arrived in the two capitals of Eastern and SouthernWhich announced that vote counting was completed in the North

It was ready to send its emissaryDetermining the meeting venue of the three emissaries had been lengthy talks

Decision was made that the three aforementioned incognito would meetAt the cross-roads of roads of Bernilatch Termivacht Répomine

 Then they would go together always incognito

First to Bernilatch administrative capital of the Eastern Region

 Then Termivacht administrative capital of the Northern RegionFinally Répomine administrative capital of the South

One had chosen the administrative capitals instead of economic capitals orpolitic capitals

For safety reasons

 The administrative capitals are known for their tranquility and absence of socommon disorders

In the economic capitals with any decision to increase the price of buckwheat

So common disorders in political capitals with any decision to increase taxesIt was anticipated that the negotiations would last in every city a few years

Maybe ten to revise Chapter I of the former protocolAs much to revise chapter II of the former protocol

More to revise longest Chapter IIIIt was thought that the three envoys would have sufficient and necessary time

to do it

 The first part of the negotiations would take place in Bernilatch Then the three envoys would travel to Termivacht to review all of the new

protocolFrom a different perspective temporally and geographically

If deficiencies or errors existed this different point of view would make it

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possible to correct them

Finally for the same reasons the three envoys would travel to RépomineIt was hoped that after all these years the protocol would be developed

 The three envoys would return to their meeting pointWhere solemnly they would disclose their identities

 They would give to the government envoys of the three regions the documentWhich would be transported with the utmost speed

 That is to say by these new compressed water vehicles prerogative of the threegovernments

Whose speed could go up to forty miles on time

Indeed it was forbidden for people to own or even use themNoise would run that kinds of compressed water collective vans would be put

into service To connect the cities

But it was only a rumor

One did not know on what date the three emissaries set off At most and as the results had been declared in end of year of Rat 6103 in

winterIt was assumed they had already been underway for several months

Since it was spring in the New Year of Monkey 6104

According to various steppings this year The first emissary who arrived at the cross-roads of the three roads was that of 

the Southern areaHe arrived early in the morningHe waited the two other emissaries until the evening

Since it seems they did not arrive that day The envoy of the Southern area went to the hostel of the three roads

 The opinions are not concurring if he was well the emissary of the Southernarea

According to some witnesses in the hostel he was the envoy of the Nord

For others he was the envoy of the Eastern Region

But nothing is certainBecause our judges was traveling incognito

 This character come in the evening to ask for a room was he indeed one of thethree emissaries

Its masterly aspect had let suppose itAlways it is that the following day it went to the place of rendezvous

It waited all the dayAll testimonies agree

He spent his time writing notes on a roll with his pen coalWhen night fell he returned to the inn where he slept

 The next day he returned The following days he continued his comings and goings

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 The morning towards the cross-roads The evening towards the inn

According to testimonies collected in subsequent years of dog and of monkeyinto 6105 into 6106

 The envoy who had taken a room for year continue

 To go well in the morning at the intersection but there remained moreSometimes he took the way of one of three routes walked until noon

 Then he returned in the evening at the innSometimes he took the way of another of the three roads walked until noon

then turned back

 The landlord decided to ask him what was his professionHe responded by putting his hands in successionOver his ears over his eyes finally on her mouth

More no one dared question him

 The testimonies of the years 6107 6108 6109 6110 diverge completelyInvestigators named by the governments of three regions

Worried because they had no news from their respective envoyCould manage to no certainty

Faint testimonies indicated that three masterly appearence menHad taken the road to Répomine

What was altogether reassuring because after all it was about three peopleBut why instead of taking the direction of Bernilatch

First city where they were to sit in to developing the protocol of peace betweenthe three regions

 Taking the way of RépomineInvestigators did not reach any satisfactory answer

 The governments of the three regions decided to extend the previous protocol

But little by little incidents multiplied that does not bode wellEspecially since the guilds of peace defense was shouting with the plot

And stirring up trouble among the citizensDisorders broke out in the three capitals in 6132

If despite the mystery of their disappearance which could be explained by theirincognito

And as not being really a mystery according to this fact otherwiseA concern exacerbated in them to avoid pressure

Why the year 6133 would not give birth at a nice surprise

Since as indicated by the official numerologists of the three regionsFigures for the year 6133 amounted to the beneficial number 13

Which is the number of phases of the sun in one day6 to reach the zenith 6 to go down it

 The zenith being the thirteenth stage of the inversion of the daily solar cycleWhich made possible the arrival of the night so the return of a new day

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tomorrow This number 13 was thus the keystone of the time because without it

 The time would be lost in an interminable day and the world would be dried out

Or would lose itself In an equally endless night

And the world instead of dryWould be frozen

 Thus in this year 6133 or as from this beneficial year The reappearance of the three judges with the new protocol was feasible

 This possibility allowed the governments To contain their guild of defenders of peace

And to develop a rigorous plan of investigation to find the three judgesWhat allowed years later to the investigators to arrive at some certainty

With new evidencesAnd new physical evidence gathered

For instance one had found there were several yearsA haggard stranger who had lost his memory

Was unable to explain who he wasWho had died in the hours following

Unfortunately badly buriedHis remains had been devoured by wild dogs

 The investigators had been unable to know if he was one of three emissaries

But very large presumptions left thinking it

Since it was known that the three emissaries had been selected among mosteminent

Of the well-read men legistsIt was probable that they were already of an age advanced at the time of their

electionIn particular one among them appears it which one said he had more than forty

years

Which could correspond to this unknown who lost memory

 The valuable testimony of an old lady indicated thatShe had seen several times at the cross-roads important characters

 That seemed to wait but never together

Depending on the day the months the years always different from one time toanother

But still a year to year the same ones who always waitedOnly

Writing during this wait on a roll with a coal pen

A last testimony that of the village idiot which of this fact was to be taken withprecaution

But was nevertheless interesting though confusedIndicated that when the idiot was returning from his fishing eels

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between themWere carried out before 152 years like he had tested in his accelerator ball

Finally geographers provided another element of considerable explanationIf one looked carefully the most recent charts

One saw that there was not only one but three cross-roads with for each a

different colorLikely to play the part of point of appointment

What the judges had understoodAs a first step according to witnesses it appeared they were waiting at a cross-

roads The arrival of the other two judges and a in second time not seeing them arrive They had ended up making the decision to go from this cross-roads to another

cross-roads

 There were three judges coming and goingFrom a cross-roads to a second then a third cross-roads and

Vice versa They had thus had to spend a long time before they met

 The testimony which revealed that three characters with masterly aspectHad been seen heading towards Répomine appeared itself to be a confirmation

about itBeing finally gathered after all these years of wandering they had decided to

goDirectly to Répomine without passing through Bernilatch nor Termivacht

Especially since all the testimonies confirmed That as they waited they did not remain inactive but were writing notes on

their rollerPresumably finally gathered by comparing their notes they have reached

agreement To estimate the new protocol was developed

But whether they had well reached RépomineWhy this silence

One last scruple of scrupulous judges would retain them far now to express

 That they had managed to finalize the new peace protocol

 Tempting situation which displeased to the members of leagues of defenders of peace

Who Argued the testimoniesOn the death of this old man found haggard not knowing more who he was

But who was in all likelihood one of the three judges reached by senility

Proponents of the hypothesis of a meeting of the three judges at RépomineChallenge this fact

Senile elderlyHaggard found along roadsides

It was a common occurrence especially in early winter

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During major holiday departures They were deliberately abandoned by their families

 Tired of supporting their burden in a hurry to receive their inheritance

 Those who adopt none of the two conjecturesProposed to elect new judges to resume

 This development work of a new protocolBut they were not dominant

Finally they had there those who pointed out That since the extension of old protocol

 The relationship between the three areas was become again rather trustfulIn spite of the lobbying of the guilds of defenders of peace

 That it was urgentNot to make an untimely decision

 To waitBesides if the three judges appeared after as many years of absence

Of peregrinations of reflection of sacrificesIt would be an affront to them

 Than knowing that a new commission of experts had been appointed To write a new protocol for peace

An affront all the more painful they had reached a great age wholly to theirtask

And if they were well in Répomine currently reviewing the last time the new

protocol They would realize that what was scrupule meticulousness carefulnessWas for their compatriots delay impotence indecision

 This review appeared at everybody relevantA referendum was proposed by governments with the following question

Do you think it is urgent to wait or is urgent not wait The urgency to wait prevailed handily

 The referendum was only consultative a commission of judges assembledissued a positive opinion

 The assemblies in turn consulted declared themselves for the yesWe waited the year 6151 beneficial year since the sum of its digits matched

the number 13 To give legal effect to the decision to wait

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