"The incursions continue."

"Yeah. And Sheo had me talk to the Duke and Duchess of Mania and Dementia to 'understand madness' better - he's acting weird. Doesn't want to talk to you guys, just told me that the next thing was lighting the 'Flame of Agnon' way up in Cylarne, the old capital in Mania. Apparently Dementia and Mania are fighting over whose name it gets lit in, and he wants me to pick a side. Help just one of them win."

"Hm. That seems... odd. Does it have to be dedicated to or the other?"

"I don't know, but it'd be - a design choice, if it was?"

"Well. Shall we make our way up and think it over on the way?"

She nods. "It's the same road we came in on, most of the way." And onward?

Onward.

"I assume lighting the flame is somehow symbolic?"

"Yeah. It's meant to give hope to the people, apparently, though I think it might also help strengthen the defenders."

"They could use it," she says, looking at the repeated cloud.

"Maybe it'll chaos things up a bit."

The land they're passing grows increasingly crystalline and regular as they get farther from the city - a stark contrast from the area they passed through on the way in. Still, there's a mild drop in order as they get closer to their destination.

"I'm slightly tempted to start blasting some of these crystals."

"Might actually help!"

Then she'll try a few cantrips against the next one they come across.

They're pretty breakable! And that seems to destroy some of the creeping order around them.

Ah, excellent.

Glint laughs and starts shooting off fireballs and bolts of lightning at crystals they pass.

Fun for the whole family.

They're approached by a scout shortly outside of Cylarne, in the golden raiment of a fighter of Mania.

"What's going on here?" Glint asks.

"We're being pressed by the Demented," the woman says, voice clipped. "If you're reinforcements, we could use your help. If not, stay out of our way."

"Why the fighting, though, especially with Order encroaching? Doesn't everyone, Manic or Demented, need hope right now?" Glint continues, eyes narrowing a bit.

"The Demented will do things wrong!" the woman says, grip tightening on her sword's hilt. "They always do. They're not the hope we need."

"Well, I've got orders from above. For both sides," Glint says, shrugging. "Can you get the generals into a room together?"

The scout shakes her head. "Never. But I'll let my general know you want to talk to her."

Glint sighs. "Well, I'll work with what I've got. You go do that, and I'll find a Demented scout to pass on the same message, how about?"

The woman nods, slowly, and slinks back into the undergrowth.

Once she's very gone, Glint says, "I want to find a way to unite the sides. This fighting's dumb."

"Internecine squabbling. Smash their heads together until their eyes clear."

"Very subtle," Eliana murmurs.

"Politicking takes time, which we are somewhat short on."

She laughs. "Honestly the fastest and dirtiest way to do this would be conquering both sides. Technically only the Duchies are taken over by murdering your predecessor - which is also stupidly wasteful - but we could probably swing being terrifying at everyone present enough they quiet down."

"I like that plan."

"'Murder promotions' it is, then!" she chirps, grinning. "Hm... Mania values poison as the ideal method, Dementia knives... Think we should do this stealthily, step up when both generals are dead for the credit and the challenge?"

"We could knife the Manic and poison the Demented. In the interest of balance."