No One Must Talk About It

It is on some people's lips: the one rule. Some say it goes a bit like this: "No one must talk about it". That's it, that's the only rule. The One Rule, forged in fire and blood by a strong alliance of nations who truly believed that might makes right.

Yet people kept talking about it all. How couldn't they? The pact behind the One Rule was too fierce. Too thirsty for absolute domination, it made itself known to the entire world. Such is the way of the conqueror. Soon, all folded. An eternal night for the defeated, while the Iron Pact basked in its manmade dawn.

And so they ruled. With an iron hand, drapped in an iron gauntlet. No one must talk about it. But the conquered had only "it" in its mind. In shadow, the inevitable happened: what is not free will eventually crave freedom. And if freedom is not given, rebellion will ensure.

And thus, the conquered developped its own rule, which they did talk about a whole lot: "What goes around, comes around". After night comes day. The sun was bound to set on the Iron Pact.

No one must talk about it. The inevitable downfall, the sunset of empires, the birth of new alliances - new opportunities. Liberators rise from the ashes of their devastated nations. Sword and shield in hand, they create a new world order - one in which they play the role of the savior. An eye for an eye, and because the world is already blind, to the liberators, the past conquerors must then become the conquered.

No such thing as liberators. Only new conquerors. Maybe it is the rule of conflict.

The One Rule still stands, even though everybody knows what not to talk about. It is a shield, guarding a crumbling fortress.

But through blood, game recognises game. Ambition meets ambition, and bonds are forged in battle. Allies become friends. Friends become brothers.

The Iron Pact is not named after the steel of their weapons - it is based on the links of the chain that binds all conquerors who do not hide behind false values of hope and freedom. The Iron Pact recognises that might truly makes right, and if they are not the strongest anymore, then they must vanish in the flames and rubbles of their once great dominion. Only to rise again. And burn it all to the ground.

The One Rule keeps the Iron Pact alive, even during hardships. As now, after the armour of the conqueror has shed, there only remains brotherhood. One that smells of Iron - the blood of their enemies, past, present and future. Forever.

No one must talk about the Basterds.