The Red Hand

"So let's get back to what started this whole tangent. Why use the Dark Elves? You said they're resistant to an illness it causes?" Akagi hadn't detected any kind of radiation or other dangers from Halifax's blade that would indicate it was toxic or otherwise hazardous.

"The details are beyond me, but Heavenly Ore causes anyone who mines it for too long to weaken before eventually dying." Halifax shrugged. "I call it an illness because that's just what it reminds you of. Mine if for to long, you get sick and slowly wither away."

{That sounds a lot like...} (Akagi)

"Hey, is it possible that it's...." Yumi said, whispering to Akagi.

"Yeah, it's probably a kind of radiation." Akagi nodded.

"Radiwhat?" Halifax didn't know what that term meant.

"This is highly oversimplified but radiation is energy that's emitted by certain things. If enough of it is absorbed by the body it will eventually damage it and lead to death." Akagi explained, giving a cut down and abridged description of the phenomena. "Most likely what is happening is those exposed are succumbing to radiation poisoning, and/or cancer."

{This ore seems more like Thorianite in that's is dangerous to mine. Though perhaps it's more like electromagnetic radiation in how quickly it results in death due to overexposure. Either way that would line up with the symptoms described.} (Akagi)

"I've heard that high levels of ambient magic can cause sickness in weaker people, so maybe this ore has that kind of property." Yumi noted that she'd heard stories of peasnets getting sick when they ventured into certain more monster infested areas due to high levels of natural magic in the environment. "If it kills people who mine it for too long, and if it's naturally magically conductive, then that would make sense."

"Do we have any examples of this ore in our labs?" Akagi asked Nima, knowing full well the answer was no.

"I... I'm so sorry, my Lord. I will rectify this error immediately." Nima said, falling to her hands and knees as she prostrated herself. "It is inexcusable for us to have made such a blunder. Please forgive me."

“Hmmm...” Akagi hummed in thought, undecided on how to proceed.

"It's not really a big deal though." Halifax interceded, trying to take some heat off the Cat. "Heavenly Ore is just a special mineral. While it's true that it's useful for weapons and armor, it's really not that important. Controlling the supply doesn't mean you'll control Enoris or something, and nobody uses it for anything more than vanity items or special magical projects."

{And at this point I don't even know which of those two I qualify as.} (Halifax)

"Its usefulness will be something I determine, not you and not the people of this world." Akagi replied bluntly. "Besides the Ondai clan's primary mission is intelligence gathering and while I don't expect them to find out everything, something like a special ore like this should've at least had a line or two somewhere in their reports. Had it been just a mention as a rare resource with unknown properties that would've sufficed, that I am hearing of this only now means that a failure at the highest level has occurred. Not to mention that if they missed this then it means they may have missed something else. Something more important than an ore."

{Any intelligence failure can be catastrophic and while I'm not so harsh as to require perfection I want something damn near close to it. It doesn't take much to bring the whole thing crashing down around us after all.} (Akagi)

"Though, now that I think about it, this technically falls on Yumi." Akagi said, causing the Priestess to flinch. "As Head of Intelligence, it is your responsibility to oversee the Ondai and ensure they don't make this kind of mistake.” She continued. “ Therefore you will stay after with Nima as well and we will discuss what adjustments are to be made going forward." She said, side eyeing the Priestess. "The proverbial buck stops with you and do not think I'll let you off easily just because you're my Squishy. Understood?"

"Y-Yes..." Yumi said, nervously.

{Doesn't it technically stop with you since you're Yumi's boss?} (Halifax)

"Good, then the first step to correcting this failure will be to gather up as much information on said ore as possible. I want to know where it comes from, how much is mined annually, who the big players in the trade are, and of course I want some of it for analysis." Akagi listed off her demands. "I already intend to head to the Dwarven Kingdom soon, so please have a full report ready for then."

"H-How long until you intend to depart?" Yumi asked with a bit of sweat on her forehead, hoping they would have plenty of time to prepare.

"I intend to leave in about two to three weeks, but I want this report on my desk in forty-eight hours." Akagi said, her words causing both Nima and Yumi to panic at the thought of such a tight timeline. "Is that enough time?" She asked, not actually wanting a debate over it.

"O-Of course." (Yumi x Nima)

"Excellent. I look forward to reading it." Akagi smirked. “Don't hesitate to ask for an extension if you need it.”

{NO WAY!} (Yumi x Nima)

"You said your next stop is the Dwarves, what's the point of going there next?" Halifax asked, recalling a discussion prior about her plans with them once before. "They're kind of out of the way and don't interact with the surface much. Do you have some kind of business with them?"

"Don't act like I've only got nasty plans in my head! I merely plan on extending my hand out in peace, friendship, and trade!" Akagi replied, her mouth still contorted into a nasty smirk. "What's wrong with visiting them? After all, I'm quite interested in discussing technology and seeing how their Runecraft stacks up against the version of it I know."

In FWO a blacksmith could engrave runes of power onto an item that would provide buffs and other benefits. Unlike enchantments, they did not require elaborate rituals or magic formations to power their intended ability. This meant that they were far easier to create and rendered them immune to magical disruption effects. However, even the best Runesmiths in FWO couldn't hope to match the raw power of enchantment, and thus it was an uncommon ability at best.

"Runecrafting isn't really something most people care about on Enoris." Halifax noted that she'd only seen a handful of non Dwarves use it over her entire life. "The Dwarves are really the only ones that practice it, largely because most of their race doesn't have much affinity with magic. And besides, enchanting is far better if you ask me. Sure it's more expensive, but a properly enchanted blade will always cut better than one imbued with Rune Magic."

{I've messed about with both over the years and I really just don't see the value in Runes. Sure they're a bit more sturdy and make mass production easier, but I'd say that enchantments still come out on top.} (Halifax)

"Perhaps, but I'm interested in seeing it for myself." Akagi shrugged. "Not to mention that I've heard tales of other interesting inventions your Dwarves have created. They're always an industrious folk and I'd like their cooperation and expertise going forward. Merging science and technology is one of the fundamental cornerstones of the future I intend to build and I'll need more hands if I'm to make it work."

{I've heard tale that their capital is basically a wonder of the world, and from a few snippets Halifax mentioned once before its has technology not that far removed from Earth's. She even mentioned something about an experimental iron cart which she compared to cars.} (Akagi)

"Dwarves are always a hardy lot." Marshal said as he tapped the bracer on his wrist. "We traded with them for weapons and armor all the time. My gear was always Dwarven made and it outclassed anything the finest Imperial smiths could make. If we could get them on board it would dramatically increase our production quality."

"Indeed, even my Father had a begrudging respect for them." Kira agreed. "The jewelry they created for him had a special place in his collection. I believe that our forces would be bolstered by their cooperation. However..."

"They're not likely to join the Demon Lord's ever-expanding Empire without good reason." Akagi finished for her. "But I don't think that's going to be an issue. I've already put the pieces in place and it's only a matter of time until the Dwarves beg me for protection."

{Not to mention that I believe they'll be quite interested in a technological cooperation agreement based on what Halifax told me. By her count hasn't been to their Capital in about fifty years but she mentioned that every time she came back it was always more advanced. I'd wager they'll bite at the bait I dangle in front of them, especially if it makes their Rune crafting more viable.} (Akagi)

"What did you do this time?" Halifax asked with a sigh, knowing the kitty too well to presume it was only doing nice things. "Blow up their cities? Poison their water supply? Burn their Crops? Put a plague on their houses?"

"No, but I could if you want me to!" Akagi snickered. "I'm merely intending to take advantage of a small predicament they seem to find themselves in, that's all."

"Predicament?" Halifax asked with a raised eyebrow. “What kind?” She couldn't imagine the Dwarves could get themselves in a situation they couldn't get out of with their technology.

"I've heard word through the grapevine that the Dwarves dug too deeply and greedily and are now being punished by monsters too terrible to have their names spoken aloud." Akagi said, her word choice being a reference that none in the group would understand. "Word on the street is that several Holds have fallen and they're trying their very best to hold off the endless swarm of monsters that came from deep below the mountains. Its looking more and more like their tragic end unless a Hero like me shows up to aid them in their hour of need!"

"Did they come across Valukar?!?" Halifax yelped in surprise as she processed what Akagi had just told her. "But I thought we wiped out the last of those things during the war with Mr. Quakers! Are there still more out there?!?" She groaned

{There's that name again... How can something so stupid be said with such seriousness?} (Akagi)

“Damn you, Mr. Quakers. You truly were my greatest foe.” Halifax hissed. “Even all these years later your evil still haunts the world.”

At the Divine Blade's comment, Akagi gave a knowing look to the others, instructing them not to correct any misunderstandings about the situation.

"I-I can't say for certain. What do these Valukar look like? And what exactly are they?" Akagi asked, taking mental notes so that Alice could change up what her monsters looked like so as to better match Halifax's expectations.

{AND WHAT IS THIS DUCK?!? I REALLY NEED TO KNOW BUT I FEEL THAT IF I ASK I LOSE!} (Akagi)

"Ah yeah, you wouldn't know about them. Valukar were an ancient type of Demon created as little more than living war machines." Halifax said with disgust as she recalled the monsters. "They predate me by eons and were made by the Archdukes during the Great War between the Gods and Demons waaaaaaay in the past. They can vary in size and shape but generally they've got large, muscular bodies with bat like wings on their back. I've seen some as tall as mountains and they almost always control some kind of elemental magic." She said that Elariel could provide more information on them since she'd been around during said war.

{A war between Heaven and Hell, let's add that to the Bingo card. Also, suspiciously alive monsters from said war, check. Copyright violation for said monsters too, check.} (Akagi)

"Are they dangerous?" Akagi asked about their power level and how they stacked up against her. "The way you're talking makes it seem as though they're a difficult opponent."

"Taking strictly about the most powerful class of Valukar in a one-on-one fight, I'll win." Halifax said while waffling her hand back in forth to indicate things weren't exactly straight forward. "Same with two on one, but fighting three reduces my odds down to around sixty-six percent, four turns into a coin toss and any more than that becomes nearly impossible.” She explained that their strength was far more than average people could handle and that only Demi-Gods or beings stronger could the most powerful ones. “There are also weaker Valukar that are much smaller, the most common are around the size of a giant, and those are far more manageable for mortals. For example, when we fought against the unending tide of evil that was Mr. Quaker's Black Crusade he had four that acted as his elite bodyguard and while it wasn't an easy fight it was far better than fighting four mountain sized monster. Funny enough we never could figure out where he got them, only that they must've been asleep deep beneath the earth in the darkest parts of the Under."

{Mr. Quackers' Black Crusade... HOW MUCH STUPIDER IS THIS GOING TO GET?!? AND DAMMIT IF I DON'T WANT TO KNOW!} (Akagi)