A thousand miles from Numen in the middle of a lush grassy plain, lay the city of Sedaton. Sedaton is the largest capital city within the 5 kingdoms of Amrak boasting a population of over 20 million, and the place where Basil and General Yates began their journey just 2 months ago. Inside the stone wall castle of the city lived King Dartmon. Dartmon was a bearded, dark-haired man of average height and slightly above average build, around the age of 45, though if you glanced at him, you would have not thought he was a day over 30. Was he naturally youthful? Hardly. The truth of the matter is life ore could do more than just cure disease. It was a far more versatile element. Even the complications of father time could be ignored with the cast of a spell. There he stood in the treasure room where he tossed in a bag of fresh life ore crystals just retrieved by some soldiers in the Tymon Mountains. He looked upon his stash of life ore and began talking to his advisor Ovan, a tall, bald, athletic middle-aged man.
"Ovan, how many years do you think I can live eternally youthful with this stash here?"
"If you were to use up all of it, I'd wager 200 years."
"Amazing," Dartmon laughed, "And the Wolan mines have an infinite supply of this stuff."
"Well, we can't be sure it's truly infinite, but that is what the pigeon messages reported."
"They really do keep their secrets well don't they? How honorable. Still, any man will spill secrets in the face of a sword to their neck… or their loved ones."
"Of course your majesty, but the ones that know where the mines are formed a pack to never have a family. I imagine torture and execution threats might not be the most effective method."
"But King Scon does, and he has a daughter he cares about more than his entire kingdom. He'll talk."
"That's the plan, your majesty. I have received reports that General Yates has made it all the way to the capital."
"He's never disappointed me, not even once," Dartmon replied grinning, "If the mines are as plentiful as the rumors say, then he is certainly someone that must remain eternally young as well."
He turned to his advisor.
"And I must applaud you as well Ovan, your plan worked absolutely perfectly."
"I'm honored your majesty," Ovan said bowing, "I do whatever I can for your personal interest. They will always align with my own"
"Even so, I did not expect something so cunning from a man born in Belvon. Perhaps the prospect of eternal youth is appealing to you as well?"
A small smirk appeared on Ovan's face.
"Like I said your majesty, my own interests will always align with yours."
"Good," the king said grabbing one of the life ore crystals and tossing it to Ovan.
"What's this for your majesty?"
"A reward for the conquest of the Wolan Kingdom and an infinite supply of life ore, this whole campaign would not have been possible if not for your plan that set everything in motion."
Ovan took the life ore crystal and placed it into his pocket.
"I thank you, sir, I wish to stay as your advisor for all of eternity."
"Good," the king said starting to exit the room, "make sure the new biomage is obedient. Otherwise… do to him as we did to Lavender."
"Very well your majesty," Ovan replied quickly following him out of the room.
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Back in Numen, General Yates, Basil, and King Scon sat around an ivory table surrounded by soldiers from both kingdoms.
"So, you will tell us where the mines are then?" General Yates asked beginning the conversation. Despite the offerings of the best wine in Wolan, the general could not be bothered to even lift up his wine cup.
"That's correct; I personally will lead you on horseback to the locations of the mines deep in the Tymon Mountains," King Scon said getting up, "all I ask is for the mercy of my people."
General Yates, however, did not move from his spot and simply stared at Scon.
"King Scon, I take you to be a very reasonable man, perhaps the most reasonable man in all of Amrak. You have been more than fair in accepting our requests for a steady supply of life ore for over 2 decades."
"Well… it's not like I had a choice."
"Ah well, that is true. But still, you mustn't be greedy you know. Life ore is an element that is beneficial to all kingdoms of Amrak, why should it only be used by one kingdom? Despite the ore only originating here in your kingdom, there are biomages around all of Amrak who can utilize its magic to cast spells. Basil's sister Lavender was one of the greatest in our kingdom. She healed thousands of sickly and injured using its magic. Who knows how many lives were saved and bettered as a result?"
"I'm sure she was a great woman,"
"And yet your diplomat murdered her!" Yates shouted slamming down his fist on the table knocking over his wine glass, "so what right do you have to ask for mercy?"
"I told you already, that's not possible. Crazen would… Crazen would never do something like that, especially to someone who is as kind as you describe her to be."
"And yet the evidence from Sedaton does not lie! He was the only one walking with her along Lake Sedimon that day. He even admits to doing so himself. And when they found him lying asleep next to the lake the next day, they only found Lavender's bracelet in his hand. And despite searching everywhere in the kingdom for her, not a trace of Lavender could be found. The only conclusion we can say then is that Crazen pushed her into the lake drowning her to death."
"How can you prove that if you weren't there?" Scon snapped, "And you've already killed Crazen, what more revenge do you want?"
"It's not enough, you Wolan scum have hoarded life ore that belongs to all of Amrak for far too long."
Yates leaned in onto the table and stared directly into Scon's eyes.
"And as I said before, I take you to be a reasonable man. And I take myself to be a reasonable man as well. And like any reasonable man, I have already had the soldiers search most of the Tymon Mountains. There we have been able to find a few caves full of life ore."
"You had no right to do that," Scon replied, "but since you have already done so, what need do you have for me? Just let my city go."
"Ahhhh but I feel something is a bit… off you know. Now I had to confirm this with lord Emerald, our commerce manager from Voon. You know how those guys are, they're quite pompous but their counting is never off by even a penny. And he told me that the mines we found could not possibly contain all of the life ore your kingdom owns. After all, you give 100 pounds of crystals to each of the great kingdoms, well, outside Belvon of course. Still don't know what their deal is but that's beside the point. In all these caves we found combined, Emerald reported to me there were only about 50 pounds of life ore crystals."
Yates paused for a moment and started counting on his fingers.
"Now I'm a general, not a mathematician, but if I add this up correctly, then if you transport 100 pounds of life ore to the other kingdoms each year, that equates to 300 pounds of life ore. Something's not adding up here."
"I don't know what you're talking about, you Farnons and the other kingdoms bully us into giving you ore every single year, that's all that's left. Take the rest and leave us in peace."
"We should just kill him," Basil said beginning to draw his sword, "all the life ore in the world can't bring my sister back."
"Hold it hold it, Basil," Yates said holding his hand down, "Remember, your sister was not one to resort to violence. She was a healer before anything else. Even if you can't forgive these Wolans, you must think about what she wants. And she would want as few people dead as possible."
"Yeah… yeah you're right," Basil replied lowering his sword.
"That said…"
Yates looked back at Scon,
"To save the maximum amount of people, one must have as much life ore as possible. After all, unless we talk about the ones that are fully dead, anyone in this world can be healed with life ore. And if what Emerald said is correct, I don't know if I can believe that the life ore in the caves of Tymon Mountains are the only ones you have."
"You can threaten me all you want, take my life or torture me even. I can't give you what isn't there. The Tymon Mountain caves are the only place where life ore exists and you are free to take all of it."
"Well, how honorable of you," Yates replied, "it's too bad… you're a terrible liar Scon."
He turned to the guards standing next to him.
"Bring her in."
At the order, a cold sweat ran down Scon's neck.
"He… her? Who… who are you bringing in?"
"Now I noticed, your majesty that when I first entered this royal palace, someone was missing; a quite annoying presence during our past negotiations. I say, did you ever teach your daughter manners? All she does is shout whenever important matters are being discussed."
"I… I don't know what you're talking about, Lapis is currently sent away to study in Kamil."
"You really do need to stop this little habit of lying Scon, it's very unbecoming for a respectable man like yourself to do. But I suppose we all make compromises when it comes to those close to us."
"Mmmmm Mmmmmmmm!"
Coming through the door of the negotiation room being held by two of Yate's soldiers in full metal plate armor, kneeled the blue-haired princess still wearing her fur coat and red robe. Her hands were tied up with rope and her mouth had been wrapped with a bandage to prevent talking.
"Lapis! What… what happened?"
"Now you know, as a military general, I need to be prepared for all kinds of situations ahead of time. You see, the army of Farnon happens to have several scouting units. Well, it just so happens that one of our scouting units found a couple of lost horseback merchants riding out of the city before our army arrived. Well, that isn't too weird with a possible battle incoming, everyone wants to live, don't they? Still, can't be too safe, it could be anyone riding on horseback. So the scout unit walked up to the 2 merchants. And to their surprise, there was a young lady there already tied up with… what was his name again? I believe he was at a few meetings too, Cohen was it?"
Yates looked back sternly at King Scon.
"And now imagine my surprise when the scouts told me the same brat that had interrupted so many of our past negotiation meetings, was also the one gift wrapped to us and already tied up in rope. She must be troublesome for you as well. What kind of princess needs her own father to tie her up to be sent away peacefully? You're a reasonable man like I said, I'm sure you were sending her away for her own safety.
"I'll… I'll talk," Scon replied dejectedly, "just don't hurt Lapis; she's all I have left in this world."
"But of course, as I said to Basil, we are trying to honor the loving memory of Lavender after all. The fewer people who need to die, the better. "
He then turned to Basil who had been listening to the conversation with an intense expression.
"Basil, while I talk further with the king, could you keep an eye out on Lapis? We'll just keep you two in the throne room while Scon here and I continue our negotiations. She's quite pretty when she shuts her mouth so try not to be seduced."
"I would never fall for Wolan scum," Basil replied getting up and walking towards Lapis accompanying her with the soldiers out of the room.
"Let's go,"
"Good… good," Yates said as he watched them leave. He turned back to King Scon, "now then your majesty, shall the real negotiations begin?