Whispers of a Dead Empire

"Well, that depends on you. You can either let them live freely, or you can try to exert some influence on them." His teeth clicked together as he spoke, bearing into me the gravity of his words.

I really didn't want to interfere with them. If it was up to me, I'd leave them alone, and I would want them to do the same, but alas, that was out of my control. We were stuck in this cruel cycle. "I suppose we can try to open up negotiations with them then. Though they are not like Redrick or Cato, it may be more difficult to sway them to our cause. But I'm still undecided on my path."

"A show of force than may do the trick then. Though it has to be orchestrated to put them more at ease. Perhaps you can manipulate a few of the ferals to attack them and then run in and rescue them." He stared at me, his blood-red eyes unblinking as they bore into me.

The thought of directly attacking them, though, made me feel weird. They were still human, or something close to it. But lately, everything has become more of a blur for me, and I'm not sure what was right or wrong anymore. It felt like everything I knew was slowly fading away. "Perhaps. I would prefer to keep everything somewhat peaceful. The less blood we spill, the better the results. I don't want to scare them away after all."

"That would be wise. They are touchy creatures indeed." He chittered quietly as he slowly nodded his head.

I wanted to be taken aback by the comment, but really, it made sense. As humans, we were prone to be hateful to things that we didn't understand. On top of being so firm in our beliefs that anything that differed from them, we viewed it negatively. "I'll think of a plan, and then from there, we can get back together and see what we can do, if even at all." I rested back in my chair and crossed my arms as I weighed the various thoughts at hand. There was so much to consider, and right now, I was in a fragile place. One wrong move and I risk losing everything that I've worked for.

"I understand. Also, before our meeting concludes, two people wish to speak to you. They have a special problem that they believe only you can solve."

I tore my gaze away from the ceiling and glanced at him. "Oh? What might that be, then?"

"Do you remember those other two adventures who visited here with Redrick? The male's name is Carter, and he wants to know if you can break a curse. I told him I would check with you about it. He said he would pay you well for your services." As he spoke, he waved his hand, and a small pouch appeared from the maw of his robe and fell onto the table with a heavy thud.

I reached forward, grabbed the pouch, and saw many spherical objects nestled into it. I rummaged through and saw that there were four. The first was roughly the size of my hand and gleamed in the light as a warmth radiated from deep within it. As my fingers ran across its glasslike surface, a fire seemed to come to life and quickly enveloped the interior, shifting it from a gloomy gray into a brilliant red as the fire quickly spread across its surface.

Common Fire Core: A core of compressed fire mana from a lesser salamander. The fire roars and struggles against its cage, desperate to be released.

Charge: 100%

The words floated across my vision as I held the orb, which only seemed to grow hotter. Not that it bothered me, I had a high heat tolerance. But I wouldn't risk anything. I set the core down on the table and wondered what I could use these things for. They could even be a ticket for me to use magic! I reached into the bag and withdrew another. The sphere was the darkest shade of blue I've ever laid my eyes on this time. The surface seemed to ripple, and it felt like small waves were traveling down the length of my fingers in a rhythmic, incessant motion that chased away the lingering heat from the fire core.

Common Water Core: A core of compressed water mana from a lesser thevean seahorse. The water within brings life, yet it is uncaring, like the ocean it came from and will drown any who disrespect it.

Charge 100%

So this was a water core, huh? The system keeps telling me it's a compressed mana core, which was self-explanatory. Perhaps mana is cultivated the same way I cultivate my soul and my Ki. There really was so much that I had no clue about. Really, it made me feel a little uneasy, but each little helped. The question is, what do I use these for?

I reached back into the bag and withdrew an orb that seemed to glitter like the night sky. Tiny sprinkles of light lay plastered across a surface of a strange hybrid of purple and blue. It wasn't quite violet, nor was it indigo. Just a strange blend that looked otherworldly. As it sat in the palm of my hand, it felt as if a force was pressing it downwards. At first, it wasn't enough to bother me, yet the longer that I held it, the heavier it seemed to become.

Common Gravity Core: A core of compressed gravity mana from a gravitronic mylar. A force shrouded in mystery yet is a fundamental force of creation. Be wary, for it is unforgiving of friend, foe, and self.

Charge:100%

Huh, so gravity is considered a variant of magic here? That was interesting. I know on Earth, no one had any idea what caused gravity. There was speculation and many theories but no definitive answers. Honestly, I wonder just how much the law of physics differs here. Perhaps I could use that to my advantage.

I reached back into the bag and grabbed the last of the orbs. This time it was a grey orb, with smudges of white that seemed to crawl lazily across its surface. Slight breezes of wind gently traced the lengths of my fingers as I clasped the orb.

Common Air Core: A core of compressed air mana from a Carinthian belamosa. The air within lazes about, at least until its fury is provoked.

Charge 100%

This really wasn't a bad haul. It was just a matter of figuring out what to do with them and how to use them. I carefully gathered everything back up and placed the bag to the side. "Kharon, what do I use these for?"

"Mana cores function as a focal point for mana. However, they are limited in use and can be recharged; however, they can never be upgraded to the next tier." He clicked his teeth once more than he spoke, and his red eyes seemed to fade slightly.

So in a way, they function as batteries? That's pretty cool. They will definitely come in handy for tests. "I see. Well, thank you. Tell Carter that I will be unavailable for the time being. However, you are welcome to help him." I grabbed the bag and placed it under my desk as I tried to think of immediate use for it, but sadly, I came up short.

"I will inform him. I believe that is all that has to be discussed for now. Call me when you have figured out the plan for the outpost." He stood up and gave me a bow.

I pursed my lips and nodded. "Stay safe out there, Kharon." A part of me wished he would stick around longer, but there was so much that needed to be done. One day, I suppose, but not today.

He gave me one last nod as he drew his hood over his head and vanished in a muted display of light, leaving me in my office with the two girls. I turned my attention to Alessia and saw that Nyx was still passed out on her lap, snoring quietly. "So Alessia, tell me about the Praetorians. What have I been missing?"

"Well, I reformed them and introduced new ranks into the structure. Neophyte is still the lowest tier, next to private and sergeant. Above that is a lieutenant, and then I introduced the commander rank, with myself as the general." She whispered to not wake Nyx as she slowly stroked her hair. That damn child is going to be so spoiled.

But I'm glad that Alessia is taking the initiative and correcting anything that may be a problem. This is precisely why I wanted to make someone govern over the military. At the end of the day, I want everything to be run like a well-oiled machine. "I see. Tell me about the current formation of the guard and any changes that may have occurred."

"Well, it's currently split into four divisions. The first is the hoplite division, which acts as a defensive unit. The next is the vanguard, which operates with the knights and other troops that will not function well in a defensive setting. Next up is the assassination division, which is self-explanatory. The final one is the palatine guard, which is a restricted unit that only operates within the palace walls and only answers to you or myself."

That is very interesting. The guard is now fragmented, yet they seem to operate with a military capacity outside of a select unit of bodyguards. It was something far more significant than when I first imagined it. Perhaps when I create the Warmaster, I can further reform the military and make it something that I can indeed be proud of. There truly was so much that needed to be done.