Reina had said something about grabbing her bag from her room, so the two transported quickly to the third floor. As she stepped off the plate, she spat on it.

“[color=d8cfbe]I mean, look at those portals! I know they say that they can’t replicate them, but surely Alarick’s hiding something about teleportation. Think of the trade opportunities! From what I can tell, there isn’t a mana cost associated with transporting things further, so why don’t they move the plates and make an instantaneous teleport system? I asked the monks and even sent a letter to the Queen; those plates [i]have been moved before.[/i] It’s all this damned tradition. It’s getting in the way of true progress. Why, if we could devote a third of the energy the South spends on wyvern racing and petty politics into research, we might not even be in this situation! But noooo, everyone has to dispute about houses this and lords that.[/color]”

Melodia simply smirked and nodded as Reina began her rant about the stupidities about the South - all of which were justified. “[color=thistle]Maybe I should have some of my men sneak down the border and feed some of the southern pigs bacteria that’s been dug up. I’m sure it’ll kill a few thousand before the cause is found out.[/color]” 

The two began to walk down the hall, turning the corner to the corridor where all of the lords’ rooms were. A loud crash accompanied the unmistakable shape of a human bursting through a door and into a room. Their face was obscured, the side that Reina and Melodia could see covered by something black, though the blond hair that followed was unmistakable. The muscles, too. For whatever reason, the man was running into his room wearing nothing but his underclothes. When the technologist lords walked past the doorway, the door was closed and its holes filled with thick layers of ice. The surrounding carpet was completely soaked.

Melodia’s words of death threats and villainous mastermind were not hollow, the girl’s eyes held a deep purpose within them. She had thought about stuff like this often, and elaborately. The scurrying wetman that had soaked the ground caught Melodia’s attention mid-thought however, causing her maw to open wide and her posture to relax - so much so that she quickly fell to her knees. 

“[color=thistle]Who — was — that?[/color]” Unphased by the tumble she had taken, Melodia snapped her sights directly to Reina with undivided attention.

“[color=d8cfbe]Oh, I think that was the Immolis child- Cedric, I believe. He was forsaken his title by his father, if I recall correctly.” Reina offered a hand to help Melodia up. “See? That whole Immolis succession fiasco just proves my point. All this dispute about who’s the lord and who’s the heir and making an entirely new house, it’s all so pointless! Look at the amount of energy just [i]wasted[/i] on it.[/color]”

Melodia at this point seemed to emote a different type of unhinged, eyes were widened painfully and staring into Reina’s soul.  “[color=thistle]I’d like to waste a lot of energy on that specimen — anyway[/color].” She cleared her throat and pressed her dainty right hand against the floor below attempting to push herself back to her feet. Futile, as she made it halfway up before her legs gave out and fell right back onto her rear. “[color=thistle]Damned body—.[/color]” She lashed out quietly under her breath.

Reina stepped back and hoisted Melodia up by the armpits, rather like how a parent would lift a child. “[color=d8cfbe]Let’s go back to the great hall. It’s okay if we don’t visit the laboratory.[/color]”

“[color=thistle]No-no-no, I wanna go to the lab with you so you can tell me what exactly you’ve been working on. If you tell me the juicy details, I’ll share my own — bet your ass my developments are better.[/color]” She huffed out like an angered child as Reina helped her back to her feet. As her words spewed out she winked her left eye at Reina, all the while simultaneously drawing out her retractable cane and extending it back to the ground. Pretty soon she’d need a wheelchair, thankfully Vati existed to push her around when that happened.

Reina didn’t look too convinced, but she nodded anyway. “[color=d8cfbe]Alright, if you’re sure.[/color]” They reached her room. “[color=d8cfbe]I’ll be right back- just have to grab my bag.[/b{” She went in and retrieved a large black suitcase. Melodia could see a study 10-number combination lock holding it together. “[color=d8cfbe]Let’s head to the lab.[/color]”

As they passed by the Immolis’s room again, they caught a glimpse of the two brothers. Their backs were turned to the door. Cedric seemed to be fully dressed now. It was hard to hear through the door, but they were muttering to each other about something. Ruel's occasional high-pitched whines were hard to miss. The view through the ice wasn't completely clear, but it looked like a lot of the room was frozen too. The work of Ruel's ice gate, no mistake, but to what end?

“[color=d8cfbe]What power. It breaks the laws of physics, you know that?[/color]” Reina muttered.

“[color=thistle]Magic is dated. Technology will eventually overcome its capabilities in every way, now melding the two - that’s the real brainbuster.[/color]” Melodia quietly tuned to Reina, using her free hand to gently tap her temple as they made their advance. Though she would sneak a peek into the room, squinting her eyes to manage a glimpse of Cedric as they passed on by.

“[color=thistle]Fancy briefcase you’ve got there. Anything that important shouldn’t be near the border, at least by my standards.[/color]” Mel shrugged, veering her eyes over to the important looking construction - take time to glance at the lock more than anything.

“[color=d8cfbe]It’s not as important as it looks. Most people who look at it won’t get it, anyway. Plus, the suitcase is made so that destroying the lock or the shell will destroy the materials within.[/color]” Reina heft the case. “[color=d8cfbe]Arthur came up with the idea.[/color]”

Melodia rolled her eyes at the mention of Arthur, nodding the words away nonetheless in understanding of Reina’s precautions. “[color=thistle]Well if it’s important enough to be destroyed, I’d still probably keep it holed up in my dungeon. But I won’t speak further of it, after all, you bringing it here means that I get to see it![/color]” She flashed a smile at Reina, her free hand resting beneath her chin to gesture an exaggerated expression of happiness.

But she was excited. There weren’t many minds out there as bright as Reina, the two of them were cut from the same cloth - to a degree. Similar upbringings brought the girls up to be inquisitive minds that delved into studies untouched by many. But where Melodia wouldn’t allow social acceptance to hinder her research, Reina had more resources to her disposal - which set the two on different paths in their studies.

[hider=For non-metagamers ONLY!]They teleported to the lab. Once again, Melodia felt the sheer weirdness of the system run through her body. Thankfully, she didn’t feel dizzy this time through.

The laboratory was stark white, and far more advanced than one would expect out of a building in southern territory. The floors were polished to a squeaky shine, and proper fluorescent lights bathed the room in a familiar glow. On one side, rows of chemical equipment lined the counters, along with several microscopes and various measuring implements. On the other, several [i]computers[/i] hummed softly, their systems waiting on standby.

In the middle of the room stood Arthur Kothlin, fiddling with his powersuit. He had it hooked up by cable to one of the computers. Lines of code ran past on the screen as he adjusted various parts of the suit with a multitool. His back was turned, so all the two could see was his messy dark hair and muscled physique.

Reina made an expression akin to a child being told they couldn’t experiment with their father’s car, which was exactly what had happened the last time Melodia saw it. “Arthur. What are you doing?”

He turned. His bespectacled visage broke into a smile. “[color=d8cfbe]Reina! And is that you, Melodia? I don’t believe I’ve seen you since… uh… a very long time![/color]”

“[color=d8cfbe]What are you doing here? Only those with express permission from the Queen can be in the lab,[/color]” said Reina. She set the briefcase down.

“[color=d8cfbe]Ah, well, there weren’t any restrictions on where you could go, and I needed to do a check-up, so…[/color]” He smiled. “[color=d8cfbe]Just pushed in some favor, and boom![/color]”

“[color=d8cfbe]The Queen’s going to be mad.[/color]”

“[color=d8cfbe]The Queen isn’t [i]coming.”[/i][/color]

Reina’s jaw dropped. Melodia had never seen the woman so surprised before.

[color=thistle]“You expected otherwise? Not with a title like [i]Mage Queen[/i], Reina.”[/color] Melodia’s head shook, and then she would only briefly look at Arthur. 

[color=thistle]“A while, yes, I was wishing it’d be longer than that - Arthur.” [/color]The Lapsean noblewoman smiled, though it was flat, and forced.

Her vision would quickly peel from powersuit man, and instead she entertained herself with the sights to behold within the lab. Her facilities were better, by far, but the place was of acceptable quality to Melodia. And wispy eyebrows furrowed as she sought out a chair to rest in and slowly paced towards a long research desk near the chemicals to plant herself in.

Reina sighed. [color=d8cfbe]“Well, you being here saves me the trouble of looking for you later. I brought the thing I’ve been working on for the past few months.”

“Already? I was expecting it to take a year or two, not three months.”[/color] Arthur backed away from his powersuit and looked at the case.

[color=d8cfbe]“Yes, well, you underestimated me like usual, meathead.”[/color] Reina set the case onto the counter next to Melodia. Arthur stepped over, hopping from one foot to the other in excitement.

[color=d8cfbe]“Behold.”[/color] Reina flicked the combination lock and opened the case. Inside were twenty metal cylinders. Each cylinder was about a centimeter in diameter, and a micro-thin needle was affixed to the end of each one.

[color=d8cfbe]“What we have here is something not quite revolutionary, but important nonetheless. I’m sorry to have kept you in the dark about this, Mel, but I haven’t had the opportunity recently to discuss with you at all. These are canisters that deposit a fast-acting tin compound into the bloodstream. They work by, well, injecting a tin compound into a mage’s blood. It took a long while to get the exact balance done so not to cause harm to the testers, but we got it eventually.”

“Amazing,”[/color] said Arthur. He reached out and lifted one out. [color=d8cfbe]“You got it to fit in such a small package.”

“I had Melodia’s injection needles to thank for that. It only takes one can to prevent a mage from casting, two if they’re extremely powerful.”[/color]

[color=thistle]“This is quite — a — useful invention indeed. The House of Innovation, very befitting indeed, oh — Reina I think you just made this trip worth it.”[/color] Melodia chimed out, her voice rising into a squeal as she pressed herself up to get better look at the devices.

[color=thistle]“But that brings me to ask — just why exactly are you spending your time on such a ‘weapon’ eh?”[/color] The Lapsean’s crimson sights aimed at Reina like daggers, the cheerful smile now serious and stern as her featured stiffened upon the Young noblewoman. [color=thistle]“Why — with Tina’s little fling going on, don’t think you there’s a risk of such an invention being — misinterpreted?”[/color] A lone eyebrow raised, almost challengingly towards Reina.

Melodia’s sights then turned to Arthur, the deep red glare would pierce through his soul. And then she spoke. Aggression, like a lecturing mother despite not much age difference in the trio. [color=thistle]“And you Arthur, how does a straightlaced beefcake like you learn about this stuff before me — I demand an explanation, make it brief and exceletently detailed.”[/color] She punctuated the outburst with a puff of oxygen that blew a strand of white hair from her face, she wasn’t having any of it.

Reina held her hand out for the canister, and Arthur dropped it into her palm. She held it up towards Melodia. [color=d8cfbe]“Arthur was actually the one who came up with the idea; he’s the one who suggested using your needle designs to make them fast-acting.”[/color]

Arthur laughed. [color=d8cfbe]“I’ve got something in my skull other than air, you know.”

“The important thing here is the fact that we’re able to prevent casters from casting within touch range now. Before, you’d have to put them in a tin-laced suit or force them to eat it, which caused… complications,”[/color] Reina continued. [color=d8cfbe]“These take maybe half an hour to go into effect, are exceedingly portable, and much, much cheaper than tin-laced restraints. The most expensive part is actually the compound itself. You don’t even have to worry about reliability. I tested them on Christina, who may well be the most powerful touch caster in the world. Two injections and she couldn’t even power a lightbulb.”

“That’s not what she asked, though,”[/color] said Arthur. [color=d8cfbe]“You want me to say it?”

“I’ll do it,”[/color] Reina took in a deep breath. [color=d8cfbe]“We’re… planning for the worst outcome. If we don’t get at least a third of the demands somewhat fulfilled, and there’s no chance for further discussion… well… we might want to use other methods to persuade the crown.”[/color]

Melodia turned away and flared her nostrils, her head shook and her eyes squinted before she spoke. [color=thistle]“Don’t beat around the bush. You’re preparing for what — war? If that were the case you’d have spoken with me years ago! My spies would have known such a thing, too.”[/color] She shut her eyes. Her thoughts were racing.

Melodia took a deep breath, stopping her restlessness for a moment. [color=thistle]“You don’t need to tell me everything — but how long have these talks been going on, and to what degree of premeditation has occurred for such a thing?”[/color] She looked directly to Arthur now, forgoing any bit of disbelief she may have had before.

He met her eyes head on. [color=d8cfbe]“Reina was the one who brought it up.”[/color]

[color=thistle]“I want to hear it from your mouth, boy. Reina knew entirely what she was getting into when she brought me in here - there were no plans for you to be here. How do I know your loyalty isn’t to yourself. No, I want to hear it from you —.”[/color] Melodia looked briefly at Reina.

[color=d8cfbe]“I trust Arthur,”[/color] she said. [color=d8cfbe]“He quite possibly has it the worst out of us. Name any problematic statistic that Lapseus suffers. House Kothlin suffers nearly double that.”[/color]

Arthur sat down hard on a stool. His large frame barely fit on the thing, giving off an impression of a bird of prey looming over the other two.

[color=d8cfbe]“Look, don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it too, Melodia,” he said. “I want to resolve everything through words if possible, but I’m far less optimistic about our future than Reina is. I can’t fight a campaign alone. You know that our Houses will live and die together. [i]They[/i] think we’re the same: damn Northerners with diluted blood and nothing worth helping. Even the proposed policies that they’ve allowed through are generalizing ‘The North’ as a whole. Your eastern seafront doesn’t benefit from policy change in the way that my northern mining towns do. The South doesn’t care about our differences. Why should we?”[/color]

[color=thistle]“You keep talking about these complaints — and this whining — and I haven’t seen or heard you do anything about it! Why do you think my people aren’t starving? The towns on my southern border are literally bandits at this point, they steal every chance they get — and I encourage them to!”[/color] Melodia spat back, standing from her chair to match his height and leaning into the table far more. 

[color=thistle]“And Reina — the optimism thing? Calm it down — we have more than a couple thousands of people native to your region in my home city ‘alone’. While you sit and you hope things will get better, and ignore the world by absorbing yourself in your developments — the world is passing you by!”[/color] The rage was now welling out of her, verbal aggression now full fledged physical aggression. Unfortunately, the girl was small, weak, less than eighty pounds.

Arthur pried Melodia off of him and set her back down on the chair. [color=d8cfbe]“Listen. We are not talking about just war. We are talking about [i]conquest.[/i] There is no future for the North if things continue as they are. Either Croania changes tomorrow, or [i]we[/i] change it ourselves.”[/color]

[color=thistle]“Conquest — are you insane? You have the gall to put me back in my seat and vomit out grandiose, when I haven’t heard of a single thing you’ve done these past years?”[/color] Melodia spat, a disrespectful dismissal of the third techno lord’s big talk and confidence. 

[color=thistle]“The idea is childish and shortsighted, and I’ve no faith in your capabilities on a battlefield. If this does come to befall the country, I’d sooner send my plagues on your land — and salt the earth all along the western coast.”[/color] Melodia adjusted herself. Just who did this guy think he was?

Reina leaned in between the two, panic evident on her face. [color=d8cfbe]“Mel, this is just a far out contingency plan! I’m sure Arthur-”

“Oh, stonge this,”[/color] spat Arthur. [color=d8cfbe]“You haven’t heard of anything because I haven’t [i]said[/i] anything about what House Kothlin’s been doing. You might’ve gotten wind of some of the preparations I’ve made, but your words show me you lack the whole picture.”[/color]

He pulled a drive out of one of the storage modules in his suit and loaded it into a computer. It rendered fairly quickly, presenting a picture of one of House Kothlin’s powersuits.

[color=d8cfbe]“The South knows how many we’ve got- I’ve no way to hide that. I have 10,000 powersuits at the ready. However, I have the resources right now to triple that amount. The South doesn’t know that. They also don’t know how powerful each one is. Each one can perform the work of around one hundred men. This includes combat. Southern houses have no idea how to fight these. The only comparable force is Balaur’s knights, but those require a lifetime of training to be effective. Our advantage is being able to turn any able-minded man or woman into a force to be reckoned with. One mage may be able to take out a battalion of men, but those are few and far between, while we can have a new battalion of elites running in a matter of days. We have the upper hand in power.
“We have the weaponry. A railgun or coilgun has far more range and power than 90% of mages. Not every southern soldier is a mage, but every single one of my soldiers can use a coilgun with a team of ten.
“We also have mobility. Our roads and vehicles are far more optimized than whatever standing force the South keeps. We don’t rely on living beings to move our soldiers. The South’s train systems are new and far from optimal. Our soldiers can be rested and ready while the enemy’s is tired from any sort of march.
“Finally, we have the element of surprise. The South doesn’t [i]understand[/i] what we have at our disposal. They don’t know the power, the speed, the effectiveness of technology. And that may be their downfall.”[/color]

He pulled the disc out, then tore the computer off its cables.

[color=d8cfbe]“This is, of course, a last resort,”[/color] said Reina quickly. [color=d8cfbe]“The main reason why we don’t wage war is the cost. Human lives, Mel. Is it worth spending thousands of them to remake the continent?”[/color]

[color=thistle]“Human life is a resource. Like water. Like trees. Like oil. It’s renewable — and can be utilized at the heaviest optimization. How do you think your medicine is made? Countless lives are lost every-single-day, and I don’t bat an eyelash.”[/color] Melodia snapped her sights back to Reina, flashing teeth like a rabid animal quickly sealing her lips. 

[color=thistle]“But what I ask is not what you have — but what you’re willing to lose. How many will you sacrifice to keep your peace? Think of every poor family that starves in Northern towns, of every cruel decision that the southern scum make in spite of innocent lives — do you think they even entertain the thought?”[/color]  Melodia’s attention was not to either of the the others specifically, but just speaking collectively to the two out loud. 

[color=thistle]“I’ll tell you what I’ve sacrificed. And I’ll also tell you what those sacrifices have earned — and while my territory is far from paradise, I assure you my people know how to survive.”[/color] Melodia’s cane supported her weight as she shifted out of her seat and back to the floor. She paced away from the two, quiet clacks of her shoes echoed in the lab. [color=thistle]“Five-hundred people, half of them guilty — the other not. Those that were guilty were mostly not even from Lapsean territory, some from yours, others from the South. The innocent lives that were utilized for the betterment of our society had their families compensation for their loss — and those who still held ill will towards me were eliminated.” [/color]

Melodia’s words were turning cold, hard, brief, lacking the childishness she held so dear. Her stance was taller and postured, the weakened state fading in the silhouette she tried so desperately to cast upon the two. [color=thistle]“But these things. I do them not in preparation for war — nor reactively in fear of what’s to come. But rather, for myself and my own means — which neither of you in your current states could understand.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Mel, please,”[/color] Reina pleaded. [color=d8cfbe]“I’ve never seen you like this before. I didn’t mean to start a fight like this- I just wanted to ease you onto our side, starting with the canisters.”[/color]

[color=thistle]“What can each of you promise me, in return?”[/color] Melodia plainly asked, continuing to look away from the two.

Reina hesitated. [color=d8cfbe]“I… I can lend you Christina for experiments. Nothing harmful. But any theories that need a high favor mage for testing, you can use her for.”[/color]

[color=thistle]“Suppose I take little Tina, what of her fiancé then?”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Whatever Tina says, goes. I’m not giving her to you permanently. She’ll just have to make trips.”[/color]

Melodia finally turned around, an earnest smile painted across her face. [color=thistle]“Ahh- so you mean you’ll give me ‘access’ to Tina. I suppose that’s still quite useful.”[/color] She spoke bluntly. [color=thistle]“And you — Lord Kothlin?”[/color] Melodia turned back slightly, looking back at the large man with the utmost curiosity.

[color=d8cfbe]“I have nothing quite so valuable as a child, and I don’t think you’d want Lampert, so I’m going to offer you the entirety of Pachel and Seler’s territory should war break out. And we [i]will[/i] gain those lands if we fight.”[/color]

Melodia’s sights veered back to the towering Arthur, her expression flattening once again. [color=thistle]“You think I want more land? Of course I don’t, take the entire country if I care — Give me your northmost territories, the no man’s land along the icy mountain ridges.”[/color] She asked, her tone was still aggressive at this point, though not nearly as much as earlier.

[color=d8cfbe]“The northernmost- very well. In exchange for your support if the country goes to war, I will gladly grant you those lands.”[/color]

[color=thistle]“I want them even if we don’t — that is my condition.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Done.”[/color]

[color=thistle]“And on the matter of war, if the talks don’t go well, which the Queen isn’t here so I don’t know how things will do — we won’t need to worry about war. I’ll make myself the enemy to the Southerners whom I loathe so much. Publically, I mean, such a scenario has already been prepared should I require it so. Lapsean people are born hating southerners, and as the rumors of my land may lead many to believe— I already encourage theft and murder below the border. So—.” [/color]Melodia tapped her cane twice against the tile below, the clank of metal coming down like a judge’s gavel.

[color=thistle]“My final question arises. Who can the two of you trust here? Besides the people in this room — and your immediate family, perhaps not even they?”[/color] An eyebrow raised as she looked to Arthur.

[color=d8cfbe]“Don’t look at me,”[/color] he said. [color=d8cfbe]“I’m unmarried.”[/color]

[color=thistle]“Who can you trust. You really don’t like answering questions tonight. Should I call Rhythmia and have her prepare some truth serum and binding table?”[/color] Melodia winked at the beefy man as she canted her head from left to right.

[color=d8cfbe]“Eh. Probably one or two of my servants, though I won’t be talking to them about the big details.”[/color] He shrugged. [color=d8cfbe]“The news’ll get out quick once things start going down, anyway. Reina?”

“You can trust Reason and Christina with the details, but they won’t like it. Alistair is aware as well. Just… a reminder that this is still only a possibility. I’d rather work harder on my own lands than fight a war.”[/color] Reina slumped in her chair.

[color=d8cfbe]“It’s only just sticking it to the Southern dastards for what they’ve done for centuries,” [/color]Arthur said. [color=d8cfbe]“I think that’s one thing Melodia and I can agree on.”[/color]

[color=thistle]“Agreed, but what you two fail to realize is that my machinations don’t entirely rely on us going to war.” [/color]Melodia quickly replied. [color=thistle]“That Mage Prison is awfully barren this time of year — and my dog kennels are quite full.”[/color] A carnivorous smile crept from cheek to cheek upon the small girl’s expression, sinister even, though nothing unusual for her.

[color=d8cfbe]“That smile is unlike you, Mel. I don’t like it. We do have plans for things if it doesn’t work out tomorrow,”[/color] said Reina.[color=d8cfbe] “I’m sure that-”

“Face it, Reina,”[/color] Arthur cut in. [color=d8cfbe]“You wouldn’t have considered war if it wasn’t the best way out.”[/color]

Melodia rolled her sights at Reina’s response and shifted her vision to the portal device. [color=thistle]“There is no way out anymore. These talks can truly only go one way — whether that is drawn out or swift and painless is a matter of humanity. And I’ve just about run out of [i]that.”[/i][/color][/hider]