It looked like the Metakans were very serious about the alliance of three nations. Before he left, Admiral Dennis informed me of Metaka's plans to use the snow as a viable water source. The idea of melting the snow that covered Iceleon as a water source for Metaka and, later, for Iceleon was actually genius. When Theresa and Dennis asked to see me the next day, they both looked terrible. The unmistakable dark spots under their eyes, pale skin, and constant yawns indicated that whatever they planned took them most of the night. Victor, who looked a bit better than those two, was sitting near Theresa with a morbid expression.
"We are grateful that you found time, Emperor Theon Avalon." Theresa began with an extremely tired voice. "I'm also grateful that Lords Ian, Verni, Bjorn, and Ragnar joined this meeting."
After a moderately inconsistent agreement and welcome murmurs of various sounds we made, the Queen smiled faintly.
"I won't take a lot of your time but we need to hear the final opinion from your advisors, Emperor Theon." Victor inclined his head towards the plans on the table. "The master crafters of Iceleon and Metaka insist this is impossible."
He raised his gaze at me and I could read it in his eyes that he was more than sure this was possible. I nodded and waved my hand towards the plans asking my trusted friends and advisors to approach the chaotic pile of various drawings. I stood and took a mildly interested look just for the sake of appearance. I closed my eyes and looked at the plans from above and I had to suppress my impressed whistle upon seeing such an ambitious project.
"Hmmm..." Verni rubbed his black beard as he took out his sketchbook. "And why exactly did your masters tell you it's impossible?"
"It's the smallest iteration of the initial project, but they insist that nothing would withstand the pressure of the water," Theresa explained timidly.
"Bah!" Ian waved his hand in amusement. "Nonsense!"
"I reckon that those marks show your previous proposals?" Verni placed his hand on the map. His voice was sober and focused.
"Yes, Lord Verni." Admiral nodded in confirmation. "We wish to turn this entire area-"
"Into an artificial lake, I see it." Verni interrupted the Admiral as he produced a scaling ruler out of thin air and took some measurements. After a moment of mental calculation, he slowly shook his head. "Until I see the area and preferably make some sample drillings, I can't be sure, but it's certainly doable. Honestly, your first proposal is the most viable thanks to the natural narrowing and support provided by those two massive hills."
"See? Told you." Theresa threw her hands into the air.
"But..." Admiral Dennis shook his head in disbelief. "The Metakan and Iceleon experts agreed unanimously that such endeavour was impossible!"
"For them, maybe." Verni shrugged, offering a polite smile. "It will take time, of course, but-"
"How long?!" Theresa and Dennis interrupted him in unison.
"I would say that a few years but, most probably, a decade or two is more reasonable with your level of advancement." Verni offered an answer remaining calm and collected.
"Twenty years..." The Admiral cradled his face in his hands. His voice was bitter and full of pain. "Metaka doesn't have that much time..."
"Okay..." The Queen nodded in acknowledgement but her voice remained optimistic. "What about the Arcadian level of advancement?"
Verni exchanged an awkward glance with Ian and then they looked at me. I took a deep breath and, after crossing my arms in front of me, I looked towards the ceiling. Honestly, I expected that this could end this way. In my opinion, the only way to build something like that faster would be by using Earth Magic and concrete. Nothing revolutionary but there was a huge problem. Helping them would put most of my projects on pause. In the best-case scenario, I would need to delegate Verni and Ian only to oversee the progress. The other way... I took a knowing second-glance at the map but to my continued disappointment, there wasn't another Dungeon nearby. I looked at my advisors and nodded, allowing them to speak.
"Six months, if the ground is stable. For us." Verni patted his beard. "With our involvement and using our techniques but mostly using your workforce... I think it's possible to build it in three years, maybe four and a half, but we would need to obtain millions of tons of material, hundreds, if not thousands, of workers and most probably every single Earth Mage in Metaka and Iceleon. We can design this dam and, most probably, we will have to send qualified overseers and some of our Earth Mages... If we aid you more directly, one and a half and up to two years is more probable. More aid, the faster construction will be."
"By the Gods! That's feasible!" The Admiral brightened and I noticed the tears of relief in his eyes.
"What do you mean by telling us that Metaka doesn't have that much time?" I asked cautiously.
"The drought is ravaging the lands of Metaka, Your Highness," Dennis admitted with a clouded gaze as he focused on the spot on the table right in front of me. At this point, I assumed that was the proper protocol during his meetings with Metaka's ruler.
According to the intelligence gathered by my agents, Metaka wasn't in immediate danger. I took a moment to review the detailed data and cursed. Yes, at first glance, Metaka was desalinating the ocean water, producing large amounts of fresh water. However, the process was not only costly but also primitive. The people were very close to falling into a food rationing regime. Even the nobles and Royal Family were in solidarity with the general population.
"It's no use..." I sighed. "We will need millions of tonnes of stone, soil, and concrete. We don't have that amount of spare material even if we combine the resources of all three nations. There are elements that can't be erected with the help of the Earth Magic and must be built traditionally."
"So the only problem is material and workforce?" Theresa looked at me intently.
"Yes. But we mostly lack materials." I shrugged. "Other problems are easy to overcome."
"A single problem might be hard to solve, but once you have more of them, they tend to solve each other." She pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear with a charming smile; however, her voice was cold. "I'm afraid we won't be using the treacherous Iceleonian nobles and their servants as a source of well-deserved entertainment, Lord Theon. I think that we are going to show them their new exciting perspectives."
"Hmmm... That might do the trick." I smiled equally coldly.
"If I understand correctly, you want to use convicts for manual labour? Make them mine stone material in a Dungeon?" The Admiral put together his hands and after watching our confirming nods, he smiled. "In that case, Metaka might pull some weight as well. Our prisons would gladly provide thousands of volunteers. But..."
"I’ve heard that the Sleeping Dungeon has vast mines waiting to be tapped," I said innocently. "I have a hunch it wouldn't mind if Metaka started procuring the materials there. In fact, another Dungeon in the southern parts of Metaka would be extremely happy to make a deal with you."
"Let's discuss the compensation for Arcadia’s help, Lord Theon." Victor finally chimed in and, by his gaze, I realised that he was leaving all the talking to Theresa and Dennis.
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"I accept all iron, iron ore, orichalcum, adamantium, and mithril. However, this time, the bill might be less severe than you think." I shrugged with a dismissive chuckle. "Without a doubt, it's an important, strategic investment; I will be pulling my best engineers and crafting masters from important Arcadian projects. However, Arcadia will not abandon its allies in their time of need. You can count on our help and expertise during the construction effort."
"Thank you, Lord Avalon!" The Metakan Admiral was close to tears. "It's vital for Metaka's survival..."
"I wasn't aware that your situation was so dire, Admiral."
"It's complicated..." He sighed and, while I could tell that he would rather not speak more, he had already told us too much. "But you deserve the truth, Lord Theon, Lady Theresa. The Empire of Metaka is cracking." He admitted with a heavy heart. "The vast, western areas of the Empire had to be abandoned when the rivers and wells dried up. Leaving only one river with barely any water remaining. With a great deal of effort, we patrol what is left in the west to ensure there are no catastrophic fires in the dying forest. All the population of the Empire has moved to the east coast. For a time, it wasn't bad: our distilleries produced huge amounts of freshwater for farming and drinking. The ocean was bountiful with fish and various seafood. However, it wasn't sustainable, not for the long run. Our ancestors thought that the drought would pass with time but their observations were almost a century ago. Yes- there were years when the sparse rain brought some hope of change but that change never happened."
"A century... Are your distilleries failing?" I asked him in a soft, sad tone.
"Yes..." His voice was like a painful whisper. "Southern regions weren't hit as much as the west, central, and north regions. Recently the southern regions have been more vocal about gaining independence. But... Thanks to Empress Aoi Sora va'Theon, the entire south was silenced. They are now afraid that the Emperor will call for your aid in case of insurgency. Dauntless' display of power... Well, it left many people speechless."
"If you successfully build that reservoir, it would feed all the rivers of Metaka once more. The unhappy southern nobles would lose their support." I pointed out which made the Admiral flinch.
"We will use the army to safeguard the dam. We won't allow anyone to sabotage it." Dennis clenched his fists and his reaction told me how dire the internal situation of Metaka was.
"Hmmm... In that case, should we reinforce the construction, Ragnar?" I was not taking any chances that some idiot would want to blow up the dam and cause a catastrophic flood.
"No problem, my Lord." The Warsmith Master nodded his head.
"If I may..." Bjorn put his hands together.
"Go on." I nodded and he gained the attention of everyone in the room.
"I believe that we could secure the place and gain a valuable opportunity to increase our knowledge. What if we build a research facility for the Royal University? The Civilian Maritime Institute would gain an invaluable opportunity to gain access to a significant and stable body of water." Bjorn's proposal instantly gained my attention. "The northern ocean is far too dangerous for their constructions and experiments."
"True... Aoi would be excited." I rubbed my clean-shaven chin. "We could even use it as an opportunity for the students from the alliance to work together. I still believe that tall ships would make excellent vessels for civilian use."
Theresa and Dennis looked at each other with dropped jaws and erupted together in an excited confirmation before I could change my mind. The fact was that, what I considered civilian, for them, would likely be cutting-edge military technology. I was willing to offer them another form of knowledge exchange and it seemed they were aware of the value. The tall ships were incomparably cheaper to build than my military vessels. Transport of goods required us to build a merchant fleet and the magi-trains network. The Civilian Maritime Institute had more plans about the development of civilian ships so securing them a place to test prototypes would be good. But, also, who knew when access to that lake would come in handy? It certainly wouldn't hurt.
"In that case, let's begin planning. Ian, Verni, Ragnar, and Bjorn, take care of it. Lady Theresa, I believe you should leave the planning for my team but you might want to assign your guilds, as well, so they could learn. Lord Victor, I believe you should start bringing the newly promoted miners to the Bravefall Dungeon. Janet will help you with digging them out and transporting them here. Liberating their hidden riches won’t hurt your treasury either. Admiral Dennis... Well, there is nothing you can do now..."
"I will prepare messages to report to the Emperor and send some of my ships back to Metka. There is no time to waste." He smiled with hope. "I need to set everything in motion as quickly as possible."
"In that case, I will postpone our departure to the Sleeping Dungeon for the evening. Everything should be ready by then." I nodded and all of them lowered their heads solemnly. "May this joint project of alliance be our parting gift to Darius."
•••
Dennis Tu'sarr left the meeting in an excited mood. Everything he expected turned out to be false. He was met with honesty, honour, and an openness he wasn't ready to accept at first. But Lord Guad was correct, Metaka never stood a fighting chance against Arcadia. It was better to throw everything into becoming their honest and invested ally. Lady Vettalia begrudgingly agreed with her brother however, she also pointed out that empty words wouldn't be enough to prove Metaka's worth in the eyes of Emperor Theon Avalon. It was her idea to make him bring something important and propose a deal. Lord Guad hinted that Arcadians must have a means of long-range communication and it was worth trying to obtain it. Admiral Dennis was following the inheritors of the crown with respect. His respect was born from the decades of observing the two: their acute observations, brilliant minds, and genius strategies. Rarely were they wrong and they always worked for a brighter future for Metaka.
His respect towards those two, however, was diminished by their far darker side. Of the twelve Emperor Darius children, only four were still alive. Undoubtedly, Lord Leonard and Lady Cassmira would share the fate of their older siblings if not for the strange bond they shared with Lady Vettalia and Lord Guad. It was also rumored that Lord Guad planned to hold them hostage in order to marry Empress Matilda if he succeeded in the succession war. It wasn't against internal rules or even a first precedent and, most probably, impressed some nobles... The succession war was a part of the tradition of Metaka. It certainly looked senseless to outsiders, but it was a grim necessity for a country that faced periodic droughts over the last thousand years. The war was used as a more dignified way of culling the population. The folk heroes were raised to the knighthood while some noble lines were extinguished. Thanks to the succession wars, the Metakan Army was always sharp and experienced. All in the name of the survival of the entire Empire.
However...
With the rise of Arcadia, it became obvious that things had to change. Their terrifyingly swift campaign in Cridia wiped the rival Kingdom from the face of Nilmerthis. It wasn't simply taken over but thoroughly conquered. Its nobles were defamed and banished and the Royal Family of Cridia was brought to ruin. The news of the fall of Cridia was met with surprise but, when the Holy Kingdom of Berna declared Arcadia their enemy, the Empire's army was mobilised. No one believed that Arcadia could stand a chance against the Navy of Berna and their fanatic soldiers. It took but a single battle for Arcadians to decimate a fleet that rivalled Metaka's. In ground combat, Arcadia was second to none. It was then that Emperor Darius sent Prince Leonard and Princess Cassmira to Arcadia. That move put them out of reach of anyone who would want to use the youngest children of the Emperor. The news about the friendship and honesty of the Arcadian King amused some and baffled others. However, once Empress Matilda returned on board HMS Dauntless to Yranta, no one dared to laugh. Provoking Arcadians would be suicidal. Dennis Tu'sarr noticed a peculiar change in the behaviour of Lady Vettalia and Lord Guad after that. If he didn't know better, he could swear it was hope.
But now... Now, he knew how wrong he was. He understood the hope he saw back then. As a traditionally neutral party, the Admiral of the First Fleet of Metaka was only loyal to the ruling Emperor and, after their death, to the unanimous vote of all competing inheritors. That was the main reason why he was trusted with the most important mission of his life. Lady Vettalia and Lord Guad made a vow to become allies of Arcadia if it was even possible. Emperor Theon Avalon barely needed just a moment to consider and accepted the alliance offer Dennis brought. In the subsequent conversation, the Metakan Admiral managed to secure some extremely important deals. The first one, obtaining the radio was revolutionary for the armed forces of Metaka. He offered Telepathy in the hope that the Emperor would be more willing to share the radio if he had the backup option. But tradingGravity Magic was almost robbery. Dennis truly believed it was useless but their spies were positive that Arcadians were almost desperately trying to develop it. He was certain that the Emperor would demand more for the radio magi-tech and he was ready to offer much more. The Emperor, however, agreed to the deal without much bargaining. His only demand was that Metaka couldn't resell the radio to anyone without Arcadian approval. Also, ensuring it would be destroyed, rather than captured, was understandable.
Dennis was as honest as his loyalty to the Empire of Metaka allowed him in his dealings with Arcadia and Iceleon. And by the Gods, it paid off! The mind-boggling deals he secured were too good to be true and he was afraid he would wake up any moment. The crucial deal with Iceleon was going to store enough water for years, maybe even for decades, if they could manage to fill the entire reservoir. As much as he felt sorry for the Iceleonians, he hoped that they managed to finish the dam before the snow melted. Their Queen was intelligent and she shocked him with the scale of the project that would benefit both their nations. However, the possibility of learning whatever the Arcadians were willing to share was going to spark the imagination of the entire Empire. He smiled as he walked towards his quarters. The Empire of Metaka had finally gained true allies in this unforgiving world.