The city of Meterra bustled with an energy that bordered on frenetic. War had not diminished its prosperity—if anything, the conflict had transformed it into the beating heart of Umbrasia's military supply chain. Merchants sold their goods with unusual enthusiasm, artisans worked through the night to meet impossible deadlines, and the constant ring of hammers on anvils created a symphony of industry that echoed through the cobblestone streets.
Elias observed the chaos with calculating eyes as he, Elena, and the controlled Andreas made their way through the crowded marketplace. Wagons loaded with raw materials rolled in from the surrounding countryside, while finished goods flowed out toward the capital and beyond. The smell of coal smoke and molten metal hung heavy in the air, mixing with the more mundane scents of sweat, leather, and street food.
"A mining town," Elias murmured, noting the telltale signs—the coal dust on workers' clothes, the specialized tools being sold at market stalls, the callused hands of men who spent their days underground. "No wonder it's so vital to the war effort."
He turned to Elena, who was studying the flow of traffic with professional interest. "I need you to investigate the situation here more thoroughly. Learn who controls what, where the resources are going, and why this place feels more like a barely controlled riot than an organized supply hub."
Elena nodded. "And you?"
"I'm going to acquire proper equipment." Elias gestured toward a row of weapon shops lining the main thoroughfare. "This borrowed blade is not enough for what's coming."
They separated, with Andreas following silently behind Elias as they approached the first armorer's shop. The establishment was larger than most, its windows displaying an impressive array of swords, axes, and polearms. A painted sign above the door proclaimed it "Méline and Sagan's Workshop."
The interior was warmly lit by oil lamps, their glow dancing across polished steel and gleaming leather. Behind the counter stood a young woman with red afro hair braided in cornrows in the front and puffs on each side. Her sleeves rolled up to reveal surprisingly muscular forearms. She looked up from the blade she was examining, and Elias was struck by the mischievous glint in her brown eyes.
"Welcome to Méline and Sagan's workshop," she said with a grin that was equal parts charming and predatory. "I'm Méline. What can I help you gentlemen with today? Looking for something to keep you alive on the battlefield, or just want to look impressive at court?"
"The former," Elias replied dryly. "I need a sword. Something well-balanced, durable, and capable of—" He paused, studying her expression. "Tell me, have you ever heard of forging weapons from... unconventional materials?"
Méline raised an eyebrow. "Unconventional how? Dragon bone? Meteoric iron? I've seen some exotic requests, but the good stuff usually costs more than most people make in a year."
"I was thinking more along the lines of... blood."
The silence that followed was broken by Méline's sudden, delighted laughter. She clutched her sides, tears streaming down her face as she struggled to regain her composure.
"Blood?" she gasped between fits of giggles. "You want me to forge you a sword from blood? What's next, a shield made of moonbeams? Armor crafted from the sighs of maidens?"
Elias waited patiently for her laughter to fade, his expression remaining perfectly serious. When she finally calmed down, wiping tears from her eyes, he spoke again.
"I take it that's not feasible with conventional methods."
"Not unless you want a weapon that dissolves the moment it touches air," Méline replied, still chuckling. "Blood isn't exactly known for its structural integrity. But..." She paused, her expression becoming more thoughtful. "If you're serious about incorporating organic materials into a blade, there might be another option."
"I'm listening."
"Ever heard of polycristal?" When Elias shook his head, she continued. "It's a rare mineral with some very interesting properties. It can absorb other materials and change its appearance and attributes accordingly. In theory, you could introduce blood—or any other substance—into the crystal matrix during the forging process."
Elias felt a spark of genuine interest. "Where would one acquire such a material?"
"That's the tricky part." Méline's expression grew more serious. "There's a special mine south of Meterra that's one of the few known sources of polycristal in the kingdom. I'd be happy to help you get some, but there's a problem—the mines have been sealed off to the public."
"By whom?"
"The Cult of Mortalis. They're conducting some kind of investigation down there, and they're not letting anyone else near the place." She shrugged apologetically. "Religious types tend to be touchy about their sacred mysteries."
Elias glanced at Andreas, who stood motionless beside him like a statue waiting for orders. An idea began to form.
"That's not necessarily a problem," he said slowly. "What if I were to provide you with protection for such an expedition?"
Méline followed his gaze to Andreas, her eyes widening slightly as she took in the knight's impressive build and the subtle signs of his military bearing. Even controlled, Andreas maintained the posture and presence of a seasoned warrior.
"Him?" she asked, clearly impressed. "He looks like he could handle whatever's down there. But I'd need to bring my brother along—Sagan is one of the best miners in Meterra - maybe even in the whole kingdom. If anyone can extract polycristal without damaging it, it's him."
Elias nodded, then stepped closer to Andreas, speaking in a voice too low for Méline to overhear. "Your mission is to protect Méline and her brother, neutralize any threats you encounter, secure the polycristal, and return to me when the task is complete. If they abandon the mission, return immediately and report. Do you understand?"
"I understand," Andreas replied in his emotionless monotone.
Elias handed him three small vials of the dark blood mixture. "Emergency supplies. If you feel the control weakening, use one immediately. If you're down to your last vial, return to me at once, regardless of mission status."
Andreas tucked the vials away without comment. Elias turned back to Méline, who was watching their interaction with curious eyes.
"It's settled then. My bodyguard will accompany you and your brother to the mine. In the meantime, I'll need something useful to carry me through until you return."
Méline selected a well-crafted but unremarkable sword from her inventory—good steel, properly balanced, but nothing that would draw unwanted attention. "This should serve you well enough. When do you want to begin the expedition?"
"Tonight, if possible. Time is a factor."
"Tonight it is." Méline's grin returned, wider than before. "I do love a bit of adventure with my business transactions."
Several hours later, Elias found Elena in a tavern called The Copper Mug, nursing a mug of ale while listening to the conversations flowing around her. She looked up as he approached, her expression grim.
"Learn anything interesting?" he asked, settling into the chair across from her.
"More than I expected." Elena kept her voice low, leaning forward conspiratorially. "Meterra is controlled by Count Daven Iskarioth. He's been seen recently with royal guards—not local garrison, but actual palace security. I suspect he's aligned with a royalty."
"That would make sense. They need resources to maintain their position in the capital."
"That's not the strange part," Elena continued. "The mineral flows coming out of Meterra are... irregular. They should be centralized, processed here or through the capital's forges, then distributed as finished weapons and armor to the front lines. Instead, shipments are going to multiple destinations, some of them in directions that make no strategic sense."
Elias absorbed this information, his mind already working through the implications. "Resource manipulation. Someone's skimming from the war effort, or redirecting materials for their own purposes."
"The question is whether it's Count Iskarioth acting on his own, or if he's following orders from higher up."
"Only one way to find out," Elias said decisively. "We pay the good Count a visit tonight."
Elena raised an eyebrow. "Break into his residence?"
"Unless you have a better suggestion for getting honest answers from a potentially corrupt nobleman."
"Fair point. When do we move?"
"After midnight, when the household should be asleep."
They spent the remaining hours observing the Count's mansion from a discreet distance, noting the patrol patterns of the guards and the layout of the grounds. As the city settled into the quiet hours before dawn, they made their approach through the servants' quarter, where the walls were lower and the shadows deeper.
Elena moved like liquid darkness, her years of training evident in every silent step. Elias followed, surprised by how naturally his enhanced abilities complemented her stealth techniques. They scaled the outer wall without difficulty and dropped into the mansion's gardens.
That's when they discovered they weren't the first uninvited guests of the evening.
The guards they had observed earlier lay motionless at their posts—not dead, but unconscious, positioned so naturally that a casual glance wouldn't reveal anything amiss. Professional work. The kind of precise, clean operation that spoke of experienced assassins.
"Someone beat us to it," Elena whispered, her voice barely audible.
Elias examined the nearest guard, noting a tiny puncture wound on his cheek "They are just sleeping."
They exchanged meaningful glances. Whoever had infiltrated the mansion before them was skilled, methodical, and preferred subtlety over violence. The kind of operative who could slip in and out without leaving a trace.
"Orders?" Elena asked.
"We proceed, but carefully. Let's see what secrets were worth such a professional operation."
They made their way toward the mansion, moving through shadows that seemed to welcome them, while somewhere ahead, unknown agents pursued their own mysterious agenda in the darkness of Count Iskarioth's residence.
"Well," Elias murmured with dark amusement, "it seems we're not the only ones interested in uncovering Meterra's secrets tonight."