The Red Hand

Chapter 161 – The Council will Decide Your Fate.

While President Rosewood was dealing with the aftermath of Akagi's speech to humanity, Mizumi returned back to Omara for a meeting with Councilor Shinlua. The Elf had been trying to get her attention for some time, but Mizumi was too busy with other duties to meet her. Not to mention, Mizumi was quite annoyed with her refusal to give Akagi proper respect and thus postponed any meetings until her return.

Summoning Shinlua to her office, Mizumi greeted her with all the necessary formalities before they got to talking. The Spirit could tell that whatever the Elf wanted to discuss was not good, and prompted her to start.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Lady Mizumi." Shinlua took her seat. "I know you've been very busy, but this is simply that important, so please excuse my constant messages these past weeks." She'd been sending a flurry of meeting requests to Mizumi via her attendants, and it was starting to get on the Spirit's nerves.

"It better be important." Mizumi sighed. "I have a million other things to do, so let's make this quick." She motioned for her to speak.

Seeing that Mizumi was already in a bad mood, Shinlua decided to get straight to the point. "Yes, well. First, please forgive my earlier skepticism regarding Demon Lord Akagi."

Mizumi's eyes went wide at her statement.

{Does this mean she...} (Mizumi)

"I've looked through the documents you provided, and compared them with the information I had in my own collection. Specifically, the voice recording you provided matched information I received from an individual who heard Vikes speak during the war against him ages ago. Thus, I've come to the same conclusion as you." Shinlua took a deep breath. "Akagi is the same type of being as the one who terrorized our world, a Demon Lord."

"Well, I'm glad you finally understood what I've been saying." Mizumi rolled her eyes. "I wish you would have figured this out before meeting her and potentially pissing her off, better late than never I suppose."

{It seems that at least ONE Councilmember isn't a total idiot... The factional politics are getting worse and I've gotten far too many messages from the upper class complaining about my relationship with Akagi.} (Mizumi)

"Please understand that my reluctance was not out of malice or foolishness like the other three. I simply found it hard to believe that a Demon Lord could behave like her." Shinlua gave a wry smile.

"Yes, and it's because she's so strange that we're all still alive. By sheer luck, she was able to find enough to cling to and prevent her from giving in to the darkness within her mind. Her kind are not meant to retain a rational mind for long, and that power is intended to consume them as we saw with Vikes." Mizumi continued. "Akagi is a very unique existence, and frankly, I'd say she's actually more dangerous than if she'd gone feral."

{A mindless beast is predictable and simple, but Akagi... Akagi is intelligent, manipulative, cunning, and sadistic. Going against her even without the Demon Lord power was already a dangerous prospect.} (Mizumi)

"I'd say you are correct." Shinlua agreed. "At least with Vikes, he was mostly devoid of a strategy and planning. It's how we defeated him, though even then, the traps used only barely worked."

"Exactly." Mizumi nodded. "Akagi is a combat genius, and she's probably the most dangerous schemer I've ever seen." Mizumi gave a dry laugh. "You should see just how much that Demon plans, it's terrifying. I swear if you asked her, she'd probably be able to predict what was going to come out of your mouth before you said it."

{Considering she had Libra, the RRT, and the U.S. dancing in the palm of her hand BEFORE she got released, lord knows just how far she can see now.} (Mizumi)

"Demons are always schemers, tricking people into deals just to pull one over on them is their M.O." Shinlua had dealt with a few in her time.

"Yeah, the only difference is that Akagi is less likely to ask for your soul." Mizumi laughed. "Though in fairness, that might be quite cheap compared to her real price."

{I'm basically her slave... Oh well, I suppose there are far worse fates than assisting her. After all, she's given us far more help than I ever expected.} (Mizumi)

"Yes, and that brings me to the second reason I needed to speak with you." Shinlua's eyes turned serious. "The Council is planning to make a move against her. They believe that defeating her is possible, Demon Lord or not, and they've been preparing powerful allies in a foolish attempt to crush her."

Mizumi sighed. "I knew it... That fool really was sent by the Council."

"What do you mean? Have they already acted?!?" Shinlua was afraid she'd been too late.

"The Council's favorite assassin made an attempt on her life while we were in a diplomatic meeting with another country. Sadly for him, he underestimated Akagi's detection skill and was easily defeated before anyone was harmed. He was trying to use a special poison to make it seem like everyone who ate their meals died in their sleep." Shinlua knew exactly who and what she was talking about.

"I'm glad to hear no one was harmed, but how did he manage to leave? I thought only you and a few others could traverse between the two worlds freely?" Shinlua was not aware of any methods of going to Earth outside of a select number of official channels.

"I suspect that the Council has some method of leaving." Mizumi shrugged. "But if you don't know, it's probably because they're keeping you in the dark as well."

{My contacts tell me Shinlua here isn't exactly part of the IN crowd among our 'nobility.'} (Mizumi)

"It is true that they see me as an outsider, and I've always suspected that they keep things from me." Shinlua thought for a moment. "They've been spending a great deal of time doing something together recently, and they always keep me away from the chambers below the Council hall."

{I've tried asking more about that location but am always given excuses as to why I can't enter.} (Shinlua)

"Akagi made note of that sealed room and suspected something nefarious was going on within." Mizumi said. "I suspect attempting to enter will be difficult, and frankly, if you went in alone with them, you probably wouldn't return alive."

Shinlua flinched. "I want to say you're wrong but..." In the past, she never would have imagined the political and personal aspirations of the Council members would leave her fearing for her life, but that was exactly what was happening now.

"We're reaching a dangerous point Shinlua." Mizumi glared at her. "I will be taking this information to Akagi. She needs to know the Council is making moves against her. Do you know anything more specific?"

“Yes, though my information is incomplete. Just understand that you'll likely be branded a traitor for going to her." Shinlua said.

{I might be too considering what I'm doing.} (Shinlua)

"I suppose that would apply to you too." Shinlua had just leaked sensitive information to Mizumi in an attempt to undermine the Council; it was textbook treason. "And besides, why do I care what those fools think? My concern isn't them. It's the best interest of our people!" She slammed her hand on the desk. "I was told to watch over them and keep them safe! That was the last mission given to me by the others, and I won't allow three idiots and their politics to put them in harm's way!"

"Well, if that isn't an admission of guilt, then I don't know what is." Suddenly Onmiyame along with three armed individuals entered the room, weapons at the ready.

"What is the meaning of this?!?" Mizumi yelled. "Why have you brought those three here?" The three armed fighters were the explorers she'd brought into custody after their conflict with Akagi at the Inn.

{Their eyes are glazed over. Did those idiots use magic to control them?!?} Mizumi didn't think they would sink that low as such magic was taboo and illegal under their laws.

"The meaning of this is quite simple, Mizumi." Onmiyame snapped his fingers, and the three explorers drew their blades, pointing them at the two women. "I've come here to take the two of you into custody. By order of the Council, the two of you have been charged with high treason and will be brought to trial for your conspiracy to undermine the Council and deliver our people into the hands of a Demon."

"I did not authorize this!" Shinlua stood up. "There was never a discussion of such things! So how can you claim to have the Council's authority when I wasn't involved." She was correct, such a decision could not be made without her involvement, even if she was also declared traitor.

"Your position as Councilor has been revoked, Ms. Shinlua. Some recent re-reading of our ancient laws found that non Spirits are not permitted to be council members. A pity that." Onmiyame smirked. He was lying out of his ass, but that didn't matter.

{More like you're just kicking her out...} Mizumi sighed.

"Now, will you come with me quietly? Or do my friends here need to get rough with you? I must say that while bringing you in alive is most preferable, well, things can get a bit... blurred during conflict." Onmiyame said.

“Please Onmiyame, stop this madness at once! Whether you believe that Akagi is a Demon Lord or not, you must understand the danger posed by unleashing such a fearsome creature on the world.” Shinlua pleaded with him. “Are you even able to control that Dragon?!?”

“Your concern is unwarranted, everything is under control and both the Dragon and the Demon we've recruited are following our commands unquestionably. It will be only a matter of time before the so-called Demon Lord is defeated and that entire world bows to us.” Onmiyame smirked.

{So they intend to take over Earth? And what's this about a Dragon and a Demon? Shinlua probably knows more about his plans, damn if only he'd been a bit slower and if only I'd come sooner. We need to get out of here so I can warn Akagi, but Onmiyame isn't weak, and fighting him plus those three won't be easy.} Mizumi was no slouch in combat but wasn't exactly sure she could win this fight, even with Shinlua here, things would get tricky if Daruma showed up along side others.

The Elf looked to her and nodded as Mizumi blasted the window behind her with water magic, shattering it and enabling the two to dive out into the street below.

"After them! I don't care if it's dead or alive, just bring them to me!" Onmiyame yelled, and the three brainwashed explorers gave chase.

Dropping onto the street below, Shinlua and Mizumi took off at high speed as the three explorers quickly caught up to them. They would need to reach a safe location for Mizumi to create a portal to Earth, and their pursuers wouldn't make that easy.

"Those three are some of our best fighters! We're going to struggle to keep them away for long, especially if we don't want to hurt them!" Shinlua said as a magic blast flew right by her. "There are civilians here dammit!" She turned to yell at them, but they didn't seem to care.

"Can't you undo the spell cast on them?" Mizumi asked.

"Not like this." The Elf shook her head. "We'd need to capture them to allow me to work on them. That magic isn't supposed to be used like this! I see the Council is more than happy to break all the taboos they please." Shinlua flung a small blast back at her pursuers, which Ferrix deflected.

{I just hope I don't need to draw my blade, I'd rather not shed more blood if I don't have to.} (Shinlua)

"Well, we need to think of something." Mizumi said. "We need to get back to Akagi and let her know what's going on. Otherwise, our entire people might find themselves Demon food!" The two women picked up the pace as the chase throughout Omara continued.