Town of Carne
Above us!
Ambush!
Genji raised his rifle and shot the beastman out of the air, his life's blood spraying down on top of him. He heard a scream and turned to see an Ordo Malleus clutching his bleeding stump of an arm, his arm was on the ground still twitching. Genji looked to see the beastmen bring its cleaver down onto the soldier's shoulder blade. The cleaver carved him from shoulder to belly, the soldier coughed up a mass of blood as his body went limp. He saw another soldier bayonet the beastman from behind and the beastman let out a roar. That roar was echoed by countless others radiating from the buildings.
The beastmen began pouring out of the windows in a stream, burying the Ordo Malleus under their weight. The walls of the buildings grew fur and maws appeared echoing the roar. Genji felt the ground below him shift, he looked down to see the cobblestones below his feet pull apart. The cobblestones gave way and furred hands emerged grabbing his legs. Genji panicked and fired off a shot into cobblestones. A spray of sparks fired onto the hard stones shredding the hands but some of the shrapnel ricocheted off the stone and hit his right leg. Genji hissed in pain and fell to his knees clutching his leg. Then he felt the hands return, he yelped as he felt the rising panic.
Genji struggled as he felt himself being pulled under the cobblestones, he looked around in panic and saw Varian struggling as he was pulled under. He caught his eye and could see the wild panic in his eyes.
Genji help!
Genji help me!
Varian screamed
Genji!
Genji!
Genji wake up!
Wake up!.
Genji sat up in cold sweat and felt Lucy pull him into an embrace. He returned the embrace with a desperate fervor. They held each other for a moment and Genji felt his heart calm. He pulled away and felt himself drenched in sweat.
"Are you alright dear?" Lucy asked her face twisted with worry.
"Yeah, I'm fine…" Genji said breathlessly. He took a few deep breaths and tried to calm his heart.
"Is it about what happened? Out there?" Lucy asked hesitantly.
"Yeah, kind of. Feels more like a fever dream than a memory." Genji replied with a weak smile.
"Let me get you some water, you just rest for now." Lucy said kindly as she got out of bed.
"That would be great." Genji replied weakly.
As soon as Lucy left the room, Genji swung his legs over the side and sat up. He was burning up, that was one hell of a nightmare. He stood up wanting to go over to the window, he instinctively reached towards the bedside table for his helmet and rifle. He froze midway remembering that his equipment was back at the base. He pinched the bridge of his nose and tried his best to clear his mind.
With a heavy sigh he stood up and walked over to the window, he looked at the dark street outside. He looked to the paved stones that made up the streets and privately glad the streets were not cobblestone.
He heard the door open and turned to see Lucy walk in with a glass of water. He gratefully took the glass and placed a kiss on Lucy's cheek.
"Thanks dear." Genji said with a smile.
"Get some rest alright?" Lucy said gently.
"Yeah, I think I'll go out for a walk later, could use some fresh air." Genji replied with a sigh.
"Is that wise?" Lucy asked hesitantly.
"Carne is patrolled by the Ordo Malleus, this is the worst place to be a criminal. Besides I can handle myself." Genji replied with a chuckle.
"Alright, try to get some sleep." Lucy said softly as she placed another kiss on Genji's cheek before getting back in bed.
Genji finished his water and headed out the door after getting dressed. He drank in the cool night air and reveled in the silence. Out in the field there is always some form of noise when one slept. The sentries would talk as they swapped shifts, the Tech Priests would maintain the war machines and some soldiers simply muttered in their sleep plagued by nightmares.
Genji walked aimlessly through the dark streets when he heard the ringing sound of a hammer striking metal. He looked up and saw a light down the road. Curious he approached wondering who else would be up at this hour of the night. He walked over and realised it was the town forge, he peered through the window and saw Grimrom striking a red hot ingot with a hammer.
Curious he approached, the moment he took a step past the fence of the forge he saw Grimrom look up.
"Aye laddie, what are you doing up at this hour?" Grimrom asked.
"Could ask you the same thing." Genji said as she entered the forge.
"Couldn't sleep, might as well get some work done." Grimrom replied gruffly.
"Me too." Genji said as he took a weary seat on a nearby stool.
"First home leave after combat?" Grimrom asked.
"Yeah." Genji replied softly.
"Ah I see, come on then." Grimrom said as he tossed the still glowing hot ingot into a bucket of strange liquid.
"Aren't you still working?" Genji asked.
"Nah that's just a lump of scrap iron. Just wanted to hammer something, work up a sweat." Grimrom said dismissively, waving his hand as if to blow the question away.
"But you said…" Genji began.
"Just get yer yourself in here." Grimrom said cutting him off and entering a side room.
Genji left with little choice short of just standing there gaping like a goldfish followed him into the room. When he entered he saw Grimrom place a pair of cups on a wooden table and reach for a bottle on a shelf.
"You ever had dwarven ale? Hard to get good ale here, mostly that grape water you humans like drinking so much." Grimrom said as he placed the bottle on the table with a thud.
"No I haven't." Genji said as he took a seat.
"Here ya go laddie, a specialty from my hometown." Grimrom said as he offered him a cup full of ale.
Genji took a sip and was met with a strong pungent alcohol taste with sweet honey undertones and a nutty aftertaste. As he swallowed he felt a strong burn as it went down, by the end of it he was coughing as his throat screamed its protests.
"It's good…" Genji said after his coughing fit.
"Aye it's strong eh?" Grimrom said with a laugh.
"Yeah, very." Genji replied with another cough.
"Now then laddie, I assume you had a nightmare." Grimrom said after downing the whole cup in one swig.
"How did you know?" Genji asked, taken aback.
"I was a soldier once too laddie." Grimrom replied wearily.
Genji watched as he rolled up his right sleeve revealing a heavily tattooed arm. The ink was blue with swirling patterns and in the patterns were inlaid names.
"Doromier, hard drinker he was, never did beat him in a drinking contest." Grimrom said pointing to one of the names.
"Morgrim, the stoutest dwarf you would ever see, his axe would carve through plate as easily as it would parchment." Grimrom said pointing to another name.
"Vladigast, he looked like a badly carved statue but his heart shone brighter than all the gems beneath earth." Grimrom said as he gently ran his thumb over another name.
"Wilgeist, a preener that one. Never seen a dwarf that braided his beard in such intricate patterns." Grimrom said as he touched the patterns around the name showing its swirls and braids.
"Lulstad, a baby face this one, looked a decade younger than he was. We called him youngling much to his chagrin. His face may be young but he had the hardest of eyes." Grimrom said as he pointed at the last name before pouring himself another drink.
"Who were they?" Genji asked softly.
"Friends taken too soon. The battles never truly leave you laddie, you just learn to live with them." Grimrom said as he took another drink.
"I'm sorry." Genji replied.
"Don't be laddie, they died as they lived, it is all anyone can ask of themselves." Grimrom said with a sad wrinkled smile.
"Does it get any easier?" Genji asked.
"No, you just get stronger. There is little respite, it is often in our darkest hour that cruel fate sends horrors to break us. But we cannot falter, for the supreme ones do not welcome the faithless dead to their halls." Grimrom replied.
"Sounds exhausting." Genji admitted ruefully.
"Aye, it is. For virtue is never easy, you fight for those you hold dear. Hold the 41 close to your heart Genji for faith is stronger than any armor. Faith is your armor for in the coming battles suffering will be your prayer." Grimrom replied.
Ice Gate Valley, Moral Debt Internment Colony
Pavel stood before the gathered prisoners and guards in the mess hall. The temperature was freezing, the walls made of stone did little to shield those within from the cold. He himself wore furs but as he looked to the prisoners in their simple tunics that offered little to no protection from the cold he felt a swell of guilt rise up from within. The prisoners sat in the back with the guards at the front. The guards were shaking and the prisoners were shivering. They were all shivering except for one, his daughter who sat in front of the other prisoners as if to shield them from him and the guards, to shield them from what they represented.
Neia sat calmly at the head of the prisoners her body did not tremble, if it weren't for the mist rising from her mouth with every breath an on looker wouldn't even know the air was freezing. Her eyes were alight with expectation, she believed in him and trusted him to do what was right. He would rather die than betray that trust if that day so came, but today was not that day.
Pavel unfurled a roll of parchment and paused to look at the list of twelve names at the top. He felt a cold rage burn in his belly as he gazed upon the letters on the parchment. These men putrid of character, criminals hiding as enforcers of the law. He spits on them and their deeds, to purge these creatures from his kingdom would give him great pleasure.
"Over the past week I have spoken to all of prisoners and to the guards. Over the course of the investigation I have uncovered many cases of abuse and criminal activity." Pavel said.
"Their names are…" Pavel began as he read out the names of the worst offenders. Out of the corner of his eye he saw many a happy smile as those who have suffered under the hands of these men were granted a justice long overdue. He saw some guards cover their faces with their hands as the weight of their sins crashed down upon them.
"For the above men, they are charged under the Law of the Holy Kingdom Article 14 Subsection 12 of the Law of the Rights of Men. The men above have been accused of violation of Article 14 and in the name of her majesty the queen, sovereign of the Holy Kingdom, Queen Calca Bessarez, I find you guilty. You have violated the rights of your fellow man and thus you will find your own stripped away. In the name of Queen Calca Bessarez and the crowns justice I hereby sentence you to die. For your crimes you are stripped of your rights and privileges as citizens. For your crimes you have forfeited the right to live. You shall be hung by the neck until dead by sunrise tomorrow. I declare this judgment as Captain Pavel Baraja of the house Baraja, first of my name, the Black of the Nine Colors and Commander of the Outrider Rangers." at those words there cheers and tears of joy from the prisoners.
Some of the prisoners shouted for mercy, others merely slumped in their seats, faces as pale as parchment. Except for one, the man Boris stood up in panic and ran for the door. Pavel was about to order the guards to stop him but he saw Neia rise from her seat, a fury in her eyes.
Neia blocked Boris's path and Boris tried to take a swing at Neia to knock her out of the way. You would think he would have been smart enough to learn the first time, but if he were smart he wouldn't be in this situation to begin with. Neia caught his swing as easily as a knight would catch a toddler's strike, she reached up and grabbed him by the neck. She pressed him to his knees, one hand on his throat the other on his arm.
Neia looked down at the snivelling tear stained face of this thing named Boris. He is a walking talking personification of everything that is wrong with the world. He is an honourless coward who is only good for brutalising women and children.
"It seems you have no respect, no respect for your fellow man, no respect for the Kingdom's laws and no respect for justice." Neia said her voice dripping with venom as she tightened her grip around his throat. It would be so easy to crush his windpipe and be done with it… but that is not justice.
"Face your end with some dignity." Neia sneered as she threw him back across the room to land at Pavel's feet.
"Seize him." Pavel said coldly the innocent guards immediately stood and grabbed Boris, who shouted and begged for mercy.
"Get the rest of them out of here and leave. I wish to be alone with the prisoners." Pavel said cooly.
He watched as the other guards stood up left except for one who waited for a moment. Pavel looked down at Tyr and saw a grim satisfaction in his eyes.
"Thank you my lord." Tyr said with a bow.
"I am recommending you for a transfer to another post." Pavel said.
"Thank you my lord." Tyr repeated before giving another respectful bow and leaving the room.
The room was silent for a moment as the prisoners took a moment to register what just happened.
"Thanks dad." Neia said with a happy smile.
"Thank you sir." many voices echoed.
"There is no need for thanks, justice should be the standard not the exception." Pavel said, raising a hand.
"Well sadly that's not the case throughout most of the Holy Kingdom." Eudico replied dryly.
"Yes well, I cannot answer as to why but I can give you my word I will be having a discussion with the Queen about this." Pavel said with a weary sigh.
"Also my lord if there is one thing I must ask." Eudico said her tone changing.
"What is it?" Pavel asked looking up.
"Would it be possible to get us some better clothes and food. Winter is coming and there are few things as ruthless as an Ice Gate Valley winter. Many here will not live to see spring if we remain as we are now." Eudico said.
"Hmm I will look into it." Pavel said cupping his chin.
"Thank you my lord." Eudico said with a bow of her head.
Later that night, Army Command Tent
"It's done." Pavel said, putting the report on the table.
"Finally now that this giant waste of time is settled we can move on to more pressing matters." Remedios replied impatiently.
"I wouldn't call it a waste of time." Pavel said coldly as he flipped open the report and pointed to the list of names.
"Twelve out of twenty eight guards are guilty of severe crimes, six more are guilty of minor crimes. That's eighteen out of twenty eight guards who are criminals. Which brings me to my next point, how many prisons do we have in the Holy Kingdom?" Pavel said.
"Nine." Gustav replied softly.
"That's eight more we have no idea what is happening within. I will make a formal inquiry to the queen when this war is over." Pavel said.
"No you will not trouble the queen over such matters." Remedios retorted coldly.
"That's not up to you to decide, I am of the Nine Colors same as you." Pavel said.
"I am commander of the Paladins." Remedios seethed rising to her feet.
"And I am commander of the Outriders, we hold the same rank Remedios." Pavel replied holding his ground.
"I lead an order of holy defenders, you lead a bunch of vagabonds." Remedios sneered.
"Yes I lead a band of vagabonds that have seen more combat than your order these past five years, we have the most recorded kills and the highest attrition rate. While you hide behind your wall, we are out in the beast lands sleeping in holes and ditches so that we can tell you when the battle is coming. We wouldn't want you to lose any sleep in the event of a surprise attack now would we?" Pavel replied sarcastically.
"Watch your words Baraja." Remedios seethed as she grabbed Pavel by the lapels.
"I am writing that letter. Try and stop me." Pavel replied coldly.
The next day
Neia and the other prisoners gathered inside the courtyard, at the front of the courtyard was a crude set of gallows. The platform was made of wood with just a simple wooden bar over head and there was no trap door. The gallows was merely designed to have the prisoner stand on a wooden barrel and when the noose was around the condemned neck he would be granted his or her last words. Then after that the barrel would be simply kicked unceremoniously out from under the condemned's feet. The death would be slow, necks usually don't snap with such a short drop, damning the poor soul to death by strangulation.
Many a prisoner has stood and watched as one not so different from themselves were brought up to that accursed wooden platform. Some were old, some were young, some went up screaming and begging. Others went up peacefully preferring to die by the rope rather than freeze to death in the cold. This time however, it was different. This time it was not a prisoner that stood at the gallows. Now there stood a dozen guards who all were standing atop barrels.
Neia watched as her father and her godfather walked up the steps to the gallows. Their black fur coats billowing in the wind. Uncle Reveil seemed especially unperturbed by the weather, that wasn't surprising considering he grew up on the nearby mountain range. He was accustomed to the cold and she had heard atop the mountain it was even colder than in the valley.
Reveil walked over to the first prisoner and stood before him. The man was stripped of his furs and was standing in a simple cloth tunic and pants. He shivered both from the cold and the terror.
"If you have any last words now is the time." Reveil said evenly.
"Can you write to my mother? She lives in Prart, tell her I died fighting heretics." the man pleaded.
Reveil met his plea with silence, even in the face of death he still commits to lies. Reveil kicked the barrel out from under the guard and moved on to the next man without a second glance at the choking guard.
"I'm sorry… six forgive me..." the next man wept.
"May the six have mercy on your soul." Reveil said. Reveil kicked the barrel out quickly causing the guard to drop suddenly. There was the crack of his neck snapping and his body stilled save for a few twitches.
This went on for the rest, some begged, some seeked absolution and some were silent their minds unable to accept the reality of their impending death.
Finally he reached the last man, that degenerate that tried to run. Even now he looked the worse he was two steps away from bawling a baby. Snot was running down his nose and tears flowed his cheeks like rivers.
"Any last words?" Reveil asked with disdain.
"Pwease I dun wanna die." Boris garbled out.
"Pwease I dun wanna die? These are your last words, come on you can do better." Reveil said arching an eyebrow.
"Pweese!" Boris wailed as he wet himself, Reveil tried his best to ignore the scent of ammonia wafting up.
"You're shit at dying you know that?" Reveil replied in disgust as he gently toppled the barrel leaving him to slow death.
Pavel walked over to the centre of the platform, behind him were twelve blue faced corpses gently swaying in the boreal winds.
"Let this be a message to all who would defy the Holy Kingdoms laws. The letter of the law applies to everyone regardless of station. Violate the laws and perish." Pavel said.
When Pavel walked off stage, Neia looked on longingly. How she wished she could just follow him and leave. However, she can't. She is a prisoner here and not only that now she is a protector of the weak. If she left what would happen to all the other prisoners? With the quotas going up half the people here would be worked to death and the abuses will return. Now she felt the words that Uncle Reveil said so long ago all so clearly.
When she was a trainee paladin, Uncle Reveil once said that "Duty comes easy when it costs you nothing." At the time Neia thought that as long as she held the ideals she so treasured close to her heart she would be able to defy any temptation. Never before has she felt this tug on two sides, both calling out to her promising things she held dear.
"You were right, never thought I'd see the day." Eudico said softly from beside her.
"What?" Neia asked.
"Funny isn't it, this place where they send those who this Kingdom spurns. Where they send their worst, they care not what fate befalls us and yet…" Eudico said.
"Yet?" Neia asked.
"Yet of all the high lords, all the fools that hide behind their banners and their pride. They mistakenly sent the one good man in the Kingdom." Eudico replied.
"Yes, if there is one just man left in this kingdom it is my father." Neia said with an unshakeable belief.
"Don't need to convince me." Eudico replied with a laugh.
"I'll find a way to get all of you out." Neia said.
"Hanging guards is one thing, getting us out is another thing entirely." Eudico said
"Nothing worth doing has ever been easy." Neia replied.
"Then I pray for your success." Eudico said.
Feoh Jera, Capital of the Dwarven Kingdom
Gondo toiled in his workshop on his desk were strewn stacks of notes and diagrams. One set of schematics stood out and it was plastered on the wall in front of his desk. It detailed a system of interchanging runes, the knowledge there was decades ahead of where the dwarven kingdom was at. Gondo was sure he would not have been able to reach even a fraction of this level of progress in his lifetime.
In the dwarven kingdom their rune crafting was extremely crude, it relied on inlaying runes onto pieces of enchantment compatible material. It was extremely simple, stick a fire rune on a sword blade and you get a fire blade, that's all there was to it. Trying to do anything too complicated the runes would warp. In the past the runesmiths assumed that was just the nature of the runes and it was a fact of the world.
However, now Gondo knew that was because they had no understanding of mana circuits. All spells were made with magic circles, destroy the structure and all the runes collapse in on itself.
This phenomenon was called a mana short circuit, the unstable structure causes the mana energy to discharge erratically destroying the magic circle. Or in this case the mana discharge damages the runes warping it.
In truth mana was just a form of energy, which means it can be calculated and quantified. Just like how one would measure how much water there was in a bucket the same could be done for mana. Also, just like how water can be manipulated to turn a water wheel or run through piping as coolant so could mana be manipulated.
The interchanging rune system was apparently one of the basics that was taught in Eden's rune academies. The concept was simple, when a rune is removed the circuit breaks thus the discharge causes the runes to warp. So the solution is simple, ensure the circuit never breaks, when a rune is removed a stabilizer rune is injected at the same time. When the new rune is affixed into the circuit the stabilizer is immediately removed ensuring the stability of the magic circuit.
This knowledge also puts to light how backward their level of knowledge was. In Gondo's nation Ruensmiths were considered more skilled when they could carve multiple runes at once as carving runes one at a time causes them to warp. This is because when a rune is completed the rune pours mana into the material forming a simple mana circuit but if you add the another rune the influx mana disrupts that circuit causing a mana discharge. So with the knowledge of stabilizers you could simply fix this ingenious device called a mana stabilizer. The mana stabilizer is a ring shaped device with a hollow hole in the middle. The stabilizers are all affixed at once forming the circuit of however many runes the Runesmith desired. Then the Runesmith merely needs to carve the runes one at a time into the hollow of the ring and remove the stabilizer when one rune is completed. This meant a sword with twenty runes was as easy to accomplish as one with a single rune. The only difference was how long it would take to complete the task. There was no additional skill needed, just a time investment.
This fact of course did not sit well with the Runelords, this revelation meant that their expertise was simply… useless. His father, bless his humility, was quick to acknowledge the reality of the situation and immediately went to work trying out this new technique. His father living up to his title as the best Runelord in the kingdom managed to create a sword with ten runes which easily eclipsed the current kings prized warhammer which bore five runes. His father had presented this sword to the king on his knees saying that this was his first crude attempt and he swore to create even greater pieces of wargear to honor the high king.
Gondo remembers that moment oh so clearly, he would never forget that moment for the rest of his life. The throne room was silent as the grave when the sword was unveiled, the king for the first time in his reign rose from his throne to accept the gift. The high king almost reverently took the blade and held the blade up to the light. Its ten glowing runes shining in the air for the whole court to see.
"Amazing, I believe this is a glimpse into the future. Of runes peppering our nation like the stars in the night sky." the king said softly.
"So light, it's like a roll of parchment. Triple fire, twin venom, triple durability, twin sharpness and a single weight rune. As if the twin sharpness runes weren't enough with five elemental runes forming an acid enchantment more potent that this world has ever seen. Mithril armor will split like butter when this edge strikes." the king said as he let out a laugh.
"I shall name it the Butter Knife for all before it will be as butter and compared to what we shall achieve in the future this will be comparable to a piece of cutlery." the king proclaimed with happiness that the court has never seen.
Many a cheer rang out across the hall but some of the Runelords grumbled and wore disdainful expressions on their faces. Gondo knew why, many of the Runelords were purely technical in their skills. They were hopeless in theory crafting, most of the innovations were done by the younger generation. They knew this blade was a prophecy of their fade into irrelevance.
Those old fools were more concerned with their pride than the advancement of their sacred craft. Who cares if what they have been doing was wrong, at least now they knew the correct way to do things. All they had to do it was accept it and move on.
So his father toiled to make a warhammer to eclipse all others, Gondo had seen the schematic. It was truly a wondrous piece of wargear. Ten runes on each side of the hammerhead and five runes on the handle. With golden engravings and a jewel encrusted handle, made by the finest artisans and enchanted by the best runesmith of the nation.
Gondo had initially wanted to work on his father but his father had taken him aside.
"Gondo, my peers and I, we are a dying breed. Our skills and experience are no longer valuable to the progression of this kingdom. Young dwarfs like you who are not bound by our old ways are the key to the future. Let me labour on what we do best. You should go to make something that heralds this new era in our history." his father had said.
It was then that his father took out a schematic of a battleaxe. Gondo recognised it as an axe with an interchanging rune design. It was simple only allowing for three runes at any one time with only another three interchangeable runes of various elements. It would be much weaker than what his father was making but it would be a step into the future. This axe would be the personification of what the dwarves were as a people. They never relied on magic they merely melded magic into their craftsmanship. Magic could be controlled, it could be quantified, it could be manipulated and bent to suit their will. This axe will prove it, runes are more than power sources, they were not just a more affordable but much more time consuming alternative to magic enchantment.
With this axe he will prove it…
The Dwarven Kingdom Throne Room
Magos Aldebrac walked towards the throne flanked by his Skitarii guards. The Legio Skitarii were the best infantry at the Ordo Mechanicus's disposal. Rune engraved metal bodies, enhancement to all the senses, enchanted armor and top quality weapons. Primarily ranged specialists they are known to be able to hit targets a kilometer away with almost perfect accuracy.
His guards each clutched a Mark IV Mars Pattern Galvanic rifle, these rifles fired rounds with the [Mana Discharge] enchantment. When the bullets strike a target the enchantment causes all the latent mana energy in its body to discharge in a mana overload often causing an explosion. It is a deadly weapon that few can withstand, a first class weapon given to first class soldiers.
Mangos Adlebrac stopped before the throne but did not bow. The high king was a devout of the Lord Amanomahitotsu, the god of the forge and the machine. The patron god of the dwarves and the greatest smith to ever exist and who ever will. All dwarves pay homage to Lord Amanomahitotsu's chosen, the Ordo Mechanicus. Aldebracc being a Magos stood leaps and bounds above the high king in rank as he stood closer to the Forge Lord than the High King could ever hope to achieve.
"Lord Magos." the high king with respect in his voice.
"High King." Magos Aldebracc said evenly.
"What brings you here today? I hope you are enjoying your stay." the high king replied.
"Yes, it is good to see the eagerness of your people. I come to speak of a more pressing matter." Magos Aldebracc said.
"That is?" the high king asked.
"I wish for you to meet the sovereigns of three human nations. The Re-Estise Kingdom, The Baharuth Empire and The Draconic Kingdom. We would also like to invite the elves of the Crescent Lake." Mangos Aldebracc said.
"Lord Magos you would have me meet with these heretical scum?" the High King growled.
"They are heretics no longer, they have rallied to our banner. They now seek to restore the 41 to their rightful place." Magos Aldebracc said.
"So they say. I would be a fool to trust oathbreaker spawn. The word of oathbreakers is worth nothing." the high king growled.
"We are Dawi. We hold our grudges close but we also seek to right the wrongs. A filled book of grudges is a disgrace. The return of the 41 is at hand High King of the Dwarves." Magos Aldebracc countered.
"How do I know we can trust them? We trusted them in elder days before the fall and they spat on our trust. They stole this world from the rightful rulers, the will of the 41 holds no sway thanks to traitors and oathbreakers." the high king retorted.
"The 41 always hold sway high king, mere mortals cannot deny the supreme ones. They are the primordial ones, they are the ones that came before all others. The first are they and the last they will be. The heretics have racked up a sizable debt and the 41 always come to collect in due time." Magos Aldebracc said.
"I require proof Magos Aldebracc, proof that this is truly the age of reckoning. For if we fail the dwarfs of this world shall be hurled into the jaws of extinction." the high king replied gravely.
"Proof is something I have in abundance." Magos Aldebracc replied and though the high king could not see his mouth behind the metal face mask he could tell the Magos was smiling.
"I will provide not one but two offering of evidence, so all doubt may be swayed from your mind. I assume you have a spirit shrine to Amanomahitotsu?" Magos Aldebracc said.
"Yes of course." the high king replied.
"Take me to it." Magos Aldebracc said.
Gondar followed behind the Magos and his king. Behind him followed the court of the High King. There was confused muttering abound as the nobles whispered on why they were approaching the sacred shrine. The shrine has existed since time immemorial, no records knew when or how it was constructed. The only things they knew were that this construction was beyond their skills to replicate and that this shrine predated the kingdom.
As Gondar approached the massive door that sealed the shrine away from the rest of the world he looked up and saw the familiar words of ancient wisdom carved on the door.
Overcome the weakness of the flesh
Flesh will wither and decay
Seek the strength and certainty of steel
Aspire to the purity of the blessed machine
From the cage of your flesh you will be free
For the machine is immortal
By the grace of the forge lord
The Omnissiah Amanomahitotsu
These words have shaped the dwarf's culture, many soldiers of the dwarfs have replaced limbs with magical ones. Even Gondar himself bears a magi tech right arm to aid in his rune smithing efforts. The Magos is truly more machine than flesh and he is the envy of the kingdom. The only flesh on his body visible was his right eye and part of his forehead. The rest was covered by blessed metal, he was truly freed from the failures of the flesh.
Then they entered the sacred shrine, it was a massive cavern with the ceiling so high it rose out into darkness making it look like a night sky. In the centre of the cavern was a massive statue towering about 20 meters tall, the statue was of the Forge Lord Amanomahitotsu. At the base of the statue was an altar in the shape of an anvil and behind the anvil was a forge that burned with a bright orange glow.
The dwarves called this the Eternal Forge as the fire burned without fuel. For millennia it has burned requiring neither tinder nor bellows. In the past smiths have attempted to use the forge to smith but they found their tools and ingots reduced to nothing when thrust into that holy flame. The fire radiated no heat but it burned like no other.
The court watched as the Magos approached the shrine and pulled out a rosary. He lit the rosary and thin wisps of smoke began to emanate from the rosary. Magos Aldebracc knelt before the shrine and began to pray. Gondar couldn't understand what the Magos was speaking but he had read that the devout of Amanomahitotsu used a sacred language known as the Lingua-Technis. It was said only a being, blessed by the machine god may understand it and it allows the transfer of vast amounts of information in a short amount of time.
To his mortal ears it sounded like a strange crackling and buzzing. Perhaps to his limited mind he simply could not process the vast amount of information being spoken. Perhaps the words were coming out so quickly that it created a buzzing sound similar to buzzing of the wings of a fly.
Then the chanting ceased and the cavern rumbled, Gondar looked on in awe as the eyes of the statue came alight with the same glow that lit the Eternal Forge. The statue came alive as it lowered its head and gazed at the ants that laid below.
Magos Aldebracc
An ancient and powerful voice rumbled from the statue. In his core he knew this was the voice of his god. The voice of the Forge Lord rumbled throughout the mountain shaking the very mountain itself.
"My lord, your humble servant kneels before you." Magos Aldebracc said his head bowed.
Yes, you bring the dwarves of realm 235
So it seems they require proof beyond your station
"Yes, my lord." Magos Aldebracc replied reverently.
An expected outcome, an acceptable performance Magos Aldebracc
"You honor me, my lord." Magos Aldebraccc said.
You must be the king of the dwarves
The high king looked up at the statue mouth agape as he beheld the sight of his divine lord.
Hmm I assume in your shock you forget proper etiquette
At those words the court seemed to snap awake and immediately fell to their knees before the Forge Lord.
Very well, it seems acceptable posture has been adopted
Now although this outcome is not unexpected
I do confess myself
Disappointed
"My lord?" the high king stammered.
I had hoped the presence of a Magos would be enough to sway you
I find your lack of faith disappointing
It appears the Dawi have fallen far in this realm
"My lord if we have disappointed you please allow us to make amends." the high king begged as the prostrated himself pressing his forehead to the floor.
Very well, I do not find your failure that unsurprising
The failures of mortal flesh is not a foreign concept to me
You have stayed loyal despite the collapse of the order of your world
You kept faith
However, I do not provide applause for those who do what is expected of them
You hid in your mountain safe from persecution
A lone member of the Ordo Malleus survived alone outside
She fought alone for six hundred years
For that I give praise
I will correct your flagging convictions
The Dawi have many grudges to right
I will tear this mountain asunder before I allow you to quail beneath your mountain
At those words the statue slammed its massive crab claw into the ground shaking the mountain to the core, causing avalanches all across the mountain. The tremors could be felt as far as E-Rantel, many a weakly constructed house in the Dwarven kingdom collapsed from the force of the strike.
At E-Rantel Nfriea shook as the tremor passed over him and heard the sounds of bottles shattering all around him. He looked around stunned at the sight of half his experimental potions pooling on the floor amongst shattered bottles. He wanted to curse but somehow he felt he should just accept what had just happened lest his laments aggravated whatever caused that tremor. So he quietly stood up and walked over to the mop that was in the corner of the room...
Magos Aldebracc will tell you what you must do
Do not fail me...
At those last words the eyes of the statue went out leaving the statue still and motionless still leering over the gathered nobles. The high king looked up to the now motionless statue and turned to see the crab claw still embedded in the dark black stone. The same stone is said to be indestructible by mortal means.
The high king had no doubts that was his god. For the first time in his life he was humbled beyond all words. For what is a king before a god?
"It appears we have strayed from the path." the king said softly, his knees still on the floor.
"Fear not my friend, the 41 demand much from us but they are fair. Redemption is not out of reach." Magos Aldebracc replied.
"Yes, Rune Lord Firebeard. I believe it is time to open the Reliquary of Reckoning." the high king said.
"The Reliquary of Reckoning?" Magos Aldebracc asked.
"The High King at the time of the Great Fall at the end of the age of gods. Made a decree that all kings that came after must prepare for the age of reckoning. We made wargear for not only ourselves but the other races. It was a hope that someday this realm would return to the light of the 41." the high king replied.
"The high king must have had great foresight." Magos Aldebracc replied approvingly.
"There was a prophecy made by a powerful seer. It foretold the Great Fall and the Age of Reckoning that will come after." the High King said with a weary sigh.
"My ancestors didn't believe her at first… but when the Great Fall came we knew her words to be true." the High King replied.
"Fascinating, a seer foretold the Great Fall?" Magos Aldebracc asked, now very interested.
"Yes, she told us we had to send word to the other races but we only managed to get word to the Dragon Lords. We were cut off from the Elves of the Crescent Lake, so word never got through. We believe the decisions of the Dragon Lords thus far in these 600 years have meant that they believed the prophecy to be true. They have been like us sealing themselves away and preparing. Preparing for the Age of Reckoning." the high king replied.
"Well that age is at hand High King of the Dwarves. It is time to show you the truth of this world." Magos Aldebracc replied.
"The truth?" the high king asked.
"Yes, the envoys from the three human nations will arrive soon. You will sign an alliance with them and all of you shall be sent to the Forge World of Mars. We are preparing for a war unlike any other this world has ever seen. The rulers need to know the truth and the scope of the coming conflict. They must know the sacrifice that will be necessary." Magos Aldebracc said.
"Very well, they shall be treated as kinsman. We now stand united against the so called six." the High King growled.
"Indeed, we will raze the religion of the six to the ground. Let only ashes remain." Magos Aldebracc replied.
"Nothing would give me greater pleasure." the High King said.
"Oh yes one more thing." Magos Aldbracc added.
"Yes, Magos Aldebracc?" the High King asked.
"Who was this prophet, do you have any records?" Magos Aldebracc asked.
"We have some limited records but this woman was shrouded in mystery. We only know she had blonde hair, terrifying blue eyes and her family name." the High King replied.
"And her family name was?" Magos Aldebracc pressed.
Baraja
Author's notes:
Hey guys hope you liked the chapter, there's another world building chapter coming up. Stay tuned for a glimpse into the production heart of the 41's armies. There will also be some exploration into the philosophy into the differing groups that serve the 41 and the differences in cultures between the races.
So leave a review if you enjoyed the chapter and feedback is always welcome. See you guys in the next chapter!