“Stretch into the deep unknown. Lost and adrift amongst the sea of stones. Forsaken by our forefathers, disowned by our kin.
Gone for us, the heaven’s mighty light. Gone, the soft blades of grass beneath our feet. Gone, our freedom and pride.
Cast beneath the children of stone, we bide our time. For one day, we shall emerge from the shadows, to bathe the world in endless night. To steal away the heavenly light as they had done to us. For one day, we shall claim our rightful place. ”
- Translated Texts in the Grand Library of Kar Zoroz, “Dark Elven Litany of Twilight”
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
“Once a guardian of my people, a defender. Now, a soul of creation, bound to the forges.” He murmured absently once he had calmed down.
Below them, the town’s glow grew far darker as civilisation had retreated yet again. The dwarf had mostly let out a string of insane ramblings, but in his lucid moments, Sophie was at least able to catch his name and infer that the sights they saw were partially his memories. From that, she was able to infer that this wasn’t just an ordinary dwarf, for his memories saw a bustling city grow, expand, and the explosive decay that happened afterwards. She also caught the most spine chilling sight of her time in the caverns. At one point during his confused recollections, she spied what looked to be like lithe elven figures, but these ones looked like shadows of the night, red eyes and purplish blue skin. Unlike the haughtiness that elves usually carried themselves with, these ones were much the dwarf originally, malicious and filled with genuine hatred.
They seemed so familiar yet different. They also stood far behind the enemy lines, advising the commanders of the oncoming horde in their advance and occasionally launching dark magic against the dwarven city. Then the scene changed again, the fighting had ground to a halt as a tense silence seized the cavern. The sea of monstrous creatures parted as a continent of the strange elves led a shrouded palanquin through the horde. On the opposite end, the city gates swung open to reveal a war party sallying out to stand at attention, a dwarf clad in gold and blue striding out with his bodyguards, all clad in heavy plate armour.
“And oh so much was lost. So much sacrifice, and for what?” The dwarf lamented, “Once we spanned leagues in the Deep. Once we ruled mighty kingdoms, this city but one of the many that proudly stood. But slowly, it faded, all going away until the last refugees arrived at our gates, the echoes fast behind them. We surrendered in all but name, for year by year, more of us would fall, and more of them would appear. Our mighty bastions fell, our heroes dispersed, only the desperate and foolish remained. When we were at our lowest, they approached us and we… we took their deal.” He turned to her, staring her in the eye and making her wither slightly, “They promised the echoes would leave and never return, that we would prosper. And we did. We cast down our own God.” He whispered.
“Wha…” Sophie tried to ask only to get interrupted.
“They called me a hero, a paragon, a guardian. For a time, it was safe. So much that when it was my time to go, they granted me the greatest of honors, to join with the forge of creation.” He looked up at the ceiling, his eyes unfocused, “So the people prospered, seduced by the lie, manipulated by the peace. Then we grew, conceited and ambitious, we forged a blade, a blade to channel the powers that swirled around us. In the stone we found refuge, but we had erred, the stone had rejected us.”
“What does this have to do with the first blood?”
“Hush, patience. For in the crevices they stalk us, in the darkness they watch us. My disciples were the first to notice, mutants wandering amongst us. The blood of the people slowly shifted as unchecked magicks mixed with the taint that seeped from below. At first there was fear, the silence of our leaders. Then there was the shunning, the exiling of those we found who were haunted. Finally chaos, for with the forge of creation and my blessings, the forgemasters created runes that sensed the darkness. It was an ingenious idea, if not that we were all tainted and changed.” His voice grew quieter, “For it was then, the slaughter began.”
Around them, Sophie watched as the monsters faded away, leaving a reeling but alive city behind. The scene then shifted to one of the city regrowing itself, expanding into once lost regions as more buildings and squat structures were erected. As his tale continued, she saw the chaos that came to spell its downfall, the burning of buildings and the brutal battles happening street to street.
“So it was, that centuries turned to ashes in weeks.” He bemoaned, “All because we failed to realize that none belonging to the twilight furies would speak their full intentions. In that we cast our God down and moulded it into a blade. An accursed thing that warped our people through its hatred and the evil that lurks below.”
“But-”
“A blade wreathed with Arneathian magicks, just like the spells casted by those who hail from twilight. So then, child of the first blood. Now that you know, why are you here? For the blood for the blood of the first born runs thick within you, that much I can sense. ” The dwarf growled, his wistful mournful expression twisting immediately into hostility.
Sophie held up her hands, her legs preparing to create some distance. “Honestly, I just want to get out of here. Now, also learn more about the Arnethians I guess, and the… Aetoesy?”
“The Aetosi.” The dwarf spat, “Pah, ignorant fool. But yet… I sense no lie in your words. To have made it this far… you must have the blood of the first born. That much is a certainty. The Aetosi… hmmm…” He closed his eyes and Sophie felt something probe her, “Their bloodline too, flows within your veins.”
“Then, does that mean… do you happen to know if-” She began but he shushed her.
“That is all I can ascertain from you. Your presence alone and your… equipment… suggest that a period of time has passed greater than what I was aware of. All I can tell is that your aura feels far too similar to the children of twilight, yet different at the same time.” He scowled, “So if you truly have no purpose here, what will you do now?”
“I…” Sophie was a bit taken aback, her past finally had some light shed upon it and yet the dwarf was so callous and uncaring. Though she knew that others might not be concerned, she still felt insulted at how dismissive he was. “I’m not really sure. Though I came here to snuff out the forge since it seems to keep the undead alive, even after a strike that would normally fell the dead.”
The dwarf seemed to frown before a more forlorn expression took over. “Then I suppose you’ve come to the right place. Walk with me.” He started sauntering down the cliff towards the city.
Too curious to give up now, Sophie followed along as they passed through eerily familiar terrain. She even recognized the rocks that had surrounded the city when she first made entry. The scenery suddenly shifted and she could hear the world around her groan as what was once outside was now the inside, the two somehow standing inside the entrance of the forge temple. Around them dozens of forgemasters hammered away or perfected their craft, a hundred more assistants dashing to and fro carrying whatever their superiors required. Mighty forges belched smoke up into the vents above, the machinery and piping aerating the entire room, ensuring the area remained breathable and clear. At the, just in front of the mining elevator, stood a statue that wasn’t there when Sophie entered before, presumably having been destroyed in the interim. Yet, as she gazed upon it, she turned to look at her guide, finding an uncanny resemblance between the statute and the dwarf. To her surprise, the dwarf merely scoffed at his own visage before moving onwards, clearly dissatisfied with something.
It felt surreal for her when they walked down the steps she had tread upon less than an hour ago. Except this time the magefire worked and torches in their sconces lit up the way. She did however, shiver every time a dwarf passed through her like she was but a ghost. She would brace for impact only for the stocky humanoids to just simply keep going past.
Once they arrived at the grand forge however, an air of melancholic regret radiated from the dwarf. The old man sighed deeply before he finally turned to Sophie.
“Behold.” He announced sadly, “The forge of creation. One of seven that work to guard the under empire from threats within and without.” His shoulders sagged, “From here we could forge almost anything, at least… until the mutations began. For even the spirit of the forge was tainted. Gah, but if you really speak the truth-”
“I did!”
“Even if you spoke the truth, you probably care not about the fate of my people. For we are quite different, you and I. Most certainly our struggles too. Rather, even to escape you will require power behind your capabilities. Power that you can gain.”
“How so?” Sophie asked.
“You are a child of the first blood. Our foundation machines like these were also created with assistance from first born wizards. Perhaps even with your meagre blood, you can finally bring this saga to a close, so that I may finally begin my journey to see how to atone for my sins.”
“So you want me to… stop the Myndiri magic?”
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
“Myndeer?”
“Err, Arneathians.”
“Aye. Do whatever it is that you first born do with the ‘Arneathian magick’, bring an end to the twisted nightmare that haunts my town. Free us from this hell and you will be able to leave. What say you?” His voice boomed once more with spirit.
“I… guess?”
“Excellent. Then-”
“But wait. I need you to answer some questions too.” She growled.
"Pah, a first blood makes demands of the children of stone, a tale as old as time." The dwarf snorted and crossed his arms, staring her down with a gaze that she finally met. As they glared at each other, the dwarf relented first, perhaps a result of the passage of time dulling his resolve. He simply nodded, before gesturing for her to begin. Fuck, right now? I don’t even… dammit Sophie, think.
“Umm… err, why do you keep calling the Myndir, sorry, Arneathians the first born?”
The dwarf harrumphed before he answered, like a teacher dealing with a petulant child, “They were born first were they not? When the races of this world were made, they alone came with the powers of the arcane imbued in their, your, blood. Whilst they might not be the true first race, the fact that they became the first rulers and the first to conquer the world, means that whatever else didn’t matter. Thus, as they were chosen by the Gods, they were the first born.”
“O-oh.” Sophie grimaced, it was an answer that told her nothing new and she felt that the dwarf was now judging her harsher than before, “Wh-what do you know about the Aetosi?” She squeaked out next.
The dwarf arched an eyebrow and Sophie detected a hint of disappointment flicker through them. “Are ye daft? They were the first born of the races of mankind. The rebels that rose up. If yer here for a history lesson you might as well leave. The scribes will have answers for you, fool. You’d waste what little time you have here for that?”
She was taken aback but remained undeterred, letting out a small hiss, “Because it’s important to me.”
The dwarf continued staring at her, but his expression softened slightly. “Very well. The Aetosi are a race of man, keep that anchored in yer wee little mind. They rebelled against the first born and made a kingdom of their own. Their rulers once promised our people that we would stand united. But worried about their own troubles, they left us to war with the echoes alone, a sin we still haven't forgotten. Though I suppose the scribes that once etched the tablets of history might now long be gone, given how I've lost all sense of time. So you'd have to find some stone readers to give you a better retelling. Satisfied?”
She wasn't, but she nodded anyway, suspecting that she wouldn't be able to pry much more out of the dwarf.
He gestured towards the forge and began walking towards it. “Now onto more important matters and why you matter. With Arneathian principles we crafted the forges of creation.” He paused, “The very same that we used to bind our God. Or I suppose to you it’d be demigod.”
“A demigod?”
“Aye. A manifestation of pure will and power between the Stonefather and us. The Amber that keeps us safe, the very same that we tore down. But I can feel it now, feel him. His presence, what little is left is reacting to yours. He knows he can be freed, that I must pay for this nightmare I have wrought.”
“And you imprisoned it? Wait… what are you anyways? You’re part of the forge aren’t you? ’
“That I am. For the forges of creation requires new keepers every century to ensure the security of our people. Keepers selected from the best of the best, the paragons of our society. But in that… I too have sinned, for my tenure has been… long if I am to judge your appearance and mannerisms. And the last message we have received from another settlement… I do not even remember.”
“And the demigod?”
“Imprisoned within the blade, yes.”
“The blade?” Sophie asked.
“Ahh…” The dwarf’s face dropped further, “The blade. Yes.” He looked over the forge and stared at the other forgemasters.
Sophie looked at them as well, the more skilled dwarves seemingly finishing blades and weapons at an incredible pace. At the forge of creation, she saw the formerly orcish dwarf using the forge of creation to smith mechanical gears. She frowned when he finished, examining the thing he had made when she realized that she had seen them on the clockwork guardian outside the forge temple. So they were made after, odd. Perhaps it’s because they needed more bodies.
“The blade remains embedded within its current host, acting as a spine that connects an abomination of science together through foul magic. Sustained by the powers of the forge, it is unbeatable.” The dwarf stated, “You must remove it, then place it under the forge so that it might be shattered forevermore. In return, I offer you a boon. I shall reforge the shattered pieces into something new. Something free from this taint that infects us all.” He spat.
“You trapped a God-”
“Demigod.”
“A demigod in a blade and you just… didn’t think anything would go wrong?” Sophie stared at the dwarf, utterly aghast at their lunacy.
“The kin of twilight promised us protection from the echoes. At the time we thought that was all that mattered in order for us to survive. Do you understand? We were trapped deep below the earth, left alone to handle the onslaught. We protected the kingdoms while they never sent aid.” He snarled, “Of course we’d feel like nothing would go wrong. It couldn’t get worse, after all. Besides, the kin of twilight did keep the echoes away. In a way. And even here, they were the ones who helped us craft the blade.”
“Goddess above, and I thought I was stupid sometimes. But… there it is again, the kin of twilight, what are they? I think I saw a few of them in this projection of yours.”
“You don’t know?” The dwarf arched an eyebrow, this time with genuine surprise.
Sophie shook her head.
“They are… I suppose were, Arnethians exposed to too much cursed and dark magicks. It tainted their souls as it tainted this town. Changing their very being to better serve their Masters and Mistresses of Shadow. Or so the scribes say.” He let out a soft chuckle, “Not that it really matters. All you need to know is that they are descendants and kin of the first born too. But that the magick they wield is best left forgotten.”
Sophie paled a few shades, realizing how much potential dark mana she had absorbed, much less that it was also what allowed Sophia to exist. Even now she could feel her battlefury lingering, waiting to be ignited as the darkness seeped further into her veins. She shuddered at the thought.
“Getting cold feet?” The dwarf teased.
She shrugged.
“Heh, well then. Let’s get this over with, eh?" He started to walk away before pausing, taking his time to choose his words carefully, "Oh and, thanks for listening to the ramblings of a madman., even if you are just a first blood It just felt like I could… think for once. Had to use the chance while I’m still conscious of what I can say at least.”
“That’s... fine.” She grunted apathetically. Though she did wonder if it was a side effect of her own destabilizing void powers. Perhaps it’s disrupting something, just like at the library. This might be worth looking at, could become a useful tool. “So that’s that then?”
“Hah, insolent little foul blood. Eager to leave?” The dwarf appeared on the verge of raging only to pause, “Yes,” He sighed, “That’d be that. Oh, but if you do somehow succeed and shatter the forge. Take my remains to the amber if you would. I have escaped judgement for far too long.”
Before Sophie could even ask what did he mean, she felt their minds decoupling as she was being violently ejected from her connection with the dwarf. She felt the wave of emotions churning within her as her mind was lost in limbo, searching for a destination that she could not even see. Only darkness remained for a time, her senses dulled to the world as it closed itself off from the ever changing
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Glad to see one of us sleeping on the job, Sophia’s barbed thought dragged Sophie back to consciousness. This bastard doesn’t seem intent on dying yet, despite whatever you did to the forge.
Sophie tried to grasp what was going on and found Sophia lightly injured. The orcish dwarf on the other hand, was badly mauled, but with the strange fire filling the open wounds and keeping the creature held together. The sword! There’s a sword in his spine! If we can rip it out he dies! Sophie hurriedly shared her knowledge.
More amused than surprised, Sophia then launched a flurry of attacks to destabilise the creature, and Sophie felt her mind once again being pulled somewhere. Back in control. I’ll split off and distract it, you rip the spine sword out.
Before she knew it, Sophie felt a plethora of strange sensations as her now dull and aching arms had nerve endings once more. Her ethereal form had vanished and she was back in control, feeling all the scrapes and bruises that she’d suffered so far. Still, the control she felt once again let her feelings come to life. Her fists clenching as the latent fury within finally had an outlet once again. To her left, Sophia had reformed as a humanoid, jabbing at the orcish dwarf to grab its attention. We gotta hit it together!
Without a blade, Sophie was left with more savage options to debilitate it. Waiting until it fully began trying to hunt Sophia, she leapt onto its back and clawed furiously at it, digging away the necrotic flesh with her fingers. Within her, she channeled jolts of void energy that found their way to the blade, siphoning its power for herself. The creature roared in anger and tried to shake her off, but Sophie held firm. She did not, however, expect it to smash her against the wall. As her back hit the pillar, she unwittingly gasped and loosened her hold, allowing it grab ahold of her arms and slam her down onto the ground, throwing her over its head.
Winded, she felt a few bones rattle within her and she tried to right herself, only for the creature to kick her brutally, making her curl up to avoid further pain. But to her surprise, the next blow did not land, and when her eyes opened, she found Sophia having circled around the creature, her dark blade cutting out a sizeable chunk out of its back. Enraged, the dwarf twisted to swing at her, only to open itself up to Sophie once more who sprang off the ground and tore out the remaining flesh that concealed the blade.
It tried to swipe at her and missed, but it was already too slow. Unwilling to draw things out for a safer outcome, Sophie almost shed tears as she wrapped her fingers around the visible bladed part of the weapon and pulled with all her might. Though blood, bile, and pain mixed itself over her hands like a coat of paint, she persisted and yanked the sword free, landing on her ass as she felt the energy leave her body.
The creature seemed thoroughly confused for a moment, stopping its attack to wonder what had happened. It was only when it began crumbling into ashes did it finally realize what had happened. Letting out an ear piercing death wail that stunned the two temporarily. Gritting her teeth, Sophie quickly placed the bloodied blade upon the forge and stepped back. Brace! She warned her counterpart.
Dazzling lights filled their vision as the forge machine smashed into the blade. The essence of a curse that had so tightly coiled around a demigod was finally broken.