The zone is silent as Thorvak Bloodrune and his elite team prepare for the ascent. Excitement rises among the warrior’s companions as their leader guides them to the surface, toward glory. The grand tunnels connecting the Fissures are temporarily closed, leaving the group incomplete. Hildas and her men remain trapped in the second Fissure; if the debris is cleared quickly, they will join Thorvak on the surface. Otherwise, they face the arduous task of climbing thousands of meters of stairs with their heavy equipment. Fortunately, communication pipes remain intact, allowing messages to flow between different parts of the kingdom, including the agricultural Fissures beneath the ground.
While Bran and Drimli bustle with preparations, Thorvak stands prepared. The great metal elevators, masterpieces of dwarven engineering, are activated to carry them to the summit of the subterranean lands. The mechanisms groan slightly as massive chains begin turning, slowly but steadily lifting the platforms toward the surface light. Boxes and crates of equipment are loaded onto the sturdy planks, and the dwarven engineers set the system in motion. The group begins their ascent.
Thorvak has assembled a diverse team of seasoned warriors and eager young dwarves looking to make a name for themselves. Among them are numerous young dwarves yet to see their first century, energetic and bold but already experienced. Thorvak’s guild is among the best in the dwarven kingdom, recently granted the exclusive right to conduct surface explorations.
“A fine opportunity,” Thorvak muses. The potential for a jackpot, especially if the dragon is truly weakened, looms large. Even if not, just venturing out, exploring, and uncovering the cause of the catastrophe is enough for the dwarven leader and his crew to gain even more popularity amongst younger dwarves.
The elevators steadily climb, pulled by the massive chains powered by the forges below. The scent of water vapor and earth oil drifts up, mingling with the faint metallic tang in the air. The engineers below better have donned their protective suits to manage the intense heat. The sound of gears and pulleys reverberates through the tunnels, a reassuring testament to the mechanical genius of their ancestors. These elevators, despite their infrequent use, were designed to venture out, not to cower within.
For young dwarves like Bran, the excitement is palpable. He looks at Thorvak, grinning.
“Can you imagine, Thorvak? If the dragon’s really dead, this is our chance! Entire lands for us. Not these cramped holes, but forests, plains! Maybe even a fortress to build on the surface.”
Thorvak gives him a stern but amused look. “Bran, save your breath for the fight. If the dragon’s still alive, even wounded, this won’t be a walk in the mines. And the humans won’t sit idly by.”
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Thorvak knows well that the Kingdom of Elbak to the north is almost as close to the draconic crater as the dwarves are. The opportunity must be seized before those weak creatures ruin everything. The forest must not fall into their hands.
Bran nods, though the enthusiasm in his eyes doesn’t waver.
As the elevators near the exit, bright light begins to filter through cracks in the walls. The ascent takes nearly an hour, rising from the Fissure, past the cliffs. Hildas won’t make this journey on foot, if the tunnels aren't opened soon, her group is doomed. The young dwarves squint, surprised by the intensity of the luminous bands in the scarlet morning sky.
When they finally reach the top, the elevators grind to a halt, and the metal gates open to reveal the outside world. The group pauses, taking in the sight before them. The landscape is a stark contrast to their subterranean life: an immense forest, dense and mysterious, stretches as far as the eye can see. In the distance, to the south, the massive silhouette of the lake glistens under the light, and beyond, further west, the karst peaks emerge timidly through misty clouds.
But what captures their attention most is the devastation. Evident traces of a massive impact scar the land. Trees lie toppled, the ground charred, and faintly glowing metallic fragments glint among the ashes. Gigantic shards of metal litter the horizon, from the northern forest to the lake. Some resemble collapsed fortresses, others, enormous creatures asleep forever.
From atop the cliff, they cannot make out the details, nor can they see the robots frantically gathering the last salvageable debris near the lake.
Elda murmurs, almost to herself, “This is where it happened… The rain of fire. The battle.”
The sight excites and unnerves the group. Bran steps forward, gripping his axe, already eager to explore.
“We’ll find that dragon. If it’s weak enough, we’ll do what no one’s dared before: kill it. And if those humans come, we’ll show them they have no place here.”
Elda grabs his arm firmly. “Don’t rush, Bran. This isn’t a game. Remember: if the dragon is dead, it means something even stronger killed it. Did you see those debris fields? What could they be?”
Thorvak, leading the group, raises his hand to command silence. His face is unusually grave.
“Enough. We’re not here to dream of glory or gold. We’re here to uncover what happened. If the guardian is weak, we need to know why. If something worse is at play, we must prepare. Follow me, and stay vigilant.”
In his mind, the questions multiply rapidly. The quest for glory and fortune in slaying the dragon is overshadowed by another thought: terror and the thrill of discovering what truly occurred, what ravaged the forest and caused the tunnels below to collapse. Something is wrong—no, it’s far beyond that...
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The forty-strong dwarven group begins their descent down the cliffside. An ancient road, used sparingly by those who venture out for timber, provides a path to the forest floor. The wind blows softly, rustling the branches, yet no bird cries, no animal steps echo from below.
Torlin Ombrevoil, well-acquainted with the forest, knows the location of the dragon’s lair in the heart of the woods. That is their first destination. The rest, Thorvak does not yet know. They will have to adapt as they go.