Originally uploaded Jul 24, 2023
Elijah Pov
I could make out faint shapes. The harsh light just above me assaulted my blurry eyes but I could see them. Various figures of different statures working around me. The cold lighting and sterile environment gave me a nostalgic feeling.
Figures moved in the shadows just outside my vision. I urged my body to move but it did not budge. As if this body wasn't my own. But I could tell my body was laying down on some bed of sorts. Strapped by my wrists to keep me secure.
Various figures entered and left my field of vision. Most of them were wearing white lab coats, with different kinds of masks and coverings obscuring their faces. They seemed human enough, but the air they gave off was oppressing. As if they emitted a negative aura.
I could barely make out what they were saying. Something about souls and aether. Even if I could clearly hear them I doubt I would have understood. I tried blinking rapidly to clear my view, but it remained blurry. As if I was underwater.
Then a singular figure began to approach me. From the way he conducted himself to the way the others moved out of his way gave him a differing quality.
As he drew closer I could feel the air of death around him. It sent shivers down my spine with each of his step. My mind screamed at my body to run, to flee from his man. But my body remained still.
He was now only at arms length. I could vaguely make out his facial features. Smooth pale skin that only accentuated his glowing crimson eyes. He was handsome by any metric but what drew my attention was the horns that grew from his head.
A pair of elf-like ebony horns reached up into the air. Each decorated with various jewels and rings of gold. I could see a mist of black surrounding him. The mist of death. I could feel myself begin to sweat as he bent down to examine me closer.
He stared into my eyes. And I could feel myself being pulled into them. My mind went numb as I could feel him rummaging through my mind. I saw images of people and places I didn't recognize. A girl with blonde hair that seemed more like some goddess from myths than a human. A man with short pale hair wielding a sword. The sword impaling the girl.
I didn't understand them, but he made me bare witness. For reasons I couldn't find I began to shed tears as my heart ached.
I felt as if I was being mentally violated as the horned man drew back. His lips curled up into a smile I could only describe as wicked. He opened his mouth to talk, each of his words had an otherworldly quality. Echoing around the room his deep baritone voice conveyed untold power and knowledge. But they also had an alluring quality, as if each of his words just made sense and needed to be followed.
"Welcome, Nico."
My eyes snapped open. My body and clothes were wet with cold sweat as Arthur gently shook me. My head rang like a church bell and I wanted to throw up. My knees gave out and Arthur caught me in his arms. He gave me a worried look as he propped me up.
"Elijah, are you alright?" He asked, even his bond, who was now in a human form rushed to check up on me. I still couldn't quiet understand, her being a dragon but now having such a form. In the end it was less headache inducing to not think about it.
'Yeah, I'm alright. Just a headache." I reassured my friend as I shrugged off their concern.
"Jeez, a headache. I'm sure when we are fighting asuras your little friend here will be great help." A voice range out. Neoth walked up to inspect me. He was shrouded in a large hooded forest green cloak, but as he reached out his hand to turn my head I could see small runes that marked his skin.
"Neoth." Arthur said, putting a bit of his intent in his voice. And that seemed to make the hooded man shut up.
Neoth only gave Arthur the side-eye as he turned his attention back to the floating screen in the middle the room. We were currently floating just above the capital Darv. Aboard Neoth's flying battleship. Well, he called it a ship but it was more like a mix of the ships Arthur helped Gideon design and fortresses. I didn't fully understand how this ship worked but apparently we were cloaked. Invisible to outside observers as we slowly cruised around the dwarven city.
The bridge was a largely empty room, the front facing walls were all clear windows showing the outside. Several panels and charts showing readings and data were being watched by several masked people wearing black armor. They didn't pay any mind to us, only doing their duties like mindless drones. In fact, most of the ship's functions seemed to be automated by these drones.
"Tch, damn incarnates." Neoth cursed under his breath as he fiddled with a panel and three dimensional map of Darv blinked into existence.
"Thanks to the map our patient friend here provided we can see the Darv city, despite being their main capital is still built around a complicated network of tunnels and caverns." Neoth said as he pointed at various points on the map with his staff. A masterfully crafted piece of art if I do say so myself. With an orb of purple magic mounted at its top with a variety of runes etched into its handle and shaft.
"I thought you were a historian. Why don't you know more about dwarves?" Arthur asked with his eyebrows raised.
"If I deemed a specie's number as a measurement of their success I would be collecting various forms of bacteria. Unless there is war and some drama, you lessers bore me." Neoth spat with disgust.
I didn't exactly know who Neoth was. He was someone Arthur introduced me to and he has a snobby noble type of quality to him. Like all of us were beneath him. Apparently he was an ancient mage. I would have imagined their kind to be a bit... wiser. But the magic and technology he used was no doubt far more advanced than anything Dicathen had that was for sure. Arthur just seemed to be putting up with him to use his talents for the war.
"Aren't you a so called lesser yourself?" Arthur asked again, clearly trying to annoy the ancient mage.
Neoth only muttered something I couldn't hear as he continued.
"I have marked all of the main tunnels that go to and fro from the central city." As he said this several points and tunnels glowed purple.
"And you have done as I instructed?" Arthur asked as he leaned on one of the tables.
"Yes, I have placed explosive charges as he said." Neoth said with a sigh.
"Wait, explosives? Arthur you aren't just going to kill the all right?" I asked, my headache subsided. He has already shown me enough evidence of the dwarven race's betrayal but killing them all seemed to be an extreme measure.
"Of course not. Do you think I am some blood thirsty warlord." Arthur answered with a chuckle.
"Only sometimes." Regis chimed in. Another one of Arthur's many companions. A wolf seemingly made of shadows that could turn into an intangible ghost. There were just so many questions and unknowns when it came to Art that I gave up trying.
Art ignored Regis' remark as he further explained. "I plan on driving the most of the dwarves into their main city. And in order to do so we need to flush them out of their many tunnels and escape routes."
"What if there are paths we can't see. I may have lived there for a time but I don't know everything about Darv." I asked, Darv was my home for a time after all. There were still people I cared about within its borders.
"Don't worry. I am quiet familiar with the underground castle." Art said with a knowing smile.
He then turned to Neoth who was now study some sort of panel. I couldn't see what it displayed but it seemed to have caught his attention.
"I hope you brought an army." Art asked.
Neoth only laughed in response as he held out three little cubes in his hands. They each glowed an ethereal blue, constantly shifted shades.
"You think so little of me friend. I brought three."
How showing Art three little cubes proved his point went over my head but my childhood friend seemed satisfied with his response.
"Cynthia." Arthur spoke up and from the shadows a hooded figure appeared silently. The cloak had fine engravings of gold sown into its fabric, making a chain of runic words. The figure pulled their hood down and I was met by the former director of Xyrus academy.
She bowed her head in answer to Art's call.
"You and Lucas will lead one division there." Art pointed to one of the larger tunnels. A route for incoming transport and people for the main trading hub. No doubt an important route for the city's economy and longevity.
"Understood." Cynthia curtly responded as she turned to leave. But Arthur stopped her momentarily as he reminded her.
"Keep the boy in line will ya. We don't want him burning up all the oxygen after all."
Cynthia only lightly laughed in response as she silently slipped away into the shadows.
"And for you my friend." Art now turned to me.
I stood up straighter as we made eye contact. While I did hold my doubts of my friend I still trusted and believed him. While I might not agree with this sometimes extreme methods I couldn't argue that they were effective. It was as if he knew all the answers already. He knew exactly just which buttons to push to achieve his desired result. Despite being actually younger than me he always had an air of undefeatable power and authority to him. I know it might sound foolish but I truly believed he could change the outcome of this war despite being just a single boy.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
"You will take the remaining two to their main passage." Arthur said, he was placing his full confidence with me. Whether the reason be my familiarity with the city or my earth-type mana arts that gave me an edge, he has given this duty upon me. And I won't fail him. He has saved me before, and I had to repay the favor.
I sternly nodded, determination filled my mind. Retaking the dwarven capital was our first step in stabilizing Dicathen to better fend of the Alacryan invaders. This was just the beginning of the war.
***
The musty smell of the dwarven caves gave me a pang of nostalgia. It has already been several years since I lived here but it was all the same. The warp portal closed behind us as the faceless troops lined up.
All wearing the same obsidian black battleplate. All with a helmet that fully covered their head. They all stood at attention, their spears and shields raised in battle formation. So precise with no wasted movements, their were more akin to golems than living beings. They numbered in the hundreds, and from the aura they emitted they would be enough to deal with any real threat within Darv.
If my memory serves me correctly we are quiet a distance from the main city. This was the main entrance tunnel, where most travel took place. At the end of the tunnel were several warp portals, while there were private one within the royal palace these were used by the general public.
In order to effectively block off their route of retreating the best thing to do would be to set off the explosive charges Art had placed near the portals. Not close enough to destroy them in the process, but enough destructive power to collapse the ceiling and deny any fleeing dwarves.
It was called a tunnel but this pathway was more like a large cavern. If I remember my history lessons correctly this tunnel and the main opening the capital was originally constructed from a preexisting cave system. I looked over the ledge, and saw a steady line of traveling merchants and civilians making their way to and from the underground city. On each side of the line were a sparse line of guards.
I doubt they would be smuggling any Alacryan soldiers or supplies through the main route. They would much rather use their private portal systems deep within their castle. So it would be best to minimize casualties.
One of Neoth's soldiers marched up to me. He was sporting a much more fancy armor. Decorated by gold heraldry, he must have been a captain or leader of this squadron of some sort. He handed me a small device, the only thing on it was a square red button. The detonator for the explosives I presumed. He wordlessly marched off and got back into formation after handing me the device.
It was eerie, a bit creepy that they never seemed to talk. I wondered if they were even aware of any of their actions or were they all just mindless drones.
Wind-type mana rang in my ears. I winced at the sudden change of air pressure in my ear as I placed an index finger in my left ear.
The sound of gusts of wind were interlaced by words. I readjusted my finger trying to make the finicky spell properly work.
"Elijah, Elijah. Can you hear me?" Cynthia's voice cut through the static and wind. A simple short distance communication spell she had developed. It was a bit tricky to get it to work and harder to get used to. But it served its purpose well enough.
"Yeah, are you in position?" I asked as I continued to obverse the line of people. Obscured by the large cave rocks and high elevation.
"Affirmative. On my call." Cynthia curtly responed. You would think she did such operations before. She seemed to have a different air and voice than when she was training with us.
"Three, two, one." I pressed my other hand firmly on the button. A low thump could be felt as the mana crystals that made up the explosive devices overloaded. I could feel the ambient earth mana rumble and react, a wave of debris and dust washed over the entire tunnel from the direction of the portal. The guards were instantly alert, but were confused as to what had happened.
Seeing this as a chance I signaled the troop behind me to advance. They did so with absolute precision, each step completely in sync with each other. I readied myself, the mana with my core swirled to action, casting a protective barrier of pure mana around my entire body.
I made myself know as I forced mana into my vocal chords, giving my words a deeper and louder feel.
"Stand down!" I announced, but the guards obviously didn't heed my words. Now that they have seen me they charged towards me. The mana coalescing in their hands as weapons flashed into existence. I felt around for the nearly unlimited earth type mana that was around me. A large wall of black crystals punched up from the ground. Sending a couple dozen of the dwavren guards flying into the air.
The legion of armored warriors were just behind me as the first ranks of the masked soldiers clashed with the guards. It wasn't even a contest, their weapons hummed with a unseen energy, glowing an ethereal purple similar to what Art used which seemed to cut through any of the dawrve's mana defenses.
The terrified civilians all screamed out as they began to run off to the city, abandoning their carts or baggage. The guards, clearly outnumbered and outgunned began to back away, shouting for help. The warriors I commanded were advancing slowly, cutting down any who stood in their way with scary efficiency. I saw one larger warrior clad in armor black as the abyss cleave three dwarves in half with one swing of his sword.
The only reason any of the dawrves were still alive was because I had ordered them to not kill unless necessary, I didn't want this to be a complete massacre. There had to be actual dwarves left to reunify Dicathen.
I could already see a small army of dwarves rushing over to defend their capital. Armed with their standard issue armor, each of them carried master-crafted weapons they each created with their own hands. They were few in number, most likely drawn to two direction, it was Art's idea to split up their main forces by attacking from two points at once. No doubt Cynthia and Lucas will be able to deal with the rest even with their limited number of their own troops.
Arthur had mention that in a large scale war the mean of mass production of weapons and supplies were the most important. Whether he read that in a book or was something he learned through other means it seemed reasonable. And taking over Darv would greatly bolster just that.
A staff of dark metal materialized in my hands as I activated my dimensional storage ring. A orb of concentrated mana sat atop its shaft that I had spent hours crafting. While Art had emphasized the importance of learning basic short range combat I was still a conjurer. Wielding a staff aided me to better focus my spells and gave me more mana to work with.
I watched as the dwarves quickly get into position. A row of tall shields defended them as ranks of conjurers stood behind them. Their mana flaring up like living flames. But there was another presence I wasn't expecting. It sent a a bout of cold sweat down my spine. The feeling of dread and death overwhelmed my senses.
From the dark shadows of the large cave emerged a being. Seemingly draped with shadows and death. The tight fitting dark armor and short dark hair. The large horns that grew from just above his ear, pair with his gleaming red eyes I knew this was a Vritra born. He wielded a large greatsword, the blade of which was pitch black as if seemingly suck all the light from around it. It was nearly twice his height, but he seemed to have no trouble flying with it in his hands. He had a apathetic look on his face, almost as if he was bored and was waiting for me to move first.
He flew just above and behind the conjurers of the dwarves. To think that the Alacryans have already sent one of their own Vritra born warriors to Dicathen. And to believe that they have already made their way into one of our capitals. I swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the feeling of fear. This was the first time I would be going up against a Vritra. Hell, it would be the first time I would be in live combat. I reassured myself, my mana rekindled itself like a phoenix.
I pointed the tip of my staff at the Vritra blooded warrior. The soldiers behind me all assumed their positions again, their weapons all hummed with an alien power. Vritra or not, it did not matter. I won't be dying here, not when this is just the beginning.
I took a deep breath. The dwarves all stood silently, waiting for the us to make the first move. The Djinn warriors behind me all awaited my command. I felt the earth mana around me vibrate in response to me as I pulled more of it into my core. A technique Art had hammered in to my head he called mana rotation.
I reassured myself as I gave the order.
"Charge!"
Arthur Pov
The door closed behind Elijah as he went to prepare for the attack. I took a deep sigh as I slumped into a nearby chair.
"Why do you bother?" Neoth asked from one of this floating panels made of aether. Regis was next to him, trying to get a closer look at what the old coot was doing.
"What do you mean?" I asked. I disliked trying to be a leader, a king again. The appearance that you had to keep up. To give orders knowing that you could let down all of you men. Taking Darv was an easy enough task, but I was already worry about the future where the stakes will be much higher.
"You have enough strength with your walking pile of destruction and pet dragon to clear out the entire city by yourself. Yet you bother with training those lessers to do it in a less efficient fashion."
"Efficiency isn't the reason Neoth. I need allies I can trust. No leader rules alone." I shoot back.
"And you have experience of that being a kind king?" Neoth answered, clearly knowing I was a emotionless bastards as a king in my past life.
"Oh, he got you there." Regis chuckled.
"Hey Sylvie." I called out to my bond who was standing right beside me. She still had some difficulty with piecing together things I told her, but her being able to look around in my memories seems to be helping her understand and mature much faster than originally.
"Yeah?" She awkwardly spoke, still not used to using actual words.
"Give your brother a slap will you."
"Sorry about this Regis." Sylvie said as she approached my furry companion with aether wrapped around her hands.
"You need friends? So you are wasting your time with them? Despite all the gifts I have given them they are still a long way from even standing against a weak asura." Neoth commented, ignoring the slapstick comedy that was happening between my two bonds.
"So what should I do instead? Rely only on you? I am sure you won't turn on your heels the moment I came up against some serious threat." I fired back. We both knew without confirming with the other that this so called alliance was only temporary. We could cut off the other when the situation called for it.
"You know just how much resources I had to pull for this silly little war of yours? I am surprised the Highlord council hasn't been knocking at my doors yet." Neoth spat back. This was clearly only growing the animosity between us. And there was the mention of the council of Highlords again, the one he always cursed on about. From the way he spoke of them I would hazard to guess that they were a group of other realm's Highlords who held a higher position of power, both in military might and political.
If I were to somehow cross paths with them, they would no doubt have some reservations about me, being partially dragon and all. Or maybe this sword I now wielded held some answers. Neoth's own warriors reacted in a subservient way towards me when I held it.
I sighed as I walked up the the main table with the map displayed.
"I take it that your warriors can deal with some lessers?"
"You experienced their strength first hand." Neoth called out.
He was true. They were far above any other lesser mages I have fought. Them losing most of their mental faculties during their extended stasis only made them more brutal soldiers of war. Unwavering and unfeeling machines of battle. I would hazard a guess that they would even come on top against a Lance.
I just stared at the map. Several white dots decorated its surface, displaying key points and important resources. If I could manage to bring the dwarves under my control the means of production will be secured. Perhaps I could even get Gideon to speed up his train making efforts with the dwarve's aid. Having such an efficient mode of transporting goods from a production center would help galvanize our war effort further.
"So what are you gonna do. Just laze around the ship?" Neoth asked as he stood next to me. His staff hummed with aether in response to my own aetheric signature.
I took a deep breath again.
"I can't just let my friends have all the fun right?" I said as I clipped the sword onto my belt. Neoth carefully eyed the sword on my waist for a second before turning his attention back to me.
"You aren't afraid that I'll just abandon you?" He asked puzzled by my confidence.
I just smiled at him as I took out the portable Relictombs portal. I tossed it and catch it in my hands again just to rub it in his face. Before placing it back into my dimensional storage.
Neoth just took a deep sigh. "Sometimes I curse my own kind for giving away our knowledge so willingly."
"Regis, Sylvie. Let's go." I called out both my bonds. Regis was howling in mock pain as Sylvie sat on top of him, it reminded me very much of sibling goofing around with each other. It was refreshing to see such a sight.
"Where to?" Sylvie asked as she jumped off Regis. Regis yelped, faking pain as he rolled back onto his feet. He shook his body like a wet dog, the flames of his mane grew larger as he did so.
A smile crept up on my face. It was good to have both of them back. While the future held untold pains I am sure all three of us will pull through. No, we have to for the sack of every living being.
"Time to see what this trio can do."