Brutus and Alfred followed the cart along, chatting as Frederick led it inside to clear the road. A few minutes into the city proper, Trillia interrupted.

"Uncle Brutus, we are looking for the minotaur responsible for the wall enchantments. Do you know where he is?" Brutus turned from Alfred to look at her instead.

"Sorry! I get lost in chatter sometimes. He is stationed at the guard house in the center of the city. I'll have a guard escort your group. Amelia is the only one of you who won't get lost here due to her racial skills." With that, he turned back to Alfred. "It was a pleasure to meet you, lad. You're a good armourer. I'm glad the orcs found someone competent. Say hello to the missus for me. I have some things to tend to myself while I'm here."

Alfred bowed, and Brutus gave Amelia and Trillia hugs wishing them well on their dungeon excursion before disappearing into the crowd. Trillia tried to follow him, but the moment there were more than a handful of people around, he seemed to just vanish. Now she was sure he had some sort of skill for it.

A guard approached them minutes after. A tall minotaur in stone plate armor, with a heavy mace slung across his shoulders. "General Brutus told me to lead your troupe into the city center."

Amelia nodded, and they were off. Most of the time spent traversing the city was spent with everyone but the minotaurs gawking at the walls of the city itself. Dozens of homes were carved into the stone, with barely visible walkways and stairs leading to them.

Alfred looked at Trillia. "Are the walls getting higher?"

Trillia asked Amelia, who turned to them both with a smile. "Of course. This way, if someone does breach the city, we can always retreat towards its center. This allows us to fire down onto lower walls and gives our ranged combatants a height advantage. Couple that with the minotaur's ability to walk through the walls of their home labyrinth, and it's quite difficult to conquer our city." As if remembering, the smile ran from her face. "At least...if we're attacked from outside."

The minotaur next to her put a hand on her shoulder and gave her a little nod. "We will find a solution so that the tragedy of God's Watch is never repeated for as long as minotaurs roam Alirast. Their deaths will not be in vain, Princess."

It took them a couple of hours to get through the city. In no small part because they had to take longer routes due to the size of the wagon. The city itself was almost entirely comprised of minotaurs. Orcs and humans kept to the outskirts where the labyrinth wasn't quite so winding.

Trillia tapped the guard leading them on the shoulder as he brought them to a wall pillar that served as the central barracks. "Is that another racial skill? Never getting lost in your home labyrinth?"

The guard answered with a nod before motioning to the building.

Their little troupe was welcomed inside while a few guards stood outside near the wagon. Trillia smiled as they were greeted by the nine-foot stature of Mort. The same dark blue robes hung around his frame. His crimson fur had lightened a little with the passing of a few more ears, but it appeared as though his levels were at such a stage that aging would no longer be an issue. "Princess Amelia! We are honored to have you with us. Lady Trillia, it is good to see you again."

Trillia walked up and gave him a hug, which he somewhat reluctantly returned. "It's good to see you as well, Uncle Mort! This is our friend, Alfred. He is an armourer that Tormash let live in Red River City. He would like to show you some armor if you have the time. More importantly, brother wanted me to give you this directly." She fiddled with the pouch on her bag for a moment before removing it and handing it over to Mort. "I do not know the contents. Only that Chieftain Tormash and Elder Shaman Ba'Shoon asked me to personally deliver there to your hands."

Mort took the pouch and immediately opened it, sifting through the various pages within. "Hmm, nothing urgent. Mostly scouting reports about new nests that could be a danger to the city. Some other matters that are not for outside ears." With that, he glanced at Layla, Frederick, and Alfred. "No offense to your friends. Brutus told me that you were also here to steal away my enchanter?"

Trillia offered her best smile. "If he wishes to go with us, yes. Amelia and I have put together a team so that we can progress faster and further. We want to be the types of leaders our people and our parents would be proud to follow into battle. Right now, we're weak."

Mort gave her a solemn nod. "I'll send for him and let him know that it is my wish that he goes. The boy shows incredible promise and talent with enchanting. If he gains levels to go with it, he could be a great boon in making sure that Rift City doesn't fall. Come! Let me see this armor!"

Mort stopped to tell a guard to fetch Malor before following them out to the wagon. Frederick and Alfred grabbed the same suit of armor as before. Mort strode up to it and pulled out a set of glasses. "I assume I am allowed to test it as I wish?"

Alfred waited for the translation before nodding. Mort waved over another guard and watched with interest as the guard swapped from the heavy stone armor to the metallic full plate. "Metal is far more flexible. That's always been true. The problem is that we cannot repair it in battle as easily. We move earth, not metal."

Amelia spoke up and motioned to Frederick. "This is one of our team members, Frederick. He's a young human from D'Jamu and is Sir Alfred's son. He can show you the utility and power of an armourer. I know our people have been strict with non-combat classes, and for good reason, but I think he will make a good case for diversifying."

Mort glanced over at the young human as Trillia translated. The pressure seemed to visibly weigh the poor lad down. Alfred gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

Once the guard was changed into the new armor, he stood away from the others. Mort pulled out a small green vial and calmly tossed it at the guard. A small explosion of acid and fire shook the ground. The minotaur had been thrown to the ground with serious burns all over his arms and face. The armor was rather badly damaged but held.

Layla ran over immediately to begin healing him, only to find that his wounds were rapidly closing on their own. The minotaur offered her a polite thank you as he stood and looked down at himself. "Minimal damage to regions covered by the armor itself. Unlike stone, it doesn't seem to shrapnel nearly as badly during explosive attacks. The acid does significantly more damage to the metal than it does to our stone plate. But this particular set also isn't enchanted in any way. Metal holds enchantments better."

Mort walked over and leaned in, inspecting the armor itself. "The damage is significant enough that you'd only be able to take three or four of those before you'd be unarmored."

Alfred strode up to the armor and began poking and prodding it. The minotaur had started to push him away before a look from Mort stilled him. "Steel is a shit material if that's the type of attacks these folks deal with on a regular basis. Frederick, repair this and get the minotaur out of it. Trillia, ask the leader if he can use that attack again after we change the minotaur into a different set of armor." Without waiting for responses, he turned and went back to the cart, motioning for a few guards to help him.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Mort gave the go-ahead with a smirk. "The human is used to people listening to his orders, it seems."

Amelia grinned and nodded. "He's well known in his town and good at what he does. He'd like you to use the same attack on the guard in a different set of armor. According to him, the material this armor is made from doesn't resist acid or explosive attacks well."

Mort nodded. Half an hour later and the minotaur was ready. The full plate he wore this time was a much darker metal that held almost no shine at all. Mort didn't attack the minotaur just yet. Instead, he watched Frederick intensely. Listening to the chant carefully and staring at the armor as it rapidly repaired itself from a single spell. Mort rubbed his chin with his free hand. "That's much faster than melding the earth together into a new stone plate. All armourers can do this?" Looking at Amelia as he asked the question.

As Trillia translated, Alfred answered. "That's a skill you get at the fifth level of armourer. There are significantly more potent skills that take less resources to cast. But [Mend Armor] gives us a huge boost to experience since it is so resource intensive. That's why we use it when we're not in combat."

Trillia translated back to Mort, who nodded. Motioning to the new set of armor, once everyone was ready, he threw another vial. This time the minotaur wasn't thrown to the ground. His arms and face were still badly burned, but the armor itself was significantly less damaged. Alfred was the first to inspect the armor this time. "You trust these people?" Alfred turned his head to Trillia, who translated before she realized the question.

All eyes stared hard at Alfred, who didn't back down from his question. "I do, Sir Alfred. You have my word. So long as you don't attack them, they won't attack you."

The man seemed to contemplate it for a moment before sighing heavily. "I'd like to try one more set of armor. This particular set isn't for sale, and I'll be the one wearing it. But I can make more just takes time."

Trillia translated. Mort looked at the human and then at Amelia. "I can't promise he will survive the attack. I don't wish to kill such a valuable crafter. I appreciate your trust in me and that he trusts the two of you enough to share that trust. But I don't want to kill him for the sake of a test."

Alfred waved the words away as they were translated. "Just wait for my signal. I'll be fine. Besides, the young Cleric is here to save my ass if my confidence has become arrogance."

No one argued. Alfred pulled a necklace from under his tunic. Trillia recognized it as a storage item. A second later, he was covered head to toe, arms, and face as well in a bright silvery metal that had an iridescent quality to it. Trillia got close enough to look at it and inspect it.

[Wyrm Slayer Armor]

Quality: Artifact

This armor was crafted by true dwarves for Alfred 'Stonehammer' Mercury as a reward for saving thirty of their kind from the shackles of slavery. It's crafted from a titanium alloy compound.

Abilities:

You are not the owner of this artifact.

Trillia let out a whistle, as did Mort. "I see now why he asked that question. Less honorable people would kill for a set of armor like this. It's got an absurdly high obfuscation on its abilities even I can't pierce it." Mort stared at Alfred for a moment. The tension was obvious. Mort took a few steps back and removed a couple of vials. "When Master Alfred is ready."

Trillia backed up as well. When Alfred gave the nod, Mort threw the first flask, a copy of the others he had been throwing. Alfred didn't budge, nor did the armor show any signs of damage. It was at this point that another minotaur had joined the demonstration.

He wore long robes that looked much like Mort's. One of his horns was snapped and was half melted off. The other twisted up and around his skull. If he still had both horns, they'd form a little crown. Dark grey fur and golden eyes stared at the human encased in shining metal. A belt full of chisels and small hammers hung at his hip. Trillia guessed this to be Malor.

Alfred nodded, and Mort threw another flask. The sound of metal hitting the ground rang out before the smoke cleared. Alfred was rolling onto his stomach to stand in the now small crater surrounding him. The armor was left untouched. Mort walked down into the crater and leaned in. "You can make this armor, Master Alfred? I don't doubt your abilities...but this is an artifact of True Dwarves."

As Trillia translated, Alfred nodded. "It won't be artifact quality. I doubt I'm that skilled. But I know how to process and make the same alloy this is created from. It takes some rare minerals to do. I'd also need some very skilled alchemists around when I start the process. But yes, I can make armor similar."

Mort let mana flow out from him, the ground slowly righted itself, and they were left standing on smooth ground that looked as though it had never seen an attack. "I'm very interested. However, you are one man. No matter how talented you are, making enough armor for a military is improbable. I'd like to enter talks with you and Tormash. I want to send you thirty young, malleable minotaurs to learn how to be armourers. Teach them the alloying process as well. I'm willing to offer you a lifetime of materials and access to alchemists whenever they are needed. If you are willing to continue teaching our people how to make armor like this. I will inform any younglings that wish to train under you that they must accept a geas from both you and whatever leader they follow. That they are never to teach another creature your techniques and that your techniques can only be used in the service of Rift City and Red River City."

As Trillia translated, Frederick's eyes kept growing wider. Alfred stared hard at Mort. "Change it so that the techniques can only be used in service of the Shatterhoof Lineage and the Demonsbane Lineage. We can go over other details with Chieftain Tormash."

Mort's face twisted into a grin. "Clever. I'm sure we can come to an agreement. I look forward to doing business with you, Master Alfred. So long as you are allied with the Demonsbane clan or the Shatterhoof clan, you are always welcome in our labyrinth."

Mort gave the human one last look before turning to look at Malor. "These younglings are going to be tackling Red River dungeon and growing in power. I would ask that you follow them so that you can train your abilities as an enchanter as well as gain combat experience and levels. Your life is your own."

Malor looked around, then back at Alfred. "The young human, is this one's offspring?" Trillia offered a nod. "If they are willing. I would like to learn the class they use. I'll share the secrets of my enchanting class with him. Otherwise, I will still join to gain general knowledge."

As Trillia translated, Frederick looked at Alfred, who smiled and shrugged. "It's your life, lad. These are your family secrets as well."

Frederick nodded and looked at Malor. "I'd like to think on your request. Perhaps once we've adventured together for a time, I will come to trust you enough. I hope that doesn't offend you."

Malor extended a hand which Frederick shook. "I look forward to earning your trust. I'll be ready to leave in an hour."

Mort spoke up at that. "Give Master Alfred and I a couple of days. I wish to take the rest of the demonstration models he brought to us, in addition to supplying him with materials and going over what sort of materials he might need going forward. Loading it all up may take some time. Malor is extremely well-versed with the labyrinth and its layout. He can serve as your guide while you are here. If there is nothing else, I need to take a few hours to read over the reports from Red River and write any replies. Assuming you are willing to take them back to Chieftain Tormash." His eyes fell on Trillia, who translated and nodded.

As Mort turned to leave, Trillia let out a heavy sigh and pulled a water skin from her side. "You guys really need to learn another language. It's exhausting translating so much."

Layla let out a giggle at that. "We can all learn together!"

Amelia stepped up next to Alfred. "I'm surprised that you trusted us enough to bring out such a valuable artifact."

Trillia grumbled a bit before translating. Alfred looked at the princess with a sigh. "The two of you have given me no reason not to trust you. Besides, if we're going to make a difference in this forsaken realm. We have to do it together, right?"

Amelia slapped a hand on his shoulder and was startled as electricity surged up her arm. The armor vibrated around Alfred. A second later, the armor vanished. Alfred bowed his head. "Sorry. Didn't think to warn you that it's reactive in melee."

Trillia grinned even more. "I can't wait until we all have our own custom-made super armor! Plus, we're gonna be able to repair it on the go and enchant it further on the go! We're gonna be unstoppable!"

Alfred chuckled while shaking his head. "It takes time to get to that point...but sure, that's the goal. Is it ok if we go somewhere and get a warm meal and a soft bed?"

Malor nodded once Trillia translated for him, and they headed off toward a place to rest for the day.