Chapter 10: Celebration and Preparation
Authors notes:
YAY CHAPTER 10
Now at chapter 10 I would like to ask you my readers if you would be so kind to post a comment about your opinion of the story so far. I will be asking this every ten chapters or so and it would be a great help if you pot down your opinion because it will help me to write a better story. Of course I can’t promise to take every idea and use it but I will be sure to keep them all in mind.
One other thing my proof-reader Traluxbot101 will go on vacation for a week so I’m sorry but there will be no new chapter for a week. This also means I can build up a small buffer because right now I try to release one chapter every Sunday but I have been missing it for the past few weeks so this will help, anyway I apologise for the inconvenience.
Lastly many thanks to my proof reader Traluxbot101 he has, is and will be a great help.
Year: 02-10-1721 (Imperial Calendar)(15 years after hatching)
Location: planet Warhammer, Dragon Peak mountain
Michiko POV.
I slowly wake up in the morning but I decide to stay in bed for a bit longer. After some time I hear a knocking on the door before it opens a few seconds later. As Freda and Endar walk inside they begin to sing:
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday, dear Michiko,
Happy birthday to you.
They then cheer, Freda comes towards me and gives me a hug.
Freda: “Slept well Michiko?”
Michiko: “Yes!”
Endar: “Good, me and Freda have prepared breakfast so please come down and we will have breakfast”
I nod and they leave, I get up and begin to dress myself while I think about what has happened the past few years.
After the goblin crag was destroyed the area around the Karak became a lot safer and the grudges we had against them had been settled. Of course now they are gone we have been sending patrols around the area to make sure no new undesirables move in. Over the years we have taken care of multiple groups of wandering green skins. but those groups where almost never bigger than fifty goblins and a few orcs so we took care of them with relative ease.
Another thing that happened over the past few years was that the population of our Karak has doubled. Ever since the goblins were taken care of we have been sending groups of dwarves to Karak Azul. Because of the lowered danger and the mapping of more easily travelable routes the traveling time was reduced and the journey was safer. On top of that, dwarves willing to move to our Karak were not so hard to find. Over the last few years it seems like word has spread and a lot of dwarves who lost their home came to Karak Azul to join. Because of that the number of dwarves has risen to about four hundred.
The building progress of the Karak has also sped up with the large amount of new dwarves. A large amount of houses, warehouses, smithies and other buildings have already been build. Of course we are far from completing the Karak and I think we never will because we will keep adding to it.
Housing level
• Channels (blue) > Completed
• Pillars (P) > 20% completed
• Roads (Grey) > Main roads completed other roads work in progress
• Market (M) > 20% completed
• Housing (H1) > Small scale building of housing started
• Housing (H2) > Prepared for future expansion when needed
• Gardens (G) > Grass, flowers and trees have been planted
• Park (W) > Grass, flowers and trees have been planted
• Hot springs (S) > Small bath complex built can be expanded later
• Kill zone (K1) > Completed
• Outside Construction: Basic defences build
Housing level blueprint:
Spoiler :
http%3a%2f%2fs0.uploads.im%2fQOR9C.png [http://s0.uploads.im/QOR9C.png]
Housing level fortress/palace (X)
• Royal family home (1) > Construction started
• Royal square (2) > Area flattened out
• Throne/ball room (3) > Construction started
• Cannon towers plus walls (4) > Construction complete and personally strengthened
• Boiling hot springs (5) > Completed
• Waterfall (6) > Completed
• Royal library(7) > Construction started
• Hall of heroes and administrative building (8) > Construction started
• Warrior barracks (9) > Construction started
• Gardens and “Noble” housing (10) > Construction started
• Training Grounds (11) > Completed
• Pillars to support overhead ceiling (12) > Completed
• Private elevator (13) > Construction not yet started
Housing level fortress/palace (X) blueprint:
Spoiler :
http%3a%2f%2fs0.uploads.im%2foi2Wh.png [http://s0.uploads.im/oi2Wh.png]
Garden and storage level
• Animals and grass (A) > 5% completed
• Burial chambers (B) > Completed
• breweries of ale and beer (BR) > DWARVES!!
• Walls with tunnels and cannons © > Completed
• Elevator shafts coming down from housing level (E) > 1 of 4 completed
• Farmlands for grains and greens (F) > 10% completed
• Recreation area ® > 5% completed
• Storage (S) > 5% completed
• Shrine (SR) > Competed
• Trees for fruits and wood (T) > 25% completed
• Tanks and artillery storage area (T&A) > Construction not yet started
• Wine makers (W) > Construction not yet started (no grapes)
• still to come (X) > Construction not yet started
Garden and storage level blueprint:
Spoiler :
http%3a%2f%2fs0.uploads.im%2fNLzlS.png [http://s0.uploads.im/NLzlS.png]
Mining level
• Karak army manufacturing and maintaining (Tanks artillery) (AM) > 30% completed
• Walls with tunnels and cannons © > 50% completed
• Elevator (E) > 1 of 4 completed
• Guilds and general Manufacturing (G&M) > Basic Manufacturing
• Entrance to the mines (M) > in operation
• Ore Refinement area with massive blast furnaces ® > 4 of 8 blast furnaces build
• Special experimentation area and (S) > 5% completed
• Tunnel from X on mining level to garden level (T) > Construction not yet started
• Still to come (X) > Construction not yet started
Mining level blueprint:
Spoiler :
http%3a%2f%2fs3.uploads.im%2faVxCD.png [http://s3.uploads.im/aVxCD.png]
Looking back on how hard everyone was and is working really astonishes me. You could probably best compare dwarves to ants because of productivity and underground living. Of course you can never say that to a dwarf because he or she will punch you in the face, but still I think that that is the best comparison I can make.
Personally I have been working with some of the dwarves to find a way to manufacture muskets/rifles on a larger scale. But that was hard since we have to find a way to build a machine that can do rifling of a barrel on top of that we were trying to find a way to make back loading possible and safe. My personal weapon can do all of that is because I made it with the help of magic and it took a very long time. so I can’t make them for all the dwarves because it would take far too long.
But now we have made a few basic tools that can do it and while it is still a work in progress we have already made some bolt action rifles that can be used. On top of that I taught them to make basic paper cartridges. We can’t yet make metal cartridges with primers but for now this will work. Lastly I made some adjustments to the gunpowder mixture making it more effective.
It suffices to say that the dwarves where all very surprised with all my suggestions and where a bit hesitating at first. Many of them asked where I got the idea for the inventions which gave me a dilemma. I can’t tell them I am a reincarnated person that came from another universe, brought here by one of the chaos gods and has knowledge about super weapons and other kinds of technology. So… I went for the second option, I told them that I sometimes have vague dreams giving me clues which I then use to build new things.
The reaction was quite fun to look at, they declared it were divine revelations send by the ancestor god Morgrim. A bit after that I spoke with Endar and we told them to keep silent about it for now because if anyone found out they would probably try to take me away or worse. That made them keep silent which put me at ease, later that day I went to Valaya’s temple to talk with Morgrim and apologise but luckily he did not mind the only condition was that I had to help out a bit.
He, Smednir and Thungni where still working on the “computer” they were trying to build and they were horribly stuck. They told me that they did not want me to tell them how to build it but they wanted me to give them some clues which would help them along a bit. Seeing their “computer” I cringed a bit because it looked horrible but I reminded myself that they have started from scratch and that the humans from my universe also started like this. While helping them we talked a lot and it was fun to share ideas with them. It has been a long time since I had the chance to talk with other “researchers/engineers” and while I love being with my family I can’t really talk with them about magic, inventions, quantum mechanics so this was a refreshing change of pace.
In the past few years I also made some adjustments to my personal equipment. First I made a special cloak together with some of the leather workers. It is made from soft leather with fabric on the inside, this in itself was not what makes it strong the stuff that is woven in it is. Using a combination of metals and the use of my magic I created a stainless steel alloy that is as light as titanium. I purified the alloy and made sure that the composition was just right.
After that I began heating it with my dragon breath and started stretching it into a one hundreds of a millimetre thick wire. The stretching of the wire took months of work, using my magic to make sure it would not snap I stretched it using a machine/tool I made myself specially for this job. Eventually i ended up with a hundred kilometre long on hundreds of a millimetre thick wire. Using another specially built machine/tool I then started to weave it into a wire. A few more months later I had a two millimetre thick, two hundred fifty meters long wire.
I then took the wire to the leather workers and they were (and still are) very, very impressed with the wire and its strength. They practically started to beg me for more of it or the way to make it. But when I told them what was needed for this wire they became a bit depressed and because they understood they did not ask me anymore. I did tell them that maybe later we would be able to create this wire at an industrial scale and then they could use it all they want. That cheered them up a bit and we started to weave the wire into the cloak.
In the end we used almost everything and I only kept ten meters separate for repairs. When it was done me and the leather workers took it out for testing. As expected it worked really well against melee weapons. It stopped any blades and softened the impact of blunt weapons. I did not test projectile weapons but I expect arrows to have no real effect and bullets probably have a fifty, fifty chance of penetrating, it depends on the bullet and its speed.
So the end result was an almost impenetrable cloak, that weighs about 5 kilo and has the future capacity to be enchanted with runes when my runesmiting skill has become high enough to do so.
As for my weapons, I now have a few throwing knifes, a long dagger that can be used as a bayonet, a spear and my rifle/musket. For my blade weapons I have remade them using a differed steel alloy to make sure they don’t rust and require less maintenance while still retaining their sharpness. For my musket well.. because Norgrim already broke it I decided to make a rifle this time, which means I have made the barrel thinner decreasing the bullet size but increasing the accuracy. With a new alloy and better rifling the range of my rifle has increased it has been made a lot stronger. I also added a place to attach a bayonet plus a rudimentary scope.
I really enjoyed doing these projects, because while they things are all very useful, doing these projects were also a great way to relax and just tinker around a bit after a day’s hard work.
Of course working on these things were not the only thing I did, I also spend a lot of time with the dwarves. I worked in the mines, I helped the metalworkers/blacksmiths, I studied runesmithing, I played with the other kids, I read many books, I meditated in the new parks speeding up their growth, worked more on my lore of metal magic, started learning lore of life magic, did cooking together with Freda, trained with the warriors/hunters and many more things.
When I finally finish thinking back I cleaned and dressed myself in my best looking cloak and then go downstairs where Endar and Freda are already waiting at the table. Looking around the table I can’t help but smile they have prepared a very good looking breakfast. There is freshly baked bread, some croissants (I taught them how to make), fried eggs and even some sausages. For a normal person this would be an impossible amount of food to eat, but being a dragon I can eat astonishing amounts without gaining weight. Oh how lucky I feel because of it.
Endar: “Haha I knew you would like it, please come sit it’s your birthday so please dig in”
I look at them before saying.
Michiko: “Thank you”
Endar waves it off and motions me to sit down at the table. I sit down and we begin to eat while talking with each other about today. Because I became fifteen years old today there will be a party on the main square. First I wanted to keep it small but knowing that most likely all of the dwarves will come by we decided to keep it in a large place and we organised it so that everyone would bring something to eat. Like this we don’t have to cook for four hundred dwarves and there will be lots of tasty food and nobody will have to go home with an empty stomach.
While we are eating I start to think about what I have been wanting to tell them for a while now. I don’t know how to bring it up and I don’t want to make them worry or sad. While silently thinking Freda breaks my train of thought.
Freda: “Is something wrong sweetie?”
Michiko: “No, no I was just thinking about the past years”
She smiles
Freda: “ah yes a lot has happened over the past fifteen years but I can still remember the day you hatched and crawled out of your egg. You were so small back then compared to now you dragon form is almost as big as a gryphon and even in your half dragon you stick out above me, well luckily I am still bigger than you in your dwarven form”
I make a playful smile and transform to my younger half dragon form of about seven years old and say.
Michiko: “I can still do this if it makes you feel better mom”
Endar starts to laugh and Freda stares at me for a while before speaking.
Freda: “please don’t do that it feels like you are taking pity on me”
I laugh and transform back to my fifteen year old self. When I continue eating I think about what she said. While my aging clearly has been slowing down over time I still have grown a lot over the past fifteen years. Over time my scales and bones have been getting stronger, my claws have been getting sharper and my horns have been growing from the side of my head and then backwards, they grew fast for the past few years but have now more or less stopped growing bigger.
Of course that was not the only thing that happened, on my half dragon body I have also noticed two bulges had started growing on my chest which now are moderate sized breasts. Also something else returned which i did not miss from my previous life, one morning I just woke up and I felt like I had been punched in the gut. Firstly I did not realise what it was and I just clothed myself and started my day.
When I told Freda she became worried and she told me to stay home for the day. Over the day I got an immense stomach pain and started to bleed. I was incredibly grateful to Freda for telling me to stay home for the day.
As for the rest of the day not much was to be said, after I started bleeding I scanned my body and found the reason. The rest of the day is spend reading or on the toilet while Freda cared for me. In the evening I had a talk about The Birds and the Bees, they calmly told me what happens and what I would we having every month from now on. It was kind of awkward for me, not because of the subject but more or less because I already knew about it and had to play along like I did not.
I shake my head and I remove the thought from my mind, today is my birthday it is not the time to think about it. I finish my meal and then go and help Freda with the dishes.
Freda: “No sweetie its your birthday please let me do this and go and do something fun”
Michiko: “Hmm in that case I will be going flying for a while because I would like to stretch my wings for a while”
Freda: “Okay but make sure to come back around noon because your party will start then”
Michiko: “I will and maybe I will bring back some meat for tonight”
I say while walking away before transforming to my dragon form and starting to run. As I leave I can still hear Endar call out to me.
Endar: “HAVE FUN!!”
I let out a happy growl before running onwards. On my way to the exit I greet and get greeted by many dwarves and when I run close to Duregar’s house I hear a voice call out to me.
Vanyra: “Hey Michiko are you going out hunting, let me come”
Michiko: “Sure, get on!”
I stop in front of her and she begins to climb up. When she sits I begin to run again but abruptly stop and turn around when I hear Duregar shouting.
Duregar: “Vanyra where are you going you are supposed to be studying!”
Vanyra: “Aw come on dad I already know those scrolls and on top of that it is Michiko’s birthday I want to be with her, please let me off for today!”
Duregar puts his hand on his face and after a while.
Duregar: “Okay but only for today, tomorrow you are going to study again, but for now, go and have fun”
Vanyra: “Thanks dad!”
I turn around and start to run to the exit again.
Duregar: “Only today you hear me only today!”
Vanyra laughs a bit on my back and I run on through the gate and into the tunnel.
Michiko: “Hold on Vanyra”
Vanyra: “what no, no, no Michiko please don’t!”
She tightly grips onto me while she speaks that knowing what I am about to do and Just when she finishes I come out of the front gate and dive of the mountain side. I go falling downwards for about fifty meter before spreading my wings and flying upwards again. When I have stabilised I can hear laughing coming from the guard at the gate and I start to laugh too. When Vanyra has recovered for a bit she loosens her grip a bit and then shouts.
Vanyra: “Michiko don’t do that! I almost fell of you know”
Michiko: “Don’t whine you know that I would never try to throw you of, and even if you did I would make sure to catch you”
Vanyra: “I know but that does not mean I like it!”
Michiko: “you know I love doing that to stretch my wings in the morning so you should have expected it.
On top of that if I really wanted to throw you would not be sitting there any more you know ”
Vanyra: “Yes, yes, I have seen how you deal with undesirables that climb on your back. I was there you remember that time when we were out to deal with a group of wandering goblins that came close to the Karak. While I was attacking the goblins flank one of those idiots managed to climb on your back. You could just have easily shaken him of but instead of that you flew up high into the sky and made a looping making the goblin fall of towards the ground. After a few hundred meter of falling he hit the goblin leader on the head crunching them both in the process. I know you don’t like it when anyone climbs on your back without permission but don’t you think that that was a bit overkill?”
Michiko: “Overkill? That bastard climbed on my back and cheered of victory like he had won and while normally I would just have thrown him of and stomped on him, he was sitting on me while he was almost naked. I could feel his thing on my back and I dare to bet that he had never washed himself in his life you know how that feels, please don’t tell me it was overkill. After the battle was over I blasted my back with fire to cleanse it but I did not feel clean for a whole month”
Vanyra gives a discussed look before returning to her normal expression.
Vanyra: “Well let’s leave it at that I still have not congratulated you, so hereby happy birthday Michiko let’s make this a fun and memorable birthday.”
Michiko: “Thanks Vanyra”
Vanyra: “don’t mind you are practically my little sister”
We fly around a for some time while she relaxes in the sun on my back. After a while I ask
Michiko: “Vanyra?”
Vanyra: “hmm”
Michiko: “What was Duregar shouting about?”
Vanyra: “oh that, I was supposed to be memorising and learning from the rune scrolls right now but I really could not concentrate today. I was far too excited for your birthday party to learn so when I heard you coming I grabbed my chance to get away”
Michiko: “Hmm, okay but you should not neglect your studies you know?”
Vanyra: “I Know, I Know but I don’t want to hear that from you, you practically memorised those scrolls in a year or two and now every time I complain my father is going on about how you always just sat there reading without complains. Your making me jealous you know”
I look down a bit and say.
Michiko: “Sorry”
Seeing my distress she quickly follows up.
Vanyra: “Please don’t be sad, I was just kidding you know, I am very happy you have made so much progress. But I feel a bit unhappy that somebody who I see as my little sister surpassed me so quickly. I wanted to be able to fulfil my role as a big sister and help you when you are stuck or don’t know something.
Anyway I think we have both reached the point where we can’t really learn much from the scrolls and my father anymore. I am wondering what we should do next, if we should leave to one of the bigger Karak’s to learn runesmiting or if we should wait for a few more years before going. but that would mean we cannot advance that entire time”
Michiko: “That’s true I have been wanting to ask my parents if it is okay for us to go to Karaz-a-Karak to try and find a master”
Vanyra: “oh you are aiming for the capital, I was thinking about going to karak Azul to find a master there because it is a lot closer, well the traveling distance probably is not much of a problem for you and it is true that the greatest runesmiths are in the capital. So why not I think if we want to we can easily make a trip back home to visit once every one or two years”
A minutes passes while we think before Vanyra speaks again.
Vanyra: “Aw what the heck let just ask them together tonight, just asking can’t do any harm so why not? What do you think?”
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Michiko: “Yes”
I say softly while nodding, she then embraces me and says.
Vanyra: “Well I suppose I have that over you. Because of your shyness and closed nature I can at least help you with that I suppose.
Haa… I can at least be the big sister in that regard”
I fly around some more while talking with Vanyra but then I spot a medium sized bear. I look around to see if there are any young around here but it looks like it is a male so I don’t have to worry about young bears that would starve to death without him.
Michiko: “Vanyra”
Vanyra: “Oh you spotted something?”
Michiko: “yes, could you please grip on tightly I want to dive down to catch it”
I can feel her moving a bit and bracing herself.
Vanyra: “I’m ready, go Michiko!”
She says with a happy voice.
I smile and then begin to dive downwards, lowering air resistance and making sure the bear can’t hear me coming. When I am about ten meters away from it I spread my wings abruptly slowing down. I point my rear claws at the bear and a second later I make contact, one claw grips in his back and the other in the bears neck snapping it and killing the bear instantly. I fly back up again with the dead bear in my claws and a few seconds later I slow down and only slowly gain altitude.
Vanyra: “WHOHO!! that gets adrenaline pumping. I love doing this, the only downside is all the insects that hit me. Which is unfortunate because I would really like to keep my eyes open while diving”
Michiko: “can’t we make some flying goggles for you then?”
Vanyra: “flying goggles, what is that?”
Michiko: “Well you know what glasses are right so like that but then made so that you can bind it to your head to stop things from entering your eyes while flying. I have something that is similar while flying or swimming I can close a transparent eyelid over my eyes to protect them”
Vanyra: “Why did I not think of that it is so simple but still. Anyway I will make sure to do that it will make riding on your back a lot more comfortable for me”
Michiko: “Yes that would be a good idea and if we get permission to go to Karaz-a-Karak I am probably going to have to make a saddle for you, because while I hate having something like a saddle strapped onto me I don’t think you can sit on my bare back for days on end even if we make regular stops”
It is silent for a bit before she says.
Vanyra: “Thank you”
She knows I really dislike having something like that strapped to me. I did it for some time in the past when we had to move large things into place and we did not really have another viable choice. I like the feel of freedom of having nothing on me just having the wind flow freely over my scales and skin. Well sometimes I have to make sacrifices and if it is for Vanyra I don’t really mind.
Having flown around for a few hours and caught a bear we return to the Karak. Coming close to the front gate I roar to greet the guards who shout loudly to welcome us back. I fly inside over the guards and into the tunnel leading into the karak. Coming inside the main chamber I fly straight for the butcher where I dropped of the bear in front of his shop. Hearing the noise the butcher comes outside and jumps back a bit because of the bear but when he sees it is dead he looks up and spots me.
Dwarven butcher: “thank you Michiko but I already told you to please not just drop the animals in front of my shop like that. It means I will have to clean the ground of the blood”
Vanyra: “But why not if she brought it to the normal collection point you would have to bring it all the way over here right?”
Dwarven butcher: “Are you in on this too Vanyra. Ah never mind thank you for the meat I will make sure to bring some to the party tonight okay!”
Michiko: “Thanks”
I say as I fly away in the direction of home, when I arrive I land and let Vanyra get off. When Vanyra stands on the ground Freda comes outside and looks at us.
Freda: “Welcome back you two but you two should really go and take a bath and clean yourselves. I can see that Michiko’s back claws have blood all over them so wait here a bit while I get you some towels”
Freda goes inside and I look at my claws and see that she is totally right I really have to find some way to clean the blood of myself more easily. When she comes outside she is carrying two large towels and gives them to Vanyra.
Freda: “Vanyra would you please go with Michiko and make sure she is totally clean for her own birthday party”
Vanyra: “Sure, come Michiko it will be fun”
Michiko: “See you later mom”
I then follow Vanyra to the baths.
Arriving there we go inside and she undresses before getting a large sponge and starting to clean the blood of my claws.
Vanyra: “Are you looking forward to the party Michiko?”
Michiko: “Yes I hope everybody will come so we can have a lot of fun together”
Vanyra: “That would be nice, what kind of presents do you hope you will get?”
Michiko: “Well I don’t really have anything I want that I don’t already have. But if I had to choose I would like to have some books or some interesting things I can tinker or play with”
Vanyra: “Haa.. you know Michiko it is really hard to find a gift for you. You don’t have much interest in anything but knowledge or some small toys and the fact that we can’t easily go out to buy books here makes that really hard. Anything else we could give you, you can already make yourself and most of the time you make it better than we can in one way or the other”
Michiko: “Sorry, but just having fun with all of you is enough for me. I just like being with everyone I don’t care for much else and it there is one thing I like doing it is building new things. May it be a new invention or the setting up of an organisation. Seeing our home grow and everyone being happy is the thing I want in my life and I predict there will be some sad but also many happy and fun things along the way”
Vanyra: “you know it could also be fun if you just said you wanted to build a gigantic draconic hoard for once. Your claws are clean please transform and we will go to the baths okay.”
I then transformed and then followed her into the bath. We both relax and play with each other before she washes my hair and I do the same for her. Sometime later we get out dry ourselves before putting on our clothes.
We leave the bathhouse and go to my home where I begin to tinker a bit more with my rifle while talking with Vanyra. Like this we spend our time until the party starts.
Around five in the afternoon I am standing by the tables with Freda, Endar and Vanyra with me. As the first dwarves begin to come I can smell all kinds of delicious food. They greet me and to my surprise most of family’s give me one gold coin but sometimes they give me a book, or some other fun thing.
After some dwarves have past Duregar comes by and gives me a few beautifully decorated sheaths for my daggers, Some of the leather workers give me a holder for my rifle, I get some cloaks from the tailors, I get a pickaxe from Grond and the miners, Largs gives me a crossbow from him and the hunters, the butcher gave me the cleaned bear, Alrika gave me a charm she made together with Grim. When everybody is here Freda, Endar and Vanyra come to me.
Freda: “you got a lot of fun and handy things Michiko you have made sure to thank everyone like you are supposed to”
I nodded and then Endar says.
Endar: “Well Michiko you made it really hard for us to find something to give you but in the end we decided that we would give you a forging hammer”
Vanyra then grabs something from behind her back and holds it up before unwrapping the cloth that is covering it. I look at is and my eyes go wide open.
Michiko: “But that is Gromril! It is a Gromril forging hammer!”
They smile.
Freda: “Yes we commissioned it by Duregar and when Vanyra heard of it she helped him day in day out until it was completed as best as possible”
Vanyra: “I worked really hard on this you know so make sure to take care of it Michiko”
I bow down a bit and say.
Michiko: “Thank you so much!”
Endar: “Now, now you are our little girl so it is natural we would do something like this. For now let’s put the hammer away and start the party”
Endar climbs on a platform and speak.
Endar: “Before we begin to eat I wish to thank all of you of you for coming and now Michiko is there anything you still want to say?”
I step on the platform breath in deeply before shouting.
Michiko: “EVERYONE THANK YOU FOR COMING AND I HOPE WE CAN DO THIS MANY, MANY MORE TIMES IN THE FUTURE!!”
Everyone smiles, some laugh and clap, I then come down from the stage and the party begins. Over the next few hours we eat, drink, dance, sing, talk, play and laugh. Everybody being happy I become incredibly happy myself.
At the middle of the party I was pushed onto a stage by some of the dwarves and they started to cheer for me to sing. Not feeling like I had a choice and not wanting to disappoint them I began to sing. At first quietly and nervous but soon rising and singing louder.
-------------------------------------------------------
The world is young, the mountains green,
No stain on the Moons were seen,
No words were laid on stream or stone
When the ancestors woke and walked alone.
they named the nameless hills and dells;
they drank from yet untasted wells;
they stopped and looked in Mirrormere,
And saw a crown of stars appear,
As gems upon a silver thread,
Above the shadows of his head.
The world was fair, the mountains tall,
In Elder Days before the fall
Of our mighty gods who now have gone beyond,
They now reside in their godly realms
The world was fair in the ancestors Days.
Mighty kings on carven thrones
In many-pillared halls of stone
With golden roof and silver floors,
And runes of power upon the door.
The light of sun and star and moon
In shining lamps of crystal hewn
Undimmed by cloud or shade of night
There shone for ever fair and bright.
There hammer on the anvil smote,
There chisel clove, and graver wrote;
There forged was blade, and bound was hilt;
The delver mined, the mason built.
There beryl, pearl, and opal pale,
And metal wrought like fishes' mail,
Buckler and corslet, axe and sword,
And shining spears were laid in hoard.
Unwearied we were in our ancestors time;
Beneath the mountains music woke:
The harpers harped, the minstrels sang,
And at the gates the trumpets rang.
The world has greyed since those days of old,
The fires have dimmed but still burn
While music has quieted,
And many brave have died,
We still preserve, we still go on;
A new light will come,
From those fires still burning,
Flames will spread,
Old and new will be lit;
We will not return to the days of old,
We will make our own,
Returning to greatness,
And surpassing it;
We will be renewed,
We will move one,
We must go on;
-------------------------------------------------------
Spoiler :
Firstly I do not own the rights to this music it belongs to mister J. R. R. Tolkien
While I do not know if they have internet in the afterlife, if you are reading this mister Tolkien I would like to thank you from the deepest of my heart for your books and the many fantasy worlds it has inspired.
Original Lyrics
Original song:
While I was singing all the dwarves became silent and started to listen. After I had finished singing it remained silent for a bit making me very nervous. But then a dwarf started to clap his clapping was soon followed by many others, creating a thunderous applause.
I then go down from the stage where I am met by Vanyra.
Vanyra: “Hey Michiko did you come up with that song?”
Michiko: “No, no, no I have read it in an old book and then modified it to suit the situation”
I say while waving my hands in front of me. The only thing I did was modify it to suit this world and translate it into dwarven tongue. I can’t take credit for something like that.
Vanyra: “Oh, anyway good job singing Michiko. I don’t think anyone but me and my father where expecting that. We know how you like to sing the rune chants, but still good job”
She says while pointing up her thumb.
The rest of the party is very fun but nothing much happens later in the evening. Well, nothing is not really true I did see some drunken dwarves climb up on the stage and they started to sing. It sounded horrible but you could not help but sing along with them.
Later that night when almost everybody has left and gone home I come together with Vanyra, Freda, Endar and Duregar. We sit down at one of the tables and with everybody except for Olka who is bringing Thyk, here Vanyra begins talking.
Vanyra: “Okay you may have noticed that we have both been wanting to ask you something for some time now and we thought that today would be a good day so this is it. we would like to go to Karaz-a-Karak to take our runesmiting to the next level. For the past year Michiko and I did not really make much progress and that is because we both have more or less memorised the scrolls and I’m sure you noticed dad but you can’t really teach us a lot anymore. we need to find a runesmith who can personally teach us the more advanced skills and going to Karaz-a-Karak will most likely be the best choice for that”
Endar: “Do you feel the same Michiko?”
Michiko: “Yes, but even if we go we can come back every year or so. In that regard the fact that I can fly helps immensely and with only the two of us we can travel relatively safely through the air”
Endar and Freda sigh.
Freda: “To be honest we were expecting this, and we have already talked about it. In the end we decided that we would let you go IF somebody goes with you to keep an eye on you. So if Vanyra goes with you we won’t object”
I smile and give Freda and Endar a hug.
Michiko: “Thank you”
When I sit down again we all turn to Duregar, whether we will go or not now depends on him. Duregar scratches the back of his head and then speaks.
Duregar: “Well Olka will probably kill me if I just promise it right now without consulting her so I can’t outright promise you right now.
But.. I do not object and I will try to convince Olka to let you go okay?”
Vanyra: “Thanks dad”
Endar: “Well in the case Olka approves when are you planning to go? Because if you are planning to go soon then you need to make sure you are prepared for cold weather. You may not know it Michiko but at the point where you are the same distance away from the north and south pole you have two summers but never a real winter. We live close to that line so you have never really experienced a winter until now.
Ah.. how am I going to explain winter to you? You can probably best see it as the top of this mountain but then only for a part of the year and instead of only the mountaintop it is everywhere in the plains, the valleys and the most annoying is that all the roads are covered making traveling very hard. Well that can also be a pro because it means that almost no green skins will come to attack from the bad lands, so it is not all bad I suppose.
Anyway what I mean is that you must make sure to keep warm and take enough food with you because a lot of the animals will be hibernating”
Michiko: “hmm I think I will be okay because I can go without food for a long time because I can use magic to heat myself and Vanyra I don’t think we will have much of a problem. The only thing is that we will have to take a lot of baggage with us, food for Vanyra, clothing for the both of us, weapons, money, a few books, tools, blankets, things to make fire… eh that was it right?”
Vanyra: “Yes I think that more or less sums it up. Well Michiko what do you think of going after the turn of the year? It will still be winter then but I don’t think we will have much trouble with the cold and we have to worry a lot less about green skins to so I think that it would be an appropriate time”
Michiko: “Agreed”
And like that we decided. We talk a bit more about the details but we soon leave for home because we are all very tired from the day. When I finally curl up in my bed I fall asleep almost immediately.
Year: 05-01-1722 (Imperial Calendar)
Location: planet Warhammer, Dragon Peak mountain
Michiko POV.
The past two months Vanyra and I spend most of our time preparing for our journey. The first month I designed and built a saddle that I could put on like a backpack before transforming. It has two large straps that go around my arms, two belts that goes around my belly and lastly a saddle that hangs on my back. I tried to make it as comfortable as possible for both me and Vanyra. I also made some adjustments for the baggage so we can easily strap it on. Lastly I made a harness for Vanyra which she can secure to the saddle, so in the case she loses her grip she still won’t fall.
The second month I spend packing and tinkering some more on my saddle. But I was soon done so I started a small project for fun. In secret I started making fireworks I have not done that since my reincarnation and with the end of the year coming soon I thought why not. Most of the fireworks I made were for the party but I also made some flares for Vanyra in case we get separated.
At the turn of the year I asked everybody to go outside with me because I had a surprise for them. they followed and outside I warned them that something was going to happen and then I lit the first fuses. Wat followed where beautifully colourful explosions in the sky. It was really the perfect evening for fireworks, the sky was cleared of clouds, the stars shine brightly and then the sky was lit by the fireworks. The spectacle kept going for about ten minutes and was finished off by a massive piece of firework that was at least five times bigger than the rest. We finished of the evening with some snacks and I made some Oliebollen and Appelbeignets. I made these using a recipe from my past life and to my happiness the dwarves liked them too.
But now our time here is over and we will have to leave. I will miss everyone but we will make sure to come back. At home I take of my cloak and put on my saddle before transforming into my dragon form.
Freda: “Are you done Michiko? Do you want me to strap on you baggage now?”
I nod and she comes closer with Endar carrying my bag. It is more or less a large backpack that has some modification done to it so we can strap it to my saddle.
Endar: “And.. done your good to go Michiko”
Michiko: “Thanks mom, thanks dad”
They smile and we start walking to Duregar’s house. When we arrive I can see they are already waiting for us.
Duregar: “Good morning everyone”
Endar: “The same to you, so Vanyra are you ready?”
Vanyra: “Ready? I was ready a month ago, I think we planned in too much time”
Olka: “Yes but then we would not have seen the fireworks right?”
Vanyra: “That’s true, hey Michiko are you ready?”
Michiko: “Yes just strap on your pack, hop on and we can go”
Endar: “Michiko one more think take this with you, they are letters from many of the dwarves here that they want to send to their friends and family’s that live in other parts of the dwarven kingdoms and from Karaz-a-Karak the letters can be easily sent all over so please take care of them okay”
Michiko: “Of course, put it in the bag I will make sure they arrive at the post office”
He nods and puts it in. when he is done Vanyra is also done with securing her bag. I lower myself and let her climb on, she connects the harness to the saddle, puts on flying goggles and ties a piece of cloth before her mouth. She has a large amount of clothing on which is a good thing since we will be flying on high altitudes.
When she is ready I begin to walk towards the gate with Vanyra on my back and Freda, Endar, Olka and Duregar following me. On our way to the gate we meet many dwarves who came to say their goodbyes.
At the front gate I stop for a bit and stretch myself in the morning sun before spreading my wings.
Michiko: “Goodbye we make sure to come back every year or two”
Freda: “Please take care of Michiko for me Vanyra”
Vanyra: “I will”
Olka: “and Michiko please take care of Vanyra and make sure she does not get distracted too often during her study’s okay”
Michiko: “Okay”
I say smiling
Vanyra: “Mom!”
They laugh a bit before moving backwards. I stretch my wings one last time before I slowly start to flap. Then I begin to move forward, flapping my wings and running faster and faster until we reach the mountain side. I jump and we fly, I give one last roar before we fly off into the sky, on our way to Karaz-a-Karak
Character list:
Spoiler :
Karak Drakk residents:
Michiko: the main character
Endar: adoptive father of Michiko and King of Karak Drakk
Freda: wife of Endar, adoptive mother of Michiko and queen of Karak Drakk
Fimbur: old and wise dwarf and Loremaster
Norgrim: Endar’s assistant
Bronn: warrior leader
Largs: hunter/ scout leader
Dern: hunter/ scout
Duregar: leader of workers, Journeymen runesmithe
Olka: wife of Duregar
Thyk: son of Duregar and friend of Michiko
Vanyra: adopted daughter of Duregar and friend of Michiko
Grond: mining shift commanders
Alrika: Priestess of Valaya
Grim: Priest of Gazul
Heganbor: friend of Logazor and Gomrund
Logazor: friend of Gomrund and Heganbor
Gomrund: warrior, friend of Logazor and Heganbor
Karak Azul residents:
Dimzad: bookstore owner
Thorek Ironbrow: Runesmith
Chaos Gods:
Tzeentch: the Chaos God of Change, Evolution, Intrigue and Sorcery
Khorne: the Chaos God of hate, rage and bloodshed
Dragons:
Tyrennus: Evil/chaotic, location unknown (please put the answer in the comments if you know because I do not know and I want to know because it could influence Michiko journey)
Dwarven Gods:
Grungni: god of mining and smiths, husband of Valaya
Valaya: goddess of healing and protection
Grimnir the Fearless: warrior god, brother of Grungni
Gazul: Lord of the Underearth and protector of the Dwarf dead
Smednir: Shaper of Ore, son of Grungni
Thungni: Ancestor God of Runesmiths, younger brother of Smednir
Morgrim: Ancestor God of Engineers, son of Grimnir