Building a Kingdom and Conquering the World

184  Wish

The Grand Furnace was the main source of light and heat for the dwarves who lived inside Stone Village. It had been there ever since Garret used it to forge Skybreaker, the silver war hammer wielded by every village leader and the most powerful weapon of these dwarves. The furnace, constructed from iron and stone, was connected to a large network of small tunnels that fed air into the never-ending fire lit by Garret himself. There were so many tunnel that even the most ancient dwarf could lose himself inside them.

Henry's eyes were immediately drawn to this immense structure as he crossed the gates, positioned right in the center of the village. He didn't know why, but he felt a deep connection to the red flames tinged with purple. His heart seemed to beat in sync with those flames -"It's the same" - he thought, recognizing that these flames were of the same nature as those produced by his technique, even more so after acquiring Caelum. Leier, who walked beside her king despite her injuries, kept her hands on her weapon. Her eyes lingered on the small dwarves watching them with interest from their homes, which had been carved directly into the mountain's walls. She could clearly see them murmuring among themselves, some of them rubbing their beards as they gulped down what appeared to be some kind of alcohol. They were observing these humans.

"Descendant, do ye mind if we leave tae be treated?" - Old Yngvi hesitantly asked, pointing at the burnt Mani. He feared that if she remained in her current state, she might not survive much longer.

Henry took a brief glance at Leier before allowing it. Leier had escaped with only a few injuries, but Mani had fared far worse. While his small guard had only sustained superficial wounds, Mani was struggling to breathe. However, being a dwarf, she should recover quickly, except for her hair. Dwarves took great pride in their hair, and it took a lifetime to grow a respectable beard and mane. Mani would likely never have as much hair as her peers again. Yngvi looked at the other three elders, and as if understanding his silent command, they lifted Mani gently and began carrying her toward one of the houses carved into the mountain wall, disappearing among the dwarves who had gathered to witness the arrival of their new leader. "I would like to guide all of the warriors who accompanied ye, the great descendant, tae reunite with us" - Yngvi said, scratching his head awkwardly and glancing at the barbarians. "But the inside of the temple is quite tight, and we cannae fit more people inside. I'll have some ale brought out tae keep them entertained." Henry nodded. "That's fine. Lead the way." He then turned to Leier. "You stay here as well, Leier. Get some rest. I'll need you later." Leier could only watch as her liege walked away.

-x-

Yngvi led Henry toward the Grand Furnace, and the closer they got, the louder the sounds of metal striking metal became. The rhythmic clang of hammers against anvils echoed throughout the space. The air grew hotter with each step. Henry's eyes widened as he saw dozens of dwarves swinging their heavy hammers, shaping glowing ingots of metal into weapons, armor, and tools. The sight filled him with awe. He had organized the smiths in his kingdom around his throne, but they numbered no more than forty, and their work could only be considered subpar. In contrast, the dwarves before him outnumbered all the smiths in his kingdom, and their craftsmanship appeared far superior to even the best blacksmith under his rule. He could tell from the way they hammered and handled the glowing ingots, as if they were nurturing a newborn child. They were so focused that they didn't even notice the commotion around them. "Does the whole village work in the forges?" - Henry asked.

"Nae, only those who've passed the age of forty are allowed in the forge," Yngvi responded as he led Henry into a large tunnel beside the forge, where small torches hung on the walls, providing light. "They can only work in the forge after finishing their time as collectors, gatherin' food outside the village."

Henry nodded, his mind racing with the potential he saw in this village. He could easily envision using these skilled dwarves to produce hundreds, if not thousands, of weapons a month to arm his army. As they walked, Henry noticed words and drawings beginning to fill the once bare walls of the cave, illuminated by the torches lining the tunnel. Yngvi noticed Henry's curiosity - "It's the names of all the people who've ever lived in the village since it was created by the Son of Fire and Anvil. It's a way tae keep them close tae him, since this is the temple built in his honor." "Are we close to the temple?" - Henry asked, aware that time was of the essence. Though he wanted to learn more about Garret and the dwarves, he knew that Luther was fighting on the other front and his other General could be descending into the Screaming Valley at any moment. The Ice Giants had to be dealt with swiftly. "Don't worry, descendant, we're near" - Yngvi said. After a few more steps, they arrived at a place where gentle sunlight streamed down from a hole in the ceiling, illuminating what appeared to be a small house made of stone - "The Descendant of Fire and Anvil built this house alongside our ancestors. He lived here for months, maybe even years. Our ancestors preserved this place, and we've used it tae remember our past." "So, as the twentieth leader of Stone Village, how can I assist ye, my king?"- Yngvi asked, aware that Henry had urgent business. The king entered the village and spared their lives with some kind of desire.

Henry smiled, pleased with Yngvi going direct to the point - "I want to exterminate every single Ice Giant from this valley. I would like your help."

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