Chapter 144: The Kingdom of the Dwarves
Leaving the human kingdom behind them, Rhodes and Serie, without a moment's pause, turned and headed south, to one of the three great nations of the world: the Kingdom of the Dwarves.
The Sky-Winged's Heavenly Kingdom had long since fallen into decline, leaving only a single, never-falling sky-city, floating aimlessly above the continent. Flying races had once tried to land there, but they had all been repelled by its barrier, and in time, they had given up.
And so, the Kingdom of Ersten, founded by Norne, had taken its place.
At the entrance to the Dwarven Kingdom, he looked at the grand city walls and felt a sense of disappointment.
"What's wrong? You look disappointed," Serie asked, noticing the look on his face.
"I thought a dwarven kingdom would be built into the side of a mountain, like the dwarven ruins we went to before." He remembered that the original Dwarven Kingdom, before it had been destroyed, had been built into a mountain, a scene that was very similar to a certain classic work from his old world. But the kingdom before him was built on a great plain, surrounded by high walls. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had been built by humans.
"When the first Dwarven Kingdom was destroyed," she explained, "many dwarves were not able to escape in time. The royal family, who lived in the deepest part of the kingdom, were all wiped out. And so, when they rebuilt, they abandoned the idea of building into a mountain."
"I see."
As they drew closer, he could feel the metallic scent of the forge wafting from behind the heavy gates, a scent that reminded him of the dwarven town they had visited on their first adventure.
The massive city gates were flanked by dwarven guards, clad in heavy plate armor that glinted in the sun. The demons were showing signs of a resurgence, and the hard-won peace was once again in jeopardy, which was a cause for concern for all the dwarves. But there was good news. A powerful elven warrior had begun a quest to slay the Demon King, just as the elven Saint, Serie, had done decades ago to save the world. But until the news of his victory came, no one could afford to let their guard down.
The dwarven guard at the gate eyed the two exceptionally well-dressed guests. An elf and a human, a rare combination. "Halt!" one of them said, stepping forward. "Please state your names."
"You need to register to enter your kingdom?" Serie asked, a little confused. She had thought the Dwarven Kingdom, like Ersten, welcomed strangers. It was good for trade, after all. Other than a brief period during the height of the war, they had never had any restrictions.
The dwarven captain looked a little embarrassed. He had only stopped them because he had been curious about the strange pair. "We're... just being a little more careful," he said. "The succession ceremony for the new king is coming up soon, so we have to be extra vigilant."
"Is that so?" Rhodes said, and pointed to a member of some other, strange race who was now swaggering past the guards and into the city.
The captain's face grew even more flustered. "My apologies. Please, go ahead," he said, and quickly stepped aside. He had wanted to question them further, but the look on the elven mage's face had grown increasingly cold, and he had wisely chosen to back down.
The wide streets were lined with all sorts of shops: smithies, taverns, and even an item shop. In all his time in this world, this was the first place that had felt like a real, other-world adventure. This world was still too... ancient. A big city like this was a rare sight indeed. Perhaps, in a few thousand years, when humanity had grown and prospered, it would finally become the kind of other-world he had imagined.
Serie's elven features drew a few curious glances, but the dwarves just gave them a quick look and then went about their business. For them, a truly beautiful woman had to have a long beard. Our elven miss was clearly not their type.
"You know, I think we should have just told them your name," he said as they walked.
"Why?"
"It would be easier to find Somme."
They had come to the Dwarven Kingdom to see him. According to her, he had done quite well for himself and was even about to become the next king, which he found hard to believe. The same boy who had been an outcast in his own village, who couldn't even drink and didn't have a beard... how had he become a king? He had expected Norne to become a king, but this... this was a complete surprise. He must have a beard now, at least, he thought. He had created a beard-growing spell for him, after all. And even if a dwarf couldn't use magic himself, he could always have a mage cast it for him.
"Where would he be now?" Rhodes asked, looking around at the bustling market. "Should we just go to the royal palace?"
"Why don't we just ask?"
He stopped a dwarf and asked him about Somme.
"Lord Somme?" the dwarf said, and pointed to a massive building from which thick black smoke was billowing. "He should be in the Great Forge at this time of day."
They thanked him and made their way through the streets.
"Is it getting hotter?" Rhodes asked. He could feel the temperature rising, and even the cobblestones under his feet were warm.
"Yes. Want some of this?" She had, at some point, conjured a magic circle, and now a wisp of frost was floating in her hand, a magical air conditioner.
"Sure."
He didn't refuse.
"Come on. It's probably even hotter inside," she said, and pushed open the massive doors. A wave of heat washed over him, and he had to squint.
In the center of the hall were dozens of massive, roaring forges, and around them, dwarves were busy at work. And at the very center, the largest forge of them all, a forge that was at least dozens of meters high... he couldn't imagine what kind of weapon would require such a massive furnace. And around it, a hundred dwarven smiths were all working at once.
(End of chapter)
~~~
Get early access to 20+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
~~~
Every 150 Power Stones = 1 extra chapter