The Measuring War
The coming conflict wasn't conquest.
It was comprehension.
In the Rockies, tension rose between U.S.–Canadian forces and the independent dwarven kingdom of Dorkathar. No one officially wanted war—but military curiosity is often deadlier than greed.
A U.S. general said:
"If we don't understand them… we'll fear them."
A Canadian officer replied:
"And if we fear them… we'll fight them."
The First Spark
A armed recon unit approached a dwarven entrance.
The goal wasn't battle—only to test response.
Dwarven warriors emerged calmly. Runed armor. Heavy weapons. Eyes that held no fear.
Their commander said:
"Do not advance."
A soldier fired a warning shot.
That was enough.
The Clash of Measurement
Not a war—an experiment.
humans used modern firearms
dwarven runed armor absorbed much of the damage
dwarves showed immense close-range strength
humans showed superior ranged tempo and flexible tactics
The encounter lasted minutes. Then both sides withdrew.
But the message was delivered:
Neither side is easy.
What Humans Learned
Secret military analysis followed:
dwarves have high physical resilience
metalwork far beyond modern standards
terrifying close-quarters capability
less dominant at long range
A strategist concluded:
"We can profit more from their armor than from fighting them."
What Dwarves Learned
Inside Dorkathar, a dwarven commander said:
"Humans are fast… and unpredictable."
They learned:
humans dominate at distance
tactics adapt quickly
heavy reliance on comms and tech
But they also realized: humans weren't enemies by nature—just curious.
A Simple War… That Seeds a Real One
The clash wasn't the start of war.
But it was a seed.
Generals began studying dwarves as a strategic factor.
Dwarves began studying humans as unstable surface power.
Governments grasped one final truth:
The world was no longer a contest of states alone…
…but of civilizations.
Arcadia: Watching the Board
In Arcadia, a report of the clash reached Lee Soo-yeon.
He read it calmly, then said:
"The testing has begun."
No fear—only certainty.
Humans were measuring dwarves.
Dwarves were measuring humans.
And that meant the next stage wouldn't be discovery…
…but balance of power.
Deep below, dwarven hammers kept striking—like a countdown toward a new era.
End of Chapter Nine