Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Deep within a cold and dark mine, with the only source of light coming from the Glowstones that were intermittently placed throughout the cavern, there were several groups of Beast People and Pallums clumped together. All around, there were sounds of combat echoing off the hard stone walls, generally followed by blood-curdling screams. As they were very accustomed to hearing these voices shouting, it was possible for some of these ragged individuals to even identify just which of their former 'masters' had just died. Even so, none of them moved, afraid of getting caught up in the chaotic conflict and becoming fodder just to buy time...From a vantage point, high in the sky above the mine, Vahn held his [Khryselakatos] in hand, shooting any fleeing Dwarves in the back while eliminating any messenger birds they tried to send out. This time, instead of dealing with all of the enemies himself, Vahn had left it up to Chloe, Shizune, and a team of twenty 'Shadow Corps' members. Though their average strength was only Level 2, each of the members had been training hard under Chloe for the last two months. This wouldn't give them the necessary strength to deal with some of the more powerful Dwarven warriors but, with powerful equipment, the difference was more than made up as their primary focus was stealth, speed, and precision.Each member of the Shadow Corps either had an Earth, Darkness, or Shadow elemental affinity, which is where they got the name. Most of their members were Cat People but, in order to sneak into small places even easier, there were a number of Pallums in the groups as well. For this particular mission, there were fourteen Cat People, five Pallum, and a single young Chienthrope that had a unique Pure Darkness affinity. He was a peculiar young boy, only fourteen years old, with pitch black hair, pointed ears, a somewhat droopy black tail, and dark orange eyes. Chloe had started training him in much the same way as Shizune, claiming he had a natural inclination towards stealth and assassination...From one of the escape tunnels at the base of the mountain, Vahn saw a group of three Dwarves wearing grey cloaks trying to sneak out and hide amongst the rocky terrain. Since he was trying to prevent information from reaching the Iron Hills, Vahn couldn't let these men escape so easily. He deftly knocked a single arrow that appeared to be wholly made of wood, intricately carved in an ornate and beautiful spiral near the arrowhead.Recently, Yggy had asked if there was anything she could help with and, after understanding the use of her own 'materials', she had started to produce a small grove of 'natural' weapons that had similar qualities. Since the wood she was capable of growing had greater durability than even Damascus Steel, with an incredible affinity for all natural elemental energies, Vahn had produced a few very useful arrows with a variety of different functions...When Vahn loosed this arrow, it traced a pale green blur through the air, though this was something only he could see since it was 'invisible' as a result of his [Call of the Reaper]. It accurately pierced through the back of the closest Dwarf before curving at a sharp angle and piercing the second. The Dwarf that had been leading the group turned to try and parry the arrow but it snaked around his ax in an instant, piercing through his chest without any resistance at all. Then, instead of continuing forward and striking a surface, the arrow zig-zagged through the air once, doubling back, before returning to Vahn's hand.This particular arrow was called a [Wind Chaser], as he could guide the arrow using Wind Elemental manipulation, so long as it was inside of his domain. He didn't even need to use his bow to fire it but, considering the Abilities and benefits from doing so, Vahn still went through the proper motions. It was certainly very 'cool' to be able to manipulate arrows and daggers through his domain, but the power would be drastically reduced. Though it might be a useful ability in the future, it was more important to focus on 'efficiency' at the moment, instead of flair.While waiting for other potential runaways, Vahn kept his focus on the battles taking place within the mines. This particular fortress had been in operation for nearly a century, having kilometers of complex tunnel systems. Fortunately, in order to prevent slaves from sneaking away, a lot of areas were sectioned off and blocked by massive mechanical doors. When the Alliance claimed the mine for themselves in the future, this place would become a powerful stronghold that even had the potential of becoming what the Dwarves referred to as an 'Undercity'. There were no naturally occurring earthquakes on the Continent of Eden so it was relatively safe to build into the ground, instead of just building above it...Within one of the rooms where some of the slaves were hiding away, a Dwarf had just broken into the area after fleeing from the combined attack of two Shadow Corps members. He was Level 3 while the two young men were only Level 2. However, even though they weren't using their [Shadow Visor Mk.1], likely to conserve mana, they weren't losing out in battle. Dwarves typically had lower Agility than most other races, while the two young men were Cat People, possessing remarkable Agility and flexibility. With their A-Rank shortsword, they were steadily pushing the Dwarven warrior back until he had crashed into the room. Upon noticing the slaves hiding away, the man attempted to reach out to use one of them as a shield, only to find a black 'spear' piercing his gut.Fafnir was something of a 'mascot' to the Shadow Corps and, in conjunction with Chloe and Shizune, it had been teaching them the basics on how to use Shadow and Darkness Elemental magic. There weren't any members who could use it just yet, but their affinity with the elements would allow them to become proficient in a year or two. Until then, Fafnir was helping out in the shadows to protect both the slaves and some of the weaker members of the Corps. Since these two were paired together, it was obvious they weren't quite at a level to conduct solo missions just yet. Of course, other than four individuals, the other sixteen members were also paired up, so it wasn't exactly a discredit to their capabilities.As for these four individuals, they were performing their duties in a commendably, almost as if they were ghosts moving through the mines. Among them, there was the Chienthope youth, Kinan, two Cat People, Charle and Bianca, and a rather peculiar Pallum named Skully. She had light pink hair and strange grey eyes that glowed eerily in the dark. With them, Skully was able to see something similar to the 'aura of life', though it wasn't nearly to the extent as Vahn's own ability to see and read auras. Still, while her own presence was very hard to detect, Skully could track people down by locking onto their aura and had become extremely proficient in a very short period of time. There was also the fact that, unlike many of the other Stealth Corps, who used daggers and shortsword, Skully preferred using a crossbow and throwing knives instead.Vahn watched as the auras of the four moved around, quickly dealing with their targets, while Skully would skulk about in the shadows and silently eliminate her foes. There had originally been more than a thousand soldier stationed in this fortress but, after just three hours, their numbers had been reduced to less than a hundred. The fact that none of the Shadow Corps had died, even though Vahn had a hand in that, showed that their skill had developed in an extreme manner over a very short period of time. Though Chloe, Fafnir, and Shizune had taken out most dangerous enemies on their own, before the 'hunt' had begun, it was still promising how quickly they were growing...Remembering how quickly Chloe and Shizune had infiltrated the fortress and eliminated the most powerful warriors in just a few minutes, Vahn couldn't help but think about methods to prevent other capable assassins from infiltrating their own important structures. He had already done a lot to make sure the security of certain areas was almost inviolable but, if there were entities like Fafnir, Chloe, or even Shizune trying to break in, it wasn't impossible for them to do so. Fafnir and Chloe could easily move through the shadows while Shizune...well, she was becoming one of the trump cards of the Alliance.Over the few years she had been training with her [Pactio], Shizune had absorbed the shadows of thousands of monsters. Since she could combine the 'essence' of similar monsters together, even the Goblins and Kobold that Shizune could send out would rival Level 2 Adventurers with ease. The 'scary' part, however, was the fact that, unless you had Magic, or a means to counter the Shadow element in general, it was impossible to kill her summons. Since Shadows could easily move through magic barriers and formations without any resistance whatsoever, Shizune was becoming a monstrous existence with one of the most expansive information networks in the City.This was because, instead of just absorbing monsters' shadows, Shizune was even capable of making shadow summons of animals like worms, beetles, flies, and even ants. These were pests that most people outright ignored, allowing Shizune to have eyes and ears all over the City without any major difficulty. However, these weren't the shadow summons that made her a terrifying enemy to face, as the true terror of Shizune's [Pactio] manifested itself in the form of Humanoid Shadow Beasts and things like Dragons, Trolls, and a swarm of Poison Vermis. Using the latter, Shizune could send a swarm of nigh-unkillable monsters that had the average strength of a Level 2-3 Adventurer, each capable of using poison that could rot flesh from the bone...It was fortunate that Shizune had become a relatively stable and relaxed individual compared to the past, so long as he stopped by to spend time at the Fox Shrine on occasion. She usually spent most of her time, when she wasn't in the Dungeon or the Sub-Space orb, just talking with Loki, Syr, and Chloe. Vahn knew they were using Shizune's network to keep tabs on events transpiring in the City and, even though he felt it was an invasion of privacy, it was undoubtedly very useful. So long as they didn't start exploiting it for nefarious purposes, which was extremely unlikely, Vahn wasn't going to interfere with the steps they took to protect everyone behind the scenes...After another hour, Vahn watched as the Shadow Corps began sweeping the mines to gather up all the slaves while Chloe's voice entered his head, saying, ("We're just about finished up here, Vahn. Did we miss anyone~nya?") Since her 'trainees' had reported the mines to be cleared, Chloe wanted to confirm with Vahn to make sure they weren't already building a habit of making oversights. Vahn, understanding this, cracked a small smile as he responded, ("There were a few that used some secret escape passages, but I managed to deal with them easily. Your Shadow Corps performed very well this time around, Chloe, I'm very impressed...")Since it would be necessary to entrust duties and responsibilities to people he could trust in the future, the entire purpose of this exercise was to give the Corps combat experience while also testing the efficacy of Chloe's training. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that she was a genuine prodigy when it came to the art of assassination and, now that there were numerous proteges training under her, Chloe really was making good on her promise in the past. She was, quite literally, becoming his 'Shadow', especially with the Scouts and Shadow Corps. Now, he just needed to make good on his promise in the future by pulling her into the light and giving her a real family...This was the final fortress subjugation, as Vahn dealt with the other three on his own, and, much like the previous times, he once again extended the same offer to the former slaves. Though some were inspired by the Shadow Corps and sought strength, the majority simply wanted to live free and happy lives. Being able to build a home near the fortress, which would be protected by the Alliance, was something they were more than willing to commit to. Even if Vahn had claimed them as his own slaves, most of them wouldn't have had any problem with the new arrangement, especially with good food and warm clothing. Now that they were 'free', it was possible to see the light of hope reignited in these unfortunate souls once again...In total, it had taken only six days to wipe out all five hidden fortresses operated by the Dwarves. Since they had only used messenger birds and physical missives for communication, it was very likely that the Iron Hills didn't even know their plot had been uncovered. This was made obvious by the fact that, even after the first aerial raid had failed, several others had been launched from the different fortresses. Their original plan was to disorient the forces of the Alliance by attacking from a variety of different trajectories over the course of a two month period. The fact their plot had been broken down in less than a week was something their Commanding Officer likely couldn't even conceive.Now that these fortresses were dealt with, the Dwarves actually had no practical means of attacking any longer. Their closest fortification outside of these five locations was the 'Valley of Iron' located to the south of their Mother Mountain. This was more than 2500km away from the closest base, while being nearly 3500km from Orario itself. It was impossible for them to make a supply line that extended that far, especially with the Elves in a position to easily assault their flank. In other words, the Dwarves of the Iron Hills were stuck turtling in their own territory, forced to stay on the defensive as all their forward operations bases had been completely wiped out.Vahn could already imagine their stone-faced expressions darkening as their complexion paled upon receiving news of these events. However, it was his next course of action that would truly cause them to regret as, for the last six days, Terra and Yggy had been massing a massive amount of natural energy into an unstable Sub-Space orb. The Dwarves seemed very fond of explosives, completely disregarding the victims who would be affected by these malicious inventions, so Vahn wanted to teach them a hard lesson. He would show them an explosion larger than anything they can even imagine...all while feeding enough natural energy into the environment to make it into a prosperous and verdant landscape in the aftermath...(A/N: Guys, today is actually my birthday and I didn't even notice until my Dad called xD... I'm shifting my rest day up to today so there will be the six chapters tomorrow while Sunday will have the standard amount.)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'So...Ninjas...?','Chloe Lolo, Shadow of the Emperor','Shizune is scary...','Is that what you call just desserts?')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

In Ancient Times, like before the gods had descended upon the Mortal World, the first generation Dwarves were born into the world, crawling out of the 8,500m tall 'Mother Mountain'. Unlike other races, who had prospered on the surface, the Dwarves had come into existence in a cold and unforgiving environment with few natural resources. Though they had access to the sea, this was a time when aquatic monsters rampaged about freely, capsizing any ship that dared venture out into the murky waters. As a result, the Dwarves had been forced to dig into the earth, both out of necessity and an unrelenting resolve to tame their world.Though it had taken them hundreds of years, the Dwarves had cleared out the surface of their homeland, completely wiping out all monsters in the surroundings. While other surface dwellers were desperately fighting against the waves of monsters that would emerge from the Dungeon, the Dwarves had already reclaimed the surface while also conquering what lay below. They had built massive underground cities and structures, showing a natural understanding of mechanical engineering, stonemasonry, and construction. This, combined with their powerful physical might, had allowed them to create hundreds of kilometers of underground tunnels while, at the very heart of the Iron Hills, there was a massive cavern that spanned more than 50km in diameter, coiling down into the earth nearly 20km.True to the nature of this massive cavern, and the large fortress-like City built into it, the Dwarves had named this sacred land as 'Ironheart', serving as the exact center of their budding culture. The founding family of the City even took the name upon themselves, becoming the first High Dwarven Noble Family, the Ironhearts. Later, similar cities would be built into the subsurface after large mines were stripped away and converted into similarly sized caverns. Now, fast forwarding to the present, there were eight such cities, each presided over by a powerful Dwarven Noble family of their own. After the Ironheart family, who had become the most influential family amongst the Dwarves, these were the Alderfist, Hammerforge, Stoneborne, Firebeard, Goldbrew, Deepsbane, and, nearly rising up to the same position as the Ironhearts, the Stormwright clan.During the time when other races were fighting tooth and nail to survive, the Dwarves had already mastered their lands, expanding outwards into their very own Mother Mountain. Out of respect for the site, it was decreed that the mountain was an inviolable place where mining and resource harvesting was strictly regulated. This was the ancestral lands where most Dwarves were laid to rest, the interior filled with several expansive mausoleums and masterful works of art representing accomplished and heroic men and women from the past. Once you got beyond the mountain, however, things changed rather quickly...On the southern face, the Dwarves once again encountered powerful monsters after a very long period of civil infighting and industrial expansion. They received a harsh reminder that the world outside of the Iron Hills could be cruel and unforgiving, as their probes into these lands had nearly spelled their doom. Using the very same system of tunnels they had developed over centuries, hordes of monsters tried to make the Mother Mountain their home after breaking through the unprepared defensive line. It took decades to once again reclaim the mountain but, once they had, the Dwarves converted the southern face into the largest and most powerful fortress against the monster tides, Blackstone. The Dwarves had pioneered forging technique related to Damascus, making powerful Damascus Steel ramparts that lined the bottom face of the mountain, stretching nearly a thousand kilometers with only massive towers breaking the flow.The construction of Blackstone had been a monstrous effort that cost thousands of Dwarves their lives over the course of 187 years. Even so, they never ceased in their efforts until their homeland was truly secure from the monster hordes. Then, as if it were a matter of pride, the Dwarves didn't rest on their accomplishment and instead began reclaiming the forest and surrounding land from the monsters' control. The valley on the northern side of the Mother Mountain was inhospitable with a large circular air current that brought in heavy volumes of salt from the sea. To the south, however, there were verdant forests and plains, fertile land which the Dwarves had desperately sought out.Unfortunately, these lands had been the Ancestral Forests of the High Elves, who acted decisively to prevent the Dwarves from clearing out their forests to create farmland. From this encounter, the Dwarves learned of the wider world, including the various races that inhabited it. Then, instead of trying to compromise and seek peace, the Dwarves became jaded at the idea that these longears had so many resources available to them. Unlike the stout and hardy Dwarves, the Elves were frail and weak, 'spoiled' by the availability of food and fresh water, unlike the tenacious Dwarves who had struggled for centuries to master their home environment.Unable to communicate with each other, the Dwarves began attacking the Elves in earnest, fully believing they had a greater right to the land than the Elves who had occupied it for millennia. In order to drive back the Elves, they set fire to the forests and, using their technological prowess and mechanical might, the Dwarves quickly cleared away a large section of the forest after a few decisive skirmishes. It was under such circumstances, drunk on the taste of victory, even as their lungs filled with the smoldering ashes of the burnt forests, that the Dwarves were introduced to Magic.Though there were only a few a High Elven lineage that could use the Magic of the Spirits, those that possessed such capabilities held awesome power. Initially, the Elves hadn't shied away from trying to seek dialogue with the Dwarves but every attempt to do so was met with bolts and blades. After that, their primary concern had simply been protected the forest, as the Dwarves were using machines that spoiled the land while indiscriminately cutting down trees that had stood the test of time for centuries. Now that the Dwarves had thrown all decency aside, burning the very forest and resources they sought to claim, the High Elves were forced to take action, even though they had been a very peaceful people that provided aid to the other races.Shortly after the Dwarves had once again started to clear sections of the forest, three High Elves had rallied together, including the then Queen of the Elves, a heavenly beauty named Ariella. The three used powerful nature magic to completely devastate the Dwarven machinery and, to ensure they would not arbitrarily decide to attack again, Ariella made the rare exception to attack the fortress of Blackstone directly. The proud and majestic physical barriers that the Dwarves had spent nearly two hundred years constructing were powerless against the mighty magic spells which, with the help of the Spirits, was far stronger than most modern magic.Being that they were not a violent race, at least at the time, the High Elves pulled back after doing a substantial amount of damage. Then, as the Dwarves began repairing the mighty fortress, the Elves had erected tall wooden towers along the northern border of their forest, both to serve as a reminder to the Dwarves while also acting as a lookout. The Dwarves, however, were undaunted by the presence of the Elves and, just as they had conquered their homeland in the ancient past, they were determined to claim the resources that ought to be theirs. However, they weren't fools who would attack without planning a proper strategy and, just as they had dedicated nearly two hundred years just to build a fortress, the Dwarves began researching countermeasures to magic.As the decades passed, tensions between the Dwarves and the Elves steadily increased until, rather unexpectedly, Ariella had come with several envoys to broker peace and trade with the Dwarven people. This didn't end well, however, as the pride and arrogance of the Dwarves had been cultivated over centuries of internal strife and isolation from other races. Using their newly researched composite alloy, Magisteel, the Dwarves attacked the peaceful envoys, managing to kill Ariella and the majority of her escorts. The few survivors were then captured by the Dwarves, both as a means to study magic and as a 'punishment' for the Elves' audacity to oppose them.Using their ill-gotten victory as a catalyst, the Dwarves began a large invasion into the Elven forests, killing and capturing as many Elves as possible. They didn't believe that the Elves had many people capable of using the powerful magic used by Ariella and her two companions. At the same time, with their powerful equipment to protect them, the Dwarves rapidly cleared out a large section of the forest which would later become one of the layered defensive lines of the Iron Hills. With their invasion successful, and no major response from the Elves, the Dwarves thought themselves victorious and began reclaiming the land on the inside of their perimeter, turning it into thousands of acres of farmland.What the Dwarves did no take into consideration was the longevity and patience of the Elves who, after the death of their Queen, entered a long period of observation as they groomed Ariella's successor. Now that things had reached this point, the Elves believed the Dwarves to be an errant and warmongering species who, unlike the other races struggling to reclaim the surface, turned their weapons against what should be their allies. The fact the Dwarves had attacked a peaceful delegation had wounded the hearts of the High Elves who, at the time, served as the guardians and protectors of the forests while providing aid to almost every other race. Even the Goliaths, who scorned the Elves for their magic, had never slighted them in such a grievous and dishonorable manner...By the time the new Elven Queen had been elected, the Dwarves had spent nearly twenty years cultivating the land they had stolen from the Elves. Now, after discovering other races seeking asylum in the forests, the Dwarves had started capturing groups of refugees en masse. Instead of toiling hard in the mines, they had realized it was much easier to make the 'lesser' species of the surface work in their stead. This was the catalyst for the propagation of slavery within the Iron Hills and the start of the 'wastrel' like lifestyle of the Dwarves.With actual farmland providing for their rather small population, many Dwarves had become rather complacent over a short period of time. Now that they didn't have to toil away in the mines, many Dwarves had a lot of free time on their hands to master the art of forging and craftsmanship, all while other recreational hobbies began emerging. The Goldbrew clan had already become a powerful family after learning how to ferment wheat and hops to produce various types of ales. Now that there was so much agricultural land to work with, the production of alcohol had greatly increased while the variety of alcoholic beverages practically exploded, especially with the various fruit orchards and herbal gardens that now existed. Instead of being a grain supplement that could be enjoyed rarely, drinking became one of the favorite pastimes of the Dwarves in a very short period of time...Overall, things were going exceptionally well for the Dwarves and, confident they could claim even more land, a second invasion into the Elven forests was planned. Before this plan could be implemented, however, the new Elven Queen had made her appearance, this time with a total of ten powerful High Elves at her side. With hundreds of other Elves as support, the new Elven Queen, Valrhona, completely devastated the defensive line of the Dwarves. They used powerful magic to reclaim the ill-gotten land before staging a counteroffensive against Blackstone. After a battle that lasted more than two months, during which time the land stolen by the Dwarves had been completely reclaimed, the Elves finally retreated back into their forests.Though they were incensed, the Dwarves now realized that their efforts needed to be more meticulous and, regardless of how powerful they were, there were some forces that simply couldn't be resisted through normal means. This time, they didn't have the luxury of the Elven Queen coming to them to seek peace and, after a long period of rebuilding their damaged fortress, it was the Elder Council, comprised of the various patriarchs of the High Dwarven Noble Houses who stepped forward. They sent envoys who had studied the Elven language from the slaves that had been captured in the past, entering into a long period of negotiations with the Elves.Using the bartering and trade techniques they had honed against each other over centuries, the Dwarves eventually managed to reclaim their once-seized land by creating various pieces of equipment for the Elves to use. At the same time, a large-scale 'breeding' effort had been underway, both for the Dwarves and their ever-increasing population of slaves. After their failures to break into the outside world, which they knew very little of, the Dwarven policy became more of an isolationist doctrine that focused on defense. The fortifications of their territory gradually increased over the centuries as their population slowly reached a bottleneck. In order to deal with this issue, the Elder Council began sending groups of Dwarves out into the world at large, both as explorers and merchants.Slowly but surely, the Dwarves grew beyond their homeland of the Iron Hills, primarily through their exchanges with other races. It was extremely profitable to sell equipment and defensive weaponry in the world that was still fighting against the monster hordes on a daily basis. They were also able to use their technological prowess and natural talent for construction to earn the 'respect' and admiration of various races. The Dwarves helped to design and construct powerful fortress cities that became the bastions of the surface world, all while increasing the wealth of their own country. As a result, the arrogance of the Dwarves actually continued to rise and, over the course of several millennia, they had slowly become the wealthiest people in the land...With this explosion of wealth, the complacency and wastrel-like behavior of the Dwarves only grew in intensity, to the point that any respect they had earned from other races had morphed into scorn. Dwarven merchants became known for their greed and, with their physical prowess, for lack of a better term, 'dwarfing' almost every other race, their pride went unchecked by all but the Goliath people and the High Elves. Now, in modern times, the Dwarves had become a people known for their propensity to exploit everyone, including each other. Infighting between brothers and sisters was extremely common, especially when it came to business transactions, while many Dwarves spent their days simply forging, crafting, and putting on airs. Because of their mastery in these pursuits, the technology of the Dwarves had reached an extreme, making their lives easy while the slaves that made up the very foundation of their society toiled tirelessly to their deaths...The once proud Dwarves that fought tooth and nail to survive in their inhospitable homeland were now nowhere to be seen. They had been replaced by a group of people who profiteered off the misery of others, sold weapons without any care for how they would be used, and sought every possible advantage they could get out of a situation. Their arrogance and overconfidence had grown to an extreme and, before the Alliance had disrupted their businesses, they had ruled over the markets of almost every country.Now that the Alliance had dominated the market of Orario, the most prosperous City on the continent, in their place, the Dwarves were extremely dissatisfied. However, to most, this was just a mild inconvenience and, fully confident there would be no major repercussions, the Elder Council didn't mind antagonizing the Alliance. Though they did fear the power of Fafnir, to an extent, there were several weapons they had kept concealed for a long period of time. Even with war being declared, they simply had to stay on the defensive and, when Vahn and his dragons appeared near their fortress, they would shoot the tyrannical creatures out of the sky.It was believed that, without his Dragons, Vahn wasn't considered to be terribly dangerous and, even if they were unable to trade within Orario for a few years, it wasn't too difficult to turn a profit in other countries. Eventually, just as it had always been, they would one day be able to develop countermeasures that allowed them to deal with the Alliance, even if it took hundreds of years. This was the general belief of even the common Dwarven citizenry, even when the Alliance sent a message claiming their Mother Mountain would be shattered within three days. They believed this to be simple nonsense and considered it an example of Vahn's hubris, all the way up until the morning of the third day when, long before the sun had risen, a green 'sun' had emerged against the backdrop of the Mother Mountain. When it had vanished, to the horror of every Dwarf that drew in the cold morning air of the Iron Hills, the upper half of their Ancestral Mountain had now vanished in its entirety...then, as they stared on with horror, several hundred million tons of stones and debris began raining down on the surroundings like a meteor shower...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'An inhospitable people from an inhospitable terrain...','Those That Fail to Learn from History are Doomed to Repeat it...','Some lessons are learned harder than others...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

At the same as Vahn had been liberating the slaves within the Dwarves' hidden fortress, his avatar was back at the Hearth Manor with the 'War Council'. He had become very familiar with this group of goddesses over the last few months, as it constantly felt like they were meeting to discuss various matters. This time, the agenda was obviously related to the necessary military response to resolve this matter. With Vahn updating them about the information obtained from Geof, Minerva and Alala had been bouncing ideas back and forth while Vahn tried to think about the logistics of everything. Ultimately, the decision to deploy troops fell on him, courtesy of being the Supreme Commander of the Alliance forces, so he had to seriously consider the best method to proceed.The 'simplest' solution was to take action himself, bringing a decisive end to things, but that wasn't necessarily the best method for ensuring society, in general, was able to progress in the proper direction. If he resolved everyone situation on his own, it would undoubtedly increase his own prestige but, at the same time, it made his actions seem almost 'too fantastical'. Though the general public credited him as being the strongest, very few people could actually give a cohesive answer if asked 'why' he was the strongest. After all, even if someone said, "Well, he defeated Ottar.", that would only truly hold relevance to those who knew of Ottar's strength...Vahn realized that his route had undoubtedly entered the path of an Emperor, even if the end result was drastically different than the Divination. The Alliance was growing too fast to simply be an Alliance for much longer, as there was a real need for a more cohesive command structure to be in place. Though the Divine Council would undoubtedly serve this purpose, it would fall on Vahn to act as an overseer, as sitting on the sidelines simply wasn't an option. This would actually give him 'less' responsibility in the end, as his input would only be required to make overarching decisions that influenced the entire Alliance, similar to an actual Emperor who entrusted administrative tasks to his Ministers...No matter how he spun things, the moment Vahn set out to unify the entire Continent, he would become responsible for maintaining peace and order in all countries. Without a clearly defined role, such as that of an Emperor, there would always be contention in smaller countries and Kingdoms. He would need to form a Mortal Council as well, requiring Kings and Queens to attend to express his authority and pass down Imperial Decrees. The only other 'solution' was to place people he trusted in positions of power within those countries, but that was functionally the same thing. For better or worse, the only way to maintain control, in the long run, is if people, both mortal and god, respect the decisions he made based on the authority he possessed...In an effort to ensure corruption and the concept of Nobility wasn't able to become the seed of future discourse, Vahn intended to create an oversight council, though that may have to wait until he linked the records in the future. Essentially, he wanted to make it a requirement for anyone that wanted to hold a position of power, regardless of their presumed 'birthright', to graduate from both the School and the Academy. Then, only by earning proper merits, would they have the right to claim any title of Nobility. The former systems, that promoted meritless individuals, purporting them as something 'special' by virtue of nothing more than birth, was simply ridiculous to him. If a person didn't even have the basic capabilities to govern and manage a territory, they simply didn't deserve to inherit a position they didn't make any effort to obtain.As a result, Vahn intended to make the Academy one of the most powerful forces in the entire Continent, serving as a furnace of sorts that tempered individuals to pave the way toward a better future, both for themselves and others. This would make the Guild, the Academy, and Vahn's own 'Empire' as the three main powers in the world, reinforcing each other while establishing a basic system for checks and balances. Vahn intended to allow the Guild to remain autonomous because, as much as he didn't believe in what Ouranos did, there was undoubtedly a need for an objective and neutral party for proper mediation.The Divine Council would represent the 'wisdom' of the gods, setting forth laws and regulations that would govern the mortal world for generations. However, the final decision would always fall to Vahn and, if they were in agreement, it was possible to implement the change. At the same time, the Divine Council could oppose decisions he made and, if Vahn insisted his decision was correct, it would then fall to Ouranos to make the final say. As a god who had lived for nearly a billion years, all while observing the 'natural' flow of the world, his counsel was something that couldn't really be called into question. Though, considering there would be thirty primary gods within the Divine Council, it wasn't likely that Vahn would disagree with any decisions they made together...It was with this understanding, knowing he would have to rise up and 'claim' the title of Emperor in the future, Vahn held up his hand to bring the discussion to a stop. The fact that three goddesses immediately turned their attention to him, ceasing their cross-talk in an instant, was a credit to the authority he already possessed. This brought a small smile to Vahn's face as he said, "Rakia's forces are moving through the Southern Sands to stage their invasion. With the heat and unstable terrain, their pace will be heavily influenced by any changes in environmental factors. I will have Terra delay their advance without causing them too much damage...I want them to get closer to Orario..."Though he had the option of simply wiping out the entire army, Vahn knew it would be far more effective to make a show of things for the future. He would let Rakia Kingdom's forces make their way to Orario but, unlike the past, where they were allowed to retreat, this would be their final invasion. He would deal with Ares himself while the entire army would be routed by members of the Haven Defense Force alone. So long as he was in the area, Vahn would be able to use [Wounds Transfer] to protect their lives while a group that may very well consist of 'just' Pallums completely devastated the enemy forces.Finding the thought a little humorous, Vahn internally reprimanded himself before saying, "The more important thing is to intercept, or outright prevent, any communication between Rakia and the Iron Hills. I will be dealing with the matter of the Iron Hills personally while the Alliance will move forces to secure each of the fortresses that have been secretly constructed by the Dwarves. In the future, those mines will serve as an area where tradesmen and laborers within the Alliance will be able to venture in order to collect resources. Those in the Alv Mountains, included the hidden port near the Serpent's Pass, will fall under the direct control of the Hephaestus and Fortuna Familias while the three located in the Beol Mountains will be shared ownership of the entire Alliance. We will set up a system to manage the flow of ore and resources while ensuring the infrastructure of the mines is not compromised. So long as a person has the proper rank and contribution points, they will only have to pay a tax on their harvest before carrying it away or having it processed on site..."Vahn knew that controlling the port would be a huge boon for the Alliance in general, especially since the Alv Mountains had several mineral-rich veins. Vahn had detected them through his [Metalurgy] Development Ability when he searched the area with his domain. So long as he mapped out the subsurface, the mining team would be able to obtain a bountiful harvest from the mountain. He couldn't supplement all the resources of the entire Alliance using the system shop, even though it was very 'convenient' for others if he did so. As the number of moving parts within the Alliance increased, their requirements for goods would drastically increase as well. Vahn would never be able to keep up with the supply and demand of millions of people, not if he wanted to have any time with his family in the future...With his decision and reasoning laid out before them, the goddesses began to talk about the various pros and cons of his choice. Vahn listened patiently, taking note of key details like establishing proper infrastructure to make moving supplies and resources easier. It would be beneficial to build small villages and settlements in close proximity to the fortresses, allowing those traveling to and from the location to rest. So long as there were riches and resources available, there would always be people willing to move into inhospitable environments to settle. If the Alliance provided them with building materials and food, those seeking a more rustic and peaceful life would undoubtedly answer the call...Once he heard all their counterarguments and counsel, Vahn ruminated for a bit before saying, "It may be better to entrust the management of these areas to the very slaves that were forced to construct them. This would give them a sense of empowerment while also serving as a powerful motivator to successfully settle the area. At the same time, I'll force the Iron Hills to compromise, providing the building materials necessary at no cost to the Alliance. Though they will enter a long period of restructuring once I'm done with them, the Dwarves will undoubtedly become a powerful industrial machine in the future. However, their national isolationism and racist social structure will be shattered like the very mountain they believe protects them..."There were motivators more powerful than rising above those that had pressed you down, especially if it was at the expense of the oppressors. Since it was unlikely most of the slaves would adapt well to the rapid changes within Orario, Vahn believed it would be a better option for them to settle the land they were forced to toil over. It would ultimately be up to them but, having already discussed it with some of the older slaves back in the Alv Mountain Fortress, Vahn knew many amongst them would jump at the opportunity. As a result, Vahn gave them the necessary supplies and rations while promising that the Alliance would bring forces to protect them from bandits and Dwarven patrols that may try to reclaim the mines. Then, for the first time, they were able to make a genuine decision for themselves, voting on a Village Chief to represent their budding community...While discussing the building plans with the aptly named 'Survivor Village', Vahn was also pouring over maps back at the Manor while discussing the best method to prevent future attacks again Orario. With its size, it wasn't practical to provide [Palings] to protect the entire City, so the 'solution' would be to protect important structures while building a more comprehensive defense network. It was fortunate that Orario had been divided into eight sections as, even though it would take several months of effort, it was possible to establish a ritual defensive ward that could protect the entire City. Though they would need to build eight rather large towers, it was an easily justifiable expense if it meant the entire City would be protected from aerial attacks in the future. The 'problem' was that the estimated cost in Valis was approximated to be 89,000,000,000,000V while purchasing the materials through the system shop would cost close to 3,000,000,000OP.Since this was a sum that even the entire Alliance wouldn't be able to shoulder easily, it would delay the construction to the point it would take several years to complete. Even with this being the case, there was no resistance to the plan and, with careful management of funds, it wasn't impossible to finish the city-wide magic ward without overtaxing the Alliance's funds. This was accounting for economic growth and the availability of resources in the 'Frontier Floors' of the Dungeon, but even Sis was able to calculate a very high chance of success. Just selling spatial artifacts and introducing new products into the market would be able to keep them afloat without too many issues. Since it was meant to protect the entire City, it was even possible to work alongside the Civilian Legislative Branch to issue bonds or increase taxes.This method was an avenue Vahn didn't want to pursue, however, as he knew having the public's support would be important if he truly intended to be an Emperor in the future. If he pressured the CLB to increase taxes before he held that level of authority, there would be greater opposition to any future plans he wants to implement. By showing a willingness to protect the City, even without pressuring its citizenship, Vahn was essentially claiming ownership of Orario while taking a public stance as its protector. In time, this would become common knowledge to the general public and, by the time he made the move to become an Emperor, many would feel as if it was 'expected', instead of something they should oppose. When he increased taxes, the general consensus would be along the line of, 'well, he protected us at his own expense back then, it is only natural we pay him back'...With thoughts like this on his mind, Vahn laid out his plans for the future before his War Council, each a goddess he genuinely trusted. Even Eirene wasn't opposed to the idea as, from her point of view, Vahn was constantly making sacrifices for the benefit of everyone. Since he was even allowing the Guild and something like the Divine Council to exist in order to establish a system to prevent corruption, she wholly supported his vision of the future. As for goddesses like Loki, Freya, and Fortuna, they had somewhat scary smiles as their eyes reflected genuine intrigue. The rest also expressed their support while only goddesses like Hestia showed no concern about such things, simply stating she would always protect the Hearth Manor so that Vahn had a place to rest when he was weary of the outside world and its complex politics...Thus, without any opposition, Vahn cemented his resolve to begin unifying the Continent and, when the timing was appropriate, rise up to become a true Emperor. Though his conquest had actually started long ago, almost as far back as the first steps he had taken out of the Western Forest, Vahn's next stepping stone towards the future was the Iron Hills. There were some loose ends, like helping Elily with her revenge and tracking down Tsubaki's father, his treatment of the Iron Hills would be relatively straight forward. From the moment they targetted his family directly, Vahn had decided to return the favor in a drastic way. He and Terra would literally 'split' their 'mother mountain' in two, connecting the Iron Hills to the rest of the world, before forcing them to acquiesce by tearing apart the very foundation of their society, starting from its roots...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'The mentality of an Emperor','Laying a Stable Foundation for the Future...','By tearing away the rotten foundation at the roots...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

Chapter 894: Shadow