Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though his original plan had been to blast open the Dwarves' Mother Mountain and create a pathway to the interior valley, Vahn had changed his mind after due consideration. Because the largest population of the Iron Hills consisted of slaves, meaning their were far more innocents that would be hurt by such an attack, Vahn decided to be less 'direct'. Though there would still be a large number of casualties, the number of people that would be liberated after he forced the Elder Council to acquiesce would be far greater than if he chose a more direct method. Since this was an action that needed to have a 'visible' outcome, so that it wouldn't fade within the memory of future generations, Vahn chose to blow off the top of the mountain instead of breaking it apart.There were several reasons why he had chosen this course of action, other than a general concern for the lives of several hundred thousand slaves within the Iron Hills. Because the 'bomb' was wholly comprised of natural energies, there would be no real fallout from the blast, as 'normal' explosives would often have various chemicals that made the affected area inhospitable. After his bomb exploded, the area would become saturated with natural energy, turning the 'valley' that would come into existence after the bomb was detonated into a natural paradise, filled with greenery and rare materials. Vahn wasn't fond of the idea of causing destruction for the sole purpose of 'harming' a target, as the act of destroying the environment to make future life difficult didn't sit well with him...The more important purpose of this bomb, however, was to serve as an important 'lesson', not just for the Dwarves, but for the future generations of all peoples. Vahn was intending to enact strict regulations on the development of technology designed to be used for war in the future, as even the existence of Magic Items like the [Shadow Visor Mk. 1] were already game-changers. If possible, he wanted most issues to be settled in designated arenas and battlefields in the future, where the stakes would be high while the destruction and loss of life would be closely regulated. This was a means to promote individual growth and encourage people to pursue greater heights instead of allowing the trend of relying on technology to wage warfare to become popularized.After uniting the seven regions of Eden, Vahn was expecting 'war' in general to become obsolete, at least in the grand scheme of things. Those it would be impossible to prevent civil strife and small conflicts from breaking out, large-scale wars would be pointless as a single proficient Mage would likely be able to take out tens of thousands with ease. Future battles, where hundreds of thousands would engage each other in fights to the death, would serve no purpose other than 'wasting' lives. Though overpopulation, and other factors, would have to be considered, Vahn was confident that these types of issues could be addressed after he had linked the records. After all, it would be possible for him to create entire records, each containing entire multiverses. Limited resources weren't an issue in the grand scheme of things though, as people tried to ascend the path to godhood, there would certainly be a fair number of conflicts over the especially precious ones...It was with thoughts like this on his mind that Vahn stood high above the Mother Mountain with an 80cm diameter green sphere. He knew that, even if he detonated the Sub-Space orb at the very peak of the mountain, the resultant shockwave would probably collapse several mines and tunnels. The eight Undercities themselves would probably be fine, but the number of casualties amongst the slaves would still be very large. Vahn also suspected landslides and rock showers to occur but, in order to bring an end to future conflicts, he knew a decisive action was required. Thus, after nearly an hour of inspecting the region, Vahn placed the Sub-Space orb into a cavern near the very center of the mountain before fracturing its surface...At the same instant as the orb was fractured, a veritable ocean of Nature Energy poured out from its interior. The inside had been compressed to a 5km space that was highly saturated with Nature energy, to the point that even a High Elf probably would have died from exposure. Even the air inside had a slight emerald hue so, when the orb 'detonated', it created the image of a green sun that instantly consumed the upper half of the mountain. Though he had expected this result, Vahn was still surprised by the sheer power contained within the Sub-Space orb as his own body was immediately reduced to mana particulates that were pushed away with the explosion.When his body had reformed, the mountain now looked more like a volcano, with a spherical mouth, while the surroundings were utterly devastated by the explosion. The curious thing, though Vahn had entirely expected it to happen, was that the once snowy mountain was now completely covered in grass and small plants as a green haze formed a dome around the former peak. Natural energy wasn't the type to disperse very quickly and, unless something siphoned it away, even the high altitude wouldn't be enough to prevent the propagation of vibrant plant life in the area...After overlooking the devastation for a bit, Vahn felt somewhat melancholic but buried the feeling in his heart as he moved to the center of the large impact crater and pulled out one of Yggy's 'hearts'. In the future, this place would become a true paradise while the surrounding landscape would also benefit from the endless infusion of vital energies. As for the crater itself, however, Vahn planned to immortalize the site and prevent the Dwarves, or anyone for that matter, from trying to take advantage of the devastated area for their own purposes. In the future, people would be able to make a pilgrimage to this area, seeing where the once proud mountain once stood and understand the true terror of indiscriminate warfare...Once the 10m tall tree had sprouted, Vahn was greeted by the ever-adorable Yggy as she popped out of the trunk with a slightly mischevious expression on her face. Vahn already knew what she was going to do so he kneeled down and allowed Yggy' to plant a kiss on his cheek, granting him the fourth boost to his [Yggdrasil's Champion]. Each boost had given him about a 2% increase to his Source Energy regeneration rate and, even though it seemed like a small amount, this made it possible for him to replenish his reserves in under twenty minutes. If she granted him all nine, it wouldn't be impossible for him to replenish his entire reserves in under sixteen minutes which, if combined with the Sub Space orb, meant he could be topped off in just 2.5 minutes. In actually, the [Yggdrasil's Champion] buff was slowly turning Vahn into even more of a ridiculous existence than before...After planting an innocent and sloppy kiss on her Papa's cheek, Yggy giggled happily before looking around at her fourth home and saying, "I like this place a lot, it has so much natural energy already~!" Vahn, upon hearing this, showed an affectionate smile while, on the inside, he felt rather awkward hearing Yggy say such a thing. Previously, the dominant energies in this area were Earth, Ice, Water, and a bit of Darkness. It was only by destroying the top of the mountain that it became oversaturated with Nature energy, making it a suitable environment for all types of flora and fauna for the future. Even so, he didn't let the mild incongruity show on his face as he ruffed Yggy's hair and said, "I have to go deal with a few troublesome matters now, Yggy. I'll come by to visit you at the Manor for lunch, okay...?"Yggy, bringing her tiny fists together in excitement, nodded her head with a vibrant smile and said, "Yes~! Don't worry, I'll make sure this area is protected properly, Papa...!" Since she already knew beforehand the purpose behind her heart being planted in this area, Yggy was determined to keep this large crater safe. She would let people enter and walk about freely but, if they tried to take away any of the plants or animals that would come to reside here, she would drive them away very quickly. Terra had already taught her some of the basics of magic and, being extremely quick on the uptake, Yggy could easily defend an area of a few kilometers with ease.After giving Yggy a candy that had, somewhat awkwardly, been made out of a crystallized version of Terra's 'sap', Vahn flew towards the largest structure in the valley, assuming it would put him in touch with someone of authority. The aboveground City, known as the 'City of Gold, Enterprise', was a large port City that served as the consolidation hub for various merchants and businesses. Most of the Dwarves still lived in the Undercities, making the largest population of people present within Enterprise slaves. Vahn was surprised by the sheer number of Beast People present, many wearing nothing more than rags while metallic collars cut into their necks and collarbones.Because of the mountain face exploding, there was a large amount of damage to Enterprise, resulting in tens of thousands of slaves moving about as they rapidly tried to clean the area and repair the damage. It was easy to see they were shaken by the events as even the Dwarves, who would typically beat and berate them at every opportunity, were walking around in low spirits. Their expressions were pale and there were even a few who had been unable to take their eyes off the once majestic mountain, now bereft of its sharp peak. Though it hadn't been the tallest mountain on the Continent, it was still their prided ancestral grounds, now ruined in an instant after an explosion of impossible magnitude...One of these Dwarves was the eldest son of Kanav Mun Ironheart, the current Patriarch of the Ironheart Noble House. He had been in charge of the external businesses of the family for the last thirty years, making a name for himself as the aspiring head of the Ironheart clan. To his fellow merchants, he was known as Sterlaag the 'Mountain', because his expression was always cold and unchangeable. In business, he had been an unshakeable existence, proudly comparing himself to their very Mother Mountain during a few recreational drunken brawls. Now, seeing that very mountain broken, with a large boulder crushing the office where he would normally have been sitting, Sterlaag found himself feeling a series of solemn emotions, unlike anything he had ever experienced before...Vahn had noticed this rather stout figure, appearing to be around his late fifties with dark black hair and an intricately woven beard that extended past his chest. Even the slaves around this man were dressed better than the others, wearing black uniforms with golden accents, so Vahn decided to drop in and make his presence known. Upon dropping down in front of the man, Vahn noticed he hadn't quite processed the reality of the situation as his face warped into one of abject confusion instead of rage. Even so, Vahn increased the pressure on this man and forced him to his knees as he said, "I am Vahn Mason, come to make good on my promise. Go, inform your Elders that this is only the beginning of conflict if they are unwilling to compromise..."Being forced to his knees in an instant, Sterlaag came back to his senses and did his best to resist the pressure weighing him down. His face was filled with indignation and, after hearing Vahn's introduction, an expression of unhinged rage replaced his confusion. However, before he was able to open his mouth and order his slaves and guards to attack, Sterlaag felt the pressure more than double, smashing his body into the ground below as his bones creaked. There was nothing he could do except listen as Vahn's cold tone resounded, "This attack was meant to serve as a warning for what awaits your people if you choose to walk down this errant path. The next attack will be within your Undercities themselves...once again, I will give you three days. If you fail to pass on my message, I will track you down personally and have you watch as your precious cities are destroyed one by one..."After leaving his message, Vahn equipped his [Shadow Visor Mk. 2] and 'vanished' from the area in an instant, though the pressure persisted for several minutes after the fact. He had already identified a large elevator that looked like it shuttled supplies between the surface and the Undercities below. Though he would allow the wealthy merchant to pass on his message, Vahn still wanted to investigate the underground himself to better plan his next course of action. If possible, he wanted to recover Elily's former Master and, depending on the circumstances, free some of the slaves. Vahn knew an absolutely nightmarish scene awaited him when he got to some of the 'slave farms' and, even if it caused some trouble, he would plant to assassinate the staff and plan for the future liberation of the slave population...Vahn fully intended to negotiate terms with the Dwarves but, regardless of how they felt about the matter, there would no longer be slaves within the Iron Hills after he was finished. The Dwarves had mistreated other races for far too long so, even if they had a legitimate claim to some slaves, Vahn didn't care one bit. They had completely lost the right to manage the lives of others and, for the foreseeable future, the Dwarves themselves would be responsible for their own progress. Vahn intended to completely cripple their foundation and force them into a period of reflection and recovery that relied on other countries for their prosperity. There would be no more slaves kept as nothing more than livestock to be worked to their deaths for the sole purpose of greed and sheer laziness.With that thought in mind, Vahn steeled his heart and mind before dropping down the elevator shaft and descending more than five kilometers into the dark depths below. There were several areas where the elevator platform would have stopped but Vahn assumed the 'farms' would be located in the lower levels. He didn't expect the glorious and artistically designed Undercities would be home to a large number of slaves, as their fate had been perpetually toiling away within the mines and endlessly harvesting resources for others to use. At this depth, the air temperature was a steamy 61 degrees Celsius, an extremely uncomfortable temperature for most people. However, here in these dark caverns that seemed completely inhospitable to life, Vahn sensed hundreds of auras moving about, the vast majority of which seemed extremely fatigued while others were on the verge of death...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'League of Legends, anyone...?','June 17th, Zeroth Year of the Emperor, the morning of two suns...','Descent into Hell...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/mn5xMbE

While Vahn was skulking around in the darkness of the Dwarven mines, Sterlaag had quickly gone to meet with his father, Kanav. It had only been a few minutes since the Mother Mountain's upper half was destroyed and, even though the information had already reached the various Patriarchs, none had seen the true extent of the damage. There were even some who, upon receiving the message from the slaves, ended up caning the messengers for grossly exaggerating events. Though the shockwave was powerful enough to even resonate within the Undercities, few could believe their precious Mother Mountain had been devastated to such an extent.Kanav, holding the most authority amongst the Elder Council, was one of the more level-headed of the bunch, even though he too couldn't quite believe the words that had reached his ears. When his son burst into the room unannounced, Kanav's expression became icy as he used his golden scepter and thumped his panicked son, stating, "Calm yourself, boy, are you trying to embarrass the Ironheart household?" At the same time, Kanav sent a glare towards his Chief Steward, a sturdy Kyrie tribe member who was 220cm tall with shaven horns that were capped with gold. The man bowed low in response and quickly cleared the room, forcing the servants into a nearby chamber where the sound of a whip could be heard...Sterlaag made no effort to wipe the blood from his forehead as he looked into his father's eyes and exclaimed, "Vahn Mason had appeared within Enterprise, Father. He warned that, if the Elder Council did not acquiesce, even greater devastation would befall our people. You may not have seen it yet, but half of the Mother Mountain is now gone...! Father, he said the next target will be the Undercities themselves...!" Right now, information and reality weren't quite caught up with each other so the response of the Dwarves had been staggered in an extreme manner. If this had been a real invasion, the amount of damage they would have suffered due to their complacency would have put them in an unrecoverable situation.Hearing his son's words, Kanav scowled in disdain but still said, "Calm down and explain what has happened. You said half the Mother Mountain is gone? Preposterous..." Even as these words left his mouth, Kanav simply couldn't believe such a thing were possible. Though he could tell his son was being serious, his words matching with other reports, such a devastating weapon as a 'green sun' was beyond comprehension. If Vahn really had a weapon that could destroy half a mountain, there was simply no way they would be able to defend against his attack. They hadn't even been aware until after the attack had happened that he was within their perimeter. Now, his son was saying that Vahn had even appeared within Enterprise...it sounded like a horrible nightmare, far removed from reality.Seeing that his father didn't believe him, Sterlaag felt incredulous as he recounted everything he had seen with his own eyes. He spoke of how the outgoing shipments were being prepared when, out of nowhere, a massive green sun had appeared where the Mother Mountain once stood, tall and majestic. By the time the light had cleared away, the peak had now become empty space as a catastrophic amount of debris rained down upon Enterprise, dealing enough collateral damage that it would take years to complete the repairs. He even spoke about how his office, which he was about to enter, ended up being completely crushed by a large boulder before, a few minutes later, Vahn appeared right before him with his message. Then, after leaving his message behind, Vahn simply 'vanished' from sight, leaving a powerful pressure in his wake that took minutes to disperse...While listening to his son, Kanav had poured himself a cold glass of the exceptionally rare [Dwarven Drought]. He had acquired it for 70,000,000V through the black market after thieves had stolen it from the abode of one of Vahn's Clubhouse members. It was one of his prized possessions and, during stressful times, Kanav found himself nursing a crystalline glass of the aromatic substance as he ruminated over the best course of action. Even as his son practically salivated upon smelling the aroma wafting from the glass, Kanav just gave him an icy glare and encouraged him to continue his recounting of events as he locked away the precious alcohol within his personal safe...After his son had finished explaining things, Kanav knew it likely wasn't an embellishment of the facts, especially when several other messengers came to deliver updated reports. There were even reports about Slave Wranglers and Breeders being found dead while their slaves were rioting in the mines below. Given the rumors of Vahn being a 'Saint who liberates Slaves', Kanav believed the chance that Vahn had infiltrated their underground was very high. It was even likely, with almost absolute certainty, that Vahn had already planted the 'Green Sun Bombs' within the Undercities, all without their notice. He obviously had the means to move about undetected and, even if they searched every nook and cranny of the Undercities, it would be nigh-impossible for them to locate the bombs, especially if he planted them in the mines below...Though it was incredibly wasteful, Kanav found himself opening his safe and pulling out an entire container of [Dwarven Drought] and downing its contents. It immediately hit him like a ton of bricks but, at the same time, allowed him a strange bit of clarity as he looked toward his son and said, "Pass a message to those old bastards. We need to discuss this topic immediately...!" Three days was hardly enough time to make such important decisions and, given Vahn's track record, Kanav knew they didn't have the option to try and stonewall him. It was very possible to buy a bit of time for themselves, as Vahn was known to be 'relatively' lenient, but, the moment he decided to take action against them, it would already be too late.Sterlaag immediately went to pass on his father's words without sending for a slave to do so in his stead. He knew it was a matter of supreme importance and, if they sent slaves to communicate through slaves, the context of the message could get distorted slightly. Generally, it could take several hours just to get all of the Elder Council members into the same room, as each member tried to show up later than the others, but that would only cause more problems this time around. Now wasn't the time for fronting and fencing issues as, for the first time in their long history, their walls and defenses served absolutely no purpose in protecting them from enemies. In fact, rather than protect them, it was almost like they were Pallums stuffed into a barrel and prodded with hot irons. There was no escape and, if Vahn found their response lacking, they would be the ones to feel the burn this time around...---Following behind a bronze-skinned Pallum with dark hair and golden eyes, Vahn found himself at one of the middle levels in the underground infrastructure beneath the Undercities. This was one of the regions where slaves were bred, born, and, after their deaths, mashed up into protein for future generations of slaves. Vahn had already slaughtered the majority of Dwarves manning these farms, as the vast majority had auras so black they were like pure darkness. This time, however, Vahn was intended to 'spare' the 'Professional Breeder', as this young Pallum had actually known the name and location of the man Elilly had wanted vengeance against. Vahn promised that, if the Pallum led the way to the farm, he would take him back to Orario with him, providing food, clothing, and payment for his services.Pointing a maimed and calloused finger forward, the Pallum, named Aja, spoke in an icy tone, "That is where Master Hodin lives...what do you want me to do now...?" Since Vahn had already identified the man who should be Hodin, he looked toward the young Pallum and saw that the light in his eyes had yet to return. For many slaves in these circumstances, they simply couldn't believe that a better future awaited them, even as Vahn went around killing Dwarves like harvesting wheat. They were so accustomed to being used and tossed aside that, within Aja's mind, it 'made sense' if Vahn simply killed him before going on his way...Understanding Aja's worries, Vahn held out one of the apples that grew naturally within the illusory forest. They were extremely rich in nutrients after bathing in the natural and vital energies from Yggy's and Terra's combined dominion. Instead of red, they had actually started to take on a pale yellow color while, those growing closer to Yggy, even had a slightly golden hue to them. Since they were extremely delicious and could make a person feel full with just a few bites, Vahn had stockpiled a few into his Inventory for such situations. They had been a big hit whenever he gave them to the starving slaves and, though he was hesitant at first, Aja accepted the apple before biting into it moments later. When he tasted the rich juices and the indescribably delicious 'meat' of the apple, the boy broke down into tears and began cradling the apple in his chest as if it were his most precious possession.With a calm smile on his face, Vahn lightly whispered, "I always try to make good on my promises, Aja. When I am finished here, I will make an emergency teleportation ward that will allow those within these mines to escape this hellish place. For now, take these apples and meet me back at the large underground river where the aqueducts were located. I have already sent others to do the same and, once you enter that area, you will be safe from harm until I return. Before this day ends, your life as a slave will be no more..." Though there would undoubtedly be casualties amongst some slaves, as their Masters could kill them at a distance with simple commands, it required a long process that included naming and imagining the correct person. Vahn was killing most of the slave owners and breeders to prevent the loss of innocent lives, but there was no way he could get everyone in this massive underground complex...Aja, feeling full of energy, accepted the bag of apples without any argument and quickly began making his way to the underground lake. Even if Vahn was lying to him, the fact that he had a bag filled with nearly a hundred delicious apples was a fair exchange for simply guiding him to a single destination. However, seeing the serious expression on Vahn's face, Aja felt hopeful that there was truth in the strange and powerful man's words. He had already seen Vahn completely annihilate every wrangler and guard within the mines in an instant while quickly controlling the slaves with just a few concise commands. They all listened to him without question, readily taking up the strange black swords and spears to begin rioting for their freedom. At the time, even Aja had proudly waved around a black shortsword as warm energy filled his body with limitless stamina...Seeing the boy run off, Vahn's smile faded away, replaced by an icy and emotionless expression as he held out his hand and locked on to the position of Hodin, his apprentices, and his Wranglers. Vahn felt them resist against his telekinesis but completely ignored their efforts to escape as he pulled his hand back, forcing their bodies to crash through the reinforced walls. The natural Endurance of a Dwarf, without a Falna, could even rival most Level 2 Adventurers. Being smashed through a few walls might break a few bones, but it wouldn't cause any fatal wounds unless they were 'unlucky'...With the eight men and two women floating in the air above him, Vahn's icy gaze passed over them as he set eyes on Hodin, asking, "Which one of you is Hodin...?" He wanted to see if this disgusting man would try to talk his way out of the situation, throwing one of his companions forward as a sacrifice for time. Surprisingly, Hodin struggled in the air, screaming, "Let me down you pathetic human cur...! You think you can just do whatever you want here on my farm!? I'll have the guards shackle you to a sheer limestone surface and whip you for days...!"Hearing Hodin's words, Vahn was actually slightly taken aback, wondering what kind of thoughts were running through the madman's mind for him to think he had any such authority. If not for the fact Hodin's life belonged to Elilly, Vahn would have simply snapped the arrogant man's neck for his asinine remark. However, just because he couldn't kill him, didn't mean Hodin was exempt from any form of suffering after saying such foolish things. Vahn, with a pebble in hand, flicked it towards Hodin's elbow with enough speed that it created three audible 'claps' from the air breaking around it. He could see as the pebble passed clean through the joint, shattering Hodin's elbow, as the muscle and skin flared outward from the shockwave before collapsing back inward from elasticity. Even so, there was a gaping hole where the stone had passed, causing Hodin to scream out bloodcurdling insults as spittle flew from his mouth...Since holding them up was troublesome, Vahn used his domain to exert pressure on these ten individuals as he dropped them to the ground, hard. He gave the group a quick once-over, taking note that the 'cleanest' amongst them had a muted grey aura, before pulling out a set of metallic collars. These weren't normal slave collars, but a specialized item that Vahn had developed to restrain troublesome individuals. Capturing Enyo had gotten him to think about means to keep others captive for short periods of time and, as a result, Vahn developed an indestructible Adamantine collar that was coated in magisteel. It could resize to fit a person, causing extreme discomfort, without losing any of its rather hefty weight. At the same time, the collars had a detrimental ability called 'Extreme Fatigue:A' that made even small actions extremely difficult.Once the collars were on, Vahn released them from his pressure but, even without his domain pressing down on them, none of the ten 'monsters' were able to rise to their feet. Even Hodin, who had strength over Level 3, was left clutching his arm as his body trembled like a man caught in a snowstorm for several days. Vahn just looked down on them from above, feeling absolutely no pity as he said, "Your status is unique amongst those that will die for their inhumane treatment of others. One of your former slaves, Elilly, will decide how to deal with you...I hope you are prepared..." As he spoke, Vahn noticed the two Dwarven women began trembling just as much as Hodin who, upon hearing Vahn's words, became extremely pale...(A/N: I had to go get keys to my new apartment and move some stuff with my roommate so I'm not sure when the other chapters will come out. Still, there should definitely be at least two more with a fair chance for three.)(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Corrupt to the very foundation...','God of Liberation','Karma isn't just a bitch to Vahn it seems xD...')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

Chapter 896: A Grim Reminder