The morning after the Forge-Brothers' evolution dawns crisp and promising.
I wake to find Lilith already gone—scouting again, her bond tells me—but she's left something behind. A small flower, perfectly formed, resting on the furs where her head should be. Its petals shimmer with faint starlight, even in daylight.
{Starlight Bloom}
{Lilith's gift: Created by her Evolution Aura + focused intent}
{Effect: When carried, grants +5% mana regeneration for 1 day}
{Message encoded in petals: "Thought of you. Love you. Back soon."}
I smile, tucking the flower into my pocket. Even apart, she's with me.
---
Breakfast is lively.
Grom and Grim are already at work, marking out the forge location with Dwarven precision. Their movements are eerily synchronized—one starts marking a line, the other follows with charcoal, neither needing to speak. The Battle Bond in action.
"That's creepy," Fenris observes around a mouthful of porridge. "But also cool."
"Both things can be true." I ruffle his hair. "You ready for today?"
He nods, swallowing. "The wolves and I are going to scout the eastern mountains. Grom says there might be mineral deposits there. And Shadow smells something... interesting."
{Fenris: Scouting mission}
{Destination: Eastern mountain range}
{Potential: Mineral deposits, unknown "interesting" thing}
{Risk level: Low-Moderate}
{Pack support: 6 wolves}
"Be careful. Don't engage anything dangerous—just report back."
He grins, wolf-sharp. "I know, big brother. Scout, not fight." He runs off, Shadow bounding beside him.
---
Aelira settles beside me with her own breakfast.
She's quiet this morning, but not withdrawn—thoughtful. Her silver eyes keep drifting toward the mountains, toward where Grom and Grim are working, toward the future.
"You're thinking about your evolution," I say quietly.
She nods. "Watching them... watching Lilith... it's helping. Seeing that the transformation doesn't erase who you are. Just... reveals who you were always meant to become." She looks at me. "I think I'm getting closer. To being ready."
{Aelira: Bond Level 21 → 22}
{Readiness: 65% → 75%}
{Estimated time to readiness: 3-5 days}
"That's great, Aelira. Really."
She smiles—small, but real. "Thank you for not pushing. For letting me find my own pace. Most men would have—" She stops, shakes her head.
"Most men aren't me."
"No." She looks at me, and something warm flickers in her eyes. "No, they're not."
---
{System: New Quest Active - The Forge-Brothers' Gift}
{Materials needed:}
{Stone: 0/500}
{Metal: 0/200}
{Mana crystals: 0/10}
{Current resources: Stone (120), Metal (45), Crystals (0)}
{Recommendation: Quarry expedition, mining operation}
We need stone—lots of it—for the forge foundations. Metal for the forge itself. And mana crystals to power the enchantments that will make it truly masterwork.
Grom approaches as I'm studying the quest. "Lad. About those materials."
I look up. "What about them?"
"Me and Grim, we've been talking. There's an old Dwarven mine in these mountains. Abandoned centuries ago, before the Empire rose. If it's still standing..." His eyes gleam. "There'll be stone already cut. Metal ore ready to smelt. Maybe even crystals, if we're lucky."
{Location Discovered: Ancient Dwarven Mine}
{Distance: 8km northeast}
{Status: Abandoned, possibly dangerous}
{Potential Resources: High}
{Risk Level: Moderate}
"That sounds perfect. And too easy." I raise an eyebrow. "What's the catch?"
Grim appears beside his brother—literally beside him, moving in perfect sync. "Catch is, abandoned mines attract things. Monsters. Maybe worse. We'll need a proper expedition—fighters, scouts, someone who can sense magic."
{Expedition Required}
{Recommended party:}
{- Kael (leader, fighter)}
{- Lilith (scout, aerial support)}
{- Grom & Grim (guides, miners)}
{- Aelira (magic detection, ward expertise)}
{- Fenris & wolves (scouts, early warning)}
{Estimated duration: 1-2 days}
{Risk: Moderate}
{Reward: Forge materials, possible additional discoveries}
I look at the list. That's almost everyone—but the sanctuary will be nearly empty.
"Mira," I call.
The Succubus looks up from across the fire, surprised to be addressed. "Yes?"
"You'll be in charge while we're gone. You and the other adults. Keep everyone safe, keep the wards monitored, don't take risks." I meet her eyes. "Can you do that?"
She stares at me for a long moment. Then, slowly, she nods.
{Mira: Responsibility accepted}
{Bond Level: 7 → 8}
{Confidence: Growing}
"I won't let you down, Kael."
"I know you won't."
---
The expedition assembles by midday.
Lilith returns from her scouting, landing beside me with a smile. "Heard we're going mining. I've always wanted to see a Dwarven mine."
"They're dark, dusty, and full of rocks," Grom informs her. "Beautiful."
Grim nods. "Absolutely beautiful."
Lilith laughs. "Then let's go see some beautiful rocks."
Fenris arrives with his wolves, slightly breathless. "Found the entrance! It's hidden behind a waterfall, like in the old stories. Shadow scouted the first chamber—empty, but there are tracks. Something's living in the deeper tunnels."
{Mine Entrance: Confirmed}
{Initial survey: First chamber clear, deeper tunnels occupied}
{Unknown creatures: Tracks suggest large, multiple}
{Recommendation: Proceed with caution}
"Then we proceed with caution." I look at my team. "Everyone ready?"
Nods all around.
"Let's move."
---
The hike takes two hours.
Fenris leads, his wolves ranging ahead, reporting back through the Pack Bond. The path winds through ancient forest, then up rocky slopes, then along a narrow ledge that hugs the cliff face.
The waterfall appears suddenly—a curtain of silver crashing down from somewhere high above, obscuring whatever lies behind it.
"There." Fenris points. "Behind the water. That's the entrance."
{Location: Waterfall Veil}
{Mine entrance: Hidden, defensible}
{Ancient Dwarven engineering: Impressive}
Grom and Grim are already moving forward, their Stone-Sense active. They pause at the edge of the pool below the falls, then nod to each other.
"Solid rock behind," Grom reports. "The path is safe. The water's been falling here for thousands of years—worn the stone smooth, but the Dwarves who built this knew what they were doing. The entrance is perfectly protected."
We cross the slippery stones behind the waterfall, emerging into darkness.
---
The mine interior is... magnificent.
Even abandoned for centuries, even dark and dusty, the Dwarven craftsmanship is undeniable. The tunnel is perfectly carved, the walls smooth, the ceiling arched. Support pillars stand at regular intervals, carved with scenes of Dwarven life—mining, forging, celebrating.
"Your people were artists," Lilith breathes.
Grom's eyes are suspiciously bright. "We were. We are. This—this is our heritage. What the Empire tried to destroy." He runs his hand over a pillar carving. "But stone endures. We endure."
{Grom & Grim: Emotional resonance}
{Battle Bond Level: 40 → 42}
{Ancestral connection: Strengthened}
{New passive: +10% mining speed in Dwarven structures}
We move deeper.
The first chamber is empty—just old tools, crumbling crates, the bones of some small animal. But the tracks Fenris mentioned are obvious now. Large, clawed, many.
"Trolls," Grim says, studying them. "Mountain trolls. They move in small families, claim territory, defend it fiercely."
{Enemy Identified: Mountain Trolls}
{Combat Power: 120-150 each}
{Abilities: Regeneration, rock throwing, darkvision}
{Weakness: Fire, acid}
{Estimated number: 3-5}
{Our party combat power: Kael (104), Lilith (847), Grom (150), Grim (150), Aelira (58), Fenris (265)}
{Even with troll regeneration, these odds are favorable.}
"Lilith, you're our heavy hitter. If they attack, focus fire on one at a time—their regeneration can't keep up if we overwhelm them." I turn to Aelira. "You know any fire magic?"
She nods, pale but determined. "Basic flame spells. Enough to hurt them, not enough to set the mine on fire."
"Perfect. Fenris, wolves—keep them from flanking us. Grom, Grim—you're with me in the front."
Everyone nods.
We move deeper.
---
The second chamber is where we find them.
Four trolls—massive, shambling things with gray-green skin and too many teeth. They're eating something unfortunate, tearing at it with claws and jaws. They don't notice us immediately.
{Surprise round: Available}
{Recommendation: Attack now}
"Now."
Lilith moves first.
Her new speed is breathtaking—one moment beside me, the next through the trolls, intangible for a split second, then solidifying behind them. Her claws rake across the nearest troll's back, opening wounds that immediately begin smoking.
{Lilith: Wings of Night + Starlight Weaving}
{Troll 1: Severely wounded}
The troll roars. The others spin, confused—
Grom and Grim charge.
They move as one, axes swinging in perfect synchronization. Grom's axe takes a troll's leg at the knee; Grim's takes its head a heartbeat later. The creature falls, already regenerating, but Grim is ready—he drives his axe into its heart and twists.
{Troll 2: Eliminated}
{Grom & Grim: Unity Strike effective}
Fenris's wolves swarm the third troll, harrying it, keeping it occupied while Fenris circles for the killing blow. His Moon Fang lives up to its name—when he strikes, moonlight seems to gather around his claws, and the troll's regeneration simply... stops.
{Fenris: Moon Fang negated regeneration}
{Troll 3: Eliminated}
That leaves two—the wounded one Lilith hit, and a fourth that's been hanging back, watching.
The wounded one charges me.
I meet it head-on.
{Soulmate Bond: Lilith's strength flowing through me}
{STR: 104 → 135 (temporary)}
My sword takes its reaching arm at the wrist. It roars, swings with the other—I duck under, drive my blade into its chest. It keeps coming. I hit it again. Again. Again.
{Damage dealt: 75%... 90%... 100%}
It falls at my feet.
{Troll 4: Eliminated}
One left.
The fourth troll looks at us—at Lilith, glowing with power; at the brothers, covered in troll blood; at Fenris and his wolves, teeth bared; at me, sword still raised.
It runs.
Lilith starts after it, but I catch her arm. "Let it go. It'll warn others, but it'll also tell them we're too dangerous to mess with. Sometimes that's better than killing."
She nods, relaxing. "Smart."
{Encounter Complete}
{Enemies defeated: 3 trolls}
{Escaped: 1 troll}
{Casualties: 0}
{Experience: Shared among party}
{Resources discovered: Troll carcasses (can be harvested for materials)}
Grom grins, already approaching the bodies. "Troll hide makes excellent leather. Troll bone makes strong tools. Troll blood..." He chuckles. "Troll blood is useless, but the rest is treasure."
We harvest quickly—Aelira's magic provides light, Fenris's wolves keep watch, Lilith's strength helps move the heavy corpses. Within an hour, we have a respectable pile of materials.
{Resources Gained:}
{- Troll Hide: 20 units}
{- Troll Bone: 15 units}
{- Miscellaneous: 10 units}
{Can be used for crafting or trade}
---
Deeper we go.
The third chamber is a former barracks—rows of stone bunks, a common area, evidence of Dwarven life frozen in time. Grom and Grim move through it reverently, touching things, murmuring in their own language.
{Grom & Grim: Ancestral connection deepening}
{Mining speed: +15% (cumulative)}
Beyond the barracks, we find what we came for.
The quarry chamber is massive—a cavern so large our lights can't reach the ceiling. Blocks of perfectly cut stone line the walls, thousands of them, waiting to be used. Veins of metal gleam in the rock. And at the far end, a smaller tunnel leads deeper, from which a faint purple glow emanates.
"Mana crystals," Aelira breathes. "I can feel them. Dozens of them."
{Resource Chamber Discovered}
{Stone: Estimated 2000+ units (ready-cut)}
{Metal Ore: Estimated 500+ units (various types)}
{Mana Crystals: Estimated 20-30 (unrefined)}
{This is a major discovery.}
Grom actually dances. A short, bearded jig of joy. "Lad! Lad, do you see this? DO YOU SEE THIS?! We could build a city with this stone! Armies could be equipped with this metal! And the crystals—the CRYSTALS—"
Grim is more restrained, but his eyes are bright. "This mine alone could sustain our sanctuary for years. Decades."
I'm already calculating. "How long to transport it all?"
"Weeks, if we were carrying by hand. But—" Grom's eyes gleam. "But there's an old tram system. Dwarven-built, probably still functional. If we can get it running, we could move hundreds of units a day."
{Quest Updated: Reactivate the Tram}
{Requirements:}
{- Repair tram mechanism (Grom & Grim expertise)}
{- Clear track of debris (2-3 days labor)}
{- Power source (mana crystals or alternative)}
{Reward: Mass resource transport, construction speed +50%}
One more project. One more goal.
I love this.
---
{System: Expedition Day 1 - Evening}
{Location: Ancient Dwarven Mine - Main Quarry Chamber}
{Party Status: All healthy, morale high}
{Resources Located: Massive}
{Threats: Minimal (trolls deterred)}
{Recommendation: Camp here overnight, explore crystal tunnel tomorrow}
We make camp in the barracks chamber—clean enough, sheltered, defensible. The wolves take watch positions. Fenris curls with Shadow, already half-asleep. Grom and Grim examine the tram system by torchlight, muttering excitedly.
Lilith settles beside me, her wings wrapping us both.
"This place," she murmurs. "It feels... old. Sacred. Like the Dwarves who built it put something of themselves into every stone."
"They did. That's what crafting means to them." I hold her closer. "We're going to build something special with what we find here."
"I know." She kisses my cheek. "We're building something special everywhere we go."
{Soulmate Bond: Level 42 → 43}
{Perfect Harmony: Even in darkness, even in danger, we are content together.}
---
Aelira sits apart, staring at the crystal tunnel entrance.
I leave Lilith warm and go to her.
"Can't sleep?"
She shakes her head. "The crystals... they're singing. Not really singing, but... resonating. With something deep in the mountain. With me." She looks at me, silver eyes troubled. "I think there's something down there. Something ancient. Something that's been waiting."
{Aelira: Magic Sensitivity heightened}
{Detection: Ancient presence in deep crystal cavern}
{Nature: Unknown - neither hostile nor friendly}
{Recommendation: Investigate with caution}
"Then we'll investigate tomorrow. Together." I sit beside her. "Whatever's down there, we face it as a team."
She looks at me for a long moment. Then, slowly, she leans against my shoulder.
"Thank you, Kael. For always being steady. For always being here."
I wrap an arm around her—gently, platonically, supportively. "That's what family does."
{Aelira: Bond Level 22 → 23}
{Readiness: 75% → 80%}
{Trust: Absolute}
We sit like that as the night deepens, watching the crystal glow pulse like a heartbeat.
---
{System: Day 18 Begins}
{Expedition Day 2}
{Objective: Explore crystal tunnel, identify ancient presence}
{Secondary: Harvest mana crystals}
{Risk Level: Unknown (presence detected)}
{Proceed with caution.}
Morning comes.
We pack camp, eat quickly, and approach the crystal tunnel. The glow is brighter now—pulsing gently, rhythmically. Like a heartbeat.
Like a call.
Aelira leads, her magic sensitivity guiding us. Lilith flies close behind her, ready to intervene. Fenris and his wolves spread through the tunnel, alert for danger. Grom and Grim bring up the rear, their axes ready.
I walk beside Aelira, sword drawn.
The tunnel descends gently, then steeply. The crystals grow thicker, larger, more brilliant. By the time we reach the bottom, we're surrounded by light—purple and blue and silver, reflecting off countless facets.
And in the center of the cavern—
A figure.
---
She's beautiful.
That's my first thought, ridiculous as it is. She's also crystal. Not made of crystal, but in crystal—a woman, Dwarven by her build and features, suspended in a massive crystal formation like a fly in amber. Her eyes are closed. Her hands are folded over her chest. She looks peaceful. Ancient. Asleep.
{System Scan: ???}
{Subject: Dwarven - Ancient Lineage}
{Status: Suspended animation - magically preserved}
{Age: Estimated 5000+ years}
{Compatibility: 96%}
{Warning: This being predates the Empire. Predates most modern civilizations.}
{She is not dead. She is waiting.}
Grom falls to his knees.
"Ancestor," he whispers. "One of the First Forge-Masters. I've seen drawings, carvings—that's her. That's Myra Stoneheart, the legendary smith who taught our people how to work mythril."
Grim is already crying, tears cutting tracks through the dust on his face. "She's been here. All this time. Waiting."
{Grom & Grim: Ancestral connection overwhelming}
{Battle Bond Level: 42 → 45}
{New passive: Dwarven Legacy - +20% to all crafting when near Dwarven artifacts}
Aelira approaches the crystal slowly, reverently. "She's not trapped. This wasn't imprisonment. She chose this—entered the crystal willingly, preserved herself for some purpose." She looks at me. "Kael, I think... I think she was waiting for us."
{Quest Updated: The Sleeping Forge-Master}
{Objective: Determine how to safely awaken Myra Stoneheart}
{Requirements: Unknown - research needed}
{Potential Reward: Legendary smith, ancient knowledge, Dwarven alliance}
{Warning: Awakening her may draw attention. Proceed carefully.}
I stare at the crystal. At the woman within. At five thousand years of history, preserved in light and stone.
"We'll find a way," I say quietly. "We'll wake her. And when we do—" I look at Grom, at Grim, at all of us. "When we do, the Empire had better watch out."
Lilith takes my hand. Squeezes.
"The Forbidden Kingdom just found its master smith."
---
End of Chapter 14
---