Dragon Gods Reign

[Royal palace]

Soon the conference room slowly started emptying until only seven people remained. Though two of these were the mythical ranks that had accompanied the king, so it would be more accurate to say five people as they were only there as guards.

“So, why did you want us to stay a bit longer?” Darganth asked a few moments after the last official left the room.

“I wanted to know what you think?” Kheduil said, motioning towards the table, “My brother always stretches how important an outsides perspective can be and I think that a dragon's insights are rarely to disregard.”

“You overestimate me, our supposed wisdom is simply a product of the long lives my kind lives. Still, I would advise you to keep the mythical ranks close, whatever method keeps people from freely teleporting into the city is far weaker than you would expect.” Darganth said.

Understanding the underlying message that he has no interest in helping more than he agreed to, Kheduil dropped the matter.

Of course, he didn't simply dismiss the warning, giving a brief glance over to Karrazil who nodded in return. Assured that it was taken care of, he turned to Darganth.

“I've meant to ask since I stepped into the room, but these are artifacts aren't they?” He asked towards the armor worn by Jennia and Allaire.

“Yes.”

Hearing Darganth's confirmation his blacksmith nature surfaced with a bright smile that didn't care for his appearance.

“Dragon scale armor, it's always a wonder studying it. May I take a look?” He asked.

“No.” Jennia answered while Allaire just shook her head.

While he paused for a moment, Kheduil just shrugged in understanding. Instead he stood up and motioned them to follow him.

“I've been curious about your opinion despite saying that your skill in the art of forging is only rudimentary. So I would ask for your opinion about some of my creations if you wouldn't mind.” He asked, clearly looking forwards to it.

“Why not.”

At those words, Kheduil started to beam with excitement and quickly lead them out of the room. On their way, the group initially kept silent until he noticed that Allaire had something on her mind.

“Ask away.”

“I've been wondering what started all this. Because to me it seems that the rebels are more or less only soldiers, but it doesn't look like the rest are only recently instated officers. Simultaneously the other cities are only marked as occupied instead of as enemy territory like the forts.” She wondered.

“Oh, that.” Kheduil said with some dejection in his tone before pausing.

“Sorry if I asked something wrong.”

“No, it's alright. Well, it is as you said, it's parts of the military that rebelled. To be precise, those that are stationed outside of the core territory. It all started under my father's rule when he decided to refocus our military closer to the cities.

He decided, in my opinion correctly, that it isn't worth it holding every last mountain and that, by extension, the military doesn't need as much funding. This naturally upset the men stationed there, especially the mythical ranks who would no longer get as many resources. Normally this wouldn't escalate to this state, but for various reasons, it did then.”

“Unexpected.” Dargant commented.

“Yes, nobody thought this to happen. Though in retrospect it makes sense as those stationed there are mainly older veterans that are already near the end of their life expectancy. So the threat of fewer resources isn't just a matter of pay for them.”

“But instead a cut to their life expectancy.” Allaire concluded.

“Correct. And because they knew that they had little chance in a direct fight they started their rebellion with an attack from the inside. Mythical ranks being let into the palace is normal, but having six suddenly attack the king is unexpected. Only one of them fell, with the five others fleeing after killing my parents, seven of my siblings, and three other mythical ranks.” Kheudil said.

“I'm sorry for your loss.”

“Thanks, but it's been long enough that I am mostly over it. Instead of dwelling in the past, I plan on hoping for a better future.”

“But how come nobody expected them to try anything? At least increased vigilance would have been in order, few people would just accept such a change.” Jennia asked after a short pause.

Kheduil couldn't help but chuckle at this question before answering.

“Normally yes, but they swore an oath to be loyal to the royal family. And while such a thing may mean little to others, it is rare for a dwarf to break an oath. It's also why I am at ease despite entrusting so much power to my aids, I trust that they keep loyal despite having seen such a recent example of the opposite.”

“Still don't really understand it.” Jennia answered truthfully.

“As do most outsiders. But when you grow up without even considering that others may betray you then it becomes hard to consider it even if it is obvious.” He said.

“Seemingly.” She said, still slightly intrigued by it.

While she understood the concept behind it, she couldn't fathom just trusting every being to keep to their word. And conversely, she couldn't imagine doing so herself, at least not unconditionally. After all, it was a card one could use to gain an advantage over another that one bared oneself from using.

Well, to be precise it wasn't that she couldn't imagine it at all. She couldn't imagine it without being in a position of absolute power where it didn't matter.

After thinking about it for minutes without any results she just dropped the matter.

'Maybe that's also why they are this distrustful of outsiders.' She thought to herself.

While her thoughts came to an end the group reached the destination where Kheduil lead them. Following him through the heavy door, they stepped foot in what could only be described as a warehouse.

Rows upon rows of crude shelf-like constructions stood before them, each one high enough that it ended barely below the ceiling. And every last surface of these shelves was stacked full of armor plates, weapons, and other crafted pieces.

Walking through the rows and looking at the mana-infused pieces, Darganth noted a telling absence of any further enchantments. And while most would consider this specialty of the dwarf enough to elevate each one's worth, he saw that these were merely incomplete works.

“You have noticed.” Kheduil said shortly after.

“I take it that most were given out to soldiers?”

“Yes. What remains here are only these junks as well as my few true masterpieces.”

With those words he walked further into what could only be described as a hall. For over a hundred meters they walked past the same scenery, though after about half that the number of pieces lining the shelves dropped drastically.

Soon they only passed empty ones, finding themselves standing before a heavy armor standing in a display case. To its sides hung half a dozen weapons, mainly greatswords and large axes.

Just at a first glance Darganth couldn't help but be impressed with what he saw, easily sensing the dense mana surrounding each one.

When he started studying the armor in detail this impression only grew as he noticed the finely carved runes on its inside. Each one was a work of art in its own right, but together they formed an armor that even the five rulers would fight over.

“How long did it take you?” He asked after a few minutes.

“Half a year.”

“Hm. I am wondering, does your emperor have something on a similar level? Because if yes I am wondering how he can remain as the lowest of the five.”

“I'm honored.” Kheduil said with pride in his tone, “And yes, he has. To be precise, every emperor has at least some pieces of ancient armor. Well, everyone but the beast empress but she is just a whole other level of monster.”

“Still, this is certainly up there in terms of power. Though I don't know what the standard for the equipment owned by them is so I can't compare it to that.”

Afterward, Darganth turned his attention to the weapons on its side, though only briefly. Compared to the masterpiece that the armor was they paled in comparison. They weren't bad by any stretch, just overshadowed by it.

Seeing Kheduil's hopeful expression as he turned away from the last weapon, a greatsword whose enchantments focused on canceling out the effect of gravity on it, he couldn't help but chuckle.

“I hope you don't expect me to give you advice on how to improve?” He asked, causing Kheduil to deflate somewhat.

“It was worth a try.” The latter answered with a slight grin, “So what's your opinion?”

Thinking for a moment, Darganth answered, “You're certainly a better blacksmith than a king, though I think you're aware of it yourself.”

“I am.”

In the following few minutes, the two kept talking about forging, something that even gave Darganth some new insights into the matter. And even though this was because he previously just never bothered with learning these, it didn't change that he was surprised by this.

Soon their conversation came to a standstill with a heavy silence hanging over it. Turning to Kheduil, Darganth noticed him to be strangely serious all of a sudden.

“How do you think this war will end?” He asked, surprising Darganth slightly.

Thinking for a bit, Darganth found it difficult to find an answer to the sudden question.

“Hard to say as I don't know how much the rebels are willing to risk. But generally they are at a disadvantage so it is more a question of how much damage will they do than whether they will win.”

“But they still have a chance?” Kheduil asked and Darganth agreed.

“May I ask why you think so? Because you have seen the opinion of most officers and it varies just in when we will win.”

“Because they underestimate the damage that even one mythical rank can do. But I also think that you overestimate their chances, though you probably also underestimate how much damage is likely. As one yourself

you should know the power of a mythical rank and what devastation it can bring.”

“I do.”

Following his words, the two descended into silence once more while simultaneously an adviser made his way toward Kheduil. After whispering something into his ear, the latter nodded with a sigh.

“It seems that I have some work to do, I enjoyed our talk.” He said.

Finishing their goodbye, he made his way out of the room.

Soon afterward Darganth together with Jennia and Allaire also made their way through the door. Walking back to their room, they finished their plans for the next few days.

“So when do we attack the first fort?” Jennia asked.

“Though directly tomorrow, why?”

“I am just shy of stepping into the second order so I wanted to know whether I have to hurry or not.”

“We can delay a day or two if you want?” Darganth asked her.

“No, it's alright.”

“No worries, I will have fun for both of us tonight.” Allaire added with a teasing grin.

Seeing their antics Darganth snaked his arm around Jennia's shoulder before pulling her into his embrace.

“I mean it, you don't have to push yourself. The targets I chose are largely without danger for us so whether you advance or not won't matter much.” He told her.

“Mhm.” She answered before adding after a short pause, “I'll decide later.”

With this decision made they continued on to other matters. Soon they finished up and their conversation slowly drifted towards small talk, with them spending the remainder of the day leisurely.

The following night Jennia advanced to the second order, prompting her to practically jump at the chance to test her newfound strength. Especially considering that the effect of each advancement varied greatly among beasts and while she knew the effects for a hydra, she could no longer rely on it.

Sadly there was one thing that she did know and that is the lack of any innate abilities or similar that she had yet to gain, meaning that each advancement would only build upon her existing ones. While this somewhat dimmed her excitement, when she felt her body's new strength she quickly forgot about it and couldn't wait to test herself.

Thus they set out early the next morning and after just a short trip through the mountains, they found themselves atop one. Overlooking the encampment just across the valley down below, Jennia couldn't help but be excited to test herself.