Chương 438: BECMI Chapter 437 – Offer to the Dwarves

Their expressions turned serious instantly.

"You have always proven open and honest with us, Lady Gina," Elder Shyama spoke up instantly for all of them, firm in her expression of trust.

"Speak, and we will listen." I nodded once to the silver-tressed elder.

"I can open a way for your clan to move to a land that is under the protection of another Immortal. The one with ill designs upon you will not dare to interfere there without substantial cost to themself. However, this land will be quite… energetic, and the one who commands it is both lofty and very powerful." I let that hang there for a moment.

"However, to those who obey her, both wealth and the old magic will flow, for she insists upon superior minions and servants, and will not tolerate dwarves not steeped in lore and mastery of arms. She bears high expectations of your people, and will not allow you to remain simple farmers, herders, and miners." The elders looked at one another, sizing up this offer with restrained interest.

"You have hesitation in your voice, Lady Gina?" Elder Bronf asked carefully.

"The lands she reigns over are the Rings of Fire, far from this place, where once rose the Kingdom of Darkmoor… a place also preyed upon and wiped away by the gods, along with every good elf, dwarf, human, and hyn who lived there in peace." I looked into each of their eyes.

"As one of them is attempting to do to your clans here." Their faces twisted, torn between the tales of the great things done by Darkmoor, the Doom that had come upon it from doing them, and the similarities to their own situation.

"And the second thing you can do?" Elder Shyama asked pragmatically, preferring to know their options before making any such decision.

"One of the arts shared with the dwarves of Darkmoor by the Lady Edge was the Arts of Colorless Mana, or the Paths of Artificer and Alchemists. I could share these arts with you, as the Earthborn are naturals with the mechanics of craftmanship and skill that are at the heart of these Paths, and the change in the manafield would not affect you. These two paths will alleviate much of the problems you have as you wed skill at craft to magic once more…

but they will not solve the problem of an Immortal acting slowly against you." They were a little wide-eyed as they stared at me in disbelief.

"You, you would part with such precious knowledge so easily?" Elder Rostru, his beard a very deep crimson and braided thickly like the shepherd he was, spoke up in some disbelief.

"As I said, this knowledge was widely spread through the dwarven clans of the lands of Darkmoor. Returning to dwarves what was the possession of dwarves is hardly improper, yes?" I looked them all over again as they thought that over and realized while it was magnanimous, it was also honorable and appropriate, not revolutionary… and something to be expected of a Dwarf-friend!

"How much would the clan give to be able to never have to buy Healing Potions from me again, instead making all you need yourselves? Or have other means of Healing available, also made by yourselves?" That stirred them all. To pick up the Runes of their ancestors and be able to craft wonders large and small once again! … It was indeed a fine dream to have.

"And if we move to this land under this Lady Edge… we will learn these things, and have ore to mine and good farms?" Elder Shyama spoke up for all of them, silencing the male dwarves with the pointed question.

"Yes," I admitted shamelessly.

"She will expect you to rise to the heights of the dwarves of her past. I cannot do the same out here on your own lands. I can teach you a way to fight back and try to take control of your destiny once more, but…" I turned up my hands helplessly.

"Without an Immortal backer, you are in a precarious position, Elders."

"This… is something we shall have to speak further on, Lady Gina," Elder Bronf spoke up quickly.

"This news is ominous, but this is a matter that concerns the entire clan. We shall have to let them know and see where their hearts lie."

"I understand, and it is not my decision to make. Go with where your hearts lead you, Elders," I said, rising back to my feet and my Disk spinning back and away with me.

"However, this is news of importance to the other Dwarf-clans in the area. I trust that it will be fine to reveal your mutual problem and its cause to them." Naturally they were not the only dwarves I had been visiting and supplying Healing Potions to. There was only a moment of hesitation before Elder Shyama led them all in nodding to me.

"If they mean to lead us into a slow death together, we must fight them together. Let our cousins know that we are all threatened, and we should make plans together against this monstrous foe." I inclined my head to him politely.

"Then I shall be off on my next stop, Elders. You may wish to send messengers to your cousins quickly and coordinate your findings. I have a feeling this lessening of your resources has extended to a great many of the Earthborn…" This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

One year later… I watched the dwarves come filing in behind the many herds of livestock that had preceded them and were heading out through the broad access tunnel to the outside. Shepherds had come through first, to scout the fields, mark out territories, and set up paths to disperse in a clean and orderly manner around the foothills of the First Ring. Above them were quite a few interested dragons a-wing, looking down at the moving meals spreading out rapidly below their lairs.

Nevertheless, not a single dragon came swooping down to take a bite of the herds at all, nor of the shepherds, either, just as promised. The scenery was spectacular, if a little ominous. The great rising peak of Castle Doomrose in all of its dark glory was right there on the other side of the burning Ring of molten stone.

Blazing firefalls coursed down from carved roses the size of mansions, while up above the brooding floral spires and towers of the abode of Lady Edge seemed continually back-lit by dark clouds, winds, and crackling lightning. At least a dozen dragons could be counted at all times, perched on ledges about the foundation beneath the Castle, while others were flying around the Castle, but never over it.

Just watching the dragons swooping around the thermals was enough to captivate any watcher, it was true, and if the dragons were looking back, they never made a move on the herds. The Lady Edge's word truly had power here. This was the fourth dwarven clan that had chosen to emigrate from their distant land to here, fleeing the Immortal who was stripping them of the resources they needed to live.

Streams and rivers drying up, earthquakes rumbling, veins of minerals fading away, rains stopping, and neighbors growing more belligerent… it was all there, being repeated all across the hills and valleys where they lived. It was too much of a coincidence for it all to be happening at once, and so they were coming here. Not all of them, of course. Some clans were stubborn and saw the way their neighbors were leaving their holdings as an opportunity to expand, rather than the warning sign that it was.

Soon enough they would realize they didn't have the strength to hold the extra ground and have to give it up, and then the words and tales would continue to grow in force and weight as their lands withered despite all their efforts, their losses in battle continued to rise, and their numbers fell. Some would gather to the central lands, ceding their lands to humans or leaving them to the wild, and they would still watch the slow death come for them.

They would either choose to come here eventually, or Clangyr was going to take them away and make new dwarves of them. He probably was going to be perturbed that he was working with so few of them at that time, but that was a Him problem. My Gina Clone-self would be working on them slowly and constantly. They did want to grasp the Artificer and Alchemist skills, so those were being taught to the most clever and charismatic of the dwarven youths.

The additional magical knowledge was going to help greatly in fending off enemies and maintaining the health of the dwarves, but it would do nothing for the Withering that Clangyr was inflicting upon them. If and when the bastard came to these lands seeking to drive the dwarves away, I was going to be expunging Avatars and teaching him a brutal lesson about keeping his hands off a good and valiant people."

Greetings, dwarves of Clan Clacinkar," I Voiced for them in perfect Denthek, getting the attention of a great many dark-skinned faces in deep red, brown, black, and copper tones instantly as I walked forth on the air from an attached hall, even the children turning and watching me step forth in colors no dwarf or elf they'd ever seen would wear. I was far enough above them that all of them could see me, not far enough to look too haughty.

"I am the Lady Edge, and these are my lands you've chosen to come to." Without these walls is the richest soil you've ever farmed, the safest pastures your livestock can graze, and the richest mines that you've ever laid pick and hammer to. They are all seeking ready hands to work them, and turn them into jewels of the North." Their eyes glinted at the promises that had been made, and verified by their own clanfolk sent through to inspect the hills they'd been delivered to.

If there were dragons in the sky, and the surrounding mountains looked like fangs protruding from a flaming jaw, well, they weren't moving here for the aesthetics." For now, there are no enemies that dare attack this deep into my lands, lest they become food for dragons. But outside, ah, outside there are invisible enemies, indeed. In the future, you will be asked for volunteers to go out and confront such enemies by one means or another… but that is for the future." I have high expectations for you."

I looked into all of their eyes at once, and watched them shiver.

"Your cousins here were hard-working, clever, disciplined, and well-learned. I expect that you will master the lore they left behind and will rise to equal them and the wonders they helped come true, so that dwarves may once again stride the lands with the respect and the renown they are capable of." But before all of that may happen, there is the one thing I require of you." I raised my hands, and the words of the Oath flared into view behind me as I looked down at the ranks of elders before the dwarves.

"Those of you who are of an age, you will take a knee, you will recite the Oath behind me, and you will believe in it, or you will die. I allow no leeches upon my lands, I allow no false Oath." Those of your cousins here will confirm that I rule but lightly, but my expectations of you are heavy. I return to you what is given and accomplished, so ready yourselves, Children of Earth, for you Swear Fealty to the Lady Edge, and no other before me!!!"

My presence and magic washed over them as the Sublime Chord rang, and they got a taste of Eternal Charisma and magic washing through and over them. It certainly helped those first knees to go down, and then, like a wave, the rest of the dwarves followed their elders in kneeling to me, opening their lips to recite those words blazing behind me, and mean them!