Chapter 757: Dwarves and Elves

Volcanic Secret Realm.

This demiplane, located at the junction of the Elemental Plane of Fire and the Elemental Plane of Earth, remained an extreme climate.

The sky was crimson like blood, the ground scorched and cracked, with steam rising from fissures and scorching lava gushing out.

Deeper into the secret realm, one could hear the melodious work songs from afar, accompanied by rhythmic clangs of metal striking.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

"Heave-ho! The blood burns deep in rock marrow! The ancestral echoes pound hammer and anvil!"

"Rivers of gold flow beneath our feet, the dwarven drinking songs shake the peaks!"

Deep in the unending chain of volcanoes, a group of dwarven miners swung hammers and pickaxes, mining rare metals and ores formed by elemental reactions.

Though these dwarves looked dusty and unimpressive, they worked with passion, drenched in sweat.

This place had become a city filled with dwarven characteristics.

From the sky, volcanoes were riddled with dense mining tunnels, stone buildings clung to mountainsides, and dwarves with baskets on their backs bustled tirelessly through passageways.

Statues adorned the volcano walls—gods the dwarves worshipped, and heroes like King Edd—each lifelike and vivid.

Some volcanoes were entirely hollowed out and repurposed as gigantic natural furnaces to forge rare equipment—offerings to the ancient gold dragon, for example.

This demiplane was provided by their eternal ally, the "Dawnwing" Titus. The dwarves were deeply grateful for his help in finding a new home.

Every month, the dwarves held a grand celebration and forged their finest equipment.

As the current Lord of the Highlands and King of the Shield Dwarves, Edd’s son, Zain Klein, often led the forging efforts personally.

Flames danced in Zain’s bronze eyes as his muscular arms shoved precious adamantine ingots into the heart of the great furnace.

"Sizzle!"

The intense flames licked the ingot’s surface, dark red patterns spreading and growing across it like veins.

"Start the forge!" Zain roared, his hoarse voice echoing through the volcano.

"Heave-ho!" Twelve bare-chested dwarven smiths pulled iron chains. The furnace gate thundered open, and a lava waterfall poured out, blasting hot air in every direction.

Zain’s beard curled and singed in the heat.

This was the seventeenth quenching—the adamantine was now exceptionally pure, poured into the mold as crimson liquid.

Zain and the dwarven smiths raised their hammers, pounding repeatedly. Finally, they plunged the freshly forged longsword into a prepared basin of ice water, releasing a massive burst of steam.

"Hisssss—"

A rare-grade adamantine longsword now lay in the coarse hands of the dwarven king.

Zain nodded with satisfaction. "Not bad. This is the best piece in the past month. Just right to present to Lord Titus."

One of the dwarven smiths looked reluctant. "Your Majesty, why give such fine gear to others? We need weapons too, and don’t forget—Avenderdan is still in the hands of that red dragon tyrant!"

"We dwarves are a grateful folk. This home was found for us by Lord Titus."

Zain shook his head. "Besides, Lord Titus is the Dawnwing, a pillar of the righteous faction."

"Once these weapons reach his hands, they’ll be used to fight evil—like the empire led by that red dragon tyrant. In a way, helping him is helping ourselves."

"I believe that one day, the tyrant’s brutal rule will be overthrown. With the efforts of many righteous warriors, Avenderdan will return to the dwarves."

His tone was firm and powerful—like the adamantine he forged.

Just then, a familiar and commanding voice echoed from the sky.

"Justice and light remain the dominant theme of this world. Those cruel villains will one day be crushed by our united strength!"

"In the near future, you will reclaim Avenderdan—that is what my dear friend, the brave King Edd, would have wanted to see!"

Hearing the voice, the dwarves looked up to see a massive dragon silhouette in the sky. Golden scales gleamed under the volcanic glow as he spread his wings.

"It’s Lord Titus!"

"Praise the great Dawnwing! Eternal friend of the dwarves!"

Zain beamed with excitement and bowed respectfully. "Good day, Lord Titus. It seems you’ve fully recovered—truly joyous news."

The ancient gold dragon landed with a thunderous crash at the foot of the volcano, surveying the dwarven buildings. "King Zain, it looks like you’re adapting well. Soon, you’ll build another great city."

Zain scratched his head with a bashful grin. "If you hadn’t found this place for us, we wouldn’t have developed so quickly. Really, the credit is yours."

"Lord Titus, these are the weapons we’ve forged for you. We hope they please you."

With a wave, the young dwarven king signaled several strong dwarves, who carried over a few heavy metal chests.

Inside were over a hundred gleaming pieces of metal equipment, all at least of rare grade—some nearly legendary.

Then more dwarves arrived pushing carts loaded with precious magical metals like adamantine and mithril—several tons in total.

These rare metals were extremely hard to mine and refine. Even within the Ember Empire, their yield was scarce. The dwarves’ tribute equaled several months’ output from the entire Anzeta Region.

Titus—Cassius—felt a wave of secret delight.

Keeping these Shield Dwarves around had paid off. Without lifting a finger, he had them working for free.

He was the one who had destroyed their homeland, conquered their kingdom, and forced them into a remote demiplane.

And now they thanked him for it.

Titus nodded in satisfaction and swept the equipment into his spatial storage. "King Zain, the righteous faction shall never forget your dwarven people’s contributions."

"However, I came this time for another matter—one that may affect the balance of the Feanso Continent. I seek your aid."

Zain thumped his chest. "Lord Titus, you are a friend to dwarves forever. Your cause is our cause!"

The ancient gold dragon smiled, then said slowly, "You must know the Shield Dwarves once signed an ancient pact with the Silvermoon Elves—a sacred alliance to resist southern orc invasions."

Zain nodded, sighing. "Too bad the elves of Serenia broke that pact. Were it not for Lady Rhea, we’d see the Silvermoon Elves as a bunch of oath-breaking frauds."

"No, that wasn’t the will of the Silvermoon Elves—it was the decision of the Elven Council."

Titus grew serious. "I just received a plea for aid from the current elven queen, Catherine Moonchaser."

"She says the Elven Council elders have been corrupted by darkness. Queen Catherine plans to unite all who seek justice and launch a holy coup to bring Serenia back to the right path."

"You understand—Serenia lies in the heart of the Feanso Continent. Its influence on the continent’s balance is enormous."

Zain frowned. "You mean—"

Titus locked eyes with the young dwarven king, his golden pupils deep and burning.

The ancient gold dragon spoke solemnly. "King Zain, will you lend aid to Serenia in this crucial hour—in the name of the Lord of the Highlands and King of the Shield Dwarves?"

"I—"

Zain lifted his head, summoning courage to meet the dragon’s gaze, but still hesitated.

Suddenly, he saw a familiar reflection in those golden eyes—his father, the former Lord of the Highlands, Edd Klein.

Through Titus’s golden gaze, Zain seemed to cross time and death, seeing his father’s approving, earnest eyes.

If his father were here, he’d make the right decision without hesitation—to rebuild the holy alliance.

That was the confidence of the Highland Lord!

With that thought, the young dwarven king’s gaze firmed. He grasped the warhammer at his waist and declared, "Lord Titus, I am willing to lead dwarven warriors to Serenia and support the Silvermoon Elves."

Titus nodded gently, filled with satisfaction. "You grow more like King Edd."

Hearing the ancient dragon’s words, Zain felt a surge of emotion. He believed he was following in his father’s footsteps, leading the dwarves to a glorious future.

But he didn’t realize—this was simply Titus’s, or rather Cassius’s, natural charisma at work.

Zain leapt atop a towering volcanic rock, looked over the dwarves, raised his warhammer, and declared loudly:

"My people! The Silvermoon Elves of Serenia are being corrupted by darkness. Their queen is launching a holy coup! As their ancient allies, we Shield Dwarves cannot stand idly by!"

"I shall lead our bravest and strongest warriors to Serenia alongside Lord Titus and support this sacred revolt!"

One dwarf hesitated. "But Your Majesty, didn’t Serenia already betray the holy alliance?"

Zain responded without pause, "They were under the influence of the Abyss. That’s understandable. But if we ignore our allies’ suffering, can we still call ourselves brave, unyielding Shield Dwarves?"

"When Lord Titus helped our kingdom repel the orcs, he didn’t ask for anything in return. He even risked his life to fight the red dragon tyrant head-on."

"If my father King Edd were alive, he’d make the same choice—to stand with Lord Titus and support Queen Catherine!"

"This is for justice—and for the honor of our Shield Dwarf race!"

Shield Dwarves were straightforward folk—simple minds and strong limbs.

After Zain’s speech, many dwarves felt their blood boil like molten lava.

"Your Majesty, I’ll go with you!"

"Me too!"

"Long live the Highland Lord!"

"For justice! For the glory of the Shield Dwarves!"

The dwarves raised their weapons, shouting with passion, some even breaking into bold songs.

Titus stood behind Zain, speaking in a solemn tone. "Everyone, if this coup succeeds, all righteous forces across Feanso will remember your sacrifice."

"Your names shall be inscribed in Feanso’s epics as heroes!"

"Yes, Lord Titus!"

"Praise the great Dawnwing!"

Thus, the Shield Dwarves once again became Cassius’s unwitting tools.

They had no idea that behind the grand words, behind the majestic golden dragon, was their greatest enemy—the tyrant who conquered Avenderdan: the Ember Emperor, Cassius.

Watching the eager dwarves line up, Zain sighed with emotion. "Brave, optimistic, bold... that is the Shield Dwarves. That is my people."

"Sigh, if only Avenderdan weren’t still in enemy hands. And I... am powerless."

Titus stood beside him, speaking slowly. "In my homeland, there is a saying: Those who seek justice shall find many allies. Those who do not will stand alone."

"So it is now. Your current good deeds will one day help the Shield Dwarves reclaim Avenderdan."

"Thank you for your guidance, Lord Titus," Zain replied earnestly.

The more he conversed, the more the dwarven king felt the ancient gold dragon was deep and wise—an immortal being who had upheld good for over a millennium.

To him, the "Dawnwing" was a guiding elder, second only to his late father.

Yet Zain didn’t know—in Titus’s, or rather Cassius’s, eyes, he was just a gullible dwarf. A tireless tool, a fool to be used at will...

With little effort, Zain raised an army of nearly 3,000 dwarves—the "Highland Expeditionary Force." Almost all were elite, heavily-armored warriors. Had he not excluded women, children, and the weak, the force would’ve numbered over ten thousand.

Though their formations were messy, their fighting spirit was fierce.

Titus raised a claw, casting a massive teleportation portal with powerful magical ripples, leading straight to the coordinates Queen Catherine had provided.

"Highland Expeditionary Force, move out!"

Zain raised his warhammer and called out powerfully.

At his command, the heavily-armored dwarves roared, and with clanking metal and thunderous unity, they surged into the portal like a steel tide.