Chapter 214: Reinforcements and the Charge of the Depths

Upon exiting into the main shaft, Brak took immediate control of the situation. As commander of the fortress, he began barking orders to the miners and soldiers waiting outside. With a firm hand, he directed where to stack the tools, how to select the heavy wooden beams stored at the base camp, and how to prepare the metal supports to shore up the lower tunnel.

Kellar approached Brak while observing the flurry of work.

"Prepare all the wooden supports and prop beams first," said Kellar to Brak. "Wait for Ignis to arrive so he can help us excavate and move the heaviest rocks before we head down again."

Shortly after, the thunder of footsteps and the creaking of wooden axles echoed along the trail connecting to the village. A large wagon moved forward, pulled by Bighorn, the black bull with golden horns, stepping firmly despite the incline.

Beside the wagon came Ignis, the massive giant bear. Atop his back rode an additional squad of soldiers, clinging to the beast’s thick fur with pale faces. The Great Shaman made riding the giant bear look effortless, but for ordinary guards, riding on the back of that predator had been like boarding a terrifying roller coaster.

Alongside the procession returned Fenrir, trotting at the vanguard while sniffing the terrain, and the giant eagle, soaring in wide circles above the cliffs to scan the surroundings for lurking threats.

Upon seeing the beasts and reinforcements arrive, the men at the mine’s entrance breathed a sigh of relief. With Ignis’s strength to clear debris and Lennis’s supervision, fortifying the passage was set to move much faster.

With the arrival of the great beasts and reinforcements, the mine entrance transformed into a hive of activity. Lennis arrived taking immediate charge, barking clear orders to the crews on what to do and directing the men to haul the heavy oak beams, coordinating the workflow without losing a second.

Inside the upper passage, the true work began. Ignis moved to the front, taking the lead in opening a tunnel massive enough for his form to march through on two legs without hunching. Standing fully upright, the giant bear drove his front paws into the solid rock face, gouging out tons of stone and dirt with every strike.

Behind him, crews of miners and soldiers moved in sync with the beast’s rhythm. As Ignis ripped the mountain open, teams filled large wooden sledges with the excavated earth and hauled them back up to the surface. Right on their heels came the carpenters, stepping into the freshly carved chamber. They fitted massive oak beams into the ceiling and walls, driving support props into place with heavy iron mallets to lock the passage down. The thundering sound of timber locking under the weight of the stone yielded a firm structure capable of absorbing the mountain’s vibrations and housing the expedition.

After hours of labor in the depths, Lennis finally emerged to the surface. Dusting off the thick grime from his robes, he approached Kellar directly and said with respect:

"We are ready, Great Shaman."

Night had fallen, but no one had any intention of sleeping. The oppressive cave atmosphere was far too intense, and the threat of the unknown kept everyone awake under the flickering light of the torches.

Kellar gathered the vanguard before taking a single step toward the shaft.

"Listen closely," said Kellar, locking eyes with Grok, Brak, and all his soldiers. "Down below we are not facing ordinary creatures. Those mini golems are immune to common physical attacks, and edged weapons won’t scratch them. Only my Spiral Rifle with the windstone ammunition and magic attacks can stop them."

Grok nodded, tightening the strap on his heavy battleaxe.

"Brak," continued Kellar, "you will stay at the entrance of the reinforced passage with the second line. Your duty is to keep the perimeter secure and ensure no golem slips past if our line breaks. Grok and I will descend to the lower level with Ignis and Fenrir."

"Understood, Shaman," answered Brak firmly. "If any of those things try to climb up, they will hit our shield wall and pikes."

"Alright, this is the plan," continued Kellar, holding up the rifle before their gaze. "First, we will take advantage of how those creatures tend to crowd together right at the doorway. With all of them clustered at the gate, I will fire a shot with the windstone to detonate them all at once. That will show us if the cave holds up against the blast and how much the structure trembles, allowing us to evaluate whether the tunnel is stable enough or if we need to reinforce and timber the walls even further."

Kellar paused, looking at the beasts gathered beside him.

"So, only we will enter," said Kellar. "Ignis, Fenrir, are you ready?"

Both the giant bear and the wolf let out a low roar, accepting the orders instantly.

"Good," added Kellar, turning toward the silver wolf. "Fenrir, I need to know what ability you have. Tell me how strong you are in combat against these monsters."

Fenrir raised his head and replied:

"They are just golems, I’ve eaten plenty of them. In the valley, when it’s drought season and game is scarce, I usually devour rock golems. My teeth and claws are as hard as steel, so as long as they are made of stone, I will destroy them."

Kellar was caught off guard. He had no idea that the solid basalt bodies of golems could be eaten in such a manner, but he knew Fenrir had no reason to lie or exaggerate about his capabilities.

Bighorn, standing to the side with his three-meter-tall frame, stepped forward and said:

"Master, I can go as well. Golems often invade our territory, and I usually pulverize them with a single charge."

Seeing the magical bull so confident and ready to fight, Kellar decided to trust in their strength.

"Very well," said Kellar, chambering a round into his rifle and adjusting the strap. "Everyone prepare yourselves, we are moving down."