"It's been a month..." I said to the air as I leaned on the Palace balcony railing.

  The sun was about to rise and the first days of October were still warm. However, the air was crisp and the promise of inevitable change of the season was already recognisable. I didn't notice when it happened but the trees had changed their colours. Leaves donning all shades of gold, red, and brown paint a stunning picture. The forests around Avalon looked as if they were burning when the sun peeked over the horizon and was reflected from the morning dew. The birds, however, were still happily singing, unbothered by the oncoming winter - at least not the ones who were living in the safe confines of my city. But the winter was coming. Despite my regret that we were unable to fully enjoy the summer or that we have already missed a better part of the autumn.

  It was coming despite the war...

  Thanks to the late Vernon, our operations in Iceleon were smooth and had already brought unexpected results. An enormous vein of mithril was discovered by our expedition, and the first batches of that precious material arrived at Avalon. Hundreds of kilograms of the most elusive metal were finally mine and the vein was rich. Very soon, I was going to be able to create a top-grade mithril mining node, not only in Avalon but also at Thalgurum, making Freya happy. A grand Ironworks were awakening to life under the watchful eye of Torgirm. The former Desolate Forest Dungeon Core fully embraced his new function and overnight rebuilt his spawners to match his new look. The Magwyrms, the highest evolution of Salamanders, were working with the Ifrits - the mightiest of the fire elementals. The Dwarven-Dungeon forge was blazing in the night with a fiery glow but rarely did any smoke climb towards the blue sky of Arcadia. Iceleon kept their promise and iron ore was flowing like a river. Soon the ever-hungry production will be fed with steel, and the new ships of the navy will climb the skies, bringing the much-anticipated doom to Vestargo.

  "What are you doing, Darling?" The gentle hands of Cahrona grabbed me from behind as she wrapped me with her soft, black wings.

  "Admiring the dawn. It's not as beautiful as any of you, my Beauties, but it's trying. Another day woke up over the lands of Arcadia, my Angel." I smiled, feeling her warmth while I was still leaning over the stone-carved railings. I patted the top of her smooth hands. "A brand new morning of war..."

  "I..." She trembled and moved to my side where she snuggled herself to me. "This war is beyond my imagination... The cruelty of the enemy and the sheer scope of the evil he committed. He is worse than my own race and I'm glad that we have you. I can't imagine fighting such evil."

  "We don't have a choice. Not until we find where Vestargo's Dungeon is."

  "How can you be so calm? You know what he is capable of..." I felt a wave of her fear and uneasiness spread through me. However, I kept her in my arms, fighting that feeling with decades of training and habits. "Even now I can draw from your strength... Only thanks to you can I calm down."

  "It's the defiant spirit of Humanity. Or, possibly, just mine? Can't say for sure..." I replied with cheerful laughter as I combed her silky smooth hair with my hand. "I must be this calm exactly because I know what Vestargo is doing. Even now. I know how he treats the Mortals and I know that he is desperate. He expected me to be strong but he was not expected to be pushed back. It's a war of attrition he is going to lose. He just doesn't know about it yet."

  "How do you know that?" She pouted cutely. "You can't be this sure."

  "And yet, I am." I smiled gently. "It's all about mana, Cah. I have millions of people who are daily delving into my Dungeons. My fallen enemies who were too dangerous to just release to the reincarnation cycle are resting in the unconsecrated graveyard and, especially Jukk'nala, is like a roaring waterfall of mana. Compared to me, Vestargo is barely making up for his losses. Each day is bringing us closer to his defeat. However... That day is still distant. Years or even decades could pass before the difference between us will be enough for me to crush him."

  "How do you know?"

  "For a brief moment when he demanded my surrender, he revealed himself. Not enough for me to find him but enough for me to learn his thoughts. He showed me his Empire and millions of Mortal slaves that toil for him. He showed me how little mana he received from them, but he believed it to be an unimaginable amount. Then it was my turn. I showed him the graveyard of my enemies, ruined countries that fell under the sword of my Legions and I showed him myself the same way he showed me himself. I couldn't risk him to learn that people serve me willingly and how much mana it gives me." I reluctantly admitted. "I couldn't risk him learning anything useful from me."

  "I hope it will be enough to secure our victory." She sighed and lowered her head.

  "How is the orphanage?" I asked with a soft smile.

  She smiled softly but I felt another wave of sadness from her. "It has its ups and downs, to be honest. We have to very carefully monitor the children of different Tiefling species. The Succubuses and Incubuses are, seemingly, fine but they are extremely manipulative. The Horned Tieflings, who were previously known as simply Devils, are violent and easy to provoke but, on the other hand, they are much more sensitive and compassionate than others. However... The Imps are the most concerning of all the children. They are rebellious and don't even try to cooperate with the teachers."

  "It's still too early to..." I tried to console her but she shook her head sadly.

  "We don't have that much time. We will have to separate those who can be saved from those who are dragging everyone down." She trembled. "The adults are living in their false utopia but well-adjusted children are our only hope. They are intelligent and they crave all the love and attention that the remaining adults of my race can provide. Some of them are old enough to ask where their parents are and we have to explain to them the truth. It's hard, Theon... It's so hard."

  She cried and I held her fragile frame in my arms. I was silent because there was nothing I could say. I was responsible for all that but the alternative was even more horrible. A few hundred redeemed Tieflings were tasked with a tremendous effort to rebuild the entire race. All children under the age of five had been taken away and all of them already found loving families who watchfully helped them to reintegrate into Arcadian society. But the older the child, the much more extensive work was required to re-educate them. The Chaos and Void influence was strong. Almost none of the young adults could be saved from their corruption and most of the older children were lost as well. Each time a new child was born inside the Devilkin prison, it was taken away. Fortunately, their culture required them to hand over a child as soon as possible to be raised in a nursery. Only nobles could keep their children but, even they often chose to give up their offspring. It wasn't always easy as some tried to find and meet their children in the non-existent nurseries. Cahrona fought to save her people but the burden was heavy.

  "I'm so sorry I can't help you more..." I whispered but she shook her head in denial.

  "You mustn't! It's something that only we can achieve if we ever hope to be free." She said and turned her head towards the sun. "I don't want to weigh you down with any guilt, Theon. With time, my people will thank you for saving their entire race. Even if entire generations come and go..."

  She climbed on the tips of her toes and kissed my cheek. I felt her calmness and trust. After standing on the balcony in silence for a long while we, reluctantly, returned to grab something to eat. The new day brought new challenges and we had to face them. Amber was gloomy but, considering everything, it was something expected. Lavender, on the other hand, seemed happy.

  "We managed to successfully plant new food nodes in Westwood." She admitted with a glee when Luna inquired. "It's a very important and universal food source, so I plan to spread it among all Dungeons as fast as possible... Well, maybe not in the Forge."

  "Oh? What is that?" Amber asked without real curiosity.

  "Zea mays." She grinned and every woman around the table looked at her in disbelief. I, on the other hand, had not the slightest idea what Zea mays was.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  "When did you find it? I thought it was extinct!" Irene grinned.

  "Because it was!" Lavender beamed even more. "At least, for one thing, Vishnu was helpful. In the captain's quarters of that ship were a few perfectly preserved maizes! I ordered them planted immediately and the Dryads from Westwood confirmed that the seedlings are alive and growing."

  "Maizes? You mean corn?" I looked at her in surprise.

  "Corn? I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that name."

  "Ummm..." I suddenly realised I couldn't properly describe corn so I had to revert to first grade. "It's yellow and the maize is composed of small kernels..."

  "That would be a zea mays." Lavender nodded, still smiling. "You had in your world?"

  "Yeah." I shortly nodded. "It was one of the most important food sources."

  "It's certainly good." Irene smiled. "When I was a small girl, I remember it was still served by the wealthiest of nobles."

  "It's just a corn... Ohhhh!" The sudden realisation hit me like a truck. "Whiskey!"

  ???

  I picked up a fist-size chunk of mithril and weighed it in my hand. It was... strange. The metal gave off a blue hue and, once refined, it would glow. Its strangeness, however, came from its weight. Despite seeming light, it had a mass behind it as if it was permanently enchanted to be lighter than in reality. It was something so strange to describe that I gave up after a while.

  "All right, Ragnar. What can you tell me?" I put down the ore and looked at my Forge Master.

  "I never expected to be able to work with mithril, my Lord." He patted his beard thoughtfully. "For starters, I bet we can push our runesmithing further. I'm eager to test what kind of metal it is after smelting and what kind of alloys we can obtain with it. But... Before we start anything... What kind of mining node can you make of it, my Lord?"

  "High yield, Ragnar." I grinned widely. "Unfortunately it won't be like iron but more like orichalcum and adamantium. So one ton per week."

  "Yes!" Ragnar clapped and we high-fived with wide grins.

  "We have enough for one node. It will cost me twenty tonnes of ore." I said, still smiling widely.

  Ragnar eyed me just for a moment before a huge grin crept on his face. "But we have thirty tonnes of mithril ore! That means you are going to build another node, my Lord?"

  "You bet!" I laughed.

  "Where?" He asked in anticipation.

  "Hammerdeep."

  "Fuck yeah, my Lord!" He jumped in excitement and raised his fist. "Empress Freya will be delighted. She knows?"

  "Not yet." I was still grinning.

  "Oh, this is going to be priceless. Verni said that the vein is almost depleted and they would get just another fifteen tonnes."

  "I saw that," I admitted. "I think I will build basic mithril nodes in Glimmervale, Twilight, and maybe in Bob's Dungeon? I won't have enough materials for more anyway."

  "Any amount is a good amount... But wouldn't it be better to make a high yield node than making several basic nodes, maybe only making one from the leftovers?"

  "Technically." I shrugged. "However, if we have more nodes I will be able to upgrade them if we ever find a new source of mithril."

  "That makes sense." The Dwarf nodded. "Potential for future upgrades certainly outweighs the temporary gains."

  "I hope so." I nodded after placing a mining node in the caves under Avalon. "I promised Theresa and Victor to give them ten tons of ore but, considering they won't be able to process it, we might settle on half of that amount in ready ingots. But they need to wait until we perfect the process."

  ???

  A few hours later we were in the Forge, watching Ragnar, Ian, and Verni trying and failing to process mithril. Thus far, they had managed to waste a hundred kilograms of the ore but we could afford it. It turned out that the Magwyrms could eat any kind of metal and poop out wyrmsteel. It was a very heat-resistant and lightweight metal that seemed to be useful as a heat shield, however, the full extent of its usefulness was yet to be investigated. The three Craft Masters were growing frustrated with each failed attempt and I was getting nervous. If they had problems with processing mithril then, I began to suspect, we would need to find help. However, there were only two countries where I could seek help, and one of them already admitted they had no idea how to refine it. With a sigh, I sent a question to my embassy in Metaka and waited. Meanwhile, Ian started arguing with Verni about something while Ragnar prepared another batch of ore when suddenly he stiffened and took out his smithing gear. In stunned silence, we watched him shape the raw ore into the shining blade. He quenched it in water and, almost instantly, returned it into the Ifrit's flame.

  As the mithril was slowly heating in Ifrit's flames, he summoned samples of other metals and alloys in our possession and set them to heat up. When he decided that the mithril was hot enough again, he returned to his work. He pounded and compressed the piece as he gradually purified the metal while no one dared to make a peep. He folded and reheated the metal until he simply nodded and he held a short blank in his tongs. Then he took out another chunk of ore and repeated the process, but this time, he added armoured steel as he started folding two bars together. The process was time-consuming and, seemingly, demanding tremendous concentration but Ragnar was fully immersed in his work. The world ceased to exist for my Forge Master as his moves blurred and the air flashed with mana as he used his skills to create different mithril alloys. I had no idea how much time passed as I stood there, bewitched by his decisive moves. Each hit was precise and the hammer pounding the metal was like a strange music that echoed in the Forge.

  "It is done." He simply declared as he grabbed one of the cooled-down ingots.

  "That makes no fucking sense!" Ian raised his hands straight towards the Heavens.

  However, he wasn't alone in his complaints. Verni gave an incredulous gaze to Ragnar while I was just stupefied.

  "I know." Ragnar shrugged with a smug smile. "But if everything we tried failed, it means mithril escapes mundane reasoning. It answers to the will of a smith and is shaped as much by your skills as it is shaped by their mana. It's... incredible."

  "How the hell did you figure it out?" Verni shook his head in disbelief. "I would have never guessed!"

  "It was a lucky guess but it paid off." He smiled and took a deep breath.

  He handed me the incredible metal. Its ice-cold, blue glow slightly illuminated the room while an incredibly intricate and wavy Damascus pattern adorned the blank mixed with orichalcum - blue with mithril-silver like clashing waves.

  "This thing is going to change everything, my Lord..." Ragnar looked with a humbled gaze upon the rows of alloy samples he created. "Each one of them has different properties and, if used properly, they will upgrade our capabilities tenfold. The way we can shape mithril is frightening, my Lord. Never before have I worked with anything as easy to control and shape as mithril."

  He slowly shook his head and summoned one of the swords he made for me each day. He threw it into Mygwyrm's fire and, after a brief moment, grabbed it with his armoured hand. He took back the ingot I held and simply shaped it into a red-hot sword. He continued hammering the metal but, this time, the air flared with colorful mana discharges as he used more of his skills. The air buzzed with power as he poured more and more mana into his creation. It was like watching a breathtaking performance. As suddenly as it started, it ended once Ragnar showed the finished blade into black oil. As he drew it again, the blade shone with a blue light and had the same Damascus pattern as the ingot before. With a wide smile, Ragnar nodded and gave it to me. I grabbed it with reverence and swung it to try it. It sang a song of power and ruin as it cut through the air. It was perfect.

  "Call upon Excalibur, My Lord."

  "But I don't want to destroy it..." I wanted to decline. I didn't want to lose that sword.

  "Then I will forge you a new one. Even better than this one." He smiled but there was a spark in his eye. He wasn't telling me something.

  "God Slaying Blade: Excalibur!" I almost forced myself to use the skill.

  The blade started changing but, this time, it was different. Golden and dark blue bolts of lightning danced across the blade but the sword itself remained almost unchanged. It had not changed its shape as the skill had caused previously but instead the golden runes appeared on the blade. These runes were different from anything I had ever seen and, yet, they were familiar. They were something between the Sanskrit, Enochian, and the Celtic runic alphabet. I looked in shock at the blade in my hand. Never before was Excalibur as powerful as it was at this moment. I cut at the air and a howling slash sent a ripple that quickly faded. But if I had only put slight intent or skill behind that cut I doubted anything would survive the blow.

  "It has no time limit..." I whispered, humbled by the greatest creation of my Forge Master.

  "Can you turn it off?" He asked with anticipation.

  I took a last amazed stare at Excalibur and ended the skill. The runes slowly faded but the blade remained. It was as pristine as it was before the transformation. I gasped in shock as I ran my hand over the blade in disbelief.

  "You truly are The Legendary Forge Master, Ragnar..." I praised him with a voice full of awe and respect. "I will need more swords like this one..."

  Thank you all for reading.

  I wish you all a great day and as always I wait for your comments.

  A big thanks to who edited the chapter!

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