Second Under's High Council comprised the chiefs of the largest clans in the town. Each man or woman in the council earned their place through hard-fought battle or overwhelming public support. In all of Second Under, these were the only ones capable of reigniting a fire in the dwarves. These people were more than just chiefs. They were icons, almost revered as gods by the dwarfs, and they had the presence to back it up.
Kashi coolly met the steely gazes of the men seated in threes on either side of a long rectangular table designed to sit at least twenty people. Unusually (for a dwarven meeting), the table was devoid of anything to eat or drink. Who could blame them? If the tension was a meal, there was more than enough to feed them all, and then some.
Kashi turned his gaze to the splendidly large chamber. Meticulous detail was focused on the walls and pillars, all with an almost shiny, varnished look. The remains of a stone throne sat far at an elevated platform at the north end, shattered, probably to represent the demise of the dwarven hierarchy. The dwarves would gaze at the broken throne with misty eyes that remembered a much better time. But then they would snap right back at their loathed enemy with red fury.
Kashi weathered their burning gazes. He inspected the guards—no, mini-militia—that guarded the meeting. His display at the coliseum had bought some over the top caution from the dwarves. Not that it mattered too much. The guards he could handle, but this number of people should have certainly gotten the Order's attention.
A glance at the chiefs confirmed no uncertainty on their part. They equally hated Kashi with apt attention. There was none of that wariness that comes from having an illegal meeting with a chance of being caught. Well, if there was no danger of being caught by the Order, then he could relax and focus on the task ahead.
But first...
To set the right mood.
Dark aura exploded from Kashi, then streamed to every corner of the hall, drowning all in its choking authority. Only Zeing was unaffected, the rest almost crumbling under the intense pressure.
To Kashi's right, Zuri's brows furrowed, as if contemplating a potentially irritating problem. She looked up at Kashi. "Is Kashi doing something? Zuri's feeling a little itchy."
Oi, Oi. Kashi barely managed to keep a straight face. This was a full release of his aura. And she was only slightly itchy? Just how strong was this girl? With a little training, who knew where her limits lay.
Having seen enough, and eager to let the chiefs save face, Zeing tapped Kashi's left shoulder. "That's enough."
Kashi reined in his aura. "Well then, I do believe greetings are in order." A smile tugged the corner of his lips at the new emotion in those eyes. The hatred was still there, clear as day, but now there was something new mixed in. Fear. These dwarves now feared his strength. And that, for him, was the equivalent of clearing the first stage in a dungeon quest.
There were six chiefs at the table. In order from the right side of the table, they were Breixo Rocha, the oldest of the bunch. His beard was as red as lava, long and very bushy. His abrasive nature had earned him the nickname 'Lava Bear.' Anton Xafier was the youngest, but one of the wisest. Sharp eyes and a neatly braided beard projected a man of purpose. At only sixty-three, he was touted to be the next dwarven king, if they were ever free of the Order.
Otto Knutsen was chief of The Hands, the primary crafting clan of the dwarves. The Hands devoted their time to creating and crafting new and exciting inventions. But, unfortunately, the Order put a stop to all of that.
Yngvar Kermode led the warrior clan. Most of the guards present belonged to this clan/ Yngvar's heavy leather armor, and the man-sized mallet by his side emphasized his authority.
Two women, Paaie Nilsen and Ulla Tav, were the last, but certainly not the least of the chiefs. Both women had risen to dominance in a men's world and wore their pride with confident grins. These two had been the least affected by Kashi's earlier 'greeting.' He made a mental note to keep an eye on them.
"It is a pleasure to meet you all," Kashi started. Breixo harrumphed, obviously displeased by the earlier 'greeting.' "I apologize for my rudeness earlier," continued Kashi without missing a beat. "As they say, trick a human, woo an elf, beat a dwarf. I was afraid this was the only way I could grab your attention."
The light-hearted joke brought some temporary smiles to disgruntled faces, if only for a moment. "You have it," Brexio declared. "Now speak elf. Before I change my mind and have you guttered."
Kashi matched the dwarf's glare. Impressive, he had even more backbone than expected. The old man wasn't just threatening to save face. He meant every word he said. However, hostility was nothing new to the daeben. If anything, it confirmed that they were paying attention to him.
Kashi placed a palm on Zuri's hair to soothe her as she was getting angry on his behalf. "Then, I will cut to the chase." His countenance was cold as ice as he asked, "How long do you intend to remain the Order's dogs?"
Kashi doubted he would ever have the chance to see such a systematic explosion of emotions in his entire lifetime. The dwarves shot up, as if in a choreographed rage, but Brexio took it one step further. His nickname was apparent as he exploded from his chair like it was a rampaging volcano.
Within the blink of an eye, Brexio was over the table and barreled into the daeben. Both men then fell to the ground in an enraged heap.
Brexio gave no quarters as he unleashed a barrage of blows at the daeben's exposed face. Blood soaked his knuckles as skin tore beneath his large hands. Not until Zeing forcefully pried him off did his blows stop. Brexio wrestled Zeing's grip, then spat on the floor next to the daeben's crumpled heap. "Should have done this from the start! Scum like you do not deserve to live." Brexio blazed past the daeben in a fit of rage, headed for the exit.
"What a surprise."
Brexio froze. He glanced over his shoulder. The daeben rose to his feet with ease as his injuries visibly healed at a rapid rate.
Kashi's eyes were a mix of condescending pity and rage. "It was my impression you had forgotten how to throw a measly punch." He brushed blood from the corner of his lips. "But, I suppose it is easy to throw a punch when you are sure of no repercussions."
Brexio burned red. "This damned bra—"
"Shut up." The bloodlust in Kashi's eyes and tone clamped the dwarf's lips. "Weak," Kashi lamented. "The lot of you are far too weak. You accept the devil's arm to solve your problems for you, wish him gone, but fear his wrath. Yet you can enjoy the spectacle of a young girl fighting for her life every day. In the Summoned's world, they call people like that bullies." While talking, Kashi had drawn abreast with the dwarf. Red eyes bore into Brexio's filled with unbridled rage. "I happen to despise bullies."
In all of Brexio's One hundred and Fifty-three years of life, he had only backed away from a fight twice. The first was when he met Zeing Ashqoj for the first time. The second was when the Chaos Order took over. Today was his third time.
Brexio swallowed hard and took a step back. It was not much—barely a foot. But just like that, the dynamics changed. Brexio had admitted defeat in front of the council. If Kashi were a dwarf, he could have challenged Brexio's chieftaincy at that point, but luckily, he was not.
Brexio returned to his chair, where he sat slumped, eyes to the table. He had lost face in front of his peers. Furthermore, to a daeben of all things. There was close to no redemption for him at this point. His successor would be decided in a few days.
Kashi glanced at the old man's defeated figure. He only intended to take Brexio down a notch or two. Never did he imagine Brexio would back away. Things were worse than he thought. The Order had done a real number on these dwarves.
The dwarfs' confidence were shot if they were backing away from fights. Kashi sighed. He had to fix this. He bowed to Brexio. "I apologize for my earlier rudeness. I lack in training and manners. Please forgive my insolence."
Dwarven politics was a funny thing. This little bow and apology served to restore some authority to the old man. Enough to allow him to keep his head held high at the table. Brexio, realizing what the daeben intended, coughed as he said, "Yes, yes. I accept your apology. After all, these are trying times for all kinds. One must remember their manners. I, too, must apologize for my outburst. I trust you were not too harmed?"
Kashi nodded. "Elder's fists are quite powerful, but I will survive, thank you." Just like that, they were on equal footing. Politics... Kashi swallowed a deep breath. "I must apologize to the rest of the council for my wording also. By using the word 'dogs,' I meant to show how the rest of the world would view you in this situation. I meant no disrespect."
Yngvar gripped his mallet's handle. "Pray tell then. What was the purpose of riling us so?"
"I wished to see how much dwarven pride you still retained," answered Kashi.
Anton leaned forward, piercing gaze on the daeben. "Your verdict?"
"It is not completely gone," Kashi replied. "There might be something we can use."
"We?" Anton enquired. "You assume an alliance with us?"
"I would hope so," Kashi said. "There is no way for either of us to break free of the Order's grip otherwise."
"That might be the case," Anton admitted. "But why would we aid you? And what happens when we are free from the Order's hold? More wars in which we are forced to craft weapons and have our lands scorched?" His voice was strangely calm and soothing, unlike most dwarves. Kashi could see why he would be so highly revered. "For all the atrocities the Order may commit, we are offered protection from war. A war which you have brought with you, Kashi of the Hopeful Maggots."
Kashi rose a brow in slight surprise. As expected of a potential dwarven king; his information network was quite vast.
"What is this Hopeful Maggots?" Otto Knutsen asked. "And what war do they bring?"
"I will let the daeben answer for himself," Anton offered.
Kashi swallowed a deep breath. Moment of truth. More than anything, these dwarves hated war. But his guild was undoubtedly bringing a war back to the land. Convincing these men would not be easy. If only Miote were here. Still, even without the Chesch, Kashi had to try at least. "The Hopeful Maggots are a guild I and a few friends created in Rosendun. We are closely allied with the royal family and were partly responsible for the elimination of the drakul threat. We recently liberated the Order's presence in Lib Tahos as well as destroyed the burning desert."
Ulla Tav gaped in shock. "The burning desert. It's gone?"
"Yes," Anton confirmed. "In its place, a river flows now, one over which he built a bridge."
"No doubt to allow his soldiers easy access into our Merriheim," Yngvar harrumphed. "Or do I lie?"
"Your words are correct," admitted Kashi, much to the council's surprise. They had expected him to deny the claim. "A war is coming. One for which I require soldiers. The Chaos Order is not the only enemy I will have to face."
Paaie Nilsen was a woman of few words. Like Yngvar, she spoke more with her fists than she did her tongue. Which was why when she spoke, most listened. "And? This war. How do we fit into it? Do you seek dwarven soldiers?"
"Or do you seek dwarven hands to build war machines?" added Otto.
"Neither," Kashi answered. "I wish for you to remain neutral and stay out of our way."
The council was stunned silent. But two were even more shocked. For Paaie and Yngvar, warriors to the bone, and survivors of countless battles, to be told they were not needed, felt like a slap to the face.
For the first time that night, Anton looked confused. "Then what is it that made you meet with us? Surely if you wanted us to remain neutral, you could have invaded anyway."
Kashi shook his head. "If I aimed to acquire more land for Rosendun, then sure I would have gone with that. But my goal is much grander."
"What is this goal?"
"I wish to unite the entire continent under one flag." The air itself froze in place as the council struggled to come to grips with the absurd statement. "It just so happens that flag belongs to the country of Rosendun."
"I do not understand."
"I seek unity," Kashi explained. "Which means there has to be as little rebellion as possible in any location I conquer. Else the sacrifices of those who fought for the cause would be meaningless. The only way possible—"
"Is to conquer the people's hearts before conquering the land itself," Anton finished. A hint of a smile ghosted on his lips. "That is why you are here. You allowed your capture to meet us."
Kashi smiled. It helped to have someone who saw things the way he did. However, there was still a little unease from the dwarf's terrifying insight. "Yes, it is exactly as you say."
"If that is the case," proposed Paaie, "I trust you approached this council prepared with a plan. A plan beyond watching from the stands. Or this will be a short meeting."
Kashi met her cold gaze. "I would be a fool to approach without one." Kashi withdrew several blueprints from his inventory, then tossed them on the table. "I wish for you to build these."
Otto's eyes burned as he shot to his feet. "War machines! Bah, I knew it would turn to this. Dwarves are not your—"
"Otto!" Brexio rebuked. Being the closest to Kashi, he had already begun examining one of the blueprints. "Look before you judge."
Otto's ears burned, but he had too much respect for Brexio to retort. He reluctantly sat down. He accepted a copy of the prints from Ulla. Grumbling under his breath, he spread the paper and began inspecting the plans. Large creases on Otto's forehead gradually smoothed over, his eyes sparkling with increasing curiosity. He only caught himself when he started to grin foolishly.
"You like what you see?" Ulla teased. She, too, was pleasantly shocked by the plans laid out before her. But none at the table knew better than Otto if the impossible could be made possible.
Otto coughed. He cleared his throat to comport himself and hide his delight. "Th-this is impressive daeben. I haven't seen such detail even from Master Architects. With this amount of detail, bringing these to reality are but a matter of resources and time."
Kashi smiled. "I hoped you would say that. Even though I can picture these, I lack sufficient skill and workforce to make them."
Anton tapped the blueprint spread in front of him. "If even one of these is successfully invented, this continent will become incredibly small." Anton studied the strange daeben. "All the better for 'Unity.'"
Kashi nodded. "All the better."
"Great, so Otto now has something to look forward to," Ulla huffed. "I want some action too. Watching from the stands is not in my blood. Right, Paaie?"
Paaie nodded. "If you wish to make this a reality, then first you have to get rid of the Order. We will aid in any way possible. What is your plan?"
Kashi nodded. "Your aid will be appreciated, but I am afraid I cannot proceed with any plans as I am waiting on someone."
Otto frowned. "Who?"
Kashi's brow twitched. A grin spread across his face as he pointed at the center of the table. "Her." All six chiefs and their bodyguards shot up in confused fright as a massive figure materialized on the table. "Took you long enough."
Kira stared at her charge, dark red eyes locked onto his. "Almost did not co—!" Kira yelped as a foreign object, nearly crushed her throat. Panicked eyes turned to Kashi's unrestrained laughter.
The little monster that had its arms around Kira's neck looked up at her with a huge grin. "Doggy!"
Veins visibly popped all over Kira's forehead.
Dungeons,
Second Under.
Lunette stifled a scream as she was tossed into a dank cell. She heard the gate shut behind her but was too weak to look up at the ghouls. Continuous singing had sapped her energy, plus her bound feet and legs left her in a near useless state.
"Good work Ms. Falsetto," Froy called from beyond the gate. "The mana stored in that crystal will grant me power. Enough that I do not even have to fear Ruse. Thanks to you, I will be the next Prime in but a few days." He frowned. Lunette still refused to face him. "You are beautiful and have a good voice. Serve me, and I promise you will want for nothing."
A dark chuckle, haunting and cold, escaped the songstress. "That is where you are mistaken. You can offer me nothing, as I already want for nothing."
Froy gnashed his teeth. Still, she chose to defy him. "Let us see how long you can keep that attitude when you share a cell with that filthy daeben's head." Lunette visibly flinched, and Froy smiled. That was enough for now. He had forced a reaction. Eventually, she would break. They always did.
Froy glared at the ghouls who guarded her cell. "Let no one through." The ghouls grunted something, causing Froy to scrunch his nose. The demented corpses irritated and disgusted him. But he could not deny their usefulness.
"My Lord."
Froy turned to a priest who had run up to meet him. "What is the problem?"
"He is here."
Froy's knuckles whitened. "What?"
"The Primate just arrived."
Froy paled with fear. Clenched knuckles reddened as fear was replaced with rage. That sly bastard! He had lied to catch Froy off guard. Shit! Kashi was still missing. He glanced at Lunette. Ah, yes. He could use her. Froy shot instructions at the ghouls, then shot off toward the exit. "Quick, make haste!"
Lunette listened tentatively as the footsteps advanced further and further away. Her shoulders slumped only when the unmistakable clang of a shut door echoed down the dungeon. She had barely begun to relax her wariness when her cell door suddenly shot open.
Lunette froze, as two ghouls entered the room. She backed away till she pressed against the wall. One of the ghouls drew a dagger. Light reflected off its edge, causing her to blink momentarily. Something shoved her against the wall, knocking the breath out of her. A smelly, decayed hand clamped over her mouth. Frightened, but defiant, she glared at the ghoul whose silvery grey eyes bore into hers. A glint above its head brought her attention to a dagger in its right hand poised above its head.
It struck!