The Dwarves' Brass Fortress

Cassius slowly flapped his wings, whipping up a scorching gale. In mere breaths, he arrived above the Brass Fortress. Looking down upon the imperial soldiers and the fire dwarves, flames churned within his pale gold vertical pupils. Serkan finally snapped out of his daze. Hurrying before the red dragon, he knelt on the scalding ground and cried out with intense emotion: "Your Majesty Cassius!" "This subordinate truly never imagined that you... you would descend here in person!" His adjutant stammered in fanatic fervor, "Th-this is the supreme honor for every member of the Elemental Plane of Fire vanguard!" Small wonder they lost their composure like this. Even though they were dragonblood nobles of the empire, they had only ever been able to gaze upon the red dragon's imposing form from afar on the battlefield. An investiture ceremony had been the closest they had ever come to the Emperor. Yet now, the Emperor himself had come in person to their battlefield, and they might even have close contact and conversation with him. This was something countless dragonblood nobles could only dream of! That one couldn't even get in line to be the Emperor's dog was no mere hyperbole, but an undeniable reality. Cassius glanced at the half-dragon kneeling on the ground. He suddenly recalled having seen him during that investiture ceremony and granting him the title of viscount—his name seemed to be Serkan. Cassius had a sharp memory now; his 17 Intelligence made his mind clearer than that of most wizards. Thus, he spoke: "You must be Serkan Wood, Viscount of the Cinder Empire." *His Majesty remembers me!* *He even remembered my name!* Kneeling on the ground, Serkan felt a surge of overwhelming emotion. Alongside the thrill, he was deeply overwhelmed by the honor. Not just anyone had the privilege of receiving the Emperor's attention! Hovering in the air, the red dragon looked around, sweeping his gaze across the soldiers before speaking again. "You have all done exceptionally well! I am proud of you." Cassius's voice was resonant and resolute, echoing across the vast Elemental Plane of Fire as though parting the rolling heat waves of this scorching land. "To dare venture into a place as perilous as the Elemental Plane of Fire shows not only your courage and determination, but also your loyalty and devotion to the empire." "The empire needs warriors like you! Your presence is our most precious treasure." Cassius beat his wings again, descending slowly from the sky and kicking up plumes of dust and smoke. "Upon this land of trial and strife, you shall use your blades and your strength to write a glorious chapter for the empire." "Remember, no matter what difficulties and challenges you face, the empire stands with you to welcome every dawn and every victory!" "Rise, my warriors." Hearing his words, the thousand-odd elite soldiers of the imperial vanguard felt a surge of zealous, steadfast resolve burning in their eyes. Serkan was the first to scramble to his feet. Drawing the imperial silver sword at his waist, he raised it high and shouted at the top of his lungs: "Fight for the empire!" "Fight for His Majesty Cassius!" "Long live the empire! Long live the invincible Emperor Cassius!" The soldiers' cheers and battle cries rose and fell like an endless tide, resounding across the scalding wasteland. Their faces brimmed with fervor and excitement, and in their eyes gleamed something that could only be called faith. Watching the cheering soldiers, Grim felt astonished, and even a twinge of dread crept into his heart. *By Moradin...* *They... they're practically like those fanatical efreet warriors and their Sultan.* As a race that strictly adhered to order and tradition, such warriors were rare among fire dwarves. Cassius looked down upon the imperial soldiers on the ground. Seeing those fervent faces, a smile crept onto his countenance. *With the expansion of the empire, my people's faith in me grows by the day.* *Perhaps... ascension to godhood is no longer an extravagant dream, but a future that is not so far off.* So he thought. ...... As temporary military allies, the fire dwarves were full of awe and trepidation over Cassius's arrival. They were overjoyed at the arrival of such a powerful reinforcement, yet they feared what terrible things this mighty dragon might do. However, after some discussion, they resolved to welcome this monarch from the Material Plane. Many fire dwarf nobles gathered at the gates of the Brass Fortress to receive him. Under the watchful eyes of the imperial soldiers, Grim stood before the red dragon, doing his best to remain composed. Forcing a smile, he extended a hand. "Your Majesty Cassius, please follow me." "On behalf of all fire dwarves, I welcome you to the Brass Fortress. It is our greatest honor." "Very well." Cassius gave a slight nod. Flecks of magical radiance shimmered across his scales. *Polymorph.* His colossal dragon frame shrank abruptly, finally taking the form of a young man with black hair, golden eyes, and opulent robes. Grim the fire dwarf led the way, while Serkan and the other imperial officers respectfully followed at Cassius's side. Cassius asked casually, "Serkan, how did you come to be stationed in the Brass Fortress?" Serkan answered hurriedly, "Six months ago, Lady Misha struck boldly, and the efreeti Emir of the City of Pig Iron placed a bounty on us." "Thus, we fled into the territory of the fire dwarves, who are bitter blood enemies of the efreet." "It was then that we discovered a force of salamander raiders sent by the efreet attacking the Brass Fortress, so we stepped in to help..." Cassius praised him, "You did well." "Setting foot in uncharted lands indeed requires the aid of locals. The southern vanguard could learn a thing or two from you." Grim turned around and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, this is the entrance to the Brass Fortress." Before them stood a structure forged from brass, resembling a hemisphere clamped against the ground, looking remarkably solid. Its thick, gleaming brass shell was covered in scratches and scorch marks from spell bombardments, evidence of having weathered numerous assaults. Grim's proud voice rang out, "Our fire dwarf craftsmanship has always been supreme—even those efreet cannot breach the fortress we have forged." However, this entrance was only six feet high. While spacious enough for fire dwarves, it was exceedingly cramped for Cassius and the imperial soldiers. Grim went in first. Cassius, on the other hand, stepped forward, pierced through space, and appeared directly inside the fortress. Serkan, meanwhile, had to bend over and squeeze through with difficulty. "It really is quite vast in here. A fortress built by fire dwarves over thousands of years certainly lives up to its reputation." Cassius looked around, somewhat astonished by what he saw. From above ground, the Brass Fortress did not seem particularly conspicuous—almost squat, in fact—yet inside lay an entirely different world. The subterranean section was immense: a gargantuan cavern with spiraling roads winding ever downward. From the cavern floor at the very bottom to the ceiling of the rock face above, it had to be nearly a hundred meters high. Looking forward, there was no end in sight; everywhere his gaze fell stood exquisitely crafted fire dwarf architecture. By Cassius's estimation, the footprint of the Brass Fortress was by no means smaller than northern cities like Northwind Keep or Stravburg. Delicate cottages made of clay or metal, lifelike bronze statues. The rock walls on both sides were riddled with mine tunnels of all sizes. Everywhere, fire dwarf miners carried bronze hammers and hauled ore on their shoulders. They bustled between the mine shafts and roadways, laboring tirelessly and appearing exceptionally busy. *Clang! Clang!* *Heave-ho! Heave-ho!* Crisp metallic clangs rang out, interspersed with heavy pants of exertion. Inside those buildings, fire dwarf smiths swung bronze hammers with all their might, slamming them onto anvils and sending showers of sparks flying. And in the center of the fortress in the distance stood a colossal bronze statue of a dwarf, a hundred meters tall. The statue wore a solemn and dignified expression, holding aloft a massive warhammer whose head braced against the cavern ceiling, as though propping up this colossal subterranean world. That was the patron deity of the dwarves, the original forger of the fire dwarves—Moradin. Further still, one could see towering palaces cast in brass, presumably the dwellings of fire dwarf nobles. How was this merely a fortress? This was clearly a city of the fire dwarves—the very crystallization of their civilization!