"Father, you... your body... How is this possible?" Zayn froze in place, staring in utter shock at his father—at the Lord of the Mountain who had guarded Evindeldan for a century.
Ed had unfastened his armor and tunic to bare his chest, yet what met Zayn's eyes was not rock-hard muscle, but actual stone—rock mingled with metallic ore, mica, and quartz!
"We shield dwarves are lives born from unyielding stone. To die like this isn't such a bad end," Ed said, gazing down at his own body with a self-deprecating chuckle.
"Father, why? Weren't you already healed?" Zayn asked anxiously, his voice trembling with urgency.
Ed merely answered with calm composure, "In that battle months ago, to slay the orc chieftain, I surrendered my life to the Hammer of Bedrock. The form you see before you now is barely held together by its power..."
He looked down at the warhammer in his hand and continued, "Once I part with this hammer, I will slowly turn to stone, continuing to stand watch over Blackrock Mountain, over Evindeldan.
"And you, my child." Ed lifted his head, fixing his gaze upon Zayn's eyes, his voice ringing with resolve. "You shall become the new Lord of the Mountain, the new king of the shield dwarves. You will carry tens of thousands of years of glorious history, and lead our people toward a new future."
With that, Ed strode forward and solemnly placed the Hammer of Bedrock into Zayn's hands.
"Father, you..."
Zayn's hands trembled. He felt the immense weight of the warhammer, engraved with ancient runes; it felt heavier than all of Blackrock Mountain itself.
For this was the symbol of the Lord of the Mountain's authority, bearing the thousands of years of glorious history of the Mountain Kingdom and carrying the civilization passed down through generations of shield dwarves.
The moment the hammer left his grip, Ed smiled with relief. In Zayn's eyes, his father's body shifted even closer to stone, and the aura signifying life within him diminished noticeably.
Zayn tried to thrust the warhammer back, his voice heavy with distress. "No, Father, I can't take this. It will kill you!"
Ed shook his head firmly, pushing the hammer back into Zayn's hands. He spoke slowly, "This was my choice. The moment I surrendered my life to the Hammer of Bedrock, I was already dead.
"Zayn Klein, the future of the Mountain Kingdom is yours. Walk onward bearing the hopes of our ancestors and myself. Besides... I might not necessarily lose."
The dwarven king grinned broadly, giving a hearty laugh as he thumped his petrified chest, booming with heroic swagger, "That wicked dragon isn't guaranteed to best me. Even if I've given you the Hammer of Bedrock, don't forget—I am the mightiest warrior in the Mountain Kingdom!"
"Father..."
Zayn lowered his head in silence. He could see Ed's unwavering determination.
He knew his father well; once Ed set his mind to something, he would never waver. He was harder and more stubborn than diamond.
After a long silence, Zayn dropped to one knee before Ed, then raised his head to meet his father's gaze with resolute eyes.
Clutching the warhammer to his chest, he swore with resolute clarity, "Father, in the name of the Mountain Kingdom, and in the name of Father Moradin, I will fulfill everything you have entrusted to me, faithful unto death."
Dwarves had always been a folk who kept their word, renowned for courage and loyalty; when swearing upon their All-Father, the oath held greater weight than life itself.
"Hahaha, good! That's my boy! That's how a Lord of the Mountain ought to be!" Ed laughed heartily as he stepped forward and gave Zayn a firm slap on the back.
Zayn said solemnly, "Father, if you fall and Evindeldan is taken, I will spend the rest of my life seeking vengeance for you."
Ed shook his head. "I am already a dying dwarf. Falling on the battlefield alongside my old comrades is the very end I desire.
"Zayn, your paramount duty is to preserve the royal bloodline and our kingdom's civilization. You must never act recklessly."
Seeing Zayn still with his head bowed in quiet reluctance, Ed could only instruct, "Take our people to the Lonely Mountain. Lord Titus is waiting for you there."
"Yes, Father."
Watching Zayn's retreating back, Ed let out a deep sigh.
He knew that although his son seemed reserved and taciturn, in certain ways the boy was a mirror image of himself—never budging from a decision once made, with a temper more obstinate than bedrock.
If that day truly came, he could only hope Lord Titus would dissuade them and preserve dwarven lives, Ed thought.
"Your Majesty, have you finished speaking with Prince Zayn?" Bjorn asked, leaning on his walking staff as he ambled down from the other end of the corridor.
Ed nodded slightly. "Aye. But the lad won't necessarily heed me. Who knows what foolishness he might pull."
Bjorn coughed twice before offering a wry smile. "Why worry yourself over that, Your Majesty?
"I watched Prince Zayn grow up with my own eyes. At his age, he's far more level-headed than you ever were back then. At his age, you charged single-handedly into a green dragon's lair to win back the kingdom's treasures..."
"Of course! In those days, people called me the finest warrior of the Mountain Kingdom!" Ed roared with laughter. He instinctively reached for his hip, only to grasp empty air. A sudden hollow feeling washed over him—Zayn had already taken the Hammer of Bedrock.
Seeing Ed's momentary loss at once, Bjorn quickly offered, "Your Majesty, I shall have the smiths forge the finest warhammer for you immediately."
"No need." Ed waved a hand, a smug gleam in his eyes. "Back in the day, I had several fine weapons forged in the likeness of the Hammer of Bedrock. I was just fretting over having no chance to use them."
"Oh, and Your Majesty, there is another matter of importance."
"What is it?"
"Our scouts spotted wyvern knights near the Karid Mountains. Warnings have also arrived from the Harpers and the Arcane Hermitage. The armies of the Cinder Empire... have mobilized and are marching northeast, straight toward our Mountain Kingdom."
Ed showed neither surprise nor fear at Bjorn's words. He simply walked over to the room's terrace.
Ed mused with a sigh, "I truly didn't expect the Cinder Empire to move this fast. I thought they would need at least half a year to fully pacify North Aethel."
Bjorn sighed as well. "Indeed. With such hasty troop movements, do they not fear rebellions breaking out in the occupied lands?"
Gazing toward the distant mountains, Ed said slowly, "Tsk, tsk. Typical of an empire ruled by a red dragon—just as greedy as their Emperor, eager to swallow the entire world whole. Only..."
Ed reached out a hand. With a resonant hum, a metal warhammer, nearly identical in shape to the Hammer of Bedrock, flew from a chest across the room and landed firmly in the dwarven king's grasp.
Only then did Ed continue, "I wonder how many teeth that greedy beast will break trying to chew on a tough bone like the Mountain Kingdom?"
Meanwhile, in the open grounds before the palace, dwarven commanders and soldiers who had received word assembled in full battle regalia, donning their heaviest plate and bearing their finest armaments.
"We are children of earth and mountain!"
"Long live the dwarven race!"
"For the glory of Father Moradin!"
"Evindeldan shall never fall! Long live the Mountain Kingdom!"
Their battle cries surged like a roaring tidal wave, shaking the heavens. These dwarves did not yet know what sort of foe they were about to face, but no matter what, these unyielding folk would never bow easily.
...
Hearing the distant war cries and shouts, the dwarven prince, Zayn, turned his head. He tightened his grip on the Hammer of Bedrock, a storm of suppressed emotions churning in his chest.
"War is about to begin, yet I can only stand by and watch..." he murmured bitterly.
Yet Zayn knew all too well that he bore a far greater responsibility now. He could not foolishly turn back; to do so would dishonor his father.
He looked down at the foot of the Lonely Mountain, where tens of thousands of dwarves had gathered. Most were women and children, accompanied by several hundred young, spirited dwarven warriors like Zayn himself.
They were the Mountain Kingdom's future, entrusted to Zayn by Ed. Together, they would flee to the gold dragon's refuge and carry on millennia of their civilization.
Beside him, a dwarven attendant cried out in indignation, "Prince Zayn, we cannot leave just as battle begins! This... this is cowardice! We should stand shoulder to shoulder with His Majesty King Ed and fight to defend Evindeldan!"
Zayn shook his head. "Tork, this is my father's command. He sacrificed dearly for this; we cannot fail his expectations."
"But His Majesty..." Tork started to argue, but Zayn offered no reply, only nodding ahead to signal that they had arrived at the Lonely Mountain Vault.
"Tork, keep the others waiting outside. I will enter alone."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Tork and the dwarven guards took up positions outside the passage, watching as Zayn slipped into the concealed opening and ventured into the depths of the Lonely Mountain.
After walking through a narrow ravine, the space suddenly opened up before him.
"So this is... the Lonely Mountain Vault," Zayn murmured.
Standing before the vault's colossal iron doors, which towered over thirty meters high, Zayn felt a surge of excitement, his heart thumping against his ribs.
After all, this was the Lonely Mountain Vault, a sanctuary accessible only to shield dwarves of royal blood. It was said to house the most precious treasures accumulated by the kingdom over thousands of years.
Yet Ed had told him that Titus would be waiting inside the vault, so Zayn assumed their gold dragon ally had already gained entry.
He pressed his hands firmly against the doors.
Rumble—
Accompanied by a heavy, grinding roar, the massive iron doors slowly swung open. Yet inside, the chamber was entirely bare—none of the envisioned mountains of gold or glittering seas of gems were to be seen.
"How can this be...?" Zayn frowned instinctively, glancing around the empty space.
"Look no further. I have already relocated your treasures to a demiplane. Such wealth is far too precious; spies from the Cinder Empire might have uncovered it at any moment," a familiar voice echoed from the depths of the vault.
Zayn turned swiftly toward the sound, watching as a colossal gold dragon strode forth from the darkness.
His posture was remarkably graceful, and his scales gleamed brightly in the dim light, though numerous wounds marked his hide.
Zayn's face immediately brightened with joy, and he bowed in greeting. "Lord Titus! You are here. My father sent me to meet with you."
Although Zayn had barely crossed paths with the "Wings of Dawn" and exchanged only a few words, this gold dragon was the dwarves' recognized ally—the greatest dragon in their eyes.
"Prince Zayn, I presume? You've finally arrived. Our time is short; we must complete the relocation swiftly."
Titus gave a slight nod of acknowledgment, then gestured with a foreclaw toward the depths of the vault. "I have transferred your treasures into a demiplane. It is entirely secure there, and no servant of the Cinder Empire could ever discover it.
"However... King Ed spoke to me of one last thing that only you can take."
Zayn asked, curious, "What would that be?"
"Prince Zayn, follow me." Titus did not answer at once, simply striding forward on powerful forelegs toward the back of the chamber.
Zayn followed close behind the ancient gold dragon, gazing around in awe. The rock walls were etched with master craftsmanship depicting the historical epochs of the Mountain Kingdom and the effigies of past dwarven kings, radiating profound solemnity.
Though the treasures had been moved, the Lonely Mountain Vault itself could not be carried away; the murals would remain behind.
At this moment, Zayn wished he could etch every detail into his memory so he could recount the dwarves' glory to future generations. He finally understood the true weight of what his father had entrusted to him.
This was... civilization.
Just then, Titus's voice broke Zayn's reverie.
"Here we are."
Zayn realized they had reached the far end of the vault, halting before an unassuming stone wall.
"Smear your blood here," the ancient gold dragon said, tapping a claw tip against a specific spot on the wall.
"Alright." Zayn bit his fingertip and smeared the blood onto the wall.
The ancient gold dragon manipulated the blood, tracing out the Dwarven runes he had recorded, then commanded in a low voice, "Repeat after me: In the name of the Lord of the Mountain, ruler of the shield dwarves, bloodline of Blackrock Mountain..."
"By Moradin above, in the name of the Lord of the Mountain..." Zayn recited after him.
The blood-drawn glyphs flared with light, the runes gleaming brightly as the dwarven relief emitted a resonant roar.
Boom—
A plinth forged of dark iron slowly rose from the stone floor. Embedded atop it was half of a stone radiating a foul, malevolent aura, seemingly bound by ethereal chains.
Titus commanded again, "Drip your blood upon the pedestal."
Zayn obeyed, holding his finger over it. As the royal blood of the shield dwarves fell, the surrounding seal shattered instantly, and thick black mist erupted from the stone.
"Roar—release me! I will destroy you all!"
A beast-like roar thundered through the chamber. Evil, chaotic, and frenzied malice filled the air, condensing into a terrifying phantom of an orc that threatened to engulf both ancient gold dragon and dwarf.
Having endured an eternity under seal, this half of the Eye of Gruumsh had birthed its own consciousness; were it unleashed completely, it could well manifest into an abomination of demigod rank.
Grasping the Hammer of Bedrock with a grim expression, Zayn moved forward to fight.
Yet Titus stopped him. The massive ancient gold dragon bathed himself in golden radiance and plunged a great claw into the black mist. Instantly, furious roars, hisses, and desperate thrashing echoed from within.
After a brief grapple, the ancient gold dragon clutched the half stone in his talons, thick black tendrils oozing between his claws.
"Lord Titus, what is this...?" Zayn asked, his face pale with concern.
"The Eye of Gruumsh."
Titus frowned and said, "A truly wicked artifact. In your current state, you lack the power to keep it sealed. Allow me to safeguard it on your behalf."
"Yes, Lord Titus."
Zayn was thoroughly stunned, never imagining that such an unholy relic had been sealed inside the Lonely Mountain Vault.
Meanwhile Titus—or rather, Cassius—was ecstatic on the inside. If that was how it stood, he would happily take permanent custody of both the dwarves' treasures and this half of the Eye of Gruumsh!
Chapter 638