~ Chapter 99: The Flames of Urugudu ~

[Andu’Yang’Ores’ point of view]

 When the Emperor told me that the dragonesses would drop by my forge the following day, I did not expect them to be knocking on my door at the sun’s breakfast, right before the crows woke up, at the first rays of sunrise!

They were all looking bright and full of energy, while I looked as though an anvil struck me on the noggin and then a rabid Hanba dragged me across all Trindania.

I was tired. I was sleepy. I was a grumpy ol’ dwarf with a hangover.

“Ya’ winged lizards never heard of this ol’ thin’ called sleep?! Not even the sun woke up and ya askin’ me to be awake? Go back to ya’ beds and SLEEP!” I shouted and then slammed the door in their noses.

While grumbling about anvil, pesky rodents, and annoying door to door priests, I returned to my comfy bed.

Of course, that wasn’t the most polite thing a dwarf like me could do to the esteemed foreigner guests. It took me a full hour for my ol’ ticker between the ears to realize what I had just done.

With blood draining from my face, I jumped out of the bed and rushed to the door, but by that time, they were already gone. I prayed right there and then to the gods above that this unfortunate event would not leave a black stain on our Empire.

I wanted to be known throughout Trindania as the best blacksmith dwarf not that one dwarf who slammed the door in the nose of foreign dignitaries!

“Sigh... I best make myself some breakfast before the Emperor comes storming in demanding to know how I managed to mess up the international relationship between Trindania and Albeyater.” I said as I closed the door and then slowly walked over to the kitchen.

About two hours later, there was a loud knock on my door.

I made a silent prayer in my mind so that my soul would find peace in the afterlife and then went to see who it was.

When I opened the door, I saw Sir Seryanna and Sir Kataryna standing there, wearing their impressive armors.

“The Emperor’s executioners have grown terribly pretty. No mustache or beard too.” I said in surprise.

“That’s awfully rude.” Sir Kataryna puffed as she tossed me a cold glare.

“Ah! Pardon me!” I bowed my head.

“Andu’Yang’Ores, we apologize for arriving so early today. We didn’t know you weren’t a morning person.” Sir Seryanna said in a calm tone of voice.

“Ah, no! No! I should be the one to beg ye pardon. I was very rude, and my behavior deserves no excuse!” I said and bowed my head again.

“In that case, should I presume that it’s alright for us to begin with retrieving that hammer of yours?” Sir Seryanna asked.

“Huh? Oh, the Hammer of Umidaba, of course! But before we go, let me toss you two a warning. I’ve been studying the legends that speak of it for years now, and although some of the parts are exaggerated beyond measure, the details regarding its location have always been the same: within the belly of the Great Forge Urugudu once its flames have been stirred again, and the great volcano had let loose a mighty roar.” I explained.

“That sounds awfully descriptive.” Sir Kataryna raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, I think so too.” I nodded.

“When did the volcano roar?” Sir Seryanna asked.

“I believe that it was you, milady, who made it roar the other day.”

“I apologize for my unsightly behavior.” she said with a troubled look on her face.

“It appears we all have our teeny-weeny little problems, don’t we?” I showed them a wry smile.

After this rather awkward greeting, I guided the two dragonesses over to the Behemoth Mouth, a giant stone gate that could only be opened by powerful mages or someone with incredible Enlightened One strength.

The gate was the only entrance to the Great Forge Urugudu, and in times long past, it used to be guarded by giant golems made of metal. In those days, the great dwarf blacksmiths were forging weapons and armors of unmatched prowess, which were used in many of the past great wars. Very few of those wonders remained for the dwarfs of the present to use or study, and I was of the lucky few to get my hands on some of them.

To reach the Behemoth Mouth, wasn’t as easy as walking over to the market and back. We had to pass through the whole city of Exaver until we reached the other side of the Urugudu Mountain. To make our journey easier, we got on board my carriage and I drove us there. I may have been a cranky ol’ blacksmith, but that didn’t stop me from raising a strong Hanba to pull me wherever I wished to go.

Once we reached the big wall, surrounding the city, we drove on the road that ran alongside it all the way until it met with the sturdy cliffs of the Urugudu Mountain. Here, carved within the tough stone was the entrance to the forge, the Behemoth Mouth. It was gigantic, stretching far above the surrounding buildings, with a big monster’s face carved into it.

The eyes were said to be able to see far beyond the city’s wall, gazing at any unseen enemy that would dare approach this majestic place. Legend had it that when someone would dare block its view, then the Behemoth would eat up that dwarf’s luck and then spit it out as a curse of misfortune meant to bring them quickly to their doom.

One would not bother to listen to such silly superstitions, but then again, the former King did build himself a big museum in his own honor right in front of the Behemoth Mouth. It completely blocked its view at that time, but now... there was only the rubble left of it.

“Is this the Great Forge Urugudu?” Sir Seryanna asked as I was thinking about these things.

“Hm? Yes. You can see the carving of the Behemoth on the walls. The great beast is the pet of Urugudu, but there are some who actually claim it isn’t actually Urugudu’s but Andaryos’. For me it’s just the carving of someone with a good imagination.” I laughed.

“Aren’t you afraid to anger the gods by acting like this?” Sir Kataryna asked with a smile and a raised eyebrow.

“Nah!” I shook my head “If the mighty gods could be angered only with something of this level, then they would have destroyed the world already! Hahaha!” I replied.

As soon as we took our first step inside, we felt the scorching heat coming from the Flames of Urugudu. The dwarfs who were working here were sweating like a Hanba in a summer day, but they were all quick on their feet to prepare the Great Forge to once again be used by us dwarfs. It would take at least another twenty days before this place was good enough for me to move in.

“Follow me and ignore the busy bees.” I told the two as we moved deeper within the forge.

Unlike those here, we weren’t that bothered with the heat. I was wearing a special set of clothes enchanted to protect me high temperatures, and I also had my own special ability to help me cope with it.

In terms of size, the Great Forge of Urugudu was absolutely gigantic. It was large enough to house all the dwarfs in the capital city, but there were channels filled with flowing lava all over the place. Each of them was used to heat up a series of big metal cauldrons enchanted with magic so that they themselves wouldn’t melt but they would allow for the ores inside to turn to liquid. Next to them were forges that were also heated up by the lava. By using wind enchantments on the metal pipes, there was no need to worry about the smoke, it was all being pulled out of the forges and then guided outside above a steep cliff, far away from the city.

Now then, deep within this place, standing back-to-back with the volcano itself, was the biggest forge in this world!

When you stood in front of it, you could feel the overwhelming pressure from both the heat within its belly and all the Magic Energy radiated by each and every brick used to build it. All of them were enchanted by the great dwarfs of the past, and this in itself was a marvel of their skill and ingenuity.

I was the biggest blacksmith in the Trindania Empire, but when I compared myself to the legends of the past, I felt small and insignificant. Not even in my wildest dreams could I have ever designed a forge so perfect and big!

Because smelters used the lava flowing through the Urugudu Mountain to heat up the metals, the forged metals would all end up gaining a bit of earth spirit magic, increasing their strength and endurance. Also, our capital city was safe from the volcano’s wrath mostly thanks to this forge, which never allowed for the pressure within the lava pocket underneath our feet to reach the critical threshold.

The forge itself looked like a majestic stone dwarf who diverted the flow of lava flowing from behind him into two identical streams. The dwarf was shown only from his waist up, and the entrance into the forge was right in the middle of his chest. A flight of stairs with six big steps spread in front of him. Each step represented a month in the dwarf calendar, and at night, thanks to a complex system of silver mirrors, the moonlight was reflected from the outside and then sent down to light up the corresponding step.

A long long time ago, it was said that certain blades could only be forged on certain months. This old superstition was held in high regard even today.

“So where are the Flames of Urugudu? The Emperor told our Princess that you needed our help with them?” Sir Seryanna asked.

“The Flames of Urugudu? But you are looking at them.” I replied pointing at the two streams of lava on the left and right side of the forge.

“Pardon?” she blinked surprised and then looked at me with a furrowed brow.

“The Great Forge of Urugudu doesn’t use fire to heat up the ores with which we cast our blades, it uses the hot lava from the bowels of the mountain.” I replied with a nod.

“So where exactly is this Hammer of Umidaba?” Sir Kataryna asked.

“Well, first we’ll go to the forging area. It’s inside the big dwarf’s chest. There, we will enter the stream of lava and swim through it until we reach the heart of the forge, a pocket of magma located right underneath the Temple of the God of Fire.” I replied.

“So that’s why there was lava in there.” Sir Seryanna nodded.

“Yes, but up until recently there wasn’t enough pressure inside to raise the level of lava like this. Whatever you did back then, you nearly caused the whole mountain to blow up!” I laughed.

“I apologize.” Sir Seryanna looked away.

“Don’t worry, you just nearly caused a cataclysm that would have no doubt erased the whole of Exaver off the face of this world!” I teased her.

“Ugh.” she groaned and lowered her head.

After I had my fun, I led the two inside the forge. The heat there was so high that even I was starting to sweat. I may have said that we were going to swim in the lava, but I hoped they would just be able to do something about it with their powerful magic. If I stepped one foot inside that thing, my beard wouldn’t be the only thing burning off!

While I worried about such things, the two of them weren’t even bothered by the heat.

These dragonesses sure are something... I thought as I looked at them.

Inside this place, I saw the Anvil of Ages, which was said to be one of the tools needed to forge Legendary weapons and armor. It was placed right where the heart of the big stone dwarf was supposed to be, and its base was said to run down more than 20 meters deep under the floor. It was an enchanted anvil made out of a Celestium-Zaradin alloy. It was made to be nearly indestructible, so even if we wanted to, we couldn’t crack it, scratch it, or melt it into something else. The Anvil of Ages was made with one purpose alone and that was to be used in combination with the Hammer of Umidaba.

I wonder if I’ll get the chance to use you? I thought as I moved my hand across its shiny surface.

For me, this ancient forge was also a place where I could go to in order to relax or simply get away from the troubles of my life. Unfortunately, now I wouldn’t be able to do the same seeing how the Flames of Urugudu had been rekindled.

Letting out a sigh, I looked back at the two dragonesses who were staring seriously at the flow of molten rock coming from within the heart of the mountain.

“What do you think we should do?” asked Sir Seryanna.

“I could freeze the whole lava and turn it back into stone, but I fear that digging up a whole mountain to find the hammer would take too long.” Sir Kataryna replied and shrugged.

“Hm, freezing the lava should be kept only as a last resort.” she nodded.

As I listened to this new type of crazy talk, I was strongly retorting in my mind to their words:

Freeze the what now?! You know that thing comes straight from the core of the world, right? What will you do if you freeze the core?! Yes, it’s a bad idea to use flash freeze on lava! No, a terrible idea! What? No! No! Don’t use it as anything! Just toss that plan over in the pile of useless stuff alongside my common sense! Do you two have any idea how LONG we dwarfs waited for the Flames of Urugudu to start again?!

“Hm, then I could try and create a path through the lava. For me it isn’t that hot, but it might turn the dwarf into charcoal.” Sir Seryanna said.

It’s not that hot for you? What is your skin made from and what do you mean I’ll turn into charcoal? I’m not some piece of dried wood you toss in the fire to keep it lit! I can probably survive... a few seconds. I retorted in my mind while I furrowed my brow.

“Should I turn the dwarf into a frozen cube and bring him with us? We could defrost him when we find the hammer.” Sir Kataryna shrugged.

Turn the who in that what now? Defrost him? What am I, a piece of Hanba your grandma takes out of the cold room to heat up by the fire? Are you two thinking about this seriously or are you messing around with my nerves? I retorted while trying to keep a composed look on my face.

“I don’t want to carry him while also focusing on parting the lava flow.” she shook her head.

“He does look a bit heavy, true.” the other nodded.

I look heavy? I LOOK HEAVY?! How many tons do you think one fat dwarf weighs?! Aren’t you two Enlightened Ones? You can even open the Behemoth’s Mouth, so puny dwarfs shouldn’t pose a problem! Bah! Well, it’s not my fault all those lousy diets don’t contain any mead and meat. Vegetables? That’s for the Hanba to eat! We real dwarfs will eat the Hanba in turn! I retorted with a strange sense of pride blooming in my chest, pride for my big fat belly.

“Should we put him in an iron ball? I’m sure he can make one capable of surviving the heat, right?” Sir Seryanna asked.

“That’s a good idea, we could kick him all the way to the hammer.” she nodded.

Yes, I can make an iron ball that can survive the heat, but I would rather shave off my beard than go inside that thing! Also, if you kick me around like that, at the end, you’ll be popping out a dwarf covered in his own puke and unable to stand up straight! once again, my thoughts were inaudible to them.

“No, wait! But what if the enchants fail and he ends up cooked inside?” Sir Seryanna asked a bit worried.

“Meat is meat, I’ll get rid of the evidence.” she showed her toothy smirk.

Huh? Meat is meat? I’ll... I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. I turned my gaze away.

Of all things, I definitely didn’t want to end up as a dragoness’ brunch.

“You can’t do that, Kataryna, you’ll get indigestion!” Sir Seryanna scolded her.

I don’t even know what to say. Should I be angry, or should I be pleased? I wondered on my own.

The two of them continued to exchange these sorts of terrible ideas, while I felt my sanity going down with each word that came out of their mouths. By the time they settled on what they had to do, I was looking into the far-off horizon with dead fish eyes.

“Ah, I feel as though my existence is fading away...” I said in whisper.

“Andu’Yang’Ores, we’re ready.” Sir Seryanna called out to me.

“Very well, so? What are you going to do to me?” I asked as I had accepted my fate of being one that no dwarf should suffer from.

“Hm? We’ll take you to the hammer, of course.” Sir Seryanna nodded.

“She’ll be splitting the flow of the lava, and I will create a bubble of lower temperature around us so that the heat from it won’t harm you. This way, you will be able to safely accompany us to the hammer, while at the same time, we won’t risk turning the Flames of Urugudu into stone.” Sir Kataryna explained in a calm tone of voice as though she was describing a regular visit to the local market.

Faced with such an outlandish solution, I could only nod in approval and pray to the spirits that I would come out alive at the end of the day.

Thus, while the two of them were preparing their individual magics, I positioned myself between them just as they had told me. If I would have stood behind Sir Kataryna, there was a chance I could be left behind. Standing in front was not possible, so the only reasonable choice was to be sandwiched between the two of them.

Normally, a young lad would have rejoiced to stand between these two beauties, but my old beard was afraid of being turned into an icicle by the dragoness behind me and into charcoal by the one in front of me. I would not mind staying single my whole life if it meant coming out of this experience alive!

“Let’s go!” so said Sir Seryanna, who unsheathed her sword and then poured an enormous amount of Magic Energy through it.

She then cast a spell without a chant and the moment the tip of the blade touched the flowing lava, it split in half like a sea cut by the blade of a giant. Standing behind her, I could feel the burning heat coming from the front, but also the chilling wind coming from my back. The power these two had was akin to an Apostle of the spirits or maybe one of the gods!

With a confident look on their faces, the two stepped forward, dragging me with them. My body didn’t know whether to sweat or shiver, but my instincts all called out to me and told me to stand in line and not move a single millimeter away from my spot least I wish to meet the end of my days.

There was one concern these two did not consider, and that was the difficulty of breathing in this heat. While their armors were somehow able to supply them with the much-needed air, I did not have that luxury. The moment I felt my breath turning heavy, I grabbed a few Rudamera leaves and pushed them against my nose.

This plant was often found in areas that lacked breathable air and were harvested by divers who wished to stay underwater a lot longer. In some parts of the Trindania, the dwarfs even forged a bunch of metal bottles with Rudamera leaves inside so that they could work underwater or while surrounded by poisonous air. Us blacksmiths used them as well when we stayed for far too long near the forge. We often got dizzy because of the lack of air, which was not good when you had a bunch of pointy things and red-hot metal all around you.

As we moved through the lava, I was forced to squint my eyes really hard because of the glowing light. It was terribly frightening to move like this, more so when I knew that if either of these two dragonesses stopped their magic for whatever reason, I would end up dead.

We could not talk, and we could barely see. For the most part, we moved around like blind gofers trying to find the right path to the much-desired treasure. Yet, despite all of this, we kept pressing forward, with each step along the way risking to never return.

I honestly did not understand why these two agreed to this foolish request of mine. It was not like someone’s life depended on me finding that hammer. There was no way a bunch of Celestium-Zaradin alloy dust could be of use to anyone as far as I knew. At most, this was nothing but a fool’s errand. Then again, if these two were the fools, then I was an even bigger fool than them.

Finding the Hammer of Umidaba was also part of the trial. None of the legends specified where exactly we could find it within the belly of Urugudu, but the deeper we got, the more difficult it was to take the next step. The lava around us roared like an angry beast and being surrounded by it like this made me feel the pressure of a thousand anvils on my body.

Although I was not a jumpy dwarf, within this protective bubble made by the power of the two dragonesses, I felt as though I was standing on the edge of dangerous cliff. It was weird, but I felt a strange fear within my heart that made me imagine the lava getting closer to me or suddenly attacking me as if possessed by some wretched spirit.

This strange state of mind was not something I, Andu’Yang’Ores, never heard of before. These strange feelings and thoughts that rushed through my mind were all symptoms of the Ghostly Disease miner dwarfs often experienced when they found themselves trapped underground.

Even for me, it was difficult to keep my calm with the amount of fear and anxiety that was building up in my heart. I wanted to turn around and run all the way to the exit, but I had to remind myself that I could not turn back now. If I did, I would meet a quick death from the pressure and heat of the lava around me. I just had to trust these two dragonesses. My life was in their hands, but my mind and spirit were slowly being chipped away by this whole experience.

Maybe the biggest danger around here will not be the lava but my own stupid self? I thought as I looked at Sir Seryanna’s folded wings.

Unlike me, she kept pushing forward, cutting the lava with her blade, while behind me Sir Kataryna was lowering the temperature to the point where it was not dangerous for me. Neither of them showed the weakness I was being slowly overcome by, and I could hardly imagine the type of mighty dwarf needed to face this sort of challenge alone. No wonder no one claimed the Hammer of Umidaba for so many centuries. No one short of a powerful Enlightened One could pass through this infernal furnace.

With only my thoughts to keep me company, I continued to walk down on the path they laid out for me. Fear and worry were constantly swirling in my noggin, but I did not allow for either of them to take hold of my heart.

After about half an hour of walking like this, I began to feel as though not just me but all of us were at the end of our strength, and I had yet to do any heavy lifting. This in itself just proved to show what formidable beings these two were.

It was around this time though when Sir Seryanna came to a stop. She turned to look back at us and then pointed to the front.

Is there something there? I wondered.

The dragonesses had far better senses than I did. My own ears were getting a bit rusty from all the hammering I had done back at my forge. My back wasn’t in top shape either, once in a while it creaked like an old door.

I could not see anything in front of me, but it appeared as through Sir Kataryna understood what Sir Seryanna was trying to say. She gave her a nod and then we move forward a couple more steps. There, Sir Seryanna cast a strange but powerful spell that simply pushed back the entire wall of lava. It was definitely a difficult move to pull because the enchants on her armor activated as well. Lines of red light decorated it, glowing with a powerful energy.

In an instant, I found myself to be mesmerized and intrigued by this wonder of blacksmithing. The smooth ways the hammering was done on each part was astonishing, almost as if the blacksmith was able to mold the tough metal as easy as I would mold clay. What was even more surprising were the many intricate parts that I could see through some of the gaps in the armor, it was like it was an entire machinery that worked with a clockwork precision.

That sword of hers, Drachenkrieg, was a similar piece of amazing craftsmanship. It was made out of many smaller parts, but by the gods if I knew how to make even a handful of those.

While I was being mesmerized by her armor and sword, Sir Kataryna walked up behind me and smacked me behind my head.

I stumbled forward and nearly fell face first into the flowing lave underneath our feat. Now that I looked at it, it appeared as though a very thin layer of ice was separating us from it.

When I turned around, I saw Sir Kataryna pointing at something in front of us.

Could it be? I thought and then turned to look that way.

Right in front of Sir Seryanna, at just a few steps away from her, I saw a stone pedestal on which laid a hammer. The pedestal was glowing yellow from the heat it emitted, while the hammer itself looked like it was broken into a several pieces. For a moment, I feared that the passing of ages may have ruined the wondrous artifact, but when I approached it, I was glad to find out that I was mistaken.

The handle of the hammer was made from enchanted wood and covered in a black leather, no doubt the hide of a powerful monster, otherwise it wouldn’t have survived in this inferno. The head of the hammer was made from pieces of black metal held together by a yellow-glowing core, almost as if it was trying to mimic the very lava it was surrounded by.

As I stood there and looked at it, I felt my heart burst with excitement.

This is the real thing! The actual Hammer of Umidaba! The Hammer of Umidaba! Praise the spirits, it was real! I shouted in my mind and knelt in front of it.

I must have been a very strange sight to behold at that time. Behind me were Sir Kataryna and Sir Seryanna in their miracle armors, wielding their incredible weapons to divert the flow of the raging lava around us. We were all standing on a thin layer of ice made by magic, so that our soles wouldn’t burn off because of the lava, and at the center of this image ripped out of a legendary quest I stood like a foolish old dwarf, crying my eyes out at the sight of a hammer placed headfirst on top of a pedestal the glowed yellow from the heat.

I wiped my tears off with my palm and noticed the inscription carved into the pedestal.

In the bowls of Unamir,

Urugudu’s Flames stoke the Metals of Namibai.

They are the bones of dwarfs and forever shall be tempered

By the Hammer of Umidaba

Only he dwarf who knows the truth of forging

Can wield it in his grasp.

Only he dwarf who knows why Blacksmiths

Need to have countless heads and limbs

Can pick up the Hammer of Umidaba

Woe he dwarf who smells of greed and hate

For he shall be struck down by the blade forged by Umidaba!

Reading these lines, I felt as a great feeling of awe surged from the pit of my stomach. These were not just some simple lines scribbled on this ancient pedestal by some drunk dwarf, they were words of wisdom from the great ones who enshrined the hammer here.

How unfortunate I was that I couldn’t write them down on a piece of paper, so I did my best to memorize them on the spot, just in case I failed this test and walked away empty handed.

The first four lines describe the Hammer of Umidaba. Hm... the metals of Namibai. Could it be the Zaradin and Celestium ores? The last two lines are definitely a warning asking only those pure of heart to attempt to pick it up. Hm... then the others must be the conditions. I thought as I rubbed my beard.

While I was focused on these words, Sir Kataryna walked over and smacked me over the back of my head, nearly losing my balance again.

With a furrowed brow and rubbing the sore spot, I looked back at the dragoness. She puffed and then pointed at Sir Seryanna. She couldn’t hold on for much longer. Using that much Magic Energy was no easy feat even for her.

I nodded understandingly to Sir Kataryna and then looked back at the hammer.

Meh, it won’t hurt if I at least give it a try. I said and then grasped the handle of the sword.

The conditions for picking it up came back to me as questions. It was as if a stranger was talking to my mind, but it was probably just my imagination. Like the old fool that I was, I answered honestly to them.

To the first condition, I replied that truth of forging was simple in its nature. Us blacksmiths made the blades and armors as the warriors who wielded them requested them, but in our hearts, we would never hold ourselves responsible for the way they were used. It was not the weapon that made the dwarf but the dwarf that made the weapon.

To the second condition, I replied that I never heard of a mutated dwarf like that, but maybe it was referring to all those who worked together, and at times even helped each other in order to create the best of items. After all, no dwarf was a one-man army. We had apprentices, miners, smelters, suppliers, buyers and sellers, we had to rely on countless other people in order to make just one blade.

And then, when I tried to lift it, the hammer was as light as a feather. It glowed once in a bright white light and then returned to normal.

I was surprised by this, but I did not had time to bask in the joy and glory of having obtained the legendary Hammer of Umidaba. Sir Kataryna grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and then the two dragonesses rushed out of there.

This sight would have looked more fantastic, more mythical if not for that one bearded dwarf dangling behind like a helpless relliar cub. I felt as though my dignity as a dwarf had been shattered to smithereens.

But... but I’m big enough to run on my own... I won’t stumble... I promise... I thought as I looked at the flowing lava in front of me with dead fish eyes.

After all of this, not even the imminent danger of being burnt alive could move me.

It took us more than half an hour to reach the hammer, but we got out in not even a minute. It must have been far easier to go with the flow of the lava than against it.

The first breath of fresh air that I took felt as though it was the best one in my whole life! Who knew that breathing without the aid of the Rudamera leaves was so pleasant? Who knew that being able to keep your eyes fully open was so wonderful? Who knew it could be so delightful to be out in the open?

“Ah! It’s so good to be outside!” I said as tears gathered in the corners of my eyes.

“You idiot dwarf, you nearly got us killed...” said Sir Kataryna as she was catching her breath.

“Y-Yes... Huff! How... Huff! How many times... Huff! Do you think you nearly strayed on the wrong path?!” Sir Seryanna retorted while squeezing her words between her gasps.

“Or how many times did you had to stop and gaze out into the horizon as though you saw something absolutely fascinating in the lava?!” Sir Kataryna retorted.

“Huh? But I do not remember any of those things happening. This took no more than half an hour, right?” I asked scratching the back of my head.

“Half an hour?!” they both shouted at me at the same time.

“Huh?” I was a bit confused.

“Try THREE hours!” so said Sir Kataryna.

“Erm... Are you sure the lava ain’t be messing with your memory?” I asked furrowing my brow.

I may be old, but I definitely ain’t the type to lose my bearings or track of time.

“No! I’m sure of it!” Sir Seryanna replied.

“Hm, then I don’t have the faintest idea as to what might have happened in there. What’s good is that we managed to bring back the Hammer of Umidaba!” I said with a smile as I showed them the loot.

“Yes. Speaking of which, why did you have to stare for one hour at the hammer?” Sir Kataryna asked.

“Huh? Milady, I beg your pardon, but for me it only felt like minutes. This whole trip felt like half an hour at best. I can even recall when you smacked me over the back of my head two times.” I nodded and showed them that I was quite confident in my own knowledge.

“Two times?” Sir Kataryna raised an eyebrow as she looked at me “Try 27 times. I counted.”

“Huh?” I blinked surprised.

“And thirty slaps, four tail whips, and a hit to the shin.” Sir Seryanna nodded.

Now that explains why my cheeks sting and my shin hurts. I thought it was just the biting cold outside to be blame. I thought.

“Sigh... if you really don’t remember to have spent three hours in there with us, then maybe the place was enchanted with a powerful charm to prevent random dwarfs from entering. We are dragonesses, so maybe that spell didn’t work on us?” Sir Seryanna said.

“Or maybe it was thanks to the armors, who knows what sort of enchantments Alkelios cast into them?” Sir Kataryna said with a soft smile as she looked at her right gauntlet.

What sort of an amazing blacksmith could this Alkelios fellow be? Now I want to meet him even more! I thought and then looked at the Hammer of Umidaba, which I held in my hands. “With this, maybe we can truly begin to restore the power of the Trindania Empire of the old. Now, neither the fear of foreigners nor the corruption of our rulers stands in our way.”

The power of this magical artifact was beyond anything I had imagined, yet even with it I couldn’t see myself building something as complex and incredibly beautiful as the armors and weapons these two dragonesses had. Comparing my own work with that of this mysterious Alkelios was no different than comparing a copper sword with a zaradin one.