33rd Day, Morning
Iron Fang Settlement, Jarl’s Manor

 

 

Elissa finished healing Fenirael, it had taken her three hours to do so; this was the first time that Elissa had manipulated something as fragile as the brain, but after being taught and seeing her friend and mentor, doctor Sandra Jordan in action she saved her demoness. First she had to take the bone shards out of her brain, melt them and seal her skull; then regenerate the brain without causing cancerous growths and the rest was easy.

She went to clean her hands soiled by dried blood in a copper basin set aside for her, it was a simple magical item that warmed water to a set temperature.

“Lady Dragonfang, yer a healer.” The awed and familiar voice of Princess Brunhilda rang behind her.

“Among other things.” Elissa said not liking the warm sensation of the water on her skin.

Even with this little bit of hot water she felt uncomfortable; Elissa went to sit at Fenirael’s side on the silver cushioned chair. It was really comfy and she planned to steal it before she left. Brunhilda was still observing her and found that she was weird, even for an elf.

The Dwarven princess had to lend her one of the finest rooms in the Jarl’s manor, the old man wasn’t happy about that. Elissa's performance in wiping out the beast tide wasn't reassuring and there was a guards' detachment surrounding the Manor in case she went bonkers for some reason or another. Brunhilda was thinking about what happened today, how her world changed.

Time passed and the Princess resumed her duties at the watchtower under the judging gazes of her fellow guards. *Ah cannae be arsed tae care about these fools.* She thought.

What she was more concerned about was how her father would receive the news that a powerful mage had arrived in their territory; as she looked into the horizon, Brunhilda found it weird that no one was updating the defenses to resist lightning magic. After doing her watch duty, Brunhilda went to do some quick research in the Jarl’s library, she discovered why no updates were being enacted, Lady Dragonfang wasn't just a lightning mage but a storm mage and she had dominion over at least three elements.

*Slag! Dat’s cheating.* She cried in dismay.

The walls could only support a certain number of enchantments before they were all interfering with each other or the material they were engraved on started unraveling. Dwarven engineering sought to circumvent this problem entirely, but they found no way to succeed.

It was afternoon when Brunhilda returned to the manor and found Lady Dragonfang in the same position she had last left her, at the side of her companion, she was sleeping back leaning on the same cushioned chair and her hand holding a golden dagger rather tightly. Having a really big breadth of knowledge from a slew of royal tutors, Brunhilda knew what she was holding was a Dragontooth of Lareth; an iconic weapon that few possessed, the princess also noticed how the Lady’s clothes were repairing themselves.

*She isn’t tha trusty sort.* Brunhilda realized as the Lady was clearly sleeping with a weapon in her hand.

Elissa Dragonfang entered this manor with holes in her outfit, she had refused to take them off and change into something less distracting for the guards.

*Now ah see, dis is enchanted clothes, it takes from her mana tae repair itself; dis is a really advanced piece of enchantments dat even tha artisans of our kingdom wouldn’t be able tae replicate.” Brunhilda was thirty-five years old, barely out of her teens by dwarven standards, but she was taught multiple crafts to put her on the road to her final profession. She had hesitated between mage, seamstress and warrior, the princess could easily see through the worth of the multiple treasures that Lady Dragonfang seemed to be wearing like symbols of her wealth.

Suddenly, the patient on the bed stirred and was in a seating position, looking around herself. Her eyes were completely red and her skin black as coal, horns comparable to a bull’s sprouted out of her skull. Brunhilda stood frozen before the demoness, she almost went for her weapon but before any violence happened Lady Dragonfang intervened by hugging her.

“Feni, you are awake!” Elissa kissed the demoness’ cheeks and lips.

Overwhelmed Fenirael tried to temper her mistress’ happiness. “Mistress, where are we?”

“We are at the Dwarves’ outpost, we are safe.” Lady Dragonfang said as she scowled at Brunhilda who had a hand on the handle of her Warhammer.

The princess slowly let her hand fall back to her side and gave them an awkward smile. When Elissa’s gaze left her, Brunhilda’s shoulders sagged in relief; this was the gaze of someone who had killed before and wouldn't shy away from doing it again. The Dwarven princess had thought that the eradication missions in the mountains and the tunnels of the kingdom had toughened her up, but she was still too green.

“Princess.” Elissa called.

Leaving her train of thoughts, Brunhilda stared at the sun elf. “Huh, yes?”

“Thank you for permitting us to stay and rest, this is a debt that I shall endeavor to repay.” Elissa stood up and slightly bowed her head.

Awkwardly, Brunhilda scratched behind her head and said, “Dinna worry M’lady, helpin’ travellers is one of the guards’ duties.”

“Is there anything I need to do right now?” Elissa asked; just like Malicia, she didn’t like being in debt to others and preferred the reverse, and she felt that the Dwarves were going to ask something of her very soon. The only thing delaying it was their fear of offending her.

Brunhilda giggled slightly. “Well… tha Jarl wants a meetin’ with ye, but maybe ye should doll yerself up before going tae him.”

Elissa looked at her attire, her clothes were almost recovered; but she knew they weren’t fit for someone of her supposed station. Fortunately she had another set of clothes that her mother had packed for her. Confident that she could pull this off, Elissa accepted to meet the Jarl and the princess directed her to the bathroom first.

 

---

 

Jarl Ulfric Steelspeaker’s study

 

Ulfric was conflicted, as a Jarl his duty to his people was paramount; since yesterday everything had been a mess. There was a beast tide that almost reached their walls, certainly another attack from Siodhanth, the Fire Dragon residing in the neighboring forbidden forest. She had been a thorn in the side of the Dwarven Kingdom since they ousted her from the mountain five hundred years ago.

Siodhanth had destroyed the Iron Fang settlement twice before the Kingdom developed weaponry able to give her pause and damage her. The Iron Fang settlement couldn’t expand past the mine since the Dragoness stamped down hard on any forays into the mountains and beyond.

Then there was this Lady Dragonfang to consider, a kingdom destroying mage in their humble settlement; Ulfric took a sip of Kava coffee and put the cup in its saucer. His elbows were against the precious wood of his desk and his face between his hands, Ulfric looked for a solution to his problem. He had already sent an urgent message to the capital concerning the situation and was now waiting to meet the She-Elf.

Knock. Knock.

It was finally time to meet this Lady Dragonfang, the Jarl quickly straightened his clothes and beard and said, “Enter.”

The door opened on an elf with crimson red hair and sun kissed skin, her predatory and piercing eyes were like finely cut gemstones; Lady Dragonfang was wearing a deep blue hooded gown with purple highlights. Her silver jewelry consisting of a thin elven crown around her head and enchanted necklace, earrings and bangles made her ethereal beauty shine even more.

Ulfric continued to stare at her for another thirty seconds before realizing that he was being rude, coughed and smiled at the Lady. The Jarl stood and went to meet her holding his hand out to her.

“Well met, M’Lady ah am Jarl Ulfric Steelspeaker and ah welcome ye in my humble abode.” Ulfric said respectfully.

Lady Dragonfang took his arm in hers, shaking it like a Dwarf would with enough strength to show that she was no dainty flower, Ulfric’s eyes went wide at that and then smiled in appreciation.

“Indeed. Well met, Jarl Steelspeaker.” Lady Dragonfang said slightly nodding.

Ulfric was beginning to like the She-elf, he invited her to sit on the sofa bordering his modest library and offered refreshments and snacks; the Lady accepted a cup of Kava and the entirety of the plate of cinnamon rolls. It pleased Ulfric to see that she wasn’t one of those stuck up sun elves that had no manners. She seemed at ease and used to Dwarfish manners; Ulfric didn’t feel that she looked down on him at all, she was unlike any elf he had met.

The Lady ate with relish making some moaning noise that stirred Ulfric’s blood but he chose to viciously stomp on any ungentledwarfly thoughts.

“Oh, this is delicious Jarl Steelspeaker; may I inquire if you would be accommodating enough in giving me the recipes and ingredients for those?” Lady Dragonfang praised, she was getting greedy for some more dwarven pastries.

Ulfric looked at her with mild amusement and awe. “M’Lady yer a sight fer tha eyes, beautiful and healthy; ah’ll certainly accede tae such a paltry thing.”

Dwarves liked women who ate their fill and didn’t shy away from being open with the men, it was as if this she-elf had been in contact with his race and been acquainted with them for centuries judging by the growth rates of elves. Ulfric guessed that on her world there must be a Dwarven enclave with surprising freedom, this was mere speculation at this point but it could explain why this she-elf was so at ease being with dwarves.

“You silver tongued dwarf.” Elissa reddened a bit after waving him off in an elegant gesture.

“Lady Dragonfang.” The Jarl’s tone became serious after their sharing banter.

Lady Dragonfang’s countenance changed as well, become more solemn. “Yes?”

“Why are ye in dis settlement?” he couldn’t understand why someone of such power and good breeding would brave the savage surface of Svartalfheim and come to find them.

The she-elf bent forward and took the fuming cup of kava and made the brownish liquid swirl in the Kava-mug absentmindedly. “I have a really good reason, Jarl.”

Ulfric didn’t like that, this She-Elf seemed to take control of the conversation too easily, he asked himself who taught her diplomacy. Lady Dragonfang’s lips curved slightly as she looked at the Jarl in the eyes.

*She’s being so laconic…* The Jarl thought, not liking this brand of diplomacy at all. “Then Lady why don’t ye be straight with this old dwarf?”

Lady Dragonfang leaned on her seat, took a sip of Kava and after ten seconds began to expunge on her reasons for traveling to the Lesay Mountains. “That was certainly my intention, Jarl. I recently came into possession of lands on this planet and I want to hire a dwarven workforce for the construction of some infrastructure, and I desire for them to teach some of their knowhow to some of my people.”

“Dis is a costly endeavor, M’Lady.” The Jarl knew what it cost his race to even have this settlement on the surface; wars and a lot of dwarven lives.

*But what she told me is that she has already secured those lands she’s speaking about.* Ulfric noticed. Such a young looking sun-elf had been doing such a dangerous gambit, but after seeing her power yesterday; Jarl Ulfric knew that she wasn’t boasting.

“I do realize that, that is why I’m approaching your government to open a trade agreement and to hire your services.”

Ulfric felt that she was telling the truth, but even though he had begun to like this She-Elf he stayed wary. However, he wouldn’t let his wariness put itself before a potential new partner who seemed to already have a power base on the surface.

“Ye’d need tae have a formal meetin’ with tha High-King.” Ulfric answered, he was certain that the king would receive Lady Dragonfang, however the sycophants in the court would try to delay that to try to line their pockets.

Lady Dragonfang tilted her head, not really surprised. “Oh I guess you don’t have the power to make such a decision, should I write a letter?”

The Jarl laughed, “That wou’ help, however ah’ll have tae first send a letter of recommendation.”

“That is rather generous of you, Jarl Ulfric.” Lady Dragonfang commented and smiling at the gentle-dwarf.

Ulfric beat on his pectorals with a fist, nodded and said, “Ah think of meself as a good judge of character, M’Lady. Ye seems tae be a good soul.”

Lady Dragonfang reciprocated with a slight nod, took another cinnamon roll and ate it primly; she then took another sip of Kava from her mug. Ulfric watched how she moved and held herself, if he was younger he would have surely tried to woo her, however he felt that her station was too high and he didn’t think that such a well bred she-elf wasn’t already engaged to nobility on her homeworld.

The Lady having finished snacking and without a doubt scheming spoke, “When can I expect to have an audience with his Majesty?”

Ulfric lowered his gaze and put his hands around his mug and said quietly, “It depends on a lot of things, M’Lady…”

Lady Dragonfang gave Ulfric a predatory smile, “Could a gift quicken this procedure?”

Crossing her legs, the sun-elf seemed to be anticipating that bribes would speed up the process of getting an audience with the king. The Dwarven kingdom wasn’t perfect, it ran on nepotism and meritocracy, those two kinds of duality didn’t destroy their way of life because the dwarves were a clannic society. Patronage or favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship, as in business and politics bolstered their economy and societal moral views of the race.

“What cou’ ye offer, M’Lady Dragonfang?” Ulfric smiled, he was happy that the Lady understood Dwarven society and wasn’t one of those uppity sun-elves who were blunt and too honorable.

Reciprocating with her own smile, Lady Dragonfang uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. “I have already done so.”

Ulfric furrowed his brow, he didn’t anticipate this. “Pray tell what do ye mean by that?”

Lady Dragonfang nodded and stood up, looking around her from the library to the alcohol dispenser and the tasteful handmade decorations in the study; the majority of Ulfric’s furniture were made of wood, glass and metal. After touching most of them Lady Dragonfang turned to the Jarl and began to speak about what she endured to reach the Iron Fang settlement.

“When we were pursued by the beast tide coming from the forbidden forest I closed the pass with a one hundred meter tall and ten meter thick granite wall. And I wiped out the tide located in the mountains.” The she-elf returned to sit on the sofa, crossed her legs again and said, “You are now free to expand your settlement into the mountain chain, is it enough?” Elissa asked

The Jarl opened his eyes wide. “That wou’ certainly do it!” He said in an excited tone. “But M’Lady we’ll have tae confirm yer claim first.”

“I have the time and the willingness to be patient.” Lady Dragonfang said, focusing her gaze on the Jarl. The Dwarf gulped when this cold verdant gaze was on him. “However, more than a week of waiting would be disrespectful Jarl Ulfric, I have people depending on me.”

Enduring her frosty gaze, Ulfric answered with, "Aye, if there's a thing us Dwarves don't do it's insulting a guest. Meanwhile, M'Lady ah invite ye tae mingle with tha people of the settlement; ah presume that Princess Brunhilda will be yer guide."

"Indeed, she offered. Could you get her out of guard duty? I wish to have her with me at all times, she would of course keep an eye on me and avoid all those pesky guards that should be manning the walls instead of worrying about little old me." Lady Dragonfang said.

"Ah ken do that." Ulfric said after thinking about it.

 

---

 

Clack.

Elissa closed the door to Jarl Ulfric’s study and sighed heavily, after a second of contemplation she turned to the left and walked through the stone corridor. The Jarl’s manor was carved out of stone, marble and white polished granite to be precise. It looked like a fort and a viking hall had a baby to Elissa but the architecture was elegant and not blocky at all.

As her jewelled low-heeled shoes clacked on the marble tiles Elissa was being stared at by the servants and guards. They acted as if they had never seen an elf before. The young woman cursed Malicia for having forced this glamour upon her; what was worse? She felt like an elf and she didn’t recognize herself in the mirror, certainly she was even more beautiful, but this golden skin, pointy ears and the added ten centimeters in height just didn’t do it for her.

*I guess mother wanted me to be attacked on sight by the dark elves, for training purposes.* Elissa told herself.

Turning right towards the wing of the manor dedicated to guests; the young woman had memorized the manor’s floor plan that Brunhilda had so nicely given her. After a while Elissa found herself face to face with the Dwarven Princess who was guarding the entrance of her room.

Chuckling, Elissa said, “You don’t have to do this, you know?” She passed a hand through her hair, a rebellious strand of hair darkening her field of view.

“Lady Dragonfang.” Brunhilda said, smiling.

They had bonded over girly stuff and alchemical beauty products that Elissa had made; The Dwarven princess was also a warrior and Elissa could talk weapons and armor with her like no other.

The redhead frowned at the use of her title. “Please call me Elissa. Can I call you Brunhilda?”

They looked at each other, Elissa wanted to be friends with the princess; not because of her position but because she found her pleasant, it was like being with another Danny Sparks. For Brunhilda it was the first time that someone came at her using this angle, Lady Dragonfang seemed genuinely interested in her. As a Princess of the Dwarven Kingdom her station had made it so that she had very few true friends.

Deciding to give the She-elf a chance, Brunhilda said, “Just Hilda, me friends call me dis.”

Elissa held her arm to Brunhilda who took it in hers and squeezed it strongly like a Dwarven warrior should. Brunhilda was tall for a female Dwarf, one hundred fifty centimeters, with golden hair and blue eyes that were exotic and not the norm in the stout folk’s gene pool.

Looking directly into Brunhilda’s eyes, Elissa said, “Thank you for all your help Hilda, you helped me save one of my best friends.”

Brunhilda felt the sincerity and relief that Elissa exuded. “It was me pleasure.” The princess answered as her heart warmed as the feelings of the she-elf were written all over her face.

To the Princess, sun-elves did not display their emotions to people who they weren’t family or friends with and she filed that away in her brain, but she was touched by the display. They let go of each other and Elissa put her hand on the silver ornate door handle and as she was about to enter she stopped and looked at the Princess. “Do you want to enter? We can have a meal delivered, there are some things I need to discuss with you about your kingdom.”

Brunhilda’s sharp gaze settled on Elissa. “Gathering information?” She raised an eyebrow at Elissa.

The redhead just smiled at her, “I am new to this planet, and I need information.”

Brunhilda accepted and followed her as she was opening the door, Elissa went through first, the heavy wooden door opened on Fenirael being fed by her sister; Rilo and Aghri were asleep on a literal army of cushions. Elissa shook her head at that, her pseudodragon familiars were getting spoiled.

“Welcome back Mistress.” Fenirael and Reinatiel said in unison as Elissa and Brunhilda entered the room.

Elissa quickly walked to her demonesses and hugged them delicately, taking care not to break any bones because of her super strength. After a kiss on each of their cheeks, Elissa asked, “How are you two feeling?”

“Great, Mistress! Thank you for saving my life.” Fenirael said as she held her Mistress’ arm, Reinatiel just said that she was fine.

But no, they weren’t fine, Elissa almost lost her friend and died in an ambush; she had the distinct impression that this beast tide wasn’t a coincidence.

“We will need to fix your gear Feni, Rei we need to step up our game. Did you finish simplifying those Mythals in the books we discovered?”

“Yes mistress, I think we can easily learn them tonight.” Reinatiel said instantly.

The Mage demoness had focused on the support Mythal but she had at least an offensive one that her Mistress could use in conjunction with her ice magic. In its unaltered form it was a high-speed high magic ritual that would rain fire down on armies; the spell was scalable. Reinatiel had adapted it to her Mistress, allowing her to use elements other than fire.

An evil looking smile appeared on Elissa’s face. “Excellent.”

Elissa stepped back from and showed them Brunhilda who looked at them with a wry smile, their interactions seemed to amuse her. She couldn’t believe that Elissa was a sun-elf, her temperament and personality simply didn’t match.

Grandly, Elissa said, “Girls, this is my new friend, Hilda. She helped us greatly.”

Needless to say, Reinatiel knew who Brunhilda was and promptly genuflected and said, “Princess, this is an honor.”

Fenirael looked at her sister, rolled her eyes and then told Brunhilda, “Sorry if I can’t bow or anything Princess, I am still restricted to bed.”

Laughing, the female dwarf replied. “No bowin’ tae me, ah really dinna like those formalities.” Brunhilda said embarrassed.

Brunhilda loathed etiquette, to her it was time lost on something more urgent. Let’s just say that the customary code of polite behavior in dwarf society could be stricter or laxer than others or among members of a particular dwarven profession like Alchemist or carpenter. It was stricter the higher you go up the ladder. Brunhilda envied commoners terribly.

“As you wish, Princess.” The two sisters said in unison slightly bowing their head.

Elissa, Brunhilda and Reinatiel took chairs to sit near the bed where Fenirael was laying. Reinatiel took some elven pastries from the spatial ring her Mistress had handed to her with all their foodstuffs and served them on a plate to each of them.

“So, Mistress how did your audience with the Jarl go?” Reinatiel began the conversation, she was curious of what was going to happen now. Were they going to be forced to go back to Aryther empty handed? Or open relations with the Dwarven Kingdom?

“Rather well,” Elissa said. “Jarl Ulfric is a decent Dwarf; I just had to show him that we were no threat to this settlement and the Dwarven Kingdom.”

Dwarves were a close-knit bunch and really protective of their homeland, so when a powerful mage came spell-blazing into their town, Elissa felt that they had a reason to be worried. She would be too. Brunhilda was pleased by the news, it meant that she will be able to oversee Elissa’s presence in the settlement.

“That’s good. Why did ye come here though? Not that ah’m not happy ye are, Elissa.” Brunhilda said without offense.

As often is the case most people always wanted something from the Dwarves, Brunhilda thought that it was this way for Elissa too. As for the redhead she chose to say the same thing to the Princess she did to the Jarl but with more information. She wanted Brunhilda to trust her and foster friendship with her, Elissa felt that they were similar, somehow.

“I conquered Lake Aryther and its surroundings, and I liberated a race of beastkin that was used as slaves by the fishfolk based there; now I am building a Queendom.” Elissa said.

She wanted to create a society akin to the viking’s but tempered with peace and prepared to do war. After all, no one was truly safe in life and the Lutrinians knew that.

Brunhilda gasped. “Ambitious.”

Giggling Elissa said, “I agree, it is. My sojourn to your lands is mainly to open trade between us and hire a workforce to build new infrastructures for my people.” The young woman bit into her elven cake with relish, and began to think

“Ye forgot somethin’, what about farming? Fishing or even merchants?”

“Oh.” Elissa felt like one of those stupid blonde bimbo she mocked in highschool. “It seems that I am not a good planner, nor statewoman...”

Brunhilda stared at her for a long moment before giggling and then laughing at her. Elissa’s entire face reddened to her ears while her new friend’s throaty laugh resonated in the room. Rilo and Aghri woke up, stretched like cats and raced to see who would be the first to claim Elissa’s lap as a seat. Rilo won and Aghri pouted and settled near Fenirael.

“I can’t believe your familiars can become Wyvern sized, Elissa. They are so cute in their normal form…”

“I know right?” Elissa proudly pat Rilo’s head.

The female black pseudodragon preened, while Aghri stood on two legs and opened his wings wide to show his magnificence.

“Me thinks they’re spoiled.” Brunhilda laughed at their antics.

After having their fun with her draconic familiars, Elissa followed Brunhilda to the market, it was situated in the center of the town overlooked by the temple to the God of Craftsmen, Holaf, the different dwarven guild halls and restaurants; it was a sight to behold, to Elissa it looked like the market square in Marrakesh on Earth. There was a sea of tents and temporary stands selling a variety of goods and products; Weapons, magic items, potions, Jewelry, clothes, outfits and armors.

There was everything.

Brunhilda saw Elissa’s eyes shine with interest and excitement, however, people didn’t react well to Elissa’s presence. Many dwarves viewed other races as a foul infestation of their mountain homes and felt it was their duty to purge them. They didn’t do anything as Brunhilda their princess was with her. Elissa went directly to the weapon stands and looked at them, tested them; until she found something that really interested her.

It was a longsword.

“There’s something dat interest ye, M’Lady?” Asked an old Dwarf in a loose blue tunic and pants with a blue apron.

Contrary to the other dwarves so far in this town, the man welcomed her and smiled at her through his white beard; his brown eyes were kind.

“How much is this longsword? I see that it is elvish in origin.” The sword was beautiful and calling to her in a way that Gram did. Elissa felt that she had fate with the weapon.

The old dwarf nodded in acknowledgment and said, “Ye have good eyes, M’Lady. Dis is a moonblade and the price is… well let’s say nae one carry dis much gold on them.”

He put his hands on the sword and began to check if it was still in good state, it had been gathering dust in his house for years and when he had tried to sell it on this stand for a decade no one wanted to buy it. He didn’t know why, it was a good weapon.

“Old Hondus, dinna say dat tae tha lass! Dis blade has been on yer stand since tha birth of me daughter and she’s thirty now.” Another Dwarf shouted from the side, he was in the neighboring stand selling armor.

It was a younger dwarf but there was still some white in his hair, showing that he was still older. He looked entertained by his friend’s salesmanship.

“Butt out, Karsuil; ah’m doin’ business.” Hondus jokingly reprimanded.

Elissa giggled, she just loved Dwarf society, it had its quirks and was a bit isolationist but they were fun to interact with. Whether or not the dwarven claim that they'd been carved from the world's stone was true, dwarves shared many qualities considered similar to the stone they lived with. Strong, hardy, and dependable, dwarves were polite, particularly to elders, and possessed a wisdom beyond that of many other races. Dwarves valued their traditions, regardless of the subrace they came from, and looked for inspiration from ancestral heroes.

“I assure you master Hondus, I have a lot of gold. And I want it… it calls to me? I mean-” Elissa was about to take one of the bags of gold coins she had found in the Dragon Turtle’s lair but thought it was a bad idea.

Hondus interrupted her. “Oh, then maybe ye are destined tae be its wielder M’Lady. This has been in me family for a longtime and me great great grandpa won it when he won a duel against a moon elf.” Only Holaf knew how he wanted it gone, it had been a running joke for his friends in the market for years.

“Can you tell me more about it?” Elissa said, she put her hands on her hips and waited.

Hondus found this she-elf interesting. “Sure, ah can.”

This type of longsword was called a Moonblade, named in part because of the moonstones found in its pommel but also for the moon elves that wielded them. From the rumors he had heard, Hondus said that the wielder could not be separated from the sword when it chooses its wielder; each moonblade was unique, as were the powers given to them. Unfortunately, Hondus didn’t know what this sword’s power was.

Elissa wanted this sword, it wanted to be used by her; she knew that from the naked eye this longsword didn’t have anything special but her senses and magical abilities told her it wasn’t so. Elissa had a suspicion that the moonblade was a weapon of concealed wizardry. From the books she read on the subject in the Sanctum; a weapon of concealed wizardry referred to any type of magic weapon where the enchantments were undetectable by magical means.

“Would an exchange be better than gold coins, master Hondus?” The young woman said sweetly.

Hondus looked at how luxuriously clothed Elissa was in her dark blue gown. “I am interested, what do ye have?”

She looked like a woman of means and he was desperate at this point.

“Well, I have precious ores and gems, some magic items.” Elissa said as she sifted mentally through her spatial toe ring for the items she was looking for.

“Huh, what kind of ores?” Hondus asked.

He had a lot of Mithril and Gold already, but more wouldn’t hurt; his sons and daughters were jewelers and blacksmiths, having more material was a boon. Hondus was a semi-retired blacksmith who now sold some of the weapons he had collected all his life and gossiped with his friends in the market.

Elissa crossed her arms under her breast that the corset she was wearing already exacerbated. “On me? I have ten ingots of Mithril and two of Adamantine.”

The old dwarf barely gulped and really tried to not look at the she-elf’s big udders. Then he stopped moving when he remembered what she said. Adamantine was a really rare metal only found in the Underdark or Meteorites crashing on Svartalfheim, it was mainly used to create weapons useful for damaging the weapons and armor of opponents. He had seen a set of armor made from this ore and it was impenetrable to normal weapons.

Hondus vehemently shook his head and raised his hand to stop the she-elf. “M’Lady? Do ye know how precious dis ore is? Nae, ah dinna want a greedy smith to put a knife in me back, ah will be satisfied with gold.”

Elissa giggled at that, took a bag of gold coins and threw it at the old dwarf who made a ‘oof’ and looked askance at her.

“I’m buying this longsword, here are 10,000 gold coins. Is it enough?” Elissa asked with a radiant smile.

This was how she had her new sword safely stored in her spatial toe ring and was shown the different places that Brunhilda liked. The Armorer’s guild was one of those places and Elissa thought that if the princess’ armor was made by them then she must commission a set of light and heavy armor. There were designs of them that she had seen in the Sanctum library and memorized. Elissa spent two hours in the Armorer’s guild, drawing schematics for her armor and was another 20,000 gold coins lighter and had given some of her Drake Leather, Mithril and Adamantine as materials.

“Ye are injectin’ a lot of money in tha economy of dis town.” Brunhilda said.

This made Elissa laugh as she pawed at some cloth from the stand of a matrone dwarf. “It’s good for business, and Hilda, I wanted to have the best armor that my money could give me.”

Elissa bought three rolls of ice blue and purple cloth and some silver thread. Brunhilda waited for her to conclude her purchase. They left the stand and walked while studying the others from afar.

“But, why did ye tell them not tae enchant them?” Brunhilda asked.

This stumped her, the enchantments of her people were well viewed after all, Brunhilda would never buy a vanilla armor; this was like taunting fate to hurt you.

“Because I intend to do it myself with my own personal enchantments.” Elissa answered as she bought all the pastries of another Matron, they were called Princess Cakes which were layered cakes or tortes consisting of alternating layers of airy sponge cake, jam, pastry cream, and a thick-domed layer of whipped cream.

“Fair enough.” Brunhilda said noticing that this Lady Dragonfang was a glutton.

By the time Elissa emptied all the food stands in the market, she was another 10,000 gold coins lighter from buying souvenirs and weapons for everyone she loved on Earth. When the two friends got back to the Jarl’s manor, they came back to a shouting match between Jarl Ulfric and a beautiful brown haired female dwarf.

“Ye Elf Lover!” A female voice cried.

They were in the Hall used to serve food, there were four rows of wooden tables and chairs; thankfully, there was only the Jarl and his…

“Dis is Kareena, Tha Jarl’s young wife. He recently married her tae tie his clan tae another specialized in book crafting. Her father is a powerful Thane in an underground city in Nirnyahr’s surroundings.” The dwarven princess informed her.

Elissa sighed as she continued to hear the arguing. “I see, and why do I feel that I am involved?”

Putting her hood on to hide her features and red mane, Elissa walked past the Hall, followed by Brunhilda who was having the time of her life. She was thinking about how life suddenly became less boring by following Lady Dragonfang; and she was thinking about something that could help her, but she would have to send two letters to Nirnyahr. One for her father and another to her friends.

Brunhilda chuckled. “Ah fear she’s jealous dat a she-elf even more beautiful than her is present.”

“Did you have the same problem?” Elissa asked teasingly.

The dwarf princess refused to answer and ignored her, suddenly reminded of the same thing happening to her when she met the Jarl. Kareena was an insecure, territorial and tenacious female; what was worse was that she really loved the man but had no idea how to show it. *Dis is why ah’m not gonna marry dis young like Da’ wanted.*

King Etrin had even chosen a suitor for her, that she had to duel to do away with, that made her father lose face tremendously; however, her mother, Vanhylde approved. She should be the only one to choose a man worthy of her.

They were speaking about inane things as they walked through the corridors, dodging busy servants and other officials. Once Elissa arrived in the guest room, Reinatiel helped her change outfits; she now wore a light blue tunic with long sleeves in Arachne silk, black breeches made of wind lizard skin and brown mid-calf leather boots.

Brunhilda was interested in all the outfits the demoness had on hand, but unfortunately it was time to leave and she had other things to take care of. “Ah’ll leave ye here, Elissa; ah need tae go write some letters.”

Elissa turned to her new friend and kissed her on the cheek. “Good afternoon, I had a lot of fun today, Hilda.”

“Yer welcome, and be careful with Kareena.” Were Brunhilda’s parting words for the day.

 

---

 

Dicinna Zerloth didn’t like to walk this much, even though she was more than physically fit enough to do so. The female adventurer had found the site of the battlefield where the Bhelveth army was defeated by Lady Dragonfang and her party. To say that it was gruesome and bloody was an understatement, even the dead were stripped of their armor and weapons and laid naked, subject to the elements and carrion eaters.

Near the battlefield there was an area near the lake and burned woods that was inaccessible, as it was defended by powerful defense wards and Dicinna didn’t know how to breach them. She didn’t try, as she knew something nasty would happen if she did.

After studying the battle that happened here, Dicinna decided to meditate on where her soulmate had gone. Lady Dragonfang must have gone somewhere else for business or to gather materials and when you spoke of business on Svartalfheim it was about the Dwarves.

*People always need a dwarf.* Dicinna thought, smiling at herself.

This was why she was half walking and half traveling via her portals to advance toward the Dwarven Kingdom.

 

---

 

39th Day, Morning
Iron Fang settlement - Armorer’s Guild Hall

 

One week passed and it was really an eventful one, Elissa had been the center of attention of the town's dwarves as she was a big spender and a really irregular elf; none of those who spoke to her found her to be haughty or someone who thought that she was better than anyone. The dwarves liked how she held herself and didn’t shy away from drinking mead and wine with the more raucous individuals in the local taverns; the fact that she could drink dwarves under the table made her even more liked.

The crafting commission that she made to the armorer’s guild was finally complete and now Elissa was in a fitting session. They were in a room with a red carpet and decent illumination, artistic tapestries covered the walls and depicted heroic scenes against armies and monsters of the land; there was also a gigantic mirror that covered the wall facing Elissa who was wearing the mithril and drakeskin light armor she had commissioned from the guild.

It was black and silver and the Dwarf who made it, called it a Nightscale armor, it was similar to leather armor, but it was made from dark drakeskin. It was treated with numerous alchemical mixtures making it more supple and form fitting. The breastplate, pauldron, gauntlets, vambraces, tasset greaves and sabaton were made of Mithril. This armor was made with speed in mind.

Elissa touched the armor with her black glove covered fingers and turned to the gentle-dwarf behind her and said, “I really love how it looks, this armor is so sleek! And who made this skinsuit armor? I have to thank them! It is so snug and mobile.” Elissa jumped up and down and moved her arms at every angle.

She didn’t feel like she was even wearing armor. The brown haired middle-aged dwarf facing her smiled at her, seeing the satisfaction of his client, he put his hands in the pockets of his black overall.

“M’lady, it was me wife when she saw ye tha last time at tha clerk desk she knew dat ye’d need special care for tha money ye spent.” He informed Elissa who took a pouch from her spatial toe ring and threw it delicately at the dwarf.

He caught it.

“Thank her for me Master Durk.” Elissa told him.

Opening the pouch, Durk saw that it was full of Orichalcum coins, his eyes opened wide and he looked around him and put it in his own spatial ring. “Certainly.” the dwarf said as he gulped.

The she-elf was too rich… With this he told Elissa that he would gladly offer her a service guarantee if her armor is either too damaged or need to be replaced, free of charge for his lifetime. After all, she just gave him enough money to buy two manors in Nirnyahr. His wife was going to be happy about that. The she-elf readily accepted.

The next fitting was the Half-Plate heavy armor she wanted, but Elissa didn’t feel its weight as the Mithril it was made of was a light but durable metal. It was silverish plate mail consisting of shaped, interlocking plates. These plates covered the entire body. Beneath the metal was a thick layer of padding and numerous straps and harnesses to distribute the weight. Normally plate mail was the heaviest type of armor available, the superior protection sacrificed mobility and agility. But what happened when the user was a superhuman able to lift more than ninety tonnes and had a powerful body?

It didn’t matter at all, and the design of the armor was Phantasian forgoing the chainmail that would normally be used, for the Drakeskin that Elissa will enchant against bludgeoning, piercing and slashing blows. It had a skirt, different from the usual pants she used for the previous light armor. Elissa intended to enchant the armor pieces to grant resistance against electricity and fire and to make it resizable to fit its wearer.

“This…” Elissa was entranced by the vision of herself in the silver and black armor. Elissa took her silver and black helmet off and placed it in her spatial ring.

*Was this how my people looked like when they went to war? If so, they had a lot of style.* She told herself as she twirled around herself to see herself from front to back.

Durk asked, “Is there something wrong, M’Lady?”

This was the best armor he had ever crafted it was really a shame that the client didn’t want to enchant it. He knew that she was a powerful mage, so maybe she intended to place her own enchantments.

“This is beautiful, Master Durk” Elissa said in wonder.

The dwarf laughed a bit in relief. “Dat’s good, then.”

Elissa made her Moonblade that she decided to name Ghostwalker appear in her hand and began to do some drills. Slash, pierce and then somersaulted and cartwheeled with the armor on. Durk looked at her moving, not even hindered by the weight of the armor, as she was fighting against shadows opponents he saw how deadly, precise and heavy her sword work was.

Durk didn’t think that there was a dwarf in the town whose life wouldn’t be reaped; like every male dwarf in the kingdom he is called to the army reserves every five years, so he knew how to evaluate someone’s combat style.

A shield suddenly appeared on the left arm of the she-elf and she began to drill with it for five minutes before putting it behind her back and making a sword belt appear around her waist and sheathing the elven longsword at her hip.

“Everything is as it should be Master Durk, you more than deserved your title of best armorer in this town.” Elissa praised.

“Ah did me best, dis was a challenging order.” Durk nodded, he thought about the alchemical and heat treatment he learned to do at the smith academy. Metallurgy, Alchemy and Magic were changing more and more as new innovations were discovered as time passed.

“I am going to wear this, my dress is already stored in my ring. Thank you for everything, Master Durk.”

“Nae, it’s me who thank ye.” The dwarf laughed and guided her out of the fitting room.

Once out, Elissa went to the market, shining like a beacon with her new armor on. She went to greet Hondus and his friends, even bought some gold and silver jewelry she found really tasteful from them. Elissa found more drakeskin and rolls of cloth in her favorite colors to buy; she had an idea for a dress she wanted to make as one of the skills her mother taught her was sewing.

Her heavy armor didn’t make any noise as she moved, it was a sign that it was crafted magnificently.

*It should, I paid 10,000 gold coins for it.* Elissa thought, she was not a materialistic girl but she liked efficient and beautiful things.

Elissa went past the market, the merchants and sellers there already knew her as she would browse their wares everyday. She made friends with a lot of them and often went with Brunhilda to have a mug of mead in the Drunken Wyvern inn-cum-tavern at the entrance of the town.

Speaking of Brunhilda, Elissa went directly to the guard station and looked for her but she was stopped by a guard from entering the barracks. He stood on guard duty in armor and issued spear at the gate, he placed himself before Elissa.

“Ye kinna enter, M’Lady Dragonfang. The Barracks are for the soldiers and guards only.” A young looking dwarf whose copper like helmet hid his face. His armor was of the same design as Brunhilda’s but hers was made of Mithril and steel.

Elissa looked sheepish and embarrassingly straightened a wick of hair that obscured her field of view and said, “Oh, then excuse me. Could you please ask if the Princess is available, my dear gentle-dwarf.”

If there was one thing dwarves liked it was politeness, so the young dwarf decided to accede to her demand.

“One moment please.” He said.

He hollered for another guard who ran to him and he told him to fetch the princess because Lady Dragonfang asked for her. Elissa didn’t expect that name to take like that when she invented it, but now the Elves and Dwarves of Svartalfheim knew her under this false identity? But was it false? Elissa felt good and less under the thumb of her mother who she agree was too controlling. She had begun to chafe at her authority.

*Goddess, I love the woman but I hope she stops with her schemes.* Elissa thought.

From afar, she could see Brunhilda who had her hammer in hand with her usual guard armor on. It was the usual one with wolves engraved on it. It was really artsy and magical, Elissa had analyzed the enchantments on it and it was to lighten its weight and make it unbreakable. Simple enchantment sustained by the wearer.

“Elissa, didn’t we have a snack date dis afternoon?” Brunhilda smiled her blue eyes shining with affection.

Elissa took her arm and squeezed in a typical dwarf greeting.

“Yes, but I wanted to see you princess and I wanted to invite you to a spar. I am getting too soft in the manor, I need the exercise.” Elissa explained.

“So ye’ve come tae spar with me.” A wolfish smile appeared on Brunhilda’s face.

The dwarven princess began to size up Elissa in her new half-plate heavy armor, that she thought was looking good. But she discerned no enchantment on it.

“Exactly.” Elissa’s grin was like a million watts.

Brunhilda put the handle of her Warhammer against her shoulder and giggled. “Good then come with me Elissa, we’ll see if ye sword work is as good as yer magic.”

The guard returned to his post, and Elissa followed Brunhilda to the training hall. The guards and soldiers all around followed the two women walking through the court with their eyes, there were a minority of the guards who grumbled about the presence of an elf in their barracks but were silenced by their officer who knew of their guest’s power and peerage.

Elissa arrived in the training room and was pleased to see dwarves hard at work, lifting weights, stretching before beginning their exercises or sparring empty handed or with weapons. It was a big room with equipment and racks of weapons all along the walls. The sounds of bodies colliding with the brown mats and the ‘klang’ of weapons reverberated here and there.

An old dwarf with a brown beard with some silver in it appeared before the duo, he was riddled with scars and his right hand was missing two fingers.

“Princess, M’Lady Dragonfang.” The old dwarf slightly bowed his head.

Brunhilda did the same and put her hammer’s head on the ground. “Old Tarik, M’Lady Dragonfang want tae spar with me. Ken ye find us a good spot?”

Piercing violet eyes speared Elissa, gauging her, weighing her worth and the dwarf’s lips formed into a smile.

“Sure, Hilda.” He replied to his Princess.

It took five minutes for a mat to be freed of its occupant who sat on a bench two meter from it drinking water from their skin-gourd. Elissa unsheathed her moonblade and took a vial from her spatial toe ring; she applied the transparent slime-like substance onto the blade of her longsword. This was dull-glue, an alchemical substance that her teacher Histreldia Bridgeburn taught her how to make.

As its name suggests dull-glue once applied on a blade, the slime hardened and covered the blade taking its shape, making the weapon a blunt instrument. Once done, Elissa was happy that she won’t be able to wound accidentally Brunhilda.

The young woman turned to her dwarf friend who looked at her strangely, shaking her head Brunhilda decided not to ask questions.

“Elissa, we are goin’ to have two matches. Is dat ok with ye?” Brunhilda asked, twirling her Warhammer in the air.

Nodding, Elissa said, “I wouldn’t have it any other way. No magic allowed, this is a contest of skills.”

Elissa took her shield and longsword in hands and got into a fighting stance. Brunhilda lunged at her with her warhammer high and falling on the redhead’s shield. KLANG. It stayed in place, barely moving under the hammer blow and Elissa took advantage of this use her sword in a reverse grip and hitting Brunhilda on the breastplate with the pommel. Brunhilda was sent careening out of the mat and directly into a wall ten meters away.

“First match to M’Lady Dragonfang!” Old Tarik cried.

He couldn’t believe it, that the princess was done in just like that. The way the she-elf carried herself screamed of a warrior upbringing, he also thought that she was used to killing in one shot. Tarik and Elissa walked toward where Brunhilda landed and saw her already trying to extricate herself from the wall. Elissa held her hand to her and the princess took it and was surprised by how strong the she-elf was.

“Ye hit like a cave-troll!” Brunhilda shouted and then she giggled.

The princess was on her feet and let her hammer go to look at her armor, on the breastplate there was a dent in the form of Elissa’s sword pommel. She took her gauntlet off and touched it with her fingers, then she looked at Elissa who had the decency of looking bad for it.

“I will pay for the repairs. Still want to spar? We can go hand-to-hand and without armor.”

“Aye.” Brunhilda nodded.

Doubt instilled itself in her mind as she thought that there was no way Elissa was a simple sun-elf, her magic and strength, all showed that she was some kind of demigoddess of some sort. But neither Holaf nor his priesthood intervened or bared her passage, so she must be something else. Brunhilda shrugged, Elissa had been treating her like a friend so she would let the she-elf tell her what she was in her own time.

The two young women went to the locker room attached to the training hall, Elissa took off the pieces of her half-plate armor and kept the skin-tight armor with her skirt and kept her feet and hands naked. Brunhilda was in a tight fitting brown sleeveless tunic with black pants showing off her amazing arm muscles and legs.

Elissa found her new friend rather beautiful, in a Lena the Princess Warrior way, but she felt that she shouldn’t think about her this way. Shaking her head free of any lusty thoughts, Elissa turned to Brunhilda.

“I’m going to try to hold back a bit as, as you’ve seen, I have problems with dialing down my strength.” Elissa said as she began to stretch herself in her skin tight armor.

“Ye need tae tone it down, yes. Ah’ll help ye with some exercises we teach some earth blessed dwarves here, aye?”

“Earth blessed?” Elissa asked to her friend.

Brunhilda explained what Earth Blessed were. “They are dwarves with super strength and durability; sometimes they become the High-King’s guards.”

“Oh, I see.” So they were basically the superpowered dwarves, Elissa wasn’t surprised. If humans had supers, why not other races?

It was time for the second match and this one went more Brunhilda’s way than Elissa’s. Knowing how strong and fast Elissa was, the dwarven princess avoided being caught by Elissa in any kind hold or being hit by her. Then she used some kind of judo or jiu jitsu-like move to use her own strength against her.

Bam. Elissa was on her back, staring at the roof, having been caught in a shoulder throw by Brunhilda. The dwarven princess appeared in Elissa’s field of view and smiled victoriously at her. The fight was fast and brutal and taught Elissa that she was in no way infaillible.

“Ye need more work.” Brunhilda informed Elissa.

Closing her eyes in defeat the redhead said, “I can see that.”

“Second match tae Princess Brunhilda!” Old Tarik said with more joy in his voice, happy that his Princess didn’t lose the second match.

Other dwarves clapped and whooped. Forty minutes later, Elissa was still in the training room learning how to keep her strength in check by handling tiny items made of thin glass or tin. Elissa broke ten figurines made from tin before she developed a light touch, but it went badly when she tried the glass figurines. She broke them all.

“Ye need tae be patient, Elissa.”

Looking frustrated, Elissa rolled her eyes. “I know, I know!”

“Calm down.” Brunhilda soothed her by patting her back.

When Elissa ran out of exercise figurines, they went back to the locker room and began to change clothes, Elissa put on her Nightscale light armor and Brunhilda put on a dress as she wasn’t on duty for today. The redhead was surprised to find a store in the barracks that sold equipment and weapons. Brunhilda brought her here as the store also acted as some kind of repair shop for the soldiers and guards; Elissa was impressed by the efficiency of the dwarves.

Elissa paid for the repair job on Brunhilda’s armor, the clerk didn’t even blink as she flashed her gold. The princess took advantage of this to make Elissa aware of something.

“Tha barracks sell those kind of figurines, ye ken buy them and use them in yer spare time tae train.” The princess informed her friend.

“Alright I will buy them all.” Elissa said to the clerk who smiled, rubbed his hands while looking at her and went to look for his manager.

Brunhilda shook her head in dejection. “Ye and yer nouveau-riche habits…”

So chastised by her friend, Elissa looked down at her feet and said, “I… ok, I agree that I’ve been spending too much lately.”

Snorting Brunhilda answered with, “Aye, ye should put a brake on dis.” The princess spanked Elissa’s ass, eliciting a ‘eep’ sound from her.

After buying all the strength training figurines, Brunhilda accompanied Elissa to the Jarl’s manor. Only to be confronted with the Jarl’s wife who was waiting for her at the entrance.

“Mrs Steelspeaker, good morn. What can I help you with?” Elissa said pleasantly. Even though she knew that this confrontation was a longtime coming as the woman had been rather sonorous in her dislike of Elissa’s presence in the Jarl’s Manor.

The Jarl’s wife was a redhead like Elissa, with long hair in an elaborated french braid hairdo, she was shorter than Brunhilda by a foot and looked softer physically. If Pamela Anderson was a dwarf, she looked exactly like her. From what Elissa knew of her, she was a seamstress and artist whose creations decorated the walls of the manor. What was worse was that she was talented and created beautiful landscapes and portraits.

There was no way that someone who created such beauty was bad, but she was still vain and territorial with any woman around her husband.

“Ye ain’t wanted here she-elf, ah want ye tae leave.” Kareena said bluntly, her scowl powerful enough to scorch a stone wall.

Elissa was unaffected, she was able to stare down a Dragon Matriarch and never look away, this attempt to intimidate her made her giggle a bit. “Oh, is that a direct order of the Jarl? Or are you letting your personal feelings coming in between your husband’s duty.”

The young Dwarf spouse faltered at that, but didn’t seem to want to let go, like a direwolf with a bone. She narrowed her eyes and was about to say, “Ye-”

However, she was interrupted by the princess.

“Mrs Steelspeaker, Lady Dragonfang is a guest of the crown. Yer conduct is unbecomin’ of someone of yer station.” Brunhilda said with steel in her voice. “From what tha Jarl said, M’Lady Dragonfang has been a model guest, ah don’t see what ye have against her. Yer own feelings of inadequacies are misplaced, for yer own good ah would let it go.”

“Fine.” The female dwarf said before curtsying and turning heel to walk away from them.

“Elissa has anyone ever told ye that ye’re a trouble magnet?” Brunhilda remarked, looking at her friend with mirth in her eyes.

Elissa groaned at that, making the dwarven princess laugh at her. The two of them spent their time together until lunch where they ate with the Jarl and his wife who stayed civil but was still dismissive of Elissa. It was afternoon when Brunhilda left to her own room in the town barracks. The redhead spent time in her guest room absorbing cosmic energy surrounded by her familiars. It was night when Elissa finished nourishing her body and took a shower before going to sleep with a smile on her face.

 

---

 

I was desperate, this fight was the hardest I ever had; and I thought that this would be a simple mission! Me and my big mouth, I totally jinxed it. I slashed at the giant sand scorpion and cut it in two; those monsters can only be found in the Sweltering Wastes.

My new wife Aela, a werecat, was busy killing their Summoners amongst the cultists we were hired to kill by the Demon King Xilman. We were in a cave system situated under the demon capital Xerces. I had thought that my underlings and two wives would be enough to deal with the problem, however, an hour later they called me via sending stones, those nifty new magic items permitting communication through long distances.

And now I found myself killing monstrous creatures to save everyone’s skin, what really pissed me off is how they wounded my second wife, Svalna. She was an ancient human like me and a water mage and she had no martial upbringing. I married her because she saved my life and she was the one who melted my stone cold heart after my first wife died. I loved her and those cultist had tried to take her away from me. ME.

I sheathed my sword, entered into a fighting stance as another sand scorpion lunged at me, tail ready to strike. Quickly drawing my sword, I responded to the sudden attack by focusing all my strength into my sword arm. Calmly I bisected the scorpion’s tail and then the beast itself. I sheathed my sword and did the same to all nearby creatures.

“Boss you are the best! I didn’t even see you move!” One of my underlings gushed.

I didn’t like how I had to recruit young ancient humans to keep up the numbers of my mercenary band, those youngsters should be tending to their farms and taking care of their families. Not dying at the hands of cultists.

“Man, I didn’t even see him put a hand on his sword, just walking and then scorpions started dying.”

I shook my head, there was too much hero worship in their voices. I had been trying to get them to be at least passable in their sword work and with their powers, but they could barely fight a newcomer guard from my family at this point. I smiled, it seems that I would need to up their training if they couldn’t see me move.

Aela, my third wife finished killing the cultists in this part of the cave, she sheathed her twin daggers and saw me and a second later I found myself in her embrace. Aela was a dark skinned beauty with a long black main, fluffy cat ears and a sinful body that stirred my loins. Even though she was all curves, she was a deadly assassin practicing a weird shadow technique. We made out for a moment before being interrupted by the coughs of some of my underlings.

“Boss, Mrs Svalna is injured. Do you have any potions?” An older man, a veteran of the Fallen war asked. He was one of my first recruits. He wore a breastplate covering his front and back with a light suit of studded leather worn underneath to protect the rest of his body. Like all my men.

Him being worried for my wife, touched me a lot. Having good help was so rare nowadays and I treasured competent underlings. Taking out an exquisitely crafted bottle out of my belt pouch I disentangled myself from my kitten. In the bottle there was a twinkling and translucent aquamarine liquid that appeared to be swirling in motion.

“Don’t worry, I brought an elixir.” I said as I signaled the man to guide me to Svalna.

The Elixir of healing was a potent and rare elixir that could cure and heal anything, it was one of the treasures in my family.

He bowed his head slightly and turned toward ten men who surrounded a tall, beautiful and slender long blue haired woman. She wore a blue corset blouse with long sleeves, a short skirt and high-heeled boots. She had porcelain white skin and generous breasts. She had an arrow poking out of her abdomen. To my mage sight it seemed that it was poisoned, a magic leeching poison to be precise.

I clicked my tongue and put myself at her side. First I used a power word to do away with the offending arrow.

“Εξαφανίζονται (Disappear).” The projectile turned into dust for a fraction of a second and was erased as if it never existed.

Svalna’s blood began to flow quickly out of her wound.

“Please save her, Damian she saved my life.” Aela pleaded.

The yellow eyes of Aela were on me, she wasn’t used to showing that much emotion, she was always easily amused and whimsical. This was the first time I saw her this worried.

Cupping my hands around her face I said, “You don’t have to ask, I love Svalna as much as you, kitten.” I said, then I let go of her, I opened the elixir bottle and poured it in Svalna’s wound.

I drank a bit of the potion taking care to keep it in my mouth and made Svalna drink the elixir mouth to mouth.

“Look her wound is closing!”

“Damn, this is the first time I saw an Elixir at work.”

The men spoke around me, Svalna woke up and opened her eyes as I was still kissing her and kissed me back. Svalna regained more color as I made her drink more and more of the Healing Elixir and as she clung to me I scooped her up from the ground. We came for air and she looked me in the eyes, and a slow seductive smile appeared on her face.

“I knew you’d come for me, my Lord.” She said in her beautiful soprano voice.

I felt loved and invincible. “Always, Svalna. Always.”

“Val, you idiot why did you take that arrow for me?” Aela cried as she came to hug her too and then she bopped her behind the head.

“Sorry, Lala. I didn’t think, just moved.”

“Aela, take care of her.” I said as I put Svalna on the ground and in the arms of her sister-wife. I turned my head to my men who all had shit-eating grins on their faces. There were some who took pendants from around their necks and looked inside them, I guess they looked longingly at their wives’ photographs. “You guys, guard my wives, I’m going to finish this personally. No one hurts my darlings.”

“Sir, yes Sir!” They came to attention.

Slowly, I let my senses spread out and as I walked through the rest of the cave I noticed that there was some kind of hidden entrance. This method of mana use was a more advanced technique that permitted the user to sense the flow, size and movement of mana; the rock hiding the entrance couldn’t obstruct the movement and flow of the energy.

I put my hand on the rock formation and opened my mouth to speak a word of power, “συντριβή (Shatter).”

The rocks exploded and the entrance of another tunnel appeared, it was dark and the humidity was a bother. I regulated the flow of air around me through my magic and advanced, staying on guard. I conjured balls of light around me, they weren’t bright enough to blind me but they were like torches, enough to light my way.

There were obstructions of courses, flying creatures looking like a mix of bats and monkeys that suddenly attacked me, but with my quick draw technique they weren’t a danger. Though I will need to clean my armor of their bloody bits later. They must be some sort of homunculi, tiny constructs created by spellcasters to act as spies and servants.

Finally at the end of the tunnel, I arrived into a huge cave with some kind of temple grounds inside. There was the statue of a really ugly looking being with demonic traits and writhed in darkness. Through my mage sight I could see a cord of mana extending from the forehead of the demon to someone that was sitting on a throne made of skulls.

*Ah, typical. Some kind of Lich Lord with a stupid ego.* I rolled my eyes.

“Who defies the will of Thadur, Champion of the Demon God?!”

I was too tired and angry for this shit, I cast my most powerful spell; as the wind gathered in a sphere in my hand the power of a hurricane made my hair fly out behind me. After I constricted the powerful winds in a tiny sphere I launched it at the statue’s head and an instant later it shattered. Amongst the debris, a black gem that absorbed light like a black hole landed on the ground, the source of the Lich’s magic and a phylactery from what I could guess. The lich attempted to attack me and save his phylactery, but I sent him flying into his stupid throne that broke on impact.

Taking the stupid gem in my hand I used three words of powers to destroy it, “ελευθέρωση (release),” to make the soul emprisoned within it go away. “Διακοπή (break).” The gem shattered. And to finish the soul, “Κατάρρευση (collapse).”

The undead on the throne who was about to attack again was engulfed in white light and screamed as he disappeared from existence as his own soul turned on him.

“I can’t believe my wives and the guys couldn’t finish this mission, look at how easy it was to finish it.” I shook my head and called my wives on the sending stones. I was already thinking of what type of training to give them all, maybe I was too soft on them.

 

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40th Day, Early Morning

Elissa woke up with a start, fighting for breath, her eyes opened on the marbled ceiling; around her there were the naked forms of Reinatiel and Fenirael hugging her. She laid her head on the pillow, and thought about what she’d just saw.

<Damian, you still here?> Elissa focused on this place in her mind linked to the dreamscape.

Damian appeared in his silver armor and platinum blond hair, smiling. The pink dreamscape became a Savannah with a gigantic tree mildly looking like the depiction of the world tree, Elissa’s ancestor was leaning against one of the roots looking down at her.

<I am, however, why are you not sleeping? Little girls like you need their beauty sleep.> He said patronizingly.

Elissa narrowed her eyes as she looked at him. <Shut up, old man. I am not little.>

The man chuckled and his eyes roved over Elissa’s figure, she blushed but didn’t say anything, there was only defiance in her gaze. <I agree with you, you have inherited Svalna’s figure.>

<Your second wife.> Elissa said, her face softened as she saw how much the woman had loved Damian.

The warrior lost his annoying smile, becoming serious. <Ah, so you know. Yes, you are from the main branch of the family and descended from her.>

<Can I see her memories like I do yours?> Elissa was curious.

Laughing a bit, Damian said, <Certainly, I am surprised you don’t have any control over this process. Didn’t your mother teach you how to control it?>

This was one of the most powerful abilities the Snow line possessed after all, mother or father had a duty to teach it to their children or else it would consume them.

<She didn’t have the time.> Elissa said sadly, lowering her gaze.

Damian furrowed his eyebrows at that, if he could, he would smack her mother on the head for this blatant negligence. Damian closed his eyes and consulted Elissa’s brief life and saw the truth. He felt a familiar presence he never expected to be in again, something Dark, Divine and Powerful. <Oh… I’m going to sleep now, bye.> He said hurriedly.

Elissa opened her eyes wide, not understanding why he acted this way.

<Wait, Damian!> She cried in her mind.

But there was only silence in her head. The reaction that Damian had, it was the same one her father had when he didn’t want to be questioned about Phantasia. Getting out of bed by levitating, Elissa dressed herself as she had found herself naked yet again. Her familiars were devious and too eager in wanting to seduce her, she had noticed their attempts as of late, but steadily tried to ignore them; however, her willpower wasn’t endless and she knew that she wouldn't resist doing what they clearly wanted.

Elissa shook her head free of lusty thoughts, and noticed that it was still night but that it would soon be dawn. The young woman quickly put on her sports outfit, a black sports bra, leggings and a white sleeveless top with short sport boots; she complimented the outfit with her sword belt with Gram at her hip. Elissa tied her hair in a tight ponytail, conjured an illusion reflecting an image of herself and checked that everything was alright.

Elissa nodded once, then she was satisfied and dismissed the illusion; going out to the central courtyard of the manor where she would be free to practice. The servants were in the process of waking up, Elissa saw the cooks and maids preparing themselves for the start of the day. Politely, she greeted them; some responded in kind others too busy could just give a nod.

In the central courtyard Elissa saw a modicum of equipment dedicated to archery and sword fighting, there were even wooden dummies at the center.

*It will suffice for now.* Elissa told herself.

The sword technique she saw Damian use flowed into her mind, to her it wasn’t difficult at all, it was just that it felt like both a mental and a physical technique put together. It reminded Elissa of Iaido a japanese martial art that emphasizes being aware and capable of quickly drawing the sword and responding to attacks. Elissa remembered her ancestor’s smooth, controlled movements as he drew his sword from its scabbard, cutting the giant scorpions.

She tilted her head as she repeated the process in her mind, the complete release of her strength in just one arm. Opening herself mentally to the memory and letting her will flow, Elissa mimicked the movements she saw her ancestor do and let out a barrage of strikes too fast follow on the wooden dummies that she had begun to trim down as if they were dead lumber. Elissa giggled as she reveled in the new sword technique but this is where everything went wrong.

Elissa quickly realized that she didn’t have the muscle control to fully master this technique and stopped as pain wracked her right arm. Her muscles ached and weren’t ready to take so much abuse. As Gram fell from her hand, planting itself blade-first into the ground, Elissa felt a sense of utter failure. Before she'd gotten Sparta’d to Svartalfheim by her mother, she took pride in how physically powerful she was, but it seemed that the new influx of cosmic energy hadn't completely reinforced her body yet.

*I won’t give up!* Elissa punched the ground, raising dust and cracking the cement.

She stood up, picked up Gram and started again, and for an hour of self-torture Elissa was forced to heal herself multiple times, but it toughened her muscles and she learned how to familiarize herself with the limits of when she completely releases her strength and adapted the quick draw technique to her own body. Taking care to eat the rations in her spatial toe ring, Elissa focused completely on her training, becoming oblivious to the gathering around her.

The Jarl and his wife had come see her wrecking the practice equipment, Kareena wanted to interrupt her but her husband didn’t let her. He was now seeing that Lady Dragonfang wasn’t a pushover and his wife could end up dead as she was without fear and thinking that he could save her. But what he saw told him that the she-elf could wipe out this town if she puts her mind to it. However he was really interested by the technique she seemed intent to use, as an hour passed he couldn’t even see her draw her sword anymore.

Elissa’s strikes began to rend the air, her blade sang as she cut everything; the dummies, the air and the rocks around her. It took some time for Elissa to be able to control this techniques, and she realized that she could even synergize it with her wind magic creating wind blades to be used as ranged attacks. The young woman fell into a trance as she focused her strength and calmed her mind, and her body slowly adapted to use the quick draw for extended periods of time.

As she learned to turn the wild, random slashes into tightly controlled strikes Elissa felt elated by her achievement. But she ran out of dummies and was saddened by this fact. Once she was out of training equipment she noticed that it was daylight and that she felt presences behind her.

There was the Jarl, his wife and Brunhilda who waved at her. Reddening Elissa looked at herself, she was sticky with sweat and her hair looked unkempt. She quickly hid her embarrassment as she sheathed her sword and walked to the three dwarves.

“Good Morn, Princess, Jarl and Mrs Steelspeaker.” Elissa curtsied even in her state of apparel.

Jarl Ulfric smiled and greeted her. “Good Morn, M’Lady. Dis was a nice display of swordsmanship, what is tha name of dis sword style?”

Kareena, the Jarl’s wife stayed silent and eyes downcast; not looking at Elissa or deriding her at all. This was a nice change that put a smile on Elissa’s face.

The young woman didn’t like the name ‘quick draw’ and she came up with a different name, sounding more powerful. “The Wind cutter sword.” She said without hesitation.

“Apt name from what ah saw it do.” Brunhilda said, she didn’t see Elissa draw her sword though and then the dummies got cut to pieces.

“Is there something I can help you with?”

“Aye, M’Lady. A royal messenger has arrived in town and there’s a letter addressed to ye.” Jarl Ulfric held a white rectangular sealed envelope with the coat of arms of the dwarven royal family.

Elissa took it slowly and in her hand an ice construct in the form of a letter opener appeared. Opening the envelope, Elissa took the letter in it and began to read it.

 

The Lord Chamberlain has received the High-King’s command to invite

Lady Elissa Dragonfang

to an audience to be given at Ranhold Palace by the High-King Etrin II
On the 19th Felsite

 

Elissa could read this, but she had no idea of how to interpret the date, in fact she didn’t even know how to count the hours of the day in Dwarven. But she got the gist of it, Elissa stored the invitation and looked at her benefactors.

“Thank you, Jarl Ulfric, Princess Brunhilda. This invitation to see the king took less time that I thought it would take.” The young woman said, but she guessed that making a powerful mage stew for weeks on end would be bad for the kingdom. Elissa giggled at that.

“Yer welcome, M’Lady. Ye rendered great service to tha’ crown by closin’ dat mountain pass and killin’ tha’ majority of tha’ monsters.” Jarl Ulfric gave her a thumbs up.

“Don’t think yer gettin’ rid of me yet, little elf. I’m comin’ with ye to Nirnyahr.” Brunhilda pointed her finger at Elissa, smiling like crazy. Elissa laughed and nodded at her, happy that at least one of her friends here will accompany her.

It was midday when Brunhilda, Elissa and her familiars were ready to leave to the teleport station leading to the underground kingdom of Nirnyahr. Fenirael wore her spare heavy armor that was full plate with a two handed sword. Elissa thought that it was really good to see her friend fully recovered. As for her she wore her half-plate armor with her shield behind her back and Gram at her hip. Brunhilda was in a different armor, this one was golden in color but still had the wolf motifs on it with her Warhammer behind her back in an elaborated scabbard for it.

Reinatiel had opted for her white catsuit-like skin tight armor with thigh high-boots of the same color and her mage staff in hand. The pseudodragons trailed behind them to the teleport station.

The teleport station was located where the town met the mountain, the entrance was a greek-like temple constructed in the rock. The column and walls were covered in frescoes depicting the life of dwarves in armors chasing a dragon from the mountains. The security to the temple-like structure was heavier than Elissa thought, they had to pass multiple checkpoints and Brunhilda had to show a permit to be able to pass those areas.

At the end of the temple and between two statues of Dwarves holding a warhammer and a spear was a teleportation circle. Elissa used the advanced mage-sight that she learned from Damian last night and could see that this circle was drawn differently from the one she used. The Arithmancy was completely different; in fact, she felt that the teleportation wasn’t stable enough.

“Hum, Hilda are you sure that it’s safe?” Elissa didn’t think they should take this circle.

Brunhilda took Elissa’s armored arm in her hand and made her follow her into the circle. “Of course it is.”

Elissa sighed heavily, maybe she was worried for nothing. “I believe you.”

Elissa didn’t notice the wicked smile on Brunhilda’s face when they entered the circle, followed by her stable of familiars who placed themselves around her. The dwarven princess spoke in a different language and suddenly they weren't in the temple anymore.