Chapter 183:

Anton knocked loudly on the door to his home. When he first moved into his new hone, just after the defeat of the Yellow Goblins of Mount Aspire, he had not bothered to lock it. Everyone knew that he lived here and how important his magic, and Verona's, had been in saving the village. Now there were far, far more people in Atros, people that had yet to see all of Anton's magic and might think he was just some lord. Then there were the purist Beastkin still lurking about who despised crossbreeds with more fury than they felt for their former Seocurian masters. It was no wonder the slavers found it all so amusing.

"Hello?" A muffled voice called from deep within.

"It's Anton." He heard the patter or feet, not claws, on the wooden floor. "Can you please unlock the door?"

"It's not really locked." Verona heaved at something heavy placed just behind the door. "Just a weight. I'm sure you could have pushed it open if you wanted to."

"I'd get Rasha to." Anton smiled at the Blue Minotaur. "She could probably pick us all up."

"Rasha's with you? Just...Just give me a moment."

Verona's footsteps led away from the door and back into the house.

"Was she naked?" Cetina asked.

"Probably." Anton chuckled. "Probably pant less, at the very least."

"In this cold?" Rasha asked. "I don't understand how you could."

Rasha had completely returned to normal after dealing with her issue. Several times during their walk she had tried to apologize further but Anton didn't let her get a word out. What had happened belonged in the past and that's where it would stay.

Verona's footsteps soon returned. They stopped as she shouted something back into the house, something to Kal. He couldn't hear the answer but Verona began walking and shifted whatever was blocking the door. A simple wooden bolt lock came free and the door opened. Verona smiled, her usual wicked smile, as she bounced something white in her arms.

"I thought that she should come and see you." Verona pushed the door completely open. "It's been too long since we saw Luna. I was worried that she might have forgotten about us."

Luna, the Peryton they had rescued from her dead mother in Graterious, sneezed and flapped its small wings the moment she saw him. The white deer had grown since they last saw her. She tried to escape Verona's by flapping its wings, Verona let out a cry as the wings slapped her face and let Luna go. She still did not have enough strength to fly so she plopped to the ground, her front hooves crumpling under her weight. Luna glared at Verona, who merely poked out her tongue, and trotted to Anton's feet.

"How have you been?" Anton scooped Luna up and cradled her like a baby. "You've...You've put on some weight since I last saw you."

"Shawn and Jocelyn are feeding him well." Verona smiled. "A little too well, if you ask me. Look. She's starting to get a little tummy."

Verona rubbed Luna's stomach. Already Luna had forgotten about being dropped and eagerly accepted the rub.

For the first in a long time Verona was not wearing any sort of gloves or boots, only a loose set of long pants and a button shirt with only two across her chest fastened. The red tattoos had not grown further but they were still extensive. Anton was a little concerned about the slight swell in her stomach, where the growing baby pushed against her skin, and if the marks would affect it. However there was little he could do other that hope and wait.

"You little mutt." Verona scratched behind her ears. "So how did the Dwarves go? Did they like what you showed them?"

"They did. They're working on it right now."

"That's a relief." Verona beckoned them in. "Atros needs all the help it can get, especially with that mess to the south."

Anton stopped just past the door, gently placed Luna onto the floor and removed his boots.

"I don't want to drag anything inside." Anton kicked his boot against the door frame to loosen the straps. "Especially big clods of mud."

Cetina quickly unbundled hers, Rasha looked worryingly at her hooves. She was, in a sense, barefoot. There was nothing between her large hoof and the ground. She raised her hoof, held the door frame with one hand and twisted her leg so she could see.

"There's quite a bit..." Rasha mumbled something more under her breath as she picked some clods of dirt and stones free. "Maybe I should wait outside. It-"

Verona scoffed, planting her hands on her hips. "That's not happening. I'll find you a stiff brush. I know Kal has an old one or two in her room."

Verona scampered off, Luna gave chase, as Rasha continued to pick at her hoof. When Anton removed his boots Rasha gasped lightly, she knew he had changed but only had seen his tail. She didn't ask anything about it and focused on herself.

"Here's one." Verona triumphantly returned with a brush in her hand, holding it high like a prize of battle. "Nice and rough so it'll get those bits of dirt and stone out."

"T-Thanks." Rasha hesitated to use it. "It'll probably get pretty dirty if I use it."

Verona shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Think of that as yours now. We've got a few spares."

"Thanks." Rasha turned around and began scraping away the dirt that had become embedded in her hoof.

When Anton finally removed his last boot, Cetina had long since finished and now stood in her thick socks, Verona jumped at him, holding him tight around his neck.

"I love you too, Verona." Anton gently kissed her as Verona slid down, holding a hand on his chest. "You seem more excited than usual."

"Because I've just finished one of my feather cloaks. Kal's just going over it now, she's got a very good eye..." Verona rolled her own, raising a hand towards Cetina then dropping it dramatically. "I don't mean like that, Cetina."

"I understand what you mean." Cetina looked at Anton. "I actually see better through my eyepatch."

"Well, we're done and I want to show you all."

Anton leant down and kissed Verona again. He gently picked her up and whispered into her ear.

"Be gentle with Rasha today. She's not in the best state of mind."

"Something you did?"

"Not exactly. I'll explain later. But promise me you'll be nice."

Verona kissed him and forced a little distance. "I'm always nice. I don't know what you're talking about or trying to say."

Rasha loudly tapped her hooves on the wooden floor outside. She seemed happy with her work, her hooves had regained some of their lustre.

"Kal's in her room at the moment." Verona laughed, nearly skipping down the hall with Luna in tow. "I really don't have one so we kind of took it over." Verona stopped and spun around, her shirt flew out. When she was side on the bump in her stomach was far more pronounced. "We don't exactly need one most of the time."

Cetina shook her head. She stepped to the side and waited for Rasha to enter. Rasha mumbled something as she stooped low so her bright orange horn did not hit the roof. Her special helmet accommodated her horn but that meant little when she could not stand up straight without it embedding itself in the roof. Cetina moved the blockage back, an old chest, and followed. As Anton followed Verona's rear he heard something hard occasionally scrape on the roof. Anton said nothing, Rasha swore under her breath after each hit.

Luna raced into the room before Verona, eliciting a startled shriek from Kal.

"Don't just jump on me like that." Kal spoke like a concerned mother. "I've got sharp implements in my hands. What if I had stabbed you by accident?"

Luna mewled, a deers mewl, and sneezed with excitement.

Kal sat with her back to the door, hunched over a large set of brightly coloured feather coat. A layer of red feathers formed the collar, changing through the rest of the colour spectrum along the length of the cloak. Kal’s ears twitched and turned towards them. Like Verona she did not wear her usual armoured clothes and cloak. Instead she wore a short sleeved shirt and shorts, exposing her mocha toned skin and her Beast-kin limbs. It was very rare for either to wear so little around other people, even in the relative safety of Atros.

“Hello.” Kal placed down a small bone needle. Anton found the way her muscles tensed very alluring. “Everything went well?”

When she stopped a foot away Anton reached out and pulled her in for a kiss. She grumbled, rolled her eyes, but accepted it all the same. When they parted he saw her long tail swaying happily behind her.

“Everything did.” Anton held her waist. “So this is what you two have been working on?”

“Yes!” Verona squeezed past, ushering them in. Anton and Cetina entered, Rasha waited in the door and stuck her head in, resting her large hands either side for support. “It’s long enough for you and doesn’t drag on the ground. Kal modelled for it-”

Kal scoffed. “More forced to. Not that I have a problem with helping.”

“-And…” Verona rolled her eyes. “And it works great. Really warm too. Even wearing as little as this.”

Verona tugged at the ends of her shirt. Rasha frowned at the tattoo swirls covering her body, especially how many of the lines focused on her stomach.

“It wasn’t her choice.” Anton explained. “Things just sort of…happened.”

“And Jira’s a bitch.” Verona clapped her hands. “But that’s not anyone’s fault…Except hers, of course.”

She gently picked the cloth up and motioned for Anton to turn around. However she was too short to reach him, even when she jumped. Anton knelt, Verona whispered a thanks as she placed the hem of the cloak around his neck. Kal’s cold claws brushed against his skin as they fastened the small toggles. Verona gave his back a gentle pat to let him know they were done. Anton stood up, careful to not snag his rear claw on the feathers.

“I’m very impressed.” Anton twirled the cloak back and forth. “This looks really good. I’m actually a little nervous about damaging it. I know a lot of work went into just this one.”

“The feathers will break before they come loose.” Kal wormed her fingers around a bright red feather around his neck. “Verona did a good job and fastened every feather individually. I added a few little things but most of this is her work.”

“It’s lovely.” Rasha reached out to touch the feathers. “And it’s so soft.”

“The underside’s a soft silk.” Anton raised the cloak with his arm, allowing Rasha to touch the feathers. “So it won’t agitate your skin. Not that you should be naked underneath this.”

“I’m so glad you like it.” Verona snuggled herself underneath his cloak. “I need the Dark Elves to get more feathers, track down the fast birds, but I should have a whole set done before summer.” Verona surreptitiously brought his hand to her stomach. “When this starts to grow even bigger I won’t be adventuring with you. Neither will Kal.”

“So I’ll be an assistant?” Kal asked dryly.

Verona jabbed her side. “No. Not like that. But I think we’ll all look lovely with them.”

“Everyone’s going to be really impressed.” Anton kissed Verona. “I’m a little worried to sit on it while I’m wearing this. I just don’t want to damage it.”

“It’ll be fine.” Verona motioned for him to kneel once again. She quickly unfastened the toggles. “I just really wanted to see what it looked like on you. Maybe when we have the next batch of Beast-kin you could wear it. Or when we explore during the winter…” Verona smiled and shrugged. “I think it looks good.”

Anton gently placed the feather cloak onto a nearby small table. “I’ll take this the next time that we meet someone important. They’ll respect us just from the craftsmanship alone.”

Verona laughed, a faint redness to her face. “Imagine King Leo seeing you strut towards him wearing this. All of us wearing these...”

Anton lifted the other side of the cloak. “How easily do these feathers get dirty?”

“Hmm?” Verona tilted her head.

“If we have to fight these are going to have to come off. Well, if you aren’t fighting with magic.”

“They’re surprisingly resistant.” Kal held up a deep blue feather. “The birds don’t have baths and their feathers are still bright. There’s a strange waxy material throughout the feathers. I’m sure that’s what’s stopping the dirt.”

“Speaking of worrying about things getting dirty.” Verona pointed to an incomplete set in the corner. “Those are the ones made from the Chirok’s feathers. I’m thinking of making those for our kids. They’d look so cute in those.”

“A whole bunch of little Verona’s and Kal’s scampering about the halls?” Anton laughed. “That’s going to be great.”

“Little Anton’s too.” Verona held her stomach. “I’m certain I’m carrying a boy. Or two. Maybe even three.”

“Have you two had lunch yet?” Anton asked. “We had something in the Dwarven Isles but I’m already hungry.”

“Not yet.” Kal leant around Anton’s shoulder. “Rasha? Do you want to stay for a late lunch?”

“Sure…” Rasha frowned at Cetina, wondering why she wasn’t asked, that she was just presumed to be coming. “Sure! C-Can you make me those baked potatoes again?”

“Absolutely. I love cooking.” Anton smiled at Rasha. “Someone prefers my cooking rather than doing it herself.”

“I can cook.” Verona jabbed his side. “Yours just tastes better.”

---[]---

“Anton?” Rasha stopped eating her cheesy baked potato. “Why…”

Rasha searched for the right words.

“What’s wrong?” Kal asked. Luna sat in her lap, eagerly accepting the scratches from her claws and the morsels of vegetables she was feeding her.

“I have been thinking-”

Verona, sitting beside Anton, wanted to say something but thankfully her mouth was full.

“-Why did you stay in Atros?”

“What do you mean?” Anton shuffled in his seat. His bound tail was now free, for the first time in ages during the day, but he couldn’t sit hard against his chair. Like Kal he had to sit forward slightly.

Rasha sat opposite on the long table in their garden, shielded from the gentle falling snow by the thin piece of outstretched cloth, sitting on a crate for a chair. When she tried to sit on a normal chair it groaned loudly. Rasha refused to sit on it again, lest she break it and fall down like a fool.

“Verona told me that you first went to Qaiviel, just the two of you.” Rasha began to pick at the crispy edge of her baked potato. “Before Kal came here. Surely…Surely you could have lived in Qaiviel quite easily. Just the two of you.”

Anton and Verona shared a glance.

“It’s not like the people here could have followed you.” Rasha scratched the base of her horn. “They could have…I think I mean that they couldn’t have forced you to stay…I’m sure I was trying to say something at the beginning.”

“It was a thought.” Anton said. Verona gently nodded. “But one I didn’t entertain for long.”

“But Qaiviel, even though it’s poorer than Graterious or Bebbezzar, has a lot more than here. Surely it would have been easier to do stuff there and not build everything from the beginning in Atros.” Rasha shook her head, her shoulders drooped. “Without those portals it would take even longer than it currently is. So why not stay there?”

“We wouldn’t have been able to help the Beast-kin.” Verona stabbed a piece of meat, pointing it at Rasha. “No other Kingdom or Empire accepts Beast-kin. It sucks to say but the Seocurians tolerate the Beast-kin more than most.”

Rasha’s face fell. “I don’t like thinking about it that way.”

“It didn’t feel right to abandon Atros.” Anton began. “After taking me in, when they could have easily thrown me out, and after fighting together I came to like this place. I do think that it would be easier to build elsewhere but I would immediately be caught up in politics. And, to be quite frank, I don’t think that I’m good dealing with that sort of stuff. I…I was sort of used to help assassinate a Queen.”

Verona grumbled as she ripped at the whole steak of Razor-Pig.

“But the Old Gods told me to stay in Atros, no matter what.” Anton shrugged. “Which I sort of didn’t follow. But if I didn’t I’d have never met Kal, Cetina, you or anyone else. Not the Dark Elves, the Dwarves and certainly no Beast-kin.”

Kal held his leg. “And I’m thankful every day for Tethra.”

“Still seems like you’re relying on Gods.” Rasha mumbled. “The Gods didn’t help me or anyone else.” Rasha placed her food down. “Sorry…I probably just need to get some sleep. I’m not thinking straight.”

“It’s alright.” Anton smiled. “I don’t think we should rely just on them. They...They are not reliable. That being said we shouldn’t wait for them to intervene, even if such a thing is possible, but their help has been indispensable.”

“I…” Rasha continued eating. “Just strange that the only humans that want to help us come from Atros.”

Verona cleared her throat. “My parents, they died before Anton arrived.” Verona began to cut her meat. “Told me to do what I think is right.”

“And?”

“And it’s right to help.” Verona shrugged. “It’s not deep...But…”

Rasha smiled. “I don’t think I’m cut out for this philosophical stuff.”

A knock came from the front door. Cetina immediately rose from her chair, finishing a large piece of meat quickly, donned her helmet and sword.

“I’ll be back.” Cetina murmured.

Rasha moved to join her but Cetina waved her down and for her to continue eating. Rasha had the largest plate, despite having eaten far more than anyone else.

“I...I think I’m just overthinking things.” Rasha nibbled on a cheese covered baked potato. “I know that you’re not doing all of this out of the goodness of your heart.”

“No.” Anton glumly nodded. “I would love to be a philanthropist,” All three threw him confused looks. “But I did free you with the express intent that you would help me.”

Rasha smiled. “That might actually make us feel better. An actual way to repay what you’ve done for us.”

“Speaking of.” Kal tapped his leg. “I think that we should try more raids on Seocuria before the spring.”

“We’re rather stretched.” Anton said, Verona silently agreed while she tried to sneak a piece of food from his plate. He caught her moving in her peripheries and grabbed it tight. “But...But more people means more hands.”

“More mouths to feed.” Verona said idly, pretending that her hand was not caught by his.

“Indeed.” Anton heard Cetina’s heavy boots echoing throughout the house, followed by a smaller set. “I don’t want Atros to rely on importing food. A very dangerous proposition should the Seocurian Empire figure out what we’re up to.”

“I wonder when they will.” Kal mused. “They aren’t stupid, not if they’ve kept millions of Beast-kin as slaves for generations.”

Cetina knocked on the door as she stepped through. A male Dwarf followed her, one he did not recognise.

“Hello.” The Dwarf nervously played with a small iron link on his beard. “I was told to come and inform you that the treasury of the Blood Hammer Dwarves has been opened.”

“I told them not to open it.” Anton almost leapt to his feet. “If it was protected-”

The Dwarf raised his hand. “That door still remains locked. Umikgruid’s referring to the...Normal treasury. It was locked with some magical devices but with everything we’d brought for the other door we had it opened in no time. We just needed to find it.”

“Go on.” Verona smiled. “We’ll clean up.”

Rasha began to stuff her face with the remaining baked potatoes. She only stopped when Kal stopped by her side with a small bag. Rasha murmured a thanks and placed them inside. Kal shook her head and gave hers a light pat. Rasha didn’t know how to react, being the older and much larger. Kal gave Anton a quick kiss before scooping up Luna and several of the empty plates. Rasha checked her bag was secure and joined Anton’s side alongside Cetina. She offered Cetina one which, surprisingly, she took.

“How much gold do you think the Dwarves have down there?” Anton wondered aloud.

---[]---

The Dwarves held their small, bright lamps as high as they could. No fire burned within them, all of the light was generated from the small entrance energy cubes. Anton did not want to imagine how many Dwarves had died when they still used candles and torches.

The Master Rune Smith raced ahead, racing behind a relative term for a Dwarf, and illuminated the ornate stone door ahead.

"The treasury." The Smith said proudly. "Took us a while to reach it, some of those Insect things had caused a cave in...Or maybe the Blood Hammer Dwarves did it?" The Dwarf shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Everything they had is locked away inside. Protected against thieves, and giant creepy crawlies too."

"Can't imagine those things would want gold and jewels." Cetina mused.

"Maybe they think it's pretty and that's enough reason." The Dwarf shrugged. "Maybe they adorn their nests with them? Who knows? I just know I never want to find out."

"Kal's toxic smoke should keep them at bay for a long, long time. If it hasn't wiped them out already." Anton nodded towards the door. "We can only hope. Now, can you get this door open or is it going to be like that one down below?"

"Still don't understand why they put so many seals on that door." The Master Rune Smith snapped his fingers at a significantly younger Dwarf. He produced a long brass implement and gently passed it over. "This...You wouldn't understand. But it's extremely expensive and difficult to manufacture. And we've already gone through ten of these trying to get that door open. Ten! I've never seen anything like it."

"But you are making progress?" Anton unconsciously folded his arms. He didn't like the idea of money being wasted, even though they still had a chest full of precious gems.

"We are..." The Dwarf raised his hand. "A moment please."

He began to trace a line over the door with the long brass implement, muttering to himself with every turn. It was not an incantation but merely him talking to the door, treating it like a living creature that was just being stubborn. Occasionally sparks would fly off but nothing too dramatic. After a long circular pattern, with many sharp deviations, he returned to the centre. The stone door made a loud clunk and opened ever so slightly.

"That." The Dwarf shook his head. "Is how a door is supposed to be locked. Not like that jumbled mess. Everything has secondary keys and locks. It...It was not designed to be easy to open, I'll tell you that."

"Let's have a look, shall we?"

The Warrior Dwarves moved forward and pushed hard onto the door. Cetina and Rasha stepped in front of Anton, just in case another breech lay inside with a horde of insects waiting inside. Despite the bright light nothing reflected back, no piles of gold, no racks or ancient weapons. All that greeted them were piles of paper. Small pieces, slightly larger than a hand laid flat.

"W-What?" A Warrior Dwarf stammered. "Where is everything?"

"Before you become too distraught can you see if there's anything moving in there?"

The Dwarves regained their composure and peered inside. Their lamps revealed the entire room, nothing moved within.

"No broken walls or floors." The Rune Smith muttered. "Oh. I can see some chests on the far side. Quite a few of them too. Thank all the gods it isn't just more of this paper stuff."

Anton followed the Dwarves, Cetina and Rasha still remaining ahead. Anton let the Dwarves run for the obvious treasure. He was more interested in why the Blood Hammer Dwarves felt these pieces of paper were so precious.

"There's something on them." Rasha said as she leant down. "I think-Oh no!"

Rasha's breath was enough to disintegrate the top layer of the papers. She gasped, backed away and struck another stack with her hoof. The entire stack shook and turned to dust, spilling onto the floor like sand.

"I'm not having a good day." Rasha mumbled.

Anton patted her side. "Keep your head up."

Rasha nodded, bit her lip and stood perfectly still, lest she damage anything else.

"These are...Notes." Anton covered his mouth as he looked closely at a mostly intact piece of paper. "Ten thousand gold coins."

"It's just paper." Cetina frowned at the hundreds of piles. "Are they made out of something special?"

Anton chuckled. "No. Absolutely not. Imagine trying to carry ten thousand gold coins-"

"I'd have gold plates..." Cetina frowned again at the piles. Her expression quickly softened. "I understand now."

"I don't." Rasha leant on her halberd. "Why is this paper so valuable?"

"The paper itself is worthless." Anton quietly chanted a restoration prayer on the note. "It's what it represents."

Rasha, very gently, shook her head and shrugged.

"As I was saying to Cetina, if you wanted to transport ten thousand gold coins you could try and find that many gold coins or you could exchange one of these." Anton passed the restored note to Rasha. "Same thing as the coins, plates and rings. There's probably little difference between them in terms of metal but some are worth more than others."

"I've never had to deal with money." Rasha rested her halberd in the crook of her harm and held the note close to her face. "Still seems strange for a piece of paper. But if you say that's what this is I'll believe you."

Rasha passed the note to Cetina. "I would actually prefer to carry one of those than a chest of gold around with me."

Cetina briefly inspected the paper and passed it back to Anton. The note was very simple; the denomination clearly spelled out in the centre with a faint insignia of the United Empire acting as a background. Four objects lay in the corner, a Human, Dwarf, a Feline Beastkin and a creature Anton did not recognize.

No Dark Elves. If they continued to resist then they wouldn't be so proudly displayed.

"Can we use this?" Rasha smiled as she looked over the piles. Her face dropped slightly when she saw the dwarves were figuratively digging their way through the dusty pieces of paper. "Aren't we the richest people in the continent?"

"Far from it." Anton's smile only confused Rasha further. "The United Empire is long gone. No one would exchange ten thousand gold coins." Anton held the note in both hands. "That being said, a collector might be interested in this. Might...Might pay more or less than what it says here. But only one. They find out that we've got thousands of them they'll be worthless."

"I understand." Rasha smiled awkwardly. "At least I think I do."

Anton placed the note in his pocket and moved to the dwarves. They had successfully extracted all of the chests, only eight in total, and looked very pleased with themselves.

"What were those things?" The Rune Smith waved the Dwarves to stop.

"Paper money." Anton said. "Not worth very much now."

It was technically true so Anton wasn't exactly lying.

"Anything good?"

"We're about to bust these open. See what the Blood Hammer Dwarves thought was so important to hide."

The Dwarves quickly forced the chests open. Inside lay the gold and jewels they sought. Each were only half full but it was certainly nothing to scoff at.

"Well I'll be..." The Rune Smith let out a giddy laugh. "Look at all this!"

"This will keep you going for some time." Anton looked out of the treasury, towards the forge. "So long as you don't buy too many more expensive things."

The Rune Smith raided both of his stubby hands. "Everything that's bought from the Dwarven Isles goes to Umikgruid and then to you. You're no Dwarf but I've heard you've got a lot of magic in you."

"I have him explain what each item is and what it does." Anton shrugged. "So far everything seems to be above board."

The Dwarves, and Cetina and Rasha, frowned at his use of an unknown saying.

"It's all fine." Anton quickly added. "Everything is fine. Make sure this makes its way back in one piece. I don't want to hear that I've forgotten how to count to eight, or that one has decided to turn up empty."

The Dwarves agreed. Anton had no idea if they would actually steal this gold when so much was at stake.

Atros went through worse, and people turned on each other really fast when things started to look bad.

"We'll-"

"I found something!" One of the Dwarves had been rummaging through a pile on the floor of rotten paper. Anton saw him pull out a wooden framed picture, larger than he was tall. The black wood, with red marbled specks running throughout the grain, could have only come from The Shadow Isles. At the very least it was created after the conquest of the Dark Elves.

"It's a map." He said proudly, trotting his little legs without breaking into a run. "I've never seen this before though."

"Perhaps a more detailed map of the hold?" Anton offered. Cetina took the map from the Dwarf and held it so everyone could see.

The map was incredibly detailed but it was not of the Blood Hammer Hold, nor of the United Empire at its zenith. Instead it depicted the lands of the Kar Kingdom. Except it was not labelled as such.

"Administration Zone Four." Anton clicked his tongue. "Sad that we're only four. Oh, it has another name. Karthiline. I suppose we know why it's called the Kar Kingdom then."

Rasha raised her finger, dropping it very quickly the next moment.

"It doesn't look like it's made from paper." Anton tapped the black wood. "Sounds like it's succumbing to a dry rot. I wonder what it is?"

The Rune Smith peered close. "I've seen this material before. It's a type of lacquer, the colours are actually etched into the material. Incredibly tedious and difficult. Normally they make it out of tiny little squares, in case something goes wrong. But this is one solid sheet." The Rune Smith smiled, letting out a slow whistle. "The Dwarf that made this was bloody good."

“So what else do we have here?”

Rasha leant over Anton, her armoured chest tapped against his head. Despite the layer of metal and arachnid silk underlay it was still surprisingly warm even through his head.

“There’s Atros.” Rasha said happily.

Mount Aspire was still labelled as such but Atros was not. In fact, it wasn’t a tiny village at the base of a mountain. The city was almost as large as Surdon, which had retained its name, with many farmlands and logging camps facing the Accursed Forest.

“Atrokla.” Anton tapped the hard lacquer surface. “Must have been the main trading hub with the Blood Hammer’s. I bet there were a lot of ancillary businesses as well.”

“Like food for the Dwarves.” Rasha mused. She pointed to the fields of wheat. “If Humans and Beast-kin worked the farms above the Dwarves could focus on mining and forging weapons.”

The Rune smith nodded. “That sounds about right.”

His hands trailed over the map. He muttered to himself, the other Dwarves crowded around, until one leant hard on his shoulder and pointed to the far east of the land, to Dragon Tooth Bay. There was no mention of the Seocurians, they had only arrived during the time of the Kar Kingdom, but he noticed a strange symbol either side of the entrance to the bay. It was almost identical to the Blood Hammer hold but significantly smaller.

“Outposts?” Anton asked. “Defensive fortifications for the bay? A good location for it. And I remember Umikgruid saying something about giant ballistae.”

“Possible.” The Rune Smith stroked his impressive beard. “It could be.”

“We didn’t see anything.” Cetina said softly.

“Well, it wouldn’t be a Dwarven fortress than would it?” The Rune Smith laughed. “Nothing like giant bolts striking from hidden ports in the mountain.”

“Any chance they survived?” Anton asked. “We could take the Chiroks and investigate if you think it’s possible.”

“I honestly doubt it.” The Rune Smith tapped the two symbols. “These would have only a few hundred Dwarves in each. We live a long time, but not that long. Not to mention I doubt they’d have anything to eat. A Dwarf cannot survive on fish forever.”

“We’ll take a look if we get the chance.” Anton continued inspecting the map. “But if it’s just an outpost there might have been something left behind. Maybe some old weapons and armour that could be useful.”

“It’ll raise the others spirits to know someone else lived in these lands.”

“We’ll take the map with us for now.” Cetina lowered the map. “Not forever, of course, but we need to see if there might be any hidden caches. I doubt it, given how long it’s been…”

“Umikgruid will be happy.” The Rune Smith smiled. “I’m sure he’s up top, working on that Sovereign Palace. Should be a beauty when it’s complete. Put anything in Graterious and Qaiviel to shame. Don’t know about anywhere else…”

Anton gave a nod and the Dwarves refastened the chests and took them from the treasury.

“Strange.” Anton looked to the piles of paper notes. “This used to be worth millions, now it’s worth nothing…I’m sure there’s a point in there about the futility of materialism or something.”

“You’re just saying fancy words to sound smart.” Cetina said dryly. She tried to keep a straight face but a smile slowly cracked over.

“Sometimes. Let me get a few more of these notes then we’ll head back to Atros. Before I speak to Umikgruid about the monstrosity Verona commissioned there is one more thing to discuss.”

“Which is?” Rasha tapped her halberd.

“My Cobra Retinue.”

---[]---

Anton found Eider working in the Lumber Yard of Atros, stripping bark from fresh logs. The cold and snow made the work difficult but Eider persevered. However she was cold blooded so she operated from under cover of a large wooden shack, a small metal brazier burning in the corner which her tail constantly hovered near.

“Are you sure you should be out here like that?” Anton asked loudly.

Eider, wearing her thick clothes that extended to her hood, stopped mid stroke and smiled. Her smile was still a little unnerving but the feeling had all but disappeared. The fangs, on the other hand, did worry him.

“I’m fine.” Eider slapped her arms. “This keeps me warm. I’m not going to the smithy, I told you that before. Too noisy and the chances of Irso losing her shit at me are too high.”

“You haven’t continued to tease her?”

“No.” Eider winked at Rasha. “But it seems to annoy her that we know.”

A nearby group of workers, a mixture of Humans and Beast-kin, quietly left. Anton wasn’t speaking about something confidential but they had no idea of that.

"I know we only, briefly, spoke about it before those Goblins attacked-"

"The retinue?" Eider cheerfully perked up. "I've been thinking about it too. Kind of dangerous with all these tools, but it has kept my mind off the cold."

"We should ask the Dwarves if they have any heaters that work off those cubes." Cetina said softly. "They've always got a lot spare."

"If they don't it'll give them something to work towards. They were practically giggling when I told them they could design and experiment to their hearts content." Anton coughed lightly. "A slight tangent aside."

Eider's forked tongue kicked at the air, never once breaking eye contact.

"Have you given any thought as to who should join? It can't just be you, after all."

"Unlike those two," Eider nodded at Cetina and Rasha. "I can't fight. Well, not that well.” Eider shrugged. “But I’m sure that I could lead really well.”

Eider picked at her lip. That too was formed from scales, albeit incredibly small and flexible. “I suppose those two Beast-kin that you sent to protect me would be a good start.”

“You realised that?”

Eider’s eyes softened. “Of course. I’m not that stupid.”

Her body resisted the urge to glance at Rasha. The next moment her muscles relaxed, she smiled even wider at Anton.

“I suppose they would be a good start.” Eider held a finger to her lips. “Are the Dark Elves…And option? Do you trust them yet?”

“I…” Anton raised his hand. “I would actually trust the Dark Elves not from the Green Moon clan more. I don’t think they’ll do anything stupid but there’s every chance.”

“Marion said something about them before…” Rasha quickly trailed off.

“Do you know where they are?”

“I think that they’re helping sort some of the supplies.” Eider said. She tapped the large, half hewn log. “Do you want to meet them now?”

“Why not?” Anton looked to the gently falling snow. “I never did get to really meet them.”

Eider waved them out of the Lumber Yard and back to the streets. As she walked her thick tail trailed low to the ground. She slowed quickly as she left the warmth of the fire, her hood pulled close to her body as her body shuddered. Being cold blooded she could not shiver to generate heat, she had to rely on external sources. Anton created a small fireball, barely bigger than his closed fist and held it close to Eider. She frowned at him but quickly understood when the warmth began to travel throughout her body.

“I wish I could use fire magic.” Eider spoke slightly slower than normal. “Wouldn’t have all this problem with my body.”

Eider found the pair of Beast-kin moving supplies they had recently been bought from Seocuria, the critical supplies necessary to make the explosive powder. Anton did not like giving the Seocurian Empire any money, even a copper coin, but this was necessary. Graterious did sell the necessary ingredients, those they could not get themselves, but they only had a portal in Boreana and it would be suspicious for cartloads of materials to enter Mezot’s room.

“Here they are!” Eider announced happily. “Fuzo and Unathi.”

The two Beast-kin heard their name calls and stopped moving the small chests. Fuzo was a tall Feline Beast-kin, with a short and bushy tail and ears, Unathi was a slightly shorter shark Beast-kin. He looked identical to the Beast-kin Anton has seen fishing in the Danafra harbour.

“Hello!” Eider waved. “Anton wants to have a chat with you.”

The two shared a worried glance. Anton reminded himself that they had never spoken to him before, the only things they knew about him were what other people told them. He was, unofficially, the leader of Atros, so he should act like it.

“H-Hello.” Fuzo stammered out. Immediately his ears pulled back and down slightly, the same as Kal when she was nervous. “Lord Anton. How are you this day?”

“I’m not a lord.” Anton kept his voice calm and soft. “But I am doing well.”

Both of the Beast-kin glanced at Cetina and Rasha standing either side. Both cut an imposing figure for different reasons.

“I wished to discuss the job that Jeff assigned you the other day.” Anton nodded to Eider. “When we headed south to deal with the Goblins in the Lumber Mill.”

“Yes.” Unathi could not help but speak with a bit of a snarl. The Beast-kin’s mouth forced him so. “I thought we did a good job with that.”

Anton caught Unathi’s panicked glance at Rasha. He raised his hand before the shark Beast-kin could speak. “I think you two did an excellent job. And that’s why I’m here.”

Eider’s hairless eyebrows bounced up once, confusing the two Beast-kin even further.

“I have two bodyguards.” Anton nodded to Cetina and Rasha. “But I need extra forces that will be under my command. You two performed very well, and you listened to Eider’s instructions and orders.”

“They…” Fuzo hesitated. “They made sense?” He bit his lower lip. “Don’t go anywhere that’s slippery, and a few places where those Goblin things might be hiding.”

“I never thought they’d look so ugly.” Unathi shut his mouth shut when he realised he had spoken out of turn.

This is always going to be a problem. Maybe there’s really nothing I can do to stop it, only make it easier on them.

“They are hideous.” Anton nodded in agreement. “But, again, that is not what I wanted to discuss. I wanted to know if either of you two were interested in working under Eider as part of my personal retinue. You will be given the best equipment and training that we can possibly provide. Normally you would not need to worry yourselves with something like clearing out those Goblins but you will be working with the normal soldiers, just you report to Eider who reports to me, rather than the normal chain of command.”

The two Beast-kin appeared to understand, even though Anton had used some words and phrases that no uneducated slave could possibly understand.

“And there’s a bit more food in it for you as well.” Anton said. “Can’t have good soldiers without having them fed.”

Anton mentally sighed lightly as the two became very excited by the prospect. In Atros they were hardly starved for food, but food was essentially the only form of reward they knew. And less beatings, of course.

“Of course!” Fuzo exclaimed. “We’d be delighted.”

“More of that Razor Pig meat.” Uranthis rubbed his stomach. “That stuff is so good.”

“I knew you two were good.” Eider patted their shoulders. “I knew you wouldn’t embarrass me.” Eider’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Right?”

You actually thought that this might look bad on you? Nothing about this is formal.

“This will be a good start. If either of you,” Anton turned to Cetina and Rasha. “If any of you think of people that might be a good fit, let me know. I don’t want a bloated force but I’ll need more than just two.”

“I’ll let Jeff and Jonathan know that...This has started.” Eider smiled. “So if they ask you…”

“I’ll confirm it. Just don’t promise a prospective person something that might not be within my ability. No bribery.”

All three nodded.

“From now on you’ll now be excused from your normal duties on the condition that you spend most of your time practicing and building up your strength.” Anton gestured to Rasha. “You won’t be as strong as her but I want you all in top condition. That means you, Eider, as well. On top of studying how to read.”

Eider pretended to pout but still agreed.

“We’ll need to hire someone from Bebbezzar to teach tactics and strategy…” Anton shrugged and looked north. “I’ll leave you three to it. Eider, if you need help or guidance let me know. Now, I need to speak with Umikgruid about this monstrosity that Verona is having them build. See how much this is costing me.”