Chapter 1: Dwarves and hatching

Author’s message: in at least this chapter most of the POV will not be Michiko because she can’t speak jet and is still in her shell for the most of the chapter so that’s why there is not a lot of her in this chapter.

Lore of the metal Gromril

Year: -1600 to 1706 (Imperial Calendar)

Location: planet Warhammer, Dragon Peak mountain

3rd POV.

The day that Michiko was reincarnated by Tzeentch he sent a giant illusionary dragon down from the sky Just behind Michiko’s soul. Tzeentch wanted to make sure that no monsters or other undesirables would come to the mountain for a long time so that Michiko would have enough time to safely hatch. He decides to use an illusionary dragon that was actually a lot of his magic power made to look like a dragon. This had a dual purpose; one getting his mana for the creation of the unique dragon egg to the cave and secondly to keep undesirables away, because if you see a massive dragon fly into a mountain and not come out you will not be so willing to go to that mountain because you might get eaten by a dragon. Because of the rumors about a dragon that sleeps there the mountain was named Dragon Peak mountain.

Like this Michiko kept growing inside the egg for about 100 years. She was nearing the time for hatching but then there was a massive earthquake that caused boiling water to stop flowing into the hot spring. This caused Michiko’s egg to cool and enter a time of hibernation.

Dragon eggs need a lot of heat to grow. Without it they stop growing and enter a sort of hibernation period until there is enough heat to start growing again. This hibernation can last thousands of years and the egg can still be hatched.

A period very, very, very, very long time nothing happened in Dragon Peak mountain until the year 1706 nothing really happened in Dragon Peak mountain. It was then that, around a hundred dwarves came to the Dragon Peak mountain.

Year: 30-05-1706 (Imperial Calendar)

Location: planet Warhammer, on the road to Dragon Peak mountain

Endar POV.

After being driven from our home by the Greenskin invasion started, me and my pregnant wife had to leave our homes behind and we fled out of the path of the invasion. After we fled we had a few choices we could go for a karak, we would be safe there but we would be at the bottom of society because our clan was destroyed and our valuables were mostly lost. the second option was to seek refuge in human lands where our skills would be valued but we did not know how far the greenskin invasion would reach and we also could not stay in front of the fast advance because a group of refugees moves too slow and so we made a third option.

After we fled south we met up with more and more refugees that had a similar dilemma to us and a close-knit bond grew between us. When our group numbered around a hundred we made a plan: we would build our own Karak. It would be a monumental task but if we accomplish it our life would be better, and our children and children’s children would have something to build on.

But where would we build our Karak? the answer came from a very old Dwarf by the that goes by the name of Fimbur. He suggested that we should go to Dragon Peak mountain. When we asked why we should build our Karak there he told us about the legend of Dragon Peak mountain. At first we were against because a dragon, even if it is not a mindless beast it was still quite dangerous but after thinking and speaking about It for a while we agreed. Even if the dragon was only a legend it did keep the Greenskins away and if the dragon was real we could at least talk with it. If we were lucky, we could even get it to protect us. So with Dragon Peak mountain being the best available option we made our way toward the mountain.

During the journey my wife’s belly grew because of her pregnancy, luckily the pregnancy period of a dwarf is around 15 months and by then we would most likely already have set up a basic homes. While traveling the other dwarfs began treating me like there leader and while a first I was uncomfortable with it I became used to it and working together we finally made it to Dragon Peak mountain.

Endar: “Everyone we finally made it!!!”

I cried out and everyone let loose a loud roar of happiness. I went to the wagon where my wife is.

Endar: “we finally made it to our new home”

I said and then I kissed her.

Freda: “don’t forget our little one Endar”

She said smiling.

Endar: “how could I Freda your belly is so big it looks like you ate a whole sheep”

I said while laughing and she pouted which made me kiss her again and then I once again moved to the front of the caravan.

Year: 15-07-1706 (Imperial Calendar)

Location: planet Warhammer, Dragon Peak mountain

Endar POV.

After camping for a weak at the base of the mountain we send some scouts up the mountain to look for a suitable spot for the entrance of our karak. We were in luck we found a cave at the middle of the mountain. I led a team inside and what we found was above our wildest expectations; we found a gigantic cave with a ceiling so high that we could not even see it and the floor so wide that it was at the very least a kilometre wide. I turned around and with disbelieve in my voice I said.

Endar: “we found one of the legendary hollow mountains”

It was silent for a bit but then I almost screamed.

Endar: “WE FOUND ONE OF THE LEGENDARY HOLLOW MOUNTAINS!!!”

Everyone cried out in joy and some even started to dance but than when heard a squawking noise we were silent for a bit and then we saw a gigantic black cloud and I screamed.

Endar: “BATS!!”

Everyone started to run toward the exist. After the most fun and scariest 5 minutes of running in my life we made it outside and we got out of the way of the cave entrance. We were out just in time because 5 seconds after we made it to safety a massive stream of bats came flying out. After the bats were done flying out I started to laugh and everyone else joined me and we laughed like madmen for the next ten minutes. Then we moved toward camp and we told them what we found. That evening we thanked the ancestor gods and we had one of the best parties of our lives. We had meat the hunters brought and we even broke open one of the few remaining casks of ale.

The next few days we moved our stuff in our new home and we lit up the as much of the cave with glowing runes as we could. We also spent a few weeks exploring the cave and the rest of the mountain we found that there was a stream of water coming in from the top of the mountain, most likely form the mountain snow. We also found that at one side of the cave there was a spring of boiling hot water coming from the ground. We were very happy about this but it also meant that we had to look out where we mine, because a mine filling with normal water is already dangerous enough so a mine filling with boiling water is horrible. We also found some indication that there might be multiple kinds of ore in the ground and maybe even some Gromril!

We also found a few caves that led outside at multiple places in the cave. Finally we found a cave at the top of the mountain but we did not enter it because if there was a dragon that was the place it would most likely be. And so we started to build our home.

Year: 28-08-1706 (Imperial Calendar)

Location: planet Warhammer, Dragon Peak mountain

Endar POV.

I was having a normal day of working on the new homes and the workshops while Freda was out with some of the others in the area surrounding the mountain, Freda should not go out so much anymore because she has only about one month of pregnancy left. But I know how much she loves to be outside, Which is actually quite strange considering we are dwarves but she does her own things and it is one of the things I love about her.

In the middle of the day I heard someone running toward me and calling my name it was Norgrim.

Norgrim: “Endar! Endar!”

When he came by me he bowed down panting while trying to say something.

Endar: “Calm down Norgrim what happened?”

Norgrim (out of breath): “*gasp* Freda and the others huf where attacked by Goblins and Freda was injured”

Endar: “WHAT?!”

I immediately stood up and ran to the temporary hospital. When I arrived I saw Freda laying on a bed with a look of great pain on her face. I than turned toward the doctor.

Endar: “Doctor what is the situation”

Doctor: “Well she got hit in the stomach with a club, to be totally honest Freda will be fine but the baby”

It took me a while to realize what he said and then it hit me, and I almost started to cry but I stopped myself. I need to be strong for Freda. The next hour was the worst of my entire life I held Freda hand while they removed the baby and when Freda saw her (the baby) she became silent it was like something broke inside of her an then she just laid there. The doctor used some runic healing magic on her and at the end he was exhausted and I asked Norgrim to bring him to his room. After that I set with her for an hour and then I went outside.

When I was outside I let lose all of my emotion ad I just screamed and cried for what seemed like hours after that I went back inside and I found 10 dwarves prostrating themselves in front of me it where most of the dwarves that went outside with Freda the remaining dwarves of this group is saw in the hospital laying on the beds.

Largs: “Sir we have failed you and betrayed your trust, we could not protect lady Freda”

I sat down on a chair and said with a hoarsely voice.

Endar: “Tell me what happened”

Largs: “sir, we were hunting in the mountains nearby when we were suddenly attacked by group of Greenskins that where laying in an ambush. While we fought with them on the font a small pare of Goblins sneaked up behind us and when we noticed it was already too late one of the Goblins smashed his club into the stomach of lady Freda. We immediately came to her side, after some more fighting the Goblins saw we outmatched them and they grabbed the meat and ran away. after that we grabbed our wounded and came back immediately”

I thought for a bit and saw that Norgrim had arrived at my side.

Endar: “for now get out of my sight because right now I want to punch you”

They all bowed ones more and then hurried off I then turned to Norgrim.

Endar: “Norgrim increase patrols and make preparations for a Greenskin attack give them orders to be as carful as possible it can be that they thought that they were just travels and if they don’t know that we live here it will be a great advantage so tell them to be careful, as for me I will be with Freda”

I than walked toward temporary hospital and walked toward Freda who was still silently sitting there I took her hand and sit beside her bed. And after a while I fall asleep from all the metal exaction.

When I wake up Freda has disappeared I look around and I get worried and I start scouting her name.

Endar: “FREDA!!!.. FREDA!!!.... FREDA!!!”

After a while Norgrim comes storming in.

Endar: “Norgrim, Freda has disappeared set up a search”

Norgrim nods and runs out and I hear him shouting to search for Freda. After about fifteen minutes of searching Norgrim comes back to me.

Norgrim: “we can’t find her so either she is very well hidden or she has gone outside”

Endar: “where could she have gone… OH NO!!!”

I ran towards my home and grab my axe Norgrim runs after me shouting.

Norgrim: “WHAT IS IT ENDAR!!”

Endar: “The dragon cave I think she is going to throw herself for the dragon!!”

I shout while running towards the exist that is the closest to the dragon cave Norgrim turns around and runs toward his house while shouting for everyone to grab ether weapons. As they do that I reach the outside and start climbing up the mountain and when I reach the snow I see footprints leading in the direction of the dragon cave and I fear the worst.

When I reach the entrance I run inside but there is no dragon I only find Freda to the back of the cave huddled up into a ball while crying I let go of my axe and I walk toward her and embrace her. I hear running an shouting form the entrance and I see Norgrim storming in, but when he sees us he stops and silences the dwarves and the silently leaves.

I then look around the cave and I see something I never thought I would see in my entire life, a dragon egg after a while I let go of Freda and walk toward the egg and I carefully pick it up and I walk toward Freda.

Endar: “Freda I know how you feel but please don’t try to throw your life away, I love you and I can’t bear loosing you I love you Freda please I do not want to lose you to”

She looks at me with eyes red from crying and I walk toward her and place the dragon egg in her arms.

Endar: “I know nothing can replace what has been lost but like this egg we haw both lost something important an child that lost its parents and parents that lost their child nothing can replace what has been lost but we must also look toward the future and one day we will be able to smile again”

Freda looks at me and then at the egg and then she embraces it. I give a weak smile an embraces her and the egg. After about an hour we stand up and with Freda still embracing the egg we walk outside where an anxious crowd of dwarves awaits us I and Norgrim exchange a look and I nod with that he visibly relaxes and so we all walk back home.

The next day we held a burial for the baby and everyone attended and the rest of the day we spent morning. The day after that I meet up with the doctor to ask for advice and I tell him everything that happened.

Doctor: “Mm it looks like that she is fine for now I don’t think that she will try to commit suicide again, but about that egg I think that because of the situation that she has become very attached and protective of it, it has become a very important mental support. And about when or if she will talk again I don’t know but I doubt she will ever be as bright as before”

Endar: “That is better than I feared but worse that I hoped something else doctor?”

Doctor: “Yes I have been looking things up in the books about dragons we bought for in the case we met one and I have good and possibly bad news, the possibly bad news is that I have no idea what kind of dragon is in that egg so it could be bad but there is a large possibility that it is a variant, the good news is that while I could not touch the egg I had your wife perform some check-ups on it I looks like the egg is totally fine and is just hibernating because the temperature is not high enough that is also the reason the egg has not hatched jet in all those years she only needs to follow the right procedure and the egg will hatch in anywhere between a weak or 50 years but probably sooner”

Endar: “Thank you doctor was that it?”

Doctor: “no a two more things one take this book it is on the breading habits of dragons and flowing this will get you a long way and secondly I am ordering you to take at least two weeks off and to spend them with your wife”

I bow and I leave and head home and spend the rest of the day reading trout the dragon book with Freda.

The next day I got up early and I want back to the dragon cave to look around and see if I missed anything and also to get my axe back.

After picking up my axe I walk to the place I found the egg and I found something like a hot spring with a pedestal in the middle that is about half an egg lower than the edge of the pool. It looks like the boiling water from the mountain was used here to supply a constant amount of heat to the egg but do to some kind of unforeseen reason it stopped and the egg entered hibernation after I look around I see 3 very defend carvings on the flour there are in Dwarven, Elfish and in what presume Draconic language I can read the Dwarven and the Elfish one’s but I can’t read the Draconic one but I can guess what it reads because the Dwarven and the Elfish one’s both mean the same “Michiko” I guess it is the name the parents wanted to give to the child but they could not be here for some kind of reason so they caved it into the floor. Mm “Michiko” sound strange but good I think it is good but still I have to consult Freda about it but I think she will like it.

When I came back home I saw that Freda was up and she was preparing breakfast with the egg in a sling. When I came inside I kissed her and we sat down and we had our breakfast and I told her what I had found se liked the name Michiko and so we agreed that we would name her Michiko.

After breakfast I grabbed a pickaxe and started to dig out a small pool our home because it would already be hard enough for Freda to separate from the egg let alone leave it out of her eyes so I dug a small pool in the same stile I found in the dragon cave when that was done I got some pipes from the smith and laid a pipe all the way from the boiling water to our home and to the pool. I covered the pipe and made markers that it was there and warned everyone not to dig there. After some persuasion I got Freda to place the egg on the low pedestal and then I turned the water on.

Year: 31-08-1706 (Imperial Calendar)

Location: planet Warhammer, Dragon Peak mountain

Michiko POV.

Mm it is getting warm again before, the heat suddenly tuned off and I started sleeping I don’t know how long it has been but it feels like it has been a very, very, very, very long time. Anyway I think I am almost ready for hatching. I think I will sleep a bit more and then I will be ready.

Year: 02-10-1706 (Imperial Calendar)

Location: planet Warhammer, Dragon Peak mountain

Michiko POV.

Good sleep, good sleep while it’s very comfortable I think that it is time to hatch. I then put my legs on the eggshell an then I ram my head into the ceiling and it makes a loud sound. As I ready myself to do it again I hear someone running and coming closer until it stops very close I don’t know what or who it is but I can’t do anything any way so I just focus on breaking the shell. After a few more try’s I hear a satisfying crack and after a few more try’s I break through. And all of a sudden I am looking into a person’s face I can see happiness but also a hint of sadness In her eyes. It feels like she is happy that I was born but something saddens her.

I jump out of the water onto the edge of the pool and shake of the water, I then walk toward the dwarf women who stars at me for a while and then she stretches out her arms it takes me a few second to realize what she wants and I jump into her arms. She embraces and caress me.

Freda: “Michiko”

To my surprise she speaks my name, Tzeentch must have told them or left a message at my egg. The dwarf lady then turns around and then runs out of the house, and then I see that we are in a massive cave and I am very happy it looks like I will be living with dwarves, I like dwarves while they are not very agile they are very strong and most of the time great builders and fortifiers and I like that strong unmovable state of mind while there are some drawbacks but its something like everything or nothing.

While I was thinking in the embrace of the dwarven women she has been running from one side of the cave to the other, more specifically toward a large building. While she was running multiple dwarves stopped to look and when they saw me they started to follow. And so we arrived at the building and she opened the door and I then saw a big dwarf with a relatively short beard (he is probably still young for a dwarf) looking over a desk drawing something.

Year: 02-10-1706 (Imperial Calendar)

Location: planet Warhammer, Dragon Peak mountain

Endar POV.

It has been about a month since the attack and miscarriage. After the burial I took two weeks off and spent it with Freda we cried a lot those two weeks we spend a lot of time doing research on how to raise a dragon what its eating habits are and what they like to do.

After the two weeks where over I went back to work and I had our scouts follow some Greenskins to their home and we also started mapping out the area around the mountain. I also had some dwarves start building doors for the caves that connect our cave with the outside lastly I ordered some of the dwarves to start a mine and to build a forge and now I am making a floor/ cave plan for our Karak.

I then see the door opening and Freda comes running in with something in her arms, as I look closer I can see a small white dragon that has deep blue eyes. I kiss Freda on her forehead.

Endar: “Can I hold her? It is a her right?”

Freda stretches out her hands and the little dragon jumps over to me and settles in my arms.

Endar: “you are now named Michiko”

Michiko looked up at me and her eyes turn yellow and then bleu again it is kind of strange but I think she likes the name.

Endar: “she looks healthy but its best if we go to the doctor to be sure”

We then walk outside and there is a large crowd waiting for us.

Endar: “what are you all doing here?”

Norgrim: “Well... we saw Freda running so at first we thought there was something wrong but then we saw a small white dragon in her arms so we followed because we wanted to see her”

I laugh and I call them over on by one to look at our new child. After that I done I send them away give Michiko back to Freda and then we go meet the doctor.

On the way to the doctor an before when meeting all the dwarves Michiko stayed very calm which was strange because the books said that young dragons are usually very energetic and that they get calmer when they get older. That does not seem the case with Michiko but it could also be because she is just tired from the hatching.

While began walking Freda was caressing Michiko and they both looked happy and Michiko’s eyes turned yellow again which I think is kind of strange maybe it has something to do with her being happy? I guess we will find out. While I was thinking we arrive at the doctor’s office and we nocked.

Doctor: “Come in”

We opened the door and walked inside.

Endar: “Hello doctor, I have good news Michiko has been born”

Doctor: “so soon, that’s great can I take a look at her Freda?”

Endar: “that’s why we came, even though have no direct knowledge about dragons but you do know a lot about different kinds of beasts and humanoids so you would probably be able to make a better guess than we can”

Doctor: “yes that true well could you put Michiko on the table please so I can take a better look at her”

Freda came forward and placed Michiko on the table. Michiko than tuned to the doctor as if she knew what was going on.

Doctor: “mm it looks like she is understanding the situation partially if not entirely. That would be strange for a dwarven baby but I have heard that dragons are very smart so maybe she does”

That surprises me partially but I was already suspecting it is too bad we know so little about dragons so we can’t really make any specific assumptions. We do know what dragon are generally like because of the books we bought but that information is very limited and on top of that it looks like Michiko is a variant dragon so it is even more complicated. While I am thinking the doctor has been checking up on Michiko and Freda is watching a bit anxiously, it looks like she wants to keep Michiko close to her.

Doctor: “Her heartbeat is steady, she has no damage from breaking the egg, her scales and nails are very strong, the only strange thing is that her eyes change colour but everything else seems fine”

Endar: “Thank you Doctor”

Doctor: “Don’t mind it”

He said smiling, Freda then picked up Michiko and we left for home. On the way I met Norgrim and I told him I would go home early today and that I would be back tomorrow for the meeting about the Greenskins.

When we arrived home Freda starts cooking and I take the half broken shell of Michiko egg in a box, will later probably nice to have. I then set the table and we sit down, we give Michiko two plates one with cooked meat and one with raw to see what she likes more.

She first eats a bit of both but then moves to the plate with raw meat and eats that. It would probably have looked kind of disturbing by other people but me and Freda think it looks kind of cute? I don’t really know, we then finish our meal and clean the table.

Because Michiko is kind of bloody around her mouth we half fill the bathe at a temperature our hand will not be burned which is still a high temperature seen we are dwarves and we are used to working in areas with molten metal or in mines so deep that there are above 50 degrees Celsius.

After washing her we dry her and take her to bed with us and we sleep with Michiko curled up in between us.

Year: 02-10-1706 (Imperial Calendar)

Location: planet Warhammer, Dragon Peak mountain

Michiko POV.

After listening to the conversations I probably found out the names of my adoptive parents, the dwarven lady’s name is Freda and the dwarven man’s is named Endar. When left the office we were greeted by a excited crowd of dwarves who came to look at me one by one. There was a lot of talking I did not understand, I would probably need a few weeks for a normal understanding and a year to learn the entire language , what I did understand this dwarven community is kind of small but also very close. It was kind of fun to meet them.

When they were done we went to another building where we met with a probably middle to older age dwarf. After the talk between the dwarf and Endar ended I was put on a clean table. I then realised that the dwarf must probably be something like a doctor back in my old universe there where not many doctors left because the advancement of computers made most of the doctors kind of redundant.

Well anyway the doctor did a check up on me and seeing his reaction it looked like there was nothing wrong. Freda picked me up and after some goodbyes we went back to the building where I first broke out of my shell.

After a while I sat on the table and I got two plates one with raw meat and one with cooked meat. At first I thought it was kind of strange but then I realised I am a dragon and dragons can eat raw meat and then I tried a bit of both.

The cooked meat was okay it did not really taste as I thought it would as for the raw meat it was amazing it was nothing like I was expecting, it tasted very good I don’t think I can explain it if someone asked but wow nothing like I was expecting. I then realized my hunger this was the first time eating since I hatched and I just devoured it.

I then was put in a bathe it was good but I feel like it was not really hot enough. After that I was put in bed with them and I laid down in the middle and I slept like a rock.