The Day the Hammer Falls Silent – Part 02

“Lavia, go meet up with Paula and stand by. The Four Eastern Stars should be back soon, and I’m sure they can handle themselves.”

“You’re going?”

Hikaru nodded. “I’ll check on Dodorono and Dodonno and bring them back here.”

The Beastmen merchants and the Dwarves who had been dealing with them were already in a frenzy, many scrambling to leave.

What is happening? Civil unrest, an earthquake, the anvil’s destruction.

He didn’t know, but something was clearly wrong. He would have to see it for himself.

“Hikaru.”

Before he could leave, Lavia’s arms wrapped around him, holding him tight.

“You can go, but prioritize your safety above everything else. I know how incredible your Stealth is, but don’t overestimate yourself.”

“Got it.”

“And remember. I’ll be here, worrying about you. A lot. And I mean a lot. Got it?”

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

He could tell exactly what Lavia was trying to say. She knew of his tendency to throw himself into danger for others. And she was making sure he wouldn’t do that.

After all, they had only just reunited after being separated across worlds.

“Do you really understand?”

“Of course.”

“Okay, then.”

Lavia slowly loosened her embrace, then cupped his cheek. She brought her face closer, and her soft lips met his.

“Take care.”

He saw a flicker of unease in her beautiful blue eyes.

Hikaru made a silent promise to himself: he would never forget Lavia’s face. If he kept it in his mind, he’d be able to retreat without hesitation when faced with danger.

“I’ll be back.”

Hikaru took off and activated Stealth. To Lavia, it must have seemed as though his body vanished, melting into thin air.

Guards had come out around the checkpoint, but they were just milling about in confusion. Hikaru passed them effortlessly, sprinting up the mountain road that led to the heart of Ironforge. There was no one else on the trail.

His Instinct flared, warning him of danger, but he brushed it aside for the moment. He needed to see things for himself.

After just a few minutes of running, the Dwarf city came into view. Hikaru stopped in his tracks.

So this is their city.

Houses carved directly into the mountain face. Water channels flowing from the mountaintop to every corner. The smoke and scent of burning coal thick in the air.

“What in the world?”
“What will happen to this country?”
“Someone, anyone, contact the clans!”

Dwarves had emerged from their homes, staring up at the shattered anvil. They shared the same reaction as the people at the camp.

Hikaru noticed a set of tracks laid parallel to the wide road. On them was a trolley powered by sorcery. Without a second thought, he jumped aboard and activated it.

“Huh? Hey, the trolley’s moving on its own!” a Dwarf shouted, but they didn’t see Hikaru thanks to Stealth. The trolley glided smoothly up the hill. It was fast and convenient.

“Tch.”

But the trolley didn’t take him straight to his destination. The tracks ended at the next settlement, forcing Hikaru to switch to another set of tracks beside it. The bigger problem was that there was no trolley waiting.

Hikaru disembarked. From here, he’d have to run again.

“So, this is how it works.”

There was someone behind him, touching the trolley curiously. He hadn’t noticed them.

There shouldn’t have been anyone nearby, and he was certain he was perfectly hidden by Stealth.

Hikaru turned to find a woman in a robe. She was tall, clearly not a Dwarf, and she looked completely out of place.

If someone like her had been walking through the Dwarf city, it would have caused a scene, but strangely, no one was paying her any attention.

It was Talis.

Even without seeing the blue hair spilling from beneath her hood, Hikaru knew who it was by the way she carried herself and the unusual aura she exuded.

“To think they’d create something like this. Dwarves are truly fascinating,” Talis remarked casually, indifferent to Hikaru’s unease. “I don’t think this existed five hundred years ago.”

“What?”

The statement was too abrupt to be a joke, yet far too outlandish to be meant seriously.

“I don’t care about anything else, as long as I achieve my goal. I’ve lived my life that way since birth. It’s how I’ve been able to survive so long in the sea.”

Having known Talis as an elderly woman, Hikaru found himself wondering if she had the ability to rejuvenate herself. Perhaps like an immortal jellyfish, which can restart its life when threatened. But jellyfish had no brains and lived only on reflexes. It was hard to imagine a lifeform like Talis—capable of human speech, possessing intricate knowledge, and even a complex body structure—being able to do the same.

No, I can’t apply conventional thinking into this, Hikaru reconsidered. I’ve encountered creatures in this world that defy common sense.

The Fire Drakon, dragons, giant monsters, evil spirits. Stealth didn’t work on Talis. Hikaru had always thought of her as something akin to the Fire Drakon.

“Are you… a god?” Hikaru asked.

For the first time, Talis turned to him with apparent interest. Her eyes, hidden beneath her hood, resembled glass beads glowing blue. She was staring at him. No, she was peering deep into him, into something even he didn’t know about himself. A chill ran down his spine.

“I have no interest in playing god. I’m not like Brigid or Diva.”

A denial, but also a confirmation of his suspicion.

Talis had just compared herself to Brigid. She also mentioned an unfamiliar name, Diva.

Talis’s nose twitched. “Aha. So you do have something to do with that miasma underground.”

“You can smell it?”

“I can. Your body is tainted by it.”

“What?”

Talis extended her hand. Hikaru tensed up, but her hand hovered just above him, not quite touching.

“There you go. The evil energy is gone.”

If asked whether he felt any difference, Hikaru would say yes. He felt his mind clear, and the tension in his shoulders had vanished.

“Wh-What did you do?”

“Child of man, Brigid seeks to destroy everything.”

“What?”

“If you wish to save the Dwarves, you must get them out as quickly as you can.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Talis was already walking away. Hikaru could have grabbed her arm to stop her, but he couldn’t move. His legs felt as though they were rooted to the ground.

“I’m not supposed to be on land.” She was slowly fading away. “Some call me the Ruler of the Seas, but I’m simply Talis. I prefer it that way.”

And with that, she vanished completely.

It was an unreal experience. But the trail of wet footprints on the ground proved that she had actually been there.

Hikaru just stood there, stunned, until a loud thud snapped him out of his daze.

A scream sounded from somewhere nearby. There was no time to stand still.

---

In the mountains far to the north of the chaotic nation of Ironforge, near the borders of the Kingdom of Ponsonia, the Quinbrand Empire, and the Forestia Federation, two stone pillars stood at the end of what could only be described as an animal trail that wound through the winter forest.

Each about the height of a person, these pillars emitted a bluish-white glow, their magical circuits exposed.

“I see. A mechanism designed to subtly manipulate the surrounding magical energy and light, creating an illusion,” a woman murmured as she studied the pillars closely, her face just inches from the circuits. “I can see a few unfamiliar spells at work here. Magic that likely distracts all living creatures. I’ve never seen anything like this before. And if you have the right tool, you can bypass the illusion entirely, huh.”

Dressed for travel, the woman had long black hair tied loosely behind her. She wore no makeup and seemed unconcerned with her appearance, but her backpack, boots, and staff were all of the highest quality.

“This is just the entrance. Let’s head inside,” came the blunt voice of a Man Gnome, about the same height as the woman.

Kutsuwa, the top agent of the Quinbrand Empire’s intelligence division, and Soaarunay Saak, descendant of the Saak family and master of the Great Labyrinth of Runay-aas, passed between the stone pillars and stopped before a nearby cave.

“Quinbrand certainly knows how to make a bold move,” Soaarunay remarked.

“What do you mean?” Kutsuwa asked.

“Is it really okay for me to enter this place?”

“Of course. It’s a direct order from His Majesty the Emperor.”

“That emperor hardly seems like your typical Man Gnome. Then again, in terms of cunning, he’s the perfect example of one.”

A cold blade pressed against Soaarunay’s throat. Though it was the flat side of the blade, a few millimeters off could have easily sliced her jugular, soaking her chest in blood.

“Don’t get the wrong idea,” Kutsuwa warned. “I’ve been told I can kill you on the spot if I suspect betrayal. Same goes for insulting His Majesty.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re watching me closely. I bet there’s more than a dozen spies lurking around here.”

Kutsuwa didn’t answer, but the silence confirmed Soaarunay’s observation.

“Not that I mind,” Soaarunay went on. “I get to study the Soul weapons here, and that’s bound to be fun. I’m fine with being watched, and I don’t care what you plan to do with them.”

“…”

“Anyway, His Majesty is quite ingenious. Shaking up Ironforge while having me study the Soul weapons. I’m guessing he’s got a few more tricks up his sleeve, too.”

“That’s none of your concern,” Kutsuwa snapped. “Now move.”

“Yeah, yeah. I get it. Keep this in mind, though.” Soaarunay smiled, utterly unfazed by the blade at her throat. “Just as you Man Gnomes are keepers of ancient history, the Saak family has its own history, one that has been accumulated as knowledge. You might think you can control the Ancient Ones, but from my perspective, that’s nothing more than arrogance.”

Kutsuwa said nothing.

“Well then, let’s get to studying. I just hope they’re not too damaged from wear and tear.”

Soaarunay moved on ahead. Kutsuwa, staring hard at her, sheathed his dagger and followed after.

The cave soon swallowed them, leaving nothing behind but the quiet mountain bathed in the winter sunlight.