Achilles neared their Titanfall Mountain, which rose from the cracks of the land near the Kingdom of Neon. He continued facing ahead while asking the Ancient One following behind him and Rose.
"What can you tell us regarding the Titan Dwarves?"
Seraphelle, the Draconic Eidolarch, was turning out to be a reliable encyclopedia when it came to information, especially regarding Ancient Ones.
And she had to maintain her usefulness with as much knowledge as she could offer. At this moment, she proceeded to give out everything she knew regarding the Titan Dwarves as she spoke rapidly.
"The Titan Dwarves… well, they had a saying they were known for across the nearby Ancient Lands. It went something —'When mountains were young and the stars still whispered to stone, the Titan Dwarves carved wonders into the world.'"
Seraphelle had a look that actually showed a sunshadow of respect when she spoke of these beings before such respect faded to obscurity, and she continued.
"That is what most describes them: Forgers of Wonders. They are an ancient and formidable race of colossal, stone-blooded architects who were once among the oldest living landforms in this Plane. Towering over regular dwarves, though still compact compared to giants, they blended the brute endurance of their bodies with the brilliance of Primordial Energy. They were also called the Primordial Forgemasters—beings born of mountain hearts and gifted with mastery over Primordial Energy. They are big, bulky, densely muscled creatures with skin resembling obsidian crystals, glowing veins of Primordial Energy coursing over them. Most of them were normally covered head to toe in armor forged from Titansteel. Let's see, what else…"
Seraphelle, the Draconic Eidolarch, spoke at length as if she wished to express every piece of knowledge she held regarding the Titan Dwarves.
"Let's see… their top ruling force was something known as the Hammerthrone, composed of the Forgemind—the philosopher and king of the Titan Dwarves—the Flamekeepers, and the Stonebound, who were their bulky defenders and builders. It was rumored that they could tap directly into Primordial Wells—ancient fonts of reality-shaping energy hidden in the Plane's crust—as they infused constructs with this energy to make them semi-sentient or self-repairing. Many Ancient Ones used the Titan Dwarves to build their Ancient Holy Lands. I don't know how much else I can say about them…"
Her words trailed off, as if she had shared every single bit of knowledge she had about this race of beings.
Achilles' eyes shone brilliantly as he absorbed everything, with multiple plans and possibilities forming in his mind as he looked out into the expanse of the mountain before them.
It had tall, dark trees that glimmered with a stellar brilliance. Even though, at this moment, it looked barren and lifeless- just a dark forest with nothing inside.
But Achilles knew better. With Ecological Empathy III, he sensed a powerful, transparent obsidian veil covering the massive mountain before them. It was hiding a glorious city filled with monoliths and multicolored crystalline towers!
He then spoke coldly as he looked at what appeared to be a barren mountain.
"I know you all have turned your gazes to us since minutes ago. The only reason I'm not attacking is because you've also chosen not to attack me. But I need to ascertain the force just released from the bindings of the Evolutius Catacombs near my home… so—will the Forgemind of Titanfall Mountain come out for a discussion?"
He was utilizing the knowledge Seraphelle had provided and called out the King of Titanfall Mountain. After his words, there was a long moment of immense silence… followed by the mountain rumbling!
The illusion of trees extending toward the sky slowly faded, unveiling glorious obsidian crystalline structures.
Massive towers spun in unique orientations, resembling an advanced and yet ancient civilization. Some gleamed with a crimson allure, bundles of flames shining and burning brightly above them, while others shimmered with cerulean splendor as rivers of water surged around them.
The entire mountain felt like an ancient, advanced city—a vast one only showing a surface layer of its intricacy and wonder. From it, a terrifying aura of a Dharma Manifestation erupted.
It was followed by lines of Ethereal Physiology Masters adorned in sleek obsidian armaments burning with black flames.
The Dharma Manifestation entity looked like a bulky humanoid being with a compact frame—yet he stood at least five meters tall!
Metallic obsidian wings erupted from his back, fused to him through some unknown method, with his dark hair dancing wildly. Above him spun a crystalline obsidian crown.
That crown didn't sit atop his head—it floated above it, spinning like an engine powered by pure Primordial Energy.
His skin was stonelike and crystalline in nature, making him look like a being who would remain unchanged for hundreds of years upon hundreds more.
A Titan Dwarf with a crown.
Naturally, it could be none other than the Forgemind—the King of Titanfall Mountain!
This being looked toward the Ancient One, Seraphelle, with a stern, cold gaze before turning his eyes toward Achilles and Rose. Then, a deep voice filled with immaculate power echoed out.
"My Titanfall Mountain is a place of peace and prosperity. We have only just been released from our bindings… and already, entities come to our skies and threaten us. We may be of peace, but we will not stand idle while our livelihood is at stake."
This creature from ancient times—who could also be considered an Ancient One—spoke without doubt.
Such a thing intrigued Achilles, especially because in the Forgemind's gaze toward Seraphelle, there was a trace of animosity.
Many possibilities about what he could do with this unique race from ancient times passed through Achilles' mind. He moved now, his body silently releasing the spores of Draconian Pathogenicity V.
He did not send them toward the King of Titanfall Mountain, who had already recovered power at Dharma Manifestation level and was likely even more powerful in the past.
His spores drifted instead toward those behind the king… and silently began their descent onto Titanfall Mountain itself.