102. Chapter
"Are you done yet?" ─ Sounded the impatient voice of Hilde, coming from outside the still-standing storehouse in the Smiths' backyard.
"Almost." ─ I grunted. It was not that easy to figure out how to put on unfamiliar equipment. Fortunately, the size was not an issue. It was adjustable in more ways than one set of clothes had any right to be. That said, the customisable nature of the clothes was also the main reason why I kept struggling with them.
"Seriously! You are such an elf-maid... We are not heading into a ball. Just put it on already, things are getting hectic out here!" ─ Hilde complained, and I couldn't quite rebut her. She was right, and I was starting to spend an unreasonable amount of time on this.
I sighed and pulled tighter one of the last straps, adjusting the armor around my torso for the third time. Feeling around my chest, then turning a bit this way and that. I eventually nodded to myself. It should be good enough for now.
I looked down, appraising my new gear, which consisted of the entire set of clothes Master Tuzumin had sent to me.
Starting from head to toe.
I was wearing a dark red cowl, its rims painted to a golden color. The material was quite loose and surprisingly thick with a weight of its own. That caused it to hang into my face, covering my eyes and blocking most of my vision when worn properly. Some of the excess textile hung down on my back, functioning like a short cape that at best reached my lower back. In exchange, it would defend against wind and rain superbly, as it covered a third of my face, and it could also provide good shade on sunny days.
"Yeah, like I have seen a lot of those since I was thrown into this crazy world." ─ I mumbled silently.
Next was the main piece, the robes. I was pretty excited about that, even if it took up most of my time to properly adjust it. The part that covered my torso was actually made of metal. The metal seemed like steel, but the weight was definitely lighter. The color didn't seem to match what steel was supposed to be, either. It seemed to possess a slight golden hue.
It was still heavy, of course, but definitely not as heavy as such a big piece of steel plate should be. I would say that it posessed two thirds of the weight a chest piece that large should have. I was reasonably certain in my estimations, after all, I had the luxury to educate myself regarding dwarven steel recently.
In contrast, the lower half of the robe was made with the same material from which my cowl was created. The only difference was its color, which was a mix of deep crimson and black. The robe's sleeves and upper half were deep red, with their rims completed with an elegant golden coloring. The chest plate that covered the torso of the robes was a separate part and needed to be put over it after pulling on the robes beforehand. Placed around the thick textile material, it provided an additional layer of defence, cushioning potential blows to my body. The lower half of the robes, unlike its upper part were black. The material reappeared where the plate armor ended at the bottom of my stomach, turning into a skirt that fell to my knees, reminding me of the standard armor of Roman legionaries. Of course, many details were different, and the colors barely matched, but that was the first thing that came to mind when I saw it on myself.
Still, Alita will probably ridicule me when she sees that I changed my skirt to a different one, just my luck.
The gloves were in a similar style. Their edges were painted in gold coloring... Sigh... I keep saying that, but really, it was likely coated in genuine gold. However, saying that out loud made me feel quite uncomfortable. I have never worn this much gold so blatantly in public. If the city weren't under attack, I would worry about getting mugged. Back to the gloves, though... They had longer sleeves than average gloves, reaching to the middle of my forearm. The inside of them felt warm and cozy, soft even, while the outside was reasonably tough, nothing over the board though, since mages needed to keep dexterity in their fingers.
That said, besides the rims, the rest of the gloves were black, just as the boots. The boots... I could hardly believe it. Finally, I got a pair of comfortable and practical boots.
"Ha~"
It was a simple pair, its shaft reaching the middle of my shin, with slightly elevated heels held together by a few buckles and straps that you could easily tighten or loosen when needed, allowing me to put the boots on or take them off with ease. It was a relief after the suffering I had been through in the deep roads, wearing those impractical long necks. These pairs of boots were practical, comfortable, and quite a bit sturdier than the previous ones I tried since my abrupt arrival in Rixa.
Putting those knee-high boots on and taking them off was a process that you didn't need after a long day's march. True enough, they were pretty comfortable to wear after getting to that part. Kind of reminding me of wearing trousers, really.
Just when I was about to finish looking myself over, the door to the storehouse burst open, and Hilde marched in with an angry frown plastered across her face. ─ "Oh, you better be done by now, girl, otherwise I might grab those pointy ears of yours and put them to the test."
My face snapped towards the incoming figure. ─ "Hey, why are you charging in just like that! What if I were still getting dressed?" ─ I complained. My annoyance was clearly shown on my face.
The girl snorted at that. ─ "Well, in that case, I would have to follow through with my threat. It would have been something to remember." ─ She said while running her gaze along my body, then letting out an appreciative whistle. ─ "Oh!~ Look at that, girl, you look like a battle mage, for once. Except, why are you still wearing a stupid skirt?"
"It's a set!" ─ I defended. ─ "It's not like I have anything else on me!" ─ I shouted at her. Then, I rolled my eyes, deciding to explain my situation. ─ "Really, the fact that I had these at hand was already a miracle! It's not like I carry my whole wardrobe everywhere I go..."
Hilde gave me a nonchalant look. ─ "Whatever, you say, honey, it's not like I am worried for you or anything..." ─ She stated sarcastically. ─ Then she shook her head and continued in a more serious tone. ─ "How am I supposed to know what else lies at the bottom of that magic bag of yours?" ─ She pointed at the unassuming object. ─ "I still struggle to believe you actually have one of those." ─ Hilde stated, some suspicion leaking into her voice, before dismissing it.
Her eyes were now stuck to my breastplate, widening considerably as she studied it. ─ "High elven steel? You are full of surprises... That material..." ─ She shook her head in amazement, while pointing at the plate chest piece. ─ "I hear it's naturally rich with ambient mana. It has a property of absorbing mana, too. The older the material is, the more magic it absorbs, the more resistant it becomes against mana-based attacks. Such an amount is rare even on the surface, but at these depths, it's almost impossible to see. It can even help you channel and focus your magic to a small degree as it absorbs the excess mana that can disturb complicated spellworks." ─ She hummed. ─ "Only high elves know how to make it, that's why we call it like that, and from what I hear, even among them, only the particularly wealthy or influential can afford to possess such an amount of this rare metal. Based on its age, it could be worth several times its weight in gold."
I spared another glance at my equipment before saying with a new layer of admiration in my voice. ─ "Indeed? I got it as a gift, just this morning... Didn't even have the time to try it on beforehand."
"Of course you did..." ─ Hilde said sarcastically. I noted her sour tone. She seemed a bit envious, if only for a second. Before her teasing voice replaced her initial reaction. Stepping closer to me, the woman leaned forward conspiringly, at the same time giving me a glimpse of her generous cleavage.
I gulped, trying my best not to stare at it too obviously. Old habits die hard after all.
“I wonder, who would gift such a thing to you, and what did you do to get it?” ─ She asked, clearly curious about my answer.
I answered swiftly, already feeling quite annoyed by her insinuation.
"Nobody, of course. I traded it." ─ I countered frustratedly. ─ "It's not like your business, anyway. Rude!"
"Ta-ta!" ─ She waved her pointing finger in front of my face. ─ "You just said it was a gift, but now it is a trade? Are you lying to me, Selora? Such a bad elf you are."
I reached for her finger, trying to grab it out of frustration, seeing how she waved it in my face, but she managed to dodge my hand, stepping out of my reach. ─ "Would you cut it out already? I thought we were in a hurry!" ─ I reminded her of the current situation, which seemed to snap her out of it.
She shrugged her shoulders, turning a shade more serious in the process, while simultaneously pouting with her lips that completely countered any semblance of seriousness. ─ "Well, I guess I will have to postpone figuring out the name of your secret admirer." ─ She chuckled.
"There is nothing like that!" ─ I huffed. ─ "Fine, if you must know, I got it from Master Tuzumin!" ─ I said, feeling tired from keeping up with the girl.
"OH~" ─ I winced from her reaction, which was definitely not what I expected. I looked at her suspiciously. Seeing how she covered her mouth with her hands, while batting her eyelashes, actually looking embarrassed for once, I braced myself. ─ "Well..." ─ She began. ─ "Alita mentioned that you were older than you looked, but even I didn't expect that you would go for such an old coat. Is that why he disappeared so suddenly?" ─ She seemed thoughtful before turning around. Anyway, I wonder what Alita will think about this? Her elf-girlfriend is holding two sticks in the fire at the same time! Tsc-tsc-tsc! How shameless... "
I gawked at her, momentarily stupefied while she skipped across the room towards the exit. Seeing her leave, something snapped inside me, and I screamed after her. ─ "You are the shameless one! Don't just make up things in your head, idiot!" ─ I shouted at her before picking up my bag, where I stored my previously removed clothes, and then headed after her.
I stepped out of the warehouse, hurrying after Hilde, just to unexpectedly collide with Elin. The taller woman grabbed onto my shoulders to straighten me out. Her piercing dark green eyes took in my new equipment in a scrutinizing gaze. In the end, she nodded, seemingly accepting my new outfit. ─ "That is better." ─ She spoke, while retracting her hand from my shoulder.
I took a quick look around, then asked. ─ "Where is Hilde?"
"Aww~ already missing me? You are so sweet!" ─ Hilde chuckled from the side.
I reflexively sent her a death stare. Unfortunately, it had no effect.
Elin simply glanced in the direction of Hilde, then shook her head, clearly giving up on whatever she was about to say. Likely deeming it a waste of time and effort.
"Alita went to the mansion, helping out and looking for survivors while you were changing. We should join her for now, then we can make plans for later." ─ She explained, and we nodded to her words, starting to move along with her towards the mansion.
"Hey! Are we seriously going to intercept the enemy?" ─ Hilde spoke up, clearly excited, but also sounding reluctant. Well, as much as the energetic woman could be.
"First, we need to find a source of reliable information. Something that is not easy in the current chaos, otherwise we would end up running around like headless chickens." ─ Elin stated.
"Yeah~ sounds fair..." ─ Hilde acknowledged. ─ "Alas, how are we going to actually accomplish it? I can't see a way, well, beyond Selora doing some magicky things that is..."
Elin gave me a side look. To which I shrugged my shoulders, indicating that I didn't actually have an easy magical way to figure out everything. ─"I am not sure." ─ Elin admitted, reading my reaction. ─ "We should gather able-bodied men and women while we figure it out. Help wherever we can and prepare to defend the city. We cannot be sure of the overall situation in this chaos. Perhaps the gates themselves have been damaged in the earthquake. If the enemy has already taken them, we will be caught with our pants down. That is why we need to prepare defenses inside the city or at least at the perimeters of it. There are already premade positions for the worst-case scenarios," ─ Elin explained.
"Alright!" ─ I spoke up. ─ "Then let's find Alita, gather some allies, and head to those defensive positions.
We circled the partially collapsed mansion, looking for Alita. On our way, we met several people looking for survivors among the ruins or saving valuable objects. Mostly weapons and armor.
~Some time later.~
It took us a while, but we managed to get reunited with Alita, who was presently among a number of her house guards and workers doing their best to find and rescue survivors from the rubble of the half-collapsed mansion.
Arriving just the right time to witness Alita and several other dwarves struggling to lift off a heavy piece of rubble from an unconscious man's body. I instinctively tightened my hold on my staff and pointed it at the broken pillar. With a silent stretch of my will, I projected my intentions to lift the rubble, and soon enough, I could feel my mana surrounding the object, and a solid, continuous telekinetic pull joined the others' effort.
To the surprise of the so far fruitlessly struggling people, the pillar suddenly twitched, and with our united effort, it was slowly lifted off the man's body and dropped on the empty ground nearby. Releasing my hold on the magic was a relief. I rarely used my telekinetic powers to this extent. Slowly lifting something heavy was different than pushing it away in a sudden burst of power. It put a lot more strain on the mind.
I stepped closer to the people surrounding the presumingly unconscious man's body, and I immediately sensed the solemn mood in the air. Seeing the hopeless headshakes and angry, but helpless glares, I could quickly deduce that the man was either dead or soon to be.
Catching a short glance at his body, the part that was apparently crushed by said pillar, I could immediately feel a sense of vertigo come over me, and I decided to quickly look away. After the horrid sight, I didn't even entertain the possibility of healing that. The realization felt like a cold dagger pressed against my neck. I was pretty certain that no healer could save a man with such an injury; half of his body was crushed into a paste. Even resurrection wouldn't work on that, not without recreating the body out of thin air.
I decided to turn my attention away from the failed rescue effort and decided to step out from the front yard right into the open street. There were a lot of people, some were running by in panic, or with a desperate goal in their eyes, likely doing their best to ascertain the well-being of their loved ones. Some had already grown witness to the terrible reality. Women and children collapsed on the side of the road, crying in grief. Desperately hugging the eerily still bodies of their loved ones.
Others were screaming in blind rage, seeing their houses collapsed, family members dead or heavily injured. I looked for the familiar mansion on the other side of the road. One that I had walked by several hours prior when I came to the Smiths' estate. I often walked by that house when I wandered the streets of the noble district. It was a beautiful building always filled with life, and yet now, in its place was nothing but rubble, even that was flattened to the ground, no more than a crater, with the ominous remains of an enormous stalagtite could be seen in the wake of such destruction.
I gulped, my throat suddenly feeling dry as I glanced across the chaotic street.
Over the desperate shouts and curses, the constant sounds of alarm bells were ringing. Something that only added to the levels of chaos. I could hear the disbelieving voices cutting through the air, like a whiplash.
"An attack? At this time!" ─ One man questioned, his eyes growing wide with fear.
"It cannot be a coincidence." ─ Another man declared. Twirling his long beard in seething fury.
"You are right." ─ I decided to cut in, drawing several people's attention. Their gaze took in my clothing, then their eyes briefly wandered to my stuff before nodding to me with respect. My ears twitched under my cowl. It was a welcome change, for once, people decided to listen to me! I already liked these clothes. They were giving me an air of mystery, and damn me if I didn't need exactly that.
Before the moment could pass, I pressed on. ─ "That earthquake was a spell, unleashed by a group of mages. I suspect there is an army on its march to siege the city."
The dwarven people exchanged desperate looks before one of them decided to speak up. ─ "We need to alert the King, he needs to know!"
I was briefly surprised, that my statement was so easily accepted. I honestly expected some kind of argument telling me that I must be mistaken. Still, I took it in stride, and instead of flipping waveing my ear,s I refocused on the conversation.
"There is no need for that. The king has the assistance of a shaper. He already knows it!" ─ I couldn't help but nod to that assessment. ─ "What we need is to decide what to do next."
"What do you mean by that? We need to save our families! They could still be alive, buried under all that rubble." ─ One of the crying women joined the conversation, while pointing at the mansion that was utterly crushed by the previously mentioned stalactite.
All of us exchanged sour looks as we all knew that there was almost no chance that anyone inside that house survived such a disaster.
One of the other women came over, taking hold of the desperate woman's shoulders and slowly leading her away while whispering calming words into her ears. ─ "Everything will be fine, surely they weren't home, let's look for them elsewhere, alright?"
After the two clearly shocked women walked out of hearing distance, one of the older dwarves spoke up again. ─ "We have to decide our priorities. If what the mage says is true," ─ He gave me a pointed look. ─ "and damn if it doesn't sound like it is, based on this cursed ringing in my ears. We need to separate our forces. If the darkones, or whoever accursed being called this disaster upon our heads takes this city, then we are done for! Therefore, I propose the following. Those who can still hold a weapon need to defend the city, while the rest continue the rescue effort!"
All the people present nodded to that. Some roar their agreement across the street. ─ "That's the spirit!" ─ Stated the old veteran who gave the short but effective speech. ─ "Now move out, and spread the word to your friends and families! We will need every person able to defend our home!"
"Well, that went easier than expected." ─ I was slightly startled by Hilde's voice appearing next to me. I turned to the girl with an irritated look.
"What? First dwarf you see?" ─ She asked with a stupid smirk.
"Stop sneaking up on me, idiot!" ─ I grumbled back at her.
She rolled her eyes. ─ "One would think an elf is more aware of her surroundings, you know, with those big ass ears of yours."
"They are not even that big." ─ I said, suddenly feeling unreasonably self-conscious. Then I shook my head and rounded on the stupid dwarf. ─ "That's not the point. What should we do now?"
Hilde blinked at me, then pointed in the direction down the street. ─ "As the man said, let's spread the word you live in the noble district, right? Why don't we go there first?"
"What about the others?" ─ I demanded. Just before I became aware of several other presences coming from the Smith's mansion's direction.
I turned my head towards them and noticed Alita and Elin leading the group of armed and armored men.
"We are ready." ─ Alita stated.
"We left the lightly injured men and most of the women to focus on the rescue effort." ─ Elin added. ─ "The rest of us are needed to defend the capital. If they want to have it, they will need to take it street by street."
"Oh! Let them come!" ─ One of the men stated harshly, his fingers closing around the shaft of a massive two-handed axe. Clearly eager to sink its blade into flesh.
I was genuinely surprised witnessing the swift ease with which the dwarven people bounced back from yet another massive disaster. I couldn't help but acknowledge the mental fortitude and sheer morale of these people. Apparently, living in the deep roads, or perhaps underground in general, created especially resilient people.