Khaladok (I)

What they explained to him, as they were walking through the tunnels, was, at least, disturbing. Apparently, constant fighting against trolls and orcs were things from the distant past. Fed up with continuous wars that led to nothing, the ancestors of the three races had reached a pact that was still in force today. Not that their relationship was excellent, but they could tolerate each other.

However, there was an unknown force that sought to extend its domains. The dwarfs had been tempted first, and then been threatened in order to force them to submit to a certain faction. But dwarfs are too stubborn to give in to threats, and too independent to accept a treatment that deprives them of freedom, however much it may seem favorable, even if there is beer in the agreement. Therefore, they had refused.

Shortly after, the attacks from orcs and trolls had begun. They had soon discovered that those who attacked them were renegades from their respective tribes. They had agreed to serve those who their tribes had refused, and attacked the dwarfs with the promises of the spoils and the glory that had been denied to their ancestors.

That was more than a hundred years ago. The attacks were intended to weaken and isolate the dwarfs, but so far it hadn't succeeded. Yes, it had given them many problems, but they had remained strong in their fortress inside the mountains. Foreign trade wasn't easy, but neither was getting the minerals held by the dwarfs, or their crafts. So, those merchants capable of hiring powerful guards came a few times a year.

It wasn't the buoyant and continuous trade of past times, but they were still standing and in good health. The most disturbing mystery was the identity of that mysterious force. It was probably the same power in the shadows that Lidia had mentioned, but they had hardly any clues. In fact, the intermediaries had been beings from different races, but none of them knew who was behind.

Nor did knowledge of the game help. He didn't remember any concrete mention of that mysterious threat. Although it is also true that the game was full of mysterious threats in the shadows, probably invented for the most of them. It was easy to forget most of them, and he didn't even know if that information was in the game.

What was clear is that, right now, he couldn't do much, except to be aware of any clues that might appear. And, on the other hand, he already had enough enemies in the neighboring kingdom. But he didn't doubt that he would help the dwarfs if he had the chance. He sighed. Maybe he was destined to find problems.

Immersed in his thoughts, and in the non-stop talk of the dwarfs, Eldi didn't realize that the landscape had been slowly changing, until he found himself in front of an awesome stone wall.

A large gate received them wide open, crossing the wall, while innumerable openings of different sizes could be seen everywhere in the stone. Ballistas and dwarf faces could be seen in some of them, but nothing compared to what would happen in case of battle. Mages, crossbows and a multitude of magical artifacts would appear to defend the city of Khaladok, having to go through narrow tunnels through the thick stone wall to reach those defense points.

Taking one of those openings is of no use to an invader, as it is easy to control the exit. And the gates are almost impregnable. Not only is the large amount of mithril that forms them, but there aren't just the gates. Behind them, there are several meters of tunnel between hard rocks, a tunnel that can be blocked at several points, and to which another multitude of openings are aimed. A tunnel that can become a hell, a deadly trap.

And, at the end of the tunnel, there are other large gates, capable of even withstand dragon's fire.

But the imposing defenses didn't end there. Once crossed the wall, each building is also made of stone, a small fortress in itself, easy to defend by the fierce dwarfs. And there is still the last bastion that stands in the city, with strong walls and magical protections.

Anyone who tries to attack the dwarfs would be depressed by the magnitude of their defenses, so it is a much more viable option to try to isolate them from the outside world. To try to lock them in their own city.

But it isn't an easy task to achieve either. That is by no means the only entrance, and the rest are equally protected, in addition to taking to distant places, on the other side of the mountain. Actually, their fortress is the entire mountain. And it isn't easy to besiege a mountain.

Of course, It is possible to make things hard for them, such as attacking trading caravans. Or attacking the dwarfs who venture beyond the walls, beyond the mountain. However, there is a long way to go from creating problems to them to being able to make them surrender.

Eldi had been in dwarf cities in the game, but seeing it in the first person was impressive. And the dwarfs, their chest puffed out with pride in front of the astonished gaze from their guest, kept boasting of heroic battles in which the invaders had crashed into their defenses. That city was both their home and their pride.

They crossed the wide entrance tunnel, while other dwarfs were staring at him without hiding. While it wasn't very strange, it wasn't common either to have an elf walking through their streets. They don't feel good in closed places and without traces of nature, but that particular elf didn't seem too affected by it. Quite the opposite.

And if the adult dwarfs weren't too discreet, the children were pointing and approaching Eldi without hesitation, having to be moved away by his companions, while laughing.

"These damn brats don't respect anything," laughed Trelko, whose behavior seemed to deny his words.

"Come on, make way. Or do I have to push you away like those fucking trolls?" Trelka growled.

"Really!? Have you been killing fucking trolls?" One of the brats asked in amazement.

"Haha! What do you think this shit dents are? Ornaments? We have given them a good beating!! And this elf friend has given us a hand," announced Trelka.

Eldi sighed. He would have preferred to go unnoticed, but it was going to be impossible. At least, the dwarf children seemed more interested in dented armor than in him.