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Chapter 447: The Dwarves' Brass Fortress
Cassius slowly flapped his wings, stirring up a scorching gust of wind, and within a few breaths, he arrived above the Brass Fortress.
He looked down at the Empire's troops and the fire dwarves, the flames flickering in his pale-gold vertical pupils.
Serkan finally reacted, quickly stepping forward to kneel on the scorching ground, speaking with excitement:
"Your Majesty, Cassius!"
"I did not anticipate that you—you would personally come here!"
The adjutant, stammering and overwhelmed with emotion, added, "This—this is the greatest honor for all personnel of the Fire Elemental Plane's vanguard!"
Their reaction was understandable.
Though they were nobles of the Empire with dragon blood, their encounters with the grandeur of the red dragon had been limited to glimpses on the battlefield. The medal ceremony had been their closest moment to the Emperor.
Now, the Emperor had arrived on their battlefield, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for close interaction.
This was a privilege that even many dragon-blood nobles could only dream of!
There's a saying: "Even the Emperor's dogs have a higher rank," which was not just a joke but a harsh reality.
Cassius looked down at the half-dragon kneeling before him and suddenly remembered seeing him during the medal ceremony when he had conferred the rank of viscount—his name was Serkan Wood.
Cassius had an excellent memory, with 17 Intelligence making his mind sharper than most wizards.
Thus, he spoke, "You are Serkan Wood, a viscount of the Ember Empire, correct?"
He remembers me!
He even remembered my name!
Serkan, still kneeling, was overwhelmed with emotion and felt incredibly honored.
It wasn't every day one gained the attention of the Emperor!
The red dragon in the air surveyed the surrounding soldiers before speaking again.
"You have all done well! I am proud of you."
Cassius's voice was loud and resolute, echoing across the vast landscape of the Fire Elemental Plane, seemingly dispersing the searing heat around them.
"Daring to set foot in such a dangerous place demonstrates not only your courage and resolve but also your unwavering loyalty and responsibility to the Empire."
"The Empire needs warriors like you! Your presence is its most valuable treasure."
Cassius flapped his wings again, descending slowly from the sky and stirring up clouds of dust.
"In this challenging land, you will carve out a glorious chapter for the Empire with your swords and strength."
"Remember, no matter the obstacles you face, the Empire will always be with you, ready to face each dawn and victory together!"
"Rise, my warriors."
The thousands of elite soldiers of the Empire's vanguard felt their spirits ignite, their eyes brimming with fervor.
Serkan was the first to rise, drawing his imperial silver sword and raising it high as he shouted:
"For the Empire!"
"For His Majesty, Cassius!"
"Long live the Empire, long live the invincible Cassius!"
Cheers and shouts echoed like waves across the scorched wasteland.
Their faces were filled with zeal and excitement, and their eyes held something resembling faith.
Grin watched the cheering soldiers with a mixture of surprise and fear.
"Moradin above…"
"They… they resemble the fanatical fire genie warriors and their Sultan."
As a race known for its adherence to order and tradition, such fanatics were rarely seen among the fire dwarves.
Cassius, observing the fervent soldiers from above, smiled.
"With the Empire's expansion, the people's faith in me grows stronger every day."
"Perhaps... ascension to godhood is no longer a distant dream but a near reality."
This thought filled his mind.
As temporary military allies, the fire dwarves were both thrilled and uneasy about Cassius's arrival.
They welcomed the powerful reinforcement but feared what this mighty dragon might do.
After some discussion, they decided to welcome the ruler from the Material Plane, with many fire dwarf nobles gathering at the entrance of the Brass Fortress.
Under the watchful eyes of the Empire's soldiers, Grin stood before Cassius, trying to maintain his composure. Forcing a smile, he extended his hand.
"Your Majesty Cassius, please follow me."
"On behalf of all fire dwarves, I welcome you to the Brass Fortress. It is our great honor."
"Very well."
Cassius nodded slightly, his scales shimmering with magical light.
[Polymorph]
His massive dragon form shrank, transforming into a young man with black hair and golden eyes, clad in a luxurious robe.
Grin led the way, while Serkan and the imperial officers followed respectfully.
Cassius casually asked, "Serkan, how did you secure the Brass Fortress?"
Serkan quickly replied, "Half a year ago, Lady Misha launched a decisive attack, and the fire genie Emir issued a bounty on us."
"We fled to the fire dwarves' territory, who have a longstanding feud with the fire genies."
"At the time, we found the fire genie's salamander raiders attacking the Brass Fortress, so we stepped in to help..."
Cassius praised, "Well done."
"Venturing into uncharted lands requires local allies. The southern vanguard could learn from you."
Grin turned to him respectfully. "Your Majesty, this is the entrance to the Brass Fortress."
Before them stood a brass structure shaped like a dome embedded into the ground, its exterior robust and gleaming.
Its thick brass walls were covered in scratches and marks from spells—signs of numerous assaults.
Grin spoke proudly, "Our craftsmanship is unmatched—not even the fire genies can breach the fortresses we forge."
However, the entrance was only six feet high, spacious for the dwarves but narrow for Cassius and the Empire's soldiers.
Grin entered first.
Cassius, on the other hand, stepped forward, tearing through space to appear directly inside the fortress.
Serkan bent down and squeezed his way through the entrance.
"Impressive. The fire dwarves took over a thousand years to build this fortress."
Cassius looked around in awe.
From the outside, the Brass Fortress appeared modest and unimposing, but its interior was vast and expansive.
The underground section was enormous, with a spiraling road descending further.
The distance from the ground to the ceiling of the cavernous hall reached nearly a hundred meters.
Looking ahead, the end of the fortress was out of sight, revealing row upon row of intricately crafted structures.
Cassius estimated that the Brass Fortress covered an area comparable to Northwind Fortress or Stravburg in the Northern regions.
The clay and metal homes, lifelike bronze statues—all were marvels of fire dwarf craftsmanship.
The surrounding rock walls were riddled with mines.
Miners with copper hammers and loads of ore bustled about, tirelessly working between the tunnels and roads.
"Clang! Clang!"
"Heave-ho! Heave-ho!"
The crisp sounds of hammering and labored breathing filled the air.
Within the dwellings, blacksmiths swung their copper hammers with force, sparks flying as they struck anvils.
In the heart of the fortress stood a colossal hundred-meter-tall bronze dwarf statue.
Its expression was solemn and majestic as it held a massive hammer against the ceiling, seemingly supporting the vast underground world.
The statue depicted Moradin, the dwarves' guardian and the first forger of the fire dwarves.
Beyond the statue lay towering brass palaces, presumably the residences of noble fire dwarves.
This was no mere fortress.
This was a city—a testament to the fire dwarves' civilization!