CHAPTER 211: JOIN ME! (2)

Adrian spent the next several minutes explaining everything. He spoke of Queen Gaya’s assassination and the discovery of the true culprit. He detailed the war with the elves, Theron’s greed, and the manipulation that had fueled the entire conflict.

He explained his own battle with the king, the revelation of the looming Garog threat, and finally, the full, harrowing tale of the assassin, the necromantic creatures, and his desperate hunt that had led him to Damien’s doorstep.

By the time Adrian finished with his tale, the Dwarven Lord was clutching his heart dramatically, his face a mask of utter shock and disbelief.

"How...? he breathed. "So much has happened in the world outside, and I heard nothing of it. It’s like I’ve been living under a rock my entire life."

Adrian glanced up at the thick, solid stone ceiling of the throne room and added with a slight shrug, "Well, you’re not entirely wrong."

Damien let out a short, sharp chuckle before his expression turned grave once more.

"But jokes aside, this is alarming news. A threat that can possess our own people and turn them against us..."

He shook his head, then looked at Adrian with a new, profound respect. "I am very impressed with you, lad. You are so young, yet you carry the weight of all this with such calm. I can’t even tell that you’re only a child by human standards. It is unbelievable."

Adrian smiled lightly. "Don’t bother yourself about my age, Damien. They’re just figures at the end of the day."

"Oho ho! You truly are a wise one," Damien chuckled. "And a deserving ruler. I have full confidence in your project, Adrian. If there’s anyone who can deliver us from all these, then it has to be you.

The Dwarf Lord got down from his throne to meet Adrian, who also stood. He extended his massive, calloused hand, and they met each other’s hands in a handshake that was meant to be a pact.

Adrian expected a simple shake, a formality to seal their alliance. He was surprised when Damien’s grip tightened with the force of a hydraulic press. It was a test.

Without the Power Suit on, he could feel the bones in his hand groaning, inches from being crushed into powder.

But Adrian reacted instantly. He didn’t try to match the dwarf’s brute strength. Instead, he channeled a thin, dense stream of his own mana through his palm.

As a body knight, he was able to slightly keep up with the Transcendent’s raw power, and his analytical mind knew exactly which nerve cluster at the base of Damien’s thumb to press to make the powerful Lord feel maximum, debilitating pain without causing any real injury.

Their hands remained entangled, locked in a silent, unyielding contest of strength versus technique for a full minute.

A vein pulsed on Damien’s forehead, while Adrian’s expression remained perfectly calm. Finally, Damien backed out with a loud, booming laugh, releasing his grip.

"Hah! We had better stop unless we want to have a round two of our fight right here in my hall!"

Adrian couldn’t help but let out a rare, genuine laugh as well, his usual reserved nature slowly changing in the presence of the Dwarf Lord. He decided to let the words flow. "Yeah. You wouldn’t want me to smack your ass once again."

Damien laughed even louder. "In our culture, strength is everything! I cannot deny yours after our good fight. So, I will let you keep your boast, for now!"

Adrian laughed, and was about to round things up before Damien added, "Before you go, how about I walk you around our humble home? You could tell me about that impossible armor of yours while we walk."

Adrian agreed and they left the throne room. "There is not much to say for now," he explained as they walked. "The armor and its creation are confidential. But I am a creator, an inventor. I promise I will give you and your people a very big surprise when you make your first trip to Zarion."

That got Damien thinking. "Hmm, it would take our fastest caravans months to get there. The journey through the magic forest is not an easy one..."

"Transportation should be the least of your worries," Adrian said calmly. "When the time comes, I will send my people to pick you up."

The Dwarf Lord was curious but grunted in acceptance, trusting the strange king’s words.

They walked around the fortress-town, and Adrian was surprised to learn that the entire dwarven population was not up to even a hundred individuals.

He learned from Damien that this was the case because they had very few females among their kind, and it was a biological struggle for them to procreate.

On the plus side, they naturally had incredibly long lifespans, much longer than humans. Adrian pushed the issue of their dwindling population to the back of his mind, filing it away as a problem he might be able to solve later.

By the time Adrian had walked around the entire settlement with Damien, he had gotten to know and appreciate their culture more.

It was a society built on hard work, loyalty, and a deep, profound respect for the act of creation. It made him feel more at home than he ever had in the scheming courts of human nobility.

He bonded surprisingly well with Damien. Perhaps it was because he admired how straightforward the Dwarf was, a quality that even the wise High Elves lacked. And Damien, in turn, appreciated Adrian’s own passion for creation, so they never ran out of things to say.

When it was finally time for him to say goodbye, he and Damien were at the entrance to the formation that led to the outside world. He handed a Communicator to Damien, having already explained its functions.

"Travel safely, King Adrian," Damien said sincerely. "I will be awaiting your people. It was a great day, one for the history books."

"For me as well," Adrian admitted. He then added, "My people will be arriving in a few days to begin the geological surveys for the metals we discussed. I trust there will be no issues."

"None at all!" Damien boomed. "Give them full access! Let the work begin!

After they concluded, Adrian was teleported back behind the barrier. He summoned the Voidstrider and got in, the sleek vehicle humming to life around him.

He took a moment with his hands on the controls.

’There are still so many issues to address. The High Elves are waiting for a report in Zarion, and I still need to see what that crystal is all about.’

Without more thoughts, Adrian activated the Voidstrider and pushed its yoke to the extreme, tearing through the distance at an incredible speed, his mind already focused on the next dozen steps of his grand plan.