Chapter 62: A Talk Not for Mortal Ears 1

After finally ending the spectacle, we quickly made our way into the city itself, where we marveled and shuddered before the stark duality before us.

The air was rich with the blistering heat of furnaces and the deafening noise of relentless industry.

Tens of thousands of carts carrying tools, metal and stone from the countless mines of Qayan sped by us in a flash, as they made their way down the labyrinthine, yet efficient streets of the bleak city that seemed to abandon all color but black and bronze, so much so that even the cerulean sky itself, now gazed down at us with a poisoned mix of brown and yellow.

Yet despite the dreadful appearance of the city, the people didn't seem affected by it what so ever, as a satisfied smile and a serious look dominated the faces of all we saw, regardless of the currents of sweat streaming down their brows.

But all this immediately faded into the background of our thoughts the instant we laid eyes on the heart of this ancient city; the Stygian Palace of Qayan, and home to the descendants of the Forge God.

The palace, which would be more accurately described as a fortress, was nearly a kilometer wide and so tall it nearly reached the crater of the volcano it was carved into, while a few steaming valves and pipes littered it's outer shell, showcasing that even in the home of the Forge Lords themselves, metal work did not halt.

While it's mighty walls, which were nearly forty meters thick of hard black rock and coated with a layer of glistening steal and bronze, displayed a variety of war engines, from cannons to catapults and ballistae, protruded from atop it like the bristling quills of a porcupine, menacingly threatening all who would dare approach it.

Meanwhile, as we slowly approached, the great iron gate that barred all intruders entry into these hollowed grounds, began to creak open with the sound of grinding gears, struggling against the weight and stubbornness of the gate, that was so large it easily accommodated Ardaanin's titanic frame.

'Even with all my centuries worth of memories of war and experience in the art of siege craft, I would still find it hard to break through these walls with normal means.' I thought as I quietly scrutinized the defenses.

Swiftly descending from Ardaanin, I took a moment to once again appreciate the grandeur of Qayan's Palace, which I had to admit gave off a much more intimidating aura than my own Imperial Palace which was built for the sole purpose of showcasing the Empire's opulence and prosperity.

Quickly invited in by Forge Lord Valdour, my retinue and I made our way into the outer part of the castle, which held the same foreboding air as you'd expect, but the instant we entered the inner parts, where the Qayan royal family stayed, the change was simply jarring.

Cold, black coble stone was replaced with marvelous polished marble. Pitch dark walls that were only interrupted by the occasional lit torch, were now large tainted glass windows with velvet curtains, showering us in rays of beautiful prismatic light.

Squadrons of patrolling soldiers, were now graceful maids gently swaying from task to task, diligently tending to the masterfully crafted furniture and statues that occupied the space around us.

Sadly we couldn't stay to admire the sight before us for long, as we were quickly ushered into the dining hall, where a large table full of every delicacy one could desire, professionally displayed upon it and before it stood a woman whose height rivaled Abraham and a slightly pudgy boy next to her.

Gently smiling, Valdour, who not only still carried his hoe over his shoulder, but hadn't even bothered to change his clothes, simply opting to put on a loose fitting green robe that barely did anything to obscure his large muscles, stepped forward and perched himself beside the duo as he said "Your majesty, allow me to introduce my darling wife Korra and son Va'lin."

Korra was an olive skinned beauty, with long wavey raven black hair and enchanting brown eyes, and despite her unusual height, it did nothing to dampen her feminine beauty, especially in the current green dress she was wearing, which greatly emphasized her generous bosom and wide hips.

As for Va'lin, who seemed to be around Nizam's age, was the spitting image of his father, only he still retained his hair, as well as not having his father's intimidating physique and aura, while also being on the heavier side of the scale.

But there was something else I realized as soon as I saw this boy, something my senses did not tell me, but my blood.

'Qayan's heir! How come Isaac didn't notify me of his existence before? Looks like I'll have to tell him to replace some of the incompetent trash he stationed here. How the hell did they miss the birth of a demi god?!

Absolute fools.' I mused to myself in my thoughts, as I perceived the feintest hints of divinity from him.

Slouching comfortably on my seat, I nonchalantly wave my hand as I say "It's fine. After all, it has done nothing but collect dust in the Imperial capital for the last millennia now."

"And yet non of the previous emperors bothered to return it to us. This gesture will not be easily forgotten, my liege." Valdour said with unbreakable conviction.

Revealing a small smile as my plan slowly comes to fruition, I calmly ask "Then does that mean that I can assume the previous conflict between our two houses to be erased from hence forth?"

"Not only have you returned Ardaanin to us, and finally allowed my grandfather's troubled soul to pass into our ancestors arms without anymore regrets, but you have also shown your metal to be not only strong but also malleable, a trait that one would encounter once in a life time, if at all.

I would be a fool to hold on to old grudges after all that." He said with a serene and kind look in his eyes.

"Excellent!" I exclaimed as I directed a look to Orhan, who was still gorging himself upon the delicious foods before him non stop since he sat down.

Understanding my meaning, he immediately stopped all he was doing and rushed, with a speed that made us question his age, to the Forge Lord with his darling's schematics in hand.

Not bothering with Orhan's odd behavior, Valdour unfurled the plans in front of him and began to carefully inspect them, with each second his eyes growing wider and wider, before finally snapping his head towards Orhan and exclaimed like a child who'd found his new favorite toy "Were you the one who designed these?"

"Sure am. What d'ya think? That any old schmuck could'ver dream 'bout my precious darlings?" Orhan smugly replied.

"Fascinating! But how did you even come up with such a radical idea in the first place?" Vadour asked in absolute curiosity.

"Hmm? Don't know, just did." Orhan replied nonchalantly, while scratching his beard.

"I see. But why did you decide to make the hinges for the Hydra out of iron, and not some form of allow, which would be far more cost effective?" Valdour pointed out.

"Huh? Where?" Orhan's eyes snapped to the location where he had pointed out, which caused the mad Orhan to immediately slap his own head, as he wailed in frustration "By the gods names! How'd I not think of that?!"

"You could also change..." Valdour began to give his suggestions to various parts he thought of improvements for, while Orhan's eyes continued to become more and more deranged and obsessed with every exchanged idea between the two.

But after fifteen minutes passed of this constant back and forth, and seeing no end in sight as both men continued to spiral further and further down the road of their mutually shared passion, I decided to interrupt by saying "I have something else to discuss with the Forge Lord. Privately."

Though Orhan seemed reluctant at first, he understood he could continue this later and so he replied with a defeated mutter "Alright, boss."

And with that all the maids quickly cleared the table in front of us from any leftovers, while the guards on both sides quickly made their way out along with everyone else, except for Korra who remained in her place.

Seeing this I calmly say "My words stand for you too, noble lady."

"With all due respect, your majesty, whether my wife hears what you have to say from you now, or from me later it matters not, she will know regardless." Valdour quickly said, as a small, barely perceptible happy smile emerged on her face.

"My words are not for mortal ears." I declared as my pupils involuntarily shifted to a haunting silverish hue, while my sclera became painted with an abyssal black.