The following days were full of lots of unexpected activity that left Tommy at the centre of everyone’s attention. Many Arcadian nobles began to inquire about their status only to find out that he was speaking the truth. The honest surprise on his father's face when all the rumors caused him to finally call a general assembly of the nobles was truly amusing.

  "The arrogance and pride that some of you already display are mostly concerning." The Emperor said with a bitter expression after a series of questions. "Have you already forgotten your vows? Have you already forgotten that I said your title is only temporary? Do you think that I will still need you if your greed continues to grow? You need to remember that I am the Emperor of Arcadia. I was the one who gave you the title and I reserve my right to take it away."

  His father's voice was firm and full of unshaken authority. Theon Avalon slowly looked across the faces of the gathered people and, while most were calm and fairly indifferent to his scolding since they were innocent, some cringed and even hid behind their peers. Mom Hestia participated quietly from her throne and her angry face scared many people. After all, it wasn't a common sight to see a furious Goddess.

  "Some of you believe that Arcadia needs you and that might even be true. But you have forgotten that your mission was to serve the people of Arcadia? To serve the Royal Family?! I don't know what delusions some of you have but not once were you called a chosen one ordained by the Gods!" Her voice echoed in the throne room carrying her anger. "Your kids are mirrors of your own behaviour. And what do we see? That some of them call other children commoners, oftentimes with additional derogatory terms! I think this is the best time for you to remind them that they are commoners as well."

  "Some of you just proved that my husband's decision was correct and wise," Mom Amber said calmly but everyone shivered upon hearing her voice. "No one has a right to think they are born special or above the laws the Royal Family enforces."

  "I am the only source of your privileges. I will take them away the same way I granted them if you prove to be unreliable or stupid. Don’t believe, even for a moment, that you can be like nobles in other countries. I'm not a weak king who seeks the support of nobles to legitimise their rule. My Immortal Legions are the cornerstone of my power. I am the Righteous Dungeon." The Emperor cut the silence and his voice was cold and unrelenting. "Remember that..."

  ???

  After a rather grounding and uncompromising approach from his Father, the bullying ended overnight. The kids who thought they were special and better than their peers piped down so significantly and quickly that they seemed to disappear. No one dared to even mention their parents' ranks or titles and the mostly ignored regulations for the school and university were finally followed. While Tom wasn't exactly happy that it was his Father who tamped down a few stupid nobles, it was far better for Arcadia. In a few cases, the Inquisition was involved and Tom wouldn't be surprised if, by the end of the investigation, one or two families kissed goodbye to their titles. Moms Luna and Amber took it very personally and that was just the beginning of troubles that those reckless nobles brought upon themselves. Mom Mia was just waiting for her turn to hear out those nobles, and the Imperial Revenue Service investigators waited anxiously to begin their reviews. Tom slowly walked down the University hall with his hands behind his back. However, despite the nobles’ education, Anya refused to return to his party and that spoiled his mood. Nonetheless, he periodically asking her if she wanted to return.

  "Tom?" Fiona asked with a slightly uncertain voice. "I think you should give up on her..."

  "It was my fault she was bullied in the first place so-"

  "But you dealt with it already!" She grabbed his hand to stop him and looked at Diana with a pleading stare.

  The Wolfkin sighed and grabbed his hand as well. They then pulled him toward the library which was usually empty early in the morning. Diana navigated her way to one of the smaller study rooms and, once Fiona closed the doors, the girls sat at the table. Tommy looked at them in surprise but took a seat in front of them.

  "So... In Anya’s case, bullying was only one part of the problem." Diana started reluctantly with her usually cute face twisted with a slightly bitter expression. "You know that she was older than us, right?"

  "She was thirteen... But how is that..." He looked at his two friends confused.

  "So when the bullying started, I asked Marie for a favour to help us. Buuuut..." Diana blushed slightly. "Anya has a boyfriend and he is turning fifteen this year. He is very serious about her but he didn’t pass the University exams and was studying at the Military Academy."

  "Not everyone has to study at the University, you know?" Tom blinked, uncertain what she was trying to tell him.

  "Tommy!" Fiona rolled her eyes while Diana bit her lip.

  "No, it's my fault, Fiona. I'm just circling around the embarrassing subject too much..." Diana blushed. "What I’m trying to tell you is that Anya was actually glad people started bullying her to leave our party. She loved that boy but he was getting jealous."

  "Jealous about what?" Tom knew his face displayed a stupidly clueless expression but he was confused.

  "You!" Fiona raised her hands towards the ceiling. "By the Gods! You are even more clueless than your father!"

  "Me?!" Now he was shocked.

  "Yes, you." Diana sighed but her face displayed a very complex expression he couldn't figure out. "What's worse, it appears like you don't want to give up on her."

  "She is our friend, of course, I don't want to give up..." He started but halfway realised that he was missing a very important point in this discussion.

  "For everyone else, it looks like something completely different. As far as Marie could determine, Anya and David are engaged."

  "Isn't that a little too early for them?" Tom desperately tried to connect all the dots and knew he was failing.

  "I don't think that was the important part, Your Imperial Highness." Fiona leaned back in her chair and looked at the clueless boy in front of her. Her voice was stern and serious. "She didn't want to join our party in the first place. She wasn't comfortable from the beginning. Yes, she was excited about it initially but the pressure and malicious comments were too much for her."

  "Then why did she agree?" Tom groaned in his confusion.

  "Because you don't say no to the Imperial Prince, you dummy!" Diana's patience finally ran out but she blushed and covered her mouth as soon as she blurted her thoughts aloud.

  Tom opened and closed his mouth and his eyes went wide as some things started making sense to him. Sad, he lowered his gaze and nervously put his hands together under the table. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down and looked at the girls. They observed him with worried looks but he had to know.

  "What about you, Fiona, Diana? Do you also feel forced to be in my party?"

  In unison, they looked at each other and they started turning red.

  "No! We..." Fiona swallowed and lowered her gaze for a moment before she smiled. "We do what we want. So don't worry about us!"

  "Fiona is right," Diana mumbled and giggled. "I'm happy that we are friends."

  Tom felt relieved as his creeping anxiety was squashed by Fiona and Diana's smiles.

  "Let's go to the lecture hall before we are late..." Fiona slowly stood up.

  ???

  "Anya!" Tom's cheerful voice made the girl shiver.

  "Your Highness..." She slowly stood up and curtsied with a lowered head.

  "I just wanted to say sorry that I inconvenienced you, Anya." He bowed to her which took her completely off guard.

  She expected him to ask her to return to his party and she planned to decline yet again but he surprised her. At first, she was happy that the Prince had invited her to his party. It was a great prestige after all, but the comments that reached her boyfriend and the tension it created were too much for her. She wasn't naive enough to believe that the Arcadian Prince saw her in any romantic light, if he was even capable of that. She couldn't forget that he was a Dungeon Core. While Lord Theon was a Dungeon Core as well, he was special. He was a summoned Hero and he certainly loved his wives. But Thomas wasn't a summoned Hero. It was true that the Dungeons of Arcadia became more people-like but she couldn't imagine them being like normal people. When the competition among the girls escalated, she couldn’t keep up but didn't want to resign from her engagement. So, she was surprised when he continued despite her lack of response.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  "I won't be asking you to return to my party anymore. I'm sorry for being selfish. I wish you the best of luck, Anya." He straightened with a smile and climbed the dais to take place in the row he always occupied.

  She looked at Fiona and Diana who were following him as always, but the two only paused near her and sent her comforting and reassuring smiles. Somehow, she immediately knew that they had learnt her secret and it was them who convinced the Prince to give up.

  "Thank you..." She whispered as she sat down.

  "Don't worry, Anya," Fiona whispered back. "He really only wanted to help you."

  "I know... But I'm glad it is over... It was too much for me." She sighed with a smile. "Are you two sure..."

  "We are," Diana smirked.

  "And we still have a lot of time..." Fiona grinned as well.

  "Good luck to you then..." Anya giggled as her two friends quickly joined the Prince and took their places at his sides just before the teacher arrived.

  ???

  Rhys looked at his daughter and tried to remain calm. While Alanis was technically an adult, he silently agreed with the Emperor that fifteen year old people were still, basically, kids.

  "No." He finally said to his daughter but she only smiled.

  He knew that confident smile way too much. She had already decided what she wanted and she wasn't asking for his permission but for a blessing.

  "I don't think you would say that to the Emperor if he had ordered you to take some post..." She said calmly and her wolf tail wagged in amusement. She looked at him with her patient blue eyes and her lips were curled in the same smile he often saw on the face of her mother.

  "But this is different! You haven't finished University!" He protested, unwilling to agree with her obviously correct assumption.

  "I will be fine, Dad! The Empress promised me exclusive tutors so you don't have to be worried about my education." She said with a chuckle. "Besides, it's only a temporary assignment anyway! I will spend a few months in the Twilight City helping Lady Rose as her Inquisitorial advisor. It's a dream job, Dad! Don't ruin it..."

  "Say something, Aneta!" Rhys looked at his wife with a pleading gaze.

  "I'm so proud of you, Alanis!" Her mother hugged her tightly and gave Rhys a flat gaze. "You should be ashamed, my Dear. You know how Alanis admires Princess Rose!"

  "Mom..." Alanis blushed slightly but it was the truth.

  Princess Rose was Alanis' idol. She was always perfect, collected, and incredibly intelligent. They even attended some classes at the University together and the Princess had often talked with her.

  "But..." Rhys clenched his fists on the table.

  "It's an honour that Empress Luna noticed our daughter's talents! She will earn a good life, certainly better than we had at her age, Rhys. Besides, she will be working for Princess Rose, for Gods' sake! It's not some dangerous outpost near the battleline!" Aneta scoffed at her husband. "It's not an assignment that might be granted by any connections, my Dear, and you should know that. The fact that Alanis proved herself as one of Empress Luna's secretaries and was chosen for this job is a huge accomplishment!"

  "I just..." He lowered his head.

  Gahrys somehow knew what was coming and evacuated himself earlier under the pretext of some project his party was supposed to do together. Even if Gahry's input or protest wouldn't mean much, he would feel slightly better with a backup.

  "You are just afraid that your little girl is changing into a young woman, my Dear..." Aneta slowly shook her head. "You can't stop it, Rhys. Be glad that her future is secured in the service of Arcadia. Among all the Lords you served, the Emperor of Arcadia and his Empresses are someone whom we can trust."

  "I..." He sighed heavily after a while and rubbed his face. "I know. I'm proud of you, Alanis... I couldn't have expected that our lives would change so drastically."

  ???

  Thalgurum was thriving. For the first time since the fall of the Dwarven Kingdom, Sigismund's people had a place to call home. The underground halls were filled with chatter, the sound of hammered steel, the clang of metal, the sound of prepared gemstones, but most importantly, the joyous laughter of children. It was a vast city like no other. Hidden from prying eyes and protected by the might of Arcadia and the unmatched prowess of Dwarven Craft Masters. Its chambers, halls, and rooms were marvelous, grand, and numerous. Its walls were massive and beautiful. Its gates were the same alloy as the hulls of the mightiest of the Arcadian warships. The same alloy that was used to build Titans. If that wasn't enough, it had been enchanted by the magic of the Dungeon. In the common tongue, the city was called Hammerdeep. The City Under the Mountain, ruled by the most loved and revered Dwarven Empress Freya va'Theon, thrived.

  But, despite all the honours the Dwarves bestowed upon their beloved Lady, she never took away his Royal title. Sigismund Ironhand, the last Dwarven Lord, the wielder of Stormbringer was old. He had lived nearly three centuries and always wondered why. All other races seemed to wither and die eventually, living just about one hundred years on average. But somehow, he had lived three times as long. While his long life had brought him mostly pain, it wasn't full of hopelessness. When he was young, he married a wonderful woman. They spent many years together but, when the Gods finally blessed them with a child, his wife was kidnapped. Her caravan had been attacked by bandits and, while many guards and adventurers died in its defence, many bodies were missing including his poor wife. He searched far and wide but never found her and, after decades, he had accepted that she was dead. He mourned his loss but, once mourning was over, he started hunting bandits. His hunts and travels brought no solace.

  Leaving that life behind, he travelled to the biggest cities that housed Dwarves and tried to help them. Somewhere along the way he started an orphanage and stayed there to wait for his death. His hope was long gone, after all. But then, Ragnar, Bjorn, and Verni returned and told stories about Avalon. Then... His life was changed by a single man, Theon Avalon. He restored the pride of the Dwarves and under his rule, they began dreaming again about a place to call their own. A wish that soon became reality. He was proud to lead his people and, for the first time in his life, Sigismund dared to raise the long-forgotten symbol that was rightfully his. The Stormbringer. A warhammer of the Dwarven Kings, sang in the forbidden songs of Kaddalum. Songs forbidden by the now non-existent Cridia... Sigismund led his people as their last King.

  They called him the Restorer. The King who restored Dwarven glory and secured their place in Arcadia. King Sigismund Ironhand, the Restorer...

  But he was old and weak... He had lived far too long and his time was near. He would finally reacquaint with his lost wife and beg her for forgiveness. But before he closed his eyes forever, there was one last duty he had to fulfil. He looked at the three young Heroes who were like sons to him. They were alone in the throne room of Thalgurum because Sigismund wanted to keep everything that would happen next a secret. He brought out Stormbringer, placed it on the floor, and smiled at Ragnar, Bjorn, and Verni, who looked at him in surprise.

  "Blood of my kin, I gathered you here to choose my successor," Sigismund said in a weak voice. Even speaking was tiring... His voice waned in emotion, and a single tear fell down his cheek as he continued. "But while I consider you all my sons, you are not blood from my blood. I can't choose any of you. Stormbringer will."

  They looked at him in shock and Ragnar shook his head. "You are like a father to all of us. All Dwarf folk! But we are unworthy..."

  "And I am old, Ragnar..." Sigismund chuckled, but it quickly turned into a cough. "So do me a favour and try to lift this bloody hammer, would you?"

  Ragnar lowered his head and clenched his fists.

  "For the Gods' sake! It won't bite you, boy!" Sigismund growled. "Just try to lift it!"

  Ragnar took a deep breath and approached the legendary hammer and grabbed it with both hands. He pulled, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't even shift it. "I'm sorry..."

  "Do not worry... That's why I ordered us to be alone." Sigismund smiled brightly at the Arcadian Master of the Forge and, after that, he looked at the Artificer. "Verni?"

  "As you wish, Lord Sigismund." Verni lowered his head with respect and attempted to lift the hammer.

  But similarly to Ragnar, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't even move it slightly. Verni lowered his head in shame.

  "Lift your head, my son, and always look proudly forward. You are one of the Dwarven Heroes!" Sigismund slowly nodded. "Bjorn?"

  The last Dwarf in the room approached Stormbringer and put his hand on its handle. He ran his fingers across the haft and closed his hand. He huffed similar to Ragnar and Verni moments ago, but it was completely unnecessary. Bjorn effortlessly lifted the Hammer of Dwarven Kings from the floor and held it firmly over his head. Stormbringer cracked with power and cast electric sparks burning the air and filling it with ozone. Ragnar and Verni dropped to their knees and smashed their hands on their chests.

  "I... I can't..." Bjorn put down the hammer but Sigismund simply shook his head as he slowly reached toward him.

  Bjorn dropped to his knees and lowered his head, trying to decline, but Sigismund placed his crown on Bjorn's head. Each step was an impossible effort, and every breath tired him, but Sigismund was happy.

  "From our Lord, the mighty Emperor Theon Avalon, we have received permission to remain a Kingdom. A Kingdom needs a King, Bjorn. Lead our people to prosperity and happiness even if peace is out of reach. One day, the Empire of Arcadia and its vassal kingdoms will see peaceful days. I know that I ask much but that will be your task, my son. You and the new Dwarven Royal Family. But not only yours. I leave you three with this burden." Sigismund said with a smile and with a clang, the mighty doors of the throne room opened, letting in everyone. "Support your brother, Ragnar, Verni..."

  "Yes, Father!" The two answered with pride and happy smiles.

  The room was filled with Dwarves but not only them. Emperor Theon Avalon and Empress Freya were present along with all the remaining Empresses and their son. Sigismund smiled, seeing them but his smile widened even further when he noted the Dwarven children watching them from behind their parents. He grabbed Bjorn's hand, wrapped it around Stormbringer and together they lifted the hammer into the air. All the gathered Dwarves dropped to their knees.

  "Long live the King!" Sigismund said with a fading voice.

  "Long live King Bjorn Silverhand!" The Dwarves chanted with happiness and pride.

  His duty was done and the impossible burden was lifted off his shoulders. The last of the Dwarven Kings of the past closed his eyes but before he fell to the ground, mighty hands full of vigour and power grabbed him. There was silence where previously there had been cheers. Before his eyes closed forever, he opened them for one last time and saw the crying faces of Bjorn, Ragnar, and Verni. He couldn't hear them anymore... He lifted his shaking hand and put it on Bjorn's cheek.

  "Live happily my Sons..."

  Thank you all for reading.

  I wish you all a great day and as always I wait for your comments.

  A big thanks to who edited the chapter!

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