The five members—Jai, James, Zayn, King Winston, and Minister Brokk—finally reached the towering stone palace of the Dwarf Kingdom. Their arrival, however, was not the triumphant return they deserved. Their bodies were covered in severe bruises, deep scars, and the lingering residue of battle. They looked less like heroes and more like survivors dragged from the brink of death.
Inside the palace, Queen Morlin had just finished a game of King's Traverse (the Dwarf equivalent of chess) with her daughter, Morisa, and the young Human Prince, Little Arthur. Morisa, her green eyes sparkling with concentration, had been moments from delivering a winning move when the Queen received the message of the party's arrival.
"Zayn and the others are here!" Queen Morlin announced, her voice filled with relief.
Morisa and Little Arthur jumped up, abandoning the board, their faces bright with happiness at the return of their beloved older brothers.
The Queen, Morisa, and Little Arthur descended the grand central staircase to greet the five weary travelers. But as they saw the state of the returning heroes—their skin a patchwork of purple and red bruises, their armor scorched, and their exhaustion palpable—the Queen's smile vanished.
Morisa rushed forward, her face instantly contorting in horror. She reached Zayn first and grabbed his leg, collapsing against him, her green eyes instantly flooding with tears of worry and sadness. "Zayn! Brother! What happened to you?" she screamed, clutching his armor.
Zayn, his heart heavy with the grim memory of Lenard's attack and Zeron's chilling threat, gently picked her up. "Shh, Morisa. I'm fine. We're safe now," he murmured, his voice warm, trying to soothe her frantic fear.
At the same moment, Little Arthur ran to Jai. He grabbed Jai's leg, his eyes wide, struggling to hold back tears. Jai instantly remembered the promise he had extracted before leaving Linston. "Don't cry," Jai said softly, lifting the boy. "You're the man. You have to be brave and stay strong." Little Arthur nodded, stopping his tears, but he looked up at Jai's disguise face (Arthur), which was almost unrecognizable beneath the bruises and dried blood, and silently hugged him tighter.
Queen Morlin finally reached the bottom of the stairs, her face pale. She stood blocking the path to the main chambers, demanding answers.
Zayn's mood, already volatile due to the battle, Lenard's taunts, and the knowledge of Zeron's survival, snapped. He addressed his mother in a low, furious tone. "Mom, please stand aside. We have to meet Father immediately."
The Queen refused, demanding an explanation for the state of their bodies. Zayn's anger boiled over. The events of the past month—the fear, the fight, the death, and the rebirth of his murderous brother—had eroded his patience for political niceties.
"What do you want to listen to, Mom? What answer do you want?" Zayn shouted, the frustration overwhelming his grief. "If you want the reason for these injuries, then listen: My dead elder brother has come back to life in a different body! He wants to kill the entire Dwarf Kingdom, and he wants to kill me, Father, and the entire family in revenge! You have the reason now, right? Then leave the room for us!"
The Queen gasped, the horrific news shattering her composure. Her eyes slowly filled with tears, and she collapsed onto the staircase steps, utterly broken. Morisa and Little Arthur quickly moved to comfort her, leaving the five weary heroes to continue their critical mission.
The five members proceeded to the King's chamber. The massive black doors were knocked upon, and King Borin's familiar voice responded: "Come in."
The chamber was a display of martial strength. The high ceilings were supported by thick, carved stone columns. The walls were lined with racks displaying ornate Tier 5 and Tier 6 dwarven armors, countless swords, and ancient war banners. Behind the King's massive, unadorned throne hung a gigantic portrait—a family painting that included King Borin, Queen Morlin, Morisa, and a younger, happier Zayn. (The obvious lack of Zeron in the painting was a subtle, poignant detail of his long-ago estrangement.)
King Borin, seated on his throne, saw their bruised, desperate state and immediately knew the news was severe. He opened his mouth to ask, but before he could speak, Zayn launched into the conversation.
"Father, we need to say something vital. My elder brother, Zeron, who died a long time ago, has returned to life in a different body."
King Borin erupted in loud, incredulous laughter. He laughed until tears pricked his eyes, thinking fatigue had finally cracked his son's mind. "Zayn, what happened to you? Has the fight damaged your brain? How can the dead return? I know it's hard to stop thinking about those who have gone, but we must move on."
Zayn's face hardened with resentment. He looked at Jai. "See, Arthur? I told you he wouldn't believe us. He never cares about us; he only cares about treating and taking care of the populace." Zayn turned back to his father, his voice cold and final. "Father, even if you refuse to believe me now, keep these words in your mind: One day, my older brother will come with a huge army and kill everyone in the Dwarf Kingdom. You will understand why I said this then."
Zayn turned, opened the massive door, and walked out, leaving the room in stunned silence.
King Borin, rattled by the intensity and grief in his son's voice, finally realized the severity of the situation. "Arthur, what happened? And who are the two men behind you?"
Jai stepped forward, respecting the proper protocol. "Your Highness, His name is Winston, King of Linston Town." He gestured to the other man. "And this is Minister Brokk."Jai explained.
Then Winston mov e forward, despite his painful injuries, took the lead, explaining the situation from the very moment Lenard entered the town, the Obsidian Artifact's corruption, the strategic use of the Silver Lyre, Maxiven's fight, and the final, terrifying arrival of Zeron, including the destruction of the mountains and Zeron's chilling personal threat.
King Borin's face paled, sweat beading on his forehead. Tears welled in his eyes, but they did not fall. He asked the most critical question: "What do you need us to do?"
Winston replied: "We need your help to build Linston Town again."
King Borin considered the massive intelligence provided. "We must be tactical. Do not repair the town immediately. If you rebuild now, it will only be destroyed again when the war starts. I will provide food and all necessary resources for your people to live there until the war is over. You must maintain the ruins as a strategic outpost."
King Borin then addressed Jai and James. "You two, and my son Zayn, have accomplished things that even adult Masters struggle with." He called the Magistrate and ordered him to immediately arrange the transport of all necessary resources for Winston. The Magistrate bowed, noted the items, and left.
King Borin then turned to the two princes. "Arthur, Clement, what is your request? What do you need to prepare for this war?"
Jai did not hesitate. He laid out his request precisely:
"Your Highness, I request the Tier 7 Water Artifact: The Tide Weaver." Offense: It generates focused jets of high-pressure water (like blades or drills), or creates crushing waves/riptides.
Defense: It forms shimmering, impenetrable water shields, or creates a fluid, evasive current to deflect attacks.
James immediately followed:
"I request the Tier 8 Storm Artifact: Tornado Breaker." it is the same artifact that maxiven uses when he fight with Jai, James and Zayn.
King Borin was astonished but promised to arrange both artifacts. He then told Jai, "Arthur, please ask my son (Zayn) if he also has a wish he needs fulfilled." Jai nodded, agreeing to speak with the angry prince.
As they prepared to leave, James asked Jai the question on his mind. "Hey, Jai, why did you ask for a Tier 7 artifact? I thought you could only refine Tier 9 Artifacts?"
Jai smiled faintly. "After I reached Tier 9 and opened the golden scroll, I realized something: I can refine and use any artifact around Tier 7,8, 9 and 10 powers."
James nodded, the implication of Jai's rapid growth clear because he posses the powers that emperor dominatrix posses many thousand years ago. Winston and Brokk offered their final goodbyes and left the palace in a cart laden with the requested supplies, heading back to the ruins of Linston to begin the grim preparation for the coming war.