Chapter 224: 216 – Chase the Light

Chapter 216 – Chase the Light

“No, seriously, I really need to know what you’ve done to this saddle.” I keep staring down the crafty Dwarf acting all shy. “At this point, I don’t know if I even can call it that.”

“You use it to ride on Diana’s back, do you not, Master?” Sirgia asks innocently.

“Don’t get smart with me, girlie.” Squinting, I point at her. “You know what I mean.”

Showing a big smile, she tones down the cute act and trots up to me, giving me a delicate hug. “I just figured out that with all this empty space due to its size, I could add a few things and make it more useful for you, Master. Diana is so big we were able to fit five different weapon modules into the design. Plus a few more utility ones.”

Brushing my fingers through her fragrant hair, I shake my head. “And here I thought that trick with the handles was all to it. But, I should have expected that my little Dwarf genius wouldn’t stop at the more indecent concepts. You aren’t that far gone, are you?”

A deep blush taking over her soft cheeks makes it clear that I might not have yet seen everything related to that purpose. Rolling my eyes playfully, I lean down to place an appreciative kiss on Sirgia’s forehead.

“This was fun. A lot. But, it would have been much safer if you told me about some of these beforehand. Diana had to guide me and I feel like we would have done much better while properly cooperating, which we began doing near the very end,” I explain.

“I wanted to surprise you, Master. Hoped to make a presentation soon. I’m sorry for delaying it so much.” An honest apology is what I receive in return judging by the slightly sad glance.

“It’s alright. Things often don’t go according to plans and you know it.” I give Sirgia a few more loving pats. “What can you tell me about it now? The presentation is pretty much over, and I did get a nice look.”

We move closer to Diana, who remains vigilant as her purplish tongue hangs out off her muzzle while she cools herself down with rather adorable canine panting. My tiny lover looks the saddle over, and understanding her intentions, I lift Sirgia so she can examine the potential damage much easier, checking if nothing requires her immediate attention.

A few minutes later, I bring her down and Diana sets her impressive body on the ground too, allowing us to rest on her. Sirgia gently brushes her fur while returning her attention to me.

“So far, you discovered the chain shot, the pellet burst, the harpoon launcher, and the net caster,” she lists while counting on her fingers. “I don’t think I need to explain their respective roles. From what I have seen, you used all of them properly. Well, besides the harpoon. It was intended as a tool to bring the target down or hold it in place by multiple individuals, not to be used as a swing.”

“The credit for that one goes to Diana.” I give our clever girl a few ear rubs. “You two must have tested these quite a lot for her to already be comfortable coming up with new uses.”

“A little bit. We didn’t have that much time since she joined our family just recently, but I could tell that she enjoyed the test runs in the forests around the city,” Sirgia replies with a tiny smile. “There is one more basic function, which I’m thankful you haven’t used. Enclosed spaces aren’t the best environment to release it. Plus, Wyvern scales are fairly heat resistant, even if they are far from immune.”

“Heat?” I raise a curious brow at her.

“The last contraption is a high-pressure tubular liquid spraying system. But, the actual liquid is easily flammable and hard to douse. There’s a sparkstone attached at the end of the channel to ignite it on exit. I think you can imagine the inconvenience of having half of the fortifications covered in that post-battle,” she explains with a fierce glint in her pretty eyes.

A flamethrower.

She’s attached a freaking flamethrower to the dog.

Goddess almighty...

“And... it’s completely safe for Diana, right?” I smile wryly.

“Of course. The entire thing is mounted far on the sides so that any excess can drop away from Diana’s fur, even if there shouldn’t be any with how it’s designed. But, I wouldn’t risk our friend’s safety ever. We have thoroughly examined the results with water and other substances first. Even if used mid-sprint, there is no risk of getting burned or accidentally catching on fire. You can trust me on that, Master.” Sirgia stares back at me with strong confidence, though I can tell she is anxious deep down.

And it’s not about her creation failing.

“You know I always trust you.” Placing my palms over her warm cheeks, I join our lips in a tender kiss. “You have never given me a reason not to. Plus, I bet you have introduced a safety measure in case something happens even when it has almost no right to.”

She mumbles something while directing her adorable face down.

“Sorry?” I lift her chin back up.

“Seven of them...” the little Dwarf lady whispers, her eyes timidly escaping to the side.

I snort quietly and let out an amused chuckle. “See? I can’t even imagine three ways of preventing accidents yet you have come up with so many. I love how creative and hard-working you are. And I’m sure Diana does too.”

The wolf-in-question tilts her head our way and nudges Sirgia’s cheek with her big snout, causing the lovely girl to giggle shyly.

“One thing keeps me wondering, though.” I capture her attention again. “Where does all of this hide? We are talking about five or more contraptions, no matter how big the saddle is. All that gear is squeezed inside the material?”

“Only the devices themselves, Master.” Sirgia starts working on some latches, belts, pins, and other stuff to reveal what looks like part of the flamethrower piping winding around the rest of the equipment. “All the ammunition is kept in dedicated spatial storages linked to the respective weapons. It’s both much safer and frees up a lot of space. Weight reduction is extremely important for projects like these. Especially when you want to further reinforce the whole thing to function not just as a carrier for the implanted gadgets but also a highly effective armour.”

“A great idea. Getting hit in the munition reserves was a big issue back home. I’m glad this is not a problem here since they are attached to a living being. Well, save for the moment when the liquid flows through the pipes as the flamethrower is used, but that’s unavoidable. And they seem decently insulated.” I nod to myself and help her close the gap. “Is that all?”

“There are a few situational and environmental functions to mention but that would take a while,” Sirgia answers. “Like the tent-blanket that kept Diana protected overnight. Or buoyant self-expanding bags in case you end up in deep water with no land in sight. Or gelatine launchers that create a safety bed in case of an abrupt fall from grand heights.”

Ruffling through her brown hair, I grin proudly. “You’ve thought of almost everything, haven’t you? I can sleep easy knowing you are my personal mechanic. I hope this journey will be enough to learn all the little secrets you have hidden in this masterpiece of yours.”

“I wouldn’t call it a masterpiece...” She once more starts timidly digging her foot into the floor.

“I would and that’s final.” With one last peck on her rosy cheek, I get up. “Now, how the hell did those bastards get in here if it’s supposed to be a super-sealed ancient fortress?”

“Inversicate is highly durable, but it’s not impenetrable.” Sirgia hops after me as I go around Diana to look around. “After so long, it’s possible that a natural breach has been created somewhere around. It might link to a cavern where these Wyverns used to have their nest before. It’s the only explanation I can come up with.”

“So, they panicked because we showed up in their new territory that they considered safe.” I stroke my chin ponderingly. “Is it possible they came from the inside? I’m not sure if they would have anything to feed on, but these guys seem... off? They are smaller than what I’ve read and seen, and it doesn’t feel related to their age.”

“Hmmm... You are right, Master...” My keen Dwarf wife crouches down to take a better look at one of her kills. “Their scales are somewhat softer too... They are slightly different from how I remember the wild Wyverns from back home...”

“This is a wild idea, but... could your ancestors have been raising them?” I suggest.

Her radiant eyes find mine. “A domesticated Wyvern... Breed specifically for the purpose of... Transport! That could be it!”

An equally sunny smile curls her petite lips up.

“There are no cart tracks on this road or any parts of other transit systems like cable lines for aerial lifts! If the ancestors managed to tame a tribe of Wyverns to do the heavy work, it would have certainly sped up everything as travelling under the ceiling would not come in conflict with the travellers moving on the ground!” she sums up excitedly. “But, you are right about the sustenance. There is no way the remnants of the domesticated creatures could find enough unspoiled meat to survive here. And they don’t show symptoms of cannibalism.”

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Now aware of where the ropes come from, I hastily let go of the sticks and grab the lines before we descend further than their length extends. With a few twirls, I coil them around my forearms and grab the fleeting snakes, clenching my teeth. Sirgia squeaks as a violent tug sends us into an arc, but I’m already grinning at the fact that the harpoons held. And they have hit perfectly where I wanted them.

With Diana’s help, we lose the momentum until we end up still in the air. Sirgia opens her eyes and straightens up now that I no longer pin her to the saddle. Her petite fingers quickly grasp the edge of the seat at the front as she notices the ground. I would reassure her with a firm grip, but unfortunately, both of my hands are tied at the moment.

Literally and figuratively.

So, not to prolong the situation we have found ourselves in, I start to slowly pull us up. We haven’t fallen too far, so it’s not that much to go. Bit by bit, one hand at a time, I bring us closer to the ceiling while Sirgia peeks at me with a glint of wonder in her beautiful dark caramel eyes. And when those charming eyes skip down my quite flexed front, she can’t help herself from nibbling on her bottom lip as they rove over the section where my clothes got pulled up, which becomes a tad distracting.

Directing my attention to the task at hand, I get us where we need to be and lock gazes with Diana. Knowing my intentions well through our bond, she starts moving in a way that pushes us into a swinging motion again. We work together to increase that force since it’s rather tough on short ropes, but after a few good swings, we reach the horizontal line.

At that very moment, I give the ropes one mighty pull and drag my legs up. We flip upside down, with Sirgia once more pressed tightly into the saddle, as Diana’s paws hit the ceiling. Securing her footing, she turns her head to me and lolls her tongue out, her tail starting to wag.

Smirking softly, I move my mouth closer to Sirgia’s ear. “Now, be a good sport and get on her belly. I don’t know if these harpoons can stay in the ceiling forever.”

“You are insane, Master.” A mesmerising giggle escapes her lips. “But that was amazing.”

Shuffling carefully, she flips herself around, effectively sitting on my stomach now as I keep leaning forward. She flushes deeply as our eyes meet and just has to sneak a peck on my lips right when I can’t do anything about it. And from the look she gives me, she would love to do even more if the situation wasn’t this dire.

Using my armour and Diana’s fur as handholds, she wiggles her way onto the wolf’s side before crawling onto our furry friend’s belly. Ensuring she has proper balance, she stands up and chuckles at the silly sight of Diana’s head peering at her between her front legs. Giving our canine companion a few pats on the snout, she turns to the crystal just above her.

“Be ready to drop us down when I tell you, Master,” she warns me and I nod to myself.

I can’t see that much over Diana’s bulky frame, but I can tell she has brought out some kind of a hand-sized contraption which emits light of various colours from its runes, sigils, or whatever those are. A bigger flash illuminates the ceiling briefly and I can see some kind of an energy flow through the duct, switching the black crystals on as it passes through them. For a moment, they give the tunnel a warm, yellowish hue, but the spark doesn’t travel further than three or four gems.

“Wrong...” Sirgia mutters under her nose.

She tries again, and after another flash, the energy once more dissipates throughout the installation, but this time travelling slightly further with a much weaker glow from the crystals. Sirgia curses cutely under her nose and keeps at it, adjusting that gadget of hers to find the right frequency I would say. Or something like that.

Two more fails take place before Sirgia lets out a deep sigh. Each one was closer to the target, but still slightly off. It’s clear she is having doubts as no more follow.

“Come on, I know you can do it. It’s almost there, I can feel it. Take your time and I’ll wait here with a big, loving kiss for when you get it right,” I attempt to cheer her up at least a little.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell what her expression looks like, but she reaches above her head again and gives it another try. The flash that she evokes lights up only the second crystal after the one we are hanging under, but she immediately follows with another charge and a bolt of mana goes through without any reaction.

“I got it! Now, Master!” Sirgia shouts with an overjoyed tone and I let go of the right rope a second later.

She manages to send one more spark through the installation before losing her footing with a yelp. Diana spins around and I catch my Dwarf lover as she passes by our side, tucking her underneath me once more. With Sirgia tightly secured against my chest, I release the other link and we drop right away. The whole time we descend, I keep an eye on the escaping energy as it travels into the depths through the semi-transparent duct.

Darkness surrounds my vision and recedes a moment later as we avoid crashing into the path below and emerge already running. “There! Chase after it, Diana!”

Our valiant steed responds with a confident bark and we speed up. Thankfully, this mana doesn’t travel at the speed of Earth's electricity but more like a quickly-flowing river. Sirgia wiggles around to slip into her seat, but with my hands free and my feet firmly locked in, I turn her around so she rests on her back on the saddle.

“A promise is a promise.” I grin at her wide eyes and lean in to steal her lips.

A soft moan makes my mouth tingle as Sirgia wraps her arms around me and reciprocates the passionate embrace. Our tongues dance together as Diana carries us forward and I keep tenderly stroking Sirgia’s hot cheek, doing my best to convey how proud of her I am. Judging by the satisfaction flowing into me through our bond, it works decently well.

But, we shouldn’t inconvenience our friend too much and I hesitantly draw away with one last peck. Having my assistance, Sirgia flips around without an issue and takes a proper position on the saddle. Not without pressing herself into me, of course, but I humour her and set the handles forward like on the first day.

We try to look around as Diana speeds through the massive tunnel after the bolt of mana above our heads. I can sense Sirgia’s anxious mood, most likely over the chance that it goes out before reaching our goal, but if that happens, we can just do it again. She’s already cracked the code.

Regardless of her worries, the signal doesn’t go off and we keep going after it. Ten minutes later, we have passed two more underground mini-towns like that one near the entrance, and finally arrive at a crossroads. Two paths lie in front of us, but we don’t need to think as the mana picks the way for us.

Soon after, the scenery changes to some extent. The distances between hubs decrease, and the style changes into something akin to open underground caverns with sporadic square buildings. The third time we pass one, our guide takes a hard right into a much smaller passage, not much bigger than to fit a mining cart. We barely squeeze into it, my hair brushing against the top dangerously.

Since it’s harder to see the energy now, Diana has to speed up a bit, and we suffer in this claustrophobic tunnel for about three more minutes. Then, the passage opens up and she barely slows down right before a sizable metal gate, kicking up clouds of ancient dust and making us cough. The mana disappears on the other side. Something must have tipped Diana off because she could have jumped through the shadows. Or perhaps she didn’t want to risk it.

When all the dust falls back onto the floor, we look around. Something akin to a booth is carved on one side while there are weird benches, lockers, and crates on the other side. Feels like a changing room or something.

“I’ll check the door,” Sirgia says and slips away.

She trots up to the heavy gate with a giant sigil carved on its surface, which signifies burning in Dwarven. Not finding anything useful by simply examining the entrance, she jogs to the booth on the side, vaulting in through the pane-less gap. Disappearing below the edge, she starts moving things around according to the various scraping noises.

“Found it!” she shouts back and a mechanical click follows.

The gate briefly shines blue before the glow escapes to its edges and dissipates. A metallic groan fills the air from the booth, joined by Sirgia’s light grunt, and something else slips into place with a heavy thud. A moment later, the gate gives a loud screech as it starts descending into the ground.

My clever Dwarf lover jumps out of the booth with a pretty smile. “The protective array was still active even after this long. We could have triggered something worse if we tried to go through by force.”

“It’s alright now?” I give her a hand to help her back up onto the saddle.

“Should be. But better still to be careful.” She snuggles into me and pats Diana’s side.

We slowly walk past the lowered gate and follow the single mana duct through the same narrow corridor. It doesn’t continue for too long as just a few seconds later we set foot in a truly massive space that spans damn wide and high. But, the sheer size of it isn’t what takes our breaths away.

The humongous metal furnaces set in three rows do.

Each machine is an amalgamation of stone, wood, and metal. Some glass and other materials are woven into their structures too, like leather for the giant bellows poking out of their sides. Those things are higher than a three-story building and pretty much the width of a single-family house. Multiple mana channels are routed into them from above, forming artificial crowns of fake branches.

“Well, looks like we found our source of energy. Now what?” I chuckle softly.

But, Sirgia is already on the ground, walking towards the closest one with an awed expression. I haven’t even noticed her slip away.

If anyone has any chance of starting this shit up, it’s definitely her.

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