Parallel Vol. 4 [LEGACY EDITION]

Chapter 54.2: SKYBOAT!

Several minutes later, Kashi gazed out of the car's windows, eyes wide as the train exited the tunnels, running across a track elevated several meters above the ground. Down below, the underground dwarven city spread out, illuminated by mage lights hanging from the ceilings above. The daeben watched the busy dwarfs going about their day, with only a few casting momentary glances at the train. Evidently, the dwarfs had gotten used to the sight, and no longer found it as novel a sight.

The train-tracks were supported by large pillars that lined the length of the city until the tracks dug into another tunnel. Kashi noticed structures that resembled train stops along the tracks, but they were not yet in commission. Later, with the help of these stops, the dwarfs would be able to travel from their city to the one aboveground with ease.

The city eventually disappeared from view as the train burrowed into a tunnel. The underground dwarven city utilized tunnels to keep sections of the city away from each other. This design was to ensure the entire civilization was not jeopardized in the event of a 'cavern collapse'.

Moments later the train exited the tunnel into a spacious cavern with hundreds of dwarven blacksmiths rushing about with metals and materials for forging. Off to the side, a giant cauldron tipped over, pouring molten iron into a large metal cast with a depression that took the shape of a boat's keel.

Kashi breathed in the pungent stench of burning metal and cupped his ears to the deafening clanging of metals. These were the telltale sounds of a dwarven forge, a place Kashi was all too familiar with.

The train came to a stop at a raised platform. Kashi and the Maggots exited the train and saw Otto Knutsen waiting with a wide grin. "Kashi-dono!" Otto greeted with boisterous laughter as he ran forward and grabbed the daeben in a bear hug. "You're back!"

"Not for long, I'm afraid," Kashi stated as he patted the dwarf's back. He waited for Otto to release him, and then said as he pointed at the vehicle behind him, "I see you finally got the trains working."

"Of course!" Otto rubbed his nose with a proud snort. "There's nothing a dwarf cannot craft with the proper blueprints and time." The dwarf grinned as he added with a mischievous glint in his eyes, "The trains aren't the only things we got working."

"No way." Kashi exclaimed as he grasped Otto's shoulders. "Is it really done?"

"Completed final tests yesterday," Otto confirmed. "You want to see it, don't you?"

"Do I want to see it?" Kashi mockingly repeated. "Let's go at once!"

*cough*

Kashi looked over his shoulder, only then remembering he'd come with a group. He mentally thanked Leila for the coughing prompt or it might have been embarrassing. "I'm going to inspect the new skyboat," Kashi informed the others. "You can come along if you want, but if not, feel free to look around the forge. There are lots of cool weapons to pick from. You can even order a custom-made item and I'll foot the bill."

Kashi waited for a few seconds, but seeing as no one made any move to leave, he turned to Otto and said, "Looks like everyone's coming. Please lead the way."

"No one would want to miss something like this," Otto replied, as if chastising the daeben's question. He then turned around, and walked down the stairs, calling over his shoulder, "It's this way."

Otto led the group through the forge to a massive seven-meters tall and three-meters wide iron door. The dwarven craftsmaster knocked on the door, and it swung open from the inside with a loud, grating noise. The thick doors opened into a new cavern, one which had been blocked off from the rest of the forge as a result of the secret nature of the experiments within.