Chapter 212: The Basalt Guardians

Kellar turned toward the seasoned warriors guarding the square and raised his voice with authority.

"The finest warriors, with me!" ordered Kellar. Then, turning toward the craftsman, he asked: "Are Big Horn’s carts ready yet?"

"We have only completed two, my lord," replied Lennis, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Sufficient," said Kellar without hesitation. "Bring them out. Harness one to Big Horn so he can run—let’s hope he can take it. We will take the other by air. Ignis, escort them by land. We will go on ahead."

At Kellar’s command, several workshop apprentices rushed to the staging area to haul the second adapted cart into the center of the square. At the same time, the handler brought Big Horn out at a trot to hitch the harness of the first cart, while Ignis took position alongside him.

As soon as the boys set the second cart in the cleared courtyard area, Kellar leaped into it alongside Grok and the other commanders.

"Little Green, take us!" commanded Kellar to the majestic winged beast.

"Take this, Great Shaman!" called out Lennis hastily, sprinting toward the cart before it could lift off. "I hope they prove useful."

Lennis handed him the newly tested Spiral Rifle along with three wooden crates holding ten rounds of windstone bullets each. Kellar secured the weapon and ammunition at his side just as Little Green let out a piercing screech that echoed across the settlement. With its massive talons, the beast gripped the frame of the cart, beat its giant wings to kick up a cloud of dust, and took to the skies heading toward the mountains.

Lennis watched the eagle’s silhouette recede into the sky and let out a breathless exhale.

"Shit... this level of deployment is impressive," muttered Lennis to himself, a proud grin on his face. "Our response time keeps getting better."

Meanwhile on the ground, the warriors finished securing Big Horn’s straps.

"Everyone who can fit, get in and hold on tight!" shouted Lennis to the reserve soldiers, leaping onto the front seat of the newly hitched cart. "We must catch up to the Shaman!"

The aerial journey was fast. Cutting through the clouds, Little Green shortened what would have been half a day’s march into a mere fraction of the time. Below, the landscape shifted until revealing the imposing silhouette of the Mountain Fortress and the trench of the mine.

With a gust of wind, the giant eagle swooped down and released the cart a couple of meters above the ground, right on the clearing in front of the main pit’s entrance. The wood and iron frame impacted the gravel, kicking up a cloud of dust, but the reinforced axles absorbed the shock.

Kellar, Grok, and the commanders leaped onto the ground, drawing their weapons.

Brak, who was waiting beside an armed patrol at the mouth of the mine, rushed toward them with wide eyes at such an aerial deployment.

"Great Shaman! I didn’t expect you to arrive so quickly!" exclaimed Brak, offering a bow before stepping alongside him.

"Thorin gave me the crystal," said Kellar without wasting a second, slinging the Spiral Rifle tightly across his back. "Tell me the exact situation down below. Has there been any beast movement?"

"Ever since we found the vein, I ordered the evacuation of the miners and sealed the lower shaft with wooden barriers and stakes," reported Brak grimly as he guided them toward the shadow of the entrance. "We heard rumbles through the stone walls... deep noises, as if something gargantuan were awakening in the dark. The heat in the lowest galleries has risen."

Kellar nodded, already feeling the warm, stifling air drifting up from the depths of the pit.

"You did well not to risk the men," replied Kellar, gesturing for Grok and the veterans to form a wedge behind him. "We will clear the area. Secure the outer perimeter and keep guard in case the other reinforcement cart arrives by land."

Brak lit a resin-soaked torch and handed it to the Shaman. Kellar took it with his left hand, while his right held the Spiral Rifle with the firing pin cocked.

"Move out," ordered Kellar.

The group moved in single file down the main shaft, descending a steep slope that plunged into the mountain’s depths. As they gained depth, the cool surface air vanished, replaced by a thick heat that beaded sweat across the warriors’ skin. The stench of sulfur and burnt mineral grew stronger.

After several minutes of walking in shadow, illuminated only by the orange glow of Kellar’s torch, they reached the bottom of the lower gallery. Before them stood a heavy barricade, built with oak beams and crossed stakes to block access to the deepest tunnel.

From the other side of the timber came a dull, metallic scraping, accompanied by vibrations that rattled dust down from the ceiling.

"It’s right behind it," muttered Grok, tightening his grip on his battleaxe.

Kellar said nothing. He handed the torch to a soldier behind him, stepped forward, and raised his right leg, channeling aura into his limb. With a single kick, he shattered the central barricade. The wood splintered with a sharp crack, blowing inward into the passage beyond.

A wave of scorching air burst out from the opened tunnel, forcing the men to shield their faces.

Crossing the remains of the barricade, the vanguard was not met with a wild onslaught. Instead, the tunnel opened into a wide gallery where common stone had given way to exposed veins of magma crystal, glowing with an intense golden and reddish light.

Amid that glare, a dozen stone figures walked with slow steps. They were mini lava golems, the size of a child, formed from blocks of black basalt held together by fissures of incandescent light. They moved in a clumsy manner, ignoring the presence of the intruders.

Kellar raised a hand to halt the group’s advance, studying the creatures.

"They seem harmless enough..." muttered Kellar, adjusting his grip on his weapon, "but we had better test it before letting our guard down."

Turning to the soldiers behind him, he gave the order in a firm voice.

"Riflemen, form a line! Ready weapons and open fire on my mark."

Four soldiers stepped forward, lining up in the narrow corridor with their traditional rifles aimed directly at the cluster of golems. At Kellar’s signal, they pulled their triggers in unison.

A roar echoed through the cave followed by a cloud of smoke. The lead and direct-impact bullets struck the stone bodies square on. However, instead of shattering or knocking them back, the bullets bounced off or flattened against the basaltic surface, dropping to the ground as useless metal. The mini golems didn’t even flinch; they continued their slow march without suffering a scratch.

At that exact moment, the system runes unfolded across Kellar’s mental vision:

[Entity Detected: Mini Lava Golem (Elemental Vein Summon)]

Characteristics: High-density basalt stone body infused with thermal energy.

Unique Property: Absolute Immunity to Conventional Physical Attacks and Low-Caliber Projectiles.