Gou is a dark elf in Warhammer

Karendir followed the flow of people through the passageway, yawning every now and then.

The yawn was drawn out slowly, as if it were being pulled out little by little from the depths of his chest. He raised his hand to cover his mouth, his shoulders shrugged slightly, and then slowly lowered.

The passage was still the same passage—the main passage of the shelter. The light from the dome cast a perpetually soft, pale glow, illuminating this long underground street as if it were daytime. The light was even, without shadows or changes of day and night, as if artificially fixed at a safe and monotonous point in time.

He knows this place all too well.

He knew it so well that he could count the steps from his temporary cubicle to the exit of the passageway even with his eyes closed. He even remembered which section of the ground was slightly sunken and which stone slab had a tiny crack.

He, his family, and all the neighbors on the street—no one wanted to be here, let alone live here.

After all, the impression left that day was too deep.

After that, every time I walked into this passage, that oppressive, suffocating feeling would surge up from the depths of my memory—tinnitus, shaking, the sound of shattering, the sound of hurried footsteps… like echoes lingering in the air.

But no way.

This is not a problem that can be solved by staying at a neighbor's house.

His street underwent a complete demolition and reconstruction. Familiar houses were demolished, foundations were replanned, and scaffolding replaced windows and porches.

So, the whole family, along with all the neighbors on the street, were temporarily housed in a shelter.

Waiting for the ground-level construction to be completed.

He yawned even more loudly, a few tears welling up in the corners of his eyes, causing his vision to blur briefly.

I haven't slept well for the past few days.

The sounds of snoring from next door, children crying in the middle of the night, and hollow echoes coming from the depths of the passageway—dozens of families are crammed into one underground space, their lives compressed into thin curtains.

Sleep has become a luxury.

As we walked, the flow of people seemed to come to a standstill.

Karendil's half-closed eyes opened slightly.

The crowd ahead stopped moving, as if it had hit an invisible dam, merging and blocking out at some point in the passage. Shoulder to shoulder, steps faltered, and hushed conversations began to spread.

Then, the sound came over.

A gasp of shock.

Not just once or twice.

Instead, they came in waves, one after another, surging from front to back like a tide. The sounds had a neat rhythm, starting with suppressed gasps, followed by soft exclamations.

Immediately following was an exclamation of surprise.

A low, incredulous gasp, tinged with a kind of awe.

The sound traveled along the walls of the passage into his ears, meandering between the stone walls, becoming more indistinct, yet also more mysterious.

His mouth was still in the position of preparing to yawn, half-open, with his tongue slightly curled upwards. But he forcefully pushed it back down, the movement so fast that even he didn't react in time. The tip of his tongue hit the roof of his mouth, bringing a slight stinging sensation.

Something is wrong!
His neighbors shouldn't be reacting like this. To him, it seemed like they had seen something beyond their comprehension.

This is very unusual.

Karendil instinctively straightened his back, pulled his shoulders back, and straightened his spine, making his previously loose gait more steady.

He is not the same person he was before.

For various reasons, he became an adjutant.

To be precise, she was a secretary.

Of course, it is one of them.

Her duty is to assist Prince Bell-Ayhorn in his work.

Although the title may not sound prestigious, he knew all too well the importance of assisting the prince in his work.

This means that, in some situations, he represents more than just Karendil himself.

Rather, it is the prince's office, or even—to some extent, the prince's will!
This understanding allowed him to stand firm in the crowded flow of people.

He believed he was qualified to step forward.

To see what was happening ahead, and based on the situation, to give instructions and assist the Black Knights and Sea Guards in guiding the crowd.

This was what he was supposed to do as the prince's secretary.

Thinking of this, he raised his hand to straighten his collar, took a deep breath, and began to push forward.

He quickened his pace, his boots tapping rapidly on the stone slabs. He pushed past the neighbors who were still standing on tiptoe, peering out and whispering, and pushed aside a few familiar faces who were standing in the middle of the road, lost in thought, and squeezed his way toward the entrance of the passage.

Someone was bumped into by him and was about to complain, but when they saw who it was, they swallowed their words.

The light grew brighter, and the exit was just ahead.

The natural light from the ground, unlike the eternally pale light of the shelter's dome, has warmth, layers, and the unique crispness of the morning.

He finally squeezed to the front.

Stand still.

Raise your head.

Look into the distance.

"hiss……"

His breath caught in his throat.

The gasp, sharp and drawn-out, escaped from between his teeth.

It was exactly the same as what he had heard along the way.

What did he see?
At that moment, Kalentil even forgot where he was standing.

They forgot that they were there to guide the crowd, and forgot all their duties and identities.

His eyes were wide open, almost painfully so, but he couldn't close them. His eye sockets were slightly sore, and his tear film trembled gently in the light.

His breath stopped for a full three beats.

One shot.

Two beats.

Three beats.

It wasn't until his chest protested the lack of oxygen that he gasped for breath, the cold air carrying him straight to his lungs.

far away.

In a place that should have been a mountain.

A city rose from the ground.

Do not!
It's not a city, it's a cluster of buildings.

pyramid.

Five pyramids.

A massive pyramid sits in the center.

That colossal pyramid was not like the elegant, slender spire of Asur, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and silver lines. It was not light, not curved, not flowing.

Instead, it is a heavy, stable, and massive rock structure, as if it grew out of the depths of the earth.

It's not so much that it was built, but rather that it was "awakened".

Dawn had arrived, and a faint golden light appeared on the horizon, but the deep blue starlight still flowed across the tower.

The light was not from artificially inlaid lamps, nor from the refraction of gemstones, but from the stone itself breathing and pulsating, like the blood vessels of some sleeping behemoth, slowly beating beneath its skin.

It's not a reflection, it's a flow.

The ancient light from distant galaxies fell on the surface of the pyramid and was not absorbed.

Instead, it slowly slides down along the texture of the stone.

Like mercury, like melted pearls.

At each turning point, it gathers into a small pool of light, which then continues to spread downwards and outwards.

The entire complex was thus shrouded in a faint starlight, as if it did not belong to this world, but was a projection of an ancient star that had fallen upon Ulthuan.

At the top of the pyramid, a huge device is suspended, slowly rotating, and with each rotation, it projects complex geometric light and shadow.

The light and shadow intertwined, scattered, and recombine in the air, with lines cutting into each other and angles nesting together, as if depicting a cosmic pattern beyond the understanding of elves.

The other four pyramids are located at the four corners of the giant pyramid, arranged precisely according to a certain geometric law.

The distances, angles, and heights between each building seem to have been measured countless times by some invisible ruler.

Precise to the point of being heart-stopping.

That kind of order made the elves instinctively uneasy.

The elves, however, could not resist feeling awe, for these buildings did not pursue harmony with nature like elven architecture.

It does not imitate the curves of branches and leaves, nor does it follow the direction of the sea breeze, but rather proclaims an ancient law—order itself is beauty.

Karendil recalled the scenes he had experienced yesterday while standing among the crowd of spectators.

He remembered the shock, the feeling of insignificance in the face of a higher being, and the dizziness of being pulled into the depths of the starry sky even though he was standing on the ground.

Unfortunately, his rank was not high enough to participate in the activities following the ceremony.

When a deeper discussion unfolded, he had to leave.

then.

After the ceremony, he went back to work, as if it were just an interlude.

He sat in that makeshift office, working until the early hours of the morning. He sat there, processing endless paperwork: verifying information, allocating temporary accommodations, confirming the dispatch of supplies, adding and removing names, filing dispute records…

Page after page, document after document.

I used two bottles of ink, my fingers developed calluses, and the side of my thumb even turned faintly red.

When he finally looked up, the sky outside the window had changed from deep blue to inky black, and then back to deep blue.

That was the darkest hour before dawn, when the city was at its quietest.

He rubbed his aching neck, his shoulder blades making a slight cracking sound, and decided to take advantage of the last bit of night to sleep for two hours in the refuge.

At least, so that his family members can see him when they wake up in the morning.

Then, he walked to the entrance of the passage.

Then he saw the lights.

In the distance, on the mountainside, in the darkness that should have been silent, lights were flickering.

At the time, he thought it was just ordinary lighting.

And now, where the lights once shone, a city has risen. Overnight.

The lizardmen hollowed out the mountain.

The city of the lizardmen.

A city built overnight!
When the word exploded in his mind, he felt a chill run down his spine, as if tiny electric currents were coursing through his hair from the back of his neck. He knew that these ancient beings possessed power beyond the understanding of elves; he had learned from Bel-Aihol that the Sran priests could move mountains and alter the landscape.

However, hearing about something and seeing it with your own eyes are two different things.

Seeing it with his own eyes meant that he could no longer comfort himself with 'legends' or 'exaggerations'.

This means that those forces truly exist.

Right in front of him, in a place he knew well, in a place he had thought yesterday was just a mountain.

He looked up again, this time at the tallest pyramid.

The device at the top of the tower is still slowly rotating, and the geometric light and shadow it projects are like an invisible carving knife, cutting through the air.

Those light and shadow extend.

extend.

It seemed to have spread to the ground beneath his feet, landing less than a step in front of the tips of his boots.

It's like an invisible boundary.

On this side of the boundary lay Lortheon, a place he knew well. It was elegant in pearl white and light blue, with delicate arcades and graceful spires.

Beyond the boundary lies the gravitas and solemnity of the lizard people, the starlight flowing down the stone steps, and the very form of order itself manifested in architecture.

"Miracle!"

I don't know who first uttered that word.

But soon, the word was heard everywhere in the crowd.
-
"Because of this pyramid?"

Kadjohn raised an eyebrow as he spoke, his gaze still fixed on the tallest pyramid in the distance, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Didn't Asuyan tell you?"

Dakos, sitting in the back of the vehicle, turned his head and looked at Kadjohn, who was also sitting in the back.

Kadjohn stopped looking at the pyramids and turned to stare at Dakotas without saying a word.

His gaze was calm, yet scrutinizing, and Dakotas met his gaze.

There was no avoidance.

For a moment, only the slight vibration of the wheels rolling over the stone slabs could be heard inside the carriage.

Why are they staring at me?

After a moment, Kadjohn stopped looking at him.

Looking at the pyramids again, he voiced the question that had been troubling him.

"For you are the anointed one of Asuyan."

Dakous said this in a calm tone, without any mockery.

After saying that, he extended his index finger and put it in front of his mouth.

Then, silence fell over the room.

Kadjohn resumed his silent meditation, while Darkus gazed at the pyramid, the one he had ordered to be built. Unlike the slow-moving projects on the continent of Lustria.

This time, the main force is not giant beasts like spirit lizards, monitor lizards, or ankylosaurs.

Instead, it's the Shilans who can hollow out a mountain in an instant.

Located in the Phoenix Royal Court of Lortheon, the Temple of Asuyan stands. This is the only place outside of Fire Isle where Phoenix Guards are stationed.

However, this is a different timeline, after Finnuval became the Phoenix King.

Kadjohn asked that question because Darkus asked him to ignite the sacred flame of Asuyan within the Phoenix Court.

It was already two o'clock in the afternoon, and the sun was shining directly.

The area surrounding the pyramid complex was crowded with Asur civilians who had come to watch the spectacle.

The sounds of discussion, exclamations, and children's shouts mingled together.

Dakos even saw some merchants who had sensed a business opportunity setting up stalls on the outskirts to sell combs, jewelry, and small carvings. Some artisans were even carving on the spot, creating pyramid shapes for sale.

"As expected of Lortherne!"

A crowd gathered around.

lively.

Noise.

Awe and curiosity coexist.

He was very satisfied with the result, extremely satisfied; this was exactly the effect he wanted!

There was no noisy driving or rough shoving. When the vehicle arrived, the civilians consciously made way for it, and the crowd parted to both sides like a tide, leaving a straight passage.

The vehicle moved forward slowly.

Passing by ordinary people.

The Black Knight and Sea Guards, who were maintaining order, passed by.

Passing by the temple guards who formed a human wall.

Soon, the vehicle arrived at the plaza in front of the main pyramid.

The square was spacious, the stone slabs still bearing the sharp edges of fresh cutting, and there was a faint smell of stone dust in the air that had not yet completely dissipated.

Darkus stepped out of the car and walked steadily onto the plaza. He went straight to the Eye of the Storm, which was lying on one side of the plaza absorbing energy.

The enormous entity lay there quietly, its surface occasionally crackling with electricity.

Next, Darkus and the Eye of the Storm engaged in a frenzied interaction.

The main purpose is harassment, taking advantage of the fact that the mute cannot speak.

Darkus circled the eye of the storm, waving his hand around its edge, deliberately making an exaggerated backward leaning motion just as the eye of the storm was about to blink; he even inserted his own beat into the rhythm of the eye of the storm absorbing energy, trying to disrupt the eye of the storm's 'breathing'.

The interaction continued until the very end, when the Eye of the Storm stopped blinking in response and instead opened its mouth.

A deep hum spread out from within it, like the oppressive air before a thunderstorm.

That was not words.

It's a warning!
Shockwave warning!
"Farewell!"

Dakos clasped his hands together and raised them high.

The posture is exaggerated.

He then took two steps back to create some distance, followed by a graceful turn, the hem of his robe drawing an arc in the air.

He went to the device.

This device.

It wasn't the crystal processing furnace the lizardmen brought yesterday, but a completely new device.

It is more compact in size and more complex in structure.

The surface is covered by a closed shell, with the engraved lines hidden between the seams.

Unfortunately, the device was sealed, and Dakotas did not have a second view.

I could only stand on the outside, looking at that cold and silent shell.

Soon, Lord Adosi-Tehga appeared.

Appearing alongside Master A were Rein and Des, who were seated in a palanquin.

The carriage slowly came to a stop, and the sound of the wind swept by.

"Dedicated to Razcoto".

Darkus suddenly dressed up as a spirit lizard, raising his hands in front of the main pyramid.

His posture was solemn, and his tone was dignified.

The Great Pyramid of Razkoto echoes the Temple of Asuyan at the Phoenix Court.

One represents the sun, and the other represents the moon.

One represents Kotego, and the other represents Lazcoto.

Two orders, two traditions.

A new contrast is formed against the backdrop of Lorthorn's skyline.

Then, Dakous looked into the distance.

There is still space there to build another pyramid.

Dedicated to Sotigo, and offered to the serpent people active in Ulthuan.

The thought lingered in his mind for a moment, but after thinking about it, he decided against it.

Perhaps it needs to be built.

But it should be built in Nagareth, not Lorthorn.

After jumping off the palanquin, Renn did not immediately walk to where Dakous was. Instead, he turned around and took the items from the palanquin into his hands.

The actions were solemn.

Dakotas recognized the item at a glance.

Clive Broadsword!
But then again, isn't it?
Raine, carrying a broadsword in both hands, slowly approached Dakous with steady steps.

He then planted the broadsword on the ground.

The metal struck the stone slab with a deep, clear sound.

He nodded to Darkus without saying anything more.

Then he released the handle, letting the broadsword fall toward Dakota.

Dakos reached out and caught the broadsword naturally. He then lifted the broadsword and smoothly grabbed the grip on the back of the blade with his left hand.

His expression shifted from curiosity to shock.

After playing with it for a moment, he looked up, his gaze shifting from the blade to Renn's face, and asked a question.

"It's only been less than a day! That fast?" (End of Chapter)