Capítulo 220: Go with the Flow
I give Sirgia a moment to look around this power hall. It's as dark here as everywhere else, so we still rely on our personal lights. Until we reanimate these massive furnaces, I don't think anything will change. If the Dwarves had any emergency power supply, it must have run out long ago.
As I cast my gaze around the massive hall, I notice a few other exits here and there thanks to the shadows moving along with my head lamp's beam. Or rather cone. Everything in here is so big, that I'm starting to wonder how such a small race was able to operate these devices and appliances. Things are suspended damn high in the air.
Ah, right. They most likely had Wyverns. It's not impossible they used them for more than just simple transportation services for goods and security. Those creatures could have been an all-purpose solution. I can't really see any other explanation.
Well, besides magic, of course.
But, I have a feeling that relying on spells and abilities so much in every aspect of their tasks and work would be a bit too much. Additionally, we are inside a chamber adorned with gigantic furnaces which burn mana out of crystals and gems. I might not be an expert in this field, but even I'm aware that such an environment could prove to be a tad unstable at times, with a high risk of things going awry during the potential use of magical arts.
It's like playing with a flint in a room partially filled with easily combustible gas.
Nevertheless, it doesn't affect us much. If we are going to make this place alive once more, I'm sure Sirgia will figure out the proper way, using the systems and contraptions left behind by the ancients. I'll just lend her a hand wherever I can. I bet she will need some muscle to get these babies going. Man, I wonder how loud it gets in here when all of them are churning out mana.
Finishing my stroll around the hall, I return to the first furnace. Sirgia is examining it from up close, consulting some kind of a book as she reads the inscriptions on a few plaques. They don't resemble anything linked with exhibits so I assume those are either technical specifications or instructions on how to operate the machinery. After taking a longer look at the runes and letting my skills and knowledge decipher them a little, I'm inclined to believe it's the former.
She finally notices my presence and looks up.
"So, how do we go about kickstarting one of these wonders?" I ask with a raised brow.
My lovely Dwarf wife glances at the plaque again before letting out a delicate sigh. "I don't know."
"Oh? There's something my little genius doesn't know? No, that's impossible." I show a little smirk and watch her cheeks grow a tiny bit rosier. "Jokes aside, don't fret over it too much. I know you'll get it in time. I'm with you all the way. Just tell me whenever you need anything."
Kneeling in front of Sirgia, I stroke her warm face and place an affectionate peck on her forehead. She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me into a soft hug. We stay together for a few seconds, right until another gentle sigh escapes her lips and she backs off.
"I think we need three things. First, water." She directs her attention high up. "The glass parts of these furnaces are most likely meant to hold a small reservoir of it."
"What would they need water for?" I wonder out loud.
"If I'm not mistaken, steam helps the produced energy dissipate less into the air. It combines with the gas-like mana output before being pushed into the ducts. Additionally, it should create more pressure in the system, further enhancing its effectiveness. The quicker the energy can flow into these reinforced and enchanted channels, the less of it is lost in the initial stages of the process," Sirgia explains confidently.
"I see. That's smart. What is second, then?" I keep my hand on her side, rubbing it lovingly as she continues to fill me in.
"Air." She points at the four bellows surrounding the middle segment of the device. "With the introduced water, and therefore humidity, the furnace needs a strengthened air circulation for the fires to remain as strong as it's necessary for efficient production. We need to figure out how to turn them on. They should be autonomous, but I'm not sure if they are connected to any other system or if they are a separate module that has its own driving force."
"Got it." I nod curtly. "Anything else, love?"
A deeper blush surfaces on her cheeks, but Sirgia keeps her quite passionate and professional demeanour up. "Yes, the most important thing, meaning the mana-rich crystals and gems. Do you see this belt above us, Master? With how it's positioned, I can only assume that it delivered fuel straight into the pits of these furnaces. We need to get it to move and find out if there is any fuel left."
"Then, we gotta find a way to fire this thing up." I rub my chin ponderingly.
"I believe a bit of fire should be enough if all the other systems are ready," she shares her thoughts.
"I can do that. I'll borrow a skill from one of our ladies and take care of it. Magical fire should give it a stronger boost than normal one, right?" I scratch my head.
"That's… very likely, Master!" Sirgia gives me a pretty smile in response. "It might be dangerous to use it when the furnaces are working, but with all of them currently being silent, Fire Magic should give the one we are starting up a good kick! You are so amazing, Master!"
"Not as amazing as you." I wink at her. "Alright. There are at least three things to do and two of us. Apologies, Diana, but I would like you to be our guard just in case. It's what you are best at."
Our canine friend responds with what sounds like an affirmative bark and we both let out a light chuckle.
"I would like to try and figure out either the bellows or the core of the furnace," Sirgia suggests. "It should allow me to further study the device since those two systems are closely connected with this chamber. I'll most likely focus on the air first. It's a good idea to have them ready in case we succeed in firing up the heart."
"I'll go with water, then." I roam my eyes over the glass compartments.
"Do you have any idea where to begin, Master?" my beloved asks.
"I think I'll try following those thick pipes first." I snap my fingers towards the obvious water channels running out towards one of the other exits. "Diana, would you mind staying here?"
"But, Master. It would be faster—"
My fingers gently thread through Sirgia's fragrant hair. "I know. And I know you are a strong girl. But still, I would like for her to be with you. She can jump to my side at any moment if something happens. I don't want you to be here alone, okay? Will you allow me this small act of selfishness?"
She tugs me down by the sleeve and I lean forward for our lips to meet in a tender kiss.
"Always, Master. Be careful out there. We don't know if there are more safety systems attached to the specific functions." She adds one more peck onto my cheek. "I'll have this side figured out when you come back."
Smirking softly, I give her one last pat. "I don't doubt that."
Diana trots closer for some parting scratches too and I head out, leaving the girls to their own work. The pipes coming out of the furnaces gather into one path before merging. They create a massive tube which I keep following. It goes through the wall, but fortunately, there is an archway to the side. No door, gate, or any protective arrays visible anywhere around or over it.
Lighting up the way, I walk into a relatively spacious corridor. There's not much to be said about it, honestly. It's very similar to the extremely small one we had gone through just earlier but on a slightly bigger scale. I pass by a few rooms but don't find anything helpful or interesting inside. They appear to be maintenance storages or such.
It takes me about half an hour of a relatively fast trek to reach a big double gate. Judging by the depiction of two Dwarves pouring water out of massive jugs they hold on top of their shoulders, I must be in the right place. The only question is, can I open this metal door on my own or do I require Sirgia's smart mind to help me out?
Scouring the area does not yield any meaningful results. Focusing on my senses, I don't detect any noticeable spiritual presence or energy. Even while on standby, the formations should emit the slightest bit of magical presence. I'm not your run-off-the-mill Human. Even without being a professional Mage, I still should be able to find traces of something.
So, I decide to give the gate a good old try. Pressing my palms into each wing right in the middle, I make use of my Primordial physique and pretty insane stats to push them both inside. Thankfully, I don't make an idiot out of myself and they relent, sliding open with heavy groans and screeches. It would have been hilarious if they were pull instead of push.
Behind the safety of the gate, I find a wide room with a low ceiling. The numerous rectangular basins give it the feeling of a large bath with multiple spots, but it's immediately obvious that's not correct. First of all, it would be immensely difficult to get in and out of these deep pools without any help. Second, the large pipe splits up above my head and its numerous tubes descend into the floor, heading for every single pit. Third, each of the final hollows has its own duct behind it, sealed with a thick metal cap.
There's no doubt that's where the water comes from initially.
But, after that? I guess this place is something akin to a filtering room or something. I can see the water flowing into these last pools in the past, getting filtered or maybe enriched, then continuing into the pools in the row after, and so on, and so on, until the first reservoirs where it makes its way into the pipeline system.
Taking a quick peek down one of the hollows shows me a plethora of colourful tiles covering both the bottom and the walls of the pool. They are made of some kind of magical crystals and are also further customised with magical formations. It's like looking at a mesmerising display of fractals, worthy of the most expensive art showcase.
There's no doubt now that they are meant to do something to the water. But, to see what, I need to figure out how to bring that water back in here after decades of absence.
I don't see any levers, chains, buttons, or anything around. The chamber is kept as simple as possible, set in regular and comfortable patterns. All the surfaces are smooth and it's unlikely they hide any additional passages or nooks with control panels or whatever. Perhaps this whole thing is controlled from a different location.
Not seeing any obvious solutions, I choose to cross the chamber until the very end. Examining the locked-up outputs of the wide pipes coming into the room, I find something that looks like a depiction of a valve in the side of one. But, it barely pokes out of its surface so there's not much you can do about the decoration.
Unless…
Giving it a light tap causes the valve to extend outwards. A clever way to pretty up the design.
Unfortunately, as I try to spin it to either side, it gives only the slightest tick before refusing to comply any further. A defiant metallic groan accompanies the action. It manages to lift the cover only a tiny bit. The mechanism clearly hadn't been maintained for ages. Duh.
I don't want to completely break it by applying all the strength I have in store, so instead, I stare at the barely changed flap, watching the first hints of liquid trickle through the brass channel. Then, I get an idea and decide to give it a shot.
Summoning my draconic hilt, I shape it into a greatsword with a wide blade and slowly slide it into the opening. Taking a decent position, I try to leverage the cover open with moderate strength. It once more starts squeaking in protest, but with a large enough surface of my weapon, I'm able to pry it out of its ancient position with relatively no issue.
However, the actual issue is, nothing more than the light trail of muddy water flows down the massive pipe.
"Well, shit. I guess it would have been too simple. Wherever the water comes from must have been drained—"
Distant, echoing, weird noises rumble through the tube, making me pause. Frowning, I give it a little peek inside, illuminating the shiny insides, and instantly yank myself back as quickly as possible. The entire pipe begins to tremble, and a second later, thick brown mud rushes out of the opening with a loud fart, flowing right into the side of the pool underneath it at a high speed.
Fortunately, I've been able to avoid getting splattered with the powerful blast. My earlier action must have altered the pressure inside the system or something. Now it works, but I doubt this was the intended water the ancients wanted to deliver to their furnaces.
As I consider blocking the stream after its strength subsides a little, the pool begins emitting bluish light. A brief glance makes it clear that the enchanted tiles have been triggered for some reason. Perhaps the muddy liquid is the cause. They emit a pleasant humm and the surface of the pit starts bubbling, but not the same way as if it would have been boiling. More like quicksand.
Also, the worry about this sludge flowing into the next row of pools turns out to have been completely unfounded. Whatever this first step in the entire process is, it somehow cleans up most of the filth before allowing the output to continue to the next basin. Still kind of yellowish, the filtered water flows into the second line, where it actually starts boiling, judging by the heat and steam.
I observe in fascination as it clears up almost completely right before my eyes. This step takes much less time, and it's not surprising. It doesn't have to deal with all the icky muck. The final row of pools is reached soon, and contrarily, the water, which is now crystal clear, cools down noticeably, emitting whitish mist from the surface. Something else is added to it, but I'm unable to discern the magical effect the tiles are having on the liquid.
Finally, whatever is left, exits the chamber through the channels leading into the big pipe I have followed to get here. I'm not sure how there's enough pressure for anything to flow up there from the level of the floor, but who knows what kind of enchantments or hidden appliances the Dwarves have put in their waterworks.
"Alright. Let's get the rest of these bad boys done, then." I roll up my sleeves and move to the next pipe exit covered by a metal flap.
For the next twenty minutes or so, I keep prying them open until all the pools are back to work. Some channels spew clearer water than others, and the first one was the worst of them all, so it seems they come from different reservoirs. A smart decision. If one or more malfunctioned, they weren't completely fucked.
After I'm fully done, I give the entire chamber one last look and nod to myself proudly. I have succeeded. The water is back. Hopefully, it doesn't blow up someone's shitter by accident. It wouldn't be surprising to learn that this system guides the water around the entire place, not just to the power hall. Well, it's not like anyone should be still alive here save for monsters and wild beasts. Or a few previously domesticated ones.
Happy about the result, I walk back to our gathering spot. We really need to get these lights on soon. It continues being creepy as hell traversing these corridors through deep and mischievous shadows. I swear I spot something darting past an intersection or two as I go, but looking that way shows only the flat surface of the stone and an empty path.
I enter the massive hall to the welcoming sounds of something functioning. Sirgia must have figured it out, as expected. My genius little lover to the rescue. I wouldn't be surprised to see the furnace already up and going by the time I return.
Which isn't exactly what I find as I near the high tower.
Sirgia is on the side, fiddling a little with some levers while the big bellows keep pumping air into the furnace two at a time. The whizz is loud and definitely could get annoying fast, but right now, it's a lovely noise symbolising progress. Another step on our grand path. Leaving us with only one.
Before I can call out to her, Sirgia notices my approach and trots up to me with a wide smile.
"I saw the water flow into the glass containers, Master. You did great." She looks eager to share some affection so I pick her up and she wraps her legs around me as we exchange a few pecks.
"From what I can see, you haven't been slacking off either. Did one of those levers turn them on?" I ask curiously.
"No, I actually had to get up there and give them a literal hand, but I had Diana with me and she helped a lot." Sirgia giggles cheerfully, glancing at our furry companion. "They don't even need any power to function, Master. Thanks to a clever way of utilising cogs, pistons, and weights, they keep themselves going pretty much infinitely. It's so inspiring."
So, they figured out a perpetuum mobile for these. Neat.
"Perfect. Now, as long as there are still some crystals gathering dust somewhere, we only need to spin up these conveyor belts and the place should be up." I smile at her and she beams back at me.
"Not if we have anything to say on that matter."
Diana releases a quiet growl and I spin us both around towards the source of an unfamiliar voice. Right in the direction I've come from, stands now a grey-skinned woman with white glowing eyes. She's completely naked and I can see her dark, perfectly erect nipples stand proud alongside the ensnaring line between her pouty feminine lower lips, completely smooth and bare for all to admire. Multiple females like her begin to emerge from the ground behind her, having figures of various kinds, taller or shorter, thicker or leaner, but still sharing the same characteristics as the first speaker. Their hair is of the same dark shade but in different styles.
"Oreads…" Sirgia whispers in awe and shock.
"I knew someone was tailing me." My eyes do their best not to stop at any of the seductive areas lest it comes out as offensive, even if it's quite a challenge with so many of them. "Who are you?"
"That's what I should be asking, Human," the leader replies firmly. "How did you get into this sanctuary? The gates have not fallen."
I gesture at the girl in my hands with my head. "This one looks like a Dwarf, doesn't she? It should be pretty self-explanatory. I'm just escorting her on her journey. If my presence makes you uncomfortable, I apologise, but she has all the right to walk through the tunnels her people built."
"No one is allowed to be here, as per the final decree of the last patriarch," she responds, glaring briefly at Sirgia. "These grounds are to remain sealed. They are not to fall into the hands of Humans. No descendants received the knowledge of the ancient riddle."
"She solved it." I nod towards my lover again.
The Oread blinks a few times while looking between us, seemingly surprised by my answer.
"There's still the matter of blood…" she continues.
Sirgia anxiously raises her hand. "I'm… a Forgegraver… if that means anything…"
The other women start exchanging glances as if uncertain about their course of action now. They no longer glare at us as heavily.
"How come you've only shown yourselves now?" I ask, making use of this brief pause.
"The noise has woken us up," the lady answers. "We've been asleep since the moment the last of the Dwarves willfully succumbed to the embrace of our sisterhood, ending the line of proud protectors."
"Oreads, just like other Nymphs, can consume their partner's vitality, Master," Sirgia whispers into my ear.
That explains the complete lack of bodies and any remains. They either absorbed everything or tidied up afterwards.
"So, you either worked with those ancient Dwarves or had a deal with them, right?" I pry further.
"You are correct." She nods. "The final guardian requested us to guard this place in their stead. No Human shall ever make use of this mountain for as long as we exist."
They recollect themselves fairly quickly after their leader's statement, back to showing open hostility. At least towards me.
"But, Master isn't Human. He is a Primordial," Sirgia protests while slipping back onto the ground.
That evokes a few gasps from the crowd of nude ladies and they all direct their attention onto me. Some try to peer deeper into my frame and I can feel their eyes wander into a very specific region. I catch one or two nibbling on a finger with deepening darker spots over their cheeks. A bunch of sweet giggles echo through the spacious hall.
"Silence!" Their leader turns around to get them back in line before addressing us again, still a bit standoffish, but looking at me in a slightly different light. "That's your word. And it doesn't offer much considering it comes from the mouth of a collared female addressing her escort master."
Ah, right. They would obviously pick up on that, even if it's kind of a misunderstanding. To a being that has been asleep for decades if not longer, this must look rather definite. I guess I'll need to crank up my presence to—
"But, if you are willing to bet on that, we can simply verify your might with a challenge," she interrupts my train of thought. "With your life on the line."
The Oreads gasp at that again but hastily quiet themselves down before the woman in charge has to. I meet Sirgia's eyes and she shrugs, leaving the decision up to me. Diana keeps herself close to my other side, eyeing the naked girls with the aura of a predator ready to pounce.
I sigh heavily and look at the leader. "Honestly, I would rather not hurt you, but if this is the only way—"
"Oh, no, not that kind of might." She lets out a tinkling chuckle.
With a flick of a hand, she raises a perfectly smooth slab of stone next to her, taking the shape of a rectangular altar which stops at the height of her waist. She places her plump behind on its edge and hoists her perfect legs onto the top with a wide smile. Leaning to the back, she assumes a quite inviting resting position on her side, letting her perky charms barely succumb to the force of gravity.
"If you truly are a Primordial, you should have no problem coming out of our coupling alive, isn't that right?" She grins impishly, clearly confident that I'll succumb to her powers.
Nymphs. What else should I have expected?
Shaking my head, I give my short lover one more peek, but Sirgia just shows me a thumbs up with a mischievous smirk of her own, which makes me chuckle out loud. Of course, she would be on board with the idea of showing them who is the real deal by fucking them into submission.
"Fine. I accept." I start walking towards the charming Oread, seeing her grow even more excited at the fact that I agreed to her provocation.
She must view me as the cocky Human who believes he can outfuck the ancient Nymph with his undefeatable cock, definitely living through quite a few similar encounters during her long life.
Too bad it's not going to follow the same pattern this time.
As I near her, the rest of her family forms a circle around us and sits on the ground in a cross-legged position. They throw their arms onto each other's shoulders and start swaying from side to side, beginning a thrumming, echoing chant with a pleasant undertone. Their mesmerising breasts swing along and I have to tear my gaze off their proud bits to stand up to the task given to me. At least the standing up part won't be an issue.
The main Oread offers me a hand and I take it, climbing onto the stone bed with her. As I settle down on my side right in front of her, she snickers and snaps her fingers. Suddenly, we fall through the polished rock and I grunt softly after hitting a hard surface with my back. Looking around, I realise we have just phased inside the slab, which turns out to be more like a sarcophagus than an altar, complete with inner carvings of magical, ritualistic sort. The creative paths light up with a violet hue, giving both of us a slightly violet shade. It's like we are about to fuck inside one of those ultraviolet tanning beds.
I just hope we don't get any magical burns.
The perpetrator has landed on top of me, pressing her delicious chest into my front. Staring down at my face, she hungrily licks her lips.
"It's been so long since I fed." She lets out a quiet moan. "I'll try not to suck you dry so that my sisters can enjoy having a taste too. I can't be too selfish."
Raking her sharp nails over my outfit, she attempts to cut through it, but it doesn't seem to work as easily as she thought it would. That doesn't deter her though, and she begins fishing for the straps and buttons holding my gear in place while practically devouring me with her shining eyes already.
Snorting softly, I take hold of her wrists and spin us around in this very confined space. While we have a bit of distance to the top, the width of this coffin is slightly bigger than my frame. She lets out a surprised gasp at landing beneath me with her arms no longer free and gapes at them. I certainly felt quite some resistance from her extremely heavy body, so she must be confused about how I was able not only to move any of her limbs but even change our positions.
Having the fine woman beneath me, I give her alluring body a good look from up close. To some extent, she looks like the most exquisite statue or sculpture, like her tempting figure has been carved by the hand of the Goddess herself. And with the fact that she is technically a stone creature further accentuates that fact. Her skin is still smooth and delicate in touch, but when pressed, it appears like those mind-blowing marble masterpieces of extremely thick women or such.
The rock lady's bosom is full and perky, topped with the previously mentioned dark nipples. Her waist narrows enchantingly but her hips flare with gusto, creating that heart-stopping gap beneath the sealed lips of her feminine secrets. And those thighs practically consume my fingers as I run my palm over them, offering their squishy heaven to anyone daring enough to approach their ensnaring regions.
Naturally, her killer body is not everything she can boast about. This particular Oread represents the more mature front, with her light grey face shaped sharply in the fashion of a true lady. Her long flowing hair further emphasises that notion, woven in multiple thick braids. From what I can tell, the more of them, the higher the standing of the owner amongst the sisterhood. Each of their members showed at least a few of those, so it has to be a way of showing one's position or experience.
Nevertheless, that experience seems to have gone out of the window as most likely the oldest of the Oreads is looking up at me with pure puzzlement taking over her collected and teasing expression. She gave my hands a few tugs, but soon stopped trying completely, comprehending that it wasn't a fluke when I managed to overpower her a moment earlier.
Smiling slyly, I let go of one of her wrists and brush her cheek softly. "Is there a name your sisters use to call you, beautiful?"
"I-Ianthe?" she answers a tad hesitantly.
"Well then, Ianthe." I snap my fingers and all my clothes disappear into my spatial ring, my skin getting in direct contact with hers, and my already rock-hard member resting atop her hot mound. "Remember, you have only yourself to blame for this."
Ianthe glances down between us and swallows heavily. Her wide eyes find mine, the first hints of realisation swirling inside those pure white whirlpools.
She might have just made the biggest mistake of her life by underestimating an opponent a little bit too much.
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