Chapter 608: The Future

Dr. Sharon was having the time of her life as she browsed through the dozens of stores and markets at the airfield. The items and strange steam gadgets on display were like out of some video game. Hawkers cried out their wares and gestured to any potential customers walking by. She paused every once in a while to peer at the wares displayed while Magister Thorn had an unhappy expression on his face.

"Cheer up friend!" Professor Hamlot comforted the crestfallen Magister who so far has not found any magical items at all. "Magic has faded from the daily lives for many many years."

Dr. Sharon wearing a set of prosthetic ears in disguise, laughed as she tossed some strange gadget to one of the Marines to carry. She had already bought quite a few items that caught her fancy while Magister Thorn could barely even find anything that even remotely related to magic. "Yes, cheer up! Hehe!"

"Here, try some... roasted shrooms?" Dr. Sharon gestured to a stall selling sticks of meat and vegetables that were slow roasted over hot coals.

"I'm just sad that there is nothing of magic around!" Magister Thorn let out a deep sigh. "I was so looking forward to studying the magic of the Old World..."

"Haha, don't pout my friend!" Professor Hamlot laughed. "When you come to the Iron Kingdom, I shall bring you to the Arcanum of Steamworks and Magic!"

"There in the department of magic, you can read all the magic scrolls as much as you want!" Professor Hamlot said and proudly boasted. "The Grand Library in the Arcanum has one of the largest collection of tomes and scrolls on magic in the whole Old World!"

"Really?" Magister Thorn perked up immediately, his mood better. "That I must see!"

Dr. Sharon shook her head at both the old men and continued to browse the wonders of the market. She picked up another few more trinkets and shoved them all to the Marine whose arms were already full with her shopping.

"It's been so long since I get to do some shopping!"

-----

"What do we know of this mountain border city, Iron Gate?" Blake tapped the hand drawn map where a city was marked.

"Iron Gate is run by Greenrock Clan of the Bronze Mountain," Grand Lord Hammerfall said. "The clan is led by a dwarvan called Greenmane."

"The Greenrock Clan is a bunch of greedy ore stealers!" Grand Lord Hammerfall mumbled his displeasure. He had watched the interrogation of one of the Bronze Mountain officer confess about their involvement with the Hungry Hands. "They will not hesitate to even sell their mothers for piece of gold!"

"The White Mountains splits and marks the borders of the Cartel and the Iron Kingdom," Lord Copperstone cleared his throat and covered for Hammerfall. "The skies around the White Mountains are constantly covered in powerful gales or heavy snow and only the skies above the pass where the border city of Iron Gate is built are calm enough for airships to cross."

"The White Mountains continues on all the way to the northern region where the lands of the Crimson Mountain," Lord Copperstone said. "If we were to avoid crossing the border from Iron Gate, we can continue another week or less of travel along the White Mountains and into the Crimson Mountain's lands and cross into the Iron Kingdom."

Blake nodded at the information, "So is it hard to cross into the Iron Kingdom?"

"Hmmm..." Grand Lord Hammerfall frowned as he considered the question. "If you have all the proper identity and able to pay the tolls and fees... It should not be hard to cross."

"But... that was a few seasons ago..." Grand Lord Hammerfall added. "The laws might have changed since the last we heard..."

"So in general, if we passed the custom inspection and paid the correct people," Trism cut in. "We can cross into the Iron Kingdom without any troubles?"

"Eh, yes," Grand Lord Hammerfall nodded. "Provided that there are no conflicts occurring within the Iron Kingdom..."

Blake turned to Trism and said, "Find out if the borders are closed."

Trism nodded and Blake said, "Any places we need to avoid?"

Both Hammerfall and Copperstone shook their heads, "There shouldn't be any troubles along the route."

"Good," Blake stood up and said. "We will set off once the supplies have been loaded."

-----

The Old World, The White Mountains

"AHHHH!" A shout echoed out followed by the sounds of metal hitting against something hard. Angry hissing and shrieks could be heard and more sounds of grunting and shouting. Under the light of the steam powered lamps, a massive Roc flapped its battered feathered wings that were dozens of meters long.

Individual feathers floated and the stench of blood was thick in the air. The Roc let out a cry of anger at the intruders that invaded its nest and stood protectively in front of its younglings. The intruders spread out in a semi circle and readied themselves for the Roc's charge.

The massive cavern had a hole on the roof which allowed the Roc to fly in and out but currently, the hole was covered in a mesh of strong iron chains and bolted down, preventing the Roc and its younglings to escape.

A handsome golden haired elf wearing a huge strange armor that had moving gears and clockwork at its back stepped forward. Steam hissed out from several vents from his armor and he flexed his armored fist where a steam powered spring blade was equipped on his arm. On his other arm, he carried a great shield that was three finger thick.

"Come on!" He shouted as he clenched his hand into a fist. "Do not be afraid of its magic! It has been greatly weakened already!"

His companions gathered their courage and hefted their weapons up. They grimly stepped over the bodies of their once companions that littered the rock floor and puddles of blood. The handsome elf snapped his hand and pointed two fingers at the Roc and shouted, "Shoot it!"

Hearing his command, those armed with steam lances and steam bolters, fired off iron bolts at the Roc. The Roc instinctively used its wings to kick up a strong gale of wind. The bolts wobbled in mid flight from the powerful winds and the hunters had to brace themselves against the winds to prevent getting knocked off their feet.

The handsome elf let out a mad roar of laughter as he charged into the wind using his great shield to tank the wind and sharp rocks that were carried by the wind. He closed the distance rapidly, his steam clockwork armor hissing and ticking madly as he forced his way through the gale.

The Roc having spent its attack, snapped forward with its beck, aiming to peck the puny intruder to death like so many of the rest. With a mighty boom, the elf surprisingly blocked the Roc's attack with his shield. The attack left a deep gouge on the surface of the great shield but the elf ignored it but gave a wild laugh instead.

Before the Roc, which was almost three times his height could retract its head back, he punched out with his right arm and squeezed the trigger plates on his fist. A loud explosive hiss erupted out and the meter long tempered iron blade shot out in a cloud of white steam.

The razor sharp blade punched into the eyeball of the Roc and popped the soft jelly like surface. The Roc screamed in pain and it reared up, ripping the blade out of its collapsed eye, spraying eyeball fluids and blood everywhere.

"HAHAHA!" The elf laughed wildly. "Not so tough after all?"

"Keep up the barrage!" He ordered. "The rest flank it from both sides! I will take it head on!"

The rest of the hunters seeing the mighty Roc taking a severe wound sensed that victory was in their grasp. They surrounded the Roc as ordered while the barrage of bolts and arrows continued, pelting the tough feathers of the half blinded Roc.

The blade was retracted back into its launcher sheath with a loud click and the handsome elf hefted his shield up, a crazy grin on his face. "Ready? CHARGE!"

Together with the rest, he charged forward with his shield up. The half blinded Roc screamed in anger and swept its wings, sending razor sharp blades of wind that slammed into the charging hunters, leaving gouges on armor and shields. Any unprotected flesh was immediately sliced and bones were broken.

Screams and grunts once again echoed out from the cavern as the hunters fought against the desperate Roc. Finally, the Roc let out a death shriek as a steam powered blade punched through its chest and directly slicing into its beating heart. The Roc crumpled down, its wings twitching in its death throes.

"WAHAHAHAHAHAA!" The handsome elf with a face covered in blood let out a shout of whooping laughter. "SUCCESS!"

He reached over to one of his people and borrowed a great axe. He stepped over the head of the dying Roc and raised the great axe above his head and grinned. "Now... what a fine trophy this shall make on my walls!"

The great axe dropped with a meaty wack and after several chops, the head of the Roc rolled on the rock floor. He picked up the Roc's head and showed it off to the rest and he laughed. "Hahahaha! Everyone who survived shall be awarded a thousand gold pieces!"

The hunters all let out a cry of joy and they cheered the elf. The elf grinned and secured the head to his armor and turned to look at the nest where three Roc younglings were chipping and trembling in fear.

"Congratulations to Prince Herod on your victorious hunt!" A dwarvan hobbled over and greeted the blonde elf. "It was a heroic battle! One worthy of a thousand drinks!"

"Haha!" The Prince of Fire, Third Prince of the Iron Kingdom and future Crown Prince, Herod Skystar laughed and patted his grisly trophy. "This hunt would not be possible if it wasn't for your Greenrock Clan!"

The dwarvan from the Greenrock Clan gave a smile through his thick beard. "Still it was your Highness's great strength that slain the evil beast!"

Applause and cheers broke out when Prince Herod and the Greenrock Clan dwarvan exited the cave. A large crowd of nobles and soldiers that tagged along with the Prince was waiting for the results of the hunt and when they came out, they cheered and the nobles' daughters made flirtatious gestures to the Prince in hopes of catching his eye.

The Prince raised the huge decapitated head of the Roc, earning him more cheers and cries of adoration from the crowd. He laughed and shouted, "Tonight, we shall dine and celebrate!"

"Your Highness?" One of the Prince's hunting companion asked."What shall we do with the younglings?"

"Bring them back," Prince Herod replied. "I shall raise them and... when they have grown large enough... it shall be another great creature to be hunted, yes?"

"Hahaha!" The Greenrock Clan dwarvan laughed. "Your Highness has a great eye for the future!"

The Prince paused in his steps and turned to the dwarvan whose smile froze as he saw the change of expression on the Prince. "Y- Your Highness?"

"An eye for the future?" The Prince mumbled in a soft voice. "What nonsense!"

"But..." The Prince's lips formed a small smile. "The deal to train my people in the skills of steamworks... Now... that is the future!"

The dwarvan let out a relieved smile and said, "Of course, of course! Steam is the future!"

"Magic is no longer dependable... Yet those old fools still cling on to their failing magical spells and enchantments..." The Prince sneered. "A kingdom's strength judged by the number of magic crystals they hold in their old dusty vaults? HA!"

"Steam is the future!" The Prince growled as he flexed his steam powered armor. "And the future has no need of magic!"