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TWL Chapter 357: Whispers of Rebellion
🕑 Added 2025-04-11 00:03:46 +0000 UTCBitruik gave a firm nod toward the three-braided Scoia'tael dwarf. “I’ve already contacted our kin nearby. The attack routes have all been planned out. As soon as the Elder in Chief returns tomorrow and we get the signal, our brothers will surge into Mount Carbon and seize control of him.”
“It’s Brouver Hoog, not the Elder in Chief,” the three-braided dwarf corrected, his voice tinged with scorn. “It’s his inaction that’s caused the dwarves to suffer under human society… No—not just inaction. He’s delighted to see it. Human oppression only drives us back into Mahakam’s embrace, where we’re once again shackled by his ‘traditions’ and all those ridiculous rules. He’s never tried to improve our lives. On the contrary, he’s a collaborator of the humans!”
Bitruik fell silent for a moment, then said reluctantly, “Fine… Brouver Hoog it is.”
The three-braided dwarf narrowed his eyes. “And? Did you bring it?”
Bitruik immediately understood. He lowered his shoulder, swung the pack off his back, and without needing to rummage, pulled out a palm-sized vial. The other young Ferenc dwarves behind him followed suit, each revealing an identical bottle.
“This was the poison the chieftain originally planned to use on Keltullis,” Bitruik explained. “But it’s not needed for her anymore.”
“The Ice Giant… should be similar to trolls—they’re vulnerable to poison. Since this toxin was made for Keltullis, it should be more than enough to deal with an Ice Giant.”
The Ferenc clan had prepared a two-pronged approach to deal with the red dragon. Besides the concoction meant to induce a miscarriage, they had also brewed a lethal poison. But with the opportunity gone—and no longer necessary—Bitruik had secretly taken it to use against the Ice Giant instead.
Originally, Lann wasn’t part of the Scoia'tael’s plan, and they hadn’t given him much attention. But the Ice Giant’s brazen presence soon made it clear to the Scoia’tael: if they wanted to launch a successful coup in Mahakam, they would first have to deal with this giant that could overpower even a red dragon.
“Alright, we’ve got the poison now. But how do we actually get it into the Ice Giant? That much toxin isn’t something we can sneak in quietly,” Bitruik muttered, staring at the large vial in his hands.
The three-braided dwarf clapped Bitruik on the shoulder. “Why do you think I had you break me out of the dungeon, instead of just getting me out quietly ahead of time? Getting into the dungeon was the real key to our plan.”
Their eyes drifted toward the end of the dungeon corridor. One of the prisoners had already leapt to his feet the moment Bitruik knocked out the guards. His gaze was full of hope.
“Chieftain Zigrin,” said the three-braided dwarf, calling out the prisoner’s name. “We’re going to need your help.”
“A monstrous creature has appeared at the side of the Lion of Cintra,” he continued. “And only those within the Cintran ranks can get close to it. Fortunately, quite a few Zigrin dwarves have recently joined that group.”
He looked down at the imprisoned dwarf and spoke with firm authority, “I need you to convince your kin to help us with our plan. And in return, we’ll grant you your freedom—and a place in our noble cause.”
...
Elsewhere…
House concluded his detailed report with a flourish, looking visibly satisfied. His eyes sparkled with anticipation as he looked at Lann, hoping for praise.
“That’s everything I uncovered in Mahakam, my lord,” he said, placing a hand on the lion-headed sword at his waist. He hesitated a moment before continuing, “I heard… you encountered a dragon among the Ferenc clan. It was my failure not to be there, sword in hand, by your side.”
Lann waved it off. “I ordered you to stay here and handle negotiations with the dwarves. You completed your task admirably.”
Indeed, House had far exceeded Lann’s expectations.
On the surface, House had been assigned to Mount Carbon to negotiate with Mahakam’s quartermasters—finalizing the amount of iron ore and weapons to be sent to Cintra. But House clearly hadn’t limited himself to that. Under the guise of diplomatic visits, he managed to tour the dwarves’ military forges and observe their daily training, gathering valuable intel. In doing so, he had opened a door into the once-enigmatic Mahakam for the Cintrans.
For Cintra, conducting a full investigation of a potential partner was essential. And if that 'partner' were to become an enemy one day, this information would be even more critical.
Intelligence was always paramount—and House himself had been stunned by what he uncovered.
“Mahakam doesn’t distinguish between standing and conscripted forces. Their structure is… unusual,” House analyzed. “The official garrison at Mount Carbon is only a little over a thousand strong. But their actual number of capable warriors is far greater—thanks to mandatory service. Every dwarf trained for combat is adept with axes, hammers, bows, and shields alike.”
“If a dwarf chooses to retire after completing their military service, they usually return to their clans and take up physically demanding jobs like mining, blacksmithing, or hunting. They also stay involved in light combat roles, maintaining a fairly high level of combat readiness. When war breaks out, Mahakam can easily muster around ten thousand soldiers—and these aren’t green recruits, but seasoned veterans.”
“Dwarves have extraordinarily long lifespans, so their prime years last much longer than those of humans. That same longevity also allows them to undergo training in multiple military disciplines. And when you add in Mahakam’s rich military-industrial resources—” House swallowed hard.
“These ten thousand warriors can don full armor at any moment and form a regiment-level heavy infantry unit. Or, depending on the needs of the battlefield, they can restructure into archery units, light infantry divisions, siege engineer corps, and so on. Not even a northern kingdom like Redania or Temeria could face them head-on in battle! The dwarves’ military strength is far more terrifying than most humans can imagine.”
“Although this ten-thousand-strong force isn’t a ‘standing army’—they’re typically scattered among various clans—the Elder of the Dwarves holds absolute authority in Mahakam. His word carries even more weight than the king of Skellige. If he gives the order, those warriors will rally immediately.”
While dwarves may not reproduce as prolifically as humans, their long lifespans are more than enough to gradually build a peerless fighting force. Their only real drawback lies in their limited mobility and lack of suitable mounts, which makes cavalry deployment impossible. They’re essentially forced to remain entrenched in the mountains.
“Humans have ignored Mahakam for far too long,” Lann muttered with a sigh. “And for now, we have to help human society keep ignoring Mahakam.”
In addition to evaluating Mahakam’s war potential, House had also conducted a headcount and registration of the dwarves who would soon relocate to Cintra.
“The Fuchs Clan and the Zigrin Clan are two of Mahakam’s major clans. Between them, they can supply nearly three thousand troops. If we add in the reinforcements brought back by the Ferenc Clan and Coen’s team, we’re looking at roughly thirty-five hundred in total.”
It seemed like a formidable force at first glance—but among those 3,500, many were young dwarves who hadn’t yet completed military service. Most would be relegated to logistics duties, so this wasn’t anywhere near the combat level of the so-called 'Ten-Thousand Regiment' mentioned earlier.
“Still, about two thousand of them are veterans,” House added earnestly. “If fully equipped and placed at the front lines, they could lead the newer recruits and still hold their own in battle.”
“That’s more than enough. I never planned on putting them on the front lines like a standing army,” Lann said, rubbing his temples. “They’re only meant to serve as a critical defense against Nilfgaard’s heavy cavalry—when the time comes.”
For Cintra, whose total armed forces barely numbered five thousand, this dwarven infantry contingent was a powerful boost.
“What about equipment?”
“The dwarven reinforcements all came armored to heavy infantry standards,” House replied without hesitation. “And they’ve even provided enough extra armor for our soldiers to reach a full outfitting rate—though of course, not to heavy infantry specs.”
The dwarves weren’t so generous as to outfit every single Cintran in heavy armor, but for Lann and his people, it was more than sufficient.
“Build good relations with the dwarven quartermasters,” Lann instructed. “We may need to keep working with them. Our goal is to establish long-term trade ties.”
House nodded in agreement. He understood that perfectly well.
“We can have our people begin organizing the supply wagons now. Once Coen returns and the other clan reinforcements arrive, we’ll set out for Cintra right away. I’m sure everyone’s eager to leave.”
“Yes, sir,” House responded with excitement. He was clearly one of those eager to be on the move.
“But until then, everyone must keep their armor and weapons on them at all times. No letting your guard down,” Lann reminded him.
That line made House pause for a moment, his entire demeanor shifting into something much more serious.
“…You mean to say—?”
Lann didn’t elaborate. Instead, as if remembering something suddenly, he asked, “Who’s in charge of watching over Jotunn right now?”
Jotunn—the name of the Ice Giant.
House thought for a moment before replying, “Lady Saskia is tending to him with some of our people. Everyone still harbors a deep fear of the giant, and without your presence, no one dares get too close. Right now, he only seems to calm down slightly when Saskia is near.”
Although the Ice Giant had been bound by a contract with Lann, his wild nature remained untamed. While he no longer flew into destructive rages, his presence alone still discouraged approach. In fact, even the soldiers of Cintra risked injury when drawing near him. Only Saskia—being a green dragon—possessed enough confidence to face him head-on. And the giant, aware of her true identity, preferred her company far more than that of any human.
But this wasn’t the stage where they could simply release the Ice Giant into the mountains to roam freely. They were, after all, in the capital of Mahakam. Someone still had to be specifically assigned to watch over him and ensure he was properly fed.
Lann pondered for a moment, then gave a command. “Send some of our dwarves to help take care of Jotunn.”
“Especially the Zigrins. Make sure they’re armed.”
House didn’t fully understand the reasoning behind Lann’s orders, but he responded without hesitation, “Understood.”
...
Dawn had just broken. It was the time of day when exhaustion gripped both man and beast.
Gabor slapped his own cheeks hard to stay awake and motioned to the group behind him. “Stay close.”
Ever since joining Lann’s company, Gabor had actively sought opportunities to contribute. Upon returning to Mount Carbon, he hadn’t hesitated to accept a task that even Cintra’s own soldiers were reluctant to undertake: caring for the Ice Giant.
'Caring' might be a generous term. In practice, it meant helping the Mount Carbon staff prepare the giant’s meals and assisting when armorers came to take measurements. The Ice Giant wasn’t some docile beast—he was a sovereign of the mountains. If anything went wrong, no one could say for sure who would be caring for whom.
“Gabor isn’t this a little overcautious?” one of the young Zigrins behind him yawned. “We’re in Mount Carbon. What danger could there possibly be?”
Unlike Gabor, these Zigrin youths lacked his relentless energy. Dragged out for a last-minute assignment and forced to keep watch all night, they were now in their most fatigued state.
Gabor shook his head and looked into the distance. It was still early morning; the first rays of Mahakam’s sun had yet to pierce the sky.
“The Cintrans are already packing their baggage. In a few days—maybe even tomorrow—we’ll be leaving Mahakam with them. And once we do, we may never return again.”
He turned back to his kin. “Don’t you want to take this last chance to see your homeland a little longer?”
His words left the Zigrin youths stunned in silence. The haze of sleep that had clouded their minds instantly lifted, replaced by a weightier, more complex emotion.
Footsteps echoed nearby. The Ice Giant’s guards weren’t composed solely of Zigrin dwarves.
Gabor saw a tall figure approach and drew a deep breath. Strangely, he felt just as tense as when facing the Ice Giant himself.
“Lady Saskia,” he greeted.
Saskia waved with her usual cheerful confidence. “I’m no lady, Gabor. We’ll be working together in Cintra from now on—no need for formality…”
Disaster always strikes when least expected.
Saskia hadn’t even finished her casual greeting when an arrow whistled out from the shadows.
It had clearly been loosed from a powerful bow—its trajectory was dead straight, and the arrowhead punched through Saskia’s thick cloak with a heavy thud.
Gabor stared blankly as Saskia took the hit without flinching.
A moment of stunned silence—and then a second arrow, followed by a third. Each one struck with frightening force, each one driving into Saskia’s body with eerie precision.
Only then did Saskia seem to react. With a dramatic cry, she collapsed to the ground and went completely still.
“An en—”
Gabor didn’t even get to finish the word enemy before another arrow buried itself in the ground at his feet. Whoever was shooting clearly wasn’t trying to kill him—just silence him. A warning shot.
Gabor glanced at Saskia’s fallen form and, for some reason, chose to stay silent as well. Whatever he was thinking, it stopped him cold.
From the darkness, a force emerged—nearly a hundred strong, at a glance. Leading them was a dwarf wielding a longbow. He looked at Gabor, who stood at the ready, weapon drawn and trembling slightly, and let out a mocking snort.
“So this is the great Gabor, the one leading his people in rebellion? Doesn’t look that tough to me.”
