Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

Though it was a bit earlier than scheduled, Vahn found himself in the underground tunnels that had, in a very short period of time, become the home of the Dwarves and Vulcanae. It was nothing like the complex network of tunnels that Da Vinci's micro-golems had mapped previously. Now, a small city had already started to take shape several hundred meters beneath the island, home to a total of 419 Dwarves and an equal number of Vulcanae.

Vahn had been invited by the Representative of the Dwarves, Gwent, and his partner Vulcanae, Firis, to the christening of their 'great forge', an object that represented the Dwarves intent to make the terrain beneath Avalon a permanant settlement. Previously, they only worked smaller individual forges, assisted in large part by their Vulcanae partners. Now, however, the Great Forge would serve as both the heart of the budding Dwarven community and the primary home of the Vulcanae.

As Fire Elementals, Vulcanae could only propagate in places of intense heat and pressure. Though they had vaguely feminine features, they were completely as.e.x.u.a.l Spirits who breathed life into the embers of a forge when the concentration of mana was high enough. Due to their Covenant with the Dwarves, they only propagated when a new Dwarf was born, the only exception being when a new 'queen' needed to be born.

This was the event Vahn was to bear witness to as, with the christening of the Great Forge, the new Vulcanae Queen was about to be born into existence. He knew from Merlin that Gwent intended to have the new Queen contract with him, essentially becoming his Partner while also serving to keep the other Vulcanae under control. Since they only listened to their Queen and their Partners, it was a necessary step to avoid 'accidents' like young Vulcanae setting fire to the surrounding forests, as they had an instinctual propensity towards setting things aflame.

After reaching the Dwarven City, Avalon's Hearth, Vahn admired the earthen structures that served as both home and forge to each of the Dwarves within the City. He also got to see a female Dwarf for the first time, another sign that the Dwarves had truly made this place their home. They would never put their womenfolk and young at risk if they didn't believe they were safe from harm. What Vahn a little peculiar was that the a.d.u.l.t women all had beards, much like their male counterparts, but the children were all petite and rather adorable.

Though the males began growing beards as early as two years old, the females looked like human children with bronzed skin and slightly stocky features. He knew they would be this way for well over a hundred years, as Dwarves in the Nasuverse weren't considered a.d.u.l.ts until they were nearing their two-hundredth birthday. Since they had an average lifespan exceeding fifteen-hundred years, this wasn't too much of a surprise.

Along the way to the Great Forge, a massive structure that looked like a fat vase from the outside, each and every Dwarf he passed either bowed or bent the knee. As for their Vulcanae counterparts, they would just laugh mischievously while some of the bolder ones amongst them even came up to circle around him playfully a few times. Since Vahn had an almost ludicrous resistance to fire, their heat didn't bother him in the slightest and, to ease the tensions of their Partners, he even extended his finger to shake hands with a few of them.

Due to his 'friendly' nature, Vahn found himself crowded by a few dozen Vulcanae by the time he reached the Great Forge. However, since almost every Dwarf had been making their way over, this wasn't too much of a problem. Instead, he earned a few appreciative nods from some of the older Dwarves who, seeing how easily he tolerated the flames of the Vulcanae, understood why Gwent had spoken so highly of him. They were all interested to see his skills in the forge for themselves, as it was exceptionally rare for anyone to have skill rivaling even middling Dwarven Blacksmiths.

When the large metallic doors of the Great Forge opened, a powerful wave of pressure and heat escaped, rapidly increasing the surrounding temperature by several tens of degrees. Even this wasn't enough to cause Vahn to sweat and, without any hesitation whatsoever, he made his way into the interior of the Great Forge where several stout figures, few exceeding more than 100cm in height, were waiting.

At the foremost position of the group, Gwent, with his dark-grey beard now bereft of all ornaments, was wearing nothing by a thick smithing apron, dark gloves, thick pants, and sturdy looking boots. He was surrounded by a total of eight figures, six of which were males while two bearded women, possessing arms just as thick as their male counterparts, stood proudly with hammers at the ready.

None of the Elder Dwarves were dressed up as, while they showed propriety when necessary, the Great Forge was a sacred place where such formalities could be considered a great insult to the sanctity of the forge. This was a place for forging and producing masterworks, not for pretentious political discussions and flowery ceremonies. If not for the respect Gwent had for Vahn, he wouldn't even be allowed to enter the Great Forge directly, regardless of whether or not he was an Emperor.

Since Vahn already knew what to expect, he dismissed most formalities outright and simply nodded toward the gathering before smiling as he stated, "Thank you for your invitation. This place...is quite something. Truly impressive..."

Though it might sound like Vahn was just being courteous, the Fire Elemental energy in the air was swirling around him in a perfectly natural way. Even the Vulcanae in the surroundings were tempted to join in, regardless of the silent protests of their Partners. This scene caused the nine Elders to give an appreciative nod toward Vahn while Gwent stroked his beard with and remarked, "You are loved by the flames...it's a shame you weren't born as a Dwarf, grahahahaha...!"

With a few Vulcanae now seated on his head and shoulders, Vahn joined Gwent in laughing, causing the surrounding Fae to laugh alongside him. In truth, without the benefits provided by Akasha upon entering the Root, he wouldn't be able to resist the flames too easily. He no longer had the immunity granted to him by Hephaestus and the Eternal Flame but, as their flames didn't breach the damage threshold of a B-Rank attack, his body completely negated any damage they might have caused...

While the residents of the Dwarven undercity continued to congregate within the Great Forge, Vahn joined Gwent and the other Elders at the mouth of the kiln. The temperature here reached nearly 1500 degrees while, at the centermost region, Vahn could feel temperatures close to 10,000 degrees, nearly five times hotter than coal-forges with an oxygen-rich environment. If not for the Vulcanae, these types of temperatures would be nigh-impossible to reach, at least without burning chemicals and manipulating the flames using a variety of special techniques.

At the very center of the kiln, visible through the large opening, Vahn could see what looked like a pure white egg formed from flames. It was surrounded by several dozen Vulcanae and, after Vahn approached, most of the other Vulcanae in the room swarmed inside to feed their energy into the tiny egg. In the end, there were more than four-hundred Vulcanae dancing and singing around the egg containing their Queen while the most senior among them had their palms directly against the surface.

As the temperature gradually increased, causing the flames near the mouth to exceed 3,000 degrees, the egg finally began to crack. Moments later, a fairy made of violet-white flames emerged from the interior of the egg, fully formed. She was twice the size of the other Vulcanae and even had twice the number of wings folded behind her, much like a damselfly. Given the color of her body, which was a stark contrast to the vibrant oranges and reds of her kin, Vahn assumed she was capable of creating temperatures far hotter than her counterparts.

While the Vulcanae were loudly celebrating the birth of their new Queen, the Fae in question was already staring at Vahn, her eyes burning with a deep amethyst color. Like all Faerie Queens, she had inherited the memories of her subjects so, despite this being the first time she lay witness to Vahn, there was no confusion visible on her flame-wreathed face. Instead, she flicked her eight wings to life before flittering over to the mouth of the kiln, bringing with her a startling heat that caused all but Gwent and Vahn to take a few steps back.

With the 20cm tall Fae only a few centimeters away from him, Vahn extended his hand with a smile on his face as he mused, "It is nice to meet you..." In response to his greeting, the Queen flittered to his palm before sitting down and curling up in a fetal position. Being born was a tiring process so, despite having much to discuss, she would rather get a bit of sleep. Before she closed her eyes completely, however, she looked up at Vahn and asked, "Name...?" in a voice that sounded like an amalgamation of serene sounds pulled from nature.

Vahn found the Faerie Queen's actions rather adorable, despite the fact his sleeve had burned away due to the intense temperature she produced. When he heard her question, his smile turned gentle as he stated in a soft tone, "My name is Vahn...Vahn Aldrnari Mason...from now on, you will be known as Aeterna...Queen of the Vulcanae."

Hearing Vahn's words, Aeterna gave a small nod before stretching her body and yawning in adorably before curling up in his palms and closing her eyes. This made him feel a little helpless as she was supposed to reside within the kiln, not within his palms. He couldn't really carry her around with him, especially if she continued to output such intense heat. Unfortunately, Gwent continued to stroke his beard with an amused smile on his face as he explained, "It isn't uncommon for Vulcanae to spend a few days synchronizing with their Partners. Make sure to care for her well, will ya? If she dies, the fire within the kiln will burn out and it will negatively affect all of our Vulcanae. We're counting on you, Your Majesty."

After hearing Gwent's explanation, Vahn knew that he had been played by Merlin yet again. He could even hear the flowery Magus laughing in the back of his mind, something that annoyed him greatly, despite it just being an auditory hallucination. Fortunately, Gwent gave him an artifact that looked similar in structure to a lantern, albeit encrusted with gold and covered in complex runes. This was known as a 'Faerie Lantern' and, when not residing inside a hearth or kiln, most Vulcanae lived inside of the lantern-like object to conserve their heat and mana.

Vahn placed the sleeping Aeterna inside the lantern which, contrary to its outward appearance, had a much larger interior. It also prevented any leakage of heat, allowing the outside to feel cool to the touch, despite the interior being nearly 5,000 degrees Celsius. Vahn was honestly a little amazed at the craftsmanship of the lantern which, according to Gwent, had been specially prepared for him and the new Queen. He had spent the last five days forging it without rest, putting his heart and soul into its construction as a means to express their gratitude for being given sanctuary beneath Avalon.

Hearing Gwent recount the forging process he used, Vahn couldn't help but smile appreciatively as it was obvious the Elder Dwarf was exceptionally skilled. He might not be one of the great Masters of his people, but his skills were easily comparable to a [Master Smith] back in Danmachi. Vahn felt that he could help Gwent reach greater heights so, during the banquet following the christening of the Great Forge, he proposed having him undergo the Familia Induction Ceremony. This would allow the Elder Dwarf to take on Quests of his choosing, further contributing to the Empire while allowing him to finally reach the standards of other Master Dwarven Blacksmiths.

Gwent had no reason to refuse Vahn's offer and, as he hoped it might serve to strengthen the bond between the Dwarves and the Empire further, he graciously accepted. In exchange, Vahn also gave him the official title of 'Lord of the Undercity' before applying the crest amidst the curious eyes of several hundred Dwarves and Vulcanae. After that, they feasted for several hours until it was finally time for Vahn to return.

---

As much as he enjoyed the lively and festive atmosphere of the Dwarves, there were other things on Vahn's plate. He also didn't like staying outside of the Projection for long periods of time as, during the short five-hour visit to the Undercity, thirty-five hours had passed within the Projection. This was time he could have spent training and interacting with his various lovers and children.

Vahn knew things would eventually reach the point where it was counter-intuitive to remain inside the Projection, but that was still more than a decade away, at least from the perspective of those on the inside. He was already tempted to restrict access to the Projection to the evenings but, as there were too many threats present in the world, he didn't have a good reason to deny anyone access, at least for the time being. After all, it was simply too efficient to live inside the orb, especially during these chaotic times when the Empire was still in its nascent stages.

The best example of the Projection's usefulness was the fact that Fenrir, compared to when she first entered the Record, was already at the point of being able to hold her own against Kenshin, at least for a few hours. She had the benefit of greater speed and range, allowing her to stay outside of the effective range of the monochromatic warrior. Though Kenshin could still target Fenrir with arrows that seemed to cut through Space and Time to reach their target, Fenrir had slowly learned how to deal with even this.

According to Scáthach and Kenshin, it would only take another two years before Fenrir was able to directly contend against Kenshin during their spars. Though she would lose in a fight to the death, as Kenshin's was much stronger when she wasn't holding back, the fact remained that Fenrir's growth had reached monstrous levels. This was in spite of the fact she spent nearly half her time watching over Mordred and engaging with the other residents of the castle, himself included.

Vahn could never truly express how grateful he was for Fenrir's efforts so, rather than use his words, he used his actions to convey his appreciation. There were times when he would just whisk her away so they could be alone together, usually to cuddle in some random location where they didn't have to worry about being found. At these times, Fenrir would behave very affectionately, releasing all of her pent-up stress on him as he pampered her, not necessarily to her heart's content, but enough to keep her going until their next retreat.

This was how Vahn decided to spend his time after checking in on Nobunaga, Rin, Ereshkigal, Ishtar, Luvia, Da Vinci, and Circe. He had also spent some time with his children, made easy by the fact they were almost always together in the eastern wing of the Inner Sanctum. This was important as, even though only nine days had passed since the birth of the triplets, Isanna and Naavi were significantly larger than even Kamiya. They aged around 5~7 times faster than normal children, meaning they may very well be walking and talking in less than two months, Projection time.

Fortunately, other than throwing a fit whenever they were separated from Daiki, both the Vanir were developing in a positive direction. They got along well with Kamiya and seemed to understand what people were saying when they were spoken to. Isanna had even started to exercise her vocal cords actively, speaking indiscernible baby-words that, with Vahn's auto-translate, actually translated to a rudimentary language. She seemed to be aware that he understood her as well, laughing happily whenever he responded to her remarks as if they were carrying on an actual conversation.

It wouldn't be long before Isanna was capable of speaking coherently and, by the end of the year, outside of the Projection, she and Naavi would already be a.d.u.l.ts. This was a uniquely terrifying thought so, unless it was necessitated, Vahn felt compelled to stay inside the Projection so as not to miss them growing up. Even being gone for a single day could translate to more than a month in their development so he rarely stayed outside for more than a few hours.

Still, this didn't mean he was always lingering around the young Vanir as, if he was present too often, they could become considerably spoiled in a very short period of time. Thus, like now, Vahn enjoyed laying in a field of perpetually blooming flowers which, despite the temperature being near-freezing, defied the chill as they proudly exposed themselves to the sun. At the same time, he had a familiar weight pressed into his chest, accompanied by the gentle nuzzling of Fenrir as he absentmindedly ran his fingers through her hair and down the line of her back. He would always come to an end at her tail, causing her h.i.p.s to raise slightly whenever he passed over the pressure point near the base of her spine.

In this manner, Vahn passed yet another day in the Projection, enjoying the peace and quiet while, at his side, a small golden lantern pulsated in a rhythmic fashion, similar to a heartbeat. Aeterna would be sleeping for upwards of three days, according to Merlin, so Vahn had free time until then. Though this would translate to him having to undergo a unique hell after resuming his training, Scáthach had already stopped holding back against him so there wasn't much of a difference. The only real change would be how she treated him after the fact but, as he was already used to being reduced to nothing more than a puddle, even that didn't deter him from enjoying this moment...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Beards are a sign of status...!','Aeterna means 'Eternal' (^_^)','Vahn is living the dream, interspaced with various nightmares xD...')

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