Chrysalis

The city of Ironwall gained its name in the days following its founding. The first lord had been a skilled earth mage, capable of shifting and compressing metals to a high degree. Having made his fortune delving and being paid handsomely for his skills in fortification, he decided the time had come to put his money to good use. Together with the extended family, he put together an expedition and found a location on the frontier to establish his own independent city.

The stone here was rich with minerals, particularly iron, and over a period of decades, the first lord excavated and compressed the outer shell of the city into an unbreakable wall. Surrounded by a sphere of almost pure, hardened metal, the city was renowned as an unbreakable fortress, a rare island of safety in the wild and undeveloped frontier. Combined with the prosperity gained from mining the rich Dungeon seams in the nearby expanse, the city grew quickly to the relative powerhouse it had now become.

At least, that's how the locals thought of it.

In Wallace's eyes, the city was a fat calf, just waiting to be slaughtered. The people had become complacent, confident that the work of the founder would keep them safe, as wealth had continued to accrue. Trade through the gate network had made the people wealthy, but the lack of threat had made them indolent. The impregnable shell, the unbreachable gates, had complete faith amongst the citizens here. They could not imagine a world in which they would fall.

Thinking that the only things that could exist in the Dungeon were those that they could imagine. That was their fatal sin.

"You want… my city?" Lord Korbell looked at him as if he were insane. "Is this some sort of joke?"

Yasmine glared at Wallace for a moment before she turned back to the lord with a more moderate tone.

"The Colony has sent us to inform you of their intentions. They conquered Rylleh some time ago, and are now in the process of increasing their territory. It is unfortunate, but that includes your city."

"Are you insulting me?" Korbell slammed a hand down on his desk. "You think you can just walk in here and tell me that some insects want to take my city from me?"

As if they were less dangerous because they're insects. Isn't the opposite true? Wallace thought to himself.

"We wouldn't dream of insulting you," Wallace drawled, "and I believe I can explain why this situation may seem so strange to you."

The young lord settled back in his chair, anger still plain on his face.

"Speak," he said curtly.

himself in his chair before he went

in general terms. They've only been intelligent for around a year. Perhaps less, I don't have the exact dates on hand. The point being, they are quite new to the idea of diplomacy and aren't

"These creatures are intelligent?"

me to believe

investigate what happened to Rylleh," Korbell frowned. "I stopped trying and gave

war'. They believe it would be detrimental to their future dealings if they were to gain a reputation for unscrupulous actions. The idea of reputation is important to them. Were your city to

to give others a reason to speak poorly of them. They would keep their dealings scrupulously clean as they saw it. If some misinterpreted their actions, then

Lord Korbell's face darkened.

your city against the Dungeon and I have a deep regard for your years of service. But now,

his face. "Some days I feel as if

as those. This is Ironwall. We will never be

tugged on Wallace's arm to pull him out of his chair. It was

you any distress," she tried to cover

allowed himself to be pulled to standing as he reached into his left pocket and thumbed

think at first. You'll find

ant will set foot inside these

Wallace Dalton shrugged.

They

throughout. Lord Korbell looked around in shock before pounding feet echoed through the

cried. "The city

judging their

of honour?" the young lord demanded. "A surprise attack while you are still in the city to

Wallace raised one brow.