Ramwick, Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Fools of the Fort

A woman in silver and red garments, elderly, observed the workings of the black fort. Its entry into the mountain was the source of magma, an extreme fuel that powered the smithies and smelters there. She watched the miners bring it out with crude magic, detaining it and deporting it to workshop of the fort, where then it was used to make iron, steel and diamond from simple rocks. Magma had magically transforming properties; with a little guidance it could change any material. She turned slightly and looked down at the colossal box in midair and at hundreds of workmen adding layers of diamond, steel and iron to continuously strengthen it; three metres of material were added to the cell hourly, yet it never got any bigger. When the new sheets were fitted, the old would vanish.

It was kept inside there. It was powerful. It was deadly. Yet when It called to her, she was enchanted by its raspy words:

“Silver Woman, why do you keep me here?” It sang. She looked around at her comrades; none of them could hear the sweet melodic voice. “Why do people die for me every day? Why should I be the cause of so many deaths in the forges of this fort when my release could cause so much good?”

She answered mentally: I don’t know. Its tone became sweeter, more persuasive, clinging on to a powerful zephyr.

“Let us be friends, let us end this conflict, and let us end all deaths. Come now Silver Woman, so majestic and kind - allow me to be released and show your strength. You are no puppet! You are your own master. Release me, release me.”

The Silver woman nodded and told her servants to cease work. She watched, the box for several hours. The box became smaller and narrower, showing different layers of material. The box shrank to twice the size of a man, then faded away revealing nothing but air inside.

The workmen watched, confused and frustrated. The Silver woman also surveyed the scene intently. A moment passed before a hissing came from the mountain entry. A huge burbling wave of magma erupted onto the fort, throwing out plumes of rock and ash, destroying all workmen on the ground basin.

“It’s a trick!” She cried, at once, out of the spell. Her shout was heard by few because most were too focused on the mountain, it was folding in on itself, more magma splashing outwards followed by an enormous rock avalanche.

She closed her eyes and performed a spell, she opened them again and she was way off in the heart of the range, watching the fort fall into the abyss below and then saw the mountain destroy itself.

She trembled, knowing that she was to blame; she alerted her sister magically and then ported to the meeting place. It had been unleashed.