Before the Anvil

Beneath Death Volcano's towering, perilous peaks, which spewed flame, lay a vast hidden network of caves. Twisting and interwoven, impossibly complex, it resembled an underground labyrinth. The Salamanders and the Ashen Hammers had each established their garrisons above one of its entrances.

For many years, exploration of these caverns and tunnels had continued, but with little success. More often than not, once one area had been fully explored, another new and equally complex region would be discovered, all while they had to contend with the beasts that lived alongside Death Volcano.

Under such circumstances, not even the sons of the Fire Dragon dared claim they had fully mastered this place's layout—but fortunately, what Norn had come to do was not particularly complicated.

Carrying a heavy warhammer, he stepped down from the shuttle. The familiar stench of sulfur struck him mercilessly in the face, while lava roared without end.

He had returned to the lava pool he had visited once during the day, only this time, he was alone.

He turned and headed toward the rear of the platform, locating a stone in the pitch-black rock wall before pressing down hard upon it. With a hum, blue light burst from the cracks between the stones, shining onto his face as it conducted a biometric scan.

A heavy, muffled sound came from behind the rock wall. The mechanism that had been installed here at least thousands of years ago began to operate once more, slowly lifting the massive boulder and revealing a deep, shadowy passage beyond.

Norn entered it, his scarlet eyes gleaming as though they truly burned.

But to his surprise, after walking only several hundred meters, he encountered Vulkan.

"My lord."

The Lord of the Fire Dragons gave a slight nod and spoke bluntly. "I assume you have more or