Dunbelly had worked fast. Many mages measured their alchemy and research in weeks, but he had still barely finished the third Knight Golem before the Ratfolk vanguard reached the mountains.
For now, Magic Muskets were the only thing with anything resembling an industrial production line. Annan had wanted to establish one after developing the Six-Armed Knight Golem, but time would not wait.
So Annan hurriedly set up a Golem factory and put Copperbeard in charge on top of his other duties. He promised to find a community of Dwarves and bring them to Free City after the war. Until then, Copperbeard would have to bear the extra work.
Annan also unveiled the Knight Golem. Its strength fell somewhere between Elite and Master Level, which caught the interest of quite a few merchants. Their interest cooled when they heard that building one cost enough to hire three Master Level fighters.
“We value the lives of Free City's warriors” was not the sort of thing to say on that occasion, so Francois told them, “But a Knight Golem's loyalty will make it Love you more than your own son does.”
Sales remained at zero.
Annan did not care. His attention was fixed on the North, and he sent all three Knight Golems there.
"Golems will only rust in a warehouse."
Besides, putting them on the battlefield would make it easier to find their flaws and improve them.
The Elite Squad under Blom, Hellfire under Femi, and the Fourth Legion under Illymoyas had all assembled at Hell Mountain. Nearly all of Free City's national... all of its fighting strength had gathered there.
Grand Duke Girardi wanted to join them, but Annan refused. He told Girardi to move his forces to the Duchy's border and keep the Ratfolk out.
Let ten thousand Ratfolk in,