After clearing away the last of the collapsed tunnel, the older children of Metal Veil finally stepped into what had remained hidden beneath the mountain for centuries.
None of us had expected what awaited us on the other side.
The chamber stretched far beyond the reach of our lanterns, its towering stone pillars disappearing into the darkness overhead. Thick layers of dust covered the floor, undisturbed for what could have been hundreds of years, while rusted minecart rails crisscrossed the chamber in every direction before disappearing into ancient tunnels long swallowed by the mountain.
Abandoned carts rested where they had been left, their wooden frames weathered by time. Broken crates, shattered tools, and fragments of unfamiliar machinery lay scattered throughout the chamber, silent reminders that this place had once been filled with life.
Yet despite its enormous size...
The chamber felt strangely empty.
There were no furnaces.
No anvils.
No workshops.
No signs that anyone had lived here.
It was as though whatever purpose this place once served had vanished long before the mountain sealed it away.
Naturally, everyone spread out to investigate.
The guards carefully searched the outer walls while the builders examined the towering pillars and ceiling for signs of instability. The rest of us wandered between the abandoned carts and scattered debris, careful not to disturb anything that had remained untouched for centuries.
It didn't take long before the first remnants of the past emerged from beneath the dust.
A broken sword rested beside one of the carts, its blade snapped cleanly in half. Nearby, fragments of armor lay scattered across the stone floor. Cracked shoulder plates, shattered gauntlets, and rusted links of chainmail bore intricate engravings unlike anything crafted by the dwarven blacksmiths of today.
The deeper we searched, the more unsettling the chamber became.
What I had first mistaken for discarded armor...
Were the remains of those who had once worn them.
Beneath nearly every weathered breastplate rested the skeletal remains of a dwarf. Some still clutched broken weapons in their hands, while others lay slumped against the walls as though they had made one final attempt to stand before collapsing where they remained to this day.
No one spoke.
The excitement of discovering the chamber quietly faded, replaced by a heavy silence that settled over every child.
This wasn't an abandoned mine.
Nor was it an ancient warehouse.
It was a grave.
King Charles slowly walked through the chamber, his eyes passing over the fallen dwarves one after another.
"...How many?" he finally asked.
One of the guards glanced down at the notes he had been making.
"We've only finished searching this chamber, Your Majesty..."
He hesitated.
"...Approximately fifty."
Silence answered him.
Charles lowered his head.
"They weren't strangers."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"They were dwarves."
"Our people."
He remained silent for a long moment before looking back at the others.
"I want every set of remains collected."
His calm voice echoed throughout the chamber.
"Handle them with care."
"No bones are to be disturbed unless necessary."
"We'll bury them beside the waterfall at the entrance of Metal Veil."
Several children looked toward him in surprise.
"The waterfall, Your Majesty?"
Charles nodded.
"Every child who enters our kingdom passes that place."
"They deserve to be remembered."
No one questioned his decision.
"...Yes, Your Majesty."
As the older children quietly began gathering the remains, Charles turned toward me.
"...Ash."
"Yes?"
"I have another task for you."
He looked across the chamber, his gaze settling on the countless broken pieces of armor scattered among the fallen.
"If we're going to lay them to rest..."
"...they deserve a memorial."
"See if you can find something worthy to stand over their graves."
I nodded.
"...I'll do my best."
Leaving the others to their solemn work, I ventured deeper into the chamber, searching for anything that had survived the passage of time.
Among countless broken weapons and rusted armor, three nearly intact suits of armor rested against the far wall.
Unlike the others, they had not collapsed.
Time had scarred them, but their craftsmanship remained extraordinary.
Elegant engravings flowed across every plate, depicting mountains, flowing rivers, and geometric patterns unlike any style practiced by modern dwarven smiths.
These weren't ordinary soldiers.
Whoever had worn them...
Had once held great importance.
I carefully brushed away the dust before calling Charles over.
He examined the three suits in silence.
Finally, he gave a slow nod.
"...Then let them stand for everyone."
And from that day onward, the three ancient suits of armor would watch over the resting place of nearly fifty forgotten dwarves, their names long lost to history, but never again forgotten by the children of Metal Veil.
---
While the older children quietly gathered the remains of the fallen dwarves, I stepped away from the burial site.
My thoughts kept returning to the strange white mask I had noticed earlier.
It still rested where I had first seen it, half buried beneath a layer of dust and broken stone.
Carefully, I knelt and lifted it into my hands.
The mask was surprisingly light.
Its smooth white surface was cold to the touch, untouched by rust or decay despite the centuries that had passed. Strange symbols decorated the front in a circular pattern. A teardrop. A star. A square. A sun. Along with several others I couldn't recognize.
The deep crack running across the center suggested it had been broken long ago.
Yet somehow...
It still felt complete.
I turned it over, hoping to learn how it had been made.
The back was unlike anything I had expected.
Fine blue crystalline lines spread across the inner surface, branching outward like tiny veins carved into the mask itself. They formed intricate patterns that reminded me less of decoration and more of... a circuit.
"...What is this?"
I gently traced one of the blue lines with my finger.
Nothing happened.
Curiosity got the better of me.
"It can't hurt to try..."
Holding the mask against my face, I adjusted it until it rested comfortably over my eyes.
"..."
Nothing.
I let out a small laugh.
"So it really is just a—"
A faint blue light suddenly flickered behind my eyes.
"...!"
The crystalline lines flashed once.
My vision lurched.
The chamber spun violently around me.
An unbearable dizziness washed over me as though the ground itself had disappeared beneath my feet.
I stumbled backward, desperately trying to regain my balance.
"...Ugh..."
Before I could catch myself, my foot caught against a loose stone.
I fell.
My shoulder slammed into the floor beside one of the ancient skeletons.
The impact scattered dust into the air.
"...Ow."
Rubbing my shoulder, I glanced toward the remains I had nearly landed on.
The skeleton rested on its side, both arms wrapped tightly around something hidden beneath its chest, as though protecting it until its final breath.
Curious, I carefully brushed away the dust.
A handle emerged.
Dark leather.
Silver fittings.
Then...
A dagger.
Unlike the broken weapons scattered throughout the chamber, this one remained whole.
Its leather grip showed the wear of countless years, while the engraved guard and pommel hinted that it had once belonged to someone of considerable status.
The blade was immaculate.
Not polished.
Not gleaming.
Simply... untouched.
As though time itself had forgotten to claim it.
I stared at it in silence.
"...How?"
---
By the time the first expedition left the ancient chamber, the evening bell had already echoed throughout the tunnels.
The remains of the fallen dwarves had been carefully wrapped in clean linen and placed upon wooden carts. Their broken armor and weathered weapons were gathered separately, while the three engraved suits of armor were carried by several of the older children with the utmost care.
No one complained about the weight.
It felt like the least we could do.
The journey back to Metal Veil was unusually quiet.
The same tunnels that had once echoed with excited conversations now carried only the sound of footsteps and the creaking of wooden wheels.
No one laughed.
No one spoke.
Each child simply walked beside the fallen, escorting them home.
As we passed through the hidden entrance, the familiar sight of Metal Veil greeted us once again.
Warm lanterns illuminated the stone streets with a gentle amber glow, while hundreds of tiny fireflies drifted lazily through the underground valley, dancing between rooftops and wooden bridges like stars trapped beneath the mountain.
Only this time...
The warmth of the kingdom felt different.
Word of the discovery had already spread.
Children quietly gathered along the streets as the expedition entered the valley.
The younger children who had remained behind immediately fell silent upon seeing the carts.
Some stared at the wrapped remains.
Others lowered their heads.
Even those too young to fully understand instinctively knew that something important had happened.
The procession continued through the heart of the kingdom until it reached the central square.
King Charles climbed onto the wooden platform overlooking the gathering.
The entire kingdom stood before him.
No one spoke.
Charles slowly looked across the rows of children before turning his gaze toward the carts carrying the fallen dwarves.
"...Today," he began quietly, "we uncovered a forgotten part of our history."
He paused.
"Hidden beyond the collapsed tunnel was an ancient chamber."
"A place that had remained sealed beneath the mountain for centuries."
His eyes drifted toward the neatly wrapped remains.
"We also found those who never returned."
The square became even quieter.
"They weren't strangers."
"They were dwarves."
"Our ancestors."
"They lived beneath this mountain."
"They worked beneath this mountain."
"And for reasons we still do not understand..."
"...they died beneath this mountain."
A gentle breeze stirred the lantern flames while the fireflies continued drifting silently overhead.
Charles clenched his fist.
"I don't know what happened to them."
"I don't know who they fought."
"I don't know why this place was abandoned."
"But I intend to find out."
His voice carried throughout the square.
"Before I leave Metal Veil..."
"...before I graduate..."
"I will uncover the truth behind this forgotten city."
The older children straightened.
Even the younger ones watched with wide, attentive eyes.
Charles looked across every face gathered before him.
"We owe them that much."
"They protected something."
"They built something."
"They left us a legacy buried beneath this mountain."
He slowly raised a hand toward the wrapped remains.
"Tonight..."
"We welcome them home."
Silence answered him.
Not an uncomfortable silence...
But one filled with respect.
As the lanterns bathed the square in warm light and the fireflies drifted through the air above them, every child lowered their head.
For the first time since Metal Veil had been founded...
The forgotten dwarves of the ancient city were no longer alone.
---
Following King Charles' speech, the citizens of Metal Veil quietly made their way toward the bridge overlooking the great waterfall.
No one returned to their homes.
No one resumed their evening duties.
Without a single order being given, the entire kingdom followed behind the first expedition.
The bridge marked the entrance to Metal Veil.
Every child crossed it whenever they returned home.
Every child crossed it again when they eventually left the hidden kingdom after graduation.
Charles stopped beside the open ground overlooking the waterfall.
"This will be the place."
The guards immediately stepped forward.
Without hesitation, they gathered shovels, pickaxes, and whatever tools they could find before beginning their work. The builders soon joined them, marking the outline of the grave and clearing away loose stones while the rest of the children silently watched.
No one complained.
No one asked why.
The only sounds were steel striking earth and the distant roar of the waterfall.
As the grave slowly took shape, Charles turned to everyone gathered around him.
"I chose this place for a reason."
He looked toward the bridge.
"Every child who enters Metal Veil will pass here."
His gaze shifted toward the waterfall before returning to the gathered children.
"And every child who leaves this kingdom..."
"...will remember why we began digging beneath the mountain."
A quiet silence settled over the crowd.
"Our goal is no longer simply to expand Metal Veil."
Charles' voice remained calm.
"It is to uncover the truth left behind by those who came before us."
"And until we find that truth..."
"...they will not be forgotten."
By the time the guards finished digging, the evening sky beyond the waterfall had long since disappeared into darkness.
Lanterns were brought from the village and placed around the burial site, their warm amber light illuminating the fresh earth.
One by one, the wrapped remains of the ancient dwarves were gently lowered into the grave.
Their broken weapons followed.
Then the shattered armor they had carried into their final battle.
No names were spoken.
None remained to be remembered.
Only silence accompanied their farewell.
While everyone lowered their heads, I quietly reached into my satchel.
The ancient dagger.
After cleaning away the dust from its worn blade, I had threaded a simple leather cord through the opening at the end of its pommel.
It wasn't much.
Just enough to hang it.
I stepped toward the grave.
"...I don't know who you belonged to."
My voice was barely a whisper.
"...But until we learn your story..."
"...let this remain with you."
I carefully draped the leather cord over the center suit of engraved armor, allowing the dagger to rest against its weathered breastplate.
The blade gently swayed in the evening breeze before becoming still.
No one spoke.
No one questioned why I had done it.
As the builders slowly filled the grave with earth, the three ancient suits of armor stood watch over the fallen once more.
And from that day onward...
Every child who crossed the bridge into Metal Veil would be greeted by a silent memorial.
A reminder of those who had come before them.
And a promise that one day...
The truth buried beneath the mountain would finally be uncovered.
---
By the time the burial came to an end, the evening had grown late.
The lanterns continued to cast their warm glow across Metal Veil, while countless fireflies drifted quietly through the valley as though paying their own respects to the fallen.
No one felt like celebrating.
The older children remained unusually quiet as they dispersed from the memorial. Some stared silently toward the three ancient suits of armor standing watch over the newly made grave, while others simply lowered their heads before returning to their homes.
The younger children understood even less.
Many of them didn't know who the fallen dwarves were or why everyone had suddenly become so quiet.
They only knew that something important had happened.
Something that had changed Metal Veil.
Life, however, did not stop.
Tomorrow, the guards would resume their patrols.
The builders would continue reinforcing the tunnels.
The blacksmith apprentices would return to their forges.
And the excavation would continue.
Metal Veil had taken its first step toward uncovering the forgotten history buried beneath the mountain.
As for me...
It was time to go home.
I said my farewells to Charles and the others before joining the group of children heading toward the valley.
Before leaving, Charles called my name.
"...Ash."
I turned around.
He held out a small cloth pouch.
"These were among the personal belongings recovered from the chamber."
"We'll preserve most of them here."
"But I'd like you to study a few."
I accepted the pouch with both hands.
"...I'll take good care of them."
Charles smiled.
"I know you will."
The walk home was quieter than usual.
Curiosity eventually got the better of me.
Reaching into the pouch, I carefully removed one of the items.
A simple bronze bracelet.
Time had dulled its surface, yet intricate markings still wrapped around its entire circumference.
I traced one of the symbols with my thumb.
It looked familiar.
Not because I had seen the bracelet before...
But because I had seen markings like these in one of the old books hidden within the village library.
I frowned.
"...What are you?"
The bracelet offered no answer.
Quietly, I slipped it into my pocket before continuing down the mountain path.
Behind me, Metal Veil slowly disappeared beneath the glow of lanterns and dancing fireflies.
Ahead of me...
Questions without answers waited.
And somehow...
I had a feeling this forgotten bracelet was one of the keys to finding them.