A couple of days later, one afternoon, Damian decided to visit the nearby mineral mines located on Pyke. As he arrived at the location, Damian saw a small village nearby. Before, it was mostly occupied by thralls and their descendants, along with some Ironborn who worked in the mines or oversaw production and kept the thralls in line. Now the picture had changed. Damian had appointed his own men to oversee the production of ores and arranged salaries for the miners who worked in this dangerous field.
The miners were quite happy to know that they would be paid a hefty sum of money each week, at least those who stayed. Quite a few still left the village to go to Pyke or Lordsport to look for other jobs. Before, they were restricted to work in fields that their lord decided, and for food and shelter, they unwillingly took this backbreaking job, including quite a few Ironborn commoners. Now that the new lord of Pyke had allowed them to take on jobs, many took this opportunity to leave. This caused the production of minerals like iron, lead, and tin to fall. But Damian wasn't stressed about this as he already had the solution: the Golemheart Crystal.
The magical tool had been lying in his arsenal for quite some time, and now that he had the chance, Damian was going to use it.
Soon, Damian met his men who were in charge of the mine. Knowing the reason for his visit, they took him straight to the entrance of the mines. The regular miners were given a break so they wouldn't see what Damian planned to do in the mines.
As they walked towards the mine entrance, the air grew cooler, and the sound of picks and hammers faded into the distance.
The entrance to the mine was a dark maw in the earth, flanked by sturdy wooden beams. Damian paused at the threshold, his hand slipping into his cloak to grasp the Golemheart Crystal. It was a rough, multifaceted stone, pulsing with a faint inner light, the power within it palpable.
"Clear the area," Damian instructed his men. "No one is to enter until I say."
The men nodded and moved to ensure the area was secured. Damian stepped into the mine, the air growing colder as the shadows enveloped him. He walked deeper into the tunnel, the light from the crystal casting eerie reflections on the walls. When he reached a central chamber where the veins of ore converged, he stopped.
Holding the Golemheart Crystal aloft, Damian began to activate the crystal. The air around him seemed to hum with energy, and the ground trembled slightly. The crystal's light intensified, casting sharp, dancing shadows on the walls.
As he instilled his magic, the crystal responded, its light spreading outwards, touching the veins of iron, lead, and tin. The ore seemed to come alive, glowing with the same inner light as the crystal. The rocks shifted, as if under some unseen force. Then, slowly, figures began to emerge from the stone itself, big humanoid forms taking shape, their bodies composed of the very minerals that they were meant to mine. A total of seven Golem stood in front of him.
These were the golems, born of the Golemheart Crystal's power. They stood tall and sturdy, their eyes glowing with the same inner light as the crystal. Each one was a miner, tireless and uncomplaining, ready to work the veins of ore with inhuman strength and ability.
The power of the Golemheart Crystal was immense, and he could feel it infusing the golems, bringing them to life. The miners who had left would not be needed; the golems would ensure that the mine produced more than enough to meet their needs.
After what felt like an eternity, the light began to fade, the tremors subsiding. Damian lowered the crystal, its glow dimming but still vibrant. He surveyed the chamber, now filled with the golems standing ready to work. The mine would yield far more than it ever had. Of course, to keep the matter quiet, these golems would only work in a specific section of the mines, and only at nighttime. This section would be closed for normal miners, and only his loyal men would have access to it. A dozen or so of his loyal men would act as decoy miners so that no one would become suspicious about the increase in production.
Satisfied, Damian turned and made his way back to the entrance. His men looked at him expectantly, curiosity burning in their eyes.
"Return to your duties," Damian commanded, his voice steady. "The mine will produce more than ever. Ensure that the work continues smoothly and no one has access to the sections where golems would work"
His men nodded, they had seen nothing, but the results would soon speak for themselves. As Damian walked back to the village, he allowed himself a small smile. The Golemheart Crystal had proven its worth, and with it, he would ensure the prosperity of Pyke. The Ironborn would see him not just as a lord, but as a leader who brought them into a new era of wealth and power. And in the shadows of his mind, he knew this was but the first step in his grander designs for the future.
Next, he visited the other mines on Pyke where mining was being done. He also visited a few mines that were thought to be depleted or too dangerous to work as they were deep and had a higher chance of collapsing. In each of them, he deployed golems, from one to nine, depending on their size and needs. In total, he deployed twenty-nine golems across the mines on Pyke.
At each mine, the process was similar. Damian, accompanied by his loyal men, would clear the area of workers, ensuring that none of the regular miners were present to witness the activation of the Golemheart Crystal. He would then enter the mines, the crystal's light guiding his way through the dark, winding tunnels. The process was repeated, the crystal's power summoned and directed into the very heart of the earth.
In the deeper, more dangerous mines, the golems were particularly invaluable. Their immense strength and resilience allowed them to work in conditions that would be fatal to human miners. They could stabilize tunnels, shore up weak sections of the mine, and extract valuable minerals from the depths with ease.
The depleted mines, long abandoned and forgotten, were given new life. Damian would stand in the silent, echoing chambers, the crystal's light revealing veins of ore hidden deep within the rock. The golems would emerge from the stone itself, their forms taking shape from the very minerals they were meant to mine. These mines, once thought worthless, would begin to produce once more, adding to the wealth flowing from Pyke.
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25 Chapter Ahead.
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