Read Novel Full Chapter 1491: Foundations of Stone
Chapter 1491: Foundations of Stone
Stoneheart City, the Outer Ring.
The morning sun washed over the streets, casting a gentle, crisp warmth that lacked the scorching intensity of noon. It made the morning commute almost pleasant. The bazaars were already alive; amidst the low murmur of commerce, the air hung thick with the savory scents of fresh-baked rye, roasted meat, and the distinct, smoky aroma of charred insects.
"It’s got a hell of a kick, I’ll give it that. Just missing the crisp snap of fresh greens to cut the grease."
Theodore held a loaf of bread in his left hand and a skewer of roasted insects—a trend that had swept the Stoneheart Horde in recent years—in his right. He seemed surprisingly pleased with the grim fare. It was ironic, really. Here in Stoneheart, a city teeming with monstrous races, he was eating food that felt closer to home than anything he’d had in months.
"The Horde rezoned the districts years ago," Delphine said. "Fresh produce and butcher shops have their own designated markets now. If you’re craving fruit, we can head to the South Gate. Might even find some potion-grade berries if we’re lucky."
Delphine hooked her arm through his, savoring her own skewer. She walked on her toes, eyes narrowed in pure contentment.
The world was a strange place. The Human Kingdom had fled. The Blood Elf Race had surrendered unconditionally. By all rights, their paths should have diverged, their wedding postponed indefinitely. Yet here they were, reunited in Stoneheart.
And unemployed.
So, they had improvised. No grand ceremony, no political maneuvering. Just a quiet exchange of vows witnessed by old General Oswin Calder, Grand Elder Lireesa, and Lycanor, standing in for Lord Orion. A simple wedding. Pure affection. It was a kind of bliss Theodore and Delphine willingly drowned in.
Beyond the romance, exploring Stoneheart had become their favorite pastime. Theodore knew the strategic layout of the major districts, but the gritty reality of the Outer Ring’s lower quarters was new to him.
"It’s hard to wrap my head around it," he murmured. "So many different species, just... blending into the Horde."
"For thousands of years, the Blood Elves couldn’t achieve this. The Human Kingdom certainly couldn’t."
"But now, it’s real. The Stoneheart Horde made it happen."
Integration. Coexistence. It felt like the great unification, a pivot point in history where civilization finally overtook barbarism.
"That is the greatness of My Lord," Delphine said softly.
They wandered through the narrow pedestrian streets. The crowd was a fever dream—exotic creatures in fine leather jerkins, ornate brocade robes, or simple linen tunics. Mercenaries with greatswords and battle-axes strapped to their backs pushed through the throng. Occasionally, a high-born dignitary in flowing silks would sweep past, surrounded by a phalanx of guards.
"Let’s head to the Seeker," Theodore said, shaking his head to clear it. "I can hit the morning market anytime. But the auction... if we miss this, the chance won’t come again."
"I heard the Prince captured a Broodmother down south," Delphine said, tilting her head as she tested the rumor. "They say the Horde rejected it—too injured, or maybe just bad stock—so it ended up at the auction house."
"A Broodmother will go for an astronomical sum. Are you sure about this?"
Delphine was just verifying what she’d heard, but intel from the Seeker was rarely wrong.
"Father left me a significant endowment before he left," Theodore replied. "But no amount of gold compares to the value of a Broodmother."
The Human Kingdom had been obsessed with Broodmothers ever since Lorelia and Soraya had appeared in the Stoneheart ranks. They had tried to acquire their own, but the Kingdom’s rigid nobility meant resources were too fractured to support such a massive undertaking. And there was always the fear of betrayal.
But Theodore knew the truth. He knew how rare, how precious, a tamed Broodmother was—especially one broken by the Insect King himself. The risk of betrayal was almost zero.
"Can we even afford to keep it?" Delphine asked. It wasn’t a criticism, just a fact. Feeding a Broodmother was like feeding a nation.
"We can’t afford not to." Theodore offered her a bite of his bread. "Do you know how the Horde raised that High Broodmother? They fed her everything. The entire tribe’s resources—prey, spoils of war, prisoners. Everything went to her."
"That’s how they built the Cave Spider legions that terrified the world."
Lorelia was a legend here, second only to Dirtclaw.
"We can’t feed her like that now," Theodore admitted. "But in the future? We will."
"If we don’t buy her now, we’ll regret it for the rest of our lives."
Theodore had a sharp eye. A Broodmother was a logistical miracle. Lorelia had been a stroke of impossible luck—hatched from a Chest of Embers. Soraya was an evolved, intelligent being who had married into the faction. And Myxara, the Mayfly matriarch, had been raised by Lilith from birth.
Wild Broodmothers were notoriously impossible to tame. Unless you were a singularity like Kaelen, they simply wouldn’t submit.
"Theodore," Delphine said, squeezing his arm. "I’m with you. All the way."
To be understood, to be supported—Theodore felt a surge of warmth. He wanted to rise. He wanted to carve out a legacy within the Horde, perhaps even his own domain. A Broodmother was the cornerstone of that future. Just as Orion had used Lorelia to shield his true warriors, Theodore would build his foundation on chitin and venom.
"Come on," he said. "We need to browse the Seeker’s shops before the gavel drops."
***
The South. The city of Sophia.
Kaelen had named the site after his mother. The reasoning was simple. Across the continent, nearly all his aunts had cities named in their honor—or named after symbols associated with them.
As her son, raised under the care of Sophia and the Dark Butterfly Race, Kaelen wanted to repay that debt. He wanted to ensure his mother had everything her sisters had. If she didn’t have it yet, he would carve it out of the world for her.
So, the moment the Horde deeded this territory to him to build a new fortress, he didn’t hesitate. It was Sophia.
"Your Highness, we’re a long march from Stoneheart," Thundar advised. "I suggest you petition the Chieftain to establish a local teleportation array first. We need an open channel with the Horde."
"Furthermore," the older warrior continued, "the distance makes transporting the usual slave labor impossible. The insect swarms and human survivors you’ve subjugated will have to serve as our workforce."
Transporting common slaves via teleportation array was a luxury the Stoneheart Horde couldn’t afford.
Thundar stood at Kaelen’s shoulder, guiding the prince who had grown up in exile. In Thundar’s eyes, Kaelen was exceptional. Aside from a lack of familiarity with the Horde’s internal politics, his strength, combat instincts, military strategy, and sheer grit were impeccable. He saw qualities in Kaelen that Pallas sorely lacked.
"Once the array is active, the Horde’s merchants will swarm here. Promise them a taste of the profits, and we can accelerate the city’s construction."
Another solid strategy. The concepts of capital pooling and joint investment were already taking root in the Stoneheart Horde. Building a fortress was a massive undertaking, even with the Horde’s backing.
"Your Highness, you still need to push south to purge the insect swarms. It would be best to delegate the administration here to someone capable and trustworthy."
Kaelen turned his gaze from the crater to the older warrior, his eyes filled with gratitude. It was thanks to this veteran—one of the Horde’s old guard—that his integration into the military had been so seamless, allowing him to rack up victory after victory without political friction.
"Uncle, I’ve already sent word to my mother and the others. They’ll handle the administration for now. Tomorrow, we march south."
Thundar was one of Orion’s original subordinates, a contemporary of Rendall. Kaelen calling him "Uncle" wasn’t just politeness; the man had earned it.
"The Dragons hold dominion in the south. Tread carefully. While the world is in flux, we must not do anything to fracture the alliance between our races."