Free Deepforge by R.J. Washburn, Ron Washburn Page A

Villages were seriously damaged by the EM burst, as several homes had burned to the ground from electrical fires and other complications associated with the event.
    “What the hell happened to the lake?” Grognor asked.
    “Look at the destruction!” Teelena said.
    The group stopped at the last hill overlooking the valley, amazed and horrified at the damage. Several small villages had completely burnt. People moved to and fro desperately trying to clean up.
    Lake Valley was a large natural depression within the River Valley, a place where the river slowed and widened into a shallow lake before continuing on, cascading over a natural rock dam at the easternmost end of the valley. The natural depression was roughly twenty miles by forty miles long, the length running parallel to the northern mountains. To the north of the lake were the rolling foothills, then the mountains themselves. They gradually built higher and higher, until the perpetually snowcapped high peaks. Alpine glaciers covered the high peaks, slowly advancing and retreating with the seasons. This provided fresh water that rushed down the tributaries into the River Valley and kept the Great Lake at a consistent level. Many years prior, the humans teamed up with the halfling engineers and build an enormous dam using the natural rock as a foundation. This resulted in increasing the size of the lake by three times, and allowed for better irrigation to the south. The dam itself had been converted into a hydroelectric plant. The villages encircled the lake. This made for a beautiful, nearly utopic scene with modern villages, high technology, and manicured gardens. Although the area was advanced, it was tastefully planned. The combination of villages was called Lakeshore. They were all interconnected with roads and foot paths. Now, the water had receded to its natural level leaving the barren lakebed beneath. The villages had suffered total electrical and communications infrastructure failure. The generators within the dam had exploded with the EM pulse, destroying the dam.
     
    The combined army descended to the first village and immediately began helping with the cleanup. The village humans were surprised to see the dwarves helping, instead of sitting atop their warhorses and looking down in disdain, as usual. The strangest sight of all was the humans, gnomes and dwarves arriving together, dismounting and working together in the relief effort. The citizens of Lakeshore couldn’t hardly believe what they were seeing. Word spread quickly of the arrival, and before long there were more spectators than relief workers.
    “After all this time fighting, I never expected to see this; dwarves and humans workings side by side, except at the power plant. But, even there it was an uneasy truce,” the Mayor of one of the villages, Edward Jameson said as he watched the spectacle.
    Grognor saw the Mayor and looked over at Brendon. The two of them stopped working to greet Edward.
    “Mayor Edward, we’re here to help. Just let us know if you need anything,” Grognor said, with his hand out in greeting.
    The Mayor took his hand and looked at the pair of warriors, mortal enemies, standing side by side. “Thank you, Emperor… and…Brendon? I don’t understand. There’s a warrant on you, for…warring against the dwarves?”
    “Mayor, we have reached a—” Brendon began, as an entourage of people entered with Queen Kathryn’s wagon.
    They came into the village quickly and the Queen didn’t let the wagon stop before she stepped out. “Arrest this man!” She pointed to Brendon. “Take these outlaws into custody at once!” As she said so, she realized something wasn’t right.              
    Ambassador Taylen Riehl stepped down from his horse and walked up to Grognor. “Sire, how are you?”
    As the guards quickly filed around the group, Grognor stepped up to the Queen. “Your Majesty, we are at peace. You will cancel the warrant at