Mage Legend

Morgan responded, then pushed the door open and walked in. Lynch and the others had to slightly bend their waists; otherwise, they would leave a mark on their foreheads at the stone archway. They found themselves in a long, low room where the oil lamps on the ceiling had just been lit. The light was like the morning sun, not bright but very warm. There were also many thick yellow candles placed on the polished, shiny Black Wood table. An old Dwarf was holding a fire stick, his hands slightly trembling, preparing to light them.

"Welcome to my home, children." Old Weite said while lighting the candles, "I saw from the window that not all of you are Dwarves. So, I thought you might need some light."

Seeing the old Dwarf's grizzled beard and monocle perched on his wrinkled nose, Lynch suddenly remembered his mentor, Caso. His teacher used to light the library lamps in the same posture, and Lynch had even invented a little trick to lessen the burden for his teacher.

The Mage gently blew a breath, and a delicate Magic Spell floated from his lips. As soon as he finished reciting, he realized that he hadn't prepared this spell in a long time, so how could he light those candles? Lynch stepped forward, took the fire stick from Weite's hand, and made the room brighter.

"Alright, children, sit down." The old Dwarf looked at Morgan, as if a kindly grandfather sizing up his grandchildren, eyes full of pride. He said, "I suppose that coming to see me so early means you have something urgent to discuss, so let's get straight to the point. What brings you here?"

"Snake-man." Lynch immediately blurted out, "Why are there Snake-men appearing near Ice Furnace Peak?"

These two sentences instantly changed everyone's expressions. Morgan stared intently at the old Dwarf, his desire to know the details was evident; Knight Macken shivered all over, and his hand involuntarily grasped his sword hilt, releasing only after a moment; Zilvra and Soka merely furrowed their brows; while Witch Demon Heiss had his full attention on Lynch.

"How have they entered the city again? It seems Barrend should be reminded once more." The old Dwarf said, "The matter is actually quite simple; the Snake-men were acquainted during the collaboration against the Dark Elves." (Zilvra's attention was also drawn)

Nearly a year ago, during tunnel excavation, the Dwarves encountered Snake-men, who were also opening caves in the Ridge Mountains. Initially, the two races lived in peace, neither interfering with the other's work. The maintained distance ensured peace.

However, traces of Dark Elves suddenly appeared nearby, posing a threat to both parties. About half a year ago, the Snake-men actively contacted the Dwarves, hoping to strike together and drive them out while the Drow were not yet firmly established. Dwarf King Barrend agreed to this suggestion and dispatched warriors.

Everything proceeded very smoothly; numerous Dark Elf heads were hunted and returned. The Dwarves' losses were minimal, whereas the Snake-men made significant sacrifices in this battle. Of the two groups, only the Snake-men truly engaged in a life-or-death struggle with the Drow, and the majority of the corpses and achievements were due to the Snake-men's efforts. The Dwarves can be said to have benefited greatly.

This is how trust was built, and they also joined forces in excavation. Guided by the Snake-men, the Dwarves discovered the tunnel not long ago, considerably shortening their construction period. The relationship between the two parties is now very good.

"No! Those damned things, how can they be compared to Dwarf Miners!" Morgan shouted, "When Moon Harbor City was recaptured, we found Snake-men corpses among the ruins. If they weren't advisors to the Giants, they were leaders of those guys! I don't believe those scaly, cold-blooded creatures are so kind-hearted!"

"Is that so?" Lynch pondered for a moment and said, "No wonder the Catapult Giants learned how to swing the Catapult Technique and even made shield bridges to cross the city walls. If the Snake-men taught them this, it wouldn't be surprising."

The old Dwarf remained silent, seemingly waiting for the guests to present new questions or using his time-worn eyes to observe others' movements. Knight Macken, who participated in the Moon Port battle together, made no statements or moves; he stood unusually quiet behind Soka. However, if anyone could read his thoughts at that moment, they'd be amazed by the immense fury burning in the Knight's heart.