The Warriors of Sena-Spark surrounded a mountain pass not far away, trapping Magni and his group in this mountain hollow surrounded by mountains on three sides, unable to move.
Less than half a kilometer to the north, on a small plain, the Ironforge army fluttered its banners, its imposing formation a clear sign of their protection of Bronzebeard King —they would not stand idly by if the Dark Iron Army made any move to attack the mountain pass.
The Dark Iron forces were equally determined. In the past few days, lords of all sizes from the surrounding area, as well as mercenaries and adventurers attracted by the bounty, had all arrived. Although their formation was slightly more scattered compared to the Bronzebeard Army on the other side, their scale was in no way inferior.
Neither side dared to make any rash moves. Firstly, Dark Iron and Bronzebeard had not fought a major battle for many years, and the sudden turn of events left everyone at a loss.
Secondly, both sides lacked a leader, and neither had the courage to issue an offensive order that would inevitably provoke a bloody battle.
The situation remained deadlocked, and this was the state of affairs that Unas and his group encountered upon their arrival.
Unas couldn't possibly remain uninvolved; in truth, he bears a significant responsibility for how things turned out this way.
Moreover, with so many troops blocking the road, the Stormwind refugees he was leading couldn't get through either. If a major battle broke out, he might also be affected. He could only try to resolve the situation peacefully.
Sena-Spark hasn't slept for three days; his ambition to achieve great things has only brought him endless fatigue and disappointment.
The enemy was incredibly tenacious; it took three days and three nights of pursuit to finally corner them in this dead end.
But they were always just a little short, unable to break through the enemy's line of less than a hundred men. Whenever Magni's imposing figure appeared in front of them, their side could not advance an inch.
When Bronzebeard Army appeared on the northern horizon, he was almost ready to order a retreat. Fortunately, several reinforcements from his own side arrived shortly afterward, giving him the courage to hold on.
The battle situation became more complex, and he, being at the forefront, was under the greatest pressure. However, he was still the most promising candidate to behead Magni, and for this tremendous achievement, he had no choice but to persevere.
Moreover, according to reliable sources, King Rendaen has already led the army of Shadowforge City and is expected to arrive soon, so it is even less likely that he will back down at this time.
So when the human Paladin came alone, requesting to enter the valley to negotiate with Bronzebeard King, Saina Huohua hesitated greatly.
Humans and the Bronzebeard Dwarves have always been on good terms. Magni had previously stayed in the human camp, and the Paladin was highly suspected of treason. More importantly, the Paladin could not be allowed to steal his credit.
Unas didn't bring any men with him, fearing that a large group would trigger tensions between the two sides. However, he didn't expect to be stopped by his "old friend," so he could only gently persuade him, "Brother Spark, I'm just going to scout out the enemy's strength. I'll share all the intelligence with you when I return."
"The enemy's situation is clear at a glance; there seems to be nothing to investigate," Saina Huohua said, speaking relatively politely. "Brother Paladin, I'm only doing this for your own good. The messengers I sent to persuade them to surrender were all severely punished and thrown out. I advise you not to go."
This was, of course, just an excuse. Unas quickly realized: Magni was already considered the exclusive property of the Saina Huohua, and no one else was allowed to touch her.
This guy is as greedy for credit as ever, he's even willing to risk his life.
Unas was about to speak again when a commotion arose from the direction of the ravine. Saina Huohua shouted, "On guard! On guard!"
The soldiers surged forward in solemn silence, which stirred up the large armies gathered from the north and south. Unas quickly changed from sitting to standing, stepping onto the broad top of King Kong to look out into the valley.
A Bronzebeard Cavalry charged out of the ravine, shouting something. Before Unas could hear him, several Dark Iron soldiers pounced on him, pulled him from his mount, bound him, and brought him before Sena-Spark.
"Open his mouth and listen to what he has to say?"
The soldiers released their grip on the order, but the Bronzebeard Cavalry's gaze fell on the Paladin outside the crowd. "Ahem, are you Knight Unas-Lawugade? His Majesty requests your presence for negotiations!"
"I?"
When Unas arrived, he rode on the back of a towering King Kong, much taller than all the Dwarves. It was no wonder that Magni, in the valley, saw him from afar.
Unas glanced at Saina Huohua, thinking to himself, "Now you have no reason to stop me, right?"
Unexpectedly, the Dwarf lord still had something to say, "There's definitely a trap. The enemy actually invited the Knight brothers; it must be a snare!"
"I'm not afraid of any trap," Unas chuckled inwardly, dismounting and putting his arm around the Dwarf's shoulder. "Brother Spark, let's talk privately for a moment."
Saina Huohua hesitated for a moment, but still let the Paladin lead him to a secluded spot on the mountainside. Unas turned back, pointed to the hollow, and said, "Brother, let me ask you a question: what will this place become if the great war breaks out?"
"Turn into what? A battlefield, of course!" the Dwarf lord asked, puzzled.
"It's the heart of the battlefield," Unas corrected. "Magni is the core of the struggle between the two sides; it will become a meat grinder!"
So what?
"Brother, what do you think your chances of surviving in this meat grinder are?"
"This..." Saina Huohua's heart jumped. He hadn't considered this issue before, his mind only indulging in the fantasy of killing Magni and winning the first merit. Now that Unas had pointed it out, cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
Once the great battle begins, he, situated at the mountain pass, will immediately be surrounded by the armies from both the north and south. The fierce clash of the two war machines could instantly crush him and his men into dust.
Even if he were lucky enough to behead Magni in the first instance, it would be difficult for him to escape the battlefield immediately, and he would almost certainly be overwhelmed by the enraged Bronzebeard Warriors.
A person is meaningless once they die, no matter how great their achievements. Thinking this, Saina Huohua hurriedly grabbed the Paladin's arm. "Brother Unas, what can we do? You must help me!"
"Don't panic, Spark Brother. You still have a way out."
Saina Huohua's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "What is it?"
"Make peace!" Unas said. "If both sides can negotiate, there will be no need for fighting. And you, Spark Brother, are still the one who deserves the most credit for stopping Magni after going through so much hardship."
The Dwarf lord slapped his forehead, cursing himself for his foolishness: according to the Paladin, there was no risk involved in achieving the greatest merit, so why did he insist on risking his life?
His gaze towards the Paladin immediately softened, and his tone changed completely, "Brother Unas, hurry and go with that Bronzebeard brat to see Magni. The peace talks must succeed!"
"Of course, trust me!"
Unas mounted the King Kong, and the Bronzebeard Cavalry, after being untied, quickly climbed onto his War Ram, leading the Paladin swiftly back to their camp.
The Bronzebeard soldiers, who were on high alert, opened a gap, Unas was able to meet the Dwarf King.
Magni - Bronzebeard sat cross-legged on the ground, his once neatly combed hair and beard now filthy and disheveled, his gleaming armor covered in blood and dust, his eyes bloodshot but still radiating a resolute light. "Knight Unas, we meet again."
"Your Majesty," Unas bowed slightly, "Your regal bearing remains captivating."
"Stop mocking me, you pinky-haired brat," Magni said, leaning on his Warhammer as he stood up. "I know you're secretly laughing at this wretched, filthy old man."
Unas couldn't help but say, "If Your Majesty hadn't fled back then, I could have intervened. But now, the situation has escalated to this point, and it's become quite difficult to handle."
Unas wasn't exaggerating. Although Saina Huohua arrived with two thousand troops, he might not have dared to attack the human camp. Magni might have been safer staying in his camp.
"It's too late to say anything more." The Dwarf King was reluctant to mention the escape, and seemed somewhat ashamed.
"So, how would Your Majesty like to discuss this?"
"I heard the new king of Dark Iron is arriving soon?"
"Yes." Unas had also received news of Rendaen's personal expedition long ago.
I want to Challenge!
Unas was not surprised; this was one of the several "peace talks" he had considered: the two sides had already reached a point of full-scale military confrontation, and it was impossible to simply withdraw troops and make peace with empty words. Someone had to pay the price, regardless of which side did so.
Challenge typically involve one or more of the bravest warriors from each side engaging in one-on-one combat, with the outcome of the duel determining the victor. This method minimizes casualties and is quite common in inter-tribal civil wars.
"His Majesty was hunted for three days and three nights; his physical condition..."
"Just finished warming up," Magni brandished his Warhammer, exuding domineering aura, "I could fight for three more days and three nights without a problem!"
"Your Majesty, what a spirit!" Unas gave a thumbs up. "What are the conditions after the victory or defeat?"
"If I win, let us leave. Both armies will retreat thirty li each, and then disband and go home."
What if we lose?
Magni smiled dismissively, seemingly confident he couldn't possibly lose. "If I do lose, whether I live or die, all the land fifty miles north of here will be given to the new king of Dark Iron, along with a compensation of one hundred thousand Gold Coins!"
Unas was taken aback; Magni was actually willing to pay such a high price.
The desolate lands on the border have little practical value, and 100,000 Gold Coins are not a large sum for wealthy Dwarves. However, the humiliation of ceding territory and paying reparations will forever weigh on a leader's head, becoming an eternal stain on his crown. The Bronzebeard Clan will also be unable to hold their heads high in front of the Dark Iron Clan. Its significance goes beyond the land and money itself.
"Of course, regardless of the outcome of the duel, the Dark Iron Kingdom must immediately cease its pursuit of my daughter and release her and my personal guards back to Ironforge unharmed. This is my bottom line."
"Such great fatherly love, truly touching," Unas exclaimed, his words sounding somewhat insincere. He had no desire whatsoever for the Dwarf Princess to be unharmed. "And Your Highness? How are you feeling now?"
"She was just recovering from serious injuries, and then she had been fighting for three consecutive days and nights; she's not in good shape."
Why would the Twilight's Hammer assassinate Her Highness? Does Your Majesty know the answer?
Emperor Thaurissan was a devout Twilight Cultist, Moira, as the Queen of the Dark Iron, should have been a key figure protected by the Twilight's Hammer. Yet, she was assassinated by them amidst the chaos, which didn't make sense, Unas was completely baffled.
"Sigh!" Magni sighed deeply, "I'll tell you anyway..."