"Your Highness, this..." Reno stared in surprise as a doorway suddenly opened in the barrier before them. Starlight glittered within, as though it led into a night sky.
"That's right. Let's go in and take a look at the legendary Star Elves." Roland calmly sheathed his sword.
"Yes." Reno also returned the Dragon Pattern Sword to its sheath.
Whoosh!
"Your Highness, watch out!"
Clang! Reno split the incoming arrow with a single stroke.
They had not expected such an "enthusiastic welcome" from the Star Elves the moment they set foot in Singri.
"Who are you? How did you enter this place?" the Star Elf before them asked coldly, his longbow aimed at the two of them from afar.
Roland carefully examined the Star Elf before him and found that they were indeed different. He was equally strikingly handsome, with pale skin, but the most eye-catching feature was his sky-blue hair. This elf appeared to be a ranger.
"Greetings, honored elf. I am the King of Lagrange on the eastern shore of Long Lake. I have come to visit your king to discuss an important matter." Roland placed a hand over his chest in greeting.
"A human king? How do you know the passphrase to enter this place?" The Star Elf drew his bowstring even farther.
"An inheritance. My ancestors once received the aid of the Star Elves, and I have come here now for the sake of our friendship." Roland activated the Battle Qi Flame unique to paladins.
"..." The elf carefully observed Roland's Battle Qi. In the end, he lowered his bow, took out a Magic Signal Flare, and pulled it open. A golden star immediately shot a hundred meters into the sky, where it expanded and began flashing.
"Wait here. Someone will come to receive you soon!"
"What's going on?" A distinctly different Star Elf arrived with a squad of Elf Rangers. Why was he different? Unlike the other elves, who wore light half-armor, he was clad in heavy plate armor.
"Dragon Knight!" Reno whispered tensely, his hand quietly settling on the hilt of the Dragon Pattern Sword. If anything went wrong, he would risk his life to escort his king away.
As a paladin who ruled the earth, Roland was naturally extremely familiar with Dragon Knights who ruled the skies. That formidable Dragon Power surged across Peter Gro's body so plainly that it was practically written on his face.
"Why has the hidden gate been opened? Hm? Humans?" Only after casually closing the hidden gate did the Dragon Knight notice the humans before him.
"..." Roland's mouth twitched. Was he really that lacking in presence?
"Damn it!" Reno's pupils contracted. The hidden gate behind them had closed, cutting off even their route of retreat. He unconsciously drew his sword.
"Hm? Interesting! A fourth-tier Paladin Captain actually dares draw his sword before me!" the Dragon Knight said with interest.
"He who holds no fear in his heart lets holy radiance shine upon heaven and earth! With mortal flesh, we stand equal to gods! Paladins fear nothing!" Reno murmured, gripping his sword as he stood in front of Roland.
"Interesting. How long has it been since humans produced such a pure paladin?" The Dragon Knight lowered his head in thought.
Could this be Peter Gro, the Star Dragon Knight? Roland wondered. In the game, both the Star Dragon and his knight had already been decrepit with age, but this Peter Gro should be the one from several thousand years ago.
"Why have you come?" Peter Gro sized them up. Those who could become paladins were invariably righteous people—unless they had fallen, of course.
"The north has been shrouded in darkness. Dwarves, elves, and humans are all in grave danger!" Roland said solemnly after thinking for a moment.
"Who are you?" Peter Gro could not help growing curious about Roland's identity. Just now, Reno had stood in front of Roland, which meant Roland was the one in charge between the two.
"The King of Lagrange!" Roland declared proudly.
"Lagrange? Is there such a country?" Peter Gro pondered for a long while but could not remember it. Although Singri was isolated from the world, they always sent a small number of people out to purchase various goods and enrich their lives, so they were not cut off from information.
"It vanished long ago. We came from the east..." Roland explained succinctly.
"Oh." Peter Gro nodded. After all, he had never paid much attention to the ancient nations of the east.
"Come with me. I'll take you to see the king." Peter Gro decided to bring them before their Elf King.
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Peter Gro, Star Dragon Knight," Peter Gro said as he led the way.
"Yes, Sir Peter Gro." Roland and Reno both offered their greetings.
"Come!" After passing through a cluster of cozy treehouses, Peter Gro brought them before a magnificent elven structure. Within the vast elven hall, a slender figure reclined against the armrest of a throne inlaid with gemstones of every color, idly swirling a wineglass in his hand.
"What is this, Peter? Why have you brought two humans back?" the Lonely King asked softly.
"Eowyn, they have come to ask for aid," Peter Gro replied casually.
"Ask for aid?" Eowyn set down his wineglass and sat upright.
"Yes, Your Majesty the Elf King. Darkness has already enveloped the north. We have mobilized all our strength, yet we are still unable to withstand it. Thus, following my ancestors' inheritance, I came here to seek the aid of the Star Elves," Roland said humbly.
"So there are still people who remember us?" Eowyn rubbed his chin.
"Where do you come from?" Eowyn asked curiously. He wanted to know where humans who still remembered the reclusive Star Elves could be found.
"I am Roland, the current King of Lagrange. This is my Knight Captain, Reno." Roland straightened his back. If Lagrange's heritage were truly counted, it could easily overshadow these Star Elves.
"Greetings, Your Highness Roland. Forgive my discourtesy. Please, sit." Eowyn rose, gave an elegant bow, and arranged seats for the two of them nearby.
Clap! Clap! He lightly clapped his hands, and several beautiful elf maidens immediately approached with fruit and drinks.
"Please, try the specialty fruits of our Star Elves." Eowyn smiled.
"You may call me Eowyn. I am the current king of the Star Elves," Eowyn said seriously.
"Sauron has returned. His armies now threaten the entire north! I need your help! The Star Elves are the last reinforcements in the north!" Roland said impatiently.
"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you do not understand the Star Elves' past... We have lived in seclusion for more than three thousand years. My people have grown accustomed to peaceful lives. We may be unable to take part in this war." Eowyn looked apologetic.
"Has the heavy damage you suffered back then truly made you forget your hatred for Sauron?" Roland naturally knew the Star Elves' past well.
During the War of the Last Alliance, besides the allied army led by Gil-galad, three other forces operating independently had also joined the battle. One was the Woodland Realm elves led by Thranduil's father, one was the elves of the Golden Forest, and the last was the Vanya Elves who lived in Rhovanion at the time. The three armies marched by different routes, yet they met the same end—catastrophic losses.
The Vanya Elves, nearly annihilated beneath the Black Gate, led their people back to what was now Mirkwood and migrated northward. Fortunately, one of them gained the friendship of a wandering young Star Dragon. That elf was Peter Gro. After becoming a Dragon Knight, he followed Inas, Eowyn's father and commander, all the way north. Along the route, no Orc army dared provoke this band of Grievous Soldiers...
When they finally reached Rhovanion, the severely wounded Elf King Inas ultimately passed away. Eowyn inherited the kingdom. Deeply disappointed in the Vanya Elves, Eowyn changed their faith. They no longer worshiped the Nature Goddess, but began worshiping the Star Goddess, calling themselves the Lords of Stars. Their golden hair was covered by icy-blue locks, and they became elves who bathed beneath the stars in the dark of night.
They dwelled in darkness, yet their hearts yearned for the light!
Using the immense Dragon Power magic of the Star Dragon, they created the Star Barrier and opened up a hidden realm. From then on, they lived in seclusion, and that hidden realm was called—Singri. Thus, another elf race that worshiped the stars was added to the world.
"Heh, we were once passionate. We gave, we sacrificed... Yet in the end, all we received was betrayal!" Eowyn still bore a grudge over how the allied forces had ignored the three elven armies assaulting the Black Gate, and he was furious that the Woodland Elves had not extended a hand to help them. At the time, the three elven forces had used a piecemeal tactic—few in number to begin with, they had attacked the city one force at a time.
"Your Highness Eowyn, I hope you understand that when the lips are gone, the teeth grow cold. If Erebor and Long Lake fall, and the Woodland Realm ceases to exist, then Singri will sooner or later be found by Sauron!" Roland said gravely.
"It's useless. We cannot help you. We no longer have the ability to fight another war." Eowyn waved a hand and sighed.
Before you continue