After walking for a while, Anvil still did not feel safe enough. He picked up a piece of goblin iron armor from the ground and awkwardly squeezed it over his burly frame.
Though it did not fit, it could at least provide a pitiful bit of protection, keeping him from being hurt by elemental creatures that might suddenly appear.
Chen Yu felt there was no need for such trouble and spat out two Magic Leaves, handing them to him.
"Tear these if you run into danger. They'll protect you."
"Oh, all right. Thank you, Your Majesty."
As if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, Anvil threw away the shabby, uncomfortable armor. He carefully clutched the two Magic Leaves in one hand, carried the Battle Axe in the other, took a deep breath, and cautiously entered the fortress passage leading deeper into the mining area.
Dust drifted through the mine tunnels, dimming the light considerably.
The sights along the way made Anvil's heart sink lower and lower.
The rock walls that had once borne the emblem of the Copperfire Clan were now covered in ugly goblin-style graffiti and brutal excavation marks.
The cozy dwarf cottages and Copperfire Hall had all become nests for filthy goblins.
This was no longer the homeland he remembered.
Anvil's mood grew somewhat low, but it did not affect his duty.
He forced himself to perk up. As he vigilantly watched the surroundings, he quietly introduced the place to Chen Yu on his shoulder. "Your Majesty, look over there. That huge depression used to be our clan's largest Obsidian Smelting Furnace. But now... it's nothing but a pile of scrap metal."
"And over there used to be where we brewed ale..."
"If that rift is in the main mining area, it isn't far from here.