The Two-Headed Ogre Mages brought their blue hands together, as though kneading something between them, and magical power began to gather.
Countless fire elements coalesced. Fire was hot and volatile, and as the elements gathered in great numbers, Rex's side could easily sense them. But interrupting the Two-Headed Ogre Mages' spells was already impossible. These mages could do something ordinary people could not: divide their attention between two tasks. Before casting a spell, a mage first had to gather mana, then use it to connect with the elements between heaven and earth. Those were the steps required to form a spell.
Thus, a mage could normally cast only one spell at a time. That restriction did not quite apply to Two-Headed Ogre Mages. What made them most frightening was that both their heads possessed a measure of intelligence.
Dividing their attention was the simplest thing in the world for Two-Headed Ogre Mages. The ordinary ones were manageable enough, but some had such distinct personalities that their two heads frequently fought each other, each possessing considerable intelligence.
So they had begun preparing this spell long before. When their leader saw the vicious orc losing ground, he had already ordered the Two-Headed Ogre Mages to gather their magic. As a result, only seconds after the vicious orc finished speaking, the spell that dyed half the sky red erupted, leaving Rex no chance to interrupt it.
As the fiery-red magic rose, many people began to panic. Ulysses immediately shouted, "Get out of here, quickly!"
Ulysses was visibly anxious, without any of his usual handsome composure. His armor was undamaged, though spattered with blood, and there was blood on his face as well, leaving him looking rather bedraggled. Despite his seventh-tier strength, the two sixth-tier gnolls had kept him occupied. He had suffered a little, but had taken no serious injuries.
"This spell is easy to dodge. Don't just stand there!" Rona shouted as well. This final spell from the Two-Headed Ogre Mages was not particularly lethal to people and could easily be avoided. It would have been absurd if such a sluggish spell could actually kill anyone. Its real purpose was to destroy the caravan, something anyone with experience could see.
"It's fine!"
With a sigh, Rex spoke glumly. Holding the Lesser Rune of Dispel he had only recently acquired, he watched the flames reach into the sky and threw it without hesitation. Light spread across the heavens like a rainbow, broke into glittering specks, and finally vanished entirely.
He first planted his Greatsword in the ground, then called to the people beside him, "Clean up the battlefield, lay out those bodies, and send someone to inform Dalaran."
"The main group will make camp here and rest." Standing beside a carriage, Rex began issuing a few simple orders. Continuing onward was out of the question. No one knew whether another ambush awaited them ahead. If there was, they might not be as lucky as they had been this time. Their attackers had come in a hurry, with little preparation. Holding their ground and waiting for reinforcements was the best choice. Orcs appearing so close to Dalaran was no small matter. They could wait until Dalaran's people arrived before discussing whether to proceed.
Rex was being cautious. The orcs' hurried arrival had already told him that there would be no further ambush ahead; his earlier concerns were merely a precaution. This place was not far from Dalaran, after all, and the force that had just attacked them was already the largest the orcs could deploy. Any more would have made them easy to discover. Stroking his chin, Rex considered whether they had targeted him for his identity or for this shipment of goods.
In the end, he settled on the merchandise. Gilneas had shut itself off from the world for so many years that it had few enemies. Even if the orcs hated humanity, Lordaeron was what they hated most. Arthas was the streetlamp in the night, radiating endless light and drawing the creatures in the darkness toward him. Even with Rex's considerable vanity, he would not claim to be that streetlamp.
Who would not want merchandise worth over ten thousand gold coins? It would be wrong to assume that the orcs could not sell their plunder for gold coins or other supplies. The humans of this world cherished heroic ideals, and those who would betray their country for profit were exceedingly rare, scarcer even than endangered animals. But while the orcs could not trade with humans, there was another race whose greed knew no bounds, a race willing to do anything for gold coins. Never mind goods from orcs—even if the Burning Legion wanted to trade with them, the deal would surely go through.
They were goblins, a bunch who cared only about money, not who paid them. Since the outbreak of the First War, when the goblins' five great Trade Princes had amassed immense fortunes and risen to prominence, goblin businesses had sprung up everywhere. These short, green-skinned fellows were experts at earning gold coins. There were goblin-owned shops even in Dalaran. If the orcs plundered Rex's shipment, they could easily resell it through them.
Time slipped by, and Dalaran's reinforcements arrived sooner than expected. The importance of Rex's identity was beginning to show. Dalaran could not bear the consequences of the crown prince of Gilneas dying so close to its city. A cry rang out overhead, and a gryphon descended into view. The person who dismounted was quite familiar to Rex. Her golden hair alone revealed her identity: Jaina.
After arriving and exchanging a few brief words with Rex, Jaina waved the staff in her hand. Surging mana poured forth, and a Portal began to take shape before them.
A Portal was something only an Archmage could use. Though Jaina possessed ninth-rank strength, there was still a considerable gulf between her and a Hero Rank Archmage, and using it was a strain. Most of her mana was drained away. Had the staff in her hand not been exceptional, she could never have opened the Portal.
The old man who emerged first from the Portal made Rex perk up, and he strode forward to greet him. It was Antonidas. Rex had never expected this incident to draw his attention. That was entirely beyond his expectations.
Quite a few people emerged from the Portal. As Rex watched it, envy shone in his eyes. This thing was simply too convenient. With a location fixed, one could go wherever one wished.
(End of chapter)
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