Falstad

"They had nothing to do with that explosion," Vareesa insisted. "They had no reason to do so!"

"That's a mage!" Duncan answered bluntly, as if that explained everything. "These guys don't care about anyone's safety, and the guy next to him too. My soldiers monitoring them were all knocked unconscious!"

Vareesa was well aware of the Holy Light's prejudice against magic, so she didn't intend to dwell on the issue. Elf grew up in a magical environment, Vareesa herself could cast a few minor spells; naturally, she wouldn't see Rhonin as an embodiment of evil like Paladin. And then there Marius; although his attitude towards her was somewhat Recklessness, his care for Rhonin made Vareesa feel that he wasn't a heartless person.

"If it wasn't them," Senturus continued, "Then where are they? They've vanished without a trace. It was definitely them, believe me."

"So you're planning to hunt them down like prey?" Vareesa couldn't help but think. Senturus ordered his strongest men to search for the missing mage and his companions. The Female Elf initially thought it was a rescue operation, but the Paladin quickly revealed his true intentions. He immediately suspected Nathanos and Rhonin, especially after the search failed to find any trace of them.

Vareesa's first thought was of Goblins, as they were adept at stealthily scaling fortresses and planting deadly explosives. However, the high Paladin insisted that his territory had long been pacified of the remaining Horde forces, especially the Goblins. Therefore, Nathanos and Rhonin inevitably became the prime suspects.

They had searched the area thoroughly and were heading towards Hask. Although more than one of the young knights suggested that Rhonin would use magic to reach his destination undetected, Duncan Senturus insisted that they would capture the villainous mage and punish him with righteous means.

As the sun set and darkness fell, even Vareesa couldn't help but suspect the two humans. Could it really have been them who did it and then hastily fled the scene?

"We should set up camp as soon as possible," Senturus announced after a while. He surveyed the increasingly dense thicket. "Of course, I don't expect any trouble, but there's no benefit to marching in the dark, and we might even get lost."

Elf have much better eyesight than others, so Vareesa considered whether she should continue searching for a while. But then she thought, what if the knights discovered the target while she was away? Then they would only face certain death.

They walked for a while longer, but still found nothing. By then, the sun had sunk below the horizon, with only a few rays of light illuminating the path ahead. Reluctantly, Senturus ordered the search to cease and commanded his men to begin setting up tents. Vareesa dismounted as well, but her eyes continued to scan the surroundings, clinging to a sliver of hope that the two humans would notice everything.

There's nothing there.

The Elf Ranger looked up at the Paladin lord; Senturus was the only person there taller than her.

"I just couldn't resist taking a look."

"Don't worry, we'll find them soon."

"We should listen to their explanation first. That's fair."

Senturus shrugged, as if it didn't matter to him. "Of course, they'll have a chance to defend themselves."...

Nathanos stopped and looked around. "Something's not right here."

Rhonin felt the same way; it was too quiet around them. They were still some distance from the port city of Hask, yet there was no sound at all. A port of Hask's size should be bustling with noise, loud enough to reach their ears. But apart from the occasional bird landing on the ground, Rhonin didn't detect any sound from any living creature.

The mage advised Nathanos, "If the situation becomes dire, we'd better hide immediately."

"No need to rush." Though he said this, Nathanos's voice was low and cautious. "We're very close to Hask. Proceed carefully."

To their relief, as the two approached, they could indeed hear sounds coming from the direction of the port, including the clanging of metal, which was becoming increasingly clear. They could also hear trucks coming and going.

But Nathanos always felt there were some unsettling factors at play.

Just as they saw the gates of the port town, Rhonin noticed three dark figures rising into the sky.

Nathanos swiftly drew his sword, but after recognizing his opponent, he sheathed his weapon.

After a moment, three strong Gryphon landed in front of them.

"Two humans? Who are you?" a Gryphon rider asked. He was a typical Wildhammer Dwarf, with bronze skin and a large brown beard.

Nathanos stepped forward and said, "Hello, Dwarf friend! My name is Marius, and I'm escorting this man to the port. But I'm curious why you're here? Did something happen to Hask?"

The Dwarf burst into laughter, a wild laugh. His shoulders were broader than Nathanos', and his muscles were always taut.

"We've definitely run into trouble, big trouble. A few hours ago, two dragons flew here and burned everything they saw. If we hadn't arrived in time, Hask would probably never have been marked on the map again." The Dwarf placed a fist on his chest, seemingly still savoring the battle he was describing.

Nathanos knew how to speak with Dwarf, and he said in the purest Dwarven language, "On my way here, I saw a dragon, and three Gryphon Rider were fighting it..."

The lead Dwarf's eyes lit up when he heard him mention the battle, and a bright smile spread across his face. "Yes, that was us, humans! We chased them and took them down in mid-air. The only downside was that I lost a good axe there, but I still have my warhammer." He raised his weapon. The other two Dwarf cheered in response.

"The Wildhammer Dwarf Gryphon sir never disappoints. I don't know your name yet," Nathanos said with a smile, recognizing a familiar figure in the Dwarf.

"Falstad the Wildhammer".

"Falstad? I've heard of you." Nathanos's dark eyes lit up. "Your brother, Kurdran ..." Nathanos paused, almost forgetting that Rhonin was following behind him. Up until now, Nathanos hadn't revealed his identity to anyone except Senturus.

"Kurdran." Falstad frowned, placing his hand on his heart. "He is our hero. May his spirit fight proudly in eternity."

"I'm sorry, but I still want to congratulate you on your glorious victory. The Red Dragon is definitely a tough opponent."

"That didn't take us much time. By the way, after saying so much, you still haven't revealed your purpose here." Falstad sheathed his weapon, but when he saw the human behind Nathanos, he realized it was a mage.

"I'm escorting him out to sea, my friend," Nathanos repeated. "He's heading to Kaz'Modan for a mission for the Alliance."

Falstad was clearly indifferent to this. "We have no reason to stop you, but the port has been severely damaged, and the ships you need have become driftwood on the sea."

Nathanos had anticipated this, and he glanced at Rhonin, whose heart sank.

"Since you've said that, there are probably no more intact ships left," Nathanos stated the fact.

"We have to look for it," said Rhonin, who had remained silent until now, as he stepped forward.

Falstad looked at him like he was a fool. "Then we won't bother you any longer. Good luck." Falstad was about to leave.

"Wait a moment!"

"Um?"

Please help him.