Fortunately, as they approached Hasic, they gradually began to hear voices coming from it. At least that proved there were still people alive there.
When they reached a point where they could see Hasic's gates in the distance, they suddenly noticed three things rising into the sky. Rhonin startled, and the knights readied themselves for battle.
After all, they had all seen the Orcs riding the Red Dragonflight earlier. Combined with the unusual situation in Hasic, that gave them every reason to be cautious.
But as the three dark shapes drew closer, they finally breathed a sigh of relief. They were only three gryphons-friendly forces.
The lead Gryphon Rider stopped a short distance in front of them and asked with a stern expression, "Who are you?"
All three Gryphon Riders were dwarven knights. The dwarf leading them had his people's trademark bushy beard and such powerful muscles that he looked as though he might easily carry his mount for a few steps.
Duncan urged his warhorse forward a few paces and said, "I am Lord Duncan Senturus of the Silver Hand. I am about to lead my company into Hasic. May I ask what happened here?"
The bearded dwarf answered bluntly, "Two dragons attacked this place. We happened to be passing through, so we dealt with those two beasts. A pity about Gorodin, though. May his soul rest in peace."
Duncan said, "We saw a dragon earlier, and three brave Gryphon Riders fighting it. That must have been you?"
The bearded dwarf's expression shifted at the first half of Duncan's remarks, but once Duncan finished, he laughed and said, "Yes, that was us. Now that was a satisfying fight! A pity Murok lost his battle-axe. Good thing he didn't lose his hammer."
The dwarf called Murok said, "I'd lose my beard before I lost my hammer, Falstad!"
Falstad answered with a laugh, "Because a hammer is what really catches the ladies' eyes, isn't it?"
Off to the side, Aaron muttered inwardly, Falstad? Could he be the king of the Wildhammer Dwarves, Falstad Wildhammer?
"Aha, a beautiful elven lady!" Aaron looked over and saw the dwarf give Vereesa a clumsy bow. "Falstad Wildhammer, at your service, my lady."
Dwarves and elves were longstanding allies, their relationship even somewhat closer than that between elves and humans. But Aaron could not understand why the two races got along so well when their territories did not even border each other. It really was a mystery. Then again, perhaps they got along so well precisely because they did not share a border.
"Damn, it really is him." Aaron nearly sputtered. He had never expected the bearded dwarf before him to actually be the lord of Aerie Peak, and a future member of the dwarves' Council of Three Hammers.
"Beautiful women really are welcome wherever they go," Aaron murmured, glancing at Rhonin beside him to see how he would react. To Aaron's disappointment, however, whether the jolting journey had left the man dazed or his fright at Deathwing had brought him some great enlightenment, he looked utterly unruffled, like a completely different person from the man who had stormed out of the dining room last night.
He even looked at Aaron suspiciously and asked, "Aaron, why are you looking at me?"
"Nothing." Aaron forced himself to turn away and said no more. Perhaps he had imagined it yesterday. Perhaps Rhonin had simply been unhappy with the Paladins.
Vereesa, meanwhile, said solemnly, "Blessings upon you, Falstad Wildhammer. Please also accept my congratulations on your victory. Two dragons would be difficult for any force to handle."
"My force only needs a day to deal with two dragons!" Falstad urged his mount as far forward as he could. "We have never had the good fortune to meet one of your people here before, let alone such a beautiful lady! Is there anything we can help you with?"
Rhonin showed no reaction, but Duncan spoke before anyone else could. "We appreciate your willingness to help us, but it seems unnecessary. We must reach the harbor and find the ship waiting for the mage, so he can leave this place."
Only now did Rhonin finally speak. "I am carrying out a surveillance mission for the Alliance."
Falstad seemed entirely unconcerned by their attitudes. "We won't stop you from entering Hasic to look for your ship, humans. But I must warn you, few of the ships moored outside Hasic remain after the two dragons' attack. You must prepare yourselves for the possibility that the ship you're looking for has already been smashed to pieces!"
In the end, Rhonin failed to find the ship from Kul Tiras. If he wanted to reach Grim Batol, his only option seemed to be crossing the territory occupied by the Orcs. Even Aaron had to make it clear to Rhonin that if he intended to do that, the payment would have to double-no, increase fivefold!
Fortunately, someone in their party could find another means of travel: by taking advantage of her identity, Vereesa persuaded the stubborn dwarves to carry them to Khaz Modan on their gryphons.
Rhonin, however, seemed reluctant to take so many people along. Yet the price of Vereesa persuading the dwarves was that she had to accompany him, and, on top of that, the knight Duncan actually intended to come along too.
Watching the noisy scene, Aaron could not quite describe what he felt. Rhonin's adventure was still continuing, but his own was already over.
After all, there were only three gryphons. Aaron had no confidence that he could persuade Duncan to give up his place, so he could only remain in Hasic.
As for having one gryphon carry three people to Khaz Modan... even the dwarves, renowned for their courage, dared not take that risk. It would have been fine if travel were all that mattered, but the Red Dragonflight remained a threat to any airborne unit entering Khaz Modan. Once a gryphon lost its advantage in agility, it would probably be little more than a larger meal for the Red Dragonflight.
After settling the outstanding payment with Rhonin, Aaron considered where to go adventuring next. Vereesa, however, suddenly gave him a task: she asked him to look after her mount until she returned.
Vereesa promised that when she returned, she would give Aaron a reward beyond his imagination. Although she refused to explain exactly what that reward would be, Aaron was in no hurry to leave, so he agreed readily enough.
The next day, when Aaron went to see off the companions he had met during this brief adventure, he happened to see Duncan giving his subordinates instructions before departure. For some reason, however, the Paladins of the Silver Hand seemed rather downcast.
Seeming to notice Aaron's confusion, Vereesa whispered beside him, "I never expected Duncan to hand even his seal of authority over to Roland. That means Roland will take his place if anything happens to him."
Aaron watched blankly as they mounted the gryphons, then let out a long breath and waved, watching them set out on a journey into the unknown.
"Ah, they've all gone. I should head back too." Watching the three dark specks disappear over the horizon, Aaron listlessly prepared to return to Hasic and find himself somewhere to stay while he waited for Vereesa and the others to return.
"I clearly have a whole bunch of flying mounts. How come not a single one is lit up?" Grumbling, Aaron opened the strange book in his mind and flipped through it carelessly, only to perk up all of a sudden.
As Aaron finished channeling his mount-summoning action, a snow-white gryphon suddenly appeared before him. An excited smile spread across his face. He hurriedly asked the Paladins of the Silver Hand to take good care of Vereesa's mount and gave them a few gold coins as payment for looking after the little mare, then rode the gryphon into the sky.
Though he had said it once already, Aaron still had to say it again: the hardcover book in his head really was incredibly considerate. This gryphon could not have come at a better time.