"Was this paradise, Hemet?"
Al wielded his telekinesis, excitedly knocking an itching-to-move tar beast unconscious. Disregarding the grease and filth in the tar pit, he hurried over.
"Come look, my friend. This is a tar beast king. Look at those powerful arms, those tiny, jet-black eyes. Ah, it's almost too beautiful."
Al had now grown accustomed to using telekinesis instead of Mage Hand. After all, that cantrip still had a certain casting delay, and controlling it required delicate work.
His newly acquired telekinesis was different. His psychic power was like another hand, not only extending and retracting freely but responding to his every command.
Combined with mental power 8.9 times that of Fengdelor, a high-ranking Priest, this seemingly unremarkable, bottom-tier skill suddenly proved astonishingly effective.
"This tar beast king is already under my [Bind Elemental]. Now, Hemet, make sure you carry it properly."
"Yes... Lord Al."
Nesingwary Hemet's listless voice rang out. This outstanding hunter, who ranked among the best even within the vigorous dwarven race, now carried a load piled as high as a small mountain.
At the bottom was a Devilsaur skull several times larger than Hemet himself, with a whole string of bizarre creatures piled on top.
A baby Pterrordax, a bloodpetal sprout, a diemetradon, and an ooze that dripped unidentified slime from time to time-these monsters and beasts were stacked together in an arrangement that defied science.
Hemet extended his right foot and flicked the enormous elemental creature off the ground. The tar beast king flipped 720 degrees through the air and landed precisely atop the "small mountain" in a beautiful pose, making the creatures beneath it squawk under its weight.
Clap, clap, clap. Applause rang out.
"What exquisite technique. Interested in joining the Darkmoon Faire?"
"Lord... Al, please... whatever you do... don't... add... any more... to my load."
Hemet's face turned red. His thick, stubby legs trembled as he stood up, his whole body shaking as he finally stammered out those words.
"All right, all right, I prom-good heavens, what's that? A venomhide ravasaur!"
Thud.
The sound of something heavy hitting the ground rang out as Nesingwary Hemet collapsed beneath his unbearable burden. He closed his eyes, one thought surfacing in his mind before he lost consciousness:
This is hell, isn't it? Holy Light above!
"Lord Al, I need some help..."
Hemet Nesingwary, who had prided himself on his strength all his life, had finally buckled beneath life's burdens. He looked to Al for help.
"What's the problem?"
"I really can't carry any more."
Panting, Hemet set the heavy "materials" on the ground and slumped down.
"You're not asking me to carry these things, are you?" Al gave the dwarf, who had entered sage mode, a strange look.
"It's not that I couldn't, but it just feels..." He scratched his head in some distress.
Using Mage Hand and telekinesis wouldn't take much effort, but then collecting materials would hit a bottleneck. Let me think.
"Right, aren't you a hunter? Why not tame a Devilsaur as a pack animal?"
Al struck his palm with his fist and spoke excitedly.
Hemet Nesingwary: I've got a "motherfucker" on the tip of my tongue, but should I say it?
Time slipped quietly by.
"Lord... Al, will this really work?" Hemet asked, his face conflicted as he carried the heavy "materials."
Al turned back confidently and made an OK gesture to the dwarf behind him.
An enormous creature no smaller than a Devilsaur lay in the jungle ahead. It was an elderly stegosaurus.
It was fast asleep on the ground, its tremendous snores blowing the low shrubs beside its mouth every which way. Standing over a hundred meters away, Al had already spotted it.
"I choose you, baby."
A series of purple Arcane ripples flashed, and Al appeared a short distance from the enormous creature.
"Let me think. Step one... place a Freezing Trap. I don't have a Freezing Trap suitable for a lizard this big. I suppose Frost Nova would work too?"
"NOVA!"
Talking to himself, Al unleashed an oversized Frost Nova. A bone-chilling frost storm spread around the enormous beast, and within moments, the spell had frozen it along with a broad swath of vegetation beneath its feet.
"Next, activate Aspect of the Monkey? What a load of nonsense. Skip."
The enormous beast roared furiously, but Al remained unmoved in the distance and continued reading Hemet's hunter notes.
"Step three, Tame Beast. Attempt to tame a beast, making it your pet... too long. Skip it.
Hmm, let's see. Use natural energy to soothe the beast's emotions and establish a mental link... beasts are a hunter's good companions... Can't that word-padding bastard Hemet make this any shorter? Fine, this will do."
Al closed the notebook and tossed it to the tense-looking dwarf in the distance, then began to think.
"Sure enough, animal companions aren't for me. But it's not as though there's no solution. Hmm, let me alter this spell's magical circuits."
As time passed and the enormous beast struggled fiercely, Frost Nova's ice slowly cracked and melted. The dwarf nervously raised his double-barreled hunting rifle, ready to deliver a fatal shot the instant the beast broke free, though he knew it might not work.
Enslave Beast!
"Try this, big fellow."
Pale green light enveloped the stegosaurus's enormous body. Within moments, the wild beast let out a mournful cry and lay motionless on the ground.
"It worked!"
Al excitedly walked forward to examine the stegosaurus's condition.
Nesingwary Hemet: Have I been limiting myself?
"These messy plates really get in the way. Let me give you some maintenance."
Al snapped his fingers. A sharp frost blade radiating cold appeared in midair and slashed toward the enormous plates on the stegosaurus's back.
Within moments, the fearsome plates had all been sliced clean off. Since they were part of its exoskeleton, something like fingernails, the stegosaurus felt no pain.
"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and tie the 'materials' onto its back!"
Al admired his handiwork with satisfaction while urging Hemet to move faster.
Hemet looked at the now-bare stegosaurus and sighed helplessly. How cruel...
"The camp is just ahead. The man in charge is an old acquaintance of our hunting party. He and I are on friendly terms."
Al and Nesingwary had trekked through this lush primeval jungle for three days and nights. Despite the obstructing mist, they had finally reached their destination, Marshal's Refuge, under the guidance of Hemet, an experienced veteran hunter.
Ahead stood two towering hills, with two wooden watchtowers crudely erected on the slopes near their summits. The enslaved stegosaurus had long since died of exhaustion under its unbearable load, becoming new "materials" on Hemet's back.
Hemet: So after all that fuss, it's still on me?
Carrying the heavy "materials," Hemet carefully followed the steep mountain path, with Al close behind. Before long, the narrow path suddenly opened up.
The valley bustled with unceasing noise. Goblins, gnomes, humans, dwarves, and even tall, muscular Tauren made Al's eyes shine.
Rather than a camp, it was more like a rudimentary town. Several inns operated along the valley's edges, while its center served as the "commercial district." The endless stream of adventurers kept trade flourishing.
"Ah, another potential customer."
A sharp, grating voice suddenly rang out. Al turned to see a short, squat, ugly Goblin.
"You must be someone important. I believe you need a fur coat befitting your status. This is a treasure delivered by fox hunters from Gilneas..."
"Don't go, customer! Our furs are genuine, and we cheat neither children nor the elderly!"
Ignoring the Goblin's incessant chatter, Al continued browsing with interest.
"May the Earth Mother be with you. Bruiseweed found only in the Barrens-would you care to take a look?"
After winding their way around like this, the two finally reached the innermost part of Marshal's Refuge.
Marshal Williden and Hemet embraced warmly. Behind him was a pitch-black cave, with two guards dressed as adventurers patrolling its entrance, seemingly watching over something important.
After the two exchanged pleasantries for a while, Hemet introduced Al to Williden.
Marshal Williden was immediately awestruck. He said respectfully:
"Lord Archmage from Quel'Thalas, please forgive my discourtesy and inadequate hospitality. May I ask what I can do for you, having come so far?"
Al looked at the courteous young human before him with some surprise.
Seemingly noticing Al's confusion, Hemet explained, "Williden's forebears were lords of Lordaeron."
"I'm afraid you must find it laughable, my lord. My family fell on hard times, so I came out here to make a living."
Mentioning his past left the young Marshal Williden somewhat embarrassed.
"To keep it short, I expect I'll be staying in Un'Goro Crater for a while. I need somewhere to stay where no one will disturb me."
"That can be arranged, but..." Marshal Williden said hesitantly.
"I have money."
"But..."
"Money is no object."
PS: While the new book is being promoted, this shameless author begs for some votes. Those of you who haven't bookmarked it yet, please do.
My deepest thanks~
When I got to writing about Marshal's Refuge, I suddenly realized I'd forgotten all the quests I did over ten years ago... I hurriedly opened the game to gather some material, only to discover that everything in retail had changed after the Cataclysm. I could only log into Classic, painstakingly make my way to Un'Goro Crater, and do the Marshal's Refuge quests all over again. What agony...