Chapter 509 - 508: The First to Arrive

Chapter 509: Chapter 508: The First to Arrive

Although none of the surrounding Dwarves spoke, Colin could still feel the atmosphere grow much more fervent.

For the Dwarves, the fortress left behind by their ancestors was perhaps as significant as the Ancestor Stone was to the Orcs.

"Mark my words. We are the first Dwarves of the Shadow Anvil Clan to return to this place," Durkin said, looking at Dorn. "Let’s keep moving."

Dorn immediately turned and, along with Kase, led the group forward.

The party entered through a breach in the Dwarf Ruins and continued along the corridor.

Before long, the figures of Dorn and Kase slowly disappeared from sight. As usual, they had gone ahead to scout the path.

Inside these Dwarf Ruins, a faintly glowing stone pillar appeared every so often, so the entire place was basically brightly lit.

Colin guessed that the pillars were likely enchanted with [Continual Flame]. This Tier Two Magic could make certain objects glow forever, until dispelled by the original Caster or another Caster using [Dispel Magic].

The ability to so extravagantly use magical torches created with Tier Two Magic was, to some extent, a testament to the former prosperity of the Shadow Anvil Clan.

Just as Colin was observing the Dwarf Ruins with great interest, Dorn and Kase came running back from ahead in a hurry.

"What’s going on?" Langgrin asked.

Half of Dorn’s face instantly flushed red. "I found Gray Dwarves! There’s a group of them camped out in our ancestors’ hall up ahead!"

"What? How did those bastards get in here?" "It’s blasphemy!" "By Moradin, how could this be?"

The Dwarves clamored noisily.

"Alright, stop," Durkin shouted, then looked at Dorn. "How many of them are there?"

"I think it’s a Gray Dwarf tomb-raiding clan. They make a living by looting relics from various ruins," Dorn said. "If it’s a small clan, there might only be a dozen or so. But if it’s a large tomb-raiding clan, there could be several dozen, and they’re sure to have a horde of slaves with them."

One Dwarf stepped forward and laughed heartily. "Then the problem is simple! Every Dwarf can take down three Gray Dwarves. We have more men, the advantage is ours!"

"Calm down. This isn’t some dragon-hunting game," Balende said, throwing a wet blanket on the idea.

"Hey, I’ve had just about enough of you," that Dwarf retorted. "Since you’re not one of us, why are you meddling in this?"

"To keep you fools from throwing your lives away for nothing! To make you see just how reckless and blind this plan is!"

Another Dwarf chimed in, "We don’t need your reminders!"

"It seems you’d rather waste your energy on your own kin than deal with the Gray Dwarves occupying our ancestral hall together."

Although Durkin’s tone sounded calm, the moment he spoke, the two arguing Dwarves shut their mouths like children being scolded by an adult.

Durkin looked at Dorn standing beside him and said, "Let’s go to the assembly hall first. Those tomb raiders shouldn’t have any interest in that place."

Dorn nodded, then he and Kase led the others down the path.

After a few turns through the corridors, they soon arrived before a massive set of double stone doors. Carved onto the doors, at a height a Dwarf could just reach, were the images of three anvils, arranged from left to right in descending order of size.

Langgrin took a small hammer from his bag, struck the smallest anvil three times, the largest anvil once, and finally, the medium-sized anvil once.

With a series of clear chimes, the double stone doors slowly swung open.

Behind the doors was a spacious hall. A few pickaxes and Shields were hanging on the walls on either side, and inside the hall was a long, shattered fungal-wood table.

After walking into the hall, Orelia asked curiously, "Gentlemen, can you find your way around here without a map?"

Donkexes said, "Do you get lost in your own home?"

"Occasionally, when I’ve just woken up, I’ll be a bit dazed and not know where I should go. But other than that, no," Orelia replied earnestly.

Donkexes heaved a deep sigh.

Colin cleared his throat twice and said, "Let’s focus on how to deal with those Gray Dwarves. Several dozen Gray Dwarves plus a horde of slaves are not an easy opponent, especially since it would be best if we suffered no casualties."

"Where exactly are those Gray Dwarves stationed?" Durkin asked.

"Probably around the Temple of the Soul-Forger," Dorn said. "Normally, a lot of jewelry and Gold would be stored there. That’s what they’re after."

"Then this makes things easier. There are Guards around the temple," Langgrin said. "We just need to send someone to sneak over and activate those Golems, and the problem will be solved. We won’t even have to lift a finger."

"Those Golems have been sitting there for who knows how many years. The effects of the Arrays inside them have likely weakened considerably," Donkexes said.

Durkin said, "But it’s also our only option."

"In this environment, numbers aren’t the key. Perhaps we can lure the enemy into some narrow corridors. Then we can turn their numerical advantage into our qualitative advantage," Colin said.

"That’s exactly what I was thinking," Donkexes said. "There are indeed a few long corridors nearby that would fit the bill."

Durkin said, "Then the plan is set. We lure the enemy out, hold a few narrow corridors, and while those damned Duergar are on the move, someone will sneak over to the temple and activate the Rock Golems."

"And then it’s all taken care of," Langgrin grumbled impatiently. "So what are we waiting for?"

"First, we get some sleep and recuperate," Durkin said. "Dorn, are you sure they didn’t spot you?"

"Of course," Dorn nodded.

Colin glanced at Dorn’s confident expression and chose to trust him. At the same time, this opponent gave him a sense of danger.

The Gray Dwarves came into being during the great migration of the Dwarves.

Some Dwarf Clans remained underground for various reasons, and the survivors were enslaved by Mind Flayers.

In the process of breaking free from the Mind Flayers’ enslavement, two Gods were even born among the Gray Dwarves—Laduguer, the Gray Dwarf god of Magic and slavery, and Deep Duerra, the Gray Dwarf goddess of conquest and Spiritual Energy.

Just as Lolth’s blessing allows the Drow to naturally use certain Magic, the Gray Dwarves also gained some innate Casting Abilities.

Every Gray Dwarf can cast [Enlarge Person] and [Invisibility Technique] on themselves once per day.

One must understand, these are both Tier Two Magic. Countless Mage Apprentices go their entire lives without being able to cast Tier Two Magic, yet these Gray Dwarves can cast them after a certain amount of training.

This was just another example of the differences between races.

If not for the fact that the Gray Dwarves were as few in number as the Drow, the threat these creatures posed to the world would likely be several times greater.