MTLNOVEL Chapter 01: Dragon Valley
Elf History, Second Year of the Fifth Epoch, Silver Moon Second Year, early September.
The northernmost part of the Keltos Continent, the Snow Mountain Range.
The wind was ferociously blowing snowflakes, turning the entire world into a vast expanse of white, making it nearly impossible to see distant objects.
Even if one occasionally saw a hint of color besides white, it was mostly mountain rocks. Other than that, there was nothing else.
Underfoot was thick snow, within reach was ice, and even the sky was a gray blur.
Here, it's always winter; even when other parts of the continent are in the height of summer, it remains unchanged. Almost no plants can survive here, let alone animals.
Under normal circumstances, no creatures except dragons would appear here, nor could they reach here. It was not just due to the cold but also because this place was within the territory of the Golden Dragon Clan.
Dragons are a species with a strong sense of territoriality. They will eliminate any creatures that enter their territory without permission. This applies even to the relatively more friendly Golden Dragons compared to the Black Dragons.
However, at this moment, amidst the vast whiteness, a group of cavalry appeared.
"Hurry up! Stop dragging your feet! It's just some snow! Are dwarfs afraid of snow?" Leading the charge was Club, wearing a thick cotton coat, his beard covered in snowflakes, yet he seemed unusually excited.
However, it was just him; the rest of the dwarfs fell to the back of the group, nearly frozen into ice sculptures.
"What are you doing! Dwarfs are born in the snow-covered mountains!" As he said this, the undead on horseback were already swaying past Club.
"Don't look at me, we Liches are born underground," Lucy shrugged.
*You have to admit, no matter where you're born, as long as you're alive, there are limits. Being born in snow-covered mountains only means dwarfs have a bit more cold resistance than other average species. It doesn't mean they can survive indefinitely if thrown into an ice cave, nor can they be compared to the undead who surpass the limits of mortal flesh.*
However, Club clearly didn't see it that way.
"What are you doing? You want to be laughed at by a bunch of undead? Get your spirits up!" After a round of roaring, Club was already panting heavily, while the group of dwarfs in the second squad continued to move sluggishly. It wasn't that they wanted to move slowly; they were truly frozen stiff.
*For the dwarfs, such a march was far more difficult than a bloody battle. The group of dwarfs moved slower and slower, forcing the undead ahead to stop and wait for them.*
Riding his Bone Horse up to Gray, Aikleion grinned, "This really isn't a good idea. We should just open a space door and reach our destination directly, instead of walking. This place is not suitable for marching, very unsuitable. Especially for the dwarfs."
"But we must show respect for their territory," Gray replied softly, "This journey is very important for us. We need to eliminate their hostility toward us. For simple etiquette, we should do it as much as possible and not cause unnecessary misunderstandings."
"Alright, you're right. But honestly, I still think this is too troublesome. Maybe we should use a simpler method, like directly waging war against the whole Dragon Clan. It's not like we haven't done that before," Aikleion spread his hands helplessly.
"I think... Gray, you should be a bit more careful," Still burrowing inside Gray's chest armor, Black Cat wrapped herself tightly in a cotton coat and said quietly, "I have a bad feeling."
"What do you mean?" Gray asked.
"I can't say clearly, but overall, it's a very bad feeling. It's based on recent events, the judgment of the White Bone Holy Light Court. I'll tell you more when I get the chance."
"I understand what Black Cat is trying to say." Vivian's voice echoed in Gray's mind: "The Liches of the White Bone Holy Light Court revere you as the Pope, recognize your identity as the Lich King, and indeed have fulfilled their vows by obeying your commands. But this doesn't mean they will continue to listen to you when they feel irritable. This situation is happening more and more frequently now, for their beliefs are not as firm as yours."
"Yes, that's exactly what I meant," Black Cat muttered quietly.
"I think so too." Catherine's voice also echoed in Gray's mind: "Visiting the Golden Dragon Clan now is not a good time. We've spent a year on internal reorganization, but the situation hasn't improved; it's actually gotten worse. We still face many unexpected internal problems."
"But we can no longer wait," Gray replied softly, "The whole world is watching us, and the actions of the Black Dragon Clan have never ceased. If we cannot take action, those watching will think we have compromised. They will think we are just another old court. If that happens, all the efforts we've made would be lost. I'm talking about the goodwill people have toward us."
"The victory at Salted Fish Port has pushed our reputation to its peak; people are expecting us to do something. If we do nothing or if what we do remains unseen, they will be disappointed, allowing darkness to find another opportunity. In truth, the choice between justice and evil is often just a matter of a moment. It all depends on whether, at that moment, the chooser believes in justice or evil. To further solidify their faith, we must take some risks and pay some costs to steer the whole world toward goodness. Rather than letting it fall back into the mire of darkness."