Arcane splendor begins with the throne

Chapter 199

The darkness smelled of stench, rotting grass, and damp rags.

There are no windows, no beds, just a torch that emits a scorching smell in an iron bracket on the pitted rock wall.

The dwarf Gerber opened his eyes, raised his head, and looked around dully.

He saw that the wall was turned dark red by the light of the torch, revealing patches of saltpeter. There was a black door made of splintered wood, four feet thick, with iron nails nailed on it.

Obviously, this is a dark prison.

It was dark in the cell.

The back half of the cell was still plunged in darkness, although torches were planted in iron brackets on the walls, and a faint, flickering orange light shone through the ancient iron bars.

It's also humid, which is to be expected in a port city like Abrera, with the sea so close.

He vaguely remembered that when he was thrown in, he only glanced into the room briefly, and when the door closed with a bang, his eyes went dark and he didn't know anything.

This is a place full of despair, or in other words, here, he is no different from a dead person.

Now, he and his people seem to be buried in the ground together.

Thinking of the underground, he couldn't help shaking his head bitterly.

Because their gnome home is built underground in the rugged hills of Thrane.

Their underground dwellings are different from the heavy and oppressive stone chambers of the dwarves. Not only can they breathe fresh air there, but they can also enjoy the pleasures of the surface at any time.

There, welcome visitors will be enthusiastically guided to the bright and warm caverns, while those who are not welcome will find it difficult to find the direction to the caverns in the underground world.

"Gods have mercy."

Thinking of the sad place, Galberg muttered to himself.

He stretched out his hand and touched the cold stone wall. Every time he moved, his injured wrist and broken calf hurt.

In fact, even if he moved freely, he never thought of escaping from prison.

Because he knew that the dungeon was located under the Black Castle in the upper city. He didn't dare to think how deep it was.

At the beginning of the establishment of this prosperous port city, two master builders, dwarves and gnomes, were invited to design the city's sewer system, and by the way, this dark, damp underground dungeon was built.

Thinking of the raging fire that ignited last night and the tragic death of many clansmen, he just wanted to cry, but the tears couldn't fall.

Even after being reduced to this state, he is still the priest of Garl Shining Gold, and his spokesperson in this world.

He can't shed tears, he still has to save his people, his sadness and rage must freeze the cold dungeon in his body.

While life can be difficult at times, it's important to maintain a sense of humor and always welcome opportunities for laughter and joy, because it can always help you lighten a difficult time and let the lightness shine through, says Gal.

So, he showed a far-fetched smile, and silently cursed every participant in his heart: 'Skeleton Mage' Hedwin, the Duke of Vampire and his Rose Army and fleet, 'Red Wolf' Serge, the instigated human mob and speculators. , and a group of evil mercenaries headed by the plundering mercenary group.

There's even their gnome guardian, Nanfuldo.

Because, as the spokesperson of the dwarf god Gal, he had solemnly warned him to take his clansmen out of here as soon as possible and not to participate in this chaos.

It's a pity that he didn't listen to it from the beginning to the end. He never believed in Gal.

That's right, who would believe in a god who has been silent for thousands of years? I'm afraid only fools would believe in him. Ge Erbao laughed at himself and sighed deeply.

He looks like a fool, a glittery clown, he thought suspiciously.

Time was ticking by and he lay as still as possible so his wound wouldn't hurt too much.

How long he had been lying there, he didn't bother to think about it. There was no sunrise or moonset here, and opening and closing his eyes was the same to him.

I don't know how long it has passed, maybe a day, maybe a month, maybe a year, and Ge Erbao vaguely heard the sound of footsteps echoing from the cold corridor.

At this time, he was half asleep and half awake, and thought he was dreaming.

When the heavy wooden door swung open, it instantly brought him back to reality.

He saw a jailer as thin as a scarecrow throw a dirty clansman into it, so he closed the cell door again with a bang.

Faint sobs echoed intermittently.

Ge Erbao, who was lying in the straw pile, moved his head, followed the direction of the sound, and looked over.

It was a filthy dwarf, like a mole in a musty burrow, who looked young for his age.

Probably less than 20 years old, he thought.

The dwarf kid also saw him, and leaned over timidly.

"You... are you Uncle Ge Erbao from the Pyrocasting Chamber of Commerce?" The child looked at him with eyes red from crying.

"I am." He nodded, and said slowly in a comforting tone: "What happened, can you tell me?"

"Humans were slaughtering us. We had nowhere to go, so we hid in the sewers, but the soldiers in black armor quickly found us."

The child said sadly, "A wizard in a black robe killed our guardian Nanfudo with crackling lightning because he tried to protect us with his pickaxe, and they caught us all with just a wave I'm gone, my family is dead, and the uncles and aunts who protected us are all dead. Now I am alone. I really don't know what else I can do. I will be an adult in two months, but maybe that The day will never come."

After the child finished speaking, he curled up in the damp straw and continued to cry.

"Son, at this time, you must try to pray to Gal." Gerber was silent for a moment, and said solemnly.

"My father said the same thing, and I did."

The little dwarf cried and said, "It's no use, I think I must have made Gal angry because I stole Aunt Tana's cake, but my father comforted me and said no, so I begged Gal to help us again, He Still no response to me, so I curse the bastard's Gal."

"Gal will not forget his people."

Gerber said with a firm expression: "Gal said that the world is very broad, full of pain and joy, the former makes people grow, and the latter makes our journey full of humor, so you must be strong."

"Then I'll try again." The child wiped away his tears, his confused eyes shining brightly.

At this moment, the door was slammed open again.

"Garbold Morning!"

The jailer had a dog-headed face, and his beard was unevenly shaved, "My Lord Duke wants to summon you, come with me."

Gerber cheered himself up and got up from the straw pile. Although he was extremely weak, it was not so serious that he couldn't even walk.

Night fell over the black fortress of Abrera.

He saw a full moon rise over the west wall of the castle, and its pale light cast the towering triangular battlements on the ground like a row of sharp black teeth.

The air was cold and damp, with a taste of being forgotten by him.

This is the city of Abrera, Gerber told himself, a familiar yet unfamiliar place, where many dead souls floated everywhere.

In a trance, he seemed to hear the cry of a resentful soul, which made his heart ache inexplicably.

At this moment.

He finally experienced what his dwarf friend Broto felt 50 years ago.

Because the grandmother that Broto often talks about died in a massacre in the city of Ajimal in the Kingdom of Tegrila 50 years ago.

The guards who had been waiting for a long time raised their torches in front, and Gerbaugh limped behind him like a stray dog.

The wind blew across the courtyard, piercing through his thin, dirty, tattered clothes and giving him goosebumps.

The air is cold and damp tonight, and while snow is unlikely in the south, winter is definitely on the way.

The hall of the castle is dark and smoky, with a row of torches on the left and right walls.The torch stand is a blooming rose.

The air here is heavy with the scents of wine, ale, and roasted meat.

Humans must be celebrating victory, he thought.

Smelling the fragrance, Geerbao realized that he hadn't had a sip of water for a long time.

He didn't care, though, because he was a Gal priest.

He staggered all the way to the long table in the hall.

He could feel that all the guards and nobles around him were looking at him with strange eyes, like watching kobolds and goblins performing hard in the circus.

Fear pierced his heart like a sharp knife.

He is Gal's pastor, and Gal will definitely protect his people, Galbao kept meditating in his heart.

"Gerbao Morin of the Firecasting Chamber of Commerce." On the high platform, a middle-aged man in a scarlet robe and long blood-red hair held up his wine glass and smiled moistly at Geerbao.

"It's so pitiful. Your dwarf friends, including all the people in your chamber of commerce, have left you. Even your little crow has left you. They left you here alone."

"Yes."

Galbao greeted the ruler of Abrera City, a nobleman known as the 'Duke of Vampires', and admitted frankly.

Although he took the initiative to stay, he didn't want to argue, it would only add fun to everyone around him.

He doesn't want to be a goblin doing his best in a circus, he thought.

The Vampire Duke put down his wine glass, sneered, and asked curiously, "So, don't you have anything to say?"

"nothing to say."

Ge Erbao replied lightly, and then sarcastically said: "In order to deal with the elves in the dusk forest, you did not hesitate to withdraw the troops defending the border of the Kingdom of West. I am afraid that at this time, the golden griffins of West are already in the north of your kingdom. The skies above the border are circling. The war will soon spread to all parts of the kingdom, and you are not far from being destroyed."

"National subjugation? No, no, no one can predict the outcome of the war."

The Vampire Duke shook his head slightly, "More importantly, forecasting is meaningless. It's time to look at war with an objective and calm perspective. First of all, war is not such a terrible thing, but the result of overpopulation worries me even more, because The population has reached a level that the land cannot bear, and famine must follow, so war is not as terrible as imagined, it is the best solution to famine and overpopulation. Now, we have all the wealth of the city of Abrera, and we You can use this money to hire more mercenaries and troops..."

Gerber didn't listen to his talk, because he felt that the word 'overpopulation' sounded too harsh, and it would be even more unthinkable to say 'overpopulation' in their dwarf race.

"I don't want to listen to your nonsense, just tell me your purpose." Galbao raised his head and looked directly into the other's pale pupils.

"I need you to provide me with the locations of the clansmen and dwarves who escaped from the Pyrocasting Chamber of Commerce." The Vampire Duke said straight to the point:
"All the piers in the Golden Bay have been abandoned by the fire. I believe they must be hiding in some inconspicuous corner."

"I'm afraid they are just incidentals." Ge Erbao was stunned, and after a moment of silence, he expressed his thoughts.

He saw the fluctuation in the Vampire Duke's eyes, and immediately realized that he had guessed right.

Because he didn't think that the hundreds of people in their chamber of commerce would make them so interested.

This made him feel relieved.

After all, that night, he witnessed Brian rushing out alone.Now it seems that he should have escaped unharmed.

"Looks like you're very smart."

The Vampire Duke exchanged glances with a black robed wizard next to him, who nodded slightly, "Then, I need his detailed information and where he is hiding. Would you like to tell me? Or not?"

Gerberg met the other's pale pupils again. Although the vampire duke's tone was very calm, there was the purest hatred in his eyes.

It can be seen from this that Brian must have caused them a lot of trouble.

"I am the priest of Gal." He emphasized solemnly, and subconsciously grabbed the empty 'Holy Emblem' on his chest.

The Vampire Duke was about to speak, but was interrupted by a look from the black-robed wizard beside him, and then shook his head slightly.

He understood instantly, and then his expression turned cold, "It seems that we can't cooperate happily, so I can only think of other ways to get you to speak up."

After speaking, he looked at the wizard beside him again.

"I know you are a priest with the ability to release divine magic." The black-robed wizard said in an old voice:

"So, physical torture is almost useless to you. Since you pray for the response of your Lord God every day, then I will meet your request and let all the imprisoned dwarfs accompany you in the dungeon one by one. One night, and then send them on their way until they are all dead.”

"Mortals are mortal," Gelberg said calmly.

Soon, he was escorted back to the cold, damp dungeon again.

Gerber saw the scarecrow-like jailer reappear, grabbed the child roughly by the collar, and walked out of the cell.

The child seemed to be aware of his next fate. He screamed and struggled, but got no response.

Finally, he cursed again, 'bastard Gal, it's all a lie! ’ That angry swear word.

Gerber closed his eyes silently, silently begging the response of the dwarf god in his heart.

…………

(End of this chapter)