Jess followed the middle-aged man into the room. There were also two young people who looked like apprentices or trainee mages in the room, as well as an older woman. Morgans was the oldest among them and he should be the teacher here.
"I am Master Malin's assistant. Master Malin asked me to deliver a package to an apprentice named Martin Hallor." Jess handed over the package and said, "There is not only something inside but also a letter."
"I am Martin Hallor." One of the young apprentices came over and took the package.
"Eden actually sent an assistant so young to deliver a letter here?" The woman said suspiciously.
Jess said, "Master Malin recruited me as an assistant to help with affairs in Redridge Mountains, madam."
"So that's it." Morgans asked, "Do you know what's inside?"
Jess shook his head and said, "I haven't opened it to look."
"In any case, stay here for one night tonight." Morgans pointed to the right direction and said, "The room at the end on the right after going out is empty and there is no key. But this is a military fortress. There is no need to worry about safety issues. You can sleep peacefully."
The apprentice put the package on the table and discussed in a low voice with another young man.
"Teacher, look." The one named Martin unfolded the orc battle flag inside and showed it to Morgans.
Jess said, "Then I'll leave first, master."
Just as he was about to turn around, Morgans called out to him and said, "Do you know what this flag represents?"
Jess looked back and said, "This is the emblem of the Dragonmaw clan."
Morgans opened the letter and after reading the content on it, said, "It seems that Master Malin had a reason for asking you to help him find the trace of the red dragon, Mr. Jess Setho. Malin is right. The Dragonmaw orcs did not enter the Dark Portal and flee Azeroth like other tribes. Instead, they continue to exist here and still enslave the red dragon legion. This flag has disproven my previous guess."
"However, the letter says that this was found by the mages in Menethil Harbor in Khaz Modan, not Blackrock Mountain. It is also not the same as his previous guess. He wants me to return to Stormwind. Andromas is going to organize an expedition team to conduct a reconnaissance deep into the Wetlands... to find the real stronghold of the Dragonmaw orcs."
"Could it be Grim Batol?" The female mage asked.
"Do you really believe that the orcs can find that cursed dwarf city?" Morgans said. "Moreover, since the Wildhammer dwarves disappeared 200 years ago, no living person has ever come out of Grim Batol."
"I heard that there are dragons living there." Martin said.
Morgans said, "Some people say they have seen red dragons or black dragons there. Whether it's true or false, it's an extremely dangerous place. Perhaps Andromas has the same guess as you, but I don't think launching an expedition deep into the Wetlands now is a rational decision."
He sighed and sat on the chair, looking at his students and said, "Our Master Andromas wants to achieve more outstanding achievements than the Kirin Tor. He wants to find the connection between those green-skinned invaders and the red dragons earlier than Master Antonidas and Master Krasus. And Eden Malin is a guy who will do anything for status and fame. Maybe he desires this even more than Andromas. These two are really a perfect match. But since the Wizard's Sanctum wants to conduct an expedition... Damn it, I can only obey. After all, I am also trapped in these people's games and cannot get out."
Morgans gave a wry smile, put his hand on his forehead and said, "I will write a reply letter. I will write it tonight. Tomorrow, Mr. Setho, please deliver this letter to Eden again. By the way... Don't tell him what I said just now."
After Jess agreed and turned around and just opened the door, he was just in time to see a guard running up the stairs in three steps and two strides and rushed into the door, brushing past him.
"Master Morgans, we found some signs of dark magic in the forest to the east. The colonel thinks that the gnoll shadow mage has appeared again. The previous hunts have all failed. This time, the colonel plans to lead troops to encircle and suppress him in person. He hopes that you can also come and help. He wants to completely get rid of this scourge and end the trouble of Stonewatch Keep."
Hearing this, Morgans stood up and said, "I'll go immediately. Tell the colonel that I am ready."
Jess walked to the room that Morgans had mentioned. Morgans had already followed the guard and hurried downstairs.
Given what he knew about what Morgans would do later, now he always felt that he was not going out to help the soldiers hunt down that gnoll warlock, but wanted to investigate all the possessions of that warlock, such as spells and magic tools, for his own use.
Or maybe it was simply to help that gnoll warlock escape the pursuit. Maybe Morgans has already colluded with the gnolls in Redridge Mountains now?
Thinking of this, he felt that he was a bit judgmental.
Jess put down his bag and directly walked out of the fortress building from the door at the end of the corridor.
Coming to the city wall and looking at the forest to the east, he wanted to see what exactly those so-called signs of dark magic were.
At this time, it was already very dark. The sun had been blocked by Redridge Mountains. Only a remnant trace of red afterglow was left, struggling to keep the sky from completely turning dark.
Even so, even with Jess's perception of dark magic, he could still feel a hint of ominous aura in that forest.
In the courtyard of Stonewatch Keep behind, there was already a sound of horses' hooves. The soldiers were shouting, and the colonel's voice giving orders was particularly obvious.
In the game, the most powerful gnoll warlock in Redridge Mountains is a guy named Fangore. Fangore means Bloody Claw in the local language of Redridge Mountains, which is enough to show the cruelty of this gnoll.
What's even more terrifying than his name is his dark magic. Jess didn't know if Fangore had been born at this time and if he still had such powerful magic power. But the dark aura wandering in that forest indicated that at least there were already some warlocks similar to him in the gnoll tribe.
At this time, he heard the sound of a door opening and closing. It turned out to be that apprentice Martin. He also ran to the city wall and looked to the east.
Jess casually asked, "Can you feel the shadowy aura inside, Mr. Martin Hallor?"
"What dark aura?" Martin looked over here and said, "It's too far away here. I can't see anything. By the way, you are still just an assistant, right, Mr. Jess Setho?"
"But, I think there may indeed be darkness inside." He continued, "The soldiers here are all veterans who have experienced the war with the orcs. Their perception of shadow is much more acute than mine. However, this doesn't mean that your feeling must be accurate. The perception of magic also requires talent."
Jess remained silent. Compared to Martin's belittlement of himself, it was his own abnormal perception of shadow that made him more concerned.
The apprentice couldn't feel anything, but he could see something.
Perhaps as he used the power of shadow again and again and mobilized the darkness inside him again and again, his connection with shadow became deeper and deeper. So he could detect the abnormality in the forest better than this apprentice.
Or is this just an illusion? Jess ran to the watchtower on the other side of the city wall, climbed up the ladder, and came to the position where the sentry usually looked out at the deep forest. He examined this forest more carefully.
Isn't this a good opportunity to train his magic perception?
He carefully searched for the direction in which the cavalry of Stonewatch Keep was advancing in the forest. Although he could vaguely hear the sound of horses' hooves and the shouts of the knights, but with the tree canopy covering, he couldn't find the definite direction no matter what.
"I hope they can come back safely." Martin on the city wall below seemed to be talking to Jess or talking to himself. After saying that, he walked towards the fortress.
Jess had just glanced at him. Before Martin could even touch the door, he only heard a "whoosh" sound in the air. In the light of the torch, the apprentice was suddenly dragged into the darkness under the city wall like a white cloth blown away by the wind. He didn't even manage to let out a scream.