Chapter 22
After they were done defeating the beasts and extracting their crystal cores, Randin led Grey to a cave where he lived all alone and decided to question and also answer Grey's questions.
After Grey answered his question, he decided to answer Grey's questions also.
"I'm Randin and no, we aren't humans. We are our own species or race whatever you call it. This planet is called Bronze land. And we are a race known as Dwarves."
"Dwarves!?!!?" Grey asked surprised.
The reason for his surprise was that he had read about dwarves and he thought it was just a myth or they were extinct. That was why when he saw Randin, he was sure he had seen him from somewhere but he couldn't wrap his head around where he has seen him from.
"Yes dwarves. And before you ask where the rest of us are, like I said earlier, we were almost wiped out hence we have being scattered all around the bronze continent with only me occupying here." Randin said.
"Why haven't you tried to reconnect with your kind?" Grey asked.
"Do you think I haven't tried? But no matter how much I search, I'm unable to find any of them." Randin replied.
Grey was seen stroking his chin as it was his thinking pose when a question popped up in his head.
"You said you were all almost wiped out, by who or what?" Grey asked with a raised brow.
"I don't know who they are," Randin replied. "All I know is that they call themselves humans but also called themselves another name."
'Humans? Is that why he called me that after seeing me? But why will humans come here and decide to wipe an entire continent? I saw Randin fight earlier and he is incredibly strong.
So if his race are as strong as him, I doubt anyone would give them much trouble even a yellow coloured fire mage. So who are the humans that were strong enough to almost wipe out the dwarves?' Grey thought.
"You said they called themselves another name, what did they call themselves?" Grey asked.
"Uhm, I can't really remember, it was kind of a long time ago like five hundred years ago." Randin said.
"Five hundred what?!?" Grey shouted in shock. "How old are you?"
"Me? I'm eight hundred years old." Randin replied.
Grey was about to pass out in shock after hearing Randin's age.
'Calm down Grey, I shouldn't be surprised. I read that dwarves had a long life span so this is quite understandable.' Grey thought when a sudden shout from Randin startled him.
"Yes, I remember!" Randin shouted.
"Remember what?" Grey asked.
"The other name those humans called themselves. They called themselves the otherworlders."
"Otherworlders?" Grey asked feeling a loud thump in his chest.
'Aren't they the people that mage was scared of? The people he said I should get stronger for? Who the hell are they? And how are they so strong to the extent they could wipe out an entire different race.' Grey thought worriedly.
'Come to think of it, the book the mage gave me about runic circles and portal magic, it was from it I drew the circle that brought me here. Was it intentional? Had he come here before? Was it from here he found out about the otherworlders?'
'I guess my questions will remain unanswered till I meet that mage and I doubt he will show up anytime soon.' Grey sighed.
"Anyway, you are welcome to stay here for as long as you want, your company is very much appreciated. It is good to have a company of a sentient being to talk to cause I have been going crazy staying all alone." Randin said.
'And I can have enough time to study you and see how your powers work and see how to counter them in case I encounter those otherworlders so I can take my revenge.
You will be my test subject oh little Grey.' Randin smiled.
"So what are you planning on doing with your crystal core?" Grey asked.
"Make equipment." Randin replied.
"Equipment? For who? You just said it yourself that there aren't people here again so who are you making equipment for?" Grey asked.
'I had almost forgotten that dwarves loved making equipment and different types of technologies.' Grey thought.
"I'm used to it already. We dwarves forge equipment, weapons and machinery all the time. So it is a part of us now especially me." Randin replied.
"Wow! You forge weapons? And I can even see you are good with the sword." Grey said.
"Yeah, in this world where beasts roam around, we will need to be skilled in order to hunt their cores." Randin said.
"Anyway, I will be here for at least two weeks before I will need to return." Grey said.
'Two weeks? It is actually enough time for me to observe and study him.' Randin smiled.
"Well, you are welcome to stay here as long as you want. I'm off to go forge some more weapons." Randin said as he exited the cave while Grey quickly sat up cross legged.
"Time to absorb this crystal while he is away." Grey mumbled as he brought out the crystal and started absorbing the mana and essence from it adding to his core.
As Grey begun the absorbing process, the crystal lit up bright and the light got dimmer the more he absorbed.
And finally, the light was dimmed totally and Grey just tossed the crystal away causing it to fall out of the cave.
"Time to check how many points I got." He said as he used the appraisal skill on himself to check his affinities.
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Seeing his affinities, his eyes gleamed brightly.
"The core gave me twenty points?! It has even surpassed my wind attribute and I'm not limited to the Earth in my hand. I can control the Earth around me." Grey smiled excitedly.
"How do I test this new theory out now?" Grey mumbled as he looked around when his eyes landed on the wall of the cave.
"Time to get to work." He smiled.