Chapter 112: Dwarven burial ground (2/2)

“Look at the canyon valley here. Do you see any difference with the canyon valleys we passed through while rushing here?” Ciaran asked.

“There are no tall trees growing here.” Ayrin immediately saw the difference. In the same area, there were at least very tall trees growing in the other canyon valleys, forming dense forests. Yet only short shrubs and weeds grew in the valley in front of him.

“This was once a region inhabited by dwarves. At its peak, more than thirty thousand mountain dwarves lived in this valley.” Ciaran breathed in deeply and whispered, “Once, the hillside we’re standing on right now was covered by the wine barrel-shaped tree houses they built. They’d transported many stones from riverbeds and orderly buried them in the canyon valley below us, precisely to prevent wild trees from growing there and disturbing their crops. They planted millet in the intervals between the rocks and used it as their staple food. They spent a third of a year baking bread and brewing wine. But in the later stages of the War of the Dragons, an Evil Dragon army fled here and attacked St. Lauren. They also slaughtered to the last the mountain dwarven tribe living here.”

“Here is the burial ground of more than thirty thousand dwarves. That’s why many books also call this place the Canyon of Dwarven Tears.”

“It’s also because these miserable tales exist that so many arcane masters fight and willingly sacrifice their lives, so that these stories don’t repeat themselves. Right?” Ayrin imagined the once noisy and joyous scenes here. He sucked in a deep breath, such a thought floating in his mind.

…

Sunlight gradually sprinkled inside the Windsough Canyon. The whimpers also seemed to abate for the most part.

After taking turns to rest, not feeling the slightest sleepiness and fatigue because of the stimulation from the novelty, Moss and Ayrin began to seriously lay in ambush and keep watch.

The opponent was an arcane master with only two open arcane gates according to the data. That was why Ciaran would only play the part of a spectator and commander during the course of the mission. She wouldn’t act, unless something particularly unexpected were to happen.

“Hurry up and show up! Hurry up and show up!”

Ayrin repeated constantly in his mind. He itched for that arcane master to appear in the canyon in front of him right at this instant.

“Why isn’t he coming yet?”

Since they’d issued a mission like this, that meant that the scouting team had been previously able to pinpoint his position. But the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. They waited all the way until noon, yet they never spotted the shadow of that arcane master.

“Let’s wait for another hour. If that arcane master doesn’t show up within an hour, then we’ll abort the mission and rush to Scarlet Stone Village to receive the next mission. Scarlet Stone isn’t too far from your Cororin Town.” Remaining calm and collected, Ciaran muttered in a voice only Moss and Ayrin could clearly hear, appeasing the two freshmen who were a little fidgety already, “Something unexpected will arise in any kind of mission, but you have to remain always calm and patient anytime the unexpected happens. Especially for an ambush like this. Even if the enemy has a change of mind and doesn’t pass through our place, another arcane team will be dealing with him.”

“That’s the theory. Even if it’s very hard for an enemy to escape under tight surveillance, we won’t have anything to do with this fight if he doesn’t come our way,” Moss continuously prayed in his mind.

But it seemed his prayers were to remain unanswered.

An hour went by. No arcane master passed through the canyon.

“The ambush mission is canceled.” Ciaran took back a small hourglass. “Now let’s get ready to rush at full speed to…”

Ayrin’s expression suddenly became solemn just at this time. He whispered, “Teacher Ciaran, wait a moment!”

“What?”

“I can sniff the smell of food,” Ayrin looked at Ciaran, saying in an even lower voice.

“Where?” Cold sweat covered Moss’ back because of his nervousness.

Usually, very few people went through the Windsough Canyon. Now, the smell of food very possibly came from the arcane master they were waiting for.

“Let’s begin!”

Without the slightest hesitation, Ciaran nodded at Ayrin.