458 Finding Zero (1/2)
After many hours, Thomas was the first to stand up. The divine flames devoured everything important, leaving not even ash behind. The gnome looked over to their prisoners and Thomas had questions for them.
But first, they needed to know more about the mysterious lamp.
”Turmeric,” Thomas called out to a snivelly gnome. ”Go get that lamp. We have some questions for the wise young dragon.”
Slowly but surely, the remaining gnomes started to clean up whatever they could from the chaos earlier. Pepper, in particular, was most affected by the loss of precious documents. The scholar and cartographer didn't know where he should begin the restoration works. Instead, he stumbled to and fro, trying to find something that could still be salvaged. His fellow gnomes could only shake their heads in pity for the scholar and cartographer gnome. Pepper spent his entire life trying to document knowledge from the gnome race after they were forced to flee Gnaway. Over the years, the scholar was able to recover most of what he knew and included some new materials about the research that Thomas and Welsey completed in their new hideout. Many information was still missing after the fall of Gnaway but Pepper was still happy that he did what he could in his short life.
Now, everything was devoured by the divine flame. Not a single document was left behind and Pepper despaired. He would never be able to finish documenting everything he knew even if he worked without sleep. He would probably die before he completed writing down everything he knew and Pepper knew better than anyone else how he had already forgotten a lot about the things of the past. Lost gnome knowledge would never be recovered just like the Gatling Gun and now, the gnomes would really be extinguished without a trace because they offended the chosen one.
Wesley told Olive to get the keys and free the dragon and mole beast girl. As it was, there was nothing they could do. The gnomes were doomed either way. It might be better to be eaten by a dragon than try to repair the broken portal or rebuild the Gun-dam.
Bob was surprised when the magic-restraining shackles were removed. Jermine was also freed and Bob tried to reach out to his master immediately after he could use magic again. The mole beast girl simply tried to scan the surroundings and understand their situation better. She didn't know why the God of Death helped them but Jermine had a feeling it was linked to Zero's disappearance.
The lamp was quickly brought over by Turmeric who shakily presented it to Bob. The dragon received the lamp carefully. He knew this lamp!
”Where did you find this?” he asked with urgency and the gnomes before him trembled.
Thomas was the first to speak up. ”We found it in the desert after the nova cannon arm was fired... the two elves disappeared without a trace in the crater but we found this lamp where they vanished. No matter how we pried and smashed it, it wouldn't open.”
Bob grit his teeth. This was an ancient relic gifted by Zeus although, in reality, it truly was something created by Isis and her siblings. Zero and Truen were most likely still alive because the lamp was still around. However, the fact that Bob couldn't get Zero or Mii to answer meant that there were severe damages. The contract bond was still present but the Eternal Dragon was still worried. His master wasn't weak but against a God-killing weapon, he didn't know how badly damaged Zero was.
”Hold on to this,” he told Jermine and the mole beast girl didn't hesitate. She knew how important the lamp was because Bob didn't hesitate to unleash his dragon's might with a powerful magic transformation.
The gnomes screamed and cowered in fear when Bob transformed into his teenage dragon body and roared. He sounded very pained but also furious. Jermine wondered if he was going to massacre the remaining gnomes alive but had a feeling Bob wouldn't do it yet without Zero's permission. After all, they had a mission to acquire a gnome technician back to Rocket Mountain.