Black Hearted Mage

Chapter 108 Blackstone Mountain

In the afternoon, sunlight shone through the thin clouds, bringing a warm and gentle glow to the earth. Under this warm autumn sun, Caesars followed Rodman out of the city gate.

Outside the city, the vast expanse of the Flame Maple Forest came into view. The leaves of the Flame Maple trees had already turned a brilliant crimson, like a blazing flame, dazzling and dazzling, as if tinging the entire sky with its fiery hue. From afar, the Flame Maple Forest looked like a sea of ​​fire spreading across the land, a breathtaking sight.

Entering the Flame Maple Forest, a refreshing and delightful aroma washes over you, leaving you feeling refreshed and relaxed. Autumn is the perfect time to tap the sap and brew Flame Maple wine. At this time, the sap from the Flame Maple trees has a higher sugar content than in other seasons, and the aroma is richer and more mellow. The Flame Maple wine brewed from this high-quality sap naturally boasts a superior taste and flavor.

However, Liv seemed somewhat dismissive of the fire maple trees before her. She frowned and said, "The fire maple trees here are so small, they're nothing compared to those in the crater. At the edge of Blackthorn, you could even build several tree houses on the fire maple trees there!"

Indeed, most of the fire maple trees here are only as thick as a thigh and are not particularly tall. However, the fire maple trees in the crater are over a thousand years old and are surprisingly tall and strong.

Hearing Liv's words, Caesars smiled slightly and slowly recounted a long-forgotten history. He whispered, "Actually, there used to be many sturdy and huge fire maple trees growing here, but they were later burned by the members of the Church of Saint Laurent. The fire maple trees we see today were all replanted over a hundred years ago."

When the Saint Laurent Empire split from the vast Roland Empire, the biggest driving force behind it was the Church—the former Vatican. This unknown past is now slowly revealed through Caesar's words...

Over ten thousand years ago, a powerful church existed, possessing a holy mountain and a holy city. However, this church was unwilling to exist as a mere state within a state. It harbored immense ambitions, determined to break free from the Roland Empire's tight control and achieve independence.

Since then, the Paladins, who once prided themselves on upholding the Eight Virtues, have gradually abandoned their faith, abandoning virtues like justice, courage, and humility, becoming greedy, cruel, and unscrupulous. Meanwhile, the entire Church has fallen into deep depravity, committing all manner of heinous crimes.

However, this evil did not last long. Not long after, the Church met its end, and it was Kaisas's ancestor, Raven Rhodes, who dealt it the fatal blow.

The trigger for all this was the Church's covetousness for frost magic. To obtain this mysterious and powerful power, the Church relentlessly pursued Riven's father, forcing him into a desperate situation. With nowhere else to turn, this brave and fearless father resolutely chose to perish alongside the Church's paladins in Stormheim.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it's already two thousand years later. At this time, Riven left the familiar Roland Continent and embarked on an unknown journey. However, after his departure, the Holy Church, which had disappeared, unexpectedly revived.

Having suffered a crushing defeat the previous time, the Church had clearly learned its lesson. Instead of openly confronting the Roland Empire, it adopted a circuitous strategy, secretly colluding with the powerful nobles in the southern part of the Roland Empire. Through a series of conspiracies and power plays, the Church successfully provoked internal strife within the empire, ultimately leading to the disintegration of the once unified and powerful Roland Empire, splitting it into three parts and forming the current three-way balance of power: the Roland Empire, the Saint Roland Empire, and the Violet Alliance.

A few hours later, the carriage stopped at a roadside vacant lot, far from Fire Maple City. Rodman had already chosen a place to camp and was preparing water and fodder for the horses.

"The church is so evil. It has done so many bad things!"

Liv cursed, but she also knew that the elves did not interfere in the affairs of the human race, provided that the crater was not provoked.

"The church is indeed bad, but I have a trial mission. My ancestors want me to overthrow the Holy Church!" Caesars got off the carriage and stretched his body after sitting for a long time.

"Isn't this mission difficult to complete?" Liv got off the carriage. She had heard about Caesar's trial mission a long time ago.

"That's for sure. My current strength is totally insufficient, but I can prepare things to deal with the church first!"

Kaisas took out a hard-shelled leather tent and set it up next to a large tree. Liv followed suit, taking out a similar tent and setting it up with some unskillful effort.

"Kaisas, I don't think we'll have a peaceful night. Someone has been following us since we left Fire Maple City. After we stopped the carriage, the person who was following us disappeared!"

Rodman took out a piece of animal skin, spread it on the ground, and spoke in a low voice.

"It's okay. Even though those people are sneaky, they shouldn't dare to get close!"

Kaisas looked back and offered his opinion. Since they knew they were from the Thorn Flower Trading Company, the most they would do was to follow them and find out where they were going.

"Caesars, archers don't have the ability to attack in groups. What if they send a lot of people?" Rodman asked with some concern.

"I have the venom of a giant red snake, powerful alchemical bombs, and more than a dozen bottles of deadly potions. We don't have to worry about thousands of people coming. I guess those people behind us were sent by the spy chief. He must be worried that we'll kill people along the way!"

"We didn't kill anyone along the way?"

After hearing Caesar's analysis, Liv didn't understand and asked with some confusion.

"The other bad guys who wanted to follow us should have been intercepted by Hawkeye's men. At least we won't be disturbed before we leave the Roland Empire!"

"I see! Caesars, where should I go after I leave the Roland Empire?" Liv asked curiously. Her beautiful eyes stared at Caesars, as if she wanted to get an answer from him immediately.

Kaisas thought for a moment, then replied seriously, "We need to find a magical crystal mine. Hidden there is a powerful explosive crystal. If we can successfully excavate some of this precious crystal, I'm confident we can turn it into a powerful alchemical bomb! Then, no matter what enemy or danger we face, we'll have the confidence to deal with it."

Hearing this, Liv couldn't help but get excited, but she quickly calmed down and asked, "So where is this mysterious mine located?"

Kaisas answered without hesitation: "It's in the southwest of the Blackrock Mountains, only about thirty miles away from the Endless Forest."

Rodman frowned and said, "From what I understand, Nighthawks are already patrolling that area. Without a proper response plan, it will be difficult to successfully enter the mine and obtain the explosive crystal."

Liv patted her chest confidently and continued, "Don't worry, Caesars! With me here, everything will be fine. But you have to take me with you."

Kaisas was very confused after hearing this. He looked at Liv in confusion and asked, "Why do I have to bring you along? Those nighthawks should know me! After all, I've taken time to visit the crater several times before and even fed them."

However, Liv shook her head and patiently explained, "Kaesus, you don't know. These nighthawks patrolling the southwestern Blackrock Mountains don't belong to the crater. Instead, they were raised by the natural elf tribe in the Endless Forest. So, they don't know you at all!"

"I will never go to the Crystal Mine. The elemental elves there are simply too arrogant. They look down on us half-elves from the bottom of their hearts!" When Rodman heard that they were going to the edge of the Endless Forest, he felt like his tail was stepped on. He shook his head like a rattle, and his face was full of reluctance.

"Rodman, are the elves there different from those in the crater?" Caesars asked with a puzzled look on his face.

Rodman nodded heavily and said, "Although they look similar, their personalities are really different! The elemental elves in the Endless Forest are all arrogant to the extreme. Except for other elves, they turn a blind eye to any other race and look down on them, especially their attitude towards half-elves is extremely bad! I have been to the Endless Forest once before and experienced the strange looks from those elemental elves firsthand. That feeling is really uncomfortable." At this point, Rodman's face became very ugly.

"Then how many elemental elves are there on the other side of the crater?" Kaisas then asked the other two.

At this time, Liv replied, "There are only about a dozen elemental elves in the crater, and they are all relatives of the elf elder Destro. Apart from these dozen or so, there are no other elemental elves to be seen."

After listening to this, Caesars nodded thoughtfully. As far as he knew, according to ancient historical records, the elves had already split over ten thousand years ago. The differences between the three groups seemed to be growing more and more obvious, and the relationships between them were becoming increasingly tense and complicated.

The Nature Elves and the Arcane Elves left the Endless Forest west of the Great Rift Valley and came to the Eastern Continent. The Nature Elves settled in the forest south of the Frost Territory, and because the Arcane Elves were relatively few in number, they settled near Riven's magic tower.

"Rodman, we're not going to the Endless Forest!"

"Caesar, the elemental elves have a patrol team. Nighthawk will send a message to them. According to Shadow Leopard's speed, they will arrive in a quarter of an hour. I don't want to go there anyway. You go with Liv!" Rodman was determined not to see the elemental elves again, and Caesar couldn't do anything about him.

"Rodman, when we get to Blackrock City, you go back to the Violet Alliance first. Liv and I will go back to the crater from the edge of the forest. It's safer this way, and we can also pick some herbs, and the journey is shorter!"

Caesars made his suggestion, and Rodman thought about it and nodded.

A few days passed quickly, and Rodman skillfully drove the slightly old carriage, the clatter of horses' hooves echoing as they set off again from Blackrock City. Meanwhile, Caesars and Liv entered the rocky, roadless Blackrock Canyon.

Over ten thousand years ago, when a massive meteorite plummeted from the sky, slamming into the ground and forming a crater, a devastating earthquake suddenly erupted. This catastrophe, like the arrival of doomsday, was so powerful it even altered the landscape of half of Roland Continent. The winding, bottomless Blackstone Canyon before us is the remnant of that terrible earthquake.

At this moment, the atmosphere within Blackrock Canyon was particularly eerie. Mercenaries, returning with a full load after completing their mission, were seen hurriedly heading out, their faces revealing a mix of anxiety and relief. However, no more mercenaries were seen entering this dangerous area.

The reason is simple: as winter approaches, the remote Black Rock Mountain will inevitably be hit by a polar cold wave. Heavy snow will fall for days, piling up thickly in the canyon, making it difficult to walk.

"Caesar, I find those mercenaries look at us strangely!" The inexperienced Liv was full of doubts and couldn't help but turn to Caesar beside her and asked softly.

Kaisas frowned slightly, his eyes sweeping over the retreating mercenaries. He slowly explained, "Liv, winter is almost here, and these people are all rushing back. But we're still diving into Blackrock Mountain at this hour. In the eyes of these mercenaries, our behavior is abnormal!"

"Are we not abnormal?"

"It snows here in the winter, and the snow in Black Rock Canyon will be so deep that we won't be able to get out!"

"Is this abnormal? Their strength is too low. If they can't walk in the canyon, then they have to cross the mountain!"

Liv said this nonchalantly, and Caesars looked up at the cliffs on either side. Although the mountain wasn't particularly steep, it was very high, and climbing to the top was difficult. Blackrock Mountain was a rocky mountain, and even at the top, walking was still difficult.

"Liv, their strength is generally very low, and they entered Blackrock Mountain to survive. My former home was in Blackrock City, and our source of income was feeding black snakes. We sold thick snakes and their venom."

"Kaisas, I've seen the footage of you being dragged by the Black Snake. It's like grabbing the tail of an iron boar, and you're being dragged along by the Black Snake!"

"Photo. Did Phyllis take a photo of me when we were in the Northland Tower?"

"Well, everyone has seen the video of you being dragged away by the black snake!"

Looking at the smiling Liv, Caesar was speechless.

"I was young and not strong enough!"