"What should we do, Your Highness?" Barlin asked, somewhat flustered. A Fire Demon lying in wait in a cave, ready to ambush, could cause devastating destruction, something the dwarves were all too familiar with. Back when the dwarves still had several Sixth-tier Dominators, they were ambushed by a damn Fire Demon and were forced to abandon Khazad-dûm. Now, their strength was nothing like that of the peak Dwarven Kingdom.
"It's too late to find a scout now... This isn't Bree in the West, and there aren't inns here where you can hire mercenaries. We have to go as we are," Rynar said, shaking his head in resignation. They simply didn't have time to recruit a scout.
"Let's rest up for now. We need to travel tomorrow. The Misty Mountains wouldn't be the Misty Mountains without a fight," Rynar said, deciding to take a good rest.
"Yeah, the goblins in the Misty Mountains are as disgusting as the orcs..." Barlin made a face, clearly recalling some unpleasant memories.
"What's wrong? Remember your experience with the goblin town in the Misty Mountains?" Rynar asked with a laugh.
"Oh! Damn, you know about that?" Barlin asked, embarrassed. Being captured back then was their most awkward memory—caught off guard, a net slipped over my face… It was the most deeply ingrained experience for Barlin.
"Of course, you think Kili and Fili's mouths are reliable?" Rynar teased.
"Those damn brats! I'm going to knock their heads off!" Barlin growled, puffing out his cheeks. Being captured alive by the weakest of goblins was the greatest black mark on his life.
"So be careful this time... Don't fall for it again, hahaha!" Rynar laughed.
"Alright... Your Highness, I'll take my leave now. You get some rest!" Barlin waved and sprinted off.
"Omsk!" Rynar knocked on the wall of the adjacent room.
"Your... Highness... I've been waiting so long I'm about to doze off..." Omsk rubbed his sleepy eyes helplessly.
"Don't sleep just yet, take a look at the map!" Rynar slapped the map down onto the table.
"What's there to see?" Omsk flipped open the map, looking uninterested.
"Rivendell!" Rynar pointed to a spot on the map.
"Middle-earth's last haven for elves?" Omsk gave the map a passing glance.
"Yes, do you think you could convince an elven scout to join us? We need a scout!" Rynar fixed Omsk with a piercing gaze.
"Your Highness? Are you feeling alright? If the dwarves are willing to ask the elves for help... why even bother with the Misty Mountains? We could just launch the Second Azanubicha War and be done with it!" Omsk stared at Rynar in shock. Why were they taking this route? Because those stubborn dwarves refused to bow to the elves!
"This is something we could discuss. There is a history of cooperation between Rivendell and the dwarves," Rynar thought aloud.
"Dwarves cooperating with elves? I haven't seen any examples except for the Battle of the Lonely Mountain, which was a life-or-death situation!" Omsk snorted derisively. Everyone in Middle-earth knew the dwarves and elves despised each other.
"That's true, but the success of the Dwarven expedition to the Lonely Mountain owes part of its success to Elrond of Rivendell. If he hadn't cracked the Moon letters, the dwarves would never have found the secret door to the mountain!" Rynar smiled.
"Really?" Now it was Omsk's turn to be surprised. The elves had helped the dwarves? They actually cooperated?
"Just tell me if it's possible! I need a scout right now! I don't want a Fire Demon popping out of some corner and challenging me to a duel!" Rynar said impatiently. Without a scout, things could go terribly wrong. There's a huge difference between a scout with stealth abilities and one without. Besides, the Rangers of Lordaeron weren't suited for cave warfare, while the elves of Rivendell... tsk tsk tsk! Wouldn't they be the most versatile army in Middle-earth?
"Pretty tough. First, elves are under no obligation to help the dwarves' expedition. Second, we don't have anything to offer them in exchange. Third, do you really think elves would lower their noble status to join the fight? Not every elf is as humble as Elrond, the half-elf," Omsk shook his head.
"If you really need one, you could try here!" Omsk pointed to a location on the map.
"Bree? Do you want me to fly there? The Misty Mountains are huge, do you think I can just breeze through it? How far apart are they? It would take forever just for the round trip!" Rynar sighed in frustration.
"Yeah! Fly there! Caslow's dragon isn't just for show, right? Have him fly non-stop to Bree, find a few reliable scouts and bring them back. It's not too much to ask, right? After all, dragons don't mind carrying that weight," Omsk shrugged.
"This is an easy fix, as long as Caslow is willing..." Omsk nodded.
"Well, I think even if Caslow is willing... Kardo might not be. After all, dragons are intelligent creatures. I haven't heard of anyone using a dragon as a beast of burden..." Rynar shivered at the thought of it. He felt the chances of Kardo roasting him with dragon breath were far higher than the chances of Kardo agreeing.
"True, after all, Kardo is no longer the four-legged wyvern he used to be." Omsk nodded. One couldn't ignore the practical factors of dealing with dragons. The relationship between dragons and dragon-riders was based on mutual respect, not subjugation. There were even tales of dragon-riders who were abandoned by their dragons for not being worthy. Dragons were proud creatures—while elves might look down on you, at least they could communicate. A dragon would just burn you up if it didn't like you.
"Omsk, I think you might have the potential of a regicide!" Rynar sighed deeply.
"Unjust, Your Highness! My loyalty to the Dragon God is unquestionable!" Omsk quickly swore an oath.
"This suggestion is a crime in itself! You're trying to get me killed, aren't you?" Rynar chuckled in frustration. While the Emperor of Zaltarion might have the power to command dragons, the Emperor's authority over dragons was based on his strength. Rynar currently didn't even have a Dragon Rider squad, let alone a dragon, so where would he get the courage to command one?
"Well, if that's the case... I really don't know where we can recruit a scout along the way," Omsk shrugged, helpless.
"Sigh... We'll just have to hope the system's quest rewards are generous... Though it's been over a month since we've seen anything useful, we still have to hope," Rynar thought quietly.
"Alright, get some rest. I'll think of something else," Rynar waved him off.
"Your Highness, I take my leave," Omsk bowed and left.
...
"Thank you, Lord Beorn!" Rynar shook Beorn's hand, expressing his gratitude.
"It's no trouble. We're allies, after all. You paid for the service," Beorn said with a hearty smile.
"Alright, we'll set off now. Please have your men take us across," Rynar nodded with a smile.
"Thank you, Lord Beorn," Barlin also bowed with his hand over his heart.
"All troops, on board! Moria is calling us!" Rynar raised his hand and called out.