After Alex left for battle, Latifa decided to ask her shield maidens, Kara and Runa, if they knew anything about the Verdant Throne.
"I've only heard of the Verdant Throne from stories told by my grandpa," Kara said. "He said that before our great ancestors settled here, the UL-Khazir Mountain, they once lived in a place called the Verdant Valley.
"Unlike most dwarves, who built underground cities and kingdoms, our ancestors lived a life similar to elves. Within the Verdant Valley, a towering tree, which many believe was similar to the World Tree of the Elves, stood tall and proud.
"Our ancestors lived in its roots and built houses around it. But then, a monster stampede broke out and attacked our valley.
"While we managed to resist the first wave, the second and the third wave caused many of our people to die en masse.
