Chapter 545 396 Have You Heard of Skaven?
Darkius let go of the hand that was blocking his face, and his fingers changed gracefully in the air. Then he raised his left hand in front of his mouth with his index finger to indicate silence. He was thinking about how to solve this series of things that were about to happen. Now it was known that he told William III the approximate location of Gail Maraz.
As the high priest of the Sigmar Cult, William III had no reason to ignore it and not go to find the hammer that was crucial to the Sigmar Cult and the Empire. He would definitely go, even if it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
The problem was that this did not meet Darkius's expectations. He had already made clear arrangements for William III before. He did not want William III to be thrown in the mountain corner of Blackfire Pass. That would be too ironic.
Darkius believed that the legendary status of Shiragtru was unquestionable, just like Carlos Weaver, Amon Jagai and other changeable demons. In his opinion, the definition of legend was very vague. Take Jon Skylan von Carstein as an example. Although he did not have a remarkable record of killing, his unique behavior made him a legendary figure. Because Jon Skylan's actions changed the course of history, pushed the wheel of history, dominated the development of a series of events, and then shaped the pattern of the entire world.
The same is true for this Shilagtru. He is a changeable demon king himself. He has fought Sigmar for three hundred rounds, and more than that. Daquus's deepest impression of it is about the turmoil in the Empire in 2512.
Shilagtru appeared in this world during the Great Invasion, but its target was not like Carlos Weaver to target the Slann Demon Priests on the Lustria continent, but appeared in the mountains. Its main opponent was the dwarf army led by the dwarf ancestor god Himednir who resisted through the fortress. It was from then on that Himednir decided to create some powerful rune weapons, including Gail Maraz.
The High Helagtru, through his mastery of the art of prophecy, foretold the doom of Chaos for Ghaer Maraz, and from that point on, he attempted to influence the emergence of Ghaer Maraz, tempting Himednir with knowledge and materials, but his actions were exempted by Himednir's will. After some changes, he was forced to flee the southern mountains, and eventually he settled in the land of Nehekhara. It was not until the year 3000 of the Imperial Calendar that he was driven out by the desert gods led by Petra, but he did not retaliate, because he saw the final end of Nehekhara through the prophecy.
Then, the classics came, just like those prophecies that came true and went around and around again. When Sigmar wielded Ghal Maraz to unite other tribes to build an empire, Shilagtru sensed something and thought that Sigmar would be its doom. From then on, it continued to transmit prophetic dreams to Sigmar, some of which were real and some of which were false, to lure Sigmar.
No one knows whether Sigmar fell into Shilagtru's trap, but he left the empire in his later years. However, even in his old age, he was still a match for the devil, and he fought Shilagtru deep underground in Blackfire Pass.
The final result was that Shilagtru asked for a hammer and got it. Its prophecy was true and effective, and it was sealed by Ghal Maraz's magic and Sigma's power as it wished. However, it was sealed like Zarkan, moving forward on the road of making trouble. Its dreams, prophecies and temptations are ridiculous to those who are determined, but not everyone is determined. As the magic of Gail Maraz gradually weakened, it began to send dreams, prophecies and temptations to the fragile humans in the empire.
As the second holder of Gail Maraz, Karl Franz himself was not only weak, but also had a great relationship with the energy in Gail Maraz being drained by Helagtru.
People were attracted to the Blackfire Pass. Although they could not release their worship objects, they lived around it and followed Helagtru's guidance. Gradually, as the years passed, as Magnus established a magic center in Altdorf, and as the concentration of imperial political power in Altdorf reached a level that had never been seen in centuries, they formed an organization, which was the most successful and widespread Tzeentch sect in the empire: the Purple Hand.
The conspiracy of Hiragtulu reached its peak in the turmoil of 2512 Imperial Calendar, which was a year with a profound impact on the Empire. A lot of things happened that year. Hiragtulu, who broke free from the seal, flew to Altdorf in the form of a dragon, but was eventually defeated by the Sigma Grand Priest Yuri XV. However, it used the unique skill of the Lord of Change and occupied Yuri XV's body.
From that moment on, Hiragtulu was like a dragon entering the sea. With its new power, it did a lot of things, expelling a large number of Sigma priests and allowing the followers of the Purple Hand to enter the Sigma Sect. The goal of the followers of the Purple Hand was to kill Karl Franz and appoint the child of Karl Franz's sister, Crown Prince Wolfgang, as their puppet in order to seriously harm the Empire through political disputes.
To a certain extent, Hiragtulu and the Purple Hand were successful. The turmoil affected the entire Empire, with great intensity and short duration. The Electors were caught in a tumultuous period similar to the Age of the Three Emperors, when much had happened involving all aspects of the Empire, and a brief civil war led to a massive political reorganization of the Empire and changes to its constituent electoral provinces and the number and identity of their ruling electors.
Finally, the turmoil was quelled. Just like its master's routine operation, Hiragtru failed in the end and returned to where it came from.
"Who is the current High King of the Dwarves?" After a long time, Dacus, who had made a decision, suddenly asked.
"Alric." William III said the name of the High King of the Dwarves without thinking.
"Alric?" Dacus asked in a daze. Some things he knew, some things he really didn't know, just like those Phoenix Kings. He had some understanding before, and as he became an elf, his understanding of these Phoenix Kings gradually deepened.
But the problem is that dwarves... Dacus really doesn't know. He just knows some famous ones, just like the 494 emperors. Unless they are specialized in research or have a good memory, few people can name these emperors like the names of dishes.
The same is true for dwarves and humans. During the past 2,000 years, the empire has produced more than a hundred emperors, but only a few are well-known. The same is true for dwarves, but dwarves have a longer lifespan than humans, and there are not as many so-called Supreme Kings as human emperors.
Darkius scratched his head. He was not sure about some things. Whether it was elves, dwarves or humans, their personalities and dispositions changed over time, from young to middle-aged, and old, and the span of elves and dwarves was even greater. Malekith was the best example. You need to experience and encounter things in all aspects to shape an existence. Nothing is immutable.
"It's not Thorgrim the Grudger, but... things are getting a little tricky." Darkius remembered halfway through his words. Thorgrim the Grudger succeeded to the throne as the Supreme King of the Dwarves after 2304 of the Imperial Calendar. The previous Supreme King seemed to be Alrickson, the son of the current Supreme King Alrick, and Thorgrim was Alrickson's nephew.
"How about this, I'll give you another gift, no, two." Darkius said decisively. He knew how to adapt. If one method didn't work, he would immediately change to another method.
Malanul found two Doomsday Anvils in the excavation of Laurenloren. One of the two was placed in the Storm Zone by Dacus, and then brought back to the New World by sea, while the other was carried by the team.
Originally, Dacus was going to give one to Lord Des of Athel Loren, and the other one to Lord Des to help combine the Vaal Anvil and the Doomsday Anvil to create a super invincible advanced version of the anvil. If Lord Des didn't want it, he would take it back to the New World. In his expectation, Lord Des would not want the Doomsday Anvil, although he had never seen the legendary Starlight Furnace, the reputation and influence of the Starlight Furnace were there.
In Dacus's opinion, the Starlight Furnace can completely crush the mass-produced Doomsday Anvils, but as a guest, he has to bring some gifts when he goes there to display them, even if Lord Des doesn't want them. As a result, Lauren Loren only has two Doomsday Anvils. Fortunately, he found the third one in the dwarf foundry with a living golden bull during the process of crossing the Dragon Forest.
The Doomsday Anvil is a nuclear bomb-level treasure for the dwarves, but it is just that for the elves. Casting is a prominent subject for the dwarves and the elves.
Daxus originally wanted to use the Star Tower to build a foundry with different functions from Spicazuma, so that the Skin Lizard Craftsmen and the Vaal Blacksmiths could forge specific equipment according to the needs of the Lizardmen and Elf Equipment Users. Even if there was no Doomsday Anvil and any upgraded version of Doomsday Anvil, he would not lack these things. In Conquatta in Orbion, he found equipment similar to Doomsday Anvil. When he saw it for the first time, he even thought it was the prototype of Doomsday Anvil. After all, the Old Saints had some kind of connection with those dwarf ancestor gods.
Perhaps, after Daxus returned to the New World, Master Ma figured out the equipment and equipment that he moved back from Conquatta. His helmet is still with Master Ma.
"You contact those dwarves and tell them that when they were cleaning up the battlefield in the Battle of Altdorf, they found an Anvil of Doom. Well... that's totally fine. I'll stay in the Dragon Forest for a day tomorrow, and you can send someone to get it the day after tomorrow." Daxus was ready to spare one. In his opinion, William III was much more important than the Anvil of Doom. William III could change the course of history, push the wheel of history, lead the development of a series of events, and then shape the pattern of the entire world.
The Anvil of Doom is just a dead object. One more is not much, and one less is not much. And Daxus will not be suffocated to death. As long as he wants, he has a lot of ways. In this regard, he still has more cards. Lord Dess, Malekith, his mistress and those sorceresses are all outstanding casting masters.
"Anvil of Doom? This... This is a treasure of the dwarves. I have visited the dwarf fortress in the Gray Mountains before. Those dwarves... Even I refused to visit the Anvil of Doom."
"My friend, this is the price!" Dacus said seriously. In his opinion, doing wrong things and saying wrong things have a price, and this Anvil of Doom is the price he paid.
"My friend, not really, this... is too expensive"
"Some prices, no matter how expensive, must be borne. The consequences of our actions and words are often beyond our imagination. The existence of this Anvil of Doom reminds me that we cannot evade responsibility and must face up to our actions." Dacus shook his head gently and said seriously.
William III stopped talking, and for a moment he was silent. He seemed to understand what Dacus meant. He knew that sometimes the price paid was far more precious than imagined, because it reminded people to act cautiously and to be careful in words and deeds, so as to avoid greater losses and regrets in the future.
"I have a lot of things to deal with next. Not long ago, three red dragons flew over the sky of Altdorf and flew towards the Gray Mountains. At this moment, those red dragons are waiting for me. I can't be late for the first meeting, which will leave a bad impression on those arrogant red dragons. After dealing with the problem of the red dragon, I will face more difficult problems than now. If I don't handle it well..." Dacus leaned on the sofa and shook his head bitterly at the end.
In Dacus's view, one of the ultimate goals of his coming to Elsing Alvin was to obtain the key to open Lothern and then open Ulthuan. This key has great significance to the elves and the world, but he really didn't have much confidence in this matter. He had already played all his cards. He wanted to play all the cards he could play and shake all the people he could shake.
Dacus really couldn't take care of William III. He couldn't stay in Altdorf or send some people to assist William III. In addition to being dragged down by the affairs of Athel Loren, he didn't even know who to send. Elf spellcasters? Wouldn't that be a stepping stone?
As someone who often dealt with big demons and princes, Dacus knew that he had to take appropriate measures to deal with these monsters. The best way to deal with Slaanesh and Nurgle was to use long-range and magic methods, rather than close combat. Although he hadn't seen those things of Khorne, they seemed to him to be similar.
And the best way to deal with Tzeentch's stuff was close combat. Usually, the melee strength of those Lords of Change was very weak, and close combat would make those Lords of Change fall to the ground. However, getting close to the Lord of Change required some conditions, such as letting the dwarf rune lords strike the anvil of doom and drain the surrounding magical wind. At that time, the Lord of Change would not be able to release magic, and even his body shape could not be maintained.
As for the battle... in Daxus's cognition, this is the most undesirable.
Asherys is the Archmage of Asur, the apprentice of Teclis, and the Archmage from the White Tower of Hos. In the process of her battle with the Lord of Change, it was really like the battle of the Golden Immortals in fantasy novels. Various explosions and flames were just small things, just embellishing the edges of the battle. In the process of the battle, the world was simply changed.
There is an essential gap between the Archmage and the Lord of Change. Then, it is a classic case of carelessness. After the battle seemed to be over, the self-satisfied Lord of Change was killed. Asherys, who was blessed by Asuryan, blew up the Lord of Change. With Asuryan's blessing, Asherys ushered in a rebirth, that is, a full recovery.
It's OK to have Daxus present in some battles, so that he has a bottom line in his heart, maybe he can run away if he can't win, but he doesn't feel at ease to let those high-level spellcasters go to experience. He knows that according to the fighting mode of elven spellcasters, when encountering the Lord of Change, they usually send one or more players to fight, and the others act as cheerleaders to gather the magic wind around them. The problem is that doing so will also enhance the strength of the Lord of Change, making the fight more intense and uncontrollable.
Or let the spellcasters drain the magic wind around them, pump the magic wind into the star stone, and then let Edrezer's followers fight the Lord of Change in close combat? Forget it, the plan is beautiful, but it is completely unreliable in reality. The Lord of Change is a cunning person, and he is not a big fool. Let's leave this matter to humans and dwarves. Gail Maraz was cast by dwarves and held by humans. He has nothing to do with elves. Some things should be stopped at a certain point. He is not a so-called warm-hearted international friend. He is very practical.
"Red dragon?"
"If I handle it well, those red dragons active in the Old World may move to another place to live. Perhaps in this year's records, in addition to the Battle of Altdorf, the number of red dragons appearing in Reikland is more frequent? However, this matter has nothing to do with you. My friend, do you know what to do next?"
Darkius interrupted William III. In his opinion, the red dragon has nothing to do with William III. The most important thing at the moment is Gail Maraz. He knows that after William III knows where Gail Maraz is, he will definitely not be able to take care of other matters before finding him back. But on the other hand, Gail Maraz's return to the empire, especially under William III's planning, is of great help to William III. Gail Maraz's return to the empire will make William III gain unparalleled prestige. With the double reputation of the Battle of Altdorf and the recovery of Gail Maraz, the implementation of his plan will be smoother, and it will even indirectly change the politics of the empire.
"Although many details are still to be discussed, I already have a general idea in my mind. I want to use the anvil to get the dwarves involved. Yes, the Doomsday Anvil is too important for the dwarves. It will not only allow the dwarves to join the process of searching for Gail Maraz, but also help in getting the dwarves to help forge the thirteenth prototype."
"I can tell you very clearly that Gail Maraz is in Blackfire Pass, the place where Sigmar last disappeared." Daxus nodded and said. After seeing William III's hesitant expression, he stretched out his hand and continued, "I know what you want to say. Blackfire Pass is so big? Yes, but some things have traces. I suggest that you send witch hunters to investigate while contacting the dwarves. As for what to investigate, it's very simple! Just look for humans with strange behavior, those humans active in the mountains of Blackfire Pass. They neither go to the southern city-states nor go north to Empire, find their gathering area. If I am not mistaken, Gail Maraz is nearby.
I will give you another gift. You must use your connections to find a wizard, a wizard who can make you feel at ease, a wizard who will not be bewitched, and a wizard who has nothing to do with Chaos followers. The gift is a device similar to a compass, but unlike a compass, it does not point to the direction, but is used to detect the wind of magic, Chaos followers and magic items, and Gail Maraz is among these magic items. The wizard will take the gift I gave you and find Gail Maraz. The exact location of Maraz.
My friend, what I am going to say next is very important to you, the Empire, and the Dwarves. The one who guards Gail Maraz is a Chaos Great Demon, who has strong magic power. In addition, he has the ability to bewitch people. Maybe our conversation today is being watched? In the future, various true and false prophecies and omens may appear in your dreams.
Use all your connections and relationships to get human and dwarven warriors to join this adventure. The more the better, the safer? Or is it not? You decide for yourself. You We need to convince the dwarves to send out as many runesmiths as possible. Only when the wind of magic that maintains the existence of the demon is drained by the anvil of doom can we deal with the demon.
The most important thing is that you have to be careful in the battle, especially when the demon is dying. The demon has the ability to occupy other people's souls. If you don't want to be occupied by the demon and mess up the empire and the Sigma sect, you'd better be cautious! "
After Dacus finished speaking, he stood up and walked towards the kettle. He would not touch the wine again, but he had to drink something because he was thirsty. He had done what he should and could do. Next, it was up to William III to perform. There were already many branches.
The worst case scenario was that William III was possessed by the demon, just like Yuri XV. If that was the case, everything would be over. The power would be turned off directly, and the revival of the empire would be delayed. But on the other hand, if William III really found the hammer, it would be different. The benefits would be huge and irresistible.
Dacus, who returned to the sofa, lifted the lid of the kettle. He took a look at the water in the kettle, smelled it carefully, and when he saw that the water was fine, he raised the kettle and drank it heroically.
William III pondered silently. In his cognition and contact, Dacus was very extraordinary. No one he knew could be compared with Dacus. Dacus was very thoughtful and a wise man with strong insight. Dacus also knew a lot of secrets. He not only knew where Gail Maraz was, but also knew what was next to Gail Maraz. Every suggestion of Dacus was carefully considered, with only one purpose, and he also knew that it was for the benefit of him and the empire. As Dacus said before, the world needs a strong empire, and he, as a pioneer, wrote an important stroke on the road to reviving the empire.
Dacus explained all the relationships to him, and he didn't think Dacus would deliberately hide anything. He could tell from Dacus's words how dangerous this matter was, but he also clearly realized that if Gail Maraz could be found, the empire would usher in a great revival, and such benefits were something he, as the great priest of Sigmar, could not refuse.
William III was full of anxiety. He knew that this was a difficult choice, and now was the time when wisdom and courage were needed. After a long time, the air in the reception room seemed to solidify. In the end, he made a difficult and wise decision. For the sake of the empire, for mankind, and for Sigma, he chose to believe in Dacus and listen to Dacus's advice. He knew that this road was not easy, but he also believed that as long as Gail Maraz could be found, the future of the empire would be brighter. And it would also make the next firearms army plan more smoothly, and more dwarves would join it. After he gained great reputation, there would be less resistance when promoting the firearms army within the empire.
"My friend, I have a question in my heart that has troubled me since I was a young man." After a long time, William III asked a question and raised a doubt that had nothing to do with Gail Maraz. This question has troubled him all his life. In his opinion, Dacus seems to have the ability to know everything. As a friend, he is not suitable to ask this question and pry into the secrets of Dacus, but he can get the answer he wants from this point.
"Oh?"
"Have you heard of ratmen?"
"Of course! Skaven ratmen! I was about to fall asleep just now, and I became energetic when you mentioned this!" Dacus put down the pipe in his hand and became energetic as he spoke. (End of this chapter)