Chapter 82

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Chapter 082: Grim Batol Covered in Shadows

Early in the morning, Jesse arrived at Malin’s study.

Ever since becoming an apprentice, he felt like everything in the Mage Quarter looked a bit more beautiful, and the children there didn’t sound as harsh when they chatted.

As he pushed the door open, he even thought of whistling a little tune.

He was about to pucker his lips when he saw Amy Malin cleaning.

"Amy… Mrs. Malin?"

Amy turned around and saw Jesse looking surprised, saying, "I thought you wouldn’t come, so I took the initiative to help my dad clean up a bit. You know he would never do it himself."

Jesse raised his eyebrows, he didn’t expect to go from assistant to apprentice, meaning he wouldn’t have to do any work here anymore.

It turned out that the Mage Quarter really does have a strict distinction between assistants and apprentices.

"But your dad pays me, and that includes helping with the morning cleaning here," Jesse said. "Don’t you remember I still need to help with the Red Dragon issue? Since I have nothing else to do, I’ll help clean up a bit."

"That’s great, thank you Jesse. I thought I would have to be his cleaner for free again from now on," Amy leaned the mop against the table. "I still have an enchantment class later, so now I can prepare without rushing."

Not long after Amy left, her father came in and was also curious to see Jesse still working.

"I thought you wouldn’t come, I specifically told Amy to come and see," Amy’s father said.

"At least let me finish this month," Jesse stood up, looking very tired. He bent over and cracked his neck joints on purpose.

Malin smiled, sitting at the table, "Strictly speaking, you’re not officially an apprentice yet. It’s only right to continue doing assistant tasks. But this afternoon, I’ll go to Master Andromath to complete the formalities to make you an apprentice. Tomorrow morning, you won’t have to do these odd jobs anymore."

Jesse nodded, and the old mage continued, "But if you still want to help, I welcome it. I won’t pay you less for this month’s work, and the same goes for the future. I can afford to hire another assistant for myself, Mr. Jesse Seso. Even if you are not an apprentice, my expectations of you are more important than just an assistant’s job."

"By the way, do you know that Master Morganth has returned? He swapped with another mage to fill the vacancy at Stonewatch Keep. Master Andromath wants him back in Stormwind to discuss a special plan, the inspection mission at the Great Wetlands in the north of Khaz Modan."

"Grim Batol?" Jesse asked.

"Do you think Orcs are hiding in Grim Batol?" Malin casually asked.

Jesse said, "Isn’t it said that the ancient city of Dwarf Wildhammer, Grim Batol, is located in the highlands northeast of Khaz Modan? I am just guessing…"

Malin pondered for a moment and said, "It’s hard to say whether the terror in Grim Batol or the pursuit of the Alliance worries the Orcs more. Have you heard the old stories about Grim Batol?"

"I have heard some, about the ancient magical artifacts and the dwarf sorceress," Jesse replied.

Jesse understood these things better than Greed and Malin. The dwarf sorceress, Modgud, the wife of the sorcerer Thaurissan, wielded an ancient weapon called "Sarah Tass," a malevolent relic from a dead ancient evil god.

Legend has it that this dagger is a remnant limb of the ancient evil god, passing between countless ancient tribes, empires, and mysterious organizations for unknown thousands of years.

Each time it was taken over by new forces, it quickly faced a terrible extinction and massacre, and the most recent one was the Grim Batol disaster 200 years ago.

Malin said, "Finding the exact location of Grim Batol is still just a backup plan for now. If we find traces of the Dragonmaw Orcs deep in the marshes or small hiding places and are sure that the Dragonmaw clan has larger bases, then we will focus on the highlands to the east or, as you said, target the legendary Grim Batol."

"The Dragonmaw Orcs have the ability to control Red Dragons. There must also be warlocks among them, and they are even cooperating with black dragons…" Jesse muttered to himself, then looked at Malin. "If they are numerous, like the Orcs of the Blackrock Clan standing at Blackrock Spire occupying Grim Batol, wouldn’t we need an entire army to be safe?"

"You’re right," Malin said. "So if we have to go there, it’s the worst-case scenario. We must inform the Kirin Tor at that time because such a mission cannot be accomplished by the Wizard’s Sanctum alone. It may require the joint assistance of multiple forces. Not to mention if the Dragonmaw Orcs are capable of occupying Grim Batol, then they must have a way to deal with the pollution of Grim Batol; they may possess powers unknown to us, maybe related to their ability to receive help from black dragons or control Red Dragons."

Although the basis of his speculation was not very accurate, Jesse still admired the old mage’s keenness.

With that, Malin raised an eyebrow and said, "However, the northern wetlands of Khaz Modan are vast beyond our imagination, even the local dwarves dare not claim to know much about it. So the investigation mission may take several years, and the situation may change by then. We don’t need to worry too much early on."

So, when did Rhonin, Vereesa Windrunner, and Wildhammer’s Falstad start the Grim Batol rescue operation?

Jesse couldn’t remember, but if it hasn’t happened yet, there aren’t many years left.

Perhaps because the wetland search mission of the Wizard’s Sanctum yielded no results, Red Dragonmage Krasus targeted Grim Batol as the most likely hiding place for the Orcs, thus launching the rescue mission.

Right now, no country in the alliance can organize a large army to attack a fortress city like Grim Batol. A direct attack on the Dragonmaw clan is not realistic. That’s maybe why Krasus wants to push the Kirin Tor to form a small elite team to surprise the Dragonmaw Orcs.

Rhonin thought this mission was a complete suicide mission. In a past life, Jesse didn’t pay much attention to this story, focusing more on the love spark between Rhonin and Vereesa.

After the battle with the Orc Shaman in Redridge, hearing Greed talk about Grim Batol’s dark history, and seeing how the mages avoided discussing finding Grim Batol, it’s easier to understand why Rhonin’s task to save the Red Dragon Queen quickly elevated him from a somewhat tainted regular mage to one of the highest-ranking archmages in the Kirin Tor.

This was indeed a grand feat that could shake the entire continent.