In the next few minutes, the three of them each witnessed the absurd amount of luggage that Elven nobilities brought with them when they depart on a journey. For 8 draws, all they got besides the black cloak was a whole bunch of garbage that had a distinct Elvish flavour. In total, they were worth less than 10,000 utility points.
Sheyan calmed himself before taking the final draw. He went over to the unconscious Melody and stole a kiss for luck. The kiss seemed to have brought him good fortune indeed, as his last draw produced an emerald leaf that let out a soft silver glow. The glow gave off a cool feeling and made one feel very comfortable.
After significant effort from the surviving Elven mage, they managed to identify the leaf. It was a magic item that had a tiny magic seal on it. The seal needed to be removed before they can observe the leaf's properties.
The seal wasn't a strong one; it was only put in place to prevent accidental use of the leaf. However, the MP of the mage had been completely expended, so it would have to wait.
Melody was still unconscious, so Sheyan carried her. The group moved towards the designated rendezvous point under the guidance of the Elven mage who was familiar with the geography of the place. Segimli and Elder Annenia Cyathea should be anxiously waiting for them there.
It wasn't the first time Sheyan had Melody in his embrace; they've had some pretty intimate encounters after all. Melody was quite slim and her body was actually pretty small except for her chest.
But when Sheyan carried her this time, he found that it took all his strength and he was even sweating. He was already out of breath after climbing over 2 hills.
Sheyan felt as if he wasn't carrying Melody, but was carrying a metal statue! Something told Sheyan that it must be due to the ring, Vilya. But despite being tired, his legs never stopped moving and they managed to maintain a decent pace.
The journey was pretty uneventful so Sheyan once again enquired about the situation on the battlefield.
The Elven mage told them what happened after Sheyan detonated the bomb below the cliff to create an avalanche. The Gold Evergreen that was forcefully matured had an unstable foundation, so the defense of the Elven heroes naturally collapsed too. But Galadriel managed to force 3 Nazgûl into the avalanche with her spell.
Galadriel, Glorfindel and Legolas seized the chance to spread out and escape. The remaining Nazgûl had no choice but to break up to chase after each of them. Elrond was prepared for this moment. After his other half self-destructed, he tore a valuable scroll to turn invisible and vanished into thin air.
Reef and the rest of the Elves rushed towards Melody with Elder Desirese Roots leading the way. Ferrell fell while holding a Nazgûl back. Fortunately, the destroyed Ferrell wasn't Ferrell's real body. It took a huge toll on him, but he could still be reborn under the Sacred Oak.
They fled for a short distance after rescuing Melody, but Elrond caught up to them and activated the seal that he had prepared beforehand. The killings ensued.
After Sheyan heard all this, he hastened his pace. That's because he knew that even if Galadriel, Glorfindel and Legolas were chased by 2 Nazgûl each, the encirclement of the Nazgûl had been broken. Escaping wouldn't be a problem at all for these Elven heroes. The Nazgûl had no chance to kill them.
And this was exactly what Sheyan was afraid of! Sometimes, your "allies" are scarier than your enemies!
Suddenly, Franklin spoke out.
"Erm....Mr. Reef, there's something that I need to tell you about."
It seemed like Franklin wasn't that observant. He's already a reserve member of the party, yet he still hadn't figured out who the real decision maker was in the party. It wasn't entirely his fault though. It was almost a universal truth that the highest authority in a party would be the one holding the shield. Furthermore, Reef's dark gold shield really stood out.
Reef release an abashed cough and asked.
"What is it?"
Franklin replied.
"When we left the place where Elrond was killed, I laid down some magic traps. They weren't the type of traps that will cause damage, but the type used for sensing and investigation. A moment ago, my trap was destroyed."
Reef asked in a heavy tone.
"Do you know who did it?"
Franklin replied.
"I couldn't see his face, but I have an image of his back."
Franklin then took out his staff and drew a circle in the air. The circle then projected an image in the air. That's the advantage of having an Illusionist - information can be directly portrayed.
All of them had a solemn look on their face when they saw the image. The figure was tall and muscular. Unlike the breath of death on Elrond, every inch of the person's body exuded life. The most telling sign was his shining blonde hair!
"It's Glorfindel," said the Elven mage solemnly.
The name itself caused everyone's breath to become heavy.
This guy wouldn't be as easy to deal with as Elrond!
Honestly speaking, even if Melody returned to her peak condition and all the Elves Elrond killed were revived, they still wouldn't be a match for the powerful and ambitious Glorfindel. Think back to the extreme difficulty Elrond posed them even after his bloodline was split in half, and he had to fight physically despite being a mage! They had almost lost to that Elrond!
How could they handle Glorfindel when he was at full strength?
Franklin tried to lighten the mood by saying.
"Hey, at least we left some false trails before we left. He definitely can't find us."
However, the Elven mage said dejectedly.
"As early as 140 years ago, after the fall of the top hunter of Rivendell, Jose Caca, a lot of people already felt that Glorfindel should inherit this title. I recall that one time when Lord Elrond's beloved flower lark flew away from her cage. After Glorfindel heard about this the next day, he caught the lark, and brought it back, within 2 hours. I was the one who forgot to lock the cage after feeding the bird, so I clearly remember it."
The whole party was blanketed by a heavy atmosphere, but Sheyan who had reached the top of a hill smiled instead. That's because, after trekking for one and a half hours, he could finally see the rendezvous point. The terrain of the place was rather unique and looked like the two humps on a camel's back.
When the group found that their destination was within sight, they burst forward with renewed vigor. The thought of their terrifying pursuer spurred them on.
Sheyan then saw Segimli and Elder Annenia Cyathea. They indeed looked very anxious. They were pacing back and forth like ants on a frying pan.
After discovering the group, Segimli immediately ran over to give Sheyan a warm hug. The elite Dwarven warriors he led also tossed their caps into the air. That was the highest show of respect a Dwarf could give.
On the other hand, Elder Annenia Cyathea was absolutely shocked. He was stunned for a moment, looked around, and asked.
"Is.... is this all that's left of your group?"
Sheyan nodded.
"That's right."
Elder Annenia Cyathea couldn't believe it.
"What about Desirese Roots and Annil Yusu? They're both dead?"
The female Elven mage was already in tears, and told him.
"They were consumed by Lord Elrond."
Elder Annenia Cyathea was shocked speechless. His eyes fell on Melody - more precisely, on Melody's finger! He stammered out in a strange voice.
"Sin'dorei above!!! Are my eyes deceiving me? Why does the ring on Lady Melody's finger look so familiar?"
Sheyan simply said.
"Of course it would look familiar to you. You must have seen it before on Elrond's hand."
Elder Annenia Cyathea helplessly spread his hands and said with a shaky voice:
"That's impossible! Even if Lord Elrond had passed away, his soul imprint will still remain on the Ring of Air for a hundred years! Is Sire Vilya being used to seal and curse Lady Melody's power? No, that's not right. The feeling it gave out was in harmony with Lady Melody, as if they were one!"
Sheyan couldn't be bothered explaining too much and simply told him.
"The eternal sun guides our way, so there is nothing we couldn't do. By the way, my Dwarven friends, have you done the favour I asked of you?"
Segimli seriously replied.
"It was already done 4 hours ago. Please do not doubt the reputation of the Dwarves. It is as reliable as a boulder!"
Following Segimli's words, the Dwarves parted to both sides to reveal a large piece of flatland behind them. This would be another trump card prepared by Sheyan!