Ashen Dragon

After carefully storing away that half piece of "Gush's Eye," Titus finally lowered his head and solemnly said to the Dwarf Prince: "Zeen, Lord Ed should have explained the details to you, correct?"

Zeen nodded earnestly: "Yes, Lord Titus, we Dwarves will follow you from now on and obey your commands."

Titus shook his head and said: "We are merely allies seeking mutual benefit, not in a subordinate relationship. You Dwarves are not my servants."

The Ancient Gold Dragon gazed at the Dwarf Prince, whose features bore some resemblance to Ed, and sighed softly: "Lord Ed... he was a brave and selfless Dwarf, also my friend. I will do my utmost to fulfill his entrusted mission and protect you all."

Zeen quickly lowered his head, his tone respectful: "Lord Titus, I express my heartfelt gratitude on behalf of the Shield Dwarves."

The Ancient Gold Dragon turned and walked toward the cave entrance: "Follow me. Let's go relocate your clansmen."

"Alright."

Thus, the Ancient Gold Dragon and the Dwarves swiftly exited the Lonely Mountain Treasury, stepping into the outside world.

Titus said: "The armies of the Ashen Empire could launch an invasion at any moment, so we must complete the evacuation quickly and relocate your clansmen to safety."

To avoid wasting time, Titus used his mighty claws to lift Zeen's body, flapping the Dragon Wings on his back. First ascending into the air, he spread his wings and glided toward the base of the Lonely Mountain.

At this moment, the foot of the Lonely Mountain was already crowded with Dwarves. The bustling crowd created a cacophony of noise, and their faces showed fear and unease.

"Where is Prince Zeen taking us?"

"They said... we're never coming back? Are we really about to leave Aivendel forever?"

"What's going on? Where's Lord Ed? Could it be... Orcs are invading again?"

Suddenly, a Dwarf let out a sharp cry and pointed skyward.

"Look quickly!"

"It's Lord Titus!"

"And Prince Zeen! They're here to get us!"

The Dwarves collectively raised their heads, looking up at the sky, and immediately erupted in enthusiastic cheers.

The Ancient Gold Dragon spread its broad wings, gliding down from the mountain's summit with their prince, casting a massive shadow on the ground below to envelop the Dwarves.

"Dawn Wings" Titus, the Dragon who saved Aivendel, was also the Dwarves' most steadfast ally!

As the shadows grew larger and larger, Dwarves shouted excitedly: "Wait, they're coming!"

"Quickly, make room! Make space for Lord Titus and Prince Zeen to land!"

The Dwarves jostled and shuffled, squeezing together until a clearing was made at the Lonely Mountain's foot, allowing the Ancient Gold Dragon to land smoothly.

A cloud of dust surged up, swept by strong winds, while countless Dwarves looked on with reverence and excitement as the Ancient Gold Dragon gracefully landed with Zeen.

Titus instructed: "Zeen, speak to them."

Then, he placed Zeen onto a higher rock, using it as an impromptu stage for his speech.

Zeen stood atop the rock, his gaze sweeping across countless varied Dwarf faces. Most of them appeared frail—old men, women, and children.

—Though even female Dwarves were covered in thick beards, possessed stocky builds, and spoke with voices rougher than human giants, in Zeen's eyes they were still relatively "delicate."

With tens of thousands of Dwarves' eyes focused on him, Zeen unconsciously tightened his grip on the Rock Hammer in his hand, the heavy burden of responsibility weighing down on his shoulders like a mountain.

From a young age, Zeen had idolized his father, Ed, and aspired to become a great King throughout his life.

But now that this moment had truly arrived, Zeen still felt a sense of surrealness.

After a moment of silence, the Dwarf Prince, bearing great expectations, slowly opened his mouth and solemnly said: "Everyone, the reason I have gathered you here today is to evacuate Aivendel and seek safety under Lord Titus's protection."

"Lord Zeen, are we really leaving this place?"

"What about our family members who remain in Aivendel?"

"But my ancestors have lived in the Blackstone Mountain Range for generations. How can we abandon everything here…"

"Where exactly will we go then?"

Zeen's tone was weighty, his voice resounding with strength: "The High Mountain Dwarf Kingdom is about to face an exceedingly formidable enemy. Even my father… cannot guarantee the safety of Aivendel.

The duty my father entrusted to me is to lead you away from here, ensuring that even if Aivendel falls, the High Mountain Kingdom can persist!"

"Prince Zeen..."

Standing above, Zeen gazed down at his many Dwarf kin, his gaze steadfast—these people were his subjects now.

After this moment, the lives, well-being, and futures of tens of thousands of clansmen would rely on him, as well as whether the High Mountain Kingdom's illustrious history and the Shield Dwarves' grand civilization would be carried on.

By Zeen's side, Titus similarly bore a stoic expression, though within his heart he couldn't help but feel a tinge of exhilaration.

Not only had he secured the entire heritage of the High Mountain Kingdom, but tens of thousands of Dwarves would also labor for him—truly a win-win situation.

—Of course, the win-win here meant that Cassius won twice.

"Awoooo—"

Loud Dragon Roars echoed from above. Several Gold Dragons spiraled in the sky before landing before the Ancient Gold Dragon and bowing their heads respectfully.

"Lord Titus, we've arrived at the command of the Golden Dragon Council."

These Gold Dragons were mostly around twenty meters in length, considered adult by Dragon standards, though their forms appeared slightly slender compared to typical Gold Dragons.

Their scales were adorned with dense runes, paws adorned with bracelets crafted from Mithril and fine Mithril alloys. Even their scales were set with gemstones, and some draped themselves in robes.