38.The Evacuation of the Villages

As Merslin and his companions traveled back to Luminaria by carriage, they passed through multiple villages. Along the way, they saw more and more people abandoning their homes and seeking refuge elsewhere. Families hurriedly gathered their most precious belongings, their faces filled with fear and uncertainty. Children clung tightly to their parents' hands, while the elderly struggled to keep up on the arduous journey. A woman wept as she hesitated, unable to fully accept the reality of leaving her home behind.

Aria: "How could the news have spread so quickly, even before us?"

Merslin: "They say rumors travel faster than feet."

Lisa & Serena: "What does that mean?"

Elena, though unfamiliar with the phrase, was intelligent enough to grasp its figurative meaning.

Elena: "I believe he means that rumors spread rapidly. Perhaps someone with inside knowledge has been spreading the news."

Merslin: "Exactly. In times of fear and uncertainty, rumors spread even faster. But still, it's strange how quickly it reached this far."

Aria: "We need to act faster. We must track the movements of the Blood Elves and stay ahead of them."

Lisa: "Yes, and once we reach Luminaria, we need to discuss military preparations immediately."

Serena: "We also need to reassure the people. If they're paralyzed by fear, they won't be able to defend themselves properly."

Elena: "That means every time we reach a village, we should gather information and assess the situation."

Merslin: "Alright, let's do that. Stay alert and keep an eye on everything."

As they continued their journey, passing lines of evacuees, they made it a point to speak with villagers at each stop, piecing together the movements of the Blood Elves and the origins of the rumors.

Elena: "It's the same story here as well. Word is spreading that the Blood Elves have attacked the Elf Forest and are now advancing toward Luminaria."

Aria: "We must reach Luminaria as soon as possible. There's no time to waste."

Merslin: "Then let's pick up the pace. Everyone ready?"

Lisa & Serena: "Ready!"

The carriage surged forward, speeding toward Luminaria.

Suddenly, as they passed another village, a group of orcs emerged from the forest, blocking their path. Armed with crude weapons, the towering brutes snarled and growled menacingly.

Merslin: "Everyone, stay alert! Prepare for battle!"

Lisa: "We can win this! Stick together!"

Serena: "I knew this might happen. I have my bow ready!"

A fierce battle erupted as Merslin and his companions fought to fend off the orc raiders. Their teamwork allowed them to swiftly defeat the attackers.

After ensuring everyone was unharmed, they reinforced their resolve and continued on their journey.

Elena: "If we keep working together like this, no threat will be too great for us. But we must always be prepared."

Aria: "Agreed. Let's stay vigilant until we reach Luminaria."

Lisa: "Alright, let's move forward without letting our guard down."

Once again, the carriage picked up speed as they pressed on toward their destination.

Reporting and Preparation in Luminaria

Upon arriving in Luminaria, Merslin and his companions immediately sought out Alex and delivered the scroll. As Alex read through its contents, his expression grew increasingly grim.

Alex: "The Blood Elves' plot is worse than we feared. We don't have much time."

He instructed them to spend the next few days gathering intelligence and tracking enemy movements.

Alex: "Investigate Luminaria and its surrounding regions. We need crucial information about their plans."

Merslin and his party headed to Luminaria's grand library. While poring over ancient texts, they discovered a surprising revelation—the Korean language and Hangul had been used as magical scripts in ancient times.

Elena: "It says here that ancient Korean civilization was one of the origins of magic. Hangul was created as a script specifically to record magical incantations."

Following this revelation, they found records of a powerful artifact that could play a key role in stopping the Blood Elves. Their search led them to track the artifact's last known location.

As their investigation continued, they uncovered disturbing evidence: the Blood Elves were already operating near Luminaria and preparing for a large-scale assault. Worse still, they found links between the Blood Elves and a high-ranking demon—Tanaros.

Merslin: "We must share this with Alex. We'll need stronger defenses."

A war council was swiftly convened in Luminaria. The kingdom's leaders debated whether to send reinforcements to the Elf Forest.

Council Member 1: "The Elf Forest is a crucial ally. If they fall, we'll be next. We must send reinforcements immediately!"

Council Member 2: "But we are not well-defended ourselves. If we deplete our forces to aid the elves, the Blood Elves could strike us directly!"

Alex offered a compromise.

Alex: "What if we send part of our forces to assist the elves while keeping the rest to defend Luminaria?"

After much deliberation, the council agreed. Some troops would be dispatched to support the Elf Forest, while the rest would fortify Luminaria's defenses.