Leo and Dan, accompanied by Vivella, returned to the old Black Mountain City. As they walked through the familiar streets, it felt as though time had reversed, and memories of the past quietly resurfaced in Leo's mind. Although his memories were still sealed, every cobblestone, every door and window of Black Mountain City seemed to have once been connected to him in some way. The silence of the city enveloped them, and the only sound on the abandoned streets was the dust stirred up by the wind. That long-forgotten sense of tension seemed to rise subtly with their return.
The air around the city still carried an ancient aura, exuding a quiet, oppressive stillness. Despite this, Leo felt an invisible call, as if the city itself were summoning him, inviting him to uncover the lost pieces of his past.
Eventually, they reached Cohen's hideout, a secret chamber hidden in the heart of Black Mountain City. As they pushed open the heavy door, they were greeted by the familiar face of Cohen, smiling with an expression full of anticipation. "You've finally returned. How did it go? Everything smooth?"
Leo forced a faint smile on his face. Although he knew he hadn't fully regained his memory, seeing Cohen's face gave him a sense of reassurance. Leo nodded and spoke quietly, "It went fairly smoothly. We got help from the Elf King." He turned to Vivella and added, "This is Vivella, a member of the Elf race and also our friend."
Vivella bowed slightly, greeting Cohen politely, "Hello, Cohen." Her voice was gentle, but her gaze held an undeniable firmness.
Cohen extended his hand, shaking Vivella's hand warmly, "Welcome, Vivella."
He then turned to Leo and Dan, his smile becoming slightly more reserved, "So, did you bring enough food back?"
Leo and Dan exchanged an awkward glance, both realizing they had forgotten Cohen's important task. They lowered their heads, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
Vivella couldn't help but chuckle softly, finding their discomfort amusing. She took a small container from her backpack, opened it, and inside were several seeds arranged neatly, each emitting a faint glow, as if holding some mysterious power. She handed the container to Cohen, saying, "These are seeds the Elf King specially prepared for you. They don't need sunlight to grow, and they grow very quickly, producing a lot of fruit."
Cohen's eyes instantly brightened as he took the container, examining the seeds closely, his joy evident on his face. "These are exactly what I needed! Fantastic! Thank the Elf King, and thank you, Vivella! Now we won't have to worry about food anymore."
Vivella turned to Leo and Dan with a smile, "You guys owe me a big favor. Remember that."
Leo and Dan looked at each other and smiled, admitting that they had indeed made an oversight in this regard. Vivella winked playfully, "It's fine, just remember your promise. There will always be a chance to repay it in the future."
The four of them then entered a hidden chamber. It was colder inside than outside, and the air was filled with a cold, desolate atmosphere. In the center of the room stood a massive workbench, covered with various parts and tools. In the very center of the room, Luna lay quietly on a bed, her body covered in thick cloth, only her calm face visible, showing a hint of exhaustion. Her body had yet to recover, and the mechanical beauty made her appear like a sleeping princess, awaiting some kind of miracle.
Cohen pointed to Luna, his voice low and heavy, "This is the part I've already completed," he paused, "but there's still one crucial piece missing."
"What's that?" Leo quickly asked.
Cohen pointed to an old machine in the corner, "We need to activate the heavy machinery in Black Mountain City. This machine can create a special metal, which is the key material to repair Luna. However, the energy source to power the machine comes from a monster's core."
"A monster's core?" Dan furrowed his brow. "So, we have to fight monsters to get the core?"
Cohen nodded, his tone growing more serious, "Yes. The monsters only appear at night, and they are extremely vicious. Are you ready?"
Leo took a deep breath, his gaze steady, "We don't have a choice. We have to act." He looked back at Vivella and Dan, "Luna's condition can't wait any longer."
Dan nodded, "Yes, I know the monsters' patterns well. We can head out under the cover of night to track their trail."
"Alright," Leo agreed, "But we must be cautious. Cohen's right, these monsters are very dangerous."
Cohen took a deep breath and looked at them, "Tonight, the monster's core is your target. Remember, if you run into danger, don't try to fight head-on."
Night fell, and Black Mountain City was enveloped in silence. As the sky darkened, the temperature plummeted, and the ruins of the city grew even more eerie. The four of them moved quietly along the streets, their footsteps swallowed by the wind, the atmosphere charged with a sense of tension.
"We'll start our search from the ruins to the east," Dan whispered. He was familiar with the terrain of these areas and had a deep understanding of the monsters' whereabouts.
Leo nodded, his eyes sharp. "Stay alert. We don't know what kind of enemies we'll encounter."
The four of them walked towards the eastern part of the city, where there was a cluster of abandoned buildings. Most of the structures had collapsed or were in ruins, with only a few solitary pillars still standing, swaying in the wind. As they ventured deeper, the atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive, and the surrounding darkness seemed to devour all life.
"Be careful, this is one of the places where monsters appear most frequently," Dan whispered, his footsteps more cautious now, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
Suddenly, a strange wind blew through, and an ominous feeling surged in the hearts of the four. In the darkness, it felt as though something was watching them. Leo gripped the sword in his hand, his heartbeat quickening. He knew that tonight, they would face not just monsters, but a deeper darkness and the unknown.
As the night descended upon Black Mountain City, the surroundings were shrouded in deathly silence and a heavy atmosphere. The stars dimly flickered above, and the air carried a slight chill, as if signaling an impending storm. Leo, Dan, and Vivella quietly prepared themselves, knowing that the success of tonight's mission would determine whether Luna could fully recover.
As the night deepened, the monsters finally appeared. They emerged from the earth, their dark figures spreading rapidly around them, emitting a chilling aura. Their eyes glowed with ferocity, and their heavy breathing echoed in the night wind.
"Right on time," Dan whispered, gripping his twin daggers tightly, his gaze sharp. "Are you ready?"
"Of course," Leo nodded, his voice filled with an unprecedented determination. "Tonight, we must teach these monsters a lesson."
Vivella stood on a platform atop the mountain, steadily drawing her bow. An arrow was already nocked. She gently aimed at a distant monster, and as the arrow whistled through the air, it struck one monster directly in the eye. The arrow pierced through its eyeball, blood gushing out. The monster howled in pain and collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
The other monsters seemed unaware of the threat, continuing to struggle in the earth, eager to pounce on the three of them. Leo and Dan didn't hesitate. Using the cover Vivella provided, they quickly jumped down the slope and charged toward the monsters. They moved swiftly, working in perfect synchronization, swiftly taking down several monsters.
Leo thrust his broken sword into one monster's chest, and when he pulled it out, blood splattered. The monster let out a tragic scream and fell motionless. Dan swung his twin daggers, his figure darting like a shadow, each strike tearing through the monster's skin with precision. The two showed no sign of slowing down, watching as more and more monsters fell at their feet.
Vivella's arrows kept flying as well. She quickly nocked another arrow, each shot landing with deadly accuracy, blinding several monsters with precise shots to their eyes. By the time they fell, they were too weak to resist. The monsters began to panic, their attacks growing more erratic and less coordinated, like mindless beasts.
"Hurry, grab the cores!" Leo shouted. He and Dan quickly extracted several dark red-glowing monster cores from the fallen creatures. These cores emitted powerful energy, like strange treasures capable of powering the machines in Black Mountain City.
However, as they collected enough cores, the number of monsters continued to grow. They seemed unwilling to retreat easily. The monsters no longer scattered like before; they began to gather together, forming a dense formation. In the darkness, the monsters' roars grew louder, and the ground seemed to tremble, while the oppressive atmosphere made it hard to breathe.
"Enough, retreat!" Dan growled. As the monsters began to converge into an increasingly powerful force, he realized continuing the fight would only make things worse.
"Hurry!" Leo grabbed Dan's arm, and the two quickly turned and ran toward Black Mountain City. Vivella followed closely behind. Though her arrows had run out, she remained alert, ready to face any sudden monster attacks.
The three of them swiftly returned to the castle, panting heavily as they entered Cohen's workshop. Cohen, seeing them covered in blood and pale-faced, furrowed his brows. "How could the monsters be so aggressive all of a sudden? Hurry and rest. Where are the cores you brought back?"
"Here," Leo placed the monster cores onto Cohen's workbench. The glow from the cores seemed even more glaring under the dim light.
Cohen looked at the cores, a look of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. "These are enough. They should power the machines we need." He quickly placed the cores into the energy conversion device and activated the machine. As the cores entered, the conversion device emitted a deep rumbling sound, and for a moment, Black Mountain City seemed to come back to life.
The energy within the machine was rapidly converted and absorbed, and the city's lights gradually flickered on, breathing life back into the once-dead city. Cohen stood by the conversion device, watching the changes around him, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face. "This is the power of the Dwarves. Even though we've relocated, as long as we have this energy, Black Mountain City can still be revived."
"What do we do next?" Leo asked.
Cohen didn't answer immediately. He looked down at the now functional machine, then turned toward the heavy machinery area. "Next, I'm going to create the final part for Luna."
Without pausing, Cohen picked up a piece of dark silver metal and began hammering it on the anvil. With each strike, the metal gradually took shape in rhythm with the hammer's blows. Through a combination of fine craftsmanship and immense strength, the mechanical parts of Luna's body were gradually completed.
"These metals have been carefully sculpted and forged to ensure Luna's body is both strong and flexible," Cohen explained while working, clearly having already envisioned the perfect design for Luna in his mind.
Time passed, the sound of hammering and mechanical rumbling echoing in the workshop. Finally, after five hours, Cohen stopped his work and sighed with relief. "It's finally done."
He picked up a small vial containing the Elf King's blood, slowly letting a single drop fall onto Luna's heart. As the drop touched the mechanical heart, it spread instantly, as if absorbed into it. Luna's veins quickly filled, and the once-metal blood began to flow. The golden metallic liquid moved through her veins, seemingly granting her life.
Luna's body began to react noticeably. Her eyes slowly opened, faint light glimmering from within. As time passed, Luna's body gradually returned to normal, and the cold metallic skin revived with the warmth of life.
At that moment, a loud bell rang from the sky, and the entire Black Mountain City seemed to tremble. The Mechanical Court appeared from afar above the castle, and a beam of golden light shot toward Luna's body. The golden light merged with Luna's body, and the Mechanical Court slowly dissipated.
Luna's eyes finally opened fully. Her gaze was clear and firm, and a gentle smile spread across her face.
"Leo..." Luna spoke softly. Her voice was a bit hoarse, but it was filled with warmth and strength.
Leo, overcome with emotion, rushed to her side and hugged her tightly. Tears sparkled in his eyes. "You're finally awake, Luna."
Luna gently patted his back, comforting him, "I'm back, Leo."
At this moment, Leo pointed to Cohen and Vivella and introduced them, "This is Cohen, he repaired you; this is Vivella, our former teammate."
Luna looked at Vivella, a glimmer of gratitude in her eyes, "Thank you."
However, just then, there was a loud crashing sound and the growls of monsters coming from the castle gate. Cohen furrowed his brow. "Something's wrong. Why are the monsters here again?"
He quickly led the group to the platform halfway up the mountain, his eyes fixed on the distance. The sun had already risen, but the monsters didn't retreat into the earth as they usually did. Instead, they had gathered at the castle gate, relentlessly crashing against the stone door.
"What's wrong with them?" Leo couldn't help but ask.
Cohen quickly analyzed the situation, his expression growing serious. "These monsters aren't just attacking like they usually do. They've become more frenzied." He took a deep breath. "I've never seen anything like this before. It's like they're being driven by some force, disregarding their own losses, as if there's some irresistible compulsion."
"Could they be controlled by an outside force?" Dan asked, frowning, his voice low. "I've never seen anything like this before."
"Neither have I," Cohen shook his head. "This is definitely unusual. We need to figure out how to deal with this."
The group returned to the castle, and Cohen instructed all the elderly dwarves and non-combatants to move to deeper parts of the castle to ensure their safety. Then, Leo, Luna, Dan, and Vivella gathered in the strategy room to discuss their next steps.
"Why are the monsters suddenly going berserk? They used to have a predictable pattern. Why are they so wild now?" Leo asked.
"It's likely that their instincts were triggered," Cohen thought for a moment before replying. "But for this kind of control to happen, there must be some external force at work. Or, they may have already been bound by some force, and an unknown power triggered their rampage."
"Is it the energy from the monster cores?" Vivella asked, her gaze calm. "The cores are filled with dark power. If there's instability in their cores..."
"That's possible," Cohen nodded. "But I'm not sure. We need to figure out the cause quickly."
Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from the castle gate, as if the door was about to be torn down. Leo furrowed his brow and stood up. "We need to defend the gate, we can't let these monsters get inside!"
"However, there are too many of them. Our defenses might not hold out for long," Dan said solemnly. "If they keep hitting the door like this, the stone gate will definitely be breached."
Cohen nodded. "We can reinforce the gate, but time is of the essence. If it really is the monster cores causing the problem, we may need to trace the source and figure out what's driving them berserk."