The portal became a dangerous place in the adventurers' mouths, and no one dared to approach it again.
A few months later, a figure stumbled out of the portal, dragging a broken leg, and laboriously climbed up the tomb passage.
Before long, a 隊 of tall Vrykul rushed out of the portal, chasing after the figure.
"Don't let that elf escape!"
The one who had just run out was a Kaldorei adventurer who had entered the portal. It turned out that there was no treasure on the other side of the portal, but a Netherworld.
Endless undead fought there, and the adventurers who entered, regardless of their race, were all killed by the undead. After their souls left their bodies, they were killed by the undead again, turning into soul energy, lingering in the Netherworld.
Adal Riverwind was born in Gale's Tower. His father was among the first mages transferred from the Forging Factory to Gale's Tower. During the War of the Ancients, he did not have the opportunity to participate in the fighting. Stuck in Gale's Tower all day, he yearned for a free life. Therefore, after the adventurer decree was issued, he immediately chose to venture to Stormheim.
The outside world was very exciting for him, and he wanted to see more places. Others entered the portal out of greed, but he did so out of curiosity.
As the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat, and Adal Riverwind's curiosity also killed him.
After entering the Netherworld, he was also killed by the undead. But he had been immersed in the library of Gale's Tower since childhood, which contained Gale's complete spell system. After the War of the Ancients, Gale even added spellbooks he had obtained from other sources.
He had once, out of curiosity about Mejia becoming a powerful Lich, read all the spellbooks on necromancy.
Before, he only considered it for broadening his knowledge, but it turned out to be useful.
After being killed by the undead, he immediately entrusted his soul to his Elemental Spell Codex.
The undead had little interest in spellbooks, leaving it on the ground and turning to fight each other.
Taking advantage of the undead's inattention, Adal Riverwind secretly moved the surrounding metal and bones to himself, piecing together a body. In this way, he used the Elemental Spell Codex as his phylactery, casting his soul into the pieced-together body, becoming a Lich.
This pieced-together body was not only slow to move but also had little spellcasting ability. Fortunately, it looked like a corpse, escaping the attention of the undead.
Moving slowly on the ground, he met the imprisoned Aeon. One a prisoner, the other an escapee, the two naturally trusted each other.
Aeon placed her hope of escaping the cage on Adal. She told Adal about the Netherworld and how to enter and exit it, hoping he would seek help from Odyn.
With Aeon's method, Adal finally escaped from the Netherworld.
However, the moment he escaped the Netherworld, Helya sensed it. Helya dispatched a team of Kvaldir to pursue Adal.
"No one can escape from the Netherworld!"
Adal sped up, but this body was truly too crippled. There was no other way; he could only turn back and cast spells on the Kvaldir, even if it only slowed their pursuit.
He drew upon the energy from the Elemental Spell Codex and cast a Slow spell. The Kvaldir slowed down, but they were still much faster than him.
The pirates looked at Adal cruelly, "Give up struggling! You can't escape."
"Who's there?"
A simple and honest voice sounded.
Adal looked over in surprise, finding it was an Earth Spirit, and immediately shouted, "Quick, save me! I am a Kaldorei adventurer, and I have important information to bring back to Nordrassil."
The Earth Spirit hurried over, and seeing Adal's appearance, he couldn't help but exclaim, "What in the world are you?"
Adal urgently said, "I was killed, so I transformed myself into a Lich!"
He threw the Elemental Spell Codex to the Earth Spirit, "Take it and run, go to Nordrassil!"
The Earth Spirit, holding the spellbook, asked hesitantly, "What about you?"
"The enemies are right behind me; I'll hold them off. There's no time, run, notify everyone to leave here!"
With that, Adal turned back and lunged, using all the magic power in his body to create an ice wall, blocking the Kvaldir's path.
However, the powerful strength of the Kvaldir caused cracks to appear in the ice wall with a single blow.
Seeing that the enemies were Vrykul, the Earth Spirit immediately turned and ran, shouting as he ran, "Run! Enemies! They're Vrykul!"
There weren't many people left in Hovswald now, but the team of Earth Spirits who originally opened it was still there. They were studying the architectural style here, wanting to see if there was any useful information inside.
Hearing the Earth Spirit's shout, the others were a bit surprised.
But soon, they reacted. They might have touched a forbidden place here, turning the buried master into an undead.
Their guess, though not entirely accurate, was not far off.
Rushing out of Hovswald, the Earth Spirits returned to Nordrassil without stopping.
Gale looked at the Elemental Spell Codex before him, his thoughts stirring. With a wave of his hand, he summoned Adal Riverwind's soul, and Adal told Gale everything he knew. Gale was overjoyed; he had thought it would take a long time to get information about the Netherworld!
He called a servant, handed over the Elemental Spell Codex, and said, "Send it to Nathalass, and have Mejia prepare a powerful body for him."
After the servant respectfully left, Gale immediately ordered, "Assemble the army, and march on the Netherworld!"
Military orders were issued one after another. All officers and soldiers on rotation for adventures were recalled and prepared as quickly as possible. Supplies were concentrated in the four major cities, then awaited transfer.
This expedition would be primarily land-based, requiring a portion to be drawn from each region. Vacant defenses would be guarded by recruited militias, or assisted by the navy and air force.
Mages, Druids, Paladins, and other spellcasters would be heavily conscripted, and envoys dispatched to contact allied races, requesting support with spellcasting, especially shamans who understood soul magic.
The Lich of Nathalass, and Aeon, would also accompany the expedition; they would be the main force in this war.
Gale entrusted the government affairs to Maiev for temporary management, with her to appease the people.
Then he led the vanguard to the Hall of Valor.
If Odyn could join the expedition to the Netherworld, Gale would have a hundred percent chance of victory.
However, upon reaching the Hall of Valor, Heimdall informed him that Odyn was not there, and he had no authority to mobilize the Valarjar.
"Where did he go?" Gale asked with a frown.
Heimdall: "He must have gone to Ulduar. Helya said that Loken had instructed her to seal the Hall of Valor."
No wonder!
Gale instantly understood everything: why Odyn was no longer watching Helya. It turned out Helya had diverted the trouble.
He had thought it through well, but how would Helya respond to my attack?
"If he could only join the expedition to the Netherworld, Gale would have a hundred percent chance of victory."
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