Chapter 702 Echoes of Ages Past

"Not too old," Morgrimm waved his hand dismissively. "Only around a thousand."

". . ."

". . ."

Lorelai gave up with a sigh. "I don't know what old is in here anymore."

"Anyway," Morgrimm cleared his throat, "what is it that you're going to ask me?"

"First, do you know a man by the name Solomon Krane?" Ren started. 

Morgrimm's smile dropped at the name, and his face turned solemn.

Lorelai and Elena exchanged hopeful glances.

"Judging by your expression, you know him?" Ren urged.

Morgrimm sighed and nodded. "Yes. Solomon Krane is one of the devils whose village got raided and destroyed when the warlord took over the Nether Realm. His parents were leaders of the resistance but sadly passed away in the battle. 

"He was going to be killed to make a statement for the rest not to oppose the warlords. However, his parents had unleashed a spell one last time that transported him to the surface world."

Morgrimm took a deep breath. "He wasn't the only one who was orphaned because of the war. But he's the only one who got transported to the surface. We don't know what happened to him ever since."

There was silence for a moment before Morgrimm asked Ren and the others, "Why are you asking about Solomon? Come to think of it, isn't he on the surface?"

Elena shook her head and said, "Solomon Krane had created a portal using hundreds of souls as sacrifice to open a teleportation here. He had escaped to this world since then."

"We're searching for him to bring justice to what he did," Lorelai said seriously. "And bring back whatever souls he had left to their rightful bodies. It is imperative that you direct us to his location as soon as possible."

". . ." Morgrimm couldn't say anything for a moment before he uttered in a slow voice, "So he has returned . . . just like what he promised."

Morgrimm shut his eyes tight while Ren and the others exchanged glances, the sudden silence engulfing the room.

"So, do you know where he is?" Lorelai urged.

Morgrimm's eyes opened, and he shook his head. "Unfortunately, his town got destroyed years ago, and believe it or not, the Netherworld is larger than the surface, stretching under every continent and ocean. 

"To explore these lands, one must learn to live in a sunless world. To find Solomon would be hard. He could be anywhere."

"So, that little brat is telling the truth about the Netherworld being large?" Lorelai said aloud.

"Can you tell us where his town is then?" Evie questioned.

Elena nodded. "We'll start from there."

Morgrimm hesitated for a moment before he uttered, "That's very far away from here, around days of travel. It's another warlord's territory. Since the warlords didn't want to fight over territories, they each claimed territory of their own and never met each other to avoid battle."

"So where is it?" Lorelai asked impatiently. 

". . . In the land of fire, in Iraelyn's domain, the Wrathful Tempest."

"Iraelyn?" Elena muttered.

"Another warlord?" Evie asked.

Morgrimm nodded. "He's very powerful and very, very . . . angry. He lives alone in his domain, and no one dared to seek him out for fear of unleashing his wrath."

"Always angry?" Lorelai laughed. "Is that why he is called the Wrathful Tempest?"

". . ." The others looked at her with dead set eyes.

"Don't mind her. She's a little loose in the head," Elena said, "So how do we travel from here to there?"

Morgrimm thought for a moment. "The Netherworld is a challenge: everything is different from the surface. It's a sunless world where access to air and water is limited, and yet animal and plant life have adapted to these extreme conditions.

"Caverns are filled with echoes, distortions, or disturbing silences. Time pass entirely differently, and it's easy to lose one's bearings — sometimes even one's sanity.

"If you wish to reach the land of Fire, then you must travel across the desert for two days. Head south, and you shall reach it from here.

"However, if you're going into that territory, then expect that you will encounter Iraelyn. He knows everyone going in and out of his domain. I'm afraid that a confrontation is unavoidable if you wish to press on."

"Heh, I'm not scared of a warlord or whatever they call themselves," Lorelai said.

"Underestimating your opponent will not do you any good. If the seven warlords weren't powerful and scary, then we wouldn't be in this mess in the first place."

Lorelai huffed a smile. "It's not that I'm underestimating my opponents, Grandpa; it's that I'm strong."

". . ." Morgrimm's eyes drooped beneath his sagging skin at Lorelai's confidence and bold proclamation.

The princess then added with great enthusiasm, "Yosh. I think our destination is set! Let's go and find Salister as soon as possible."

"Don't you want to stay for a little until the feast is over? We have cooked a delicious meal in your honor for bringing food to our village."

Lorelai immediately sat and wiped the saliva off her lips. "Then don't mind if we do. We're not in a hurry, right, guys?"

Elena cleared her throat and pretended to be demure about it. "Ah. If there's a feast for us, then it would be rude not to accept it. We shall eat first, and then we will leave."

Ren and Evie couldn't say anything more.

"Splendid. Then it wouldn't take long. Please do make yourself comfortable." Morgrimm was about to leave when Ren stopped him.

"Wait. I have another question to ask."

"What is it?"

"Do you know about Vanadon-Necroth's lair?"

". . ." Morgrimm was silent for a moment before he said with a grim voice, "I don't know where you heard of Vanadon-Necroth and what you want from him, but . . . he is already dead."

". . ." Ren was too stunned to even process what Morgrimm was saying.

"What do you mean, dead?" Evie asked, worried.

"The seven warlords raided his lair and killed the dragon, the keeper of the secrets of the dead."

"What? Why?" Evie questioned further.

"To get Vanadon's knowledge. The unlimited blueprints and recipes in his mind."

"No way . . ." Evie uttered, concern in her eyes as she stared at Ren.

What were they going to do now?