Notification

As they stepped into the corridor the black coated figure walked ahead of them with measured steps. After a few moments of silence he spoke in a somewhat respectful tone.

"My name is Netharos. Lady Valeria has personally chosen me to assist you on this mission. I must say, it is an honor to be in the company of warriors she herself has recruited."

Erik and Mia exchanged a glance. The word "honor" felt hollow in their ears. Neither of them felt any pride in being Valeria's pawns.

"We don't need to do small talk, do we? Let's just get this job done," Mia said with cold voice before Erik could say anything.

Netharos glanced at her but didn't push further. "Of course," he replied, his tone even. "No small talk."

The three continued walking through the winding halls in silence. When they finally reached the armory Netharos gestured toward a room where Erik and Mia were to meet the rest of their team. Inside, five more members of Valeria's elite soldiers were waiting, each clad in black coat armor similar to Netharos, their faces obscured by deep hoods.

Netharos introduced them one by one. "These are the other members of the Dreadshade Coven who will accompany us into the realm of the dwarves. Like me, they are loyal to Lady Valeria and her purpose and have been tasked with ensuring the mission's success."

Erik sized them up quickly, noting how they moved with precision unsettling calmness.

Mia's expression remained indifferent, but Erik could tell she was restless

"Alright," Mia said. "Let's get moving."

Netharos nodded and led them to a wide chamber where a glowing portal that swirling with dark energy stood ominously at its center.

"This portal will take us to Nidavellir," Netharos explained. "The realm of the dwarves. Be on guard—though they are skilled craftsmen, they are a suspicious and hostile people. We'll need to be swift."

Erik and Mia stood side by side, their eyes fixed on the portal. Erik tightening the grip on his sword while Mia's hand hovered near the metal staff strapped to her side.

"Let's get this over with," Erik muttered, and without another word they stepped into the swirling vortex.

---

They emerged into the vast, subterranean world of Nidavellir. The realm of the dwarves was a labyrinth of caverns and towering stone structures carved directly into the mountains. The walls shimmered with veins of glowing minerals and the air was thick with the sound of distant hammering.

Despite the realm's beauty, there was an oppressive weight to it—a sense that they were deep within the earth, far from the open skies.

Netharos gestured toward the deeper tunnels ahead. "Our target is a master blacksmith by the name of Vekkir. He resides in one of the forges at the heart of this realm. Our task is to capture him alive and bring him back to Lady Valeria. He is invaluable to her plans."

"And how exactly are we supposed to capture him? Don't they have some kind of security measure?" Erik asked.

Netharos nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Vekkir will be protected not just by the other dwarves but by a guardian beast known as a Stone Wyrm. Be cautious. If it senses an intruder it will defend its master with deadly force. But we can do this with our number and strength. Lady Valeria choose us for this reason."

The other members of the Dreadshade Coven began to move forward in silence, their dark forms disappearing into the shadows of the tunnel ahead. Netharos signaled for Erik and Mia to follow.

Erik and Mia prepared to move but a sudden flicker of light appeared in front of their vision. It was a notification from the System. The familiar blue rune appeared in their eyes and giving them little bit of calmness.

["Erik, Mia, are you alright? I just lost your signal for a moment. What's going on?"]

Erik's heart skipped a beat. He immediately turned to Mi and whispering under his breath, "We can't let the Dreadshade Coven know about this. Valeria doesn't know about our connection to Heimdall either."

Mia nodded, keeping her expression neutral. "Right. This can be our advantage. We have to be careful."

They shared a brief glance before moving forward to catch up with the others. While the Dreadshade Coven remained focused on the mission ahead, Erik and Mia knew they had a hidden advantage. Their System that linked directly to Heimdall could be the key to turning this situation in their favor.

But there was a problem. He had never sent a message back through the System before. Up until now, it had only been a one-way connection. They only receiving instructions from it and not communicating with it.

He glanced at Mia, leaning closer to her as they walked. "Do you know how to send a message back to Heimdall?" he whispered, careful to keep his voice low so the other Dreadshade Coven members wouldn't hear them.

Mia frowned, her brows knitting together in thought. "I'm not sure… but I can try. Let me see if I can figure it out."

Erik nodded then stepping slightly to the side as Mia slowed her pace. He kept an eye on the other making sure they were still unaware of the quiet exchange happening behind them.

Mia closed her eyes for a moment, concentrating. Her connection to runes and their intricate workings had always been stronger than Erik or Liam, and now she was trying to tap into that power to manipulate the System.

For a few long moments Mia remained silent. Erik watched as she subtly moved her fingers in low position as if tracing invisible runes in the air, adjusting something within her mind.

Finally, she looked at Erik. "I think I did something," she whispered.

"What did you do?"

"I tweaked the runes in the System. It's like finding a hidden pathway. If Heimdall can send messages to us then there must be a way for us to send them back. I connected it to the runes I know best, hopefully, he'll get the message."

Erik gave her a small, grateful nod. "Good. Let's hope it works."

---