Yet, Bringïrr himself wasn't sure how this corrupted area here worked. It was different from all those he had experienced before. Normally it would be the Eternal Protector who would analyze how the corruption existed and spread. For someone 7 Tiers lower to say he found something was beyond belief.

"A few things," Eldrian replied with a smile but refused to share them just yet. He was still working through his thoughts.

'What is divine magic?' This was the biggest question on his mind and one he felt was the last piece he needed to figure out what was going on. However, he had enough to make a conclusion even without it.

So far he knew that fire, nature, and divine magic caused massive damage to the undead. One might think that fire and divine did so due to the usual trope. Yet, why would nature magic then do extra damage? Why was it also effective against the undead?

'Right, what was that spell...' Eldrian cursed himself as he realized he had never returned for the theory behind the spells he had ordered. He had also not learned any of those he had bought. Though granted, he didn't have much time and he felt mastering some skills had been the better move.

Taking out the Tier 1 spells, Eldrian searched for the specific spell he was looking for.

"Haha, found you," Eldrian shouted in delight and caused all the dwarves who were in the shadows to facepalm as they hoped no undead would follow the noise. Luckily they were already halfway out, though this was actually not a good thing.

Eldrian was so deep in thought that he did not even think of avoiding the detection of the Spirited Ackleys. Pulling out the piece of paper, Eldrian looked at the spell module and its basic description.

{Thora, a spell originally made with the intent to hasten the process of decomposition for making compost. However, it was found that it is highly effective against the undead.}

Without a care of where he was, Eldrian started memorizing the spell while walking. His actions causing the dwarves even more astonishment. Yet, what happened after was even more shocking. Just 20 minutes later, as they were just 1 more kilometer from the camp, Eldrian cast the spell.

Even knowing that it was just a Tier 1 spell, the dwarves were left without words. Especially Bringïrr who had been thinking more and more of how much a waste of time this was. His thoughts quickly made a 180 though after seeing the speed at which Eldrian learned the spell as someone so new in the world of magic. It also made him actually believe that the elf might have managed to discover something.

Eldrian's target for Thora was one of the Spirited Ackleys, and as soon as he cast the spell it turned into ash. Disrupting the network and causing a storm of mana to surge in the vicinity. The pressure of the corruption lifting for a few minutes before the network managed to stabilize.

Laughing merrily Eldrian realized that his speculation was correct. However, his celebration was short-lived as multiple hordes of undead started rushing towards them. Not just from behind, but all sides.

"Shit! That might have been a bit stupid!" Eldrian shouted as he changed direction again for the umpteenth time to avoid another horde, the one behind him now numbering in the multiple thousands.

"You think!" Bringïrr shouted in both frustration and admiration.

"Why don't you guys just keep them busy?" Eldrian asked as he was forced to move inward to avoid another horde. The situation was quickly becoming unstable.

"We can't protect you against such numbers." Gritting his teeth, Bringïrr finally decided that enough was enough. Picking Eldrian up in a princess carry the two suddenly lifted off the ground.

'Wha- the...' Eldrian was astounded by what was happening, his worry for the hordes and the danger he was in disappeared instantly as he activated mana sense to try and figure out how this was possible. However, the mana was so dense that he was momentarily blinded by its light. Leaving him feeling salty as the dwarf rescued him.

'Come on, give me a peak!' Eldrian thought but at least knew better than to really say this. After just a few seconds they arrived outside of the corrupted area, where Eldrian hoped down before he could become embarrassed of how he had been carried.

"Thanks a bunch! I was starting to think I would need to do something drastic!" Eldrian slapped the dwarf's shoulder and got a grumble in response.

'He might be truly gifted with magic, but he is an idiot!' Were Bringïrr thoughts as he told Eldrian that they weren't out of the woods yet, literally and figuratively. A mass of dust soon appeared in the distant tree line.

"Enemy attack!" Eldrian shouted and turned to the dwarf, "You should do your hiddy thing if you don't want to be discovered."

With that Eldrian ran towards the wall, his shouts shocking the guards on duty and sending chills down their backs when they saw the massive dust cloud rising in the distance.

Yet, Eldrian's thoughts were not of the incoming danger but rather how Thora worked and why it worked so well. Even his first cast of the spell, which was never perfect, had instantly turned the entire tree into ash.

'It must be the mix of Nature and Light elements. Is it because the light cancels the dark, or is it because light speeds/heats things up. Thus, along with the nature mana activating decomposition, the light makes it happen near instantly.'

Eldrian felt the latter was more what had happened and lead him to again wonder what divine magic was. Recalling how someone had once told him it was like reversing time, Eldrian wondered if it was just super speed healing.

He was so deep in his thoughts that he did not hear the guards' shouts as he ran face-first into the wall. Falling unconscious as his brain and all his thoughts were scrambled.