Countless Undead are attacking Dalaran, but the powerful Violet Citadel Barrier blocks everything. Any Undead that comes into contact with this barrier will be destroyed by Arcane Torrent. Very few can withstand the barrier and break through it.
The Violet Citadel Barrier is divided into several layers, each layer of energy barrier is presided over by a powerful Archmage, and the final layer of energy barrier is even maintained by Antonidas himself.
The biggest weakness of this barrier is the Archmage themselves.
Once they are eliminated, the barrier will be significantly weakened.
The Violet Citadel Barrier failed to halt the Scourge's advance. Kel'Thuzad knew the barrier all too well. Even more terrifying was that Tichondrius had already infiltrated Dalaran, corrupting countless mages.
When Arthas ordered the general offensive, the mages and Tichondrius, who were lurking among them, immediately launched an internal conflict. Countless mages were killed instantly, countless spell nodes were destroyed, and even two of the Archmage maintaining the barrier were killed in the first instance. Modera and Ansirem were seriously injured, and the power of the Violet Citadel Barrier was reduced to its lowest level.
In the critical moment, Antonidas ordered Archmage Modera, Archmage Ansirem, and Archmage Rhonin to relocate the civilians and low- to mid-level mages to the underground area, where Dalaran's three-thousand-year-old magical barrier provided protection, making it even safer than the surface area.
The surface area was destroyed, but the underground area remained intact!
Antonidas, Archmage Drenden, and many more Archmage and high mages were tasked with holding off Arthas and the Scourge on the ground to buy time for the others.
The Violet Citadel Barrier is only the first layer of protection for Dalaran. In fact, every building and every corner of the city is covered with various kinds of barriers. Once the Undead enter the city, they are plunged into an endless battle.
Those familiar with that period of history from decades ago know that breaching the city was only the first step; what followed was even more brutal street fighting, the street fighting with the heaviest casualties!
Using ubiquitous barriers and various spell arrays, mages hide in mage towers or other buildings, as well as in the Dalaran underground, which is completely unknown to outsiders, and unleash their fury on the Undead.
Dalaran is different from Silvermoon City.
The High Elf, with unwavering confidence in the Runestone Barrier Runestone Barrier, placed all their hopes on it, believing that as long as the Runestone Barrier existed, Silvermoon City would be forever impregnable. Therefore, there were actually very few defensive measures within the entire Silvermoon City.
However, since its founding, Dalaran has suffered countless attacks and wars, and human mages have never placed their hopes on a barrier, no matter how powerful that barrier is.
Dalaran far more difficult to deal with than Gilneas and Silvermoon City. Even if Arthas personally took to the battlefield, it would definitely not be something that could be done in a day or two to completely conquer the city.
"Your Highness, our target is there!" Floating beside Arthas, Kel'Thuzad extended his staff, pointing to the tallest building in all of Dalaran: " Antonidas is there! The Book of Medivh... is there too!"
Arthas nodded slightly.
That was Violet Citadel, the most important place in all of Dalaran, the core of the Kirin Tor Council's power, and the residence of many Archmage. Even someone as distinguished as him was not allowed to enter that place when he came to Dalaran a guest.
It is said that countless secrets are hidden inside, and now he reaches out to touch those secrets and takes them away.
The Invincible warhorse clattered along, carrying Arthas to the purple castle, where he then saw Antonidas.
This elderly mage, with a long white beard reaching his waist, held the famous Greatstaff of Atiesh in one hand and a heavy spellbook in the other.
Jiang Jie had told him about Arthas and the Scourge's goals, but he did not try to hide the Book of Medivh, because no matter where it was hidden, it would not be safer than in Dalaran, in his hands.
Now he holds the Book of Medivh, signifying his resolve to die.
Since the Book of Medivh will inevitably fall into Arthas's hands sooner or later, let's not hide it any longer. Let's not allow Arthas to kill more people in his search for the Book of Medivh. Once Arthas obtains the Book of Medivh, he will do more important things, Dalaran might be able to catch its breath, and perhaps more mages and civilians will survive...
No one can judge whether Antonidas's current decision is right or wrong, but at least one thing is certain: his current decision is well-intentioned...
" Antonidas, my teacher... your student has come to see you." The great Lich emerged from the dense Undead of undead, Kel'Thuzad stood before Antonidas: "I once admired your talent and wisdom immensely, but now, I am stronger than you! And you, you are old!"
"True strength is never about brute force." Looking at his once most prized student, Antonidas painfully closed his eyes. The next second, when he opened them, brilliant Arcane energy erupted from his body—the final, desperate battle had begun!
Arcane energy, death energy, evil energy, Shadow energy, frost energy...
Despite possessing greater power, Kel'Thuzad was still unable to suppress Antonidas in actual combat. The old mage's mastery of Arcane Magic had indeed reached the highest level in Dalaran in a century.
Antonidas was the most accomplished mage in the history of Dalaran in terms of time magic. Kel'Thuzad clearly lacked this talent, and in the eyes of the Lich, Antonidas was still a stronger teacher than him!
However, when Arthas joined the battle, the scales of victory tipped in favor of death, and the lives of the living were finally taken away.
" The Greatstaff of Atiesh and the Book of Medivh are mine!" Blood stained the staff and the spellbook as Kel'Thuzad snatched them from the old mage's corpse, overjoyed.
One represented the authority and prestige of the Chief Archmage of Dalaran and the Speaker of the Kirin Tor Council, while the other represented the highest level of magic in the human world. Having obtained both, Kel'Thuzad saw a bright future for himself.
With them, he will soon become a true Legendary mage, instead of the pseudo- Legendary who only possesses Legendary power but lacks Legendary spellcasting ability.
With the Book of Medivh, he could not only carry out the Lich King's orders, but one day he might even be able to touch the divine realm possessed by the Lich King, and perhaps even replace the Lich King and become the new Lich King...
In a sense, Kel'Thuzad was a very pure mage; he would not submit to anyone but to greater power, more powerful magic, and more profound knowledge.
Arthas frowned, for Frostmourne had not consumed Antonidas's soul.
The Legendary mage's soul seemed to have an indescribable, intimate connection with this city. The city sheltered him, causing his soul to vanish in an instant, its whereabouts unknown.
Arthas raised his foot, wanting to enter the now- Keeper Violet Citadel to uncover the deepest secrets of Dalaran, but Kel'Thuzad stopped him.
"My prince, this city still harbors immense power. The soul of the great first Keeper, Alodi, slumbers in the Hall of the Guardian. Everything you see on the surface is merely Dalaran after its reconstruction. Dalaran's true strength lies hidden underground."
Kel'Thuzad pointed deep underground and said, " The Eye of Dalaran is still guarding this city. Someone will Devastation it, but not us. Don't waste time here. Lord Archimonde has given us one day left. We... must hurry! Otherwise, we cannot withstand his wrath, nor can the Lich King!"
"I can kill more mages and resurrect more Undead! Frostmourne can't enslave Antonidas's soul, but it can at least enslave the souls of other Archmage!" Arthas said coldly. "I can sense that there are still Archmage hiding somewhere in this city! Why couldn't Archimonde give me more time! The Scourge could grow stronger than ever before..."
" Archimonde is not Kil'jaeden. He has no interest in playing tricks and schemes against what he sees as insects and ants. As for the Scourge, in his eyes, they are nothing more than toys to be discarded at will." Kel'Thuzad's voice was more serious than ever before. "My prince, there is one thing you must remember: never disobey Archimonde's orders, or all our efforts will be in vain!"