Chapter 282: The Minotaur's Ambush

  On a high platform of a cliff at the edge of the city, the characteristic deep voice of a Minotaur was chanting prayers in a strange tone. The sounds of explosions, screams, and shouts filling the space could not completely drown out this strange singing; on the contrary, it seemed as if they were providing the most suitable background music for it. This was the Song of Hell, the call to hell.

  High Priest Tima raised his hands high, like a lead singer in an epic opera passionately performing. A deep yet sharp voice rolled out. Immense elemental fluctuations were also gathering in a special way along with his prayers, resonating and then acting in the direction where he raised his hands high—the top of this huge cavern space. The rock ceiling, unchanged for thousands of years, began to turn into lava under the massive fluctuations of earth and fire elements, then collapsed under its own weight, becoming deadly fire rain falling below.

  This was not found in any conventional magic books or records. After all, it seemed to be just using earth and fire magic to slowly heat and soften a region, which didn't seem like an effective combat method. But in the underground world, using such magic on the cavern ceiling above had completely different effects.

  This was not the combined fire and earth Forbidden Spell Meteor Shower, but in terms of destructive power and range, this spell was not at all weaker than the legendary spell. The elven city covering several square miles was gradually becoming ruins amidst continuous impacts and explosions.

  Drow warriors and archers were rushing here. But around the high platform, Minotaur warriors were also pouring out from nearby passages like a tide. From passages in all directions, figures of Evil Eyes and Harpies were constantly floating out.

  The foremost Drow warriors had already charged below the high platform, but none could climb up it. The Evil Eyes floating in mid-air continuously shot beams of light from their huge central eyes, burning these frontline warriors into charcoal. The Harpies were not in a hurry to attack, just circling near the high platform. Once any Drow who escaped the Evil Eyes' light beams approached, they immediately swarmed up like a large group of flies. Even though these warriors were usually not weak in combat, under the siege of dozens of Harpies, they were torn into pieces of flesh.

  The scattered arrows from Drow archers only shot down a few Harpies. High Priest Tima had dozens of Minotaur warriors as guards around him. Those rock-like strong muscles were more effective than any shield, and the toxins and curses on the arrows couldn't have any effect under the magical purification of the Minotaur priests.

  This was a carefully planned ambush, with the terrain arranged in advance. That high platform was originally used by Drow scouts for reconnaissance, but now it had somehow become High Priest Tima's casting location. And the Minotaurs, Harpies, and Evil Eyes emerging from all directions were well-organized with clear formations, even more efficient than when facing Erathia's army.

  "Damn it, which family were the scouts on patrol from? Couldn't they even discover so many Minotaurs? I'll use them all as sacrificial offerings." Matron Choi Hana was still screaming. Looking at the continuously appearing army, she already understood what was happening, but she still found it hard to believe and unwilling to accept it.

  Minotaurs, these barbaric and vulgar monsters, had never been content with being subordinate to the Drow. In the minds of these monsters who believed in legendary abyssal demons, it was intolerable to be dominated by any other race. The factor of restlessness had been deeply rooted in these monsters' beliefs and barren culture.

  However, although Nighon didn't have any fixed order, the law that the strong rule was applicable everywhere. Although the Drow's own strength wasn't enough to completely suppress other races, unlike the Minotaurs' ethereal beliefs, the Drow's beliefs were more tangible.

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  Marasha, the Dragon of Shadows, was indeed like all other gods and demons, not existing in the present world and having no real miracles to offer. But one of her children, the great Moriel, did exist in Nighon, worshipped and revered by the Drow. It was by relying on the power of this divine spokesperson that the Drow had always vaguely maintained their ruling position in Nighon.

  Small frictions between races were common in the underground world of Nighon, but no race dared to engage in full-scale combat with the Drow. Only the Beholders, monsters native to Nighon like Troglodytes, had once challenged Drow authority long ago. But later, the Evil Eye tyrant was annihilated under Moriel's wrathful flames, and the battle between these two monsters expanded much of the underground world of Nighon. To this day, traces of that battle expanding the underground world can still be seen in many places. In this massive battle, the entire Beholder tribe was nearly wiped out, leaving only some low-level Evil Eyes surviving to this day.

  This was an excellent example. Even if the Minotaurs and other races were wild and unruly, they had self-awareness in the face of true power. Even though a High Priest Tima had emerged among the Minotaurs in recent decades, unifying several previously scattered tribes and governing them in an orderly manner, with their strength already showing signs of surpassing the Drow, they still didn't dare to make any moves, even maintaining more tolerance toward the Drow than before.

  The Drow elders didn't feel relaxed about this. On the contrary, they maintained a cautious vigilance against this High Priest who was somewhat different from other Minotaurs. And this was especially true after a strange change that occurred more than a decade ago.

  However, no matter how careful the vigilance, after more than ten years of peace, some slackness would inevitably develop. Even though they knew in their minds that they shouldn't underestimate this opponent, they could no longer maintain a high level of alertness in their senses.

  A frog suddenly thrown into very hot water won't die, but it can easily be boiled to death in slowly warming water. Especially since High Priest Tima had been heating this water for more than ten years, only now revealing its full temperature. Matron Choi Hana knew this temperature was no longer boiling water—it was magma.

  With a loud bang, a rock from a rockery with firelight fell nearby, turning Matron Choi Hana's residence into ruins, with fiery red rocks and flames flying everywhere.

  A rock fragment the size of a person struck Matron Choi Hana's magical barrier. Although it didn't break through this flame shield, it sent her small body flying away. The two or three warrior guards nearby didn't have such good protection, becoming charred corpses with screams. Several other priests were also battered and in sorry states.

  "That bastard, if I get the chance, I swear by Marasha that I'll twist his bull head off and hang it as decoration on my wall." Matron Choi Hana screamed as she got up, but she knew in her heart that she probably had no chance. She could only shout to the other priests, "These creatures came prepared. Quickly gather people to break through the defense. Find a way to Lord Moriel's cave."

  A priest answered loudly, lest his voice be drowned out by the explosions and chaos: "Rest assured, Matron. Lord Moriel must have already sensed the disturbance here. With such a huge spell from Tima, it's impossible for Lord Moriel not to know with his power. The great Moriel will surely come to help us."

  "Not to notify Lord Moriel to save us, but for us to save Lord Moriel." Matron Choi Hana's hair was disheveled, and the flame light around her flickered, making her look as if she had gone mad.

  The looks the other priests gave the matron were no different from how one would look at a madman. To say such a thing, the matron seemed to have indeed gone crazy.

  High Priest Tima's chanting voice finally gradually subsided. Although this magic wasn't a Forbidden Spell, maintaining such a large-scale effect had completely exhausted his magical power. Sweat had appeared on his forehead, but there was no trace of fatigue in his fiery eyes, only excitement.

  The smell of corpses and blood mixed with the odor of flames and lava in the air whetted his appetite more than the smell of roasted elf meat. Looking down from this high place, all he could see was fire. Othello, with its dense buildings, had completely become a ruined sea of fire under his spell. He had waited for this moment for more than forty years. Even in a Minotaur's life, forty years wasn't short.

  But this wasn't the end; this was just the beginning. This was only the largest city of the Drow, and there were other cities waiting to be destroyed.

  And the important battlefield wasn't here; this was just a sideshow. High Priest Tima smiled as he looked at the remaining Drow forces gathered below. These were just appetizers.

  "The great Moriel is already on her way here. We must break out to meet her and drive these ugly Minotaurs who dared to ambush us out of Nighon completely." Standing on the largest battle lizard, surrounded by a flame shield, Matron Choi Hana screamed. Although she had guessed what was happening in her heart, she could only shout like this to boost everyone's morale.

  "The Dragon of Shadows is with us." The remaining Drow who gathered were less than half of their original number. That one spell had turned nearly ten thousand Drow into corpses. But their morale was not weak at all. With a shout, dozens of battle lizards at the front led all the Drow in a charge.

  On the other side, more than a dozen of the most skilled warriors quietly dispersed in all directions, seeking all possible exits to slip away. This was Matron Choi Hana's secret order. They were to go out for help—not to the great Moriel, but to other Drow, or the Drow's allies, the Medusa.