Chapter 276 126. Don’t Look Back
Malekith did not break the spell on the wall immediately. He was observing, and he could see that the glyphs inlaid on these connection points were different from the square glyphs decorated around them. He observed the magic left behind by the Old Saint or the Slann Demon Priest. He tried to learn more about the construction of this spell. He might be able to return to Naggaroth and build another one in his black tower. Hidden away, shielded from his mother's ever-present eyes and ears, doing things he didn't want his mother to notice so he didn't have to be in the throne room every day.
"Ah! What an interesting structure!" Malekith sighed in an aria, then pointed the index finger of his right hand on the spell connection point on the wall.
The spell that had been dormant for more than six thousand years was activated again, and the stone wall on the back of the Skink Community building began to slowly open. Malekith drew out the Sun Flame Sword and entered first.
The Druchi who followed Malekith also drew their weapons and began to enter in an orderly manner. They carefully crossed the fallen stones and entered the darkness.
Malekith stepped on the steps and strode in front of Druch, stopping from time to time to brush his fingers over the stone carvings of the passage, or to taste the air that he could not smell.
As the druchi advanced, the ceiling of the passage began to lower and the passage was sealed, or rather, a dead end!
This place feels like a transition room for Darkus, a space of exchange between water and air.
The Druchi took out their witchfire lamps, and Drusala and Colonia also released the light spell. The darkness reluctantly retreated, and the light returned to their surroundings.
"Wait!" Malekith suddenly stopped in front of the dead end, tilted his head to one side, as if listening to distant sounds, then he stretched out the index finger of his right hand and raised it into the air and said.
The Druchi who were following Malekith looked at each other. Their adventuring here might be a formality to a certain extent, but they felt that His Majesty the Witch King walking in front of them was more serious than them, as if Already immersed in the adventure.
Some of the peripheral Druchi couldn't feel anything, such as the family guards of Hell's Disaster and some of the retinues of the Darkus brothers. They were not qualified to approach His Majesty the Witch King.
But Druchi, who could talk to His Majesty the Witch King, felt something was different. From last night when His Majesty the Witch King sat there and watched them eat after receiving the Sun Flame Sword, they felt that His Majesty the Witch King seemed like When one Druchi is replaced, the whole Druchi has changed.
The Drukis don't know if this is a change after His Majesty the Witch King obtained the Sunfire Sword, or if he continues to play role-playing games and immerse himself in the adventure of Lustria, or something else?
The one who feels the deepest here is Maranur. Although Maranur is his brother's external agent, he is nominally the adjutant of His Majesty the Witch King. He sometimes has to enter the throne room to deal with Malekith. He felt that Malekith was now like his brother after he returned from the Haxiya trial voyage. The whole Druchi had changed. Although he was still standing there, his movements, language and demeanor seemed to have changed. This change is subtle, but people around you can still notice it and notice it immediately.
The same is true for Sirsis. He has served His Majesty the Witch King for a hundred years. His feelings are deeper than Maranur's, but he thinks this is because His Majesty the Witch King has regained the sword of the first generation Phoenix King. It is Yang Yan. The sword changed His Majesty the Witch King, causing a qualitative change in His Majesty's temperament and demeanor. Although he is a fear lord, a soldier and a warrior, Naggaroth has always been independent of military and political affairs. As someone who is only loyal to His Majesty the Witch King, he understands the significance of Malekith's reacquisition of the Sunfire Sword all too well. The loudest of the compliments last night.
I just don’t know if His Majesty the Witch King will still be the same after he returns to Nagareth.
"My Majesty, what is this?" Darkus walked over and asked curiously like he was admiring.
Darkus knows that pretending to be cool is equivalent to walking at night, so he has to stand up and be a supporter when necessary.
"Some kind of pressure plate." Malekith slowly lowered his outstretched finger and pointed at a golden stone slab on the ground in front of him.
Drusala and Darkus also had a clear understanding of each other. The light ball she cast before slowly floated over so that the Druchi behind could see it.
For a moment, all the Druchi stretched their heads and stared at the metal plate in front of Malekith's feet. The metal plate shone in the faint light.
Even in this dim light, however, there was no mistaking the material the metal plates were made of.
An intricate checkerboard shape is set into its smooth metal, etched with strange cubic ideograms of lizard men, feathers and skulls.
"Ah~ it's gold!" Darkus said rather exaggeratedly, wiping the sweat from his palms as he said it, but he was not stupid and was ready to bend down and reach out to touch it.
"This is also a mechanism!" Malekith's voice was choked with excitement.
Darkus raised his head and glanced at Malekith in surprise, and the Druchi also looked at each other again because of Malekith's tone of voice.
Malekith suddenly raised his right foot, strode over, and stomped hard on the mechanism.
As there were no traps such as hidden arrows or rolling stones in the mechanism's trigger channel, the dead end in front of the Druchi began to move creakingly, and then a wide space appeared.
The light spell was of no use at this moment. The passage was filled with golden light. The sudden change in vision prevented the Druchis, who already had keen night vision, from reacting immediately.
Malekith ignored the Druchis behind him, and instead walked in laughing, feeling like he was going out laughing with his head up to the sky.
Drusala and Colonia looked at each other. They knew that there were mechanisms and magical winds flowing on the golden hair pressing plate just now, but His Majesty the Witch King attached the spell to his feet and used violent means to break it. The two of them glanced at the four sorceresses around them again. After realizing that they had not noticed, they looked at each other again and smiled tacitly at each other. No one said anything. After all, they were in the passage.
This place is indeed like the legend spread by Skogi. There are countless treasures in the Hollow Lake. After entering the stone door, there is a rather wide space filled with gold.
Darkos ignored the fact that the space was covered with raw gold that had not yet been refined, nor did he look at the lumps of gold and gold jewelry placed randomly. Instead, he observed the environment in the space. He was sure that this was once the place where Skink jewelry was made. He visited the workshop where the workers worked once when he was in Hesiota.
After checking around, Darkus, who found that there was nothing wrong, shook his head to the Druchis behind him, indicating that they could visit.
Julian walked out first. He picked up a refined gold brick and put it in his hand to feel the weight. He put the five-kilogram gold brick back with a strange expression. In Nagaron, In Germany, only the rich and powerful have such gold bricks in their warehouses. They cannot be seen in the outside world or on the black market, but the gold here is like worthless bricks.
If Naggarond appears, it will represent a bloody night, a night of killing, and gangs or families will be shattered and destroyed because of this situation, because Julian has done this kind of work several times, After all, he spent a lot of money in Nagarond.
The other Druchi also dispersed and formed their own groups to gather around the gold and take a look. The visual impact of the gold here was even more gorgeous than the gem mine the day before yesterday. After all, it was a gem mine with different senses, and here it was even more beautiful. Like a treasury that has been silent for thousands of years. But they just picked it up and looked at it without thinking about it. After all, the Witch King's Hand didn't say anything to them to get it.
Malekith just glanced at the gold and continued to observe the indoor environment. He wanted to find the exit, but there was nothing to find. The exit was right there, just like what he sensed at night in Spicazuma. He knew This is where the lizardmen sleep and work.
"I only know that this place is called Zulkes." Chupa Coco shook his head when he said it, and spread his left hand that was not holding a weapon.
Darkus nodded. It seems that he has to ask Master Ma for the rest. Maybe only Master Ma knows the information here? It was completely unplanned that he was standing on the empty street of Zulkes. If he remembered correctly, he came out this morning to help Ren deal with the ancient sage Huangqi's blessing? It has now deviated significantly.
Druchi walked on the streets of Zulkes looking left and right, and sometimes looked above the city. They saw the bloated zombies floating above the city and the sky that was still raining heavily. They also saw the lake that seemed to be there but not there. flow.
This strange feeling is like entering the glass tunnel of the aquarium and watching the fish swimming in the water, but there are no fish or donkeys in the virtual lake.
After thinking about it, Darkus looked at Renn beside him, and Renn also followed his gaze.
"Sir, over there, it should be the Huangqi Temple and the location here. I sensed it when I was by the lake." Ren said while pointing in a direction.
After Ren finished speaking, he said nothing more, not because he had no right to speak, but because Darkus gave him a reassuring gesture and expression.
Darkus did not let the Druchis disperse to look for anything. Although he did not know why he suddenly came here, he would not be stupid and let the Druchies disperse to look for something. He did not want to count the number of people. There are a few missing in time.
Malekith, who was walking at the front, suddenly stretched out his hand and ordered the Druchi to stay put.
The Druchi who saw His Majesty the Witch King's gesture immediately reacted and drew their weapons to form a battle formation to guard the surroundings. Malekith quickly sensed the direction, and he waved his hand to the Druchi to continue following him. He felt the extraordinary magical wind again. He could clearly feel that the suction of something nearby was forming a vortex of magical wind. He could sense the strangeness of this underwater city. He came here. One purpose was to see what was going on with this vortex. He followed the vortex accurately and directly found the source of the anomaly.
Druchi didn't know how long they had been walking. Darkus once took out his pocket watch and took a look at it. He found that the hands of the pocket watch had stopped moving. Time seemed to have become useless here.
What appeared in front of the team was a pyramid-shaped building. Although it was not high, it was very wide. It seemed to have been slapped hard by a palm from the sky. It was flattened and the shape was very distorted. The bottom floor was surrounded by pyramids. passage, but the upper floors were almost invisible due to the influence of the devil wind.
"Zongqi, why is this pyramid like this? It is twisted!" Chupa Coco exclaimed as he looked at the pyramid in front of him.
"Are there traces of Chaos here?" Darkus was quite surprised when he saw this weird-shaped pyramid at first. Then he thought about something. After all, this is the place where the demon prince Shira Ulan of Slaanesh was exiled during the Great Invasion. , he walked behind Malekith and asked softly.
"No!" Malekith thought that this building was a temple of the lizard people. It should be dedicated to the ancient saint or some other power. He couldn't guess at the moment. Although he couldn't say exactly why, he didn't. Sensing the power of chaos.
"Please arrange it, let's go in and take a look." Malekith continued to say to Darkus while looking at the pyramid.
Darkus nodded. Since he didn't have the power of Chaos, he would definitely go in and take a look. After all, he was already here, and he felt that the stone slab was inside. There were no other buildings nearby. There was only this golden tower in front of him, sitting alone in a huge and irregular square.
Darkus ordered the Druchi to temporarily rest around the pyramid. He only called Drusala and Colonia. Originally, he wanted to call Alyssa, but he saw Alyssa. The Quanguo Egg in his satchel dispelled this idea. He didn't want anything unexpected to happen to the Quanguo Egg.
There is also Chupa Coco as an anchor point. Darkus believes that there is no need for other Druchi warriors to enter this dead and weird pyramid. He does not think there is anything in it that requires physical solution. If anything, it is not necessary. And there's Malekith walking at the front.
After getting ready, the team of five entered the interior of the pyramid along an already tilted passage.
After walking along the passage for a while, the five-person group appeared outside the pyramid again. Then, under the watchful eyes of the Druchis who were patrolling, guarding, and resting outside, they entered again, and soon appeared outside the pyramid again.
Malekith did not get angry. He seemed to be immersed in the adventure. He felt the wind of magic flowing around him. He could feel that there was a barrier on the passage, blocking him out from somewhere inside.
Finally, Malekith found a place where the magical wind fluctuated most violently. Although he searched carefully, he could not find the source. He walked to the place where several energy flows collided.
"I can feel the stone... vomit." Halfway through his words, Darkus began to retching uncontrollably. He was made physically uncomfortable and nauseous by this strong magical wind. In Malekith He retched a few more times while laughing loudly, then pointed to the stone wall of the passage and continued, "Ugh, it's right behind here!"
"You should close your eyes and hit it! This way your pain will be lessened. ." Malekith said half-jokingly and half-seriously to Darkus, who was being supported by Drusala and Colonia.
Darkus tried to suppress retching and raised his head to look at the stone wall in front of him. Combining Malekith's words with the experience he had gained from his previous adventures in various temple city ruins, he guessed that maybe the stone wall in front of him The wall is not a stone wall? But a passage blocked by a blind method? He did not hesitate and signaled the sorceress who was supporting him to let go. He straightened his body and did not even stop a step away from the stone wall, nor did he extend his arms towards the stone wall, but walked straight towards the stone wall.
Just when Drusala saw that Darkus was about to hit the stone wall, Darkus' figure disappeared behind the stone wall.
The two sorceresses didn't even look at each other, nor did they pay attention to Malekith. Instead, they immediately followed the stone wall through which Darkus entered.
Malekith, who was standing there, smiled and shook his head. He thought that he once followed Yisil, and he encountered a similar situation when he was adventuring in the Chaos Wasteland, but Yisil did not trust him at the time. Er reluctantly hit the stone wall at his order.
Just when Malekith was still recalling, the lizard man who had a closer relationship with Darkus appeared in front of him. The lizard man raised his head and tilted his neck to look at him strangely, and then pointed at the stone. wall, and then also entered the stone wall.
Darkus nearly fell down on a strange, winding staircase when he found himself behind a stone wall. He immediately supported the wall next to him to prevent him from falling. He raised his head and looked at this strange staircase, and found that it didn't seem to be a staircase? It was formed after being squeezed.
The stairs lead relatively short upwards, and concepts like time and distance become increasingly irrelevant in this city of incredible temples.
Malekith smiled and put his iron hand on Darkus's shoulder, signaling to Darkus to rest for a while. He bypassed Darkus and walked straight to the front of the team. After climbing up the stairs, the five of them The group entered a strange room, which was completely dark.
There was nothing in the space. The air and walls absorbed the light spell cast by the sorceress. Even if there was a faint light, Darkus could not see the place ten steps ahead.
Malekith waved his hand to the team behind him to stay still. He carefully walked forward with the Sun Flame Sword and entered the only passage. There was a crunching sound under his feet, and he found that the stone bricks under his feet were squeezing. Pressed and cracked, it became messy and rugged, but this did not hinder his progress. He waved his hand and motioned for the team to follow.
As the team progressed, more and more crunching sounds came from under their feet. The ground was covered with unidentifiable bones. The team could only step on the bones to move forward.
As Darkus was marching hard, he lowered his head and looked at the bones at his feet. He was sure that these bones were not of lizardmen, elves, humans or dwarves, let alone Yankees.
These skeletons were covered with something similar to a shroud. Around the neck of each skeleton was a bead chain that could break if stepped on. Each skeleton held a jagged, angular sword in its right hand and held it in its left hand. Wearing a square shield, these incomplete instruments that were obviously smashed by great force did not have any patterns or marks on them that Darkus could recognize.
Proportionally speaking, these skeletons are also strange. They have short torsos and long limbs like elves, but their bones are as thick as humans, and they are slightly taller than halflings. Their faces are very thin, as if the entire skull has been elongated, taking on a discus shape, with sharp teeth growing out of the mouth and expanding outward.
"I have been to the Chaos Wasteland, and I have seen similar skeletons there. These creatures may have appeared in more ancient times, before the arrival of the ancient saints." Malekith, who was walking at the front of the team, kicked off his feet. Said behind a skull.
After Malekith finished speaking, he suddenly felt something was wrong. He turned around and saw that the line had been stretched unknowingly, although he was sure that he was walking in a straight line and only walked less than a hundred steps. , but the glimmer of light emitted by the sorceress's light spell is like the light of distant stars in the darkness. Suddenly, the team reappeared quite far to his right, and higher than where he was now, and he saw Darkus stop and look around to find the direction from which he made the sound.
"Forward! Don't look back!" Malekith knew there was a problem here, he shouted and continued to walk forward quickly.
"There is a problem here!" Colonia whispered, and after speaking, he pointed to the figure of Malekith who was walking at the front. Malekith who should have been there had disappeared at this time.
"Keep walking!" Darkus looked over. Although he couldn't see Malekith anymore, Malekith's voice still echoed in his ears, and he also felt that the stone slab was not far ahead. Where, he said decisively.
After passing through the passage, Darkus and Malekith appeared in a hall.
Darkus could clearly sense that Malekith came out of another passage, but his attention was soon attracted by a device in the space.
"World Shaping Engine!" Darkus looked at the room in front of him and said in surprise. He knew why Zulkes was like this. It was because of the World Shaping Engine in front of him!
Darkus moved his eyes away from the slowly rotating sphere on the Shaping Engine. He tried to observe the room through the light emitted by the sphere. It was difficult to tell how big the room was. The ceiling and far walls of the room were Covered by darkness, it felt like he had left the planet and was in the vast universe.
Around Darkus lay more skeletons, and although they differed in form, they were all alike in one respect. Every skeleton, without exception, was instantly vaporized, and everywhere you looked were white bones.
Darkus saw the bones of a lizardman, or rather a lizardman, because he saw the triceratops skull that was usually only worn on the heads of the temple guards and the long-handled weapons used by the temple guards. He even saw Arriving at an empty Chengyu.
"These temple guards fought Slan on Chengyu to the end." For a moment, Darkus could wonder what happened here.
Perhaps during the great invasion, the lizardmen in the city evacuated urgently. The Slann Demon Priests who stayed here tried to turn on the World Shaping Engine. The temple guards protecting the Slann Demon Priests kept fighting. The temple guards fought until the last moment. , until the Shaping Engine starts!
The moment the World Shaping Engine started, the huge energy emitted directly vaporized the creatures that were fighting just a second ago.
Darkus raised his head again and looked at the world-shaping engine that was still running slowly.
Some readers may be curious, why did you come to take risks if you didn't talk to Haken and then establish a colony?
Well, actually this section is the main plot. .
(End of chapter)