Was Merlin a little too weak?
Although most wizards would have gone down if they were ambushed by lightning without knowing Murphy's abilities, this was the legendary God of Wizards after all. Murphy had not actually expected to defeat him in one strike. That bolt of lightning had merely been a test.
Was this guy really Merlin?
As he pondered, Murphy stepped forward and cast a Petrification Spell on Merlin, who lay on the ground. Then he entered the cave beyond the door. He still had a use for this old man later. As Camelot's master of magic, Merlin surely knew many secrets ordinary people could never access.
Beyond the door was an enormous hollow cavern. A spiral staircase descended along its inner wall, reaching an area the lights could barely illuminate. Numerous rock chambers had been dug around the cavern and fitted with bars, making them look like prison cells.
Murphy headed downward. Most of the cells were empty, and in some, the prisoners had already turned into white bones.
Suddenly, Murphy heard a tremendous roar, as though an airplane were taking off underground.
A scorching, putrid stench surged up from the cavern, so foul it made him want to vomit.
Then Murphy heard a voice.
"Great Serpent..."
"Dragon of Death..."
"I offer you the flesh and blood of blasphemers, oathbreakers, and unbelievers..."
"No, no, please..."
Then Murphy heard a distant scream. Two blazing fires suddenly lit up in the darkness below, like red-hot branding irons or underground lava. In an instant, they illuminated nearly half the depths of the cavern.
In that light, Murphy saw a figure screaming in terror, limbs flailing wildly as he fell.
At that moment, the two balls of fire suddenly swayed. A vast rift opened from the Abyss, churning the dense darkness. Light