The stench of sulfur stung the nose, but the reek of blood was stronger still!
Euron Greyjoy held a figure in a Wizard's Robe and black hood by the throat with one hand.
He pinned the figure against the scorching rock wall, then drew the dagger at his waist with gaunt, blue-stained fingers.
"On our last few voyages, the wind and waves knew better than to trouble my Silence, and even the shadows in the ruins were meek as lambs..."
The sharp dagger tip traced the trembling Adam's apple of the black-robed figure, then settled against the hollow of his shoulder beneath his loose robe.
"And now the pets in the Smoking Sea have forgotten their fear, and even filthy shadows dare crawl out to soil the hem of my robe?"
The dagger pressed slowly into the hollow of his shoulder, sinking in little by little. Crimson beads dripped down its gleaming tip.
"Have you forgotten... that exquisite... taste of your companions' flesh?" A sickly smile curled Euron Greyjoy's blue-stained lips.
Pain stabbed through his shoulder, but the black-robed figure did not dare move!
His Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty, and his hoarse voice trembled. "My lord! Doesn't our safe passage on the last few voyages prove that my method works?"
"We even... even had time to make camp!"
Beneath his black hood, his eyes trembled as he stared at the depraved, sinister man before him. His objection had brought a vicious gleam to that cloudy lone eye!
Fear drove him to explain at once, his words tumbling out incoherently. "It's just... it's just!"
Panic tied his tongue in knots!
He still remembered the taste of his companions' flesh being stuffed into his mouth!
So terrified and frantic was he that he wished he could bite off his tangled tongue just to get the explanation out!
"It's just! It's just... this time, something among us seems... seems to have attracted the things here, so the old method stopped working!" By the time he finally managed to say it, cold sweat had soaked his robe.
Euron Greyjoy watched with amusement as fear of him reduced the black-robed wizard to incoherent stammering. His blue-stained tongue licked his cracked lips, and he spoke softly.
"Then you'd better hurry up and find a way to make these filthy vermin leave us alone!"
"Otherwise... I'll let your remaining companions have a taste of you, too!" His blue-stained lips drew close to the hood, and his briny, cloying voice slipped into the wizard's ear.
The black-robed wizard shuddered all over. Utter terror appeared beneath his hood, on a skeletal face as pale as a mushroom.
Cold sweat trickled down as he frantically searched his memory for the knowledge he needed.
"There... there is a way!" Extreme terror unleashed his potential. Everything he had learned flashed through his mind, and even his speech grew fluent!
"I once practiced a spell that can drive away certain uncanny things, but..." As he spoke, he looked around.
When his gaze reached the Ironborn forming the shield wall, he hurriedly looked past them.
"But it takes a great deal of blood to draw!"
Euron Greyjoy regarded the badly frightened wizard with amusement and waved a hand at the surrounding Ironborn!
The Ironborn had heard their exchange and understood. Amid the clang of iron armor, they changed formation and opened a passage.
Five or six mercenaries came into view.
During the chaos, these men had noticed that the Ironborn were still holding firm and hurried over to seek shelter.
But the shield wall had kept them outside. Just as they were about to curse or call for help, they saw the Ironborn clear a path.
Overjoyed, they rushed inside. The young Mercenary in the lead had barely entered, without even a moment to catch his breath.
A coldly gleaming dagger pressed against his neck, and before he could react, it slit his throat!
The sharp dagger cut through more than half his neck, sending blood spurting like a fountain.
The young Mercenary clutched his neck with both hands in vain. The air left in his lungs sprayed from the wound along with his blood.
It made a hissing sound!
Euron Greyjoy kicked the collapsing young Mercenary over beside the wizard. Blood stained the ground red as Euron stroked his dagger and approached the remaining mercenaries, who stood frozen in place.
The Ironborn inside the shield wall already had their weapons trained on them!
The remaining mercenaries went rigid, all color draining from their faces in an instant.
Terror froze upon their faces!
"No-!" One of them barely managed half a scream.
Euron Greyjoy swept his dagger through the air.
The Ironborn's swords and axes fell at once!
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Blades struck flesh with dull thumps. The screams were brief, and the remaining mercenaries fell like wheat beneath a sickle.
Their blood gathered in shallow pools.
The black-robed wizard trembled slightly, not daring to look any longer.
He threw himself into the pool of blood before him, dipped his withered fingers into the warm liquid, and frantically smeared it across the ground.
Twisted, grating syllables rose from his mouth.
Something uncanny happened. The flowing blood seemed to come alive! It wound its way along like scarlet vipers.
It rapidly wove itself into an enormous, intricate, ceaselessly pulsing Rune, and the instant the Rune took shape-
An aura of icy, deathly stillness spread outward, overpowering the scorching heat of sulfur!