The defeated trolls fell completely silent, no longer beating their war drums or making any roars.
Griffith and Rana had no intention of killing all the trolls. They need these indigenous people to provide much-needed supplies, indispensable intelligence and manpower in the subsequent exploration of the road out of the ruins, as well as the body that Griffith has always needed but has not found.
Rana let go of Elder Gilapakasa and asked him to lead the way, leading the inspection team to the troll's lair and to the upper level of the pyramid.
This huge stone building has no main entrance or passage directly to the first floor. The underground river cave where the battle took place has a curved staircase hidden behind stalactites and stalagmites that leads to the upper section.
The space on the first floor of the pyramid is surprisingly large, and huge dark green and black stones are piled up to form a tall dome that gradually shrinks. Humans and trolls walked beneath it like ants crawling across a living room. The majestic and sacred stone pillars, altars, pools and squares are carved with strange patterns and have been damaged over the years. Neither the royal palace nor the senate chamber in Bajran has such majestic and spacious buildings.
A protruding terrace arranged like a six-pointed star appears more than ten meters above the ground, connected by an arc-shaped corridor, shimmering with green, red and black light. Those ancient builders and lofty priests must have been there looking down at the small and humble believers at their feet, praying to the ancient gods in the sky.
But wait, this is underground, how do they worship the gods among the stars?
Griffith looked up at the dome high above. It was a smooth dome, with faint traces of joints between the thick stones. The lines were smooth and regular. Could it be that it could be opened and closed there to look at the stars through the gaps at the top of the cave?
He had seen the fortresses and ramparts of orcs and trolls in the far east, but he had never heard that they could build such a huge temple. Just excavating and stacking the huge slates and granites that make up the thick stone walls, the amount of work is already unimaginably huge.
The civilization that built this majestic temple imprinted complex and vague psychological implications and aesthetics on the architecture. Ancient and taboo myths are hidden in the incredible structure, which makes people fearful and subconsciously evoke strange associations, making them surrender. To the dark and secret ancient existence.
"Which god is this temple dedicated to?" Griffith asked the question that everyone was wondering about.
"Our bodies and minds belong to the great shadow god Domon," the troll elder said softly, not daring to disturb the owner of this name.
Sonia shook her head. She was completely unfamiliar with this name. She looked at Galadia and found that the elf had never heard of this name.
…
These underground trolls live in separate stone houses and tents next to the temple hall. There they cultivated mushrooms and cooked some buzzing honeycomb rocks. Their number ranged from eight hundred to one thousand, including men and women, and many children, but few old people.
The elder led Griffith and the others past the tribe and roared loudly. The trolls, large and small, immediately dropped their work in a panic and ran to a hall ahead, where they got busy.
Griffith and Lana looked at each other and saw satisfaction in each other's eyes. With these trolls, everyone's supplies and auxiliary troops can be solved.
The Bellomon survivors lit a bonfire with black coals in a side hall, spread unknown furs on smooth stones, and invited the human conquerors to take their seats.
Although the civilization of our ancestors was lost in the distant years, fear and instinct still made them useful. The trolls put the fish they caught on wooden skewers and grilled it until golden brown, sprinkled it with salt, and thoughtfully added a few drops of lemon juice they got from nowhere.
Elder Gilapakasa brought the food to the conquerors with some of his compatriots who did not dare to breathe, and asked the conquerors to taste it with a look of fear, and was always ready to ask for forgiveness for his incompetence.
Sonia performed a poison test using a basic charm to confirm that the food was safe to eat. Griffith first tore off a bit and handed it to the elder on the side, watching him eat it obediently before taking a bite. Underneath the browned fish skin was the tender fish meat. The scalding gravy and the long-lost sense of fullness made him want to stop.
"good."
Seeing that he was fine, everyone stretched out their hands to grab the grilled fish. Since losing their employees and supplies, the expedition team has eaten up the few cookies and chocolates around them and has been hungry until now.
While eating, Griffith asked the troll elder: "Where do you get your wood, salt and lemons?"
"There is a spring producing salt nearby, and small trees and some fruits can be found under the cracks in the rocks."
It seems that this underground city does have a large crack leading to the ground, and light will shine in part of the time. Griffith then asked: "Is there a way to the rift or out of here?"
"The powerful warrior of the alien god has the widest gap near a towering cliff, where more food is produced, but the monsters that come from the water often devour our people. Only this temple of Domon can wait for the divine power. Asylum, monsters don’t dare to come in.”
When Griffith was about to ask the trolls about their beliefs, some young female trolls held a stone plate and humbly presented some blue and white paste, which was actually fragrant. He tasted it and found that it tasted very sweet. It should be stems of plants such as cassava and purple sweet potato.
According to the elders, these are grown by clans in limited land, pounded into paste and cooked, and even noble wise men and warriors can rarely eat them.
The last dish is a stone cauldron filled with slowly golden objects. Different from the few grilled fish and paste, there are a lot of these things. Even the trolls present got some. It should be their staple food. .
Galadia, who had just eaten grilled fish and glutinous rice and had a great appetite, came over curiously to see what was delicious. Suddenly she covered her mouth and turned her head away, frowning in disgust.
Cockroaches, maggots, ants and spiders are common on land. Different insects even have different fire levels. If you don't look at the unappetizing heads and mouthparts, the image is not bad.
"It's delicious, just like a small egg roll!" Griffith grabbed a chubby maggot and handed it to Miss Elf, "Take a bite and see!"
"I'll break up with you!"
Griffith felt sorry for his unlucky companion, then turned and handed it to Sonia: "Would you like to try it?"
The daughter of the Larmore family hesitated for a moment, lifted up the ends of her hanging hair, came closer, and took a gentle bite.
"How about it!?"
"Well, how should I put it? It's so sticky inside that it's hard to put into words."
Elder Gilapakasa of the Belomon remnant and some noble tribesmen sat aside, grabbing a lot of insects and holding them in their hands. They squirted and ate them deliciously. As for the grilled fish and sweet potato paste, that was food that even the elders didn't share.
Rana asked the chief: "How many warriors do you have?"
"The Belomon clan has three hundred warriors. They are as strong as crocodiles and as cunning as jackals," the clan leader replied. "A dozen of them have been favored by the gods and received the gift of strength."
It can still be of some use. Griffith said: "Tell us about your clan."
Elder Jilapakasa exchanged glances with the two elders beside him, and then began to tell about their ancient ancestors.
In distant ancient times, Bellomon was once a glorious empire. Their territory extended from the endless swamps to the ice fields of the far north. Their warriors were active in the jungles and mountaintops.
This glorious empire attracted the attention of the gods. A wise ancestor accidentally heard his voice and managed to make Domon, the god of shadows, descend in front of his people.
After enough living sacrifices had been offered, the gods, satisfied with their piety, granted them a sacred tablet. Trolls' tribesmen can gain valuable knowledge and great power.
Then He left.
The tribesmen who have received the gift of strength are called the sons of Domon, and their blood and strength can be passed on. The Belomon clan, led by the Son of Domon, captured the tentacle monster underground and guarded it with the strongest warriors and traps.
These monsters are twisted, strong and flexible, with complex body structures that can simulate various forms and organs, and are extremely tough. Like tame worker ants and worker bees, they cut and carried boulders from the cliffs, building underground temples and cities for the empire according to Domon's oracles. The remnant fed them with blood and flesh.
Although the warriors of the Bellomon trolls never let up, the tentacle monsters still found some way to corrupt the warriors.
The powerful and loyal sons of Domon suddenly became crazy and began to attack their tribesmen. The tentacle monsters took the opportunity to break free from their restraints and surged out of the sewers and shadows, devouring the tribesmen crazily and multiplying rapidly.
The ancestors of the Bellomont remnants gathered their last strength, retreated to the altar heights, and held on there. The survivors soon discovered that the tentacle monsters that lacked food began to fight among themselves. They killed and devoured the weak, and their numbers began to decrease rapidly.
Gradually, the tentacle monster disappeared into the darkness. A handful of the Sons of Domon still lurk in the darkness, and it is said that as long as they are given enough sacrifices, these former warriors will once again serve the clan.
"Our people can only hide in this temple now, relying on the breath of the gods to drive away the dangers in the darkness, and relying on the river to survive. Only when the light in the gap is the brightest, can we carefully leave the temple to look for prey and Fruit." Elder Jilapakasa said sadly.
"What do Domon and the Son of Domon look like?" Sonya asked. "Do you still have their remains? Or are there any murals and sculptures?"
"We don't know," the elder said, "Our people have spent countless years hiding here. Many precious inheritances have been lost. We know there is a world above the rock, but we are unable to go there. "
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"So, you know how to leave here and go to the rocks?" Sonia asked immediately. These trolls once lived in the swamp and must have mastered some methods of getting around.
The elder nodded and used insect juice to draw a map on the ground:
"Warrior of the Ability God, the road to the rock is dangerous and hidden. You need the help of the sacred stone slab to find it. The stone slab is divided into two parts. One part was stolen a long time ago, and the thief hid it on the platform next to the cistern. , where dangerous creatures roam;
"The other part was originally kept by us...but it was just stolen."
"What was stolen? Didn't you say that this temple can stop monsters from invading?"
The elder said in embarrassment: "Yes, the temple can protect us. However, the thief is very special and cannot be blocked by the breath of God. He is hiding at the corner of the stairs entering the temple. I originally wanted to summon the most powerful tribesmen Retrieve the stone slab, and then meet the warriors of the gods."
A smile appeared on Griffith's lips. He stood up and said to the solemn troll elder: "I understand. Lead the way and let us get to know the thief."
…
In a dark and deep corner of the underground cave, everyone found a human being immersed in grief, extreme confusion and suffering. He hid in the stinky cave in a state of embarrassment, covered in dirt, and was startled by the sudden appearance of his own race.
"Professor Gnourisson Bell?" It took a lot of effort for Sonia to recognize that this was the archaeologist who often appeared in her living room.
The scholar's face was extremely haggard, and his hands were sweating and shaking violently. When he recognized the Countess' face, he cheered with joy.
"Miss Sonia, by the gods, I am not dreaming! You are as beautiful as Miss Elena!"
The experience of these days must have been very painful for the professor. He staggered and stammered his greetings to the countess, not forgetting to straighten his long-lost bow tie.
Sonia wanted to go over and help him, but Griffith held her shoulders and said to the archaeologist: "Professor, are you the only one here?"
"A person, yes, now alone," the professor took two steps and fell to the ground, saying in a vague voice, "Wenna was still with me yesterday. She is a lovely girl, very serious, Just like my own daughter. She was with me until yesterday and we were the last survivors. You see, this is her portrait. Next to her are Kubu and Pilion, both warm and nice young men.
"Those trolls killed Kubu and the others and cut the flesh from their corpses! Then they captured Wenna when I wasn't paying attention! Oh, my God, I could have used magic to protect her...
"We want revenge! We will make these barbaric races pay the price!"
The professor's eyes were red and he continued to say excitedly: "There are also those monsters in the dark. They are very dangerous. They come and go without a trace. No one can see their appearance clearly. But I have devised a tactic in the past few days that can make them and Trolls are killing each other. Wen Na helped me come up with the idea together, woo woo woo, we could have avenged everyone."
When he said this, his expression was bright at first, then his voice suddenly dropped, and then he started to cry loudly. In the blink of an eye, he stopped crying and looked around cautiously, as if there was a sneaky eavesdropper hidden in the darkness.
"Have you had dinner? You can't do it without eating. I still have some food, although it's not much, but please don't be polite. The beautiful countess has been entertaining me politely. Oh, how gentle, wise and beautiful she is , A beautiful and intellectual lady like her should be happy with a scholar. The Earl is a soldier and does not understand the joys of mysticism and archeology at all."
This embarrassing topic made Sonia's expression become unhappy.
"Oh, let's take a look at this first. These are the bones of the monster in the dark that I found. This is an important clue." Professor Bell opened a small bag tremblingly and showed a few bones to everyone.
Sonia looked at it and said, "Aren't these the toe bones of a lizard?"
"No, it's the monster's bones. You look at the dangerous and evil sharp angles..."
Sonia looked at the professor inexplicably, and couldn't help but turn to Griffith and said, "I'm pretty sure those are the bones of a lizard, or a similar amphibious reptile. They are the ones I picked up on the road."
Griffith nodded and blocked her behind him: "Professor Bell, can you give us something to eat?"
"Of course," the professor groped carefully in the package and took out two dark meat strips.
"What is this?" Griffith asked calmly.
"Meat, giant spider, no, it should be the meat of a swamp monitor lizard." The professor put a piece of meat into his mouth and chewed it. "After we finished eating our food, we grabbed some to eat. Although the taste was a bit strange, it was delicious. Once you get used to it, it's pretty good."
"Where were these swamp monitors caught?" Griffith asked again.
"In, in..." the professor rubbed his head, trying to remember, "in the swamp."
"There are no swamps underground, Professor."
"Oh, that seems to be the case."
Griffith looked at the archaeologist who was chewing thoughtfully, raised the rough troll black stone ax, and asked again:
"Professor, where is Wenna?"
