Chapter 126: Sorcery

Now, the Dothraki had penetrated deep into the heart of Gulltown, and the Andalos army was retreating step by step, on the verge of collapse.

But at this very moment, the situation took a sudden turn.

A dark curtain of arrows rained down from the sky.

Thud, thud, thud -

Arrows soaked in oil fell among the Dothraki, instantly igniting a storm of blood and carnage.

Flaming arrowheads pierced flesh, and Dothraki warriors screamed in agony as they fell from their horses.

Some of the arrows that did not hit their targets fell to the ground, their flaming tips igniting the oil spilled on the ground, along with dry straw and wood, creating a raging fire.

Whoosh~

As if by magic, a great fire surged up in an instant.

In the blink of an eye, the sky was ablaze.

The Dothraki were utterly unprepared. They had just heard their Khal issue the order to retreat and were filled with anger and confusion.

But with the example of the challenger who had been killed the previous day, no one dared to question Drogo's command today. They were about to retreat, but it was already too late.

The fierce fire caught the oil unawares, and the Dothraki riders felt the heat beneath their feet. Then, looking down, they found themselves enveloped in a sea of red flames.

Billowing black smoke rushed into their eyes, blinding them and causing them to cry out in pain. Their frightened horses screamed as well.

Dothraki warriors fell from their mounts and plunged into the fiery sea.

Hiss...

In an instant, it was as if meat sizzling on a hot griddle, the sharp sound of fat hitting the flames, accompanied by chilling screams, sent shivers down one's spine.

"Ah—"

...

Thick black smoke shot up into the sky.

The surging flames mercilessly devoured the lives of the Dothraki in the middle section, leaving their army divided into three parts.

The rear half had not yet stormed the city, the front half was engaged in battle with the Andalos forces, and the middle section was consumed by the fire.

"Sorcery—"

"This is definitely sorcery!"

The rear half of the Dothraki, witnessing the gruesome fate of their fellow tribesmen, were filled with terror. Due to their low education, these Dothraki were extremely superstitious and had limited resources in their tribes.

Even water unfit for their horses to drink was deemed "poisonous," they refused to touch the corpses of those they did not kill themselves, the number "thirteen" was considered highly ominous, and any unexplainable phenomenon was labeled "sorcery."

Ferocious Dothraki warriors would become as meek as lambs when faced with sorcery. Many in the rear half of the army dismounted and prostrated themselves on the ground, begging the witch to show mercy.

"Damn sorcery—"

Even the warriors who did not prostrate themselves wore expressions of terror, brandishing their curved swords and cursing loudly.

But no matter how much they cursed, they dared not take a single step towards the raging fire.

Stomp, stomp, stomp...

At the same time, they struggled to control their restless mounts. The horses pawed the ground nervously, and the Dothraki warriors clung tightly to their comrades' necks, hoping to calm their horses and prevent them from bolting in fear.

The rear half of the Dothraki army was affected by the wind, smoke and fire, and they feared sorcery, so they dared not move forward.

...

In the midst of the battle, Dothraki warriors found themselves trapped in a sea of fire, struggling desperately to find a way out.

Thud, thud, thud...

Many of them, engulfed in flames, burst from the inferno and fell to the ground from their horses. They rolled on the ground, trying to extinguish the fire.

"Help me!"

"Help me!"

Splash...

However, more Dothraki in the rear scattered instantly, fearing to approach those set ablaze by the sorcery.

As for the Dothraki fighting the Andalosian army at the front, they were the most unfortunate.

With their escape route cut off and flames raging behind them, the once adorable lambs turned into ferocious wolves, baring their teeth and trying to drive them into the fiery maelstrom.

"Sorcery!"

"The despicable enemy is using sorcery!"

The frightened Dothraki, with no way to retreat, brandished their arakhs.

They would rather die by the enemy's hand than perish in the sorcery. Being burned to death was different from dying under a spell; they feared that their souls wouldn't reach the heavens if killed by sorcery.

The once fearless Dothraki on the battlefield were now broken by the mere mention of "sorcery."

The Andalosian army pushed forward, forcing many Dothraki into the sea of fire, where they screamed in agony.

"Stop!"

Those in the rear didn't want to be pushed into the fire, but their comrades at the front were being crushed by the Andalosian forces, retreating step by step.

Under such circumstances, some finally took action.

"Kill!"

"Fight through!"

The Dothraki on the verge of being pushed into the fire drew their blades, killing their comrades in front of them and then pushing forward.

Others followed suit, striking down their kin in front of them. The Dothraki fighting the Andalosian soldiers never expected such betrayal from their own people.

In an instant, the army divided by the flames collapsed. Many Dothraki from other Khalasars, previously conquered by Drogo, threw away their arakhs and surrendered, hands on their heads.

The worst outcome would be a swift death by the blade, far better than burning alive. Some might even be sold into slavery, as there were no shortage of Dothraki in the slave market.

These fierce, strong slaves were not very expensive, and many arenas and merchant caravans were willing to buy them as warriors.

With others leading the way, the remaining Dothraki surrendered much more easily, losing contact with their Khal. Droves of them dropped their arakhs and submitted.

"Round up the horses!"

"Tie these people up!"

Andalosian soldiers then charged, pushing the remaining stubborn Dothraki into the fire or killing them in battle.

The surrendered Dothraki were bound tightly, and their horses were gathered.

...

Meanwhile, far away across the Sunset Sea,

"Look!"

"What is that?"

The Ironborn, who had recently suppressed a rebellion, looked up at the sky.

A blood-red comet with a long tail illuminated more than half the sky, its brightness even surpassing the moon.

"This is..."

An elderly Ironborn stared at the sky, his aged face pale and his cracked lips trembling. ...