Arthas used the slime mold creatures as an example specifically to give Orion a subtle warning.
Slime molds are incredibly powerful! Having killed so many Legendary-level slime molds, Orion was bound to remain in the broodmother's thoughts.
The slime molds would no doubt launch an unprecedented assault. The slime mold broodmother and her counterpart would likely emerge from the slime molds' Nest. At that point, Orion would almost certainly face an ambush.
Orion truly grasped the deeper meaning in Arthas's words and was grateful.
"Thank you for the warning. I'll proceed with caution."
Arthas didn't reply; Orion was smart enough not to press him further.
…
Bottomless Abyss, underworld.
Amid slaughter and demise, amid the hiss of insects and the roars of beasts, all those under the Stoneheart Horde watched a dark red worm's will projection crawl out from the corpse of a dead Dark Worm. It rose slowly into the air, exuding a heavy oppressive force over the battlefield.
"So, you're out of tricks?"
Loska—lord of the Red Thread Clan—had been waiting and watching for a long while. Once the situation was locked in stalemate again, he finally chose to reveal himself.
"Can you feel it?"
"This cold body of mine is somehow sensing both chill and the heat of blood."
Clymene made a low remark. Lifting the warhammer Orion had given her, she stepped forward to face Loska's will projection.
Behind Clymene, five Alpha-level Skeletal Knights—Vargrum, Mordak, Zorn, Balgor, and Desdemona—burst out of the insect horde and followed closely.
"You don't belong here."
"This place was mine long ago. If you surrender to me, I may choose to spare you."
Truthfully, Loska did covet Clymene and the might of these Skeletal Knights. There was also the legion of skeletal warriors and death spiders under their command. If the Red Thread Clan could obtain their support, their strength would be significantly enhanced.
"This is Stoneheart Horde territory!"
Clymene's words were resolute. There was no chance Loska's will projection could entice them to join him.
"Do you realize what refusal means?"
Hovering in midair, the will projection released an ever-intensifying pressure. Around them, many skeletal warriors and cave spiders—serving as fodder—were forced to the ground, losing their ability to resist.
The dark worms along the front lines became increasingly frenzied, howling with savage glee. Some, driven by greed, had already started devouring the fallen cave spiders right where they stood.
"Death?"
"I know that taste well."
"I used to regret not explaining myself to those I held dear before I faced death."
"Now, we live alongside death, finding our place only in the darkness."
"Dying for the Horde one more time would be our honor—and a release."
Clymene's voice was low and hoarse, with a strange, mesmerizing quality. It sounded like both a prayer and a lament for herself. Floating overhead, Loska's will projection perceived a mysterious shift in energy. Without hesitation, he attacked.
His phantom shape turned into a streak of crimson. The red glow stretched out, becoming a thin, intangible thread lashing rapidly toward Clymene and the other five.
"Charge!"
Clymene roared, and Vargrum, Mordak, Zorn, Balgor, and Desdemona bellowed in unison behind her.
The five Alpha-level Skeletal Knights and Clymene launched a combined death charge, black fumes of necrotic energy streaming from their bodies. As though consumed by flames, they ignored everything else and plunged forward.
In a split second, the six clouds of black fog collided with the red thread. The fog churned violently while the thread glimmered like an elongated, blood-colored river. In the void, it seemed as if an unknown power was shifting the path of that crimson line—at times it coiled like a worm, at others it straightened like a steel wire, constantly lengthening and extending.
Barely fifteen minutes passed before all but Clymene dropped to their knees.
Crack—crack—crack!
That sound was their bones splintering. The five Skeletal Knights' skeletal bodies were cut into fragments no larger than an inch across.
At the same time, five wisps of black death aura peeled away from their broken frames, surging once again at Loska's will projection like waves of impending doom.
This was the core undead attack—if the black aura were completely extinguished, it would mean the true end for Vargrum, Mordak, Zorn, Balgor, and Desdemona.
"In that case, if you won't bow to me, just die already!"
"Haha…"
The crimson line in midair dimmed significantly. Seeing the deathly aura strike again, Loska grew enraged. The thread coiled into a spiral and re-formed into the phantom image of a worm. Its jaws gaped, ready to devour the aura and obliterate it.
However, a sudden gale of ice and snow swept across the battlefield, and everything seemed to freeze in place. A single, snow-white, translucent hand manifested within the swirling blizzard.
Squelch!
With one crushing motion, the pale hand snuffed out the dark red worm phantom like a candle's flickering flame in the wind.
"No…way… wasn't your lord defending the void passage?"
Loska's disbelieving voice lingered in the air, taking a long moment to vanish completely.
Amid the swirling snow, Lumi slowly took shape. Wearing a flowing white gown, she levitated gracefully, her face breathtaking and impassive.
Lumi showed no regard for the deathly aura floating just in front of her. Instead, she lifted a hand, and heavy snow began to fall across the underworld. Soon, from the mounting drifts of snow, one little snow monster after another crawled out and joined the fight.
"It's snowing!"
"A Legendary-level being!"
"Is this our reinforcements?"
"…?"
It was only then that Vargrum and his companions grasped what was happening. Lumi paid no attention to their astonishment. She raised her hand again, summoning eight colossal wind blades from the swirling snow. A moment later, those wind blades came crashing down, accompanied by eight piercing, agonized screeches from the worm horde.
In just three seconds, the shrieking vanished. With one gesture, Lumi pulled eight Alpha-level dark source crystals from the ground and let them drop into her hand. Only then did she turn her attention to everyone else.
Lumi had never encountered Skeletal Knights before. Besides, Clymene had been critically wounded and was momentarily unable to speak.
"Orion sent me."
"I'll defend this place for now, so there's nothing for you to worry about."
Her voice was cool and devoid of any discernible emotion. Clymene simply nodded in thanks, smiling at Lumi in response.