As the road to the west was blocked by mountain ranges, a deluge of water surged from the depths, and when the cave walls crumbled, it suddenly altered course. The flood's raw power surged towards the canyon, breaching the elevations in its path and bifurcating into two arms.
With no escape to the opposite side, the caravan in the canyon was helplessly pulled westward by the gushing floodwaters. The initial deluge had already swept away the majority of the scorpions. Baaz, an adroit and battle-hardened warrior, scuttled around the high points like a spider, following his companions being dragged for several hundred meters. First, he rescued Allendra, then the priest. Raaz, a nimble and seasoned fighter, had saved himself. Three ogres flung themselves into one of the newly formed crevices. Most of the orcs were deceased, leaving only three. The crestfallen ogres, in a fit of rage, drowned and killed them.
* * *
For five consecutive days, Paliborn and his comrades drove their dromedaries towards the northwest, scarcely pausing for breath.
Their daily ritual remained unchanged: Arvedas tracked the trail, while Xian conjured water with his magical powers. Most days, they traversed in silence, and even Paliborn had become uncommunicative.
On the fifth day, under the scorching sun, their weary minds were besieged by an instant of hesitation: how would they surmount the colossal mountain range that obstructed their path westward, appearing like a rampart? The tracks had become faint, and they were uncertain where their prey had led. Xian was ignorant of the spell for climbing like a spider, and his mastery of flight magic was inadequate. Eventually, they identified a low point in the peaks and resolved to proceed in that direction. A few hours later, they perceived a distant rumble, as the darkening sky and gusting winds foretold of an approaching tempest.
The most nimble members of the group, Arvedas and Paliborn, hastened their strides and embarked on a scouting mission. After crossing innumerable sand dunes, they beheld a sacred site located half a kilometer away. Paliborn was unable to discern the details clearly, but Arvedas managed to discern another elf concealed amidst the throng.
Galanadel elf's finger pointed to the north, "One of the elusive elves that fled is over yonder. Concealed on the northern side."
"How can you see that far, Arvedas?" Paliborn inquired skeptically.
"A point-blank shot away," the Galanadel elf replied with a smug grin, rare for him. He tautened his bowstring, fixing his sights on his target.
"Not so fast. We mustn't act rashly without knowing the whereabouts of the others. And it is imperative that we capture him unscathed," Paliborn asserted.
Arvedas wasn't content with such a proposition, "Then I'll put an arrow in his leg."
"The range is far too great," Paliborn responded.
"Not for me," Arvedas answered with a glint in his eye.
But Paliborn shook his head, "No, we must proceed with caution."
Just then, the sky ruptured with a tempest of rain and sand, obscuring their vision. Paliborn and Arvedas endeavored to close the distance, when abruptly the ground convulsed. Losing their footing, they gazed as a haze of dust and agonizing cries emanated from the pit below.
Arvedas, swiftly regaining his footing, glimpsed the enemy elf down in the plain. Observing the mist elf had ignited something and tossed it into the heart of the ceremony, Arvedas readied his bow and arrow as he waited for Paliborn to catch up,
"The elf appears to be in peril, besieged by serpent skins. What are your orders, Pal?"
"Protect him," Paliborn proclaimed without hesitation.
With unflinching determination, Arvedas released his arrow, shattering the serpent skin that was hurtling towards the mist elf, saving Baaz's life in the nick of time.
The earth quaked violently, followed by a chorus of monstrous roars. A colossal dust cloud billowed up, and both of them gazed at the creature rising from the pit with stupefaction. It was an immense worm, no less than thirty meters long and five meters wide.
"Incredible. It's a Sand Eater. I thought they were extinct long ago," Paliborn breathed in awe.
"It appears the enemy elf has roused it to a fury. It's going to pursue him," Arvedas said, his eyes trained on the colossal worm.
From behind them, Dylan yelled, "Thick smoke is pouring in from the south. There must be a canyon down there."
Paliborn gazed towards the indicated direction. It was not far away. Three kilometers in the distance, black fumes ascended skywards.
"What's our next move?" Arvedas asked.
This was a difficult decision for the halfling leader. Should they follow the colossal worm that was chasing the enemy elf, or should they investigate the source of the smoke?
"We will split into two groups. Dylan, you and Xian will investigate the source of the smoke. We will follow the giant worm and the elf."
Paliborn and Arvedas trailed the colossal worm, its monstrous form wriggling through the treacherous terrain. With Arvedas' quick reflexes and precision, he managed to impede the beast's pursuit of Baaz by launching a flurry of arrows. Yet, the pain was not enough to dissuade the worm, and it continued to chase its prey with a relentless determination. Finally, it slammed into the wall-like skirts of the rocky mountain with a deafening impact, its full velocity spent in the collision. Baaz, with his magical prowess, scaled the mountain's peak like a spider, disappearing into the abyss in a matter of seconds.
Arvedas glanced at Paliborn once again, knowing that he has a clear shot, but Paliborn rejected the idea with a shake of his head. Paliborn somehow knew the mist elf's actions were driven for the sake of Allendra, and he trusted his intuition. Meanwhile, water spurted out of crevices, and the mountain's left side crumbled into pieces. The two retreated to a higher vantage point and observed Dylan and Xian safe in their elevated position.
"There's more to this than meets the eye, I believe there was another threat down there, one we failed to see. The elf led the giant worm here for a purpose," Paliborn whispered.
Arvedas remained silent, processing Paliborn's words. While they pondered their next move, a colossal scorpion emerged onto the plateau, but it wasn't targeting them.
They stood frozen, transfixed by the spectacle before them. The scorpion and worm engaged in a fierce battle, their giant forms clashing in a clash to the death. Arvedas drew his bow, anticipating a potential threat from the worm. When the dust settled, the scorpion emerged victorious, but with grievous injuries. The worm descended the peak from which it came and vanished from sight, leaving them to catch their breath.
"I didn't anticipate this. Seeing both a giant worm and scorpion in the same vicinity can't be good," Paliborn muttered.
"The world is full of surprises, my friend. And the night is still young," replied Arvedas, a hint of excitement in his voice.
"Have we journeyed with you before, Arvedas?" Paliborn asked curiously.
"Perhaps in another life," replied Arvedas with a sincere smile, before darting off to check on the others."
The exhausted halfling gazed up at the abyssal, ink-black, starless sky suffused with murky clouds. The rain and tempest had subsided, leaving them drenched in mud. Paliborn inhaled deeply, and with a weary hand, he wiped the grime off his face.
"We're almost there, Eli. Just hold on a bit longer," he exhaled, his voice drained of vigor.
Arvedas hollered out to Xian and Dylan, and the quartet forged ahead, combing the rubble for a passage, drained and spent. Although they were drawing near to the other party, they were in dire need of respite, yet they pressed on relentlessly.