THE TEMPLE OF AQRA
"Erm… wouldn't the scorpion men chase us into the mountains?" Illiwyn asked us.
"We are prepared for that", Sara told her.
Suddenly, bombs dropped from our flying tanks. As the bombs impacted on the ground, an enormous mist erupted from the bombs that covered the grounds around the mountain in a strange misty cloud.
"What is that cloud that you dropped on the scorpion men?" Iras asked me.
"We prepared a special concoction containing hormones that are detrimental to the scorpion men, made from the natural predators of scorpions. Although these scorpion men are evolved, they evolved from scorpions and still contain their genes", Sara told him although they don't understand fully her explanation.
"Perhaps an easier explanation will suffice, we poisoned the scorpion men", I told them.
"Did you really poison the scorpion men?" Epius asked me.
"Yes, the misty cloud would harm the scorpion men causing them some serious allergy, but it won't kill them. It will only stop them from chasing us into the mountain", I replied to him.
Before long, we reached the top of Mount Aqra and set up camp by positioning our Dragon tanks in a formation. Magical shields were conjured over our tanks to protect the tank formation.
"Our tanks will rest here and wait for their magical hearts to recharge and replenish their magic. We will set out on foot", Sara told us.
"Hey, why did you bring all these large ships up here if you are not using them? We should have come here in Anitor's carpet instead", Iviar asked us.
"I always bring a show of force wherever I go. They can become a backup support, you never know what will happen and when we need them", I replied to him.
"Show off", Iviar replied to me.
Soon, we alighted from our enormous Dragon Tanks.
"Ah, finally I get to take this helmet off", Chash said to us as he took off his helmet.
Suddenly, magical flames erupted on Chash's head which shocked the Control Freak members.
"Your head is burning, we must put out the fire", Illiwyn said to Chash.
"Ah,… don't worry about my head. I am fiery", he replied to her.
"You… you are not a human?" Eless asked Chash.
"I am a fiery being and an ice master", Chash replied to her as he froze the ground with his ice magic.
"Stop showing off Freezer", Ratatouille said to Chash as he appeared out of nowhere, in the form of a flying book.
"Ah...Ratatouille you decided to join us finally", Chash said to him.
"It was crowded inside that damn tank with so many people. I'd rather enjoy the Malevolence air inside the soul realm", Ratatouille replied to him.
The Control Freak was also shocked by Ratatouille's appearance.
"Who is this flying book? He is not one of your bodyguards. I've not seen him before," Iras asked me.
"Ratatouille is a shape changer, and he has been following me around although few people recognize him", I replied to him.
"All of your companions are Legendary beings, no wonder you are so arrogant", Eless said to me.
"No wonder you aren't too enthusiastic about our sect joining your mission, you already have so many helpers and an army", Iras said to me.
"It's not because I don't need your help, but I don't want too many people to know about our real strength. Our enemies are many and far stronger than you would imagine, and we can't reveal all our cards to them", I replied to him.
"What kind of enemy? If they are the devious kind, the Conjurer Court can help you deal with them", Iras asked me.
"Try the Demon Queen for a start and th…", Ratatouille told the conjurer master before I stopped him from saying more.
"Who is the Demon Queen?" Epius asked us.
"Didn't you hear about the queen who brought the uprising of demons, who destroyed the apostle's army and Tarah city?" Cassandra said to him.
"Oh, that demon queen", Epius replied to her softly.
"Forget about the Demon Queen for now, we need to deal with the Scorpion men first", Meera told us.
"Now, I have all this bloody mountain mapped out. There is a hidden building under the mountain", Sara told us suddenly as she walked over to inform us.
"How did you map out this mountain? We haven't even started scouting?" Anitor asked Sara.
"Shut up and follow me", she replied to her.
"We better follow her lead. We will be lost without her", I told them as I followed Sara and the others followed from behind.
"Will there be scorpion men here?" Illiwyn asked us.
"Not on top of the mountain. The Aqrabuamelu's usual habitat is inside the ground, and not on the mountain top", I replied to her.
We made a slow trek along the treacherous Mount Aqra until we reached our destination. Mount Aqra was an inactive volcano and soon we reached its crater.
"Now what do we do? Jump into the crater?" Iviar asked us.
"Those who can fly, just fly. Those who can't fly go with the carpet guy", Sara told us.
"Since when did I become the carpet guy?" Anitor asked.
Anitor cast a stream of magical air that created a magic carpet. The carpet carried those who couldn't fly as we descended into the volcano of Mount Aqra.
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We descended into the depths of Mount Aqra's volcano, only to find a dormant abyss devoid of geothermal activity. The once fiery mountain had long lost its volcanic vigor.
Surrounded by the rugged walls of the volcano, we discovered a labyrinth of artificial cracks and holes meticulously crafted by the inhabitants.
The scorpion men, dwellers of this extinct volcano, had intricately carved out tunnels that extended into the neighboring mountains, forming a subterranean network that sheltered their kind.
Instead of an expected magma chamber beneath the bedrock, we encountered an unexpected opening—a portal. Stepping through, we found ourselves transported to an otherworldly realm, a magical passage through the very earth.
Emerging into a vast expanse, we stood within what appeared to be the colossal temple of the Aqrabuamelu, the scorpion men. Massive, petrified statues of Aqrabuamelu surrounded us, dwarfing the usual size, and at the heart of the chamber, a mystical artifact hovered in the air.
I immediately recognized the artifact—it was the Horn of Blinding, the creator of the scorpion men, the Aqrabuamelu.
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"We are here in the Temple of Aqra", Meera told us after recognizing the place.
"What exactly is our mission coming here?" Iviar asked.
"We came to kill the scorpion men", Epius replied to him.