The vehicles traveling slowly on the desert were soon encircled by the majestic birds soaring through the sky.
Leoric's deep-set eyes narrowed as he gazed upon the eagles and their mounted riders, a growing unease settling in the pit of his stomach. A palpable sense of foreboding hung in the air, refusing to dissipate. Alec and Dr. Reeves, too, were overtaken by the same disquieting sensation, their instincts warning them of impending danger.
As Angel peeked through the small gap on the side of the vehicle, she strained to see through the glare of the setting sun. She could just make out the silhouettes of the people riding the birds as they approached from the west. Despite the challenging light, she had a clear vision of their appearance.
The sorceress, on the other hand, looked down condescendingly at the strange assortment of vehicles below and was drawn to one in particular. It was a mysterious sealed metal box, devoid of any discernible openings.
"Your King, check that formidable metal carriage over there. Do you think it appears suspicious?" Her eyes glinted with determination as she fixed her gaze on the water tank.
"Indeed," the scorpion king concurred. He quickly notched an arrow onto his bow and with unerring accuracy, struck the water tank at the top.
Clang! The sharp sound of the arrow hitting the sand echoed through the air. A slight dent appeared on the top cover of the water tank.
From the driver's seat, Mario Diaz cried out, "They are aiming for our water supply."
As Leoric took aim, a deafening gunshot rang out, causing the air to tremble. The majestic eagle, carrying the formidable scorpion king, was the target of Leoric's shot. However, in an unexpected turn of events, a valiant warrior on its avian mount coincidentally appeared in the line of fire, intercepting the bullet that was meant for the scorpion king. Amidst the ensuing chaos, both the warrior and his avian companion plummeted to the desert floor, the injured eagle unable to bear the weight of its fallen rider.
Vera the Sorceress was taken aback, her eyes widening in shock as she exclaimed, "What on earth is that?"
"That's what I told you about. That's the weapon that wounded me." King Akdan's loud voice reached Vera's ears.
Another sharp crack punctuated the air as a shot rang out, but King Akdan had already given the command to ascend, allowing the warriors to maneuver skillfully and evade the incoming bullet.
Leoric carefully picked up a rifle, knowing full well that he had only a few bullets at his disposal. He understood the importance of making every shot count. With keen focus, he raised the rifle, taking careful aim at the Sorceress, his target.
The Sorceress discerned his intentions and reacted swiftly. With a sneer, she channeled the power of the wind, creating a swirling shield around herself. Despite her efforts, the bullet proved faster, breaching the protective barrier. The force of the impact caused the bullet to veer off course, only grazing her right shoulder.
The Sorceress's serene visage was disrupted by a profound frown etched across her otherwise smooth forehead. She was visibly angry.
"Attack that large metallic container. Flip it over!" She bellowed. Her rage stemmed from the fact that someone had succeeded in causing her harm.
A skilled warrior skillfully directed his majestic bird to dive down with lightning speed, toppling the water tank vehicle with a powerful swoop. The swiftness of his action caught Mario Diaz off guard, leaving him unable to react in time.
The vehicle containing the water teetered to the right, sending a cascade of water spilling out. The startled passengers in the adjacent vehicle watched in disbelief as a deluge of water gushed from the opening and was quickly devoured by the thirsty desert sands. Without hesitation, the chief engineer and a small group of men leaped out of their vehicle and rushed to stabilize the tank, preventing any further loss of water.
The captain swiftly reached into a concealed compartment, retrieving a powerful machine gun. He had a prior agreement with the chief engineer and Leoric that the machine gun would be used only in cases of emergency, and he deemed the situation at the time an emergency.
The moment the Sorceress saw the strange object in the hand of one of the men below, she had an epiphany.
"Retreat!" She shouted without consulting King Akdan. She hurriedly urged her bird to fly and turn around while stirring the sand on the ground to create a distraction.
As Captain Niel fired three bullets, the sand began to swirl around him, forcing him to take cover inside the vehicle. Two of the bullets struck the wings of two birds, but the warriors riding them were able to maintain control and guide them to safety.
King Akdan expressed frustration, muttering, "What a waste of time," as he guided his eagle to soar alongside Vera.
"Where did they come from? Their weapons are powerful, and they appear to be highly intelligent."
The Sorceress gazed into the distance with a pensive expression, her mind seemingly immersed in unfathomable thoughts. "They should originate from another realm," she mused. "It's possible that they stumbled into the portal by chance."
"Could it be possible that the portal truly exists? I always believed it to be a myth," King Akdan pondered. "Is it the work of Emperor Zurin?"
Vera's head tilted, her eyes following the path of the scorpion king flying by her side. She couldn't help but ponder whether this was another one of Zurin's schemes to seize dominion over the entire planet of Astralis.
"Force your new wife to learn the Barasan language. We could learn a lot from her."
The corner of King Akdan's lips curled up. His eyes glinted with lust when he remembered his new bride. She was so passionate in bed, and he could not wait to see what new tricks she would teach him that night. But when he remembered their failed attempt to capture her companions, his face turned stern.
"Tomorrow, we must bring more warriors," declared the scorpion king with unwavering determination. "I refuse to accept that we cannot capture them with a larger force."
"With those weapons, we will lose to them. They are heading in the direction of the Marawin Tribe. It is time for us to visit our vassal."