Today, the watchtower shift belonged to Asaza and Kagon, both tasked with keeping a vigilant eye over the arid terrain. The sun blazed mercilessly over the desolate expanse of what was once the Gobi Desert.
"Ah, another scorching day in this hellhole!" Kagon grumbled, shielding his eyes from the relentless glare.
Ignoring his partner's complaints, Kagon ascended the rusty sentry tower, the structure groaning under his weight. Scanning the desert expanse, he sighed, licking his cracked lips. "How much longer do we have to endure this madness? When does this war end?"
Asaza joined him, chuckling as he reached the platform. "What's wrong, Kagon? Missing that red-haired gal from the club again, huh? Isa, was it?"
"I'm not!" Kagon snapped, his cheeks flushing. "I'm just... I'm just homesick, you idiot."
The words hung in the dry, still air. Asaza's smirk faded, replaced by a rare seriousness. He placed a firm hand on Kagon's shoulder.
"It's almost over, Kagon," he said. "General Fury already said so, didn't he? We've got Stark Industries backing us now. With Iron Man's tech, this war for freedom will end soon. Hydra's got no chance."
Kagon's gaze dropped. He pulled out a weathered photo from his pocket, holding it delicately. In it was a young, smiling girl—his sister. "I hope you're right. It's been a year since I last saw Kapaka."
Asaza leaned against the rail, his demeanor unusually calm. "Kagon, you can't think like that here. Homesickness can get you killed. If old man Fury caught wind of this.
"Who's Camilla?" Kagon interrupted, narrowing his eyes.
"What?" Asaza coughed, caught off guard.
"You mentioned her name. Who is she?"
"The widow down my street," Asaza admitted, scratching the back of his head. "Her husband died in the Battle of Sokovia last month."
"Wow, Asaza! Don't tell me you're making moves on her!" Kagon's expression twisted in disbelief.
"Of course not!" Asaza retorted indignantly. "Not yet, anyway. I'm giving it three more months!"
"You sly devil." Kagon chuckled, but his laughter was short-lived. Something caught his attention.
"Asaza... something's wrong."
"What now?"
"That rock over there," Kagon said, pointing to the horizon. "Was it there last time?"
Asaza squinted at the strange formation. The boulder was oddly symmetrical, almost like five petals arranged in a crown shape.
"I don't think so," he said, frowning. "That's not natural."
"It's giving me a bad feeling," Kagon muttered, gripping the edge of the tower tightly.
Before they could investigate further, the ground beneath them shook violently.
"What the hell is happening?!" The fighters below scrambled out of their barracks, panic spreading through the base.
"Asaza! Kagon! Report!"
Kagon's voice wavered. "I don't know! But it's coming from the boulder!"
Suddenly, the "boulder" began to rise, pushing the ground apart like a volcano erupting. The crown-shaped rock shifted, revealing enormous, jagged legs beneath it.
Boom!
Two massive feet slammed into the ground, sending shockwaves through the valley. A monstrous head emerged from beneath the crown, revealing narrow, glowing eyes and a mouth lined with razor-sharp teeth.
Asaza froze, his heart racing. "Run!" he yelled, his voice cutting through the chaos.
But it was too late.
The creature, a gargantuan Earth Sand Dragon, roared, its deafening cry shaking the heavens. It lunged forward, a massive shadow engulfing a group of freedom fighters.
Boom!
A colossal claw smashed down, leaving a crater where the men once stood. The air filled with screams and smoke as the base descended into pandemonium.
"KILL IT!" bellowed the leader of the freedom fighters, rallying the survivors. "Open fire!"
Machine gun fire erupted, the sound echoing through the valley as bullets tore through the air. Fighters scrambled to aim at the beast, their hands trembling as they squeezed the triggers.
"Light it up!" one of them screamed, unloading his weapon into the monster's hide.
But the creature didn't flinch. Its rocky exterior absorbed the bullets as though they were nothing more than raindrops. With a flick of its massive tail, it sent a truck flying into the side of a cliff.
Asaza gritted his teeth, pulling Kagon to his feet. "Get your head in the game, Kagon! This thing's not going down without a fight!"
Kagon looked up, his face pale as the creature's glowing eyes locked onto him. "Is this... punishment for us?"
"Snap out of it!" Asaza shouted, shaking him. "This isn't the time for prayers!"
But the Earth Sand Dragon wasn't finished. Its roar tore through the sky once more as it launched itself into the midst of the fighters, scattering them like leaves in the wind.
The fight for freedom had just taken a monstrous turn.