Chapter 4: THE SCORPION WHO COULD CALL THE WIND
THE SCORPION WHO COULD CALL THE WIND
However, the scorpions did not charge into town but merely surrounded it with violent magical winds so none of us could leave the town.
Its strategy was to create fear to sap our morale so that when we finally had no choice but to face them, we would not have the energy or desire to fight.
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With declining rations and water, it was inevitable for us to face the creatures eventually, so the town leader was desperate and gathered all who could fight and held a town meeting to find a way to break the scorpion's siege.
There were about fifty strong men assembled in the town made up of town guards, caravan security escorts, a young Magus, and a craftsman who could create magical weapons.
The number of fighters wasn't small but was unlikely to defeat the Wind Scorpion and its group of followers.
Judging by how warriors in Ouamua usually fought these monsters which I had previous experience to have witnessed, the fighters knew only too well they were not up to the task.
"We are no match for the scorpions", a fighter related to the others.
A solution was needed, so the town leader looked up to the only Magus in town, Cartelle for suggestions.
"I'll pay you handsomely if you can save us", offered the town leader but Cartelle shirked the leader's call.
Cartelle was almost killed by another scorpion earlier, and the death of his many companions in the desert was fresh in his memory, and that was against only one of them.
"I'll be surprised if Harry Potter will volunteer to deal with the scorpions", Sara told me her opinion again.
Ever since we came into this world, something triggered my A.I. controller. Sara became more sentient and human, although it could come with annoying quips which was rare for a program. But there was no way that I could repair Sara in this world, so I just hope that her malfunction was limited only to her casual speech.
"Who else could save us from the Wind Scorpion?" the town leader asked around him.
"There is a magic smith from Trerarim in town", someone told the leader.
The town leader was desperate and had exhausted his options, so he came to the craftsman in town who made quite a noise in town after he crafted magical weapons from this town's shabby forges.
The town's chief stared at the Dragon scaled armor on me and he thought that if the barbarian in front of him could kill a Zomok Dragon, a few scorpions shouldn't be much of a hassle.
"For a hundred gold pieces, would you help us lift the siege?" the town leader asked me.
I thought for a while and since there was no way out of the town for anyone, we had to try something, and better still if there was a reward thrown in.
"I could clear the scorpions if everyone here followed my lead and my requests", I replied to the town leader and accepted the task.
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I planned to use Ballistae against the scorpions again since it proved to be effective even against a Dragon.
However, in the previous battle with the Dragon, Kamini's craftsman only managed to make iron pikes as Ballistae bolts, which although by the force of the Ballistae they could pierce into a Dragon's tough armor, the bolts weren't strong and durable enough to pierce deep.
So, in the end, the Dragon died not due to injury from the weapon, but more likely due to excessive bleeding from the wounds.
However, with the help of magic, we could make stronger steel bolts and lances, so immediately we started to prepare.
Cartelle was the key to my plan since his fire and wind helix magic melted iron into molten steel, which was turned into hundreds of steel bolts by the ironsmiths, and skilled carpenters were engaged to build me many Ballistae to fire the bolts.
There were quality springs and even rubber-like ropes sold in the market to my surprise and they would further help me improve the design of my Ballistae.
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When our equipment was completed, it was time to kill some scorpions.
The Ballistae were placed in strategic but hidden positions in front of the town, facing the scorpions, and my strategy was to draw the scorpions into an ambush.
So, the critical task was to bait the scorpions to come in range, which was easier said than done.
"Who would volunteer to draw the scorpions into range?" I asked the fighters in the town.
None of them volunteered except Kay my most loyal friend and tour guide. But I believed even Kay was not up to the task.
"Just do it yourself. Asking these useless people is a waste of time", Sara told me.
I wasn't sure if I could run fast enough, but my body enhancements made me much tougher and quicker than the fighters around me, so I had to take a gamble.
So, I ran toward the Wind Scorpion holding my Dragonslayer.
The Wind Scorpion looked at me like I was a moron coming to the sacrifice and stood there motionless waiting for me. But to the scorpion's shock, I suddenly threw my Dragonslayer straight at it.
"Swoooosh"
My lance did not hit any critical parts, although it made the scorpion very angry. So, it shrieked a loud weird sound, that gathered its companion scorpions around.
"Arggghhhh"
The Wind Scorpion was surprised by my attack and failed to evade my lance which pierced into its body. Suddenly, a large group of scorpions who were burrowed near the Wind Scorpion emerged from the desert sand to chase me.
"Great, now that I have your attention, ciao", I told the scorpions.
In total there were about ten large scorpions including the Wind Scorpion who chased me while I ran back to town as fast as I could. Soon, I lured the scorpions into range.
"Swoooosh" "Swoooosh" "Swoooosh"
When all the scorpions were within range, our Ballistae fired steel bolts at the Scorpions which hit all of them and penetrated deep into their bodies.
Our steel-tipped Ballistae bolts were extremely effective against the scorpions.
Many large scorpions were killed instantly, while those who were lucky enough to survive ran, which left the Wind Scorpion behind and alone.
The Wind Scorpion was hit too by at least ten steel bolts, and it retreated away from the Ballistae's firing range. However, the Wind Scorpion did not leave Town, apparently still furious at our ambush, and sought revenge.
"Why didn't the Boss retreat?" I asked them but nobody could answer me.
"These morons know little about the Wind Scorpion, it is a waste to ask them", Sara told me.
Like me, Sara was also influenced by Kay's unique way of using the Ouamua language, with passion.
"Rawwwwrrrr"
The Wind Scorpion shrieked and screamed in an eerie sound and made a call to the wind which grew into a fierce sandstorm that shifted the desert sands into town.
The powerful wind tore the roofs from buildings and carried away people, camels, and goods.
There was no way for us to stop the scorpion's magic but there was still a chance to kill the scorpion, which would defeat its magic.
So, I rushed to the Wind Scorpion as the wind blew fiercely around me.
Luckily, I could detect the wind velocity, so I took the path of least air resistance and after a short dash, I quickly reached the scorpion. I caught hold of my Dragonslayer, which I slung into the Wind Scorpion earlier, and pulled the hooked lance out which caused it great pain and bleeding.
As the lance was pulled, the scorpion screamed in a mixture of anguish and hatred and called out a strong gush of magical wind which threw me more than 10-meters away.
"Damnit you damn scorpion", I screamed at the scorpion mimicking how Kay would have addressed the large insect.
The scorpion now dashed and leaped into the air toward me with its pincers opened ready to crush me, but before it could land on me, I pierced the Dragonslayer into the scorpion's cephalothorax where its Neutronium concentration was the most potent.
"It probably housed its brains or some other critical damn organ", Sara said to me.
Sara's guess was proven correct as the Wind Scorpion fell to the ground and was killed.
Cartelle and the soldiers arrived soon after and came to inspect the dead scorpion just as I carved out its brains to absorb its Neutronium with the usual rite of offerings, while Kay quickly ran around me in dance and chants, to complement the sacrament.
"Hula hula hula bom", Kay would chant continuously.
Cartelle and the soldiers looked on in puzzlement and amusement and they probably thought it must be a Barbarian thing.
I won't bother to correct their perception because it would camouflage my weird actions which were to absorb the Neutronium from the dead carcass.
Now that the Scorpion threat was over, Cartelle teleported out the dead bodies of his companion Magus and fighters who died earlier fighting with the scorpions.
The bodies of the Magus and other fighter escorts were laid in the town hall, while Cartelle prepared a small funeral for them before he cremated their remains with his magic.
True to his words, the town leader gave me a hundred gold coins as a reward for saving the town although he kept all the magical bolts and the Ballistae, which could be worth more than his reward to me.
The leader probably gained more from the deal because those bolts were comparable to magical weapons which were expensive and with them, he wouldn't need to fear another scorpion invasion.
I didn't mind losing on the deal because it was for a good cause, to save the lives of the townspeople.
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