C7 THE SIEGE FROM WIND AND SAND

Around midnight, a huge wind blew into the town from the desert and sand-covered every building, stable, barn, and coop, and drowned the town in a thick layer of the desert, which woke everyone up who quickly assembled in the courtyard of the lodging looking for the answer to the sudden commotion.

“The wind surrounded the town,” said someone, and the strong wind lasted till the morning and did not appear to subside, and many suggested the phenomena were supernatural in nature and the cause of it was a magical creature who besieged the town.

“It was the Wind Scorpion, who surrounded our town with wind magic”, Cartelle said to those assembled.

I wondered what made the Scorpion attack this town, but roughly I had some clues as I glanced at Magus Cartelle who did not return my glance.

The scorpions must have come to avenge its brethren we just killed in the desert a few days ago and it must have discovered the scents of those who murdered the large scorpion active in this town of Abiru.

The Wind Scorpion waited for a short distance away from the Town and stood prominently where its view could not be missed.

It was the wind Scorpion’s purpose to let us see and feel its presence and to challenge and taunt us to meet it where it was, but the invitation didn’t work since there were no takers.

The Wind Scorpion looked exactly like a large scorpion which we killed earlier except for some blue spots on its body.

While it appeared to be alone in the desert jeering at us, we really don’t know how many comrades it brought along, although there were clear signs of burrowing in the desert around it and nobody in town was so naive to believe the scorpion came alone.

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 and sap our morale, so when we finally had no choice but to face them, we would not have the energy or desire to fight.

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.

Judged 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.

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.

He 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.

The town leader was desperate and had exhausted his options, so he came to the craftsman in town who crafted magical weapons from his town’s shabby forges.

The headsman stared at the Dragon scaled armor on me and he thought that if the barbarian in front of him could kill a 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 of 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.