The desert trembled.
Sand poured down the pillars in small avalanches as a deep rumble rolled beneath their feet — heavier than the worms, deeper than thunder.
Lin's head snapped up. "What now?"
Elara's eyes widened. "That's not the worms."
Nyra's voice was tight. "It's worse."
The ground cracked. A massive claw burst through the sand — black, ridged, and glowing with molten veins. A second claw followed, then a titanic body heaving itself up from the dune.
A scorpion, bigger than a house, rose from the sand, its carapace flowing like molten rock. Its tail arched high, a stinger glowing with liquid fire. Heat rolled off it in waves.
Crystal's voice was unusually quiet. "Oh. That's new."
---
Everyone Pauses
Even the Fire Tamer froze, fire swirling around him. His eyes flicked to the scorpion, and for the first time, he looked uneasy.
Lin gawked. "Of course. OF COURSE there's a giant fire scorpion. Why wouldn't there be? We've had worms, wolves, fish, and a guy who breathes flames — sure, let's throw in a flaming scorpion for dessert!"
The scorpion's eyes burned like coals. It hissed, steam rising from its mouth. A stream of fire and compressed air blasted out, turning the sand into glass in front of it.
Nyra grabbed Lin's arm. "We have to move. Now."
The Fire Tamer muttered a curse in a language Lin didn't recognize. "It's drawn to battle. The more we fight, the stronger it becomes."
"Awesome," Lin snapped. "So my reward for surviving you is fighting a walking lava tank? LOVE this game!"
---
Retreat
The scorpion's claws slammed down, scattering burning shards of rock. One claw clipped a rune pillar, shattering it like chalk. The runes flickered out.
Elara fired an arrow at its eye. It bounced off harmlessly, melting in midair. "That did nothing!"
Nyra conjured a wind wall to deflect a burst of fire. The heat still seared their skin.
Crystal hissed: "Retreat protocol. South, toward the canyon. Move now."
Lin activated Sand Runner, grabbing Elara's hand and sprinting. "You heard the insulting GPS! RUN!"
The Fire Tamer vanished in a swirl of flames, leaving them behind.
---
Lin's Meltdown
They bolted across the dunes, the scorpion's claws slamming down behind them, each impact sending up geysers of molten sand. Its tail lashed, fire spitting in arcs across their path.
HP -15.
Lin stumbled, coughing, but kept running. "I swear — when I find the idiot who coded this game, I'm going to—" he gasped for breath— "personally throw them into their own fire scorpion!"
Crystal purred. "Language."
"Shut up! I'm dying over here!"
"You'll respawn."
"It still hurts!"
---
The Cliffhanger
They reached the edge of a canyon — a sheer drop into darkness. The scorpion loomed behind them, claws glowing, tail ready to strike. Heat washed over them like an oven.
Elara's voice was shaking. "Lin, what now?"
Lin stared at the canyon, then back at the monster. His hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat. "I have no idea. Jump?"
Nyra looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "That's a hundred-meter drop!"
The scorpion reared back, fire gathering in its maw.
Crystal's voice was ice-calm. "Three seconds to decide, Lin."
Lin raised both middle fingers at the sky. "I HATE THIS GAME!"
He took a step back.
And jumped.
To be continued…