Huntar followed the ape rider toward a tall rocky mountain in the desert plain. What in the Kronos’s name was he planning to do?

When the ape warrior reached the bottom of the mountain, he removed Jenny from his mount and carried her up the mountain like a lump sack. Instead of climbing, he jumped from rock to rock, reaching the top quickly.

Once he reached the mountain bottom, Huntar leaped off the black Rammer and landed on the rocky slope. Using all his limbs, he climbed hastily up the mountain.

At the top, the ape man placed Jenny down and spotted Huntar. With a grin, the ape man pushed a boulder down. The boulder hit the other rocks, more rocks trembled down, creating an avalanche.

Huntar stopped as rocks and sand rained upon him. Was this the ape man’s plan all along?

He jumped from side to side, avoiding the rocks. He then spotted a small cavern in the slope and leaped into the hole.

The avalanche rumbled past him, and he gave off a sigh of relief. That damn ape almost smashed him, but Huntar wasn’t easy to fall.

He crawled out of the hole and climbed up the slope.

The ape warrior growled and picked up a large rock. He stood at the edge and tossed the rock down.

Huntar ducked before the rock could hit him at the center of the mountain.

The ape warrior tossed more rocks down, trying to knock the lion man off the mountain. But Huntar kept dodging the rocks while climbing.

He reached the top, but the ape warrior quickly kicked him off. Huntar fell down and grabbed onto a rocky ledge.

The ape warrior landed in front of him and pulled out his ax. He held it over Huntar’s head.

“Damn savage!” The ape warrior was about to swing his ax down upon Huntar, but without warning, Jenny pushed the ape off the ledge.

The ape warrior screamed, tumbling down the sharp rocks. He hit the ground hard and never got back up.

Jenny approached Huntar and held out her hand. “Are you okay?”

Huntar smiled and grabbed her hand. “I fear no pain, but I am alive.”

Jenny pulled him up onto the ledge.

“How about you?” Huntar asked.

Jenny rubbed her neck where the dart had struck her. “I’m fine for now. That sleeping dart didn’t put me out for long. I couldn’t believe those apes came from a different destination.”

“Those ape warriors were reinforcements, I assumed. They must have had heard the breakout at the mining yard. We must move fast before more shows up."

Jenny nodded her head. “Then let’s keep moving and hope we are not too late.”

*****

Horde marched toward the giant pyramid, known as the Doombringer, while his two strong ape men carried the Star Crystal, behind him. It took his tribe twenty years to build the stone weapon in secret while his brawny warriors guarded it. His father designed the superweapon to protect the city before Horde was born.

After his father’s death, Horde continued the weapon's construction. Instead of using it to defend his city, he thought it would be best to use its power to destroy all of his enemies. His clan will never have true peace as long as their enemies live.

With the Star Crystal finally in his procession, he can finally activate the weapon and begin his world conquest. The weapon has been motionless for too long since its birth. But it will rise and make the world a better place for the Cocidius Clan.

He walked up the steps toward the top of the pyramid structure, toward the control panel. After he stepped aside, his two strong ape men placed the crystal on the holder behind the panel.

The crystal lit up, and the white energy from the crystal spread through the ruins across the structure.

Horde felt the pyramid vibrate beneath his feet. The weapon was waking up.

“You two better leave now," Horde ordered. "Let our tribe know I am about to cleanse this world for our peace.”

His warriors bowed and dashed down the steps. They reached the bottom before the sandy dust cloud rose around the structure.

Horde pulled the lever down on the panel and gripped his hands on the slab. His weapon hovered up, rising to the heavens.

The structure levitated slowly as it took off the ground, but as long as it doesn’t fall apart, it should remain whole.

High enough in the sky, Horde placed his hand on the flight ball in the panel. He rolled the ball forward, and then the Doombringer hovered forward.

Horde smiled as he drifted over the vast desert landscape. He felt like a god, moving through the heavens for battle. He could fly anywhere, and the power of the crystal was limitless.

Now all he had to do was find a village and test his weapon upon it. It should work, and Horde wouldn’t be so pleased if the Doombringer didn’t. The time for the end of the beast clans has finally come.