Clash of the Titans

Or at least, that's what it made me think of when those big ass scorpions burst out of the ground. Though these things weren't composed of crappy CGI effects. They ambushed us next to a wall of rock that would have had us pinned in. But we weren't mortals.

I gave Diane some of my blood (and spit) to shield her in a portion of my silver armor, but by the time I'd finished doing that and getting us off the horse to do battle, everyone had scurried up the rock face to the top. Hal flew himself, his charge, and his horse up to the top, Claire jumped, Rufus jumped, and Lexi led the rest straight up the cliff, on horseback.

My delay nearly got Diane's leg taken off. I felt really really stupid. Just as I'd scooped her up and leaped up to the top of the cliff, one of the scorpions burst out from under us and left a nasty gash in her leg.

When I reached the top of the cliff, Hal let loose like the stories of lighting throwing storm gods. He threw several bolts of lightning down upon the scorpions, flash-cooking the bastards. Kenny and I would have gotten caught in that too, had we not scooted up to the cliff. Hell, I was a perfectly good lightning rod at the time.

Then some vulture-like harpies (or whatever the hell they were) flew overhead and... couldn't see us. Andrew said he'd pulled on Fate's strings (which didn't sit well with Claire). So, we were able to get into Sudan very easy. No monsters, no human patrols, nothing spotted us.

Diane got healed up by her companions and also got some good natured ribbing as well when Lexi invited her to ride on her horse with her (since ours got snapped below the surface). I consigned myself to traveling on foot. Conversation also turned to what our first adventure was. Yeah, like I need a reminder of that. Any time I know I should be cold is reminder enough.

Before too much longer, we got ourselves to the lake. Finally, a large body of water. Deserts make me uncomfortable.