14 The Serpent's Throne

"Good morning," Omega said smiling.

"Why are you up already?"

"I am leaving today with Benji."

"I'll get my stuff then."

"No."

"What?"

"Benji and I don't want you to come."

"Why?"

"We both don't want you to be injured, and it is easier to sneak up with only two and we fight well together."

"Fine," Naomi sighed, "Just be careful."

"I have to get going," Omega said has he kissed Naomi on the cheek.

He met Benji by the gates of the city. They both turned as the village had crowded applauding as they left. They both knew it would be a long trip and they would have to fight together to be able to survive the Dalamadur. They walked until they arrived at the ledge of a cliff. Benji pointed towards the valley.

"This is Scorched Valley," Benji said, "It is, well, it was the most fertile land in the plains, until the Dalamadur came around, it ran havoc and killed all the hunters who protected the lands and its people. We lost hundreds of hunters, to the hands of one monster." This left Omega speechless. How could one monster do this?. Benji was busy tying a rope around a rock at the summit of the cliff.

"I'll head down last," Benji said as he dropped the rope of the side of the cliff. Omega looked down, the drop wasn't huge but still it was probably like 50 meters down. He grabbed the rope and slid down the side of the cliff. His feet soon landed on solid ground. He called to Benji that he could come down. Benji grabbed the rope and slid down as Omega did. Soon they were both at the foot of the cliff and they continued their journey through the blackened earth until night fell. The sun had gone, the temperature had dropped making Omega's breath visible. Benji hadn't told him, but the scorched earth was like a dessert with plummeting temperatures at night and scorching temperature in the day. They set up a campfire with the wood they had brought. The campfire warmed a small area around it, but just enough for Benji and Omega to heat up. Omega had so many questions to ask Benji about the Dalamadur.

"So one beast did all this?"

"Yep."

"Have you ever fraught with it?"

"A couple times but with no success."

"How come?"

"My hunting party got wiped out."

"Wiped out?"

"Killed, eaten, whatever you want to call it. By the way, are you hungry?" Benji said as he handed Omega a bowl.

"Thanks, but you don't care about what happened?"

"We all knew the consequences, and we all took our chances, I got away."

"Hopefully that doesn't happen to us."

"Yea, well, we are playing our cards and now it's fate's call."

"I guess so."

They sat around the fire and ate quietly after that. They fell asleep and woke to the rising sun. They packed up then left back on their journey to the Twisted Throne. They walked on and on through the scorched land until, in the distance, Omega saw a wall of stone rise in the distance.

"There it is, The walls of the Twisted Throne," Benji said as he pointed towards the wall, "After that a more treacherous voyage awaits," Omega cut him off.

"Just how many times have you been there?"

"Four times."

"What is so dangerous over there?"

"The Dalamadur roams but we can't fight it that early it uses the tunnels as ambush paths so we have to cut right through and reach its throne."

"Sounds simple enough."

They soon reached the entrance of the Twisted Throne. There was a small passageway into the walls. Benji signaled Omega to enter the passage into the Twisted Throne. They soon left the passage and found themselves in a terrain that omega had never seen. Stone pillars stood scattered in the mountainous region, tunnels littered the ground and the pillars seemed to be carved to seem twisted. This is probably the reason it is called the twisted throne. Benji placed his hand on Omega's shoulder and pointed towards a large mountain in the distance.

"That is where we are going," Benji whispered.

"Why are we whispering?" Omega asked.

"You can never be too safe, the Dalamadur lurks around this area if I remember well," Benji replied still whispering as they headed off, going deeper and deeper into the forest of stone. They walked and walked, getting ever so close to the mountain, but Benji stopped and motioned to Omega to duck behind a boulder. Omega followed without asking any questions. The ground began to shake, a large head slithered passed them followed by a huge body. The Dalamadur, wow. The beast had 4 rows of huge, red thorns running down its body and at the end of its tail it had a club like rattle. A couple of minutes passed until Benji left the cover of the boulder and mentioned to Omega to follow. He began to run, Omega followed. They soon arrive at the foot of the Twisted Throne.

"Use your Kinsect, just follow me and do as I did," Benji said as his Kinsect climbed onto his back and larger wings burst from its back.

"This place is called the vertical staircase, as you can see," Benji explained, "Use your Kinsect to balance yourself."

He started to climb up. Omega did the same and they were soon climbing up the vertical staircase. The climb was long and treacherous some of the stairs were broken or slippery. They arrived to the top of the mountain to find the lair of the Dalamadur. A large pillar of stone was ahead of them. The stone was carved making it twisted.

"The Dalamadur isn't here yet," Benji said, "I'll set up the bombs and then when it arrives you light 'em."

"Okay."

Benji grabbed the small containers that he had in his backpack. He grabbed a ball of string to connect them so that the fuse would all light. As Benji set up the bombs along the Dalamadur's lair, Omega made a line of gunpowder to light the fuses. They soon finished their preparations and put their materials hidden in a small, hollow cave under the platform they were on. They were done moving their equipment the ground began to shake once again.

"You ready?" Benji asked.

"Can I really answer no?"

"True, remember to use your kinsect."

The Dalamadur slithered around its lair, its whole body exposed, twisted around the stone pillar. It laid its massive head to rest on top of the pillar. The ground stopped shaking as the Dalamadur laid in place. Benji signaled to Omega. The trail of powder was lit and the sparks quickly ran to the fuses that the Dalamadur was lying on.

"Here comes the rude awakening," Benji shouted as the charges were lit and exploded under the Dalamadur. As it woke, the Dalamadur let out a ear breaking screech. It fell as the pillar crumbled under it.

"Wait here, this only knocked it down and it has plenty more pillars to climb," Benji said as he pointed towards four other crumbled pillars. Another screech was heard coming towards them as a large head like shape appeared but Benji and Omega were looking up and towards the sun. Another head like shape appeared on the other side of the platform and lunged towards them. Benji dived and pushed Omega aside.

"It's tail resembles its head and it is smart enough to use the sun to trick you. Just look behind you if it happens," Benji said as they got up.

Omega sent his kinsect towards the Dalamadur's head as the beast recovered from its lunge. The Kinsect used its horn to hit the eye of the Dalamadur making it lurch up flailing its head. Benji used his glaive to send himself soaring above the Dalamadur's head and landed with all his weight on the blade of the glaive cutting through the tough scales that protected the Dalamadur's immense body. The Dalamadur reared its head up and tried to slam it down on Omega, making the ground tremble as it hit nothing but the platform. Benji started to place another set of bombs, but this time around the horns of the Dalamadur sent him flying as it swung its head around the platform. The Dalamadur, who was now raising its head above the platform. Benji struggled back to his feet, as the Dalamadur slammed its head, missing Benji.

As Benji got up, the Dalamadur slithered back and disappeared from their sight.

"Are you okay?" Omega asked as he walked towards Benji.

"Yeah, I am fine," Benji replied, "Just watch out when it comes back."

As he finished his sentence, an ear-splitting roar made the pillars of stone shake and crumble. The Dalamadur rose from the abyss. It stayed there watching the two hunters before reeling it's head back and open its mouth facing the sun.

"Take cover," Benji said, "It always destroys platforms with this attack so take the equipment and jump down to the next platform."

Omega did as he was told, Benji soon followed him down to the second platform. The beast fired a beam of fire towards the platform, melting the stone that formed it. It slithered back into the abyss.

"I think you blinded it earlier," Benji pointed out, "It miss by a mile."

"Probably when my Kinsect hit it in the eye."

The Beast rose again, turning its head from side to side. It frozen for a moment then started to look around once more.

"Omega, can you hit the bombs on its horns?" Benji asked.

"I'll see what I can do," Omega said as he pulled out his bowgun. He loaded in a crag shot and aimed at the Dalamadur's head. As he fired the Beast turn to face them and then was hit with the bolts. It reeled and shook its head before the bombs went off. The beast's head fell crashing down onto the platform.

Benji walked towards it. He poke at it and then turned and shouted to Omega, "It's dead! We did it! We killed it!". He walked back towards Omega.

"I guess it is time to go back," Benji said as he grabbed his stuff.

"I guess so," Omega said, "The villagers will be happy to hear about it."

Omega and Benji climbed down the pillars of stone, and reached the gates at dusk. Omega turned and looked at the place that had been one of the greatest battle locations he'd fought in. They started to walk back.