Daniel cleared his throat. “So if Hothel hasn’t managed to capture the Scoshag so far, then what chance do we have?”
“I have a cage,” Lynx said. “It was given to me centuries ago, when I was very very young. I had got this cage from my trainer – a very learned sage. Before dying, he gave the magical cage to me, as a souvenir.”
Lynx’s eyes filled with tears on remembering his tutor. The Scavenger placed his hand on Lynx’s shoulder to give him strength. Although the children couldn’t relate to what Lynx was going through, they still sent a prayer to the departed sage.
Lynx regained his control. “Anyway, the cage is one of its kind. It’s a magic-reducing cage. It prevents the occupant inside from practising magic, so the Scoshag wouldn’t be able to shape-shift. Also, the cage can expand or contract. We just have to get the cage near the Scoshag, and the job is done.”
“Okay.” James thought to himself for a while and nodded. “Yes. I think I’ve got it. It’s quite easy. We lure the Scoshag out of the Gokru Lake, capture it in the cage, then use it to lure Hothel out of the Sea of Trion, take the Trident, and that’s it.”
“But how do we lure the Scoshag out?” Insanity asked.
“That’s easy, isn’t it?” James said. “It loves humans. We use someone as bait.”
“The plan seems okay,” the Scavenger said. “Who will be the bait?”
Everyone turned silent.
James looked around. “Um... why is everyone looking at me?”
“No!” James exclaimed. “I am not doing this!”
The Scavenger sighed for the millionth time. “James, you have to.”
“I have no doubt whatsoever,” James retorted. “I am not becoming a bait for a deadly mega crab!”
“Look, I can give you many reasons for doing this,” the Scavenger said.
“Oh, is that so? I want to hear them.”
“One, you need to do this to save your family, friends, the whole Earth, to say out loud. Two... um...”
“See? You can’t even think of two reasons.” James sat down on a chair. “Why not someone else?”
“Because you are the quickest one,” the Scavenger pointed out.
“Yeah,” Matt said. “I am not the quickest.”
“Me too,” Archer said.
“Me three,” Daniel butted in.
James thought for a while, fuming, then said, “What would I have to do if I chose to become bait? Emphasis on ‘if’.”
“We would submerge you in the water,” Lynx said. “With a rope. If you feel out of breath – which you won’t – because, thanks to your Elemental Power you can breathe underwater – or see the Scoshag – then tug on the rope and we will pull you out. The Scoshag will follow you, and we will be waiting for it with the cage. As soon as the cage touches the crab, it will expand and capture the crab inside it.”
“What if the Scoshag falls back into the water?” asked James.
“It can very well do that,” Insanity said. “It has acute senses, so as soon as it comes out of the water, it will figure out that it’s a trap. It will fall back down into the water.”
The Scavenger said, “James, you are the only one among us that can control water. In case the Scoshag falls back, you need to pull the water out somehow so that the crab lands on the lake bed. Then one of us with the cage jumps in, and that’s it. The lake isn’t that deep.”
James thought again. “You know, I would do it, but I have ostraconophobia.”
James cleared his throat. “In English, it means fear of shellfish. Scoshag is like a shellfish. So, I fear it.”
“James,” the Scavenger said. “We are not buying that.”
James held his head with his hands. “But I don’t want to do it.”
“I didn’t want to go into the Brentinute,” the Scavenger said. “But I did. You need to step out of your comfort zone, James. How else would you survive in this world?”
“All right, all right, no need to give me a lecture,” James said. He was silent for a long time as he thought about it. Archer could see that James knew that he had no choice.
“Okay,” James finally relented. “I will do it. But don’t think your ‘leave your comfort zone’ speech did it. I am volunteering myself.”
The Scavenger grinned. “Okay.” Then in a milder voice, he said, “My speech did it.”
17
James stepped out of the portal and onto the banks of the Gokru Lake, the others beside him. Aronicle remained in Lynx’s cave to keep watch on Urrax.
The water in the lake was muddy. The lake merged into the Sea of Trion at some distance.
James said, “I have a question. Why can’t I lift the water from here? Then someone goes in and catches the unsuspecting Scoshag. Why do I have to be submerged?”
The Scavenger laughed. “James, now you’re just scrambling for something. If you lift the water, the Scoshag will just change shape and vanish.”
“All right.” James sighed as he looked over the lake. “The water is muddy. How do I see underwater?”
Lynx cleared his throat. “Ever heard of magic?”
“Oh,” James said.
“Here, take this pill,” Lynx said. “It will enhance your eyesight underwater. Any more questions, sir?”
“Nope. It’s all fine. Let’s start,” James replied.
“Bring the rope,” Lynx said to the Scavenger. He continued, “Let’s go over the plan a final time. We put James underwater with a rope as bait for Scoshag. As soon as James sees it, he tugs on the rope and we will lift him. The crab would, in all likelihood, follow James and break out from the water into the air. James lifts the water, the crab lands on the ground. The Scavenger goes in with the cage and traps the crab. Simple.”
“All right.” The Scavenger clapped his hands. “Let’s do this.” Everyone wished luck to a
