“Wow, that’s wonderful!” James exclaimed.
After a few minutes of walking, they reached the seashore.
The Scavenger put the cage on the soft sand and waited.
“It could be a long wait. And we have to be ready all through. No rest for anyone,” the Scavenger said. “Just remember the plan. Everyone.”
Several hours passed, and nothing happened. The Scavenger picked up the cage and dipped it in the water.
Archer started doubting the whole thing. He said to the Scavenger, “Will Hothel come? For how long are we expected to sit here?”
Before the Scavenger could reply, all of a sudden, there was a massive ripple in the water.
“He’s coming,” the Scavenger whispered to everyone. “Lynx, your show.”
Lynx nodded, at once pulling out a bunch of tablets from his pocket. “This is the last bit of invisibility tablets in the entire Dark World,” Lynx said, looking grave. He looked up then. “Make it count.”
Everyone, except the Scavenger, swallowed them and at once turned invisible.
The Scavenger gritted his teeth, waiting for Hothel to appear. As the ripples increased, the area around the cage was now full of currents and water fountains.
There was a sudden trembling in the air and a colossal figure broke out of the water.
The Scavenger had a fair idea about how Hothel looked, but nothing could have prepared him for the sight that emerged. Hothel was enormous and was a half-human, half-sea animal. He had scars all over his deformed face. His hair was like fins, parted from one another and waving in the air. His arms and upper body were covered in white and blue armour, which glinted in the sunlight. From his waist down, there was a huge tail that stretched out behind him.
His massive arms clutched the Trident. The shaft of the Trident was blue, and at the bottom was a long curved edge. The Trident had seven sharp prongs that could tear through anything like butter.
Hothel gave the Scavenger a disgusted look and said, in a booming voice, “Hey! Give me the Scoshag. I have waited for centuries for it.”
The Scavenger flicked his fingers and the cage disappeared. “Uh-uh. Not so easy. Why don’t we make a deal?”
Hothel twirled the Trident in his hands. The Scavenger remained calm as the Trident moved.
The Scavenger said further, “The deal is simple. You give me the Trident and I give you the crab.”
There was silence for a few seconds, and then Hothel erupted into laughter. His laugh was kind of creepy, like a cross between a snarl and a scream. “I have a better idea, you stupid person. Why don’t I take the crab without giving you the Trident? And kill you in the process?” Hothel’s eyes glowed red. He shouted. “Give me the crab. My collection will finally be complete.”
“I have sent it to a Magic Compartment,” the Scavenger shouted back and started running away from the shore. Hothel was stunned for a second, but then started to run after the Scavenger.
Hothel’s legs were huge, and one footstep of his was equal to five footsteps of the Scavenger’s. The Scavenger increased his pace. He needed to get Hothel away from the water.
Hothel was closing in. The Scavenger, feeling that Hothel would snatch him up any moment now, flipped to the side. As he did so, he threw the knives concealed in his hand straight at Hothel’s face.
Hothel roared in anger and his fists slammed the ground.
“Hey, pig face!” a voice hollered from behind.
Hothel stiffened and turned, but saw nothing.
Lynx appeared next to the Scavenger and handed him a pill. The Scavenger nodded. The plan had begun. A second later, the duo disappeared.
Hothel turned again to find the Scavenger nowhere.
Hothel roared, “You puny creatures! You will pay for this!”
Hothel raised the Trident and sliced through the air, but hurt no one.
Hothel shouted, “Show yourself, cowards!”
There was no reply.
All of a sudden, a flying sword struck Hothel’s face. The aim was precise and Hothel, with a roar of pain, bent down.
A wormhole opened above Hothel’s back and a long figure coated in fire dropped. Archer placed a burning hand on Hothel’s back and disappeared again.
The fire burnt Hothel’s skin and he yelled, again swatting his hand but hurting nothing.
From the other direction, Daniel dropped down and sharp branches penetrated Hothel’s legs. James appeared on Hothel’s head, sending a powerful flow of water to Hothel’s eyes, blinding him.
Hothel knelt on the ground and further attacks came at him. No One appeared from the ground and slashed at Hothel’s legs with long lances. Insanity hovered in the air and sent magic balls flying towards Hothel’s chest and stomach.
Finally, the Scavenger jumped from the air, carrying the Lightning Sword. His friends leapt away from Hothel as the Scavenger sent a massive lightning bolt towards Hothel.
There was a massive blast as Hothel was struck with lightning. Everyone seized the opportunity. Co-ordination was displayed at the maximum as the children, No One, Insanity and Lynx bound him in shackles from all sides, just as they had done with Urrax.
Hothel fell to the ground. The shackles now covered his whole body, except his mouth and his right hand, which clutched the Trident.
“Release me at once!” Hothel roared. “Or you will pay for this!”
The others moved to stand beside the Scavenger, and the Scavenger shook his head. “I don’t have money to pay.” He laughed.
“You dare laugh in the face of the legendary Hothel!” Hothel yelled.
The Scavenger flicked his fingers and the shackles bound against Hothel’s mouth, stopping him from giving any more empty threats.
The group moved to the Trident, which was still clasped in Hothel’s hand. They all started pulling it out, but it didn’t move an inch.
“What do we do?” James asked. This was an eventuality they hadn’t planned for.
The Scavenger had a grim face. “We need to kill him.”
“What?” Daniel said. “Why?”
“He will not lose
