Part 4:
With our coats wrapped tightly around us, Rick, Dale and I disembarked from the QCP jet.
Cold mountain peaks jutted into an aquamarine sky.
We had landed on a natural plateau about one-third of the way up the mountain.
The Lark and Del Ford unloaded a circular platform, attaching a gazebo-like structure on top of it.
The completed unit was called a LAD: Levitation Ascent Disc.
Tiny jets on the bottom would propel us upwards.
“Just a quick system check and we’ll be ready to go. I should have us moving in – ”
We heard a rumble and a massive tree crashed our way!
It just missed the LAD and smashed past us, swirling up dirt as it went.
In the midst of this frenzy came a man.
A man charging straight down the mountain!
He looked nearly ten feet tall, dressed in a weird tunic, screaming in rage.
Cold mountain peaks jutted into an aquamarine sky.
We had landed on a natural plateau about one-third of the way up the mountain.
The Lark and Del Ford unloaded a circular platform, attaching a gazebo-like structure on top of it.
The completed unit was called a LAD: Levitation Ascent Disc.
Tiny jets on the bottom would propel us upwards.
“Just a quick system check and we’ll be ready to go. I should have us moving in – ”
We heard a rumble and a massive tree crashed our way!
It just missed the LAD and smashed past us, swirling up dirt as it went.
In the midst of this frenzy came a man.
A man charging straight down the mountain!
He looked nearly ten feet tall, dressed in a weird tunic, screaming in rage.
The Lark glanced up at the mammoth figure. “Krenderen?”
“The giant of the mountains?” Renee asked.
“Where would you expect to find me,” he growled through excited breath, “where else would I be?”
“We don’t have time for this,” Del said. “There is a lot at stake.”
“That is exactly what the King of Clouds told me.”
“This is a new low, even for you, Krenderen.”
“I will crush you!”
The Lark rushed at the behemoth, with Shandoleesa and Jossen right behind her.
One by one they dropped, leaving Krenderen bloodied but seemingly invigorated.
“Who’s next? Who is next for Krenderen?!”
Del aimed his gun at the giant as the Down Wolf hollered.
“Just shoot him Agent Ford! Why haven’t you fired?”
“I didn’t want to hit our teammates. And it’s not like I’ve got giant bullets!”
“The giant of the mountains?” Renee asked.
“Where would you expect to find me,” he growled through excited breath, “where else would I be?”
“We don’t have time for this,” Del said. “There is a lot at stake.”
“That is exactly what the King of Clouds told me.”
“This is a new low, even for you, Krenderen.”
“I will crush you!”
The Lark rushed at the behemoth, with Shandoleesa and Jossen right behind her.
One by one they dropped, leaving Krenderen bloodied but seemingly invigorated.
“Who’s next? Who is next for Krenderen?!”
Del aimed his gun at the giant as the Down Wolf hollered.
“Just shoot him Agent Ford! Why haven’t you fired?”
“I didn’t want to hit our teammates. And it’s not like I’ve got giant bullets!”
Our enemy put his outstretched arms before him and banged his hands in a thunderous clap.
It unleashed a weird force wave that blasted Del backwards!
Renee, Dale and I also got caught in the wave.
It felt like stings from tiny jellyfish … wearing helmets … shot from a cannon.
Each of us falling unconscious in the snowy dirt.
After that?
Rick told me that the giant charged at him, charged until towering right in front of him.
“Ha! I missed you … yet you do nothing. I’ve taken out your team and still you will not fight?”
He grabbed Rick’s jacket and lifted him until they were eye to eye.
It unleashed a weird force wave that blasted Del backwards!
Renee, Dale and I also got caught in the wave.
It felt like stings from tiny jellyfish … wearing helmets … shot from a cannon.
Each of us falling unconscious in the snowy dirt.
After that?
Rick told me that the giant charged at him, charged until towering right in front of him.
“Ha! I missed you … yet you do nothing. I’ve taken out your team and still you will not fight?”
He grabbed Rick’s jacket and lifted him until they were eye to eye.
That big dumb giant.
He thought Hatcher-Hyungs scare so easily?
“FE-FI-FO-FUM!” Rick shouted with all his might.
“FUM?”
Rick rammed his hands against Mr. Mountain Man’s head, cupped palms against each ear.
I guess some kid named Tommy DiGarmo had done that to my brother at least once a week all through Junior High.
It makes a weird suction ‘POP' that hurts like heck.
And the bigger the ears?
The bigger the pop!
The howling Krenderen threw Rick down and clutched his echoing skull.
Who knew childhood trauma could prove useful?
Rick said he could almost hear Tommy laughing and yelling “Ear slap!” as he raced away, all alone, up the steep mountain slope.
He thought Hatcher-Hyungs scare so easily?
“FE-FI-FO-FUM!” Rick shouted with all his might.
“FUM?”
Rick rammed his hands against Mr. Mountain Man’s head, cupped palms against each ear.
I guess some kid named Tommy DiGarmo had done that to my brother at least once a week all through Junior High.
It makes a weird suction ‘POP' that hurts like heck.
And the bigger the ears?
The bigger the pop!
The howling Krenderen threw Rick down and clutched his echoing skull.
Who knew childhood trauma could prove useful?
Rick said he could almost hear Tommy laughing and yelling “Ear slap!” as he raced away, all alone, up the steep mountain slope.