Chapter 2
"Do you want me to turn him back into himself or do you need me to just banish him altogether?" Wizz-Ra asked.
"Well turn him back to himself if you can. He might have information we need," Lion-O said.
"All right, I'll do what I can. Everyone be ready! He may come out swinging!" The wizard announced to the group that gathered. Then he chanted in the ancient tongue of his people and before their eyes, the stone version of Vultureman began to shift into flesh and bone. The horrible screams that followed, no one was prepared for. The Mutant screamed until he passed out from the pain. Pumyra and Tygra came running, hoping that they could actually help the poor creature.
"Holy Mother of Pearl! What did you do to him?!" Mandora asked.
"Turning stone into flesh is not an easy process. My guess is that Mumm-Ra picked this particular punishment because of the pain involved," Wizz-Ra explained.
"Sounds about right," Slythe spoke up.
"Forgive me but are we friends with the Mutants now?" Wizz-Ra asked.
"Long story," Panthro said.
"Yes it is. As for Vultureman, he talked back to Mumm-Ra one too many times. We figured he was dead after he got turned into a rabbit and Ma-Mutt started chasing him," the reptile told him.
"Well he's not bleeding externally so I'm guessing once Ma-Mutt was done having his fun; Mumm-Ra turned him to stone. The good news is that despite his being transformed, Vultureman should have still had his mental faculties. The bad news is he may have lost them while he was forced to stare at the walls of wherever Mumm-Ra was keeping him. No stimulation for his brain for long periods of time could have turned him insane," the wizard frowned as he watched Ben-Gali help Tygra and Pumyra get the Mutant back to the medical tent.
"Great Jaga," Panthro shook his head.
"So is there a reason we're not inside the Lair?" Wizz-Ra switched topics.
"Another long story but at the moment, we have bigger fish to fry. Mumm-Ra had the Mutants release the Lunataks from their prison. We're down to Alluro, Tug Mug, and Red-Eye. We need to focus on them and getting Mumm-Ra to take your place," Lion-O said.
"I wondered what you traded. The Great Sphinx will not be pleased if we do not hurry," Wizz-Ra frowned.
"What do you mean?" Slythe asked.
"I was given until sunset three days from now. If your problem is not solved or Mumm-Ra is not in my place, then I will be sucked back into the Seventh Dimension and will never be free again," the wizard explained.
"Then we had best get a move on," Lynx-O spoke up. The group quickly headed to the tents that had been set up like a cafeteria. Lion-O began to explain everything to the wizard and Wizz-Ra did not interrupt.
"So that's where we're at," the lion said when he finished about twenty minutes later.
"You are right to be concerned about the silence from our foes. Mumm-Ra's cunning knows no bounds. My guess is that after he's read the Lunataks the riot act, they'll be coming for you and everyone here. My suggestion would be to get the civilians out of the way as soon as possible. Then we prepare a trap. The Evil Chasers approach is good but it will drive Mumm-Ra and the Lunataks underground until they are gone and we don't have that kind of time," Wizz-Ra told them.
"So what do you think we should do?" Panthro asked.
"We dangle a tantalizing prize for our adversary and then when he takes the bait, we nab him. With Mumm-Ra sent to the Seventh Dimension, you can use the Evil Chaser backup to capture the Lunataks," the wizard made it sound so easy.
"So who is going to be the bait?" Slythe asked, worried it was him. Wizz-Ra looked right at the King of Thundera and said,
"Our fearless leader."
To Be Continued…