Chapter Four

Thundarr, Ariel, and Ookla ride through the lands that were once known as Georgia. The land is covered in swamplands, but there's enough dry land for the three heroes to ride their horses. It's been a long time since they've visited Lanta. It's been even longer since they've had an opportunity to relax. That day at the lake a few nights back was their first day of relaxation in so long they don't even remember when they'd gone more than a few days without a fight.

"How much further to Lanta?" Ariel asks.

"Another days ride," replies Thundarr, "perhaps two."

"I just hope we don't run into any trouble before then," she replies.

Just then Thundarr reigns his horse to a stop. Ariel and Ookla do likewise. They hear the sounds of a struggle not too far away, and what sounds like a mok howling.

"Demon dogs!" Thundarr cries, one of his favorite sayings (especially when startled or frustrated), "Sounds of battle!"

"I guess I spoke too soon," says Ariel.

Ookla roars in his bestial language. Thundarr nods in agreement.

"Of course, old friend," he says, "let us go help!"

Thundarr grabs his Sunsword and ignites its blade, "Ariel! Ookla! Riiiide!"

The three companions ride towards the noise. When they arrive at the battle, they see a lone female mok battling a group of mutants. The mutants are all generally human looking except that they're much larger, have large fangs, and orange skin. There's a large cage on a wagon with humans locked inside it. The mutants are trying to catch the mok in nets and lassos.

"Slavers!" Says Thundarr, "We must save that mok! Into battle!" He charges the slavers with his Sunsword held high and shouts his battle cry. "Yaaaaa-hee!"

Ookla pulls out his mok bow and follows as Ariel launches a series of magic missiles at the slavers. One slaver casts a net at Thundarr, who cuts it in two with ease. Ookla knocks out two more slavers with his stun arrows, while several more are knocked out by Ariel's magic. The mok that the slavers were trying to capture strikes a slaver in the gut with her quarterstaff, then twirls the weapon about and strikes the mutant across the back. Then she steps on his back and uses him as a springboard to launch herself into a flying kick, which catches another slaver square in the face. A couple of slavers try and knock Thundarr from his horse with wooden clubs, but his Sunsword cuts through both weapons practically like they weren't even there. The slavers turn to flee, and run right into Ookla who picks them up in a big bear hug and squeezes them until they stop struggling. The last two slavers try and make a run for it, but the female mok whirls a set of bolas at them, wrapping up their legs and tripping them. Princess Ariel rides up next to the cage and with a wave of her hand causes the padlock to pop off. She opens up the cage and frees the humans inside. Then Thundarr, Ookla, and the female mok they'd rescued gather up the slavers and throw them into the slave wagon. Ariel then padlocks the door shut. The female mok speaks to them in the bestial tongue of her race. Ookla responds to this by giving her a deep and respectful bow.

"What is it?" Ariel asks Thundarr, "What did she say?"

"This is Princess Eekra," Thundarr translates, "daughter of Chief Ogrot."

"An honor to meet you," says Ariel with a low and respectful bow, "But what, may I ask, are you doing this far from home?"

Eekra replies and Thundarr translates, "She brings troubling news," says Thundarr, "She says that Captain Corden and a couple of her pirates have escaped."

"Well that's not good," says Ariel, "but she has no ship. No crew. Certainly she can't be much of a threat."

Eekra explains some more, and Thundarr looks distressed. "She says that she plans to loot the lair of the wizard Karoth. That he has some arsenal of magic weapons."

Now Ariel is concerned too. "If they've found Karoth's hidden fortress," she says, "then Chief Ogrot is in big trouble. Karoth was rumored to have forged many magic items, some even a match for your Sunsword. If she can get enough men together for an assault on Knox, even Ogrots mightiest moks won't stand a chance!"

"Then we shall go after Corden," declares Thundarr, "and make sure she never finds this Karoth's hidden fortress!"

Princess Eekra growls something to Thundarr, and the barbarian nods his head in agreement.

"What did she say?" Ariel asks.

"She said we may be too late to stop them from reaching the fortress," Thundarr translates, "She said it took her many days of hard riding to catch up with us, and Corden had a days head start in the opposite direction."

"Then we'd best get a move on and pray nothing tries to slow us down," she replies.

They ask one of the freed slaves to drive the wagon with the slavers to the town of Lanta, where Sheriff Thorak will see to it that they have a fair trial. Then Thundarr and Ariel mount their horses while Ookla and Eekra mount their equarts. Thundarr's white stallion rears up on its hind legs.

"Ariel! Ookla! Riiiide!"

And the four of them gallop off towards Knox at top speed.