Disclaimer: Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu and Legends of Chima are both own by LEGO Company.
A new day had arrived in the Outlands, and things were as lively as always. Our group of intrepid heroes was currently occupied running away from a barrage of scorpion tanks. With Razar safely guiding them from above, the others ride on their speedors, ducking and weaving through the unending bombardment of plaster fire, as the scorpion army got nearer and nearer to their tails.
"Woah, look out guys. These guys are crankier than usual." Laval warned the others, nearly avoiding a sting from the persisting scorpion. "Hah, no problem. These slowpokes can't keep up with us for much longer." Cragger pointed out confidently, revving up his speedor and rushing ahead, the others following close behind him. King Scorm screeches in anger as he looks out at his enemies' escape.
Arriving safely back at Lavertus' Lair, the group dismounted from their rides and headed inside. "Phew, that was a close one!" Woriz spoke up, tired of the close calls they had been having recently. "Yeah, tell me about it!" Laval said in frustration, "We can outrun them, but without a way to defend ourselves we have no way of safely searching for the other legend beast!" he ranted aloud as he walked towards the table.
"Not to mention the rough terrain we must deal with! I'm not sure our speedors can take much more!" Eris adds, concerned at their transport condition. "At least you still have your speedor, friend. I'm still trying to find mine! Very important merchandise, yes!" Razar tells her while giving a pet to his beast. "Good thing we have the Roller for backup! But yeah, we need to think of something." Laval agreed with her, as Lavertus and Rinona entered the room with a batch of cookies.
"Well, you could always try scavenging at the old Snake Temple!" Lavertus suggested offhandedly, seemingly uncaring about the conversation. "Yeah, Arcturus did say to try to go there if things looked bad!" Laval answered thoughtfully. "Yeah, but we don't know where it is… Wait! How do you know about the temple!" Cragger asks Lavertus suddenly, catching on to his words.
"Oh, my? Well, I might have visited the place, once. A long time ago. Or have I?" he says suddenly, "No, no, I have. I have." Lavertus answered nonchalantly. "What! When? Why? How do we get there!" Laval asked in succession, still processing the information.
"Hehe, well. Let's just say I had an unpleasant welcoming party from the new neighbors some time ago." He informed them in his typical joking manner. "But, as they have also been fighting the Crawlers for some time, it might be worth checking out what's hiding within their fortress. I've been thinking of checking it out myself, might as well make it a team expedition while we're at it!" he told them casually, taking a sip from a mug. The group just looks out eagerly, ecstatic to finally be getting somewhere with this mission.
Back in Chima, in the ruins of the Eagle Spires, a group of Constrictai is hard at work. Ever since they had achieved peace with the other tribes, the serpentine had been hard at work in making up for their past mistakes. For the Constructai, that meant rebuilding the lost spires back to their former glory.
As the best constructors of the five tribes, they had been made in charge of the bulk of the building, but the other tribes also contributed to the efforts. The Fangpyre used their Rattlercopters to help lift the materials, while the Anacondrai guided their serpent in holding the remaining structures in place, while the Constrictai batched them back together. Even the Venomari helped, providing a mixture of ash and sand to be used as concrete for the building project. Overall, everyone was lending a hand with this hard endeavor.
Slithering through the site, Arcturus had taken time from the frontlines to come check out on the progress. "Soo, Skalidor. I take it things have been well over here?" he asked his fellow leaders as they moved about the place. "Yes, we have been making great progress!" the Constrictai says proudly, pointing towards one of the completed pillars. Halfway up the spire, where once a great crack had been, now laid the distinctive style of brickwork of the Serpentine. The pillar now looks like a mighty tower built into the stone.
"Impressive work as always Skalidor. Truly you are a master of your craft!" Arcturus told him humbly, genuinely impressed with the constrictor's skill. "We also hollowed them out and placed a staircase within the rock, as a way to get inside," Skalidor added smugly, ecstatic with his clever idea. Arcturus just watched him intently before replying, "Make sure you inform the Eagles about it, remember, we're supposed to be allies!" he reminded him, not amused by his antics. "Oh, right! Will do!" replied the Constrictai, embarrassed at his blunder.
"Still, it can still be of use. One never knows when you will need a backdoor." Arcturus told him, knowing there was no ill will from the blunt serpent. "But remember, this is their home!" he said resolutely, gesturing towards the still broken spires in the distance, "We most of all know what it's like to lose a home." He said solemnly, before continuing with the inspection.
Back in the Outlands, the gang rolls out through the jungle, Razar providing overwatch from the air. They head towards the thickest part of the jungle, where the roads are narrow, and the vines are tangled. Sharp, seemingly poisonous, plants surround them at every corner, the said of wildlife growing softer the deeper they go. The ground is hard and bumpy, challenging the riders just to stay aboard their rides.
"Rahh, how did these blasted snakes even make it through this place!" growled an annoyed Woriz as he struggled through the terrain. "The snakes are subterranean, they have tunnels all over this place, which made avoiding them real tricky!" Lavertus explained, sharing a smile with the youngster before speeding up ahead. Struggling, the others followed, Laval getting in close to the former mystery rider.
"So, Lavertus…ShadoWind… Sir!" he struggled saying, "You seem to know quite a lot about the Serpentine." he said, clearly intrigued at what the older lion had to say about it. "Me and the snakes go way back kid! I first crossed them back when Arcturus was in charge, back when they were "friendlier" and didn't cause trouble for anyone!" Lavertus told him, thinking back about that faithful day so long ago!
"Actually, it's where I first met the legend beasts! Good old Chomps came rushing in to save me when that viper took over the place!" he said viscerally, the thought of the tyrant a sour one. "Not a fan of Pythor either, hah! Don't worry, we tossed him down the deepest pit we could find." Laval replied, remembering the snake that had taken over his home and ruined everything for Chima.
"Got off easy if you ask me, but you didn't, so I won't say!" he exclaimed suddenly, the goofy smile back on his face. "Well, we're here!" he said, as the rest came to a stop by a large clearing. The others gasped, staring at the massive structure in the middle. Smooth stone walls made up the place, as sturdy pillars held it in place, torches still flickering in places, a testament to its time of unuse. The jungle had tried to reclaim it, but even it could not conceal its most prominent feature, the massive serpent skull adorning its top, jaws wide to reveal the dark crevice that was its maw. Two smaller ones rested by the stairs leading up to the entrance, but they paled in comparison to the becoming maw before them. "Charming, isn't it!" Lavertus said out of the blue, before casually striding into the entrance.
"I don't know about this, guys!" Eris spoke up, breaking the silence that had filled the place. "Something about this place gives me the creeps!" she said, shivering slightly as she looked towards it. "I know, but we don't have a choice! We need every advantage we can get! And if that means entering a spooky, old, snake den, so be it!" Laval said, though his voice lacked the confidence it normally did. "Stay here my friend, yes!" Razar said to his beast, patting his side before joining the others. "Well, here we go. Into the belly of the beast!" Cragger said with a gulp, as the others followed into the dark entrance of the temple.
Inside the temple, the group had been surprised at how small the outside truly was, as soon after entering they realized that the temple opened up into a massive complete beneath the earth. Following the stairways down into the catacomps, they were amased at the intrigasy laid before them. The stone work was masterly done, having a rustic beauty in of them selfs, but what truly captivated them was the murals decorading the walls. Carefully, lovingly, carved into the stone in a clear display of skill they had not expected from the Serpentine. So long had they been just the enemies, that they had forgotten that they were a people, a culture, just as they were.
"Woah, check this out!" Eris cried out, pointing towards one of the murals on the wall. It depicted a strange being seemingly glowing in golden light, above a group of serpentines emerging from the ground. Next to it, another mural depicting a shadowy figure, clad in golden armor destroying everything around them, It was a group of serpentine meeting with strange creatures similar to the glowing figure, seemingly trying to warn them about the looming shadow. Then finally, next to that one, another mural depicting the serpentine taking up arms against the other creatures, figures wielding staffs leading them against a group of figures wilding the elements against them. "I wonder what this is about." She said, looking curiously at the wall.
On the other side, Cragger too finds a mural, this one depicting a gargantuan frilled serpent devouring everything on its path. "That is one big snake!" he said dumbfoundedly, rapidly walking away from the mural. Bumping into someone ahead, he yelps before a hand closes around his mouth. "Shhh!" the figure said, revealing itself to be Lavertus.
"Lavertus! What's going on?" Laval asks, quickly rushing next to the lion, the others following behind him. "We're not alone down here!" he says quietly, pointing at a shape in the distance. "What is that?" Laval asks warily, trying to get a better look. "Bats!" Lavertus said resolutely, narrowing his eyes at the winged figures on the other side of the cavern. "What! What are they doing here!" Eris asked frightfully, remembering the screeching figures clawing at her cockpit. Lavertus turned to them slowly, before plainly stating, "I don't know. But I intend to find out!"
Meanwhile, back in Chima, Arcturus is finishing off his assessment of the construction site. "Well old friend, it looks like things are more than fine. I knew leaving things on your boy's capable claws was the right choi…" Arcturus was about to congratulate before a distant sound caught his attention. "Do you hear that?" he said cautiously, focusing on the noise. "It sounds almost like…" Skalidor started before the skies were blocked by a screeching swarm.
"BATS!" Arcturus yelled out, seething as the chiropteran horde flew above him. "What are they doing here!" Skalidor asked worriedly, as the bats began swooping his men. "Doesn't matter, whatever they're here for they won't get!" he said resolutely, unsheathing his sword. "To me my warriors! CHARGE!" he cried out as his fellow serpentine fought back against the invaders.
From the ground, the few Anacondrai who had accompanied him shot upwards with borrowed blasters. While several constrictai jumped from their perches and tussled with the flying mammals. The fangpyre provided fire from their aircraft, turning the tide of the skirmish. Until the horde converged upon them, causing them to lose control and drop from the skies, knocking down their compatriots and their hard work.
With their opposition down, the bats continue with their mission, swarming the worksite and making off with their equipment. Done with their task, they quickly flew back towards the Outland, leaving a plethora of confused serpentine behind. "What just happened!" Arcturus asked in disbelief. "It appears they made off with our tools sir." One of the constrictai workers said, surveying the disaster zone that used to be their worksite. "What in the blazes could they want with that!" Arcturus wonders aloud, keeping a wary eye towards the Outlands.
Back in the temple, the team silently bends the corner, reaching an impressive opening that was the main hall. The roof of the cavern was covered in glowing crystals, eliminating the area. Glowing plants and lanterns carved into the walls aided in illuminating the ground floor. A winding cobblestone road stretched about the mossy floor, decorated with intricate carvings, matching the ones from the walls. Pools of fresh water dotted the floor, giving the area a tranquil appearance. In the distance, many buildings could be seen, each expertly built into the environment. All seemingly surrounded by a massive pit in the center of the halls. If one could see it from above, one would notice it from the shape of a coiling serpent, reaching towards its tail in an infinite loop.
"Woah!" they all said in unison, amazed by the sight before them. "Yes, just like I remember it." Lavertus said reminiscing, "Well, that's enough sightseeing. We have some bats to trail." he said, changing his tone suddenly. "Yeah, but…Where do we even start?" asks Laval, taking in the true size of the cavern.
On high sight, it should have been such a surprise, the entire race lived here, and their pet serpent! Regardless, they were still uncertain on how to proceed, the bat trails already going cold. "We'll have to split up! Everybody pair up and take a district and searches!" Lavertus ordered, taking charge of the situation. "Make sure to stay low, and don't draw any attention to yourself. Well, meet by the pit if we turn out cold," he said uncharacteristically serious, but the others obeyed and left their separate ways.
Making their way toward the tallest building, Eris and Cragger found themselves walking up the winding halls of a library. Built of stone and illuminated by beautifully cut gemstones, casting the room in a soothing blue glow. "Woah! Look at this place! It's almost as big as the one back home!" exclaimed Eris excitedly, turning around to see the full scope of the place. "Yeah, yeah. It's just a bunch of dusty old books!" replied Cragger nonchalantly, not caring about the place at all. "Let's just see if there's something useful in here. And keep an eye out for bats!" he said, walking towards another corner of the building.
"Ugh! Some people just don't appreciate a good book," she said annoyed, going forward to have a look. Searching through the library, she saw no sign of the bats, so she decided to check some of the books on the shelf. "The Curse of the Golden Master, Day of the Devourer, Serpentine War vol.01," she listed off as she browsed through the shelves. "Ohh, what's this?" she said aloud, reaching for what appeared to be a storybook. It was old but showed signs of great care, it was bound in red leader and bordered with gold. A red gem was placed in its center, in between what appeared to be two stylized snakes.
"What you got there?" someone said from behind, causing Eris to shriek out startled. Turning around, she saw Cragger standing there, an amused smile on his features. "Cragger! Don't sneak up on me like that!" she berated the croc prince, glaring at him. "Sorry! So, what do you get there? Something useful?" he asked again, waiting patiently for an answer.
"It seems to be some kind of storybook." She says, looking down to carefully read its inscription. "Aspheera and the Treacherous Deceiver." she read aloud, intrigued by its content. "Boring! Seem to be just some children's story. Come on, we should rendezvous with the others!" Cragger said abruptly, leading her towards the exit of the room. Yet Eris could not help but find something calling to her from that book, almost as if she knew it would be important in the future, she just didn't know why?!
Elsewhere, Woriz and Razar had decided to head towards what they assumed was the armory, sure that they would find the bats there. Well, Woriz was sure, Razar just wanted to search for loot to take home. "My, my, aren't you a lovely little trinket!" the raven said happily, inspecting a small carved snake figurine. "Ugh! Could you give it a rest already? We came here to find those bats, not gawk at every piece of junk we come across!" screamed the wolf, at the end of his patience for his partner.
"How dare you!" Razar gasped outraged, "Don't listen to him, you are very valuable treasures! Yes, you are!" he told his "treasures", coddling them like children. Woriz just rolled his eyes before continuing on his way. They continued like this for some time, before turning towards a room and coming face to face with the armory. Weapons lined the walls of the room, many missing, some on the floor. It was clear that the serpentine had fled in a hurry.
Once they would have wondered why, but after seeing the full might of the crawlers it became clear. What they lacked in strength, they made up in numbers, hundreds, and hundreds of numbers. Still, the fact that they seemingly had left the armory untouched seemed to be fortunate. As they said, one man's garbage is another man's treasure.
Making their way inside, they could see an assortment of axes, spears, maces, and blades. Finely crafted, but nothing special, yet anything was better than nothing. Surveying the contents of the shelves, something did catch his eye, a strange set of daggers. They were decently sized, made of steel, their hilts decorated, but that wasn't what had caught his attention. No, it was the fact that they were shaped like fangs, similar to his very own mother tooth.
He sat there staring at them for some time before Razar walked up to him. "Hey, hello! Fur brain! Chima to Woriz!" he cried out, trying to get his attention. "Huh, what!" Woriz said suddenly, snapping out of his trance. "I said we're all looted up here! Anything of value is already on the back! Now let's get out of here before the bats come here!" Razar said, the conman already eager to leave the dust-filled place. "Yeah, yeah, let get out of here." Woriz said absentmindedly, walking out of the room with Razar close to his tail.
Meanwhile, Lavertus and Laval were checking out the far side of the cave. Lavertus takes the lead as he carefully maneuvers around the building, tracking something on the ground. "Ah, Lavertus? If we're looking for the bats, why are we checking the ground?" Laval quietly asked the older lion. "Oh, we're not tracking the bats," Lavertus responded nonchalantly, not turning his gaze from the floor.
Laval nearly cried out, before being interrupted, "This way, quick!" Lavertus had told him, running elsewhere at a great pace. "Wait! What do you mean we're not tracking the bats? What are we tracking then?" Laval asked out from behind, panting as he ran behind the rider. Coming to a sudden stop, Lavertus crouched as he explained, "Look here, tire tracks! Faint but still there. Old, probably from when the serpentine fled." He says, pointing to faded tracks on the floor. "Yeah, I see them. What do they have to do with anything?" Laval asked, not quite getting the point.
"Easy, we need better wheels for the Outland, so what better place to get them than a garage!" he says with a smile, continuing his way. "Wait, but what about the bats, aren't they still dangerous," Laval asks following behind him, still unsure about their course of action. "Oh, you worry too much! If we find the bats, we'll just deal with them ourselves. Now come on, we have some new treads to find!" Lavertus said confidently, gleefully carrying on his way. Laval ruefully followed him, not sure what to make of his logic.
They finally made it to the garage, a large mostly empty room littered with mechanical pieces. "Now what do we have here!" Lavertus said walking over towards the nearest vehicle he could see, a half-built Blade-Copter. "Oh, you can be very useful indeed!" he said excitedly, beginning to check it for parts.
Laval merely began to look around, looking for anything that seemed useful. They HAD originally come here for a better way to traverse the Outlands, maybe this little detour could come in handy. Or so he thought, as he looked around the scattered remains of bikes and buggies scattered around place. Turning a corner, he quickly ducked away, seeing the shadows on the far wall, and listening to the faint screeching on the other side.
"Lavertus." He whispered, trying to gain the older lion's attention. A faint "Yeah?" was all he received as a response. "I think I found the bats!" he said urgently, catching his attention. Within seconds he was beside him, looking through the edge of the wall towards the other room.
"Yeah, that's definitely them! Nasty critters, make sure to keep your voice down!" he tells Laval, cautiously observing the situation. "Why?" Laval whispered, also keeping an eye on the faraway shapes. "The bats don't have the best eyesight, but their hearing is outmatched!" he warned him, before moving towards the hall. "Come, let's take a closer look!" he says softly, ushering the younger lion to follow.
Staying close behind him, Laval peeked through the edge, seeing a group of bats banging pieces of metal about the place. This was the first time he could take a good look at them; they were sand blue in color, with pig-like noses, large ears, beady yellow eyes, fangs protruding from their bottom jaws, and large black wings sprouting from their backs. They all wore distinctive sets of crude, sharp armor, tied together with chains. Staying low, and watching intently, he saw what he assumed to be their leader approach.
"Fools, stop that! Scorm needs these pieces intact!" he said in a raspy, accented voice. Taking a closer look, Laval saw that he wore armor by the side of his head and sported a far more complete and ornate set of armor, complete with side skirts and bat-shaped knee guards. "Yes, Braptor!" the other bats responded, in an even more raspy tone, nearly a hiss.
"Honestly, sir! I don't know why you bother white these mongrels. I could have done this myself!" said a strange purple bat, wearing a black set of armor with red and yellow accents. He carried himself with an air of superiority and spoke with an oily voice that sent chills through their spines. "We are stronger with numbers, do not forget this Banter!" said Braptor, hissing on the other bat's face, clearly tired of the purple one's attitude.
Braptor wasn't the smartest, far from it, but he was aware enough to know a competitor. His ears were by far the best amongst his tribe, being able to listen for miles if he so chose to. This combined with his leadership skills had earned his position, but it also meant that he knew when someone was trying to get his guard down. Banter was a crafty one, quick to backstab anyone who got in his way, especially his fellow bats. He coveted the position of leader and tried to get close to Braptor to do so. Using his silver tongue to worm his way to the top.
His efforts had earned him the position of second in command by the other crawler leaders, much to Braptors chagrin, not that the others cared. Despite comprising the majority of their forces, the other tribes looked down upon the bat tribe, seeing them as nothing more than mindless beasts. As such, they were often relegated to lesser tasks, much like this one. Searching among the abandoned caverns of the scaled ones, in search of scraps that could be of use to them.
A job ill-suited for the nearly blind bats, forcing them to rely solely on their echolocation to see their quarry, something that made more delicate jobs like this difficult. They had been ordered to find specific pieces for the Scorpion King's newest project, and failure would not be tolerated. "Scorm's project better be worth it!" the bat leader crumbled annoyed, turning back to his troops.
Back by the entrance, the two lions listen closely, figuring out the pieces of their foe's plan. "A secret project? That can't be good!" Laval said to Lavertus, worry in his voice. "No kidding, we have to get out of here, pronto!" Lavertus responded, turning around in a hurry. Perhaps too much of a hurry, as he failed to notice a bat hanging from the ceiling, listening in on their conversation.
With an ear-splitting screech, the bat alerted the others to the intruders in their midst. "Intruders! GET THEM!" screamed Braptor, rallying his warriors to take flight and pursue their prey. "Oh no!" the lions said at the same time, running away for their lives. With few choices left, Laval plugged a chi crystal and knocked one of the broken buggies their way. "Take this!" he cried out as he sent them crashing behind the weight of the car. "Come on!' he said, picking Lavertus up by the arm and carrying him away, running with his chi-enhanced speed.
Behind them, the bats struggle to get back from under the car. "Bah! Captain Blink, find them!" Braptor ordered, a simple armor-clad bat stepping forward and saluted, leading a squad in pursuit. Being by far the most loyal amongst his troops, he knew he would get the job done. "What about me, sir?" asked Banter, desperate for affirmation. "You said you could deal with this by yourself, prove it! I'll go inform Bammo about our little guest!" he said, somehow even more creepily, as he slung back into the shadows.
Meanwhile, by the arena, the other groups were just arriving from their search, with Woriz and Razar arriving last. "Hey guys, over here!" Cragger cried out first, patiently waiting by the arena stands with the others. "Huh, so I guess it was a bust for you too," Woriz said as he settled down next to the others. "Yeah, nothing but dusty old books on our end," Cragger responded to himself and Eris. "Just some empty hoses for us, dudes!" Gorzan spoke for his team. "Same for us!" Woriz told them, disappointedly.
"Hey, speak for yourself! I happen to have found quite a useful lot, thank you very much!" Razar argued back to his partner, swinging his large bag of loot on his back. "Oh yes! How could have forgotten your bag of junk!" Woriz snapped back, "Just pray that the lions had better luck than us!" he said absentmindedly, leaning against the wall while crossing his arms. "Yeah, speaking of them. Where are they? Should they be back by now?" Eris asked, grabbing everyone's attention.
Just as she said that they suddenly heard a commotion heading their way. Looking towards it, they saw a cloud of dust rushing towards them. "Look out!" Laval cried out from within the cloud, quickly approaching the others. He managed to come to a stop, gasping for air as he set Lavertus down. "Laval! What's going on?!" Eris cried out in worry, rushing over to her friend. "Bats. Incoming. Hurry." he managed to say in between breaths.
"WHAT!" they all cried in unison, as they turned to see the swarm of bats approaching. "Quickly, into the arena! Go, go!" Lavertus cried out, leading towards the structure. Entering the building, they all headed downwards, hoping to hide among the lower levels. Running blindly, they passed by some cells lining the hallway before coming to a stop in the middle of the arena. "Oh, this is just great! It's a dead end!" Woriz cried out irritably. "No, it's a kill box." Laval corrects him quietly, as the bats surrounding from above, more following through the hall.
Hissing at their captured prey, the bats ready their weapons as a figure flew down from above. "So, you thought you could get away!" Braptor said mockingly, flying above their heads. "Well, it seems like fate had other plans. Open fire!" he ordered, as all the bats opened fire as our heroes closed their eyes. Miraculously, every single shot appeared to have missed, leaving black scorches in front of the group's feet. "Hah, you call that firing. I could do better in my sleep!" Worriz boasted, finding joy in his foe's angry expression.
Bringing his hand to his mouth, Braptor whistled as the ground began to shake. The sound of heavy footfalls could be heard, as a lumbering figure got closer before jumping into the arena. A colossal mechanical crawler in the image of a giant bat landing before them, its mechanical jaws opening to reveal large speakers inside. With a mighty ear-piercing screech, they were forced back by the force of the sound. This was the bat tribe's pride and joy, their ultimate instrument of destruction, the Scuttler!
A derange-looking bat controlled the mechanical abomination from the head, a manic smile on his face. "You were saying!" Braptor replied from above, a wicked grin plastered on his features. With another screech, he ordered another attack, the Scuttler rearing up to slam against the ground. The resulting shockwave sent the group flying once more. Regaining their bearings, Laval led the charge, using the remaining of his power he slammed against the side of the machine.
This did little, the Scuttler halting to a stop shortly before slamming its arm at Laval. Dodging the flying lion, Cragger attacked, jumping above with his spear ready to strike. Before another sonic screech send him to join his friend. Eris and Razar tried taking flight, only for the remaining bat warriors to hold them in their tracks. Taking advantage of the frenzy, Lavertus put his helmet up and tried attacking from the back. He managed to climb on its back before the cannon on its back sent him flying away.
Launching him clear outside the arena, he landed in front of a familiar-looking panel. Looking down towards the others, he could see them desperately trying to avoid the flurry of fire from the mech's back. "Well, this hardly seems fair. I think it's time for a change of scenery," he said with a knowing smirk. "Let's change the game, shall we?" he says, pulling a lever that spins a wheel.
Suddenly, the arena transforms into a waist-deep water pool filled with dozens of large snake-like catfish. The fish immediately went into the attack, jumping at everyone and anything close by. "Ahh, Lavertus! What did you do?! We don't want to become fish food!" Cragger yells out franticly, holding his own against the fish. "Whoops, sorry!" Lavertus says apologetically, desperately trying to switch the field again. Bellow him, the others are having a harder time dealing with the catfish. Laval tripped and fell into the water, with several of them rushing in for a bite. "AHH! Do something, do something." he cries out as he tries to back away.
Suddenly, with the press of another button, the water is drained and replaced with a slippery icy floor and retractable spikes. "Woah, what is this stuff!" Woriz complains as he falls, the others struggling to find a grip. Fortunately, so was the Scuttler, slipping and stumbling around as it tried to find perches. "Lavertus!" Laval cried out again, slipping uncontrollably on the floor. "I know, I know! I'm working on it!" the older lion responded as he tried the levers.
This time an acid swamp with fountains shooting out Venomari venom popped up. "Well, you have to admire their ambition!" Razar said impressed, as a fountain shot out a stream of liquid upwards. It ended up hitting a large portion of the bats, sending them crashing down to the swamp. The venom quickly took effect, as their eyes glowed green and the screaming began. They began fighting each other, flinging their weapons around irradicably, attacking anyone around them. Surprisingly, this seemed to play in the group's favor, as they seemingly managed to duck and weave around their attacks and deliver ones of their own.
They seemed to be getting the upper hand until the Scuttler made its presence known once more. The driver being one of the lucky ones to avoid the blast, is still capable of fighting at full force. Not that it would matter, as the manic expression of the driver easily matched his fellow tribemates. Luckily, the terrain shifted once again, the swamp being replaced by a slabbed floor. And as soon as the Scuttler took a step, the field secret showed itself. Step on the wrong tile and the floor collapses, revealing a pit with sharp spikes waiting on the bottom. Thus, this marked the end of the Scuttler, its driver barely managing to fly away before falling into the abyss.
"Alright, that's what am talking about!" Rogon shouted happily, glad to see the rocks helping them. Unfortunately, the feeling wasn't mutual, as the floor continued to collapse around them. "ShadoWind!" they all cried out in terror as they made a run for it. "I know. I'm doing my best here! Urgh, why do they have so many buttons!" he complained aloud, slamming his fist against the panel. The arena changes back to its original state, with one small exception. Platforms rise all around them, seemingly empty until a series of Anacondrai Battle Mechs decloaked, turning off their camouflage and revealing themselves. They were small, with a sword in one arm and a shield in the other. Wasting no time, the remaining bats took control of the mechs and jumped into battle.
Swinging their blades downwards, the bats stroke with all their might, only to be met by their adversaries. Parring the strike, the group rushes in to attack, clashing weapons in their wake. Although strangers to the tech, the bats proved to be fast learners, managing to use them effectively. Swinging low and bashing their shield against the oncoming fighters. "They're tougher than they look!" Laval cried out, struggling to match the power of the mech. "And faster!" Eris added, getting knocked down by a kick from behind. "And trickier!" Cragger joined, as one appeared to show up out of nowhere to attack. Seemingly managing to activate the cloaking systems, the mechs slowly made their way towards them. "Lavertus, some help please!" Laval cried out desperately from below, the mechs nearly surrounding them. Desperately looking around the console, he spotted a switch, seeing no other options he pressed it.
A passageway opened in the arena, and an Anacondrai buggy shot out from it. Small and compact with built-in suspension and big rubber tires, this was the Jungle Raider, one of the best things the Anacondrai had to offer. "Oh, I like this one!" Lavertus cried out excitedly, jumping from his spot and into the driver's seat. Running into the approaching mechs, he swerved coming to a stop. "Quickly, jump on!" he ordered, the others wasting no time in doing just that. Holding on to the sidebars, they drove away at top speed, heading towards the entrance.
"Quick, stop them!" Braptor ordered his men, all of them waiting by the entrance of the arena. And all were unprepared to do anything as the Jungle Raider drove right through them, sending them crashing all around. Unwilling to back down, Braptor summoned his swarm, flying after them. "They're after us!" Cragger cries out panicked. "Not for long!" said Lavertus, swerving around and driving in reverse, using the vehicle's powerful dual shooters to fire at the cave roof.
Causing a small cave-in, the rocks falling on top of the pursuing bats, pining them to the floor. "Come back here!" Braptor cries out in anger, before flying towards his men, "On your feet soldiers! Take to the air and fi..." he begins before a rock falls on his head. With the remaining bats flying over to check on him, the team manages a clean getaway.
Getting up from the floor, Braptor tries to speak but only hisses escape his mouth. "Well, looks like our great leader is unable to lead. I nominate myself to be his replacement!" Banter said arrogantly before another stone fell on his head instead. Braptor laughed at his misfortune before hissing a command for the others to get back to work.
Meanwhile, the team is now cruising down the jungle at surprising speed. The Jungle Raider being able to drive through even the roughest parts of the jungle like a breeze, clearing a path for the others to follow on their speedorz. "That was a close one!" Eris said from the side, letting out a sigh of relief as she drove with the others. "Yes, but not without its benefits. We manage to grab some new gear and discover the dark tribes are onto something!" Lavertus responded surprisingly sagely, his jovial attitude returned. "Yeah, but we still have no idea what they're up to!" Cragger added worriedly, concerned as to what dark designs the crawlers could be up to. "Hey, whatever they're up to I'm sure we can handle it! Together!" Laval said confidently, the others agreeing as they drove into the sunset.
Back at the Scorpion Cave, the bats had just arrived from their expedition. "Well, it's about time you got back!" Scorm complained, walking up to meet them. "Now, did you bring what I asked for?!" he demanded, Braptor nodding as a group of bats landed with their loot. Opening the bags, the scorpion smiles at the assortment of bike parts laid out before him, "Excellent, we are one step closer to total domination!" Scorm said, smiling wickedly as he stared at Cavora out in the distance.
Author's Notes:
Finally, we get back to some serpentine stuff! It's been a while, I know, but thank you for your patience. While I will be slowing down, I don't plan on stopping until I'm done. I littered this chapter with all sorts of references, I hope you got them all! I also decided to give some love to the bats, they get almost nothing in the actual show, and that's just a tragedy. All of the bats are actually cannon, I just gave them a personality. Plus, we also gave the crawler some more time for their plan, something that I feel they needed. Those who watched the show know what that plan is, but for those that don't I won't spoil it here.
See you guys next time, and like always thanks for reading!