Episode 4: Aftershocks!
It seemed like just another day in Agrabah, the usual hustle and bustle from the bazaar, and the quiet, majestic splendor from the palace. Suddenly, a shake was felt by everyone all around the kingdom, it was a very unusual type of earthquake, everyone lightly screamed at the feeling. It all felt like it was coming from outside the kingdom that was triggering the minor, though frequent earthquakes. Out of nowhere Zack appeared from a Shadow portal with his other Z-Team members, ready to investigate with his sword in his right hand, and his threat detector in the left hand.
"Nice to be back home!" exclaimed Aladdin.
"Well said!" added Jasmine.
The Threat Detector beeped and it directed the group to outside, where all the sand and rocks were. Looking out into the vase, seemingly endless sands with the occasional rocks, the group searched around. Suddenly, they approached a strange scarf like object in the sand. Rajah pulled it away, only to discover a shock that made everyone jump. A turbaned head sticking out of the sand, eyes vacant and mouth open, only the head was visible. The Threat Detector beeped again, directing the group further out to the desert.
As they approached the area where the detector flashed it was the strongest, one gigantic worm looking like a vicious sea lamprey emerged from the ground, it was holding a strange rock like substance covered in a yellow web, glowing orange, it released it, and then emitted a ferocious roar. Donald, Mickey, Minnie, Aladdin, and Jasmine stepped forward, weapons out ready to launch their spells. Jasmine wielded her whip at the giant worm wrapping it around.
"Lightning Strike!" shouted Donald, pointing his spear at the worm.
"Shadow Skull!" shouted Mickey, cupping his hands.
"Light Ray!" shouted Minnie holding up an open hand.
"Squall Gust!" shouted Aladdin pointing his scimitar. All four magical attacks struck the sandworm but only caused it to recoil in a bit of pain and then disappear beneath the sands.
"We'd better be extra careful for these things, I think the better we stay off the ground the better" informed Zack, the group nodded.
"But what is this thing? What's it for?" pondered Mickey staring at the strange rock-like object the worm was holding, he slowly bent over to touch it. As he did, he bolted upwards and started convulsing and frothing at the mouth. Donald ran over and using his spear shoved the object out of his friend's hand, in an instant Mickey turned to normal.
"Mickey are you alright?" Donald asked.
"Woah…...What a nightmare, strange things were happening in my head….dark things….." Mickey's mumbled, his head was spinning from the horrific revelations he was experiencing.
"If that's the case then we need to get that object out of sight and bring it up for further analysis. Rajah, rag up the object!" Zack ordered, the tiger immediately obeyed, wrapping up the rock-like object in it.
"How should we stay off the ground to keep these worms at bay? They could strike at any minute!" asked Moana.
"I think one of my spells can do the job…..Tornado Floater!" shouted Aladdin raising his hand while facing the rest of the group, a series of small tornadoes emerged from under each member, keeping everyone off the ground, they could even walk while floating. "Let's find a large rock to perch on as well."
"Sounds good Aladdin, alright this way!" Zack ordered the team. After a few minutes they spotted a large rock, big enough to fit everyone on it, with a few smaller rocks on top. As soon as they got on top of it, the spell worn off. "Now we all need a strategy to defeat these things, and once we're done, we'd better get that strange rock to a scientist that I know of who can figure what it is."
"Just how do we bring down these worms?" asked Nala.
"Yes, magic alone won't do the job…." added Simba.
"Well since these creatures can sense our movements in the sand, I'd feel we'll have to outsmart them rather than use brute force." pondered Zack raising an eyebrow.
"Since they're always open-mouthed, perhaps we could lure it up and perhaps have one person hold it still, while I launch a firework into its mouth." pondered Mulan.
"That sounds like a great idea…" said Jasmine readying her whip. Zack tosses one of the rocks onto the sand close enough to them. As expected, a rumbling sound was heard, and up came the worm, mouth open ready to feast on it's next prey, but Mulan and Mushu were ready with the firework, lit up and ready. The firework launched into the worm's mouth, and in a matter of seconds a small explosion was heard and the worm collapsed. The group cheered at the downfall of the beast, but the celebration was short lived as another rumbling was heard, the sound intensified with each passing seconds.
Suddenly, the sands around them including the area of the rock that they were on started to swirl around like a tornado, and the group found themselves trapped in a sand whirlpool, sinking what seemed to the bottom, if there was a bottom. The hold got deeper and wider with each passing second, some people screamed at what was happening, thinking this was their doom. At the edge at the top, one unfortunate camel riding merchant, fell down. At a few intervals, three more worms were swirling around at some parts of the whirlpool, the fallen merchant and his camel were instantly devoured by the worm. Simba had an idea and jumped to one edge of the rock the group was on.
"Rock Shot!" he shouted as he slammed his two front paws forward. Out of nowhere in the sand, a rock shot out, and sailing at a great speed, distance, and accuracy, hit one of the worms, causing it to scream in pain. Simba called out his spell two more times, each rock that he conjured hit the other worms. In a matter of seconds the raging sand whirlpool ceased. There was now a bottom, a rocky terrace with the same strange substances the worms were trying to fish out, everyone was partially relieved that the storm was over, but they still had the worms to contend with.
One of the three worms burst out of a wall in the sand trap, but Simba was more than ready, and called out his spell. In an instant after being cast, the conjured rock flew right into the worm's mouth, defeating it instantly. Another worm burst out, this time Zack was ready, pointing his sword shouted "Flame Blade!" a stream of fire shot out of his sword, but it had no effect on it. Moana and Donald stepped forward both pointing their weapons at the worm. Moana shouted first, "Hydro Surge!" a stream of water shot out of her oar, dousing the worm in water, then it was Donald's turn, "Lightning Strike!" a lightning bolt shot out of his spear, electrocuting the worm until it was down. The last worm burst out, and then later, the other two worms regained consciousness ready to attack again.
"We've got to get out of this trap!" screamed Minnie.
"Don't worry I know the spell for this job….Tornado Floater!" shouted Aladdin to the group. Everyone started floating, it was their only chance to escape, but Nala had one last idea, spotting a pile of rocks up above the hole, with a look of determination stepped onto the sand.
"Earthshaker!" she shouted, slamming her two front paws, causing an earthquake of her own, sending the pile of rocks from above showering down to where the worms were, crushing them instantly. Meanwhile, while the pit was shaking, everyone managed to float their way out, while dodging anything that came down to them. Eventually, the team not only got out but far away from the pit as they could. Zack pulled out his Threat Detector, which thankfully did not beep out a threat anywhere in the vicinity.
"Another victory for the Z-Team!" shouted Zack smiling proudly, everyone clamored in celebration hoisting their weapons high.
"Except now we'll have to ponder out what the strange rocks are the Rajah caught for us…." pondered Jasmine looking at her tiger pet.
"Not to worry I have another mentor that can help us out in that department….." Zack reached into his suit and pulled out a cellphone. After dialing in the number he put the phone to his ear. "Hello doctor, I have some new recruits and a strange object that needs analysis…..sure we'll be right there….thanks." he hung up and created a shadow portal in the ground. "Everyone jump in, time to go to the lab!" Everyone nodded and followed Zack through the portal.