Chapter 675 The Sand dunes
At the base of the massive sand mountain, the convoy came to a halt. The ranks came alive with murmurs, creating a ripple of sound that filled the once-quiet radio channels.
With wide eyes filled with astonishment, a single mercenary leaned out of the window and extended his arm, pointing up towards the towering dune. "Wow, look at the size of that thing!" he said, awe-struck by its magnitude.
Running a hand over the vehicle's dashboard, another individual furrowed their brow in concern, questioning the capabilities of the machinery.
"That's one steep climb. Are you sure these vehicles can handle it?" they asked, skepticism clear in their tone.
Looking up at the daunting ascent, a third individual, exuding a seasoned air of experience, had a wry smile on his lips.
"I've seen worse, but not by much. This is going to be interesting," he remarked, almost relishing the challenge ahead.
A fourth mercenary patted the engine housing reassuringly, a flicker of hope in their voice. "Hope these engines are as good as they say they are," they mused, their gesture showing both doubt and optimism.
Erik's mind was preoccupied with other thoughts, even as he listened to the comments.
If the convoy were to pass near the immense dune, it would face a twofold danger - the first being the possibility of encountering dangerous Thaids hidden within it, and the second being the heightened vulnerability to aerial attacks.
This part of the journey held the highest level of danger, and the young man was conscious of that fact.
With a loud rev of their engines, the vehicles started their ascent, one after another. The wheels churned through the sand, sending a cloud of fine particles swirling around as the engines roared with effort.
It was a slow and arduous process, but the vehicles proved capable. They ascended to the summit, measuring their progress inch by inch.
The lead vehicle finally reached the top, and the rest of the convoy followed suit, creating a line of vehicles stretching into the distance. While looking out from the summit, Erik was amazed by the sheer magnitude of the desert spread out beneath him.
The landscape before them transformed into an endless expanse of sand, stretching as far as the eye could see. As far as the eye could see, the dunes rolled like colossal, golden waves, giving an illusion of movement.
The mounds of sand cast long, wavering shadows that danced and blurred the line between earth and sky.
The seamless merging created a horizon that seemed ethereal, as if from another world.
Silence fell upon the convoy, creating an eerie stillness. Each member, struck by the sheer magnitude of the desert, couldn't help but be captivated by the stark beauty of this unending sandy expanse.
The vastness seemed to stretch not just across the land, but into the far reaches of time.
In an instant, as if a sudden clap of thunder had disturbed a serene moment, the radio unexpectedly crackled to life, shattering the awe-inspired silence and forcefully pulling them back to the harsh and unforgiving reality of their mission in this remote and untamed wilderness.
"I've never seen something so... empty," chimed in someone.
Erik picked up the radio, his voice cutting through the chatter. "Focus on the surrounding guys, do not sightsee, we are not here to play."
Erik's scolding cut through the air, grounding everyone and causing a tinge of embarrassment among the younger members of the convoy.
Erik then picked up the communication device and dialed into Aiden's frequency. "Aiden, prepare the scanners. Set them to locate the plane's black box. We're entering the crash zone."
"Roger that, boss," Aiden's voice crackled back through the radio. As Aiden powered up the scanners, the air was filled with the constant hum of machinery. Their screens, displaying a series of complex algorithms and data points, flickered to life.
During the time that the scanners were performing their tasks, Erik switched channels and got in touch with Alina. Considering the constant threat of ambushes by Thaids in this area, her power was going to be an asset. "Alina, I need you to be our eyes and ears right now. Use your brain crystal power to sense for any Thaids that might lurk beneath the sand. I want no surprises."
"I'll do my best." Her voice came through, tinged with a seriousness that matched how tense the situation was for everyone.
After having closed her eyes, she directed her attention toward the vast expanse of sand surrounding them, using her senses to focus on the environment.
Time seemed to slow down as minutes transformed into what felt like hours, with each passing second elongating as the convoy impatiently waited for the scanners to locate the black box.
The scanners emitted beeping sounds and mechanical whirs as their complex algorithms processed large amounts of data, searching for any possible signal that could provide information about the whereabouts of the plane.
The mercenaries sat in their vehicles, weapons at the ready, eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of movement.
Eventually, a scanner emitted a lengthened and unbroken beep, as its screen illuminated with the coordinates of the signal that had been detected.
Aiden's voice abruptly broke the tense silence, causing an unexpected interruption on the radio.
"Got it, Erik! We've located the black box. Sending you the coordinates now."
Erik felt a wave of relief wash over him. "Good work, Aiden. Relay the coordinates to all vehicles and set a course. We need to get there as quickly as possible."
As Erik gave the signal to proceed, the engines of the convoy roared to life, creating a symphony of mechanical sounds that filled the air. The vehicles, filled with a sense of collective resolve, started their descent down the sand mountain.
In a display of utmost concentration, the drivers held onto the steering wheels, their knuckles becoming white with tension as they skillfully navigated the challenging terrain.
The steep slope that lay ahead of them appeared to be quite intimidating, resembling a vast expanse of golden grains that flowed and murmured with the desert breeze, creating a challenging driving situation for them.
"Stay alert, everyone," Erik said into the radio, his voice steady but filled with the weight of responsibility.
The driver, with his eyes fixed on the path ahead, could feel the weight of the wheel in his hands and the heavy burden of responsibility resting on his shoulders.
To descend was a delicate operation that required careful execution. The consequences of one incorrect maneuver couldn't be underestimated.
It might cause a vehicle to tumble down and cause issues, potentially derailing the mission if other trucks were unfortunately involved, transforming the mission into a complete catastrophe.
The loose and erratic sand beneath the tires demanded careful handling to evade getting stuck or losing command.
While making their way downwards, the pace of the convoy was intentionally slowed down, ensuring that each vehicle maintained a safe distance from the one ahead of it.
The engines growled, their deep, throaty roars breaking the desert's stillness. This cacophony melded with the softer, almost serpentine hiss of sand grains shifting and swirling beneath the heavy tires.
The air vibrated with these sounds, creating a symphony that resonated with the raw power of machinery and the timeless whisper of the desert.
While they were descending, the radio suddenly came alive with a buzzing sound, piercing through the ambient noise of the vehicle's engine and the faint murmur of the desert wind. The urgency in Alina's voice instantly grabbed Erik's focus.
"Something's coming, Erik! From the front!" Fear laced her words, making her voice quiver. Whatever was coming must have been truly frightening to elicit such a reaction from her.
Erik's grip tightened on the Flyssa and then he pressed the radio's talk button. "How many? How strong?" he asked, his voice steady but alert.
"Just one!" Alina said, a note of apprehension seeping into her tone. "But it feels... powerful. I'm not sure what it is!"
With his eyes narrowing, Erik's mind quickly raced through the various thaids that might be near the convoy.
Galewings, Scorpidra, Terrapedes, or worse, Terracores could roam the area. Managing the second and third Thaids was a breeze, but the first one was going to be very challenging because of its aerial vantage.
Regarding the fourth, Thaid, even he harbored doubts about his ability to defeat a creature of such power and size, should he ever come across one.
However, while there was only one Thaid, Alina's description of its power showed that it should not be underestimated.
With lives at stake, he understood the importance of his role in safeguarding and making choices that would impact others.
"Understood," he said, releasing the talk button and taking a deep breath. His shoulders bore the weight of leadership, though it was a burden that he had shouldered multiple times before.
On each occasion, he had bravely taken on this responsibility, resolute in his determination to protect his people, regardless of the consequences.
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