Huntar crawled on all fours, sniffing the elephant’s scent on the sandy ground. Although the salt coated the sorcerer’s footprints, the lion could still smell the trail.

“Where is she?” Basju complained. “We have been searching for a long time.”

Huntar stopped and glanced straight ahead. Over the dunes in the middle of the ruined city was a tall massive black pyramid behind a strange statue. The statue has a feline body with a human head. The pyramid has the most polished surface, unlike the other ruins. An ancient structure like the pyramid wouldn’t remain standing in good condition for centuries. Unless the ancient humans didn’t build it. Someone else might have rebuilt it, which could be the case since the elephant’s scent reached the pyramid's location.

Huntar got up and pointed his finger at the dark structure. “The trail leads toward that pyramid structure.”

Basju clambered up a post and glanced at the structure. “Are you sure? The elephant brought Jenny there?”

Huntar nodded. “Aye, my nose never lies.”

“I thought Nagendra lives in a tower,” said Zena. “Pyramids are no towers.”

Huntar shrugged. “Miss information perhaps. If the elephant is inside, it must be his secret lair.”

Basju jumped down. “Not so secret if we know where it is.” He giggled.

“No more dangling! Let’s move!” Huntar charged over hill and down toward the human-headed statue. He spotted a black doorway below the statue’s chest. A crystal was above the entrance too.

“Is that the entrance?” Zena asked, approaching the lion.

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“It looks obvious,” said Huntar.

The monkey stared up at the statue’s face. “Hmmmmmmmm… Is that a Beastman? His face looks very human.”

Rani glared at the monkey. “This isn’t the time to spectacle, Basju. Keep your head straight.”

Basju rolled his eyes. “So who’s going to knock on the door?”

Huntar and the others glanced at each other. The lion knew approaching an enemy’s entrance to their domain was risky.

“Hold on.” He picked up a rock and tossed it toward the door. The rock smacked the door and landed below it. So far, nothing happened.

Huntar pulled out his broadsword. “It looks safe.”

“But who isssssss going first?” The monkey hissed.

With a grin, Huntar stepped toward Basju. “Thank you for asking.”

Without warning, Huntar lifted up Basju and tossed the monkey toward the door. The monkey landed before his head hit the door. Still, nothing happened.

The monkey got up and glared at the lion. “Hey! What the hell was that? You could have killed me!”

“You’re alive, right?” Huntar asked.

Basju stomped his feet. “I could have died still if this door has a trap!”

“Just knock on the door, or else I will set off a real trap on you!” Zena shouted.

Basju stuck out his tongue and knocked ten times on the door until the crystal flashed into a shimmering glow, sparkling like a star.

“Who’s there?” a deep grumbling voice from the crystal asked.

Huntar and his companions approached the door.

“We are the companions of the human female you captured!” the lion shouted.

“We demand you to release her, or we will attack!” Zena warned.

The sorcerer’s voice laughed. “You may try if you can survive inside my lair. Ho! Ho! Ho!”

After the crystal’s light faded off, the double stone doors opened slowly. Cold air with a spicy woody smell escaped from the pitch-black hallway on the other side.

The fur on Huntar’s back rose, and a cold shiver chill tingled through his bones. In the back of his mind, he knew some kind of trap waited inside the pyramid.

But no matter what, Jenny’s life must be saved, and Huntar must grab the time stone half.