The Sandworm's Lair was indistinguishable from the rest of the desert at first glance, with vast sand hills stretching for miles, capable of hiding any number of secrets in their immensity. The only reason its resting place was found was due to its lack of experience fleeing from creatures smart enough to track it, locate its lair, and hunt it down.
Visually, the lair's exterior was surrounded by large sand mounds where soldiers lay hidden, waiting for the right moment to act. At the center was an uneven plain, much lower than the surrounding mounds. At a glance, nothing seemed unusual, but upon closer inspection, the strange difference in height clearly wasn't shaped by the wind—something living had made it.
In this case, it was the sandworm, likely asleep, as it hadn't surfaced to confront the guard teams while they entered its territory and made preparations.
Sergeant Edmund stood on that plain, taking a moment to look around and make sure everyone was in position. He took a deep breath and, feeling that everything was ready, raised his left hand—holding a peculiar ocarina—to his lips. Drawing a deep breath, he blew with all his strength.
WWHHOOOOOOO!
A grotesque, indescribable sound spread throughout the area, making the soldiers feel as though the air, the ground, and even their own bodies vibrated under its force.
Sandworms are blind and navigate using vibrations in the sand to locate prey. If needed, they also emit a deep sound that helps them "see" and intimidate intruders. The sergeant's ocarina mimicked the sound of a male sandworm, tricking the beast into thinking it was being challenged by a rival.
WWHHOOOOOO!
WWHHOOOOOO!
After repeating the sound three times, the sergeant bent his knees, hunched his torso, and stayed alert, ready for whatever came next. For a moment, nothing happened—until finally, the answer came.
A few meters in front of him, a hole opened in the sand—small at first, but rapidly growing, devouring massive amounts of sand as it expanded.
From the hole emerged a massive shadow, easily the height of a house and as wide as a city street. It rose imposingly before the one who had dared to challenge it. Its massive mouth, filled with countless teeth, opened in response to the provocation.
WWWHHHHHOOOOOO!
The sound it emitted resembled the sergeant's ocarina—yet it was as different as the sky is from the earth. To say they were the same just because both produced sound was like saying a glass of water and a river were equal. While the sergeant's sound made their bodies tremble, the beast's roar was meant to shake their souls.
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For a moment, it felt as though the entire world existed only to hear that roar. Soldiers trembled in their hiding spots, questioning whether they should flee and abandon the mission.
Once the roar finally ended, the creature charged toward the nearest target: Sergeant Edmund. Due to its sheer size, it looked like a moving hillstorming toward a lone man.
The sergeant, who had suffered the brunt of the roar, stood still until the creature began to move—then he ran.
He was increasing the distance between himself and the sandworm.
"DON'T BE AFRAID! STICK TO THE PLAN AND DON'T HESITATE!"
With that cry, the soldiers snapped back to reality. The operation had only just begun. Four individuals from the first team rose from different dunes, all with a clear line of sight on the chase.
In their hands were harpoons connected to long ropes. They climbed as high as possible and launched them at the approaching beast. A regular human wouldn't have had the strength to throw those harpoons far, let alone pierce that creature's hide—but they were circulating essence through their bodies, making them far stronger than ordinary people.
The four harpoons flew. Only three reached the target, and one barely pierced the skin. In the end, only two succeeded as intended. The beast barely flinched from the wounds.
"HARPOONS THREE AND FOUR SECURED. PULL!"
At that order, two designated operators started up the gliders. Each was connected to a harpoon by a thick rope. Their purpose was to generate opposing force, restricting the sandworm's movements. The more resistance it faced, the less freedom it had.
When the ropes went taut, the worm's movement was clearly hindered—but it still advanced at a shocking pace, chasing the sergeant with unshaken focus.
That slight reduction in speed, however, was enough for the remaining harpoons to be launched, allowing the next phase of the plan to begin.
"THROW THE BOTTLES!"
Another group of soldiers emerged, throwing bottles filled with a liquid that looked like water. Many missed, but most hit their mark. Slowly, the liquid would coat the beast's body, preventing it from burrowing back into the sand to escape.
The worm didn't react to the splashes and kept chasing the sergeant, now dangerously close. Two gliders weren't enough to stop it.
Seeing the creature only meters behind him, the sergeant suddenly stopped and turned to face it, witnessing the beast's towering body block out the sun in that moment. Then it lunged, ready to devour him whole.
The sight of that mouth—filled with teeth sharp enough to crush a human in seconds—was terrifying. But the sergeant didn't flinch. He waited until the last moment and then leapt, letting the beast bite down on nothing but sand.
POOOOW!
The impact shook the area like a small earthquake, raising a thick sand cloud that blinded the soldiers, preventing them from continuing to throw bottles.
Taking advantage of the momentary pause in the chase, the sergeant shouted:
"SEND IN THE FINAL TEAM!"
Lucius, who had been waiting for the signal, yelled out:
"LET'S GO!"
Although he didn't technically have any authority, the excitement in his voice was enough. The others, full of nerves and waiting for action, followed his lead without hesitation.
Eight soldiers surged forward from behind the sand mounds—ready to face the sandworm in close combat.
