I looked back—ice creations of mine stood in every corner of the base. Two ice eagles perched atop the trees, and my bees had also remained behind.
Outside, I snapped my fingers and watched as the barrier shimmered into view. If it were to be attacked, I would receive an alert instantly while the defenses remained active.
I admired the beautiful barrier, a fusion of my knowledge in enchantments, witchcraft spells, jutsus, and magical runes from various origins and styles.
Seeing that everything was functioning perfectly, I snapped my fingers again, and the barrier vanished.
Then I turned to face the team that would join me on this mission.
Two large, armored, and weaponized vehicles were prepared. Inside them were May, Skye, Coulson, Fitz, and Simmons.
Ward remained behind as the primary defender of the base, along with other scientists and guards.
We loaded into the cars and began moving through the forest.
Along the way, we encountered dense vegetation and tall trees. I moved both my hands in specific motions, releasing a swarm of nearly invisible white threads.
These threads sliced through trees, branches, rocks, and overgrowth—clearing part of the path.
The vehicles continued forward.
...
As we drove, we heard loud rumbling noises and felt powerful tremors shaking the ground.
Behind a cluster of massive trees, we saw dinosaurs—tall as buildings, with wide, towering necks. Their feet were so enormous, they looked like they could crush our vehicle with a single stomp.
As I observed them, I involuntarily began humming a famous instrumental theme from a well-known dinosaur movie. The melody felt like it resonated with the presence of those colossal beings.
My companions were amazed by the sight. For some reason, I couldn't stop myself—wind gathered around my feet and I appeared in front of the dinosaurs in an instant.
I gently placed my hand on the head of the closest one.
As it looked at me, it seemed to bond with me, rubbing its head affectionately against my hand.
I couldn't tell whether it was due to the divine beast energy in my mental sea, my training and attunement with the Force, or my natural energy emissions.
Still, I climbed onto its head and communicated with it through my will.
"Follow that vehicle."
Of course, I also sent a message to Coulson and the others, letting them know I had found my own means of transportation.
They were speechless—and I even sensed a bit of envy—but I didn't mind. Riding alongside two massive brachiosaurs was just too fun to care.
Our journey became even more relaxed. The vegetation didn't slow down the giant dinosaurs, and other creatures kept their distance. After all, one stomp or tail swipe could deal serious damage.
We marched for several minutes, collecting samples along the way, capturing images with old cameras, and mapping the area...
Unfortunately, I ended up parting ways with the dinosaurs, as they refused to leave their territory.
A bit grumpy, I returned to the truck—though I quickly got distracted by what Simmons was working on.
She was using the mobile lab built into the truck we brought along.
I didn't fully understand all the data she was processing, but it fascinated me.
It even made me feel like transforming into the Arthropod… but the Omnitrix was still malfunctioning, and I didn't want to reveal that just yet.
Eventually, we seemed to find signs of civilization.
In the distance stood a large structure made of stone and wood, entwined with vines and thick greenery.
From afar, we saw many armed individuals with tribal gear, surrounded by various dinosaurs. Our vehicles had stopped, and we began observing, deciding our next move.
"It's a civilization that seems to have developed a synergy with the dinosaurs," Simmons commented. "Considering Homo sapiens never lived alongside dinosaurs, this synchronicity is remarkable."
"From what I can see, the dinosaurs in this region appear far more intelligent than they should be."
She spoke aloud while using remote filming tools and checking data.
"It's because of the energy," I replied, continuing to observe the world using my Haki, strength, and divine eyes at full power.
"Energy?" Simmons asked, confused. I clarified:
"This place radiates a unique mystical energy that seems to influence its inhabitants. It enhances the strength and potential of normal humans, making them stronger than those in the normal world. It also seems to affect animals—making them physically superior and more intelligent."
"I can't detect any of that…"
She adjusted some settings on her equipment, and Fitz joined her, intrigued.
"Mystical energy isn't always detectable with traditional tech. Maybe if you adjust the frequency, it could help. You might even develop a more refined technology—something less affected by the magnetic interference here."
Fitz, being the genius he is, managed to reduce some of the tech limitations, though many still remained—especially the closer we got to the heart of the ancient forest.
Then, as we moved further in, my bees sent back information, and my Haki expanded across several meters.
I calmly stood up from the chair where I'd been analyzing data with my three new friends.
They didn't fully understand what was happening, but I stepped beside May.
"Something?" she asked with her usual calm and unreadable expression.
Before I could answer, she reacted instantly—moving in a blur and subduing a man who had tried to sneak up behind us. She had him on the ground, gun aimed squarely at his face.
I smiled at the sight and moved forward, past the vehicles.
Soon, the surrounding grass and vegetation began to shift—men and women emerged like seasoned warriors, surrounding us.
They carried bows, dart guns, spears, knives, and swords.
"Apologies—did we come too close?"
I asked calmly, my gaze sweeping across them. I had already sent a mental message to the others, instructing them to stay inside the vehicles.
As my Haki wrapped around each of them, my eyes locked forward.
There I saw a tall, muscular blond man holding a sharp, dangerous bone blade.
His body radiated raw, wild sex appeal—especially since he wore nothing but a loincloth.
Not that it fazed me. I had a boyfriend who was not only sexy, but also adorable.
The man sat atop a large, fierce-looking saber-toothed tiger—which I recognized instantly.
"It's been a while, cute kitty," I said affectionately, my gaze filled with curiosity.
He seemed to recognize me too, though his expression was wary.
Dismounting, the man spoke with a strong, commanding voice:
"I am Ka-Zar, mystical leader and guardian of the Savage Land. And I assume you are outsiders from the world above."
What caught my attention was his accent.
"You're British—which means you're not originally from here either."
He didn't deny it, but continued:
"It doesn't matter. Outsiders are not welcome here."
At his words, his warriors readied their weapons—and Ka-Zar himself pointed his blade at me.
Remaining calm, I raised my left hand.
Three glowing white-yellow magic circles appeared in the sky, and twelve spears of light formed overhead—each tip flickering with a small flame of orange and red, imbued with soul energy, divine energy, and draconic energy. Even in small quantities, the combination made the spears highly dangerous.
With my right hand, I summoned dozens of white threads—sharp and ready to cut through anything.
Ka-Zar, sensing the magical pressure, halted his men. He could feel that if the attack proceeded, several of his warriors would suffer fatal injuries—or worse.
As he looked at me, his instincts screamed that even if he and his tiger attacked, they wouldn't stand a chance.
Unbeknownst to him, I had subtly released a wave of mental power and dominion energy—heightening his caution and hesitation on an unconscious level.
And thus, a tense standoff began.