Hot on the Grastaean dirt roads, six figures kicked up the dust while they tore across the open fields. Their destination was the giant volcano that was blowing out black smoke from its chimney.
"By the way," Flash yelled, "I remembered that there's something about Grastaea surrounded by mana! Will it stop the lava or not?"
"We receive sun and rain just like Equestria, and small flying animals like birds can pass through the barrier too. The same will apply for smoke and lava." Cleo responded.
"Wait, animals from Equestria can pass through here?" Rarity raised, "So that means that we can too!"
"Yeah, we can get into Grastaea without taking that misty-stepping portal." Adagio responded, "But good luck trying to get through acres of thick trees, bushes, and terrain!"
"Fair point," Sweetie and Flash accepted.
"We should bring a bike next time!" Big Mac suggested,
The crew, completely tuckered out, had stopped in the front of a large red cave entrance of the one and only Mount Adolla. Above them, the volcano's fumes had completely obscured the sun, enshrouding the group in a dark shadow.
"We're here." Cleo introduced, "Although you don't seem interested to help your teacher in the first place."
"Despite our personal feelings..." Rarity shrugged. She pulled out a tube of sunblock and lotion from her left pocket dress and the blue essence from her right. "We'd feel absolutely guilty if we'd let our teacher walk into a volcano without people who're perfectly capable of clearing any threat in there; If you don't count the Flamewyrm that is. Would you like some?"
"You kids never cease to surprise me." Cleo smiled, "Thank you Rarity. I'd like some lotion, but no need for sunblock."
"Rarity even wanted me to fight too," Flash added, revealing a long black bag behind his back and pulling out the Hero's Sword, "Not before she lectured me to be careful around them. If you ask me, a bad wound is as good a lesson."
"Ah brought the bag of clothes." Big Mac responded, pulling out a large school bag, "They're a bit wrinkled due to me stuffin' them in. Ah went n' got Francesca's clothes back durin' that half-hour breathin' practice fer you 'Dagio." He pulled out Francesca's hat and passed it to Adagio.
"And I get to carry this!" Sweetie revealed the Loving Hand behind her back, "I feel like slapping someone painlessly with this thing!"
"I still have an issue having to change clothes before transforming." Rarity sighed, collecting her clothes. "Surely we can do something to change that?"
"Deal with it after we see this through," Flash responded, applying the musky suncream on his skin. Rarity rolled her eyes and scurried off to a private spot.
"Speaking about Ms M..." Sweetie pulled out her phone. "... It's 9:59 and she's not here!"
"She must have run the moment the earthquake happened." Flash suggested, "On the other hand, she might be 'passionately' crazy enough to go in anyway."
"If we don't calm the Flamewyrm, we'll all perish anyway." Cleo reminded, "Adagio? Are you ready?"
"Well..." Adagio looked uneasy, "You know I've steered clear of this area because we're dealing with Flame fiends. Right?"
"This will be different." Cleo assured, "We have two healers, and our fragile swordsman here."
"Hey!" Flash frowned,
"No snarky retaliation like before?" Sweetie questioned,
"As I said, a good lesson learned from a bad wound."
"Then don't forget your lesson to breathe." Cleo jumped in. Flash grumbled again.
"All changed!" Estelle returned. She was dressed in her usual attire while cradling the clothes of Rarity in her arms.
"Alright then, my turn." Adagio nodded as she pulled out a silver dagger in her pocket and tapped the blade on her heart. A flash of light burst forth which blinded everyone and nullified all sounds.
In an unknown realm filled with clouds and skies of green, Adagio opened her eyes to see herself standing in the air and all her clothes replaced with an enveloping layer of wind.
"Here goes nothing!" Adagio struck a playful pose as the magic did its job. The Dazzling slowly shrank in height and body while her thighs grew out at the same time. When both were done, her chest slowly grew on its own to match the image of the Cheerful Merchant. Adagio blushed at the sight of her growing bust and gritted her teeth in a mix of frustration and embarrassment. "Good thing I'm alone here."
The next step was for her hair to turn into a compressed and raging gale that covered her hair and ears. It violently did away with the curly long hair and cut itself short and straight. In addition to that, two pillars of wind rose on Adagio's head and were moulded into a pair of sharp bunny ears. Adagio struck one cool pose before all her wind-obscured parts burst outward into a bright light.
"Alright!" Francesca raised her fist in the air, "Now, lets--GAWWWW!!!"
She felt the air forced out from her body from a sudden rope choking her chest and her legs.
"Yyyeeeah," Sweetie winced, "I tried to warn you that you weren't dressed as Francesca, but I don't think you heard me when you started transforming."
"Dam..." Francesca gasped, "... it."
"You boys go on ahead and wait," Estelle commanded, pointing into the cave, "We'll deal with this tight spot."
The boys looked at each other with awkward faces, then turned away from the girl situation and walked in.
A tsunami of heat tore through the hallways of red rock, which lead deep into a large platform. Similar to the Waterwyrm's Cradle, there were stalagmites and stalactites, but black as coal, formed by lava into igneous volcanic rocks. The boys also noticed that way below them was a boiling lake of magma, bubbling and raging under the Flameworm's influence no doubt. Flash and Big Mac looked at each other and gulped. If what they knew about natural volcanoes was true, they should be dead right now.
"Sup guys!" Sweetie called to the boys, "What's in there?"
"Oh." Flash turned around to see Sweetie, Estelle, Cleo, and a very relieved Francesca, "Just contemplating how we're still alive when we're INSIDE a volcano."
"Eeyup," Big Mac agreed,
"A volcano may be a source of natural disasters and human deaths, but it is still a part of nature for both our eras." Cleo explained, "As such, Mount Adolla is abundant with Flame mana. From the mana, combined with the Flamewyrm's control, humans and other animals are protected from a majority of volcano-related deaths. One obvious example is temperature."
"Yeah." Flash nodded, "We could die in many ways just by getting close to magma, but here it feels like the hottest summer day. Heck, we don't even need those fire suits!"
"Then I believe there was also the case of poisonous gas. Sulphur Dioxide?"
"Okay! I'm very blessed that this volcano allows all of us to live!" Flash laughed loudly, "In fact, I'm wondering why you girls aren't shocked about this fact either!"
"Well," Estelle chuckled, "Walking inside a volcano is a first, but I've seen and done things that make this endeavour quite tame in comparison."
"You know me." Francesca laughed, "I'm not human or sylvan. I do prefer places with water though. Volcanoes are for dragons... Where I'm from!"
"Hey hey! Let's not derail our mission here. We're going to find the Flamewyrm and ask her to stop the volcano from erupting." Sweetie snapped.
"Sorry," Flash scratched his head, "I'm just not used to this... World."
An ear-splitting roar flew from the depths of the volcano, spurring everyone to shield their ears and shaking the ground around them.
"Eeyup." Big Mac uncovered his ears, "Brunhilda."
"Come to think of it, this will be the first live dragon I'll see with my own eyes." Flash trembled, "And based on her history, I don't know if I'm going to live to tell the story."
"Flash? Are you... Scared?" Sweetie noticed, "Your legs are shaking!"
"Oooh..." Francesca gave an evil smile, "It seems the idiot that's hungry to fight is getting cold feet! How is it that a young girl like Sweetie Belle has 'bigger balls' than you?"
"Oy! Don't joke about that!" Flash snapped,
"And I said I'm not a kid anymore! I'm in CHS for Goddess' Sake!" Sweetie added,
"You're not the only one who can use 'body part' jokes," Francesca answered, followed by sticking her tongue out.
"Alright Ms Cleo." Big Mac sighed, "Do ya know the quickest way to the Flamewyrm's lair?"
"She's living in the Crater area. It's just across that bridge." Cleo asked, pointing towards a very wide slithering bridge crossing over the lava lake, with only five natural and thin rock foundations to support it. On the other side lies another arch tunnel.
"I-Is there a safer way?" Estelle nervously chuckled, "Because this bridge has incredibly flimsy support!"
"... Sorry." Cleo sighed, "One way in and out. On the other hand, I've discovered a few shortcuts that can lead us there from experience."
"You would come here often? Why?"
"Enemies in my time wanted to conquer the volcano for the mana, as well as a stepping stone to invade the Halidom. I've had to guide a few of my allies there to repel that onslaught. That being said, the shortcuts are past this bridge."
"I guess complaining won't get us anywhere. I'd better jump over this hurdle." Estelle gulped as she braved forward. Slowly and delicately, she placed her left armoured boot forward, then her right one. With every step, she paused to hear the faintest bit of cracking, but none were heard."
"Don't be such a Scoots sis..." Sweetie smirked as she passed her normally, "This bridge is wide and stable."
"Well excuse me for being careful!" Estelle retorted, "But since you're on it, It does make me a little more confident."
Seeing her younger sister walk ahead, she began to accelerate her walking speed and proceed in the pace of walking through the most beautiful garden--
"Guys!?" Flash stood at one unprotected edge of a bridge and peered down. "It seems like the lava levels are rising!"
"Eeyup," Big Mac confirmed from the opposite edge. "Most of the rocks have submerged."
"Eyagh!!!!!" Estelle launched off the ground and landed on a single foot. "Don't scare me like that!"
"Check it out for yourself..." Flash gestured, pointing a stiff thumb over the bridge.
"I will pass, thank you!" Estelle growled, trying to regain her composure.
"Oh wow..." Sweetie looked over, "There's one lone pointy rock standing in the middle of the magma. It's like a quarter height of the Calvitol Hill monument in Washington S.C!"
"I'd gauge the distance between us and our molten graves to be about a hundred metres from here. Much lower levels when we first entered." Big Mac estimated,
"Stop with the volcano and death words! You're raising red flags here!" Francesca hissed,
"And ALL of you get a move on! Seeing you yap and complain to one other is boring!!!" A voice of grandiose and maturity shook the very volcano. All the women (except Cleo) screamed as did all of the men.
"My goodness. Are all of you babies or something!?" The voice continued, "Kids from my time have bigger balls than all of you combined!"
"Who are you!?" Flash yelled with a voice crack, "Show yourself!"
"Why don't you guess? You should know who dwells in this volcano." The voice laughed.
"Uh..." Francesca spoke, "Maybe we do, but we're not giving you the satisfaction by answering."
"How rude of you! If you know who I am, then you know I can reduce you to ash right here and now!" The voice growled,
"Okay, Franny." Big Mac comforted, "Let's not stoke the flames here."
"And I said stop with the words!" She snapped,
"Hello? Excuse me! I was talking to all of you!"
"Come on Francesca," Flash chuckled, "Are figure of speeches too hot for you?"
"I said stop!!!"
"Hey! Must your rudeness continue!?!?"
"Cool down Francesca!" Sweetie warned with a small chuckle and giggle.
"Now you're just being a jerk!"
"Alright, alright." Estelle jumped in, "We've had our fun okay? Otherwise, Brunhilda's going to literally send us to hell-- Oops." She panicked, "Okay, that wasn't intentional. I didn't mean to make a pun!"
"Too late. You have exhausted my patience. Maybe this should help you heed me!" The voice growled,
The cavern began to shake once again. Rocks cracked and pebbles fell, falling into the depths of the rising lava.
"Wooaaah!" Flash desperately tried to stay upright. "Earthquake again!!!"
"No..." Cleo held her arms out for balance, "This is just a tremor! And yet this is exactly what it was like when the Prince and I first came here!"
"Sorrrrry!" Sweetie yelled an apology as she fell over.
"There!" The voice responded, and the tremor stopped. "If you intend to pull any more jokes and distractions, look over the bridge and reconsider."
"Aww dang..." Big Mac and the others looked over and winced in horror. The stalagmite that resembled the Calvitol Hill monument had become a small cone island around the sea of magma.
But it didn't end there. In front of everyone's eyes, the magma sea continued to rise, scoffing up every solid surface of the minuscule cone rock. It was as if a young child calling out for hopeless and impossible salvation, only to be swallowed up by the depths of the molten swamp.
"Urgh..." Flash and Estelle stepped back in despair, contemplating the fate of that mini igneous monument.
"Sixty meters away from us now," Big Mac calculated while sweating all over. "Ah say we be humble and listen to the Flamewyrm."
"Agreed." Cleo responded, "We get it, Brunhilda. We'll listen!"
"Really? Does everyone here listen?"
"Okay! Okay!" Francesca yelled, "I get your point! I'll shut up and let you speak!"
"I said sorry already." Sweetie spoke, a bit shook but strong in her voice, "Don't melt us. We'll be good people!"
Flash desperately looked towards the entrance where they came from.
"I can send the lava up faster than you can run. You won't even make it to the entrance by the time your feet and legs have melted! If you chicken out, I will do exactly that and more, setting this volcano to erupt!" Brunhilda warned.
"Flash! Don't you dare run!" Sweetie commanded, "Aren't we in this together?"
"We are! That's why I'm thinking of a way to bring all of us to safety!" Flash responded, quickly examining his surroundings to see what he could use. "Perhaps if we work together, we can chip off a piece of volcanic rock that can support all of us so we can float out over the chimney..."
"Flash!" Sweetie erupted in anger. "You are a dumb idiot and a coward! Have you forgotten why we're here in the first place!?"
Everyone froze at the little teenager's rebuke. Flash stared at her silently.
"Sweetie Belle!" Estelle intervened, "That was uncalled for!" But Sweetie ignored her.
"Flash," Sweetie continued, "Even if we do escape, Canterlot won't. The only way we can stop our home from becoming the next Pompeii is to confront the person who'll cause it. That means seeing Brunhilda in person. You don't want to see Scoots, Mr and Mrs Sentry die... Right?"
Flash pictured his beloved family coughing and spluttering in the thick volcanic ash, falling lifeless and purple on the floor, then swept and burned away by the red liquid of death.
"Like hell I'm going to let that happen!!!" He shot up with a furious visage.
"Good." Sweetie gave a thumbs up, "Because seeing my friends lose faith in what they do makes me lose faith in them. Got it?"
"Alright then, Sweetie." Flash acknowledged with a nod. "And one more thing before we listen."
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry." Flash confessed, "For losing my resolve."
"You know..." Sweetie calmed her face and gave a smirk, "The Goddess you believe in is supposed to build your resolve. Not me!"
"Alright then Flamewyrm," Flash turned around with newfound morale, "I won't run. For the future of my family and friends, I'll tackle whatever you throw at me, even if it means my life!"
"In that case, consider my first test passed!!! Congratulations!" Brunhilda announced.
"Huh!?" Everyone was baffled.
"My first test was to see whether humans like you would still be as brave, brash, reckless and supporting as the humans I knew from my prime! You were a pretty pathetic boy in the beginning... Flash was it? But that sudden boost of confidence in you reminds me of Prince Euden! Oh, if only he'd be motivated when I'd try to pep him up. Perhaps I should have taken pointers from you Sweetie Belle!"
"Oh... Well... You're welcome I guess?" Sweetie Belle awkwardly responded.
"If you were attentive in the beginning, I would have explained my trial to you. But hey, you've completed the first one!"
"How many are left?" Estelle asked,
"Two. And they will take place further in the volcano. So I shall do the explanations of this trial while you continue to go deeper."
"Then you know what that means," Francesca spoke, "Saddle up!"
"'Saddle up' faster please." Brunhilda added, "If you don't get to the designated point in the next five minutes, I will raise the magma levels."
"Then let's gallop!" Big Mac rallied and the six adventurers rushed across the bridge no longer disturbed by its stability and deep into the tunnel.
"My trial consists of three stages. Each stage will test your trust, bonds, and friendship. Not to mention your endurance, power and skill."
"Sounds like something out of a cartoon. Though it's even more insane considering what you're going to do if we fail." Sweetie shared as she ran.
"If you keep up what you did for the first step, the other two should be easy pickings! Though if you fail, then kiss goodbye to the Halidom and Canterlot City. That reminds me, I should tell you the reasons why I'm turning my home into a time bomb."
"That's very messed up." Flash narrowed his eyes, picking up his speed.
"Five of you are outsiders to Grastaea. Ever since you've entered these borders, all of you have been making a name for yourself. You've perked my attention once two of you met Mercury."
"In our defence, we haven't been doing anythin' bad in yer eyes." Big Mac informed, "Fiends are yer enemy, and the Halidom was part of yer home. We've been clearin' them out and reparin' the facilities respectively."
"My point exactly. You've been helping the poor Belle Healer who lost all contact with her dragon allies and holed herself up in the Halidom as the entire world changed around her. You are benevolent people! Not like what all those newspapers and media says!"
"I appreciate the compliment, but what you said about Ms Cleo is not true." Estelle argued, "She has been keeping in touch with 'outsiders' like us and even contributes to our society!"
"Ah. Vegetables, flour and produce from the eternally large garden, not to mention being a foster mother. You have a point there. But what if I told you she was more than just a healer and a caretaker?"
"..." Cleo remained silent but continued running.
"Bah! I'll explain later! Anyway, you'll be nearing another bridge with some different branching paths. Those are the Magma Mires. You'll come up to a signpost. I want you to go the route that says 'Crater'. Don't go into the other ones, unless you want to run into fiends. You have my word as Flamewyrm."
The six emerged from the tunnel to another long and wide bridge, to which they see many other bridges branching off, true to what the Flamewyrm said.
"There," Flash pointed to a lone rock, carved and curved into a crude signpost.
"Huh..." Cleo inspected the mysterious symbols and markings scratched on the rock. "I can see that this sign is recently new. Etched in our language..." Then found familiar letters and words beside every mysterious symbol. "And in yours."
"Fiends... More Fiends... Crater... Rocky Fiend Road... Terror's Approach..." Estelle read, "You know, not a lot of these places are nice names for locations, but it's very thoughtful to whoever made this post."
"I appreciate it." Brunhilda responded. "Now hurry up! Three minutes have passed! Your destination is a network of tunnels that have been named the Volcanic Caverns!"
"You're a pain, as well as a monster, Brunhilda." Flash grumbled, "I'll make sure I deal with you personally once I find you."
"Spoke the boy who hasn't killed a single fiend and needed the motivation from a child to not flee! I roast demons like them for breakfast, you amount to a single biscuit!"
"Grr..." Flash growled,
"She's has a point." Cleo agreed,
"You really were pathetic back then," Francesca responded, trying not to laugh.
"Eeyup. Sorry." Big Mac nodded,
Estelle just placed a hand on the teen's shoulder and meekly smiled.
Sweetie just sighed and shook her head.
"Let's just get moving," Flash grumbled.
The six adventurers said nothing more to each other as they ran down the path to the crater. A few seconds later, they arrived at a large network of different-shaped tunnels.
"You made it in less than five minutes. Wonderful! You'll need as much distance as you get."
"Second task. What's the game?" Estelle demanded,
"Well, I have some good news for you! The Volcanic caverns before you are where my second and third game will occur!"
"Well, that's a relief." Francesca exhaled, "I hate this trial the moment it began."
"I don't blame you, given you've been mocked for a while. I know that feeling too well! There is some bad news, however."
"And that is?" Cleo asked.
The ground shook in response, but weaker than the previous times. Rather, a long crack formed under the ground of the adventurers.
"Watch your feet everyone! You're standing on a flame geyser!"
The six immediately took notice of the crack forming under them and turning red and yellow. A massive surge of heat could be felt rushing into their legs.
"Jump!" Flash warned. Estelle and Francesca leapt to the left of the crack as the others leapt to the right. From the crack rose a wall of fire and lava stretched itself as tall as two doors on top of each other.
"You will be tackling the tests separately!!!" Brunhilda announced, "Team on the left? I believe you are called Francesca and Estelle, you will be tackling task three. Let's see how strong human support is against the elements! You'll be entering the tunnel close to you."
"Against the elements? Must be a battle," Estelle and Francesca spoke in unison. They looked at each other in confusion, then dismissed it with a scowl.
"The other side will be taking task two. How does a sprint sound to you? You'll be entering the furthest tunnel to your right."
"Guess you won't be using your sword Flash," Sweetie responded,
"Whatever, I prefer lances anyway." Flash dismissed nonchalantly, though his sourness could be heard underneath.
"The tunnels you take will have multiple branching paths, but only one will lead you to your goal. The bones of a large dragon. That's where all of you will reunite."
"The catch is we have a time limit. Yes?" Flash asked,
"Exactly." Brunhilda responded, "Mr Fancy Mathematics here said that the lava is approximately sixty metres from where you stood at the entrance. That level hasn't changed from where you are standing right now."
Brunhilda took a deep breath and declared the most important rule.
"With every full minute passed, you will feel a small tremor. That would be me bringing the magma five metres up."
"Oh no..." Everyone's stomach began to lurch.
"Meaning you have exactly twelve minutes till the lava reaches your feet. At least one from both teams must make it to the Dragon bones to stop that clock. Understood?"
"'At least one.' So you are expecting some of us to die here." Flash arched his eyes in anger.
"Work together if you don't want to prevent that. It's the only way all of you are getting out of this place alive. The moment I say 'go', I will start the clock. Prepare yourself!"
"This is not exactly supporting," Estelle yelled over the lava wall, "But I expect to see all of you on the other side alive."
"Right back at you!" Sweetie called back, "You and I made a promise Franny, and I will make sure I see it through!"
"You really are desperate to learn." Francesca whistled, "But fine!"
"Here goes!" Everyone chanted,
"GO!" Brunhilda roared and the teams were off. Each galloped into their respective tunnel and swearing to themselves that they'll reach the end. At least, before their own lives do.
TO BE CONTINUED...