• Chapter 10: Straturini Volcano

    Priscilla said, “Up this trail is the entrance to the caverns within the volcano. Inside the volcano itself, other than the magma, is some crystals that are said to be treasures of Hephaestus.”
    Zanthe replied, “Well, Erebus is after an Indigo Crystal, so it’s possible one such crystal is inside.”
    “The gods of Olympalantis protect you!” said Priscilla as she prepared to return to Firastratus.
    After waving goodbye to her, the four prepared to ascend up the mountain trail.
    Some monsters made of tufa soon came down the mountain a few minutes later. Erebus was not to be caught unawares, so he had created some monsters to stall his enemies while he hunted for what he was after. The tufa monsters were beings that had bodies like humans, but some had heads like saber-toothed cats, others had heads like bears, and others still had heads like boars.
    “Tufa isn’t so tough-a!” wisecracked Rouvin as he shot a few arrows—the arrows pierced some glowing spots on the chests that Rouvin was able to see. The monsters that were struck soon collapsed into ground volcanic ash.
    “Count me in as well!” said Valerius as he cut up some tufa enemies, holding his breath so that he would not inhale the dangerous volcanic debris.
    “That was a good exercise,” laughed the elf Ranger as he saw the remaining tufa monsters retreat back into the mountain cave to regroup.
    The entrance to the cavern came into view after a few minutes of hiking up the trail. Zanthe then got out some cloth that she soaked and enchanted.
    “Put these over your faces,” she said. “That way, you won’t choke on the ash, soot, or debris. Nor inhale the poisonous gases within.”
    “You’ve sure done your research on the hazards of being near volcanoes,” chuckled Nauplius as he placed the cloth over his nose and mouth.

    The tunnels were made of moderately soft tufa. Many caverns were carved into it. But because the volcanic rock was soft, it could be carved into. It was sometimes difficult to tell which caverns were natural and which were artificial. And even in natural caves, sometimes graffiti was scrawled in. Some gave the party chuckles, but others were dangerously close to obscene, which definitely made the entire party blush in shock and embarrassment.
    But the tufa monsters the party encountered outside were awaiting them within. And they included some tufa eagles and giant tufa spiders to aid their forces.
    Rouvin shot at a few tufa eagles with his arrows. Since the birds were in tight quarters, it was almost impossible to dodge the elf’s arrows.
    Nauplius again got out his hammer and started to smash the tufa spiders into tufa dust.
    “That hammer makes a great bug smasher!” said Valerius.
    “Aye,” replied Nauplius. “Too bad it smashes the walls too!”
    The party laughed as they continued the fight. Valerius got out his plasma blade and started slicing through more of the semi-humanoid tufa enemies. Eventually, all returned from the soft volcanic ground from whence they came.
    “That takes care of the welcoming committee,” said Zanthe. “Now let’s continue on down the tunnel and go deeper into the volcano.”
    “I got ya there,” said Valerius as he continued with the rest of the party.

    In the next part of the volcano, the rocks were a harder, but still soft, felsic rock. This is odd, since very rarely would a volcano vary in lava consistencies. Some would be extinct volcanoes with tufa rock, some active volcanoes have felsic magma that would build up and make violent explosions, whereas others had mafic magma that weren’t as explosive, but the fiery rivers of lava flowed and were nevertheless a hazard. Perhaps it all depended on what mood Hephaestus was in.
    But these caverns were inhabited by stronger foes. Humanoid shaped golems made from the felsic rocks of pumice and granite emerged from the walls and floors. The pumice golems used spheres of the light sponge-like rock to try to scratch them, while the granite golems used hammers, similar to Nauplius’ hammer, to try to crush the enemies.
    “Leave the pumice foes to me!” cheered Nauplius as he again began to swing his hammer.
    “I’ll take the harder granite ones,” said Valerius, plasma blade in hand. The party definitely studied enough to know which rock was which from their appearance.
    “Methinks we should sit this one out,” said Rouvin. “I doubt my arrows will do much to them.”
    Eventually, the golems were reduced to rubble. The party could then venture deeper into the cave.
    But even as they were still in the second section of the cavern, they could tell it was getting warmer as they went deeper.

    The third section of caverns within the volcano showed how fickle Hephaestus could be in picking magma within Straturini Volcano. The cavern was mainly basalt rock, with a few pools of magma, indicating to the party that they were nearing the heart of the volcano.
    Some basalt golems, designed to look like Green and Roman soldiers, emerged from the floor, walls, and stalagmites of the caverns. In addition, fire creatures, made to look like birds, demon imps, and serpents, emerged from the magma pools.
    “Erebus must’ve known we’d be coming this way!” said Zanthe.
    “I’ll snuff out the fire creatures!” said Rouvin as he loaded an arrow into his bow.
    Nauplius and Valerius got out their weapons to fight the basalt monsters.
    As Rouvin shot each fire creature, the defeated monster vanished into a wisp of smoke.
    Valerius cut one rock monster down the middle, sliced another through its waist and kicked the top over. And a third he decapitated with the energy weapon.
    Nauplius did what anyone would do with a war hammer—swung it at the enemies. One of the basalt warriors even fell into a pool of magma and melted into it. Luckily the dwarf backed out of the way in time to not get scorched by the splash of molten rock.
    “I don’t know which is hotter,” joked Zanthe. “The magma or this battle!”
    “I get the feeling what’s to come is going to really spike the temperature!” replied Valerius.
    His words were prophetic, as they went into the heart of the volcano.

    The group of four soon made it to the heart of the volcano. Inside the caldera, one could barely see the sky through the mouth, but inside was a large belly of the volcano, with magma that made it look like a sea of liquid fire. Islands of cooled basalt filled it within, with arches as bridges, most likely made by Hephaestus himself should any brave soul dare to visit the inside. And there were various crystals of black, red, orange, and clear.
    But crystals of other colors sometimes appeared within this inferno. So it would be no surprise to the adventurers that an Indigo Crystal could possibly be here. One that Erebus sought for the Forbidden Ritual.
    “I know I shouldn’t have to tell you this,” said Rouvin, “but watch your step, everyone.”
    Slowly and carefully, the party walked across the basalt islands in the magma sea, and crossed single-file across the stone arches.
    “Strange,” said Valerius. “There are no monsters here. I have a bad feeling about this.”
    “Maybe it’s a little too hot for Erebus’ monsters!” joked Nauplius.
    “Not really,” said Zanthe as she pointed forward.
    Approaching them as they arrived on the large center basalt island, a large humanoid made of dark blue basalt emerged, with a speckled gray granite “loincloth” covering his loins.
    Behind the large monstrosity was Erebus, with Delphinia in his clutches. He laughed at their plight, as the captive healer watched on in horror.
    “How do you like my Basalt Golem?!” mocked the warlock. “He wants to play with you! I warn you, he plays rough! Ha, ha, ha…”
    “Please, be careful!” cried Delphinia. “I recall Erebus saying that the golem can only be destroyed by the fires of this volcano!”
    The party heard this, amazed Delphinia would say this. And even more amazed that Erebus allowed her to speak without threatening her life.
    “Can they lure him into the magma without falling in themselves?!” sneered Erebus. “Let’s see them try!”
    Delphinia looked skyward and said, “Please, Zeus, help them!”

    The giant stone hulk lurched toward them. The two ran about, and the golem had trouble turning to face them. But at times he would swing his stone arms. Though the party barely avoided the blows, it did cause a tremor that shook them a bit.
    Zanthe then had a look on her face.
    “I got an idea!” she said.
    Then she ran toward one of the stone bridges.
    “Hey, slowpoke!” the elf sorceress jeered. “Your mother was a shale quarry!”
    The titan of basalt soon started to go after her. Zanthe then awaited the hulk to stand onto the archway. Weirdly enough, it was able to handle the weight of both, but just barely. Dodging the feet and just barely keeping her balance, she stood between too legs and started making faces at the brute. The titan then raised its two hands to do a hammering crush. As the monster swung its fists down, Zanthe then got over its other foot and ran back to the island just in time! The brute then destroyed the archway it was on, and plunged into the lava, melting down.
    A brief wave of magma came, but it stopped just short of the party. Erebus and Delphinia were in no danger, because they were further “inland.”
    “Very good idea!” said Valerius.

    “Fools!” laughed Erebus. “I already got the Indigo Crystal while you were busy with the Basalt Golem! Now, I shall leave here. But first…”
    Erebus put the crystal away to free up his hand, since the other one was holding onto Delphinia. With his free hand, he pointed toward a spot in the magma sea and shot an orb of magic into it. The volcanic caldera began to rumble.
    “I hope you like lava baths!” said Erebus. With an evil laugh, he teleported away, Delphinia in tow!
    “VALERIUS!” cried Delphinia before she was spirited away.
    “The volcano is fixing to erupt!” said Nauplius.
    “This way!” said a strange voice.
    The party looked. Without bothering to ask, they followed the stranger out, and they safely made it outside minutes before the eruption.
    The eruption brought forth a liquid mafic magma. Luckily, there were special channels that led the lava away from the city of Firastratus, should an eruption occur.
    After the four caught their breath, it was then they found their aid. It was the very god Hephaestus himself!
    The four knelt before the volcano god.
    “I know why you are here,” explained Hephaestus. “Demeter had informed me that the villain Erebus is seeking components of the Forbidden Ritual, so he can become a deity without our consent, the blasphemer!”
    “Great Hephaestus,” said Nauplius. “Where is he next?”
    “Currently,” replied the fire god, “he is, how you say, taking a break from gathering the items. Unfortunately, it involves him causing trouble in Fog-Gandros, as if it hadn’t had its fair share of trouble already.”
    “We shall definitely go there,” said Valerius. “For Delphinia, and for all of Olympalantis.”
    “My fellow gods will watch over you,” said Hephaestus. He added, “And Nauplius, I look forward to the next meeting in your homeland.”
    “See you soon, oh mighty Hephaestus,” replied Nauplius as his patron deity vanished into smoke.

    The four heroes soon returned to the city of Firastratus. Governor Blastus welcomed them back.
    “Thank the gods you have returned safely,” said the governor.
    “Hephaestus guided us out of the volcano,” said Nauplius. “But that warlock got away with the Indigo Crystal.”
    “Hephaestus said that Erebus is now on Fog-Gandros,” said Valerius.
    “Fog-Gandros?” asked the governor’s daughter. “You will need to be careful there. I have heard disquieting tales of a crime wave there, especially in the city of Foggandropolis!”
    “Well, it is getting late anyway,” said the governor. “Please, come to my mansion to stay the night, as our guests.”
    “We are honored, Governor Firastratus,” replied Valerius.
    “Much obliged, Governor,” said Nauplius.
    Rouvin added, “After that hot battle in the volcano—in more ways than one—we could use a rest.”
    “We could all use some time to refresh,” chimed in Zanthe.
    The four heroes followed the governor and his daughter to the mansion, as the crowd cheered their victory.

    In the mansion itself, the night was still young, so the governor and his daughter got to know the four a bit more.
    Priscilla sympathized with Valerius as he told of his father’s passing when Valerius himself was young. Since Priscilla lost her mother at an early age, they had a lot in common.
    Nauplius got to give the governor’s butler some of his Dwarven-made wares, which made his eyes glisten.
    The butler was a human with pale peach skin, medium brown hair and mustache, and green eyes. He wore a tuxedo befitting a modern day butler.
    “The kitchen staff is needing some new cutlery,” said the butler. “I’ve been told the Dwarves of Gray Corfu make even utensils that can last for generations.”
    “Indeed we do,” chuckled Nauplius. “No brag, just facts.”
    Rouvin showed his bow to the governor, and was impressed at how it looked pristine despite being used many times in battle.
    “The magic of Emerald Kavala keeps this object looking brand new no matter how many times it is used!” said Governor Blastus.
    “You have to look your best, even in battle!” laughed Rouvin. The governor could help but chortle at the comment.
    Zanthe then showed off some Nature magic to all there, and some fairies emerged from the flowers to dance along magic trails that the elf wizardess herself used. After a few minutes of the show, the audience clapped.
    “Thank you,” said Zanthe as she bowed. The fairies bowed with her.

    Night soon set in, and after a good supper, the four went into their guest rooms for the night.
    The next day, the party had a nice breakfast with various herbal teas included, and they were escorted to a ship the governor prepared.
    The captain of the ship was a human with suntanned skin, dull blond hair, and gray eyes, and he wore an outfit of a great modern Greek sailor.
    “All aboard for Fog-Gandros!” cheered the captain.
    The people waved their farewells as the four and the crew set sail for their next destination.
    However, Valerius was concerned, as Priscilla mentioned a crime wave on that island. That warning would soon prove true, and another new adventure would await them.