Denna

DENNA

" W hat's that light?" Korrin's whisper cut through the stillness.

I closed my fist around the cool crystal, squinting ahead. Fiery red lines appeared, a mesmerizing network of heated cracks arcing overhead like a celestial roadmap.

The intense heat from the glowing seams made the approach difficult. Scorching air caressed my skin, beads of sweat trickling between my shoulder blades. The acrid scent of sulfur filled my nostrils, making my eyes water and throat burn.

"Like standing too close to a campfire," I murmured, words sticking in my parched throat.

"See a gap between the bright veins?" I asked, scanning the luminescent landscape.

Korrin raised his hand, blocking the red light bathing his chiseled features. "Could be a way out," he said, hope glimmering in his eyes.

"I hope so. We need out of this furnace," I replied, my tongue like sandpaper.

We pushed forward, the heat intensifying until we reached the cavern's end. The cave's darkness contrasted starkly with the blazing fissures behind.

But to reach it, we passed dangerously close to red-hot walls. Searing heat prickled my skin, my sweat-slicked dress clinging. "Will that cave be cooler?" I panted, lungs straining.

Korrin wiped his brow, chest heaving. "Throwing ourselves on a fire would be," he teased, a wry smile tugging his mouth.

I quickened my pace despite exhaustion, focusing on the promised relief ahead.

Just when I thought my hair would catch fire, we finally passed into the blessed coolness. "Thank the gods," Korrin breathed, shoulders sagging with relief. "Cooler in here."

But a realization hit me. "The reason's more important!"

Korrin raised his face, towards the gentle caress of moving air. "A draft," he said, eyes widening.

"Must be the way," I whispered. Had to be. We couldn't stay down here much longer.

My hunch proved true when our crystals revealed carved stone stairs. "A staircase!" I exclaimed, voice echoing off ancient stones.

Korrin grabbed me, strong arms pulling me close as he captured my lips in a searing kiss.

I returned his fervor, melting into his embrace. "We did it," I breathed, heart soaring with our ordeal nearly over.

"To the surface," Korrin said, his hand finding mine as we started up.

But the stairs did not rise far. We found ourselves in another vast, shadowed cave. Disappointment crushed my chest.

I fought back a wave of despair, reminding myself of how far we'd come. We couldn't give up now.

"Now what?" I whispered.

Suddenly, we tensed, holding our breath as a distant slithering shuffle reached our ears, clawing at my nerves.

Korrin leaned close, breath hot on my ear. "Let me dress," he whispered urgently.

Given my sweaty dress, his naked cave trek hadn't seemed odd. But with an unknown enemy, clothing was wiser.

Moments later, he belted on his sword.

"Careful," he said, scanning the darkness. "We should hide the glow stones again."

I allowed a sliver of light between my fingers. A pungent sulfur odor made my nose wrinkle. "The smell's strong here," I whispered.

The cavern stretched before us, offering one path forward. We followed cautiously. After silence, I heard a strange bubbling, thick liquid sound.

"Do you hear it?" I asked, my voice barely audible over the eerie noise.

Korrin's brow furrowed as he listened intently. "Not water," he said, his tone low and wary.

"But bubbling," I added, my skin prickling with unease.

"And the red light of heat," he pointed, his finger tracing the faint glow that emanated from up ahead.

I looked around, taking in our surroundings. The ceiling was low enough for Korrin to reach, the walls reflecting even the meager glow of my light. There was no other path to take.

"The cave narrows. It will be a squeeze for me," Korrin said, his broad shoulders tensing as he assessed the tight passage.

"Should I go first?" I offered, my heart hammering.

"Nay. We don't know what's on the other side. But keep close," he replied, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

We moved forward until Korrin had to slip sideways, his large frame barely fitting through the narrow opening. The floor rose up, the roof descended, and the walls closed in around us. As he crawled forward, his body blocked the light, plunging me into darkness.

I saw no flaming cracks in the walls. Whatever heated this area lay somewhere beyond the bottleneck.

Korrin continued, his movements slow and deliberate. Then he stopped, and I feared his body was too large to fit through. But with the scuff of boots and a grunt of exertion, he cleared the way.

Quickly, I joined him on the other side, my heart racing with anticipation.

He held an arm out to keep me back, his body tense and alert.

But I saw past him, my eyes widening at the sight before us. I didn't know what I was looking at.

Centered in the room was the heat source, a deep pit filled with glowing lava that cast an eerie red light across the cavern, making the walls glimmer, metallic streaks through the rock glimmering like stars.

I couldn't shake the feeling that we were trespassing in a place not meant for our eyes. What ancient secrets lay hidden in this fiery realm?

The odor of sulfur was overwhelming, burning my nostrils and making my eyes water. And most frightening of all were the creatures that surrounded the pit.

"Men of fire?" I breathed, my voice trembling.

Their bodies pulsed with an inner heat, cracks in their obsidian skin revealing molten cores. Each movement was accompanied by the sound of grinding stone and the hiss of escaping steam.

"Like lava from the pit. What manner of creatures are they?" Korrin asked, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword.

They might have had obsidian black skin, but it was hard to tell. Like the walls below, fiery fissures appeared on their bodies at the joints, at the mouth and eyes. When they moved, I heard the scrape of stone on stone, a grating sound that made my stomach churn.

Several of the creatures surrounded the glowing pit, their movements slow and deliberate. Were they worshiping? Enjoying the heat?

Glancing around, I saw no sign of occupation. No bed nor chair, not even a big enough rock to sit on. But then I spied something else, and my heart sank with the realization. Korrin saw it at the same time.

"A hexagonal doorway. Like under the lake," he said, his voice tight with excitement. "Perhaps that village was their original home, until the lake flooded, trapping them here."

Whatever had happened in the distant past was no concern of ours, not now. We just had to get to that door.

It was on the far side of the gathered lava men, a tantalizing glimpse of escape that seemed impossibly out of reach.

"Can we sneak past them?" I asked, my knees weaker by the moment.

The creatures moved slowly, seemingly oblivious to our presence, their attention focused solely on the bubbling pit of lava.

"They don't seem to notice us," I whispered.

Korrin nodded. "Let's move carefully. They might react to sudden movements or direct interaction."

As we circled the room, our backs pressed against the cavern wall, I watched the lava men. Other than the grinding of their feet, they were eerily silent.

Fire rose like crowns from their black, cracked and sooty heads, casting jagged shadows on the rocky walls.

What were they doing around the vent in the floor?

They moved like ghosts, their movements fluid and otherworldly.

Two of them seemed to be conversing, but I could only see the heated glow of their opening mouths, hearing nothing but the bubbling of the lava pit.

Korrin's hand fell on my arm, startling me. He put a finger to his lips, his eyes darting to the end of the rock wall. Another broad cave opened up before us.

He turned to look around the corner, then jumped back, his face pale beneath the sheen of sweat.

"There are more of them!" he whispered fiercely, pushing me back the way we'd come.

The lava men around the fire hole now faced us, their burning eyes fixed on our retreating forms. They shambled toward us, their movements slow but purposeful.

"Draw them in," Korrin whispered urgently. "Then break for the hexagonal door. We can outrun them, no matter their number."

I lunged forward, my legs pumping as Korrin and I sprinted toward our goal. My heart raced, sweat beading on my brow from exertion and the intense heat.

"Almost there!" I gasped.

Suddenly, the ground before us split open. A stream of molten rock burst forth, cutting off our path. The searing heat forced us back.

"This way!" Korrin shouted, grabbing my arm and pulling me to the right.

We veered off course, precious seconds ticking by as we sought another route. The lava men followed us, their pace quickening.

A flash of movement caught my eye. One of the creatures lunged, its molten fingers reaching for my arm. I jerked back, but not fast enough.

Korrin yanked me away at the last second. The heat seared my skin, and I smelled burning hair.

"Thanks," I panted.

Glancing up, I noticed a cluster of stalactites hanging precariously from the ceiling. "Korrin, look!"

He followed my gaze, understanding dawning on his face. In one fluid motion, he drew his sword and swung it overhead. The blade struck the rock formations, sending a shower of debris crashing down between us and our pursuers.

"Go, go!" Korrin urged, pushing me forward.

We raced ahead, the hexagonal door tantalizingly close. But as we approached, the ground beneath our feet began to shift and crack.

I stumbled, struggling to keep my balance on the unstable terrain. Korrin grabbed my hand, steadying me.

"Watch your step," he warned.

Our progress slowed as we carefully picked our way across the treacherous floor. More lava men emerged from hidden crevices, cutting off potential escape routes.

"Left!" I shouted as a group of creatures blocked our path.

We changed direction, only to find ourselves facing another wall of molten bodies.

"Right!" Korrin called out, leading us down yet another detour.

The constant changes in direction left me disoriented. The oppressive heat intensified, making it hard to think clearly or move quickly.

"We can't keep this up," I gasped, my lungs burning from the sulfurous air.

Korrin nodded grimly, his face streaked with sweat and grime. "We need to find a way out, fast."

I scanned our surroundings desperately, searching for any sign of escape. Then I saw it—a spiral staircase carved into the far wall, winding upward into darkness.

"There!" I pointed. "Those stairs might lead us out!"

Korrin's eyes lit up with hope. "Good eye. Let's move!"

We changed course, heading for the staircase. But the lava men closed in, forming a ring around us.

Korrin raised his sword, attempting to clear a path. The blade glowed red-hot from the intense heat. He winced, barely able to hold onto the hilt.

"It's too hot," he growled, forced to sheathe the weapon.

I frantically searched for an opening, any gap in the wall of fiery bodies. "There!" I shouted, spotting a narrow space between two slower-moving creatures.

We rushed forward, but more lava men poured out of hidden passages, blocking our path once again.

Exhaustion weighed on me, my limbs feeling like lead. The heat pressed in from all sides, making it hard to breathe. Korrin and I found ourselves completely surrounded, the circle of molten bodies tightening around us.

My vision blurred, darkness creeping in at the edges. As consciousness slipped away, the last thing I saw was Korrin, fists clenched, desperately fighting against the encroaching creatures.