Chapter 23 - The Underground Volcano

Ignoring the whole boy girl situation between Commander Alia and Mogranius, Eric decided to focus on the main motive. Something that can help them figure this puzzle out and possibly plan their next move towards it. "How do you think the source just disappeared, snap. Like that? Does it fade out? Does it age? A source that an entire Continent greatly relies too, couldn't just disappear! This is way too confusing."

Being confused about the source herself and actually waiting for Eric to tell her more about it, she raised her shoulders up signifying that she isn't informed. Proceeding to state, "I know about the teleportation source or any source in particular way less than you do. As the Electus you should be able to find more information about it than me. And I actually thought you knew more."

Mogranius had questions to ask as well, a question based mostly on himself actually. Walking in front of Eric and literally grabbing all of Commander Alia's attention, he proceeded to ask a question that might solve his own puzzle. "Do teleportation spells have time travel included? Because I literally teleported two hundred years in the future. I don't know how and I don't know what to think first. Your race is very good at hiding anything in particular about them so I don't have enough information to form a plausible theory..."

Being grown up around Kastarians, she of course had a couple of things to say, at least about time travel. It isn't something she didn't hear about before. "If you teleported here at the exact minutes where the entire continent of Kastaria was being destroyed, it might explain how you got here. Many other Wizards and Witches tried to teleport that day but it just led to the spells not working or them teleporting through random places through time. Time travel spells are based on Grandmastery, but with the source dying out, even a Level 1 Teleporter can possibly cast level 6 spells."

Although it was a reply based on a firm theory, it still didn't fill every piece of the puzzle, it wasn't 100% certain. But Mogranius at least felt a little bit more relieved now. At least now he knows more about possibly how he got here.

"Well it isn't a vacation to live in this hellhole of a timezone but part by part it is getting better." Letting out a huge meaningful flirt afterwards, he proceeded to say. "I got to meet you." He didn't exactly plan this flirt, it just went through his head when he started counting the good thing about teleporting on this timezone. Commander Alia was number one on his list. Although Eric is a good guy, let's face it. Mogranius had to fry Black Wolves for him when they first met. It ain't exactly something pretty to remember.

Commander Alia though, actually liked what Mogranius just said. Even though it was flirting, she had a strong sense that he meant what he said. She just looked at the ground and her face got tremendously red, but of course she didn't want to admit that she liked that a lot! Instead, she just wanted to irritate Mogranius as revenge for tangling up her feelings.

He is the first man she reacted positively to flirts on. Her being s.e.x.u.a.lly attractive fairly above average, grabbed the attention of a lot of l.u.s.ty Kastarian men before. Which is why she doesn't like men approaching her with such aims in particular. But she has a strong sense that Mogranius is different. "This isn't right old man. I'm only three hundred years old. You look older." Well of course she had to annoy him.

Smoke came out of Mogranius' ears in anger as he yelled. "I'm only fifty eight years old. How can you be three hundred years old? I rarely met anyone who made it past through their 80's. And why didn't I ever hear about the Kastarian race before?" Older people do not like being teased about their age, keep it in mind please.

Noticing clearly that she managed to piss off Mogranius greatly, she reacted in a calmer tone to add more wood to the burning fire. "Well a Kastarian's average life span is seven hundred years. And you never heard about us because we chose so. Our continent was invisible to any other race or place. And there was peace. Here I see anything but peace."

Secretly feeling admiration for the Kastarian Race, smoke stopped puffing out of his ears, he calmed down in no time. And asked a question that any individual who has a fancy for another would ask(if that individual lives 700 years that is). "Seven hundred years!? How many men did you meet that were worth your time?"

Finding the courage to finally make eye contact with Mogranius after her blush faded, she boldly replied with. "One".

Right after Commander Alia finished that small sentence, she left everyone speechless and started walking towards their destination. While they both were following her, Mogranius' feelings were raging and he actually felt self doubt for once more. Thinking it over if he is the one or no.

Taking another five minutes of walking, they reached their destination. A place which was forgotten by the outside world. An isolated place! The great underground town of Lan Zhe.

Upon entrance, a huge hole was to be seen in the middle of this extensively large cave. The hole itself seemed around half a mile wide. As if an actual Volcano sunk down underground and its form remained unchanged. Inside the Volcano walls, hundreds upon hundreds of tunnels leading to likely bigger caves, personal rooms, natural resources, storage rooms, and the 7 Sources know what else would be there. The point is, there were a lot of entrances and space management seemed superior.

Six foot wide walkways were to be seen, spiraling down the volcano. So its people could easily walk where they pleased, reaching down the spiraling tunnels. And at the very bottom, lava was of course to be seen. Half a mile of boiling hot lava. Who knows how deep that lava pool goes?! Could be a couple hundred yards, could be a couple miles. There may even be many branches the further they sink down.

A truly an amazing and honestly a slightly terrifying sight to see. The lava is so boiling hot that Eric and Mogranius are able to feel it even though they are half a mile away from it, making one think if lava is supposed to have such an effect.

Eric speaks out with a tear on his eye(Rather funny to watch.), he was filled with admiration. "I've never seen something so terrifyingly beautiful. I want to jump in but I'm afraid that I would turn to a fish stick. And i hate fish sticks."

Trying to set some boundaries to these plausibly troublesome people, Commander Alia approached closer and kindly explained. "Amazing isn't it. But we shall not go all the way down. The higher we stay, the less the chance for you to get boiled alive. The bottom is indeed very hot and only the Grand Masters can handle being a foot apart from the lava."

Having it tough resisting to admire such amazing race, culture and power. Questions kept popping on his head, but only a few felt appropriate to ask. "Grand Master you say? So their levels of ability can be primarily measured by literally how much heat they can handle?"

Alia replies with a calm voice. Likely a bit tired from having to explain everything to practical strangers. They just arrived after all, of course they have a lot of questions. But how far can she trust them. If they cause trouble, she has to take responsibility over it as she accepted them here. "Yes yes. It is fairly based on how much they can handle the heat. But everything here is balanced. There is another reason why the grandmasters are at the bottom apart from showing off their rough skin."

Eric speaks out with curiosity, actually willing to know more. "Another reason you say? Well do tell. I never enjoyed learning this much."

Mogranius follows in a mocking manner. "Believe me he is speaking the truth."

On her last nerve Commander Alia yells out, "SILENCE!" To this lack of manners. They likely were too excited. After that she calms down again way to fast, realizing that she might have over done it a little bit. She proceeded to speak under a sweet tone. "Let's continue. See the Grand Masters are like the source of lava powers. But not quite. In case of attackers, Grand Masters provide the troops with lava enough for hundreds of the Calidum Lutum to control. Even though there are only five Grand Masters."

Mogranius speaks out with amazement on his tone, yelling in shock and desperate to know more. This civilization disappeared before the first Era. Having the opportunity to learn more about them, makes this trip worth dying for. And they might if they keep yelling. "Only five Grand Masters capable to provide enough lava for hundreds of people to control. Astonishing."

Wild ideas going through his head, Eric added. "For sure. One of those Grand Masters should mentour me when it comes to lava controlling. But do the Grand Masters control the lava upwards straight from the Volcano or do they blast it out of their body like Fire Blasters do?"

Looking at the lava beneath her with admiration, Commander Alia replies with, "They are actually able to do both. Making them a true force to be reckoned with. No Lava Controller could face any of them one on one and win. Rather impossible."

Mogranius speaks out again with yet another question, if he had a piece of parchment to write all of this valuable information down, he wouldn't drop the quill until the last drop of ink. But with no parchment in his current possession, all he could do now was listen. "So the Grand Masters are like the source of Power. What do the Witches and Wizards in other levels doo?"

Commander alia repeated herself.

"As i said. Everything here is balanced. The Grand Masters are the source of Lava. The Masters on the other hand are able to pick up all of that terrifying amount of lava and direct it. They seperate it in tens of pieces and direct it to the experts."

Eric follows through and says, "The Grand Masters seem to provide all the lava but the Masters seem to hold greater responsibility. Or am i wrong?"