Chapter 40 - Freeing the Spirit

"What are my duties as the Golden Blood?"

Asked Eric with a question that has been puzzling his mind even before he successfully claimed the crown.

"Well. Your main duty is to lead our people into safety, peace and harmony. Considering the fact that safety is covered by the Lava Controllers, all you have to do is prevent people from knowing we exist, ultimately keeping us away from war."

Explained Commander Alia with a smile but that smile quickly turned into a frown as the new King replied.

"I wish i could do that. But you saw yourself! The ill.u.s.tratios found their way here. They are far too close minded to find this place themselves. Meaning a brighter mind led them here. Likely the Grand King. Xakro ill.u.s.tratio lll."

Replied Eric with obvious grief in his tone.

"And since that snake Chan escaped, he will confirm your existence. You already got yourself into war."

Added Stefan.

"And even though a Calidum Lutum's skin can withstand an arrow with ease, you saw that explosion. They know any front line Calidum Lutum can't withstand an explosion. Giving them an advantage."

Explained Eric who for once seemed to be insightful and continued

"Our first line of defense shall be hard dried out lava filling the small cave you attacked us at and also filling the long tunnel leading to this town. We shall open an entrance when necessary but now we should close it."

"I greatly want to avoid war but if those bastards want to hurt my people, i will rip them apart with my bear hands.

I shall pass down the order to the Grand Masters. Or at least one of them. They shaped this underground Volcano to begin with. Adding a layer of rock shouldn't be hard."

Explained Alia.

"I have many questions about the Volcano Shaping, but for another time. Aren't we supposed to go to the funeral of the victim or something?"

Asked Eric with clear sadness.

"We shall. Or at least you shall. Here we don't bury people who have passed away. He was born around lava, he shall pass to heaven around lava. That way, Our god will be pleased and the victim's soul wouldn't be cursed to haunt us."

Explained Alia.

"Now i have a boatload of questions. You couldn't even imagine. But first about the funeral and later about everything else. How can he pass to heaven through lava?"

Asked Eric while scratching his head in confusion.

"You'll see. Go down the area where the Grand Masters are and join the funeral. Because you are the Golden Blood only you can withstand the heat apart from The Grand Masters that can at least stay near the lava that is."

Commander Alia explained while enjoying the confusion on Eric's face and added.

"You don't need to walk half a mile down, just jump. You wanted too at the beginning anyway. And as some teenage girls reported, your clothes didn't burn either. They sounded disappointed about it though."

"Oh now you speak my language."

Said Eric as his adrenaline increased rapidly before even standing up from his throne.

After that he disappeared from his throne without a trace and everyone in the throne room heard him yell

"Yeaaaaahhhhh!!!"

As he jumped head first from the edge of the Volcano to the molten lava.

"Did you teach him to disappear?"

Said Commander Alia while looking at Mogranius with slight anger.

"Well i can sense smoke here coming from the Volcano. Very light but i suppose still usable.

So i suppose i'm a little bit guilty."

Said Mogranius with slight shyness.

"I will deal with you later."

Said Alia with an intimidating voice and a wink with her right eye.

Leaving Mogranius with his Cheeks red and his body feeling frozen as she walked out of the throne room.

"Nothing like old people flirting."

Said Woldemir with sarcasm.

"Well judging from how she looks, she would be considered on her thirties in our lifespan. But mathematically speaking she would be considered on her forties even though she looks way younger than that. She is three Hundred years old after all."

Explained Stefan while puzzling everyone around him except Mogranius who was so frozen that Woldemir had to lift him over his shoulder and carry him away from the throne room as Mogranious remained stiff as a board.

Eric was falling down for half a mile until he met the molten lava again and caused a light splash.

"Opecl. Er WelzerArtej ke sadpu.

(Translates too "Good. The GoldenBlood is here.")"

Said Grand Master Xalk.

Eric swims around the pool of lava as if he was swimming on a normal lake. With great ease. And climbed out of the lava pool and sat down the walkways that spiraled down.

"Funeral is begun."

Said Grand Master Kazer.

After that Eric saw the victim laying on a thin rock. The rock was reaching five foot wide and ten foot long. Able to carry the victim above the lava.

Grand Master Pezik pushed the rock gently, to lead the victim away from the walkway.

Xalk stood up and as he raised his right hand upwards and the left hand forward, a gentle wave of lava started rising. Pushing the stone all the way to the very middle of the Volcano. Which was far enough that Eric and the Grand Masters couldn't see anything but a dot.

But shortly after they did notice that the Victim's dead body caught on fire. Expectable. I mean he is an inch above lava.

But as he caught on fire, Eric noticed a cloud appearing in the entire bottom area of the Volcano. Like a mist. Or like a blizzard where you can barely see a few feet away.

"What is going on?"

Said Eric in slight panic.

"Calm."

Yelled Kazer.

The cloud became thicker and thicker and as the Victim's body slipped from the rock and fell in the lava. The cloud disappeared instantly and they saw a white spirit like figure flying out of the Volcano and upwards the sky as it broke the surface of the earth outside of the town.

"Spirit Free."

Said Kazer.