Magma bubbles within the basin of an enormous lake, heat oozing outward and baking the entire cavern. Black glass coats the walls, ceiling, and floor, shimmering in the harsh glow of the boiling rock. The air runs thick with heat, convection currents billowing forth from the lake and carrying the potent stench of sulphur. In the centre of the lake lies a small landmass, obscured by the shimmering warping of air from the intense heat and protruding from the magma, bending inward to a sheer drop. The group stands by the lake edge discussing ways across, save for two.

"You said it yourself. The only way down is on that island in the centre of the lake. Why are you being stubborn about this?" Aleph asks Lyly, staring bemused at the arachnid swarming with a random assortment of tiny insects and critters. "I'm telling you, the moment I get too close, that bastard of a dragon, no offence, is going to come bursting out and attack us like he always does! If it weren't for my disguise he would already be here, I'm sure of it!" "None taken. And by disguise, I take it you mean those insects you've got all over yourself?" "I'm blending in. I'd like to see you do any better."

Aleph sighs, Aether spreading out, thin and focused to push at the very light around her flaring her. Arcing the photons around her body, she renders herself functionally invisible to all outward observers. "Huh... Forgot you could do that." Dispelling the cloak, Aleph nudges Lyly atop her head. "I'll keep us hidden from sight. We shouldn't keep the others waiting. Get rid of those bugs though, I'm surprised they can even withstand this much heat, but they'll surely burn up closer to the lake." Lyly shakes herself free from the clinging centipedes and beetles, skittering to her rightful perch with renewed confidence. "All of them." A single butterfly remains atop the spider, fluttering in its glimmering glory. "Aww, but it's cute! I think I'm taking a liking to butterflies. I have an affinity for them!" One can almost see a faint blush gracing the insect's face. Granted, that is probably just its natural pattern, but one can always imagine. "Fine, but if it dies it's on you."

As soon as she stands, the butterfly flutters away, leaving behind a dejected arachnid. "Ah... No... My friend..." Ignoring the depressed mumblings of the spider, Aleph flares her Aether and begins bending the light once again as she walks, bathing their view in a pitch blackness, all light failing to reach their eyes. "I can't see..." "Well... Yeah. I'm bending the light away from us, what did you expect?" "Then how are we supposed to see where we're going?" "Ae'othas." "What was that again?" "Aether sense..." "So how am I supposed to see?" "Mana sense?" "Best I can do with this body is sense that there is in fact, Mana." "Huh. Maybe do that, but harder?" "Sure..."

Aleph walks a straight path towards the rest of the group, who turn at her approach. Ambient sound begins to pick up, the heavy pops of bubbling magma gaining frequency as a low rumble steadily grows. The ground trembles, the oppressive heat turning hostile as it bears against tough scales and hard chitin. Stone around them begins to glow and melt, prompting the three by the lake to sprint back and regroup. With Fluffy in the lead they approach Aleph, who drops her cloak. "Hey! Why are we visible again?! We're not even at the lake!" "I'm guessing we've already been seen." The group gather, watching as the lake expands and consumes the terrain around it. Tremendous heat warps the atmosphere, distorting the cavern around them as each member is battered by scorching winds.

Goldy grips the wind, spinning a small tempest of cool winds around them to curb the intense heat. Fluffy and Dyly stand on guard, prepared for whatever may come while Lyly waggles her pedipalps with unfiltered hostility. "Come at me fool! See if you can beat me this time! I'm not scared of you!" "Perhaps we should try talking first? They clearly never had any issue with me coming through before, so we might be able to get by without a fight." Fluffy offers, his scraggly hair flowing through the wind in all of its untamed glory. "This guy has been blocking me without a decent explanation for centuries. But if you think you can talk him down then be my guest. But when he attacks anyway, I'm getting the first hit!" Fluffy nods, lowering his arms to appear less hostile.

In the centre of the lake the magma stirs, bubbling over and appearing to consume the island whole before bursting into a column and reaching the ceiling. The geyser sprays into the earth above, running down grooves in the walls to coat the cavern in endlessly flowing rivers of boiling rock. The rivers weave together, forming a mesh of white, red, and gold before merging back into the central lake. The geyser steadily expands from the base to the tip, a spiral forming from within and wrapping around. And the magma opens its eyes.

"Behold!"

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A thunderous voice declares, the surface of the pillar bursting in sync to reveal the serpentine form within. Wrapped in a neatly formed spiral around the spire of bubbling rock is a crimson scaled serpent, adorned with a mane of glistening gold fur which traces back across the beast's spine. Claws grip at the magma, taming it in place as the figure regards the intruders with harsh, yellow eyes and bared fangs dripping with hostility. "I am Mekrotok, king of flame, champion of the eternal inferno, and guardian of this land. None shall pass without my blessing." He proclaims, licks of flame coating his tongue and dancing in harmony with each word. "Who dares to- What the fuck is that?!"

Yellow eyes bear down on the group, one dragon in particular the recipient of a direct glare. Aleph is taken aback, looking down at herself, then back to the impolite lizard who stares wide-eyed at her. "Rude." "No, seriously! What the fuck?!" His serpentine body winds around the pillar, sliding its way atop the lake and over to the group where he towers over them, a low hum emanating from his body whi h seems to command the ebb and flow of the liquid rock around them. "You're proportions are all wrong! You look like an adult-sized child and you have no Mana! I've heard horror stories that look less uncanny than you! You bear the mark of a divine beast, yet you were clearly not made like that! What even are you?!"

Choosing to take offence, because who wouldn't, Aleph stares him down. His yellow eyes meet her own violet ones and hold strong, a faint tremble in his gaze yet he doesn't back down. Taking the silence as an opportunity, Fluffy steps forward with arms folded behind to appear more passive. "Divine beast Mekrotok, was it?" Mekrotok's eyes dart over to the elf, who doesn't even bother trying to meet them directly. Another win for me! "I discarded that title a long time ago, fool." "I see. Then Mekrotok it is." "That is lord Mekrotok, king of flames to you, insect." "Mekrotok it is." Fluffy smiles, clearly already beginning to be as done with his shit as Lyly.

"See what I mean? He just has such a way with words." Lyly chitters, barely holding back an 'I told you so'. "Don't think I haven't seen you, Lyla. You just don't give up. And now you have four others roped into this madness." Lyly squints and raises three legs, making sure to emphasise the extended middle leg. "Why don't you want us to pass?" "I care not for you, human. Nor the ape, or that... thing." "Hey!" "I'm an elf..." "It is the children of the Progenitor I refuse passage to." "Why?" Aleph steps forward, her gaze focused on the dragon before them. "What have we done to you?" "Child. You know nothing of the path you seek. You should head for the surface and live your life, as Lyla once did, lest you be swept up in the most pointless waiting game this world has to offer."

"What waiting game? If you're going to block our way the least you can do is tell us why." "Though I disagree with their methods, I am bound by contract to provide no interference to the divine beasts, and they cannot interfere with me." "You're interfering with us. "You are not divine beasts. And you will fair better if you remain as such. I warn you for your own sakes as a fellow child of the Progenitor, even if you make it past me, you will not find the future you seek in this labyrinth. Do not seek part in this war that predates us all." His words rumble within the atmosphere, an ambient hum as the group consider his words. Aleph turns to her companions, not a single expression of doubt or distrust present.

"I have answers I need from the Progenitor. This is not something I intend to negotiate on." "Yea! What she said! What's it to you if I wanna join in on whatever they're-" "Fools You and them alike!!" He bellows, the cavern walls cowering under the tremors of his words. "Nila! Avilar! Matra! All of them! They wait for an eternity and prepare for a war which will never come, doing nothing in the face of wars and travesties that do arrive! All in the name of revenge, a meaningless hope, or loyalty to some old fool who has been gone for aeons!" Mekrotok rises, yellow eyes warped in fury and quartz fangs dripping with hostility. "If you intend to join them, then you are my enemy. Proceed, and perish."

Stone melts. Magma vaporises. Air turns plasma. The former divine beast stands coated in flame and electricity, the very atmosphere buzzing with heat and vitality in his presence. And so he roars.

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"Father. Lyla's group have reached Mekrotok." "I see. Do you think they can make it past? Unsealed, Lyla would have made it here long ago, yet I cannot imagine that form of hers succeeding, even with assistance from the young dragon." "The heat there is too much for my eyes to handle, so I cannot watch the battle. I believe they will succeed though." "How optimistic. What do you base this on?" "The elf is likely strong enough to tip the tides on his own. Not to mention the dragon is something of a wildcard with their strength being difficult to measure. Additionally, they summoned a demon to assist, so they have clearly prepared." "Fine points. Though, is there nothing more to your reasoning?" "No, that... is all." "I see. Do tell us how it turns out." "Yes mother. Incidentally... I have developed something of a fondness for Lyla. Perhaps she and I might get along, once we meet." "Ah, I see. You and her do share a similar nature after all."