Ascending the volcano further revealed more of the chattering creatures, all of which seemed to attack the group on sight. The living ones, at least.

Ascending to the volcano's peak, Sasha couldn't help but notice the sudden increase in corpses. The shells that she at first mistook for sleeping but that Dyre confirmed were indeed deceased. Something she said so casually it unnerved her a bit.

"We must be getting close," the Madame said. "Alexander's been busy, it would seem."

She knelt over one of the bodies, reaching out on the off chance that it would show her what happened. But nothing appeared. Not a single vision. In fact, she couldn't remember having any as of late. Not since she'd started traveling with Iris.

"Just who are these guys?" she asked.

Dyre pressed on ahead, walking past the dead.

"If I were to guess, simple bounty hunters," the Madame said. "He has a habit of attracting them from time to time."

"That can't be good for us, then," Iris said. "He'll think we're with them, won't he?"

"Not as long as you stay close, no. He knows better than to attack me."

The Madame paused a moment, checking over her commpad. She smiled, closing the screen and waving for everyone to pick up the pace. Sasha herself lingered on the chattering people. If they were simply bounty hunters, why send so many to take down one human? A million chets was a lot, sure, but it'd get depleted pretty fast the more people you sent. It didn't really seem like a smart tactical move. Even if they were all working for someone else.

Moving further up the volcano, Sasha kept an eye out for any discerning logos or tattoos but spotted none among the increasing number of corpses. And the way they all blended in so seamlessly with the rocky surface. They couldn't have just been normal bounty hunters. A local group, maybe?

"Crap, it's getting hot," Cici complained, reinjecting herself.

Sasha did feel the increase in temperature, though it was expected given they had reached the peak of the volcano, lava spewing around the edges and pouring towards them. Even Madame Dyre confirmed as much. Given their proximity to the lava and the superheated gases, the injectors were no longer acting as heat regulators. They were their lifelines. It got so hot that Sasha put a field to try to shield herself. It didn't help.

"What kind of maniac deals with all this?" Cici complained louder.

All three grads had started panting after a while, increasing injection frequencies. But as they were doing so, the Madame still marched along as if it were another day in her garden. In fact, she could only remember the Madame injecting herself once during the entire mission.

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"How are you not burning up, Madame?" Sasha asked. "It's like a hot spring out here."

The Madame shrugged.

"Heat and cold are academic, my child," she said. "I've built stations on stars. This is hardly a challenge."

She looked over the three, Cici having long since collapsed with Iris having to carry her. The Madame sighed.

"Come over here," she waved.

They both got closer, Madame Dyre kneeling and picking up the three of them. Webs shot out over their bodies, the spider spinning them around and around as they became bundles of black, Sasha's head suddenly sticking out a giant sac. She couldn't move. None of them could. Cici sniffed at the material. Sasha found a purr escaping. As Madame Dyre picked her up, she found the heat dropping away.

The webbing. It was cool. Like being wrapped in a chilled blanket. Even Iris seemed to relax, letting the Madame pick her up without a care.

"These should keep you all cool for the time being," she said attaching them each to her back. "Try not to move too much. You may fall off."

Sasha barely heard the words as she felt herself drifting away. Between the warmth of the outside and the cool of the webs, it was the perfect combination for a sunbath. So perfect that Cici had already fallen asleep, Iris clearly fighting the urge as her eyes kept jerking open.

With the three secured, the Madame continued onward, coming down the other side of the volcano. The last thing Sasha saw before she dozed off completely was the second volcano erupting in the distance.

***

Iris nudging her brought Sasha back, the panther yawning in Toudy's cloudy darkness.

What time is it, anyway?

She glanced around, noting the change in elevation. They weren't at the summit anymore, most of the lava a few ways off. As she took in more of her surroundings, she finally noticed the chattering behind her. More of the armored creatures.

"Time to work, my child."

Dyre plucked her up, ripping the webbing free and, much to the panther's surprise, devouring it whole. That was enough to wake her up fully.

The Madame plucked both her friends off and did the same, their shock mirroring her own.

"As you can see," the spider said still chewing, "we've already reached our target."

Sasha still stared up at her. After a few moments, she managed to pull away from the shock, though it was hard to ignore the sounds of her guardian.

On a ridge just below them, there were several dozens of lifeless chattering creatures. All of which had burns and singe marks across their bodies. But there were even more she could see still charging below, the man at the center beckoning them forward.

A human. One with dark red hair and bright brown eyes. Madame Dyre shouted out to him.

"Alexander!"

The man looked over to them, dodging globs of acid in the process.

"That you, Dyre?" he shouted. "Was wondering when you'd drop in!"

Iris managed to snap out of her trance to pull out her commpad. All three grads looked from the photo to the man who proceeded to end a chattering creature with a kick. Their faces were an exact match.

Sasha nodded.

"That's our guy, alright."

Dyre shot a web over to him, the graduate trio leaping down with her.