The trio looked out at the immense gates in the distance, guarded by the monstrous three-headed hound Cerberus. Between them and the gates lay a perilous path requiring traversal over and around streams of lava flowing through the volcanic chamber.
Calvin took a deep breath, "Well, no way forward but through. Let's take this carefully."
With Freya leading the way, nose alert for any dangers, the group began picking their way over the uneven volcanic rock. The extreme heat caused sweat to pour off of them almost immediately. They had to watch their footing with care as the occasional burst of steam or spike of hot magma shot into the air unpredictably.
After nearly an hour of cautious travel, they finally drew close enough to the gates to make out details on their carved surface - scenes of torment, souls in anguish, winged demons with whips and pitchforks. Cerberus stood unmoving before the gates, blocking their way. The massive three-headed hound watched their approach, growling low in its throats.
When they stood just before the bridge, Cerberus spoke, its gravelly voice booming and echoing in the vast chamber.
"WHO DARES ENTER THE UNDERWORLD UNINVITED?"
Calvin cleared his throat. "We are travelers on a quest. We were brought here through trials and now simply seek to continue on our way."
The heads of the hound growled and snapped. The one on the right spoke next.
"NONE MAY PASS THE GATES OF HADES!"
The left head whipped to the side, snapping toward the one that just spoke and picked up the refrain. "WE HUNGER. BRING US AN OFFERING AND PERHAPS WE WILL ALLOW YOU TO CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEY."
Calvin looked at Amy and Freya. This was an unexpected turn, but perhaps they could negotiate safe passage.
"What would you have us bring to sate your legendary appetite?"
The middle head lowered toward them, baring rows of jagged teeth. A bit of drool dripped onto the stones before them.
"I REQUIRE THE TAIL OF A FLAME SALAMANDER FROM THE PITS OF PHLEGETHON. BRING THIS TO ME AND YOU MAY PASS."
The left head swept down next. "AND I REQUIRE THE STILL BEATING HEARTSTONE OF A FIRE GOLEM FROM THE FORGES OF HEPHAESTUS. THIS WILL SATISFY MY HUNGER."
Finally, the head on the right descended, tongue lolling. "FOR MY HUNGER, BRING ME A CHALICE OF THE RARE FIREWINE FROM THE VINEYARDS OF ELYSIUM."
The heads reared back and let loose a cacophonous howl that shook the chamber. Cerberus sat, gazing steadily at the group, clearly expecting them to now venture out in search of its demanded items.
Calvin sighed, but they had little choice. "Very well. We shall return with these offerings, great Cerberus."
Freya stood in front of Cerberus, yipping and growling. Cerberus eyed her and responded in kind. Calvin and Amy watched the exchange, confused before Freya communicated to Calvin through their link.
Pits, this way.
Freya bowed her head toward Cerberus and bounded off.
"Okay, looks like the pits of Phlegethon are closest. We'll head there first for the salamander tail." Calvin said, finally understanding what had taken place. Freya had been communicating with Cerberus.
Picking their way carefully back over the treacherous volcanic landscape, the trio made for a distant tunnel mouth, heat shimmering the air around it. As they drew closer, Calvin felt sweat beading heavily on his forehead. Glancing at his companions, he saw Amy looking flushed. Even Freya was panting rapidly.
"Take a rest break first you two. Have some water and let your body temps normalize."
The brief rest finished, they moved into the baking hot tunnel. The passage angled downward, the heat grew more intense. Finally, they emerged onto a ledge overlooking a seething lake of liquid fire. Bubbles burst across its surface, releasing showers of sparks and small gouts of flame. The air rippled from the heat.
Calvin pointed to several large, glowing forms visible moving in the magma lake. Sinuous, with what looked like manes of flame running down their backs to the tip of a long tail.
"There they are. Let's snatch a tail and get out of here."
Amy peered down, assessing the creatures and terrain carefully. "The ledge forms a rough path down to the lake shore. We can use that to get in range. I don't see any other threats yet."
Weapons ready, the group moved slowly down the precarious ledge path. The temperature grew ever hotter, their magic gear shielding them from the worst of it. As they drew closer to the magma lake shore, several of the great salamanders reared up from the molten material, fiery eyes fixing on the trio. One began slithering onto land, the magma dripping from its glowing form.
Calvin pointed his spear, electricity arcing down its length.
The salamander was nearly twenty feet long, its thick body pulsing with heat. It's mouth opened, revealing a maw of white-hot flames. With startling speed it lunged forward, seeking to grasp one of them in its jaws.
Calvin and Amy leaped apart as Freya blinked away. The salamander slammed a claw down where they had stood a moment before, stone cracking from the intense heat. Freya appeared behind it, fur smoldering as she sank her teeth into its hind leg with Fangs of Fenrir. Steam exploded outward from the wound in the magma flesh. The salamander reared back, bellowing.
Amy followed up with a shadowthorn dagger coated in Blight Bloom toxin to the creature's eye.
As the blinded creature thrashed, Calvin activated his gauntlet and hurled a charged spear with all his might. The spear pierced through the armored molten hide and burst from the salamander's chest in a spray of lava blood.
Not waiting to see if his blow had been a killing strike, Calvin blinked forward with Stormwalk as the salamander toppled. He grabbed the long, fiery tail and withdrew his night claw spear, severing the tail with a wind blade.
Leaping away before the dying salamander could crush him, Calvin rejoined Amy and Freya further up the ledge path. He held the still glowing tail up.
"One down, two to go! We'd best get out of here before more show up."
Wasting no time, the group swiftly made their way back up the ledge path. As they reached the tunnel mouth, the chamber behind them resounded with enraged bellows and fiery roars from the other salamanders. Without looking back, the trio moved into the passage.
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They made their way through twisting tunnels of volcanic rock, following Freya's lead as she tracked the way to the Forge of Hephaestus. The air around them shimmered with intense heat. Rivulets of lava trickled down cracks in the passage walls.
After nearly an hour of travel, Freya paused, sniffing the air. She gave a short bark and then set off again at a quicker pace. The tunnel opened up ahead into a vast cavern, filled with the roar and clash of industry.
The group moved out onto a ledge overlooking a bustling operation of enormous scale. Below them stretched fiery forges, assembly lines, conveyor belts - all manned by an army of large, hulking humanoid creatures seemingly made of molten rock, slag, and flames. These lumbering brutes carried piles of ore, stoked furnaces, and operated massive steam hammers and presses for shaping metal. The scale of production was staggering.
"Those must be Hephaestus' assistants - fire giants, I'm guessing." Calvin observed.
Amy pointed to several very large examples among the workforce, standing at least twenty-five feet tall. "And I think those are the golems we need a heart from. This isn't going to be easy."
Weaving between pools of lava and stacks of metal ingots, the trio descended toward the main forge level. The heat intensified the closer they drew. As they moved carefully behind a large ore processor, Calvin spoke.
"The golems oversee the work, so they shouldn't be too involved. We need to isolate one. Amy, you're the stealth expert, think you can manage it?"
She nodded. "I can get one away from the others at least. Then we hit it fast and hard."
Leaving Calvin and Freya in hiding, Amy ducked into a cloud of miasma to creep unseen along the edge of the work area. The giant golems were directing their underlings in an unfamiliar language. As one lumbered past, she slipped behind it, drew her venom-coated dagger, and drove it into the back of its thick rocky knee.
The golem bellowed, more from surprise than pain, and turned to face its attacker. Amy vanished again and reappeared on the cavern wall nearly twenty feet off away. She launched a spike directly into one of the golem's eyes. It reeled from the impact and stumbled toward her, flames leaping from its maw. Several of the smaller fire giants moved to assist but the golem waved them off.
Amy ran across the cavern, leading the enraged molten creature away from the others. As it closed in on her position near a lava flow at the cavern's edge, Calvin and Freya struck. Calvin summoned his arsenal and immediately sent them rocketing toward the creature to tear smoking holes in the thing's chest while Freya savaged its leg with her giant fangs. The electrified wounds cracked the obsidian exterior.
Now seriously damaged, the golem swept its arms trying to pummel Calvin and Freya but they evaded. Amy activated Death's Door and appeared onto the thing's shoulders. She drove both poisoned daggers to the hilt in its thick neck. The toxin ate away at the rock interior and the golem dropped to its knees, weakened.
Calvin finished the golem off with a thrust of his spear right through its head. It collapsed into a heap of partially molten rock. A quick glance showed the workers were continuing about their business, seemingly heedless of the fate that had befallen their supervisor.
Amy pried the heart free, quickly placing it still connected by veins of lava into her pouch.
"Got it! Now let's get the hell out before-" Calvin was interrupted by a deafening alarm klaxon. All activity in the forge immediately ceased as the army of fire giants turned toward the group, hefting huge burning hammers and picks. The remaining giant golems stormed toward them, the floor trembling under their steps.
"Yeah, that's our cue! Go go go!"
The trio fled up a winding path along the cavern wall, seeking escape as a horde of furious forge defenders raced after them.
They raced through the twisting passages, the enraged bellows of the fire giant legion echoing behind them. After nearly half an hour of full-speed flight, Calvin risked a glance back. No signs of pursuit.
"I think we finally lost them," he panted, slowing. Amy and Freya slowed alongside him, sides heaving. They continued on at a brisk walk, following Freya's tracking sense.
Before long, the passages opened up into a vast cavern filled with orderly rows of lush vines bearing vibrant red grapes illuminated by rays of sunlight from above. Gentle hills rolled away into the distance, dotted with charming villas.
"This must be the vineyard," Amy observed. As they walked between the vine rows, cheerful satyrs, nymphs, and other beings tended the plants, harvesting grapes into bushels. The pleasant scene felt utterly disconnected from the industrial hellscape they had just escaped.
Calvin flagged down a passing nymph. "Excuse me, could you direct us to whoever is responsible for this vineyard?"
She smiled "Why of course, dear. The lord Dionysus presides over these lands. His villa lies just over the southern hills yonder. Do take care though, visitors must prove wit and wisdom to gain audience."
Thanking their guide, the group made for the hills she had indicated. Before long, they came upon an elaborate villa estate sprawling over gentle slopes. Vines heavy with fruit framed the charming whitewashed walls and red tile roofs. Figures lounged on terraces and balconies, sipping wine from golden chalices, laughter and music filled the air.
At the main gate, a dour looking satyr regarded them warily. "State your names and business."
Calvin stepped forward. "I am Calvin, leader of Olympus. With me are Freya and Amy. We have traveled far and with great hardship. Now we come before Lord Dionysus to humbly request a vessel of his famed firewine, that we may continue our quest."
The satyr raised a bushy eyebrow appraisingly. "Hm, well met lord regent. But to gain audience, you must pass a test of wit and wisdom. Answer my riddle and you shall be granted entry."
Calvin nodded. "Very well."
The satyr cleared his throat officiously. "The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?"
Calvin pondered for just a moment before answering, "Footsteps."
The satyr laughed. "Well done, well done! You may indeed pass."
The gates swung open and the group moved up the paved path through exquisite formal gardens toward the sprawling villa. Music and laughter sounded from within. They passed through the grand arched entrance into a lavishly furnished greatroom lit by golden light. Numerous beings lounged on divans and cushions, attended by nubile servants.
At the room's far end upon a raised dais reclined a handsome man with dark curly hair, clad in a leopard skin and laurel crown. He held up a jewel-encrusted golden chalice, wine sloshing. "Welcome honored guests! I am Dionysus. Come, join my revels!"
Calvin and the others moved before the reclining god. "Lord Dionysus, we come before you on a quest of vital urgency. Already we have passed through many trials. Now we seek but a small boon - a chalice of your famed firewine, that we may pacify the guardian Cerberus and continue our journey."
Dionysus grinned broadly, clearly quite intoxicated. "Straight to business then? No matter! For such noble heroes, I would be happy to provide a sample of my private reserve!" He gestured and an elegant crystal chalice brimming with glowing ruby liquid appeared in Calvin's hands. "Drink first! A toast to your fortune!"
Calvin hesitated, but so as not to offend their host, raised the vessel and took a small sip. Instantly he felt warmth blossom in his core, the heady liquid imparting a burst of energy. He inclined his head gratefully. "My thanks great Dionysus. Now we must take our leave and carry this offering swiftly back."
"Not so fast!" Dionysus rose unsteadily to his feet, expression suddenly serious. "I sense you have not been fully honest regarding this quest you pursue. Therefore, I will require each of you to answer a riddle before departing." He turned to Freya.
"First, brave wolf - I can sizzle like bacon, I am made with an egg. I have plenty of backbone, but lack a good leg. What am I?"
Freya tilted her head quizzically then barked, Toast!
Dionysus laughed, "Indeed! Now for the lovely rogue..." He peered closely at Amy through blurry, bloodshot eyes. "This thing all things devours; Birds, beasts, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel; Grinds hard stones to meal; Slays king, ruins town, And beats mountain down. What is it?"
Amy pondered a moment. "Time."
"Well done!" Dionysus turned at last to Calvin. "Now regent, a final riddle before you may depart. The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?"
Calvin almost laughed. They had just heard this one from the satyr at the gate. "Why that is footsteps of course."
Dionysus frowned, shaking his head exaggeratedly. "I'm afraid not. Guess again!"
Calvin was taken aback. Then he understood - Dionysus was quite drunk and had clearly forgotten the earlier riddle. The answer was still footsteps but he had to find a way to make the intoxicated god recall.
"Hmm, let me think on this another moment..." Calvin tapped his chin thoughtfully, then suddenly brightened. "Oh I see the confusion now! The answer is in how the riddle is interpreted. Consider it this way..."
Calvin launched into an improvised explanation about the allegorical significance of "taking footsteps" as a metaphor for the journey of life. How the more life experience one gains, the more their originating innocence is left behind.
Dionysus stared glassy-eyed as Calvin nattered esoterically. Finally, he burst out laughing.
"Yes, yes I see what you have done there, quite clever! You may indeed pass - footsteps was correct after all! Now take your prize and go in peace."
Collecting Freya and Amy with a relieved look, Calvin made haste from the estate, precious chalice in hand.