The train pulled into a station made of volcanic glass. The walls were simultaneously jagged and smooth, giving it the appearance of some sort of abstract art piece. The group clambered out and were almost immediately hit in the face with a burst of heat strong enough to suck the air from their lungs. Concordia let out a raspy cough.

I can see why they call it the ‘Lake of Fire’, she signed.

She wasn’t wrong. The Lake of Fire was indeed a lake of fire hundreds of miles across, situated in a cavern that reeked of ash and smoke. Rivers of magma streamed out of the basin, kept at bay only by naturally-occurring rock outcroppings and several well-placed freeze spells. Strangely, there were houses, bridges and even forests clustered around the edges of the lake, far enough away that the incessant heat was tolerable but close enough for the magma to light them. The closest structure was a factory powered by an enormous lava wheel, which splattered glowing globules all around it. Every surface in sight shimmered with heat.

Neith stripped off her overcoat and tugged on the collar of her blouse. “Goodness, how can anyone stand this?”

“Good question,” Mel said. “Lots and lots of practice. Helps that most people either grew up here or further underground. Down there you have to settle for either freezing cold or blazin’ hot. Can’t have it in-between like on the surface.”

Mel led them across a bridge made of lava rock and volcanic glass, then down a trail carved into the sharp rock before eventually stopping at a small, quaint village. It looked like something Artemisia would see on the surface by the mountains, although the tranquil image was ruined by the hellish light of the magma stream cutting through the middle of it.

Mel stopped in front of a house and gestured grandly at the door. “After you.”

Artemisia knocked on the door. It was answered by an older woman in a red headscarf, her face partially hidden by her midnight-black hair. Her eyes fell on Neith and immediately narrowed. “You!”

The blood drained from Neith’s face. “Oh, dear…”

The woman ignored Artemisia, rushing past her and swatting Neith in the face.

“How dare you!”

“Neith, what’s going on?” Artemisia asked.

“I dunno, but this is amazing!” Bonnie said cheerfully.

“Seventy years! It’s been seventy years, and you never visit or even write! One note - just one! - would’ve been enough, but nooo!”

“Tanya-” Neith began, but Tanya continued.

“You should be ashamed of yourself, you wretched, foolish little girl-!”

Artemisia stepped in just about then, moving between Tanya and Neith to keep Tanya from swatting her girlfriend again. “Pardon me, ma’am, but what’s going on?”

Neith sighed deeply and said, “Tanya, this is Artemisia. Artemisia, this is Tanya, my aunt.”

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

“Some niece you are!” Tanya scowled, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring balefire at Neith.

“I’m sorry!” Neith cried.

“You should be!”

Artemisia pinched the bridge of her nose as Tanya began to launch into another tirade.

“Ma’am!”

Tanya fell silent, scowling at Artemisia.

“I’m terribly sorry to interrupt, but we’re in a bit of a rush right now.” She undid the necklace and held it out. “Would you happen to know where this came from?”

Tanya squinted at it, then shrugged. “Some fancy piece from across the sea. Olivien brought it back for his husband, but Taurus gave it to Luciano, the softie. Caused quite a stir.”

“And where did Olivien get it?” Artemisia asked.

Tanya’s scowl deepened. “Ask him yourself.” She spun around and shouted, “Ollie! You’ve got a visitor!”

A figure emerged from the house: a young man in fine clothes with bright red hair and dark green eyes. He was carrying a folding fan made from some sort of metal.

“What’s this about?” he asked.

Tanya gestured to Artemisia. “She wants to know where you got some shiny trinket of hers.”

“Let me see.”

Olivien stepped towards Artemisia, holding out his hand. She dropped it into his palm, and he examined it with the eye of someone very familiar with these sorts of things.

“I’m not sure,” he admitted. “It is - or was - an heirloom to a very powerful family in Seachad. Their daughter was holding a sale of some property, and I got it for a very cheap price.”

“Do you know why it was an heirloom?”

“Something about it belonging to the long-lost daughter of the family’s most distant matriarch,” Olivien replied, giving her back the amulet. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you more.”

“That’s…that’s alright,” Artemisia said, hanging the pendant around her neck.

There was a crash inside the house, followed by a shout. “Ollie! Tanya! The pixies are loose again!”

Tanya groaned. “Not again.”

“I have to go. I hope I was at least of some service to you,” Olivien said before rushing back into the house.

“Best be off with you,” Tanya told the others before following him. She slammed the door behind her, leaving the group in silence.

Mel whistled. “Well, hope that answered your questions…whatever those were.”

Artemisia didn’t respond, still stuck staring at the amulet. Neith put a hand on her shoulder.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

“Long-lost daughter,” Artemisia mumbled. She looked up at Mel. “Am I the long-lost daughter?”

“Wouldn’t doubt it. You’ve got protagonist energy,” Bonnie said.

The others stared at her blankly.

“What?”

Artemisia clasped the amulet around her neck just as the ground shuddered. The group stumbled, Neith catching herself on the wall.

“What’s going on?!” she cried.

It took a moment for memories to return, and Artemisia felt horror slide through her veins.

“It’s the Mystics,” she said. “It has to be.”

“The Mystics?!” Mel demanded.

“Wizards, basically. They live on the surface, and they’re currently at war with their former leader,” Bonnie explained. The ground shook again, and dust cascaded from the cavern ceiling. People began to emerge from their houses, more out of curiosity than anything else.

“Get to the train!” Mel shouted, pushing the group forward. “Go, go, go!”

They started towards the station, but Concordia suddenly stopped, hesitating.

“Concordia!” Artemisia cried.

Concordia glanced back at the town, then at the others. We’re in a volcanic basin, and there’s a magical earthquake going on above us.

Her words took a moment to sink in, but once they did…

“Mel, how stable is the basin?” Artemisia asked.

Mel gave her a weird look. “How stable do you think an active magma pocket is?!”

Then we have to get the people here out! Concordia signed.

“And if the battle with the Mystics is strong enough to reach Flint, then we have to stop it before they destroy both cities!” Neith said.

Concordia was silent for a moment, thinking. Then, no, you have to stop it.

Artemisia glanced between Concordia and the others, weighing her options. If she let her friend stay, then the basin could blow and kill her, but if she didn’t…

“…alright.”

Concordia smiled, then spun on her heel and ran back to the village. Artemisia sprinted back towards the station, her footsteps crackling on the lava rock.