Before being swallowed by the enormous fiery maw, Paltio activated Sacaram to create a protective barrier around his friends.
"No! Paltio!" everyone shouted as a gigantic mouth emerged from the lava, completely engulfing him before disappearing beneath the blazing torrent.
"Paltio! Paltio!" Golden called out urgently into the darkness.
Suddenly, Paltio lit up the lights on his boots, illuminating the space where they were. The glow revealed a strange, organic environment, with walls that pulsed as if alive.
"It feels like déjà vu… Like the time you found me inside Oroboros, right, Golden?" Paltio said, glancing around with a mix of awe and concern. "We're inside another beast."
"But what was that thing?" Paltio asked, trying to mentally reconstruct what had happened before being swallowed by the massive fiery mouth. His voice reflected both curiosity and unease as he attempted to understand the nature of the creature that had devoured them.
Golden shook his head. "I have no idea. All I know is that, in addition to those three beasts we fought, there was a larger one that must be the master of this place. It seems we were always inside an inactive volcano, and now it's suddenly become active."
"Then it's just a matter of breaking through one of this beast's walls, and we'll be out," Paltio proposed with determination.
"I don't think it'll be as simple as last time. Plus, if you go out now, you'll melt instantly. Remember, we're surrounded by liquid lava everywhere," Golden responded with concern.
"What if I use Sacaram to protect myself?" Paltio suggested.
"If you do that, I don't know how long the power will last while you try to escape," Golden replied, though his tone made it clear the situation was dire.
"Instead of giving me all this bad news, you should help me find a way out of here," Paltio said, frustration evident in his voice. "We already have the final piece. It can't end like this. I'm not trapped here forever. Besides, according to this bracelet from Tejod, there are only four days left until the pact ends."
Golden nodded. "You're right. And it's a three-day journey to Avocadalia. Too bad they haven't invented ships or flying machines here like in the other worlds you traveled to with Avocios."
From where Paltio stood, thick, burning lava began to fall from above, resembling the gastric juices of the beast that had swallowed them. Without wasting a second, Paltio activated Sacaram, summoning a protective shield around both of them to prevent the scorching liquid from reaching them.
"This isn't encouraging at all," Paltio muttered as he watched the lava pool around them, bubbling intensely. "If we don't find a way out soon, things could get much worse."
Golden, though visibly worried, tried to stay calm. "All right, let's think. If we're inside this creature, there must be some weakness or vulnerable point in its internal structure. We just need to find it before it's too late."
Meanwhile, Golden sent a telepathic message to their friends: "We're okay. We're inside a beast, but we need time. You should escape while you can. This place is filling with lava rapidly."
Mok received the message and told Lume, "We need to get out of here right now."
Simultaneously, with Rodelos, Chiki, and Ron:
Rodelos, along with Chiki and Ron, finished off the last of the Vichus with a coordinated triple attack. With a final roar, the creature collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
"Well, we've dealt with those things. What do we do now?" Ron asked, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
"This was just a warm-up," Rodelos replied with a proud smile. "Wow, boy, you've become strong. You used to be such a crybaby back when we first met in the kingdom, always protecting my grandson, but now I see you've improved a great deal."
"Thank you, sir. It's an honor coming from you," Ron responded, bowing his head slightly.
"Well, don't get cocky, brat," Chiki interjected, giving him a light tap on the face. "Though you've improved, you still have a long way to go."
"I understand, Master," Ron replied with a nervous laugh.
As this was happening, Ariafilis approached one of the elders of the area to ask if there were more people who needed rescuing.
"Yes, there are some trapped in the northern part of the kingdom," the elder replied in a weary voice.
"I see," Ariafilis said, nodding firmly. "We should keep moving. But we need to get them out through the same entrance we came in."
Alita was preparing to lift the wall of fire when, suddenly, lava began pouring out from everywhere. Quickly, Alita took control of the flames, blocking them before they could spread further. Then, using her magic, she redirected the fiery cascade to allow the others to pass through.
However, before she could say anything, she heard someone shouting from afar: "Run, Alita, run!"
It was Lukeandria, who was approaching alongside the others on the floating platform created by Lume. Thanks to the air ring Mok controlled, they were speeding toward the exit at great velocity.
One by one, everyone passed through the fiery waterfall. Once, on the other hand, Lucca quickly approached Alita. "There's no time. Leave that! We need to get out of here!" he exclaimed urgently.
"And what about Paltio?" Alita asked, her voice filled with concern.
"He's fine. According to Golden, they're alive inside the beast, but he told us to leave this place as soon as possible," Lucca replied while helping the others move forward.
Alita, however, couldn't fully abandon the situation. Though part of the group had already crossed, she continued trying to contain the spreading lava that threatened to consume everything. Nakia, seeing the predicament, activated her "FELICA FORM" and used her feathers to cool the area, creating a temporary barrier against the scorching heat.
"Evacuate!" Lucca shouted to everyone present. Rodelos heard the call and, without wasting a moment, ordered the citizens to run toward the mine's entrance. "Everyone outside, quickly! There's no time to lose!"
The citizens obeyed and began running toward the exit, though some were frantic, fearing they wouldn't make it in time.
"Who would've thought this place was a volcano?" Ban commented as he led a group toward the exit.
Once outside, no one noticed immediately, but the army of the Black Shadows was waiting for them. It was a perfectly planned ambush.
"We're surrounded," Ariafilis murmured gravely as she assessed the situation. "And the worst part is, there's nowhere to run."
Blaget appeared before them, escorted by a contingent of heavily armed soldiers. Behind him, dozens of mechanical bulls stood ready for battle.
"Well, you survived that thing," Blaget said, referring to the creature Godar had transformed into. A malicious smile spread ear to ear as his eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "But it doesn't matter. Now you all belong to me."
His tone was mocking, laced with arrogance that seemed to feed on the desperation of his enemies. Every word he spoke dripped with gloating satisfaction, as if he relished watching the situation spiral out of control for those who had once dared to oppose him.
"What are we going to do, Lord Rodelos?" Ron asked, seeking guidance.
"Stay calm, boy. Even though they outnumber us, we can—" Chiki began, trying to instill confidence.
"I don't think so, little dog. There are too many of them. Besides, we'd be putting the citizens at risk," Rodelos interrupted, glancing at the innocents under his protection.
"You're right," Ariafilis agreed, making a difficult decision. "I must surrender."
"But, my lady, if you do, we'll have lost everything," Jock protested, visibly anguished.
"Yes, but if I don't, there will be countless casualties. I can't allow more people to die because of this," Ariafilis replied with resolute determination.
Blaget stepped forward, savoring the moment. "Well then, what's it going to be? Are you surrendering? If you do, I won't kill you… yet. Not until you finish excavating and I extract the mineral I need."
"Damn him," Ban muttered, clenching his fists. He knew there wasn't much they could do at the moment, and Ludra shared his frustration.
"There are too many even for me, and I'm an ancient warrior," Lucca admitted, lowering his head in defeat.
Lukeandria had already put on her Pax helmet to avoid being recognized, thinking of ways to save everyone. However, she knew that fighting so many enemies would be practically impossible.
"Leave it to me! I'll defeat them all!" Rykaru shouted enthusiastically, his childish determination shining through. But Mok held him back before he could rush into battle.
"Lord Blajon will be very pleased when I bring you to him and tell him I've dealt with the rebels of this kingdom," Blaget said, licking his lips in anticipation.
"Is there really nothing we can do?" Dall asked desperately, looking to his companions for a solution. His voice reflected the helplessness they all felt in the face of such overwhelming odds.
"Take off those hideous masks!" Blaget ordered his men, his tone both mocking and authoritative.
One by one, the soldiers removed the masks of those accompanying Ariafilis, including Jock. The faces of the rebels were exposed to the crowd. Some villagers recognized them and thanked them with tears in their eyes, others—family members of prisoners—showed a mix of relief and gratitude for what they had tried to accomplish. However, some were angry, knowing they would soon return to working in the mines without hope of freedom.
When it was Dall's turn, his face was revealed. He was a young man about 15 years old, slightly older than Alita and Ron. His black hair and large eyes gave him an innocent appearance, making him look younger than he actually was. Despite his fragile demeanor, his expression revealed a blend of fear and determination.
"We're going to die," tremulous whispers spread among the citizens as the Black Shadows prepared to lead them back into captivity.
But just when all seemed lost, something unexpected happened. The mine began to shake violently, and suddenly explosions echoed throughout the area. Lava started to erupt from the depths, emerging like rivers of fire that consumed everything in their path.
From the massive collapse at the mine's entrance emerged a colossal and horrifying creature. Its size was immense, its skin rough and seemingly made of molten rock, with eyes glowing an intense red. Its roars thundered like rolling storms, causing even Blaget's soldiers to retreat in fear.