SNT Vs. Sonichu 3: Fractured Fantasy

Chapter 10: Steam Temple Zone

Rookie was diving forward dropping into the unknown darkness only to see ahead that light was at the end of the tunnel. This gave hope that there was an end to dropping. The only problem was that when Rookie's eyes started to get a clearer picture of the space that opened around him. Ahead of the wolf, he quickly notices the heat going up and the humidity increasing dramatically. At the same time, he sees lava at the end of the drop.

"Oh crap!" The red wolf panicked expecting to hit the lava. Just when he was about to plop into it and burn to death, SNT was boosting down toward him preparing her tails to work. She grabs her friend using her tails to elevate themselves toward a nearby cavern entrance. The hybrid throws her friend onto the ground as she landed looking a little annoyed.

"What are you doing? You could have gotten yourself killed!" SNT yelled.

"I'm sorry, as you can see, I'm not a very good adventurer compared to my brother." Rookie scratched his back.

"Well, that doesn't mean that you get to do something stupid like jump into a blind hole." SNT got in Rookie's face to try and make sure that he understood everything she was trying to say but eventually backed off a little and looked away. "Listen... I'm sorry that I am being this strict with you but I want you to know that I care about you. I don't want to lose any of my friends because of a stupid mistake that they made."

"I understand," Rookie said, "I should have never jumped so blindingly. I guess I was too excited about adventuring I guess, mostly because I never really go out all that much."

"It's ok Rookie but please be careful." SNT looked into his eyes. "You are the only one I trust here right now and I don't want to lose you."

Rookie blushed in response but tried not to let his feelings get in the way of what they were trying to do. "I... I promise."

SNT looked around to see where they were. The place itself was covered with all sorts of drawings on the cave walls along with many bricks covering it. The lava pool which now stood behind them was bubbling loudly making echoes throughout the area. At the same time, you could see the water that was coming out of nearby caves draining out. When it hit the lava, it would create more hard rock and steam which would fill the air. It sort of made it harder to breathe.

Ahead of them in the cavern, they saw the steam which was passing from behind him. It was a breeze that was created by the stream that gave the impression that the water was escaping somewhere.

"Hmm..." SNT thought to herself out loud. "This place seems populated."

"Yeah..." Rookie agreed. "It's like maybe an ancient society used to live here?"

"Well, that shoots another arrow into the knee of the idea that this island used to be uninhabited," SNT mentioned. "Princess Elise's story about these Sonichu Balls takes a hit in some way or another." The hybrid started to walk forward into the tunnel with Rookie following behind.

"Hey wait for me!" Rookie demanded as he ran after. SNT wasn't moving all that fast so he was able to catch up easily.

Once the cave again opened up, SNT and Rookie then saw something that was unbelievable. Where they were standing was on top of an underground city with very little light illuminating from above. The small hole above was illuminating the place below their feet as it seemed that the path ahead of them was just a large bridge going down in a spiral. Next to the path made all sorts of ancient homes and businesses to what seemed like the bottom. The buildings themselves were made from golden granite which was also what the path was made of. The path was lit with the torches left behind which both of them didn't know how they were still lit up today. When they looked at the bottom of the temple, they couldn't see it. The only thing that they could figure out was that steam was coming out of it.