Genie of the Puzzle

11: Staircases and Molten Lava

This was written in a five hour car ride, so that's why I have another update up my sleeve

Finally, after running and speeding off into the depths of the cave, past treasures and caverns and jewels and slimy walls, they entered a dark room, illuminated by a small amount of moonlight from the hole in the ceiling.

The carpet pointed to the top of a pillar in the center of the room that had, the only way to get to the top, a long, steep staircase.

Yami was tired just thinking about it. "I...up there...?"

The carpet made a nodding motion.

"Can't you just fly me up there? It saves us a lot of time, and-"

Joey pushed him forward. "Go on, Yams," he patted him on the back, mockingly. "You get that puzzle."

Scowling, Yami groaned and proceeded to make his way to the staircase, lazy and careless. He hopped across the rocks that formed a little path in a small cave-water pond. He frowned. "This puzzle better be worth it if I have to be climbing up these stairs...at least this is good cardio..."
Step by step, he climbed higher and higher until the view of the ground made him dizzy.

Joey, when bored of watching him, looked around, possibly for an easier way up. Instead, he saw a golden statue of an ape, holding a large, sparkling ruby. He drooled at the sight of it and, practically hypnotized, he made his way over to it like a zombie.

The carpet, seeing this, began to freak out and flew over to him, tugging his shirt and pulling at his hair, but Joey didn't break his gaze from the ruby.

Yami, finally reaching the top, panted and took a moment to breathe. Finally, he looked up, seeing the puzzle in the moonlight, glimmering and shining.
"THIS IS IT?!" He shrieked, almost throwing a tantrum. Still, he held it in his hands, deciding it was probably best that they took it, anyway. He was just going to have a serious talk with Not-Bakura. "Joey, this is what we came all the way down here to-"

Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of the situation, then widened his eyes. "Joey, NO!"

But it was too late. Joey's greedy little fingers had touched the ruby when he reached out, and suddenly the Cave of Wonders' voice boomed, "INVADERS! YOU HAVE TOUCHED THE FORBIDDEN TREASURE!"

Joey gulped. "Nyeh..." He back away, but it was no use.

The ape statue's grin became a frown as it's face and the ruby melted and dripped into molten lava.

"YOU SHALL NEVER AGAIN SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY!!!" The pillar on which the puzzle once stood (now it was around Yami's neck) exploded into a fiery volcanic eruption.

Yami backed off fast enough to not get his face singed off. Without complaint, he began to ran as fast as he could back down the stairs, sure he would trip. However, the stairs beneath him smoothed out into a slide, throwing him off balance and sweeping him off his feet. On his bottom, he slid down the rest of the way. There was a curve in the base of the slide that flung him upward. Luckily the carpet flew to him, catching him before he could fall right into the pond, which was now filled with lava.

"The cave is trying to kill us, Joey!" He yelled out to him, pulling him onto the carpet to sit behind him, before Joey could fall into the lava that surrounded him. "Look at what you did!"