Three friends living on the edge of the Akoum region learn they have potential to expand their abilities and grow stronger together but an accident changes the course of their lives.
"Higher Up!" Malia's voice could barely be heard over the howling winds of the canyon. She was already several feet above Caleb and Djorn and still climbing. "Higher up?" Djorn asked annoyed. "We aren't goats, we shouldn't be this high." Djorn gripped the rock wall as tightly as he could, every gust of wind causing him to hug the wall and stop moving. "Come on Djorn!" Caleb yelled. "Where's your sense of adventure?" Even with the howling winds Djorn's grumbling could be heard. Malia, Caleb and Djorn continued their ascent. Only Malia knew where they were going.
Caleb stopped for a moment. He looked down below and saw past Djorn who stopped to catch his breath. The canyon had a distinct red hue that hung in the air even though the winds were blowing. The ground seemed miles down from where they were. He couldn't remember how long they've been climbing but it would be pointless to turn back now before they reached the top. After a deep breath Caleb kept climbing. He look to see how far Malia had gotten but she was gone. In a panic he looked down to see if she might have fallen while he wasn't paying attention. No, she wasn't below. He started frantically looking to the rocks on either side of him. Djorn too noticed she was gone. "The hell?" He shouted. "Where has she gone now?" Caleb didn't reply he tried to twist in his position to see his surrounding clearer but one of the rocks he was holding on to gave way. He immediately kicked into a nook to anchor himself to the wall but it was useless. He fell. Reaching out and seeing so many more feet they had yet to climb before they reached the top.
There was a flash of red as a hand seemed to come out of nowhere and grab Caleb. It was Malia. Her skin had a red tinge and slightly glowed.. She had used her haste ability to grab Caleb before he was out of reach. Caleb found his footing again and gripped onto the rock wall. "You are so useless." Djorn sneered up at Caleb. Malia laughed in agreement which made Caleb uncomfortable.
"Thanks." he mumbled. "Where did you go?" Malia didn't answer she went back to climbing and suddenly seemed to climb into the rock wall. After a second her head popped out. "It's hard to see from below but there's an entrance here!" Confused, Caleb climbed higher. To his surprise she was right, just beyond his reach was a ledge he could grab onto. It was the entrance to a cave that led deeper into the canyon wall. "See, what did I say?" Malia helped Caleb up. Before Caleb could respond a hand slapped onto the cave floor. "You two forget someone?" Djorn crawled into the cave and stood up, dusting off his clothes. " Where did you bring us?" He sounded upset despite his obvious interest in the cave. Malia started walking. "I found this place a couple days ago when i was trying to map the canyon."
"The canyon is already mapped." Djorn interrupted.
"I know but there are so many places here that people still haven't found." she replied. "Like this cave, I looked at the maps at home and it isn't on any of them." She Stepped to the side and gestured to Caleb and the darkness.
"Got it." he said. He held up his hand as if he was holding an invisible ball and a small spark ignited and grew to be a small flame just big enough to light the tunnel.
They all started walking. "So you brought us up here to see a hole in the canyon, nice." Djorn jeered. Malia ignored him. They kept walking till in the distance they could see an orange light. As they got closer the light started to shine brighter than the flame in Caleb's hand, he rubbed his hands together and snuffed the flame out. There was a warmth that resonated from the walls. Suddenly Malia bolted off ahead. "What are you doing?" Djorn yelled. "Come on! Hurry!" She laughed. Djorn and Caleb looked at each other, shrugged and ran.
The tunnel got warmer and warmer as they ran, the light, brighter and brighter. There was suddenly a wave of heat that struck Caleb causing him to cover his face with his arms. Djorn cried out in surprise as he entered the room as well. There was a low rumble that could be heard all around them. "You boys can't handle very much can you?" Malia called out. Caleb uncovered his eyes. It was like an oven, and they now knew why. They stood at the entrance of a large cavern and at either end was a river of slow flowing lava. Bright orange filled the almost dome shaped cavern and at the top jagged rocks pointing down. Malia was standing in the middle looking over the edge at the lava flow below. She seemed to glow red as she stared. Djorn elbowed Caleb in the stomach and smirked. "Isn't this amazing?" Malia called. "I think this cave only recently opened up." Caleb wiped his brow, the heat was even worse standing over the river. "I think the lava runs through this side of the canyon. It looks like it comes straight from the Akoum mountains." Malia looked on amazed. Caleb watch as the lava flowed and seemed to curl up from underneath the cave wall. The dark orange and red blending together was beautiful and for a brief moment he forgot how deadly it really was. There was a loud splash. Both Malia and Caleb turned and saw Djorn throwing large rocks into one side of the river. He picked one up with two hands, his arms would glow red and bulge for a moment then he tossed it into the river, each time getting further and further across. He noticed they were staring. "What? There's no one here." He smiled and chucked the rock he had in his hand across the river. It bounced off the surface and a loud screech rang out.
"Kreeee!"
Djorn froze. They each looked to the river where the noise came from. The lava started forming a large bubble like something was pushing up. "Malia?" Caleb asked. "You said these rivers run from the mountains right?" He slowly reached for her. "Yeah." She replied. Caleb finally reached her shoulder and started pulling her back away from the edge. "That means it can carry things with it from the mountains." Suddenly the bubble expanded and broke and sprayed lava everywhere. The three of them backed away. In front of them was a large insectoid creature with a long body covered with hundreds of feet and scales. Lava continued to pour off its body as it looked towards them. "It's a Geopede." Malia whispered. "They're not supposed to be this far away from the mountains." The Geopede slowly inched towards them as they backed way. "Tell that to him." Djorn joked as he bent down to grab a rock. "What are you doing?" Caleb asked. "Listen," Djorn started. "I'll distract him and you two run." Malia shook her head. "No thats a stupid idea, they aren't violent. We probably just interrupted it." But Djorn wasn't listening
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Djorn ran away from Malia and Caleb, away from the cavern entrance. "Hey ugly!" He called. His arm glowed red again, he was boosting his strength. The rock flew from his hand leaving a trail of dust. It slammed against the geopedes head and shattered. "Kraaaagh!" It screeched out and and started rushing towards Djorn. Caleb Pulled Malia. "Come on he'll be fine," He started. "Djorn is too stubborn to die." Malia followed as they both ran down the tunnel. Screeching was echoing along the walls as they got closer and closer to the tunnel entrance. Caleb stopped to listen as Malia started climbing down.
Silence. There was no sound at all. Caleb waited a moment longer. Suddenly Djorn came running out of the darkness. "Run!" He cried. He started to climb down and Caleb saw the tunnel light up. The geopede was coming. They would never make it down the canyon fast enough. Then Caleb had an idea. He grabbed Djorn. "Wait we need to seal the entrance." Djorn looked down the tunnel, worried. "How?" He asked. Caleb pointed to the tunnel ceiling and Djorn understood. "Hurry you two!" Malia called up. Djorn clenched his fists and focused on his arms, Caleb did the same. Both of them started to glow. Djorn started to punch the tunnel walls causing them to crack. Caleb's hands lit on fire as he did the same. The tunnel started to shake and rumble as it lost its structure and crumbled closed. The cries of the geopede got closer and closer until the sound was muffled out by falling rocks. Caleb and Djorn quickly started climbing down. After a time they eventually reached the bottom where Malia was already laying down. Djorn and Caleb joined her as they dropped to the ground exhausted. Djorn started laughing. "It's not funny!" Malia cried. "I really liked that place." Caleb started laughing as well. Soon all three of them were laughing.
They got up after catching their breath and headed home.
