Fallen Angel

Mt. Ignis

 It seemed like ages before they were finally able to gain access to the mountain. The pathway leading up to the mountain's summit was blocked by the enormous iron gates. The gatekeeper and the soldiers standing atop it refused to allow them up to the summit, as the monster threat still existed. Mr. Octavius had nothing to get them to open up, so he suggested they visit the Mayor. As it turned out, the last Mayor had passed away recently of lung disease, so his son, which happened to be Alexander, was put in charge.

His office was dark, with a few lit oil lamps providing the only light. A mahogany desk sat in the center of the room on top of a yellow-orange embroidered carpet. The floor and walls were made of recently polished steel. Framed pictures of previous rulers covered the walls, each one's eyes staring at the group as they entered. Alexander sat at the desk, filling out some paperwork. When they asked for passage to the mountain, he stared at them like a father about to give his child a good scolding.

"Are you suicidal? Do you know that there are enemies up there, tearing our precious volcano apart, looking for some stupid crystal?" he said sternly.

Leira slammed her hands down on the desk, leaned forward, and glared at him, her dark eyes staring straight into his. "Look, we've come too far to just stop here. We need access to that mountain, now," she said forcefully and angrily. Her hands balled into fists. She wasn't ready to give up the fight. If someone had to do something to help the world in the sorry state it's in, it might as well be her.

"I admire your persistence, soldier, but even if I did grant you passage, you would need a machine to take you up. The road is too treacherous by foot," he replied, frowning up at her.

Leira swore silently. Kyle gently pushed her out of the way, earning him a glare, and said, "Why don't you let us borrow one then?" he asked.

It took quite a bit of persuasion, most of which involved Leira cursing Alexander's name under her breath, and Kyle doing a lot of pleading. Will and Cora both stayed out of the argument. Cora absentmindedly examined the blue crystal, turning it this way and that. Will crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall, staring at the portraits hanging on the walls.

In the middle of their debate, the doors flew open and Marissa walked in. She looked better, than she had earlier, but her eyes were still sad, but also showing pure fury.

"I can't take this anymore. If I hear anymore yelling from this room, I'm going to smack you," she said, pointing at her brother, "It's giving me a headache."

Alexander scowled. "Mari, they want to borrow a machine to go up to the mountains. We can't just hand off our tools to every stranger we see," he replied.

Marissa crossed her arms and gave him a stern look. "So I'll let them use mine. It could fit all of them, and besides, I know Cora, and I trust her and her new companions."

Cora looked surprised, and frowned, which Leira found odd. Usually one would smile at such praise. Then again, it was probably just because she failed to trust Cora.

That was how they came to get access to the mountain. The machine Marissa owned was rather rickety, and made Leira feel as though she would fall out if she weren't belted in. The contraption was like an oversized land animal. It had six legs with claws ideal for climbing. The deck was similar to that of a boat, with wooden floorboards and a metal exterior. The engine roared in the background, burning the oil at a constant rate. The exhaust smell made Leira want to hurl.

Marissa manned the controls, using the strange levers to move the legs. Leira felt glad that they had this machine, because they really would have been unable to cross on foot. Large streams of lava crossed the road at even intervals. The machine was specially built to be resistant to the heat of the magma, and it plowed through like it was nothing.