Chronicles of Yugure: Plummeting into Uncharted Depths

Day Twenty-Two

"What do you mean there's no way out!" Sendaar barks at our new found accompaniment to the group, Hotaru, who doesn't seem the slightest bit interested in quarreling with what he calls the "talking chicken."

After we had followed Sendaar back to Hotaru's den we had started a discussion as to how we were to escape this putrid smelling sauna. Hotaru doesn't seem to mind the smell of the gases formed in what he explains to us as part of the volcano, Mt. Kazan, which happens to be where I first entered the Volcanic Isles from. This, however, are the underground caverns that snake in, around, and under the actual volcanic magma chamber. He says we are completely safe unless Kazan decides to erupt. Safe. Right.

"I got here by swimming through one of the side vents. Unless you are invulnerable to lava, I suggest you find another way out." Hotaru shrugs and pops a lava rock in his mouth, crunching down on it with his steel-hard jaw.

"Aren't you coming with us?" The pyroraptin looks incredibly apprehensive, shifting a few steps every minute as if the lava will jump out of its hole and come after him.

The brute just gives another shrug. "I don't see why I would. I'm rather content right here. I've done my share of rebelling against the Mist and I would like to enjoy my down time." Hotaru lies down on his belly, crossing his forearms casually.

Sendaar snorts in disappointment. "Well don't come crying to me when your peaceful little realm turns into a chaotic catastrophe and you're stuck down here going psychotic with the Mist's evil spawn pecking and pestering at you day and night!" The raptin stomps his foot for emphasis.

"Dramatic little bird-brain, isn't he?" Hotaru murmurs to me on the side as he watches Sendaar go into a tizzy.

"Bird-brain?!!" Caws the raptin, grating his talons on the floor like a bull preparing to charge. This meeting is not going how I had planned.

I ruffle my feathers, trying to get a cool draft to enter in my mane. "Alright, alright. Please, we must figure out a way to get out of here without being spotted. The main opening is guarded on different levels, from m'presumption and what ye 'ave told us, Sendaar. Can ye tell me 'gain what ye noticed?" I try to steer the topic back on course. The pyroraptin looks rather pleased with the idea of him sharing his intel.

"Well, I was questioned first before they threw me down here, so I got a decent tour of their base. Apparently, there are at least three levels of tunnels in this underground, rotting pit. Eggs aren't the only rotten smell they have cooking around here. Baby monstrosities are being bred here.

"I never expected to see this, because it's just not natural, but cross breeding wolfwyres with other species is just horrific. They breed like wild dogs and who knows what kind of mutated species shall be formed by this horrific event. I think they're trying to do cross genetics with them and dragons. Dragons! Can you imagine what would happen if they succeeded to blend the genes of those two? The Mist would have an unstoppable force.

"They are also using the lava here to forge their weapons and armor. Some sort of heating system is set following the lava flow, rerouting the current to their forges. I didn't get to see what sort of metal ore they're using, but I don't think they are using the material we saw on our previous captors because these wolfwyres are wearing armor much more decorated and well crafted."

"Well, what does that mean? Do ye think this is a higher up regiment?" I interrupt with my thoughts.

"It may," he replies. "But it could also mean that these groups aren't working that closely together, so they haven't put their resources together. That may be why they don't know about Namazzi and why they didn't check you for that book of yours. Another reason why we need to get out of here as soon as possible or else they'll eventually find out and all will be lost. They definitely won't trust you to translate it again. The Mist will do anything to keep us away from that book if they get their hands on it."