Chapter 40: Freeing the Spirit

"What are my duties as the Golden Blood?" Asked Eric with a question that has been puzzling his mind even before he successfully claimed the crown.

"Considering the fact that safety is covered by the Lava blasters, all you have to do is prevent people from knowing we exist, ultimately keeping us away from war." Explained Commander Alia with a smile but that smile quickly turned into a frown as the new King replied.

"I wish I could do that, but you saw yourself! The Grand King, Xakro illustratio lll. He organized that attack for whatever reason he needed a Calidum Lutum's heart for." He hates to be rough with a lady this kind, but truth has to be cited.

His sudden perception however, stunning no doubt. He put two and two together quick considering he is dying for sleep, and let's not forget the fact that he was wildly confused about greatly similar topics before he claimed this throne.

"And since that snake Chan escaped, he will confirm your existence. You already got yourself into war." Added Stefan the most perceptive.

As much as Commander Alia wants to force everything back to normal for the peace of her people, it's downright impossible. A lot of things will be different after this painful day.

Alia finally came back to reality, there are just things that can no longer remain the same no matter what she does, so deciding to agree is golden. "I want to avoid War but if those bastards want to hurt my people, I will rip them apart with my bear hands."

Eric reassured and then asked, "They will try to hurt us, but we will fight back! Aren't we supposed to go to the funeral of the victim or something?"

"Here we don't bury people. He was born around Lava, he shall pass to heaven around Lava. That way, Our god will be pleased and the victim's soul wouldn't be cursed to haunt us." Well this is a different type of religion, but everyone has their own beliefs and Eric ain't saying a word about this, respected their differences.

"How can he pass to heaven through lava?" Asked Eric while scratching his head, staggered.

"You'll see. You don't need to walk half a mile down though, just jump. You wanted too at the beginning anyway." Now aiming to tease him a little bit after so much war talk to lighten up everybody's mood.

Noticing that smile, he already knew she was going to tease him someway. "And as some teenage girls reported, your clothes didn't burn either. They sounded disappointed about it though."

Although a bit embarrassed about the teenage girl thing, he only focused on what he wanted to hear instead. Jumping down a Volcano! "Oh now you speak my language."

His adrenaline increased rapidly before even standing up from his throne.

After that he disappeared without a trace and everyone in the room heard him yell, "Yeah!"

Blissful, he jumped head first from the edge of the Volcano down to the molten lava.

But now with Eric out of the room, and with adults around only. She started acting like she is about to blame Mogranius, but it actually is just an attempt to flirt.

She feels a little bit embarrassed to flirt in front of kids, especially Eric. "Did you teach him to disappear?"

"Well I can sense smoke here coming from the Volcano. So I'm a little bit guilty." He stated, tad embarrassed, but also simply glad that he is talking to her.

"I will deal with you later." Alia expressed with an intimidating voice and a wink too, her smile alarmingly taunting.

It left Mogranius with his cheeks red and his body feeling frozen as he gazed upon her walking out of the Throne Room.

Eric on the other hand was falling down for half a mile until he met the molten lava again and caused a light splash.

At such a splash, the Grand Masters were interrupted mid meditation. They had their eyes closed before and after the Splash.

"Opecl. Er WelzerArtej ke sadpu." Expressed Grand Master Xalk, the oldest of the five and fairly respected.

Which translates too, "Good. The Golden Blood is here."

Eric swam through the pool of Lava as if he's swimming on a normal lake, with great ease. And climbed out of the lava pool, sitting down on the spiraling walkways after.

Since the guest of honor arrived, Grand Master Kazer decided to get this started, in an Ignite language even to show respect. "Funeral is begun."

Afterwards, Eric spotted the victim lying on a thin rock, being carried by Pezik and Laza coming out from one of the five rooms down here. The rock reaching five foot wide and eleven foot long.

Able to carry the victim above the lava with the aid of the oldest Lava Controller, pushing lava upwards underneath the rock. It is so interesting to witness such a unique culture up close.

Xalk stood up and as he raised his right hand upwards and the left hand forward, a gentle wave of lava started rising.

Pushing the stone all the way to the very middle of the Volcano which is far enough that Eric and the Grand Masters can't see anything but a dot.

Shortly after they did notice that the Victim's dead body caught on fire. Expectable. I mean he is an inch above this extraordinarily hot lava.

But as the victim caught on fire, Eric noticed a cloud appearing in the entire bottom area of the Volcano.

Like a mist.

"What is going on?" Asked Eric in slight panic.

"Calm." Whispered Kazer trying to assure Eric that it's safe, but it barely worked.

The cloud became thicker and thicker by the passing second.

As the Victim's body slipped from the rock and fell in lava, the cloud disappeared in a break of a second.

They saw a white spirit like figure flying out of the Volcano and upwards the town's ceiling, breaking the surface on top of the mountain and heading towards the sky.

Thus the Ceremony meeting an end, Kazer declared. "Spirit Free."