Chương 52: Flowing Mesmerizingly

There is something far off in the distance! Beyond the scorched ground lies a blue line. It clashes with the orange tint of the sky. It takes me a while to realize what it is. Water! Motherfucking water!

I'm saved! The desperation and mental fatigue, gone instantly. I start rushing forward. To conserve one's energy one should never run. Walking is better in the long run. At this moment in time, I truly do not care.

A weary desert traveler upon coming upon an oasis… Still wouldn't be as enthusiastic as I am. It is when you lose something that you realize how precious it was. Water truly is the source of life. Does this body even need to drink or eat? I don't think so.

Still, I can feel my parched throat. I can feel my dehydrated skin. I can feel my burnt soles. I rush at full speed. I'm about to jump into it, but then I stop myself. What if there are monsters in there?

In real life, there won't be a small tune whenever a shark appears. I could easily be caught by surprise. I slowly reach toward the water and scoop some.

OUCH!

What the hell is this… Ah, obviously. How dumb of me. I got blinded by my hopes. Got too excited to think things through. This is a damn volcano. The water is obviously boiling.

Goddamnit! What now? I feel like a fool. Behind me, a tall volcano. In front, a boiling sea. Should I try to find the dwarf? How am I supposed to look for him? Is he even really here?

For all I know, this could be some diabolical plan from the ghost. I fell right in it. I'm really uncomfortable in this place. I could try building a raft. The issue is that I'm not even sure how. Guess I might be able to learn.

No, there are two more issues. First, there doesn't seem to be any material to create one. After all, there won't any wood here. Second, even if I manage to create a basic one … There is a good chance some water will leak through. Getting boiled alive is not on my bucket list either.

There is nothing at all here. Who in their sane mind would come here? Someone that got tricked. Yes, a fool like me. This is depressing. I wander near the water for a while, but I don't see anything of interest.

This place is weird for sure. Is it a portal to somewhere else? Is it a sub-dimension? Did I fall asleep from etiquette lessons and this is a dream? All possible.

I mean there is always the possibility that I'm still on that pavement. A hole in my body. Having one last delirious dream as my life ends. Hopefully not haha.

For now, it's exploration time. I could imagine that one kid show. The one with the explorer. The main character would go, where is the volcano? People on the other side would be: Right there in your fucking face you blind bitch!

Then it would be, where is the sea? Again can't fucking miss it you blind bat! Then finally, where is the despairing naked guy? Then people would all point at me. Some would probably ask …PP where?

Somehow imagining my life as a show is helping. It kinda changes my thoughts a bit. You know forget the whole, imma fucking die part. Yeah…

As I move around, I see lakes of lava. Right at the surface. Gotta love games where there is a lava pond right around the corner. You'd be running and then …Bam dead! Not as fun in real life.

I am looking at such a pond right now. It looks deadly, yet beautiful, glowing, vibrant, flowing mesmerizingly. The last part is surprising. I guess it connects to an underground pathway.

But seriously it is too hot. I feel one could shoot a whole documentary here. Maybe call it an otherworldly volcano odyssey. I better keep walking and….

What is that?! I can see lights glowing below. It seems to be moving. What is that? Somehow the two lights always remain at a similar distance. What kind of natural phenomena is this? Could this be some kind of clue to exit this place?

Maybe there is some magic trick related to … That's when waves start to appear in the pond. How?! I quickly retreat backward. That's when I see it.

Something is slowly rising to the surface. I come quickly to realize the meaning of the two yellow lights. Two piercing eyes, glowing so bright, no pupil, iris, or anything of the sort. Just two spotlights!

The creature gets revealed. How am I even supposed to describe this? Who cares! Time to fucking run!

Behind me remains a 10-meter-long creature, made of fire itself. Some kind of elemental it seems. Yet it almost looks like a giant lizard or turtle.

But this thing is not a living one. That I am sure. It is breathing fire and drinking lava after all. Yet it all flows out of its body. Leaving puddles on the ground, deadly ones.

I run and I run…until I stop. For some reason, it is eying me calmly. Yet it doesn't seem to show any hostility. It is just glaring at me.

Well, any kind of mood is hard to figure out. Mostly because it doesn't have a face exactly. Some kind of elemental behemoth if I had to name it. Of course, that is a tentative name only.

I have no idea what I am doing. I also have no idea where I am. But I do know who I am. Well, except my name. Still can't figure out how I forgot that.

Anyway, there doesn't seem to be any immediate danger. Then again, could this be bait? Is it waiting for me to approach only to sprint and gobble me up? I doubt it.

This creature seems to be truly slow. The kind that would spend its life lazily swimming in lava. To be honest I would do too if I could. Is there anything more epic than being able to swim in death itself?

*Sigh* Here goes nothing, I'm about to make initial contact with it.

Wish me luck.