Depths of Dimensions/Part 2J (Sagada)

Back to Part 1J.
== Part 3: If You Can't Take the Heat ==
=== With the Saviors ===
On planet Sagada, geysers were spewing smoke and lava into the air. The entire area looked like molten ground that'd chilled down a little, but besides that, it was hot. There was a path of the cooled-down molten floor, but it was surrounded by huge lakes of lava to the sides of it that occasionally bubbled, and then spewed lava into the air as well. Along with that, there were also volcanoes, far in the distances, that shook every now and then, almost as if they knew how intimidating they were.
To witness this hell would be a group of four, randomly appearing in a flash of white light; White, Tina, Dragen, Lena, Venom and Vane. White and Tina, who weren't too caught off-guard, both landed on their feet. White, having robotic legs, didn't feel any of the heat his "feet" were touching but Tina, being completely organic.... wasn't as lucky as he was.
"HOOOOOOT!" she exclaimed before promptly flying into the air, about three feet. She rubbed her foot and then stayed in the air while White examined the Realmmobile.
What the heck? ...I need some time to figure out what the hell just happened... he thought to himself, scratching his chin before wiping his forehead. But yeesh, this place is hot!
Among the smoldering surface were large piles of rubble and debris, craters, and the remains of a few large serpents strewn about. There were clear shoe-prints imprinted into the ashy ground near the group and around the destruction. It would appear that someone had been here before them.
”Where the hell are we?” Dragen asked, directing the question to no one in particular.
"You might be spot on with that guess." Vane said, occupying a small rock above the heated floor. "Though, probably not."
"I guess I'm lucky that I have fake legs," White added, before looking at the serpent remains. "But it doesn't even look like we were the first ones here. Is that a snake?!"
"A dead one, too," Tina joined with a shudder.
”Let’s hope we don’t end up like it,” Dragen replied, floating into the air to avoid the burning surface.
"Any ideas on how we should move forward?" Vane asked.
"Probably by walking," White answered, beginning to advance. Tina flew closely behind him.
"Or flying, if you don't want to lose your feet," Dragen replied.
"...well I can do neither, so I suppose I must do this." She opened a portal under her, and began basically jumping through portal after portal across the heated surface.
The ground suddenly had a brief but violent tremor, followed by a second, stronger one. Not too far away, something was launched into the air and headed toward the group at alarming speed. If anyone could get a good look before it hit the ground, it would've appeared as a humanoid collection of rocks. Though it would turn to rubble as it collided with the surface near the group.
Tina, being a bat, wasn't able to see so well with her lowered glasses, but White got a better look. "Am I going crazy, or were those flying rocks?!"
”If that’s the craziest thing you’ve seen, you haven’t seen shit,” Dragen answered.
"I can second that." Vane added, starting to place her portals farther ahead to see who was doing this.
"I'm willing to bet," Tina began, pointing to the footprints. "That whoever left those footprints is also responsible for the rocks going everywhere. Maybe they have the shard we're supposed to be looking for!"
"Do you want me to go ahead and look for them?" Vane asked.
Tina paused in her flight, her face beginning a flush a bit because of all the heat. "Is splitting up a good option?" she asked the group. "I mean, we all seem like decent fighters... but that's always how people get killed in horror moves."
White chuckled to himself after hearing her. "Tina.... this isn't a horror movie, haha."
"I mean, you get the point," Tina shot back with a smirk and slight eye roll.
"Is that a no?" Vane wondered, bouncing between two portals that moved themselves to catch her.
"I'll go with you," White insisted, right before Tina could get a word in. "We just need to see if that thing has the shard we're looking for." And after finishing that thought, White took off, going forward. Vane would follow him, portaling herself along.
The ground shook slightly again, however it was subtle and much closer. A nearby mass of volcanic rock was breaking free from the ground and raising itself up. Once it was fully emerged it was apparent this was a golem, much like what had crashed near the group moments ago! It would stand for a moment before charging towards White!
"What the hell-?!" White would begin before getting cut off, smacked upside in the head and sent back a few meters. Tina tried to cushion his blow, leading to her flying behind him while he flailed a bit. "Okay, this... rock... thing doesn't look too friendly."
"I'm willing to bet that this thing has the shard we're looking for!" Tina offered, putting her hands out to White. "Maybe, if we try asking nicely, it'll give it to us?"
White rolled his eyes, staring down the golem. "Hey! Have you seen any crystals near this place recently?"
Dragen's hands crackled with energy, preparing to fight. "You seriously think this thing is up for talking? Let's just beat it up already!"
"I'm cool with that," White agreed, getting into a battle-ready stance. Then, from his legs, he fired a flare of fire at the golem before dashing to it and attempting to hop onto its shoulders.
The golem didn't make a sound other than its rocks moving around each other, and didn't appear to notice the flare at all as it prepared to backhand White away.
"How did that rock thing ignore my blast?!" White questioned loudly before being swiped away once again. Tina was next, flying to its side and sending an aerial kick.
It didn't seem to notice Tina either, until she successfully landed her kick and broke off a small portion of its stone body. The golem staggered, confusedly throwing its arm towards where the attack had come from.
Dragen created three plasma missiles and fired them at the golem, hoping to blast away it's other arm. Meanhile, Tina flew backwards, dodging the swipe. "Hey, Dragen! Will you keep blasting it? I don't think it completely realizes what's happening, if I can charge up a screech I might be able to put it out for a while!"
”Fine by me!” Dragen responded. He created more plasma missiles and continued to bombard the golem.
Vane hung in mid-air, opening a portal under one of the golem's legs, with the other side safely away from the group. She would only be able to keep it open for a bit, though, as she would fall to the ground after a few seconds.
Dragen's missiles hit the golem, blasting apart it's arm as the portal opened and it's leg fell through, causing the rock creature to topple over onto the ground. Tina and White smiled towards Dragen and Vane, respectively. 
"Hey, nice stuff!" cheered White, who began to heat his leg up while Tina took to the skies. Then, Tina would descend from above to try and kick the golem's remaining arm whilst White would try to kick away its remaining leg with an overheated kick. As they did this, Dragen charged his fist with energy and rushed towards the Golem, striking the monster’s chest.
With their efforts combined, the golem was broken apart and shattered into pieces, becoming another unmoving pile of rocks.
"What was that?" Dragen asked "Does it just live here or did someone make it? Didn't exactly look organic."
=== With the Rulers ===
In the same area, Scorch had been one of Luna's associates who was already searching for the shard. He'd quickly be joined by four others; Kasai, Feng, Khione, and Brac would suddenly pop up in the sky from a flash of light, falling to the ground.
Feng blasted air from her feet to levitate, and Brac rose a pillar of cooled earth that he and Khione landed on. Kasai, immune to the heat, landed on his feet. "Damn," Kasai began. "Looks like the distraction time's done."
"I'll take the new powers, though," Khione added, nodding.
The dark lion's fur bristled, letting off a surprised grunt as he moved away from the falling newcomers. He took the time to eye them all warily, eyelids half shut. Unamused, Scorch's palm ignited in a reddish-neon pink hue, before disappearing like a fire cracker. As much as he wanted to ask again what their names were - he reassured himself he would probably never meet them again, so why bother?
The ground shook slightly. In the distance, something appeared to be launched into the sky before returning back down to the surface...
"What a drag, that thing might have the shard," Brac complained, looking at the flying object.
"Hey, punk," Kasai said, turning to Scorch. "You with Luna, right?"
"If I wasn't, why the hell would I even be here?" came Scorch's gruff reply, taking an aimed glanced at Kasai.
"Hey, don't get smart with me, punk!" yelled Kasai, lighting his hand on fire and getting closer to Scorch before stopping. "I'll light you on fire if you start mouthing off!"
The lion's pupils dilated; shrinking needle thin as he got yelled at. His mane bristled, glowing a reddish-pink as he bared his fangs. As Kasai's hand lit up, so did Scorch's, raising his flaming hand in between them. He tightened his fists as his flames disappeared in a small, controlled explosion. "Try me, windbag."
"The only wind here is the stuff that's going to get knocked out of-" Kasai was about to get more aggressive when Khione stepped in front of him and slapped him across the cheek. Then, she gave a chilling glare at Scorch.
"Cool it."
With eyes glowing with interest, he retrieved his composure, replacing his annoyance with a more amused expression. Scorch put on a poker face, turning away from the previously heated conversation. The lion then began walking ahead, mane prickling in the midst of the heat.
Kasai rubbed his cheek. "Ow... Khione, no need to be a bitc-" SLAP! "OWWWWWW!"
"Quit wasting your breath," Khione ordered.
Feng walked over to Scorch, poking him in the shoulder like she was trying to get his attention. Returning Feng's poking by sparing her a glance, Scorch turned his attention toward her, tilting his head as if to beckon her to continue.
Feng pointed upwards, where Scorch would possibly see the flying and descending mass that no one else had noticed. Blinking, the lion followed her hand, pausing in his tracks. Scorch scrunched his muzzle - one of confusion. He had seen it. Silently, he glanced back at Feng, eyes glowing with interest for the weird floating object. Inching closer to the hovering thing, Scorch squinted, analyzing it from afar.
Feng nodded at him, and she began to move forward, heading to it at a decent pace.
The dark lion aimed a backwards glance at the group, before tailing after Feng.
The ground rumbled again, though it was more localized this time, and getting stronger. Suddenly, a large, appropriately volcanic-looking serpent erupted out of the ground near the group. It stood, eyeing the party for a moment before letting out a deafening screech and charging at them, looking keen to make them it's meal.
Feng used a gust of wind to blow the group of five back. She and Khione landed swiftly, but Brac landed on his rear, and Kasai his face. Scorch wasn't prepared at all for the wind, but recovered anyway, landing on all fours.
"Ready to show your worth, kid?!" Kasai said to Scorch, his hands beginning to light. "Or are you gonna wimp out on us?!"
The serpent screeched as it burrowed back into the ground. It could be felt coming towards the group before it burst through the rock below Kasai with an open maw, ready to devour him.
"Might consider wimping out if you pay me to cry," the lion retorted, beginning to charge at the serpent. Aiming at its body, he dished out a ball of flames heading straight towards it, before clenching his fist - controlling the flames to explode by its scales. "Oi! Don't you think I taste a lot better than that fool?" Scorch yowled at the serpent tauntingly.
The blast certainly knocked the snake away, however it didn't seem affected by the heat at all. Logical for a creature living on a volcanic planet. After reorienting itself it charged toward Scorch with a roar.
With one hand, Scorch blasted himself upwards, moving himself towards the serpent whilst charging another sphere of fire in his free hand. The lion scrunched his muzzle, getting ready to fling the fireball at it. As if she was snatching away the spotlight, Feng blasted herself upwards with a fierce gust of wind, jumped off of Scorch's head, and fired a horizontal wind cannon at the lizard's head.
Wincing and saving his objections to being used as a platform, Scorch threw his fireball towards the wind cannon, hoping it could help propel; if not, combine with his explosive for greater impact. The lion was aware that his attack didn't seem to do much to the snake, but he needed to make sure that the fireball was of use. If the fireball stayed for too long in his grasp, worst-case scenario was probably Scorch with no hand.
The combined efforts of the two blasted the serpent straight in the face, knocking it back some distance. It writhed on the ground in pain before hurriedly slithering away to a nearby lava pool.