Chapter 124

124 The Lava Chain (2)

(Tom’s PoV)

No, it was not water. It was not cold and wet. It was like I was sucked into warm sand, except I didn’t feel suffocated at all. I was startled for a while but as I tried to breath, I couldn’t find it difficult. Instead, it was as if I was not drowned but only being enveloped by darkness.

If only I couldn’t feel the sinking motion, I would have believed that I was not drowned.

Even if I tried to open my eyes, I couldn’t see anything. I didn’t know where I was and the warm feeling started to increase by a notch.

Strangely, I didn’t feel panic. The scalding feeling in my hands and around my ankles was gone as if it had never been there. The warmth was still comfortable for me, so I didn’t really pay attention to it. Instead, I chose to clear my head and started to think of another thing.

When would I stop sinking?

Was I sinking faster?

Then, an idea popped in my mind. At this rate, I might end up at the core of the earth. Who knows?

I chuckled at that thought. What was I thinking? Instead of ended up at the core of the earth, there was huge possibility that I would end up dead.

.....

Then, didn’t it mean I wouldn’t meet Jane again?

That thought woke me up. No! I wouldn’t let that happen.

Calm down! Think something! Think something!

I frowned and tried to materialize the same shield I used in my dream and wrapped it around my body. Cool sensation enveloped my body, just in time when the temperature started to become hot instead of warm.

You must have thought why I didn’t find it strange or panic about it. Please, I had died once. I knew the feeling of being separated from my body. Nothing could make me scared right now, at least I didn’t lose any of my memory now. I knew perfectly what happened to me right now, every feel and every sense.

“This human is so calm.” A thunderous voice was heard and my eyebrows twitched. Where did the voice come from?

“As expected from the one who was tied to the death volcano.” A chuckle followed the voice, sounded like a voice of a kid.

My eyes narrowed at that statement. Tied to the death volcano? Who? Me? He meant, this chain? If what he said was true, then it explained why my chain was so hot like lava. But, why? Why did I got chained?

“Huh? My subordinate said that the death volcano is showing signs of eruption. We better leave and inform the others.” The childish voice said.

“Ah, is that why this human is here?”

Again, a chuckle was heard. “Well, he is just another sacrifice for the volcano. Let’s go!”

Wait, sacrifice?! What did I do to deserve this kind of cruel destiny? Why should I be a sacrifice? What is this death volcano anyway?

As I thought that I would be a sacrifice to an unknown volcano, I struggled harder to get free from the chain around my feet. I tugged harder but it didn’t move a bit. I gritted my teeth as loud grunt escaped my lips. I had deep frown on my face and I was sure my face was contorted into something so unsightly, but at this moment I really didn’t care about it.

I need to take off this chain!

Unfortunately, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t take it off. My frustration grew as the temperature around me seemed to increase but my body wouldn’t stop moving. Slowly I started to see other than black; it was red, twinkling and creeping in the dark.

My eyes and lips twitched. It wasn’t hard to guess what it was. It was the flow of lava. I guessed I must have been so close to the mountain.

I straightened my back as I finally guessed where I would land. I stood tall and upright with eyes glaring at the red streaks below me. As the red lava got closer and closer, the chain around my feet flared up, burning my skin.

However, I didn’t shout, scream, or in panic. I hissed a bit, but that’s all. I watched as the chain around my feet glow with red lights and then the whole chain lit up. Two lines of red streaks penetrated the darkness in a speed I couldn’t explain.

Clang, clang!

The red lines finally stopped moving, but there was something with the sound at the end.

Clang, clang? What was that?

My body moved even faster and in a second I had already seen the texture of the ground that would welcome me. Just seeing the pitch black ground ahead of me made me smile bitterly. Didn’t it look so hard? I was sure my bones would be broken to pieces if I were to fall on that surface.

No, I don’t want that!

The red chains around my ankle glow even redder, but the heat was still the same. Even though smokes started rising from it, it didn’t feel hot at all. The scalding feeling I had before was not there. The pain came and disappeared like a headache. It hurt like hell when it was there, but felt nothing when it disappeared. Somehow I felt I was being played by mysterious force.

Then I saw two red dots on the black surface, getting bigger and closer. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was where the chains were tied to.

I didn’t know what came onto me, but when I pulled the chains as I yelled loudly, I heard a loud cracking sound. I didn’t bother to find the source of the cracks as I focused solely on the chains in my hands, so I missed the way the black ground was cracking.

“DEATH MOUNTAIN OR WHATEVER, I REFUSE TO DIE HERE!” I screamed loudly as I pulled the chains even harder.

A second after I said that, I heard a loud rumbling sound as heatwave hit me hard. I was pushed back several meters, but I could feel the chains around my ankle moved wildly following the wave.

I was free! I opened my eyes in a slit while my arms crossed in front of my face, protecting it from the heatwave.

The chains were indeed had been pulled out from the ground, but what surprised me was the boiling hot red lava under my feet.

What the...