Origins (Book 4 of Alfireán age)

Duties

Karawaaa!

Thunder rumbled behind Alf and Rex as they followed Valarinnia across the vast kingdom of Merinia. The princess raced across the morning sky while arcs of purple lightning reached out before her in blinding flashes.

Far below, farms, jungles, and houses built into hillsides dotted the land. And in the distance, a tall, rounded mountain sat serenely amidst the countryside.

"That's Itasy," Rex shouted excitedly, pointing at the mountain. "It erupted when the dragons moved the continents, and it's where the Merinians get all their power."

Alf nodded absentmindedly. "I know. I saw it in my guardian memory too."

"When the king had me download the guardian's memory, I was hoping I'd get to see it," Rex exclaimed as the wind whipped his brown hair from its hair tie and around his face. "Imagine an active volcano! And one being used to power a nation!" he shouted over the sound of thunder.

Alf smiled and nodded again. He was excited to see the volcano too, but he was also worried about Olivia and Zaphaniea, whose responsibility had taken them to another part of the kingdom. It just didn't seem smart to split them up when Vackzilian could attack at any moment.

The slight smell of sulfur tickled Alf's nose as they approached Itasy Mountain. Plumes of steam and smoke poured out of its rounded top.

Suddenly, Valarinnia sped up, and the wind buffeted Alf in the face. He grimaced and expanded his shield, frowning at the princess.

"What's up with her?" Rex called over the roaring wind as the barrier fully enclosed them.

"I'm not sure," Alf said with a shrug. "My guess is the mountain's not supposed to be smoking like that."

"Oh, we may have our work cut out for us then," the vice champion mumbled as a blanket of green flashed under their feet and the volcano rapidly drew closer.

"Probably," Alf agreed, not relishing the idea of having to tame an out-of-control volcano, a task he wasn't sure he was up to.

As they neared the mountain, Rinnia suddenly changed directions and careened straight for the earth. They plummeted from the blue sky, slammed through an illusion of trees and hills, and emerged into a crystal-lit tunnel. Curved walls and human-sized crystals riding on a conveyor belt zoomed by as the princess thundered down the long, underground corridor.

Then without warning, the tunnel opened up to a verdant valley with light streaming in through the top of the volcano, and Rinnia came to an abrupt stop.

Light flashed and a deafening boom echoed throughout the crater as she transformed back into her human form. "My father was right to be concerned. We need to channel the heat off the volcano," she exclaimed, running deeper into the green valley.

Alf started to follow but slid to a stop as he caught his first glimpse of the area.

"Whoa, catch a load of that," Rex exclaimed, staring at the fantastical view before them.

A crystal-clear boiling lake filled the enclosed basin, with wisps of steam rising from its bubbling surface, while bright blue, yellow, and green iridescent rocks lined its borders. But what drew Alf's attention most was the towering, pulsating crystal jutting out of the middle of the hot spring. The translucent crystal towered thirty feet into the air, and every time it pulsated, rainbow light danced throughout the cavern.

"Hurry!" Valarinnia snapped as she ran around the outside of the volcanic spring.

"Ah, what is it you want us to do?" Alf asked, pulling his attention away from the majestic sight. The memory he had downloaded was of someone going over a complicated set of spells at the base of a large crystal. He could see the crystal, but he didn't have a clue what the princess wanted.