"We're going to the famous perfect cone-shaped volcano! Don't be scared young miss, it has been inactive for years. It's a three-hour drive, but there are also gardens and places to see on the way." Bella's mind is elsewhere but when she saw the cliff on the side of the road, she thought of something and looked at Dean, then he nodded. Her body tensed, not knowing what to expect.
It's dangerous to drive at night, so Dean decided to stay at a hotel. On the way, they visited other tourist spots like temples, gardens, and a park with waterfalls. They arrived in the hotel in the afternoon and rested. After dinner, they went shopping at the night market.
The place is full of people, even at night. Individuals eating, playing games, and selling goods like souvenirs. After dinner, they went back to the hotel.
The next day, wearing their hiking gear, they went out. From the hotel, it's a half-hour drive to the volcano. What the girls are expecting is that it's desolated and ugly. To their surprise, it's the opposite. On the foot, lush trees can be seen. If there wasn't faint smoke coming from it, they would have mistaken it for a normal mountain. Its perfect cone shape is amazing and really captivates them.
At first, they were walking in a path that normal hikers take. Switch is using a small gadget that guides him to where they have to go. They stop many times to rest and it's getting harder to breathe as they change direction. Bella and Dean stayed at the back because she's also collecting birds and animals within her range. The group stopped in a clearing area near a cliff and rested after hours of walking. They were setting up camp to cook food when suddenly Dean and Switch stood in an attack position. When Bella observed, they were surrounded!
A group of hyenas at their right while a pack of wolves on their left. Switch was shocked because there wasn't supposed to be in this place! He clenched his teeth in frustration, a very unfortunate day. Dean regrets it very much, it looks like the information they got was incorrect. Under his subordinate's investigation, Stefano was chased into this area because the car fell in the place where they parked today. Although they couldn't find out the exact location, it's still a good chance they were in the right place. But there shouldn't be any wildlife threat.
The strange thing is that these animals are territorial, encountering them together in the same place, and cooperating to hunt the same food is a mystery. Or they're only hungry, they couldn't care less of the other group? The four of them stayed back to back when they slowly emerged from the bushes. Bella ordered Fluffy to stand by with the other animals in space. If they'll be in danger, she'll move all of them. But they must be subdued by him because these are wild animals that haven't had any contact with humans. This is good training for them. Anyway, she could cure the wounded ones if it gets bad. The only problem is, how can she hide it from Switch?
She didn't have the time to think further because the leaders of the packs pounced at them on both sides, followed by the others. They tried their best to fight them. The hyenas appear big as the wolves but their rib cages are visible, showing that they were starving for days. Because of the training, they fought smoothly but more came anyway and slowly moved the wounded in space stealthily. She can see Switch's back and is already tired, so she focused on the two guys in front and Adelle close to her. Because of the quantity, it overwhelmed them, Bella didn't notice the two wolves who crept from the cliff behind Adelle.
"AHHHHH!!!!"
When Bella turned around, it was too late, Adelle was dragged and they all fell on the cliff.
"NOOOOO!!!" Bella ran as fast as she could to the cliff and jumped.
"BELLAAAA!!!!!!" In that moment of distraction, Dean was bitten on his arms and Switch on his leg. The two of them were fighting five at the same time. Maybe because of the adrenaline, both of them massacred those attacking them. At first, Dean only wounded them because he knew Bella would collect them later, but his body moved on its own, faster and more precise.
Defeating the last wolf, he ran to the cliff holding his bloody arm. He knows what she did, but he's not gonna calm down unless he sees her safe. Both of them applied first aid and diluted space water on their wounds. He couldn't use the pure because his subordinate might suspect it. Taking all the climbing gears from their backpack, he prepared the rope to climb down. Switch also did the same.
Both of them experienced worse than this, so it's nothing to them. They tied the rope to the strongest tree, and they slowly descended. He didn't prevent Switch from coming because the blood will attract more animals, making the spot unsafe.
"Bella!!!"
"Were here!" They slowly descended and saw the girls sitting in the mouth of a cave. Bella's fakely wrapping around Adelle's fake wound. When the guys touched down, they embraced, ignoring the two eating dog food.
"You're all right?"
"We're fine, just scratches." Switch saw the cliff, and it amazed him to see that the girls were fine. Although it's an unfortunate circumstance, it's fortunate that they aren't heavily wounded.
"We need to get out of here before it gets dark." Switch was looking at the sun.
"No, we have to go inside." Bella said firmly.
"No, it's dangerous."
"But we found this." Bella showed them an empty and worn backpack. Dean sighed.
"Okay, but we rest first and go inside tomorrow." He looks at her dotingly.
Switch was wide-eyed, seeing his Boss bowing to her, changing his stern voice into a mushy and begging tone. Where is his strict 'you can't disobey me' stoned faced Boss!
He would never compromise safety when it's a dangerous situation, but he agreed right away when she requested it? OMO!!!! What a scoop!!!!
Adelle chuckled when she saw Switch's sly expression while rubbing his hands together as if he discovered something good. He touched his nose, embarrassed.
Bella pulled a portable stove, two lanterns with mosquito repellent, a ladle, a collapsible casserole and bowls, and also spoons from Adelle's enormous bag. From her backpack, she pulled four thin sleeping bags, bottled water, and some vacuum-sealed food. It amazed Switch at how these thin girls could carry these.
It doesn't seem to be heavy when they were walking earlier. Dean smirked at him while he was dumbfoundedly admiring the fake 'ehem' wonderful scene because he knows where those really came from. He was disappointed at first when he saw the sleeping bags. But remembering his subordinate, he tried to protect everybody so he would be kind today and prevent him from having a heart attack. Even if it pains him to sleep separately from her.
It was dark when they finished cooking. Switch surrounded the campsite with infrared alarms. After cleaning everything, they went to sleep.
After breakfast, they went inside and explored the cave. Bella keeps close to everyone as a precaution. If something bad appears, she'll move everybody right away. As they go deeper, the air seems to be heavier and warmer. Bella pulled four mask respirators from Dean's bag. As they go further, the temperature becomes hot and intolerable. Dean decided to go back.
"Adelle and Switch, both of you go back first." Bella ordered them. She felt that she must go further but their outfit isn't suitable. She couldn't pull the heat resistant suit from her space, so she had to leave them here.
"But…." , "It's okay, we'll be fine. When something goes wrong, go back and don't wait for us."
"But Boss….", "Okay, but be careful." Adelle said worriedly. Switch felt like he didn't exist! It's not a walk in the park, but how can he disobey his Boss.
When Bella felt they had walked away long enough, she pulled the heat resistance suits for both of them and wore them. She took his hands as they walked, just to make sure. They found more objects like a piece of cloth, bones, and firewood like someone's been there before.
After a while, they can see a red light close to them. They were sweating crazy, when they reached the end, they were awestruck. It's like a pool of hot molten lava. Bella knows they can't admire it any longer, so she tried to feel where she should go. Dean doesn't want to let her go, so she pulled to the end of the cliff. She couldn't feel the exact location because of the heat. It's like walking blindly so she sends to space everything around her range. When they reached the end of the cliff, they saw a small islet in the center of the lava. She concentrated there and moved all the rocks she could reach. Then she felt something! She pulled Dean and ran back like their lives are on the line.
He knew something was wrong when she slowed down and removed her head suit when they were at a safe place.
"What's wrong, honey?"
"We need to go back fast!" She removed the suits, took two bottles of space water, and poured it all over her. Then she pulled his hands and ran again. She's burning! Dean's very worried, but he didn't tell when he's hurting so much from touching her skin. He just silently poured on it too. They stopped so many times and poured space water on her body. When they were almost near the entrance.
"Honey, I need to go alone. Go with them so they wouldn't worry. She poured more water on her body.
"No, I'm coming with you." Dean held her hands tightly, even if it burned like hell.
"It's dangerous, I don't know what might happen."
"No, you.will.not.go.alone!" Bella felt defeated and sighed.
She dives in the river with Dean and it relieves some of her pain. Her skin turned red as if burning, then she passed out. The sky slowly turned orange and the atmosphere inside started to change. Rumbling sounds could be heard as the ground shakes. The Birds flew everywhere and others started to howl from anxiety.
Still soaked, Dean embraced her tightly, thinking it may get worse if she's removed from the river. Looking at the horizon, he smiled.