The air was saturated with carbon dioxide. The oxygen that is so important to the body was in such small quantities that a person could barely breathe. And the temperature was sparing, and the lungs craved fresh and cold air.
The whole sky was in bloody red, astral orange and sunny yellow. There wasn't a single cloud, and the sun was melting the earth like zest.
High mountains of black as tar mud and stone spread along with the wilted earth. There was not a single plant, and those who had survived were burning in constant flames. In some places, the fire threatened to burn everything in its path.
At the top of the largest mountain, screams of deeply extinct animals could be heard. The thick lava from the tops of the rocks, which were the only ones preserved in this relentless fire, flowed down into deadly rivers of fire.
Flashes of Lightning lit up the bloody sky and ignited even more what they touched. But there was not a single cloud of hope that this inhuman place would be bathed in the blessed water of salvation.
As soon as the doors opened, Mariana began to choke. She couldn't breathe an ounce of air. She felt like someone had grabbed her throat tightly and wouldn't let her go.
Her gaze blurred. She tried to say she was sick, but her voice was overflowing. She fell to the ground in a state of ness, and the last thing she saw was Ron's face.
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Ron froze on the spot. Before his eyes, the purest and gentlest being he had known, Mariana, collapsed. As she fell to the ground with her hands in the air, she looked like a fallen angel. Her beautiful deep, incredibly innocent blue eyes looked straight at him. Her little lips had formed a voiceless cry for help.
The boy was losing his mind. He landed on the ground, and his eyes played like crazy. In his mind came a young woman with blond hair and the same as Mariana's kind and calm blue eyes. She smiled peacefully and her eyes were curled with fatigue. The woman spoke, but Ron didn't understand what she was saying.
"Okaasan..." he spoke quietly. He didn't move out of his seat. Every part of his heart wanted to go there to Mariana and embrace her weak, exhausted body. But he didn't do it. His mind and old memories were stronger. He stayed as far away from the "angel" as possible.
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Florencio was running to Mariana. He didn't notice when she had fallen to the ground. There was pain on his face, but it was so small compared to Ron's. He didn't pay attention to the squatting ruined boy. He took Mariana on his hands and called Mateo.
He went to them right away. The boy leaned over Mariana's weak body. She could barely breathe. A little more waiting and her oxygen would have stopped going through her body and heart. It was the only thing keeping her alive.
Mateo made the air rune from earlier in the space. That didn't help much, but Mariana could at least breathe a little more oxygen. But it wasn't going to hold her alive for a long long time.
"We...we have to move on. "Florencio said quietly and he was about to go forward.
"What are you talking about?! Mariana almost died, and you want to keep going, not a minute after that!" Ron got back on his feet. His eyes shone. His voice trembled and overflowed when he said her name.
"You realize that if we wait here, things are going to get worse, right? Right now, we're next to an active volcano, and everything's burned, and there's not even a minute before we get here! Can you imagine what will happen if we cross the boundaries of the time we were entitled to?" Florencio was ready to jump on him.
"All right, guys, calm down," Teresa stood in their way. Her voice was so husky that the others could barely hear what she was saying. But she continued:
"We, like you, are worried about Mariana and the situation. But bickering wouldn't help. Florencio's right that we have to move on. But at the earliest opportunity, we will find a covered and safe place so Mariana can stay there and recover. But Florencio, you can't carry her. You are an earth bender, and now all who master something even in such conditions are necessary to fight," for a moment the girl became silent, "I suggest Ron take care of her."
"What?! He, carrying her?! No way! Are you kidding?!" Florencio tried to resist, but he was stopped by Teresa's bloody gaze.
"Don't you know what my powers are? I can take out the air and oxygen... What... what if I am..." Ron looked helplessly at his hands. Theresa walked closer to him and leaned over.
"I saw the way you looked at her. I know you don't want to show it, but you care so much about Mariana. I care about her, too. I'm her best friend. I wouldn't entrust it to anyone if I wasn't sure. Right now, you're the best choice. You wouldn't hurt your precious sweetheart, would you?" She whispered in his ear.
Ron froze on the spot and clenched his fists. Theresa backed away.
"I think he will be able to take care of her. Mateo will be with them, too, to give her air through the rune." she turned to him. "Mateo teach him how to do it. It will make it easier for him."
"Yes, all right. We'll take care of her," Mateo replied.
At first, Florencio wanted to resist. 'How…how is this a good idea?' he thought and was about to run off with Mariana on his hands. But he gave up. He went closer to Ron with a stony expression. He put the girl in his hands.
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Ron caught Mariana as if she was made of porcelain. So gentle and attentive. It was as if he had held his breath the whole time. He looked at her just as kindly and tenderly as he was holding her. He couldn't stop himself enjoying her gentle sleeping face.
She was for real as light as a feather. It surprised him so that for a moment he thought he was holding a little wounded bird. She was breathing heavily and very quietly. Ron squeezed her a little harder. 'Theresa's right. For nothing, absolutely nothing in the world I wouldn't hurt you,' he thought and made a sign to the others that they could go.
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Sophie was worried about her friend. For some time now, she has observed that her condition is deteriorating. And now she's passed out. She herself also felt very dizzy.
There was no way she could be wrong with the territory of the new challenge. Fire lands. That's exactly the same type where her father had died in. And her mother's most hatred place.
Worst of all, a voice was keeping whispering something to her. She looked around, but no one else could hear it. So, it was only in her mind. The girl was worried about the future. She predicted it would be very difficult for them.
Sophie looked at Axel. He seemed nervous, too. It's been a long time since he has seen the Land of The Fire Hell. And he knew what was in them....his amber-like honey eyes met Sophie's dark, night sky-like eyes.
She smiled warmly at him. If nothing else, at least he was with her. They may have had a thousand mishaps, but at least they were together. It would have been so much harder for her without him.
She remembered as a child how he and Lucas spent hours telling them about their parents' adventures. Thousands of little smiles and joy.
Sophie approached Axel and grabbed his hand. He grabbed hers, and so, together, while holding hands, they went to the vast peak of the mountain.