Tor, the governor of Vulkan Island, stood with Wandoo and Ameh. He frowned at the news they just told him, his mind trying to wrap its head around what was about to happen. "You got a divination that showed the volcano erupting."
Ameh nodded. "It's going to be bad if it gets to the island."
"We should evacuate the people," Wandoo said, but his logic went over his spiritually caged grandfather.
"There's no need for that, we just need to hold a ritual."
"But grandpa, it's not going to work," Wandoo complained. "Let's not endanger the people with such old customs."
Ameh frowned, not liking his grandson's logic. "We have followed this method for more than a hundred years. It is the way of our people."
"The volcano has the agée; it is…"
Ameh slapped the back of his head, his eyes glaring at the younger boy maliciously. "Never again mention the name of that godforsaken core again."
Wandoo rubbed the back of his head, knowing he couldn't reason with the old man. He sighed, taking the brunt of his blinded spirituality. "Yes grandpa."
.....
The crew met back in front of their ship, the boys sitting tiredly on deck.
"What did you guys find out?" Paolo asked, picking the croissant Aline laid in front of him.
Aline told him about the adventurers who were being thrown into the volcano and how the vice master of the Lion Pride Adventurers was the same person as the one that came to the ship.
Paolo hummed, absorbing the news. "We also found out something interesting."
He explained how the Lion Pride Adventurers dealt with the protection of the volcano as well as the figure they had seen and the trap.
Paolo crossed his arms. "My hypothesis is coming to light now. The Lion Pride Adventurers have something in that volcano that they are killing adventurers for."
"What do you think it is?" Shinzo asked.
"No idea, but whatever it is, it must be super dangerous."
"You guys." They all turned to face Wandoo, the boy climbing up the stairs into the ship. "There's a problem."
He explained about his grandfather's divination and the ritual, Paolo pursing his lips at the news.
"Wandoo, how long have the Lion Pride Adventurers been here?"
"Four years."
"As long as the glass in the volcano," Octavius mumbled.
"When is the ritual?" Paolo asked.
"By seven this evening," Wandoo replied.
Paolo clapped his hands, his brainstorming session over. "Alright, boys we're going to check out the volcano again this evening."
"What of us?" Aline asked.
"I want you girls to go for the ritual. If something happens, I need you there to evacuate the villagers. You will fill Iverem on what is going on."
"What are you thinking?" Shinzo asked him.
Paolo smiled. "Oh nothing, just going to pay the Lion Pride Adventurers a little visit."
.....
A man in an open black shirt with a lion symbol on his chest entered the building for the Lion Pride Adventurers, his black hair with bleached tips contrasting on his dark skin.
Aesha ran towards him, bowing her head slightly. "Master Ini, I have good news."
"What is it?" he asked, placing a tobacco in his mouth and lighting it.
"Seye and his team have found the core and all they have to do is extract it."
He grinned, the news bringing joy to his very being. "Wonderful, after four years of searching, we finally found it."
"The priest also announced that there will be a ritual. It seems the volcano might erupt."
Ini snorted, peeling the tobacco away from his lips. "That old man should go and rest already. He is getting too old for this nonsense. There are no gods in this world." He put the tobacco back, blowing a puff of smoke. "Did you deal with the adventurers?"
"Onum and Oloha couldn't kill them and a member of Seye's team said he saw them and the head of the guild in the restricted area."
Ini frowned, his eyes glinting angrily. "How hard is it to kill a bunch of rookies?"
"It seems we underestimated our opponents," she said, handing him a newspaper. "Look for yourself."
Ini read it, blowing another puff of smoke before flinging the newspaper to the corner of the room. "I don't care who it is, no one is ruining my plans. Find them and kill them."
She bowed. "Yes master."
.....
The sun began to set, the orange hues casting down on all three towns of Vulkan Island, Yona, Odure and Zulum, everyone headed towards the volcano for the ritual.
The boys of the Cross Heart Adventurers had gone inside the cave leading towards the volcano, Aline, Wandoo and Iverem stood with the crowd at the ritual site, Luna guarded the entrance of the cave, and Aesha stood on top of the roof a nearby building, ready to attack.
Everyone stood in their position. The bad guys, the good guys and the people who didn't know what was going on. At seven o'clock sharp, everything would be set into motion.