The Process was fast. It happened before the people could react.
The Keahi Volcano was a Cone Shaped one. With the Gas clouds and Eruption deemed to be massive.
The Ash clouds appeared first as it erupted, shaking the whole Village from the Blast vibrations and Tremors.
The magma soon emptying from the Volcano's chambers before the people could empty their belongings from their homes.
The people began running for their lives. Leaving behind whatever possession they were carrying inorder to save their lives.
The Industry Representatives were the first to escape with a suspicious smile on their face.
The Magma rocks were getting hurled from the Eruption into the Village, with many houses gulped up in flames.
The people watched their farmlands get destroyed along with their belongings slowly and painfully.
The people cursed at Albert, saying his stubbornness cost them their livelihoods.
Albert was trapped in his house by the enraged people.
They wanted to watch him burn and suffer.
Unfortunately Sharon got trapped there. Her water had broke.
The people knew about it, but said it's payback for them destroying the future of their children.
The people left, watching from a distance as the village slowly burned.
Meanwhile, Leo was returning to the Village with shocking evidence. But he was met with even shocking news as he knew about his wife and father trapped in the village.
He immediately tried to run to the village, only for the villagers to hold him back as every exit was blocked.
He tried fighting them off, only to be forcefully restrained by the Villagers. They used his resentment towards his father against him.
Leo slowly realised his mistake, watching how cruel people can get when cornered.
He screamed and cried, trying to make sense with them.
His unborn child hadn't wronged anyone. Why was he getting punished.
The Villagers weren't in the mood to listen, restraining and making him watch the destruction.
*Meanwhile*
*Back in Albert's home*
Sharon was going through her labor pain, while Albert tried breaking the doors to find an exit.
A lonely labor was extremely dangerous, with Albert being inexperienced in it.
After some painful few minutes he managed to open up one of the doors in time, helping up Sharon and escaping the House before a Magma rock hit their house, burning it.
The air was filled with smoke and ash. The Eruption sending out Kilometres wide ash clouds that descended on the lands.
Sharon having difficulty breathing. The Clouds blocked out the sunlight and the thick atmosphere was slowly trapping oxygen from entering.
Albert managed to take her to a nearby home for shelter, finding an Old woman who was left for dead by her sons.
She couldn't walk properly, and at 70 years of Age, they found no use for her.
"Such cruelty"
Albert remarked as he went and talked to the woman, asking to help with his daughter in law's labor, to which the old woman immediately obliged.
She used the traditional methods for childbirth, sending Albert on a lookout so they won't be caught off guard.
The Labor process began inside the House. It was a long and painful hour of the trio's life.
Albert was facing the Volcano, on his knees, praying for their safety from its wrath.
He didn't let anything distract him. With rocks flying across their house to nearby ones.
The Magma was overflowing from the Chambers, emptying out into the Village, the burning and boiling sounds, mixed with the heat could terrorize anyone out in the open.
But Albert kept praying. Every second, every minute being crucial for their safety.
After an hour, the Old Woman slowly walked out, tapping on Alberts shoulder.
"He's here"
Albert was overjoyed hearing the news. Rushing inside to meet his Grandson.
Unfortunately, the child wasn't moving or crying.
Sharon had fallen unconscious from the pain and stress. The Old Woman doing everything she could to revive the baby. But to no avail.
All seemed lost.
Albert shed his first tear that day. He didn't cry when the village, and his own son turned against him.
Or when he lost his dear wife. But now, his eyes welled with Tears.
The lack of Oxygen was causing the baby not to take its first breath.
The Eruption needed to stop so the rescue forces could enter. Or the Child may not have any chance to survive.
He Slowly walked outside, dejected.
He lifted his head, looking at the Volcano.
"O Great Keahi. The Bearer of Flames.
Please pay heed to this humble man's prayer
I always believed we were the Guardians to your land
And in time you will reclaim and remold it as you please.
We accepted that Fate when we accepted these lands
Borrowing your land for our survival.
We know It'll return to you someday
But till that time, I wanted to protect it like it was intended to.
We didn't use machineries on you
People said it's Tremors might wake you up
But I believed that they'll hurt you
Hurting The land that's part of you.
I looked up to you like a God
While others looked at you as a piece of Inferno
I know you are angry at the people
For not being grateful for what you gave us
They let others invade you
Cause you pain with the tools of theirs
You feel betrayed by the People whom you helped
Trying to sell you off to someone else
I accept the blame for allowing it to happen.
So take my life and let peace prevail.
Let my Grandson live.
So he may see the Light of a new day
I offer myself to you. Not as a penance
But as an offering.
Let my Grandson live in exchange for my life.
Pleaseeeeee….!!!!!"
Albert knelt down, taking the ashes in his hands, putting them all over his face as he cried.
He was slowly suffocating as the Eruption Continued.
Albert was slowly fading as he pinned all his hope on hearing his Grandson.
The old woman gave one last try seeing all of it happening.
And that was when the Miracle happened.
The baby took its first breath, crying.
Albert heard the crying as he passed out. Smiling. Knowing his pleas were accepted.
The Volcano calmed down as the Baby's cries got louder.
To a man of science it looked like the Volcano had finished erupting.
But to a man who believes in intertwined fate and religious beliefs, this was a Miracle indeed.
It looked like the Volcano calmed to let the baby sleep peacefully, not wanting to disturb his slumber.
The Birth of a New Life which had not sinned against it. Punishing it without reason wouldn't be Karmic Justice.
As long as the child was in the Village, the Keahi Volcano wouldn't continue it's punishment.
The Life of One Innocent outweighed a Thousand Sinners that day.
Or that's what the Old Woman said after Albert woke up after a few hours.
He was knocked out from the lack of oxygen. A medical team soon arrived at the location to help everyone.
They were treating Sharon and the Baby.
Leo soon rushed to the location, meeting up with them.
He looked at Albert and made his way to the Baby.
Tears of joy filled his face as he lifted him in his hands, holding him close as he held Sharon's hand.
The Old Woman said what she had told Albert. The Child's cry ceasing the Volcano's eruption.
As his first cry immediately made it cease to erupt.
She suggested a name for the Baby.
AKAMU.
A Hawaiian name which means "made from the red clay/soil"
A fitting name for a baby born during the Eruption. While the village was being demolished and remodeled by Lava.
Leo agreed with the Sentiment, naming the Baby "Akamu".
*A few days passed*
Albert had stopped talking to everyone as the Villagers returned to the site where the village once was.
They still held anger and resentment towards Albert.
Akamu was with his mom, recovering.
The Villagers looked around the Area to calculate the damages.
All their farmlands covered in Ash. The Chief determined it wouldn't be fit for farming anymore.
The Magma had cooled down around the Village, causing an uneven surface.
The Village, as they know, was gone. Erased in a matter of days.