The fire flared for a while and then a menacing roar was heard as the monster within the lava awakened.
"The fire…is singing" Tanya said.
"Quick! Let's get across!" Michael ordered.
The friends began to run across the bridge. The flares were hissing menacingly when suddenly, from out of nowhere, a huge forked tongue made of fire shot out of the lava and slashed the bridge in half.
"Quick!" Michael ordered as he leapt unto the other half of the bridge.
The others followed and hung tightly to the dangling rope bridge. The limp rope bridge began to tear.
"It can't take the weight!" Ryu called.
"Only the dragon saints can help us out of this one!" Ryu roared and lifted up his arm.
Nothing happened. He looked at his hand and noticed that his ring was not there.
"I took it while you were unconscious. Here!" Ken dropped the ring.
Ryu leapt for it and grabbed it. He wore it and lifted his hand. Nothing happened and he was falling into the flames.
"Why can't I summon Molten?!" he exclaimed in horror.
"The mist of Shroud that clouds the face
Of the Dragon Saints and their Holy Place!"
He recalled the Statue of Shekan's warning.
"I get it now, that mist is evil. I cannot summon the dragons in areas where there are highly concentrated presences of evil. But I'm not out of the game just yet. FIRE ELEMENT! FIRE ROCKET JUTSU!!!" Ryu roared as an outburst of fire boosted him upwards.
The jutsu was however not strong enough to boost him to the rope bridge.
"Not yet! FIRE ELEMENT! FIRE ROCKET JUTSU!" Ryu called as another boost of fire lifted him higher.
The flames whipped around crazily and then, they began to materialize. Ryu clung to the sides of the crevasse with chakra control.
"How could the queen lead us here?!" Ryu roared angrily.
"After what you said, it's understandable!" Ken roared.
"What did I say?" Ryu asked.
"You said she was way past her expiration date!" Ken yelled.
"When I grab hold of you and that queen, I'll punch all the lights out in your head so that you'll never have a bright idea in your life!" Nadia threatened.
"I don't remember saying any of that!" Ryu protested.
"Will you guys just shut up and realize the predicament we're in right now?!" Atlanta roared angrily.
"I totally agree. Arguing won't change a damn thing now!" Michael agreed.
"The wrath of a woman is a scary thing. Besides, I think this is one of the reasons why she said our journey was hopeless" Rokkan said.
"And now, you choose the wrong time to grow a smart tongue! You're absolutely warped and psychologically demented! You do realize that right?!" Ryu roared.
"Demented enough to do this! EARTH ELEMENT! ROCK BRIDGE JUTSU!" Rokkan roared as a bridge of earth stretched across the crevasse.
Michael and the others leapt unto it just as the rope bridge collapsed into the flames. The bridge caught fire and disintegrated even before it touched the surface of the 'sun'.
"It's a good thing this sun is a lot cooler than ours" Michael said.
"I wish it were cooler still" Nadia said.
Tanya removed her flute.
"Father said the flute had the power to soothe the fiercest beast. Spirits of music, teach me a new song!" Tanya called as she placed the flute to her lips and began to play a soft tune.
The forked tongue of fire lashed out at the sides of the crevasse causing rocks to rain from above.
"CRYSTAL ELEMENT! CRYSTAL DOME JUTSU!" Atlanta called as a dome of crystals arose from Rokkan's earth bridge and encased everyone, protecting them from the falling rocks.
Tanya's music began to increase in intensity. Melodious music filled the dome.
"Wow! That's beautiful, Tanya! But will it work?" Atlanta asked.
"LOOK OUT!" Nadia warned as the tongue of fire hit the dome and shattered it.
Immediately the dome collapsed, Tanya's music turned ominous!
The others covered their ears tightly to block out the awful sound.
"TANYA! STOP PLAYING!" Michael shouted over the noise.
The flares from the 'sun' twisted around the tongue and the head of what seemed like a huge flaming cobra materialized. Another head burst out of the flames. This new head looked like the head of a giant eagle made of dark green wind-like elements.
Tanya ceased playing and stared at the monster with wide eyes. The two heads of the monster hissed, roared and shrieked all at once.
"What's that thing?!" Atlanta exclaimed in horror.
"Th-That's the mythical beast, the Sun-Song Devil!" Tanya exclaimed as she shivered all over.
"How do you know that?" Rokkan asked her.
"I d-don't know. I j-just know that it's too horrible! It's the only beast I know of in this world that cannot be harmed or soothed" Tanya said.
"Then let's get out of here!" Michael suggested.
The friends leapt unto the side of the crevasse and ran upwards utilizing chakra control to stick to the sides of the crevasse. However, the Sun-Song Devil was not about to give them that pleasure. It shot a beam of flames that hit the side of the crevasse, narrowly missing them. At the same time, the Song-head which was the eagle raised an ominous cry that agitated the Sun-head which was the cobra, causing the Sun-head to release a blast of fire.
Michael somersaulted backwards over the beam.
"MICHAEL WATCH OUT!" Nadia screamed as another beam of fire headed his way.
Ken leapt towards Michael, clearing him out of the path of the flames. The Song-head aimed for a bite.
"WIND ELEMENT! FRENZY FURY JUTSU!" Ken called as he released a furious storm.
Unfortunately, the wind only fanned the flames of the Sun-head and the Song-head kept drawing closer. Ken used his wind techniques to keep himself and Michael suspended in the air but he had a hard time controlling his technique while holding unto Michael. Suddenly, with a loud cry, Tanya leapt from the side of the crevasse and drove her scythe deep into the Song-head. Tanya's scythe began to glow.
"Huh?" she stared in surprise.
Ancient runes rose from the Song head, through the scythe. The Song-head shrieked and exploded! The force of the explosion knocked Tanya into the side of the crevasse. She lost consciousness and began to fall into the flames.
"TANYA!" Rokkan screamed as he leapt downwards to save Tanya.
"I'll cover you!" Ryu shouted to Rokkan and leapt for the Sun-head.
"HEY HOTHEAD!" he called to it, hoping to gain its attention but he was totally ignored.
The Sun-head shot out its fiery tongue to devour Tanya and Rokkan.
"FIRE ELEMENT! DRAGON FIRE JUTSU!" Ryu roared as he released a beam of fire that hit the Sun-head.
The attack seemed to have no effect on the Sun-head.
"MICHAEL! NADIA! I NEED A WATER JUTSU!" Ryu called desperately.
Ken focused on directing Michael to Nadia. Soon, Michael attached himself to the edge of the crevasse. Then, he and Nadia formed a combination seal.
"DUAL COMBO JUTSU! DOUBLE HEADED WATER DRAGON JUTSU!!!" Michael and Nadia called together as they released a great water dragon that crashed into the Sun-head.
The Dragon jutsu turned into vapour. That got the Sun-head's attention. It turned towards Ryu and snarled. Rokkan grabbed Tanya around the waist.
"EARTH ELEMENT! CRYSTAL GLACIER JUTSU!" Atlanta called as a sheet of crystal spread across the crevasse.
Rokkan balanced himself using his weight. Then, he removed a kunai and drove it into the side of the crevasse thus slowing their fall. He landed gently on the crystal glacier.
"Michael, Nadia, I need you to use your combo jutsu again. I've got an idea" Ken said as he approached them.
"Okay, we could use one now. Ready, Nadia?" Michael said as he formed a seal.
"I'm ready, Michael" Nadia called as she joined her seal to Michael's.
"Dual Combo jutsu…" Michael and Nadia called as they focused their chakra.
"No, it's not a dual combo jutsu" Ken called as he fused his seal with Michael's and Nadia's.
"DELTA COMBO JUTSU!" Ken called.
"Water Element!" Michael called.
"Water Element!" Nadia called.
"Wind Element!" Ken called.
"DOUBLE-HEADED SNOWSTORM DRAGON JUTSU!" they called out in unison but this technique didn't quite work like the others usually did….