Jason winced as the last thread tugged through his skin, the bite of it sharper than the two days of agony that came before.

  "Two days," he muttered, voice cracked and raw. That had made a tight window, even tighter.

  Jason stood and rolled his shoulders. “Well, I think I’m ready to get back into the fray.”

  “No, you are not. Those stitches are like any other; they can reopen, it will take one more day before your soul is fully healed.” Maggy scolded “Do not use your bloodline until I give you the ok,"

  “Okay, mom…” Jason said with a wink.

  Maggy just rolled her eyes.

  “Don’t worry, I will be careful.”

  “You better be. That was a lot of work.” Maggy said, smiling. “And we should get moving. Those portals are still waiting.”

  Shortly after Umbraxis died, two portals sprung to life.

  The first portal roared with orange light — rivers of molten rock twisting toward a blackened castle.

  The second portal howled with a blizzard's cry — jagged peaks stabbing through a wall of snow.

  Jason stood before the portals, his gaze flicking between the two. Each was a gateway to another deadly challenge, both inviting and foreboding in their own way. The path ahead was clear, Pyraxis, the Flame Sovereign, awaited in the fiery realm, while Frostmaw, the Eternal Warden, ruled over the icy peak.

  "Looks like we get to choose our next vacation destination," he said, smiling. “Volcanic views or icy heights?”

  Maggy let out a small laugh, though there was an edge of tension behind it. "I’m not sure either is exactly a vacation, but at least the views will be interesting."

  Looking over the portals, Jason sighed. "Cold sucks. Lava sucks too, but freezing to death sounds worse to me.”

  “Yeah, cause burning to death has been rated among the best ways to go.” Maggy smirked, arms crossed. “However, I hate the cold. Unless I'm skiing, I don’t want any snow.”

  Jason chuckled. “When we get out of this, you'll have to take me on a ski trip, I've never been.”

  Maggy’s smile softened. “I’d like that.”

  And with that, they stepped through the fiery portal. As their feet touched the rocky, charred ground, an intense wave of heat washed over them, the air thickened, hot and heavy. The dryness hit instantly, leaving their throats parched. The smell of sulfur lingered in the air, mingling with the scent of scorched earth.

  Once they were fully through, the portal winked out behind them, sealing them in this molten realm. Jason glanced over his shoulder at the now-empty space.

  “Hopefully, you didn’t have any second thoughts,” he said with a grin, wiping the sweat from his brow.

  Maggy shot him a look, half-amused, half-exasperated. “Not yet, but ask me again in five minutes.”

  Warning: Extreme heat detected. Damage will begin in 1 hour. Exposure effects will intensify the longer you remain. Find shelter.

  “It did not take five minutes. I already regret it.” Maggy said.

  Jason snorted, before asking. “What do you think, a hard push to the castle?”

  “Yeah, hopefully it counts as shelter.” Maggy said.

  The heat was relentless as Jason and Maggy trudged across the volcanic landscape. The ground beneath them radiated intense warmth, each step feeling as though they were walking on smoldering coals. Rivers of lava flowed in the distance, casting an orange-red glow that reflected off the jagged, black rock around them. Sweat poured down their faces.

  “Still think this is a better vacation spot than the icy mountain?” Maggy asked, her voice strained.

  Jason's response died, as he crested the hill. “Shit. This is going to be a problem.”

  A river of lava thirty feet wide separated them from the castle.

  “What are we going to do?” Maggy asked, her breaths coming in thin gasps.

  Jason shook his head, the heat becoming more unbearable by the second.

  A reflection caught his attention. He turned his head and saw a scorched, broken building.

  “There,” Jason said, pointing to a nearly burnt down building.

  “Do you think that counts as shelter?”

  “I have no ideas. That being said, I don't think we have any other good options.”

  Jason cursed under his breath. They bolted for the shack, the heat baking their backs with every stride.

  Warning: 2 minutes remaining until Heat exposure turns into Thermal Burnout.

  The building or tavern was right there no more than twenty feet away. The sign held by a single hook read ‘The Cooked Pony.’

  A tremor rocked the ground. Jason stumbled.

  Maggy yanked her staff free, scanning the ground. “Something’s coming.”

  The ground in front of them cracked open, and a burst of molten lava shot into the air. Molten arms wreathed in fire slammed onto the earth, dragging a massive form from the magma.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Molten Goliath- An ancient creature born from the heart of a volcano. Its outer shell is made of molten rock, protecting the fiery core within. Strong, slow, and relentless, it uses the intense heat of its body to scorch everything in its path. This Golem becomes stronger and faster depending on the surrounding heat.

  Level: 11

  Grade: F

  Jason's heart hammered. “It gets stronger with heat? Seriously? We’re in a volcano!”

  The creature roared, the sound a deep, bone-rattling tremor. Heat blasted outward with every breath it took.

  "Move!" Jason shouted, grabbing Maggy’s arm and yanking her back just as a molten fist slammed the ground where they'd stood. Shards of molten stone rained down, sizzling as they struck the blackened earth.

  Maggy skidded on loose rock, barely regaining her footing. "What's the plan?" she gasped.

  "Still working on it!" Jason panted, eyeing the tavern barely a few dozen yards away.

  Another blast of heat rolled over them. Sweat poured into Jason's eyes, stinging, blinding.

  Maggy raised her staff, launching a Spirit Bolt. It splashed harmlessly against the Goliath’s molten shell.

  Crap. Maggy thought. “Looks like the shell is not a part of its body. I need its shell to crack.”

  “We need to keep our distance.” Jason called. “I have an idea.”

  “Want to share?”.

  “Think star wars, The Empire Strikes Back”

  “What does that even mean?”

  That was all she had time to ask before the goliath hurled a boulder at them. she dove barely avoiding being crushed.

  Maggy got to her feet. The Goliath strode toward her slow and powerful.

  She gritted her teeth, if she got too close she would be smashed by this thing too far… well she would also be smashed just by a flying boulder.

  She glanced over at Jason, as he was dropping things out of the pouch of storage? Seriously? What is he doing? He’s smiling, his grin split his entire face. Was he enjoying this? Of course he was enjoying this.

  “Maggy it's just about ready I'll need a—”

  A boulder exploded in front him, shrapnel shooting in every direction. Two large chunks smashing into Jason. A loud grunt escaping his lips.

  Maggy’s voice cracked as she called out his name. "Jason!"

  A loud Boom. Brought her attention back to the Goliath.

  The ground shook as she turned, seeing the Goliath smashing into the ground.

  The vines of the Alpha coiled around its legs, already smoldering. Causing the Goliath to trip, like the walkers from Star Wars.

  That is what he was dropping? Maggy thought as she ran to Jason's prone body.

  Blood pooled around Jason. He was bleeding badly from where the rocks had struck.

  He tried to say something only for him to cough blood.

  Maggy kneeled next to him, and activated Spirit Stitch.

  Jason's fists clenched his knuckles whitening.

  Thump, thump.

  She felt his bloodline stirring.

  “Jason, if you open yourself to that it will kill you, and if it doesn't I will!.”

  Jason looked at her fire burning in his eyes. He was right on the edge.

  “Jason calm down!”

  His eyes focused on her, his breathing grew steadier.

  He nodded. “I’m ok, my mind is clear.”

  They turned to the raging Goliath, the vines fully engulfed in flames.

  “Those vines are not going to hold much longer.” Jason said. Getting to his feet and ran toward the Goliath, grateful yet again that he had Maggy.

  He needed to get to the Goliath before it could get back up. They did not have time for a prolonged fight.

  Warning: Thermal Burnout has begun. You will lose 10 hit points a second

  He grunted as he felt his skin blister.

  He jumped onto the Goliath's back pulling free the Rag of the stalker. The cursed fabric wrapped around the Goliath’s thick neck like a boa constrictor. The rag constricted, carving through the molten armor, exposing a pulsing core of searing rock beneath.

  “Now!” Jason roared, teeth gritted against the unbearable heat.

  Seeing what Jason was doing, Maggy already had, her next Spirit Bolt charged crackling with barely contained energy. She unleashed it — the blast slamming into the exposed wound.

  The Goliath shrieked, a horrific sound of molten rock shattering.

  Jason formed the ‘OK’ gesture, activating Capture.

  A surge of ink-black tendrils lashed out, connecting to the exposed core. Both Jason and the Goliath shuddered violently as their health drained.

  Jason bit down on a scream. His vision darkened at the edges.

  He felt the beast’s fury, its power, its burning hatred—

  The Goliath’s form cracked like an overcooked stone, fissures racing across its body.

  Jason's knees buckled.

  The Goliath’s form shuddered, then imploded into ash and ink. The ink swirled, and flowed into Jason’s skin with a burning sting.

  Capture Successful: Molten Goliath (Tattoo Slot 2/5)

  Molten Goliaths highest stat Constitution: Plus 1%

  Jason collapsed to one knee, panting, every breath agony.

  “Hurry!” Maggy shouted, helping him stand.

  Together, they staggered toward the broken shack.

  The instant they crossed the threshold.

  Shelter recognized. Thermal Burnout disabled.

  Jason slumped against the wall, laughing weakly, the sound a mix of sheer relief and lingering exhaustion.

  Maggy dropped beside him, grinning despite herself. “That… was incredibly stupid, you're lucky that worked” she said.

  Jason grinned back. “Yeah... but lucky George Lucas is a genius.”

  Their conversation was interrupted.

  “Hello, adventurers!”

  Well… that was a hot mess. Literally. Jason and Maggy got their first taste of the volcanic realm, and it came with a lava-chucking Goliath, a Star Wars-inspired trip tactic, and a timer that nearly roasted them alive. This was a high-stakes fight with real damage, and a reminder that sometimes the best battle plan is pure chaos and last-second teamwork.

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