The city lockdown lifted precisely three days after the chaos.
Eagledome still felt tense. Like a stretched wire. But movement in and out of the city was permitted again. And the city activity started to return to normal.
Guards were everywhere though. The gold-emblazoned White Eagles of the Royal Guard. The stark silver-plated City Watch. And the distinct azure cloaks of the Ocean Church enforcers.
Investigations were underway. Undoubtedly messy. And filled with a great amount of political maneuvering.
Spark Nighthawk had seen enough of that for a lifetime. Particularly the last three days of enforced confinement. While the kingdom tried to figure out whatever it is they want to find out.
He wasn't interested in being a potential loose end or a convenient scapegoat. His plan was simple: Get out of there.
They secured passage on the first available passenger sky ship heading west. The Cloud Strider was a standard, mid-sized sky frigate. Powered by standard Sky Crystal and guided by navigation runes.
Functional. Yet, not as luxurious as the Peregrine Swift he traveled on previously.
Spark and his four companions boarded the ship. Melting into the crowd of merchants, minor nobles, and adventurers. Eager to escape the stifling post-attack atmosphere of the capital.
Spark occupied a private cabin large enough for him and the four women.
Lilith, ever efficient, handled the ticketing and boarding details. Ivy meticulously checked their supplies. Melody ensured the cabin was comfortable using minor charms. And Serenade managed and recorded the financial expense competently.
The journey was smooth. Almost unnervingly so after the recent pandemonium. The sky ship sailed through clear blue skies above shifting cloud formations. And occasional distant floating islands.
No air pirates. No unexpected storms. Just the steady hum of the runic engine and the gentle rocking motion.
Spark spent the time reviewing some of his projects in his mind. Contemplating future investments. And occasionally observing the women. They knew better than to chatter aimlessly. Keeping to quiet tasks. Or simply resting.
Eight hour later, the Cloud Strider descended towards Imphoenix Town. Located on the rugged western coast of the island. Not far from the base of the towering, perpetually smoking Regalheart Volcano.
Imphoenix was a hub for prospectors, alchemists, and those seeking rare minerals or volcanic materials. The air tasted faintly of sulfur. And something metallic.
They disembarked without incident. And checked into the town's best inn. The Obsidian Flame. It was crude luxury compared to Spark's villa in Eagledome. But it was clean and secure.
Spark rented the largest suite. As usual, Spark spent the night enjoying himself in the company of four beauties.
Morning arrived, heralded by the reddish glow. Filtering through the room's thick drapes. After a substantial breakfast, Spark asked Lilith to arrange for transport.
It was a journey towards a volcano. One especially known for its volatile nature and fierce inhabitants. It wasn't something a standard cart could handle.
They rented a specialized, reinforced carriage. Built for rough terrain and pulled by not two, but four sturdy rhino-horses. Creatures known for their thick hides and stubborn resilience.
The driver was a grizzled local who clearly valued gold over curiosity. He accepted Spark's exorbitant fee. Without asking questions about his destination so close to the mountain itself.
The carriage rumbled out of town. Following a wide, packed-dirt road that gradually sloped upwards. The air grew warmer. The metallic tang of the volcano more pronounced.
The landscape shifted from scrubby plains to rocky foothills. Dotted with hardy, fire-resistant flora.
They were halfway to the point where the road ended when the attack came. Not from the skies, as Spark had half-expected. But from the ground.
A hoard erupted from cleverly hidden tunnels along the road's edge. Ratgoblins. Scrawny, grey-skinned creatures with rodent-like faces. And rusty, scavenged weapons. Tier-1 monsters. A nuisance. Nothing more.
Even the rhino-horses barely flinched, their thick hides deflecting the few arrows that reached them.
Spark didn't even need to leave the carriage. Lilith was out first. A blur of controlled motion. Knives flickering.
Ivy followed right away. Sending small, precise alchemical grenades. Turning groups of goblins into dust or briefly incapacitating them with noxious fumes.
Melody sang a wishart song and casted her soulcraft spell, Enhancement Melody. It greatly strengthened everyone she considered allies. Lilith showed greatest improvement. She was almost twice as fast and as strong.
Serenade stood calmly. Watching. She didn't need to participate at all. The three women could already handle the enemies pretty easily.
It was over in minutes. The ground was littered with twitching bodies and discarded scrap metal weapons. The Ratgoblins were more a speed bump than a threat.
Spark watched from the carriage window. Unimpressed by the incompetent opponents. But he was satisfied with his women's actions. Efficiency was good. This was efficient.
They continued on. Leaving the mess behind. The road grew rougher. Eventually narrowing to a mere track. Before disappearing entirely into a jumble of large, volcanic rocks and steep inclines. This was the end of the line for the carriage.
They stopped at a relatively flat, sheltered area. Spark surveyed the surroundings. The volcano loomed above. Its summit wreathed in a perpetual plume of smoke and steam. The air was thick with heat.
"Set up camp." Spark instructed the women. "Defensive posture. High-level array. I won't be gone long."
They nodded. Their expressions were impassive masks of obedience.
Ivy and Lilith set up the luxurious camp with practiced ease.
Serenade, on the other hand, began unfolding array nails. This was consumable objects that was requires to set the protection array.
Meanwhile, Melody drew large circle patterns on the ground with an Arcane Chalk. For connecting the nails into active protective array. She drew it around their campsite. Including the place where the carriage and rhino-horses were placed.
Building a high-level protective array wasn't hard. But it wasn't cheap. The high level array nails were very expensive. And they were consumable.
But it would create a near-impenetrable dome of force. Capable of withstanding attacks from high-tier monsters for a considerable time.
Spark was satisfied they understood their task. And were capable of executing it. He turned towards the mountain. He re-checked the various items stored in his void space. Everything necessary was at hand.
The climb began. The path, if it could be called that, was treacherous. Loose scree shifted underfoot. The heat intensified with every upward step.
But Spark's massive physique had been honed by years of intense training. And his Framepath cultivation had made his body tougher than steel. It handled the strain easily.
The first significant challenge came in a small crater-like depression. Seven Fire Wolves. Tier-2 monsters.
Their fur was made of flickering flame. Their teeth and claws were hot and sharp. They moved as a pack. Encircling him. Low growls rumbling from their chests.
Spark cracked his knuckles. He didn't bother with subtlety. In a controlled surge of internal energy, his form began to shift.
Black hair transformed into a thick mane. His nose broadened. His eyes turned cat-like. And short, powerful claws extended from his fingertips. Partial were-lion transformation. His strength and speed surged dramatically.
Before the wolves could coordinate their attack, Spark acted even further. He called upon the unique ability of Honey, his seven-element fairy. Instant casting of elemental coatings. For this time, it was... Water Coating.
A shimmering, skin-tight layer of focused water element energy instantly encased his body. Extinguishing the heat radiating from the wolves. And turning his own being into a conduit for fire extinguishing element.
He lunged. A direct, blunt charge. The lead wolf met him. His fangs were bared. Spark's massive, now water-coated fist slammed into its fiery flank.
The impact wasn't just physical. The water element clashed violently with the fire element composing the wolf. Causing a localized explosion of steam and disruptive energy. The wolf yelped, stumbling back. Parts of its fiery form sputtering.
He didn't stop. He moved through the pack like a human battering ram. Punching. Kicking. Swatting aside the blazing forms.
Each blow was empowered by his werelion strength. And the disruptive Water Coating. Those attacks sent the wolves reeling. Their forms flickering as their elemental composition was violently disrupted.
They were fast. But his transformed speed and overwhelming power were too much for them.
They tried to bite and claw. But the Water Coating seemed to scald them on contact. Extinguishing the flames on their fangs and claws. Before they could pierce his skin.
It was brutal, efficient work. He felt bone crunch under his fists. Steam hissed and dissipated. Within a minute, the seven Fire Wolves lay broken and defeated. Their forms rapidly cooling into piles of charred fur and bone.
Spark shook his hands. Watching the Water Coating fade. A few scorch marks appeared on his clothes but were quickly dealt with.
He took a deep breath and continued his journey. Just a few more hours to reach his destination. The Volcano Crevice. Where the thing he was searching for could be found. The Blazing Lava.