The Living Elements (Part 3: Meeting the Fire Men):
THE NEXT MORNING:
"Misako, are you ready to go? The Volcano of Hate awaits us." Garmadon called to his wife. "Yes, I am ready. Do you have the steel-shod umbrella?" Misako asked back. "Yes, it is in my bag. Wu said he will await our return with happiness for the Fire Man's presence." Garmadon said, heading for the door. The rains from the night before has mudded the ground, leaving the couple to slip and slide all they wanted. Slowly, they made their way seven miles South to the Volcano Islands of the Fire Men. "What does the scroll say to do, Misako?" Garmadon asked, looking at the red scroll sitting in her palms.
The Fire Men have anger issues with those who cross their lands without permission. Their punishments are hot and testing. The Fire Men need to be extinguished before a hand may touch them. Their eternal flames burn at more than 100 degrees kelvin. They care more for the work they do than for their family. In order to capture one, those who try must be saddened with fear of someone they love. Their flames will turn orange, the color of their sadness. Then, throw the water onto them as quick as possible. Individual capture is difficult, I do not recommend it for any reason.
"We need water to extinguish their flames. Otherwise, we may not touch them for any reason." Misako said, pulling out a little bucket. "That will work. We must find him first." Garmadon answered, climbing up the side of the volcano on the first island. He squinted at the many Fire Men inside. He scanned them over and over, making sure he could not mistake one for the marked one. Four volcanos later, they came to the end of a tunnel. "I can hear them coming this way." Misako said, hiding behind a recently toppled boulder. Two Fire Men came around the corner and passed by, one holding a piece of a gemstone. They were speaking in their language, a combination of hisses and screeches, along with some hand motions. "Those don't have the symbol, either. Let's keep going." Garmadon said, turning to walk down another passage. "The water has evaporated. We need to get more before we continue." Misako protested as another pair of Fire Men came around the same corner. One was a female, the other being a male with blazing brown eyes. They stopped and talked to each other for a few minutes before being joined by several other Fire Men. By that time, Misako had left and returned with another bucket of water, filled to the brim with the fluid. The Fire Men split up and departed, the first two remaining where they were. "Is that the one?" Misako whispered. "I can't see. I want to get him to turn around for a second for a peek at his neck. He just won't hold still enough to let me see." Garmadon said, poking his head out slightly farther than he should've. The female turned and spotted him, throwing a hot fireball towards his face. "We need to go, now!" Garmadon said, grabbing Misako arm and pulling her out of the tunnel. The two Fire Men followed, their hands blazing with wicked flames. The human couple ran for the water, their feet burning holes in the grasses of the volcanoes. The female gave up and turned around while the male continued to pursue his prey, leaving himself vulnerable. Misako dipped the bucket under the water and threw it with all her might at the blazing figure before her and her husband. The water splattered onto the Fire Man, putting out his flames and rendering him weakened. He fell into the water, sputtering for breath as Garmadon pulled him up and onto the shore. Misako puffed for a few minutes while the Fire Man breathed out what little flames he could. The couple hauled the Fire Man up onto their shoulders, making a break for the wetter ground towards the forests Southern to their village. For hours they walked, dragging, dropping, pulling and pushing the Fire Man up their steps and into Wu's barn. "You are back! Please, come in and I will deal with the young Fire Man. Go, rest in my home, brother and wife." Wu said, racing out to meet them. He grabbed the Fire Man roughly by the back of the ear, pulling him towards the third finished cage. The Fire Man sat on the ground of the cage, panting and trying to heat himself up again. Wu smiled as he walked back inside his home, heading right for the teapot sitting on the stove. Garmadon plopped down next to the older chair, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "Would you rather have ice in your tea, brother?" Wu asked, heading for the cooler on his back porch. "Yes. The Fire Men grow hotter than the scrolls say, brother. Their homes are twice as hot as their own bodies, I'm afraid." Garmadon said, smiling up at the night sky through the window on the ceiling. "Your last journey will begin when you wish it to, Garmadon. You both may stay here for as long as you need in order to recover." Wu said, gently reaching for his teacups filled with ice cubes colored blue. "May we see Lloyd?" Misako asked. "Yes, follow me. He must be sleeping, otherwise he would be crying very loudly about the pains in his stomach." Wu frowned, walking towards a wooden door at the other end of his house. He opened it just enough so that Misako could peek through the door at her sleeping son. "He is very well asleep, Wu. How do you keep him like this for so long?" Misako asked as she closed the door. "My Wondrous Dreaming Tea always does the trick. Now, finish your tea and go to sleep. You will need it for the final journey." Wu said, pulling out an extra blanket covered with little golden dragons stitched into the blue fabric.
PART FOR COMING SOON!