Ok ok. I get the point. You want the next chapter. Here it is.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Go away.

Chapter Twelve: Jewel of Fire.

Rowen stopped the car at the base of the mountain.

"Are you sure the Jewel will be here?" Ryo asked. "I've roamed all over this mountain. I've never seen a temple here."

"You weren't looking for one then either." Chailyn replied. "It is only visible for those that are the Mother's children."

"I'm not a Mother's child." Ryo retorted.

"I am." Nuria replied. "I will be able to see the entrance, but I will not be able to enter. That is not my task."

"I don't understand." Ryo muttered.

"I can see the entrance because I am Fire, but I am not asking for the Jewel so I cannot enter." Nuria replied.

"I see." Ryo frowned. "Do you know what the trial will be?"

Nuria shook her head. "Let's go Ryo. Just you and me. The rest of you wait here."

Everyone nodded.

"Blessed be," Chailyn murmured as they walked away.

Nuria and Ryo slowly climbed to the top of the mountain.

At the top they peered inside the smoking volcano.

"There." Nuria pointed to a small ledge touching the burning lava. "You must start there. I can go no further." She sat down.

Ryo turned to look at her. "Have any ever returned from this?"

Nuria smiled. "We both already know of the answer for that or we wouldn't be here would we?"

Ryo nodded and turned and jumped into the volcano.

Nuria sighed and just made her self comfortable.

Ryo stood cautiously on the narrow ledge. The tunnel in front of him was darker then anything the warlord of darkness could create. He sighed softly to himself and entered the darkness.

A soft murmuring of voices suddenly came and went.

"Who's there?" Ryo asked the darkness.

"Fire," something whispered next to his left ear.

"Pain." A voice said from around his legs.

"Fear," something wrapped around his right arm and let go swiftly.

"Show yourself." Ryo demanded.

"You seek…" one said.

"We know what you seek." Said another.

"Why should we let you pass?" spoke next to his ear.

"What makes you different?" Asked from his feet.

"I'm trying to save a friend." Ryo replied.

"A friend who does not wish to be saved." Spoke from his left.

"You don't know that." Ryo refuted angrily.

"Your heart says that." Voiced from below.

"You doubt." Spoke from behind him.

"We do not left weakness pass." Murmured directly from in front of him.

Nuria heard Ryo scream from the top. She closed her eyes, but did not move. Screams filled the air again only to be cut off.

The air around him was filled with red haze. He shook his head thinking his vision was off and saw the lava pouring in from above.

He screamed as it landed on his unprotected arm. "ARMOR OF WILD FIRE!"

The armor came and protected him from the heat. He struggled to walk through the lava filling the tunnel.

"NO YOU CANNOT PASS!" A huge red dragon rose up and seemed created by the lava, appeared in front of him.

"You will not stand in my way!" Ryo shouted back and drew his swords.

The dragon inhaled deeply and blew out molten lava as Ryo screamed again.

"Flare UP NOW!" The powers collided and the tunnel seemed to blow up.

Nuria heard the blast and felt the volcano shake. "May the Mother guide you, Ryo."

Ryo woke slowly. He was lying in a pool of cool water. He stood slowly looking around. "Where am I?"

"With us." A voice whispered. A fire pixie no taller than his index finger fluttered next to his head.

"Where is the Jewel?" Ryo asked.

"Jewel?" The pixie seemed puzzled. "I know of no Jewel, but come. She has called. You defeated Moltar. You must be rewarded." Another pixie appeared and disappeared giggling.

"Where is this place?" Ryo asked.

The pixie leading him shrugged. "A place where no other thinks to look when in despair."

Ryo puzzled over that as he slowly followed the tiny pixie. "Who is She?" Ryo asked finally after a few minutes of having the feeling he was being watched.

"She is the Heart of Fire. The Mother of our breath and life." The pixie answered absently.

The pixie stopped suddenly and pointed. "There. You will find Her thrown."

"Tell me something." Ryo said before walking away. "Is this a real place?"

The pixie smiled. "You already know that answer or you wouldn't have asked." And she vanished.

Ryo walked through the archways. Each archway he passed through lead to a room a bit brighter than the last. After what seemed like forever he reached a room where the light was so bright he had to squint at first.

"Welcome, Child of Fire." A female's voice said. "Rest and be at ease."

"I can not." Ryo spoke softly, "For I have a friend that does not."

Ryo could feel the smile from the woman rather than actually see it.

"Well, warrior you have found me you may ask only three questions, for that is all your conscious will permit." She spoke.

"My…" Ryo stopped. "Where is the Jewel of Fire?"

"Where?" He felt her smile again. "Why, you have it my warrior."

"How do I have it?" Ryo asked.

"You have always had it. It sleeps in the armor." She spoke softly. Her voice was euphonious and gentle.

"How do I use it?" Ryo questioned.

"The same way you breathe or walk."

"That is not an answer." Ryo replied stepping forward. "How do I use it to help Mia?"

No answer came.

"Answer me!" Ryo yelled.

The room suddenly became so bright he could not see. Then when it dimmed he found himself standing just inside the tunnel looking out at the ledge, but when he turned around to view the rest of the tunnel, he found himself in a shallow cave.

Ryo sighed.

What was that place? A place where nothing real existed. A place where the Mother of Fire lived…

Ryo stood dumbfounded. "A place where the Mother lived." He answered himself. "And She doesn't live in this world…"

He sighed, and looked up. Nuria sat on the lip of the volcano reclining against a rock sleeping… Or he thought she was until he saw the blood drip to the rocks below her.

"No." Ryo hurriedly climbed up the rock face and to her side.

End Chapter Twelve. Well what do you think?