Kai and the Chaos Emeralds
Chapter 26: Into the Volcano
"Another vision?!" Toad exclaimed.
Kai and Hazel had explained the experience they had faced the previous night.
"Vision?" Serena asked.
"Kai randomly has visions that ultimately help us out," Zero said.
"That's odd," Serena said. "But I guess this kind of thing is normal for you."
"This vision was different," Kai said. "Somehow, Hazel and I were both in the vision. We saw everything that happened."
"So the Echidnas tried to take over the world," Zero said.
"But what happened?" Toad asked. "What stopped the Echidnas?"
"That's what I want to ask Kolorado about," Kai said. "He said that he wrote a book on the Echidnas. Where is he?"
"He's asking Yoshis around town about the volcano," Toad answered.
"Of course," Kai said.
"We'd probably be best to do the same," Zero said. "I bet that the Chaos Emerald is in the volcano. If we want to get it out, we have to find a way past the lava."
Suddenly, Chief Yoshi came into the room.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Chief Yoshi said.
"No problem," Kai said. "What do you need?"
"I have some information that might help," Chief Yoshi said. "I know someone who might be able to help you across the lava."
"Who is he?" Kai asked.
"His name is Raphael Raven," Chief Yoshi said. "He is the king of the Ravens. If there is anyone on the island that can help you get there, it's him."
"How do we reach him?" Kai asked.
"With this," Chief Yoshi answered.
He pulled out a small, jade statue of a raven. He handed it to Kai.
"Place that in the altar dedicated to Raphael Raven," Chief Yoshi continued. "Once that is done, a path leading to him will appear."
"Thanks," Kai said. "Alright. Let's get moving."
"What about Kolorado?" Toad asked.
"I…forgot," Kai said. "Let's go get him."
After a while, the whole group, including Kolorado, was heading deep into the jungle.
"I am amazed," Kolorado said. "You figured out the puzzle without my help. You five might be archeologists in the making."
"How much further?" Toad asked.
"I see it!" Hazel exclaimed.
Just as Hazel had said, the altar was dead ahead. The altar was right in front of a statue of a large raven. A shelf in the altar was large enough to hold the jade statue.
"I guess we place this here," Kai said as he took out the statue.
He placed the jade statue into the altar. Suddenly, the trees behind the large statue began to part. Soon, a path appeared.
"Astounding!" Kolorado shouted as he wrote down some notes. "This adventure is a best-seller in the making!"
They all then began to walk down the new path. After a minute of walking, they saw something that sent them into a state of pure awe. It was a tree that was so high that the top of its branches couldn't be seen past the clouds.
"This must be where Raphael Raven lives," Kai said. "How do we get up there?"
"There must be a secret entrance or something," Serena said. "I'll start looking."
Serena began to examine the tree.
"Why would there be a secret entrance in a…" Toad began.
Serena pushed part of the bark on the trunk further into the tree. A large doorway appeared in the tree. In the doorway was a staircase leading to the top.
"Let's go up," Kai said.
Kai, Zero, Hazel, and Kolorado began to head up. Serena walked over to Toad.
"You were saying?" Serena asked.
Toad ignored this. He and Serena began to follow the rest of the group. They climbed higher and higher up the seemingly endless staircase. After a long time of climbing, they reached a door.
"This is it," Kai said.
Kai opened the door. Inside was a large room, but this wasn't surprising. The thing that surprised Kai's group was a large, black raven the size of an elephant.
"I am the great Raphael Raven," the large raven bellowed. "Who are you?"
"I'm Kolorado," Kolorado immediately said. "I am a famous explorer. These kids are temporary members of my crew."
"How did you get here?" Raphael asked.
"Chief Yoshi gave us a statue that led us here," Kai answered.
"If he gave you that, there must be a reason," Raphael said. "Please explain."
They then explained the story to Raphael.
"I see," Raphael said. "I think I know how to get across the lava."
Raphael then headed to the other side of the room. There was a large opening and a zip-line leading to the bottom.
"Come to me, my children!" Raphael shouted.
His voice echoed through the jungle. Suddenly, hundreds of small ravens began to flock into the room.
"These travelers need our help," Raphael said. "We must set up a zip-line at the volcano's base. Let's move."
Raphael and the other ravens jumped out of the tree. Kai and his friends followed them by taking the zip-line to the bottom. At the bottom, they found another path. They took this path and found themselves at the volcano. Raphael was waiting for them.
"You took your time," Raphael said. "We are done."
Kai looked ahead. He saw that the raven set up a pulley system leading to the top of a nearby tree. From the tree, a zip-line shot across the lava to the cave. From there was another zip-line leading back across the lava.
"Whoa," Kai said.
"We were like ten seconds behind you," Zero said. "How did you do this?"
"We ravens are quite resourceful," Raphael said. "Now, just take the zip-line, and you'll be at the cave. But hurry. I feel that the volcano will erupt soon. If it does, you all will be burned alive."
"I've faced dangers ten times as hard as this," Kolorado said. "Let's go!"
Kolorado climbed up into the tree and crossed the zip-line. Kai and his friends soon followed. By the time they all crossed the zip-line, Kolorado had already entered the cave.
"Good-luck, my new friends!" Raphael shouted from across the lava.
Raphael and all but two ravens left the area. The two ravens that remained were there to help work the zip-line.
Kai and his friends then entered the cave. Once inside, the heat of the lava began to overwhelm them. They saw Kolorado as he hopped on rocks to cross a pool of lava. Once he crossed, he looked back toward Kai and his friends.
"Hurry up," Kolorado said. "The treasure is waiting!"
Kai and his friends hopped across the lava in order to keep up with Kolorado. Once they were across, they followed Kolorado down another path. Zubats and Golbats were hanging from the ceiling of the cave. A Magmar popped up from the lava to get a good look at who had entered the cave.
"Why are there Pokemon in a volcano that is going to erupt soon?" Toad asked.
"Everyone thought that this volcano was dormant," Hazel said. "So they had no reason to fear the lava."
They continued down the path. After a while, they reached a fork in the road.
"It seems we are at a predicament," Kolorado said. "There are six of us, so we'll split into two groups. As the leader of this operation, I'll decide the teams. I'll take the smart girl and the resourceful swordsman."
Kai and Hazel looked toward each other and then back at Kolorado. They stepped toward him.
"My group will head down this path," Kolorado said as he pointed down the path to the right. "You three take the other path."
The two groups went down the paths that they were told to go down. Kai and Hazel continued to follow Kolorado until they reached a large room. A large staircase leading downwards was right in front of Kai's group. At the bottom of the stairs was a large stone block. To the right of the bottom was another staircase leading further down to…who knows what.
"I can smell the treasure," Kolorado happily said. "Follow me!"
Kolorado began to run down the stairs, but he tripped after a few steps. He rolled down the stairs until he hit the block.
"Not very graceful, is he?" Kai asked.
Kai and Hazel slowly headed down the stairs. Kolorado was dizzy from his fall. Hazel examined him.
"He's just knocked out," Hazel said. "I'll take care of his wounds. Kai, you should head down the stairs and come back with your findings."
"Alright," Kai replied.
Kai then headed further down into the volcano. The stairs led to a small room, but it was empty. Kai looked around, but he couldn't find anything. He then began to head up the stairs, but he heard something strange. It sounded like a dog panting.
Kai turned around and saw the golden wolf again. The wolf pounced on him, and a bright light covered Kai's vision. He eventually found himself back in the strange field from Hyrule. He saw the golden wolf straight ahead of him. When Kai blinked, the wolf had transformed into the hero spirit.
"It is time to learn a new technique," the hero spirit said. "But you must first demonstrate the technique I taught you last time."
Kai and the hero spirit drew their swords. Kai then used the Dragon Claw technique, which the hero spirit blocked.
"Good," the hero spirit said. "Now you will learn the second of three techniques. It is called the Dragon Pulse."
The hero spirit summoned a target out of nowhere. He then held out his right hand. White energy began to form in his palm. The energy took the shape of a sphere. The sphere then shot straight for the target. Once it hit, the target shattered into pieces.
"The energy needed for this spell is the same one used for the previous technique," the hero spirit said. "Now demonstrate the technique."
Another target appeared out of nowhere. Kai held out his right hand. He charged white magical energy into his palm. The energy formed into a ball-shape. The spell then shot toward the target and shattered it.
"Congratulations," the hero spirit said. "You have mastered my second technique. This spell is used to destroy obstacles that are normally impenetrable. Now you have one last technique to learn. But learning this one won't be as easy as the other two. You must find a sacred shrine as a beast and howl the tune carved into it. I will see you there."
A bright light surrounded the entire field. When the light faded, Kai was back in the cave.
"Kai, did you find something!" Hazel shouted from the top of the stairs.
"It's a dead end!" Kai shouted back.
He then stood up and headed up the stairs. Hazel and Kolorado were standing there.
"So we reached a dead end," Hazel said. "I guess the other path was the right one."
"I'm not sure," Kai said. "I'm sure this was the right way. And I'm sure it has something to do with this block."
Hazel began to examine the block.
"Maybe we have to destroy it," Kolorado suggested.
"This thing won't break easily," Hazel said. "Not even my Gyro Sphere will cause a dent in this thing."
"Let me try something," Kai said. "Step back."
Hazel and Kolorado stepped backwards. Kai held out his right hand. He charged the Dragon Pulse into his palm. He then launched the technique straight into the block. At first, it seemed that the spell did nothing. After a few seconds, however, the block shattered into many pieces. Another path was behind the block.
"This just proves that the treasure is definitely here," Kolorado said. "Follow me!"
Kolorado ran down the path. Hazel turned toward Kai.
"What was that?" Hazel asked.
"Something I picked up," Kai said.
They then headed down the volcano, where the treasure supposedly awaited.