Volcano Venture
Vikki was sweating profusely as she walked through the wasteland. Everything there was dead. Not a single blade of grass was growing through hardened rocky grounds. The Air was thick from ash and smoke that billowed out from the nearby volcano that looked partially active.
The Young Woman carried on though walking was difficult as her feet pricked on the hardened grounds. Sharp edges were all over and she had to take careful steps this was not a place she could risk injuring her feet.
Each step felt like she was stepping onto pan that was over a fire coming close to be being ready to cook what is put on it. She seethed loudly as the steps were wearing her out. The Air was heavy and hardly breathable. So much smoke was in the air it blotted out the sun keeping the land around her dark with the only real light was the rivers and pools of lava that laid about across the land.
"Not any more friendly than it was in the jungle." Vikki scoffed as if she was trying to make conversation with someone with her. She wiped more sweat from her head as the humidity was a lot higher. She never would have thought that the outfit she wore would be any use, but it was a small comfort as being in very less clothes hoped her cope with the humidity but only by a margin.
She could hear the sounds of bubbling magma as she continued her trek walking past a few ponds of lava along with dried up boulders that had to be lava bombs that were shot from the Volcano when it was entirely active. Vikki looked up at the tall mountain that was just short of a mile away from her. She could see dark smoke rise from the top peak as lava poured down some of sides flowing into rivers off of it.
The Sight of the seeing the Volcano in its partial active state was quite a sight for the young woman. Once again she was upset she was without her camera. She could make an entire album of professional shot pics that would make quite an addition to her record.
But Vikki could not stop the longer she was in the land the more danger she was in. The Volcano could erupt at any moment and she would be within a zone that she may not escape from as lava could come pouring down her way or an onslaught of lava bombs could come shooting out from the peak and come crashing down at her like artillery fire.
The Thoughts of burning to death or being melted to nothing drove her on. She had to escape these dangerous lands. Even if the lands were without any dinosaurs to make a meal or stomp on her this was not a place for her to be. No vegetation grew there to provide anything for resource or food. The Risk of lava flowing everywhere or becoming trapped was too high. She had to get out of this overly dangerous part of the Prehistoric world.
Her chances of survival were slightly better in the jungle. Even with the threat of dinosaurs lurking about she could defend herself with her bow or find good cover to hide in. Food could be foraged ether in trees and bush's or hunted for.
In the lava flats she continued on walking through only stopping to brush her feet off when too many rather hot pebbles stuck to them or something pointy pricked her and she had to take a step around it. She came across a river of lava that moved its way down across a slope.
Vikki smacked her lips becoming very thirsty. Being a dozen yards away from the lava river in front of her made her long to actually see water. It gave her another reason to try and find her way out the volcanic grounds. There was indefinitely no water in these parts. She would sooner die of thirst before being burned if the Volcano didn't erupt.
She decided to go up hill if she could find where the lava was flowing from maybe there could be a passage of some sort. It may not be the wisest idea, but her time was short. She would become weaker due to the lack of water in her and the more time she was in the land the more danger she would be in.
Traveling up the slopes staying a good distance from the Lava the young woman trekked on. She made it up a steep hill having to crawl on her hands and legs to climb up it and what she saw over the hill surprised her greatly.
She found out there was a tiny lake of lava off to the far right of her eyes and saw that it was the one that had created the lava to flow over the hill but then it intrigued, Vikki as she made out that the river close by looked to be crafted. Lava wouldn't have flowed as the hill higher than the lake. Unless the lake became bigger it would overtake the hill, but it didn't due to the river of lava moving through what appeared to be handmade.
Someone had dug their way through the hill creating an opening where the lava could flow through. From the top of the hill where the river came through it had to chipped and dug away. She carefully made her over to where the river flowed through.
The Heat was immense, but Vikki had to see this up close. She made out what looked to be a crafted wall. It was smooth to the touch off the side and flattened vertically. Lava would not have made it like that. And the wall itself moved downward to the very river itself. On both sides Vikki could see how it seemed someone created this massive hole in the hill for lava to move through.
"That's odd." Vikki exclaimed putting a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Why would someone create this hole here?" She asked herself. She diverted her look away from the mad-made hole in the wall to see something on the far left of the lake. She could see many openings leading into one of the mountains and there were structures!
"Can those be what I think it is?" She asked herself. She hurried downhill trying not to fall over. She ran close to what appeared to be tiny huts of various shapes and sizes. They were made out of stone pieced and placed on top of one another. It didn't seem possible at all. Who would live out near a lake full of lava and a volcano that was active and at risk of becoming more active to a more dangerous level?
Vikki looked through each of the stone constructed huts. If there was anyone there maybe she could get help. What help could they give her when she is a stranger in these lands in every sense. But any kind of information would suffice. All she wanted right now was to get out of the area where she was at the most risk in.
Unfortunately, the huts were empty. But there were signs of people once living in them. She saw broken and singed pottery. A place for rest filled with leaves and now moldy looking fabric.
It was too much to hope for as the huts were all empty of any occupants and nothing useful was in them. "Would have loved for at least a sack to carry items in." Vikki grumbled in disappointment. The Mystery still was on with why would anyone live out there.
Vikki checked on the large holes in the side of the mountain near the huts. They appeared to be caves that led into the mountain. She saw what looked to be a half-broken sledge with some rocks and tiny stones on it. Vikki kneeled down next what had to be the sledges load. She pushed aside some of the stones and found some of the rocks were of different material.
Recalling the science classes, she had taken Vikki made out that some of the rocks were intrusive and plutonic and digging through more of the pile she found some crystals within the batch.
"Seems whoever lived her were mining material. I can see a use in getting precious resources but the risk here is far to high for the rewards to be worth it." Vikki said out loud dropping a crystal she had in her hand. She would have kept it, but her outfit lacked any pockets and the huts had nothing useful. The Dirty fabrics full of mold and decay would no doubt snap or break apart easy. There was nothing here to be used to craft.
"Wait! If people lived here and mined for material then that means there has to be a way out of the land!" Vikki beamed as any right-minded folk would possibly pick a place for food to be gathered as mining would be a very tough job to keep up with especially without an assortment of food and drink on a constant basis.
Looking back over at the lava lake again Vikki saw on cliffside near it she found lava was pouring out into the lack from a rock crafted lion statues head that was as big as tank. "Wow! I wonder how they did that?" She asked. This proved to her that a civilization had to exist. There were huts made of stone. An apparent mine to dig up precious material and they crafted a spot where lava could flow through and from an area with an artistic touch.
Vikki was amazed to discover this. A Civilized folk actually existed in the prehistoric world she was in. It had to be human for certain but what kind of people would they be? Neanderthals. Caveman or something more advanced at least to a small standard. Judging by how impressive the lion head was crafted to make the lava flow right from the mouth and not from anywhere else showed that the ones that lived there were quite intelligent.
"Maybe they got the right idea in their minds to know this place is not worth the expedition." Vikki hummed with a small chuckle but coughed as the air was getting thicker around her. She didn't know how much more this she could take. She had to get out of there fast now. Looking across the lake she saw something that made her smile in relief. She could see tree's rising over a ride across the lake. But then she understood that getting to the ridge would be tricky.
That placed had to be where they would gather food and maybe water as well. Just a quarter mile across the lake but getting there was an issue. She then looked over the lake to see tiny little spots of rock on it. Islands that were various distances away from each other.
"Oh no!" Vikki groaned in frustration. She couldn't believe this. If she wanted to make it to the ridge she would have to hop over the tiny patches of land over an entire lake of lava. She looked around the area in hopes that maybe she could get around the lake. But there were mountains all over. Other rivers were moving across the area being added by lava falls and the many walls of rock were so high it would take, Vikki a lot of strength to climb but that would be just as dangerous. Given to her lack of any nutrition and water she would waste a lot of her strength and time on climbing and one slip up could send her falling onto the ground and risk breaking a bone and the time it would take to find another way around could take too long.
"I got no choice. Don't I?" She sighed in defeat. She slowly walked towards the lake feeling intense heat rise up high from each step she took toward it. Soon she was standing just two feet away. She looked to see a big patch of rocky land just a short leap from the side of the lake.
Vikki took a breath of encouragement before taking a few steps back and then ran. She ran quickly and on the final stop before the lake she leapt forward feeling so much heat build up from under she seethed in pain through her teeth before landing safely on the piece of land surrounded by the lava in the lake.
"One down. More to go!" She groaned rubbing the bottom of her legs as the built-up heat on them nearly incinerated any strand of hair she had on her legs. She could not falter now as she had taken the first leap now she had to continue as going back was not an option.
Taking careful steps and judging the distance she would have to jump Vikki leapt to the next tiny patch of land on the lake. Each time she leapt the heat of the lave nearly boiled her. She felt like a tiny frog in the middle of a frying pan.
Some of the patches of land were so small that one misstep could lead to her falling into the lava. In the off chance that if she did she would fall head first. She did not wish to suffer a painful demise and at least make her passing quick. But Vikki would not allow herself to simply die and be melted away in this godforsaken place.
She leapt over to a small rock that barely had enough space for her feet to land on. Without some space to run her jumps became more difficult by each try. Some were close almost being within a foot while some needed a good leap to get to.
Each time she jumped to another tiny land piece the heat was starting to get to her. The Lower part of her body felt like it was on fire. Her bottom loincloth nearly got singed when she came to close to falling. She took a minute to catch her breath though that was nearly a challenge being in the middle of the lake of lava. The Magma bubbled around almost like it was ready to devour her as soon as she slips up.
Vikki looked ahead and saw the ridge was very close now. But the last pieces of the land in front her were so small that only one fit could fit on top of them. "This is going to be tricky!" Vikki shivered in fear as the lava around her kept steady as she began to shake in worry as her body was sweating so much now she couldn't know if it was due to the heat or the fear.
"I got to keep going this time. I cannot stop at all. You can do this!" She gave herself some encouragement then she let out a shout giving her some drive and leapt forward. She planted her first feet on the tiny platform then used the momentum to launch herself to the next one. She made barely made it, but she kept going and soon found herself on the edge of the ridge.
Vikki nearly collapsed when she was finally on a flat surface that was no longer surrounded by the lake. She breathed heavily taking a couple minutes to regain her breath and her senses. "I did it!" She whispered looking back at the lake seeing the trail of land pieces she leapt over.
"Now time to climb!" She hummed so glad that she made it across the lake of lava. For a moment she thought she wasn't going to make it but thanks to her agility and not giving up she managed to do something that would make most turn away in fear. She was afraid but allowing her fear to get the best of her would only guarantee her death and she was not going to die in this place.
Vikki climbed up the ridge nearly slipping a couple of times as her strength was bare. She kept on climbing till she finally felt something that was refreshing to her senses. She could feel grass!
With what little amount of strength she had left in her Vikki hauled herself up till she pulled herself over the ledge. The Feeling of fresh grass under her was as good as it was laying on a foam mattress. She laid there for a few minutes to let her strength gather back up.
Sitting up she peered over the ledge looking upon the wasteland she had escaped from. As horrifying as it was being there it was also fascinating. She made some key discoveries that could help her escape this world. There are those of civilized material around the land somewhere. They could provide her with possible safety and may know where to find a portal is or if they were unfamiliar with them maybe they saw something that resembles a portal.
Smacking her lips her mouth was so dry it felt like it could collapse apart within. She desperately needed something to drink. Now that she was back in fertile land she could find some water. "Better be off before it gets dark." She said rising back onto her feet and headed off into the jungle where the air was no longer thick along with being easily breathable and the sun could be seen again through an open sky without smoke and ash to block it.
The Prehistoric world had many wonders and dangers about it. Vikki just made it through a volcanic wasteland what other areas of this world did it have yet to show the young woman? Vikki could only hope it would be like that wasteland again but what this world was teaching her since her banishment is that its full of unknown surprises.
