Everyone wore beaming smiles, their grins stretching from ear to ear. Their focus remained fixed on the land below, oblivious to their surroundings. They marvelled at the breathtaking sight that unfolded before their eyes—an expansive clearing that revealed a flat grassland encircled by a dense forest.

     Edgar reaches out and grasps the railings, leaning forward to capture a broader view of the infinite landscape. He smiles as his eyes wander, taking in the breathtaking scene. After a moment, he straightens back up, stretches his body, and closes his eyes.

     Taking a deep breath, Edgar slowly opens his eyes. Exhaling, his breath materializes into freezing clouds, floating away from his mouth. His gaze falls on something that greets him, but instead of feeling welcomed, his eyebrows furrow, and his jaw drops open.

     Narrowing his eyes, Edgar squints at something rapidly approaching them straight ahead. With each passing second, his furrowed brows gradually smooth out, rising upwards as his eyes widen in a mixture of alarm and dread. The reflection of fear flickers in his eyes, and his breath trembles.

"...G-guys?" Edgar called out, his voice trembling.

     Oliver, Sophia, Gregory, Sarrah, and Bethany averted their gaze from the land, shifting their attention towards Edgar. They anticipated his words, but no sound escaped Edgar's mouth. Instead of uttering, Edgar began to pant, his breaths heavy and rapid. His hand trembled as it pointed forward.

     All eyes followed Edgar's gesture. Oliver swiftly turned his gaze in the indicated direction, squinting his eyes and lowering his brows. His initial expression vanished, replaced by raised eyebrows, contracted pupils, and a gaping mouth.

     Opaque clouds advanced along the path of the hot air balloon, floating mere yards away. However, these were not ordinary white clouds; they appeared darker than any earthly shadow, blanketing the entire horizon. Within the ominous cloud formation, thunder rumbled, and lightning bolts flashed.

"What in the world is that...?" Gregory uttered, his voice tinged with fear as it trailed off.

Oliver quickly sprang into action, scanning the hot air balloon. "How do we steer this thing!?"

"I have no idea!" Gregory yelled, shrugging helplessly.

"Now you don't know!?" Oliver shrieked in horror.

"Do something!" Sophia's voice rang out.

"What do we do!?" Bethany looked at her friends with wide eyes.

"We're going to die!!" Edgar cried out, his voice filled with panic.

"Quiet down," Sarrah scoffed at Edgar, her tone cold and dismissive.

Oliver hurriedly rushed around the hot air balloon, grasping the ropes that connected the basket and the envelope. "Turn! Turn!"

Gregory swiftly followed Oliver's lead, exerting all his strength to pull the ropes. "Grr!" he growled, straining with the effort.

"It's! It's getting near!" Sophia crouched down, gawking at the approaching threat.

"I don't want to die!!" Edgar bounced in place with his hands clutching his head.

"We're not dying," Sarrah said as she crossed her arms.

"Move! Move!" Oliver tugged at the ropes, but they seemed unyielding. Desperate to steer the vehicle, Oliver glanced to his left, sprinted in that direction, and collided with the railings. "Ah!!"

     The hot air balloon trembled violently, causing everyone to drop to their knees as they screamed. But, to their relief, Oliver's forceful impact against the railings prompted the hot air balloon to veer to the left. Yet, their respite was short-lived, as a sudden, powerful gust of wind forcefully pushed the vehicle back on course, hurtling it towards a collision with the menacing, thunderous clouds.

The girls' terrified screams filled the air. "Aaagh!"

"Now you're scared!" Edgar's voice quivered with panic as he directed his words at Sarrah.

Sarrah's initial expression of fear swiftly morphed into a scowl, her eyes narrowing as she locked her gaze on Edgar. "Never mind..." she groaned, glaring at him.

     Oliver rises to his feet, gripping the railings tightly as his eyes fill with terror. A cold, rippling shiver hastens down his senses as he stares at the incoming dark clouds. His jaw quivers, and he lets out an anxious huff.

     The hot air balloon slowly enters the thick, thundering clouds, and darkness engulfs everyone. They can no longer see each other—as if their eyes have closed. Roaring thunder surrounds them, causing them to cower under the railings. The group shakes their heads, hoping to catch a glimpse of light, but all they see is an impenetrable blackness.

     Suddenly, a thunderous rumble pierces through everyone's ears. Then, a blinding flash illuminates the surroundings. A lightning bolt strikes the hot air balloon's envelope, igniting an immediate and fierce fire. The flames spread swiftly, casting an eerie light that cuts through the darkness. The group yelps as they realize their ride is now engulfed in growing flames above their heads.

"Fire!" Sophia's voice cut through the chaos as she pointed at the burning envelope.

     As the burning envelope of the hot air balloon loses its warm air, the ride begins to descend gradually, the descent so gentle that it goes unnoticed by everyone. It continues until they find themselves beneath the oppressive shroud of the dark clouds. It is when Oliver and his companions finally comprehend their descent as they catch sight of sunlight and the vibrant, green land around them.

"We're falling!" Gregory's voice reverberated with panic as he tightly gripped the railings.

"Brace yourselves!" Oliver bellowed, commanding his orders.

Reacting swiftly, everyone crouched down, their voices blending into a collective cry of fear. "Aagh!"

     Oliver positioned himself at the centre of the basket and began to spin around, and as he did, he opened his palms. His hands unleashed razor-sharp elements that sliced through the ropes connecting the bucket and the burning envelope of the hot air balloon. Swiftly, Oliver dropped to the sides of the basket, firmly holding on.

     With a sudden, thunderous impact, Oliver and his companions crashed into the verdant field. The force propelled them back into the air before they plummeted again. As they landed, the bucket capsized, and a profound silence enveloped the scene.

     After a few moments of stillness, everyone cautiously lifts the bucket and peers out. Slowly, they step out of the basket with their eyes fixed on the sky, watching the burning balloon envelope disintegrate into ashes. As the flames fade away, everyone looks up, their gaze piercing through the night-like clouds, gasping for air.

"Is anyone hurt?" Oliver asked, his breath still ragged.

Gregory nodded, gasping for air. He then placed his arms around Oliver's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Oliver took a deep breath and sighed. "...Is everybody alright?"

"We're good," Sophia replied, panting, her eyes darting around.

Bethany inspected her arms, glancing left and right before responding. "Yes," she sighed heavily, blowing air through her mouth.

"We... we survived," Edgar stammered in shock.

"I told you we'd survive," Sarrah mumbled nonchalantly, closing her eyes halfway through.

Still catching his breath, Oliver scanned their surroundings. "Where are we?" he asked.

"Aren't we in Emria?" Sarrah responded.

"I mean, where's the nearest city? Town? Village?" Oliver scanned the area, searching left and right. "Can you see anything?"

"I can see we're in the middle of a plain," Sophia stated, her gaze fixed on the dense foliage around them. "...Surrounded by a thick forest," she sighed.

"In which part of Emria were you supposed to go? Like... which region?" Sarrah inquired.

"I... I don't know," Oliver replied, still panting. "The Empress of Emria simply told me to come here and save their city from... uh... lava flowing out of a volcano."

"The empress...? So, should we head to the capital city, where she possibly resides?" Sarrah suggested, continuing her line of questioning. "Also, did the empress mention the name of the volcano?"

Oliver looked down at his shoe, trying to recall everything before sharing his response. "...I think it's called Mt Tan... Tanyon...?"

"Mt Tanayon?" Sarrah corrected Oliver.

"Yes," Oliver affirmed.

"Then, I think we should go... to... hmm..." Sarrah placed a finger on her chin, deep in thought. "Well, I'm from Asbranne, so I'm not entirely sure..."

"I suggest we head..." Gregory looked to his right. "Uh... further to the East?"

"Let's see," Oliver said.