2021 V : Volcano

Unlike most of the posts in the challenge, I had no trouble filling the letter "V."  

 

Image by Alexander Antropov from Pixabay

 

Multiple reasons may have bubbled up from my subconscious to bring me to the topic of "Volcano." It could be because I once lived in the shadow of Mount Pinatubo. After lying dormant for almost 500 years, the volcano’s eruption in June 1991 resulted in one of the most destructive volcanic eruptions of the 20th century. This year is the thirtieth anniversary of the event. Or maybe it was the stunning pictures of Kilauea sending steam clouds rising high into the sky or the red glow of the lava flows. 

As to how volcanoes have appeared in my various works?

Two mages, Bashim and Relliq, lived in the chambers and lava tubes of ancient volcanos, using the earth to hide their use of magic. Their tales are told in Windmaster Legacy and Windmaster Golem. 

Of course, the reason volcanoes have been used as a setting could just be that the dragons shared their love of sitting on a ledge beneath the rim of a volcano's crater to bask in the warmth of the bubbling rock below. In the southern islands of the world of the dragshi, Ollea is a goddess who lives in the bowl of a volcano. And when someone of good heart dies, she takes the dead to live with her in a smokey cave. The first dragon to crack shell in many generations was named in her honor. 

When the curse of childlessness is broken, Broch takes the infant in revenge for the death of her husband, and of all the plans for domination that the dragshi ruined. In the excerpt, Anastasia rescued her friend's child, but is now trapped on the side of a volcano by Broch.

Although she had rejected the tunnel earlier because of the risk a rock fall might have collapsed the tunnel onto itself, now she grabbed onto the slender hope it offered.

Reality pressed its own side. If she did not reach the spot where the trail branched into an even steeper climb, she would be trapped.

<Just around the next bend,> Jessian said. <Then my sister, we will fly.>

Anastasia latched onto the dragon soul’s words. Her steps pounded in cadence to, “we will fly.” She rounded the last curve and grabbed onto an outcropping to stop her forward momentum. The tube that could be her salvation was only a few feet away.

But between the two, stood Broch.

The blood rays of the setting sun glinted off the long sword the raider brandished.

 ~   ~   ~   ~

 

Windmaster Legacy - one click to estores

Windmaster Golem - one click to estores

Hatchlings Curse - one click to estores

Hatchlings Mate - one click to estores

 

If you're following other blogs in the challenge, here's the master list of the other participants.

To make following the hop easier, here is the link to all my posts. Just remember, the next day's post isn't live until midnight.

~ till next time, Helen