Rumble—
A deafening roar shook the mountain. Thick smoke and dust surged from the crater and spread across the sky, forming clouds that blotted out the sun. The air grew heavy with the sense of an approaching storm. Lava poured down the slopes, toppling trees throughout the forests in its path and setting them ablaze. Terrifying bolts of lightning struck the rising smoke, triggering even fiercer explosions.
"The volcano's erupting!"
"Why wasn't there an early warning?"
"Sweetheart! Where are you? Come to Mommy, quick!"
"..."
The residents at the foot of the mountain screamed in terror. The once orderly town descended into chaos. People sprinted through the streets, some heading out of town, others rushing home to fetch their families. Engines roared and horns blared in a grating cacophony. Some drivers even plowed ahead despite the pedestrians in their path.
Mount Etna had erupted before. Over the past decade, it had erupted more than a dozen times—once or twice a year on average—and the locals had nearly grown used to it. But this eruption was so violent that even these seasoned residents panicked.
Seeing the chaos on the roads, some people had a sudden idea: they could escape by boat. The sea was wider than the narrow streets, after all, and could take them farther away.
Before they reached the shore, however, a huge Tsunami came roaring toward them. Waves several meters high bore down with suffocating force.
At the sight, they turned and ran.
What difference was there between setting out to sea during a Tsunami and climbing a mountain during a volcanic eruption, except perhaps a more comfortable death?
Cornelius ran hard under his guards' protection, gulping for air. He spent nearly all his time in an office and rarely exercised. Now his lungs and throat felt pushed