The cold, destructive aura surged like a tide, instantly freezing the churning splashes of lava around them into gray-black rock.
"Get back, Kuina. Take that old man with you."
Lorne stared at the center of the vortex and gave the order in a low voice.
"Understood. Watch yourself!"
Kuina grabbed the limp Olsen and shot back several dozen meters.
The once-raging lava lake fell completely still in that instant, and a steep passage of black rock led straight into the deepest reaches underground.
"How did the temperature down here drop so quickly?"
Kuina looked at her own misty breath and asked in surprise.
"This defies common sense. It should get hotter the deeper underground we go. We're inside a volcano!"
Olsen shivered as he clung to Kuina's arm.
"Because something down there is forcibly absorbing the heat here, feeding on the energy of the entire volcano."
Lorne spoke without looking back.
"Absorbing heat?"
"Does that mean the Ancient Weapon's core needs a constant supply of thermal energy to stay active?"
As Kuina walked down, she watched her surroundings warily.
"According to some surviving stone inscriptions, that's indeed the case. The Soul of Pluton is essentially a metal with the characteristics of life. It needs extremely high temperatures to remain liquid."
Olsen explained quietly.
"If the temperature gets too low, it'll go dormant, or even solidify completely into ordinary scrap iron."
The old scholar added.
"So that's why the World Government sealed it in the deepest part of the volcano. The lava could supply energy, while the naturally treacherous environment kept outsiders away."
Understanding dawned on Kuina.
"But they never expected someone to come along today and beat the guardian beasts here to a pulp."
Lorne gave a cold laugh, his voice laced with mockery.
"Lord Lorne, the power of that