The Athamanas ended up playing in the theater for more than half an hour before Kiwa managed to stop them and persuade them to move on. In vain did he say that they still had a lot to see that day, but somehow the play in the theater kept the young people more occupied than he had thought it would.
In the end, the only way he could persuade them to move on was by offering the hegins something that sounded more exciting, and this more exciting thing was none other than the volcanological center. It is true that only Achilleus became enthusiastic at the mention of the place at first. The enthusiasm only slowly spread to the others as they got closer and closer to the center.
As before, Mittar led the way, and when they arrived at the deep ditch, on the edge of which stood a huge building, the president of the Warm Sea Association enthusiastically introduced the guests to the center's researchers. The lead researcher, a certain Maoka, greeted their visitors with a friendly smile and when everyone entered the first large room of the building complex, which was the welcome and lecture hall, he began to explain the safety protocol.
Since this was the first time for everyone except the undersea-walkers that they had been to this place, or anywhere similar, there were things that he had to explain. While Maoka continued to explain the safety rules, a colleague of his handed out lava protective suits to the guests.
Since visitors of all ages usually come to the volcanological center to listen to lectures or tours, it was not a problem that everyone in the team was of different heights. They found suitable protective clothing for everyone. And when Maoka finished the instructions and made sure that everyone was aware that it was not permitted to go closer than the railing to the volcano craters, the tour began.
The group was first led down a series of steps to the depths of the trench, where the real highlight of the center was. At the bottom of the trench, lava rivers and lakes alternated as if they had only wisted the Vojks. Wandi even remarked that he felt right at home in the place. The only difference was that here sometimes huge bubbles rose from the lakes and then fell back into the lava lakes with a loud pop, only to be followed by small air bubbles floating towards the surface.
So it is no wonder that the first half of the tour did not really offer anything new for the hegins. However, this quickly changed when they reached the part of the center that is most popular with visitors. In a further part of the trench, where only small air bubbles rose towards the surface like small dotted lines, this was the most special part of the center.
Surprisingly, it is not only the young who like this part, but all ages. The undersea-walker wouldn't think that grown-ups would play as well as they usually do, according to experience. In this part of the volcano trench, where the lava has cooled down so much that it starts to turn black and becomes malleable, the people of the center have created a kind of pottery place.
"So, if you put on your protective gloves here now." Maoka explained, as he himself took a pair of gloves from a box on the edge of the fenced area. "Then you can safely touch the lava and..." He began, as he usually did on guided tours, to create a small sculpture depicting coral from the lava. "You can do things like that." He finished all that, then turned to the guests with a smile. "Just go ahead. My colleague is there." He pointed to the side, where a lady was sitting with a drawing book that Marianne also uses for planning. "She makes a drawing of each statue, which will then be displayed in the lecture hall."
"I don't need the gloves." Achilleus grinned as he rubbed his hands together.
"The gloves are a safety requirement, you can't touch the lava without them." Maoka said with a serious face, but all he achieved with this was to make the Athamana laugh to themselves.
"Oh, I don't even have to touch it." Achilleus chuckled before thumping the ground, which caused a life-sized lava statue to rise from the ground next to the volcanology center employee, depicting Mittar in the form of a shark.
"How?" The undersea-walker's eyes widened as he observed the shark statue for himself.
"You're such a show off Motumisz." Benkó punched his friend in the side.
"Hey, you can't say a word, you can freeze the water around us in an instant, and I can make earth puppets." Achilleus folded his arms in front of him.
"This is amazing." Maoka whispered as he managed to look at the statue from all sides.
"The Motumisz' abilities are truly amazing when someone sees them for the first time." Rahul noted with a faint smile. "So who among the less fortunate who can't make statues with their minds will join me in making fools of themselves?" The chüvigh hegin grinned.
"Don't worry Rahul I won't let you be stupid alone. I'm coming." Citar was enthusiastic, which was enough for more people to follow his example and soon most of the team was making sculptures from the lava, wearing gloves.
While the team that arrived from the surface, and even Llyr, was busy with this, Mittar and Kiwa listened to the report of the volcanology center employee and received the papers that they had previously requested from the center. Kiwa duly put these in a bag that he carried with him all day.
"Are you done with the conversation?" Kamu walked up to the pair, who was looking at the two undersea-walkers with his arms folded behind him and smiling.
"Yes. Would Vietryk like something?" Mittar asked in a polite voice, and Kamu tilted his head to the side, which made his aura even more sinister than before.
"Did you command the people at the top of the ditch yourself, or are they preparing for a raid?" The ghost-man asked innocently, and Mittar looked back at him with wide eyes as he prepared himself. "Ah, so they're not your people?" Hegin asked again.
"How did you notice them?" Mittar asked.
"Workplace hazards." Kamu chuckled. "So why are they there?" The Ishán of the Immortal Mist asked.
"Two weeks ago I received a threat that if I came to the center they would kill me. They should prevent this." Mittar said quietly, as if he didn't want anyone to hear his words.
"Oh, that's perfect." Kamu smiled broadly, as if he had just heard the best news of his life. "Tell me, Mr. President, how angry would you be if the Immortal Mist temporarily took over the leadership of your people to get rid of your little problem?" The ghost-man asked with a sinister smile on his lips.
"What would be the price of you helping? As far as I know, the Immortal Mist does not work for free." Mittar frowned suspiciously.
"You are lucky, Mr. President. Since this would help me, I will give you our services for free." Kamu noted.
"In that case, I will accept your offer, Mukei Vietryk." Mittar extended his right hand towards Kamu, which the Immortal Mist's Ishán immediately shook.