Fire Layer

Under layers and layers of rock, soil, and earth, lies beneath a ginormous land filled with untainted discoveries. Well, mostly untainted.

The fire layer remains vastly untouched despite the countless attempts from prior explorers whom died trying to glimpse at the tip of the abundant treasury. As for their cause of death, it is easy to imagine: just think about being thrown into a preheated oven, and hot lava is continuously poured in, and the oven is placed on the surface of the sun, and… Well, you get the idea. It’s REALLY hot.

The brutality of the environment is as truthful as its name designates. Everything in the fire layer, even the atmosphere itself exists as the spark that could initiate a total conflagration. The symphony of bubbling lava and hissing vapors echoes within the fire layer as a never-ending alarm. A reminder for caution, because one missed step and your life would evaporate in an instance. Literally, they won’t even find your ashes. The layer might be scarce in life-sustaining resources, but behind those dark crimson-colored volcanic rocks, an ocean of mines is still waiting to be excavated. Imagine fortunes that would be enough for generations and generations to spend, that is how much this ocean can provide. But how much can you take while making it out alive? That’s just a completely different question.

Hearing all that, it is obvious that no ordinary life can be nurtured from this ‘non-clerical hell’. It comes down to either the toughest beings whom take all means necessary to transcend themselves in order to survive the environment, or the most ancient creatures whose lineage rivals the very history of fire itself. So of course, the ‘lives’ dwelling at the fire layer are some of the deadliest. It is only natural that way, since the environment itself, is ready to cook everything into charred crisps.

Speaking of the history of fire, one cannot leave aside the origin of the dragons. It is safe to assume that they are the elder creatures who have been living in the fire layer for as long as the layer has existed. Although their scaled bodies are able to sustain the heat, the dragons much prefer crawling in their lair away from the center of the fire layer. They spend most of their time either hibernating or preparing for hibernation. So as long as no one disturbs their sweet slumbers, these creatures can be much more adorable than their vicious jaws and teeth suggest.

However, there is one race in the fire layer who just have to constantly destroy this supposedly wonderful equilibrium - the technos. The techno race firmly believes that by accumulating power in their bodies, they will ascend to become something greater. It’s almost like a fanaticism that spreads among the technos. So, when they overdo their mining works hoarding resources, and get too close to the lair of the dragons, things get escalated really fast. Trust me, you will be furious no less than the dragons when you are dragged out of your sweet dreams by those ear-piercing disgraceful rackets. So, when you hear the angry dragon roar of resentment, just remember to stay away and find shelter.