between a rock...

After traveling towards the area marked on Mephisto's map for one hour, the Guardians emerged from a small forest to find themselves face-to-face with a rather perplexing dilemma: Ahead of them and to the west there laid a steep chain of dark mountains, while to the east a vast sea which bubbled and spat as if it were boiling! In order to reach their destination they would either have to scale the summit, or Ford the sea, but both appeared equally perilous. 

It was then that Dr.Strange proposed a dangerous plan. Mephisto would doubtlessly send his multitude of minions after the Guardians. However, there were 6 of them to attempt to thwart. If the Guardiand spread themselves out across the map, it was reasonable to believe that this would hinder their ability to stop everyone. As long as at least one of the Guardians could make it to Galactus, they would all be issued reprieve from the land of death. Splitting into 2 groups would also allow for each team to find the most expeditious of the two paths, so that the other may follow if their own route is halted.

Star-Lord, Rocket,and Gamora would try to cross the mountains. Dr. Strange, Mantis, Drax, and Groot would attempt to cross the boiling ocean.

-

The first step in traversing the mountains was to climb up and over a series of foothills. Climbing the foothills took approximately 2 hours. At the top of the hills, the Guardians found themselves plunged into the midst of a terrifying landscape. Chained to crags, outcroppings, and peaks all across the mountain chain were millions of moaning humand clothed in tattered rags. These beings were amongst the many of Mephisto's tortured souls, and were chained up in the mountains as part of their punishment. Every six hours, a huge flock of vultures swooped down on the mountains and plucked the livers of the captives, which then magically grew back for the Vulture's return. From their vantage point, the mountains all about the Guardians seem to be several miles high and quite steep. It could take several hours for them to climb the obstacle. 

Just as they passed the foothills, and began contemplating their climb, a strained voice cried out to them from a nearby outcropping. "Wait!!! You've got to help me! You cant leave me like this. Look, you want to know how to get through the mountains, right? Well I know where there is a pass!! Just drive the vultures away and I'll  tell you. Hurry! There isnt much time now. Please."

The voice belonged to one of the many dead souls chained up in the mountains. The soul pleading was a man in the tattered remains of a once luxurious suit, whose skin was a dark and unnatural shade of purple. The purple man had been referring to the flock of vultures that would be arriving again in 2 hours to feast in his organ. As Star-Lord attempted to question him in more detail, the man only babbled hysterically, "Please, there is only a couple hours left before they return. You have to drive them away. I'll tell you how to get out of the mountains."

Little did the Guardians comprehend that they had been lured in by Kilgrave, whose wicked soul had been captive in Mephisto's realm for years now. Nor did any of the Guardians recognize him from their time and interactions in the living world on Earth. Kilgrave was better known on Earth as The Purple Man. The Purple Man's body had been altered to produce chemical pheromones, which when inhaled or absorbed through the skin, allows Kilgrave to control the victims' actions by verbal suggestion. Kilgrave had already become their captor by imploring them to help him. After Gamora used her mighty Godlsayer sword to break the chains binding Kilgrave, Kilgrave led the Guardians off in the direction he lied was correct.  Using his power, Kilgrave influenced the Guardians to wander the mountains aimlessly.