The companions were all still frozen in shock and trepidation as the geyser of lava surged high into the air. It was like a hellish fountain of liquid fire blaring right in front of their eyes, leaving them speechless with frightened hearts.
Was Nero dead!?
"Nero!" Everyone cried once again.
Then, the geyser instantly subsided and sitting on the ground a feet away from the opened earth, was Nero. A look of terror was in his face, as though he had just experienced shellshock.
It seemed either Nero had managed to leap behind the geyser just in time, or it had exploded mere inches in front of him.
"Nero!" Cerene cried in relief. She wanted to hurry to him and embrace him, but the Avatar cried.
"Stay back!" He scrambled to his feet and looked down at the gaping hole. "What the dancing hell was that?"
"It has started." Spheris stated. "The Neverending Calamities."