The lava rain was only possible because Jake was using his telekinesis to accurately obstruct the lava flow. The reason he was keeping his distance, looking down on the city from hundreds of feet was not out of fear, but because he had no choice. If he moved more than a hundred meters away, the lava would start pouring normally again. In other words, directly onto the sacrificial altar.
Still with the same satisfied smile on his face, Jake remained for several minutes with his arms folded at the top of the cave, contemplating with growing disbelief as his number of Aether points climbed along with his position in the Player Ranking.
All the prisoners who had surrendered to the Zhorions' spiritual techniques had already lost their free will and had not fled when the lava rain had fallen. More than a hundred participants had died without ever having to lift a finger.