LUCIFER'S HUMAN BRIDE
Chapter 45 TRAPPED IN THE VOLCANO

"What's with the look?" Ralph asked, raising questioning eyebrows.

"What about me? What will I wear?" she turned.

"Don't worry, I'll bring one for you," Ralph said as he entered the mansion.

"How can someone live alone in a big house like this?" Lucinda said, observing the mansion. "Doesn't he get lonely staying here alone? I wonder how it looks inside." She walked to the window of the mansion and stuck her head out, peering into the interior. "It's magnificent!" she exclaimed, gazing into the opulent interior. As someone put a hand on her shoulder, she vibrated and turned back slowly, gazing into his big green eyes.

"What are you staring at?" Ralph asked, looking at her.

"I was--I was..." he interrupted her.

"Shh, let's go," he said, handing her an armor. She looked at the armor and glared at him.

"How will I wear mine?" she asked and a smile curved on his face.

"Wear it on top of your dress," he replied in a funny manner.

Lucinda struggled to wear the armor. "Isn't he going to help me?" she thought, trying to reach for her back. Suddenly, a soft hand brushed hers, giving her a tingling sensation, and dragged the armor down for her. She slowly turned back and met his gaze. He stared at her with those eyes that could kill and that handsome face that said he couldn't be sexier. Her face reddened; is this what humans call blushing?

"Why is your face red? Are you a tomato?" he asked teasingly. She didn't know he could joke around. She didn't know when she smiled.

"Shall we go now?" he said, stretching his hand to her.

"Yes," she whispered and gave him her hand, feeling his soft hand. How can a man's hand be as soft as a baby's? Is he the swordsman I know? She thought.

As they appeared in front of the volcano, Ralph looked at Lucinda in a strange way.

"Are you ready?" he asked. She stared at him and moved her hand closer to him, seizing a sword from his grasp.

"I was born ready," she muttered, looking keenly at him.

"I like using two swords," he lamented.

"Then you should have brought one for me," she stated, and he looked away, avoiding her eyes.

"Let's go," he said, and they both ran side by side into the volcano.

The heat of the volcano first struck them; it was like the inside of hellfire. They both ran around the volcano, searching for the sapphire. The ground was rough and rocky, and every step was treacherous. The air was thick with ash and the smell of sulfur. The walls of the volcano were jagged and black, and the only light came from the molten lava that flowed in streams around them.

Finally, they saw it - a sapphire in the middle of the volcano, glowing with an otherworldly light that illuminated the entire chamber. It was like a spotlight, and their eyes glowed with the color of the gemstone. "This place is usually demon-free; this is our chance," Ralph said, walking towards the sapphire with a sidelong glance.

But Lucinda was hesitant. "Wait, what if there are traps around it?" she said, putting her hand in the way, preventing him from taking another step.

"Nah, I don't think so," he said, walking closer to the sapphire. He stretched his hand towards it and grabbed it, and his eyes sparkled. "Yes! Yes! We finally have a sapphire, woohoo!" he squealed happily, lifting the sapphire above his head as if he was showing it to God.

But their joy was short-lived. "Huh, Ralph! Ralph!" Lucinda called, poking him on the back continuously.

"What's wrong?" he asked, turning to face her. She pointed at the volcano as the walls of the volcano began to crumble all the way to the entrance. "I think that sapphire is like the power of this place. It's the one holding this place together. Put it back," Lucinda commanded.

But Ralph refused, like a stubborn child. "No, I won't," he said, holding the sapphire tightly.

"Put it back, please," Lucinda begged as she laid her hand on the sapphire, trying to drag it away from him.

"Let go!" he snapped with a frown and pursed his lips, and the wall started cracking and breaking, a lot of bricks falling and closing the entrance to the volcano. "Now we are trapped here," Lucinda lamented, pressing her lips together tightly. "I will teleport us out of here," Ralph stated, and a smile curved on her face. He held her hand and closed his eyes, trying to teleport them out of there, but they were still there.

"Why is it not working? My power never fails," he lamented, stroking his hair backwards as his eyes changed from green to blue.

"Nothing is working," Lucinda mumbled, and the walls started shaking.

"I think it's working," Ralph smiled from ear to ear, and a swarm of tiny insects rushed to them, sprinkling a strange-looking plant on their bodies. They started itching continuously as the insects flew out of the volcano through a hole in the roof.

"It's itchy and sticky! Get this off me!" Ralph yelled, removing the plants from his body violently.

"Ahhh, it's hurting," Lucinda screamed, removing one from her face.

"My stubborn wife, that place will explode in 8 seconds from now," Lucifer stated coldly in Lucinda's head.

"Please help me. Don't leave me here," Lucinda pleaded, inching her back and screwing up her face.

"Tell him to teleport you out of there," Lucifer instructed.

"He has tried, but it's not working," Lucinda replied with a frown.

"Listen to me, will you," Lucifer stated coldly. She looked at Ralph, who was struggling along with her, and swallowed saliva.

"Ralph, I think this place is about to explode," she grinned.

"What should we do now that these plants are killing me?" he lamented and screwed up his face.

"Me too. We can help each other remove it when we are out of here," she suggested, trying to keep calm amidst the chaos.