Meanwhile Safari and his family entered the first chamber, the inferno cage.
The moment they landed, flames erupted from every direction, forming towering walls of fire that split the group apart.
The heat was unbearable, and the air reeked of burning sulfur. Embers swirled like glowing daggers through the air.
Safari found himself isolated, surrounded by twisted, hulking lava beasts with molten claws. Their bodies pulsed with streams of magma, the cracks in their hardened skin glowing like molten veins.
Their guttural roars shook the very ground beneath Safari's feet.
"Damn it..." Safari growled, gripping his Devil Hammer tighter. His eyes narrowed.
The rest of the family-trapped behind the blazing walls-watched helplessly.
"BIG BRO!!" Olive shouted, frantically scanning for a weakness in the flames. Her blaster was useless against the inferno.
"Hold on! I'll find a way through!"
Ian fumbled with his camera, the lenses fogging from the intense heat. "C-Can't you just shoot the flames or something?!"
"I'd melt my own blaster, idiot!" Olive snapped.
Meanwhile, Zack clutched his glowing hands to his chest, desperately gathering healing energy. Sweat dripped from his forehead as the heat drained his stamina.
"Big bro..." Zack murmured anxiously. "You can't fight them alone..."
But Safari could only grit his teeth.
"No choice-I'll break through!"
He charged. The ground beneath him cracked under his force. The Devil Hammer swung with monstrous strength, sending shockwaves through the air.
CRASH!
But the moment his hammer struck, the lava beasts howled in unison. Their molten forms twisted and merged, swirling like a burning vortex.
Their bodies melted into one-a grotesque, colossal titan of fire. Flames danced along its body as molten rock dripped from its fanged maw.
It towered above him.
And with a deafening roar, the titan lunged.
Safari barely dodged, tumbling to the side as the beast's flaming claws scraped the ground. The scorching heat singed his skin, but he didn't falter.
"Big bro!!" Jen screamed.
But Olive's mind was already racing.
"SURROUND IT!" she commanded. "It's huge, but that means we can outmaneuver it!"
She pointed rapidly, her strategist instincts taking over.
"Ian! Move to the right! Draw its attention!"
Ian flinched. "WHAT?! Why me?!"
"Because you're fast and expendable!" Olive snapped.
"I'M NOT EXPENDABLE!"
"MOVE!"
Cursing under his breath, Ian bolted to the right, waving his arms wildly to get the titan's attention.
"Hey, you oversized candle! Come get me!"
The lava titan snarled, swiping at Ian. But the cameraman's agility kept him a step ahead, his movements unpredictable.
"Zack!" Olive barked. "Heal big bro the moment he takes damage!"
Zack nodded, already channeling a soft glow in his hands.
"And Jen!" Olive added. "Keep Zack stable! Don't let him burn out!"
Jen pulled out a bundle of her signature homemade crackers, ready to shove one into Zack's mouth the moment his energy dipped.
The family moved in sync.
Safari used Ian's distraction to leap into the air, his hammer glowing with violent energy.
"DEVIL HAMMER SLICE!"
The titan howled as Safari's weapon carved through its molten flesh, chunks of hardened rock scattering across the floor. But it wasn't enough.
The beast regenerated instantly.
Lava dripped from its body, sealing the wound.
"Dammit!" Safari cursed. His arms ached, the heat sapping his strength.
"Big bro, listen!" Olive yelled, her sharp eyes analyzing every movement. "Its core! The chest! That's where the magma's concentrated!"
Safari's eyes locked onto the fiery glow within the titan's chest.
"That's it..."
But the titan roared again, slamming its fists down. The force shook the ground, sending waves of scorching air across the battlefield.
Safari barely managed to block, but the impact launched him backward, crashing into the stone wall.
"Big bro!!" Zack quickly fired a stream of healing energy, the warmth of his power healing Safari.
"Not... done... yet!" Safari growled, forcing himself back to his feet.
The flames around him flickered, but his eyes gleamed with unstoppable resolve.
"DEVIL HAMMER INCINERATION!"
With a burst of energy, Safari's hammer blazed to life, radiating black flames. He charged forward, the ground cracking beneath his feet.
The lava titan swung once more.
But Safari didn't dodge.
Instead -
He leapt straight at it.
"RAAAAAAGH!"
With a mighty swing, Safari slammed the Devil Hammer into the titan's core. The weapon's dark flames clashed against the burning magma.
BOOOOOOM!
The explosion shook the entire chamber. A burst of molten rock and black fire erupted, consuming the beast.
And when the flames finally died -
The lava titan shattered.
Its molten remains crumbled into glowing embers, scattered across the scorched floor.
The walls of fire vanished.
Ian stumbled forward, coughing from the smoke. "Holy crap... you actually did it."
Zack collapsed to his knees, his hands trembling from the constant healing. Jen quickly stuffed another cracker into his mouth.
"You did great, Zack," she whispered.
Safari, though victorious, was visibly exhausted. His breaths were ragged, and sweat poured down his face. The hammer trembled in his grip.
And there were still four more levels to go.
Olive clenched her fists, determination burning in her eyes.
"Come on," she said firmly. "Big sis is waiting. We're not stopping here."
Safari nodded.
"Let's keep moving."
Without another word, the family pressed on - deeper into the twisted depths of Hellsgate.
_ _ _
The moment they stepped to the next chamber, the ground beneath them vanished.
WHOOSH!
The family plummeted through darkness. Wind howled around them as they fell, the echoes of their own screams lost in the void.
Then - with a violent crash - they landed.
"Ugh!" Safari groaned, pushing himself up. His muscles ached, the exhaustion from the last battle still weighing heavily on him.
But what he saw made his heart sink.
A vast, black river twisted before them, its waters unnaturally still - except for the occasional ripple caused by the writhing, pale hands that clawed at the surface. Shadows whispered from beneath, their low murmurs gnawing at the edges of sanity.
"The River of Madness," Olive murmured grimly looking at the sign.
A bridge loomed in the distance, ancient and crumbling. But it was far from whole. Massive stone slabs, jagged and broken, floated ominously above the cursed waters. Some were barely stable, while others tilted dangerously.
"DON'T TOUCH THE WATER!" Zack's voice trembled.
"Yeah, no kidding," Ian muttered, backing away from the riverbank. "I don't need to be told twice."
But the spirits were restless. From the depths, twisted hands reached out - long and skeletal, with bone-thin fingers. They wanted something.
They wanted them.
Safari tightened his grip on his Devil Hammer, but something was wrong.
He swung at a reaching hand - but the weapon passed straight through.
"They're not physical," Olive grimaced. "You can't hit what isn't there."
Safari growled. "Then what do we do?"
"The bridge pieces," Olive pointed. "That's our way out. We have to jump across before the spirits overwhelm us."
"Easy enough," Ian forced a grin. "I'll go first!"
Before anyone could stop him, Ian sprinted toward the first slab.
"IAN, WAIT-"
He leapt - feet barely making contact with the stone.
But then -
A spirit lashed out.
Its icy hand gripped Ian's ankle.
His body tensed. His eyes glazed over.
And then - he screamed.
"NO!"
Ian collapsed to his knees, clutching his head. His camera clattered to the ground.
Some artificial Memories.
They flooded him.
He saw Olive getting forcibly taken by another man from his grip, the entire family being dead. His camera, once a symbol of joy, now only a tool to document destruction.
And then - nothing.
Loneliness.
Despair.
Ian's cries echoed through the chamber.
"IAN!" Zack shouted, his hands glowing with healing energy. But no matter how much light he channeled, it didn't reach Ian.
Safari's jaw clenched. He couldn't watch any longer.
"I've got you."
Ignoring the pain in his body, Safari dashed forward. The spirits clawed at him, but he kept moving.
With one powerful motion -
He grabbed Ian.
The moment their hands touched, the illusions recoiled. Ian gasped, trembling.
"Y-You... pulled me out..." Ian whispered, his eyes wide in disbelief.
Safari nodded. "But if you fall in again, I'm not fishing you out a second time."
Ian forced a shaky grin. "D-Deal."
Olive's voice was sharp and commanding. "We can't waste time! Stick together and follow my lead!"
Safari nodded, pulling Ian to his feet. The family exchanged determined looks.
Then - they ran.
Leap. Land. Balance.
The slabs creaked beneath their weight. Spirits howled in fury, their claws swiping just inches away. Every misstep threatened to plunge them into the river.
Safari moved with raw power, using his hammer to propel himself from platform to platform.
Olive kept her eyes on every slab, barking instructions. "Left! Right! Jump now!"
Ian struggled to keep up, his camera bouncing wildly at his side. But even as the fear lingered in his mind, he refused to stop.
Jen shielded Zack, keeping him steady as he focused on maintaining their health. Her crackers were ready, ensuring Zack had energy to keep his power flowing.
But the spirits were relentless.
A monstrous wail echoed from the depths. The river surged, sending a wave of dark water crashing toward them.
"Move!" Olive yelled.
Safari didn't hesitate. He slammed his hammer into the stone beneath him - launching himself and Ian across the final gap.
"JEN! ZACK!" Olive shouted.
Jen grabbed Zack's arm and sprinted, pushing herself to her limit. Just as the wave reached them -
They leapt.
The wave crashed down, devouring the last remnants of the bridge.
But the family had already made it.
They collapsed onto the cold stone floor of the far side. Zack gasped, his energy nearly drained.
Safari's chest heaved as he forced himself upright. His hands trembled from exhaustion.
Two levels down.
Three to go.
Ian, still dazed, gave a weak thumbs-up. "I think... I got some good footage."
Safari shot him a look. "You're lucky I didn't toss you into the river."
Ian chuckled nervously. "Fair point."
Olive stood, her gaze already locked on the ominous gate ahead. It pulsed with an eerie glow - a clear sign that the next trial awaited them.
"We don't have time to rest," she said firmly. "Big sis is waiting."
Safari's eyes burned with determination. Despite the pain. Despite the fear.
He nodded.
"Let's keep moving."