Set foot upon the Isle of Cryonition.

The wave of exhaustion hits immediately.

Though everybody is effected differently, the sudden turn to supernatural levels of heat is felt across the crew. While still at sea, it was difficult to tell, though the temperature increased wildly upon nearing the shore. Around you is nothing but deep red and brown stone, as no plants could hope to live here, and flames stream up from cracks in the ground a short distance away. Like upon the road on a hot summer afternoon, the air is wavy, and it's thick almost like the inside of a sauna with the ocean tides still crashing up against the shoreline, but turning immediately to steam.

Far away, you can see a stream of lava running endlessly down a mountainside. At your feet, the stone is often cracked. You worry that at any time, fire could pour our from beneath the earth, especially as smoke occasionally wafts up from below, though that could be the burning of people's footwear.

By how the landscape is shaped, you can't even see the other half of the island from here. These hills and valleys could go on forever for all you know. Though when you cast your eyes upwards, you can see the underside of Thunderbeard's floating island high in the sky above.

"Goodness gracious me. I'd say we should hurry and get to the other side, though that may be worse," Captain Silver comments. She removes her tricorn hat and begins to fan herself off--forehead already running with sweat. "The humidity here though is deadly."

"Let's not linger then," Niki says. She hurries ahead, perching up on a nearby boulder to peek down the next path. She seems entirely untouched by the island's heat. "The good news I guess is that we won't run into any pirates or anything here."

"That was the plan."

Lynx hustles over to join her. "It's definitely hotter than home, but yeah it's fine."

"S-Speak for yourself," Eva says with a heaving breath. She tugs wildly on the front of her blouse as beads of sweat roll down and over her breasts. The fabric is already clinging to her skin, and the poor girl looks taxed already. "Say Dix, didn't you say you might have potions to help with this?"

"I don't need them," Malakae boasts.

"... I didn't say you did."

Though she does seem toasty, she's no different than Lynx or Niki in that regard. "W-Well, now you know regardless."

Vyzia shakes her head and walks forward without a hint of pain despite her bare feet sizzling against the stone. As a red dragon, you imagine she could wade through a wall of flames and still be fine. If there were anyone here not to worry about, it would certainly be Vyzia.

Bek wipes sweat from his brow. "Phew. It's worse than I thought, but jokes on this Empress of Fire lady. I've been practising."

Amara sighs with a smile upon her face. "Yes. I can confirm that he has been. I was there."

"Practising how?" you ask.

"Micro-dosing fire," Bek explains. "With the talented Ms. Tedrilui there to heal me."

"You--" Without wanting to question it further, you shake your head and turn your attention to Xue. "What about you, man? You're wearing more than anyone here. Are you gonna be all right?"

He stares back at you silently, and slowly nods his head. By what you can tell, he does seem fine.

Finally able to get a word in, Dixby answers Eva's question. "I do, yes. A few potions that might help."

"Better save them for when we need them," Stax says.

"It looks like Eva here might need one now."

"You could always just take a few things off," you jest. "Though maybe that'd just make you warmer--"

"I'll take the potion," Eva blurts out. "It's something to do with heat resistance, right? Or maybe something that'll cool me down from the inside?"

After rustling around in her pack for a moment, the gnome withdraws a shimmering, thick liquid, almost like the vial is filled with molten gold. She holds it up to the bunnyfolk to take, and then bows politely.

Eva brings it to her lips and pops the cork. "... It smells like marshmallows."

"Medicine doesn't have to taste nasty, right?"

Down the hatch. Eva swallows the shot immediately, and then hands the empty vial back to Dixby. She takes a deep breath, and almost immediately, she seems relieved. A smile comes to her lips, like a weight was just lifted from her shoulders. "Ooh. I'm feeling better already." Then slowly, she begins to change.

It starts around her stomach. Slowly, her skin shifts into a smoother, shinier material, as if she's gradually being petrified into a statue of gold. Though once it's reached her joints, you can see that isn't the case. She moves just as easily as before. It isn't golden that she's becoming either. It's brass. Down her legs, along her arms, over her best, and finally to her face, she transforms into a girl made entirely of metal. Even her hair shifts to match the same colour as the rest. In a manner of moments, Eva is like a statue, though garbed in clothing, and able to move around like any other. Her skin shines brightly beneath the sun still peaking down from above, though soon, it looks like it'll disappear behind the floating fortress.

Eva looks over herself in shock and panic at first. "I'm... I'm hardening! Help!"

Stax inspects her closely. "What do you mean? Did you grow a cock or something?"

"No!" she shouts, pushing down the front of her skirt. She then looks down at her hands, and rubs her fingers together. "Oh. No, I guess I'm not hard. But my skin feels so weird. It's like metal but not. And deep down, I feel kinda funny too. But the heat doesn't bother me anymore. Not at all."

"Ah. Thank goodness that worked," Dixby mutters.

"Did you let me drink something you haven't even tested?!"

"I couldn't test it, because I only had enough of the reagents for one vial. But for awhile, you should be as resilient against fire as even a red dragon."

Vyzia eyes her over. "Interesting."

Eva skips ahead of the group with a bright smile upon her face. "This feels great! Thanks, Dix!" Giggling as she goes, she turns the corner to a plume of flames jetting up from a crevice in the rock. She screams, and the party hustles up to meet her.

Though despite the flames completely bathing the front of her body, her flesh is completely unscathed. The only damage has been done to her clothing. She pats out the fire, and though scorched, it's all still holding in there... barely. Unfortunately for her, the Mend spell is meant to repair rips and tears, not destruction by flame. The real hero here is the button somehow still holding Eva's blouse together. She turns her face back to the group, and though she doesn't seem to be able to visibly blush, you can tell something has effected her. She pants softly, but swallows hard and snaps herself back to reality. "I'm fine."

"Careful, Eva," Niki says. "You might be immune to fire, but this place is dangerous. Let me take the lead."

"All right, but I'll be close behind."

Meanwhile, Lalarin sighs from the back. "Maybe I should ask for a potion too," she mumbles. "This spandex suit is already a problem."

Snow looks over. "You may have been better off in the outfit you were wearing before."

"But this costume is a symbol! I had to wear it. I'll be fine. Rabbit's Foot won't be defeated by sweat."

As you march forward, just short behind Eva and Niki, Captain Silver picks up the pace and catches up to match your pace. Though everywhere she goes, Xue isn't far behind. The others keep close, and walk cautiously in your shadow. There's no telling what's around the corner, whether it's another geyser of flames or something worse. Meanwhile, you're trying not to show it, but despite your resilience, the heat is intense. Though that only makes you believe that an ordinary person landing ashore here would perish in minutes.

"According to that map, we won't have far to walk," you say to your crew. "Keep your wits about you and if you need anything, ask. Dixby, get ready with any potions that might help. And Vyzia has water and other supplies in her back. We'll make it through this, everyone. We've faced far more dangerous threats than this. Just think about kicking Thunderbeard's ass."

"Always," Vyzia answers, stomping ahead behind even where Niki walks.

"Hey, I'm--" Niki starts to say.

The dragon looks back to her. "You're strong. But in a land like this one, I'd rather stumble upon hazardous terrain before you, sunheart."

"All right, but if a monster pops its ugly head, we'll have ourselves a competition of who can get to it first."

"My spear will pierce it before you can lunge."

"I might surprise you."

"Is this a form of foreplay?" Stax asks.

Bekram nods. "Aye. It is. Trust me."