lava

Balance the crust-to-core ratio to control the temperature of your scene. High-contrast cracks of bright orange breaking through a matte black, obsidian-like crust create immediate danger and high tension, whereas an uninterrupted flow of pure liquid fire can look flat or cartoonish.

Inject environmental atmosphere like sulfurous steam or heat distortion. Midjourney often renders lava too cleanly; adding atmospheric smoke and ash helps ground the heat, making the air feel thick, heavy, and physically oppressive.