The inside was nothing like the outside. It was even less inviting looking than the outside was. Aside from the lion statues that looked like the one outside except scaled with actual lions, the ground was littered with skeletons of human beings and pieces of rusted armor as well as weapons and shields.
"Son of a bitch," said Ryu as he looked around at the horrifying sights.
"What happened to them all?" asked Sabrina.
"I don't know. Maybe they were going at it with each other," said Cody.
"You think so?" asked Jesse.
"I'm not sure. Right now I'm just throwing out guesses," said Cody.
"It's better than anything I can come up with," said Ryu.
"Hey look," said Athena as she pointed her spear forward.
Everyone looked to see five stone steps that lead up to a curtain.
"Hello? Is anybody there?" Estevan called.
But all he got were echoes of his own voice.
"Well I say we see where that curtain leads to," said Athena.
"I agree. You all up for it?" said Estevan.
Ryu was about to object when Cody jabbed his elbow into Ryu's side. "We're with ya one hundred percent," said Cody.
"You know that's right," said Sabrina.
"Well then let's get moving," said Estevan.
Estevan lead the band with Athena and Marry Ann following close behind, with Jesse picking up the rear. Jesse stopped for a moment and stared at a skeleton who looked like it was stuck in a battle pose even in death. Jesse had noticed this one skeleton over the others ever since they first got into the temple. But now it seemed different somehow. In a way Jesse could not understand.
"Hey, Jesse, move your ass!" said Sabrina when she noticed Jesse was just standing at the bottom of the steps, staring at a skeleton.
Jesse looked up and said, "Oh uh...sure. Sorry about that."
Jesse took one last look and then followed his friends up the steps. Athena used her spear to pull back the curtain to reveal a small,dome shaped room. A giant round,stone table took up most of the space. The room was lit by giant crystals that were partly buried within the structure of the table.
"They're beautiful," said Sabrina as she stared at the crystals.
"I wonder what their purpose was," said Ryu.
"Probably just to bring some light into this room. I mean eternal darkness can get very depressing," said Cody.
"Hey guys check it out," said Ryu who was now looking at the wall.
He started rubbing his hand across the wall.
"Why don't you and the wall get a room?" said Sabrina.
"Sabrina, please, this is serious," said Ryu.
"What is it?" asked Estevan.
"Just look for yourselves," said Ryu.
Everyone looked closer and saw that their were writings and pictures crudely carved into the wall.
"What are they?" asked Sabrina.
"What do they say?" asked Jesse.
"Well...they all tell different stories, some of them are the same but from a different person's perspective. These pictures must be to represent the things they tell about in these stories," said Ryu.
"And what of the writings themselves?" asked Estevan.
"Well...it looks like most of them are in ancient greek," said Ryu.
"Well that's just great. Now we can't read them," said Sabrina.
"That's not entirely true," said Ryu.
"Oh what, you've got a mouse in your pocket that can read ancient greek?" said Sabrina.
"No but...I probably could," said Ryu.
"Ryu, you can read ancient greek?" asked Estevan.
"Yeah, a little," said Ryu.
"Well then get on it. Don't keep us in the dark," said Cody.
"Well they all start the same, with a shipwreck onto this island. Most of these stories go on to speak of encounters with some of the monsters they came across on this island. They all feature multiple encounters with...the Cyclopes. Although that seems to be the one monster that comes up the most,...the more recent ones seem to speak of a creature they all fear even more," said Ryu.
"More? More than the Cyclopes?" asked Marry Ann.
"Yeah, it's some kind of...sea monster. It's suppose to be huge," said Ryu.
Athena and Marry Ann's eyes went wide with fear. Estevan saw Athena's hand trembling as she struggled to keep her spear steady. Estevan reached out his hand to one of Athena's trembling hands. Athena looked at Estevan to see him giving her a kind and caring smile.
"Does it say what this mystery monster is?" asked Sabrina.
Ryu looked around the wall.
"Well...it's hard to tell. You see when it comes to that part a lot of these words are scrunched close together. Probably because they were running out of room. But from what I can make out...it seems like it's the word...crack," said Ryu.
Everyone got confused looks on their face.
"Crack?" asked Jesse, Cody and Sabrina in confusion.
"That's what it looks like, crack. But I don't understand it that much myself," said Ryu.
"Crack? Oh I got it!" said Sabrina.
Then everyone looked at her expectingly.
"They mean they were snorting a lot of crack when they saw this monster worse then the Cyclopes," said Sabrina.
Then everyone laughed except Athena and Marry Ann who looked even more confused then before. Estevan saw this then attempted to explain.
"You see where we come from, crack is...uh crack is...Well trust me you really don't wanna know," said Estevan.
"Hey what's that?" asked Cody as he pointed at a small bunch of markings on the wall that formed a small picture of a monster of some kind with tentacles coming out of it's back. It was facing a island next to it.
"Is that what all the stories are talking about?" asked Sabrina.
"Further more, is it really as big as this island?" asked Estevan.
"I don't assume so. They were probably exaggerating when they carved this," said Ryu.
"What is it?" asked Cody.
"I do not know. But the sea monster that attacked us had tentacles on it's body as well," said Athena.
Everyone looked at her in shock.
"Hey everybody not that this hasn't been so fascinating and all, but I think we should all start preparing for our guest," said Jesse.
Everyone looked at Jesse like he was crazy.
"Guest? What guest? Are you expecting somebody Jesse? We can't fit anymore people in this small room. And as far as I know, we're the only ones here. So what the hell do you mean by guest?" said Sabrina.
Then Jesse shoved her out of the way and kicked away the skeleton that was just about to stab her. The skeleton rolled out of the room, and down the stone steps to the main room. Jesse sprang out onto the steps and threw his spear down at the skeleton. But then another skeleton came up and blocked the spear with it's shield. Athena, Estevan, Cody and Sabrina sprang out onto the steps and saw a squad of fifteen skeletons armed with spears,and swords, and one even had a battle ax. All of the skeletons except the one with the battle ax had shields on their left arm. Athena stomped her foot down on the blunt end of the sword on the ground, which made it flip up into the air. Then Athena grabbed it by the blade and then tossed it to Estevan. Then Estevan looked at her.
"You wanted a sword, you got a sword," said Athena.
Sabrina grabbed two swords and handed one to Cody.
"Thanks, Sis," said Cody as he stood ready for battle.
Jesse grabbed a sword and several shields and passed them around.
"Prepare to fight. If we die, we die fighting. Ryu, you stay up there and guard Marry Ann," said Estevan.
Then the skeleton warriors charged forward to attack. With the skeletons at the bottom of the steps and the five flesh warriors near the top, the skeleton warriors thrusts and swing their swords and spears upward, while the five flesh warriors swing their weapons downward and tried to block enemy blows with either their shileds or swords. This went on for eighteen seconds before the skeletons were able to cut Cody, Athena and Sabrina off from Jesse and Estevan. Meanwhile Estevan manges to punt kick a skeleton's head off, which caused the skeleton to colapse.
"Kinda fragile aren't they?" asked Estevan to no one in paticular.
Cody was forced up to a balcony on the far side of the temple. He looked behind him to see a skeleton coming right at him. Cody faced the warrior head on and swung his sword down upon the boned warrior. But it blocked the blow with his shield. Then the skeleton swung it's sword from the side at Cody's ribcage, but he blocked with his shield then did the same, but the skeleton blocked that blow with it's shield. Then tries thrusting it's sword into Cody's stomach, but he manged to dodge to the left and stick out his right foot at the same time to trip the skeleton. Then Cody didn't let it get up, he just kicked it off the balcony. But then Cody was almost blindsighted by a second skeleton coming to attack him. Cody jumped up onto the balcony railing and swung his sword down upon the skeleton, but it blocked with it's shield and tried swinging it's own sword up at Cody, who dodged back, the blade just barely missing him. Then Cody swung his sword down on the skeleton, but it dodged back, then swung it's sword at Cody, but he dodged back too. Then a second skeleton warrior came up to Cody's other side and swung it's sword at Cody's legs, but Cody jumped up over the blade.
Meanwhile Estevan and Jesse were holding off several of the skeleton warriors on their own. Jesse to the left, and Estevan to the right. Jesse swung his sword down at a skeleton warrior, but it blocked with it's own sword. Then another skeleton tried to sneak up on Jesse's left side, but Estevan blocked the skeleton's sword with his shield then with all his strength shoved the skeleton away,off it's feet,down the stairs,crumbling into pieces as it bounced down the stone steps. Another skeleton came up on Estevan's left and swung it's sword upward at Estevan, but he blocked it with his shield then shoved away the hand the skeleton held it's sword in, then punt kicked it away. A skeleton with a spear jumped up to the top of the stairs and thrusts it at Estevan. But Estevan bats it away with his sword then swing his sword down upon the skeleton's upper body at the same time, Jesse takes out it's legs with his sword. Then a skeleton with a sword tries to catch Jesse off guard, but he blocks the skeleton's sword with his own sword twice from different kinds of attacks.
Meanwhile, Sabrina knocks a skeleton down with her shield in a way a spartan would, but is greeted by another skeleton running up to her, heaving it's sword back and trying to swing it down upon her. But Sabrina duck down and then quickly gets to her feet and back body drops the skeleton off of cinderblock they were fighting on. Then the other skeleton gets to it's feet and tries to swing it's sword from Sabrina's side. But Sabrina ducks under the sword, spins away from it off to the skeleton's right side,and then use her shiled to block an attempted stab by the skeleton. Then Sabrina and the skeleton clash their swords together and struggle with each other for leverage. Unfortunately it seems the skeleton has the advantage as Sabrina is now on the very edge of the cinderblock and the skeleton keeps pushing down and down at her. But then Sabrina forces her way forward a few feet, then drops onto her back and uses her right leg to kick the skeleton over her head and off the edge of the cinderblock. But then she has to kick up to her feet, then jump out of the way of another skeletons blade. Sabrina rolls away from the drop on ne side of the cinderblock, and starts making her way down the smashed in part of the cinderblock that she used to get up there in the first place.
Meanwhile, Cody is struggling with a skeleton who has it's sword clashed with Cody's as they both struggle for leverage. Back and forth they fought until finally Athena jumped in and kicked it away, knocking it into another skeleton and making them crumble against each other. Athena thrusts her spear forward, but the skeleton she was aming for blocks with it's sword and forces the sharp end of the spear to the ground. But Athena uses her wolf strength to release the spear from the sword's grip. Then Cody slams his shield into the skeleton's body, knocking him off the balcony. But then another skeleton smashes it's shield into Cody's and makes Cody lose his grip on the shield, and sends it falling off the balcony side. Athena kicks the skeleton away, but then it comes back and tries to stab Athena in the stomach, but she moves just in time to avoid it. Then she thrusts the side of her spear up into the skeleton's ribs,lift is off it's feet and throws it over the balcony onto another skeleton. Theb Cody and Athena run to the steps of the balcony and climb down, but are met on the left and the right by two skeleton warriors. They both charge forward, but Cody uses his spear to block three slicing attacks by the skeleton on the right, while Athena uses her spear to deter the skeleton on the left. Back and forth goes Cody and the skeleton in their lock and sword slicing attacks. Ten seconds later and several sword attacks and blocks between them, Athena finally intervenes and thrusts her spear at the skeleton's right hand, knocking the sword out of the skeleton's grasp. Then Athena jumps over another skeleton's head and runs to meet several other skeletons in combat.
Meanwhile Sabrina has been forced back up the cinderblock by two skeleton's chasing her. One jumps down from the cinderblock and waits at the bottom of the drop off of the cinderblock while it watches the other skeleton clash it's sword against Sabrina's, driving her towards the drop off. Sabrina tries and tries, but she is unable to block the slicng blow to her stomach area which sends her to her knees, grasping at her stomach. Athena rushes up and drives herr spear through the skeleton's bodty then flings it over the drop off onto the skeleton waiting at the bottom.
Meanwhile a skeleton raises it's spear at Jesse but Jesse blocks it with his sword and slices the skeleton in half. But then one with a sword jump up infront of Jesse and swings it's sword at him. but Jesse blocks and swings from the side of the skeleton who dodges back. But it is not quick enough to dodge Estevan's jumping downward swing upon the skeleton, which sends it crumbling to the ground. Two skeletons ran at Estevan and Jesse, one with a sword, the other with a spear. They both tried attacking at the same time, but Estevan slices them in half with his sword. Then the skeleton with the battle ax comes up and swings it at Estevan, but he blocks with his shield and then kicks the skeleton in the stomach area and knocks it away. But the skeleton manages to stay on it's feet as it comes at Estevan once again with the battle ax. But again Estevan blocks with his shield, and this time swings his sword at the skeleton's side, but it dodges to the right to avoid the blade.
Meanwhile Jesse stabs his sword through the last skeleton who had a sword. Also Athena thrusts her spear through the last skeleton who had a spear. Now it was all down to Estevan and the skeleton with the battle ax.
"Everyone, stay back! This bone head is mine! I forbid you to interfer!" said Estevan before running to face the challenge of the ax wielding skeleton.
Estevan swung his blade five times in three different ways to try and attack the skeleton, but it either blockeed with the handle of it's ax, or dodged away and took a swing of it's own. Then after that, the skeleton used oit's ax to smack the shield off of Estevan's left arm. So then Estevan used his left hand to uppercut the skeleton who stepped back a few feet from this blow. The skelton then ran foward and swung it's ax at Estevan, but he brought his sword up to block the blow and shove the skeleton back. Then the skeleton swung it's ax at Estevan two more times. But Estevan dodged both blows. Then Estevan smacked the bottom of the handle of his sword across the skeleton's head. Then Estevan used his blade to block a swing from the skeleton's battle ax. Then he swung his sword at the skeleton three times and tried stabbing it. The sjkeleton blocked and dodged all those attempts and swung back with it's ax. Estevan's sword was knocked out of his hand, but then Athena jumped in and used the wooden part of her spear to block an ax blow and smack up into the skeleton's chin.
"I told you to stay out of this," said Estevan.
"I was just giving you some time to get your sword. Now move it!" said Athena.
Estevan roled to the ground and grabbed his sword, then rolled back to his feet. The skelton swung it's ax and left a gash in Athena's left shoulder which made her cry out in pain. Estevan looked at the horrible sight then shouted in rage as he ran at the skeleton. Estevan's sword attacks were now faster and stronger, as he swung,thursts,and stabs at the skeleton, and even slices the handle of the battle ax in half. Then Estevan took one mighty swing of his sword downward, which sliced the skeleton in two halves which crumbled to pieces as they fell to the ground.