Chapter 341 The Temple Of The Moon And The Ghost Of The Centaur
Due to the temple's proximity to running water, the air nearby was very humid.
Except for Magorian, all the other Centaurs stayed on the other side of the lake. They did not proceed towards the stone platform in the water. Without permission, they could not approach the Temple at will...
Sirius whispered something to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but Evan paid them no mind.
He was still pondering Professor Trelawney's prophecy, and the surrounding scene troubled him greatly.
"The Centaurs are known for using the names of planets to christen their temples," Sirius remarked. "There are tribes of Centaurs with temples dedicated to star worship and observation scattered across the world. Although there is little communication between them due to distance, the names of these temples have never been repeated."
"What is the name of this black Temple?" inquired Harry.
"They call it the Temple of the Moon!" Sirius pointed to the red moon hanging above their heads. "It is named as such for its prime location for moon tracking. As an ancient Temple, it is highly esteemed among the Centaurs. If you encounter any of them elsewhere, they would certainly recognize the name if you mention it."
"It's not entirely unique. There are two Temples of the Moon in the Centaur World," interjected Magorian, his voice seething with rage. "Traitors exiled by the tribes erected another Temple of the Moon elsewhere. It is exactly the same as this one here, but the offerings there are entirely different."
"So, is it the same black Temple as here?" inquired Evan.
"Yes, those traitors defiled the sacred place, and the Temple of the Moon they built is fraught with evil and taboos." Magorian pounded the ground furiously with his front hooves.
Evan felt somewhat relieved upon hearing this.
If there was no evil or taboo in that dark Temple, it was not the place mentioned in Professor Trelawney's prophecy.
He stopped thinking about it. Either way, no matter the situation, he had to enter alone.
Through the narrow, dark entrance, Evan followed Magorian and Sirius towards the Temple. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were right behind, gazing curiously around.
In the torchlight, Evan beheld the magnificent murals carved on the walls.
These murals were a continuation of those on the external walls, mostly depicting Centaurs in the realm of star observation.
There were also numerous star trajectories.
Moving forward, the intricate pattern of constellations filled the space; it even adorned the ceiling and marble floor panel. It was so intricate that following them was dizzying.
Only true astrologers could grasp the significance of these complex patterns. Nearly all planetary trajectories had been documented here for thousands of years. Many of them were significant star maps unnoticed or lost by human wizards.
Evan could not comprehend this. The trio beside him, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, were even more bewildered, yet it did not hinder their awe.
The passage continued straight. Upon turning the first corner, something whitish suddenly emerged from the wall and confronted Evan. It was a ghost, not one of the common wizard ghosts in the castle, but a ghost of a Centaur ancestor.
He was attired differently from present-day Centaurs. Towering and commanding, clad in a leather attire marred with scars, he resembled a warrior just returning from the battlefield.
Evan scrutinized the Centaur ghost carefully. He appeared to be the mightiest Centaur Evan had ever seen, nearly as colossal as Magorian, which was simply astounding.
To put it bluntly, he was a blend of a Centaur and a monster.
When Evan gazed at him, the specter of the Centaur gazed back at him.
His eyes were full of suspicion, furrowing his brow as if saying something. His tone was peculiar, definitely not English, and no one understood what he was saying.
Magorian took a swift step forward and conversed with him.
"It's a specific language of the Centaurs. It's very ancient and intricate, seldom used nowadays," Sirius explained. "But it was quite popular in the Middle Ages."
"That leather attire does seem medieval," Hermione remarked. "He must have resided here for nearly a millennium like Nearly Headless Nick."
"Nick knows all the ghosts, but he's never mentioned Centaur ghosts to us," Harry looked at him inquisitively, lowering his voice and saying, "Do you remember last year's Halloween party? All the ghosts from Great Britain were there, but there was nothing of the sort."
"I don't think he was invited because they couldn't communicate," Ron wrinkled his nose and whispered, "Certainly, Nick can't speak the Centaur language, can he?"
"Centaurs generally don't associate with humans, even if they become ghosts," Sirius stated. "This is the most sacred Temple of the Centaurs. Only the wisest elders and bravest warriors of the tribe can enter."
"So, are there many Centaur ghosts here?" Evan inquired.
"Not really." Once Magorian finished conversing with the Centaur ghost, he returned to address Evan's question briefly, "Due to traitors, we have suffered great losses. Many ancestral souls vanished forever, leaving only the mightiest Centaurs. The one here is Okegiga, which means High Mountain in the Centaur language. He is the greatest warrior in the history of our tribe."
"The greatest warrior, what did he do?" Ron queried doubtfully, "Did he slay many Acromantulas?"
"He has slain an adult fire dragon and many other creatures beyond your imagination," Magorian retorted sharply, seemingly displeased by Ron's comment. "Human, never underestimate Centaurs. We possess strength and civilization no weaker than yours."
The fire dragon is the most powerful and ferocious magical creature that exists. They had all seen the one underground at Gringotts and had been deeply impressed by its might.
It was hard to fathom that a Centaur could single-handedly slay a fire dragon. Even a powerful wizard would find it challenging to accomplish.
The Centaur ghost Okegiga turned and departed, leaving everyone gazing at him in awe.
"Let's not keep the elder waiting for too long," Magorian said, turning around and proceeding once more.
They continued onward and entered an ascending circular passage. Along the outer side of the passage were round rooms of various sizes, filled with strange things; some were ritual supplies, while others seemed less pleasant.
Under the dim torchlight, through the narrow crevices of the stone doors, Evan observed numerous statues in the dark rooms.
The statues varied, too distant to see clearly, but the appearance of the statues next to the door was enough to astonish everyone.
Evan swallowed hard and froze in place, utterly amazed.
Following his gaze, Ron curiously peered into the room. In the next moment, he let out a hoarse cry of horror.