Chapter 359 Entering The Temple
Although he had gathered a little Sietecolinas for emergencies, Evan had never tasted it before. He inhaled the cold water from the lake as if his life depended on it.
He swam like a true merman; his head no longer spinning in the water.
Evan took another sip of cold water. It was a wonderful sensation. The water flowed gently through his gills, carrying oxygen to his brain.
He placed his hands in front of him and examined them closely.
They looked a little green underwater, strange and eerie. There were membranes between his fingers. He turned his head to look at his bare feet, which elongated and intertwined between the toes, as if his feet had suddenly turned into swim fins.
The river water at dusk was no longer cold and biting. On the contrary, he felt very refreshed, very comfortable, and his body became very light.
Following the equally bizarre Okegiga, Evan continued paddling forward.
With the help of his two webbed feet, he could now move swiftly in the water.
Moreover, his vision became so sharp that he could see clearly ahead without blinking at all.
Along the narrow river, he soon swam far, and he could hear the struggle of the Centaurs not far above his head as he gently entered the huge lake at the center of the colony.
There was no defense, no resistance, and the fallen Centaurs did not expect anyone to dive underwater.
The imposing figure of Okegiga loomed in front of him and finally vanished.
After entering the central lake, Evan swam alone in a dark, misty, and strange setting, where all he could hear was silence.
He could see within ten feet around him. Every time he kicked his feet in the water, a new scene suddenly emerged from the darkness: a bush of black, undulating aquatic plants; wide flat mud scattered with shiny pebbles.
Evan and Okegiga swam deeper and deeper, heading towards the deepest part of the lake.
Along the central island, the main building of the Temple of the Moon extended into the deepest part of the water, and the ancient, huge architectural outline emerged before Evan's eyes.
Once again, he was struck by the miraculous achievements of the Centaurs and immersed in the grandeur before him.
Evan gazed across the winding, grey lake, observing the huge shadows in the distance, where the lake was dark and misty.
Countless little fish swam lightly beside him, like silver darts.
Next moment, Evan spotted a large figure moving in front of him, but it wasn't Okegiga. As he accelerated, he realized it was a huge squid!
The squid waved its tentacles and stared at Evan intently, as if it wanted to attack him.
When Evan nervously grasped his wand, the squid suddenly lost interest in him, following the distant fish, and swiftly swam away.
Evan breathed a sigh of relief, but soon encountered a new problem.
He came across a Grindylow in the thick grass under the island. The monster with long legs suddenly emerged from the grass, its long tentacles grabbing Evan's legs, and its mouth revealing long, sharp teeth, as if to bite him.
Evan waved his wand gently, and a column of boiling water spurted from its tip, hitting the green-skinned Grindylow.
The monster immediately stiffened, turned grey and motionless, slowly falling.
Evan's Petrification worked, but more Grindylows emerged from the aquatic grass. Without Merpeople and other natural enemies living in this lake, these monsters reproduce almost unchecked.
Evan was not going to allow them to do as they pleased; he was ready to let them know just how misguided their aim was.
Quickly, he waved his wand, and the Grindylow that was lunging towards him instantly split in half. Blood stained the large lake, and the monsters began to disperse.
Evan took the opportunity to swim forward. A few minutes later, he stopped, looking around blankly, searching for the hidden entrance to the Temple of the Moon that Okegiga had mentioned.
But he saw nothing and found himself alone in the dark lake.
He turned 360 degrees in the water, perceiving only the silence pressing on his eardrums.
He knew he must be at the bottom of the deep lake, but there was nothing around him, only infinite darkness. The great pressure of the water made him feel more alone than ever.
He and Okegiga had parted ways, and the latter could have entered the Temple. The effect of the Gillyweed was gradually fading. Just to be sure, Evan added a Bubble Charm around himself.
Then, the tip of his wand began to glow outward.
The darkness dissipated, and Evan saw the lonely grass. In front of him, a huge wall of blue-black rock was engraved with images of ancient Centaurs gazing at the stars.
There were several Centaur sculptures scattered in the depths of the lake. He did not know if they had been there for centuries. Some held bows and arrows in their hands, while others carried strange scepters above their heads.
Evan followed the mass of rock of the Temple of the Moon and crossed it at a certain distance. Just as he was silently worried, a powerful arm emerged from the middle of the wall.
He hastily raised his wand, only to discover it was Okegiga.
They ascended through the narrow and slippery tunnel, surrounded by thick green moss and aquatic algae. Through the interplay of light and shadow, Evan discovered that the entrance to the secret passage was cleverly hidden in a mural. Anyone without precise knowledge of it would not be able to find it.
"I turned around and found you had disappeared!" Okegiga said hoarsely. "The effect of the Gillyweed was wearing off. I couldn't swim too far to look for you."
"I encountered a group of Grindylows and had to fight them." As he explained, Evan lightly touched his robe with the wand, and a large amount of steam emerged.
It was a very effective spell, and his body dried instantly.
"These horrible aquatic creatures have been lurking in the lake, causing us a lot of trouble. They suddenly attack those who come to fetch water, drag them into the lake, and drown them." Okegiga shook himself vigorously and dried off like a wild animal. "You were lucky. You made it to the entrance. Otherwise, I'm not sure if I could have found you!"
"What's the trick?" Evan asked, "I saw the murals on the lake wall; they were almost identical. How did you find the entrance?"
"For us Centaurs, it's very simple. We just follow the trail of the stars." Okegiga walked towards the top of the narrow tunnel and continued. "Here is the Temple of the Moon. You have to follow the stars to find the moon. That's where the entrance is."
As he spoke, he gently touched a pattern resembling a crescent moon, and the heavy stone door in front of him slowly opened.