The couple returned home and rested for two weeks. They went out to eat and enjoyed life. They practiced with the dirt bikes regularly to get familiar with them. They were both looking forward to riding them instead of mounts. With these they could go a few hundred miles each day without any issues. The noise would scary off many creatures too.
For the young adventurous couple, staying in the real world was taxing. They had tracked down Vexin's family. The news wasn't great, her mother and brother had been killed in a car crash. Her father was in prison. When they visited he didn't even recognize her. He wasn't suffering from mental issues too. The loss of his entire family had driven him crazy. Braxton used his father's connects to have him transferred to a medical facility.
Braxton hired an IT gal for running the facilities and fixing technical issues. Then he hired an accountant to oversee the financial aspects of the business. The money was coming in quickly and making sure everyone was getting their proper share became a headache. With those business and family issues sorted, the couple was eager to return to the dangers of the Blood Furnace.
They walked back into the portal. Then selected the northern portal location. Vector and Cammy were busy. They had lines of customers trading. One was hunters and the other was the Merlude buying the drained bodies. Cammy handled the counter and Vector had an assembly line going to process blood. The towns folk traded weapons and other gear. The whole affair was staggering.
The couple waved as they walked past their hut. Then continued into the city. There were humans all around. The place had become a booming tourist trap. The Merlude were happy with the exchange for the most part. Their products sold fast and they had grown their city quickly to provide goods and services along the beach to the south of the town.
Braxton and Vixen found spearguns in a local shop. They quickly purchased them. Then went to the beach in the town area. There were several Merlude guarding the beach and they were told politely, "This beach is reserved for the Merlude only. You can go north or south outside the city. This is our refuge from outsiders."
They didn't argue or fuss. It didn't even bother them. The changes to their community had been drastic and sudden. The couple walked to the north and entered the waters outside the city walls. It felt a like gel. It was fairly warm to the touch but, took a little while to get used to breathing in the liquid. It immediately returned him to the time the was put into the tank. That actually made this experience easier.
They swam out into the sea naked carrying their spearguns. What they found wasn't what they expected. The seabed was covered with thick forests. Trees similar to those that would be found on Earth. The bark on them was smooth like white oak. Fish swam through the leaves and made their homes in the branches. Most creatures paid little attention to their presence at all.
Large turtles roamed through the trees. They swam along the forest floors eating the leaves and branches that had fallen. The couple swam through the area much like divers might a coral reef on Earth. The gel like water didn't cause any issues with their skin.
About an hour out to sea they came upon a structure. It looked like a pyramid with an open, covered top supported by four pillars. A soft blue light illuminated the bottom surface under the roof. As the couple swam closer it became clear, the top was open. They swam to it and descended into the building. It turned into a ramp like corridor leading to the bottom. The light was provided by plants growing on the walls of the tunnels.
At the bottom, the path turned inward. It opened into a large room. Paintings on the wall seemed to tell a story. Whatever it was they would need someone to read it for them. They couldn't see anything that looked like words. The room had many Merlude in it. They were mating or participating in a sexual ritual. They also saw some other species that looked like the Merlude but, these had dark green skin and black stripes. Tails like mermaids would have, adorned their bodies instead of legs.
Weapon racks lined the wall to the left and right of the entrance. None of the creatures within were armed. With the exception of two large guards. They had guns that looked similar to the auto laser rifle Braxton carried. These looked like they fired needles or spikes of some sort. They were trained on the couple. One of the guards was a Merlude other other was of the other race. They each said something in their own language. Braxton had received the Merlude language from Vector and understood the message. "Get out or die."
Braxton motioned to Vixen for them to leave. He tried talking but, wasn't able to make clear words. Sounds were coming out. They would be able to talk. Learning how would take a while, they didn't have time right now. They surfaced an hour later. "What do you supposed that was all about?" Braxton asked after he expelled the liquid from his lungs.
"I'm not sure. Vector might know something. We could just wait for a Merlude to come out so we can apologize. We might be able to avoid a lot of trouble down the road. It might be another religious thing of these people. We can practice talking while we wait for someone to come out." Vixen suggested.
"Sounds like a good idea. It could be extremely dangerous. We basically have sticks and they have guns designed for the environment." Braxton said with a grin.
The pair returned and wait above the temple unarmed talking. The Merlude language was much easier to use underwater than their native tongue. The sounds came easier so Braxton started teaching it to Vixen. They waited until it was dark on the surface. The seabed seemed to light up and come alive. Everything seemed to glow in greens and blues. The effect was beautiful.
The Merlude and other race streamed slowly from the entrance. The couple waited for someone to notice them. It didn't take long. A mixed group of the assembly swam up to meet them. One of the Merlude asked "What are you doing here?"
"We wanted to apologize for intruding on your ceremony. We were just exploring and found the temple. We have similar buildings on our world. We were curious what we would find inside. Ours are ancient constructs that provide a glimpse into our past. It was our wish to learn something of your history not insult your culture. Please accept our sincere apology." Braxton pleaded.
The Merlude among the group seemed happy with the apology. The other race didn't. It was clear they understood. The Merlude surrounded the couple and escorted them back to land.