Allendra pictured herself suddenly standing before the door, only to realize that she was now taller. Her hands caught her attention next. They were those of a young adult woman. Adorning her was a top-quality, dark blue robe with intricate runes woven onto it.
As Allendra scanned her surroundings, she recognized the unique figure of Paliborn, though he appeared somehow different, at his side stood a fierce-looking warrior, with a mass of brown hair framing his chiseled features, and a second warrior, whose noble bearing suggested he was a knight of the highest order - his breastplate emblazoned with the Orion emblem.
Allendra's gaze drifted to the raven-haired woman, whose ebony skin gleamed like polished obsidian, her luscious locks adorned with brilliant blue beads that glinted in the dim light. And then there was the towering elf, his feathered cape billowing behind him like wings - a being of otherworldly grace and majesty.
And finally, there was Baz, unrecognizable without his make-up, but still unmistakably him. All of them stood with unwavering attention, examining the entrance with vigilance and determination.
"How curious. It's like I've been here before, I'm experiencing such vivid déjà vu," Allendra exclaimed in her alluring and commanding voice.
"I've had the same sensation, Allendra. Paja fu or something," Pal chimed in.
"I know it may sound strange, but I felt it too," Baz added in a warm, friendly tone.
"We don't have the luxury of solving your enigmas, wizard woman. Let's focus on our mission. Time is slipping away," a stern voice interrupted.
The untimely, mysterious moment evaporated like a faint reflection, lasting but a second before disappearing without a trace.
Baaz, the mysterious mist elf, pulled the shivering little girl inside, and back to reality, just in time to save her from the icy grip of her daydream. The ogre that trailed in behind them narrowly dodged a bolt that whizzed past him, grazing his back. The arrow missed its mark, slamming into a sharp-toothed motif on the top sill of the main door and bouncing off.
"You were hasty, Arvedas," Pal grumbled, racing up the natural steps and scouring the terrain for the quickest descent.
"We could have crept a little closer," he added.
"At least one ogre is down," Dylan huffed, struggling to keep pace from behind.
As the entrance to the Temple of the Snake God loomed before them, Xian, a devout history buff, could hardly contain his excitement. "Unbelievable! We've really found the Temple of the Snake God," he exclaimed.
"We didn't find it, they did," Pal corrected him, already below.
"Our priority is to seize them before awakening Shah Maran," Arvedas cautioned.
"Rescuing Allendra must be our foremost concern," Pal insisted.
As Xian descended the jagged boulders, Pal and Arvedas glowered at each other, their tempers flaring.
"Now is neither the time nor the place for debate," interjected the sagacious Quanas elf.
All four of them nodded in unison before stepping cautiously inside. An elongated passageway greeted them at the threshold of the temple. It twisted and turned like a serpent, and the walls were adorned with intricate designs akin to the scales of a snake. The passageway eventually opened up into a spacious chamber, with a portal leading to a new section that bore a striking resemblance to the toothed maw of a serpent.
The ceiling of the hall towered above, casting a shadow over the snake-headed statues that were embellished with gems and stood at least thrice the height of a man. Golden columns, fashioned in rows and glistening like scales, reached up towards the sky. Human-sized, embossed clay pots were scattered about, while hieroglyphs etched upon the walls, from ceiling to floor, told tales of an era long gone. Drawings on the ceiling portrayed the bygone world in all its glory.
"Would that I had the time to scrutinize each piece," Xian lamented with a deep sigh.
"I would fancy adding some of these shining gems to my collection," Pal jested with a wink.
The group briefly surveyed the interior of the temple, heedless of the stories it held. Two archways leading to other sections of the temple were discerned, from which emanated the sound of people descending.
Arvedas keenly listened to the fading footsteps, postulating, "At the most, a couple of the ogres are heading west. The noises emanating from the eastern flank are feeble."
"Agreed. Then we shall part ways. Xian and I shall venture into the eastern wing," Pal asserted.
"No, let Dylan join you. Mist elves are treacherous. I'll fend for myself," Arvedas dissented.
"Take care, Arvedas," Pal respected the elf's choice.
All in the group acknowledged Galanadel elf's potency and resolve. They traversed their separate paths, hastening away without goodbyes.
Amid the corridors veiled in a reptilian skin-like sheen, Xian confessed, "Honestly, I felt more secure with Arvedas at our side."
"I would have guarded you with my life," Dylan vowed.
"Grateful, knight. But stay vigilant."
"This complex and its passageways appear to have been hewn from stone, fashioned as if for a colossal serpent to roam," Pal mused.
The passageways were five meters wide and ten meters high, colossal in scale. They meandered through the winding structure, the sound of flowing water echoing off the walls. Water droplets fell from every crevice, like tears from the weeping stone.
Dylan's hand brushed against the wall, sending shivers down his spine. "The walls are frigid and moist, akin to the slick skin of a serpent," he remarked.
"Quiet," Pal hissed.
Dylan's brows furrowed in question as a deep rumbling from below filled their ears. They ran towards the sound, their hearts racing.
"Something's amiss. The ceiling may have collapsed, a treacherous trap," Pal warned.
Two turns later, they entered another level, only to find a hall entrance obstructed by broken statues and a dead ogre. The gloom was thick, and Dylan's torch did little to dispel it. Xian cast a spell, conjuring clusters of shimmering orbs that floated in the air and illuminated every corner of the hall.
The grand hall stretched about a hundred meters long, with ornate columns sculpted in the likeness of ancient beasts, statue graveyards meticulously lining the walls, and colossal weapons suspended from the ceiling.
On the other end of the hall stood a larger door, its surface etched with the snarling visage of a serpent, complete with eyes that glimmered like precious jade in the darkness.
With unyielding determination, Baaz moved a hidden mechanism, and the door groaned open with a thunderous clamor, revealing Allendra for the first time.
"Hang on, Eli. I have come for you," Pal bellowed as he charged forward.
But before the priest could pull her inside, Allendra warned Pal, "Flee, Pal. The mist elf is a lethal foe, hell-bent on your demise."
"Raaz, you guard the entrance. Baaz, you are with me. Other deadly traps may need your deft touch," the priest ordered, as he stepped into the chamber.
As Baaz prepared to follow, he launched an arrow in Pal's direction. Allendra lunged at him, obstructing his aim. Pal narrowly evaded the arrow, diving behind a towering column for cover.
The warrior mist elf voraciously drew his keen falchion and dashed towards Pal with great fervor and zeal.
"I shall vanquish this sword-wielding fiend, Xian. You, two depart. I shall avenge my comrades!" Dylan exclaimed, brandishing his lengthy blade in the air and lunging towards the mist elf with all his might.
"Alone, you shan't succeed," Xian objected.
"Go," the knight commanded resolutely, placing himself between Dylan and the mist elf.
"One on one, till death. My favorite kind," Raaz taunted, guffawing heartily.
"I'll send you back to the hell whence you came, demon-spirited elf," Dylan riposted.
The two warriors tested each other with reciprocal moves. Watching the clash of swords, Pal, after a brief moment of indecision, pulled Xian towards the door. He wished the proud knight fortune, for he would require it sorely.
As they pushed through the double doors, they knew they had entered the grand chamber of the temple. It was a cavernous expanse, spacious and natural, with a ceiling towering several times higher than the other halls. The exact width of the cave eluded them.
In the western wing, a towering altar stood on high foundations at the center. Surrounding it like a fortress wall was a massive, slumbering cobra statue, coiled around and lying on the ground. Dozens of meters in length and several meters in width, it possessed two emerald lights that glimmered like pale beacons at human level. Save for the faint flickers of the stones, no other source of illumination existed within the chamber.
With jaws agape, Pal and Xian surveyed the lifelike statue from afar. The sole entrance to the altar lay just beside the snake's head. Xian conjured a few clusters of light spells, illuminating the surroundings. As the orbs of light danced like fireflies, they beheld scattered skeletons, skulls, gold, and other precious metals strewn haphazardly about the floor – the telltale remnants of visitors who had come ages past.
Xian remarked, "We seem to have stumbled upon the den of a dragon."
"We are in the company of an entity equally as mighty and mythical. The forefather of the Nagas," Pal replied.
"I feel as though a weight is pressing down on my mind. Do you feel as though you're intoxicated?" Xian inquired.
Pal nodded, acknowledging Quanas' formidable mental fortitude.
"Could the origin of this sensation be attributed to a spell affecting our minds, cast by the priest?" Xian mused aloud, while Bishop was absent from their sight.
"No, this pressure must be caused by the phantom of the entity residing in this cavern. Or, more accurately, the residual trace of its formidable presence from long ago," Xian concluded, answering her own question.
The halfling was stirred by numerous memories and associations. To regain focus on their present surroundings, he shook himself and smacked his cheeks a couple of times.