More red blood appeared on the water surface, which got thicker and thicker. There was still no sign of Gan Ning or the Snake at this point. Dion was spitting up water, coughing loudly, whilst Gregorios patted him on the back to help him spit out the water. Dion's leg had several large bit marks on it, with blood pouring out of it.
"I'll wrap it up!" Macro said, ripping some of the bottom of his toga off, bending down and wrapping it tightly around the bleeding wounds on Dion's leg.
"Ouch!" Dion coughed loudly as Macro squeezed it tighter.
"I need to stop it bleeding!" Macro grumbled back. "Where did that come from?"
"As if I know!" Dion growled back, "A Snake! Why a Snake?"
"I hate Snakes!" Gregorios added, "Nothing scares me, but Snakes I am not a fan of."
"You hate Snakes?" Dion argued, "I'm the one that was almost eaten by one!"
The water bubbled again as Gan Ning appeared, this time holding the head of a large red Snake, a dagger stabbed through it's skull.
"Someone grab it!" He ordered, as Gregorios quickly ran and grabbed the snake and dragged it to the shore. The Snake continued to get dragged as Gan Ning climbed out of the lake water. Gregorios dropped the Snake's head and stepped back quickly, only just realising what he had done.
"That is big." Dom commented. The Snake was at least six metres long, and must weigh around thirty five kilograms. It's head was round and it had long squinted eyes. It's body was covered in crisscrossed patterns and it's large mouth with pointy fangs laid agape.
"Tell me about it" Gan Ning grinned as he stepped over and grabbed the hilt of his dagger that was stuck in the skull of the Snake. He stood on the Snake's head and yanked his dagger out with a grunt. "Are you ok Dion?"
"Yes Commander." He replied sincerely, "I owe you my life."
"We are family." Gan Ning replied gently, patting him on the shoulder, before sheaving his dagger. "Now we just need to work out what loot we take back to Riverside. I'm taking my Snake!"
"That is a very good point." Dom replied, "We'll decide when Leonidas and Cleon return."
"Before we head back, we need to head under water." Gan Ning said, whilst looking down at the waters edge again.
"What do you mean?" Dom asked.
"The Snake came from a den." Gan Ning replied, "From under the hill, there is a cave there that definitely would have had air. I think we need to explore that and see where it leads us. Their could be more goodies or anything."
"I don't think anyone can swim as good as you?" Dom commented, thinking that he himself was a strong swimmer, but he wasn't sure if swimming was a skill that ancient warriors learnt.
"I can swim well." Gregorios commented, "I used to swim in the waters around Athens in my youth, I believe Cleon and Leonidas will be able to swim well as well."
"Very well." Gan Ning replied, "Macro, please stay with Dion and make sure that the bleeding stops and he doesn't go in to shock. Cleon and Leonidas are both due back soon, when they return I want Cleon to stay with you, if you need anything he can head under the water to meet us. The cave is directly below the small waterfall, he won't miss it. Send Leonidas through when he's back."
"Are we going?" Gregorios asked, whilst he was putting his armour back on.
"Yes, leave your armour off! You may as well have stayed stripped" Gan Ning grumbled as he prepared himself to dive back in, stripping his own armour off so that it didn't weigh him down. Gregorios gave a hurt look as he started to take his armour off that he had just started to put on again, "We don't want to be in there too long as we need to head back today."
Dom started to take his own off as well, excited to explore, but worried if there was another Snake or surprise inside.
"Leave the greaves on." Gan Ning commented, "Just take off the chest plate."
Soon the three of them were ready, stood at the waters edge. They all held a sword in their hands and looked at each other and nodded.
"There shouldn't be any more snakes." Gregorios commented seriously, "Right?"
"I doubt it, but the blood may attract some." Gan Ning replied, before diving in to the water.
"He's joking right?" Gregorios asked Dom.
Dom shrugged his shoulders before diving in the water after Gan Ning, leaving Gregorios stood on the waters edge weighing up his life choices that had got him in to this situation.
The water under the Lily pads was clear, with the water coming through the gaps. It was much deeper than Dom expected and he noted that the Mausoleum was on a very small island that seemed to be floating, as he swam directly under the crumbling ancient building. Underneath the water Dom saw many different red Koi Carp swimming around, with long vines coming from the lake floor that could easily tangle an ankle in the deep.
Dom followed Gan Ning who was kicking his way forwards in front of him, the cave entrance was just below the water line and Dom could see it past Gan Ning. They soon reached it and made their way forwards inside.
They entered a long natural tunnel, that was wide enough for two people to swim side by side comfortably. Gan Ning was in the lead, with Dom behind and Gregorios who had now joined them a little further back. Dom felt the wall as he swam through the tunnel, and it felt smooth and cold to touch, the cave walls being a grey stone similar to that used to build the Mausoleum.
They soon reached the end of the tunnel, that then started to direct upwards. They quickly reached an air pocket, as they followed it up, and gasped for air as they surfaced inside.
"That was a much longer swim than I was expecting." Gregorios commented, trying to breath in the air, that felt heavy and musky.
"I think we need to do some swimming practice." Gan Ning replied whilst looking at Gregorios, with a shake of his head.
Dom looked around the opening that they had entered, noting that they were actually in a large room. The room glittered from stones that were in the ceiling that glowed. The light from them reflected on the gold coins and jewels that adorned the room. Gan Ning was the first to climb in to the room, reaching his hand out to help Dom climb out.
They all were soon out of the water and stood in the room, sheaving their swords. There were several Skeletons in the room, similar to those in the Mausoleum, some of the Skeletons had the remains of rags on them, whilst others wore armour.
"Oh wow!" Gan Ning exclaimed, "We have hit the jackpot!"
He reached down and ran his hand through a collection of gold coins, which fell through his fingers and clattered on the floor. Gregorios did the same, finding large bars of gold and holding them in his hands.
"This must be a treasury or something!" Gregorios commented, "This is a lot of riches!"
Dom looked past the room full of gold and jewels and looked at the strange Skeletons. Some of them had arrows protruding from their armour, whilst others had large dints and gashes in theirs. The Skeletons were all dotted around the room, and it could be seen that they had been through a rough battle, rather than buried with honour like the others. There were also more of the large Sabre's in the room, with a couple of giant shields.
"Over here!" Gregorios commented, as they explored around the room. Near a couple of Skeletons were a collection of twigs and damp leaves that were in a circular pattern making a makeshift nest. Inside the nest were 7 large eggs and some red scales.
"This must be the Snakes nest." Gan Ning commented as he reached them. He picked up a scale and looked at it intently, "It's definitely that Snakes nest."
"What's worrying is that there is a nest." Dom commented, "There could be more nearby."
"More Snakes?" Gregorios commented nervously, looking down at the nest.
"Snakes like that won't gather in groups." Gan Ning replied, "We should be safe."
"Should be?" Gregorios asked.
"There has definitely been a battle or something here." Dom commented.
"It seems that way, It looks like a fighting retreat from the way the Skeletons are laid." Gan Ning stated, "But who ever was after them didn't succeed in taking the riches at least."
"No they did not." Dom agreed.
"These stone lights are interesting." Gan Ning commented as he looked up at them in the low ceiling, wondering how they were created.
They continued to look around the room, at the gold, jewels and the Skeletons. Leaving the Nest alone for now as something to deal with before their return. Soon the water bubbled again, as the Spartan Leonidas appeared, his hair dripping wet as he climbed out of the water himself and smiled at the group.
"I didn't find anything on my searches." He commented, "But seems you have found plenty!"
"We have!" Dom replied, "But I don't know how we are taking it back!"
"Well let's see where the door leads?" Leonidas said, "Maybe that will help?"
"What door?" Dom asked confused.
Leonidas then pointed past them all to the far wall, there were a couple of skeletons laid in front of a metal door, that seemed to have blended in to the grey stone that the cave was made from. The glowing stones that lit the room didn't illuminate that area great, and the group had been too occupied looking at the gold to notice it.
"If there is a door, then is this a room in a building?" Dom mumbled to himself, "System, can you show the stats of this if it's a building?"
[Unknown Ancient Treasury
Building Grade - Unknown
Building Level - Unknown
Building Perks - (Give Me Money - gives an allocation of gold per day, based on the building grade and level.)(Unknown Perk - More information needed)(Unknown Perk - More information needed)]
"Oh my!" Dom exclaimed, "We are in a treasury!"
"That explains the riches!" Gan Ning replied.
"I said so!" Gregorios added.
"And why this door is so thick!" Leonidas lamented, as he tried to find a way of opening the door to see what was beyond it. "It looks like who ever was fighting against these strange Skeletons has pushed them to retreat and lock themselves inside here."
"Then they must have died from their wounds or starvation." Gregorios commented, looking at the Skeletons with a new found respect.
"Keep trying to find a way to open that door!" Gan Ning ordered Leonidas, who nodded his head in acknowledgement.
"System, can I take this building?" Dom asked.
[You can, however like the Mausoleum, you must first conquer the Town Centre that this Treasury is assigned to]
"These Skeletons are terrifying." Gregorios commented, finally having chance to look at one closely, having not been inside the Mausoleum. "They are huge, and these teeth are long and sharp. I think even the Sabre Tooth Tiger's wouldn't want to tangle with these."
Suddenly there was the sound of a loud clicking noise, coming from Leonidas who was messing with the entrance to the Treasury. The metal door creaked, and a dust cloud appeared from the edges of it.
"Weapons ready!" Gan Ning ordered, as he quickly ran to Leonidas's side who was ready to pull the door open.
"There best not be another Snake!" Gregorios commented as he took his position beside Dom on the other side of the door.