The Sanguine and Blackbeard's Cutlass
Despite Victoria’s tardiness, you have a mission to accomplish. She would just have to meet up with you at the temple. No doubt that’d be her first destination after arriving to the meeting spot late. You follow the directions given to you by The Ladies, the name Jack and William called the statues. They appeared to still over-sexualize the stone carvings, although their crude comments distracted you from thinking the worst about your missing friends. After half a day’s march, and a remark from William about “being harder than stone”, you arrive on the outskirts of the temple.
The tree line cuts off almost immediately in front of the bridge-like pathway leading to the temple’s staircase. The pathway is long and narrow with high walls on either side creating a bottleneck opening into the temple. The same pillar lines the walls, one on each side every 10 feet or so mirroring the one across. The pillars have a snake wrapped around them from base to top with two wings spread out in flight position. There’s no sign of your missing crew or anyone else for that matter.
“We’re here. The cutlass should be inside. It’s a little ominous though, don’t you think?” you ask.
Jack grabs at the long strand of hair that’s fallen out of his hair tie and places it behind his ear. “I have a bad feeling about this place,” he says.
William adds on, “It’s like that feeling you get when you spot that first black cloud at sea. Like the—”
“—calm before the storm,” you complete.
“Exactly,” William answers.
“There’s no sign of the others,” you say. “In fact, this whole place doesn’t look like anyone’s been here in a while.”
“That’s why it doesn’t feel right,” Jack says. “Because we know there has been. Wait, what’s that?”
A light appears at the top of the stairs. The torch in front of the temple’s doorway has lit up seemingly on its own as you don’t see anyone. The light rises in the air, spirals, and then floats down the stairs to the end of the pathway. It hits a circular dial on the ground. A bolt of lightning strikes the dial and causes you to look away from the flash.
You return your gaze to find a creature standing at the point of the lightning strike. It stands upright like a man, but that’s the extent of its human likeness. It has the head of a wild dog and the body of a lizard. The dark fur around its face creep down its neck transitioning into scales mid-chest level. Its tail glides through the air almost as if weightless. It sniffs the air and points its head in your direction.
“Why hide? Do you fear me?” it speaks through two sharp canine teeth.
The tree line cuts off almost immediately in front of the bridge-like pathway leading to the temple’s staircase. The pathway is long and narrow with high walls on either side creating a bottleneck opening into the temple. The same pillar lines the walls, one on each side every 10 feet or so mirroring the one across. The pillars have a snake wrapped around them from base to top with two wings spread out in flight position. There’s no sign of your missing crew or anyone else for that matter.
“We’re here. The cutlass should be inside. It’s a little ominous though, don’t you think?” you ask.
Jack grabs at the long strand of hair that’s fallen out of his hair tie and places it behind his ear. “I have a bad feeling about this place,” he says.
William adds on, “It’s like that feeling you get when you spot that first black cloud at sea. Like the—”
“—calm before the storm,” you complete.
“Exactly,” William answers.
“There’s no sign of the others,” you say. “In fact, this whole place doesn’t look like anyone’s been here in a while.”
“That’s why it doesn’t feel right,” Jack says. “Because we know there has been. Wait, what’s that?”
A light appears at the top of the stairs. The torch in front of the temple’s doorway has lit up seemingly on its own as you don’t see anyone. The light rises in the air, spirals, and then floats down the stairs to the end of the pathway. It hits a circular dial on the ground. A bolt of lightning strikes the dial and causes you to look away from the flash.
You return your gaze to find a creature standing at the point of the lightning strike. It stands upright like a man, but that’s the extent of its human likeness. It has the head of a wild dog and the body of a lizard. The dark fur around its face creep down its neck transitioning into scales mid-chest level. Its tail glides through the air almost as if weightless. It sniffs the air and points its head in your direction.
“Why hide? Do you fear me?” it speaks through two sharp canine teeth.