I stood in the center of an endless field of flowers and grass. The only colors that were shown in the flowers were blue, purple and strangely enough black. They seemed to be arranged in triangles with black pointed towards me. Blue and purple were located on the other two sides. Each direction held no hills or any discernable features or landmarks besides the flowers. I take a look at the sky to see no clouds, no birds or even a sun for that matter. All that was located above me was a deep blue void that I could see no end to.  I begin to walk through forwards in the plain but it seemed nearly endless.

After what seemed like an hour maybe more figures began to appear off in the distance of the field. Each figured varied in size they were mostly pony looking but a few were humanoid and one was a large blob of some sort. Began to rush towards the figures but to no avail.

"Hey! Wait up!" I shouted at the figures.

Every step I took towards them made them move only further away until I was once again stuck alone in the void of flowers. I stopped walking for a while in order to take a break. I picked one of the black flowers only to be pricked by one of its many thorns. I begin to suck on my thumb to stop the blood from dripping all over.

I rest my head on the ground. The flowers giving more head support then you think they would. I close my eyes for a second taking in the peaceful silence before opening them again. When I opened them I was greeted by a shadow covering myself and the area around me. I stare at the sky in disbelief. I took a deep breath. The giant trout overhead of me soon came down on me.

"Damn it Loki..." I managed to say before I was completely crushed.

I quickly jolt into upward from the sudden shock. My heart was racing. I began to take deep breathes, exhaling and inhaling slowly. I manage to catch my breath and take a look around. Standing beside me was Fenrir holding another trout in his mouth.

"Seriously? Another trout?" I stretch my arms out.

Fenrir threw the fish in the air then quickly swallowed it. "I thought you would like a classic."

"Yah, right... Where did you even get a trout in the middle of a jungle anyway?"

"You can thank me for the trout." I turn my gaze behind Fenrir and see Owl approach.

I stand up and stretch the rest of my joints. "That doesn't answer my question. Where did you even get a trout?"

"I got it from a small lake not too far from here."

"Convenient..."

Fenrir gave a wolfish smile. "It is, isn't it?"

"Oh, your little bug friend is in the village playing with some of the kittens."

I look behind the two and see Twitch being chased by cat kids. “Heh, so when are we heading off?"

"Soon I hope.” A low voices speaks from behind me.

I turn around to see the chief standing there with a staff. "How do you manage to sneak up on me like that?"

"Practice."

"Fair enough I suppose."

"It also helps you’re a little unobservant...”

"Yah, I guess."

"A bit dim too." Fenrir added.

"Hey!"

Owl smiled. "Ugly too."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Owl shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing really. I just wanted to call you ugly."

All three of us give a quick laugh. "Alright since I'm awake I suppose we should head out."

"Shouldn't you eat?" Twitch spoke.

"How did you manage to sneak up on me?"

Twitch smiled. "Well you are..."

"No, stop right there. We are not repeating that!"

Another round of laughs occurs within our group. "You and your friends can take a fish to go for your journey but I would like you to leave immediately."

"Why so hostile all of a sudden?"

"You, your friends and now my son are a threat to our way of life now. The longer you stay the more likely it will cause disorder and chaos. I hope you can understand.” The chief's tone held steady the whole time.

"He is right Celt. The longer we stay the more likely another member of my former tribe would wish to follow you."

I hop on top of Fenrir. "Alright, as soon as I get those fishkabobs the sooner we can head off."

Twitch joined me on top of Fenrir taking his place between me and Fenrir's head. Owl opted to remain on the ground saying he was faster running then weighing down Fenrir. I gave him a solid nod. The chief and a few other village members loaded the infinity bag with some fish, herbs and other things that may come in handy for our journey. Began to set off but I stopped Fenrir before he could begin running.

I turned toward the chief and smiled. "Hey, you said it was a tradition for the current chief to wear the greatest kill of the previous chief correct?"

"Yes..."

"Well then here." I took off my basilisk eye necklace and tossed it to him. "Since I was a chief, I think its only right you get my trophy don't you think?"

The chief gave a warm smile. "I suppose it is. Just so you know Celt. You are welcome to comeback anytime. In the eyes of the Vena tribe you are a friend."

"Good to hear. Always could use some friends rather than enemies." I turn away from the village.

Fenrir darted forward. He began slowly so he could get the rhythm of the forest but began to speed up gradually. He finally reached his top speed. I grabbed one of the cooked fishes the tribe had given us and began to eat with the wind in my face. I looked around the forest and saw the shadow of Owl as he jumped through the trees matching Fenrir's pace. The scent of the fish was constantly pushed against my nose due to the wind whipping past us.  

We traveled for quite some time. I looked at the sun through the thick leaves of the trees overhead. The sun was near the middle of the sky signalling it was around noon.  I begin to check around the forest in an attempt to distract myself as we traveled through the jungle. Just through the brush I managed to get a glimpse of what looked like a man made structure. I could only get a glimpse of brick through the thick foliage.

"Yo, Fenrir hold on."

"Do you have to go pee Celt? I told you to go before we left."

"What? No, it looks like there is something interesting over there."

Fenrir began to slow down. "You wanted me to stop for something... interesting."

"Yes."

"Right..." He finally came to stop.

"Ok, I saw it over there." I pointed off to the right.

"Fine."

Fenrir began to march toward the direction I had pointed to. I look around for Owl but he seemed to have disappeared.

"Where are you guys going?" A voice spoke from behind me.

I jumped upward and quickly turned around to see Owl. "Dude, you really gotta stop doing that."

"Alright, I'll try to be less sneaky. Anyway why are you heading toward the Shadow's Temple?"

"Shadow's Temple, so that's the name of the place we're heading towards."

"Yes."

I scratch my chin. "And would there be treasure inside this temple?"

"Yes, an old bast tribe used to make offerings to their god. Usually either living or in gold."

"What would the name of the god be called?"

"I believe they called it Tenbrion."

A smile formed on my face. "Oh, this is too perfect."

"What are you talking about?"

"Gentlemen, today we are raiding a temple."

Twitch looked back toward me. "Why?"

"Revenge, pleasure and were running low on funds."

"And who would you be getting revenge on?" Owl asks curiously.

I give a bigger smile to my friends. "Tenbrion, don't ask it's a long story involving a trip to hell."

"Right...."

"So do you think you can give us the grand tour Owl?"

The cat thought about it for a moment. "Fine, but do as I say. We don't need you tripping any of the traps."

I nod in agreement as we begin to approach the temple. We passed through the initial brush that had been hiding the temple. The building was larger than I had thought. It rose up to around half of the size of the trees. A green sheen came off of the structure as the light hit the moss coating the temple's bricks.  It took form of a pyramid shape at first but near the top it flattened out. On the peak of the temple was a large statue of a ghostly figure which I knew as Tenbrion. Man that guy had an ego. A large entrance was directly in front of us. The light didn't make it too far into the temple but from the outside I could see webs.

"Owl, when was the last time this placed was used?"

Owl turned his head slightly as we got close. "It's been abandoned for a year or so. A strange creature wiped out the entire tribe. We didn't see what had happened but from the amount of blood and destruction, we knew it was a slaughter."

"Sounds like a lovely fellow." Fenrir joked.

We stood at the front of the structure.  "Fenrir mind taking look out? It's nothing personal but trying to shove a giant wolf into a corridor that small is... well impossible."

"I do not mind. I rather not enter confined spaces if I do not need to."

I pat Fenrir on the side before jumping off him. "Come on Twitch time to go treasure hunting."

"Maybe I should stay here with Fenrir? You know have an extra pair of eyes in case something comes rushing out of the jungle?"

"I will be fine on my own Twitch." Fenrir spoke right before bumping Twitch off his back.

I grab Twitch and begin to walk into the temple. "Time to be a man Twitch. Owl if you would please lead the way."

"I would if I could see in front of me."

I look around and find a stick. I wrap tightly a piece of cloth from the infinity bag around it. I unsheathe my crossbow and hold it close to the cloth.

"Ignis."

Heat condensed on my crossbow once more. The flaming bolt appeared slowly. I held the cloth against the bolt until the flame caught onto it. I extinguish the bolt quickly and hand the newly made torch to Owl.

"Will this do?"

He accepts the torch. "Yes, it should work fine."

Owl began to lead us inside of the temple. The light of the entrance slowly faded away the further we ventured. Soon only the orange glow of the torch allowed us vision of anything. The hall was covered in webs and moss. The floor was mismatched making every step you took a hazard of tripping. Twitch kept close to me. His wings buzzed every so often when he heard a sound or if he nearly tripped. Owl moved slowly always weary of any trap that might be ahead of us.

"Owl what kind of traps are you looking for?"

"Mostly trip wires and pressure plates but it's best to watch for other kinds of traps. The tribe that built this place were a bit eccentric at times."

"How do you know if a brick is a pres..." I took another step and my foot sunk down with a solid thunk sound. "You know what? I think I can figure it out..."

I quickly looked toward each wall. For a brief moment I felt relief that nothing happened. A split second later I saw the shine of metal appear in a small slot in the wall. I quickly raise by arm up to block whatever was coming. A large blade swung out from the wall making contact with my arm. While the blade couldn't cut my arm the force of the hit was enough to send me up against the wall. For a few seconds I was pinned by the blade until it released. The blade sunk back into its slot leaving me to fall against the floor.

Twitch ran up to me. "Celt! Are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm just dandy. I may be in extreme pain but other than that I feel right as a rose." I gasp.

"Good, because the longer you rest the more time there is for bad things to happen."

I manage to stand up. "Bad things?"

"I'm you asked for a tour so don't you judge my vocabulary."

"Fine, fine, keep going oh noble leader."

We proceeded forwards more. Owl kept a closer eye on the floor for any pressure plates as we continue onward through the tunnel. We soon came upon what looked like the central room. Various stone statues of Tenbrion were scattered on the walls. In the center of the room was what looked like a sacrifice table. A single tone slab table was located under what looked like a mouth of a dragon. Blood stains were covering the slab and the area around it. A single metal chain hung down from the mouth. The burn marks the accompanied the blood stains informed me of the purpose of the mouth was for.

On the sides of the room were mounds of treasure. Various gems and golden object glittered in the light of the torch. Owl moved to the sides of the room lightning each of the torches on the walls to give more illumination. Near the back of the room was a stand where it looked like a sword would fit. I scan around the room but find no sword that could possibly fit in the room.

"Hey Owl, I got a question."

Owl turned around. "Yah?"

"Why were there so little traps besides that one I triggered?"

"It's simple. Someone else has already been here Celt. Most likely the same creature that killed the tribe who built this place." Owl began to walk up to me.

It looks like all the treasure is here. So what did they take? "I guess it doesn't matter right now. Twitch, Owl help me carry some of this treasure out to Fenrir."

"Alright." They both say in unison.

We begin to bring out the treasures in small loads that we could each carry. Twitch was the most helpful since he could use his magic to lift the treasure rather than having to carry them manually. After a while we managed to get the majority of the treasure out of the temple. We began to load the treasure into the infinity bag that Fenrir was carrying as well as the bag Owl's bag. I went into for the final hull of treasure when I saw the chain in the middle of the room once more.

"I wonder what would happen if I pulled it..." I begin to walk over to the chain.

Cautiously I reach out for the metal chain. The ruff texture of it constantly being burned over years scratches my skin. Slowly I begin to pull the chain down. I manage to bring all the way down and let go of the chain. I wait a moment or so but nothing happens. I pull down the chain once more but again nothing happens. I pull down the chain once more as hard as I can. A solid thunking noise resonated from above me. The sound of more chains and metal hitting the ground filled the air around me. What did I do?

The dragon mouth closed and open similar to the way you would when you first wake up. The mouth opened wider and large bellowing sounds come from it. The walls began to crack from the pressure of the mouth exerted outward.  The mouth rose out of the ceiling and vanished for a moment. For a second there was only silence.

"Where am I? Why is it so dark? Who did this?" A low voice shouted.

I began to run down the tunnel as fast as I could.

"I can hear you worm! Get back here and explain why I am inside of this stone prison! If you thought you could contain me then you thought wrong!"

I see the light of the entrance as I run. My breaths grew shorter as I ran. I began shouting down the tower.

"Get ready to run!"

I finally reach the exit and see all three of my comrades looking at me.

Twitch is the first one to speak. "What's wrong Celt?"

"No time to explain! Get on Fenrir! Owl starts running now!"

"Why?"

The roof of the temple exploded outward. In the place of the statue to Tenbrion was a green dragon head. Its yellow eyes darted toward us.

"Because that!"

I quickly hopped on Fenrir. He started in a solid sprint as soon as I got on top of him. Owl jumped through the forest faster than I thought he could go. I give a glance behind us to see the dragon breaking out of the temple piece by piece. Bits of rubble were sent all over the area as we ran. Fenrir continued to dodge past trees and stones as he ran.

"I will find you worms! I have seen your faces and I will never stop hunting you for attempting to trap me!"

A large roar echoed through the jungle causing birds and various animals to run away. We managed to get a far enough head start. After about an hour of running we decided to hide in a nearby cave for the night just in case the dragon was right behind us. Various shouts and threats of the dragon reached our ears but he never did find us. As my worry of the dragon lessened I began to drift off into my unconscious. Soon I was asleep.

Next Chapter: If you go into the woods today...(28) Estimated time remaining: 44 Minutes