Chapter 238: The Sunken Temple

Veronica Sientia ran through the woodlands on the outskirts of Undergrowth, her feet brushing past the verdant flowers with each step. The wind blew through Glimmer Grove forest with a deep howl and splashed into her back with a soft breeze. The sunshine peeked through the tall canopy in random bursts of light here and there.

Veronica laughed with delight, happy to be outside with fresh air. She was finally done with those stuffy rooms of the academy. Today, all classes had officially ended at noon and not a second too soon. She had sprinted out of the academy grounds the moment the bell tower had rung.

After almost an hour of running, Veronica had found herself standing in Undergrowth’s outskirts, a couple dozen paces from Shadow Lake’s shore. She could see her father’s excavation site from here, the makeshift pier spanning out from the shoreline and into the lake’s dark waters.

Most of the archeological sites in Undergrowth were discovered inside the city, in old ruins left behind by the ancient tribes who had lived here long before House Thorn had founded Undergrowth almost a millennia ago.

No one would usually bother visiting the eerie Shadow Lake that bordered the city’s outskirts, until recently. The lake that had stood still for as long as Undergrowth’s residents could remember, had begun to shift. The black waters had receded little by little in the past year.

It was an idiot who had discovered the ruins. A mage student who had been dared to take a swim in the lake’s pitch-dark waters. Though the student had almost drowned after wading only a few feet in, he had noticed a slab of stone poking out from below the water.

Two days later House Thorn had commissioned the renowned archeologist Lord Sientia to oversee the excavation project. Now, almost a year later, House Sientia had managed to excavate the first floor of the ruins that had now been dubbed ‘The Sunken Temple.’

Veronica stared out from the shore at the sunken ruins. The majority of the stone building was still underwater, but there was already plenty of scaffolding around the Temple. She could see small figures in the distance, dozens of workers each focused on completing their task.

Veronica glanced nervously at the make-shift docks, gently swaying in the dark waters.

“Might as well get this over with,” she gulped.

She slipped off her boots and socks, and dug her feet into the shore’s black sands. The wet sand was cool to the touch, not nearly as frigid as the water only a few paces away.

She took a few tentative steps forward, a sudden chill ran up her spine. Her stomach churned as nausea hit her like a hammer in the gut. She stumbled back a step and gagged. The flow of mana within her heart went awry and spilled into her veins in a disarray.

Veronica swallowed back the bile surging up from her throat and closed her eyes tight. She took quick breaths and tried to ignore the inky feeling choking her as the chaos mana in the air shattered whatever semblance of mana flow she had.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity, the inky feeling disappeared. She sighed deeply with relief and stared at her hands. Her grey skin seemed paler than usual, her fingers shook with a slight tremble. She could feel the mana within her body, its flow muddled and her magic rendered useless, but she could still feel the ethereal energy.

“Fucking chaos,” she spat.

Veronica walked onto the makeshift pier with slow steps and tightly held to the guard rails, careful not to fall into the lake. A mageborn falling into the black waters was said to be a death sentence. Shadow Lake practically oozed with chaos mana, the air itself flowed with chaos. Simply breathing in was nauseating for any mage, but the waters were charged with so much chaos mana, that a mage would be rendered disoriented if they fell in; they would drown long before reaching shore.

Veronica slowly made her way through the pier and to the Temple’s scaffolding. Several workers looked up, confused at her sudden arrival, but they quickly went back to work when they noticed her tome-shaped necklace, the sigil of House Sientia.

The Sunken Temple had an earthy scent wafting from deep within, moss and flowers grew at the corners and edges of the long winding stone halls. Arcane and ancient ebon language markings were engraved on the ruin’s walls. Veronica glanced at them as she made her way inside.

Half a dozen archeologists crouched on the floor, dusting off one piece of stone or another while scribbling down notes in their journals. Veronica glanced at each of their faces, hoping to find her father, to no avail. She wandered through the enormous temple, careful not to touch anything that seemed important.

Eventually, after what seemed an eternity, she spotted her father’s personal assistant at one of the temple’s larger chambers, giving orders to several excavators. Veronica smiled and ran over.

The assistant turned at the noise, Veronica tackled her with a hug and giggled, “Plum! I’ve missed you!”

The assistant smiled wryly at the young woman clinging to her, “Missed me? You saw me last night at dinner.”

“Yeah, but dad couldn’t stop gushing on about you, the ‘golden child,’” Veronica sighed exaggeratedly. “Plum is so smart this. Plum is so diligent that. Why can’t you be more like Plum, Veronica? Ugh, he’s always so overbearing.”

“He was just being nice,” Plum took a step back and adjusted her glasses. “And you’re the one who invited me to dinner anyway.”

“Yeah, because I wanted to hang out with my best friend, not sit through another one of my dad’s lectures,” she rolled her eyes.

“Since when were we best friends? And don’t you have friends your own age?”

“That’s hurtful,” Veronica pouted. “And for your information, I’m one of the most popular, smartest, and uh… oh yeah, powerful students in the academy!”

“Are you now?” Plum smirked.

“Y-yeah!” Veronica nodded repeatedly. “And just so you know, I have plenty of friends. None of them are nearly as interesting as you, though.” She put a finger to her lips in thought, “Well except Calex Thorn, but he’s always so aloof and distant. You’re much more fun!”

“Is that why you came? To have fun?” Plum raised her eyebrow.

“~Weeell~ We didn’t get a chance to catch up yesterday.”

“And we won’t today either. As you can see I’m busy working right now,” Plum raised her journal. “Why don’t you go play with that uppity, preppy girl who's always talking about boys and getting high with those weird tea leaves.”

“You mean Heather? I’m already going out to dinner with her later tonight. Ooh! You should come with us!”

“Pass, I'd rather jump into the lake than listen to that arrogant bimbo blabber on about her fancy pedigree and why Calex should be the one in love with her.”

Veronica threw her hands up, “I mean… Can you really blame her? Everyone wants to marry Undergrowth’s beloved prodigy.”

“Not me.”

“Yeah, but your gay.”

“I’m bi,” Plum frowned.

“Oh,” Veronica blinked, “And you still don’t like him!?” She suddenly sidled up to Plum and batted her white eyelashes, “Then are you, perhaps, interested in lil ol’ me?”

“...Well,” Plum leaned forward and brushed her thumb over Veronica’s lips.

Veronica’s blue eyes widened, her face turned a shade darker.

“...You’re a little too rich for my blood,” Plum smirked and gently pushed her away.

Veronica stumbled back and sputtered wordlessly.

“You should get going before you start throwing up, Shadow Lake’s effects only get worse with time,” Plum walked away.

Veronica shook her head and caught up with her, “How do you deal with it? I mean you’re a mage too. How can you stay here all day long, every day?”

“I guess the same way Lord Sientia does,” Plum shrugged. “Breathing in chaos mana gets worse the more chromatic colors you have. Your father and I both only have one color, so we only get a bit nauseous. Tri-manifolds like you have it much worse.”

Veronica crossed her arms and frowned, “Lucky me.”

“Meh, you’ll be alright after an hour or two away from this place.”

“Ooh! That reminds me! My dad invited me to stop by, he said he wanted to show me something he discovered.”

“Ah, so that’s why you’re really here.”

“Jealous?” Veronica said coyly.

“Pfft, you really overestimate yourself,” Plum chuckled.

“That’s so mean! You’re going to destroy this beautiful young woman’s confidence!” Veronica whined.

“Sometimes I really wonder how you qualified for the tourney.”

“That’s easy! I got gumption!” she grinned.

Plum couldn't help but smile, “Come on, I’ll show you to your father.”

~~~

“Woah…” Veronica’s mouth widened in the shape of an ‘o’ as she gazed in awe at the gilded giant doorway towering over her.

“We found this place behind several feet of overgrown vines a few days ago. It took the men quite a bit of work to clear the vines out,” Plum said.

“It’s so pretty,” Veronica mumbled.

“This isn’t the cool part,” she grinned. “Follow me.”

Plum led her past the gilded doorway and into a round-shaped room. Thousands of sigils were carved into the wall’s every brick. A dome hung over the room, a massive painting etched across the ceiling. Veronica stared up at the painting, wide-eyed.

Lord Sientia sat in the middle of the room, dozens of scrolls strewn on the floor around him. The right side of his grey face was covered in burn scars, but he held a smile on his lips. “Ah, Plum. Thank you for bringing my daughter.”

“Not a problem, my lord,” she bowed her head.

“Of course it wasn’t, big sis Plum is the best guide in all of Undergrowth,” Veronica smiled wide.

“Big sis?” Plum cocked her head to the side.

“I always wanted an older sister. Besides, my dad’s practically adopted you already,” Veronica winked.

“Ugh, this girl and her childish games,” Lord Sientia muttered. “Listen here, Veronica. Plum is a very hard-working young scholar. She has no time for your foolishness. And if you keep up those antics, I will adopt her and disown you.”

“Tch, neither of you are fun,” Veronica pouted.

Plum patted her head, “There, there. It’s okay.”

“Hehe,” Veronica’s eyes brightened and she smiled warmly.

Lord Sientia gestured towards his daughter, “Come here, child.” He pointed at the domed ceiling, “Let me show you a wonder from a time long ago.”

Veronica looked up at the ceiling and furrowed her brow, “Wait, are those… gems?”

“Indeed,” he nodded. “Some of the mural was made with bright colored stones and paint, but most of it was made with precious gems. Beautiful is it not?”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Plum said in admiration.

“More like expensive,” Veronica muttered.

“You’re not wrong,” Lord Sientia spoke softly. “Many people think of the ancient drow tribes that lived in Glimmer Grove as savages, much like the Sylvan Tribes that live in our sister forest now. But the ancient tribes were nothing of the sort, they were intelligent, they had their own written language, and they recorded their history. This art piece is a testament to that knowledge and their beliefs.”

The domed ceiling depicted two massive rings intertwined with one another, one black and one prismatic. The sun hovered over and the moon hovered below the rings. A white wolf ran on the rings and chased the moon, while directly across at the other side, a black wolf chased the sun. At the center of the art piece, within the rings, sat a pair of verdant green hills, and at the very core was a black gem in the shape of a spiral.

Veronica studied each section closely, “What does it all mean?”

“We’re still trying to figure that out,” Plum sighed. “I still have no idea what this has to do with Glimmer Grove forest or the ancient drow tribes.”

“That’s because it doesn’t,” Lord Sientia said.

“Huh?” Plum wrinkled her nose. “What do you mean? I thought this was supposed to be some kind of recording of their history.”

“It is a recording of history, yes, but not the ancient tribes’ history,” he said. “Or at least, not directly. I don’t think they saw themselves as a singular entity, cut off from the rest of the world. I think they saw themselves as a whole, connected to the rest of the Ebon Realm. This art is just that, a memory of the Realm.”

“As for the meaning? Well…” Lord Sientia pointed at the ceiling, “The sun and moon are obvious, the wolves chasing them a little less so. That is, until I remembered a piece of script I once read regarding the Sylvan Tribes of Vulture Woods. You see, they believe that frost wolves are the hera-”

“Heralds of Lunae,” Plum’s eyes widened in realization.

“How did you know that?” Lord Sientia raised his eyebrow.

“Um, someone I once knew told me about it, back in Hollow Shade,” Plum muttered and looked away.

“...Hm, interesting,” he said quietly. “Well, using that bit of information, I thought that perhaps the mural could be depicting frost wolves. But then I noticed the eye color was off. The white wolf has silver eyes and the black wolf has golden eyes, but frost wolves are said to have ice-blue irises.”

He snapped his fingers, “Then it hit me, maybe the wolves in the painting weren’t heralds of Lunae or of any other god. Maybe the wolves were the gods. If that was the case, then it all made sense. The wolf chasing the moon must be Lunae.”

“And the black wolf?” Plum tilted her head.

Lord Sientia smiled, “That my dear, is the god of the sun, Solis.”

“I’ve never heard of Solis,” Plum frowned.

“Mm, I’m not too surprised,” he said. “Holo’s Shade has always tried to hide the past from the new generations, hoping that it somehow will erase what has happened. But the past can never truly be forgotten, this place is proof of that.”

“Why haven’t I ever heard of Solis until now then?” Plum asked. “I was born in Undergrowth and though I was away for a long time, I’ve been back two years already and no one’s mentioned this ‘Solis’ before.”

“Yes, I’m afraid not,” Lord Sientia nodded glumly. “Many drows have lost their faith in the ebon gods, they believe that the gods are all simply myth. I suppose it is easier to believe that than to believe Stjerne abandoned our people for the humans.”

“I meant no disrespect to your beliefs, my lord,” Plum bowed.

“Oh, I know,” he said whimsically. “As for Solis? We don’t hear much about him anymore. Some say he abandoned his people, like Stjerne, others say he sleeps waiting for the right day to return, a few even say he died… Only the Keepers of the Dawn, the Valley Tribes, hold his memory alive.”

“So Solis has been forgotten,” Plum whispered.

“As I said, no one is truly ever forgotten,” Lord Sientia smiled. “They live within us all, influencing us for generations to come. The people who once lived in these lands are still influencing us now.”

Plum nodded slowly and looked up at the mural, “...If the wolves are supposed to be the gods, then where are the other gods? Caligo? Bellum? Stjerne?”

“This temple is ancient. It must have been built around two thousand years ago at least. Back then, Solis and Lunae were the only ebon gods.” Lord Sientia pointed at the wolves, “The god of the sun and the goddess of the moon, circling around one another, always close yet always far, and at its center –”

“It’s not just the center of the mural, is it?” Veronica muttered suddenly.

Lord Sientia smiled, “Precisely. Well done, my child.”

“What?” Plum glanced between them. “What does she mean?”

Veronica held a thoughtful gaze as she stared at the mural, “It’s like you said, dad, the painting is a memory of the realm. Two rings intertwined, one prismatic, one black. The black ring is the Ebon Realm and the prismatic ring represents the other nine Null Realms, am I right?”

Lord Sientia nodded, “We are of the Ebon Realm, but we are always connected to the other Null Realms.”

“If the rings represent the Ebon Realm and our connection to the other realms, then what do the green hills in the mural mean?” Plum asked.

“Don’t you see?” Veronica grinned and nudged Plum, “What lies at the center of our realm?”

Plum’s eyes widened, “...Dusk Valley.”

“Precisely,” Lord Sientia clapped. “Dusk, the valley that is always between the sun and the moon. You may not share our beliefs, Plum, but this land belonged to Solis and Lunae long before we arrived. The ancient tribes of Glimmer Grove knew that, and it’d be wise for us not to forget.”

Plum nodded slowly, “...What about the black spiral?”

“Hm?”

Plum pointed at the black gem at the center of the green hills, “What does the black spiral in Dusk Valley mean?”

“Ah, yes… I’m still not certain about that one,” Lord Sientia admitted. “A bit of a work in progress.”

Veronica’s stomach rumbled, she grimaced, “Ugh, I think I’m gonna be sick.”

“You’ve been here too long, let’s get you back to shore,” Plum patted her shoulder.

“You sure you don’t wanna join Heather and me for dinner?” Veronica asked. “We’re going to this super fancy pub that just opened up. I bet there will be a lot of cute guys!”

“I think I’ll pass, I still have a lot of work to do here,” Plum chuckled.

“That’s no fun!” Veronica whined. “Don’t you wanna meet someone who makes your life more interesting than just staring at a bunch of ruins all day?”

“Hey,” Lord Sientia frowned.

“No one’s talking to you, dad,” she stuck out her tongue.

“Children,” Lord Sientia shook his head and went back to reading his scrolls.

“I like dedicating my time to my work,” Plum smiled.

“Why do you gotta be so boring?” Veronica groaned. “Can’t you just relax for a little, let loose a bit? You never know, maybe we’ll both get lucky and find the guys of our dreams.”

“Not interested,” Plum laughed, “And don’t you already have a guy who is head over heels for you?”

“Damian?” Veronica rolled her eyes. “Yeah, he’s cute I guess, but he’s not the guy of my dreams. Honestly, he’s a bit boring and super clingy. Even if he wasn’t, it wouldn’t matter.”

“And why is that?” Plum asked wryly.

“Hehe, I’m glad you asked.” Veronica pointed her index finger up high, “I’m on a quest in search of the perfect guy! Someone better than even Calex Thorn! Someone super hot with dreamy eyes and the perfect smile. Someone who doesn’t care about following the stupid social norms of the boring aristocracy! Someone who isn’t afraid of anyone or anything! I want someone who will FIGHT FOR ME! Oh and he’s gotta be like a prince in disguise or something, you know, make it dramatic and all.”

Plum stared at her in a mix of shame and pity, “...Yeah, I should really stop lending you those romance novels.”

“~Nooo!~”