Everglow: The Trials Of Agaron

20 - The Temple Of Agaron

The four stood right outside the entrance to the temple. The huge towering pillars that held up the main face of the cliff were half sunken into the sand with cracks and chips covering their surfaces. Across the top of the entrance, strange alien symbols were carved into the stone and ran from the bottom right all the way to the top and around to the bottom left. The deep red stone cast eerie shadows on the ground, almost like a huge monster waiting for them.

Once again Fischer found himself standing with his head up and his jaw down, dumbfounded at the sheer size of the ancient ruins. 

The entrance seemed to be split into a few different layers. The first and most outer layer reminded him almost of ancient Greek and Roman architecture, huge columns that supported the ceiling. The second layer was carved out of the inside of the temple and was slightly smaller and narrower than the first. It constricted the opening down to a hallway that was just as high, but much narrower. Even still, Fischer estimated it to be at least ten meters across and an easy thirty meters high. 

The final layer was the last one the group could see and seemed to be the innermost part of the temple, the one that continued on into the cave itself.

"Wow. . . just. . . I honestly don't even know what to say. . ." Kori stuttered as he gazed into the black abyss of the temple. 

"How the hell has something this big remained hidden for so long?" Fischer asked, still in semi disbelief. 

"Well, I'm starting to think that it wasn't hidden. People just didn't believe it was real. . . kinda like how you said your kind thinks aliens aren't real. Or anyone who does is supposedly labelled as crazy. . ." the carcan explained. 

"That's a good theory. But even still. . . well I guess the galaxy is a pretty big place."

"We've only explored an estimated sixty percent of the Qalantic. It's very easy to miss things, especially when they're located on a planet like this that's so far away from any sort of civilisation." Quin said.

Fischer turned to face Quin. "Speaking of planets, how did you know this one's name if it's so isolated and away from everything? Not to mention only one of billions of other planets."

"I used to do a lot of stargazing. And I mean a lot a lot. It was my main inspiration for a lot of my artworks. That and I just find space fascinating. But if I'm being honest, I'd rather looking at stars from back home, rather than actually standing on them," she nervously chuckled. 

Fischer felt a similar feeling in his gut, something just felt really off. He'd grown used to all sorts of strange things now that he was living with aliens, but even still, a new planet with a temple that wasn't even supposed to exist was about as far as he could go and then some. If those voices were still in his head, they'd be screaming bloody murder right about now. 

"So. . . what now?" Kori asked, rather nonchalantly.

"Well. . . I guess we go in. . ." Fischer replied. 

He looked over at Ko to see how she was doing. Her little flask of water was almost completely empty and she was panting quite loudly. The trek from the Endeavour to the temple wasn't exactly short or easy. Especially not for someone who has spent her whole life not knowing temperatures of over twenty degrees celsius. 

"Hey Ko, here," Fischer said as he offered his flask to her. He hadn't drunken much and he could tell she was desperately trying to savour her water.

"O-oh, no no it's ok Fischer, that water is for you. I-I have mine here," she stuttered sheepishly.

Fischer lowered his brow. "Ko c'mon, you need it a lot more than I do. Besides, I'm not that thirsty anyway," he said, thrusting it into her hands.