4. The Temple Palace

 

Moving forward from the village means swimming one's way up the mountain-like slope toward the crest. Trench-like walls await at the top, which continues to slope upward at an angle that is gentler than the village itself. Should one pass through the pass accompanied by a Rider, once more a dappling of runes carved into the walls glow in wait for their arrival. 

The passage goes on for a span of a few minutes, twisting and turning gently until it reaches the end.

[Continued from the Glowing Village]

The passage opens up to a clearing within the trench. From the glow of the energy that seems to run like a vein through the territory, the water above seems to go on for an undetermined span of time. It feels like a far cry from the labyrinths that lie lower in elevation. The path will take them down for a short distance toward what can already be seen: The entrance of a palace stands proudly. Rows of stone platforms and pillars build upon one another. The sea life is explosive in this portion of the territory, carrying species such as rays, whale sharks, hammerheads, schools of reflective fish, porpoises, and the rare swordfish to pass. 

As one approaches the palace arch at the base of the stairway, the path is lit on either end. Once the stone steps are stepped over, a strange gravity is set in place. The pathway seems to pull them back down to the earth where the water allows them to float freely otherwise. 

A large vestibule greets visitors upon entering the enormous temple chambers. The cobbled stone leads up to a central chamber that glows with energy and light at its center. Through the central columns of the space, the molten heat of the magma flows like a liquid through class-like channels, churning. It warms the waters to a temperature suitable for even human life. The halls are filled with intricate carvings and passages that still show the influence of the architecture of the topside world.

From beyond the railings on either side, the hallways that encircle each level seem to go split off on either end, as well as straight ahead. Several floors go on below to a bottom that tapers off into the dark. The center column of the space goes both below and above to the next floors; the path straight ahead hosts a flight of stairs upward. The schools of fish that swim freely in the center spaces seem to avoid passing over the hallways and footpaths where the strange gravity still keeps occupants tethered.

If one so chooses, in a hurry these pathways may be bypassed for the open waters, however the cultural manners of the Water Nation make it seldom.