THER MELIAN: CHRONICLES

Episode 9

Laruen's ears were buzzing violently after the explosion. He fell very hard on the rocky ground, various things fell on his body. His knees and arms hurt after hitting the ground. Karth immediately helped him stand up.

Slightly staggered, Laruen turned his head back to look for the origin of the explosion. Thick black smoke billowed from behind the roof a red taper roof.

“Eizen!” karth Ogat. “He didn't even wait for us to come back!”

“That was it?”

“Who else?” fry Karth. “Come, we have to continue the plan.” Karth turned around to leave the small alley.

“Wait!” laruen. “What about those two people? We have to clear them up and look for clues to get back the Sapphire Relic!”

“That's not our goal here. We tried to stop them, but failed. You don't want our main mission to fail either, do you?”

“Tapi—” Laruen tries to argue.

“Lourd Valadin has told me he himself will overcome them. We have to continue as planned,” Karth said firmly.

“Alright,” said Laruen forced.

He called Peregrine, fortunately the eagle was fine, only slightly shaken by the explosion just now. The bird immediately fell on his shoulder.

Laruen catches up with Karth running away from the fight scene. Not forgetting she tightened her headscarf so that people would not recognize her. He and Karth soon approach the origin of Princess Ashca's burst—Ateliya which is burning violently. They immediately slipped among the people who had come due to the commotion earlier. Without anyone realizing it, they broke into an empty house at the end of the street. It was from that place that they had been spying on Princess Ashca for the past few days.

Laruen picks up two tubes containing arrows while Karth precedes him towards the backyard. There a gaping hole was waiting for them. A long time ago, it seemed like the hole was a well and connected with an underground channel that passed at the bottom of the city. With his magic, Eizen has manipulated the stone cover hole and made it open again.

Karth jumps down, Laruen soon follows. He felt his feet landing in a puddle knee-deep. A stuffy smell and mildew filled his smell as soon as he entered the waterways.

Peregrine tightened his leg grip on Laruen's shoulder, not feeling comfortable being underground like this. Laruen gently stroked Peregrine's nape to calm her down. He and Karth walked forward for a few minutes, then stopped at a large channel.

Eizen was already waiting for them, with him was a black-haired girl. “Once you guys,” greet him. “And let me guess, you guys failed to catch those thieves?”

Laruen answered him sharply. “We almost succeeded,” he replied annoyed. “But you started without us!”

Eizen laughing. “I, right, told you I'd start at the scheduled time, with or without you. After all, our mission is not to find Vrey, but to conquer Templia Undina.”

“But they are right before our eyes!” sahut Laruen riled. “They entered Ateliya which we observed. And you want me to just ignore them?”

“Iya,” replied Eizen lightly. “Valadin has already said he will handle Vrey's problems. Our mission is to obtain the Elemental Relic. After all, you think I don't know your true purpose? I heard your conversation with Valadin that day. I know you're jealous of your sister because Valadin pays more attention to her. You want to chase them just to vent your anger, right?”

No one noticed when Laruen's hands floated across Eizen's face, including Laruen himself. “You can say as you like,” he said. “But never call that lowly thief my sister. I don't have a sister like her!”

Karth. “Quite,” hardiknya. “You can keep arguing or continue the mission!” He turned his attention to the black-haired girl who was with Eizen.

“Nah, Princess Ashca, please show us the way to Naian Mujdpir,” Karth said in Granville, but it seems Princess Ashca understands.

“You want to go to Naian Mujdpir?” ask Princess Ashca. She looks pretty calm for the person who just got kidnapped and watched half a block of streets explode. “For what? I will not let you destroy the palace like you destroyed my Ateliyak. After all if you want to go there, you should go by the river, not through this channel.”

“We know about the secret passage in this channel,” Karth said.

“We just want to go to the bottom of Naian Mujdpir, we have no intention of hurting anyone there.”

“I will not drive you, whatever you will say,” said Princess Ashca. “That place is our nation's sacred palace and temple!”

Laruen. “Before your ancestors arrived at this temple, this entire river and valley was ours! Don't you realize you've built a palace on top of our Templia?”

Princess Ashca frowned. “If you say something as important as this to me, you don't seem to want to let me live after this. Then why am I driving you? You better kill me in this place.”

Eizen brandished his wand over them and called for something. “Erumptio!”

A massive explosion occurred just behind Laruen, collapsing walls and the roof of the aqueduct. Laruen and Karth slammed forward, Peregrine flapping her wings and screaming in panic.

Laruen stood up slowly while removing the dust and small stones that fell on his head. He looked back. The hallway behind him—where he and Karth came earlier—kini crumpled. The ceiling collapsed, leaving behind black smoke and clouds of dust that continued to spread. The explosion must have been unusually large, Laruen believes the entire city block above the hallway was also destroyed.

Karth glared towards Eizen. “What are you doing?” tanyanya rouse.

“Only small show,” replied Eizen. “And to harden on our guests. Every time he refused to show me the way to Naian Mujdpir, I would destroy a city block above us, and so continue until he was willing to cooperate.”

Karth stood up and approached Princess Ashca. The girl looked unusually shaken. “Well, Mr. Princess, you've seen for yourself what my friend can do, I suggest you according and cooperate with us.”

Princess Ashca let out a slow breath. “Alright, I'll drop you off, but please tell me what you guys want there?”

Eizen was about to brandish his wand again, but this time Karth managed to prevent it.

“We can't tell you,” Karth said. “What's clear, will be more and more people hurt if you keep procrastinating, so start walking.”

Princess Ashca nodded. “I understand,” he said softly. “But I need light. I can't see in the dark like this.”

Eizen lightly jolted his wand and made several small fireballs circling around them. Fire light bounces along the channel walls and water surface. The few mice that had been near them squeaked and ran as Eizen's fireball lit them up.

Without speaking again, Princess Ashca walked over. Laruen and his friend followed right behind him.

After walking for a while, the tunnel grew narrower. They had to walk one by one to pass through her. Laruen walks ahead, Princess Ashca follows him, while Karth and Eizen escort behind.

From a few small holes in the roof of the channel, dirty water seeps down. There was no light in the waterway, except for the fire Eizen had made.

When she reached a T-junction, Princess Ashca stopped, then looked up. Laruen followed the direction of his gaze. He saw on the ceiling of the channel there was a sculpture that formed the writing. The sculpture was inscribed so deep that it was not timelessly eaten.

Laruen furrowed his brows. “What is it?”

“It's a riddle,” replied Princess Ascha. “We, the Lavanya Royal family, have memorized hundreds of these puzzles and know the right answer to each question.”

“So the right answer shows the right path?” ask Laruen again.

“Betul.” Princess Ashca walked ahead of her and entered the far right passageway.

“But if it's that easy, means anyone who can read your language can pass through this channel safely?”

Princess Ashca shook her head. “This puzzle has no exact answer, all the answers can be correct. The important thing is to know which answer is right to go in the direction we want. One answer could take us to the palace while another answer takes us further and further out of town, or even a dead end.”

Eizen pushes Princess Ashca's back with the tip of his wand. “And I bet you're smart enough not to take us out of town, let alone a dead end!” serious threat. “Come, speed up your steps!”

Sayupsayup, Laruen could hear the rushing stream from above them. Now he was sure Princess Ashca was taking them in the right direction. They're passing through a tunnel under the river.

Finally they arrived at a long, unbranched passageway. The hallway was descending steeply, they had to tread very carefully so as not to be dragged by water.

After descending the hallway, they finally arrived at a tall roofed round room, probably about seven to eight meters above Laruen's head. From the walls of the room, several holes drain water endlessly which brings with it dry foliage and various other small objects. It seems that above them there is some kind of pond.

Although the water continued to flow, the water level in the round room did not exceed Laruen's knee. He instantly knew the cause when he saw the twelve waterways around the room. The channel is quite large, about as tall as an adult.

Eizen walked up to the middle of the room. “Templia Undina is right under our feet, I can feel it.”

“How will we get off?” asked Laruen with furrowed brows.

Eizen raised his wand, and a second later the water stopped flowing from the hole above their heads.

Laruen realized the puddle at the bottom of the room was split and lifted up. Water crept from the wall and formed a dome over his head. Eizen moved his wand again. Suddenly the stone floor under Laruen's feet opened. They all fell into it, along with the water that suddenly flowed back.

Laruen's eyes immediately adapted, he could still see around him even though he was sliding between the swift water. They glided inside the underground cavern, the passageway was natural, not man-made. The stone is black, rough, and wrinkled, and filled with moss that glows in the dark.

The rushing water carried them through a very long passageway. Several times they swerved, swooping up and down before finally ending up in a vertical passageway.

Laruen saw a large room just below the hallway, water plunge him down. He dove quickly and splashed into a deep watering pool. Laruen kicked the water to get back to the surface. As soon as his head poked on the water, he saw Peregrine floating not far from him. The bird flapped its wings while screeching with a loud voice, clearly not liking to be dropped

to the water in that way.

Laruen swam to the edge, taking Peregrine with him. He sees Eizen and Karth, who are holding Princess Ashca, already at the edge of the pool.

The effort he had to climb out, the slippery rocks mossed at the edge of the pool made it difficult, moreover he also had to bring Peregrine who was still thrashing wildly. But he managed to climb up. He was just about to curse Eizen, but the man preceded him. “Do not complain,” by Eizen. “That's the only way to get into this place.”

Laruen was upset not a bitch, but could not say what. He took off his soaked Chamael robe and surveyed his surroundings. The room was large, its high and curved walls were overgrown with a wide variety of moss and mildew that shone bluish. “Where are we now?” tanyakanya.

Eizen pointed to something on the wall of the cave not far from them. “We are at the entrance of Templia.”

Laruen was amazed to gape. He did not pay attention to the place that Eizen had pointed at before. There was a hole like the mouth of a very large cave, probably about ten meters high. The round hole is actually normal if there is no wall of water covering it.

Although the surface of the water wall looked so difficult, Laruen could not see what was behind it. Instead, the entire room where Laruen was located reflected there like a large mirror. The water wall was so blue. Laruen was aware of the moss and fungus that grew in this room glowing bluish due to the reflection of light from the water wall.

They walked around the pool and towards the wall of water. Only then did Laruen realize there were six statues attached to the mouth of the cave, consisting of three pairs of male and female Elvar. Each one looked as if he was hugging. Other than the bluish hue of their skin, they looked like they were alive. Their beautiful faces looked pale with eyes tightly closed. Karth was watching them. “This is not a statue,” he said.

“Who are they?”

“They are the Gardians who guard this Templia,” replied Eizen. “When the inhabitants of Lavanya established a palace in this place, they sacrificed themselves to seal the entrance to Templia so that no Man could enter it. They used their souls to create this wall of immortal water. Their bodies continue to live, trapped in the form of the stone statue.”

Laruen touched one of them. The statue of the woman feels cold, the surface is slippery but not mossy. His entire body, clothes, and hair hardened like a rock. His position—be ⁇ and a male Elvar who may be his partner— curved like being asleep while clapping. But I fell asleep standing and stuck to the stone wall. Suddenly Laruen was horrified, he could not pay what these Gardians experienced. “But if we seal the entrance door, it means we can't enter either?” tanyakanya.

Eizen stepped onto the wall of water. “Man can't. But Gardian who knows how can.”

Karth follows Eizen to the front of the water mirror. “Me and Eizen will go in to face the test from the guard of Templia.” he said. “You stay here. You can use violence

if our prisoners try to escape. But don't kill him, we might still need him to show you the way out.”

“I understand,” said Laruen. “We all count on you. But if things become too dangerous, do not force yourself, hurry out.”

Karth nodded. Eizen hints at Karth to stand facing the water mirror before he swings his wand.

The mirror of water shone unusually brightly, Laruen had to squint his eyes. He sees the figure of Karth and Eizen stepping forward and into the water mirror. Along with the disappearance of their figure, the light was extinguished.

***

Leighton followed Desna down the aisle, but their steps came to a halt when they arrived at a collapsed passageway.

Desna slammed her fists hard into the ruins before them. “Sial!” hisses. “The explosion caused the ceiling to collapse in several places. Impossible to pass through this sewer now!!”

“Can we rotate via other road?” ask Leighton. “Can,” replied Desna. “But when we get there, they must have gone too far and we'll get lost in this channel. Only Princess Ashca knows the safe route through this ditch.”

“If that is the case, why don't we intercept them from inside Naian Mujdpir?” leighton. “If this channel is connected to it, there must be an entrance from inside the palace,

right?”

“You're right, but I could've been wrong. What if they're not heading there?” asked Desna doubtfully.

“That's our only hope,” Leighton said. “I think we should risk the odds.”

For a moment Desna was still doubtful. She bit her lips while tapping her finger against the wall. “Alright,” he said finally. “Return to top, we to Naian Mujdpir!”

Leighton finally came out of the waterway. He pulled his body up from the hole in the middle of the road while breathing fresh air. But he could not relax, Desna had already led them towards the canal. There are several boats moored there. He jumped aboard one of the boats, and Leighton followed him. Deftly, Desna took off the rope and started pedaling, ignoring the yelling and yelling of the boat owner at the dock.

They walked down the water canals along the city for a few minutes. Shortly after, their ship turned and arrived at a large canal. A very high wall rises at the end of the canal. It is the wall that separates the Yami River from the canals in the city.

At the center of the wall was a large gate made of metal. Near the gate, Leighton saw a large serrated machina. Several soldiers stood guard at the post located above the wall.

Desna beckoned to the soldiers. They were spinning a big iron wheel in their guard post. Metal decitants clashed and filled Leighton's hearing. The iron grate in the machina near the gate moves along with the opening of the gate.

A ten-meter-long canal greeted them behind the gate. The canal is surrounded by a very high wall. At the end of the canal is another gate. Desna paddled her ship into the canal. Some of the soldiers who got the ship followed in before the gate again closed.

The water holes in the walls around them opened, the river filled the small canal. After the height of the water almost filled half the height of the canal, then the gate in front of them opened. Now Leighton could see the Yami River unfolding in front of him.

The small boat that Desna was piloting bolted in front as they sailed towards Naian Mujdpir. The artificial island on which Naian Mujdpir is based is surrounded by a solid wall with a large red high gate. As Desna's boat approached, the gate slowly opened, apparently also moved by machina. Leighton felt very small as they sailed past him.

Inside the gate was a giant canal. There are hundreds of ships moored on wooden piers along the canal. They stopped at one of the empty piers. From there, Leighton and Desna climbed a series of steps before reaching a high wall. They stopped in front of an orange-colored gate filled with ornaments.

Desna beckoned the guards over the wall to run the machina that would open the door. The gate flung open, before them lay a vast square.

White flat rocks line the entire square. The wide courtyard on both sides was filled with lush green trees. On the edge of the square there are large houses and several temples. It was in that small town that the nobles and the Lavanya Royal family lived.

Desna darted forward towards the third wall. The soldiers guarding the walls opened the gates when they saw his presence. And the gate filled with gold carvings opened.

The main palace of Naian Mujdpir lies in front of Leighton, separated by a huge long courtyard. The courtyard was filled with nobles and palace officials who were just walking or about to go to other parts of the palace. Each of his skulls was heavily guarded by the soldiers. The palace itself was built on very high steps. The roof is taper with a bright red color and supported by hundreds of wooden pillars filled with various carvings.

They continued walking until they reached the center of the courtyard, where there was a round pond. There is a statue of a flower in the middle of the pond and water flows from the petals of the statue. The water in the pool is very clear and incredibly bright. Leighton approached the pool to see the bottom of which turned out to be covered in a large mirror. The mirror reflected the sunlight, making the entire pool look very bright.

Desna jumped into the pool and stood right on top of the mirror. He pulled out his daggers and walked around the pond while tapping on the glass surface with his feet as if looking for something. When he found what he was looking for, he turned his daggers together and then smashed the handle hard until the glass shattered into pieces.