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Episode X: Part 4:

The boat gave out a signal, to wake all passengers up and alert them that they were getting close to land. Or in this case, an island. Undreas was already awake, still sitting in his sunchair, watching the crystal blue ocean.

This was a tropical island so the water was very clear, the island beach almost white as snow. He stood up and looked down the water, seeing tons of fishes swimming around in colorful corals.

Soon, the boat slowed down to dock with the island harbor, letting the passengers leave the boat before the visitors who had been on the island were allowed to board the ship.

The harbor area was like a floating continent with networks and nodes of bridges and huts. A truly peaceful place for anyone to be. This wasn't a very modern village, but they did have a radar tower with a radio station in it, so music was played in some of the huts, giving you an extra feeling of well being, walking the bridges. The inhabitants of this island are people from allover the world, there were no pure natives.

Undreas was heading for the boat salesman to rent a boat. He wouldn't leave just yet, he just wanted to make sure he had a boat ready for him to leave when he had to.

And he knew the man owning the company last time he was here. Not very well, but at least they should recognize each other... Unless that man had died since that was well around 50 years ago.

So when he reached the salesman, he could see it was a young man. Maybe the son of the man he knew? He wouldn't care to find out.

"Greetings, sir!" The man said from a distance. "You here to rent a boat?"

"Yes, I'd like an engine boat with a cabin. Do you have one of those vacant?"

"I think so. Follow me, let's check!" so they went out on the bridge, filled with different types of boats with sails, oars and engines. Big and small ones.

Close to the end of the bridge, they both stop, and the salesman pointed on a boat that didn't look too bad.

"Here she is! Fast, light and sturdy on the same time! Truly a magnificent boat, still cheap for its effectivity! It even has a comradio incase you need to contact other ships on sea, or our radar tower. It's got a range of 60 nautical miles!"

"Oh? How much will it cost me to rent it?"

"There's an initial deposite fee of 2.500 gold, which we will take if the boat gets damaged or destroy. Otherwise that fee will be used to aid you in the closing fee. And when you're done with the boat, there will be a closing fee of 1.500 gold... So in total, 4.000 gold."

"Oh... Wow... that's..." the optimist in him took over "... a good price for a good boat!" he said, as they headed back to the salesmans office, paying the 2.500 gold. Undreas then got the key to start the boat.

"Thank you for your purchase! You may use the boat whenever you'd like, sir!"

"Thank you yourself. I'll have some business to do here first." Undreas replied as he started walking towards the island shores.

That man truly reminded him of the one he met last time he was here... Things had not changed much here. He was now heading for a band of people he met last time here too; a family.

The elders had probably passed away, but some of them must still be alive. And hopefully, they lived on the same place.

When he reached the shoreline, he walked the wooden logs leading up to the residential area, which first was only filled with wooden houses. Probably the slums, still... it looked like a great place to live.

Further ahead was the mid class area with stone houses. They had rather boring, square-ish shapes, but large enough to fill a family.

In the distance, he could see the house of where the family lived. A bunch of people were sitting around a table in the garden. As he got closer, an old man noticed him as he got up on his feet.

"Un.. Undreas?? Is that you???" the old man asked, walking closer towards him.

"Yes, that's me. And you're... Joreth?"

"Ahahaa! You remember me!" the man said as he embraced Undreas, very tightly. "Wow, you've grown some since last time!" he continued.

"Yeah, that may be true... You've grown some too, I think." Undreas answered, smiling a little.

"Hahaha!!! Still as funny! But you're right. I've grown old. And I got my family... Just like you said I would. Your words inspired me, you know. So this all is mostly thanks to you."

"Oh... I'm glad I could be of help then." Undreas said, scratching his head in embarrassment.

"Haha... now then, how come you're visiting our island? You're just here for vacation... right?"

"I wish I was, Joreth... You should know why I'm here."

"Well... I fear I do... But if you go there, please know that something strange is going on there these days... dark clouds.. gathering above the island."

The rest of the family watched the two males hasty discussion with great interest, mouths agape.

"I'll be careful, I promise. I'll probably have to be here for some time too."

"Oh will you? Then please be assured that we have a room vacant for you to stay in!"

The rest of the family smiled at Undreas as he looked at their reaction.

"That'd be very kind of you.. I promise, I won't make a mess."

"Now then.. if you go to that island, I'm pretty sure it's to search for your companion. We haven't heard anything about her since last time you were here... It's almost been a taboo talking about it, out of fear."

"I see... well, I'll have to buy some tools before I go. Is the generalstore as good as it was?"

"Hahahaha... no, dear friend... tourists have made prices here reach the roof and beyond. But with your reputation on this island, you could probably get things cheaper than standard..."

"R... reputation?"

"Hehe... that's true. Now, I don't want to delay you anymore if you have business to attend to. But come back when you're worn and you'll have some food and a bed waiting for you." the man said and smiled as pat Undreas shoulder.

Undreas smiled back and started to walk towards the harbor area again, to find the generalstore, which didn't take very long.

It was a large building at the center of the bridge network. He entered the store and found that it was much bigger than before, having a section with tools, and one with food.

He decided to buy 20 meters of rope, some neon flares, a signal gun with three rounds and a machete. It was rather expensive, but he could afford it and he needed those tools to get along well with the island.

So after that, he headed to his boat and unloaded all his inventory in the cabin storage locker, before he started the boat and headed out on the open waters. The sun was yet young and the wind was nice and fresh.

The sky was very clear too, at least for another two hours when the horizon started to fill up with black clouds.

"Must be what Joreth spoke about... Dark clouds hm?" he said to himself.

And as he got closer, the island sure was a terrifying sight. It was completely darkened by the clouds, but that didn't stop him from docking.

So, he tied 10 meters of rope to the ship and waded ashore, tying the other end to a thick tree close to the shoreline.

It wasn't windy so the ship could hardly escape the rope. That may be the cause of the clouds... Winds don't reach the sky above the island, making clouds gather up above it. So he picked his tools and headed onto the grassy part of the shores.

He had to find the trail leading to the different parts of the island, so he walked into the forest line, soon finding the small, slightly upwards sandy road leading him around the coast of the island.

Soon, it would turn inwards, towards the jungle in the island center. There was a mountain surrounding the center, protecting it from strong winds and heavy waves.

The jungle got thicker and thicker as he walked further. He remembered this part from before, but back then the jungle wasn't as overgrown.

The path got a bit wider after a while, finally reaching a grassy meadow, the path still leading straight through it, towards... the temple. He was finally there.

But... the entrance.. it's... open?! How?? The stone block covering the entrance is gone!...

Who could have done this? And when? Did his friend finally get out of there? Did she find a way to open the doors?

"That's... impossible... I stayed here for a month... I was sure she was dead when I gave up..." he thought for himself. But who opened the temple up then?

The sky was very dark, so Undreas started up a flare and headed into the temple.

It was very silent in there, save for water dripping in the distance, and the echo of his footsteps wanting to play tricks on his mind. But he kept walking forward, the flare not being of much help. The further he went, the weaker the flare seemed to shine. Soon, it barely reflected light to the skin of his hand. So he put the flare in his pocket to focus more on sounds or movements.

But it was completely silent. Like in a buried coffin. Even the water had stopped dripping, which caught his attention. "Creepy..." he thought.

There was a chain of chambers to cross, and he was still in the first one. He could not see, but he sensed the walls and openings.

Soon, his eyes adapted to the darkness, and he could see vague contours of the walls. Suddenly, he heard a long wheezing noise, like a breath from the depths of your throat, right before he sensed something was in the room, with him. Right infront of him.

He moved his hand up to his chest, ready to strike at it if it attacked him. But it didn't move. And he couldn't see what it was, but it sure couldn't be human. Or corporeal. It floated in the air. But it had a head and a main body, cloaked.

He took a step backwards to get into what he believed was a safe distance. Then the creature opened its eyes. Crystal white, still giving out a dark aura and glow.

"What... are you?" he said silently. Chills reached every inch of his body. The creature then took a deep breath and gave out a deafening screech, feeling like the whole temple was shaking. Undreas reacted instantly, by turning around towards the temple entrance. It was a bit away from him but he quickly reached it, not looking back. Not until he was outside, a distance away from the temple, he turned around, ready to fight for his life. But nothing had followed him. Everything was silent again.

"What... was that?..." he thought, breathing heavily from the adrenaline. He had to sit down, facing the entrance of the temple, just looking into its darkness as his nerves calmed down.

How would he proceed...?