Sami returned to the same wagon and sat in the darkness once more. Senn was completely silent, unlike the previous time. Several hours passed, with Sami immersed in his thoughts, meticulously analyzing everything.
Lam opened the door and said: "We've reached the city. You can get off now. But beware of the sun." His words were directed at Senn, not Sami.
Sami exited the wagon, inhaled the hot air, and before him stretched the desert he had seen earlier. But when he looked to his right, he froze in place.
Two towering mountains rose to the sky, made of polished black stones that reflected the sunlight, appearing like two mountains of black diamond. Between them sat a massive stone entrance, consisting of two tall, beautiful pillars reaching twenty meters high, topped with circular arches intricately carved with depictions of the moon showing its complete monthly cycle from the peak of the pillars to their base.
Between the pillars, a stone floor in a deep color like the sea led inside, where several stone buildings with a distinct ancient architectural style were scattered.
Sami stared deeply at this breathtaking scene, which seemed like the most beautiful sight he had seen in his life so far. Then, Senn grabbed his shirt collar and shook him slightly, bringing him back to reality.
She said in a low voice:
"Well, let's start advancing. I suppose the city's people are waiting for our return."
Sami nodded at her and began walking towards the city. The three of them advanced through the sea of sand under the scorching sun, heading for the gate. As they passed through it, Sami noticed the pillars were made of the same type of stone the house they had entered earlier was built from. He cast a quick glance at Senn and Lam, noticing something strange in their eyes... a flash of fear or hesitation. Senn was gripping her clothes tightly.
Sami didn't understand the reason, but decided to ignore it and continue on his way.
They moved forward between the beautiful stone houses, some of which were shattered by time, while others remained intact despite the cracks running through them. The dark wooden doors and windows were wide open in every house.
But what Sami noticed throughout his walk along the city streets was that the place was deserted. He hadn't seen a single person since his arrival; no one was inside the houses, and it didn't seem like anyone had been there for months.
After walking for several minutes, the roof of a large building appeared behind the smaller houses. The closer they got, the larger it loomed. When they finally reached it, he saw it was a cube-shaped building made of black stones, adorned with lunar engravings. On the front wall, there was an image of five shapes arranged in a strange pattern; one at the top, two below it, and another two at the bottom. But it seemed these shapes had been deliberately erased.
Sami cast a scrutinizing look at the building as he walked in silence, then peered through the open entrance, seeing many people gathered inside. He couldn't see their faces, but he noticed they all wore white garments, with a moon embroidered on their backs; he couldn't tell if they were human or not.
Sami averted his gaze towards Senn and Lam, then thought internally:
Alright, now it seems I've found the place of the city's inhabitants. And also, this seems to be the long-sought Temple of the Moon... but it looks suspicious to the point of madness. Those five shapes... I feel like I've seen a similar arrangement before...
Before he could finish his thought, he noticed they were heading towards a house different from the rest of the identical ones. This house was two stories tall, and its door was made of iron, which raised his suspicions.
Suddenly, Lam looked at him and said:
"We've reached our destination. And since you came with us, we won't leave you here. Please, come inside."
Sami replied in a steady tone, casting a glance at Senn:
"Alright, I suppose I will."
But a strange feeling crept over him when he looked at Senn... She was looking at him with the same gaze he had seen earlier when they exited that house in the desert, which made him feel uneasy.
As soon as they entered, Sami saw a large, empty space before him, and on one side, there was a door leading to some room. He felt the inhabitants of this desert had a bizarre understanding of interior decoration.
He sighed internally: Damn, this is overkill. I thought I'd find a place to rest. My back hurts for real.
The side door opened, and a strange-looking old woman emerged. Despite her wrinkles and tattered cloth garments, she possessed an eerie aura.
She raised her eyes towards Senn and spoke in an annoying voice—the worst thing one could hear, like hell for the ears: "You've finally returned, huh? You fools! Only the two of you remain from your group? How stupid! I already told you not to do that!"
Senn growled angrily and retorted: "We obtained the required item. It's in the possession of this wanderer!"
The old woman shifted her gaze to Sami, making him feel a strange disgust. She opened one of her eyes wide and asked him in her grating voice:
"How old are you, boy?"
Sami felt his body move on its own and replied involuntarily, in a voice shrill with fear: "I'm sixteen years old!"
The old woman's eyes widened to their limit. She raised her staff high and let out a shriek as if it came from hell: "What nonsense are you talking, you wretch... I haven't even lived more than four nights... Stop uttering nonsense!"
Sami didn't understand her reaction at all. He looked around in bewilderment. He was used to people mocking his age due to his youthful features, but this reaction was insanely exaggerated.
When he directed his gaze towards Senn and Lam, he saw them wearing the same expression as the old woman!
Sami screamed internally:
Damn it!!! Why is everything in this ordeal so confusing?!
To be continued...
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