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Post by LexingtonDeville on Oct 6, 2022 9:08:46 GMT -6
Part One: Ancient Discovery
It was another warm day across the vast and expansive jungle that belonged to the island known as Álah’kū. Situated in the Pacific Ocean, off the coasts of India, Africa, and Australia, this island was deemed paradise by those who stumbled across it. A natural ecosystem of humans and animals lived in harmony together, with no violence and many respect held between both species. It was midday, with the temperatures soaring to record levels. And one denizen was making the most of the warm weather.
Ryan Masterson. 24 years of age, athletic, lean, tall, and lightly built, far removed from the uber-buff Tarzan stereotype, His lightly tanned and toned frame sported a slight six-pack, wide shoulders, and strong arms and legs. He wore a leopard print two flap loincloth, with short black hair and blue eyes rounding off his trademark handsome appearance. A paint tattoo of a wolf paw dotted his left shoulder, indicating his past affiliation to the local pack before he departed to the village at 18 years of age. A hunting knife in a brown holster was attached to his left thigh, ensuring protection against any predator that dared to try their luck.
Ryan had spent the majority of his day away from the local village he called home, exploring an untouched and undiscovered area on the West side of the island. After a small bout of exercise in the form of some chin ups, he continued his one-man expedition across Álah’kū.
"Looks like it’s another hot one." Ryan mused, small sweat beads dotting his forehead, slight six pack and lower back, his torso glistening in the early afternoon sun. His icy blue eyes followed a path that snaked through the jungle, keen senses on full alert for any hidden predator or dangers lurking nearby. But he needn’t worry - this section of the island was free of danger.
"This part of the island’s new. Guess I’ll check it out." The British jungle man decided. His strong legs guided him down a new path, passing new and unseen wonders. Every lagoon, waterfall, cave, and clearing on Álah’kū was laced with danger, so Ryan knew the correct areas to avoid. And the right ones to explore. And, thankfully, the latter choice would lead him to a very surprising discovery.
After leaping past boulders and climbing over fallen brackets, Ryan spotted a large clearing up ahead, surrounded by high trees. As he approached the clearing and stepped into the sunlight, he marvelled at the sight of….
An abandoned temple. One of several dotted around Álah’kū, this was a testament to the island’s mysterious past. It’s former glory stained and faded. Vines and moss covered fallen stone idols, exterior walls cracked with neglect and decay, and a series of steps lead up into it’s inner sanctum. Where hidden treasure was alleged to have been buried in the hallowed halls and unexplored chambers. Water from a nearby waterfall cascaded into a small lake that surrounded the temple, with lily pads floating atop the clear mercury. A sight to behold indeed.
"Might as well explore while I’m here." Ryan shrugged, stepping onto the stone bridge that lead towards the outer courtyard of the temple’s grounds.
Beneath the water, hidden amongst the green lilly pads, a mysterious presence curiously observed the jungle lad. A pair of alluring purple eyes kept pace with his movements, watching him ascend the small steps. They belonged to a Dragonair named Aqua, her long sky blue body laying perfectly still underneath the green coverings.
"Hmmmm…. A guest. And a very handsome one too. I’ll keep a close eye on him." She giggled, propelling her long body through the water towards a small passageway, which lead to a series of labyrinthine tunnels hidden underneath the temple’s architecture. The loincloth clad hunk had caught Aqua’s attention, and now she was eager to observe this hunky explorer….
(End of Part 1)
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Post by LexingtonDeville on Feb 25, 2023 6:23:43 GMT -6
Part Two: Treasure Trove
The temple Ryan had been about to explore was one of many that resided deep within Álah’kū. Even the village elders and those that had been born in the jungle knew not what the moss covered idols and ancient, rumbled stones meant. Some say the hypno snake population knew…but those were just myths and no doubt those tricksters would never tell.
Unaware of the playful and unseen temple resident that was silently watching him earlier, Ryan ascended the eight steps and entered the hallowed corridors of this forgotten building. The interior of the main hall was as grandiose and expansive as it’s exterior, with rows of columns encased in creeper vines that clung to their withered and cracked stone. A large covering of said vines hung from one corner of the ceiling, where small rays of sunlight filtered through the temple’s roof.
"This must be thousands of years old…." Ryan declared, observing the once former glory of Álah’kū’s ancient past. The island itself had a long and storied history, but that was a tale for another time.
Amongst the narrow and submerged tunnels within the temple’s architecture, Aqua negotiated her long body left and right through the labyrinthine passages, bypassing several dead ends. The Dragonair used these tunnels as her own preferred method of travel, preferring to keep herself hidden from any intruders who trespassed on her home. As well as play games of hide and seek, hoping to frighten off and deter any would-be intruders. But she wasn’t interested in mere intimidation tactics. Something else was on her mind. And she was eager to subject the mysterious and handsome stranger to her hidden desires.
Ryan’s bare feet walked across the cobblestones of the vine and moss covered temple’s inner sanctum. The jungle man had no fear of the dangers that lurked in the jungles of Álah’kū. Having been raised by wolves and passed the tribal trials at the village, he had matured from a hopeful boy into a confident, fearless, brave, and charming pinnacle of masculinity. And that same masculinity made him a target for carnivorous plants and tentacled octopi, as well as a coveted prize amongst the female hypno snake population. He had channelled his primal and savage nature into a new way of life for him. Every lagoon, waterfall, abandoned temple, cave, and clearing was laced with danger, so Ryan knew the correct areas to avoid. And the right ones to explore.
Ryan’s icy blue eyes observed the temple’s surroundings, a silverly glow emanating from a nearby corridor. "That light source doesn’t look natural… Better check it out." He mused, walking towards the corridor amidst small shafts of sunlight that filtered through cracks in the temple walls.
The corridor lead down a flight of stairs, with a series of priceless crystals lining the walls, producing an almost ethereal glow in the darkness. A series of hieroglyphics carved into the walls, depicting human looking to steal some priceless treasure. Another set showed said human being lead away to a dungeon where he was kept prisoner. The trail and winding corridors lead Ryan to a small room on the right. It was a warm and cavernous room that resembled a dungeon of sorts, with primitive torches lining the walls. Each cell was empty, with the bars bent outwards and rusted from years of neglect and decay. The sounds of running water could be heard nearby, indicating that the temple’s lower levels were close to being submerged altogether.
"Looks like whoever was kept here wasn’t tortured. But why?" The British jungle hunk mused, wondering why such a magnificent building would house an inhumane method as depicted in the ancient texts. As he turned his back and tried to decipher the logic behind this dungeon, he failed to notice those same alluring purple eyes watching him from a distance. One of the cell’s floors had a secret aquatic tunnel hidden underneath, which Aqua was using to her advantage. Having deduced Ryan’s location via the orb on her neck, she silently poked her rounded snout out from underneath the watery tunnel.
From her perspective, Aqua admired Ryan’s toned and muscular back, as well as his firm buttocks behind his leopard print two-flap loincloth. A playful smile crossed her face as she descended back into the tunnel with barely a ripple. Ryan sensed a presence behind him, but turned around to find nothing.
"Must be my imagination." He shrugged, leaving the dungeon and continuing to follow the corridor’s trail. As he journeyed deeper and deeper, another set of hieroglyphics caught his eye. One depicted a man standing before a snake-like creature, before another set showed said creature wrapping around and making out with said man. As Ryan turned left, a new source of light, one golden in colour, appeared to be growing bigger. Once he rounded the corner, he was greeted by a spectacular sight.
A vast room, with a tiny waterfall flowing into two deep pools of water on either side of a stone bridge. The water came from outside, a testament to the element that the temple seemed to be renowned for. At its epicentre was a pile of treasure. A discovery of epic proportions, ripe for devious and greedy explorers to plunder and raid.
"The elders never mentioned this…." Ryan said, briefly in awe at the treasure pile before him. He walked across the bridge, making sure to be on full alert should a predatory intruder rise up out of the water and try to drag him under. Most of the treasure included golden coins, golden cups, and gems that included emeralds, rubies, sapphires. Pearl necklaces and discarded crowns lay next to priceless swords and daggers, a memento left behind by pirates and brigands of centuries past.
"So that’s what those hieroglyphics meant. If someone tried to steal this treasure, they’d be imprisoned and enslaved by the guardian of this temple. Good thing I’m only here to explore." Ryan chuckled.
Behind him, a long and sinuous shadow appeared in one of the deep pools of water, the golden glow reflecting off her scales underneath the mercury. Aqua had found her target, her purple eyes observing the jungle stud as he examined the priceless treasure.
"My my, he’s more handsome than I imagined. Time to play hide and seek." She giggled, slowly rising herself up to the surface until only her rounded snout and white horn breached the clear waters. Silently, she began to stealthily approach Ryan…
(End of Part 2)
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Post by LexingtonDeville on Feb 8, 2024 10:19:18 GMT -6
Part 3: Hide and Seek
The sounds of water flowing the inner waterfalls inside of the treasure room masked the approach of the long shadow under the clear mercury. Aqua’s snout sniffed the air, detecting the scent of her target. This scent was rugged, brave, resilient, and above all, undeniably masculine. She silently shivered in anticipation at wrapping her coils around the toned and trim explorer, continuing to silently observe him inspecting the treasure pile that she guarded from any would-be thieves.
Ryan’s strong hands picked up a priceless ruby, its flat tabular hexagonal shape glistening blood red in the light of the room. From his reflection in the gem, his icy blue eyes caught a fleeting glimpse of an elongated shadow underneath the waters in the room. Instinctively, he placed the ruby back on the treasure pile and his left hand reached for the knife in the holster attached to his left thigh. Once he unsheathed the blade, Aqua slowed her approach and silently lowered her snout and horn back under the waters.
Ryan spun around, the fearsome knife drawn in his left hand. But there was no one behind him. "Either my mind is playing tricks on me, or there’s something in this temple watching me." He huffed, something out of the corner of his eye catching his attention. A small ripple that undulated on top of the water.
Underneath the pool, Aqua held her breath and watched her hunky target sheathe his weapon back into his thigh holster. She hoped the small ripple that accompanied her vanishing act was detected by Ryan before she disappeared from his line of sight. Thankfully, he was smart enough to spot her subtle little hint.
"Someone knows I’m here. Time for me to leave." He mused, deducing that his presence had caught the attention of the Dragonair hidden underneath the water.
From her vantage point beneath him, Aqua watched the jungle man walk across the stone bridge and leave the treasure room. With fluid and effortless grace, she moved her long body through the waters into the vast tunnels that ran under the temple’s architecture. The orb on her neck began to give off an ethereal glow, acting as a search light and mapping out the passageways ahead of her. She had already deduced Ryan’s location, already ten steps ahead of the jungle stud.
Ryan retraced his steps through the winding corridors that connected the treasure chamber and the abandoned dungeon, following the ethereal glow of the wall mounted crystals until he found the stairs that lead up out of the lower levels of this temple. Once he ascended to higher ground and felt the comforting touch of vine and moss covered cobblestones under his feet, he glanced back over his shoulder to make sure nothing was following him.
"Nothing following me…. But I don’t sense any danger.” Ryan exclaimed, running a hand through his short black hair as small rays of sunlight of sunlight filtered through cracks in the temple walls, illuminating his trim and toned physique.
Amidst the complex network of watery tunnels underneath the foundations of this abandoned building, Aqua slowed her speed. The orb on her neck shone brightly, showing her an image of the British jungle hunk in the main hall of the temple. As he spotted another flight of stairs leading upwards to a connecting corridor, the Dragonair knew where he was heading.
"A wise path to choose, my handsome explorer. For that is the path to the stars itself…" She smiled, resuming her game of hide and seek, seamlessly transitioning from a slow floating pace to a more fluid and streamlined speed. As Aquq propelled herself through the underwater tunnels, her sinuous body shivered in anticipation of holding Ryan in her coils. Her long periods of loneliness and isolation were coming to an end, but first, she would continue her curious observation of the jungle hunk in her dwelling.
Ryan walked up the stairs that lead up to the upper level’s of the temple, his strong legs guiding him further, compelling him to uncover what remaining secrets lay hidden amidst this magnificent architecture. As he reached a stone walkway, a new series of ancient symbols above the opening to a corridor caught his icy blue eyes. They depicted the moon in it’s eight different phases:
New Moon
Waxing Crescent Moon
First Quarter Moon
Waxing Gibbous Moon
Full Moon
Waning Gibbous Moon
Third Quarter Moon
Waning Crescent Moon
Next to those symbols read - "There will be nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls."
"I guess it wouldn’t hurt to explore further. As long as I’m high up and away from the waters, whatever is following me can’t pursue." Ryan mused, walking down the corridor, which appeared to widen. Unlike the dungeon, this part of the temple was bright enough to negate the use of torches to light the way.
In the underwater tunnels, Aqua flawlessly manoeuvred herself through every twist and turn, coming to a t-junction and twisting her body left. No region of these labyrinthine trails was forbidden to her, and one watery corridor soon became a steep incline. However, she effortlessly conquered this obstacle unaided, moving to the upper reaches of the tunnel. Aqua knew full well that the man-cub she had set her sights on would soon be all hers, and soon her solitude would be alleviated.
"Keep exploring, handsome. Because you’ll soon be mine…" Aqua mused, making a sharp turn left as the trail before her became straightened, flattening itself out as she went. She was close now. And more fun and games would soon follow…
(End of Part 3)
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