It has been five days since the group left the city of Manaus, a Brazilian city located in the heart of the Amazon. It was where Coswall and his expedition started from based on the notes that Lucas had acquired from accessing Coswall's house. Following the route seemed easy, but when dealing with the Amazon, a realm that none of the group had been in before. It was more challenging than thought. More so since they had to go on foot after leaving Manaus. Leaving the comfort of civilization behind, and into the green jungle that is the Amazon.

The sun was just at the highest point in the sky as its rays beat down on the group. Making the already moist and hot jungle even hotter. But with the salvation that was a cool breeze and tree cover. The group was protected from the sun. The Amazon was alive and well at this hour, birds and other life were adding to the sounds of the jungle. Along with the annoying bugs that live here.

The group has not encountered any trouble yet, except for a rainstorm on the third day of the expedition, which made everyone miserable. But still they soldiered on, led by Lucas. Mainly since it was his idea for this whole thing, and he was the one with Coswall's notes and learned the route he took. Even though he is the youngest person on the expedition. It was a burden that Lucas was not used to, but given the goal of the expedition. He was willing to bear it for now. Anything to find out what happened to his mother.

---

As the group got closer to the temple that Coswall claimed held the pathway to the Lost World. Lucas was half looking ahead, half looking at Coswall's notes in his journal. This had to be the way, Lucas thought hopefully. It has to, he had used enough money on this, and this is the only clue he found that can lead them to Coswall's lost expedition. This has to be the way.

But as he was half paying attention, Lucas missed a tree root and fell to the ground on some more roots. Still clinging to the open journal as he lay there on his stomach. "Urgh," Lucas let out as he checked the journal, and it was still okay. Making an impromptu stopping point, Lucas tried to get up with one hand on the journal. Making some progress.

Wade Sim

While Wade is accustomed to hiking through the wilderness since as a child, he really hates the humidity and the wetness. At least the trees and the breeze provided some protection from the sun. He sprayed more of the bug repellent spray on his arms and face, really any part of the body that is exposed to the damn bugs. After rubbing the spray on his skin, he wiped any excess spray from his hand onto his pants. According to Lucas, the expedition leader, they're getting closer to Coswall's last known location. He hopes that the map that Lucas has leads them to some kind of structure that provides some refuge.

Wade grabbed his gray thermos from his survival pack and took a swig of water for some hydration. He thought of the satellite phone that Jeff gave him for regular communications with his friend. If the kook Coswall did find something that is a scientific breakthrough and lead to the group's disappearance, like finding a hollow earth with dinosaurs, would the satellite phone do anything to reach word out to Jeff and the others? He read the Jules Verne novel and seen the Brendan Frasier movie. Guess all they could rely on would be their own tools and weapons if they're in a similar trouble.

Wade's train of thought was interrupted by Lucas's grunt as the 20 year old tripped over some roots and landed on his stomach. Wade, rushed forward.

"You okay, kid?" he asked to Lucas as he got up. "Any scratches?"

"Yeah," a semi-embarrassed reply as he got up and turned to Wade. "I am okay and not any I can see or feel," still holding the open journal with his left hand. "Thanks for asking. I guess I need to pay more attention. I could have ruined the notes." Lucas clearly caring more about his journal of notes than himself. "But we shou..." He made a split-second pause, "we are close." They had to be. Lucas needs this to be right after the work and money he sunk into this. Plus, bringing others with him may be wasting their time. The stress was starting to get to him, and he tried to hide it.

But he took this moment to relax a bit and refresh himself. They are close after all, and he put the journal away and grabbed his canteen. Taking a short sip of water and putting the canteen away. "I am just glad the journey here has been safe for the most part." He looked relieved at his words. "No problems or anything.... minus that rain a few days ago." Having guns also helped ensure they were safe from anything in the Amazon. More so since Wade is ex-military and knows more about guns than he does.

"How are you holding up?" Lucas asks sincerely, "I do not know about you, but I am not used to this kind of environment." He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. "I am not complaining, but I did not think what it would be like in the Amazon until walking five days in it."

Wade Sim

"I came from Texas where it's hot and humid for most of the year and I'm still not used to this," Wade replied. He patted on his survival pack. "I don't anyone, no matter what they pack or where they've been before, could prepare for a trip to the Amazon.

"Though I did came prepared and I'm doing alright right now," he added. "I hope the group before came in prepared."

He held out his bottle of bug repellent. "Still plenty of where that came from, if you want to protect yourself from the bugs for a few hours," Wade offered.

Despite the humid heat and the annoying bugs. Lucas felt better that he was not alone with being unprepared for a trip in the Amazon. At least in the sense that, despite the planning and supplies he made. Actually, travelling in the Amazon is something else that he could not really account for. Though they are close to the temple, maybe they can get into some shade. Depending on how intact the temple is.

"I am from Indiana, so all of this," Lucas points all around him. "This is new to me, and this is my first trip out of the States." Funny how that works and how he is in one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. A dream to be in for him and he never thought he could go here. But only because some crazy person took his mother here and never returned. Lucas still holds out hope that his mother is still alive, but if anything. He will find her even if the truth turns out to be the opposite of what he wants.

Still, when Wade offered some bug spray, Lucas had to accept the offer. "I will take some of that," he said after hitting his arms where he felt a bug land. "I think mine is wearing off, so thanks for the offer." Taking the bottle and sprayed himself, but made sure he did not use the whole bottle.

"There you go," Lucas handed back the bug repellent to Wade. Then Lucas took a moment to see where the others were, and it seemed like they were ahead of them for now. "I just hope that the others are doing fine, and it looks like we are ahead of them for now. So I guess we can wait for them." Then Lucas had a thought, "So Wade. You have any stories you wish to tell while we wait?"

Taras thought he was ready. And he was, where equipment was concerned. But this heat was something else. It clung to the skin, like a warm embrace you could not escape. He had a feeling he wouldn't collapse from this heat. He'd experienced worse. The light clothing helped. But it was still terribly uncomfortable. Sticky. And the bugs were a separate issue.

He mostly stayed at the fringes of the group, taking in the sights, while also keeping an eye out. It was all very beautiful, and he'd already seen many creatures he'd never seen before. But there was a strange claustrophobia that he didn't expect to get. Back home, he could see all around them. But here, everything felt so close. And so many movements in the forest kept him on edge.

Having had his fill for now, Taras goes back to the others. They seemed to be faring well enough. He appears atop a large, mangled root, one hand on the strap of his rifle.

"I wish we could have found a truck.." he starts, wiping some sweat off his brow. His accent was strong, but he was easy enough to comprehend. "It would be a lot easier than walking all this way."

He was joking, of course. With all these trees, mud, and no roads, they would probably lose the truck fairly early on. Not even his skill could magically make paths in this jungle, nor would he want to cause damage by plowing through it all. Hopping off the arching root, he lands on both feet and walks around the others, keeping his eyes towards the canopies.

It's been quite an adventure thus far already. But an adventure wasn't his goal. He looks over at the younger guy that invited them all on this crazy expedition. He was speaking with another man. Taras decides to sit for now, a little ways away, hoping this would truly lead him.. And the others.. To the people they were looking for.

Wade Sim

"Stories huh?" Wade rubbed his chin after he placed the bug spray container back on his survival pack.

"One of my buddies, Jeff, the one who gave me a spare satellite phone," Wade began, taking out the phone from his pocket. "Swore that his old apartment was haunted until he punched the ghost haunting him.

"Years back when he moved to a new place, he heard from a neighbor that the prior tenant left in a hurry because of 'unexplainable' things happening in that apartment after some old man committed suicide years ago," he continued. "Now Jeff was a skeptic when it comes to the paranormal so he naturally dismissed the rumors. Until the day when he claimed to have experienced events like lights flickering, faint voices in his earplugs, his dog Ralphie staring at random places, the classical paranormal tropes."

Wade took a swig from his water and then continued on the story.

"Naturally, he tries to explain away all the events; earplugs being Bluetooth sets picking up signal somewhere, the lease being pretty cheap so the quality of the walls and lights not the best, and dogs are known to stare into empty spaces. But they were constant and he begins to believe that his apartment may actually be haunted. During that episode, the boys and I saw that he didn't get enough sleep due to that. He finally got a priest to bless his apartment one day with holy water and then after the priest left, Jeff punched the wall."

"He shouted and I quote, 'If any of you ghost fucks are going to haunt my place, then cover your share of the rent or get out.' and then made loud noises throughout the night until his landlord came over and tell him to shut up due to noise complaints," Wade added "Evidently, Jeff said that the paranormal activities stopped happening afterwards but he wasn't sure if it was thanks to the priest blessing his apartment or him punching a ghost or a combination. But he's been a believer of the paranormal ever since and still has a vial of holy water just in case."

Lucas listened to Wade's story and was surprised by how the story ended. "Punching a ghost, that is something you do not hear every day." He chuckled a bit and took another sip from his canteen. "But that is one way of dealing with the paranormal." While Lucas is not a firm believer in the paranormal or supernatural. He is more of a seeing-is-believing person and has yet to see anything that could count as something beyond normal.

"I unfortunately do not have any stories like that," Lucas wished he did. "I doubt we will face the paranormal out here or in the Lost World, but who knows." He shrugged, "Coswall's notes about the Lost World were few, but he was obsessed with trying to get there." That was what most of the notes he found were about, and honestly, he has no clue why Coswall was obsessed with the Lost World. But something egged him on, and Lucas does not know what.

Then he heard the familiar voice of Taras as he caught up with the group. Lucas caught the joke despite the Taras's thick accent. "Yeah, that would be nice," he was half joking. A truck would be nice, but with all of the trees, vegetation, mud, and more. It is the safer bet to just hike it on foot. Even if it can be miserable, mainly on the day it rained, but Lucas's spirit is still high. Just a little bit more to the temple.

But so far, they just have to wait for some more of the group before Lucas feels like going on. Despite how much he wants to scout ahead. "I wonder how Jack is doing?" Saying it to Wade. Jack, the least prepared of the group, but like the rest. He wants to know what happened to his father, and so far. He has been managing to keep up. So Lucas will wait a bit for more.

Jack Wilson Jr.

"Other than the jungle heat and the rain and the bugs, I'm doin' fine." Jack Wilson Jr. said to Lucas Bryne as he stopped to take a swig from his canteen. "Good. Last thing I need is this gun not firin' when I need to shoot somethin'." Jack thought as he checked his family heirloom for any signs of rust. "Thank you for gettin' our weapons and ammo into the country. I highly doubt that the 'Lost World' Coswall has dedicated his life to findin' will be any safer than the Amazon Rainforest." Jack Wilson Jr. said to Lucas Bryne before stepping forward. He noticed something in the underbrush and moved to pick it up, only to move back when he realized what it was. "Looks like Coswall wasn't the first to go lookin' for this 'Lost world' he was obsessed with. Dollars To Donuts this guy tried to go it alone and cashed it in." Jack Wilson said to Bryne as he pointed at a skeleton, the clothes on it having been reduced to tattered rags by exposure to the elements.

"I hope the entrance to the 'Lost World' ain't too far away if it exists, Wade. None of us came this far just to have our supplies run out before we find any of our loved ones." Jack Wilson Jr. said to the Kazakh before turning his attention back to Lucas Bryne.
@Theyra@Badarby

"That is good Jack," Lucas said calmly. It was good to hear that he was doing okay despite the heat. Lucas does not know how wearing a leather jacket in the Amazon heat would fare, but Jack still seems okay. But now, with everyone caught up and ready to go. Lucas took the lead and the group continued their trek into the jungle.

A short time later, as the group made its way through the Amazon jungle, Lucas studied his journal to make sure they were on the right path, and he took a moment to stop as he looked ahead. He could spot something in the distance, something made of what looked like white stone among the foliage, something that looked like something rising out of the jungle. Lucas took a few driven steps ahead, and it became clearer. What looked like the entrance of some kind.

Lucas mood became elevated, finally. He thought they had reached the temple in Coswall's notes. Lucas semi-walked ahead to get an even better look to double-check. Lucas could spot the entrance and the front of the ruin as it stood about eight feet tall and was wide enough that they could all walk in together.

Though it looked like the rest of the temple was covered from head to toe in foliage, it was hard to make out the white stone the temple was made of, but the entrance was clear and open. A blessing, and as he reached the entrance. Lucas could make out what he thought were symbols that lined the entrance. The plants and branches were making it hard to make out. The temple did not look like a regular temple you would find in South America.

But that does not matter to him, they found the temple, and according to the notes, the path to the Lost World lay inside. "Where did he take you mom?" Lucas said in a hushed tone.

Turning back to the group, he waved and shouted to get their attention. "I found the temple! Just like the notes said!" To say that Lucas was happy was an understatement. The only clue to where Coswall's expedition went, and he did not want to find out that he was wrong somehow. But here they are, and rather than wait for the group, Lucas's driven nature caused him to walk inside.

As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he walked inside and turned on his flashlight. Lucas could make out statues, tall ones that lined the entrance room on both sides, and they seemed to look like humans wielding some kind of weapon. Looking like a sword or a short spear. Along with more symbols on the walls, big ones. Some looked like animals that Lucas could not recognize. Plus, places on the walls where torches were. All unlit and Lucas did not bring a lighter with him. A oversight on his part.

It did not mind Lucas much, this is something for an archaeologist to study and figure out. Lucas just cares where Coswall went. So he brought his flashlight down to his journal and scanned the pages on where to go next.

Wade Sim

"Indeed," Wade said to Jack. "I have a satellite phone that we could use to call someone for help but if we somehow ended up in the center of the Earth like in the Vernes book, I don't know if that would be helpful." Jack's concern is valid. Wade has packed plenty of supplies for the trip and as experienced as the ex-Marine is in wilderness survival, the Amazon isn't exactly familiar territory for him and likely the others. If they're not careful, they would just be another statistics in those lost in the jungle.

After some time was spent, an excited Lucas called out of a temple, causing Wade to follow closely. This was new development in the search for the lost expedition, one step closer in finding Cooper and the others. Wade turned on his flashlight and observed the interior statues and symbols. He took out his phone and, with the flash turned off, snapped a couple of photos of the interior, including the symbols on the walls and the statues.

"I got a lighter, think I should light the torches on the walls or should we continue to use our flashlights?" he asked Lucas as he opened his pack for the lighter.

"Magnificent statues and beautiful hieroglyphics? Whoever built this place had great taste. This is art. Real art, not that Modern garbage that society pretends is art because the bar is barely at ankle level." Jack Wilson Jr. said before turning his attention to the others. "What? Just because I prefer motorcycles over broken pottery and ancient ruins doesn't mean that I can't appreciate art when I see it or recognize that overpriced trash is overpriced trash." Jack said to the others. He looked around, his hand still on the pistol. He couldn't see outside the area illuminated by the flashlight and anything could be hiding in those shadows.

"You should light the torches, assumin' that there's still enough fuel for them to light. Such bright flames would make it easier to see where we're goin'. Even dimly lit torches should be enough to avoid trippin' over old bones. As for endin' up in the center of the Earth, I never believed in the Hollow Earth, Wade. Animals need to eat animals that eat plants and plants require sunlight and there is no sunlight that far underground." Jack Wilson Jr. said to Wade as he continued looking around.

Lucas looked up from his journal for a moment, "I am with Jack, lit up the torches so we can save on the power. Since I doubt there are going to be a place to get batteries wherever the expedition went." He looked around for a bit at the torches on the wall, "We can carry some with us, see how long they last as we explore this temple." As Lucas took another look around, some of the symbols on the wall seemed to look like animals from the jungle and but some looked like strange humanoid figures. This made him confused as to why that would be the case. Who built this temple?

Though this line of thought was broken when Wade brought up the journey to the center of the earth, and what Jack said. It made him wonder about the Lost World that Coswall thought existed. "About where they went," Lucas spoke in a wondering tone. "What notes Coswall had about this Lost World are few but consistent. A place where it is lush and full of life." Then he sounds a bit unsure, "though I am not sure where he got that information, but how he did it was enough to want him to find it."

Lucas then went back to looking at his notes to see what the next step was. Eager to continue on and see where Coswall went and what this Lost World is like.

"Good thing we have guns. Lush and full of life means carnivores. That includes ones large enough to hunt and kill humans. I, for one, do not want to end up as some animal's dinner. Gettin' that information must've cost him a king's ransom. If his 'Lost World' is real, then he got his money's worth." Jack Wilson Jr said to Lucas Bryne before turning his attention to the strange humanoid figures on the wall. "My best guess is that they are part of the religion of whoever built this temple. I haven't got a clue into how they fit into said religion. They could be monsters or they could be Demons or they could be spirits. That field of study ain't my forte." Jack Wilson said to the others as he grabbed an unlit torch and took it off the wall.

"Lucas has the right idea, Wade. We should get as many of them as we can carry. Conserve battery power for when we need you guys to use your flashlights." Jack said to Wade as he handed the unlit torch to Wade. "Once them torches are lit and our leader has found which way we need to go, we should head in that direction." Jack said to the others before taking another unlit torch off the wall.

Wade Sim

With the approval from Lucas and the others, Wade got out his lighter and rolled the spark wheel down into the ignition button quickly until a small flame blossomed. He then lighted the torch that Jack gave him and used that torch to light the other torches on the wall.

The room was soon dimly lit by the small flames. Satisfied with being able to see much more of the interior, Wade slipped his lighter into his pocket.

“Torches, get your torches over here,” he announced for the others in the group to grab a hold of and do their own part in lighting up the rooms.

A bit of idle conversation and further wandering later, the group, or rather Lucas, finally came upon something significant. Taras heard the call and rushed to catch up, as did the other guys.

So that journal Lucas had been carrying around was useful after all. Just as Taras turned a corner, the sight before him stopped him in his tracks. Something that clearly didn't belong in this picture rose out from the deep greens and browns of the South American jungle, and it made Taras grip his rifle more tightly. He joined the others shortly thereafter, keeping his head on a swivel, even as he stepped into the temple entrance. The others already started lighting the torches, which was a great idea. It made him realise that perhaps he wasn't as prepared as he thought.. And that figured. After all, his thoughts had recently been entirely preoccupied with Zhaika.. Her whereabouts, and whether she was alright or not. Anyway, he didn't bring a light source besides his phone and the matches. He wasn't about to waste matches, so he walks up to one of the torches already lit and pries it off the wall.

He keeps after the other guys, using the torch in hand to light any of the ones he sees along the way.

"I'm not sure I like this 'hollow earth' business.. This all feels wrong." Maybe he was exaggerating. He was just feeling anxious about this strange structure being out here and seemingly leading underground. As he passed the statues and the strange depictions on the wall, he slowed down to hold his light up to them. Slowly, his brow furrowed. Were they fantastical creatures of some kind?

"Sumdyq-ai..." he says, loud enough for the others to hear. It was an expression of creeping dread.. Something told him that this adventure was about to escalate into something rather unprecedented.

"Uh," Lucas said simply as he put away his flashlight and looked up from his journal. "It seems like we just go forward and follow the corridor until we reach the gate room. Whatever the gate room means." So simple it was and yet Lucas felt like it was too simple. But that is what the notes say so simple it was. Though the mention of a gate room intrigued him, he stayed focused.

Lucas accepted a torch from Wade, and once the group was ready, he led them down the corridor and into the temple.

---

As Lucas led the group down the corridor, they were noticeably going down. The floor became a subtle ramp as they ventured deeper into the temple, and the air started to feel cooler with each step. The walls were lined with more symbols, but as they walked past. The symbols were becoming more and more animal-like, with some human-looking figures and some humanoid-looking ones.

After some time and who knows how deep, they reached a large chamber, the gate room. Besides with symbols covering the walls that the group has seen before. In the middle of the chamber was a large circular gate. Eight feet tall and eight feet wide and has large symbols that look more like letters or odd shapes on it. Four large columns with the same symbols centered around the portal at an equal distance and about a medium distance from the portal and each other. Which there was a podium made of stone with a stone stand some distance in front of the gate. Holders for torches were all around the room, and two on the podium, but none on the columns.

Lucas looked around the room while his lit torch illuminated the room. "So this is the gate room, I take it, and I cannot see any other corridors." His eyes focused on the gate, and it made him curious about where it led and if it worked. But seeing how there were no bones or signs of bodies in the room. Then maybe it does work, but that was just a thought for now.

After looking around the room, Lucas headed to the podium and seeing the empty torch holder. Lucas placed his torch in the holder and put his journal on the podium. Reading its contents under the torch light and went to figure out the next step. "What now?" He said to himself as he looked through the notes.

As a few moments passed, Lucas dug into the journal as the others waited around. Until Lucas had found what he was looking for. "Okay, I think I know what to do next or say, really." Lucas looking a bit nervous as he read the journal. "I hope I can say this right," with a determined tone, he spoke. "Achogantu enzoth teumia."

As soon as Lucas said the words, the four columns slowly started to light up from the floor, and a hum could be heard. A blue energy started to course through the columns, and as it filled the columns and each symbol on them was lit up. Once the energy filled the columns, the hum turned into a buzz as an energy bolt from each of the columns shot at the portal at the same time and held until the portal activated. The blue bolts ceased, and the portal glowed with blue energy, with each symbol on it lit up and was now ready to send the group to wherever Coswall's expedition went.

"Holy..." Lucas was surprised by this new development, and he looked down at his notes for a moment. "How did he..." Lucas shook his head as he realized it did not matter. At least to him, all that he cared for was that the path to when he mother was, was not open for them. All they had to do now was go in and see what was on the other side.

Lucas picked up the journal, closed it and put it away in his backpack. He walked from the podium to the portal and stopped about halfway as he stared at the portal for a moment before addressing the group. "Well, time to see where they went and see what is on the other side." Lucas took a deep breath and uttered three final words, "into the breach," and he walked into the portal.

---

It took seemingly seconds as Lucas and the group appeared on the other side. Unlike the dark chambers of the temple, the area around the portal was open and the first thing the group noticed was that the space was much bigger and that light was coming from openings on the sides of the walls near the ceiling. Instead of being made of white stone, this structure is made of light yellowish material. It looked like this temple was built to accommodate more people, and large murals were depicted on the walls. Showing what looked like two worlds, one above and one below, and two races, one human and another with a lizard head. Seemingly at peace with each other. There was a large podium near what looked like the entrance to the chamber, like the same one they found in the temple.

Lucas took the time to look around and take in where they were. Where were they, and what is this place? Where did the portal take them? Questions that he knows cannot be answered right now but will linger in his mind. He waited until the others were ready to move and see what this place, wherever they were, looked like on the outside.

Wade Sim

Wade leaned back a bit in surprise when a blue portal manifested from Lucas’s gibberish. What was in that notebook of Harry Coswall, he wondered, staring at the blue light with his mouth slightly open in amazement. They’re dealing with some kind of advanced technology not yet known to the wider public or some esoteric magic.

He was gonna excise caution about entering the portal but Lucas already went through. Wade glanced at the others and then to the glowing blue portal.

“Guess I’m going through,” he thought as he stepped through the portal and into the other side. He patted all over himself with his left hand. Nothing seems to be altered or removed. His rifle is still slung and his pistol still holstered. Wade sighed in relief. At least he’s not just smoldering bones for now.

Now that his bag checks were also completed he glanced at the background of the other room. His eyes focused on the murals. Wade whistled as he took a closer look. He got out his phone and snapped some photos of the wall painting and then withdraw the phone.

"Looks like we've went through a Stargate. What? Bikers can watch and like shows and movies that ain't about bikers." Jack Wilson Jr said to the others after exiting the portal, his eyes readjusted to the light. He looked around and saw the mural. "What do we call these guys? Lizard Kings? Serpent Men? Saurians? Whatever they're called, they're smart enough to know that the Earth and their own world is round in addition to creatin' wonderful works of art. I'm still keepin' my finger close to the trigger of the family heirloom. I highly doubt that the locals are gonna give us a warm welcome, assumin' that they're still around." Jack Wilson said to the others as he focused on the figure with the lizard head, his finger moving around the image of the two worlds.

"Lucas, we should get goin'. We were already burnin' daylight when we entered the temple. The sooner we can find a spot to set up camp, the better." Jack Wilson Jr. said to Lucas Bryne. "I mustn't get distracted by this place. Sure, this lost world is full of wonder that no human has seen in God knows how long, but I'm here to rescue my dad, not to explore ancient ruins or dig up fossils or see the local wildlife. I will make sure to give that bankrupt Coswall a well-deserved fine hit to the jaw before leaivn' with my father and whatever findings he can carry with him." Jack Wilson thought as he turned his attention to the others. "You guys ready to head out or do you need a moment?" Jack said to Taras and Wade.