The Key

"The prince was a just and kind ruler. With his sharp brain, he established his own dynasty called the Lu dynasty. He made it world's most advanced dynasty. Whether in technology or science, no one could beat them in the prowess," Su Xin Yu continued reading with a frown on her face. That was not what she was taught.

From what she knew, the prince who established the kingdom around this area was not able to rule the country even for ten years before his greedy subordinates back stabbed him. How was he able to create very advanced empire in just ten years?

It was true that the records they had, did not talk much about his ten years of rule. Only one line was used to describe it, saying that he was a benevolent king who ruled his kingdom with integrity and honesty. Because of his rule, a lot of people from neighboring countries shifted to his area, incurring wrath from nearby bigger kingdoms.

In the end, the king met doom in the hands of his own ministers, who had been bought by foreign kings.

"What happened?" Li Ming Hao was jotting down whatever she was saying when he saw her stop abruptly and go into deep thinking.

"Hmm…, nothing. Say, how much do you know about the history around this area?" Su Xin Yu looked at the letters thoughtfully, her chin resting on her index finger. There was something fishy going on here but she did not know what.

"I actually don't know much. This place is such a closed off area to everyone. There does not exist a single documentary or anything out there. I just know what they teach us in the school, that one small chapter that we have in elementary school," Li Ming Hao scratched his head. Why would she suddenly ask for something like that?

Although whatever she was reading did contradict what they had learned in the childhood. And it was more bizarre that there were no records of this place anywhere in the world. What kind of lost civilization was this?

If they could find the answers, it would explode among the historians, archeologists and adventure enthusiasts. What was buried here that the government of this country did not want it exposed? That they were working so closely with the school to know more about this place but won't bring in professionals to do the work?

In the time they were thinking all about this, the light in the lake started flickering.

"Wha-what!!" the two people, who were busy in pondering over the facts, suddenly found themselves in pitch darkness. Rocky in the back, whimpered sadly. She knew the task was far from over but the luminescence did not work anymore.

"What happened?" Su Xin Yu exclaimed worriedly. Was something coming in? It was not like the source of energy was suddenly depleted. They had earlier thought it was due to some microbes in water, although they had no idea why it was only working with some living being in the lake.

"I will try going in the lake myself," Li Ming Hao stood up and rummaged his bag. He finally found the flashlight somehow. He turned it on to see that Rocky was slapping the water with her paw in an attempt to bring the light back, but nothing was happening.

"Wait Li Ming Hao. I know the lake did not do anything earlier to you, but it is still dangerous," Su Xin Yu, who was sitting on the ground, grabbed his hand to stop him. These things… she had seen quite a few before. And she did not want any more comrades to die or go crazy.

"Nothing will happen, don't worry," Li Ming Hao was touched. He looked at the gentle deep eyes reflecting the light from the flashlight that were genuinely concerned for him. If only, he could see this gently face every day. He patted her hand that had grabbed his affectionately, assuring her that he was fine.

"If you feel anything off or any danger, some out right away, okay?" she voiced her concern again.

Li Ming Hao nodded reluctantly and jumped into the lake again. Su Xin Yu was beating herself up, she should have taken the pictures first. But she was just so excited to have learnt a whole language just like that that she did not even pay attention to any details.

Li Ming Hao did jump but the blue light did not appear. Su Xin Yu got up and went near the guy in the water.

"Come out. I don't think it is working anymore," she told him regretfully.

"There is one more thing I want to try," Li Ming Hao looked at her, then took a small knife out of his pocket.

"What are you going to do?" Su Xin Yu had a bad feeling, a very bad feeling actually. Before she could say anything, Li Ming Hao cut his hand with the knife. The fresh blood oozed out of the cut like a geyser gushing out hot water from the land.

Su Xin Yu yelped at the ridiculous move. "You- are you crazy?" she yelled.

"Shh… just look," a read streak of red ran across his fair arm and mixed with the water. The whole water instantly turned blue the moment the blood touched the water. It was so bright in the cave that it was blinding.

The light started concentrating around Li Ming Hao's body, very rapidly.

"Li Ming Hao, come out right now!" Su Xin Yu's heart skipped a beat. She already knew that most of the life in these forests were built upon the blood of corpses of the soldiers and the slaves and the prisoners. If they see the fresh blood, they would definitely get attracted. She extended her hand to help him out.

"Take pictures right now! We will solve it later," Li Ming Hao smiled and urged her to continue their deciphering. His smile looked disturbing, almost creepy.

"Is that something to be thinking about right now? Do you know how dangerous blood is in these caves? Everything here lusts for blood, you can't be spilling it like this!" she yelled at him and extended her hand towards him. To hell with the murals and monoliths. Were they more important than life?

"Oh… yeah, right," he frowned a bit dazedly. It felt like there was something on his mind. When he saw his own blood, his demeanor had changed completely. It felt like he was enjoying the sensation. Su Xin Yu could not put her finger on it but he looked more… disturbed?

He held her hand with the one that was not cut and used the bloodied hand on the ground. He did not want to sully her with the red liquid that did not seem like stopping.

"Ugh… I feel like this thing is pulling me back in," the sparkling blue light had started to cover the rocks where Li Ming Hao's blood was imprinted. It slowly crept up his hand, as if it had a mind of its own.

Was it the liquid water? Was it the algae? They could not figure out. The only thing they knew was that this thing was there to suck blood out of Li Ming Hao.

"Oh my God!" Su Xin Yu was panicking inside but this was no time to be cowering. She had to pull him out and get him away. "I had told you to not do something so dangerous," she put as much strength as she could gather but the strong pulling him back into the water was much strong.

She even sat down on her hips, securing her feet against the bumps due to rocks on the ground and pulled his hand harder. Rocky came from behind and pulled on to Su Xin Yu's scamp tube top.

"Aaaaaa," everyone yelled and 'thud', a loud crashing sound echoed in the cave.