Swamps, Part 2

The Temple of Ten Thousand Serpents. Just what you'd expect in the middle of a continent full of swamp, right? And of course it's the one I got stuck with. Why isn't there ever a Temple of Ten Thousand Kittens? Or Temple of a Reasonable Number of Non-venomous Reptiles?

On the plus side, the entryway was well-built of solid stone that had lasted the ages. It was the first time I got to set foot on a solid surface since I started this gods-forsaken voyage. Naturally, I immediately slipped and fell hard on my ass. Nothing like making an entrance.

I briefly considered spending some time scraping the mud of my boots. Then I remembered I'd have to walk the whole way back again, at least on the off-chance I survived this particular intrusion. That would depend a lot on how accurately the temple was named. And, if accurate, if anyone had remembered to do regular feedings.

As I tromped up to the carved stone gate that shaped most of the temple's front end, I allowed myself a moment to bask in wonder. It was an architectural achievement for its time. At least a thousand years old, by my research, and still fully intact. The suspicious lack of vines or any other plant-life growing along it suggested that it was not at all abandoned.

Those snakes were probably getting fed after all.