Max Web Journeys

By
Eric H
Roth

book cover

The HTML Temple

The CSS Temple

The JAVASCRIPT Temple

Trial of DESIGN

Trial of DEVELOPMENT

Excerpt from:

Max's Journal

“My name is Max. I have never been very far outside my town before. My day mostly consisted of working in my father’s Black Smith shop, performing most of extraneous tasks not related to smithing. My father says I am not ready to learn smithing and should leave the tasks to the masters. That is fine by me. I would rather be exploring and forging my own path.”

Knowledge

Webillion

In the mystical world of Webillion, where the sky shimmers from an unearthly spider web in the atmosphere, making a mostly average day sparkle like a diamond, an ancient knowledge resides deep within the knowledge that created Webillion. Join Max on his journey for the pursuit of that knowledge, a journey of magic in coding, web design, and web development. Learn how the coding and development process for websites and web apps work, along the way.

Max is a humanoid dog within a humanoid dog nation. It is just one nation among other nations of other anthropomorphic animals and mythic beasts. He journals his experiences along the way as he enters temples of learning and performs trials to prove his skills.

Learn the Technology of this world in these white and blue paper sections.

The hidden spider-web-wire frame of Webillion

Knowledge

Webillion

The world of Webilion is a world in many ways similar to Earth.  It has continents albeit with different shapes and sizes.  On which, there are mountains, lakes, forests, deserts, rivers.  Deep within the world resides many mysterious.

Inside the world is the blueprints for every geological structure in Webillion.  The world is hollower than Earth, housing a webwork of behemoth proportions

In this world the law of creation is not the law of physics but the law of code.  The code is hypertext magic language html.  You may be familiar with html’s use on Earth. It makes the internet useful on Earth and makes Webillion exist.  Why does Webillion work this way? If you could ask the Giant Spiny Orb-Weaver spiders then you would know.  They are the world builders.

The Orb Weaver spiders reside deep within the Webillion, on webwork that creates and holds the world together.  They follow the code – hypertext magic language.  Every instruction is carried out by them, constructing and restructuring the webs of creation.

 

Maximillion Smith

Portrait taken in the forest, Outside New Hanen

Knowledge

Webillion

What type of animal life lives in this world you may ask? 

Well, they are not to dissimilar from earth.   We have an array of carbon-based critters.  Humans are not the dominate species.  Many anthropomorphic species live on Webillion.  Nations arose from these species that walk on two legs, with a pair of capable hands.

Within a nation of anthropomorphic dogs is a small town of New Hanen. The roads are unpaved.  There is a general store, restaurant/bar, Garment store, bank, blacksmith, stables, hotel, woodworker, doctor’s office.  Further out are ranchers, farmers, and settlers.  It’s an uneventful small town with few outsiders passing through.

This is where the main protagonist max resides.  He would be considered a hound mix with brown and white fur.  His clothing is American Colonial/Georgian Era clothing that would have been worn by commoners of that time.

Journal Entry

colonial town transp
Town of New Hanen

Today feels peculiar, I don’t know why.  I expect something different to happen.  I must get ready for the days work….

Taking a small break from cleaning. The metal shavings are stubborn to get up.  The floor has a lot of stickiness from some new substance Father is trying.  I don’t know what its for but is supposed to provide a nice sheen to the finished metal…

A dog passed through today in a stagecoach or rather a carriage, much fancier than a stagecoach.  His clothing was also fancy, a blue coat with embroidery on the edges and pockets, vest, and off-white shirt frilled at the cuff.  darkish pants tucked into knee high boots.

They carriage stopped by our smith shop.  A large horse stepped off the driver’s seat.  Interestingly this was not driven by four legged beasts but by a horse peddling it like a bicycle.  The peddle box must have hidden something magical.

The dog had an odd request for my father, a horse shoe.  One large enough for the drivers hoof that matched the left one.  The right horseshoe was severely cracked with a piece missing.

Their coin was big, so my father took to their horse show right away.

I was curious, why would someone be out here in such garb?  He stood outside and began taking in the view.  I asked him where he was going dressed like that?

He was headed to the big city of Mainfield.  He is a reporter as he called it, travelling around collecting stories for the city paper.  An odd thing for a reporter.  Most reporters as I understand stay within the city covering stories within.

He was eager to share his stories.  In one of his bags, he pulled out a series of picture paintings.  They are made by a camera-contraption that paints an image on canvas of what the camera is pointed at.

The reporter went over the story behind each painting. We could have talked the whole afternoon but after a while my father caught me shirking my duties and sent me back to work.

Journal Entry

Reporters pedal carriage

Despite, his excitement about his stories from around the land. There was one story he would like to do, if he ever had the time. He told me that our world was not what we think it is that deep inside Webillion is massive caves and giant webs. He said he had seen evidence of this with his own eyes. A giant sinkhole revealed it to him.  He had seen deep in the sink hole with a telescope.

I learned that there are those that believe these webs create and sustain the world. A magical energy courses through the webs and giant spiders called the orb weavers create the webs. I thought it was pretty amazing, fantastical even.

I am surprised it wasn’t talked about here. The reporter said its well known throughout the land ever since the sinkhole was discovered. I asked my father. He dismissed it right away. He didn’t believe it and didn’t have time for such superstitious nonsense.

I thought that I could maybe go out and see it for myself. If what the reporter said was true, It would not be hard to locate. It was outside the dog-lands but not too far.

My father does not like the idea of me going off on an adventure I am needed here. I would learn smithing and take over the business. although, I was still too young, even though I just turned 19, and naive as he put it to pick up a hammer and work on the anvil. Father was overly cautious of who he allowed to work the forge.  

“Other dogs are built for adventure”, he says, as he points out the Bull Mastiff, John that works in is blacksmith shop. I am just a hound mix not big enough to handle the world, my father would remind me. The only way to get out into the world is to come up with a plan. Maybe an apprenticeship with another smith. My father did mention how I could learn some new skills and bring it to our blacksmith shop, possibly the only reason he would let me go.

I could use the apprenticeship as an excuse. tell my father that I am and then go off on my adventure to the sink hole.

The reporter told me about a library in a nearby town that had information about the sinkhole and the inner world web.  If I was interested, I could go there.  I even had a map drawn out by the reporter.  If I was ever interested in reporting, he could use the help.  he gave me his business card……

Journal Entry

weeks later....

I managed to get a day off well sort of. I would take iron wares to a town and see if anyone was interested. The town was on the map nearest to the library the reporter had talked about.

Turns out it was a private library. Invitation only.

I see that the ones allowed in had a wooden card with them and the doorman let them in. The library, a towering structure of marble and crystal, welcomed scholars from across the land. The line to get in is long.

Not wanting to waste a trip I stood in line to see these wooden cards. Peaking at these cards and being careful not to be seen looking, I learned that it was stained wood with the image and name of the person entering. I quickly made some rough sketches of what the cards look like.

I found out the wood the cards are made is a fine cherry wood. Stained semi-dark with the persons likeness etched on the wood. I could get some wood working tools and try to recreate an Identification plaque. It would be a better idea to find out who makes their wooden identification-plaques….

I went through much of the woodworker’s wares, asking plenty of questions. I would need to see one of these special orders if I was to forge one. From what the woodworker says it is very difficult to get invited almost impossible to for a commoner.

I stayed there long enough pretending to shop.  The woodworker has to go in the back to get some of his inventory.  I was asking about different types of wood he used.  While, he was back there I made my move.  jumped over the counter to find the work order for my library cards.  

Hooray!  Turns out it wasnt that hard.  He had a bunch of orders.  I would just add my information to and order.  I copied the writing style as best as I could.

Let’s hope this works.  

I purchased a wooden figurine for his trouble.  It was a nice piece, a black smith working on an anvil.

The wooden cards should be done within the week.

Journal Entry

a week later....

I went by the wood shop.  The wooden cards were still not ready.  What a waste of a day off.  I could have learned woodwork and made my own card.

I bought another one of his pieces, a cheaper item.  I asked the woodworker if he could make me a fancy name card, I could put on my coat.  I told him how impressed I was with his library cards.

He would do it along with the order for the library cards.  I could pick it up in the next few days.  He would do it in exchange for an iron work, since he knew about my work at the blacksmith.  I pretended to be a smith not just a helper. something he could display at his store.  I told him a wood worker sculpture would fit in well.

I would put in the order with my father.  Of course, I would have to pay for it since I made a trade agreement with the woodworker.  At least I would be there to get the library card when I came to get the name tag…

The moment of truth had arrived. I had travelled to the next town got my name tag and swiped the library card with my name and likeness on it.  I told my dad I was going to drum up business in the next town.

I looked at the others holding their cards worried that mine might not hold up. I hand my card to the doorman. He took some time looking over the card. Did he become suspicious and was looking at some flaw? Another moment and he let me pass. It felt like a close call.

The private library was huge. I could be walking around for hours looking for the subject in mind.  Inside, the Head librarian, Lady Seraphina, a stern and imposing woman, greeted the group that I was in. 

She laid out the rules of the library:

All books would be handled by the library staff.

You can look through the catalogs to find a book and bring your request to a library staff member.

They would get the book and you can read it in the designated area.

You were to wear special gloves when going through the book.

Any damage to a book would mean immediate ban.

She went through how to use the catalogs.  How every book was ordered.   The lounge area was spacious.  They had amazing drinks.  I tried an orange tea, sweetened, very good.  I began my search looking through a catalog on historical records.

Journal Entry

I wasn’t moving pages but a mirror contraption that reflected the pages up to me. a clockwork marching moving the pages for me.  Seems they don’t want to risk a patron spilling a drink on the catalogs or for that matter some of the books.  although paper was free to take notes on.

I had a few notes on titles and authors of books.  The summation from the catalog on the books were about people who journeyed to the abysmal sinkhole.  I would try these out.  I would need to get to reading as the books could not be checked out only read in the library.

I went to a librarian with my selections.  The librarian found the section containing the books for geography and another section for archaeology.   The sink hole has been studied quite extensively, so much so that it had various disciplines on the history of the site.

the bookcases were all lined up close together on a railing. Huge gears began to turn moving several bookcases to one side. A bookcase was slid forward from the others toward the librarian, moved by another set of gears on a perpendicular track.

In a few moments several books were placed in a glass case that the librarian picked up.  She inserted them into another contraption similar to the catalog viewer except this was able to turn a book instead of movie loss pages.  I could view the books now.

The sinkhole wasn’t the result of natural phenomenon, according to the information. An underground society had built underground in a network of caves until one day it all collapsed and opened something even deeper.

The reporter was right an abyss extending on seemingly forever.  Webs glowing in the abysmal darkness connected to the crust of Webillion.  The interior could only be lit from expeditions as the sun could not penetrate that deep.

The web strands so long and thick it could not be created by any known spiders.  In the darkness they could hear something giant moving around.  the webs strands vibrate heavily under something behemoth.

The book was very engaging. I read it until the library reached closing hours.  I would have to save my reading for another day.  I didn’t even get to the two other books I had…….

I came back to the library almost a month later when I had free time.  The next book goes into the geology of the area.  Maybe I could learn something about the location of area.  The previous book really didn’t go into how to get the sinkhole.

The sink hole was in the badlands desert.  I had precise coordinates.  It was managed by a tribe of Bactrian Camels in coordination with the Doglands Government.  Calculating the distance it was 500km away.  not as close as the reporter made it seem. He probably didn’t know the location either.

Journal Entry

Another book chronicled an explorer’s journey to Sink Hole.  It was someone from the Ferret Lands.  Interesting that they had a book from someone in a different land.  I wondered what other books may be contained within the library, from other parts of the world.

I had a sense the writer embellished his journey.  Seemed like he had too many fantastical things happen to him.  His detail of the journey was perfect, with drawings and everything.  It even had a map.  This could be how I get to the sink hole.

To visit the Sink Hole, I decided to fake an apprenticeship for a Smith.  I would tell my father that I could pick up new skills to bring back and wouldn’t ruin his precious smith shop practicing new skills.  To be fair though when I was younger, he did try to teach me, and I almost burned my face.  After that he seemed too hesitant to let me try again.  Yet he still thinks I would take over the smithing business when he was too old.

I need an apprenticeship that would take me to the southernmost part of the dog lands.  To make the fake apprenticeship seem more legitimate, I could use one of my father’s friends, another black smith.  Father had many black smith friends in other towns.

A black smith named Rudy, a boxer breed.  No offense to him but he is somewhat gullible.  I can get printed information over to him, legitimate enough that he can pass along to my dad.

Not my proudest moment, I sent some correspondents to Rudy as a traveling blacksmith with the fake name Maxwell.   Maxwell had been to Rudy’s before, supposedly.  Rudy wouldn’t remember the interaction but would still believe it was legitimate.  Maxwell was expanding and checking with other blacksmiths for apprentices.

The blacksmith would be heading down to the south to set up shop and needed help. He had some interesting techniques to share with anyone who would be interested. I sent a return address to a box at the postal center. One that I had access to in the neighboring town.

He took to the bait like a bear to honey. It wasnt long before he passed the information to my father. My father’s eye lit up. This was an opportunity he was waiting for. Father shared the news with me.

I pretended to be uninterested and reluctantly came along to his position. Father wanted to send me off straight away. I would be leaving in the next week. Father sent a correspondence to the fake blacksmith. I replied to him as the blacksmith saying I was looking forward to getting a new apprentice.

I loaded up the wagon and prepared for my journey.  I even bought another journal to catalog the journey.  This one was twice as thick.

I had plenty of rations and a rifle just in case.  I asked some other travelers they said the journey down south wouldn’t be dangerous despite what the Ferrett explorer said……..

Journal Entry

I met up with a camel travelling by carriage on my 4th day travelling.  They know the camel tribes and the area well.

The camel named Karim, carried two humps.  He was a Bactrim camel.  The same camel that was the tribes in the southern area.  His long legs stood out in his carriage with inadequate leg room.

Karim made do, standing up at times to stretch out his legs.  I rode along side him keep a steady peddling.  He Had to peddle less his peddle force was much greater with longer peddles.

Even Karim would get tired of peddling despite his long strides.  we would rest for an hour or so aligning our carriages to provide the best shade.

Karim told me he use to be in a caravan that travelled the world.  he had stores that reminded me of the Ferrett’s stories.  Traveling through hostile territory.  He seemed more genuine in his tales not painting himself as the hero of the story.

Karim took me to an oasis with other carriages stopped to drink and cool off.  There were also tents we could rest in, a small community.  I don’t know what I would do without Karim’s help.

I asked the others about the Oasis.  They have all been there it is a popular destination.  How have I never heard of it before.  Some even treat it as a religious experience, a pilgrimage.

We decided to stay at the Oasis for the night.  A nice fire was made and the others shared food with both Karim and I.  I chatted with Karim about the lands beyond the doglands, being I had never been out.

He had been to a land of sheep.  Humanoid creatures with large curly fur that they call wool.  They make clothing to sell to other lands.  Karim showed me one of the items he purchased from there.  A thick shirt to keep warm, sweater.  they design on the sweater was beautiful, great craftsmanship.

In the land of bats there were small, winged creatures that fly most were about a foot tall.  There society was built in caves and top to bottom stacked houses, taking advantage of their flying.

I heard about cats.  In the land of cats Karim saw all kinds of different people.  Tigers, Lions, smaller cats like a Tabby.  He verified to me that they are not fond of dogs.  As a kid I was told to stay away from cats.  seems that cats feel the same way.

Karim and I stand at the edge of the Oasis.  He wanted to show me something.  The oasis wasn’t an ordinary one. Looking at the surface of the water I saw an image of Webillion from afar.  Karim told a story.

Journal Entry

When Webillion did not exist all was dark only distant sounds could be heard.  bits of light traveled into the area where Webillion would be.

A creator brought into the dark space the bits of lights and the sounds were no longer distant. they bits of light traveled this way and that in lines, zigzags, and curves.

Hollow lands formed in the dark, land with large caves.  Then came the spiders that lived in the land, creating spiderwebs.  pulling in other lands in, bringing in bodies of water and the air.  Bits of light connected together to form a large light source that lit up the lands.  They lands formed a round mass where only part of the land could be lit up at a time.

When Webillion was formed the creator placed the plants and animals and they formed societies.  The creator was finished but knew that the creation must continue.  The spiders would be the creators but they lived inside the world there needed to be creators on the world as well.  Creators that know the outlands.

When the creator felt all had been done he left but not before making the orb spiders the maintainers of the world.  The creator knew that the surface dwellers would also need to create.  they saw things that the spiders could not.  A system was put in place to choose surface creators that proved their worthiness.

In the land of the centaurs that would hold part of the knowledge.  In the land of the Sun Bears and Barn Owls(temple owls) they would also hold part of the knowledge.  If you are pure of heart, learn the knowledge and pass the trials you can be a surface creator.

I thought this was an interesting tell.  I asked him what culture that was from.  Karim said the culture of all.  it is the story for all nations.  Though most don’t seem to know about it.

I asked him how much of this is true.  Some stories are based in truth, karim said.  He believes it is all true.  He has seen the temples for himself and the spiders.

I asked him if he would ever go to the temples to learn.  Karim did not feel he had the fortitude anymore for his age to go through that.  If he was younger, he would.

Karim told me I could try.  I was the perfect age to try….  

I was intrigued.  I wondered what it would be like to learn at these temples.  If they were even real.  I was not convinced.  I slowly drifted off thinking about it.

It had been two days, when we reached a roadblock on our path.

A large group of camels had cut off our pass.  we had travelled from the oasis almost making it to the sinkhole.   The disappointment filled me.  They had signs saying this path closed.  I asked Karim if we could go around.  He told me to give him a moment while he talked with them.

Journal Entry

Karim road his wagon up to the checkpoint.

He talked with them for what seemed like an hour.  They were arguing with him and didn’t look to happy. 

Something had happened at the sink hole.  The Camels wouldn’t say what it was.  They refused to let Karim and I pass.

Karim told me that there was a way to the sink hole, away from the checkpoint.  We would have to leave our carriages to avoid being exposed.  Karim asked me if I wanted to attempt the path.  I said without hesitation, yes.

A rock formation provided cover for our wagons.  Not far from the rocks was a cave entrance.  there was a drop down by the entrance.  we had to use rope to climb down.  Karim came prepared as if he done this before.  We entered the cave when the day shined the most inside the cave.

The cave drop down led into a corridor with a low ceiling.  I could move just fine but karim had to duck.  He scraped himself a couple of times due to the minimal light in the ceiling.  Unfortunately, Karim did not come prepared with a torch.

We made our way into a large cavern with logs of passages extending elsewhere.   Inside the large area stalactites hung down smooth as if still wet.  rock walls of yellow and blue shaded stones.  crystalline structures glittered in the minimal light.  I’m sure it would be more amazing with more light.

Karim took me to one of the other passageways running from the large cavern.  light seemed to show brightly toward the end of this tunnel.  Karim made sure I didn’t get to close to the end.  As I would find out when I looked up that we were on the edge of a whole.  A large whole for that matter, extending hundreds off feet outwards.

Karim said we are here.  As I look around I see buildings in the caves, a pit of darkness, and an opening so huge it seemed big enough to let all the sunlight bleed in.  We stood on a cliff side looking out.

Karim had taken us through one of the corridors of the underground society, Some of the buildings tilted ready to fall into the sinkhole abyss at any moment.

I wish I had a camera with me.  One of those the reporter had.  I held tightly to the rock wall as I looked around to avoid not falling into the inky depths.  Karim mentioned he stood here before but was still amazed as the first time he visited.

Thats news, Karim said.  to our right on the furthest side.  a crack had formed pushing out the walls of the sink hole.  Large webs connected to each side of the crack.  It was such a large gap I was surprised he missed it.  Maybe an earthquake created it.  it looked like the result of the force of nature.

To the left, were some discarded torches.  Someone had been here before.  I hope they hadn’t fallen down the hole.  I had a mechanical lighter.  Karim wrapped some old cloth that was also on the ground around the torches.  I set the on fire with the mechanical lighter.

Journal Entry

Suddenly some debris from above fell. it was close, quite large. I felt if could have hit me if I was any closer to the edge of the passageway.  I looked down looking at the debris disappear into the darkness below, waiting to hear a crash at the bottom, nothing.

Karim told me he wasn’t sure if he could take me around the hole to the buildings across the way. The easiest path was where the large crack is now. we could try the other way around if that wasn’t also destroyed.

Someone shouted, the voice echoed in the abyss.  I looked up and saw camels at the other side of the sinkhole.  They must have seen our torches in the otherwise darkness. They used a spyglass.  Karim signaled to me to depart.  On our way back we could hear some at the entrance.  they had pulled up the rope preventing us from escaping.

Karim took me through another path. looking around to see which way to go at a fork.  I had the feeling he hadn’t been down this path too often if at all.

This path had crude structures windows and rooms carved from the cave rock, embedded in the walls.  It was nothing like the structures in the wide-open cave area we had been at before, with structures mad from materials brought into the cave.

The cave drop down led into a corridor with a low ceiling.  I could move just fine but karim had to duck.  He scraped himself a couple of times due to the minimal light in the ceiling.  Unfortunately, Karim did not come prepared with a torch.

We made our way into a large cavern with logs of passages extending elsewhere.   Inside the large area stalactites hung down smooth as if still wet.  rock walls of yellow and blue shaded stones.  crystalline structures glittered in the minimal light.  I’m sure it would be more amazing with more light.

Karim took me to one of the other passageways running from the large cavern.  light seemed to show brightly toward the end of this tunnel.  Karim made sure I didn’t get to close to the end.  As I would find out when I looked up that we were on the edge of a whole.  A large whole for that matter, extending hundreds off feet outwards.

Karim said we are here.  As I look around I see buildings in the caves, a pit of darkness, and an opening so huge it seemed big enough to let all the sunlight bleed in.  We stood on a cliff side looking out.

Karim had taken us through one of the corridors of the underground society, Some of the buildings tilted ready to fall into the sinkhole abyss at any moment.

This path had crude structures windows and rooms carved from the cave rock, embedded in the walls.  It was nothing like the structures in the wide-open cave area we had been at before, with structures mad from materials brought into the cave.

Maybe they were built before or after the immaculate buildings.  whatever the case it seems they were built by a different group.  They stretched out throughout the long corridor. Even as we took another path there were more rooms and windows even what looked like stone slabs long enough to be a bed.

Journal Entry

As we rushed along, I several paths leading downward with steps.  Those areas below could go one just as long.

From downstairs, I look and see a camel guard staring at me.  I warn Karim and we run.  while a group of Bactrim camel guards run upstairs.

I ran with Karim not far behind.  I could hear shouts as a group of guards gave chase.  I worried that they may be faster than us.  Karim urged me to turn into a left passage.  The area was darker with barely any light showing the way.

I stumbled on some rock on the ground but avoided tripping to the ground.  rock pillars in the middle of the passageway made the pathway narrower.  Karim signaled to me to go upstairs before the pathway turned.

Some of the guards took the path to its leftward turn.  Others we could hear coming up the stairs not far behind.  The Stairway was much narrower.  I could feel my clothes rubbing against the coarse rock walls.  Karim has duck down as this passageway wasn’t made for camels.

Karim was looking for a turnoff along the stairs.  they were all blocked off by large stones.  We continued on and made it to a large room.  

I nearly took a fall. in the large room were several holes leading straight down.  Karim grabbed me to keep me from falling an updraft of air came up from these holes as if they were air wells.  The torches we carried lit even less of the way forward.

At the end of the room of holes was a pathway with a large stone wheel in the way.  Karim and I pushed on one side to roll it out of the way.  It took quite an effort.  Guards entered the room.  they came at us.  We hurried as best we could. I was expecting to be caught.

One of the guards slipped his leg fell into a hole.  The rest of his body kept him upright.  The Other guards went over to help him giving us time to roll the stone far enough.  We squeezed through a small opening.  I was first and pulled Karim to help him through.

My Torch went out and I dropped it helping Karim.  I used my arms to feel out in front. Karim was way ahead of me, and I couldn’t see very well with Karim’s torch too far away.  

The path dropped off as we entered a doorway. Inside were many doorways at one, two, three levels high.  We were at the top. several thin bridges offered choices to proceed.  We would need to drop down to them, though.

I lowered myself down the edge, extending my arms as they hung off the ledge.  dropping off and landing to the floor below.  The drop felt higher than it looked. It rattled my legs.

Karim landed much easier as he has a longer arms.  We took a bridge path. It was a balancing acting. The bridge path was narrow.  I moved sideways sliding the right foot first and then the left.

Journal Entry

I ended up on the roof of a building.  looking down from the building we would need to drop down several levels. The area was much higher than I initially thought.  Karim didn’t recognize this area.  He also thought it wasn’t as high either.

We were both hesitant to go any further.  the buildings lower levels disappeared into the dark. Unfortunately, guards had entered the area from both sides and were combing the area.  we wouldn’t be able to wait it out.

The building felt more like the largest staircase as we dropped to the next level and the next.

the building was enormously wide at its bottom.  What was strange is it was lighted at the bottom.  torches line the doorway, a triangular arch. with an inner glow.  a recessed inner door blocked the way in.  it didn’t have an hinge to swing

The archway had symbols lining the stones that made up the arch., I had never seen these before, but Karim seemed to be familiar with them.  

Karim pressed one of the circular symbols.   It began to glow and rotate.  He pressed some other symbols that did the same thing.  I could hear the echo of guards in the room, making noise landing on the buildings above.  I didn’t see another way out.  If the guards came down here we would be trapped.

I hadn’t noticed before but much smaller matching symbols on the door lit up.  After the last symbol was pressed the door rumbled as it slid leftward.  revealing the opening.  Inside I could see a large empty room with a tall ceiling.  Karim rushed me in.  The Guards would soon be here.

At the end of the long room was a pyramid, smooth, black, and shiny. It looked to be made of obsidian stone blocks.  On top, an obsidian stone monolith balancing on the tip.  The monolith was crystal shaped. It didn’t seem possible but also the monolith floating in the air was also outlandish.  

Our, torches reflect off both stone structures.   I was worried that the monolith could fall.  Karim did not seem worried.  He put his hand on the pyramid.  He said I should do so also.  I was reluctant and said we should find a way out before the guards came.

When I put my hand on the pyramid if felt like I was touching the surface of water.  It was quite incredible.  I slid my hand down it felt like make a disturbance in water.

I’m not sure what I did but lightning came down from the ceiling hit the monolith lighting up etchings in the monolith came, then etchings in the pyramid lit up, moving down into to the floor lighting up a patchwork of etchings on the stone floor