Before me rise the underwater ruins of the Temple of Neptune, a splendor for human sight. I was astonished; before my eyes unfolded a creation made by mankind. Covered in algae, corals, and other marine organisms. Some columns were broken and scattered on the seabed, and the statues were disfigured to such an extent that their faces couldn't be identified, but the complete shape of tritons and mermaids could be distinguished. They were composed of shields and swords made of bronze or iron, oxidized over thousands of years beneath the sea.
My two companions dedicated themselves to treasure hunting and had scuba diving equipment. However, I didn't need those objects. Clad in a sports swimsuit and with a knife secured in a sheath on my ankle, I could breathe underwater. This was due to my lungs' ability to extract dissolved oxygen from the water.
This Temple of Neptune was scarcely documented in archaeological records, but I acquired them illicitly. Nevertheless, due to my skills, I became highly interested in finding it. It was a mere legend in the archaeological world, a fairy tale. The Roman general Scipio Aemilianus, despite not being historically renowned, was known for his cruelty towards his followers. Nonetheless, he had a sense of grandeur. The temple was built in 146 BC. The general ordered its construction after conquering the city of Carthage and ending the Third Punic War. He chose a secluded location on the southern coast of Spain, close to the present-day city of Tarifa, where the closest point between Europe and Africa was located. Legends claimed it to be one of the wonders of the world, although much more implausible than the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
According to the records, the temple consisted of 36 Corinthian columns and was filled with statues of Neptune and his entourage. However, there was a massive statue of Neptune holding a huge golden trident and riding in a silver chariot pulled by sea horses. Those were the two treasures I eagerly sought.
I signaled to my two friends, Achilles and Nereus, who had been my most loyal friends since childhood. They were aware that my abilities were not magical. Both of them started searching for the two treasures, which according to the stories, had been buried by the sea before being plundered by Rome itself.
None of us were professionals in the field of archaeology; we could say that we were tomb raiders, so to speak, specializing in underwater ruins. Thanks to my skills, we had a clear advantage over the competition. It was all trial and error, learning through tutorials and reading books on the subject. The history of the temple had captivated me. I read all the reports I had obtained in one night.
Scipio had gone overboard with the construction of the temple, turning it into a center of attraction for pilgrims and travelers who wanted to contemplate the beauty of the sea god and seek protection from the divinity. So much so, that the capital of Rome itself feared being overshadowed by the people and Scipio gaining followers. Therefore, in 49 BC, a plot was devised to plunder the city during the civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey. A fleet of pirates led by Sextus Pompeius, the illegitimate younger son of Pompey, attacked the temple intending to destroy it. Help was sought from Rome, but it never provided support. When Scipio's defeat was already decided, a huge wave rose from the sea and swept them all into the depths. Some say it was a strong earthquake that shook the land and caused the temple to sink beneath the water.
That's what fascinates me about the history. Afterwards, Rome, satisfied with the outcome, erased any historical trace of Scipio and the temple of Neptune, which was not difficult, since the Romans built several temples of Neptune in different places, making it impossible to identify which exact temple the ancient scrolls referred to.
Many believed that the temple had been defended by Neptune, furious that his temple was desecrated with defeat. Some pearl collectors or divers claimed to have seen it, as well as strange sea creatures guarding the area.
My laughter produced several bubbles. In reality, there was none of that, although there could have been traps, something we were familiar with.
So, when we were approaching the underwater plaza, they saw it. An abnormally huge shark was heading towards my two friends. They panicked and started swimming in its direction, trying to escape from the massive creature. However, I possessed another ability that would bring the temple guardian under control.
I raised my hands and focused on the blood flowing within the enormous shark. It was getting closer, showing its jaws with its massive teeth. I could feel the pumping and the flow of the blood from the massive beast and concentrated all my strength on it. It was just a few meters away from reaching me, but it started swimming erratically, veering off its target and ended up crashing into one of the many statues of tritons. The animal moved as if it lacked air or sight, slowly colliding with various objects until it moved away from us.
It was a difficult decision, but I chose to modify the pH of the water surrounding the shark instead of its blood. I did it in a way that made the water acidic and weakened the shark's scales. I aimed to dissolve the dermal denticles that allow the shark to swim faster and more efficiently, causing it pain, infections, and difficulty in movements. It was better than making its blood completely acidic and destroying it dramatically. At least with this tactic, I could only cause momentary discomfort after it moved away from us.
The first time I obtained my powers was through an accident with chlorine and radon in the form of gas. Initially, I couldn't control the pH, and it was horrible to witness sinister things happening. I spent several weeks trying to control that power after regaining consciousness.
"Things happen for a reason, they were meant to occur," my late mother used to say.
I was destined to enter that laboratory at the capital university and step into that room where the radon tank accidentally exploded, mixing with the chlorine cleaning gas. I almost died, but apparently, I became a mutant, a being capable of controlling the pH of liquids and breathing underwater. Even though twenty long years had passed, I still remembered the stinging sensation on my skin. A pain that lasted for several months while my body adapted.
Before me, there was a golden glow that brought me back to reality. Neptune's trident was there, wielded by the enormous statue of Neptune on a beautiful silver carriage. We had found the treasure that would make us rich and famous in the world of tomb raiders.
Cover and Banner made in Canva; Image generated in Bing by AI, Separators made in photoshop