Chang and the Forbidden Jungle

*The relic that is said to be able to end the war and save our nation.*

That's what I have been looking for. For years. The relic that is said to be able to end the war and save our nation. And now I finally have a lead on it.

I arrive at the designated landmark, located in the forbidden jungle of Southeast Asia. I'm not sure if anyone was ever supposed to *actually* go in there, but it's where my informant said the relic would be. He was a strange old man; he told me all about this legendary relic, but when I asked who created it or how it was made, he simply smiled and said "Why does it matter? It's here now."

I take a deep breath, and step inside the forbidden jungle.

The ground instantly becomes muddy. The trees are so dense that it's almost impossible to see anything beyond them, and there is an oppressive feeling of claustrophobia hanging over everything like a heavy fog. As I continue through the jungle, I hear strange noises coming from every direction. Birds screech overhead, monkeys chatter angrily at each other, something large growls just behind me...even though I can't see it.

After several hours of walking, I begin to think that I've lost my way. Just as I am about to turn back, however, I spot a clearing up ahead. It doesn't look any different from any other part of the jungle, but somehow I feel safer approaching it than anywhere else. After a few steps towards the edge of the clearing, I can see that there is something on the other side: A small hut with a chest sitting outside!

I open the chest without hesitation and find what looks like an old stone tablet inside. There are some markings carved into one side of it that look vaguely familiar...and then suddenly they don't anymore. They fade from my mind completely until all that's left is a blank stone slab with no markings whatsoever. But then those markings begin to reappear as if they were never gone! This cycle repeats itself several times before settling on a set of markings that are unfamiliar to me...at least until they are erased by my own hand again. This process goes on for several minutes before finally settling into place with familiar markings etched into its surface:

[RULER OF THE WATER]

As soon as I read these words aloud, there is an immense rush of water that hits me from all sides and knocks me off my feet! When everything settles back down again, I find myself floating on top of a vast ocean with no land in sight...and no land behind me either! All directions lead only back into the depths of this ocean stretching out infinitely beyond its horizon line!

I sink down towards the bottom of this ocean and find myself standing in what appears to be an underwater city made entirely out of crystal! Though there are no windows or doors to these buildings (or even any openings at all), somehow bright light still shines through their walls and illuminates everything within them!

As surprised as I am by this discovery, nothing can prepare me for what happens next: An enormous golden statue appears out of nowhere in front of me! From head-to-toe it is covered in runes and symbols--but one particular rune stands out above all others: [LORD OVER THE EARTH]. With this knowledge, my body fades away into nothingness as an ethereal being emerges from within me! My transformation done, I float towards the golden statue...intending to awaken *its* power within me!