= Mikael =
We finally arrived at the temple.
The forest fell quieter the closer we came, as if even the night creatures understood they were approaching something sacred. The wind softened. The leaves stopped their restless whispering. Only the sound of our footsteps remained—measured, deliberate—against the earth.
I had been here before.
Many times.
Alone. Rushing. Focused on purpose rather than awe. I had treated this place like a destination, not a revelation. A checkpoint. A means to an end.
But standing here now, I realized something unsettling.
This was the first time I was truly seeing it.
Not glancing.
Not passing through.
Seeing.
The ancient structure stood at the heart of the clearing like it had grown from the land itself. Massive stone columns circled the perimeter,
