Beyond The Glade || Seungin

IV Temple of Riddles

The night in the forest was so quiet that all we could hear was the rustling of leaves and the sounds of nocturnal animals. Jeongin and I continued forward, following the herbalist's instructions that guided us through the darkness. We were surrounded by the blackness of the night, with the only light coming from the moon, barely filtering through the dense canopy of trees. Even though the map clearly showed the path, every step felt full of uncertainty.

Eventually, we reached the place the herbalist had marked as the starting point. An old stone altar, covered in moss and mysterious inscriptions, looked like it had been forgotten for centuries. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the tension, while Jeongin carefully examined the inscriptions.

"These markings look like part of some ritual," Jeongin said, touching the edge of one of the symbols. "Maybe it's the key to the next part of our journey."

I focused on the cryptic symbols, trying to decipher their meaning. "Do you think we need to do something to reveal the next path?"

Jeongin nodded. "We need to figure out what these signs mean. They might hold clues that will let us move forward."

The longer we studied the altar, the more subtle differences we noticed in the inscriptions. Some symbols glowed faintly when the moonlight hit them at the right angle. Jeongin noticed one symbol that was carved deeper than the others and seemed to stand out.

"Look at this symbol," he pointed. "It looks like it holds special significance."

I examined it more closely and noticed a small crack within it, barely visible. "Maybe we can slide or turn it?"

We began experimenting, trying to move the symbol. After a few minutes, when we pressed and rotated it just right, we heard a faint mechanical sound. The entire altar trembled, and a hidden path emerged from the ground, leading deeper into the forest.

"It worked!" Jeongin said, clearly excited.

I gazed down the newly revealed path, its darkness seemingly endless. "We have to keep going. We don't know what awaits us, but this is the only way."

The path was narrow and steep, leading us deeper into the woods. Each step brought new challenges—exposed roots, slippery mud, and the unfamiliar sounds of the creatures around us. Night gradually turned into dawn, and the forest took on a mysterious aura as the first rays of sunlight began to break through the dense branches.

After several hours of walking, we reached another site—an ancient temple, partially hidden in the undergrowth. Its towering columns were entwined with vines, and the entrance was blocked by massive wooden doors, covered in symbols that appeared even older than those we had seen before.

"This place seems to have had great significance to the forest's ancient inhabitants," I said, unable to hide my awe.

"Yes," Jeongin agreed. "If I remember correctly, legends say that the 'Heart of the Forest' is protected by powerful forces, which might be tied to this temple."

As we approached the doors, we suddenly felt like something was watching us. We paused for a moment, staring at the doors, which seemed to be waiting for our move. Finally, taking a deep breath, Jeongin reached out and touched one of the symbols.

At that moment, the doors began to slowly open, revealing a dark interior illuminated by a mysterious light. We looked at each other with determination, then stepped inside, ready for whatever awaited us there.

Inside the temple, countless puzzles and dangers lay ahead, but also the chance to uncover secrets that could change our fate. We were ready to face the challenges to come, believing that our determination and cooperation would be our greatest allies in this perilous journey.