Julian leaned toward the window and suddenly pointed toward the horizon.
"Wife, look... that tree over there," he whispered, tapping the glass with wide eyes.
In the distance stood a tall tree with fiery orange leaves, glowing faintly in the sunlight like it was set aflame. Its branches swayed gently with the wind, and it stood alone at the edge of the cliff, vibrant and full of life.
"It’s so beautiful," he said, his voice filled with awe. "Why does our village only have bald trees?"
Ruby laughed softly, brushing his arm. "Because our village is filled with lazy ghosts like you who never water anything," she teased.
Julian blinked, then smiled sheepishly as the others in the lift chuckled quietly at their banter.
The Liftway continued its steady climb, the soft wind brushing against the windows, carrying with it the scent of plant and sacred smoke. And though the sun was warm, Ruby suddenly felt light, like they were floating through a dream world.
When they finally reached the top of the hill, the area opened up into a wide plateau lined with small, neatly arranged shops. The air was filled with the scent of incense and crushed petals, soft wind carrying the aroma of sacred herbs and sweet-smelling offerings.
Dozens of little stalls stood under colorful canopies, selling prayer flowers, glowing essence sticks, ghost candles, and handmade charms shaped like crescent moons and stars. Devotees were quietly moving about, choosing their offerings with care and reverence.
Julian looked around in quiet amazement, while Ruby’s eyes scanned the shops until they found one run by a soft-spoken elderly witch. Her stall had beautifully arranged baskets of flowers in soft pastel shades. Ruby pointed at a bouquet of soft pink blossoms...delicate, with a gentle fragrance that lingered like morning dew.
"These are perfect," she said, and Julian agreed with a nod.
They purchased a bundle of the pink flowers and a pair of essence sticks, their scent light and calming. Ruby held the bouquet carefully in both hands, the soft petals brushing her knuckles.
Finally, they reached the base of the temple stairs broad, ancient steps carved from dark stone, stretching upward like a quiet promise. It looked like there were a hundred or more, weathered from time but still strong. Ruby took a deep breath, and they began to climb, side by side.
With each step, the air grew calmer, filled with the distant hum of wind chimes and the faint scent of incense drifting down from above. As they reached the top, the temple finally came into view and Ruby paused in awe.
The temple was gorgeous.
Its walls were a deep, regal red that glowed under the sunlight, as if brushed with the warmth of fire itself. Delicate silver patterns curled along the edges, like ghostly vines etched into stone. Tall lanterns stood like sentinels on either side of the entrance, their flames floating quietly inside.
The roof was layered with shimmering black tiles, shaped like dragon scales, and a large white symbol of the Ghost God shimmered at the center, glowing faintly with protective energy. Hanging above the doorway was a curtain of golden prayer bells, whispering softly whenever the wind passed through them.
Beautiful crystal threads hung from the high beams, catching the sunlight and scattering it across the floor like falling stars. Ruby felt a strange sensation...calm, but with something pressing gently against her soul.
"It’s even more beautiful than I imagined," Julian whispered, his voice filled with awe.
And as they stepped past the threshold, the entire temple seemed to breathe in their presence.
Both stepped inside the sanctum, their footsteps soft against the cool marble floor. The air was thick...sacred, unmoving, as if time had slowed to a hush in reverence. Around them, many devotees stood in silent prayer, their hands joined, eyes closed, breaths shallow in the presence of something far beyond human understanding.
As Ruby and Julian made their way forward, the crowd thinned, and finally...they reached the front.
And Ruby’s eyes widened.
In the center stood a large, capsule-shaped glass structure, encasing a twisting, ancient tree. Its bark was blackened like burnt ash, but its branches bloomed with glowing white and red flowers, otherworldly and unnatural, like blossoms born from memories and sacrifice. The flowers seemed to float, pulsing softly with light.
But behind the tree...
Behind it there’s dark stone with two glowing big red eyes looked like blinked open slowly.
Ruby’s heart slammed against her chest. The pressure...the raw, crushing force of that gaze was overwhelming. It wasn’t fear exactly, but something more ancient. Older than fear. The kind of awe that turned your bones cold.
It filled the air so sharply, she nearly staggered. Not fresh blood. Something deeper, older.
Her knees softened, her body felt weightless, her soul curling inward in surrender as if the being before her had peeled away every layer and found the core of who she was.
She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.
She could only close her eyes... and bow her head.
The priest, clad in deep maroon robes stitched with silver thread, stepped forward silently. His presence was calm yet commanding. He offered them a bowl of holy ash and murmured an incantation under his breath, his fingers drawing symbols on their foreheads with the sacred mixture.
"You have received the devine gaze of the Ghost God," he said quietly, his voice like gravel stirred in wind. "You must leave now. Others are waiting."
Ruby and Julian bowed politely.
Still slightly dazed, they turned and began walking toward the exit. The cool temple air seemed to hum behind them as if whispering secrets they weren’t meant to hear.
When they stepped outside, sunlight hit them softly, and they paused on the last step of the temple stairs.
Ruby looked at Julian.
Julian looked at her, his eyes wide, lips slightly parted.
"That’s amazing!" Julian said, his voice soft but filled with awe, a quiet smile tugging at his lips.
Then He looked at Ruby, his expression gentle.
"I don’t know why... but I feel lighter. Like something inside me is glowing."
—To be continued...🪄