Sarah and Jenny had traveled all over the content. They had seen all the great wonders of the world. From old statues of great men. To temples build by long dead hands. They had seen the saintly, the profane, to the secular. They had seen everything... except Montre Gorelle. It was once a shrine to the earth goddess, and had long fallen out of use. Though stories of its use still floated around, the odd thing was... nobody was really sure where exactly it was or how to get to it. Those who have been there, or at least that claim to have been there generally agree that is, or rather was in the mountains, surrounded by trees, apart from a small clearing. After all Montre means mountain, as for Gorelle, no one is really sure, though many think it means god, or goddess in the forgotten language of the priests.

The pair had decided that Gaia mountains would be a good place to start, after all they were poorly mapped, and Gaia was an earth goddess. So here they stood. The base of one of the tallest peaks. It would be a long hard hike, the fog clung to peak, a fine misty rain drizzled, they sighed, and looking at each other started to climb the peak. It was slow going, they had to be carful as the rocks were growing slippery, and several times Sarah tripped, or Jenny would slip, and barely catch herself from falling several feet. In the end they decided to camp earlier than either of them really wanted to, but the rain was really coming down now, and they were both soaked through, better to be cold and turn in early then hurt or dead. They set up camp, and as they were unable to light a fire ate jerky and dried fruit for supper and turned into bed early. The rain hitting the tent all night. They both woke early, cold and stiff, neither sleeping well at all. In the morning the woke up with the sun. The warm rays hitting the mountain, lighting the mountain forest as the light shine through the leaves and the branches. The packed their things after a dismal breakfast and set out again. Moving slow, climbing higher and higher. They were on the look out, from the descriptions of those who claim to have been there, and the partial records it was high up, “among the clouds, in a clearing surrounded by forest”. Well they certainly were high enough to be considered ‘among the clouds’ but the forest was as dense as ever, with no sign of clearing or thinning in the slightest. Then, about when they were to stop for lunch, they saw what seemed to be a patch of ground, free of trees, they could see this as the sun shone brighter than all around them. The didn’t want to believe it, didn’t want to get their hopes up. Still they moved quicker, almost running. Then, they burst from the forest into a clearing, and stoped. Their mouths open wide. It stood there, beautiful white marble, high tower with what was once a bronze roof, now a dull green, though still beautiful. It doesn’t even seem to be abandoned, the only sign it could possible that it’s no longer used is the trees nearest it are unkempt, and vines start to creep up on the walls. They beam at each other, they found it! It is as beautiful at the legends say. They smile at each other, and slowly make their way up to the doors. They are still as sturdy and look as if they had just been made. The whole building upon getting closer seems as if nothing is wrong, it looks pristine and even cared for. They push on the doors, and they open with a smooth clean motion. Inside candles light up and illuminate the inside of the temple. They walk all around the inside, taking in every inch. Once they had their fill of looking all over, they move to the alter and pray. And then they meditate, for hours they pray, or meditate, or simply marvel at the building. They would love to spend forever here. But they know they can’t they step outside, having decided that they really can’t stay any longer, and find that it has grown dark outside. They sigh, though they are happy, now they have an excuse to make camp and spend the night here. They have they best sleep of there lives. And even in the morning a great peaceful calm hangs over them. They pack, slower then normal and after turning to take one last glance at it, and making sure they know exactly where it is and how to get there start to head back home.

Looking back they don’t know what happened to their map, or notes on where the shrine is. They made several more journeys o try and find it, though none were a success, despite being so confident that they were going the right way, that this is how to get there. In the end they had to admit defeat and that perhaps it was the shrine hiding itself, that it was a treat, a blessing that they were able to find it, and that it was meant to be hidden, a challenge to find it, and it’s not meant to be easy to find, and that’s what makes it so special when you do find it.