The old man saw her and grinned, revealing a few chipped teeth.
Sera giggled and buried her face again.
Deep within the village stood a stone temple.
Six stone pillars stood at its front, their surfaces covered in carved patterns.
The patterns had been worn uneven by the wind and rain.
Wide stone steps led from the temple's entrance down to the flagstone path below.
The stone temple was open to the sky, revealing the pale gray heavens above.
In the center of the temple was a stone altar, upon which sat a cracked stone bowl filled with clear water.
The surface of the water reflected the daylight, perfectly still.
This was the village's Holy Hall.
Mira set Sera down and led her up the stone steps.
A figure stood at the entrance to the temple. Hearing footsteps, he turned around.
He was a young man of sixteen or seventeen, tall and broad-shouldered.
He wore a short white robe, its hem stained with flecks of mud and dried blood.
