[i]Within a meditative dream there remained a faun confidently standing beside the familiar walls of the great hall while passionate eyes lingered ahead in fascination, remaining mesmerized by the natural beauty of such wonders unaltered.  A thickened tapestry of green covered the grassy flatlands all while the sparkling streams of blue weaved themselves along without true direction.  Even the drifting cirrus clouds above were nothing more than decorative pieces among the sun soaked landscape. 

An everlasting sight this appeared to be if she dared not blink even once, for night always found its rightful position without delay when least expected. But what if these curious eyes of hers that viewed a sudden night sky never blinked at all?  Would time really be so ignorant as to further its natural rhythm of order with full relent? Experiencing a lapse in awareness was all that was required to send the night and day cycle feverishly out of control.  Desiring to regain control, her hand reached out, attempting to capture the shifting moment.

With darkness receding, a recognizable shoreline was next to greet, accompanied by the mystifying pillars that lined the edges of her sights.  These resilient constructs continued to defy the test of time, whether emerging from the surface of the ocean or hovering in midair.  Appearing without much rhyme or reason, the markings upon each pillar contained little clues as to their inner workings. Only the gradual appearance of another figure, standing deeper into the rippling waters was of any significance. Even so, advances to realize the identity proved undecipherable.  Such was a silhouette, ambiguous by nature.  Patience was of little assistance as day once again returned to night all while the image dissipated out of sight.[/i]

Marlona slowly opened her eyes and lifted her curious gaze to the early night sky above.  If it weren’t for the oblivious treetops towering over her presence, obscuring her vision beyond, the view of a starry sky might have been just perfect. The approaching cloud coverage was always an added obstacle to contend with for such desired viewings as well.  The moon’s beneficial illumination, on the other hand, always seemed to filter its way through even the thickest of foliage.  Giving up on the trivial, she focused her efforts on picking her sluggish body off a large and rather uncomfortable, mossy boulder.  This was always easier said than done, but that is what a foolish faun like her gets for choosing otherwise.  

Standing unsteadily upon two hooves was the easy part.  Deciding where to venture off to at this time of night was another matter altogether.  So far, this flowing stream was the most serene spot she had found all day and Marlona didn’t necessarily desire to leave just yet. And if it weren’t for seeing that unrecognizable silhouette she might have chosen to head back to that abandoned, dilapidated milling cottage she had found earlier in the morning.  With her wooden carved staff placed in hand, contemplation took root within her mind while darkened chestnut eyes adjusted to her surroundings. Recollection of a certain temple brought a sparkle of intrigue to her eye and a subtle smirk upon her face.  

That was it, wasn’t it; the cause of this abnormality within her own subconscious.  Sounded absurd, though there was no doubt that the spiritual energies those temples radiated must have contributed to this distorted revelation of hers.  Unwilling to wait for daybreak, her eager steps carefully trekked along uneven terrain all the way back to the stairs of sacred grounds. Neither a keen eye nor a pointed ear could pick up anything out of the ordinary. Only the choir of insects accompanied an otherwise silent night.  Nothing, outside of the wind appeared to be aware of her presence as it swirled around her shadowed figure.  

Unaided by any source of additional lighting, her willingness to venture inside the chamber remained undaunted as column after column was passed until the grandest of doors met her face to face.  Etched into solid wood there appeared to be a fading outline of a great tree of unfamiliar origin. Marlona glanced downward and grabbed onto one of the weathered door knockers. A hesitant hand backed away after just three considerate knocks.  Even now, second guessing to continue forth lingered near. Was this really the best of ideas to follow through with? Standing still with eyes wide open to an expanding light, both doors opened of their own volition.  

A studious peek to the left and right revealed little activity, outside of the firelight that skirted around cold walls, mindfully placed behind each one of the eight crumbling stone statues.  Outside of the three doors on the opposite side of the lifeless chamber, only the vacant pedestal lighted in the middle, stood out to Marlona.  Why was this one missing while the rest remained in a deteriorating state of array?  Call her foolish once again, for her further advances inside, but regardless of current appearances, there was something here and she knew it. “Hello… is anybody here?”  Reluctant words called out for a response from anyone or anything at all.