The path ahead of them sparkled with golden light as Yun Lan and Leon stepped through the glowing opening. The air grew warmer, scented with wildflowers and clean mountain wind. No eerie sounds. No chilling presence. Just the distant chirping of birds and the soft rustling of leaves from trees swaying under clear blue skies.
For the first time since they had entered this strange world, everything felt… peaceful.
Yun Lan blinked at the sunlight streaming through the treetops as they emerged onto a high ridge. Below them stretched a lush valley with rivers that shimmered like silver threads, and in the distance stood a crystalline mountain glowing faintly with hues of blue and green.
Leon shaded his eyes with his hand. "That must be where we're headed next."
"Why do I feel like this place wants us to relax?" Yun Lan asked cautiously, adjusting the strap of her satchel. "It's almost too perfect."
Leon glanced at her with a grin. "You mean you're not used to calm after everything that's happened?"
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Let's not forget the danger that wait for us."
He smirked. " You mean I'm the danger for you."
Yun Lan flushed but said nothing, instead marching ahead on the trail that wound down the ridge. Leon followed close behind, a chuckle in his throat.
At the foot of the ridge, a stone marker stood in the grass. Carved into it was the same symbol they'd seen before — the crescent moon wrapped in vines — but beneath it was a new inscription:
"To find the Compass of Eternity, follow the path of wind and stars. Trust your heart — and your partner's step."
Leon raised an eyebrow. "Cryptic much?"
"It's a riddle," Yun Lan said. "Wind and stars... maybe it refers to the old observatory we saw marked on the map back at the temple?"
Leon pulled the scroll from his coat. Sure enough, near the center of the map, a circular building labeled Stargazer's Watch stood on a hill just beyond the crystal mountains.
"That's our next stop."
They traveled through the valley for hours, crossing glimmering brooks and wild meadows full of glowing butterflies. The path curved through rolling hills and into a narrow canyon with walls of smooth rose-gold stone.
Yun Lan paused, glancing up at the sky. "It's going to get dark soon."
Leon nodded. "Then we should make camp."
They found shelter beneath a rock ledge near the canyon's end. Leon built a small fire while Yun Lan pulled dried fruit and water from their supplies.
As they ate in silence, Leon's eyes lingered on her. "You've changed."
Yun Lan looked up, surprised. "How so?"
"You're more focused. Stronger. Like you're not afraid of who you are anymore."
Yun Lan studied him for a moment. "Maybe that's because I've had to fight through death, betrayal, and a man who thinks that he owns me."
Leon laughed. "I don't own you. I'm just good at reminding you how much you want me."
She threw a berry at his face. "In your dreams, demon."
Still smiling, he lay back on the ground, folding his hands behind his head as stars began to light up the sky.
Yun Lan found herself watching him, the way the firelight flickered over his features. Dangerous. Beautiful. And yet, in this moment, strangely... peaceful.
She shook her head and lay down too, staring up at the sky.
That night, she dreamed of constellations forming symbols in the sky — one of which looked exactly like the compass they were looking for.
By morning, they resumed their journey, climbing the foothills of the crystal mountain range. The observatory came into view just after midday: a tall circular structure with a domed roof made of glass and silver metal. Vines had overtaken parts of it, but the building still shimmered as if it were alive with energy.
As they approached, the massive front doors opened on their own with a low hum.
Inside, the walls were covered in star maps, runes, and spinning models of celestial bodies that hovered in midair. At the center of the chamber sat a pedestal with an empty socket.
Yun Lan stepped forward. "This must be where the compass goes…"
Leon moved beside her. "Or maybe where it appears if we pass the test."
A voice echoed through the observatory, this time calm and melodic:
"The Compass of Eternity can only be revealed when both hearts align under the same sky. Walk separate paths through the Temple of Stars and return together before the hour ends."
Without warning, the floor beneath them glowed and split in two, and a transparent barrier rose between them.
"Leon!" Yun Lan shouted.
"I'm okay!" he called. "Looks like we're being split up."
A soft pulse of magic lifted Yun Lan and transported her into a new room. The walls shimmered with constellations, and a timer began to count down in glowing letters above a tall doorway.
59:59
She took a deep breath. "Alright. One hour."
The Temple of Stars was a maze. Yun Lan had to solve puzzles by rearranging constellations, walk across bridges made of light that collapsed if she hesitated, and decode messages in ancient script that glowed when she touched them.
Each test seemed designed to measure not strength, but trust — in herself, and in Leon.
Meanwhile, Leon was navigating his own path — one that required him to balance fire and water, to confront illusions of Yun Lan in danger and remain calm, and to follow the sound of her heartbeat through silence.
Eventually, both reached the same final chamber — opposite ends of a narrow starlit bridge suspended over nothingness.
Yun Lan stepped forward first.
Leon met her halfway.
"Did you see those weird illusions too?" he asked.
"I saw a version of myself trying to lead me away from you," she admitted.
He reached for her hand. "I followed your heartbeat. It's what brought me back."
Her eyes softened. "You remembered?"
Leon gave a crooked smile. "I always do."
They stepped together onto a glowing circle in the center. Above them, the stars swirled and converged. The glass dome of the observatory opened, revealing the sky — and from the stars descended a shimmering object, floating down like a falling snowflake.
The Compass of Eternity.
It hovered for a moment, then settled gently into Yun Lan's outstretched palm.
The moment her fingers closed around it, the temple shuddered. But this time, it was not in danger — it was recognition.
A glowing symbol appeared on the pedestal in the central chamber as the barrier dissolved and the paths reunited. They stood together once more.
"We've got the third item," Leon said.
Yun Lan held the compass tight. "Only seven more."
As they stepped out of the observatory, a gentle wind swept across the hilltop. The valley stretched endlessly before them — full of danger, yes, but also hope.
And for now, they walked side by side.
Together.