The Golgoth Holy Ground stretched across a vast valley enclosed by mountain walls. Forests of dense, mana-rich vegetation covered the lower regions. And at the center of it all—rising above everything like a needle piercing the sky—stood the pagoda.
It was enormous with nine floors, each one wider than the last, tapering upward into a spire that disappeared into low-hanging clouds. The structure was carved from dark grey stone laced with golden veins. Dragon motifs coiled around each floor's eaves. The roof tiles were forged from a rare metal.
"Let's go to the pagoda first. I bet that's where everyone goes first," Kael said, pointing at the pagoda.
Rue nodded. "Looks important."
They descended from the mountain ridge and crossed the valley floor. Six hours of walking through dense forest and over rocky terrain brought them to the pagoda's base.
