On the western sweeps of Lodestar—occupying almost the entire top of the large western moss—I can see a violet smudge. Ariadne Garden is an intricate maze of violet hedges. Literally labyrinthine swirling pathways have walls that are supposedly head taller than an adult, leading to an adorable fountain smack in the center. I had a sketch of its supposedly easy-to-get-lost passages which was easy to solve. Granted, my perspective was superior to that of someone surrounded by violet barricades. Despite concentrating, the individual rows are indistinguishable at this distance. I hoped to visit it someday.

My neck starts to ache but I can't stop myself from continuously looking behind.

Directly ahead of us and far below, I can see the full void-sized scope of Allmother's temple with spots of human flesh entering, exiting, swirling, jostling, praying outside, burning incense, bringing offerings, and children playfully climbing the bottom steps. Considering Lodestar is given to our chosen ancestors by the Goddess herself, the supply of the faithful is never short.

Most temples are made of marble with triangular pediments holding heavily decorated tympanums that are always stacked with statues or sculptures. Statues are often depicting naked human forms in dramatic poses, and wicked-looking battle familiars—all of it coated in predominantly red, blue, and scores of mostly bright colors.

Temple sculptures I've seen in manuscripts often showed scenes of many-sailed ships on irate, gray-black waves. On others, our holy ancestors are shown holding hands, with lavish green plants I don't recognize and thick-leafed branches spread all around them.

Below the tympanums, vividly painted friezes in shades of vermilion red and ultramarine blue, float just above the elegant marble columns that are sometimes left white with only the top ends having a dark purple color.

Temples of Theia have columns that are half coated in red with her painted statue on top of the pediment—while horses, lions, or mean-looking war crystalborn flank her at the far edges. Acrona's columns are blue. Her colorful statue is often flanked with palmettes or purple statues of artificial plants with spiraling tree barks and serpentine-shaped trunks.

I've heard Allmother tends to have the most imposing temples and I do not question that even for half a heartbeat as Aleera and I fly directly above the cluster of painted marble. In a breath, we stream above the large white steps flanked with tall embankments of pure gleaming marble, and then above the five-men-high dark purple statue of the Goddess, placed at the apex of the pediment—her daughters stand eternal watch at the corners.

As we are about to leave the last vestiges of the city's periphery, our snake increases its speed. In no time at all, we fly just beyond the outskirts. Smoke-gray maple groves and magenta thickets are mostly found lining the main roads, while violet grass carpets most of the soil close to Lodestar.

For most of its extent, the Valley's surface is overall flat—at least that's what they teach in common school. My parents paid for the tutors to come to our house so I can be homeschooled. Mother said it's for the best since that way I can learn more. And I did. I rarely sleep, so at night I used the light of Cobalts or Ambers to read and do my assignments. I would put a bed sheet or old clothes at the bottom of the door so my parents couldn't notice the light.