A warm autumn day is one of those days that you wouldn't want to be anywhere else besides the outdoors. The sky was blue and clear, a few wispy clouds whirling aimlessly through the sky. The sun shone brightly, and a light breeze rustled the leaves overhead. Finally, after an incredibly long, hot summer, autumn had arrived- bringing bearable temperatures and a wide selection of brilliant colors to the great outdoors. Though trees in the city had yet to begin their Autumn transition, the forest flaunted its many hues of yellows and reds.
Kat stopped, wiping the sweat from her brow. Kat felt her heart quicken as she inspected the surrounding forest. A small stream ran alongside the heavily overgrown trail. The foliage overhead was so dense that it hid most of the sky from view. But even with all of the shady green above her, she could still make out the warm golden rays of sunlight filtering down to illuminate the lush undergrowth.
"Hey, hold up! I need a drink."
Kat leaned against a tree, letting her pack slide off her shoulders. Kat shivered as the wind licked at her sweat-drenched back, sending a chill up her spine. She could feel a small drop of sweat trickle down her neck and tickle the skin under one ear. Kat felt so alone in this forsaken forest, miles from civilization. The only sounds she could hear were leaves rustling against each other as they dried in the sun, an occasional chirping from some invisible creature somewhere off in the distance, and the gentle babbling of the stream.
Kat drew a long, slow breath through pursed lips, her heart pounding in her chest. Her brother's tall, chubby form was staring back at her, hands-on-hips, as he impatiently shifted from foot to foot. She was the thinner of the two, yet he could quickly trudge through the rugged terrain.
"Come on. We're almost there."
Kat smiled at the unmistakable excitement in Nathan's voice, the smile splitting his face reminding her of a child eager to reach the toy store. Despite being a good five years older, he often reminded her of an overly excited child whenever the subject of his research came up. That was especially true when he had a lead on an actual, tangible discovery. And according to him, this was the find of a century. Though, Nate said that every time he dragged Kat on one of his 'research missions.'
So engrossed was he in reaching the site that she was sure he hadn't even noticed her in the last few minutes as she had lagged behind him. If she hadn't called out, there was no doubt in her mind he would have left her alone in the forest to find her way without any guidance.
After taking a quick swig from her water bottle, Kat shouldered her pack and resumed her trek along the faint path, traveled only by wildlife. The soft crunch of dead leaves and ferns beneath their boots was the only sound accompanying their passing, the occasional twig crack and the tiny creatures rustling away in the undergrowth. They had begun their journey early that morning, striking out from the clearing now miles behind them. However, after many outings, Kat became accustomed to these multiday expeditions.
Nathan had often dragged her to the far reaches of the earth, chasing any hints of discovery. And most times, they found nothing of note. But every once in a while, one of his theories panned out.
Even though it wasn't the same as being with her friends, she could still enjoy her time with her brother. And it often meant she had an excuse to miss a day or two of school.
Kat almost ran headlong into Nathan as he stopped dead. A dark, wooded trail had given way to an open field. The light from the sky poured in from behind, illuminating the temple against the backdrop of a gorgeous blue sky. It stood imposing, built into a small cliff. A faded and worn cobblestone path led towards a massive entrance flanked by twin waterfalls that cascaded into two stone troughs that fed the stream they'd been following for most of the morning.
A slight breeze rustled through the dried leaves, carrying a heady smell Kat couldn't quite place. It smelled like earth and decay- not unpleasant so much as unfamiliar. Nathan was almost running as he quickly dashed towards the formidable structure resisting the passage of time.
That wasn't to say it was untouched. On the contrary, several stone columns had collapsed, their debris now littering the overgrown gardens that lined the front of the structure. Kat could see holes in the walls, granting glimpses into the temple's interior. In some of those holes, she could see the glint of metal, possibly weathered bronze or gold. The once majestic temple lay in ruins- a shell of its former self, its depth and height dimmed with time.
Nathan skidded to a stop before the entrance, letting his pack fall to the ground and quickly bending to rummage for something unseen to Kat.
Kat took another moment to admire the majestic structure before her. Her mind tried to piece together what it must have looked like when it was in its prime. She could see the tall columns, adding to the awe-inspiring gateway to the temple, tempting her to explore the structure.
That place was a lure, a siren's call to her inherent curiosity, and her feet soon carried her towards her brother, who was now writing feverishly in his field journal. He flicked the back of his hand as he stood and turned, scanning the ruins.
"This is incredible! I've never seen anything like this," he said as he returned to her.
Kat smiled, reaching up to ruffle his messy brown hair, "Me neither! I didn't think anything like this would exist!"
"Well, this is what I used all those other expeditions to discover. The main temple to the goddesses. The heart of the Terastia Gynaika civilization. I'm sure there must be hundreds of ruins surrounding us now, all buried by time save for this temple. From everything I've gathered, this was their capital city, Epektasi Stithon. The stream we followed to get here once ran down the center of the main road through the city to tribute to the goddesses-the Divine Trinity. They would gather every other full moon and celebrate Kala, the mother goddess, and her two daughters."
Kat nodded as she listened, trying to take it all in, but he never ceased talking.
"It makes sense that this was the center of the civilization because this temple was the structure that had the most substantial ties to the goddesses. This temple was their home! And the statues inside are a massive piece of evidence. Assuming they haven't been looted or destroyed over the years. My research indicates women would travel from every part of the province to gain the blessings of the goddesses and become avatars of the mother goddess and daughters."
"So, what happened?" Kat finally managed to ask when Nathan stopped to take a breath.
"That's just it. I'm not sure. That's what I've been trying to piece together for all these years. Why would such a prosperous civilization cease to exist? All evidence points to them vanishing from the face of the earth, their ruins the only proof that they existed. I think it has something to do with the goddesses, though all I have is speculation. Anyway, we're burning daylight. I'm going to head inside!"
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