The day of the temple visit arrived with a sense of anticipation in the air. It had been years since Leon last set foot in the hallowed grounds, and though he didn't remember much about the rituals, he couldn't shake off the feeling that this visit was significant. The temple was a place of great spiritual importance, where the blessings of Guides and Espers were said to originate, and ceremonies were held to awaken latent powers or seek divine guidance.
As the Montclair family carriage approached the temple, Leon peered out the window, taking in the grand sight. The temple was an imposing structure of white stone, with tall spires reaching toward the sky, its walls adorned with intricate carvings depicting legendary Guides and Espers of the past. The air felt charged with an almost sacred energy, as if magic itself hung in the atmosphere.
Leon stepped out of the carriage, accompanied by his parents and Bjorn. A few priests and priestesses welcomed them, their expressions warm but deferential. He could see the way some of them glanced at him with curiosity and perhaps a touch of pity—he was, after all, the sickly one among the Montclair children, the only one without a known power.
The temple was bustling with activity, as other nobles and commoners alike performed their own rituals, seeking blessings or answers. Leon's family was led to a secluded area reserved for the nobility, where they would conduct their own private ceremony. As they approached the altar, his mother leaned in and whispered softly, "Just follow the steps, dear. It's alright if you don't remember everything."
Leon nodded, his heart beating faster. He hadn't had enough time to fully absorb the details of the rituals from the books he had been reading, and his fragmented memories of the original Leon in the novel offered little help. The haziness of his mind made it feel as though two lives were colliding, but not quite merging. Still, he had no choice but to try.