Prologue

My God, was I tired! The stewardess who had given me some good advice just two days ago from the flight from London to Hong Kong with a glance at the deep circles under my eyes was absolutely right: jet lag was killing you, especially when you flew from west to east. I had never slept so much and felt so wrung out at the same time. The warm, humid climate didn't make it any better. But I knew from experience that I would adjust. It would just take a little more time.

With a yawn, I stretched and stood up. The subway stopped at the station I had chosen for my discovery tour today. Hong Kong, and thus Asia, was my second continent to head for after a few stops in Europe. From here I would continue to North America via Southeast Asia and Japan, because I had finally fulfilled a long-cherished dream of mine: a trip around the world. It had taken many years of preparation and even more cash reserves and a lot of luck to finally turn this dream into reality. My trip was also far from luxury, because I traveled with a backpack. But that's exactly how I had envisioned it, and not only was I grateful to finally be able to do what I had dreamed of for so long, but I loved every second of it. And that's why I would wipe away the jet lag, after all, I was only here in Hong Kong once and I wasn't going to waste the time I had lying in bed!

The doors of the train opened with a hiss. Along with a few other people, I exited Sheung Wan station and took a quick look at the map. Man Mo Temple was not far from here, and although it was in the middle of the city, it was an island of tranquility. At least that's what an acquaintance from the hostel had told me. And although I was not religious, I was interested in such places, no matter what culture they belonged to. If it was possible to visit them respectfully, then I liked to look at them, because they represented a completely different facet of this metropolis of millions, which made it all the more dazzling.

To the temple the road was uphill. I took one deep breath and tackled the steps, which seemed to be the fastest way. After only a few meters, sweat was on my forehead and I took off the hoodie I had stowed in my backpack. I had taken all my luggage with me because I wanted to change hostels right afterwards - to Lantau Island, another part of Hong Kong, the green lung of the city, so to speak. There would be no electricity in the hostel, which is why I had made sure in advance to get myself a solar and battery-powered charger. Just as I was looking forward to the city, I was also looking forward to the long hikes I had planned.

I had reached the top step, the temple was in front of me. I hurriedly covered the last few meters and then stopped in front of the entrance. It was indeed in the middle of the city! Around me, gray skyscrapers rose into the air, the green shingle roof of the temple was one of the few spots of color. Briefly I collected myself, then I entered.

As soon as the doors closed behind me, they completely swallowed the sounds of the city. Astonished, I stopped just beyond the entrance and looked around: The ceiling was covered all over with spirals of incense, filling the interior with their fragrance. They created an unreal light, it seemed almost a little misty. The colors red and gold dominated. And I was all alone.

Reverently, I took another step into the room. As far as I knew, the spirals served to transport the prayers of the faithful to the gods to whom this temple was dedicated. As silent as it was, I hardly dared to breathe, lest I disturb any of the prayers that might still be wafting through the room.

In the center stood a basin filled with sand that magnetically attracted my gaze. It was completely empty except for the sand, only in its center lay a stone. Or rather, the part of a stone. From the looks of it, it was made of crystal or something similar, because the incoming light was breaking in it, sending out colorful rays depending on the angle.

"Krm krm."

Ashamed, I closed my mouth and lowered my gaze. An elderly woman stood before me. Her dark hair was cut short and her face had an infinite number of wrinkles etched into it. She looked as old as the world itself, only her eyes shone like those of a young girl. She held the stone in her hand that I had just seen lying in the basin and flashed a mischievous grin at me. How could that be?

With a furrowed brow, I remained in place, unable to take my eyes off hers. With her free hand she waved me to her, as if it were completely normal that she appeared out of nowhere and was holding a presumably very valuable piece in her hands.

She held out her hand and pointed to the stone. Did she want me to take it?

I shook my head. "No, I... I can't take that. I'm sure the stone belongs to the temple."

Gently, she shook her head as if to rebuke some unruly child. Her eyes continued to radiate a kindness that captivated me. And at the same time, it frightened me a little.

When I made no move to take the stone, she took a few steps toward me, reached for my right hand and opened it.

Again I shook my head.

But she would not be dissuaded from her idea. Resolutely she pressed the stone into my hand, closed my fingers around it. As soon as I had completely embraced it, a feeling like an electric shock shot through my fingers and up my arm to my head.

I groaned and squeezed my eyes tightly shut. But the pain was gone as quickly as it had come.

Hastily, I tore my eyes open again, looking around. The woman had disappeared, as if she had vanished into thin air!

In disbelief, I turned in a circle once, but I was again completely alone in the temple. The stone was still firmly in my hand. It was almost all as before. But not completely. Something had changed: The light.

With narrowed eyes, my gaze followed the beam of light that led to one of the ceiling windows. When I had entered the temple a few moments ago, the light had been golden. Soothing and somehow mystical.

Now it was bluish.
Like a cool spring morning.

A feeling told me that I had to leave the temple. Without thinking about it, I followed this feeling and walked back to the entrance. My hand pushed down the door handle as if automatically. It swung open to the outside, just enough so that I should have been able to see the street, the people and the buses again.
But the city was gone.

Stunned, I stepped outside. First one step, then two.

Instead of Hong Kong, an endless grassy landscape had appeared. It was crisscrossed at some distance by something like larger trodden paths. Mountains rose in the background.

But what really captivated my gaze was something else. Involuntarily I had to swallow.

Carved directly into the mountain, a white city rose at some distance. The sun that had just risen made the rock glow on one side like the crystal I had seen in the temple.

The temple.

I tore my gaze away from the city and wheeled around. The door of the temple was still open and again I could see the old woman nodding at me as if I were exactly where I was supposed to be. Then she reached outside and grabbed the door.

"No!" I wanted to stop her, wanted to get back into the temple. But I wasn't fast enough.

The door closed and dissolved before my eyes until all that was visible was the grassy landscape across which a fresh breeze was blowing. Was I hallucinating? Had there been something in the incense that had knocked me out?

I looked around, paralyzed.

And if all this wasn't a dream, where the hell was I?

All these questions rushed through my head in a matter of seconds as the city slowly came to life with the morning. Hammering and shouts resounded over the grass, a group of horsemen left the city gate. No one had taken any notice of me yet. And as much as I didn't understand what was happening here, where I was or what it all meant, I knew one thing for sure: I would find a way back.

No matter the cost.