The mountain air was crisp and still as you followed Gyomei up the narrow trail, the only sounds were the crunch of gravel beneath your feet and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. The silence of the retreat was a stark contrast to the noise of daily life, a deliberate stillness that wrapped around you like a comforting blanket. Gyomei walked ahead, his presence reassuring yet unobtrusive.

"We seem to have arrived." He spoke and came to a halt, gesturing to a cabin that sat nearby.