Shaping the Temple
March 2018 – Explorer's Landing Construction Site
The air still carried the chill of early spring, but the sun was bright enough to make the construction site shimmer.
A row of temporary fences divided the area in two — one side for the park's guests, the other for the future heart of Explorer's Landing.
From a distance, the new showbuilding already dominated the skyline.
A massive rectangular structure, its steel panels gleaming silver under the morning light, with scaffolding running along every side.
But it was what happened around the building that mattered now.
Lucas walked slowly along the edge of the fenced path, hardhat tucked under his arm.
Walter followed, talking quietly with two engineers from ETF Ride Systems, both wearing dark-blue jackets with the company's logo.
"So the trackless system will enter through here?" one of them asked, pointing at the open loading bay on the west wall.
Walter nodded. "Yes. We left enough space for a direct connection between the maintenance area and the preshow corridor."
Lucas stopped beside them, watching a group of workers shape the first pieces of artificial rock along the lower façade.
The concrete molds had just been sprayed; their surface still wet and gray, soon to be carved into jungle stone.
"It's starting to look like something," Emma said as she joined them, holding her tablet.
"Guests are already trying to peek over the fences again."
Lucas smiled. "Let them. A little mystery never hurts."
He looked up at the steel ribs being welded onto the upper section of the building —
a framework that would soon hold a massive decorative arch, turning the plain wall into a temple entrance.
ETF's lead engineer crouched near the foundation markers. "We'll be back next week to verify the vehicle alignment," he said. "Once the floor sensors are in, we'll run a virtual calibration with the ride layout."
"Perfect," Lucas replied. "The flooring contractor should have the base layer done by then."
One of the theming artists walked by carrying a large foam panel shaped like broken masonry.
Behind him, painters were testing color samples — deep moss green, warm ochre, and aged bronze.
Even unfinished, the structure already hinted at its purpose: a forgotten ruin emerging from the jungle.
Walter shaded his eyes as a crane lifted a steel beam into place above the main entrance.
"That'll be the front arch, right?"
Lucas nodded. "Yes. Once the rockwork wraps around it, no one will even realize it's part of the building frame."
From the path behind them came the faint sound of guests talking.
A few leaned against the viewing fence, taking pictures of the massive structure rising just beyond reach.
"Another coaster?" someone asked.
"No, it's too square," another replied.
"Maybe a theater?"
"Or a dark ride?"
Lucas glanced toward them and smiled faintly. The guessing had become part of the fun.
ETF's engineer closed his tablet. "Everything checks out for now. Once the base sensors are installed, we'll start programming the vehicle paths. Your structure team did an impressive job."
"They're the best," Lucas said, watching as sparks rained from a welding torch high above.
As the group moved toward the gate, Emma paused beside him.
"It's strange," she said. "The building already looks ancient, but it's only been standing for a few months."
"That's the point," Lucas replied. "If it looks like it's been here forever, we did it right."
He stood for a moment longer, watching the crew carve new lines into the fresh concrete.
The once-flat warehouse was slowly turning into something alive — a story written in stone and shadow.
And still, no one outside these fences knew its name.
Inside the Lost Realm"
March 2018 – Interior Walkthrough
The heavy steel door closed behind them, sealing out the noise of cranes and grinders.
Inside, the air was cool and dry, the floor still rough concrete.
Spotlights hung from scaffolding, throwing long shadows across the skeleton of the dark ride's interior.
ETF's project manager, Mark Veldman, opened a tablet and activated the digital overlay.
Blue lines appeared on the screen, projected onto the floor — the precise path the vehicles would follow once the sensors were installed.
"Entry point here," he said, tracing the first line. "Vehicles divide into three routes at the junction near Scene Two. Each returns to this merge corridor before the finale. You can check pacing and clearance as we walk."
Lucas nodded, checking the printout in his hand. Every angle, every turn matched the plans he had drawn months ago.
He wasn't here to imagine anymore — he was here to verify.
They moved deeper into the structure.
Each section was already labeled with scene numbers on temporary wooden boards: S1 – Preshow, S2 – Chamber of Echoes, S3A/B/C – Diverging Corridors, S4 – Reunion Hall, S5 – Finale.
Walter looked up at the tall scaffolding around the main chamber. "The proportions feel right. You'll still have room for the animatronics here."
"Exactly as planned," Lucas replied. "Lighting trusses go in next week, then we start rockwork framing."
Mark stopped near the large central turntable. "Once the concrete cures, we'll embed the base sensors. After that, our software can simulate the full motion pattern."
"Good," Lucas said. "I want to test all three routes before the set walls go up. Any small adjustment has to happen now, not later."
They continued walking through the empty halls.
It was silent except for the echo of their footsteps and the soft hum of air filters.
ETF's engineers occasionally stopped to scan floor points, mapping the virtual ride layout onto the real surface.
When they reached the exit corridor, sunlight streamed through a temporary door.
Mark glanced at his tablet. "All alignments are perfect. Construction's on schedule. We'll send you the full digital simulation tonight."
"Appreciated," Lucas said. "We'll overlay it on the theming plan to double-check timing and sound cues."
Walter smiled faintly. "Hard to believe in a few months this'll be full of lights, fog, and moving vehicles."
Lucas looked back into the hall — the raw concrete soon to become carved stone and shadow.
"It's exactly how it should be," he said quietly. "Now we just have to bring it to life."
Outside, the crew resumed work, the faint clatter of scaffolding echoing across the site.
For the first time, the physical world and the design on paper had perfectly aligned.