By dawn the next morning, Jalil was hiking the rugged trails of the Alpstein region. The path twisted through pine forests and past rustic wooden huts. Cowbells echoed in the crisp air, and mist curled around the peaks like silver ribbon.
After two hours, he reached Seealpsee—a hidden mountain lake so still, it mirrored the peaks above like glass. The rising sun painted the sky orange and gold. He was alone, save for a curious ibex perched on a nearby rock.