Garden of Eden

Tue Jan 23, 2018 8:51 pm

Temple Hill was possibly the most questionable place in all of California. Seldom did demigods and legacies pay homage to their parents or grandparents that were gods. The ones that did were usually those who were made to carry themselves and such a way, and Christian was aware, that even within those few, only few of them visited the temples with genuine positive feelings. Besides for those few, some people found Temple Hill as a place to get away from it all, and it was of course, where those who felt they could break the rules would sneak off to after lights out.

Christian wasn't here for any of those reasons. He made the trek to the Temple of Mercury every few months for reasons he wasn't sure of himself. Maybe it was because he desired the guiding hands his parents had failed to give to him. Maybe it was because he did hold some sort of respect for the gods. Though, like Mercury's representation at Temple Hill, those sentiments were likely disingenuous.

Christian's visit was short, which was the usual routine. He'd always glanced into the other temples, and as always, they were empty. Christian often wondered if the gods even knew how so many people felt about them these days. Today, however, was different. Christian's features tightened when he noticed someone laying down in front of the glowing embers within the Temple of Vestia. Christian wasn't sure if he'd be intruding on something, but he couldn't very well leave someone possibly passed out on a stone floor.

Christian had decided to investigate, the warm flame lit the temple up from what would soon be the night sky. Upon getting closer, Christian recognized the figure, her curled position suggested she'd come here and fallen asleep of her own accord, over actual danger. "Eden." Christian spoke softly as to not startle her, and possibly earn himself a black eye. "Is everything okay?"

Tue Jan 23, 2018 10:16 pm

Like every day before that, Eden had made the trek up to her mother's temple. It was small and circular, with a low ceiling, marble floors, and a circular hearth inlaid in the center, where a fire was glowing brightly. She had already put half of the fueling in, and was just watching the fire. Occasionally she'd say a prayer to her mother, a simple one. Sometimes she asked her why she tied her life to a flame, but her mother never answered. She remembered when she was little, she'd pray every night. She'd ask hundreds of questions that she never got answers to. She was used to getting silence.

She had intended on leaving after an hour so she could make it back before curfew, but then she found herself staring into the flames, and her eyes got heavy, and before she knew it she had fallen asleep. Her dreams were a recreation of hundreds of dreams she had before. She was back at her father's church, standing on stage preaching a sermon she had given long ago. It was Moses and the burning bush, and she was explaining how god is the fire, and his judgment is consuming. Except this bush does not burn. He was showing mercy. Then there's a bush on fire in front of her. She can feel the heat radiating off it, into her skin. But then the fire starts to sputter out, and she can feel herself falling to the floor. There are only embers left, and her vision is turning black, until there's nothing. Then a voice cut in, all too familiar.

"Is everything okay?"

Eden roused from her sleep, and her first thought is the fire. Her eyes snapped open, afraid that she somehow let it burn out. But then she saw the fire alive and well, reaching high above the step leading down to the embers. Her next concern was the centurion standing in the doorway of her mother's temple. If he was here she must've been out for a while.

"What time is it?" She asked

Garden of Eden

Metaloneus

sarenrae