[table][row][cell][img]https://i.imgur.com/tbIvwoy.png[/img][/cell][cell][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/240504/7ea89157aa7490b85c1faa2a61df7e74.png[/img][/cell][/row]
[row][cell][sub]Location: Temple of Aelios / Hot Springs[/sub][/cell][/row][/table]As Kira entered the temple, she hadn’t expected to be greeted by a shirtless Gadez, of all people. Her steps faltered briefly as her gaze settled on the familiar man from a week prior, his muscular tattooed chest illuminated by the glow of the eternal flame in the center of the room. She raised a brow at his words, taking in the sight with mild amusement as he greeted her with a smirk.

[color=DC561E]“That’s one way to keep warm during the storm.”[/color] she remarked, a slight smirk tugging at her lips now. Her tone was playful, but the implication wasn’t lost on her. He had slept with the Priestess. It was only slightly surprising—Aurelians had always been known for their looser sense of sexual boundaries—though Kira hadn’t been aware that Priestesses were allowed to dabble in such frivolous acts. Nonetheless, Kira couldn’t blame her. Good for them, she thought. 

Kira’s fiery gaze lingered on Gadez for a moment longer, her eyes finding the intricate tattoo sprawled across his chest. It was unlike any symbolism she had encountered before—a curious design that piqued her interest. At first glance, it appeared simple—just a series of geometric shapes—but the longer she stared, the more it seemed to hold purpose. 

Kira's brows furrowed as she studied the design. She had encountered many symbols in her time—glyphs of ancient magic, runes tied to forgotten rituals—but this one was foreign to her. There was something almost ritualistic about it, like it carried a deeper meaning—something hidden. 

What was its significance? A natural curiosity pulled at her instincts, but she resisted the urge to ask. Whatever that tattoo meant, it wasn’t her business. Still, it stuck in her mind.

Kira’s attention shifted as the Priestess emerged from the back rooms, fully dressed but looking much more frail and delicate than Kira had imagined a Priestess of Aelios to be. The woman looked tired, her steps light, her presence meek. She had never met a Priestess of Aelios before, and frankly, she had expected someone... stronger. 

In the back of her mind, she heard her commander, the Dreadmaster, reminding her not to underestimate anyone.

[color=DC561E]"Priestess."[/color] Kira greeted her briefly, her tone polite yet detached. Her eyes flicked back to Gadez, who seemed to be in no rush to clothe himself, intentionally taking his time as if to draw all attention onto himself. 

[color=DC561E]“I need some warmth as well.”[/color] she said as she began to walk across the temple. Her boots echoed lightly against the wooden floor as she passed the eternal flame—a symbol she had grown to despise. Aelios’ guiding light and warm embrace seemed to have forgotten her long ago.

[color=DC561E]“Not all of us had a partner to keep us warm.”[/color] she said dryly as she neared the back door, half-joking. Without waiting for a response, she opened the door and stepped outside into the cold once more, making her way to the hot springs.

The warmth beckoned as she descended the stone steps to the larger, lower-level public bath. She longed to shake off the lingering chill and, for a moment, escape the isolation that had pressed down on her throughout the storm. As she reached the edge of the spring, Kira quietly shed her cloak and clothing, folding and placing them neatly on top of a nearby boulder. The cool air sent a shiver down her spine, contrasting sharply with the warmth that rose up from the spring. Her skin, pale against full moons light overhead, bore the marks of her past—small scars scattered across her chest, torso, stomach and hips, some barely noticeable while others stood out more prominently, each one telling a silent story of her struggles and survival.

Stepping into the hot spring, the heat wrapped around her, instantly soothing her tense muscles as she sank deeper into the water. Yet, even as it eased her body, the weight of solitude remained. Somehow, she found herself isolated again, by her own doing, as if she had forgotten how to be around people altogether. 

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[sub][b]Interactions:[/b] Gadez [@Dezuel], Tia [@c3p-0h][/sub]