[table][row][cell][img]https://i.imgur.com/a825ja7.png[/img][/cell][cell][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/241207/12cf164eb0204fbd7bfe1f9acec90dc5.png[/img][/cell][/row] [row][cell][sub]Location: Aelios Temple[/sub][/cell][/row][/table]With a brief upward nod, Zeph silently acknowledged a guard outside the temple before making his way up the stone steps. As he ascended, a memory of yesterday flickered through his mind—The Champion’s sharp blue eyes, glaring daggers at him, moments before she slammed the temple doors. He nearly rolled his eyes. [color=98A869][i]Drama Queen.[/i][/color] With a pull, he let himself in, the warmth and the scent of incense hitting him first. At the heart of the temple, a massive brazier blazed—the so-called “eternal flame of Aelios”—its golden light casting flickering shadows over the room’s decorated walls and high-arched ceiling. It certainly felt inviting, albeit… eerily quiet. Zeph’s gaze scanned the room until it landed on a small table to his right. Neatly arranged beneath candlelight were incense sticks, small bell chimes, scrolls, and books. He reached for one of the books—then paused, brows lifting. At the far end of the table sat a basket. Filled with chocolate chip cookies. A smile tugged at his lips as he plucked one from the pile, turning it over in his fingers. Quickly, his amusement faded. This felt like a trap. For a moment, he contemplated the possibility that this was some strange Aurelian scheme—poisoning unsuspecting trespassers with deceptively innocent, delicious-looking sweets. Or maybe… [i]maybe[/i] Aelios had sensed his craving and was rewarding him for finally stepping into her temple. His gaze slid to the eternal flame, considering. No—Aelios was gone. The sky had made that abundantly clear. With a shrug, Zeph popped the entire cookie into his mouth. If it was poisoned, he couldn’t tell. He chewed thoughtfully, then grabbed a second one—just to be sure. His gaze drifted to the chimes, their polished metal glinting in the candlelight. On impulse, he reached out and took one from the table, giving it a few jingles. The soft notes rang through the quiet temple, echoing slightly. Smirking, he tucked the chime into his coat pocket and turned his attention to the stack of books. His fingers brushed over the spines before selecting one and flipping open to a random page. [i]"Light eternal, Keeper of the Golden Dawn, Banish shadows from our path. Let your fire guide our steps, Your warmth shield our soul, And your radiance remind us that, Even in darkness, Light is never truly lost.”[/i] Zeph snapped the book shut. Still chewing, he wandered toward the brazier, gaze sweeping over the temple’s design. Stopping in front of the flame, he tilted his head, wondering what would happen if he simply… [i]accidentally, of course[/i]… tipped the brazier over. Would some divine retribution smite him where he stood? Would he damn the Aurelians? How much further could they be damned? A crackling ember snapped in the fire, as if in warning. Zeph smirked. Fine. He’d behave. His attention shifted down a nearby hall, listening for any hint of movement. But there was nothing, only the flicker of flames filling the space. [color=98A869][i]Is she even here?[/i][/color] Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulled out the chime and jingled it again—just to see if it worked to summon her. What else were they for? After waiting a few minutes, he sighed and tucked the chime back into his pocket. Turning, something caught his eye along one of the pews. Narrowing his gaze, he stepped closer, only to find… A stuffed animal? Gently, he picked it up and examined it more closely. It looked like some kind of [url=https://i.imgur.com/ELkHUW6.png]lizard[/url]—but not one he’d ever seen before. Green, with golden stripes down its back, a chubby tail, and two massive black eyes staring at him blankly. The fabric was soft, well-cared for, though its frayed edges showed years of use. Cute, he supposed. But which child had left it behind? There weren’t many in Dawnhaven—surely it wouldn’t be hard for him to figure out who to return it to. Zeph hesitated for a moment, considering just leaving with his new found items, but then thought better of it. He'd make himself comfortable, instead. The temple was warm. [i]It had cookies[/i]. And eventually, the Priestess would have to show up—she had a job to do, didn’t she? Sliding into the pew, he leaned back against the wall it was pressed against, shifting until he found a comfortable spot. One knee bent, the other leg stretched out along the wooden bench, and the stuffed lizard placed on his chest, its head just under his chin. Taking a bite of the second cookie, he chewed slowly, savoring the chocolate as it melted on his tongue. Setting the remaining half on the edge of the pew, he flipped open the prayer book and began absently thumbing through it with idle curiosity. If nothing else, this wasn’t a terrible place to spend his day off.