Welcome to Gaia! ::

The trip wasn't as long as it might have seemed, being underground and in an eclosed area made distances seem longer. as they reached the end of the tunnel, they could hear the hymns and smell the incense of those offering prayer to Janus. He stood looking up. he knew what was there. the platform coudl lower, and he coudl use his gift to make sure no one knew about it by way of fire.

"Okay. here's teh deal. you'll have to be close to me, and Ecara, keep that tail tucked in close. things are going to get hot."

His hand reached out to teh flaming oil, while his foot kicked a lever. a shift, silent and thankfully unheard, moved a platform down. his hand gathered the fire to himself, surrounding all three of them and shooting into a verifiable wall up thoguh the hole, effectively hiding the opening. up on teh platorm, that went back up at another swift kick to the lever.

Richard gave a small smile, and a look around before walking with Aiden.

"Pleasent name."

He opened the doors, to teh congregation, and gave a warm smile to Aiden, seeing the pillar of fire rise up from the behind his altar.

"This is a great day, and a privilage for you, if you don't mind me saying, our lord comes to us!"

He left aiden's side moving to the front of the assembly, and kneeling in reverance and prayer to meet his lord, the God of War.

When the platform was firmly in place, seemless, the fire's opened through Janus' will to show the three of them. he had a look of imposing power, a stern, almost angry look observing his followers, his church.

"My Children..my faithful. I am pleased that you gather to me, and that you are so generous in your offerings. Your faith should not go unrewarded, and as such I have come to you again, to offer you praise myself."

His voice was loud, echoing as the fire died down.

"I come to you not only as myself, but with my allies, my friends. Ecara, shieldmadien to my swordarm. and Tyler..a mortal like yourselves who's defiance to the non believers has earned him the respect of War."

Tyler and Ecara might not really like how they were introduced, but at least it was easier than trying to explain them..before his eyes focused in on Aiden.

"Whom is this newcomer, my servant, my priest that guides the wayward?"

His eyes moved to Richard, and waited for a response.

Richard was still kneeled in reverance when he heard the question, and got to his feet, keeping his head bowed.

"My Lord...this is Aiden. she is new to the village, and I offered her a place to rest her feet, as you have often asked of us."

Richard looked back at Aiden, and motioned for her to come forward, while others turned to look at her, some a bit envious, others smiling encouragingly. Most were still offering prayer, reverance to the god manifested before them.

Richard looked back at Janus a little worriedly, and some of the others as well, though many actually smiled at Aiden's defiance. Richard thought perhaps she was nervous, and walked over to her.

"It's alright. they aren't going to hurt you, He just wants to meet you, is all. Nothing to worry about."

He gave her another warm smile, hoping she woudl go to Janus..no one yet had ever seen him displeased to thier knowledge since the first days of the church..and it had not been a pretty sight.



"would you have prefered three hours of question and answer? this way you are associated with me directly. instant church refuge and aid, and no questions."

At Ecara being addressed as the bond child..and he as god of war, brought a small smile. this Aiden seemed to know about them at least. probably the rumors and myths. he stepped forward, lightly laying his hands on some, stopping for moments to listen to prayers or pleas, but his eyes were on Aiden.

"You know of me, and Ecara. I take it you have heard the stories, the myths. or perhaps you are a myth yourself. a diety come to see how her other fellows interact with mortal man?"

Tyler was not a trusting person and he decided to watch this new one closely. He knew that the myths about Cara were told everywhere but his blood still ran cold when her name was mentioned or the words "Bond Child." This was not what he wanted. But he was stuck here now so he resolved to just wait and see what happened.

Ecara watched her curiously, her ears listening for any sounds she might pick up. Her eyes went to Janus to see how he would react to the inspection.

Ecara tugged once again on Tyler's sleeve her ear eavsdropping. "Aiden, I've heard rumors. Seems she's got something to do with a phoenix, but she's never been seen in these parts." Her tail took to a curious swaying motion.

Sometimes he wondered exactly how much Cara heard. Which could be good or bad dependng how you looked at it. But he only gave a squeeze to her hand. "Give things a moment to play out before you say anything." Whispers between the two.


Aiden gave an apporving nod, then backed up from Janus. Then a sweep of her hand over the congergation. An all too graceful movement. "This all yours I take it?" Part of her was interested now. Shrines already to her? Yes, but a temple. That was intriguing. "You hold sway over some other myths, yes?" Aiden was indeed asserting her position aside others. But the unknown programming within her mind was tugging at her as well.

"Opinions are still being formed about me, though I hold sway over more of the outlying villages it seems." She watched him sizing her up now, not in the least intimidated, and could care less if his congregation cared at all. "Fire...is my kin. My mother and father, brother and sister. My life and my death. And my love." Well that was certainly the most she had said in several weeks. Though her voice still held a cold tone to it.

Richard approached the two others, noting the smile Ecara gave Janus, and gave her a small smile and a bow.

"Hello, and welcome. It is good to see my Lord does not stand alone against the evils of the world. Tell me, if you would...how did our lord come to you? did he visit you in a dream, did he manifest in the flesh to you as he does to us? did you hear his voice in your heart and seek him out?"

The priest was calm, almost raidiating soothing peace, while he questioned the new consorts to his god, wondering if prayers shuld be made for them as well.

Janus looked at her, and smiled lightly. mother and father, sister and brother..life and death. that was the talk of an elemental but the last comment, her love..that wasn't an elemental term. So he lifted a hand to one of the torches, summoning it's fire to his hand, and fashioned it into a rose composed of flame. though he caught Ecara's smile and smiled back.

"In that case. how about a flaming flower, for a Lady of Fire, from the Lord of War."

It seemed to get her attention, the fire. so why not use it. a new myth, from teh outlying towns. he may have to send some of his followers to find out about her. But right now she was a guest in his church, and he was going to be friendly and polite...and a little flirty. couldn't hurt, after all.

Richard nodded, but didn't flinched when Ecara growled and jumped. he gave another smile, and looked over at Janus, and Adien, who was inspecting everything else as she had his god. most moved a bit form her, but they let her inspect, lest they upset thier god who seemed to like the girl.

"It is good for you, that he came to you in your time of need, as he had done for me. gave me a purpose, a place in this world. his protection is how we survive, and I would hate to see his wrath unleashed upon us."

Richard moved to adien for his inspection he was sure would come, as it didn't seem that Ecara woudl be overly fond of it and it woudl spare her at least a bit more time.

He noted the correction she gave him, and for a moment though on it. what was she correcting him about. it took a few moments, but he thought he got the idea. Phoenix. the fire was her life and death. she was a phoenix. But he'd never heard of a phoenix in a human form. they were supposed to be vibrantly colored birds. he moved over to Ecara and Tyler.

"So what were you two whispering about earlier? you know anything about the new girl?"