Chapter 3: Chances

The ethereal glow outside the doors is momentarily blinding until she feels either side of her arms grasped firmly in the riclals hands as a portal slips open in front of them. Pulling her thru with a small protest, the sense of unease and dizziness pools in the pit of her stomach as the vacuum of the portal pushes them out, only the handmaidens firm grasp on her forearms kept Te'Liona from pitching to the ground face first.

Blinking a few times as her eerily shaded eyes adjusts to the darkness surrounding them. Across the distance small glows of fae fire dot the landscape. Her eyes widen as she takes in the wondrous sight. A sprawling city lays out before her and seated in the middle was a beautiful garden surrounding a shining temple. Releasing her arms the facsimiles to beautiful dark elf females returned and hovered at the entrance back to the Demon plane and their fortress home. Noticing their dismissal, Te'Liona turns and cries out. "Wait! What am I…", but before she can finish her question the women disappear through the gate and take her way back with them, "to do?"

Cursing to herself she retrieves her satchel that she had dropped to the floor in her moment of confusion. Taking a quick look around she purses her lips into a non-existent expression and starts walking down towards the city. Picking her footsteps carefully as she nears several loose stones. Her feet were bare as usual and she did not wish to cut the soles of her feet on this unfamiliar ground. Nearing the city's outer gates a pair of sentinels emerge from the shadows and stop her. Their eyes glimmered a muted red above their cruel smiles as the pair of males circle her like a pack of ravenous wolves. Unsure of why these two were behaving like they hadn't seen a woman in a very long time. Te'Liona sneers at them, her full and ample buxom pressing against the sheer silken fabric encasing them as she takes a deep and steady breath.

"Well, it has been a while since we've had such a deliciously looking morsel cross our path. I'm afraid that you will need to come with us so we can make sure you are not here to cause trouble."

One of the male's large warm hands reaches out to wrap around her upper arm. Her sneer turning to a deep cruel smile, she turns her full sight into the closest male, her gaze holding his as she takes a half step forward. Flicking her tongue out to swipe across her lower lip invitingly the male emits a feral groan and wraps his free hand around her neck, his lips melding into hers briefly before the neurotoxin settles into his bloodstream and he drops to the ground with a gurgle. The other male reached for her his weapon as Te'Liona quickly releases the dagger from her right thigh. Twisting her body to the side she brings her hand around slicing the dagger's edge along the male's lower abdomen. Looking up to her with a stunned expression the male holds his hands over the shallow wound as he drops to his knees.

"I don't think you'll forget how a priestess of Lithos should be treated… be thankful for I am new. I know that your High Priestess would have you gutted and spread out as a sacrifice to our glorious goddess."

Knocking their weapons away from their grasp she chuckles and bends over, whispering in their ears. "Speaking of our wonderfully chaotic goddess, if your faith is strong and Lithos is in an amusing tone then I am sure you'll survive one night out here and with no protection." Strutting away her hips swaying back and forth as the males lay prone on the ground she smirks and continues walking.

The dry dust swirling around her feet followed her as she steadily strolled towards the shining beacon that was the Temple of Lithos, it's spindled out branches breaching thru the immaculate gardens, a wondrous sight in both infrared and color. Brushing back a strand of hair nervously, she passes through a small market area just outside the temple's walls. It's adorned gates shimmer unsuspectingly with wards. Engraved with runes along the inside seam of the doors frame. Dropping down from their alcoves above two gigantic spiders land before her, their front legs poised outwards defensively, their mandibles clicking hurriedly. Holding her hand up in a calming manner, noises echoing from between her lips causing the two guards to swivel their eyes in surprise.

"I come seeking your high priestess. I am here to train and be of use to our great and powerful goddess Lithos." Bowing before them she stayed bent as she watched and waited for their reaction. Small beads of sweat roll down along her spine and between the clasps to her top, her hands curling around the handles to her satchel.

Behind them the wards surrounding the gates disappear and the ornate metal doors part. Swiveling their heads the arachnids take a step back, but not before placing a single spined foot on either side of her shoulders by way of greeting and then climbed back up the walls leaving the girl to watch and wonder. Feeling a tingle shiver from the top of her head and slowly inch its way down to her toes causing her to step forward. That first step lead to more as they brought her past the open gate and over a small bridge floating over a pool of water that encircled the inside of the compound. Past the bridge was an overwhelming scent of exotic smells and the sounds of toiling. Flowers and a variety of plants flowed freely from two spacious gardens to both the right and left of the walkway. Stretching before her were stair cases leading off into three separate corridors. Amongst the gardens she saw a few males and females working the grounds, watering and meticulously weeding through the lush landscape. The stairs in front of her seemed to lead off into the largest area of the grounds. Te'Liona assumed that it was the main antechamber of the Temple. Knowing that any disruption to a priestess's meditation could and would mean punishment or even sacrifice.

Tired, thirsty, her stomach growling softly Te'Liona stood at the foot of the stairs. The women and men passing her, scurrying to fulfill whatever duty they had to, ignored her, their expressions neutral as not to draw attention to themselves.

Her ears prickling she hears a low chuckle coming from behind the doors. Immediately reaching for her dagger she cautiously approaches the doors, spying through them two guards on the defensive and a magnificent pair of wings barring her sight from the person owning them. The chuckling sound seeming to come from this person's area along with the frustrated squabbling of the Temples guards. Turning around Te'Liona takes a deep breath before slipping into the antechamber. The sudden silence deafening as she no longer saw neither the guards, nor the mysterious being. Looking back and forth quickly as adrenaline coursed through her body, her mind beginning to wonder if it was a vision of her imagination. Shaking her head she stepped further into the building and marveled at the craftsmanship of the arches and walks in-set with beautiful sculptures and figures of Lithos as well as her people. Hanging silently above each archway was a magnificently adorned arachnid, each one like a jewel cascading from silvery lines. Speaking softly to them in their native tongue she inquired as to their mistress's where about. Their answering reply leading her to a pair of heavily carved doors. Te'Liona raises her small hand and knocks gently on it, hearing it echo around her.