040

Orphic wandered the temple slowly amongst acolytes carrying candles, before stopping before his favourite statue. It was a woman in long flowing robes. She was bending at the waist, and at one point in time, before she lost he arms. Her face was of course missing but the way the long hair on the back of the statue spilled over onto the front gave the statue an unmistakable female air.

Something about the way that the robe seems to move in the flickering light of the candles seemed to bring the statue alive. The soft orange glow that left the back of the statue in shadows created a warmth that always brought a slight smile to Orphic's face. As always his eyes moved to a spot on the floor that was always covered in candles, near where he imagined the woman's hands were reaching. You couldn't see it, with all the candles, but if you touched the floor you'd know that something had been there once. Something the woman was reaching for.

Slippered shuffled on the stone floor behind Orphic, he half turned before a hand came to rest on his injured ribs.

"You have to go. It's not safe here. Go. Leave now. Leave the city. I knew your mother. Tonight I fulfill a promise."

The voice was female and the words were whispered close to Orphic's ear. He could feel the cloth of her hood leave his shoulder as the woman began to leave. His heart was beating in his chest and he felt the world slow to a crawl. His legs wouldn't move, she was walking away. His breath was slow, he blinked.

Orphic turned to look at the woman, who was already walking away from him. He took a step towards the black robes. His left arm lifted into the air.

"Go now. It's no longer safe here. Leave, leave tonight. Events have been triggered."

"Who are you?" Orphic asked in a whisper. "How do you know my mother."

The woman in the brown robes hasted her pace as she turned towards the middle of the outer temple walking through the old stone pews that were perpetually empty. Acolytes walked past Orphic carrying more candles.

"Wait!" Orphic shouted. A few of the acolytes turned their heads towards him, their faces lost in the darkness of their hoods. The woman continues to walk away. Orphic tried to run towards the woman, but couldn't get around a few of the acolytes who had stopped when he yelled. "Who are you!" He pushed at the acolytes and tried to make his way down the aisle. A hand grabbed his arm stopping his progress, another acolyte stood directly in his path. "Out of my way!" Orphic pushed the acolyte to the floor. "Wait!"

More acolytes were gathering. Orphic could see the temple guards making their way towards him. "Let go of me!" Orphic wrenched his arm from the grip of the acolyte, pushing him with both of his arms.

"Orphic!" Salus was beside him with his arm on his shoulder. "What is this?"

"That woman?"

"Who?"

"The apostle! That woman over there. She said she new my mother." A guard put his hand on Orphic's shoulder. Orphic brushed the hand off angrily. "Move!" He shouted again.

"Orphic please. Be reasonable. We'll find whomever you were speaking with, just calm down a moment. Remember this is a temple."