Chapter 16 Temple of Elyon
The temple bells rang again for the second time that morning, resounding throughout the entire kingdom. It's resonance extending so far even till the village which lay on the outskirt where Eli live in. The temple stood on a mountain called Malakh, from where the kingdom derived it's name, as it could be seen from any angle.
It was that time of the year when the devoted sons and daughters of the Temple of Elyon were briefly released from their priestly vows to return to the arms of the families they had left behind. For most, it was a season they eagerly anticipated—like the young priestess Levi, who sat alone in her room, gazing out the window. She wore a plain white gown, and her veil was tied neatly around her neck.
Many of the priestesses who shared her quarters had already completed their assigned duties that morning and had departed, so Levi had to wait until it was her turn to carry out her own tasks.
When the third bell resounded, she leapt from her bed and hurried toward the temple, just a few steps from the priestly quarters. The temple was painted entirely in white, both outside and inside, with long white veils hanging along its walls.
She covered her hair with her personal veil and entered the inner court, the area to which she had been appointed. Along the way, she passed a few priests and priestesses, but she did not greet them—it was against the doctrines of the temple. Besides, Levi lacked social skills and was known to have no friends. At times she wished she could be more outgoing, but as the years passed, she realized it was simply her nature—and some things could not be changed.
The inner court was more scanty than she had expected. In fact, she was the only person there. She looked around for a while, expecting a priest to appear from somewhere and tell her what to do, but when no one came, she decided to put the court in order herself.
She walked through every corner, lighting the candles with fire and spreading the incense so its sweet scent could reach all around. Incense creates a good spiritual atmosphere, or so she had been told. She loved what she was doing, and found it hard to believe she was the first female priest allowed into the inner court. She wondered what made the high priest choose her. Did it have anything to do with her introverted nature? Definitely not!
"The priesthood is a very heavy responsibility." A voice spoke from behind, and Levi turned sharply, the incense still in her hand."
A tall man stood before her, radiating an aura she couldn’t quite place—god-like and mysterious. He wore priestly garments, but she was sure she had never met him in her entire life.
“….Many priests walk the earth, but only a few are truly blessed with the gift of prophecy. Sadly, these are often the prime targets of demons and evil spirits." His gaze held a strange intensity, like he was staring into her soul. His irises were black—dark as night. " No one achieves greatness without facing temptation"
“Who are you?” Levi asked, suspicious of the man’s identity. Her gaze didn’t falter for even a moment.
“I am a prophet.”
“Why are you here, speaking with me?” she demanded.
Her fearless tone amused him. Showing fear was one of the many emotions she simply didn’t possess.
“Because I have a message for you,” he replied, then began walking toward her. There was something about his movement that made her heart race… this man was no ordinary man.
“You are a priestess blessed with the gift of prophecy, and this inner court is where you are destined to be.”
“I am a woman! Women are not allowed in the inner court,” she argued.
“There is no gender discrimination in the presence of Elyon.” his voice lowered, suddenly heavy with intense emotion, “You made a pact with him, and you must fulfill what you promised.”
“I serve Elyon and care for his temple, not make a pact with him. No human is powerful enough to behold his presence.” Levi argued, brow creased in anger.
He stood directly before her and lifted a strand of her long hair, inspecting every details. Her hair bore a strange colour and texture, as if it were dipped in molten gold, and her eyes mirrored the same radiant shade, shining like the sun itself. It was a trait he had never seen in any other human.
“Your future is covered in pitch darkness. Only your choices will determine if you find the light again.” the man said, sadness lingering in his eyes. He slipped his hands into hers and gently took the incense from her grip.
"But if you fail to honor your pact with the Almighty in this world, then you shall in the next—only your choices will decide your fate!" He turned away, incense in hand, and walked toward the exit of the court.
“You still haven’t told me who you are!” Levi yelled, but the man did not answer. He kept walking, and for a moment Levi noticed that his feet weren’t touching the floor—a detail she could have easily missed if she hadn’t gazed carefully. She gasped at her discovery.
A blinding light appeared at the exit, so bright that she had to shield her eyes with her palm. A mysterious, gentle breeze brushed her veil, and she watched in awe as the man vanished into the light...
Levi woke up with a start, breathing heavily. She sat up at once, trying to make sense of her surroundings. Many thoughts ran through her mind, reminding her that she wasn’t supposed to be in this particular location. She knew the thoughts weren’t truly hers, but she couldn’t shut out the voices in her head. Yet she desperately needed her memories back. She still couldn’t understand why it always happened to her whenever she had detailed dreams like the one she had just woken from.
“Levi! Are you okay?” a lady whispered, handing her a cup of water. Levi drank from it, and slowly her confusion began to fade.
“Evie!” she called weakly to her fellow priestess.
“You must have had another nightmare,” Evie said with concern. “Should I call a priest?”
“No! I’m okay,” Levi waved her off. She stood up and walked to the window, peeking outside. “When will the third bell ring?”
Evie chuckled, surprised that Levi would ask such a question. “The third bell rang about an hour ago. I was expecting you at the temple, but you failed to appear.”
“What?” Levi gasped in surprise.
“I left these quarters not long before the bell rang. I was very sure you were awake. How could you fall asleep so fast?”
Levi gazed at her in surprise. She couldn’t make sense of anything. How could she have fallen asleep—and why, at the very hour she had been looking forward to so much? Yes, the dream she had… about a man...a prophet! Definitely a messanger of Elyon! It turned out to be more than just a dream.