The Temple Mists Part 3

“Step out of the water child. It is time we give you your true identity as a Daughter.” Evelyn shakily walked up the stone steps out of the water and onto the cold stone floor. Bright handed her a cloth to dry off in and then draped her in a new white gown. The gown itself was something to marvel at. It had thin straps and it started just before the breast then flowed down. It was simple white yet had a magical glow about it. The embroidery on the top was spectacular. It was a simple design, ivy and stars, but in the light of the moment it was enough to take your breath away. “Now my child there is but one thing we must give you, a name.” Evelyn stood confused. “B-but I have a name. Evelyn is my name,” she replied, shifting nervously. Bright took out a thick book and opened it. “Your name is part of your past. A new name will be given to you when you peak the age of 16 seasons. You are only into 11 so you have five years. In these five years you will be tested, taught, and observed. When you peak 16 a ceremony will take place that will pass you onto to your next and possibly final stage of a Daughter here. In the ceremony you will be asked to perform several task and from your actions will your next stage be chosen,” Bright told her. Evelyn nodded. “You are done with me here. The next time I will see you is in preparation for the afterlife. Have and hold fast to life child. Walk through the door and an escort will be there to show you to your room and explain what else you need to know.” Bright pointed Evelyn to a door she had not noticed before and bid her farewell. Evelyn opened the door and walked down another dark and long passage. At the end of the passage was yet another door that led to steps that led upwards to another door. Evelyn climbed them wearily and opened the door to have sunlight and fresh air reach her face. She inhaled deeply as a tall, middle-aged woman walked towards her. “Greetings, you must be Evelyn. How good it is to see a young new face here. I will show you to your room and explain your schedule to you in further detail.” Evelyn followed the woman to a back section of the temple where many people were walking around. “This is the sleeping quarters. Each person is given their own room and the rooms are separated by what class you are in. You, however, have not yet been put into a class. Many years do you have until that time.” Evelyn followed her to a secluded section of rooms. She looked around an saw there were not any people in this part. “Excuse me, but where is everyone? In the other sleeping quarters there were people, but here there is none.” The woman smiled. “They are all in in class and on quests and findings. You will not see much of them except at their ceremonies. In fact, you won’t see many people except in your teachings. You won’t spend much time in you room except to sleep and study. Even then you will have little time. Your time is a precious thing. The next five years will be crucial and important to you.” Evelyn was ushered into a small room. There was a bed, drawers, and a desk. “This is your room. As you see it is not very private. Nothing here really is. It is all about being one with each other, nature and the mother goddess. These walls are not quite the walls you are used to.” Evelyn raised her eyes and examined them. They seemed to be made of thick, sheer, sheet like material. “Now I will explain your duties to you,” the woman started. She sat on the bed as Evelyn sat down next to her. “Your classes will begin tomorrow. First you will take a standardized test that will tell us the key points we have to teach you in. Here our duties are to help others through our own personal magic, strength and power that is in each of us. It will probably take you several weeks to get into the tune of things. We rise at dawn and all meet for breakfast. Later you will get a tour of the temple. It is very large and even those who have been here all their life sometimes get lost,” she joked. Evelyn let out a sigh of relief. All the time she had been here so many fears and thoughts had been racing through her mind. For the first time she had been relived. “After breakfast we all go our separate ways. We each have duties that we tend to. Your will be your teachings. After breakfast you will report outside to the room on top of the hill. You will see it right away as it’s the only one there is available for you. There you will be trained all day. Sometimes throughout the next few years you will be given quests and different findings you must complete. More information will be given to you when one arises. At the end of the day everyone is once again joined for dinner. Here we do not eat lunch. It is something we go without as sort of a sacrifice for the mother goddess. After dinner there is a closing ceremony then we all retire to our rooms.” “There will be some points in time when we have a day of for worship or for special ceremonies, such as those who have peaked the age and are given their final job here.” Evelyn asked several more questioned then was left to her own. She was left on her own for a few minutes when another person arrived to give her a tour of the temple. It was a very confusing few hours for Evelyn when she was taken through most of he important rooms she would need to use. Yet, there were some she was not allowed to seem and that kicked in her bran just imagining what was behind each door. By the time the tour was over it was it was time for dinner. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was as her stomach grumbles as she was brought into the dining hall. The hall was enormous with thousands of tables. Evelyn stood puzzle din the door. She had not known where to sit. There was loud chatter and laughter as Evelyn looked nervously over each table. They seemed not to be separated in classes, as everything else had. Dining was a time for oneness where everyone associated with everyone else. “You look like a lost soul,” Evelyn jumped back as a hand touched her shoulder and a voice rung in her ears. She spun around to see a girl a few years older then her, 14 or 15. “I-I’m not sure were to sit, I’m new here,” Evelyn explained. The girl smiled warmly which gave Evelyn an odd feeling of happiness. “You can sit with whomever you wish! Why don’t you come and sit with me since you don’t know anybody?” The girl grabbed Evelyn’s hand gently and led her of to a table that was in the very corner of the room but a plain stone columns. The table was only occupied by 4 other people. “Not many people sit here which is why we do. We like our quiet,” the girl joked and let out a soft laugh. “I may as well introduce myself. I am Lily, but soon that name will change My ceremony will take place in a few months. I can hardly wait!” Lily giggled and introduced the rest of the table. “Here, we have gracing our presence are Daughter Oak, Daughter Lake, Carrie and Daughter Solstice.” Evelyn smiled as she chatted with each girl. She had made her first friends. A loud bell rang out through the hall from somewhere above. The chatter died down and a silence spread throughout the hall. All heads turned as a cloaked figure entered and clambered up onto the stage in the front of the hall. “That’s Sister Time. She’s in the right step of the Mother Goddess,” Lily whispered to Evelyn. “Greetings Daughters and Sisters. Another day ends and so we end it with a final meal of the day,” Sister Time spoke out. Evelyn could tell she was a powerful figure. Her voice was loud and clear with a point of authority on it. “We have the privilege of being blessed with a new face today. It’s not often we have that happen as the world is not the same as it was hundreds of years ago. May your night and dreams be blessed.” Sister Time spoke her last few words and swept off the stage and out of the room. Evelyn turned back to face the table and sat back in surprise at the food that sat before her. Lily laughed. “I was absolutely shocked the first time I saw it happen. It’s just their way of entertaining magic I guess.” Evelyn filled her plate with rice and a serving of vegetables and sipped on her glass of water. While she ate she looked around at the other people in the hall. All were so happy with being here and with each other and yet she knew she belonged here but she felt so misplaced.

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