Welcome to Gaia! ::

((He's for whatever side brings the god Drathel close enough for him to have a shot at killing him... so *shrug* who knows?))

Emptiness of any kind was unusual in the Earth temple since the Dark Dawn, except the emptiness of the Stone Urn. How original are these people with names? Lazy as rocks... Anyways, on this night there was a whole bunch of emptiness, and it was all because of the one before the Urn with glowing eyes under a dark hood. He was definitely different and that had caused people to become curious about him. That stopped as soon as he killed a priest with a single slash of his slightly rusty sword. Before the man hit the polished stone floor, Nihilian had already picked him up. The hooded man carried the priest in his arms with his sword through the dead man's ribs and set him down before the Stone Urn. He let out a howl of rage and sorrow, gaining a wider radius of emptiness from the few remaining worshippers. Then he unceremoniously lifted the holy flesh and dropped it into the large Urn. The Urn spat a sword out at him and became empty. Nihilian took the long sword. It shone like the moon used to, back when she was alive.
What edge of the blade do you choose...?
The... Hilt...?
Or... the Blade...?
Is this... what you really want...?
Blood...?
And Death?
Or would you choose... life...?
Nihilian slid the blade into its sheath. "I follow my path to the Dawn." His face was as unyeilding as stone as he strode from the Temple.

The hooded man caught sight of the tattered horse attendant. She looked strangely familiar, but he couldn't lay his sword upon it. He drew his sword next to her neck. "Where would I find another large Temple? Quick! I've spilled better blood for less!" His voice was beautiful and slightly melodic, but over it, there was a bit of the rasp that comes from grief and cries of woe.

Anyara tilted her head slowly over the blade to look at him. Her warm eyes were oddly chill for her. "My blood has been spilled by better before," She replied quietly, and turned to face him, completely ignoring the bar of sharp steel against her skin.
After being bred to threats like that, and to the attempted carrying out of those threats, he would have to do more to scare her into submission. "There are several temples in the area, but none as large as this one, or as fine. Dawn Street, a quarter of the way around town to the east, has a particularly nice Fire temple. The same distance to the west is a good sized Stone temple--it's on Patience Lane--, and across town on Serenity Way is a Water temple of similar grandeur."
Her hand lifted to the flat of the blade and pushed it gently away, the same calm, unruffled look in her gaze, an unhurried chill beneath painfully plain hair, and marks left by a well-placed lash. The scarred hand that dared brush his sword aside was the same steady calm. He'd done just the wrong thing if he wanted to get the warm, friendly Anyara. "But it seems to me, your attitude is more suited to a temple far from here. It's a rather dark place, but you seem like you'd fit right in." She smiled sunnily, mockingly, almost. "So take your sharp shiny, and go away. Those three temples are the only others of any size in this city, and you already know all three deities are worshipped here, at the Temple." Anger smoldered in the cold gaze, flickering in the ice-chips that had solidified behind her irises. "I am not required to put up with this. If you threaten me with violence again, I will be forced to respond in kind, good sir, and then I would have to spend the day cleaning the floor, for I do believe you'd make quite a mess."
Amazing how fast she could develop the talk-back ability, her former master would never have allowed her to be so impudent, and would have proved it by stripping her back of its skin. Again.

She eyed his back as he walked away. "No problem, sir." She called politely after him, completely molified by his response. She went back to work, cleaning up the courtyard. Her broom scritched the stones lightly. She was used to such work, and it went quickly, easily. She used the time to consider that man. Since she'd come to Asthel, no one had treated her like that. No one.
He was probably Drathelian, then.

Gene walked up to the Stone Temple to consoule the gods, which have not woken up. The memories of that night, when his parents were lying, dead, on the ground soaked in blood, still haunted him as he grew and led on. Every step Gene took on the stairs echoed through his mind. His veins were pulsing, as they were about to burst. He looked out into the night sky, seconds later he saw the rays of the sun hitting the Earth. He felt the Earth revitalizing, as enegry flowed through is veins. He was happy the sun was out because it calmed him down.

As Gene entered the Temple, he felt that someone has already been here. A cold gust blew through the temple, telling him the strangers side was undecided. Gene walked further into the temple, only to see a single blue rose floating on a urn, which was the offering place for Leldren. The rose was dying and wilting away and so Gene covered his hands over the flower and sent a ray of light through it, giving the flower life and scent. After that moment, Gene felt a whisper coming from the rose itself. He took a step back, almost tripping over a misplaced stone.

Many people have taken many paths, Stranger, but what will be yours?
Gene was scared and so he muttered only a few audible words.
It is time for you to choose a side Gene, and quickly. As though the Earth lives on forever, you don't have much time.
Gene knew what the flower meant, but he wasn't sure who was talking to him. He came closer to the flower and whispered, "I choose the side that clearly needs me, the light."
As Gene said those words, the flower was engulfed in light and dissappeared, knowing it was meant only for him.
He heard a faint whisper in the distance, Good-bye wise one

((I know its not very long, and there are a couple of mispelled words, and I apologize))

Nihilian left the inn quickly, his sword dripping stale ale and blood. "Best ale in town, my arse!" he shouted back at the inn with quite a few strong cursewords.
He passed another man on the street who seemed to be completely oblivious to the world around him. Nihilian decided to leave him to the local thugs. This man wasn't worth his time. So he continued on.
As he bagan to pass the Water Temple, he froze. A female body, collasped upon the steps. Unmoving. At a temple. A sacrifice! His mind screamed. A sacrifice... sacrifice... sacrifice! He was overcome by memories, memories he could never forget. Karma Dawnsong. A sacrifice! He howled into the air and threw off his hood. The red streak in his hair gleamed softly like blood spilled. His eyes flared with brilliance as he shouted defiance to Drathel and lifted the young sacrifice into his arms. He stopped abruptly. The girl was breathing.

((By the way, Nihilian is completely sure of his side. It just isn't a clear-cut one of light or dark. Let's just say he took the grey path.))