Lianna pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders and suppressed a shiver as a cold wind blew across the mountain top. Her golden aura was shedding light across the rocky pathway to the Suisho no Kyuden. It had been a strange road getting here, in petitions for assistance for the Aurai race she had been sent to speak with the God Naota. Months had passed since she had spoken to someone helpful and this was her last chance unless she wanted to cross the oceans to another continent. Lianna had gone to each of the ruling kingdoms of Canelux trying to get her voice heard. 

The sunlight shining on the patches of snow glittered and the Crean surrounding Lianna drank up the excess light. The warmth that the excess energy created kept her warm despite the colder temperatures. Ahead of her, a huge crystal castle loomed and her heart lightened at the prospect of finding someone similar to her. She had never met another light wielder in person, only seen Aurai through her memories. It was rumored that Naota was unprecedented at light magic and also helped teach others how to use it. 

As she approached the crystal palace the weather on the mountaintop tempered greatly, so much so that she shed her cloak. She took a path that went to the back of the palace to the Crystal Gardens. A bright pathway lit with holy light, lead from a river that wandered out from the gardens. This was the place she had come here to visit, Hikari no Michi, the Path of Light. Lianna was told that the God Naota frequented the path. Though even if he didn't appear here the path would enlighten her, possibly revealing what it was she could do for the Aurai. 

Slowly she stepped up onto the glowing pathway and gasped at the sheer amount of holy light powering up her aura. The warmth around her seeped into her fingers making them tingle. Her entire golden aura flared up, brighter than she had ever seen it before. She looked down at the awesome glow and grinned. The amount of energy her Crean absorbed made her feel almost giddy. Lianna started down the path in hopes that the God Naota would soon join her. It only took a few steps before her thoughts came into such focus she felt as if she could solve all of her problems. Thankfully there was plenty more path for her to walk and contemplate.

Over time all sorts had walked through Suisho no Kyuden’s doors.  And as days turned to weeks turned to months and soon years, he realized that those more aligned towards his domain element were making their way.  It only made sense, but at the same time he was still slightly dumbstruck by how many workers of light there were.  More than that, how many beings related to light itself existed in Revaliir.  In his mortal life he had grown to know many that dealt with holy magick, and light by proxy of that due to hunting vampires, but for them light was a tool.  Not a life, not like it had been for him.

So now when he felt another person of light it budded in his chest, reminding him of the same feeling he’d had when Lucielle had first paid him visit.  His eyes slowly opened, shining softly in their crystalline emerald hue as he looked ahead of him.  Presently he was seated, ankles crossed and palms resting on his knees with Torinasu across his lap.  Hikari no Michi was the best place for meditation, even more so than his throne room, and today he’d kept a session more than an hour long.

After what had happened between Angela and Dalenesca he found himself in need of more grounding.  His last meeting with the newfound deity of darkness had not been a happy one, and while he’d hoped to have kinship with his counterpart, that possibility was shrinking hour by hour.  Those that had sought refuge in his temple had steadily returned to their former homes, though there were still many that were cautious to leave: the halls remained full.  He couldn’t blame them…even now there were nights that he woke in a cold sweat, checking on his still very pregnant wife just to feel her heart beating and to know that the swell of her stomach was safe.

Whoever this was though, this newcomer, they felt neither afraid nor angry, nervous perhaps as anyone could be in a new place, but nothing more than that.  He could sense them on the Light’s Path and rose up from his seated position; tying Torinasu back to his hip.  While to some the ever shining beams that made up the walls of the path could be disorienting, he could feel his way through just from walking.  Being able to merge with the light aided in that, and he expertly wove through towards them.  

The white markings that ran along his body were glowing intensely from the path, so much so that they shone through his clothing brightly enough that one might think they were designs in the fabric.  He turned the last corner between him and the visitor and slowed to a stop to make sure he wouldn’t collide into them.  She was a woman, appeared to be young, and his lips parted at her aura…if that’s what it was.  It was hard to tell but if he didn’t know any better he’d think there were life forces surrounding her.  To avoid staring he quickly smiled, though it was soft as was his voice,

“Good day, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before.”

Lianna strolled slowly along the pathway, with each step she could almost hear the buzz of energy filling her being. She was pretty sure none of the Aurai had ever experienced anything similar or she was sure a memory would have come flooding. This place, this temple that was dedicated to Naota seemed to rev her aura up to eleven. Her eyes traveled up to the sky, the same sun as always blazed away, brighter to her than to others. When your life force depends on light, one tended to become more aware of it. Something here was causing this increase of energy and she wasn't sure what. Perhaps a blessing was placed on the path or perhaps it was Naota himself. 

Despite the environment, Lianna felt the warmth, enough that she shed her cloak and stood in her long purple dress with cap sleeves. She knew if her race lived on then this memory would be shared with future generations. A swish of fabric was the only sound that warned her of another's presence. As she turned her gaze fell upon a man with dark disheveled hair, he approached her and greeted her as if he belonged here.

"No, I think not. I'm Lianna Aurum, this would be my first time her," she admitted. Upon closer look, Lianna could see light lines emanating from either his clothing or his very being. With a gasp, she realized who this must be and curtsied as she would before any king. "God Naota! I'm sorry I let myself wander, I didn't encounter anyone else and wanted to tread this path myself. I had heard rumors of the powers here, but had never expected this response from my Crean." 

With a shake of her head, she stood back up and folded her hands primly in front of her. It was difficult to explain what she or her Crean were. For the most part, she just let people see her aura and draw their own conclusions. Thankfully after years now of practice, she could control her emotions enough that her aura was generally the neutral gold. Right now though it turned the sunset orange of excitement. A blush went to her pale cheeks as she realized she wasn't in control of her emotions at the moment. 

"You see my Crean are the creatures that make up my aura, they feed off of light. This place seems to be a full buffet and like any aura, it changes color with my emotions." she rambled. "If they don't have light we both die, so it's always in my best interest to be somewhere with light. Anyway, I apologize for the shortened explanation and thank you for allowing me here in your Temple," Lianna bowed trying to gather her thoughts. This was the first time she had been in front of a Deity and it seemed like the ramped up energy meant she had less control over her tongue than usual. As if it wasn't embarrassing enough that her aura was visible.

Lianna Aurum, he took in her name and gently nodded his head in greeting only to realize that she had just come to the conclusion of who he was.  As she curtsied his eyes widened and he gently shook his head with a nervous smile, “O-Oh, no no it’s all right.”  Crean?  That was a new word, “There’s no apology necessary, everyone is welcome to walk at their own pace be it with me, another, or in solitude.”  

She began to explain what these ‘crean’ were and to say he was fascinated would have been a bit of an understatement.  Forgetting himself, he walked towards her and then slowly circled her, his eyes wide and glowing even brighter from curiosity.  He smiled as her very easy to see aura faded into a more brilliant shade of orange and he felt companionship to that,

“It really is no issue at all.  Seems to me like this is one of the best places for you.  I can’t go as far as to say that my life depends on being around light, though ever since my ascension I wouldn’t want to test it.”

He softly chuckled, “I can most certainly relate to your glow being a giveaway of your aura and emotion.  I’ve had something quite similar since birth, in these.”  He touched the edge of one of his eyes in indication, right now they were still their natural emerald, “They change with my aura and emotions.  Little known fact, though I doubt it would be hard to figure out.”  It didn’t take a scholar to know that should his eyes flare ruby he wasn’t a happy fellow.

He stopped in front of her, no longer circling and offered a smile, “In any case I’m very happy that you’ve decided to pay a visit.  If it wouldn’t bother you, I’d like to walk with you through the path.  Is that all right…?”  This was his temple, these were his grounds, but he understood more than most how important one’s privacy was and would give her that should she prefer it. “I’d be lying if I said your presence didn’t draw me to seek out the source.”