olis was up on the mountain. It was a whisper that spread like wildfire, consuming the minds and hearts of all of the citizens who had made the pilgrimage to the summit at the behest of those beguiling fowl who spoke with the voice of a god. She had felt his appearance, the entire air had hummed with the promise of his return -- an electricity like that of a rolling summer storm, felt long before it was seen. Her breath drew in short, ragged sips of the crisp autumnal air as her hooves dug into the rocky ground finding purchase. Her golden bodice was glittering with sweat, the ivory hood torn back from her head to allow her tresses to fly freely.

Storm colored gaze was locked upon her target, the peak of the summit, and the home of the gods of Novus. Gods that she had worshipped her entire life, a devout faith that she had held close to her heart even as a child. Solis bore the weight of the sun on his own shoulders for the entire day. Her young heart had filled with wonder and pride that her warrior god would be entrusted with the powerful sphere that bid the grass to grow and the birds to sing.

A bitter wind ripe with the promise of winter threatened to steal her breath, the girl force to bow her head against it's mighty whipping. Blonde hair streamed like a ribbon behind her, sure to be a tumulus mess by the time she reached the peak. Perhaps later, if she got the thing she wanted the most, she would be horrified by her appearance -- but for now, all that mattered was seeing for herself what others had told her they had seen. A part of her felt foolish, rushing up here upon the wagging tongues of others. But hope was a hard thing to kill, even when it seemed to be extinguished -- it somehow managed to flicker back to life.

Upon reaching the summit, she entered the mouth of the cave -- and found it to be empty. Her heart, pounding with expectant hope seemed to sink to an unfathomable depth. Utterly...desolate. The statues, missing from their places. The remnants of offerings the only clue that they had ever been situated within the bowels of the cave. Tears stung at the corners of her eyes, her breathing still ragged from her haphazard climbs as she cursed her foolishness. How could she have been so stupid? The missing statues must have been what those idiots meant. The gods were gone, no it was only their altars.

A scream of indignant rage bubbled from her throat, a raw screeching unbefitting her noble blood. Her teke ripped across the place where Solis' gold form should have been, scattering his offerings across the floor. Her scream echoed around her, causing her ears to pin back from the sharpness of it.

"YOU ARE NEVER THERE WHEN I NEED YOU!" She yelled into the void, feeling her knees begin to tremble. "My family was faithful to you! I have worshipped you from my first breath. Blessed by your hands...and you....you…" Her voice quivered, the volume falling until it was a whisper. She had hoped to seek his counsel. She had hoped to find the faith she had long held to be worth its weight in gold, and instead it felt as though it were little more than lead. Her head lowered, her skin quivering along with her knees. Her heart was crying out, but she had not felt that alone in a very...very long time.