See in the World what you Carry in your Heart

eyes can't shine unless there's something burning bright behind

Aurelia nodded, understanding that whatever was said had to be kept between them. She didn't like secrets - keeping a secret was as good as lying - but, due to her quick and fierce loyalty, she kept many of them. Most were not hers. Except, perhaps, the fact that she was a bounty hunter. She had kept that small but important detail to herself for fear of rejection by the people in this world. If they knew what she had done to people that so much as whispered about magic... would they forgive her? Or would they blame her for a past that was not in her control? It was never a choice. Not truly.

Aurelia reflected on that and Gideon's information for a few moments, dropping her gaze back to the dark, glassy shrine. Was this goddess really that horrible? Maybe it was not random choice, maybe she saw something in the people she chose. Even so, it was undeniably cruel to take them from their lives... unless their lives would be better in Caido...

"The Old Gods do sound more favorable..." she murmured, lifting her gaze back up to the priest, noting his self-assured smile. For now, she could not mirror it, her lips forming a small frown, "in my old home, it was nothing but machines. The air was filthy, people got sick a lot. If my mother hadn't been working so hard in the factories... maybe she wouldn't have died to that disease, or cancer, or whatever it was. No one was happy in that city," she looked away, back the way they'd come, "no one. I wouldn't wish that on this world. There's more freedom here than I've witnessed in my entire life."

Aurelia

In the moment of silence his eyes followed hers to look over the shrine. It was almost painful that he would have to leave it in one piece for now, but he promised himself (and any Gods that were privy to his thoughts) that he would soon return and see to it's destruction. A place so beautiful as Torchline truly threw into contrast the dark and vile nature of the Voice's constructions.

As Aurelia spoke again, it seemed that he'd gotten through to her and that she had some personal experience that related to their issues. "Then you understand more than most what's at stake here. We have to defend what we have." Gideon walked forward, turning his back on the shrine. "Thank you for your help. I hope you consider serving the Old Gods as your time here continues. You..." He paused, knowing full well from his senses that she was Abandoned and would not be welcomed. "..May struggle to have them listen at first, but continue to try."

GIDEON

You claim to be virtuous, but you're a liar
And you'll feel the heat of the flames

eyes can't shine unless there's something burning bright behind

Aurelia blinked in surprise at his claim of defending what they had. She could agree with that... she had always been that way, though. Always defending what she had, always looking out for things she held sacred or close. Was this kind of freedom one of those things? And, more importantly, was real freedom with the old gods or with the new ones?

She watched Gideon walk away, satisfied with his discovery of the shrine. She nodded curtly when he thanked her. "It's no big deal." She took his advice, though she wasn't sure what it truly meant. She simply figured that gods were difficult to receive counsel from. "Thanks, I'll try," she replied, though she wasn't sure how or where to begin. She was never the type to only hear one side of things. There had to be a different story, didn't there?

With Gideon's departure, Aurelia stayed behind for a few minutes. She sat in the sand beside the shrine, wondering about the state of her life - where it would go, what that would mean for her, whether she would follow a religious path or not. It was a lot to consider.

Aurelia