Rise

 Sard kept the priestess of Vera in the peripheral of his left eye, Ellipsis was his only guide through the formalities of the Phoenix temple. Temple? this was barely a bathhouse filled with oversize braziers reeking of incense. "HITTOUR KEEP UP!" Sardonic felt Ellipsis withering glance at his outburst more than saw it as he wondered if the warrior zealots presence was worth the distraction. The acolyte leading them turned. motioning to stone benches along the wall. "Rest from your journey Ambassadors. I will announce you to the Mistress". She shuffled away at twice the pace she had lead them from the gates. The dry heat burned his throat while sweat soaked his headband. Hittour finally sat, eyes wide at every nook and ember. How was he still dry in all that steel? As the cleric rose with her usual composed grace he intuitively mirrored her, staying a stride ahead. A red tinged glow across the alter room coalesced into raised wings of the temple mistresses robes. "WASH ME WITH THE HOLY FLAME AND GUIDE ME FROM THE ASHES HOLY ONE" Hittour cried throwing himself at the feet of this statuesque woman in a crash of metal on stone. Ellipsis bent smoothly at waist and knee left foot crossed before right stopping half way to the floor and rising back to her her full height as he mimicked her. "Greetings Flame Keeper, I Ellipsis bring you Sardonic of the Gray and Hittour the burned" The read haired head priestesses gaze seemed to burn past the ranger more than see him. "Welcome faithful of Vera we are grateful that you guide this son of the Phoenix to our alter" as her words and hands enfolded the prostrated warrior he seemed to reflect her emanating gleem and flicker at his extremities. An inhalation the only sound as his eyes glassed over his face split with the wideness of his grin. She turned to Ellipsis and motioned to the acolyte. "Sheilei will show you to the fountain gardens so you may cool yourself in the waters of Vera" With a bow of her head his only touchstone to sanity left with the orange robed girl. The Keeper turned toward where she had appeared ,leaving the Elf ranger wondering if he was welcome to follow. As they passed from the alter room he turned to admonish Hittour for his usual slowness only to find the youth and his armor were silently a step behind him. And... there was no way that plate capped head had reached his shoulder this morning! "Vera save me" he prayed ,silently grasping the offerings his order had sent with him like a drowning man would a branch.