09-15-2024, 08:01 PM
The welcome prompted a pleased beam, and Cali looped her arm with the other woman’s. It was warmer that way anyway. “Miiia,” she said. There was the barest lilt of accent to her voice, the only legacy her father cared to leave her with; the Haart’s buried Irish roots. “What a lovely and melodic name.”
Their feet crunched over the path she led. The Celestial Gardens were beautiful, cleared of snow and carefully manicured to make the most of the winter blooms. It was work Cali often volunteered herself for, at all times of the year, finding the most divine truth in nature. That was the way in which the Ascendancy called through her, to cherish and protect from the rigours of the modern world. The Sanctuary cradled a literal oasis in the middle of the bustling city. Many of the plants were rare, but even someone unfamiliar with the types could feel the gentle tranquillity such pockets of space offered. The paths broke off to quieter areas, filled with reflection pools and places to meditate.
“The curving structure is the Monument to the Conquerors of Space,” she explained, her breath puffing little clouds in the air. “From the old era of the Space Race. But the grounds and buildings around it are the Sanctuary of the Ascendant Flame now. The gardens are my favourite part, but inside is wonderful too. Oh, the Hall of Stars, Mia! It is quite a sight to behold for the first time. I am excited for you.” Cali paused to touch her gloved finger to an overhanging leaf.
“Seekers are those beginning their journeys here – they come to us to explore the ways of the Brotherhood, to find the answers in their hearts.” Ahead, they had come to the garden’s centrepiece – a large, crystalline fountain fixed with a bronze statue of the Ascendancy himself. She waited for it to capture Mia's attention before adding, “Without him, the world would have perished in nuclear winter.”
Their feet crunched over the path she led. The Celestial Gardens were beautiful, cleared of snow and carefully manicured to make the most of the winter blooms. It was work Cali often volunteered herself for, at all times of the year, finding the most divine truth in nature. That was the way in which the Ascendancy called through her, to cherish and protect from the rigours of the modern world. The Sanctuary cradled a literal oasis in the middle of the bustling city. Many of the plants were rare, but even someone unfamiliar with the types could feel the gentle tranquillity such pockets of space offered. The paths broke off to quieter areas, filled with reflection pools and places to meditate.
“The curving structure is the Monument to the Conquerors of Space,” she explained, her breath puffing little clouds in the air. “From the old era of the Space Race. But the grounds and buildings around it are the Sanctuary of the Ascendant Flame now. The gardens are my favourite part, but inside is wonderful too. Oh, the Hall of Stars, Mia! It is quite a sight to behold for the first time. I am excited for you.” Cali paused to touch her gloved finger to an overhanging leaf.
“Seekers are those beginning their journeys here – they come to us to explore the ways of the Brotherhood, to find the answers in their hearts.” Ahead, they had come to the garden’s centrepiece – a large, crystalline fountain fixed with a bronze statue of the Ascendancy himself. She waited for it to capture Mia's attention before adding, “Without him, the world would have perished in nuclear winter.”