Chapter 3: The Temple
Maybe it had been a talisman to bring them good luck. Or maybe it was a sign for him to keep trying.
One day, he'd just seen the symbol on a building. Inside, he'd found people who took them in. Him and his sister. Trained them. Shown them the affection they'd never received from their parents or the world. Given them shelter from the cruelty.
Even as Zeke drove his motorcycle into the temple's garden, he remembered himself crawling at its gate, not as a sad memory, but as a happy memory.
The start of a life he'd enjoyed.
Maii stood at the front door of the Temple, with its curve-tipped roof and botanical garden sprawling around it.
"You're late!" she said.
He smiled as he got off the bike. "Oh, am I?" he asked. "It's good to see you too, Maii."
He hugged her, fluffing her hair and she pushed away. She was twelve now, seven years younger than him, but she still had that adorable stubborn five-year-old attitude.
As they walked into the Temple which had become their home, they found five other Priests sitting around the TV, getting their noodles ready, all dressed as he was.
"Zeke! You're late!" called one of them, waving. "It's about to start."
That was Amar, the engineer. He helped them out with everything technology-related and was a friendly person to be around.
Zeke's eyes floated across the room, registering the others.
Kirei, an aloof girl who always kept to herself, a quality Zeke found attractive. She kept tabs on Arisen activity.
Maki, a shorter girl who was the opposite of Kirei, always outgoing and active. She was dead serious when needed, though.
Balin, who was never seen without a dumbbell, despite his obesity. Somehow, he never grew thinner.
Shig, who was a martial-arts addict and could fight in any style, usually combining several to make his own trademark moves.
"Maii was complaining about you since she came back from she friend's house," Maki said, leaning over the sofa Kirei occupied. "She's really mad you kept her waiting."
"Is she, now?" Zeke asked, ruffling her hair, much to her protests.
"She was so cute," Amar said, twisting his head back to look at Zeke.
"I'm not cute!" Maii said angrily, stirring the laughs of the others.
It was then that the all-too familiar melody of the Arisen alert played on TV, drawing everyone's attention.
"We interrupt this program for an Arisen alert," the woman in the feed said. A map hovered next to her. "Type-C Arisen has appeared in Hoyono District, Kamiro Prefecture. All citizens are requested to evacuate to designated safe areas I repeat . . ."
"Type-C?" Shig said. "That's rare."
The video showed a massive humanoid that had the tell-tale blazing red skin of an Arisen. It had the head of a medieval knight's armour and its body was an inferno, towering at least twenty-five metres tall.
"We should go," Zeke said. "You guys round off the citizens who couldn't escape. Kirei, I need every detail about the Arisen from energy fluctuations to location, in case I lose it."
Kirei nodded.
"And me?" Maii asked.
Zeke lowered to one knee in front of her. "You have to stay here," he said with a smile. "You still can't fight the Arisen."
"You never teach me!" Maii complained.
Zeke grinned, stroking her head. "I will," he said. "When I get back, I will."
"Zeke, let's go!" Amar said.
Zeke stood up and followed the other Priests.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone