The Beginning
Apotheosis
Love will ignite a light
in your eyes;
it will transcend time.
The temple itself was grand; made of white-washed stone and golden ornaments, surrounded by a beautiful forest of green that teemed with life of all kinds. It sparkled enticingly in the morning sunlight and shimmered against a silhouetted backdrop of red during the sunset, drawing in crowds of awed bystanders who murmured contentedly as they smiled at its beauty, and none were more proud of their handiwork than the priests who'd build it.
Every day people went to worship in the temple, to confess their sins to the priests and offer gifts and incense to the god they'd pledged their allegiance to, for he was a god to be feared.
Vrijeme, they called him.
The Lord of Time.
His priests were fabled all across the land as timeless; blessed with immortality so they could worship their god forever. But that sort of dedication held a lot more weight than most of them had anticipated, and as the decades turned into centuries the priests began to leave little by little, afraid of living out all those years alone; trapped in a temple worshipping a god whose followers had long ago died out. And so, in choosing to go so selfishly after all they'd promised, their immortality was revoked and they were mortal once more.
But in the end, they didn't mind death as much as they thought they would.
The years passed in this way, and slowly the priests all began to leave, opting for mortality in the face of eternity until finally only one was left.
And so he stayed; loyal to the very end.
Tao hurried across the temple's courtyard, the soft fabric shoes on his feet making no sound against the weathered stone floor as his robes whispered around his ankles, urging him on faster and faster. He was going to be late, and tardiness was not something a Lord of Time tolerated.
But thankfully he got to the altar in the temple's main sanctuary just in time, falling to his knees as he pulled the cowl off from his head and bent low before the stone dais. For nearly half an hour he stayed in that position, praying softly, before he finally lifted his head and placed two lit sticks of incense in the small canister beside the altar. Then, with a final bow, he was done with his morning prayers.
Feeling energized and ready for the day, Tao shed the top layer of his robes, laying them on a stone bench just inside the sanctuary as he headed out to the courtyard for his morning exercises. He'd made a habit of doing them every morning and every evening, wanting to stay in shape since he did very little besides pray most of the day.
He prayed for lots of things. For peace, for an end to suffering, for an eternal heaven. He prayed for happiness and love for all the world, for acceptance, for anything he could think of, desperate to make the world a better place with his pleas.
And, while some might've lost their faith after so long, Tao had no need for confirmation from his god. After all, his immortality and the minor time-manipulation powers he possessed were already confirmation enough that his faith was true and his god was real. He needed no further evidence, even if he'd never heard his god's voice or seen his face.
And so the days passed on as they always did, and Tao fell into his centuries-old routine, glad that his immortality had included staying young and strong. He doubted it would be as fun to explore the old temple and the lands surrounding it if he was old and frail, but then again that was just another blessing his god had granted him.
And while some would say that his life was lacking – in love and company and the easy camaraderie of friendship – he begged to differ. He had a roof over his head and a warm bed to sleep in at night, he had food, he had a river to bathe in and drink from, he had books to read – old tomes from years past – he had a god to worship, and he had thousands of years ahead of him. What more could he ask for?
He certainly couldn't think of anything.
However, the large, endless temple did get pretty lonely every once and a while, and on those nights when the shadows reached out for him and the darkness looked so much more inviting then the light, Tao would hide away in his bed and pray, begging for peace.
He'd fall asleep like that; curled in on himself with tears in his eyes.
But still he didn't feel as if he could ask for anything from his god, even after all his years of dedication, for he'd pledged his life to Vrijeme, and he understood the consequences behind the words 'dedication' and 'loyalty', unlike those disgraceful priests who'd left after the first few hundred years.
To be honest, though, Tao wasn't completely sure how long ago that had been. He'd stopped counting the days when he'd started seeing each one as nothing more than a tally mark to be marked down on the walls of the temple, and so he'd finally decided that he'd just live day-to-day instead; expecting nothing more. It was easier that way.
And so the days passed.
Then the years.
Then the decades.
And Tao slipped out of all thought and memory, nothing more than a ghost in an abandoned temple.
But he didn't mind.
Not really.
It was as simple a day as ever when Tao's entire life changed.
He'd just finished his morning prayers and had gone down to the river to bathe – gasping a little at the chill of the cold water against his skin – when he heard a strange sound. It was slightly familiar; a rumbling, like the warnings of a far-off earthquake. But no, it was different somehow.
Tao thought back to the books he'd found a few days before on one of his exploits around the temple's surrounding areas. It had been a strange book, one that spoke of technologies he'd never heard of; cars and trains and great metal beasts that flew through the air on steel wings. At first he'd been appalled, but then he'd considered how many years had passed and it had all made sense.
Human innovation was forever moving forward, forever pushing towards its next goal. That they'd accomplished so much while he'd been gone wasn't a very big surprise, and so Tao took it all in stride, along with the date in the front cover of the book that told the year the book had been published.
2011.
Had it really been that long?
Last Tao had checked, the years had been in the hundreds. He couldn't remember the exact date, but he'd figured that at least two thousand years or so had passed since that time. Then again, that date – 2011 – was the date the book was published, which meant that it could very well be hundreds of years old and he'd have no idea.
But it didn't really matter to him, in the end.
The continuous rumbling from before brought him out of his thoughts and he frowned, wondering if the sound was made by one of those so-called 'cars' he'd read about. They had engines of some sort inside of them – lots of gears grinding and working together – and had been described to make a sound similar to that, but he'd never know unless he got closer.
Finishing up his bathing quickly, Tao stepped out of the river and dried himself off, throwing on a clean pair of robes as he rushed back to the temple to renew the incense at Vrijeme's altar before he left. He said a short prayer, thanking his god for everything, and then turned and rushed off, dashing out the temple's door and navigating through the forest he knew so well.
A few hundred years ago a dirt road had been carved through the forest, but it had rarely – if ever – been used. In fact, Tao hadn't seen anyone go down it in ages, but now someone was using it, and as Tao got closer he saw that what he'd heard was, after all, one of those cars he'd read about. It was very strange looking; sort of big and blocky, and it didn't have a roof. Also he could see someone in the driver's seat, but he wasn't close enough to get a really good look at them.
He stared as they drove past, not allowing himself to look away until they were too far off to see clearly anymore. Then, with a sigh, he turned and headed back to the temple.
He wasn't sure what he'd been expecting. After all, it wasn't like he really knew how to talk to people anymore. He'd fallen so out of contact with humanity that he was sure he'd lost the ability to socialize, and just thinking of actually talking with another person made him shudder in fear.
It had been interesting to see the car, but Tao was glad it had driven past.
Even though a part of him wished it hadn't.
A few more days passed. Normal, uneventful days.
Tao was practicing in the courtyard when he heard the now-familiar rumble of a car's engine yet again and he paused, tilting his head to the side. How strange. So very few people ever came this way, but that was the second in a week. Unable to contain his curiosity, Tao stopped what he was doing and donned his robes once more, taking the path through the forest that let him see the road without getting to close.
What he saw made his heart stop in his chest.
The same car he'd seen before – the blocky, roofless one – was lumbering down the road again, only it wasn't heading away as he'd thought it would be. Instead, out of nowhere, it suddenly turned down another, even less used road and started heading for the temple.
His temple.
Something akin to fear struck hollow in Tao's stomach, and without a second thought he turned and fled, back to the temple and to the altar in the main sanctuary where he fell to his knees without preamble and prayed, begging his god to turn this intruder away so he could go on living his days in peace. He'd mentioned before, in his prayers and in his journals from years past, that he'd occasionally longed for company, but not in this way. He didn't want some unknown person from an unknown year to come barging into his home, thinking it was some sort of abandoned piece of history that had to be documented. He just wanted to pray and serve his god. Was that too much to ask after all his years of servitude?
“Please,” he gasped, speaking up as he raised his head to look up at the grand stone altar, his hands clasped together in front of him, “Please, turn him away.”
The sound of someone's footsteps echoing through the main chamber told him instantly that his prayers had not been answered, and Tao quickly jumped to his feet, spinning on his heel and rushing out of the room in a flurry of robes before the intruder managed to see him.
Despite his fear, though, there was still that curiosity there in the pit of his stomach, and so he hid behind one of the sanctuary's stone pillars, making sure his cowl completely hid his face before he dared to peek out.
He was not expecting what he saw.
A tall man with blond hair stood at the altar of Vrijeme. He had a sort of eager look about him, as if he was expecting something, but when he glanced down at the altar he suddenly went rigid, his brow furrowing, and Tao realized with a flash of dread that the incense he'd lit next to the altar was still burning.
Horror sank in his chest like a stone, for now this man – this intruder – knew that he wasn't the only one in the temple, and that meant Tao was in danger.
The blond man straightened, his eyes narrowed as he glanced around the sanctuary, and Tao quickly ducked behind the pillar, praying he hadn't been seen.
“Hello?”
The stranger's voice – heavily accented but still understandable – echoed off the walls, ricocheting around the room, and Tao flinched, pulling his cowl further over his head. He had to get out of there, he had to run away and go hide in his room, but he was afraid that if he ran the movement would catch the blond man's eye.
I should've left when I had the chance, he thought bitterly, cursing his curiosity.
Then suddenly, he saw an opening.
The blond man had crouched down to take a better look at the still-burning incense, his back to Tao's hiding place, and so Tao decided he had to move quickly if he wanted to get away. Refusing to doubt himself lest he miss his only opening, he dashed forward, heading for the adjacent hall that led to his bedroom, only to freeze as he heard a loud, astonished gasp from behind him.
His heart pounding in his veins, Tao turned to look.
The blond man was standing there, staring at him with wide eyes and open jaw, and everything seemed to slow as Tao stared back, glad for the cowl that hid his face in shadow, but knowing it would do no good if the blond got too close.
“Who ...” the blond breathed, stepping forward. “Who are you … ?”
Tao ran.
His robes were fluttering around him, catching the air in billows as he tore down the hallway and headed for somewhere – anywhere but the sanctuary. There were tears in his eyes, blurring his vision, but thankfully he knew the layout of the temple well enough to navigate it even with the loss of his vision. Breathing hard, he turned a corner and ducked into one of the rooms he'd never used, backing into the corner furthest from the door and praying for the shadows to hide him.
The blond ran past the room without a second glance, and relief surged through him like a tidal wave.
Thank you, Vrijeme.
What would he do if the man came back, though? It wasn't a very likely option, but if he did come back Tao really wouldn't know what to do. Most would say that at this point it'd be best to fight the intruder off, but if he really thought about it then he realized that he had no real reason to engage the so-called intruder. After all, that man hadn't known that the temple was still lived in. How could he have? It was thousands of years old and seemingly abandoned. None could condemn him for making such an assumption. And then there was also the fact that Vrijeme believed in violence only as a last resort; when all hope was lost and you had nothing else. So despite the fact that Tao was skilled in the use of martial arts, he would not use those skills unless he absolutely needed to.
So that left him only one option.
Pray.
And pray he did. He prayed that the blond man would go of his own accord, that he would leave and speak not a word of what he'd seen. He prayed that he'd never come back, and that – if possible – he'd forget everything that had happened there at the temple. But, despite his faith, Tao knew that such a thing might've been too much to ask, even of the Lord of Time.
“Hey ...”
Tao's eyes flew open at the sudden, unexpected voice, and he gasped as he saw that the blond man was right there, right in front of him. Tao had been so caught up in his prayers that he hadn't even heard the man come in, and now he was faced with a terrible situation; one he'd never even considered before.
He was trapped.
“Hey,” the blond said, stepping towards him. Instinctively, Tao shrank away, receding deeper into the folds of his robes and praying the blond didn't move too close; praying that the cowl was thick enough and dark enough to keep his face shrouded in shadow. If he wasn't seen then he could escape just as a mysterious figure; a ghost, even. But if his face was seen then this intruder would know that he was, in fact, human.
Well … mostly human.
“I'm not going to hurt you,” the blond said suddenly, his voice soft.
Tao shook his head. Despite the blond's assurances, he didn't want this. He was too afraid. So long had he begged for company that he'd forgotten he didn't remember what it was like to actually have company next to him, and now there he was, faced with a potential companion, and he was scared to the point that he couldn't even speak.
It had been two thousand years since he'd been faced with another human being.
Two thousand years since he'd spoken to anyone but Vrijeme.
What do I do?
“My name's Kris,” the blond said suddenly, moving a step closer.
Tao whimpered, wishing all of a sudden that the man would attack him just so he could have a reason to strike back and end this. He wanted his real life to resume; the life where he'd lived endless days after endless days, praying and cursing his loneliness.
Oh how he missed his loneliness now.
“Hey ...” Kris was close enough now to reach out and touch him, and Tao honestly hoped he didn't. It had been a long time since he'd spoken to someone, but even longer since he'd been touched by someone, and he wasn't sure what would happen or how he'd react.
Then, without preamble, Kris abruptly reached up and yanked his hood down, exposing him completely, and Tao went rigid when their gazes locked, all the breath leaving him in one swift exhale as he stared at Kris and Kris stared back, entranced.
“Who are you?” The blond whispered.
Instinct kicked in with a suddenness that Tao couldn't possibly counteract, and without even registering what he was doing he was moving, grabbing Kris's arm as he spun the blond around and slammed him up against the wall, pinning him there with his arm twisted painfully behind his back. Kris grunted in surprise and pain, wincing as he tried to struggle free, and reality rushed back to Tao like a gust of wind through an open door.
“I – I'm sorry!” He gasped, releasing Kris and backing away. Horrified at what he'd done, he turned and fled before the blond could react, tears in his eyes as he dashed down the hallway and towards the sanctuary.
He needed to pray.
Forgive me, Vrijeme, he thought as he came to the altar and fell down on his knees before it, his fears of being exposed outweighed by the dread sinking in his gut like a stone. I have failed you.
Kris's arm throbbed where it had been twisted behind him, and he could feel a headache coming on, but none of that could possibly discourage him as he walked determinedly down the ancient temple's corridor, desperate to find the beautiful man he'd only caught a glimpse of and dispel the questions swirling around in his head. Who was that young man? Why was he there, at the temple? And why had he attacked Kris like that, only to apologize and run off? None of it made any sense at all.
But after searching through the halls and finding nothing, Kris decided it was time to go back to his jeep and maybe call for reinforcements. His photographer friend, Yixing – who'd agreed to meet him if Kris called and said it was worth it – would definitely be a big help in finding that mysterious cloaked man, so he turned around, heading for the large domed room he'd entered through.
But when he got there he froze, his eyes widening as he saw the cloaked man he'd been looking for, kneeling in front of the altar with his head bowed and his hands folded in prayer.
Prayer to whom?
“Hello … ?” Kris called, approaching him slowly. He really didn't want to scare the young man again, especially considering what had happened last time, but the gentle approach didn't seem to work much seeing as the young man instantly spun to face him when he spoke, his eyes wide and fear clear in his expression. Unsure, Kris bent down in front of him, making sure to stay a good distance away just in case he decided to attack again.
“I'm not going to hurt you.” He said softly, “I just want to talk, alright? I want to talk.” He put a hand to his chest and smiled. “My name's Kris, like I said before. Uh, I'm twenty two years old, I'm an archeologist, I have a younger sister and a stupid best friend, and … and I'm not going to hurt you.” He reached out, frowning when the young man shied away from him.
“Don't – don't touch me ...” the young man gasped, his breathing heavy and shallow.
“I'm not going to hurt you,” Kris said again, more force behind his words this time. “I promise.”
The young man shook his head. “I – I don't ...”
“What's your name?” Kris asked, his voice soft once again. He felt as if this young man was fragile, like glass; one wrong move and he'd shatter. So Kris handled him gently, his eyes encouraging trust. “I told you all that stuff about me, so I should at least get to know your name.”
The young man shook his head, looking as if he was about to cry, and a few tense minutes passed in which he stayed pressed up against the altar, his chest rising and falling with stunted breaths. He looked so scared and so alone and Kris so badly wanted to embrace him, but he doubted that'd be a good idea so instead he stayed still, holding his breath as he waited. Then suddenly the young man lowered his eyes, something akin to resignation in his expression.
“Tao.” He murmured.
Kris blinked. “Tao?”
“That's my name.” The young man said, his eyes on the ground. “I'm Tao.”
Kris smiled, relaxing as he moved a bit closer and sat down, criss-crossing his legs. “Hello, Tao. It's nice to meet you.” He trailed off then, unsure of what to say as he glanced around the large room and wondered whether or not he should ease into the questions or just barrel on forward. Tao had told him his name, and that was something, but he might not be so compliant when it came to other inquiries. Still, at least he wasn't backing away like some frightened animal anymore.
“How long have you been here?”
Tao shrugged. “I used to keep track ...” he murmured, pointing at something behind Kris, and the blond turned, his eyes widening as he saw hundreds upon hundreds of tally marks scratched into the ancient stone of the temple's walls.
“There are so many,” he breathed, wondering where he should even start.
Tao nodded. “I stopped counting a while ago so I forgot the actual number, but I'm … I'm sure it's been at least two thousand years.”
And everything around Kris seemed to stop.
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