▬Chapter  three▬

Apollo's temple was beautiful, that was what Psyche thought when she first stepped inside the holy place. It was a magnificent sight. The walls were lined with shades of orange tiles, making the temple glow like ember. On the opposite side of the entrance to the shrine was a huge statue of Apollo, the white effigy was of a man dressed in a toga from head to toe and had a short beard covering his chin. It stood tall and mighty with its one hand held out as if beckoning for worshippers to edge closer into the temple.

The pillars lined the temple like a fence, blazing torches hanging from the top of it. The inside of the house of God  as vacant as it was during the day and people were mostly at work but Psyche could see some worshippers laying down their gifts in front of the statue. 

"The oracle will be right in the back, please take your time." The said as he ushered her father and herself towards a dark room that resembled a cave. On a higher ground, a luminescent orb was placed on a stone stand. Silent humming reverberated inside the cave-like room. The once dark room suddenly glowed as if the oracle could sense the presence of the visitors. They stepped closer to the orb.  

Her father peered into the oracle, his eyes taking in the glorious sight of the holy item. It shimmered in the dark abyss that engulfed them, being the only source of light besides the torch that their held. "Oh oracle of Apollo, guide us with your knowledge and your truth!" Psyche's father said to the orb and she watched as the light started flickering.

"Tell us what will happen to my youngest daughter, Psyche. Tell us, oh oracle, which man that walks the land will be her partner, her soul mate in this world and the one after. Please enlighten us with what you see."

The globe suddenly flashed a thousand pictures at once, each of them not having any sound but the movie itself said enough. Psyche could see a man- the mysterious man that she met in the meadow gazed back at her from inside the ball. He held a distrusting look. The ball flashed again and now it showed a huge temple on top of the sky where light surrounded every corner of the area. The picture changed and then Psyche could see herself in the orb, on her knees in what seemed to be hell. In front of her was a creature- no, it was a beast- with wings so big that each flap of it sent a gushing wind. Its skin was dark with scales running along its spine and its eyes...so red that it resembled ruby. It bared its fangs at her as she took a step back. This time, the ball flashed and showed a picture so different than the others. A beautiful woman sat on top of a chaise lounge in an authoritative posture. Her back was straight yet relaxed as if she was arrogant. The woman's hair glowed so bright and looked like liquid gold styled in soft ringlets. But her eyes were as cold as the nights during winter, it reflected envy and rage in those blue eyes that glared at her. 

The ball cracked.

It cracked at where the woman's eyes were.

And all Psyche, her father and the could do was expect the worst.

Her father turned to the in sheer fear. "Why did it crack? It's not suppose to crack is it!" And then he turned to his daughter and grasped