The Priestess of Limbo: A Prophecy of Blue Fire
I woke with a start, gasping for air, my hand flying instinctively to my liver. There, a mark burned like a brand of fire. I arched my brows in disbelief, my fingers trembling as they traced the singed flesh, yet strangely, there was no pain.
Lightning?
The Crow?
Blood?
The Inverted Tree?
My intuition whispered that this was far too surreal to be a mere nightmare; it was a warning. My senses were screaming, and I couldn’t dismiss the chilling clarity of the vision. I eased out of bed and made my way to the washroom, cupping the cold water and splashing it repeatedly against my face. Once the fog of sleep lifted, I replayed the dream in my mind.
Lightning... that is Lord Zeus. The eagle? His symbol as well. Am I not a priestess in a temple dedicated to his brother and wife? But I wasn’t nurturing that eagle. In the dream, it tried to tear out my liver, and I had caught it, crushed its beak, and cast its carcass beneath the roots of that inverted tree.
“May the Gods protect me...”
But who would protect whom? Lightning doesn’t strike a dream without purpose. Even the subconscious couldn't fabricate such omens out of thin air. Just as Goddess Athena once blessed King Odysseus by manifesting through others, the appearance of divine symbols is never a coincidence—it is either a blessing or a curse.
The Temple Whispers
Rumors of the Grey-Eyed Goddess's protection over Odysseus had reached the temple long ago. Aretha, one of the priestesses, mentioned that the King punished those spreading false rumors by cutting out their tongues. When I asked who started these tales, she simply shrugged. “Likely his crew,” she muttered.
I knew I had to keep my dream a secret. In these times, the slightest omen of catastrophe could cost a head. I rubbed my face harshly, trying to steady my racing heart.
“Listen to me, you coward,” I whispered to myself, my voice sharp and edged with anger. “Being brave is no longer a choice—it is a necessity. Being cunning is not an option—it is a requirement. You must lie if you must, and you must anchor your life to your own choices, not a thread of fate. You were forced into this. You either live, or you are condemned. And life is far too precious to squander.”
The Encounter with Theodoros
As I reached for a white cloak in the temple display, a voice began to echo in my mind—first a whisper, then a resonant chime.
“O, beautiful and noble priestesses of my exalted Goddess.”
I froze. Was it coming from outside? I peered through the glass, but the courtyard was empty.
“What are you doing up at this hour?” the High Priestess asked. Lady Maria stood there, her shawl draped over her white gown, looking at me with curiosity.
“I couldn’t sleep,” I replied shortly. “And... I heard a prayer.”
A smile touched her wrinkled face. “Those who vow to serve here become part of the temple itself. To understand is not merely to be told; it is a journey.” She gestured toward the door. “Come, let us walk.”
Outside, the world was a masterpiece of vibrant greens and open blues. But the peace was interrupted by a familiar voice.
“Lady Maria.”
Theodoros.
The sunlight caught his hair, making it glow like a fragment of the sun itself. He stood there, noble in his gold-embroidered white himation, a golden belt cinching his waist. He looked like a man blessed by Helios himself.
“Another morning walk with one of your priestesses? What luck,” he said, his smile both charming and mischievous. He took Lady Maria’s hand with practiced grace.
“Eleana, go back inside,” Lady Maria commanded softly.
As I passed him, I felt his gaze like a physical weight against my back. My heart fluttered—was it a biological reaction, or was my soul stumbling as it brushed against his?
“What use are you to me, O Love?” I muttered to myself like an embittered old woman. “You bring nothing but ruin.”
The Reading of the Blue Flame
“Eleana,” he called out just as I reached the temple steps. I turned, trying to remain poised.
“Theodoros?”
“Can we speak? I’ve been reading the fortunes of the new priestesses for the temple’s prosperity. I could read yours as well. You won’t find a better seer.”
I crossed my arms. “And the price?”
“A prayer? For my health or my fortune,” he shrugged.
We entered a private ritual room behind the great statue. When he reached for the candle in my hand, his skin brushed mine, and a jolt of searing heat shot through me. I sat across from him as he raised his hands above the flickering wick.
“Think of four questions. Ask the first aloud.”
“My past... why can’t I remember my essence?”
The flame roared, melting the wax instantly. The smoke turned pitch black. Theodoros frowned. “You have no past. There are no memories for you. The Sisters of Fate have different plans; they do not wish for you to look back.”
“What is the reason for my existence?” I asked, my voice trembling.
The smoke shifted to a murky brown. “Uncertain. Most fates show a path; yours shows nothing but a void. It is as if you are standing on the brink of death.”
My blood ran cold. My final question: “Who am I?”
The candle erupted. The smoke turned a brilliant blue, then a pure white.
“You are Limbo, Eleana,” Theodoros whispered, looking at me as if I were a mystery he was desperate to solve.
The Warning and the Rival
Later that day, as Theodoros was leaving, he leaned into my ear. His warm breath felt like a brand. “I won’t let any fire burn you,” he whispered. “I won’t let them declare you a witch.”
My heart hammered against my ribs. For a moment, visions flashed before my eyes: a river in a forest, a black sun, blue fire, and fallen bodies. I pulled away, breathless.
As I returned to my duties, I was cornered by another priestess—Ilena. Her face was a mask of venom.
“This is not a tavern or a brothel, Eleana,” she spat. “Your 'connection' with the noble Theodoros is far too obvious.”
I didn't flinch. “Are you afraid of being left behind? Or is it that your own father tried to sell you to a brothel, and now you can’t stand to see nobility in another?”
The color drained from her face. I had struck a nerve.
“I will be everything you desire to be,” I whispered, leaning in close before walking away, leaving her trembling in the shadows of the temple.