Welcome to Gaia! ::

As they approached the temple, they would find the sky above hidden behind a haze of shadows, the inky blackness blotting out the moon and stars. Those shadows were ever present so that all would be dark even during the daylight hours. Rising from that darkness was the temple itself, a massive structure that was nothing like that which Grendel had kept himself in before. What was once stark and foreboding was replaced with something much more welcoming, with multiple windows from which a warm glow spilled. It was almost homey yet still impressive in size and formation. It was indeed a home worthy of a God, not just a place for worship.

They would climb up multiple steps until they reached a large wooden double door that opened in front of them into a grand hallway, with sconces burning along the walls between colourful tapestries. At the end of that hallway stood three doors, one that went straight, one to the right, and another to the left. As they approached, the one to the left would open of its own accord, wordlessly welcoming them inside.

The room they would find themselves in then held multiple couches and chairs, each strewn with throw pillows of various colours and decorations, to the point where they spilled out onto the floor. These were courtesy of Ravnos, and though Grendel found their presence ridiculous and often used them for target practice, they seemed to multiply somehow and fill the room.

Set in one wall was a hearth, where a flickering fire had been burning low, though it seemed to brighten with renewed vigour when the two entered the room.

Each would hear their name whispered from the shadows, a welcome and a promise that Grendel would be with them shortly.

Grendel had been busy of late, though his time was divided between duty and family. On this particular night, the family held his attention, his two young children and their father, whom he had travelled through realms to save and bring back into this world. The vampire he had recreated from nothing but his essence when that was all that remained of him. Their area of the temple was far from the room that Bennett and Ashur found themselves in now, but still, the God knew that they were there. He always knew when a visitor had arrived.

But now, duty had to take precedence, though he may have let the two wait a moment or two longer than necessary. Soon, however, the room seemed to darken; a heavy presence, a power thrummed through the air like electricity. But he did not appear in front of them, no. The air grew light again; the darkness was chased away by the flames burning bright in the hearth.

From the hallway, via the doorway, Grendel entered the room. He did not take on a Godly form, though the power emanating from him was still devastating and unmistakably immense. He appeared like one of them, wearing his vampiric guise, the same that he used around mortals and around his children.

Red eyes swept across the two who had made themselves comfortable in the sitting room, though that gaze lingered a little longer on Bennett. Ah, yes, one of his old followers. He offered her a smile before his attention turned toward the ancient vampire in the room, the one he needed to speak with.

"Good evening, Ashur. To what do I owe the pleasure of having you in my home?"

As if he did not already know.