For the next 3 days, Dezen would be with other temple leaders.
After receiving his name, Dezen was brought to a modest but comfortable house by Cornelia. Where rested soundly after some adjustment. The next day Cornelia met him in his new house along with another member of the clergy.
Cornelia introduced the new person to him, "Dezen, this is Priest Dolku of the Temple of Water. He will take you to see the Leviathen, who leads the Temple of Water in the name of Aquoto."
Dezen is interested in the temple, and the voice of the water he has heard for so long. He goes with Dolku to the Water Temple. It has its own guards with distinct armor and colors from the Darkness Temple. The temple itself was made more from arches, cylindrical columns and white marble. Decorations of pearls, seashells, and bones of aquatic creatures. There were also blue crystals around too.
Dezen was led to a similar room to the one in the Darkness Temple. Heavily guarded with strong doors. Which were opened for Dezen. This time, his escort stayed outside of the room.
Dezen spotted a long-bearded old man with white hair and blemished sightly tanned skin. He was sitting in a comfortable chair with a stand next to him. Where a modest stack of books resided on top. The old man had a strong body despite his age. He wore reading glasses on wizened eyes. A blue robe that was of normal length and design. Hands and shoes were exposed. No hood to cover his head or face. The room also had a statue of the patron God. The statue of Aquoto was made from some pristine aquamarine crystal which reflected an ocean on its surface.
He stood up and waved at Dezen, "Hello young lad, glad you could come. I'm delighted to welcome a child of Severa to the Temple of Water. I am The Leviathen Krokenos. Aquoto has been expecting you, come closer young Dezen."
Dezen walked closer to Krokenos. Then the aquamarine statue of Aquoto energized, came alive. Its form moved to face Dezen.
"Dezen, the child abandoned to the darkness. Finally, you have stepped into the world with your mastery over our blessings. I wanted to be the one to take you in, but Severa was emotional that day. I know you want to see the world. Know that the waters of the world will never impede you. Goodbye young Dezen."
After saying these words, the statue returned to its original stance. Krokenos gave Dezen a smile, "Aquotos favors you greatly Dezen. I imagine he'll be watching over you closely."
Dezen asks, "Why do these gods and goddesses favor me Leviathen Krokenos?"
Krokenos was unsurprised by the question, "Well, the reason isn't some great mystery of life. The Maker gave the divines the ability to love and feel emotion the same as he did us. They favor you because you moved their hearts. Just be grateful and don't overthink it Dezen. Now, my friend, Arch-Peak Eridian also wanted to speak with you. He is in charge of the Earth Temple. An Earth clergy should be waiting outside the temple steps by now. I'll walk you."
Dezen nodded and walked beside Krokenos as they went to the steps of the temple. They said farewell and Dezen now had a new escort. Who was Ultren, a priest. The Earth Temple was next to the Water Temple. Which made the travel just a short walk among smooth stone paths. The Earth Temple was built with rough, gray stone. It was as if a pyramid and mountain were combined into one. The entire temple was expertly carved stone too. Every brick had some pattern or picture in it. Statues came out of walls and ceilings. The inside was lit by yellow light and light from glowing crystals. There was moss growing on some walls too. Some parts of the temple looked like the inside of a cave, with thin pointy rock protrusions on the floor and ceiling.
Ultren escorted Dezen to another heavily guarded room. Dezen thought to himself, "Why put all these rooms next to each other? It's troublesome to walk to them all. Although...maybe only the few would visit them like I am."
Dezen entered the guarded room alone again. Within was a man, wearing gray, baggy, silk pants and a dark orange sash across his bare chest. He was not as old as Krokenos, barely any wrinkles on his brown skin. He didn't have any hair either, besides a single braided beard from his chin that reached to his collarbone. It had only a few white hairs. His body looked much stronger too. Rippling muscles were all over him. He stood taller too. No shoes on him, just bare feet on the cold stone floor.
The man offered Dezen a toothy, bright smile, "Ah! My boy Dezen! Welcome to the Earth Temple, Holy Place of Tet. Oh, look at you. So young, yet with such a strong body. Despite the clothing, I can see the muscles on you. Strong, exercised, and full of youth. Tet's blessing is strong in you. I'm sure you're grow up to throw around bears or even elephants with ease. I am the Arch-Peak of the Temple, Eridian."
Eridian was a man with a boisterous, outgoing personality, very friendly. Dezen was unsure how to respond to such friendly energy, in such high amounts. Dezen gave back a slightly awkward toothy smile of his own.
"Hello Eridian, I appreciate the happy welcome. However, does me being here really make you so happy?"
Eridian laughed deeply at this, "Of course, us devout of the divines may have their love; buy how they love you is different. Different in a good and grand way. You have something called Fortune. Not the common meaning I do clarify. To have real Fortune is an exceedingly rare thing. But also a tragic thing."
Dezen became curious, "Why tragic?"
Eridian sighed with some emotion, "It means something terrible happened to you that brought you before the divines. In a state where everything about you was laid bare, exposed with nothing hidden."
Dezen asks, "What happened to me?"
Eridian hesitates and shakes his head, "I do know, but I will not say. For it will be Ginerva who would reveal it to you."
Dezen understands and decides to be patient. Eridian then brings his smile back, "Now come before the statue of Tet, so that he may offer words."
Dezen moved closer to the statue of Tet. A statue of various types of stone smoothly put together. It becomes animated and moves to face Dezen.
"Dezen, the babe with the will of a mountain has grown up. Remain steadfast as you experience life Dezen. Let the storms break upon you and winds bend before you. You have great strength within you. I have no doubt you will accomplish many great things. As you see the world, know that the land will soften to cushion your feet. The rocks will shift to ease your climbs. I will be with you all the way Dezen."
The statue returned to normal.
The last place Dezen had to visit was the Ailment Temple. Which represents Ginerva, Goddess of Ailments and Resilience.
Eridian offered parting words before Dezen left, "Dezen, your life will continue to be very different from others. It is a guarantee you will face harsh experiences in the future. My advice to you as someone that has already through much of such a life...is to not hesitate. Trust your instincts and who you are, trust your heart. For the mind hesitates. It may sound unwise, but act first think later can be the best option. I'm sure you'll understand in time. Now on you go."
Dezen left thinking about how he isn't supposed to think and trust his instincts. He has trusted them before, but always with a sliver of thought. To not use his mind is an odd thought to him.
A priestess of Ginerva was waiting for him outside the Earth Temple. Wearing simple dark green robes with silver accents.
"Hello Dezen, I'm Kaliope. I'm a priestess of Ginerva and will be escorting you to the Duchess."
Dezen questioned the title, "Kaliope, isn't Duchess a noble title?"
Kaliope smirks, "Yes, but she The Duchess, not a duchess. A small distinction, but an extremely important one."
Reaching the Ailment Temple, it actually looked like a relatively normal building. A mansion-like building filled with pillows and blankets. The color theme was dark green and silver, but there were colorful flowers all around the outside and inside. Instead of statues, there were mostly paintings and drawings. As Dezen was led deeper into the mansion-like temple, there were less and less comforts and flowers. Until everything was blandly decorated save for some paintings of suffering people.
The clerical guard were armored in silver and green armor. The duo arrived at another set of large, thick, double doors. The last ones Dezen should be going through today. Kaliope was too remain outside. Dezen entered the room past the doors alone.
Dezen noticed the Duchess and the emerald statue in the center of the room. The Duchess was dressed in a loose, long robe with a simple rope belt. Silver accents at the hems. What made her stand out was that she was wrapped completely in white bandages all over. Leaving only piercing green eyes to be seen and shiny brown hair that reached the waist.
She welcomed Dezen as he walked over to her, "Hello, Dezen, I am The Duchess, Joan. Welcome to the Ailment Temple of Ginerva."
Dezen asked bluntly, "Why are you covered in bandages? Also, I expected fancier clothes on you."
Joan laughed, "It is because I have a special body that produces poison. Without the bandages, I would be killing anyone I touched. Also, I would be leaving my lethal poison wherever I touch too. Simply too dangerous even if I am careful. So I wear them. As for the clothes, I just wear what's comfortable for me."
Dezen slightly nodded at the answers, satisfied.
Joan chuckles, "Now, my Goddess Ginerva is itching to speak with you Dezen. Approach the emerald statue of her Dezen."
The statue shifts and moves to face Dezen from it's previous divine pose. The possessed statue smiles, "Ah, Dezen, good to see you all cleaned up. Even though that time was good for you. The sewer is a place of many ailments after all. I would have made you my family but Severa wouldn't budge on taking you for herself."
Dezen interrupts, "I was told those like me always come from tragedy and have unique lives. What tragedy did I come from?"
The statue of Ginerva sighs before scowling lightly, "Well, what they said is right. As for the tragedy? A despicable act the Goddess of Life and Birth, Lyria, abhorred. Lyria then asked her younger sister Severa to catch you and enact punishment. Your mother, was a faithless whore who slept with high society men to have access to money, wealth, and a better lifestyle. Used her beauty in shameful ways. Although all this can be ignored easily enough. It is when she became pregnant with you that she started losing her mind. She had you so she could have bargaining power with your father. The man was powerful enough to suppress her without negotiation. She learned then, that her wit is not on par with her looks. In despair as she was losing clients from the suppression, she stepped out one night carrying you. The sole purpose was to kill you through discarding you down a sewer grate in the slum district of Halo. Lyria was already short on tolerance when this happened, and just snapped on her. Thus, she was eradicated by Severa. Then the rest you know."
Dezen thought for a moment before asking, "I can understand why Lyria was mad, but why are you, Severa, Tet, and Aquoto mad? Also, who is my father?"
Ginerva let out another sigh, "We deities are still capable of envy. The Creator made us better than mortals, but not perfect nor machines. Thus, we envy mortals for the ability to reproduce. The term Demigod exist, but no true sons or daughters of ours exist. It is why we adopt every few centuries. To see a mortal disregard the ability and the result of it so firmly is infuriating to us. Especially to us Goddesses, who have the form but not the ability. As for your father. He is dead along with the main members of his family. They were convicted of treason against the Empire and the Emperor had them beheaded. The lands got divided among his loyal aristocrats and that was the end of him. Now that you know, no need to dwell on it. They were bad people, dead, gone, and forgotten by the world. You have new, and better family now Dezen. So just live life how you want."
Dexen thought about her words, and chose to heed them. He nodded to to statue, "I will live how I want. I was simply curious. I have no lingering feelings for a person that tried to murder me. Nor for a traitor."
Ginerva smiled, "Wonderful, unless you have any more questions for me. This is all I have to say."
Dezen shook his head, "No more questions. Goodbye Ginerva."
Ginerva laughs, "Oh this isn't goodbye sweetheart. All of us deities that have blessed you, will always be with you. In every shadow, rock, drop of water, and even in your blood."
The statue then returned to it's original stance, and went silent.
Dezen had his questions and lingering thoughts addressed. He no longer had to remain in the temple.
Dezen was kindly escorted out and to his home. For tomorrow, Dezen had one last person to meet. The one responsible for his retrieval from the sewers.