When the girl was in his arms he was surprised how warm she felt. He didn't know exactly what to expect really. She was light, but definitely female. She didn't wake up when he took her from her resting place. The monks had found him out, and before panic could set in he was being hauled, the girl in a strong embrace. Soon he was out in the sunlight and panting. He knew he was in a lot of trouble with the monks, but he did not give a damn. HE was vaguely aware of his stupidity. The girl  hadn't helped him at all... so he'd caused all of this for nothing but a bunch of  angry temple-men. "Omens and women..." he muttered, "how was that ever going to end well?"<br/><br/>He also felt a little guilty that he had caused at least some of the trouble, but he doubted he had caused the earthquake. Atrius felt like he was being guided along a path not of his own choosing and he hated that. When the monks took the girl he felt strangely protective, maybe because it was his fault? He couldn't put his finger on it. Soon the monks were hauling him to his feet his earth-tone tunic covered in dry dirt and his trousers a little worse for wear. The monks clamped hands around his wrists and pushed him into a walk. It would seem comical if they weren't so serious. The big tall hunter stood over all of the holy men by several inches if not a head.<br/><br/>He wanted to fight, but his ribs and ankle pained him. The monks weren't too preoccupied with his well-being either it seemed as they marched him toward their temple with as much haste as the awkward  precession allowed. The early autumn colors seemed to mute around him because of the somber mood the group found itself in. It wasn't long before the temple proper came into view. Atrius never worshiped, gods were generally only bad news as far as he was concerned but he paid his respects and kept his head down.<br/><br/>Again his thoughts turned to the strange events that led up to this moment. Was he in control of his own fate? He didn't have to go with the monks. They weren't that strong. It would be no onerous matter to simply flee from them. In fact, why did he always snoop around the earth temple. He was naturally curious, but prided himself on the fact that he wasn't stupid about his curiosity. He could come up with dozens of obvious reasons why he poached around the temple, but they all seemed superficial.<br/><br/>The biggest worry this line of questioning caused him came back to the girl. He hadn't needed move her. The monks would have been along eventually. He wouldn't have starved. So why had he felt compelled to free the maiden? It puzzled him. The more he thought of it the more it seemed that taking her from her resting place was the only reason he was there at all.<br/><br/>Deep in his own thoughts his brow furrowed Atrius dd not realize that they had made it into the temple and he was being made to stand. He had kept trying to walk and the monks stopped him forcefully. He looked around at the various terrestrial motifs and back to the girl, still unconscious. He couldn't hate her for his predicament, but he did lament finding her. Atrius looked forward with his head held defiantly. He was a fiercely independent man and he would not be cowed by monks, elders, gods, or the omens of any kind of beautiful maiden.  He would pilot his own fate. A crystalline thought formed in his mind. Two simple words: No more.