City Escape

Denver, Colorado -- a busy and bustling city that is nearby the Rocky Mountains. The view is gorgeous for miles around, even with the tall buildings of the cityscape. People are everywhere moving about the city: In cars, on the sidewalks, using public transportation -- the city is simply buzzing with activity. Some people even visit the local cafes or coffee shops that are located within the city limits, or visit restaurants, or are even touring the city from out of town. No matter what is going on, the city thrives, and so do the people.

However, a not-so-familiar being just so happens to visit this major city. In the hills, where no one can see, a Dimension Gate -- which is a dimensional portal that allows travel from different dimensions -- from the Veritas appears. Out steps a man garbed in all white, with a long, flowing robe accentuated with red around the hem and edges of the sleeves. His hair is relatively long and brown, slicked back as to reveal his handsome face with piercing red eyes that seem like they can cut through solid metal with their gaze. His face was unsmiling, as if he weren't happy to be where he was, but he came here for a reason. "Humans," he said to himself, the Dimension Gate closing behind him, "One of God's prized creations." He looked around the hilly area, then toward the city, which wasn't too far off. "Earth," he said also, "A place that has received God's favor." He narrowed his cutting eyes. "But... These humans and this Earth are not like the ones from my dimension. It feels..." He looked at his hands, then balled them into fists, "... Unclean."

This strange man from another dimension had come to Earth to witness God's wonders, as he was a holy man; a priest. Saint Troix. But the energy he felt when he entered this land was unclean to him. It felt polluted, and the energy he sensed from the people was primarily negative. He did not like to feel this way about God's creations. "This cannot be what God intended for them to be like..." he muttered to himself, starting down the hill and toward the city, "... No. So I must purge the humans of this realm and purify them on God's behalf." He knew that massacring humans was not what God's plan was, or else it would have already been in motion. It was not the days of the Crusades -- it was modern times. "How I will do this is... To find humans and teach the Gospel." The priestly man walked off toward the city, deciding in his heart that he'd change the way the Earth of this dimension functioned... One soul at a time.

As all of this occurs, the man -- St. Troix -- is walking along the sidewalk of the city streets, taking in all of the earthly things around him. He is both pleased and disgusted by various things: Some things are pleasant, such as children playing, adults enjoying themselves, couples mingling in love; other things are unpleasant, such as people being inconsiderate in the streets, impolite to other people, or generally being negative with their attitudes and dispositions. This was no shocker to him, and his face was steeled; set on its hard and unsmiling expression.

Continuing his commute on foot, St. Troix happens upon an outside diner, where he realizes people have gathered here for their meals and such. It is a restaurant of sorts, it seemed, and one that served people outside. Never had he been to one of these, nor did he care to go to one. He was on a mission. A mission from the Lord.

Still, he thought, maybe he could find a soul worth saving at this stop. So in his flowing robes -- which stand out to the people wearing normal clothes like T-shirts and jeans and such -- the priest walks toward the 'Stop n' Go' and sits down at a table little ways away from the woman with the long, wavy brunette hair. He notices her, but says nothing, as he notices many other people as well... But when one looked into his eyes, it was as if he were gazing into their very souls...

St. Troix responds to the waitress, "I will have nothing; I came here only to rest." Something about the woman that gave him the look several times attracted his attention. "Curious," he says to himself, as most of the other people looked at him in his priestly gown and then did not give him a second glance. He knew he attracted attention, and he didn't mind it at all, but he had attracted this woman's attention in a different way than all of the other people, he could tell. His eyes saw more than what was perceived, and so did his mind. "That woman..." he started to say to himself, rising from his seat, "... Her soul is the first that I will bring unto salvation."

Uncaring about how he appeared to the other people around him as he walked along, he trailed the woman to her new location and immediately engaged in conversation with her, wasting no time. "Excuse me," St. Troix said politely, but sternly, "I noticed that you were looking at me before at the diner. May I ask why?" Before she had time to answer, he asked, "Is it because of my clothes? I am a priest that serves the Lord. I am on a mission to save the souls of man and bring them unto God." He inspects the woman's face and notices how her rather nice complexion, as well as the natural beauty of her face. "You are a beautiful woman. I hope your soul is just as beautiful as your face is," he said. He meant it, too -- his goal was souls, not the flesh.

St. Troix looked at the woman for a short while, watching her as she served children. 'A Good Nature,' he thinks to himself, a soft smile suddenly finding its way upon his face. Though, when she complimented him, he seemed to be unaffected, and his face returned to being stern. "You are too kind," he says, taking her hand for the shake and then placing his other hand on top of their hands, closing his eyes as if he were in deep thought or prayer. "Delaney," he repeated, burning the name into his mind, "A majestic name." He opens his eyes, but they are still just as fiery and piercing as they can be, and his unsmiling expression is still upon his face. "You are too kind." Though his face did not portray any hint of softness, there was a sweet gentleness to his voice when he spoke his last few words that one could tell he was sincere about.

He looked to the children that were coming up, letting her hand go so that she may assist them. "You serve children," he mentioned. "A righteous effort, I will admit." He continued gazing at her, studying the shape of her face and the waves of her hair. "I pray that you will serve the Lord just the same." He closed his eyes again, looking to be back in deep thought or prayer, and is silent for a time. He was allowing her to attend to the children, waiting patiently for her to finish. As he did, he thought to himself, 'A Good Soul,' and began to smile softly once again.

St. Troix watched as the rude young man made his comment and walked away, gazing at him intensely the entire time. Troix took the snowcone, but did not stop looking at the man that walked away, as he was still nearby. "Such rudeness should not be tolerated," St. Troix said, "For that delinquent behavior is the sign of a rotting soul." As Troix continued to look at the man, he'd feel his very soul start to burn, which should have felt like heartburn, but worse. By using this power, however, it caused Troix's snowcone to melt. When the man was clutching himself in pain, Troix returned his attention to Delaney, who had asked him something prior to the incident.

"I come from far away," St. Troix said, "So I have no church here. However, in my commute to the Lord, I am serving as my own holy house just as myself. Anywhere I go can be a church, even right here and now." That was how he felt about himself and his ability to be a priest. "You are interested in my lifestyle?" he wondered. "Your smile is bright and soothing. It is good to smile as often as possible, especially with one so beautiful." Says the one who wasn't smiling. "If you are interested in me and my lifestyle, we should spend more time together. A lovely lady such as yourself with such a good nature and soul is someone I'd like to spend my time with." Finally, he smiled, but only a little.

"No, I am fine," Troix said in regard to another snowcone. "But I'd love some more of you." His smile widened and his eyes narrowed lightly, as it seemed he was getting interested in the young lady. "Where there is radiance, I smile," he went on to say, complimenting Delaney once again. Though he was a priest, it seemed like he was actually somewhat flirtatious, despite how his hard exterior seemed at the beginning.

"Yes, I am visiting," he said. "I come from so very far away that I have no place here to stay, but my line of work has brought me to this place, anyway." He shook his head, watching as Delaney cleaned up. "Do you need any help?" he insisted, wishing to be of some service to her out of the kindness of his heart. But by the time he'd asked, she was already done. "I am not familiar with the ways of the people here and need much assistance with social matters. Would you mind being my guide while I am here? You are already like an angel to me." He ran his fingers through his already slicked back hair, letting it part a bit and then lay back down.

He looked up to the sky and closed his eyes. "I will stay wherever the Lord takes me," he said solemnly, putting his faith in the Lord. "Someone will take me in while I am here," he assured himself. There seemed to be no doubt in him about that.

When Delaney said that she would assist him, he was pleased. "God bless you, my angel," he said to her, nodding his head in appreciation. "Sure, I will accompany you to dinner. May we feast and enjoy each other's company wholesomely," he went on to say. It seemed like he was opening up to her, which was difficult for him to do with people... Though, he was quite the flirt when it came to women, so this was also not uncommon for him, even though they'd just met. "Lead the way," he said as he walked with her to her vehicle.

Troix, not really a connoisseur of any sort, had no real preference for anything at all. Still, he was aware of earthly foods and the exquisite taste of the Italian variety. Thus, opening the door and getting into Delaney's car, he would say to her, "I would prefer Italian, please," and shut the door. "I do not have a preference of food, as it is not good to dwell on earthly things, food inclusive." Sure, he might have seemed like a stiff for being that way, but he was devoted to the Lord and the teachings to the point where he took little joy in anything beyond it. "But I appreciate your asking. You are a polite young lady, and that makes me pleased to see in my heart." He had a strange way of speaking, too -- rather formal. But, the two of them did just meet, so it was only proper, in his eyes, to be as formal and upright as possible.

"Do tell me more about this Italian place..." he started to say before turning his head to meet the eye of Delaney before she started driving, "... And of yourself. It seems proper to get to know the one that one would dine with." He crossed his arms, "Though, that can also be saved for the dinner table, if you wish." St. Troix knew it was common for humans to speak about themselves over food, so if she wished to do so, he was fine with the decision.