Sunflowers

Neph calmed down at his words. She studied the food, which looked indistinguishable from the real thing, and said admiringly:

"You didn't paint this place, did you?"

"The Lord left these behind," Ouroboros said evenly.

Neph froze for a moment. She had no recollection of any account of the Ancient Sun God being able to paint, but it seemed perfectly reasonable. The scene before her also fit the "Visionary."

"I only just learned He could paint too," she replied.

Ouroboros did not respond. He crossed the banquet hall, and Neph hurried after him. They arrived at the hall's exit, where Ouroboros pushed open the heavy gray-blue doors.

A palace towering into the clouds slowly came into view. Neph heard a rushing sound, and after a brief moment of confusion, she realized it was the sound of waves.

This was the exit!

Neph took a few steps forward and stood beside Ouroboros. Twilight streamed through the open doors, spilling over them. To their left stood a balustrade made of stone pillars. Beyond it spread orange-red clouds, and beyond those lay a gently surging expanse of deep blue with no end in sight.

"Whoosh... whoosh..."

Neph instinctively closed her eyes and sniffed. The air lacked the damp, salty scent unique to sea breezes. She turned her head, and Ouroboros spoke softly:

"Sasrir slumbers in that palace."

Neph was slightly taken aback. Looking toward the towering palace, she asked hesitantly, "We're not going through there either, right?"

Ouroboros nodded and stepped into the twilight.

They continued forward. The balustrade seemed to stretch on forever. Ouroboros stopped at some point along it. Under Neph's puzzled gaze, he raised a hand to grasp the silver cross pendant at his chest. She heard him pray:

"O Lord that Created Everything;

"You are the omniscient and omnipotent..."