The woman stood not much taller than Alyssa, her gait quite similar and yet that is where the likeness ceased. Her long chestnut locks touched the top of her rear, her body bear for the world to see and yet there wasn't anyone there to take witness. The innocence in her eyes caused a quick jolt against Alyssa's relaxed disposition, the colors on display around the young girl breathtaking and filled with the promise of adventure and wonder. Large trees lined the small path that the girl walked down, the grass plush and soft, the sun's radiance touching them both and bathing them in the very essence of goodness. There were very few words to describe the moment and perhaps had she not known what was to come, Alyssa could have enjoyed the moment. 

An image of her father brushed in front of the picture before her, his smile wide and warm, his heart right and true. There had been a time when he'd never have thought to proclaim himself a god and yet with power comes human tendency to rise to far above humanity and claim deity. Something about the Atlas was off, was evil, was not what it appeared to be. She'd yet to question him further, each time she brought it up he seemed to barely contain his emotions, namely anger, over her questioning him and by doing so, calling into question his unlimited power and knowledge. 

"You did this," Alyssa whispered to the girl before her, the image coming back into focus and the beautiful young thing made her way through a small gate made of thick redwood, vines twisted around the structure in ornate design. Her feet padded along, Alyssa capable of ignoring her nudity because it simply was a time when thing of that nature had no negative connotation. It was simply and true, right and holy. 

Letting a soft breath leave her lips, Alyssa dropped her accusation and simply watched the girl, her eyes full of wonder and excitement for the gifts that lay just beyond the gate. A large tree sat in the middle of the small garden, the top of the tree filling up a good portion of the sky and small birds moving about, singing and showing affection in the only way they knew how. The tree itself was covered with various types of fruits, apples and pears, plumbs and cherries. Alyssa had never seen such a tree and wondered if they were still in existence. Her father would quickly say that a wishing stone could create one, but she wanted nature and things made from the gods above, not a cheap rendition born of power and happenstance. 

The girl moved around the tree, her finger stretching as if to caress a piece of bright colored fruit before jerking back as if shocked by the tree. Alyssa tilted her head, trying to look around the girl's figure to see if there might be lightening or some electrical energy running through or around the tree and noted nothing out of the ordinary. She shook her head, gold trestles rushing about as she settled back on her knees and watched. The soft rustling of movement called her attention to the large serpent that moved from the belly of the thick branches and spoke to the girl.

The door behind Alyssa started to open and she knew she was caught, deciding to be a smart ass instead of get caught in a lie. She reached into the scene and plucked the apple beside the serpent, leaning back and moving her hand as the portal closed. The anger sound of her father's voice told her that he didn't believe her antics to be humorous at all. She turned to him and bit deeply into the large red apple, the juice spilling over her small chin as she smiled and chewed quickly. 

"Best apple I've ever had." She laughed and moved her hand out in front of her as her father approached.

"You know that is forbidden, child. How dare you mess with the history that has brought up to this point." He stopped just in front of her, something eerie about the fact that he looked more like what a husband might appear to be than her father. Not having aged in years left him stuck in his prime and yet she could clearly see the aging of his soul, the sadness of his eyes as if her true father was lost to the monster that took his place.

"Oh contrair, father..." She took another bite and tossed the apple to him before walking around him to leave the world's room. "You let plenty of men travel through time. I suppose you mean that it is forbidden unless you deem it appropriate for your own nefarious purposes? No?" 

He growled at her and held up the apple, his gaze almost burning a hole in her back. "What am I to do with this, child?"

She looked over her shoulder and smirked at him, "Take a bite of it. I'm not sure whether it was the apple or the woman that brought devastation to mankind, so you've a 50/50 chance as far as I can tell."

She left before he started in on her again, walking quickly through the halls of the castle and moving down to the main entrance so that she might blend into the crowd of guards and servants and have a moment of reprieve. The man that stood before her was no more her father than Adam himself and if she were to continue on with this life she would have to discover the truth of the Atlas and bring her father from his godhead comma. He was all she had left.