Azrael became lost very quickly at the constant twisting and turning of the tunnels. Every so often light would flicker down from the surface of the different pools they passed. If the natural light wasn't able to light the tunnels which were often then softly glowing crystals that were embedded into the walls would.

Orabel swam fast and Azrael tried to keep up the best she could, but she wasn't a strong swimmer at all. Soon enough she gave up trying to propel herself through and let Orabel drag her along. The twisting stopped after minutes of travel and a long path lay ahead of them. Only the tunnel became too narrow for them to travel side by side. Orabel pushed Azrael in front and motioned for her to continue forward. Orabel was close behind.

The tunnel was about fifty feet from the narrow rock wall. Only about three inches on either side of Azrael's shoulders. She squeezed through trying to keep her breathing level. A light softly flashed against some of the walls about five feet in front of her. As she swam closer, Azrael could see an opening. She pushed forward struggling slightly and scraping her arms in the process but was able to pop through the opening into a small pool. The bubble popped as Azrael broke the surface. Soon Orabel joined her and swam towards the edge to push themselves up. Azrael watched Orabel as they whipped their tail onto the sandy surface and lay down.

They turn their head to Azrael. "Would you like to join me on dry land or become more of a prune than you already are?"

Azrael pulled herself out of the water. Her arms and legs felt like lead had replaced all the muscles. She sat beside Orabel watching them wring out their hair and braid it haphazardly. Azrael’s eyes moved down to their fin and went wide-eyed. Orabel’s fins began to shrink until they appeared to be feet just like hers. The scales on their tale flashed against the reflection of the pool as they shifted forming what looked to be two smaller tales. The color shifted into the pearly iridescent as the rest of their body and two human-like legs lay where a tail was.

The sand was cold to the touch and soon Azrael began to shiver from the coldness of the cave and her being bone soaked.

Orabel threw their head back and saw Azrael shaking. "So I was thinking..." They twisted around to get a better look. "We need to get you into something warm," Orabel said, their voice laced with slight concern. They instantly stood and help Azrael up. Orabel rushed Azrael over to a large trunk that had been pushed up against the far cave wall. They heaved the lid open to reveal a mess of clothing and blankets. "Let's get this wet thing off of you." Azrael tried her best to pull the tunic over her head but she could stop shaking long enough. Orabel lifted Azrael's arms and pulled the tunic off with no trouble then wrapped a large blanket around her. "This should help keep the warmth in."

"Th... thank you," Azrael stuttered out. She tightened the blanket around her and sat on a small ledge. She took this time to take in the cave.

It was fairly large but freezing cold unlike that of the lagoon. The water reflected onto every surface the light could find creating a blue hue on the walls. Near the pool was enough area to sit or lay where they just were but the cave reaches far back and to the left. Here against one wall was the large trunk and small table with a worn wooden stool. Pressed tightly on the other wall sat a bed that was covered with mixed-matched blankets. Azrael thought it was odd but didn't say much of it.

Orabel had put on a pair of worn-out blue pants and a cream-colored shirt but stayed barefoot. "Whenever you feel like it, you can pick out something to wear." They fell back on the bed with a sigh then propped up on their elbows watching Azrael. "We'll go and visit 'The All Powerful' later."

"Okay," Azrael answered. She peered in the trunk and glanced over quickly. A soft pink caught her and she grabbed the clothing. It was a ground-length dress. Something is seen mostly in seaside towns. "Where did all these come from?" Azrael spoke of the clothes.

"I mostly get them from others who bring them into the forest. The fae loves to go around and steal." Orabel answered with a mischievous grin. Azrael returned with a small smile of her own before pulling the dress over her head. "The color suits you." Azrael looked down tightly clutching a handful of the skirt in each hand. "Can I do your hair? It's been a while since I've had guests and your hair is too pretty not to play with."

Azrael shot her attention to Orabel. No one had asked her that since her mother. Of course, there was the masquerade, but they were paid to do it. "I'd like that."

Orabel smiled widely and hopped off the bed before running over to a small box that sat on the other side of the trunk. They brought it over to the bed and motioned for Azrael to sit on the ground between their legs. "I hope you don't mind. Over the years I've acquired quite the collection of knickknacks and I want to try them out."

"I give you all the creative freedom on my hair," Azrael laughed. She felt Orabel's fingers comb through her hair and she closed her eyes. Memories of her mother doing her hair floated into her mind. Her soft humming or her gentle voice as she would tell stories. Azrael felt the tears welling up but she quietly wiped them away and forced the memories out. "So do you mostly stay in the pools or do you venture out?"

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"I enjoy seeing everyone in the forest. The pools are just an easy way for traveling," Orabel answered. Azrael fiddled her fingers around as the silence settled around them again. "You don't talk much, do you?"

Azrael wanted to retort back, but she couldn't. "No, it's mostly Raden."

Orabel held a handful of hair and leaned down to the side. Azrael peered over the best she could to see their face. "You allow him to speak for you?"

"Oh no. That's not what I meant... all I mean is that he normally is the one that talks to everyone." Azrael saw the look of unbelief on Orabel's face. Azrael sighed and turned forward, "I've learned to keep quiet at a young age and I guess that I never grew out of that."

"Maybe now is a perfect time."

"I think that once I'm in a safe place then opening up might be worth it," Azrael sighed. Oh to be able to live a normal life again. Then again was her life ever really normal?

Orabel took something out of the box beside them and started weaving it in with Azrael's hair. "Is that why you two are here? In the forest I mean."

Azrael nodded lightly. "A friend said that it would be safe if we could make it to the east kingdom territory. However, I didn't expect it to be such a challenge."

"I know the vast territory here beyond the forest that has been quite open and welcoming of the more magical creatures and folk. I'm sure that whatever reason you're trying to make it here can be kept safe by the people." Orabel paused dropping one of the braids and started another. "If I may be so nosy to ask, what is your reason for the passing?"

"Long story," Azrael answered with a chuckle.

"How about I finish your hair and we talk about it over some fresh fruit." Orabel offered. Azrael could sense the smile through their words.

"Deal."

~~~*~~~

Orabel popped in another slice of orange. They took in a deep breath and sat back against the wall. "That's a lot to deal with in such a short time."

Azrael nodded. She looked down at the plate in front of her. The fruit hadn't been touched.

"I can tell you love him though," Orabel said. Azrael eyes shot over to them. It had caught her by surprise and she felt her face warm. "What?"

"I wouldn't say I love him," Azrael spoke up. She saw the bewildered expression Orabel held and was quickly trying to organize her thoughts. "Listen. I do care for Raden I do. It's just... he is a very closed-off person and I doubt he would be willing to open up."

Orabel leaned forward and folded their arms on the table. "He's moved across kingdoms and just almost died getting you across a mountain pass that has been feared by so many. I don't know the dude but I'll make the guess and say he cares for you very deeply if not loves you." Azrael stared across silently. Orabel smirked as they had just won an argument. "I mean there has to be something there if he, a death angel, has willingly walked into the territory of these Nameless Gods knowing. He knows full and well that if it's found out that he is a creation of Merikh he's dead."

"I didn't think of it that way," Azrael admitted. Truthfully her head had been so wrapped around the romance stories of princes and princesses that she had a warped sense of what love could look like. Maybe he did love her in his strange way. Azrael went to absently grab a fruit slice only for the plate to be empty. She looked up from the plate to a very guilty-looking Orabel. "Hey!"

They shrugged and laughed, "They were just sitting there and you seemed non-interested."

Azrael rolled her eyes and laughed alongside Orabel. "Fair enough." The laughter died down and Azrael set her gaze on a hall that sat behind Orabel's seat. "When do we go see him?"

"We can go whenever you're ready."

She took in a deep breath and nodded to Orabel. "I think we should go now. I want to ask some questions about my powers."

Orabel stood without saying a word ad waited for Azrael. A soft wind whistled through the dark hall as Azrael peered in. She could feel something old in the wind. It was breathing life through her through the hall. Through the forest. She took Orabel's hand and started walking.

~~~*~~~

Azrael walked with caution through the hall. With each step, came a beat of a drum. A heartbeat from deep within. She then realized that the further she walked the deeper was going into the mountain. This was a hall leading to the heart of one of the most powerful places on earth. Azrael walked forward one more step and was stopped by Orabel.

She turned to see them standing still as a statue. Their lips pressed in a firm line. "This is where I stop."

"You won't go with me?" Azrael's voice was shaky and strained. Anxiety seeped through to her bones. "I can't do this alone."

Orabel took Azrael's hands in theirs. "From what I've learned about you in a very short time is that you are a pretty extraordinary person. You need to see that for yourself. Go and find answers about yourself about your powers." They gave a reassuring smile. "I'll go be with Raden and explain everything when he wakes up. If he wakes before you return." Orabel gave a light squeeze of Azrael's hands before letting go and walking back to the cave.

Azrael turned back to the dark hall. She took a deep breath in placing a hand on the wall. It was warm surprisingly. A beat went through the wall and Azrael prepared herself as she began slowly walking again. She would follow the beating each step it would become stronger until a large room opened in front of her. This was forged from the mountain itself.

The ceilings were at least sixty feet tall with a soft blue glow from the precious gems that were embedded in the ceiling. They looked almost like the stars in the night sky. Azrael looked around the room pulling her eyes from the ceiling to find strange symbols carved on pillars. Three large pillars stood on each side mirroring each other. Each pillar was covered in these symbols and as Azrael walked by, she could hear whispers coming from them. On the far end of the room stood a large throne made of obsidian. Azrael stood in front of it looking up at the empty seat. The whispers silenced without warning and the air stilled. Azrael sucked in a sharp breath and turned. A being stood in the middle of the room watching her. Cloak as white and pure as the first snow of the season and a halo that made those gems glow dimly in comparison.

"Hello Azrael, it's an honor to finally meet you."