Morning came quickly and the head members of the town were up early in preparation for Raden and Azrael's departure. Azrael stayed silent as she got ready. She found a pair of brown pants and a navy tunic that would do for the travel over the mountain. She finished grading her hair when Raden popped his head through the door of the bedroom. He had left to meet with the priest earlier making sure everything was ready to go.

"You ready to go?" Raden asked.

Azrael turned and nodded. She pushed herself off the bed and moved past Raden without a word. Raden sighed to himself as he followed behind her. They would have to leave any supplies they brought this far. This meant saying goodbye to the farmer's horse that was gifted to Raden. However, Lorcán had the promise to take in the horse and care for her.

Raden soon led the way through the town and there stood the priest with three head members. All had grim expressions as the two met them. Azrael swallowed hard and glanced over at Raden. His jaw was clenched and his shoulders tense. He clearly didn't like this any more than the four people standing in front of them.

"The spirits are at peace today." The priest stepped forward and held his hands out for Raden and Azrael to take. "I shall bless your travels over the mountain and give sacrifice." He turned and walked towards what could be guessed as an altar.

Azrael glanced over to Raden again and said under her breath, "What exactly is he going to sacrifice."

"News to me that there is one," Raden whispered back.

The priest turned standing in front of the altar. "Come quickly while the mountain sleeps." Azrael stepped forward first and the priest took her hand rather roughly. "To appease the spirits, we need to give them a blood sacrifice." He pulled a knife from his robes and Azrael went to pull her hand away.

"Oh no no no," Azrael rushed out. The priest's grip tightened on her wrist as she pulled against him.

"This is the only way." He spoke with a cool calmness. The priest pulled her arm down in front of him. Azrael looked over frantic to Raden.

Raden stepped up to him grabbing his arm. "You touch her with that knife and we're going to have bigger problems than the mountain."

The priest looked rather perturbed and dropped Azrael's wrist. It was a bright red as she rubbed the soreness. He looked back at the other three members but they didn't speak or look Raden's way. The priest sighed and turned his attention back to Raden. "It is custom that I bless any who attempt the passage."

"We're not doing a blood sacrifice and that's final." Raden looked back at Azrael who nodded. "We don't need your blessing."

"It is our way here." One of the members spoke. They were an elderly man whose cloak hood hid most of his face. "Many have come through and respected this ritual."

Raden pulled Azrael behind him. "Yeah, well I'll be the first to disrespect it." He looked over his shoulder to Azrael who was peaking from behind him at the four in front of them.

"Then we can't let you pass."

Raden's head snapped forward and his eyes narrowed. "Says who?"

The priest nodded to the others as if they were communicating with other means then turned his attention to Raden. His eyes stared through Raden. "We have lived in harmony with the mountain for centuries. The spirits allow us here by blood sacrifice only. I am the one who speaks for the town and one who grants passage."

A whisper rushed past Azrael and she tightened her grip on Raden's arm. The whisper danced through the air until it found a home between the priest and altar. "Raden, I think we should get out of here," Azrael said. Right about then the figure from the night before appeared only seen by Raden. It nodded and Raden understood.

"Stay where you are Azrael," Raden ordered in a low tone. "Don't move a muscle."

The figure held a long dagger with both bony hands. Raden knew this was about to be a blood bath and if he could help it, Azrael wouldn't see the massacre.

A cold breath left Raden's lips. The air stilled around the group and the figure raised the dagger. Raden smiled grimly and said to the priest, "The Gods always had a special taste for religious blood."

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

He turned and hugged Azrael tightly to his chest before spreading his wings and taking off. He heard the slash of the blade and the thud of bodies but didn't dare glance back. Azrael held on with all her strength and squeezed her eyes shut. The air grew colder and colder and they flew higher and higher. Raden greeted his teeth as the cold air formed ice crystals on his wings. They weren't going to make it if he couldn't feel his wings.

Azrael heard another whisper this time, but it wasn't the same as before. Another spirit had joined them. She felt her body go rigid. Sure the first spirit was nice enough to not murder them, but maybe Raden had been right. Azrael turned her head and opened her eyes slightly as she fought to see in the harsh wind and snow. There in front of her was a faint outline that seemingly waved at her. It soon vanished and Azrael swallowed hard in fear. However, a set of hands placed themselves on her shoulders and she felt a warmth flood through her.

Use your powers. It was a whistle in the wind and to anyone else, it would've been missed. Azrael hurried her head in Raden's chest in protest. She would kill them both, but the voice spoke the same again. Azrael let out a shaky and cold breath but agreed. She unclenched her fist and placed the flats of her palms on Raden's chest. With great focus, she felt her powers flood through her and into Raden. He felt the ice that was forming on his wings start to melt and warmth surround him. At this moment he wasn't going to question it but get them over this damn mountain. He reached the summit as the storm beat against his momentum. Raden tightened his grip around Azrael's waist and dove down the other side of the mountain. She squeezed her eyes shut and wrapped her arms around his neck. The snow disappeared and so did the harsh wind. Raden spread his wings to slow their descent, but his wings were numb from the ice and he had lost control. He wrapped his wings around Azrael hoping she would be protected from any major injury.

The free felt like time had slowed. Raden shut his eyes waiting for the impact. He felt the smaller twigs pierce his wings as they crashed through the canopy. Leaves tore from their branches and loud cracking of larger branches. Raden somehow managed to flip himself so his back would take most of the force in the landing. Another branch scraped his wing and he let out a yelp. Suddenly there were no more branches and a free fall then he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder blades as they hit the forest floor. His grip on Azrael slipped and his wings were ripped open. Azrael flipped over his head and landed with a loud thud on her back knocking the air from her lungs. She lay gasping for air and eyes wide. The sun peeked through as the canopy danced in a soft breeze. Silence fell and Azrael gathering her surroundings realized what had happened. She pushed herself off the ground ignoring the protest of a sore back.

Azrael looked behind her seeing Raden still lying covered in debris and blood. She rushed to his side quickly looking over him. Her eyes shot to his face and she gently grabbed each side. "Hey, Raden. Raden comes on." Her breathing was heavy as panic sat in. "Don't do this to me, Raden. Please wake up. Come on." Her pleas were raw and her voice strained as she forced the lump in her throat down.

A rustling in the trees caught her attention. Azrael looked around but shook the idea from her mind and tried again to wake Raden. Again rustling through leaves only this time it was the forest floor. Azrael saw the dagger Raden hid in his boot and she slowly moved her way down to grab it. The leaves rustled around as if there was a wind moving through. She slid the dagger out and hid it behind her back. Azrael moved in between Raden's unconscious body and whatever was coming their way.

"Show yourself," Azrael demanded. Her voice was slightly hoarse. She tightened her grip on the dagger hilt.

The leaves swirled up in a small twister and a figure stood in front of her. Azrael's eyes widened and she moved back slightly. The figure tilted its head in a curious sense before moving forward.

Azrael pointed the dagger at the figure. "Don't come any closer." Her entire body was shaking at this point.

Help. It echoed around her. This was the same voice from the mountain storm. Azrael held the dagger shakily in front of her as she stood.

"I could've killed us on the mountain." She glanced over her shoulder at Raden. "He won't wake up."

The figure stood silent. Azrael watched carefully waiting for the attack. Her breath was shaky as she tried standing her ground. Help you.

Azrael lowered the dagger only slightly. "How?"

Lower. It whispered and pointed towards the dagger in her hand. Azrael shook her head and raised the dagger back up. Maybe Raden was right about the spirits that dwelled within the mountain.

Whispers rushed through the trees and around Azrael. She gripped the dagger until her knuckles were white. A cloaked figure appeared beside the other. Azrael recognized the second from the mountain base. Only this time the cloaked figure stood with a dagger dripping with blood.

"I don't want any trouble please," Azrael pleaded quietly. She glanced between the two figures as neither moved. "I know what you are and we're not here to disrespect you. We just want to pass through."

The cloaked figure held out a bony hand stained with blood. With no sound, Azrael's dagger flew from her grasp and into the bony hand. It was not out of anger or violence. She knew the figure standing before she was sending a warning. A warning that if they wanted, they could easily kill her and Raden here in this forest.

The other set a hand that was formed by the leaves on the cloaked figure's shoulder. The cloaked figure lowered its hand back inside the cloak and stood silent. The other turned back to Azrael. Help. It then pointed to Raden.

Azrael who was completely helpless now stepped aside and nodded. The cloaked figure glided forward and picked Raden up carefully flowing in his wings and began following the other. Azrael followed from behind as she silently prayed this wasn't their end.