flamesque

[flamesque]

This is not a return, I'm sorry, aha.

I see that this blog is still getting new followers (to be honest, I'm not entirely sure why...)

Whilst I don't have any plans on returning or writing for Rafayel, I would like to suggest you all to check out @artistrafayel and @abysswalkerss. ❤️‍🔥

I hope you all have been doing well and are taking care of yourselves.

Happy Late New Year!

My blogs if you wish to follow me:

@maeveindystopia - personal

@maevesque - MC;OC RP blog

[flamesque]

[Hello loves, it's admin here, I want to put out this announcement that after thinking about this for quite some time, I have finally decided to put Rafayel and my OC, Iris, on an indefinite hiatus. I apologize for the on-going threads I have with people, I'm more than okay with you dropping them as I have no idea if I'll ever come back to this blog to write again.

Thank you all for the love you gave Rafayel, it has been a fucking blast writing him for y'all. There just comes a time when I have to admit to myself that it's time to let go, take a break and see where the future lies from here on out.

And that's about it. Feel free to unfollow this blog as well, there's no queue running or anything either.

I want to wish you all the best on your future adventures. Take care always! 🩶]

[flamesque]

OOC question: I was wondering if it is okay to use some of the game content as a rp starter? I've been meaning to ask if we can start a RP based on the chat where Rafayel invited you over to get to know him and everything and wasn't sure how to ask until now. Just with my persona instead (I need to organize it better, but I do have a side-blog for RP and stuff. I can't tag it rn bc I literally forgot how to type it as I'm typing this ask. Lol).

[Hey, first and foremost: I hope you don't mind me answering this publicly, I think this is a good question to ask.

But to answer your question: Yes, that's completely fine with me. I'm fine starting RPs based off chats, memory cards, etc.

My only warning is that there may be tweaks with how Rafayel responds versus how he did or does in the game. Nothing so derailing from canon, but also not 100% like canon.

Thank you for your question!]

[flamesque]

"Uhm, yeah... I mean, I'd be pretty useless tagging along with Dola during her fights with wanderers." He quirked a brow before scoffing as he dusted himself off from the remains of sand.

He turned around and reached out for the protocore, observing it and there was something off about it. The wanderer they just fought didn't seem anything out of the ordinary, definitely wasn't one of the ones that would hold a high grade protocore nor did it seemed... Altered. 

Still, Rafayel knew thatt there had to be a reason for Iris to want to get it. He would have to ask her later. For now, he held the protocore and took a picture of it, sending it to Iris.

>>this the thing you wanted??

Speaking of...

"So... you know Iris... How?"

Its late in the morning. Xavier is packing his fishing gear when he hears a small crowd gathering. Another low-rate wanderer. Sighing, he activates his light sword and begins to approach, and stops in his tracks. It's already disappeared. Sight of another figure on the beach also catches him off guard.

"Should you not be with your bodyguard?" He asks innocently, turning his gaze away slightly to hide his frown.

Annoyance painted on his face as he flipped his dagger along his fingers before it disappeared as he fixed the cuffs on his button up shirt, his fingers brushing through his hair as he sighed.

"These wanderers just showing up out of nowhere, what gives--"

He blinked, turning to the voice he heard and arched a brow before chuckling then shrugging.

"She has a thing called work, soooo, I can't really take her away from that, even if I wanted to. Oh, wait--if you know about her being my bodyguard... you must be one of her colleagues?"

[flamesque]

"And what if I did? I know, I know, how surprising, right? Weeeell... I'm full of surprises, yeah?"

He chuckled, watching as Thomas reached for the keys and he smiled as the keys were tossed in the air in Thomas's hand. 

Rafayel looked around the gallery once more until his eyes returned to his friend, humming in thought before nodding his head. It had been a while. Perhaps, a little too long. One would think they spent too much time together, with Thomas being Rafayel's manager, but it was quite opposite.

"Consider the rest of the night as ours, then." He nodded and walked with him to the exit, turning a corner before he manifested his keys from Thomas's hand into his and chuckled, unlocking the car. 

"Let's go before someone miraculously tries to get a hold of you after gallery hours."

₊❏❜ ⋮ i see you in all shades of blue. ⚬𓂂

@thomasicism

It was, yet again, another successful exhibition with Rafayel's latest artwork. He swirled the contents of champagne before finishing it up.

His gaze shifted throughout the vicinity until he managed to find Thomas speaking to others. He noted a few gazes shifted toward him and before they could even get to him, he was already striding toward Thomas. 

He gazed at his own paintings as he does so until he reached him and hummed before clearing his throat. 

"Apologies, but Thomas... I believe it's time for Flux Arts to start wrapping everything up?" He arched a brow, knowing his manager would understand what he's saying.

He had to purse his lips when he heard the disapproving chatter upon the announcement Rafayel made sure everyone would hear within earshot.

[flamesque]

“Putting myself out there is one of the scariest things I’ve heard in a while but…..I’m here, aren’t I?” she asks, “It’s an achievement in my eyes for sure” she says shrugging. “And as much as I would loooove to get out of here……you would understand me being skeptical about a handsome stranger approaching me only to ask for a walk?”, she asked giggling a bit, the minimal alcohol she’d been sipping throughout the night working its way and calming her nerves.

“Though…a walk at the beach…this late...does sound quite tempting…”, she sighs, a small pout on her lips. Pulling away from the wall, she places her empty glass on one of the high tables lined by the wall before fully turning to him, a small smile on her face, “Might as well get to know you then stranger, I’m Bora”,

-💖

"That you are." 

He hummed and tilted his head, shrugging a bit as he chuckled. 

"You're right to be skeptical of me, call it your way of listening to your intuition; I never said I was afe after all. It's just that it's always interesting to learn as to why people insert themselves into situations that are clearly out of their forte." 

Slipping his hands into his pockets, he smiled back and nodded his head. "Pleased to meet you Bora, you can call me Rafayel. Shall we, then?" He gestured with his head toward the door.

[flamesque]

[Leans into him a bit more after the forehead kiss, giddy] Yeah... I like it.

[Reaches to grab a cart at the entrance just in case]

Your dark paintings are pretty too. I'm biased. Even if I don't understand all of it completely, it's interesting to look at, and I guess it makes me want to know how you see things better.

[Pokes his cheek then clears her throat to tuck her dark strands behind her ear] Love makes you see all kinds of things differently. There's beauty in dark things too.

[Goes straight for the marshmallow section] Why are there so many kinds! Why are these the size of my fist? Which ones are the best tower building material? Ughhhhhh.

~ 🧼

I'm sure your understanding of my pieces is a lot better than what the hell kind of thoughts art snobs would say anyways. I'm biased, too. 

Remember what I said about the seagull? All that matters is the person on the same side of the glass. All the others' opinions I could care less about.

[he lets out a laugh when she pokes his cheek, but he nods in agreement.] Very well said, miss bodyguard~

[he looks around before taking the cart from her, pushing it as he follows her through the store.] Looks like there's mini ones... Jumbo ones... Yeah, sheeeesh. Why are there a lot? Weeeeell, you do have a small fist. [he snorts, reaching out to compare their hand sizes and laughs quietly.]

It's better to get a variety of all sizes when we're building a tower. Let's start filling up the cart, yeah?

[flamesque]

"You've been up all night again." I mumble as I walk up to him, carding my fingers through his hair.

"Come back to bed, it's cold, raffie," I whisper, pouting slightly at being left alone again, but I knew how much he'd needed to get the painting done for the new exhibition.

(I'm keeping this short for ooc admin so I hope it's oki. If it's okay, may I be 🪸 coral anon? I hope you have a good day!)

"When the inspiration is fresh, I have to capture it before it goes away." He chuckles quietly although he stops when they card their fingers through his hair. 

"I'll be there in a bit, yeah? Just a few more pieces of the painting. You can stay here if you want, there's a blanket over the sofa." 

[flamesque]

"All of these flames ...", Eghishe Charents (translated by tathev simonyan)

[flamesque]

Rafayel chewed on his food slowly, as if he was gradually processing everything that's happened between him and Dolasach, from when they first met, to his first visit into the forest, and now when they are seated across each other, enjoying the food that Dolasach prepared.

It had only been a few days, and with a few meetings, and the hostility—was it truly hostility? He gazed over to Dolasach for a moment, tilting his head as if trying to read her, though he was careful not to be too obvious and would look around every so often when he realized he was staring a little too hard.

He deboned the fish further and continued feeding himself as he listened to the Forest Goddess. He leaned forward and brushed his fingers along the herbs before he took them into his hand and brought them to his nose, taking a whiff of the scent before handing them back to her. 

"Truthfully speaking, back in Lemuria... The food isn't as seasoned as you've made this fish to be. And it's not bad at all, it's actually very tasty. I hope we'll get to have times like this more often." 

It was the most subtle way for him to say that he wishes to have more suppers, or rather to eat with her more often. He didn't dislike the taste of the food prepared in Lemuria, but he can say that Dolasach's preparations can rival that of the chefs under the sea. Then again, not much can be done in the sea when herbs such as the ones that she showed him could never survive in the water.

The more Rafayel talked about Lemuria and the more Dolasach introduced him to the wonders of the surface world, the more he began to realize just how the difference between the surface world and the world under the sea was like night and day.

It was no wonder that Caspian spoke about the surface world like it was a whole new world. He was beginning to understand it. Whilst the views in Lemuria were just as beautiful, the surface world offered sights you would never get to see in the depths of the water.

"Perhaps I do, and perhaps I don't. Who will truly know? Not you, of course, but me." He teased about the scolding, chuckling as he finished up the last pieces of the fish until all that remained were the bones. 

He reached out to take some cut fruit, as if sampling them before obviously picking the ones that delighted his taste buds.

For that moment, Rafayel forgot about what seemed to be a tragedy riddled between the Forest Goddess and the Sea God. For that moment, he allowed himself the sense of peace and serenity to envelope Dolasach and him.

Although, when Dolasach spoke in agreement to him, it gave him some sense of reassurance. She also wanted them to live their lives and not to be stopped or to fall victim to the outside forces. Can they do so, though? That was something only time could tell and for some reason Rafayel was anxious about it.

And for that, he hated it.

He nodded and cupped his chin, tapping his chin. 

"While I'm back in Lemuria, there are a couple of places I'd like to visit in hopes that Caspian left more things for me to uncover... Maybe I can find something of significance and then we can put together what we've found when we see each other again." 

He spoke that last bit slowly, unaware of the furrow of his brows and the frown that gradually etched along his lips before it disappeared. 

"You will... You'll be the first Forest Goddess to live a full life and be filled with more happiness than that of tragedy riddled in our stories..." He smiled at her, crossing his legs as he rested his head on his palm, looking at her solely as the rest of his world seemed to blur except her. "And I hope that I get to be a witness to it all."

₊❏❜ ⋮ i'll chase you to the ends of the earth. ⚬𓂂

@dolasach

He is used to it; however, that didn't mean he accepted it.

Rafayel sighed as he let his head rest against his palm, the same thing being drilled into his mind by the endless sea of words spewing the history of Lemuria and the world on the surface repeated like a broken record from the elders. He seemed to be falling asleep and was immediately scolded for not paying attention.

Evidently, something came up that had the elders leave the vicinity for the time being and this served as an opportunity for Rafayel to escape. He had attempted in doing so a few times, but he was sure that this time he would be able to be successful. 

A blue fish swam around him and held his hand out, allowing the fish to swim over his palm. 

"Shall we head to the surface? It's a little boring right now and I'm tired of hearing the elders saying the same thing over and over again." 

The fish continued swimming over his palm before seemingly directing him toward an opening to which he was able to squeeze through. It was then he realized that he was out of the city walls of Whalefall City and was able to swim to the surface.

He thanked the fish before it disappeared back through the city walls and Rafayel didn't have to think twice as he turned away from Whalefall City to swim up to the surface; however, before he allowed himself to fully come out, he swam slowly as the damn words from the elders rang in his head. 

"The world on the surface is dangerous, even if those people worship our Sea God, there is a chance that someone will try to capture him."

"As the previous Lemurians have..." 

"Rafayel, you must never venture out to the surface world. Your people are here, that is all that should concern you." 

And the annoying part of all. "The Sea God will one day meet the Goddess of the Forest, and when that day comes, should he fall in love with her, it will be the beginning of the downfall of Lemuria."

Rafayel always thought it to be those stories to be something a parent would tell to their child to make them listen. And besides, Rafayel had always been, not only a rebellious soul, but one of sheer curiosity. 

Once he peeked out from the water, he spotted a woman by the shore. And he had seen a few other humans before, but something about her was different and he couldn't help but to swim towards the shore, closer to her. Who could she be? For some reason... he needed to know and while he doesn't know why he needs to, he simply just has to try; in a way, it felt as though there were residual feelings, feelings that weren't from him and that in itself baffled him.

So without thinking, his mouth opened to speak.

"Who might you be? You don't seem... human to me, although you do appear to be." He tilted his head briefly before letting out a laugh. "Ah, apologies. This is bold of me, I will admit."

[flamesque]

Rafayel prides himself in being able to hide the subtlety of his sudden change of moods. In that sense when she mentions about having dreams about the forest, there's a bit of hope and something else he couldn't place his finger on.

"You have? What about the forest have you been dreaming of lately?" He questions, gently place kisses along her shoulder before he eases back and tucks her hair behind her ear with a soft look in his eyes.

He cups his chin, tapping it briefly as he ponders something. He knows very well not to say anything out of the ordinary; whilst it would make things easier for him if he would just outright tell her everything. Evidently, and he knows deep down inside, he needs her to remember herself.

"I see... Have you drawn about them? Painted them? Like you did with the Lemuria dreams? I... Kind of miss seeing your drawings and paintings of your dreams, although I'm always happy to listen to them as well."

Mo chroi. Mia cuore. A boba run is overdue~

Also, I was wondering...

Do you wanna go visit the forest with me sometime? I'm feeling a bit nostalgic, whilst the sea would heal you, I feel the forest might heal me, I mean—being with you already does, but you know...

Nostalgia's weird sometimes.

Her expression is at first playful, though upon hearing the rest of his request, it softens as she reaches for his hand. "Boba and a short hike? My saccharine sailfish, you've presented me with an invitation I can't refuse~"

"... But I need to ask--" she's still smiling as she squeezes his hand, though her expression carries a hint of concern.

"Is everything alright?"

[flamesque]

She sighed, “no…..not really, but......I....needed to this”, said with a firm nod, muttering further, she continues, more so to herself, “needed to get out of my room, couldn’t let him keep affecting me any longer”.

Eyes widening, she stops realizing she was rambling, hoping the stranger didn’t hear much, she gives him a sheepish smile. “I mean it seems like a good place for a distraction, no?” she asks instead, trying to divert the attention from her.

“What about you? You seem to be more comfortable here…..more so than me”, she continues chuckling mirthlessly. Leaning back against the wall, trying to appear confident, wishing to match even a bit of suaveness emanating from the man beside her. Shuffling on her feet, she involuntarily shifts a bit closer finishing the last of her drink.

-💖(dear admin, much much loveee your replies to these absolutely make my day, thank youuu🥺🫶🏼)

Rafayel arched a brow, peering at her from the corner of his eyes before retreating them back to the dancefloor, although there was nothing interesting going on. 

This scene may be befitting for the name he had made for him; an artist showed in fame and fortune, but it wasn't his cup of tea, per se. He would much rather be holed up in his studio, than remain here, but perhaps some change in scenery would do him some good.

"Sure~ If you consider just about any cliche type 'drink to forget' and such in a club setting." He snorted and shook his head. "A trip to the beach would be better, or even the arcade. Unless you're hoping someone will pick you up to distract you and whatnot—though, you'd have to put yourself out there, rather than be here."

He vaguely gestured where she stood next to him.

"I dabble in places such as these from time to time, yeah." He gave a meager shrug before chuckling quietly. "It's not much, though. You visit a place one too many times, it becomes second nature eventually." 

Rafayel shifted and leaned on his side against the wall, his arms folding over his chest. "Sooo... Do you still wanna hang out here, or do you wanna come have a walk with me?"

[flamesque]

"Cooked fish that could have burned you if you weren't careful." He corrected, though there was no hint of the intention of scolding her for it. 

Maybe he was too concerned, perhaps because he had seen people get burnt for not taking care of whatever they were cooking, whether transferring things into another pot or straining water from a pot; he watched servants having burnt themselves cooking for him and he didn't want the same thing to happen to Dolasach.

Perhaps he may be overprotective in that sense of simply just wanting to ensure that Dolasach was unharmed, even for small trivial things such as burning one's self.

He picked at the lemons and herbs, although he wasn't entirely sure what they were, aside from the lemon, he figured it had something to do with flavor. 

"These are used to add flavor to the fish, yes?" He did recognize them from the time he would watched the chef prepare fish.

Rafayel smiled, continuing to eat the food, and every now and then, he would take pieces of cut fruit to pop into his mouth. This supper was something he wouldn't forget and wondered if they can have another supper the next time he resurfaces as he has to leave.

The thought of having to leave plagued him in the back of his mind. In truth, whilst he didn't mind being underwater, he did find Dolasach's presence most comforting and relaxing; he just didn't want to it to end so soon and it felt as though time was beginning to go by a little too quickly.

"Scold me?" He questioned and arched a brow, chuckling to himself before gazing at her. "Well, we can't have that now can we? I'll need to be scolded by the Forest Goddess at least once every time I come up to visit you—and continue this little investigation we have going on."

Quick save. He was beginning to think that perhaps he was appearing somewhat desperate or even eager to just simply be around Dolasach. Though, why did that matter to him if he did appear like such? Perhaps he didn't want Dolasach to feel weird about the Sea God wanting more time with her, in the guise of discovering more of what Caspian and Eolchaire had left for them.

"Rest assured... They won't find out anything, not when we've just gotten started." He announced midchew, humming to the taste as he continued eating after.

He listened to Dolasach intently once more, his gaze fixated on her. He enjoyed this moment, them simply idly chatting whilst eating food. He frowned a bit from what Eolchaire stated, although he knew that the tragedy between the two gods was surely no brainer. It hit harder than Rafayel would expect coming from Dolasach's mouth, reciting what Eolchaire had written.

He quickly reverted his expressions to that of sheer curiosity, whether Dolasach had caught the brief transition from that of curiosity to that of disappointment? No... Hatred? He wasn't sure of the word. But those were the closest to what he could have been feeling.

Rafayel hated that throughout the generations of the Sea God and the Forest Goddess, it had always ended in some tragedy; too little too late, never having a chance to get to know one another. Friends being a distant word whilst foes were of the norm.

He wondered if Dolasach and him could change that, much like how Caspian and Eolchaire tried to. Could they be the ones to break that cycle?

"I feel they left quite a lot more than we think. This scroll being the beginning of it all... Hmn." He paused as he thought deeply. "Beginning with the sea meeting the forest..." 

The Sea God's gaze fell upon the Forest Goddess and he parted his lips as if to say something, but instead in his head resounds: Is there such a thing for a God and Goddess to rewrite history in their own way?

"And live, we shall." He noted, nodding his head. "Not just for them, but simply... For us. As gods... Surely we deserve that much, yes?"

₊❏❜ ⋮ i'll chase you to the ends of the earth. ⚬𓂂

@dolasach

He is used to it; however, that didn't mean he accepted it.

Rafayel sighed as he let his head rest against his palm, the same thing being drilled into his mind by the endless sea of words spewing the history of Lemuria and the world on the surface repeated like a broken record from the elders. He seemed to be falling asleep and was immediately scolded for not paying attention.

Evidently, something came up that had the elders leave the vicinity for the time being and this served as an opportunity for Rafayel to escape. He had attempted in doing so a few times, but he was sure that this time he would be able to be successful. 

A blue fish swam around him and held his hand out, allowing the fish to swim over his palm. 

"Shall we head to the surface? It's a little boring right now and I'm tired of hearing the elders saying the same thing over and over again." 

The fish continued swimming over his palm before seemingly directing him toward an opening to which he was able to squeeze through. It was then he realized that he was out of the city walls of Whalefall City and was able to swim to the surface.

He thanked the fish before it disappeared back through the city walls and Rafayel didn't have to think twice as he turned away from Whalefall City to swim up to the surface; however, before he allowed himself to fully come out, he swam slowly as the damn words from the elders rang in his head. 

"The world on the surface is dangerous, even if those people worship our Sea God, there is a chance that someone will try to capture him."

"As the previous Lemurians have..." 

"Rafayel, you must never venture out to the surface world. Your people are here, that is all that should concern you." 

And the annoying part of all. "The Sea God will one day meet the Goddess of the Forest, and when that day comes, should he fall in love with her, it will be the beginning of the downfall of Lemuria."

Rafayel always thought it to be those stories to be something a parent would tell to their child to make them listen. And besides, Rafayel had always been, not only a rebellious soul, but one of sheer curiosity. 

Once he peeked out from the water, he spotted a woman by the shore. And he had seen a few other humans before, but something about her was different and he couldn't help but to swim towards the shore, closer to her. Who could she be? For some reason... he needed to know and while he doesn't know why he needs to, he simply just has to try; in a way, it felt as though there were residual feelings, feelings that weren't from him and that in itself baffled him.

So without thinking, his mouth opened to speak.

"Who might you be? You don't seem... human to me, although you do appear to be." He tilted his head briefly before letting out a laugh. "Ah, apologies. This is bold of me, I will admit."

[flamesque]

[flamesque]

"You don't have to hike to enjoy the forest..."

He watched her through the mirror and smiled, walking over to her as he wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder briefly as he continued gazing at her through the mirror.

"Let's just say... The forest has memories and just as the sea, also makes me feel a sense of peace, perhaps even more than the sea these days. Who knows~" He chuckled and placed a kiss to her shoulder.

"Sooo? How about you, hm?"

Mo chroi. Mia cuore. A boba run is overdue~

Also, I was wondering...

Do you wanna go visit the forest with me sometime? I'm feeling a bit nostalgic, whilst the sea would heal you, I feel the forest might heal me, I mean—being with you already does, but you know...

Nostalgia's weird sometimes.

Her expression is at first playful, though upon hearing the rest of his request, it softens as she reaches for his hand. "Boba and a short hike? My saccharine sailfish, you've presented me with an invitation I can't refuse~"

"... But I need to ask--" she's still smiling as she squeezes his hand, though her expression carries a hint of concern.

"Is everything alright?"

[flamesque]

Hello, how are you? 👋🏻

Just popping in to say hi and share some cheesecake I got.

I'm not great with introductions, but my name is Duckie and I'm an artist as well. Not a great one,but I still like doing it.

(Hello hello, hope you're doing okay, mod).

I see... You're offering me cheesecake to hide the fact you called yourself not a great artist.

Take that back while I take a bite of this cheesecake. It's delicious, by the way.

Anywaaay. You're already a great artist for even getting started, you know?

[flamesque]

Rafayel blinked when Dolasach offered him a slice of the honey-drizzled pitaya and he leaned in, taking the offered fruit into his mouth by the spoon and hummed as he chewed on it. 

"Oh, this is also really good." He nodded as he continued chewing, 

He wasn't expecting Dolasach to reciprocate a simple gesture of feeding each other, but he wasn't against it either. In fact, it was nice to be the one being fed. He smiled at her as he eased back, "thank you..." He spoke softly.

Eventually he watched as Dolasach removed the fish, but felt alerted when watching her attempting to remove the fish without burning herself.

"Dolasach, be careful!" 

Rafayel moved a little too quickly. He knew the fish were pretty hot and so he watched her carefully before he gently took over, smiling reassuringly. 

"You've prepared the majority of our supper, so allow me." 

He took the rest of the fish off the makeshift arch and placed them on the banana leaves before settling them in front of Dolasach and him. He looked over at their supper and it was hilarious to him how it looked more of a casual feast than what he was offered in Lemuria by the servants of the palace.

He thought to himself for a moment that perhaps he preferred it this way.

Supper with Dolasach, as the sun gradually fell behind them. 

He gestured for her to take a bite first as he hummed in though to her answer.

He had to think thoroughly and logically, whilst he already knew the answer he wanted to give her. 'Tomorrow or the following day, depending if I were to leave now or a little later.' But Dolasach's words rang true as much as he wished it didn't. In a way, this was something he had to endure, and perhaps she as well, in order to keep their investigation and findings out of sight and out of mind to the unwanted.

In fact, the more he thought about it, he wanted to ensure that everything Dolasach and him were finding remained between them. Thus, he had to make sure that the elders never catch wind that not only has Rafayel uncovered more of Caspian's tomes and history, but that he met and had acquainted himself with Dolasach, Eolchaire's successor. 

"I often wander off, especially between lectures regarding my duties as the Sea God and so on. Cumbersome things, I dislike it. Of course the elders dislike when they turn around and realize the Sea God isn't around them anymore, but... I could care less." 

He nodded a few times, as if confirming to himself before looking at Dolasach. 

"It is a bit of a hassle to have to make sure that they never find out about us, or well, us now knowing and having acquainted with one another, but it's worth it—what I'm trying to say is that... I will return as soon as I can once the elders have recovered from my extended absence." 

Rafayel tilted his head, furrowing his brows as he tried to recall before the memory played back and he nodded slowly. 

"I believe that the next clue has to do with the area you and I first met..." Then he recalled what he read on the scroll. "Be calm like the sea as it meets with the forest..." He turned to look at the direction to where he believed they met the very first time.

"Maybe something is around that area... What do you think?"

₊❏❜ ⋮ i'll chase you to the ends of the earth. ⚬𓂂

@dolasach

He is used to it; however, that didn't mean he accepted it.

Rafayel sighed as he let his head rest against his palm, the same thing being drilled into his mind by the endless sea of words spewing the history of Lemuria and the world on the surface repeated like a broken record from the elders. He seemed to be falling asleep and was immediately scolded for not paying attention.

Evidently, something came up that had the elders leave the vicinity for the time being and this served as an opportunity for Rafayel to escape. He had attempted in doing so a few times, but he was sure that this time he would be able to be successful. 

A blue fish swam around him and held his hand out, allowing the fish to swim over his palm. 

"Shall we head to the surface? It's a little boring right now and I'm tired of hearing the elders saying the same thing over and over again." 

The fish continued swimming over his palm before seemingly directing him toward an opening to which he was able to squeeze through. It was then he realized that he was out of the city walls of Whalefall City and was able to swim to the surface.

He thanked the fish before it disappeared back through the city walls and Rafayel didn't have to think twice as he turned away from Whalefall City to swim up to the surface; however, before he allowed himself to fully come out, he swam slowly as the damn words from the elders rang in his head. 

"The world on the surface is dangerous, even if those people worship our Sea God, there is a chance that someone will try to capture him."

"As the previous Lemurians have..." 

"Rafayel, you must never venture out to the surface world. Your people are here, that is all that should concern you." 

And the annoying part of all. "The Sea God will one day meet the Goddess of the Forest, and when that day comes, should he fall in love with her, it will be the beginning of the downfall of Lemuria."

Rafayel always thought it to be those stories to be something a parent would tell to their child to make them listen. And besides, Rafayel had always been, not only a rebellious soul, but one of sheer curiosity. 

Once he peeked out from the water, he spotted a woman by the shore. And he had seen a few other humans before, but something about her was different and he couldn't help but to swim towards the shore, closer to her. Who could she be? For some reason... he needed to know and while he doesn't know why he needs to, he simply just has to try; in a way, it felt as though there were residual feelings, feelings that weren't from him and that in itself baffled him.

So without thinking, his mouth opened to speak.

"Who might you be? You don't seem... human to me, although you do appear to be." He tilted his head briefly before letting out a laugh. "Ah, apologies. This is bold of me, I will admit."