ORIGIN

For some odd reason, Azazel found himself often revisiting the site—the site of those considered dead and gone to others for all intents and purposes—of mookaite and aquamarine shards. Even after two (almost three) cycles, they were still scattered haphazardly about, sharp edges gleaming with condensation. The golems still had not been around to gather the pieces up. Each time he visited, he was half-tempted to take up at least one of the pieces and keep it in his nest alongside the other stones he so fiercely defended.

If the lammergeier were to grab the stones, they would join two amethysts and a jadeite stone. Both amethysts were illuminated in a bright glow. Somehow, Azazel just knew that's what they would've wanted, so he had asked Bones to bauble them. He would've revived them and just tried to bring them back, but he just couldn't bring himself to. Perhaps he should finally let go of his past loves and deceased young.

Krakarak was gone, and there was no way to ever bring him and his pleasantly raucous voice back. Liora was gone, and there was no way to bring back her bratty princess-y attitude that he lovrd so dearly back. Tahlia and the mystery surrounding her would never be back. He hardly knew the one who had died and was reborn as Tahlia. He'd known Tahlia even less, for she seemingly disappeared for cycles after the trio were born. Azazel knew it had been her stone that he'd discovered in the central pool; the same place where Artemïs had passed.

So, here he was, once again, perched upon a higher-up rock shelf on the wall, staring at the mist-shrouded graves he had created. In the ruins of Carcino's stone's shell lay a large dragon scale with a faded symbol painted onto it in bright red pigment. Azazel knew that had been his shoulderpad, and that had been his symbol. It was the best he could do to honor the man that Cancer was, even if the world seemed to be against him. Mau's grave was simply a cat skull with ancient turquoise and aquamarine stones in the eye sockets.

In the thick blanket of fog that seemed to be constant in Tunnel K, Azazel could just barely see a figure moving. The motion was quickly matched with metallic clanging. The cat-skull-crowned king moved and squinted harder. The figure was brown and oddly familiar in shape. Flapping great wings, he silently glided towards it and landed about four feet away from Fisher. At first, he was confused. The mustelid was staring at the two shattered chrysalides with a panicked expression upon his armored face. Without meaning to, Azazel's stone glowed as he tried to reach into the noodle's mental noodle.

Without much effort, his stone worked its magic and allowed him a quick glimpse into Fisher's mind which was, indeed, in overdrive trying to come up with an explanation and denial. Well, he was half-right in one of them being dead and denying it. He wasn't sure of the whereabouts of Makyna. Slowly, Azazel scooted closer and finally spoke. "I'm sure Makyna isn't dead." Azazel sighed and hopped closer, taking one of the aquamarine shards into his talons and turning it so that the dim lights made it shimmer, "the belong to someone else... Mau. Did you know her?" Slowly, he glanced at the mookaite shards and whispered, "I'm sorry... but you're right on the other one."