Love and Deepwater • A Rafayel story

Vigilant

Rafayel was called Abysswalker by everyone. It seemed that they needed a hero and so, started calling him by the name of the robes that he was wearing. He traveled to Philos, the Oasis of Humankind and even though he couldn't feel the Seas anymore, he did feel a pull towards the city, towards the enormous lake that shared space with the dunes from the desert.

Philos stood as a testament to human ingenuity and resilience, built on elevated terrain to thwart the fury of potential tsunamis. The city's beauty was unmatched, with its most exquisite structures perched atop the highest grounds.

The city's creators had infused their aspirations into its very essence, crafting a bulwark of security against the sea's wrath. Towers of hope rose from the earth, their spires piercing the sky. These were not mere structures; they were guardians, standing watch over the once vulnerable coastline. The city planners had meticulously chosen the highest ground, where buildings would stand like jewels on a crown. There, the streets meandered elegantly, and the facades of the edifices were adorned with intricate carvings and vibrant murals. Each structure seemed to whisper tales of survival, etched into its very stones. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow upon the city, it revealed the true beauty of this haven. The golden rooftops caught the light, and the windows sparkled like gems.

The lake surrounded the city, giving its name as the last Oasis. Its breadth defied imagination, spanning kilometers upon kilometers. The sun painted its surface with liquid gold, casting ripples. Islands dotted the lake's expanse, some of them had enormous mansions and villages built. Each was a microcosmos, a refuge from the bustling streets. On other of these verdant islets, trees stood sentinel, their roots entwined with the earth and water. The most incredible feeling was the knowledge of life inside its water, calling him.

Rafayel traveled with Amund, across the desert, heading to Philos, following a pull. As the God of The Sea, Rafayel shared a profound bond with the waters. The lake before him, a mirror to the heavens, harbored a shard of his divine essence. Although it did not beckon him, it recognized his presence. He also felt the bond, tiny, with the reincarnation of Enoria, again, princess of the city. Rafayel sensed her, like a distant echo, a whisper carried by the currents. Enoria's essence stirred memories of forgotten dances, of laughter beneath moonlit waves intertwined with the anguish and malice now residing in the chasm of his void heart.

Side by side, Amund and Rafayel endured the merciless desert. Days turned into weeks as they journeyed along the lake's perimeter, their mounts, majestic sea creatures summoned to adapt to the desert, bearing them across shifting sands. The sun blazed mercilessly, scorching their skin, but Rafayel pressed on. He longed for the water's soothing embrace that lay just beyond the horizon.

After days of travel, they reached the lake's edge. Dismounting, Rafayel and Amund shed their terrestrial guises, their limbs metamorphosing into beautiful tails. With a mutual glance, they plunged beneath the surface, the water's caresses heralding their return to a long-lost home, their charred skin rejuvenated by aquatic powers.

Their tails undulated, propelling them deeper. Rafayel, cold as the water, watched as Amund enjoyed the sensation of the familiar weightlessness, the tender touch of the almost dead currents. In this realm, he was complete —a deity reunited with his domain.

The girl's presence lingered, a distant hum in the water's song. She, too, would find her way here, drawn by the same inexplicable force.

They swam until they reached Philos' harbor, sensing the presence of fellow Lemurians and heeding their summons towards a modest abode adjacent to the lake. There was an opening under the house, that Rafayel and Amund used to ascend and enter. Within, a family of Lemurians resided.