Chapter 5 – Rahab
It was still dark when Mioko and Azrael arrived at Rahabim territory. They stood at the outskirts looking up at the black city. It looked so much more sinister in the dark than it ever had before. The shadows stretched across the ground, clawing their way to the two travelers.
Azrael took a deep breath walked, cautiously to the main gate, Mioko following a fair distance behind. He knocked the wooden door gently and waited for the guard to appear. "Yes?" he asked.
"We desire an audience with lord Rahab," Azrael told the guard, who frowned upon the request. "Lord Rahab has retired, he is not seeing anyone today." Azrael held up his left hand, displaying Raziel's signet ring over one claw, "I am the first son of Raziel," he said, secretly praying news of his master's downfall had not spread, "I desire an audience with the lord." His prayers were answered, the guard summoned a fledgling and sent him to Rahab's home in the abbey. He then opened the door and allowed the two to enter.
The door slammed shut, sealing their fate behind them. Mioko moved closer to Azrael as they walked, quicker than they normally would up to Rahab's citadel. A slave was waiting for them at the entrance. "Lord Azrael, lady Mioko," she gave a low bow, "the lord will see you." She led the two into the abbey.
Mioko couldn't help but smile as they ventured towards the lord's chamber. She had always loved this place. There were few slaves wandering the halls, only a few, dim torches lit the way through the halls, bathing the corridors in a warm, orange glow. From the ceiling at regular intervals hung glass bowls, filled with water. She noticed Azrael edge away from these decorations, he hated them. Mioko, however loved them and she paused to look up at them. They usually had a single candle, floating on the surface, making her feel calm and at peace, despite the nature of their visit.
To Azrael's surprise the slave led them past Rahab's throne room and instead took them to his private chambers. She opened the doors and once they were inside, she closed them, hurriedly.
Azrael glanced around. They were in Rahab's own bedchamber. His bed, draped in blue silk, emblazoned with his insignia was veiled by a pale, blue gossamer curtain. There were many bookcases here, each one filled with heavy, leather bound volumes, each one kept in pristine order. The room itself was dimly lit for reading due to the fourth born's distaste for the light. Rahab was standing at his window. An open book lay on the desk which he had no doubt been recently pouring his attentions into.
"Why have you come here?" he asked, breaking Azrael's scan of the chamber. Azrael looked up at the fourth born's back, "We need your help," he implored. Without waiting for the request, Rahab replied, "I cannot help you," he said, sadly.
He turned to them and Azrael was surprised to see such a grave expression across his face. Rahab moved, slowly towards the desk and stared, absent mindedly at the book. "Even if I were inclined to do so, I would not help you," he murmured, "the master is so much more easy to temper since the betrayal of his most trusted son. Should I help you, I would probably seal my own fate."
"We only ask that you give us a boat," Mioko said, her voice begging him to help them. Rahab seemed lost in his own little world of sorrow and pain. He looked almost mad when he gave a small smirk as she finished her request. "And what would you do with a boat, little Razielim? Where would you go? I know why you flee. The Turelim have attacked you and you flee? What have you accomplished? All you have done is prolong the inevitable. Kain will kill you," Rahab's voice dropped to a whisper, he traced a page in the book with his claw, "just as he killed Raziel," he snarled, slamming the book shut. The sudden change in Rahab's demeanor frightened Mioko a little and she jumped when he snapped the book shut. "Your lord is dead, your kin is dead and soon," he hurled the book onto the hearth in the corner, "you will join them."
Azrael and Mioko watched as the book caught fire and began to burn slowly, "Just like Raziel," Rahab murmured, softly, watching the pages burn into nothingness. Azrael looked up at the fourth born, "Please," he beseeched, "Please help us."
Rahab turned away and returned to the window, "and if I do?" he asked, "I give you a boat and for what? There is nowhere you can go where he will not find you, nowhere you can hide...and then when he discovers it was I who helped you? I can expect a similar fate to your sire."
"But you are the fo..." Mioko's voice trailed off as she realized the futility of her words. Rahab chuckled, "The fourth born?" he snarled at her, "If there's one thing I've learned from this it's that; that counts for nothing." He grew calm once more, "If he'd do that to Raziel what would he do to me...to any of us?" Rahab rested his head against the frozen pane, "leave me," he commanded. Mioko touched Azrael's arm, admitting defeat. Azrael looked ready to protest when Rahab spoke again, "There is an unguarded boat near the west gate...not that you'd be stupid enough to steal it," he added softly, "not that you have anything to lose."
Azrael sighed, almost happily and turned to leave. Mioko went to the fourth born's side. She knelt at his hand and kissed it, whispering, "Thank you."
TBC