Stepping into the Ancient City after so long was like returning to a home he hadn't known he'd missed. The sights were heartachingly familiar, the scents overwhelming in a welcomed way, and the familiar faces a sight for sore eyes.

It had been a ridiculous question as to his whereabouts, their younger brother had been the best of friends with the Egyptian god of death for as long as they could remember, it was no mystery that he would retreat to his temple in the wake of things. His oldest friend would surely take him in, in his time of need, and those of the temple would protect the angel just as much as they would serve for their deity.

He took in the sights once again, soaking them in as he passed, for what felt like the first time in a millennium. Others turned to look at him as he passed, staring at him as he walks down the lane, and turning to whisper to their companions once he was out of earshot.

The temple was a sight for sore eyes, one that he hadn't been in for such a long time, it's inhabitants a distant memory. The two guards at the entrance stopped him in his tracks, crossing their spears together, blocking his path for entering. He turned to look between the two of them, there had been a time when they wouldn't have dared to impede his entrance, but that time had come and passed. They stared straight ahead, paying him no mind, as they dared stand against him.

"Adofo." He turned to one and then to the other. "Bomani."

"Our god as commanded that none be granted entrance."

He tilted his head slightly. "Will you allow me entrance?"

Bomani spared him a glance at long last. "You are one of those who is not granted entrance." And turned back to gaze ahead once more. "You will stay outside of the walls."

Normally, he would talk this through, he had been absent for some time, sure, but he had never wronged any within the temple. He had always treated them with respect, as though they were a part of his family, just as he was a part of theirs. But they did not have that time to do such things, they needed Azrael with a quickness that did not allow for personal conversation, it would have to wait until another day.

So, he stepped forward, fingers curling tightly around his staff, and left the guard no choice but to look up at him. Intimidation was not his typical way of life, but all these come with a price, and this was his.

Bomani looked back up at him, the emotion of alarm shining in his eyes, though he concealed it well. He lowered his head slightly to look more so into his eyes.

"You will allow me entrance."

The guard swallowed, eyes darting to the staff clutched in his hand, and then back to his gaze. "Or what?"

"Do you desire to find out?"

Bomani swallowed again, averting his eyes, and nodded in one quick jerk of a nod. He reached out and shoved Adofo's arm, his partner looked over in surprise, and pulled his spear away in kind to Bomani pulling his back.

He nodded in appreciation. "Thank you, Bomani."

…

"It has been some time since an angel has been seen in my temple." The Egyptian deity was lounging in his throne, legs spread open, one arm raised and the other outstretched. "Especially one such as yourself." His other arm dropped forward. "What do you want?"

He raised his chin at the disrespect, his fingers tightening around his staff, but moved passed it. He had been sent to retrieve their younger brother, he did not have the time to address these attitudes, and there was part of him that knew it was well deserved.

There was a smile of greeting. "Hello, Anubis." It was not returned. "I need Azrael and I am to hear that he resides here."

"That's a bold assumption." The young deity leans forward. "Have you any proof?"

The archangel nodded. "I can feel his presence within these walls. I know he is here. Tell me where he is."

"Wait." The young god raised a hand. "Did you….Did you just tell me what to do?" Anubis shakes his head, leaning back in his throne again, fiddling with the fingers of his right hand. "You lost your say when you disappeared for three thousand years." He waved a hand over his head. "If you want him so badly, then you will find him yourself, I will not help you."

It had indeed been some time since he had stepped foot within this temple, and though he had a very vague memory of the layout of the grand place, the temple itself was built like a catacomb. One could get lost within these halls if they were not sure footed in where they were going.

"You will lead me."

"Raphael." Anubis was harsh, hatred bleeding into the pronunciation of his name, a golden hue coming over his eyes. "I will do nothing to aid you in your quest. I would first send you wandering before I gave an inkling of my help."

"Anubis," the Healer looked down a moment in shame. "The damage I have wrought to our relationship is extensive, and I have no right to ask for your forgiveness—"

"Though, it sounds as if you are about to."

He continued on as though he hadn't been interrupted. "But the end is coming. The Darkness, I know you know what that is, has been released upon the world again. If left unattended, it will devour everything, would you put your people at risk for mere vendetta."

Anubis finally stood, he'd grown since they had last been together, they were now very nearly the same height. He'd filled out more, built strong and lean, easily able to deceive. "How dare you use the protection of my people against me." He descended the steps that led up to his throne, coming to stand before him, until they were face to face. "But you are right, I would not be so selfish as to turn my back on those who entrust themselves to me, I am not you." It was meant to be a low blow and it was received as one. The Egyptian gives a quick jerk of a nod. "I will take you to him."

He turns, expecting him to follow after him, and the Healer does after a moment. Raphael is not sure what to say to the charge who had entrusted himself to him, who had allowed him to witness a softer side, a more vulnerable side, that few others were privileged to bare witness to. He had abandoned him some three thousand years ago, ghosted him in every way there was to ghost a person, the bitterness was deep in his being for him now. He had earned such distaste, such hatred, and there was no words to speak to begin to piece together the mess that was their broken relationship.

"Anubis—"

"Save your words, Archangel." Golden eyes glare at him over the Egyptians shoulder for a moment. "What was once between us is no more and that is by your hand alone." He turned back around, looking ahead as he led him through the maze that was his temple. "I will take you to your brother and then you will leave." They turned a corner that led out into the lush atrium. "You are not welcome here anymore."

It pained him, deep within, despite the knowledge that there was nothing less deserved for his transgressions. To know that their relationship was so crumbled that the other side wanted nothing to do with reconciliation, it was a bitter irony, he had abandoned him, and now the young godling was returning his favor.

Raphael could do nothing but nod, swallowing that lump that formed in his throat, watching attentively as the young deity stopped before the green grass and gestured forward with his hand. "He is there." Anubis turned to look at him. "You have until sunset before my guards will escort you out." He nodded again, watching silently as the Egyptian gave a single nod in affirmation and stepped forward, leaving him there to watch him walk away. It took him a moment to compose himself, rubbing a hand under his left eye, and he took a deep breath as he turned for the silver haired angel standing just a short pace away.

He was throwing a ball, one he had surely pilfered from Anubis, for his hounds to chase. He had grown too, since their last meeting, not nearly as tall as Anubis was, but fuller. He strength was evident, he was lean, and his hair had grown longer.

"Azrael."

His shoulders stiffened at the call of his name, fingers curling tightly around the ball in his hand, and silver eyes peered at him quickly from over his shoulder.

"What do you want?"

Raphael tried to familial kindness. "Can an older brother not want to see his younger?"

"I've been here for nearly three thousand years and, yet, you've never come in all that time." His eyes were piercing. "So, what do you really want?"

Their relationship was just as shattered as his was with the Egyptian, he had really messed up, he had lost more then himself in all that time.

"The Darkness. She's back." He stepped forward. "She is going to devour all of Father's creations."

"Then it is a good thing my creator is Death." Azrael turned back to his hounds, winding his arm back, and throws the ball for them. They chase after it excitedly. "He has never wronged Aunt. She will devour this world and I will move onto the next."

"You would be all alone, Azrael, would you really want that?"

"I've been on my own for six thousand years, Raphael." Again, he looked over his shoulder at him. "What's another six thousand going to do." Dante dropped the ball at his feet, and he bent to pick it up, winding his arm back again. "Father will grow lonely again and create another version of you."

"You would let all of creation suffer for my transgression."

"Yes." He turns this time. His hounds forget the ball at his change of stance, stalking forward at his heels, tracking him as though he was some wayward soul to be preyed upon. "What has creation ever done for me?" he clutches his hands into fists. "It's taken my family from me." His anger is palpable. "It's taken my home from me." He comes to stand directly in front of him, nearly chest to chest, eye to eye. "So, yes, I would sit back and watch Her devour it all. And then, then, I would move on."

"You don't mean that." The Healer shakes his head. "You are too kind for that."

"How would you know," he spits out, "brother."

"She would devour your greatest friend, and no matter how angry you may be at us, you would never allow that to happen."

Azrael narrows his eyes. "Are you using Anubis as your way to sway me?" His hounds growled dangerously at his sides. Sighing deeply, he let it go in a huff, averting his eyes. "I would willingly sit back and watch Her devour you all, but you are right, I would be lost without Anubis." Silver eyes turned back to his. "I will come. I will not aid you for the family that abandoned me. But, I will support you for the one that took me in."