((OOC: Super, mega-post incoming. I may or may not have gotten carried away...Hope this is okay!))
Raven was so conflicted he couldn't stand being alone with himself. He fed quickly and without the normal amount of gusto and pleasure he would take. Supper was followed by a quick bath to scrub the blood from his flesh. His father had certainly created a big mess tonight. Typical, Azrael causing havoc and him cleaning everything up. Why did his father get to have all the fun while he was left to do all the work? Once he was clean and dressed in fresh clothes, Raven took off through the halls, racing down spiraling staircases into the depths of the temple.
He needed some answers. The thought of whether or not his father was able to hear him would drive him mad if he couldn't know for sure. When Azrael had first gone to sleep, Raven had attempted to speak to him often, but after time and time again his words fell on deaf ears he had given up. Tonight he found that he had to try again. Perhaps if he sat there in the dark and spoke to his father he would actually be heard. It seemed counter-productive. If his father had regained even a smidgeon of awareness, he should be doing his best to squash it and let his father slip peacefully back into the void.
Instead he found himself in the lowest catacombs, eyes gazing upon the extremely grand tomb. The gold was decorated with silver veins in skeletal designs, gleaming rubies were inlaid in the eyes of skulls that were carefully preserved and piled around the base. His father had insisted on the gaudiness of his resting place. Raven though it was comically "sinister", like a child trying too hard to seem impressive. Grumpily he thought the same could be thought about him in some ways.
Now that he was down here, he wished to turn and flee back up to the surface of the temple, back to where it was safer. At the same time, he was drawn towards the sarcophagus. Inside it laid his father. Despite his desire to prove himself even greater than his father, he still found himself wishing for nothing more than to make him proud and please him. So slowly he stepped forward and laid a hand on the golden lid.
Instantaneously his mind was invaded, the presence heavy, dark, crushing. He cried out in agony and fear as it felt as if red hot pokers were being driven into his brain. It took everything in his power to push back on the presence in his mind. Father! It's me! Please! It felt like an eternity, but it was probably less than five seconds, and the presence had withdrawn to a mere trickle, a tendril of connection. It was no longer dark or heavy; it was warm and even a little regretful.
Rise, my son.
Raven blinked, he had not realized that he had ended up curled up in a ball on the floor before the tomb. Gasping he dragged himself up, both hands now firmly grasping his father's tomb for support, his legs felt unsteady. Did you not recognize me? You haven't been asleep that bloody long to forget your own son.
I was not expecting you.
You were at the ceremony. Quite a show you put on. If you're awake down here, why didn't you just show yourself? That would have really given them something to cheer about.
Why were you alone? Where are your brothers? They should have been there to greet me. That is why I did not come.
Raven's breath caught in his throat. This was a moment he had not been looking forward to at all. How was his father going to react? Slowly and carefully he let his thoughts trail along the connection to his father. Ashlar left the same year you went to sleep and has not returned. He went to raise litters out in the world. Tempt...Tempt is gone. He was slain... Raven could say nothing more, the connection was immediately broken and the very earth trembled as an anguished howl reverberated through the temple.
Cringing, he clapped his hands over his ears and stumbled back. Raven had expected that his father would be upset to learn that one of his sons had perished, but he hadn't really been certain of the absolute depth of despair that seemed to radiate from the tomb. He tried to reach out with his mind to his father again, but it was like trying to penetrate an endless darkness. Finally giving up he moved away and leaned against the far wall of the crypt, giving his father time.
Things grew silent and still again, and for a long time Raven wondered if his father had slipped away again. Had the news of Tempt's death been too much for him coming out of a sleep? His eyes closed and remained that way, just listening to the growing silence, although he could feel something stirring that made his skin crawl. Finally the sound of metal and stone scrapping pierced the silence and Raven opened his eyes, watching in morbid fascination as the lid to his father's sarcophagus slid open. A roiling darkness poured out of the tomb before taking the shape of a man.
The shadows dispersed and Azrael stood in the center of the room, head bowed in grief. "When did your brother die? How did he die?"
"About sixteen years ago, I tried to tell you, but you didn't hear me. He was murdered, and before you ask, I don't know who did it, but when we find out, they will be made to pay." He felt awful lying to his father. He knew exactly who had killed Tempt, but he would never tell anyone that secret; especially not his father. Azrael remained silent so he continued. "He's entombed here, in the shrine. Just as I knew you would want it. Come."
He held out his hand and his father took it. He showed him to a very special crypt, but he stopped at the door and Azrael proceeded alone. There in the darkness lay three ornate sarcophagi. Tempt had been laid to rest next to his grandfather and great-grandfather. This was where each Incarnate would be entombed once their time had passed. Azrael didn't so much as glance at the other tombs, all he could do was gaze at the one that held his son.
For a long time he stayed still, contemplating. Finally he turned back to Raven, silver eyes hard and merciless. "I trust you have made sure my rooms were kept waiting and ready for my return. Send me a few cultists. I need to kill something." He turned to give a final look at Tempt's tomb. Raven took that as a dismissal and turned to quickly leave and carryout his father's wishes, but was paused as Azrael spoke again. "Oh, and one more thing, bring her to me."
Raven didn't have to ask who his father meant. In no time at all he was back up within the habituated levels of the temple. Many cultists stopped him to ask what was going on. They had felt the rumblings from below the temple, had heard his father's despair. He reassured them that everything was fine, more than fine, the news spread quickly that the Incarnation had woken. He sent a cultist to find Valery and summon her to his father's chambers immediately.