Gods and Monsters- The Book of Azrael

(VII)Taehyung

I leaped through the dense forest, my paws beating against the ground in silence. My sleek form of black panther I had taken helped me blend in dark and run through the bushes easily towards my target. We made it to Ophanium hours ago, but Rafael was nowhere to be seen. 

There was just a tomb like monument or temple in the remote area of the forest where me, Hyun-jae and Sekka were sent to scout the area beforehand. It was concerning enough that the place was not marked on any local map. We got the information from Jihoon's mind, the celestial under Hyun-jae. They were going to move the relics to city of Arariel. Their plan was to clear Ophanium in few days, but we have gotten here before. 

A loud roar cut through the forest, and I shifted to my left, sprinting towards the origin. When I caught the sight of Sekka sitting hunched over, I slowed. His posture was alert, his tail swishing in threatening manner. He didn't turn even when I stopped beside him. His red eyes were scanning the area when Hyun-jae followed up to us. 

"One last pass." Hyun-jae's telepathic voice echoed in my head and I frowned. Sekka whereas nodded in agreement.

"Why? It's abandoned, and the road hasn't been used for so long. It's just a tomb, let's go." I reasoned to them because I couldn't understand why we can't go there if we came so far just for that.

Sekka's voice echoed in my head next moment. "Why can't you just do what you are fucking told?" I growled in anger. "Because I don't have to listen to you. Last I checked, I was second in command." My words pissed him off more than anything could since he is always bitter about it. If he could kill me, I would be dead no sooner.

"Alright ladies, you both are pretty." Hyun-jae's words rang, dripping with sarcasm and slight irritation as he meddled between us. "One last pass, then we call Rafael. They were his orders." The last sentence was for me. 

"Fine."

No one said another word. Sekka took left and Hyun-jae went to right, both taking off at the same time with their soft paws hitting the ground with a thud. I turned over to look at the ruined tomb then back at where the two left. I took a leap to follow them but halted when I felt a tingle down my spine as if something went over me. My ears flat I looked up but could see nothing but the dense trees cowering over me. 

I turned back to the ruins, my feet taking me back to the spot I was standing previously. If there was a celestial in there, we needed to get them first or whatever they were coming to take. It wasn't like we can't take it from them, but we don't need a member of the Hand coming here. I don't want to face them. 

Deciding on my own, I jumped down the slope with my paws making a silent landing. I walked through the old broken road towards the tomb, dust collecting around my paws when my hairs stood in alert making me pause. There had to be something here, but I was not getting what. My hackles raised once more as I continued my walk, a shiver running down my spine. My tail swished side to side as I stopped and looked around for danger. My surroundings were silent with no sign of living around here, but I could feel something. 

I glanced at the half-destroyed tomb in front of me and then behind me to see if someone was following me. With one last look at the tomb, I raced to towards it, my paws hitting the ground raised dust around me before I collided headfirst to the wall. The wall fell, hollowing a path inside as the dust got cleared. Shaking my head I looked at the hollow space and with a black smoke surrounding me, I turned back to my form. Good thing about Rafael's magic was I won't turn back naked. I was very much thankful to it because I would like all my dignity intact, please. Thank you.

Dusting off the dirt from my black pants and shirt, I threaded my fingers through my hair to get them out of my eyes. With how dark it was inside, I won't be able to see anything, hence I willed a ball of flame on my right hand. As I stepped in, the light scattered around in the room giving me the view of the damaged walls and tables. I walked in to see if what I was searching for was here but again met with a dead end. The room had nothing but cracked furniture and empty shelves.