Natasha
The Underworld standstill and the guardians stop in their tracks. Ferrymen stop the boats in mid-journey, the souls in line, and the guardians’ eyes; all their eyes fixed on the horizon as the light broke from it. The dark sky is lit in orange, blue color. The rays hit the barren land right in front of their eyes, taking the form of a woman. With an olive golden complexion, an angelic oval face appears once the sunlight is shaded and her dark almond eyes open, red lips parted as took a deep breath, dark chocolate brown hairs waving down to her back was caught in the wind with the trail of her long dress. No guardian, no celestial looked that beautiful.
The light broke from the horizon behind her like a halo over her. They all watched her breathlessly as the Sun rose in the underworld, breaking the darkness and illuminating her world, her life as the sunlight danced on Natasha’s skin and the golden strands glowed in her brown hair. The edges of her face shaped and her cheeks flushed. She runs through the sea of souls and guardians, breaking the line. Some guardians tried to stop her, but she didn’t stop. Where ever bare feet touch the ground, the light shine, and the barren land turn green, the earth breath to life. Grass grew, plants sprouted, and flowers bloomed; it spread.
Natasha looks around at everyone staring at her; she remembers everything. She knew this place, but something was a miss; there was light in her, and she turned her breathing to see the Sun rising. Natasha has to find Azrael. She came to a halt; it felt like she had run for miles coming to a place there was one. The bare land stretched, nothing in sight. She was near the river that doesn’t flow, by the side where the strange boat is tied. She remembers the ride she took in it.
“You are beautiful,” He whispered.
She turned back, and the sunlight illuminated Azrael to her. She could feel her heart racing with his and his eyes looking at her with utter abandonment and adoration, beautifully capturing her in his gaze.
The spell broke as she averted her gaze, coming to her senses. She is in the underworld, and Azrael will take her. He would…she stepped back. She remembered her last moments, until the last moment, he didn’t respond to her feelings.
Azrael saw her expression changing.
“Natasha,” He moves towards her.
“You will take me to the Realm of Light,” her words were broken just as she feels in the moments.
She tried to step back, unaware that the whole underworld was in two, one where she stood, and the earth was alive behind her, and the second where he stood a barren side. Azrael gazed at her enthralling; where else would he look now? It made no sense; his reasons before pushing her away to try to do right by her were all for nothing. Instead, he was unable to see what she truly wanted.
“I am sorry,” He said.
Natasha met his gaze; there was something different about him; his eyes were sapphire blue with no red sigh. She frowns in confusion; what is he apologizing for? There is nothing that could be done anyway-a lump forms in her throat.
Azrael closes him, torment flashing in his face. He will be punished if he doesn’t take her. Natasha remembers Sahir’s words.
The fire will come for him. It is not his fault.
“I know, I know you have, too,” Natasha tried not to shake. “I am ready,” She swallows.
It was agony to see her dying, but to see her let go of her wishes for him, is somehow more unbearable.
“I am death; my existence has nothing to offer,” He steps forwards toward her.
“It never mattered,” Natasha said, her voice thick with emotion. She steps forward to him.
“It was lifeless here,”
“The only thing matter is you are here,” She said, one last maybe she could. She raises her hand to touch Azrael, and he closes his eyes.
“Do you truly feel lifeless?” She asked.
“This is most peculiar, is it not?” He slid from her grip and grabbed her arms, pulling her closer. She was warm, alive, flushed, and in his arms, A soul free from the circle of life and death.
She was now a celestial, like him.
“Near you, I don’t feel it; I feel like what I once was. I feel alive,” Azrael held her face to him, and her breath hitched to see the warmth in his eyes; She could finally see him, feel him.
“When I thought you were gone, for a moment. I didn’t know how I would pass the eternity,”
Is he saying what she is hearing? She stops breathing.
“Now I know, even if I have taken you on my terms. I would never,” Azrael shook his head, “I would have never let you pass the underworld,”
“Azrael..” She breathes.
“I would have never done it, even if the fire had come for me,” He leaned his head to her forehead.
“You are mine; you are not going anywhere. I won’t allow you to step back,”
Natasha chuckled, tears falling from her eyes.
“I am not, I won’t, I would never step back,”
He slid his fingers and tugged her hair behind her ear, but She was unaware of anything but him. He touched her cheek; She leaned into him further. A feeling of complete absolution washes over her. She closes her eyes, and his forehead rests on hers.
“I don’t want to go anywhere else,” She said in a whisper as his lips touched hers. She feels sucked into a different world. The sunlight burst and took over the darkness of the other half of the underworld.
Natasha and Azrael disappeared from the riverside.