Drawn from Water

Chapter 17

                                             *Translations will be in parenthesis ( )*

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Moselle watched as the young women chased after the small children. She looked like she could be her age.

Andres stepped next to Moselle as his daughter got close to the circle but didn't look their way. "Can they see us?" Moselle asked Andres who hadn't taken his eyes off her. He didn't answer at first, she was so close to us she thought Andres would reach out and touch her; but he didn't. "They cannot see or hear us; this is just a memory. Mine more than yours." He answered finally. He continued watching her softly smiling when she would laugh playfully at the children chasing her, but his eyes were still sad. "What happened to her?" Moselle asked softly. Andres finally broke his attention off his daughter and the village. He looked at Moselle then back to the village. Something in his eyes changed.

"Ah Puch." he said.

"What did he do?" she asked.

Andres looked at her then at Namor who was being very quiet. With the wave of his hand the scenery began to change around them. It was almost like a wax painting was melting and mixing all the colors to create something else. Everything became clear and now it was night time, Moselle looked up to see the most beautiful night sky she's ever seen before. This beats the stars dad showed mom all those years ago. She brought her attention back to Andres who was staring off down the beach. She followed his gaze to see his daughter sitting upon some rocks near lightly crashing waves, the full moon emitting around her. It looked like she was braiding something silver but she couldn't make out what it was. There was a rustling in the trees near her that made her slightly jump, but she seemed to be at ease when a tall man appeared. His long black hair was pulled back in a tight half ponytail. He wore a long red rob that covered one of his arms fully while exposing the other along with the side of his torso showing off his detailed tattoo that covered his entire side and shoulder. His face was slender but still quite handsome. He wore a similar septum piercing like Namors but his was a deep red instead of sea green.

Moselle watched as the man embraced Andres daughter in a tight hug, picking her up and spinning her around causing her to giggle. She wrapped her hands around his neck and had the biggest smile on her face. They pulled back from their hug and shared a deep kiss. Moselle felt like she was intruding on an intimate moment, she looked away and looked at Andres who wasn't even watching. Then again what father wants to watch his daughter having an intimate moment with a boy. She looked back to see the couple sitting in the sand together, watching the moon.

"Why are you showing us this?" This time it was Namor who spoke. Moselle almost forgot he was here from how quiet he's been. Andres turned to Namor then back to the couple. "My daughter Ixchel could have given her heart to anyone, but she gave it to Ah Puch."

Moselle and Namor turned their heads at Andres at the same time stunned. The man before them was the God of Death, and he was with Andres daughter. "Wait." Moselle spoke almost too shocked to speak. "Thats Ah Puch?".

"He wasn't always Ah Puch. His mortal name was Tadeas." Andres answered. "This is before he became what we all know as the God of Death."

"So, your daughter was a mortal before as well?" Moselle asked still trying to wrap her head around it all.

"No. She was born a true goddess." He said as he looked back to Ah Puch.

Before Moselle could ask more Namor cut in. "Your daughter is Ixchel?" Namor asked as he took a step forward towards Andres. Moselle looked at Namor confused, did he just miss the fact that Andres just mentioned Ah Puch was right in front of them? Looking back at Ixchel and Ah Puch, she couldn't believe that was him. When they mentioned he was the God of Death she pictured him more scary looking. Turning her attention back she asked who Ixchel was getting the hint her name meant something more if it got Namors attention.