Living on mercy

[Kalen]

Kalen watched as the body sank into the murky waters of the swamp. There was a howling, the creature still slightly alive. "Oops." It was supposed to be clean, but not he'd drown in there, tortured. That was most unfortunate. Kalen sat on a moss-covered rock, wiping his blade clean.

"I suppose that's what you get though, for being such a nuisance to the neighbors." A smirk crossed his face and he put the blade away. Stretching out on the rock, Kalen pulled out a rather old piece of parchment, crossing a name out among a long list that had other names crossed out and still others that still had no line slashed through them.

[Zora Lee]

Water danced along her finger tips. It rushed over her hand and then fell so desolately down to the hard ground below her. Zora looked at the failed spell she had just been trying to do. She had worked so hard to purge all her magic into one spot to create a portal. And the words of her grandfather echoed through her mind reminding her of what she had to do. Concentrate Zora, center yourself. Gather your magic into one tight knot then send into the ground below you. When it is there you’ll know. You’ll feel empty, then at that moment release it once more.

Over and over again she had tried. She had even went as far as dunking herself into the swamp she now graced. The water was supposed to strengthen her magic. But the murky swamp water was not enough. It was not the sea, her magic that was so deeply rooted in the ocean just would not work. She sighed and pulled herself out of the swamp, but not before she felt the brush of death lapping at her feet. She started and looked around. Then seeing a floating body and a man relaxing on a rock her eyes narrowed and she lost no time.

She closed her eyes and relived the failed steps. She let her magic flow out from her body and into the earth below. For three seconds she stood still. Then with a loud ripping noise a portal opened before her. She stepped into it with no thought and envisioned the spot behind the man on the far side of the bank. She felt the particles of her body explode and an instant later they reformed. She fell out of the portal she had created and immediately retched. The contents of her stomach emptied from her stomach and there was nothing she could do about it.

[Kalen]

"And that's why a lot of people don't practice the craft. That's disgusting." Kalen frowned, his brow creased from years of thought. "It's a lot easier the way we do it, but I don't think anyone has ever mastered that quite yet. One of the few things we still have outright."

Kalen stared at her for a few seconds longer and laughed. "So, what is someone like you doing here at the swamp. Clearly you have yet to gain as much power as you are capable of obtaining yet, so why here?"

[Zora Lee]

The bile pooled in her throat and threatened her once more with the promise of emptying her further. She fought the urge to vomit and very slowly she stilled her stomach and her breathing. Finally with her unruly stomach under control she sat up and wiped the disgusting residue from her mouth. Very quietly she muttered a cleansing spell and smiled inwardly as a fresh mint taste filled her mouth and a clean feeling caressed her very soul. She muttered under her breath darkly then started at the sound of the mans voice. She brought her knees up casually and placed an arm languidly upon them, “Thank you for that obvious deduction. And what, pray tell, is the way you do it then? “

She cast him a questioning look, her eyes taking in the frown lines that darkened his brow and the scowl that seemed permanently plastered upon his face, “Not that it is your business, but I do not feel like traveling to the ocean when my magic is strongest, or into the gates of the elven world where it is second strongest. This place was the closest and the most intriguing. But you are here for what reason? To kill someone?”

[Kalen]

"Nope. They were dying by the time I got here. Neither of us puked our dinner into the water though." He laughed. "Well, a swamp is a dirty place and this one is filled with bad magic, bad souls and spirits. No place for a woman like you, especially Elven descent. Now, for a demon like myself, this is almost as good as being home. Death, rank, putrid. It's rather perfect."

[Zora Lee]

Her eyes narrowed slightly, “Excuse me for loosing my lunch because of portal travel. No all of us can be perfect like you.” This man was arrogant and so insufferable. Already she wanted to blast him into the next century. But if she had learned anything from her father, demons were hearty creatures. Of course not all of them had the power of her father, or the power of her Uncle Cerberus.

Slowly she closed her eyes and drew a rune into the air around her. The symbol meant protection and the next she drew meant patience. She opened her eyes again and then looked around her, “This place may scare every other person in The Hollow, but it does not scare me. But I’m curious, you must be very powerful or a very good guesser to realize my elven heritage. It is so murky and befuddled not even my own mother new of it. How did you know?”

[Kalen]

"Someone as old as me recognizes the smell, even if it's dirty like it is in you. They look down at people like you. Shameful really, having a war over it too. But a shame, because it's always the dirty ones who have more power, or more fun, or whatever one might endeavor." Kalen rubbed his nose.

"Practice makes perfect though, as the old saying goes. And practice you will I'm sure. A stubborn streak I sense in you as well. Not a bad thing necessarily. Depending on the situation you're in I'm sure."

[Zora Lee]

"Someone as old as you? And how old are you exactly? And do not call my blood dirty. It's a perfect mixture, even if the people who birthed me were disgusting. My family accepts me perfectly. From my Elven Queen great grandmother, to my Demonic father. They see nothing wrong with who or what I am." She was put out by his tossing about of the word dirty. But her interest was piqued by the mention of a war. "There was a war about it? What war?"

She scoffed slightly, "My father and my son would both agree with you over the stubborn streak. She seem to agree I inherited that from my mother, or better yet from my grandfather. The kings tend to be very stubborn people."

[Kalen]

"Well, I didn't mean dirty as an insult so honestly don't take it that way. When you do, you give the word even more power than it has. I just meant dirty as that's what it is. Impure. Nothng good or bad about it." Kalen shrugged.

"War then, war now. Elves are perhaps one of the most judgmental races out there. Must be pure, no exceptions. It's quite annoying actually. Demons...well, we tend to just kill whatever is weaker so it's not a problem."

[Zora Lee]

"The word used int he context you use it in seems to sound rather degrading. But i accept what I am. I'm impure. A Mixture of Elven, Demon, and Vampire. I am impure yes, but I hold three very powerful blood lines. The Lee's, Gartra's, and Taralom's are all very powerful families. And I am quite happy to say that I am a child of their blood." She said nothing more on the subject, it really wasnt something that had to be broached. She had accepted the taint of her blood long ago. Just as her family had accepted it as well. The only person who had seemed to sneer at her bloodline had been the woman who had given Zora life. But she was quite thankful she had never had to meet that woman.

"Obviously you have not been amongst the elven race. My grandmother, The Queen, happens to be married to a Fallen angel. And my uncle the Prince is also married to one. They also have a child. The elven race has come a long way from the people they once were. As for the demons, most of the ones I know have inter married as well. I even know of a Demon and a Fallen angel who have married and procreated."

Zora studied the man before her, he seemed evasive. He seemed to not answer the questions she asked but instead give her unclear answers. For a moment she wondered who this man was, then with a roll of her eyes she simply asked, "Who are you?"

[Kalen]

"There is still hatred of mixing. Not enough mixing around for their to be a majority, and names do not make power. To want to make something of the name, that's when it becomes powerful." Kalen licked his lips.

"Who am I? I'm a demon. My name is Kalen. You wouldn't know me though. Unfortunately." He shrugged. "I like people's reactions when they know me, but it's cool." He bowed his head and held his hand out. "Pleasure is mine."

[Zora Lee]

"No it isn't the names that give them power. It's the people behind them. I know that. A person can have very powerful magic and not know how to wield it. This is why I am learning to wield mine. Not only to get a control on my powers, but also to learn how to use a muse's power. Perhaps if i learn how to wield the power of a muse I can help in this war against the plague. And perhaps save my family." A shadow crossed her face. It was the briefest shadow of sadness but it was evident enough for her to know that it had been there. But she brushed it away, she could do nothing for her grandmother if she was grieving her loss before she was in her grave.

"Kalen? I think I have heard of you." She pretended to study him and think on his name. For a moment it seemed she had grasped the knowledge of who he was, then just as abruptly it seemed she had lost it, "Nope sorry, never heard of you." She smiled then took his hand in hers and shook it, "And I'm Zora. It's a pleasure now that I know you are not the one who killed the poor fellow floating in the swamp." She motioned with her other hand toward the swamp then let it fall again.

[Kalen]

"Oh! No, I killed him, just not here at the swamp. It was somewhere else. I told you I didn't come to the swamp to kill someone. I came here to put the body here. And clean the weapon of course. Not that it matters. But I like a clean weapon." Kalen grinned.

"No, you don't know me. Might be familiar, but it's not me." Shrugging his shoulders, he let go of her hand. "Zora. You have made a bit of a name for yourself in the Hollow. But a lot of those related to you have."

[Zora Lee]

Her eyes widened and she stared at him for a few moments, "But what were his crimes? Why did he deserve to die?" Death was something that invoked strong emotions in her. Not only because her grandmother and her tiny aunt and uncle were dying, but because so many were dying in their realm. Human and Immortal alike were contracting the plague that had no cure. She frowned deeply and folded her arms over her chest and crossed her legs, "Who made you judge and jury?"

She was still cross with him but she couldn't refrain from speaking on what he said last so with staunch formality she spoke, "I'm well aware of my less then minimal fame. I'm the basatard child of tyrants who was taken in by her sister. This is why I work so hard on my magic. This and I have the desire to provide more for my son then I was given. I already failed at giving him the perfect childhood."

[Kalen]

"I'm not trying to judge you or anyone else really. Alright? I'm just trying to make comments on everything you keep telling me. If you don't want to hear me saying anything, maybe you won't ask me questions?" His smirk returned and he backed up a few steps. "Watch out, there's a monster coming for you now. A nice beastie."