Temper, Temper. -open-

[sorrow-summit]

mature.

Koreena Cronen shoved her foot into her heeled boot, the leather cool against her shin. A fluster hand ran through her dark locks that were littered with white streaks, the loose waves swayed before settling back down. She gave herself a once over in the mirror, shrugging at the simple white shirt that clung to her curvaceous form like a second skin, her skirt that most ladies her age wouldn't dare to wear. The jean fabric stopped just above mid thigh, it allowed her dark-sun kissed complexion to peek out. As she nodded once at her reflection she made her way out of the room she was occupying at the Weeping Willow. Her heels clicked softly against the old wood flooring as she nodded somberly at one of the other patrons renting a room.

Stepping outside KC was greeted with the light of the sun. Golden rays licked her arms with gentle kisses of warmth. The day tasted like light, bubbly on her tongue and sugary as it went down, making everything from the ends of her toes to the tips of her fingers tingle. A shiver of delight ran up her delicate spine. Drunk with the freedom of her twin brother, her absent father that she was getting awfully good at avoiding, she waltzed down the street. Her carefree mood quickly ended when she was shouldered checked by a townsmen. Stumbling backwards she tried catching her balance only to have her backside to meet the hard ground.

"Hey!" She growled with annoyance.

Swiftly she stood up, brushing herself off. Her striking blue eyes narrowed as she squared her shoulders facing the brute that didn't know how to watch where he was going.

Slowly the man turned, his own face turned into a scowl.

"Watch where you are going, lass." He grunted.

Something snapped in the fiery girl as she took her index finger and prodded into the man's chest. "Listen here you ignorant ass." She said through clenched teeth.

He caught her small wrist, his large hand engulfing it quickly. He tossed it aside and stepped closer her. She cocked her head sideways, her long locks spilling to the side. Her chest rose and fell as she could hear her own blood pulsing in her ears. She was certain that if not for her slightly darker complexion she would be flushed with anger. The man puffed out his chest like a pride filled rooster would.

"Do you know who I am?" He growled.


A small giggled escaped her lips, the sound almost giving away her true age which her attributes shielded. Her gaze ran over the swollen brute, as she shook her head.

"Do you know who I am?" She quipped back.

The man stepped back, his face twisted with confusion or shock she wasn't sure. "No-no I don't." He stuttered for a moment.

"Good then we both are in the same playing field." She grinned, in one fluid motion her hand shot out and connected with the man's Adam's apple. His eyes grew wide with shock as his hand clamped around his throat as he fell to his knees. Koreena stepped closer, her hand tangled into his thick locks as she forced him to look at her. "For the record, I am Koreena Cronen." With that she tossed his head off to the side and walked around him and off down the street. The murmur of the towns folk filling her ear as a coy smirk danced across her plush lips.

[Professor Charles]

And all I had wanted was a drink.

I have many reasons to want to find a quiet corner of a public house and rest my weariness, drink away what worries I had. My brother and I had, after some time of him kidnapping me, laughing with me, threatening me, reconnecting me with my family, holding me prisoner for a few days, discovering my daughter and in a farcical manner becoming engaged to her, come to an understanding of mutual respect. I would work with him, researching what was the impending apocalypse for his benefit and he would keep up the pretense of an alliance with the being who had ruined my life so that in the future we could destroy him; Morté, the ‘King of Death’ and ruler of the underworld, Rahl.

Now I had Morté's long-supposed daughter, who was biologically mine and his wife Sephora’s child (now there had been a glorious affair), living with me. When she had asked to move in to my small apartment that was more or less a glorified library, I could not say no. It was the same day, after all, that our genetic connection had been certified. Yet she was in my living room, sleeping on my sofa, and had gotten into the habit of making tea very late at night so all I could hear was the whistling of the kettle - sometimes constantly, the sound echoing as a haunting reminder. Thus, I had finally stalked, muttering, from the apartment that evening, telling her I might be back in a day or an hour, who knew. I hired a horse from the local inn, and set off at a high gallop from the marvellous wonder that is the city-on-an-island, Tor Elythis, riding across the five league bridge to head for the closest, quiet town. All in the hope of getting a moment of quiet and a simple drink.

How wrong had I been.

Apparently getting a simple drink was far too difficult. For it had only been a few minutes of me nursing my beer at the corner of the room when a rough adolescent high elf had bundled over to me and prodded the air around my horns.

“Oi, you,” he growled, in a rural, rough tone I never connected to posh elven society in which I lived. “We no like yet kind here, dirty demon.”

My brow rose at that, and my eyes flicked up to where he was indicating - the two horns that curled from my temples and went back along my head. They were the same pale colour as my skin, but hardened like stone. Slowly I blinked as my weary, slightly blurred mind remembered that I looked like a tiefling, and that for some half-demons weren't that favoured.

“Actually, that's rather an interesting topic for discussion,” I grunted, my eyes moving and settling on him. I leant heavily on the table before me. “But, forgive me, you lack something of the holding or stature of the being who would comprehend the complexity of my narration.”

The teenager took a moment for the cogs of his dumb mind to whir and connect. I had not spoken in massively complicated words, but I had deliberately chosen ones that might not be understandable for an elf half dulled in his wits by alcohol. And one who was already an idiot.

Then he suddenly realised what I meant and his brow furrowed. “You … you … OI!”

Slightly I smiled as I picked up my mug of beer, watching the angry light begin to come into his eyes. I straightened, knowing it was a good time to finish what was left of my drink and head out. All I had wanted to do was be left alone, and it was he who had come up to me.

“You-you’m just called meh and idiot!”

“Not quite,” I shook my head as I threw back the rest of my beer. “But, you said I was not welcome. So. Goodbye and thank you for the short acquaintance.”

I rolled back my shoulders and set the tankard on the table. Moving around it I aimed to go around the long way; easing past him would not have been simple, or smart. And I was smart - far too so apparently for this town. Slowly, I took my first step.

“Eh no way,” the teenager elf said, swiftly moving back and blocking my path with a broad shouldered body. “You’m not going anywhere.”

“Actually I think it is time for me to go,” I looked him squarely in the eye. “You made it clear that I am not welcome and I seem to have finished my drink. So …”

I shrugged and began to move back the other way, of original blockage.

“You think yer so smar’ eh?” I cringed, inwardly. No, I knew I was smart. It really was - is - the one thing I know as a constant. He stomped back around and shoved a hand against my shoulder. Relaxed, I let it swing back as he did so. “Just yapping on with big words when naebody wants a demon like yeh.”

“Please, let me past,” I said, looking at him now directly on the eyes. “I've paid, and I'm leaving, like you wish.”

“No, I dinnae wish you tae leave the bar, I wan’ yeh to leave our country. Go back to your own, rodent.”

Thankfully I was used to being called names - 'barbarian’ and 'rogue’ mostly - and so I simply blinked as I pointed at the door in response. “There is my country, thank you. Now, let me pass.”

And I sucked in my breath and summoned my supernatural strength. Lifting up my hands I made what became one of the most ridiculous mistakes of my life, and shoved hard against his chest.

He stumbled back, eyes wide. As he did he let out a rippling scream.

“BOYS!!!”

And it was then I knew I had been the stupid one.

Immediately from behind hands grabbed me. My fighting instincts took over, and I whirled hands to my shoulder where one held me, fixing my fingers about his forearm. Tightening the hold I swung him around, up and over my shoulder as the second grappled my arms. Swinging back an elbow I attempted to catch the second in the gut as my first assailant was thrown to the floor before me. I heard a grunt as my elbow made an impact, and then I was whirling, hands curling into fists.

They began to glow with a deep black, like night. My eyes grew dark, my face stern, and I counted two more incoming. I threw a steady punch, socking one in the jaw. It crunched hard, the black glow about my hands sparked as I grinned and stepped back, onto my first victim. As he let out a groan, the one I had initially elbowed was getting back up and the fourth was nearing me. Quickly I kicked out, and it knocked over the table I had been at. This gave me more space - I could dodge the punch that was flying at my face and then kick the balls of the elbowed one. He fell, I just had the newest, fresh-faced one and we squared off against each other, fists raised. I jumped back, he leant forwards, swinging back his arm and I found I forgot.

Forgot the first adolescent, their leader, whom I stumbled into the waiting arms off. As I attempted to dodge a blow, he grabbed me from behind. It was short, it was sudden, but it was quick enough to catch me off guard. A smack landed across my face, and I was sent reeling back against the bar. People jeered, glass shattered, the breath rushed out of my lungs. I knew fast - I had to act fast, and I did. Slowly I began to get up to throw my arm, but …

Two arms grabbed my shoulders. They began to drag me and I scowled heavily, and struggled half-heartedly. I caught eyes briefly with the first teenager who beamed as I aimed to kick up, but my dragging was very briefly over - instead I was thrown. Strangely strongly.

The bar upsurged into uproar as I was flung right through the window. It shattered into many pieces, and the black energy around my hands banished itself - herself - and I hit a wall hard.

[sorrow-summit]

The chaotic symphony of glass shattering, people hooping and hollering and a body colliding with a wall unraveled in front of Koreena. Her blue gaze followed the man as he slide down the brick fall he had been thrown against. A small unamused sound that sounded much like a short laugh came from the maiden. Slowly her head turned as she watched a group of elven thugs come out the window, she assumed they had just shattered using their human battering ram.

They stalked towards the man as a group of testoroned filled neanderthals. The man that had horns- hmm interesting she thought, slowly got up, shards of glass falling from him. A over dramatic sigh parted her plush as Koreena shook her head. Her moral compass was showing as she stepped in between the man and the group of brutes. The glass crunching under her heeled boots.

“Boys,” she purred seductively.

The group faltered, their eyes drank up her appearance. The fiery maiden grinned as she could almost smell their arousal.

“Didn’t your mothers teach you to play nice?” She quipped. A playful hand flipped her hair over her shoulder.

“Oi! Hes scum! His kind ain’t welcomed.” One barked out, thrusting an accusing finger at the man they had just tossed out the window like a rag doll.

There was a rough laugh as the man placed one hand against the wall as he pushed himself slowly up from the ground. He ran a stumbled a little, but even so lifted his eyes to fix them on his assailants. “And they told me Raiaera was so lovely and welcoming,” he sarcastically replied.

Koreena glanced back at the man, handsome in his features he was she frowned. “Every place has a town idiot,” she quipped.

Inhaling deeply she rolled her shoulders around, letting her body loosen up as the hoard of men pressed towards herself and the man. Her digits wiggled as the tips of them started to tingle. The blood that flowed through her veins pulsated with magic as she could feel there was moisture in the air. Her thumb ran across the pads of her fingertips, her bright gaze flashed a clear ocean blue.

“Move,” the brute she assumed was the leader growled.

“They seem to like to be in your way rather than out of it,” the horned man grunted as he stepped away from the wall. He straightened the thin coat he was wearing as he came up beside her. His white hair hung messily about his pale features and he looked at her with piercing blue eyes.

Koreena hummed with amusement as she met his gaze for a moment before winking at the man then back to the men. “The last man that got in my way choked on his own Adam’s apple.” She growled.

She met the gaze of the ring leader of this entire mess. A slender eyebrow arched with curiosity, her right hand moved out in front of her. “Did you know that the body is over sixty percent water?” A small sound of laughter left her lips. Her head dipped down for a moment as she took another deep breath.

“What ye yammerin about?” He grunted with annoyance.

With one swift movement she called to all the water in the brute’s body. She made it weep from every pore, every orifice of his body. Slowly he started to choke as the water leaked from him. Her knuckles white with tension as she looked as if she was physically pulling something. The pressure of the water trying to escape all at once dropped the elf to his knees. His screams were gurgled by the water he was choking on.

The slender elf now looked like a bloated dead fish out of water. His body imploding, water logging itself. The seductive magic set every cell of her ablaze, she practically glowed from the old magic she was invoking. Finally the elf’s body couldn’t take the pressure and exploded, coloring the streets, walls and bystanders with his blood.

There was a quiet, impressed whistle from beside her. The horned man was thoughtfully looking at the blood splatter. “Less elegant than it could have been but … impressive.”

The half succubus shivered with delight, her once white shirt was now splattered with red. She turned towards the horned man, her slender eyebrow arching at him. “Well my good sir, please feel free and show me a more elegant way ...” Her hand did a sweeping gesture towards the group that were covered in the remains of their ring leader.

[Professor Charles]

My eyes wandered over the group - the four elves, who were more hooligans than the grand bardsingers and fantastical warriors that high elves were supposed to be. Drenched in blood and flesh and the discards of organs. My head tipped to the side, regarding them in a narrowing of my eyes. Slowly I moved my view from one to the other, from jaw drop to eyes wide, to shaking moron and I saw their potential in their eyes. Their confusion, and horror, their anxiety and fear. Fear at us, fear at her. Fear that what had happened to their thug leader might happen to them …

I let out a sigh as I thought about what my brother would do: end them all, swiftly and without thought. But I was not what he was. He was the personification of power, and I was the being of destruction, yet had the essential ability to know exactly who deserved that destruction. And today it was not these, drowning in their master's remains.

So I raised my hand, and the black void of energy bubbled from my palm. It rose, encircling my fist as the darkness awakened within me, calling out to be used, to damage. I sucked in my breath and chose the more solid-looking of the bunch, then let loose the energy. In a pulse like a bolt from a crossbow it fired at the man and hit him square in the chest. But instead it bursting through him it threw him back, slamming him into the table beyond, which cracked with a loud snap beneath him. He slumped down, his chest rising but not moving - out, but very much alive.

“They don't deserve death,” I said quietly, turning to her. “They'll learn from this.” Then I nodded at them, “go do something useful with your life, like learning to cook … or spinning wool to gold. Your leader is dead.”

“Or proper grammar, english or something other than the way you talk now,” the girl mumbled. The look of annoyance on her face, her plush lower lip pouting out.

I smiled slightly, recognising in her the desire for death than I had seen many times over my millennia. In souls of the dead, in my siblings, in my acquaintances. But also in myself. Slowly I breathed in, checking that the thug’s followers had no more potential to challenge us - they were not, they were busy getting their upset friend back to his feet. Then I smiled, drew myself up and eased out the last of the aches from my assault, and offered her a small, half-mocking bow.

“Shall we?” I gestured further down the street, where a quieter pub still went about their daily lives.

[sorrow-summit]

It took Koreena a moment for the magic she had called from her father- demigod blood to dissipate. Another shiver ran down her delicate spine as she casted one last longing look to the group that was now cowering around their friend. She sucked in her lower lip as she could still feel the seductive pull to end their feeble lives.

“We shall,” she bowed in return, the slight pout her face held now melted to a seductive smirk.

The walked down the street, the sames whispers, gasps and feared looks that she had earned from the townsfolk before followed her once again. She was making her own name for herself and it wouldn’t be long before the shadow of her absent father was no more. Their walk to the small pub was quiet but Koreena didn’t mind, she enjoyed the comfortable quiet.

It didn’t take them long to get to the pub. He opened the door for her and ushered her in, following behind her. KC walked straight to the counter and peeled off the white shirt that was stained with the blood of her victim.

“I need a new shirt,” she demanded.

“We- we aren’t a clothing store miss,” the pub wench stammered.

“She means, please can you spare a shirt,” the horned man leaned around her and set a shining silver on the bar. “And two tankards of your cask brew please.” He gave a pleasing smile.

KC snorted unlady like at the well mannered man before her bright gaze narrowed with annoyance. “Also a washing basin…..please.” She said sickly sweet, casting a sarcastic look at the horned man.

“I've learned it's often simpler to just be nice for the small things, then it gets done faster,” he smiled back at her, “if that doesn't work, then you can resort to the demands.”

The girl rolled her eyes as she shook her head, ‘aye, aye Captain.” She stood at attention and soluited him mockingly.

A pale of warm soapy water was set on the counter along with a simple purple tunic shirt. Koreena flashed the pug keep a smile before walking towards the back of the seating area. Her heels clicking softly against the wooden floors as she went. Heaving the pale of water onto the table she took the rag that had been soaking in the warm soapy solution and wrung it out.

She worked at cleaning her face first, the droplets of water rolled down her neck and disappeared in her bosom. A sigh parted her lips as she worked her way from her neck to her ample breast. She dunk the rag back in to the water wringing it back out before she washed the remnants of what happened a few minutes ago away.

When she was finally finished with cleaning herself up she pulled the tunic over her head. The fabric bunched around her arms stopping just after her elbow, the clinging fabric let a small portion of her midriff to peak out. Turning around she held out the rag towards the horned man, uncertain if he wished to clean up as well.

He looked at her with an odd look in his eyes before he grabbed the rag, dipped it in water and slapped it to the back of his neck. “Charles, by the way. Everyone calls me Char, though. Professor Charles … De’Erebus.” He smiled as he rubbed at his neck.

“Charles,” she tested his name on her tongue.

Her hand reached out and wiped away a rogue droplet of water. His skin was smooth and warm under her fingertip. “I am Koreena, but most call me KC or Kora.” A coy smile danced across her lips, letting her finger slip from his cheek.

[Professor Charles]

I have a girlfriend, I reminded myself as my heart began to thud at the clearly flirtatious attentions that I receiving from this young woman. Then I paused - did I? Regina was a young human woman in service to my brother whom I had, at various times recently, had very consensual intercourse with. Pleased, Morningstar had encouraged the match and Regina and I had arranged an arrangement of sorts, but no words of 'girlfriend’ or 'boyfriend’ had actually been mentioned. And where we stood in terms of our mogonomy … I came from a family where sisters had mated with brothers, but then, at the beginning of the world, there had been nothing else. Only us, and the Old Gods. And what other personalities existed to near the start.

Monogamy had never been strict amongst my family, my world in the depths of Rahl, or here. Indeed, I had delighted in the pleasures of the flesh, but never in a way where it was known we would be true to only one another. My last relationship … well.

I shifted slightly, gazing into Kora’s eyes as she looked into mine. The finger slipped away and I let the rag fall to the countertop. There was a small thump and a mug of beer appeared by my shoulder, but I did not touch it, nor pay attention to the bemused barmaid. Instead I laid my hand on the bar, resting my long fingers pointing towards hers and I spoke.

“So, what do you do so late out? You look barely older than my daughter.”

My daughter. That sounded weird. And yes, my daughter was approaching fifty, but she was half demon, half primordial, which meant she had stopped aging at maturity. She looked permanently eighteen. Beautiful and young, full of life and now away from her threat of her father (the non-biological one) who might as well have kept her in a cage she was so naïve about the real world.

She had got confused over what a common donkey was.

[sorrow-summit]

Koreena felt a coy smile dance across her plush lips. Her body automatically responded to the horned male, Charles. She was the daughter of a powerful demigod, a once beautiful succubus. Her face didn’t falter from its flirtatious stance but a pang of sadness gripped her chest when she thought of her deceased mother. It had barely been a full moon’s cycle since she was killed.

Mentally she shook such somber thoughts from her mind. She focused on the handsome creature in front of her. A small melodic laugh spilled from her ruby red lips, she shook her head at such a silly question. Yes she was young to most but she was hybrid of to species that matured quickly, especially the women. Her father and mother had mated not for love but simply for the act, her mother was very open when explaining the nature of the relation of her and the Thayneslayer.

KC felt herself lean towards Charles. She watched as his eyes drank in her long, sun-kissed legs, the way her hips curved out just right, her small, flat stomach and the shirt that had allowed her navel to peek out. Yes she was almost sixteen but she had come into her body three years ago. Her ample breast had blossomed from her chest, the tip of her tongue traced her lips.

“Charles,” his name came more like a purr from her.

“Char,” he said in a firm voice. “Definitely prefer that. Char, liked the charred remains of my cold, black heart,” he grinned a little, inviting her in with his eyes.

She leaned in a little bit more, her breast almost flush against his chest at this point. “I’m not your daughter sweetheart, the night is where I prefer to be.” Her tone was hushed as she let her lower lip catch in between her teeth. She cocked her head to the side, her dark brown locks streaked with white spilling to the side.

“The night? Well. You've caught the right time,” he leant against the bar, taking her in but still within control of himself. “Tell me, how old are you, and I'll … answer any question you like.”

Kc took the beer that was his, she put the mug to her lips and drank with greed. The bitter taste tingled on her tongue and down her throat. She sighed softly as she set the mug aside before placing a hand on her delicate hip.

“I am fifteen but being part succubus and sired from a demigod I am practically matured.”

[Professor Charles]

Demigod? Rahl, that was impressive. My features became appreciation as I began to nod, slowly, my eyes taking her in. Part succubus - that definitely explained something about her. From the flirtation, to my interest in her and - dare I admit it - my heart pounding heavily. Intrigued, I let myself smile and lifted my chin as my fingers curled around the beer..

“Sired … from a demigod you say? Which one?” Because I knew quite a few, and had even had some relations with a few. Though that was back before the Calamity.

The look of annoyance marred her angelic features for a moment before she quickly composed herself once more. “You want to talk about my creator?” A sigh parted her lips as she pushed a hand through her locks. “The Thayneslayer, Breaker of chains, Joshua Cronen.” She practically spat his name out with disgust like it left a bad taste in her mouth.

My head tilted to the side and I looked into the distance, thinking of the name. Joshua Cronen - I frowned as I tried to think of a demigod by that name. ‘Demigod’ was a fairly relaxed word these days, and could be used to describe many things, from being blessed by a god, to being very distantly related to one. It did not mean, as it solely did in my elder days, that you were half god and half mortal. And then - Thayneslayer.

I breathed in. Few could claim that name. And only some months or years ago the divinity heavens were singing with the death of the Thayne Draconus. Slowly I breathed in, nodding and blinking as I looked back at her, my heart suddenly thumping with sorrow. A sigh escaped my lips. Even though I had not know them personally, and had heard terrible stories, to know the loss of another great divine being (besides Morté, because he was an ass) was harsh.

“Thayneslayer. I think ... I remember.” I looked back to her. “Not him. I remember hearing of Draconus’ death.”

She pursed her plush lips out slightly as her dark gaze met mine. “Death tends to follow my family,” Her tone was nonchalant but her eyes told a different story. She cleared her throat before shaking her head.

I paused, and then nodded to a corner of the small, quiet bar. “Shall we?”

Kora glanced from me to the table in the corner. She nodded slowly, “we shall,” she offered me one of her kinder smile, a blessing most didn’t get in a lifetime. Giving her a smile in return I picked up my beer and began to head over. There was a small booth with a padded seat either side and I sank into one side, wincing slightly as an ache still hating me.

“So,” I said as I watched her take the seat across from me. My hand curled tighter around my beer. “Your turn. I offered for you to ask any question.” And I looked into the fifteen year olds eyes, wondering if it was right to be entertaining ideas of a night with her, considering our vast age difference. But then, any age was vastly different to mine.

[sorrow-summit]

KC took a well manicured nail and tapped her ruby red lips, many thoughts and questions swam in her mind to ask him. Her dark icy blue orbs drank in his appearance, she studied him for a moment. Her eyes rolled over his muscles that peeked out slightly almost giving off that he could have been a warrior in a past life. Slowly her eyes went up to his face savoring the sights as they went. His jaw was strong, lips soft thin, kissable. Her own upturned into a small grin at the thought.

His horns erupted from just above his temple, if he turned and the lights of the gas lanterns caught them just right she swore that the could have been almost black, maybe blue. The contrast against his white hair was beautiful. Her fingers itched to run through the soft tendrils. Her chest rose and fell as she bit her lower lip, a hunger, a curiosity stirring in her belly. She cleared her throat before leaning back in her chair, straightening her spine and crossing her legs at the ankles. Questions first, relish in the sexual tension later. She mused to herself.

“What type of species are you?” She cocked her head to the side, still studying him slightly.

The man's expression drew to a blank. His smile faded and the amused sparkle in his eye faded as he concentrated on her. Chest lifting up and down, he paused before saying slowly. “Would you be convinced if I said 'tiefling’?”

The sound of her melodic laughter filled the room as she shook her head. There was no way he was just a human with demonic ancestry. She had met many tiefling, she had laid with two and she knew this horned man, Charles was certainly not one.

The laughter subsided as she shook her head, her tongue licked her lips, wetting the plush pillows. “No,” she said an amused look on her face. “I Have met many tiefling, even laid with a few and I can tell you are not.” She leaned in slightly her fingers drumming against the table.

“Why is it you don’t wish to tell me what you are?” Curiosity shone bright in her dark gaze.
He shrugged slightly. “People assume I am a tiefling, and often it is easier that way.” He leant back in his chair. “To explain what I am is … requires some belief.” He looked right at her. “How old do you think I am?”

KC couldn’t help it but the more he spoke, the interest in him grew the curiosity stirred in her belly. Her brows drew together as she sat back in her chair, what a strange question, she thought. “You look maybe late twenties early thirties but that doesn’t mean anything. My mother was one hundred and had the appearance of a twenty year old.”

[Professor Charles]

My brows rose. Late twenties, or early thirties? Now that was not bad. I had, in the past, been mistaken for nearer fifty, and that had been something of a disappointment. Maybe it had been back in my day of having scruff of a beard, being less careful about my appearance and somewhat chained to a boat for all the times the King of Rahl got bored. Now though I had a profession, a purpose, and a need to look proper. Maybe that had some assistance to my looking young?

“I'm older than your mother,” I said, shifting a little, and I watched her. I was still unsure of what to say, but I had said I would answer any question. And this had been her choice. In a way, I owed her the truth. She had denied the usual lie. “But thank you for the compliment anyhow. Now,” I leant in closer. “One, I wouldn't go spouting what I'm about to say in general public, and two, what do you know about the beginning of the world?”

She looked almost surprised by my question, her face scrunched together with uncertainty. “Only the stories my mother told us and the things I read in scholar’s books. Thayne’s- Gods coming together and creating all this.” Her hands gestured to around her.

Slowly I nodded, watching her. “They're called the Old Gods, the Thayne came after, technically. But what the histories don't tell you was that at the beginning there were other minor divinities - other beings, born to serve those gods, with certain personalities, personifying certain powers …” I trailed off, my index finger tapping on the mug of beer. My lips pursed, my mind filled with thoughts of my siblings.

I was silent for a moment, gazing into the mug. Then I breathed in fast, shifted my weight. I spoke in a low voice, quiet. “We call ourselves primordials. I'm … one of the oldest out of them. Us.”

My eyes flickered up to her, to gauge her reaction.

Koreena was completely enthralled, her eyes shone with excitement as my story ended. “Wow,” she breathed. “And I thought that my mixture was pretty fascinating.” She laughed softly for a moment, “so you have seen it all, some many things I could ask you.” She sighed once more shaking her head at me or maybe the situation I wasn’t sure.

“You see why it's easier to let people assume I'm a tiefling,” I answered, nodding slowly. “As to knowing a lot … I've spent a lot of the last five thousand years not in this plane, but rather in one of the many underworlds … but I guess you could … ask.” I shrugged. Then I realised something “You're not freaking out?”