It was raining because Clement wanted it to rain. He found the down pour peaceful and soothing, there was nothing like watching the earth heal itself with water. It was also amazing to see nature destroy itself with its mighty forces, forces that the average man had no control over.
He was no average man though, he did not have to bend to the will of nature, his hand was over nature like a puppeteer over a puppet. He knew this, that was what made him so deadly. He didn't have to kill someone he didn't like quickly, he could make them suffer for years in ways that they never knew possible, and on certain days he took great pleasure in that.
This day was not the day though.
He was walking the streets of Arca, and if anyone looked close enough they would find it odd that he didn't have a drop of water on him. Even his feet were completely dry. He wandered the dark city, walking past strangers with a smile as he passed. He was in a good mood, that was why it was simply rain when it could have storming with winds and lightening dangerously raging, but no, he wanted peace that night.
He had been wandering the city for a long time, now observing everything from the rooftops when he saw something, or better put, a piece of someone. From where he stood he could only see a hand, a very delicate hand, a hand that could only belong to a woman. She was hidden away in the fringes of the city, no one, unless other people with freakishly good vision walked along the rooftops, would have seen her. She was clearly either left for dead, or already dead.
So with steady steps he made his way towards the woman, she was definitely worse for wear. She was sliced up rather badly, there was little blood though because the rain had washed most of it away. He bent down beside her, looking closely, finding the most gruesome wound being the one on her face. He couldn't help the soft smirk that spread across his lips. She must have really pissed off the wrong person.
The woman wasn't dead yet though, he found that even more interesting, she was a fighter, she was fighting to stay alive for whatever reason drove mortals. He found himself feeling for the girl, it was a night of peace, it would also be the night of second chances, of mercy. He took his nail and drug it against his palm, slicing into the flesh there. Then, moving his hand above the most horrendous wound the girl had before letting a bit of his blood run into the girl, giving the girl a piece of his power, and a piece of his strength.
She would recover, he would help her. He did get lonely so for now he would have companionship. He scooped the girl up into his arms and packed her to house he had been staying at, he would nurse her back to health there.
She recalled his face.
HATE.
She remembered the way he sneered.
LOVE.
She recalled the knives they had drug out, slashed across her, and bled her raw.
PAIN.
And in the blink of a eye, the flash of light, she let out a scream, her eye being torn open, blood gushing down her face as he marred her. That god damn son of a bitch and his men...
All of them would pay.
ALL OF THEM.
Vengeance would be hers, and despite being over whelmed by their kicks, their punches, their blades stabbing her deep, she only smiled at them as her eyes glazed over, as if with death, hanging heavy, blood dropping down and coating her lower lip.
But then she was left there to rot. He didn't order them to finish the job.
Idiot.
She would have it. She would get him back. Rufus, Alpha of the Soot Wolves; WOULD PAY.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Long before Clement had shown up she had since passed out, her body in the fragile balances of life and death. Her wounds were raw and bleeding, but the rains.. the sweet rains soothed her. And it was those rains that actually saved her. That, and the sudden care from a certain Lord of Storms.
So she hadn't felt it when he scooped her up into his arms, hadn't felt it when he laid her upon a bed, nor when his own blood seeped into her veins...
No...
That was to be felt later, when the poisons of revenge would join it.
And when Valeska Horst would reawaken to become Lady of the Storm.
Clement was cooking, something he rarely ever did considering he didn't have to eat. The woman would have to eat though, so he made stew, something that would be easy for her to eat. He didn't know if it would taste any good, because he was not a cook, but hey, she had no right to complain unless she wanted to die.
As the stew boiled he walked back to the room that he had put the girl in, opening the door to make sure the fire was blazing. The girl had been running a fever for a while, and when it had finally broke her temperature had dropped. He knocked on the door, because that was the only gentlemanly thing to do and gave the girl time to respond if she had happened to wake up while he was out of the room.
Valeska had been out for most of the day, too deep into the darkness of her own mind to even slip into any nightmares or dreams. Though as the fever took over, she'd resort to fits of shivers and sweats, and when it finally broke, she sighed away, melting into the sheets and became still.
Hours later, she awoke to the smells drifting in from the other room. She heard the shifts of boots scraping against the floor, and at the sound of the knock, she made a noise, scrunched her face, but seethed in pain, breaking up whatever scab was clotting over from her wound as she sat up suddenly, her eyes going wide.
The cut across her eye made half her vision blurred and bloodied while her mind whirled and the room spun. She lost her footing, collapsed onto the bed as she grabbed onto her face, fingers scraping against the painful scab as she broke it open. ANd she freaked out when she looked down, seeing hte frehs blood on her fingers then whirled around, catching sight of herself in a mirror across the room.
It was only then she halted her antics, her heart beating heavily within her chest, breaths becoming shorter, but still quicker as cautiously, she slowly made her way over towards the mirror and stared back at her reflection.
Her expressions was stoic, her eyes growing cold as stones as she stared only at the gash across her face. Her eye was glazed over, it was hard to see, hard to use, and her entire face ached in pain from other bruises and cuts she had recieved upon her swollen lips and cheek. But the other cuts, even the heavy gash across her throat, were of little consequence to her now. The gash across her face.... her beautiful face...
and lifting a shaking hand.. she drew two fingers across her reflection, running diagonally across the mirror where the gash was before she suddenly let out an angered scream and grabbed the mirror off the walla nd smashed it ontot he ground, sending broken shards of mirroring glass to scatter across the floor all around her feet.
And she stood there, hands clenched heavily into fists again and let out another scream of anguish before she whirled around, her eyes going wide, spotting the man at the open door way. She wasted not a second of time as hse grabbed up a sharp piece of mirror shard and pointed it at him and backed away, eyeing him dangerously.
"Just stay where you are..."she growled between her teeth. "Don't you dare come any fucking closer."
Clement seemed completely unphased by the girl and her actions.
"So this is how you think the one who has shown mercy upon you and saved you?" He spoke in his deep, thunder like voice.
He crossed her arms, not afraid of the woman. She didn't know how to use her power and even if she did they didn't rival his own. He was a god, why would he fear a mortal.
"If you want your revenge you will need my help. If you don't want it the door is here, just know if you walk out, you cannot walk back in," Clement added, her voice booming yet soft, almost caring.
Velaska kept a firm grip upon the mirror shard, her brows furrowing as she grit her teeth.
"What the hell are you talking about!?" she had no idea this man had saved her, but giving him a look over, she sneered. "You don't look like a lousy Soot wolf,"s he growled. "What do you want from me?"
Then she thought back to what happened, the memories fluttering into her mind like soft echoes. "You're trying to tell me you saved me?" she looked him over again, clearly not impressed as she made a noise of disgust and lowered her arm that held the shard. It was then she remembered the smell of soup. "So why are you helping me?" she wrinkled her nose and looked him over with mild scrutiny, gritting her teeth as she did so. "And why would you even help me get revenge? You're nothing but another man, and it was a foolish, reckless man that did this to me and let me live,"s he hissed, leaning forward as she pulled her ratty blonde hair away from her face, exposing the massive gash there and her spoiled eye so he could see it all. And that broken eye stard back at him, glazed over in white, and the pupil inside, forever dilated before she dropped her hand away, her hair falling and half covering that disgusting, mutilated eye. She grit her teeth.
"Well, get to talking."
Clement let out a deep bellowing laugh when she called him just another man, finding the words very amusing.
"I am not just another man, just like you are no longer powerless," Clement started leaning heavily against the door frame.
"Why I have chosen to save you and give you a part of my power you ask?" Clement said as he rubbed his chin.
"Well partially because I find mortal affairs rather amusing, I like to stir the pot so to speak when I am bored... I guess I was also in a rather merciful mood, I could have let you die, I can kill you now if you would like," He stated simply, his eyes holding a bit of challenge in them.
"I don't want nothing from you, there is nothing you can give me that I couldn't take for myself if I wanted it, you stand in front of a god, if I wanted you dead I could call the lightening from the sky to strike you down where you stand."
Ok.. now she understood where this fruitbasket came from. He was a nut case, and after he was done speaking, a wickedly twisted grin stretched across her face. Her eyes flicked him over.
"Funny,"s he spoke, giving him a very wide-toothed grin. "You still look only like a man to me. And as far as I remember, women always hold power over men." Then she wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "What are you talking about with powers anyways? Are you one of those nut cases or something? Because really, maybe you should have just let me die." And she laughed, turning away from him. "Besides, how harmful can a man be who is cooking soup?" And she approached him defiantly. "I bet you're really just a big softy." She said, looking daringly right into his eyes.
Clements colorless eyes began to look stormy as she challenged him, he did not like disrespect. In an instant the fire in the room sent out and the room grew bone chilling in a second. Within the same moment a wind began to whip around the room, sending the girl hair swirling in the breeze.
"Clearly you have not learned that it is not wise to tempt a god," He said his voice deep and rumbly.
The room seemed to grow darker as he stared at the girl.
This is how I imagine his voice XD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuMaoNE3Bh0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuMaoNE3Bh0)
Clements effects did the opposite to her. It didn't serve to scare her, but to make a surge of hopeful revenge bubble within her heart. Her eyes sparkled (well, at least the eye that could) as she stared back at him, unable to stop smiling.
"So.. what other types of power do you got?" she asked excitedly. She wanted to see more.
OOC: That link was awesome XD
"I have a lot more power than you will, but you will have enough," Clement spoke as the wind died and his eyes cleared up.
"Now, come, you need to eat if you are going to go exact your revenge or whatever mortals do," he spoke as he turned on his heels and lead the girl to the kitchen.
Valeska raised a sharp brow at the man. "Oh, but do tell me, you've blessed me with some sort of power, My God?" she cooed in an almost patronizing manner, but followed him into the kitchen none the less. "ANd revenge...yes, I'll find a way to have it." ANd she took a seat, idly scratching a finger down the scab forming across her face, and kept stroking her finger down it, again and again and again until it began to bleed.
"So what's on the menu? Do you have the power to cook as well? Truthfully, I don't feel all that very hungry. My stomach is a festering pool and I'm already itching to get back onto my feet." But even she knew she needed time to heal, as her entire body was sore all over, and she had only just enough strenght to carry herself ot the kitchen, but said nothing, and had pretended nothing was wrong with her, even as she picked at the wound over her eye.
"But this power... are you trying to tell me you gave me some sort of magic while I was asleep?"
"I do not have the 'power' as you call it to cook, just a bit of a skill I have picked up from living as long as I have. I will warn you, I am not the greatest cook of all time, but it will be edible," Clement spoke with his back to the woman. He finally turned around with a bowl filled with the stew in hand.
"It is soup, don't tell me you are not hungry. I know you are not dense enough to think that you don't need to eat. Plus now we are connected you see, by the power I gave you so I know you are weak, there is no use to try to fool me girl, I have been alive longer than you can probably fathom, I can see through the deception like you can see through clear peaceful water," Clemet spoke as he set down across from the woman.
"You know if you keep picking at that it will not heal very well."
Clement leaned back into his chair, crossing his arms as he looked at the woman.
"Yes, the same power I gave you that will now allow you to enact your vengeance is also the same power that saved you from the brink of death."
Valeska gave a sneer of a smile at him and dropped her fingers from the scab she was drawing over on her face.
"Maybe I don't want it to heal.." she said between her teeth.
She studied him. He was.. handsome enough. But what did he honestly want from a woman like her? She knew the soup wouldn't be poisoned, but she still stared down at it with disinterest before looking back at him.
"So you did save me.. fancy that. And gave me powers, you still haven't really explained to me why? Is it my pretty face? My charm? Your own pity for humans?" She gave a feral grit of her teeth at him before looking him over.
"What are you anyways? Are you really a God?" It was hard to believe, and she looked him over a bit with disgust, crossing her legs over the other as she leaned back within her chair at the table.
"So, if i eat this soup you made for me, you'll plan to teach me a thing or two?" she asked, patronizingly. She was really in a soured mood, and despite the man being good to her, she was still being salty. It was hard to trust men after what had happened, and she was still bitter, so very, very bitter. Men only wanted one thing did they not? God damn Rufus... she would get her revenge,a nd perhaps this man before her was the key?
"If you are trying to say that I only saved you so I could have sex with you, then you would be wrong, you are not my type," Clement said raising his eyebrow at her.
"I did it simply for my own amusement, no other reason. You are still very young, you can't fathom me or my reason because you haven't lived long enough to acquire that skill, and yes I am a god. If I were not a god I wouldn't have been able to give you a piece of my power. Sharing power is only something a higher being can do," Clement crossed his arms over his chest. Letting silence fall in between the two for a while.
"Yes, I will show you yours powers once you have healed and regained your strength, if you are too weak and try to use them they will tear you apart from the inside out because you have not yet mastered them."
Valeska laughed.
"Do I look like a woman who cares if I'm torn apart?" she shook her head. "Though I suppose I should be thanking you for this, perhaps I don't want it? You're making it seem as if I'll just become another puppet. Well, I'm sick of being puppetted. It's what makes my blood boil. So you want to try something funny, go ahead? But for now.."
She smirked after having her little tantrum and turned back towards the soup and gave him a pretty-little grin.
"I'll just try out this 'soup'." And after having a bite, she laughed. "You made this?" she gave him a once over, and then laughed again. "Tch, you'd think you were just any other mortal man." she tested, her eyes never leaving his as she ate another bite.
"You expect a god to be able to cook?" He asked, clearly amused by the woman.
"If you are torn a part you cannot get your revenge, you are really tactless, it is pretty sad. I would expect a woman with such drive as yourself to have the ability to think," clement closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath.
"If you do not want the gift that I have given you, I can take it back, just know, that it would also squash out your puny existence with it. I have no need for you as a puppet. I can make counties bow to me if I wish. I can cause devastation you have only heard stories about, why would I need you as a puppet? Your short whisper of an existence means nothing to me. To me you you are like a bug, your life short and meaningless. I only watch you for my own amusement, but you do me no good other than that. You think rather highly of yourself I can see, really you are very pitiful."
Valeska's eyes glittered at his replies, a smile never leaving her lips.
"And you must think yourself so mighty, assuming I was serious in all of my inquiries," she said with a laugh. "By the way, you got some soup on your shirt." She said, smirking.
"So really, I'm just a pawn for your amusement? Then tell me,w hat's the difference if I were your puppet?" she purred. It was rather fun making this man all riled up and defensive. Men took things so literally. It was.. rather fun. And even in her exhausted condition she could enjoy this.
Clement stood.
"If you were my puppet I would have already cut your tongue out and fed it to a hell hound, and you would have thanked me," He said simply before standing and walking to his room.
Valeska laughed and called after him.
"Are all Gods so moody?" she inquired, and then went back to enjoying her soup. Yes, she would need her strength indeed.
Clement didn't pay the woman anymore mind, though the thought crossed his mind that he should have left her out in the rain to die. Maybe the men who had left her out had a good reason to do so.
OOC: Lol, poor Clement. He got more than he bargained for.
--------
Valeska was all smiles as she ate at her soup, saying nothing more before she finished. It was only after a time of staring into the empty bowl did she ever finally say, "Thank you." Before she lifted herself up from the table. She felt weary, and her head was throbbing, and the damn scratch across her face was as itchy as hell. She reached a hand up, scratched at it again so that the scab broke, drawing more blood.
"You keep scratching that and it isn't to heal very well, you will regret picking at it," Clement called from his room. He wasn't planning on coming out. He wanted to relax, plus he knew the woman would need her rest, no matter how much she tried to act like she was fine. He knew better.
Stretching, she took her time now to look around the place. It was small, so there wans't much to it, not an impressive place for a God to hide out. And on that note, she slunk into his room, leaning against the door frame as she looked him over.
"So what's a God doing on earth anyways? Don't you have godly places to be?"
"I get bored, the heavens are divine above your greatest imagination. If you are around something for long enough even the most beautiful object can grow meaningless and boring," Clement said simply.
Valeska's eyes sparkled at his comment. And though she grinned at him, she felt more respect for him now in that statement than any of the other ones before. His threat of death, abandonment meant nothing, even his professing of being a God.
"It sounds like a terrible fate, to live forever and be eternally bored." she spoke, moving into his room and taking homage on a chair across from his bed. She found herself eyeing him over before leaning back more comfortably in the chair.
"So I'm your cure for boredom?" she asked curiously, still grinning, still keeping him well within her sight, her eyes flickering over his form. "I find it hard to believe some half-dead woman could serve you so well? Though perhaps I should consider living up to your expectations. Which.." she raised her brow at him, grinning a bit broadly. "Are to say... are hard to believe. You're condoning my desire for revenge, yet you know not what had brought me shame? Though oh, let me get it, since you're a 'god'y ou're all knowing and you've already figured me out." And she leaned forward in her chair, eyes locked to his. "Or is it that you have not and you want to unlock me, unlock me like your own little secret."
"Don't think of yourself so highly, You are not the cure to my boredom. What you choose to do, and how who ever you choose to do it against responds in my cure to boredom. You see. When humans were created they were given free will, so I have no idea what you are going to do next, I can only predict. I love to try to predict what is going to happen next you see," Clement replied as he lay stretched out on his back on the bed, shirtless.
"I didn't catch your name."
Valeska drunk the man in with her eyes. She felt herself growing excited at what he promised, or at least the game he played. Whether she believed all of this talk or not, he was still but a man, and she, a woman.
"Valeska," she stated, throwing her nose to the air. "Valeska Horst." And her eye continued to take him in. "And what is your name? ANd what exactly are you the God of?" And her eyes slowly traced down the front side of his pants before her dark eyes flickered back to meet with his.
Clement was not looking at the woman, he was facing the ceiling and his eyes were closed.
"You may call me Clement if you must assign a name to me. I am the god of weather mostly. Of course as all gods do, I have other... Tricks, but most of my might is in controlling the weather," Clement spoke as he felt her eyes roam over his form. He didn't mind really, it was always nice to be worshiped.
"Clement?" she made a face. "Don't Gods have more interesting names?" She looked him over, almost pouting, but then as he revealed his power, her lips cut across her face into a wicked grin.
"The weather?" She mulled over the idea before looking back at him. "What sort of weather?"
"Every aspect of the weather, from the most mundane sunny day to the most destructive powers of the storm, so you will now have a taste of the power, that is why you must be physically recovered when you awaken the power, or it might kill you before you get your control over it," Clement spoke ignoring her comment on his name.
Valeska took in his words, her eyes darting as they peered into his, as if reading him like a book.
"So you're telling me I can conjure sunshine..a nd that a sunny day could kill me?" She smiled, quite amused by this idea.
"No, you silly girl. The power that you hold within yourself, the power that gives you your authority over the weather, that power can tear you apart. Plus, you are assuming you will have my exact power as myself, you might not, you might only be able to conjure wind or a storm. We will not know until you heal up and we try," Clement spoke with a sigh.
"You are not going to be all powerful, do you think I would give a mortal power that would match my own? You are a fool if you think that," Clement added.
Valeska crawled on the bed, moving nearer to him as her grin grew more wicked.
"No, but you are a wise man and I am ready to obey you whenever you wish, my master,"s he purred, leering him over as she moved a hand forward, stroking his cheeks. "But what else do you have to teach me... that I could learn?" she brushed a hand through his hair. "I do love a man with power..."
"I am wise, wise enough to say I know you are a black widow. So I am wise enough to say you are not getting out of me what you are trying to," Clement said looking up at Valeska almost warningly.
"So I suggest you stop trying to seduce me, I will not fall into the trap you are trying to lay," Clement added, his voice cold, the room darkening instantly.
Valeska smiled, her eyes brightening, growing thrilled at the sensation of powers.
"Is this it?" she asked, growing giddy. "Is this your power I feel?" she said, craning her neck up to watch as things grew darker and darker, and her smile, growing larger and larger across her face.
She looked down at him, completely awe struck.
"Teach me.." she said, daring to lean in closer. "Teach me what you know.I want to learn, I want to posses this!" and she looked back up at the darkness, laughing and throwing back her head.
"You need to rest before you think about what powers you may possess you insolent child. Do you not understand that if you try to do anything you will die. Then any sense of revenge that you seek will have no chance of coming to pass. Do you think at all?" Clement asked as he looked at the woman, shaking his head.
Valeska purred.
"You speak as if you think I believe I have real value in my life. Though.. perhaps all Gods think this way?" she said, leaning in closer, their faces now inches apart.
"So what is it that you want from me? What is it that you'd like me to do?"
"I would like for you to go lay down and rest, then upon awakening from the rest I would like for you to eat again, that is what I would like for you to do," Clement replied a bit harshly.
"You might not have much value for your life, but if you are dead I don't get my entertainment, do I?"
Valeska's eyes shined as she remained close to him. She tilted her face to one side, studying his expression before she stroked his cheek.
"I could find other ways to entertain you..."
but she didn't press it, and sat back away from him now, staring at him from wehre she was now perched upon the bed.
"So, rest huh?" she said, staring around the room idly. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt for me to rest. I do still feel sore and achy," she said, and moved to lay down beside him in his bed, a smile still drawn across her lips as she nestled into his side.
Clement didn't say anything once she had nestled against him. If she was going to rest he didn't really care. He still remained rather weary of the girl though. She clearly didn't care about herself which meant she wouldn't care for anyone. He didn't know what exactly happened to her but he would place money on that she was probably scorned by a lover, because being scorned by a lover was about the only thing that could make a woman act that way.
"Maybe you could tell me a story?" Valeska said as she sighed and rested her chin against his shoulder.
"Something... Godly, dashing.. I don't know.. just explain to me about your world. It sounds so.... fascinating.." she said, smoothing a hand across his chest.
"I can't tell if you are trying to get something else out of me in a backhanded way or if you are being sincere," Clement spoke as he glanced down at the woman.
"I wouldn't know what story to tell you," He added after moving his gaze back up to the ceiling.
Valeska released a breath that sounded almost like a contented purr.
"I just want to know more about my savior.." she said, keeping her face resting in the crook of his arm. She gave a light pout. "Is that too much to ask? You sound so.... powerful, and I... so vulnerable and weak. I'd like to be strong.... like you." And the last part she spoke was actually spoken in a voice that didn't sound like she was trying to seduce.
"You will be powerful enough if you do as I say and not be hard head and rebellious. I only say things that will increase your power, but it seems even then your resist my words," He spoke. He sighed, picking a story from his incredibly long life span.
"You are not the first person I have offered some of my power too. A long time ago, probably before your grandparent's grandparents were born I saved a young man. He had been pushed from a cliff by his new wife. They were forced to marry by her parents because they caught him bedding her and they didn't take too kindly to it. Once married the woman decided she wanted someone better, someone with more money. She had found out she could use her body to get what she wanted and she had already started seducing a young rich noble, but of course, her husband had to be taken care of.
I was watching from the heavens, something I do often, something many gods do often, your lives are influenced by use more than you could ever imagine. Every time something just so happens to appear just in time, or someone arrives just in time, that is all very rarely coincidence," Clement started his story, looking down, checking to see if she was still awake.
Valeska was awake, listening contentedly to his story, though her eyes hung heavily as her body longed for sleep. SHe smiled at his words.
"It's.. interesting to think that we're being watched over. I always just assumed the Gods were ignorant bastards, like most men."
"The gods are more involved in peoples everyday lives than most mortals know or would even want to admit," He spoke with a sigh, letting the room grow silent for a moment before he continued his story.
"He didn't die on impact you see, but he was close to death, just like you had been. So I came from the heavens, and just like you, I gave him some of my blood, which transfers some of my powers."
Clement sighed, his eyes growing distant as he remembered the man.
"In many ways he became like you, bitter, angry, rebellious. I knew he wasn't ready for his power yet, he was still too weak, his anger still too fresh. He thought otherwise. So, when he was alone he tried to awaken his powers by himself, and unfortunately for him, he was successful. He managed to not only kill himself but distroy most of his town, funny enough though. The woman that cause his anger and his greed for power was spared along with the young noble that she had her heart set on," Clement said, a slight chuckle coming from his chest.
Valeska grew quiet, a grin still ever present upon her lips.
"A wise story, it teaches a good lesson. But as much as I'd like to go do the same, to awaken this power and destroy everything he loves, even his beloved town of Arca... I... I do realize that patience is a virtue." She grit her teeth at that, but smiled sourly after words before pressing her lips flatly together and looking up at him.
"I'll be patient," she said, resting her cheek int his shoulder, eyes remaining upon his. "And I'll listen well. I have a good idea that... this sort of power," she purred. "Is something I could use to play a nice long game of cat and mouse."
"He didn't kill everything the woman loved. Yes, he destroyed the town, but he didn't destroy what the woman held most dear was spared. The point being, when you try to rush something it rarely goes your way. Yes, the early bird gets the worm, but the patient cat gets the bird. So your actions either lead you to be the bird or the cat, which one would you rather be? Top predator or they prey that is misillusioned into believing they are the top predator?" Clement said with a sigh, closing his eyes.
Valeska gave a contented sigh, finally managing a yawn as she remained beside her teacher.
"I suppose you are right," she began. "Though now I'm exhausted. See? Your story worked." And she smirked as she closed her eyes, breathing softly against him, almost serene, and in that moment, despite the terrible, insufferable fate of the scar marring her eye; she looked beautiful, almost innocent as she slept the rest of the night and day away.
Clement looked down at the girl for a good while before he finally looked up at the ceiling. The gods didn't sleep. They could relax, but never sleep, early in his life he saw it as a blessing, now he often saw it was a curse. So as the sun began to rise he slipped from beside the girl, leaving the girl sleeping in his bed.
He walked to the town, buying bread and a meat pie for the girl, knowing that she would enjoy it a lot more than his cooking.
While Clement was away, Valeska slept for hours, so even after he had returned, she was still on his bed. It was a strange sight to see, a woman brewing with so much hateful energy appear so serene. Too bad her dreams were laced with nightmares, and after a time, she was shivering and her body beginning to become slick with sweat.
Clement walked into the room. He could feel the tension that was building and decided it would be best if he woke her up. She didn't want to accidentally wake her powers while she was in a fit of fear because of a simple dream.
He sat on the edge of the bed and gently nudged her shoulder.
"Young one, wake up, you are just having a bad dream" He spoke as he continued to nudge her gently, his hands cool against her skin.
The Strike
The blood.
The blade; it all came screaming through her head, breaking through the nightmares and causing her mind to whirl. A storm inside was brewing, and when he touched her skin she screamed out and sat up suddenly, just as a bolt of lightning lashed off of her form and cracked across the room like a whip. Valeska's eyes went wide with fear in that moment as she remained frozen upon the bed, all the while light ticklings of lightning crawled and sparked across her skin.
"Wh... what was that!?" seh said, and moved to itch her arm, hissing as she accidentally shocked herself as the remnant bits of lightning zapped at her fingers.
"The fear you felt in the dream has started to wake your powers," Clement said, taking her hands, grounding the girl so she wouldn't fry herself.
"You are still weak, so I wouldn't suggest trying to use them just yet, be patient, they will come on their own when they are needed," He spoke, her hands still held lightly in his own.
"It seems you have some talent with lightening, of course, with your attitude I could have guessed that much. Now come, I bought you some food, I am sure you wouldn't want more of my stew," Clement spoke gently.
Valeska's heart was beating heavily within her chest. She had no idea what was going on, and once Clement's hands were upon her own, she began to calm, and felt embarrassed she had been shaking. But his touch made the lightning all but vanished, and she peered down at his hold upon her hand before looking up at him.
Before, she had been so focused on seeking revenge, only now she was beginning to understand what he meant about caution and her power, so at the mention of food, she lamely nodded her head, still too stunned to speak. She wasn't sure if she could eat, but she supposed she could at least try.
"Lightening can be a harsh power, especially at first because it is as dangerous to you as it is to the one you wish to use it again, well, until you have mastered it. The best thing for you is to remain calm, that will keep your powers calm, and whatever is left of the seal intact," clement explained as he led her to the kitchen where the food laid on the table.
"Here, take what you want and eat what you can."
Valeska only nodded, her mind taking in what he was saying, but also reeling over so many fears and thoughts that were now plaguing her mind. If her own power terrified her, how was she to wield it? THough she supposed she ought to be more worried about healing after being beaten to nearly na inch of her life, that was the farthest thing from her mind as she anxiously nibbled at the food.
"The first step in mastering your gifts is to learn not to fear them. If you fear them, you give them power, and you will learn that each different element, such as lightening, has its own personality, especially until you master it. You cannot fear it and wield it," Clement tried to explain as he sat across from her at the table.
At his words, Valeksa stared down at her hand, the one that had summoned the lightning bolt and slowly lifted her eyes to meet his. She swore she could still feel the hissing, snapping sensation of the bolt still there,a nd idly itched at her arm.
"I suppose with practice, I will become used to... such a feeling."
"When you master it, you will perceive the sensation differently, you will no longer be pained by it. Nothing good comes easily," Clement said simply as he reached forward and touched her hand, his touch once again grounding her.
At his touch, her blue eyes raised to his. She tried to read his expression, then looked back down at his hand.
"So.. when will you begin to teach me about this power? Or... do I have to master stomaching more of your stew, first?"
Clement pushed the freshly cooked meat pie her way, "here, I am sure this will be more pleasant than my own cooking," He spoke giving her a slight smile.
"I suppose since you have already broken the seal I will start teaching as soon as you are ready, after you eat this of course," He spoke a slight chuckle in his deep voice.
Valeska studied the pie, then looked up to study his face.
"I know you're not trying to poison me, but are you trying to make me fat?" she teased. She smirked and looked down at the food, an her stomach growled in anticipation. So, without reserve, she began to eat it. So they'd be starting training soon? This was exciting, and it helped her eat a good majority of the pie before she sighed and pushed it away.
"If I eat anymore, I might be ill. But the food was good."
She stared over at him quietly a moment before asking, "So Gods do not eat? Or is there special food they get to enjoy? I've heard Gods eat and drink only the finest things of our world."
"I can eat whatever I wish, I don't have to eat to live though, unlike mortals. We have food up in the heavens that only the gods partake in, yes, and we all have the little foods here that we have found to be all but addicting. I have tried a little bit of everything around the world though," Clement said with a gentle smile.
"I suggest you let the food digest a little, we don't want anyone getting sick, and no, I am not trying to make you fat, I would be forcing you to eat all of the pastries if I was trying to do that."
Valeska smirked. His deep voice was alluring and she could listen to him for hours. Sighing, she simply nodded her head.
"I think I ate too much. Perhaps I ought to rest again... though I am curious.."s he eyed him over. "As a God, do you not get lonely? Do you not have some sort of wife?"
Or maybe Gods were smart enough to realize they did not need lovers. Either way, he was handsome enough, it just seemed.. curious he was alone.
"A god is only lonely if one chooses to be, do you not think I couldn't go out and get any woman I wanted on this planet?" He asked, a bit of mirth in his voice.
"I have a woman when I want one. I am as changing as the weather you see, I get bored of one woman rather quickly," He replied honestly.
"Now, go relax and rest some, it can only do you good."
"It seems you need a woman who's unpredictable," she purred. But then at his last statement, her lips sagged into a soured pout. "You are so eager to be rid of me," she said, eyeing him over as she lounged within her chair. "Why don't we go on a walk around the city before I call it a night? I'm crawling to get out of here and I don't think I'm too weak for that. Not with a God walking beside me as my guardian." She leered him playfully.
Clement laughed, the woman thought he was her guardian. It was true that he didn't want her to die right away, that would ruin the fun of the game he was starting to create. Still, he wouldn't consider himself her guardian.
"I don't think it wise to go into a town where your powerful enemy is lurking about? I have to look somewhat impartial. Yes, I gave you a fighting chance, but that is all," Clement spoke with his arms crossed.
"Plus, why would you want to walk around this boring humdrum town when you could see any part of the world from here?"
Valeska's eyes brightened at his last statement. She took his hand, her lips cracking open into a smile.
"What do you mean any part of the world?"
"You don't think a god would live in a normal house do you? These walls you see here are completely different than the walls you would see if you were really in the little old run down shake that sits where you think you are right now. Portal magic, it is tricky stuff, but once mastered, it can come in handy," Clement spoke with a smirk playing at the corners of his mother.
"Is it something you can teach me? Or at least show me how it works?" She inquired eagerly.
"I highly doubt you will ever carry the magic to work the magic yourself. Explaining it can be just as tricky but I will try my best. It is like being in multiple places at once. In this house is like being in the middle of a portal, so actually you on one a different dimensional plane completely. And this portal you are in is connected to many different portal openings, right now the door is just set to the portal opening of your town. Where do you wanna go, name a place?" Clement asked.
Sorry for the long delay.
"A place to go?" Valeska repeated the question, staring up at him curiously before a wicked grin stretched across her lips.
"I've never seen the heat of a volcano before," she began to say, her grin become more devious.
"Can you show me it's peaks? Show me it's heat?" she asked in a soft purr, a hand smoothing up the God's chest appreciatively. Might as well start off her first 'world tour' with a bang.
"You show your lack of knowledge for both portal magic and volcanos. I can not create an opening to a volcano because for one, people would think it odd for someone to appear out of thin hair at a volcano and I like to keep my little tricks somewhat quiet so to speak. Also, if you were to get as close to be on its peaks, to feel its heat, you would perish, you are not a god," Clement said looking down at the girl with a slight frown.
"Yes, I am aware of that, but you are," she said, fingers tip toeing up his chest. But then her smile soured and faded. "Can you not protect me if you take me there?" She sounded disappointed as she gave a subtle pout towards her new teacher.
"You are my plaything, not my mistress, so, yes, I could protect you if I wished, but I do not wish to," Clement spoke cooly looking down at Valeska before crossing his arms.
"So if you can't just take me anywhere, why did you offer?" she said, sounding a bit hurt he was so direct in waving off her request. "What sort of places would be suitable?" Then her smile grew. "What if you took me up above a storm cloud, so I could see the world as the birds do."
"It's not that I cannot take you anywhere I wish. If I wished I could take you anywhere you could even imagine. The point of the matter of fact is, I am teaching you a lesson. Imagine this house is you, and the specific point you can go are the limits of your power. You are not all mighty, that would be me, you must learn to respect limits," Clement spoke looking down on her as if looking down on a child.
Valeska made a face.
"You're not going to let me have any fun are you?" she said with a pout. "But what else is there to see in a pisshole life such that I lead? If anything.." she began to say, before a wicked smile curled across her lips. "Would you be able to take me back in tme? Or... is that still outside of my realm of powers?" she said. "If so,... Dylanna Swinden. She seems to be the reason I was almost killed. I'd like to see why."
"Yes, that is outside your realm of power. You can pick a country and a province within that country, that is your realm of power. You are not my lover, I am not trying to sweep you off your feet, you are my hard headed student that I am trying to teach a lesson to."
Valeska sighed, but smiled none the less.
"Is there a way we can find that woman?" she inquired, wondering if he had purposely avoided her question.
"Is she still alive?" Clement asked cooly.
Valeska raised a brow, smirked, then laugh.
"Yes.. but if she were somehow to croak over, I wouldn't shed a tear." She studied Clement. "Why? Going to prohibit me from interacting with the dead, too?" she teased.
"What spirit talking you do in your spare time is all up to you, I can't stop you, but that doesn't mean that I will aid you in it," Clement spoke as he turned his back to the girl.
"If you know the general location of the woman you seek I can get you close, I will leave it up to you to track her down," He added, not looking at the girl.
Valeska thought it over quietly, her mood shifting as fluidly as her thoughts.
"She's either found in Arca, or on the coast, in the city of Cerenis."
"That is doable, which place would you like to go to first?" Clement ask, leaning against a wall, watching the woman carefully.
"Let's check the coast. If she had been in town, I might have known about it." And her blood heated the more she thought about Rufus's over protective nature of that wench. She knew little of the woman except she was wealthy and ripe with luck in trade. After the heat began to cool,s he glanced over at Clement.
"So you'll take me there?" she eyed him over. "And will you be able to help me find this woman?"
"Walk out of the door," Clement said coolly in his deep succulent voice, motioning with his hand towards the door. If she opened the door she would find herself on the coast.
"As far as finding the woman, I will consider it."
Valeska stared up at him curiously.
"As simple as that?" She smirked. Gods were full of surprises. Turning around, she stepped outside and instead of finding herself in the hall, she was now breathing in the salty air off Cerenis. Her eyes widened in wonder, her lips falling open into a surprised smile as she took in the sea, the air, the call of the gulls and how the salty breeze fluttered through her blonde hair.
"Cerenis.." She took a step forward and reached out to touch a building, and with drew her hand suddenly to be in shock that it was real. "So we're really here." She turned around to look at him, beaming. "And this woman... you may not wish to help find her?" She only laughed though, too giddy by this display of power to care. She shook her head.
"Tell me.. is there any way I can convince you other wise?" she asked, fingers tip toeing up his chest.
"It is simple really, I can't show one person too much favor, it has to be somewhat of an even playing field or you will invite more players, and I don't like other gods in my little amusing games you see," He spoke, looking down at the woman, a hint of a smirk on his face as her fingers made their way up his chest.
Catching his smirk, she paused to peer up into his face.
"Will you at least escort me around?" she inquired playfully, leaning in a bit closer to her teacher, but giving him just enough space- but an inch between them as she grinned.
"Hmm," He spoke looking down at her, mirth hidden in his eyes though the rest of his face seemed completely emotionless.
"I suppose it couldn't hurt anything, keep you from killing yourself."
"Oh.. I have no intentions of killing myself," she assured him, her grin growing. No, no, her intentions were to kill a lot of other people- just not herself.
He reached up, his surprisingly rough hands ever so slightly brushing against her check.
"You see my muse, is you aren't ready to release your wrath yet, so if you try, you just might kill yourself, and that will be no fun for me," He spoke, his deep voice rumbling.
"Well, I'm sure there are other things we could do that are fun," she assured him, eyes sparkling (well, at least the eye that still worked) showed those emotions well as she stepped in a bit closer to him to stroke his cheek, back.
"Tell me.. you ever wanted to have fun with a mortal woman before?"
"I assume you are talking about sex, and the fact is I could have any mortal woman I wanted, I am a god, prove to me I should bless you with such a gift?" He spoke, clearly very arrogant about his skill in the bedroom.
Valeska's eyes lit up, even the one clouded over and was broken seemed to shine at the idea.
"Because, there are many reasons as to why. I could show you," she purred, a hand moving to pet up his chest.
"What makes you more skilled than a well versed whore?" Clement spoke, testing Valeska.
"A well versed whore?" She chuckled through a smile and leaned into him, hand still cupping his face. "My Lord of Storms, you can't pay to get the sort of satisfaction I can give you. And only a free woman who knows a man well can give you that." And she leaned forward, daring him to take her lips.
"Confident aren't you little beastie," Clement spoke before grazing his lips over hers. Tempting Valeska to deepen the kiss, tempting her to make her move. To prove to him she was at least half as good as she clearly thought she was.
When his lips brushed hers she smirked, and felt a familiar fluttering from within that tickled through her veins from her heart, down to her fingers and toes. And though the contact was brief, it was all she needed to goad her into action, as she leaned herself forward, sealing her lips against his in a passion, hungered kiss.
Clement wrapped his arms around Valeska pulling her body tightly against his own. Her curves felt good against his hard body, even with the fabric of their clothing separating them.
He wasn't the only one enjoying their close proximity. Valeska was reveling in it. His muscles were rock hard, yet his skin was still soft. But she could feel the power through him, and everything else, and could not help herself but wonder what he looked like, felt like without these damn clothes in the way. But for now, she was to treat him to simple lips to lips, and as their kisses intensified, her tongue dared out and ran along his lower lip, tasting him before she helped coax those perfect lips open, then inside his hot mouth she sought out his tongue, and wrestled with it as she moaned and leaned herself against his body as closely as she could while finger nails dragged lightly against the muscles of his back.