Korah - Black Daylight

[GodBeastX]

Korah was born to a single mother. This is maybe a typical happening when your father is a scoundrel, or at least that is what Korah's mother would tell her of her father. Korah's life was just beginning, but it only takes a beginning to bring about a horrid end.

It was apparent to all who knew, Korah's mother had issues that remained abundant all her years. Perhaps Korah's father was not a scoundrel but a man who could not bare to stand by Korah's mother any longer. The spite she laid upon Korah is immeasurable, echoes of her own feelings towards herself. Worthless, foolish, weak, pathetic, words that Korah knew all too well and would hear constantly. The love of a mother for her daughter...

Korah did not enjoy the company of others. She did not run to play with the other children where she lived. She did not walk in the woods with her friends, or study with like-minded individuals. She would find sanctuary, only alone away from others. Why would she need anyone else when she was content in herself?

It was that dark day that it started. Korah stood before her mother, but her face betrayed no emotions. It was almost as if she could no longer hear her mother's screaming. Her mother beat upon her, which was not uncommon. It generally would continue until the right combination of... something... cooled her mother's rage. This time, however, that something did not come and the anger continued flow through her mother. Beaten, slapped, hair being pulled, Korah was being attacked, this time, it was not the same...

Korah's face was lowered to the ground. She could not bare to look at her mother. The world was becomming muffled to her and all she could hear was an inner voice, a voice that seemed to speak out on it's own...

"I hate you..."

Korah muttered the words quietly but still her mother heard.

"You ungrateful brat! How dare you speak these words to me!"

Her mother struck her again in the face. She would beat the insolence out from Korah's flesh if she had to. However, Korah had tears in her eyes but did not cry. She had fear, but did not faulter. The rage and hate inside began to awaken in her a strength that she would later come to rely on to survive. Her mother despised it.

"I gave you life, and -this- is how you repay me? You and that wretched father of yours!"

Korah's gaze grew cold, her teeth clenched. She picked up the knife from the table as she walked towards her mother. She clenched it tightly, pointing it outwards from her side. Slowly she moved towards her mother...

"Korah... What are you doing?!"

Her mother backed against the wall with a fear that shrowded her face. She held out her hand hoping that maybe she could stop Korah, somehow. Korah swung at her mother's hand, slicing into the unprotected flesh. Her mother pulled her hand back, now terrified of her daughter.

"I'm your mother! Korah stop!"

Korah struck deep into her mother's abdomen and a moaning grunt came from her mother's voice as Korah pushed deeper. Her mother, fighting to push Korah away, but too weak to struggle. The pain had sapped what force she could muster.

Korah spoke the words quietly to her mother, "You gave me life... I take yours..."

Over and over Korah stabbed and slashed as her mother pleaded and begged for mercy. No mercy was there to give. Korah's heart had become callus. Never did any care for her, and never did she care for any. Love is not a natural occurence, it is developed and nurtured. There was no nurturing for Korah so only hate was allowed to grow. Where her mother could have brought her up to be kind, she was only beat and struck. Where words could have kindled happiness, she was terrorized with bitterness. Her mother's imbalance became her imbalance.

Korah stood over the mutilated body of her mother with a sense of satisfaction. She spit on the cadavre one last time, cursing her existence and her death. Then came the paranoia...

Korah's eyes shifted about herself. She knew someone would care, somewhere. She knew they would come to find her, and she could not kill them all. Regardless of why, they would want attonement for the life spilled. They would want to kill poor Korah. Poor, innocent, Korah. She took up her robe and ran from the city. Into the woods, into the meadows, into the sanctuaries of the world. She would not return, even on pain of death, she could not return to the cities. This 12 year old girl had become a murderer and she knew it. Was it only for the one time? Could she wash this sin away and be made clean?

Deep in the woods, Korah stirred for years. Alone before this time, but never as this. Korah only found comfort in the whispers that became louder only after she stood by herself. Whispers from a darkness before her. She would see the eyes as she stared into the blazes as they turned black, staring back at her. The words unclear, but still she listened.

Power, strength, destruction, they were offered to her. Korah would have a companion, to watch over her life, and ask nothing in return save for Korah to always listen when whispered to. Of course she would listen...

[TheFarsight]

OOOooo I like, I like

[GodBeastX]

For ten years Korah walked in the unpopulated areas. Killing to eat, maiming to survive, and... destroying for enjoyment. She bacame intoxicated with power and sought to bring the end of any before her. Her mind slowly warped until she forgot even her own history. She would slip into endless rages that would not stop until death lay before her. She was a berserker, a barbarian, with emnity toward life, and she enjoyed it very much.

She was 16 or so years when she met him. She went into his home, thinking it to be empty. She pilfered food she could find, ignoring valuables and coins. The pantries, the stores, the cabinets. She gathered all she could, but it wasn't long before she realized he was watching.

She did not even speak, but lunged to him with a blade fixed on his heart. Growling and snarling like an animal. He knew her mind had been broken and she was no longer a child but a beast. He evaded her without any effort of his own. Her attack, missing, but she would strike again to no avail. Binding her in his clutches, he tried to calm her rage. She fought to free herself kicking, clawing as an animal might do. Then she finally heard his words clearly, although he had been speaking the entire time.

"...mean no harm. Shhhh..."

Korah began to calm and listen. Was it his words, or did she tire herself enough to become docile. She stood there in the aged man's arms as he bound her.

"That is better."

He began to lightly release her and she fell immediately to the floor as he did. Almost as if her mind was mesmerized by hearing common spoken to it again. How long had it been since someone said anything to her? Months? Years?

"What is your name?"

She turned idly toward him as he walked in front of her to examine her face. Perhaps looking for some signs of humanity behind the beastly exterior of a savage child.

"n...name?"

"Yes, what is your name? Do you know?"

Her face shaped into the form of a panic. She searched the depths of her mind trying to find the answer. It had been long before she heard it, what was her name?!

"...orah... Korah. My name."

Her panic subsided. She felt ease hearing her name spoken from her lips. The man listened and nodded.

"Where is your father or mother?"

As Korah's eyes watched him, her face began shaping into anger again. She took hold of her blade and rolled backwards onto her feet, pointing it towards him. He watched her as she edged back to the wall, almost as a cornered animal. She peered to her left, and then her right, looking for an escape.

"Calm down! I merely ask if you are alone. That is all."

Hands out in front of him to try and tame the savage beast, his mind pondered the question. It was apparent she was alone, but important to him was why? His heart began to whisper to him, pity for this broken child.

"Please... Just listen..."

She feinted to her lef and right, testing to see his reaction. Attempting to out maneuver him. After a moment she darted, towards the door, but was caught. He wrestled her down and pulled the blade from her hand sending it spinning away from her. She roared with anger again, snarling like a beast.

"Korah... what did this to you? You are alone, that is for certain."

She struggled for a long time against him, as he struggled to calm her. After awhile she layed breathing only, watching him. He had her pinned with her back to the floor and she knew there was nothing she could do.

"Listen Korah, my name is Jediah Drade. I fought you long enough, it is time you listened. I am only trying to help you. If you wish to run from here then go. I will not stop you any longer. If you wish to stay here with me, I will help in any way I can."

She looked at him confused. As if she did not fully grasp the words, but it was clear to her he did not wish to hurt her. He pulled himself away from her and she quickly rolled up to her feet, grabbing her blade and running as fast as she could from the home. Looking back for a moment, her thoughts questioning what she just had happen. Soon she was lost in the woods again.

A few days passed as Jediah tended his home. His gaze would often look towards the open doorway many times, thinking of the young girl who had visitted his home. It was not too long before he would see Korah standing in the doorway, covered in blood with blade in hand. Strangely her face held a grin of satisfaction. It was apparent she had done something harm, what or who was the question he feared.

"Korah?"

She walked in and looked around the home, almost as if she did not notice him, or all the blood she was soaked in. He watched her at first, unsure if she had come to attack again.

"Where... is?"

She stood looking at a painting with two children and him holding them. He realized she had not come to fight, but merely returned, likely out of curiosity. He move towards her slowly, so not to give her a start. He looked over her, searching for wounds, but finding none.

"They are my brother's children, my niece and nephew. Not my own."

She nodded watching the paintings then turned to him. He had come with a towel and began to wipe clean the blood from her. She looked about his home, still oblivious to him and his actions. Jediah did not know what to make of Korah. Korah did not know what to make of Jediah. It was this nature that spawned their relationship.

"Where did all this blood come from?"

She did not answer but merely walked along. He told himself it had to be some animal. He would not think the worst with nothing to back his thoughts.

Months passed...Korah would be off alone for days, weeks even, then return for no apparent reason to Jediah's home. Sometimes waiting on his doorstep for him to return. He was always happy to see her and would do what he could for her. She would grin strangely when she saw him. He was never sure of why and she never fully opened up to him to explain. Her blade seemed to be always ready when he was near, almost as if she did not even trust him despite all the help he gave her.

Jediah spent many long hours helping Korah to regain her lost words and to remember how to speak clearly. She would often take food she could find when she was there and leave as quickly and as strangely as she came.

Korah would return to Jediah's home, one fateful day. His door was open as it often was. Generally believed to be open for Korah to enter easily. She did indeed enter.

"Jediah? Where is you are?"

"Jediah...?"

She called out a few times, verifying whether or not he was within his home.

"Hello?"

She heard a woman's voice she was not familiar with. She looked to the rear of the home, seeing a woman in black. She immediately tightened her grip on the blade. The woman became frightened, perhaps mistaking Korah for a bandit or worse...

"Jediah... he is where?"

Korah's voice carried a bit of hostility. The woman calming a bit, realizing Korah knew Jediah stepped aside from the doorway to show what would appear to be the closing of a funeral rite. A casket being lowered into the earth.

Korah walked forward out the door and past the woman. She watched closely as they committed his body to the soil. Her face carrying the same grin as before. She looked to the children who were slightly older than their panting showed. Her eyes followed the few gatherers, some with tears, but Korah with none. They watched her, bothered by the grin she carried.

The woman putting a hand on Korah's shoulder, causing Korah to jump and pull away, but not to grow angry. She was unfamiliar with being touched in kindness.

"What is your name dear?"

She looked as they shovelled dirt into the grave. Standing quietly for a bit then turning to the woman. Opening her mouth.

"Korah Drade for now."

"Oh... he told me of you."

The woman did not like hearing the word Drade from Korah's mouth, as this was Jediah's family name, but she did not pretend to understand Jediah's relationship with Korah. All she knew is that Korah was indeed a savage of sorts, but if Jediah was kind to this young woman, she would be as well. She shook off her thoughts and opened her mouth to speak.

"I am S--"

Korah did not allow her to finish her sentence before she started to walk away. The woman called out after her, not completely certain of why Korah suddenly decided to depart.

"If you need somewhere to go Korah, you can come with us."

Korah turned around, face still grinning as always.

"Hah! Of course I will be okay, I am strong."

She turned around and continued to leave.

The woman watched onward, unsure if she should persue or let her walk away. Her decency wanted to persue, but something within her thought it best to let Korah disappear.

Korah was never seen at the home again. She never returned to pay respects. She never even said farewell to Jediah. Death was impersonal to her. She had no tears to give to Jediah or words for passing. Only eyes to make sure he was gone, and feet to walk to her next destination.

There was no warmth in Korah for others. Korah was as a beast in the wild, hunting, killing, surviving, and enjoying it. Some meet her on occasion as she walks by, but they do not stop to greet her. Some have taken her, but they do not stop to recall. Some fear her, but they do not see her long to keep her in mind. With only the whispers of the darkness, and burning of a black star within, Korah continued on.

It would be some time before she would be seen in the realms of Sundren, her reasons for coming, as uncertain as the reasons for her grinning...