Back in Camelot

[Amora]

Amora followed the villager into a dark home. The walls were crumbling and the place reeked of death. With a flick of her wrist the wind whipped into the house, clearing the smell and replacing it with fresh air. She moved then into a room as if pulled by an unseen force. She stepped inside, her dark eyes scanning the area surrounding the bed. Slowly she moved to it and sat on the edge looking down at the small form huddled under covers. The child was shaking, shivering in cold. Yet her body was sweating with fever. Amora watched quietly for long moments before looking up. First she looked a the villager, then Fenix. When she spoke her voice was calm, showing none of the revulsion she felt.
"Death magic."
A dark magic was stealing the child's life, turning her life force for it's own means. Innocent children held the strongest of life energy, and therefore were often targeted for death magic. Amora had practiced many different types of magic. Many accused her of practicing the dark arts. She may reap curses on people, but only those who were deserving of it. She knew the delicate balance of dark and light, it existed within her as well as the world. She teetered constantly on the edge, never sinking into darkness or embracing light. Even in her darkest she would not practice the magic that was woven around the child. It was the darkest of dark magic and Amora never went that far. She looked back at the child. The magic around her was strong, Amora was not sure she could break it without weakening herself severely. But nor would she allow the child to suffer so when she could stop it. She looked at Fenix. He could not stay here, not for the length of time it would require her to recover. She could sense his need to return home, and all that bound him was his word to see her home. She'd have to let him go, then try to hole up somewhere safe to recover. It was a dangerous thing what she would do. It would leave her open to the attacks of her enemy should he find her. Yet her eyes betrayed none of her turmoil, there was no hint of hesitation. She would not allow the innocent child to suffer. Amora could see the threads of fate sometimes, and the child's fate was tied to her decision. She looked at the villager.
"Leave us alone please."
The man turned and left and once more she looked at Fenix.
"You should go now. Return home. You brought me far enough."
With that she turned from him and placed her hands on either side of the child's forehead. She would need to pull the magic into herself and let her own magic fight it and destroy it. Carefully she leaned forward and pressed her forehead against the child's. Then using her thumbs she forced the child's mouth open. The death magic lived in the child's lungs, Amora would need pull it from there into her own.

[Maliki]

Fenix ignored her words. He sensed that there was something bad.. very bad going to happen. He folded his arms and stood in silence. Try as she might she couldn't force him to leave. He'ld seen this magic once before, long ago back in his homelands. He knew the consequences of containing this spell. He had done it himself. If not for Bisin he would have been killed.

[Amora]

Slowly her eyes drifted closed. She murmured an incantation under her breath. Then she stilled, her whole body going ridged. She took a deep breath, her mouth within inches of the child's. Magic swirled and surrounded the pair. Then a blacky smoky essence poured from the child't mouth, flowing into The Sorceress'. It reeked of evil and death. Yet The Sorceress didn't pull away, didn't hesitate. She continued to suck the dark magic into herself. It was a dangerous thing she did. If she didn't take all the magic the child would die, but at the sametime she could die as well. Within moments the transfer stopped. The child seemed to be breathing easier, and death no longer hung onto her. The Sorceress moved her head back slowly. She was pale and her body shivered. When her eyes opened they were completely black including the whites. Then white began to bleed through the black and around her dark magic fought against light. She was chanting, her voice calm and controlled. She didn't see him, didn't see anything. Then suddenly she was falling from the bed, her body landing on the ground. She curled into a ball and contiued to chant, her breathing becoming labored. Then she stilled and her mouth opened. The dark magic flew out, but had nowhere to go. It was surrounded by a blinding light shield that began to squeeze it smaller and smaller until it was gone. The Sorceress lay curled into a ball on the floor, unconcious. She looked vulnerable in that moment. The woman was a contradiction, an intriguing puzzle. She had saved the child at a great cost to herself.

[Maliki]

Fenix turned to the door and spoke to the man, "The child will be fine." He then kneeled and placed his hand on Amora's stomach. Pulling back the hood of his cloak his eyes gave a soft flash. Pouring magic into Amora before they became encompassed in a ball of light. Less then a moment passed and they vanished. Back in the forest outside the town.

[Amora]

It was a testament to how much she had been weakened that she didn't even stir. She didn't fight him, didn't struggle. She lay there unconscious. For a moment her eyes opened them and for once they were unguarded. In their dark depths he saw an innocence lost too young and a pain so strong it hurt to look at. Then they closed and she was out again.

[Maliki]

Fenix picked her up. Not even bothering to put his hood back on he took Amora into the forest. When they were safely out of range from the town he layed her down in a bed of grass. Raising a hand in the direction of the tree's they began to talk to him. Slowly but surely they began to bend, the wood creaking, but not cracking. Within minutes the surrounding tree's had developed a sort of protective hut. He walked from the 'tree house' and made his way to a nearby stream. Pulling a sack from his cloak he dipped it into the water to fill it.

[Amora]

Amora was lost in darkness. She hated darkness it reminded her too much of the place she had been born. It was a darkness void of any hint of light. Her whole body hurt, an excruciating pain that let her know she lived. She didn't cry out, didn't moan, didn't make a sound. Weakness couldn't be displayed, it would only result in more pain. In the physical world she couldn't control her bodies reactions to the pain. Her hands clenched so tight they would spasm from the strain, her nails dug into her palms causing blood to well. Yet she didn't make a sound her either.

[Maliki]

It was a short while before Fenix arrived back at the hut. Lifting his hand the top opened partway so he could see. He held his hand under the bag. Quickly the water became warm. He tore a strip from his cloak and dipped it in the water. Wringing the excess from the cloth he folded it and placed it on her forehead. Looking back towards the wasteland he noticed the dark force had deminished. It was instead replaced by an incredible power.

[Amora]

Her hand suddenly unclenched and grabbed his wrist. Her strength was weak at best. Her eyes opened and she seemed to see him. She sensed his need to return home.
"Leave. You owe me nothing."
Then they closed again and she was gone again, her hand releasing his. The blood from her palm, coated his wrist. Then her back arched off the ground and she stifled a scream of pain.

[Maliki]

Fenix shook his head, "If I leave. You die." He tore another stretch of cloth from his cloak. Dipping it into the water he began to clean the blood from her face and hands.