Ichor

Blood Meets Sky

Ichor's gold hair glitters in the sunlight and the long braid sways slightly against her back as she leans further out of the tree, her emerald eyes narrowing. She watches silently as someone runs up the precarious mountain path, his speed and stamina impressive for a teenage boy. His curly blond hair is dirty and tousled and sweat glistens on him as he runs, arms pumping and breaths slightly ragged. Ichor sighs. This was the boy her father wanted her to kill.

She doesn't fully understand why she's the one to do the job, daddy dearest has plenty of other monsters at his disposal. Ichor's large, bright breen eyes narrow at the boy's hip, and the sword that hangs there. That's why she's the one to do the job...

He's nearing the scraggly olive tree that Ichor is perched in and Ichor knows she has to move before he passes her. Her braid falls over her shoulder as she drops out of the tree gracefully, causing him to startle and trip. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you... I had just been picking some olives to take home." Ichr lies smoothly as she walks closer.

Her black dress is short sleeved and ends at her knees, giving her the flexibilty she needs in fights. A leather belt is snug on her waist and attached to that belt is what looks like two simple knives. The knives are anything but simple. He doesn't know that yet. Just like he also doesn't know that he's going to die.

Ichor almost pities him. Almost. Her father had taught her to be above the crippling emotions that weakened so many humans. And demi-gods too. He is weak. And he will die.

***

Pavo's legs where already exhausted from his training and running efforts, so when a girl drops from the tree he falls. Pavo glances up before getting up, and then he temporarily stops moving. The girl had on a loose black dress that contrasted with her ivory skin and golden hair. Pavo look up into her green eyes as she says, "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you... I had just been picking some olives to take home."

Her voice is musical and as Pavo stands he doesn't even notice that she doesn't have any olives with her.

"It's perfectly fine, I wouldn't consider myself traumatized." Pavo says with a smile, watching as the girl walks closer. He wonders for a few seconds about the knives at her hips, it's weird to see a girl carry weapons. But this is the country side and she is alone... Which isn't right. There are wolves in the area, how come she doesn't have an older brother or friend with her?

He's distracted from his thoughts as she laughs, a clear and musical noise. "I'm Pavo, who are you?" Pavo asks and then his brows crease together when she laughs at his name.

"Sky? How very original..." She says with a smile, but there's a sarcastic tone in her voice. And then Pavo's blue eyes widen when she continues, "You're actually pretty funny. Sorry I have to kill you."

Pavo's shocked but he manages to draw his sword and instictually throws a block just as she swipes with one of the knives. He catches the look of surprise on her face but she flits back a couple of steps and instantly takes a fighting stance.

Pavo lowers his sword and shakes his head. "I can't fight you, you're a girl."

As he's talking and his gaurd is down the girl dances forward and slices at his head. Pavo ducks back and the sword grazes his chest. Wait, sword? As Pavo's sword moves back into a gaurd he eyes the weapons she's holding. She has one in each hand and they both have a black handle with a golden blade. Which is strange, but not the weirdest part. The weirdest part is that their length is fluctuating, going from knife to short sword to scimitar.

As he's staring at her weapons she runs forward again and pure reflex saves Pavo. He dives into a roll as she lunges forward, so they effictively switched places.

"I'll admit it, I'm impressed. You have some good reflexes there demi." The girl say with a nod and Pavo's face is shocked. Yes, he was a demi-god, but he had told no one. Only his mother knew...

"Who are you?" Pavo asks increduluosly as his blue eyes scan over her again, puzzling at her odd coloring, weapons, clothes, and well... everything. The girl's mouth quirks up in a small half smile and Pavo can feel something other than adrenaline making his heart beat faster.

"I'm Ichor." She states and when she says it her green eyes instantly become more gaurded. She dances forward, swinging at Pavo's thigh with one sword. As soon as he blocks the strike she swings at his neck with the other weapon.

Pavo's sword flies up unbelievably fast and he blocks the second strike while simultaneously clipping Ichor's cheek with the tip of the blade. Ichor recoils, preparing to strike again. A small trickle of golden colored liquid trickles down her face and Pavo gasps.

"Ichor!' He exclaims breathlessly and the girl just gives him a questioning look.

"It's an odd name, but not that odd." She says but then realization dawns on her face and she rubs her cheek. "Oh, yeah... hence the name." Ichor mumbles. Her green eyes snap up to Pavo's and she jumps forward, slicing at his right side.

Pavo dodges backwards, avoiding the swipe, but putting him in a precarious position. The path is a mountain one and there's a steep drop on one side. Pavo is now off balance and teetering on the edge, his sword thrown out to the side as he struggles not to fall.

Pavo sucks in a sharp breath and is about to step forward to safety when a sharp blow hits him in the stomach. His eyes stare at Ichor with shock, a girl had never kicked him before.

And then he's falling, falling off the edge of the mountain.

***

Ichor's swords shrink back into knives and she sheaths them before turning and walking away. She feels bad for kicking him off the cliff. He was a good fighter and Ichor respects that. They could have been battling for hours if he hadn't been so utterly surprised.

There's a small pricking sensation on her face as blood trickles out of Ichor's cut. The back of her hand brushes against her cheek and she wipes the blood away as the small scrape heals itself up. Ichor kicks at a rock as she walks down the mountain and then jumps in surrise when a voice bahind her says, "What are you and why do you want me dead?"

Pavo.

Ichor spins around and her hands instantly draw her blades. Pavo's eyes are searching her face and Ichor can't recognize his expression. She opens her mouth but doesn't say anything. "Why so surprised, apparently you already knew my father was Zeus."

"Well, yes..." Ichor says slowly, "But not all of his children can fly." Another reason why her father wanted him eliminated, he is strong.

Ichor raises her arm and her hand is steady as she aims the throwing knife at his face, shape changing blades are useful. Pavo sucks in a breath as he feels his empty scabbard. The sword must have fallen out while he had been falling and then flying apparently. Pavo's head stays high and his face doesn't waver at the sight of his immediate death. "At least answer my questions first."

Ichor looks at Pavo curiously for a moment before hesitating. Evenually she says. "You ask what I am, and I am ichor. Not just my name, the actual thing. The blood of the gods. You ask why I want you dead and the truth is I don't." As Ichor speaks the arm holding the knife slowly lowers.

Pavo has a mixture of surprise and hope on his face until she says, "But my father does." And then the knife is aimed at him again.

"Wait! Why?" Pazo asks hurriedly, both to keep her talking and because he wants to know.

Ichor stops and she thinks. She searches her mind for an answer but can't come up with one. Her fther never gave her answers, only orders. And Ichor is finding that she doesn't like this one. Her arm lowers and this time it's for good. The knives slip back into their sheaths and a look of confliction crosses her face before her features show only resolve. "Goodbye Pazo. You're welcome."

And then Ichor's gone and Pazo is left standing on the mountain wondering what just happened.