Jose
*There it was again. That horrible feeling. Cold, yearning for flesh and blood, dark whispers in the shadows of the mind.*

*This was the tormented mind of the vampire Lucien.*

*Scenes of atrocity, war, torture, playing over and over again. An endless cycle of suffering. Compared to the clutches of the Ivory, the Ebony strain reeked of death; the promise to live forever, to be unstoppable. To tear through the suffering that mere mortals went through.*

*And then she saw him. The elf was suspended in the black pool, his muscled chest standing clearly against the dark surface.*

"You fight for this long. You put yourself through this. You know that once it gets strong enough, once that pool envelopes you... There's no going back. Ever."

*The macen would choose to stay in the dark realm.*
Henry
The elf clearly appreciated her response. Despite being more of a lecture, it didn't provide disgust. Not only, yet she decided to stay inside the hell, despite its gruesome nature. His gaze remained as expressionless, the terror of emotions inside him overwhelming his being.

He grunted quietly and stood up, the waves of water disturbed by his movement. The blackness that engulfed his person didn't wash away - it remained clasped to him, like clothing put on involuntarily. He approached her and stepped out of the pool. After a careful inspection of her again, he gave a depressing nod.

*"You're very right, Katherine. But what can I do? I don't have strength, I don't have arcane prowess. Must I stop chasing the truth and dealing justice, all because of my personal comfort?"* He dropped his gaze as a shadow ran over his face. Lucien raised a clenched fist. *"Trust me, I want to get rid of this thing more than anyone. **You** Should know exactly what I mean! They never stop, the cries and the begs. Some of them are even familiar faces, which tortures me even more."*

He moved a hand to her shoulder, its texture as grave as a dead man's body. *"I really want to."* He gulped. *"But there are things that we want, and things that we have to do. I just happen to be the unlucky kind who doesn't have those two aligned."*

He let go and remained silent, conveying more with his look in her eyes than any words could describe. Two vampires, standing against each other, one in essence and the other in memory. The dark coat on his body exhaled drastic amounts of the ebony aura - if she had to assume, it was the equivalent of a Tier 4. Lucien tilted his head and muttered.

*"Why... Why did you stay?"*
Jose
*Katherine simply looks around. The temptation was great, promises of power. Had she been weak willed, she would have already succumbed to it. She watched him step out of the pool.*

*Oh no.*

*Fortunately, he seemed to be covered by the darkness.*

"....I understand. You feel responsible. For something."

*Reciprocating, Katherine places a hand on the vampire's shoulder. She didn't know how long he had been cursed, or how severe it was. Until she saw the mist. The black vapor, coming from the dark liquid. The strain was strong. Leaning in, Katherine wraps her arms around the dark figure.*

"Because I don't want you to fight it alone. You're always stronger with someone by your side. If I hadn't met my beloved, the curse would have set itself in stone by now."