A shorter chapter in a different POV. Next Chapter will be back to Katie's POV and be the regular/longer length. Also before anyone points it out her name is not Coriander like the plant (aka I'm not misspelling it). Sure it's pronounced the same, but it is still different ;)

If you enjoy the story and want to vote I would appreciate it! 

BUT FINALLY, WELCOME TO Q'UELL! LAND OF DAEMONS!

Next chapter will be up pretty soon.

Here is some basic info on Kelpies if you are interested. They have some really interesting lore! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelpie

The edge waters had been quiet for months now. Despite the stillness, the grotto looked as sickly as ever. Black oozing algae and sour pond scum floated softly on the surface, with seemingly rotting plant life falling into the water like infected veins. It almost held a peaceful beauty mixed with the calls of the forest birds. Corriander quickly put the thought out of her mind when a small frog strayed too close to the water and thick dark vines pulled the poor creature down. That's what the foolish animal got for getting too close; a mistake you never lived to tell. 

Nats buzzed around Corriander's head and she tried shaking them away only to get her hair tangled on her horns. She didn't care if the grotto was apparently inactive, edge water duty was her least favorite assignment. True every soldier was required to serve one night a month guarding the place, but she still felt it was unfair. Having only been an active part of the clan for less than a year her combat training was minimal. Even with her powers and required training as a child, she would stand no chance if the waters stirred. "This should be a senior assignment" she muttered to herself kicking a rock. 

The moon and bioluminescent flowers gave enough light that there was no need for the torch Corriander had lit, but she didn't care. The fire was comforting, and it would repel any unwanted visitor to the camp. Grabbing the torch the she-daemon walked the perimeter, watching the purple weeds dancing at the bottom of the clear water. Mesmerized by the twisting and waving of the seaweed Corriander failed to notice the forest go silent.

A gust of wind swept through the cove extinguishing the flame. In a split second water began glowing a blinding white and the flowers intensified their purple glow.  Instinctively the soldier unsheathed her sword, back-peddling. "You have to be fucking kidding me" she yelped diving behind a nearby boulder. 

She could see the water was now churning, waves crashed into the banks tossing stones into the sky. Corri stayed hidden behind the boulder, hands gripped so tight around the handle of the blade her knuckles screamed at her as they turned white. She prayed to the gods that this wasn't what she thought, that the mystical water was surging for no reason. There was a first time for everything right? Her hopes drained along with the color in her face when an all too familiar song burst through the night air.

Ceasing its glow, the once clear water became black as coal. Purple weeds began erupting from the depths spreading onto the land like tentacles, grotesquely pulsating. Again the voices rang out. Corri knew not what the beautiful words meant, but she shook in terror anyway. The song seemed to move within her causing a shiver to shoot down her spine. She would give up her horns to have a lit torch right now. 

The water stilled and unholy shrieks boomed into the night. It was as if an eagle was singing a whale song, mixed with the cry of a person being burnt alive. From her hiding place, Corri saw seven figures slowly breach the water. As expected they were the source of the wails. Everything in her was begging her to run, to get as far away from the grotto as she could, but Corri stayed. No matter how she tried she could not pull her eyes away from the monsters before her.

Four of the figures came ashore as Corri watched intently. Their bodies were curvy, wide hips and thin waists. Perhaps their full breasts and plump lips would have been appealing, were it not for the dull grays and deep greens of their skin. In the moonlight, scales reflected the beams and the fins on their backs lay flat.

 Two of the creatures seemed to be arguing with their bizarre linguistics, screeching at one another. A third sank to her knees and conversed with the three remaining figures in the water. One of the two arguings pulled on the other's moss like hair eliciting a growl from the one kneeling. The kneeling one must be the leader, Corri mused, noticing the other two lowering their heads and falling back in line. She noticed that the one in charge sported large tears in her fin, and long scars trailing down to her rear. Corriander had hoped she would never be unfortunate enough to see the Grove Kelpies

Currently, Corri was too close to the water to make a run for it. Luckily she was still hidden from the abominations, but who knew how long that would last. She needed to flee. The Kelpies had begun chirping back and forth incessantly as the leader seemed to be ordering the submerged daemons to come to land. Two of the Kelpies in the water crawled out, their hooked fish tails splitting into legs. They left the third kelpie in the water, floating on her back. Something was different about the figure in the water though. She didn't seem to resemble her sisters. The figure was much shorter than the others and vastly paler. Perhaps she was a half breed? Corri had never heard of such a thing before. She needed to get closer.

No matter the shock and fear coursing through the she-daemon's body she was still on assignment. The clan would have to be informed in as much detail as possible about the night's events. Whatever was happening was particularly important given that the Kelpies had up and vanished six months prior. Their return would be monumental. 

When the water bound daemons had vanished all of the islands had been shaken by the news. The Kelpies were ferocious, rumor had it that even the boss had trouble controlling them. Only an immense force could have taken the creatures down and the public feared the worst. Three days after the Kelpie disappearance the clan lord had ordered round the clock surveillance on the grotto, ie how Corri had ended up here in the first place. Unluckily for the clan, it was a fresh soldier serving as the Kelpie welcoming party.

There was some noise and Corri turned to see three of the Kelpies dragging the odd looking one from the water as the leader watched. Now that she was out of the blackened pool it was a lot easier to see the small one. She had long brown hair with pale skin covered with puffy scratches. Corri scrunched her face up and shook her head. It wasn't possible, all Kelpies had the same scaled green skin and dark green hair. Whats more the woman seemed to be wearing clothes while the rest were fully nude. All she had to do was move just a little bit closer- Corri stiffened at the sound of a twig snapping beneath her boot.

They were on her in an instant. Their mouths full of fangs and large eyes that were black as night. Corri screamed as one of the creatures dug its sharp claws into the flesh of her shoulder. This was the end for her, she was going to die. An unexpected screech pierced into the night and the Kelpies pulled back. Corri clutched her shoulder trying to stop the bleeding and struggled to crawl to safety. With another chirp a Kelpie moved with lightning speed, grabbing the injured soldier and dropping her at the feet of the Kelpie leader. 

Corri had been wrong about the exclusive coloration of the Kelpies. Now face to face she could see the one in front of her was a deep lavender not the green hue of the subordinates. The Kelpie leader cocked her head an unnatural amount looking like a quizzical owl studying its prey. Corri shuddered as the creature's hollow jaws parted and revealed rows of sharp pointed teeth. Corri braced herself for the end. "Q'uell?" Corri blinked hard in disbelief as the Kelpie spoke with a scratchy voice. It looked angry at Corri's silence and spoke again, "Q'uell?" Corriander answered slowly "Are you asking if I'm from Q'uell?" The creature nodded. "Yeah." Pain shook Corri's body. "Yes, I-I'm from Q'uell." 

A horrifying smile broke upon the leader's lips at Corri's response. She waved her purple hand and the two Kelpies that had been fighting retrieved something and stood behind her. "Gift for Q'uell" the Kelpie hissed and the others tossed whatever they retrieved in front of her feet. Corri gasped as she looked at what she thought was a half-Kelpie. It wasn't, it was something she could never have guessed. The Kelpies erupted in what sounded like laughter, "Go to Q'uell. Tell clan we have gift." 

Tearing through the forest body screaming, Corri ran towards the city. She knew there was no way she would make it to the actual capital. She needed to think fast. There was a major outpost not too far, the lights were visible. With all her remaining strength Corri pushed on. She had to get there and warn them. Several minutes later Corriander's legs gave out as she burst through the commander's tent. 

A meeting had been in progress and the clan officials watched as the random she-daemon collapsed at the entrance. A number of guards poured in, weapons drawn, and one pushed to the front. "Corriander!" The guard captain knelt next to the girl, her breath heavy. "She is a part of my team. Everyone quiet!" The captain lifted the shaking soldier into his arms, "Corri, tell me what happened. Why are you not at the grotto? Who did this to you?" Corri peered up at the chiseled face of her captain meeting his eyes before speaking,  "Tell Lord Hellbreaker. T-The-" she whimpered as another soldier began to wrap bandages around her torn flesh, "tell him the Kelpies brought a human."