Summer of Memories (Lance, Sinclair)(Tarik/Sasha’s Home)

Summer of Memories (Lance, Sinclair)(Tarik/Sasha’s Home)
(OOC: combined threads from the previous site)

Tia Andreas
Tia had been watching her cousins while her aunt Sasha cooked dinner. Her new uncle Tarik had gone every couple of days to check things out at the school. Watching Silvia was easy but Michaki had driven her to exhaustion. She was glad that Flo and Marshall had come yesterday because now more eyes were on her cousins.

Remembering that Flo had left with Uncle Tarik this morning. Before leaving Tarik had reminded her that Lance would be picking her up tonight. She frowned as she asked if her aunt had finally accepted that Tia was going to try the procedure with or without her approval. Tarik just smiled and looked at his wife.

Sasha said, "Tia, it is not that I don't want you to remember. It's just that you forgot those two days for a reason. I just don't want you to regret finding out."

Tia had shook her head as she remembered what she had said that morning. She had been so upset that she had said, "Like remembering you talking to Daniel at St. Mungo's? I plan to find out what that Murderer hid from me." She had then ran out into the backyard and cried. She had saw the look on her aunt's face and wanted to say that she was sorry and didn't believe for one second that her aunt had been in league with Marsden. The problem was Tia had no clue what she believed, not until she got her memories back. She did know that her aunt was terrified of something in Tia's memories. The thing was just how bad could her past be that it took Lance to have to use his override to get the go ahead for this procedure, Tia had no clue.

Her cousin Silvia had come up and said, "Tia, don't cry. Maybe now mom and dad will tell each other what they been hiding. Dad has his own secrets and has been debating on how to tell mom. You gave him the opening, now they just got to take it. It will work out, you'll see."

Tia smiled as she remembered hugging Silvia and telling her young cousin that for somebody who was new to the Ravenclaw house, she was probably smarter than most graduates.

Now seeing both Marshall and Mika trying to sneak out though two loose boards in the fence, Tia was about to stop them but saw Lance.

(OCC: I had Jane's permission to include her characters here.)

Lance Kildare
It had been hard to set up the procedure they were headed for in England. Tia’s Aunt Sasha and Uncle Tarik wanted her happy but they were also afraid the memories would be too much for her to handle. Lance had spent the last half of the school year, talking with Doctor Lance Sinclair, a psy-healer about what questions should be asked and how they should go about finding answers to Tia’s questions, about what had happened to her the two days she was missing.

The plan was to pick up Tia at her Aunt and Uncles summer residence in Scotland and take her to Doctor Sinclair’s office in a magical enclave of London, England. To Muggles it looked like a fashionable gated community with all the amenities. To Wizards it was a very large area with every conceivable need of a wizard or witch available. There were even woods, streams, ponds, stores, and playgrounds. A small airstrip had been put in to hide the flying field of the local Quidditch training facility.

Sinclair and Darik would be waiting for them at the office. Lance had offered to take Darik with him but he wanted to talk to Doctor Sinclair before Tia arrived. Lance knocked on the gate, but stepped back in time to prevent being hit in the shins by a swinging board and a head poking out of the hole which had been created. “Hello Marshall, going somewhere?” he said with a big smile to the boy who looked up.

Marshall looked up in surprise, when he found the doctor blocking his way. “Hi, Doc.” He said with a large grin, “You come to pick up Tia. I hope so because she will not leave us alone.” Marshall fell forward a bit, because he had been pushed from behind. Looking back through the slot in the fence, Lance heard him say, “Hold on Mika. Doctor Sinclair is blocking our way. Here comes Tia anyway, so we may as well go back in.” Marshall disappeared back through the fence and the board swung back into position.

Lance unlatched the gate and entered the beautiful backyard. The place looked like a picture from an Egyptian Castle garden. It made you think a camel was going to come walking around the corner. He laughed and waved hello to Tia and Silvia. “Hello girls. Tia you ready to go. If you are then go get your things and make sure you let your Uncle and Aunt know I am here.” Lance realized the two boys had already ran into the house, fashioned more like a tent on the outside, shouting he had arrived.

Lance walked slowly up the path looking at the plants and fish in the well fashioned pond. It was large enough to be a swimming pool, complete with waterfall.

(OCC: Marshall is one of my characters)

TIA


Tia had just about given up on getting Marshall and Michaki to listen to her. Seeing Lance gave her relief as she knew that soon she would be on her way to get answers. She hated these doubts that she had about her family. The weird lady earlier that day had not helped any. Tia still wondered just how the woman had known that she was going to see Sinclair. She walked towards Lance as her hand went to her medallion. Her other hand was around the note the woman handed her to give to Sinclair.



Tia smiled as she said, “Am I ever! The boys are impossible! Hope uncle Tarik and Flo gets back soon or they'll drive aunt Sasha up the wall. I have already upset her enough. She wanted to see you anyways, Lance. As usual she won't tell me why.”



Sasha waited until Tia and Silvia went upstairs before intercepting Lance. She told the boys to go fix the fence that they broke.

As soon as Lance and her were the only ones in sight, Sasha said worried, “Lance, I thought you said they wouldn't know?”

Sasha handed him a note as she said angrily, “Then explain this!”

Note:

Raven,

Memories could be her downfall!
Thought you and the princess understood that!
We released her once...
Stop her father's cousin Lance's interference!
Or...Well...You'll see!

P.S. Tell the twins Mika and Silvia, Sorry about their rooms.

(OCC: Sasha is one of my characters.)

LANCE


Lance smiled, as he guessed why Tia had a look of relief on her face. Lance was a doctor at Hogwarts and did not have a lot of contact with the students unless they were hurt or sick. Mika and Marshall spent a lot of time in his office though. They were always trying to climb this or crawl under that, or try and do a spell they had no right trying. Once they decided to try and see who could do the most dangerous trick on their brooms while flying through the hoops on the Quidditch field. Both had been in bed for a couple of days. Lance had promised Rikki the regular doctor, that he would not confine them to the hospital wing next time without physically tying them down. The only thing which had saved them was the fact they were perfect gentlemen when they needed to be and when they smiled and apologized, you could not help but accept it.

Lance had an idea Marshall knew he liked his mother Flo Richards, the Muggle Studies Professor also. Marshall was always bringing her name up in conversation, either slyly asking a question or tell Lance something about his mother.



“Ok, you go get your things together and I will go talk with your Aunt. Oh do not forget your new Journal, please. Dr. Sinclair told me to remind you. And Tia, whatever you have in your pocket, make sure you bring it along also.” He smiled and as the girls took off in one direction Lance went to find Sasha.

Lance had to almost jump out of the way to keep from being knocked over by the boys as they headed outside. Close on their heels was Sasha, she looked like she was worried. Taking the note she offered he read:



“Sasha, you know we took every precaution we could install. We had not even set a firm date on when we were going to visit Sinclair. Sinclair called me, I called you and I am here. Each notification took place within hours of each other. Sinclair even refused to tell us when he was going to have the time open.” Lance hoped someone else would have an idea on how it was know unless it was pure chance, but in his experience there was no such thing.



After reading it twice, he sat down on a nearby kitchen stool and asked, “Do you know who it is from? Does Tarik know about it yet?”

Lance took in Sasha’s questioning look, “Sasha, do you want me to call this off? You know as well as I do, if Dr. Sinclair does not try and get her answers, Tia will find someone who will. There are those out in the Wizarding world who would be more than willing to give her answers, at a price of course.” Lance, Tarik and Sasha had had similar conversations before on this subject. Tia was determined to find answers.

Just then, they heard a yell from the girls upstairs. “Aunt Sasha, Dr. Lance, help, come quick….please.” Lance was barely ahead of Sasha on the stairs. When they reached the rooms of the twins, they stopped just inside the small sitting room which connected the two rooms. The place was a shambles. Not one item was where it should be. Nothing had been left untouched. The sitting room furniture was almost totally dismantled and a look through the doors of the adjoining room showed similar destruction.

Lance turned and told everyone to get downstairs as he pulled out his wand. His last words to Sasha were, “Get Tarik here now. Send a signal to Darik also. Now go….everyone.” Lance stood there for a moment, wand ready, surveying the room. First he carefully headed toward Mika’s room which the boys had been sharing. It was a mess like the rest, but less things were broken then in the sitting room.

Slowly he made his way to the girls room. It was a different story here. Everything was torn up. The pillows were shredded. The mattresses had been overturned and both sides slashed. Every book was on the floor in various degrees of shredding. All the clothes and everything else had been pulled out of the closet, and the dresser was broken to pieces. It was easy to see someone was looking for something. Lance had a good idea it was Tia’s journal. Some of the pictures were torn out of the frames. Someone was trying to take what would make Tia remember anything.

Lance spun around at the sound of footfalls on the floor in the sitting room area and slowly made his way to the door leading to it.

TIA


Tia smiled as she pulled the note from her pocket. Handing it to Lance, Tia said a little worried, “A strange woman gave it to me this morning. She said for me to give it to Dr. Sinclair when I saw him tonight.”

Turning to Silvia, Tia said, “Let's go get my things, Silvia.”



Sasha shook her head as she said, “No, I found this after Tarik and Flo left to meet Brennan at the school. But Lance anybody could have intercepted that owl this morning, could they?”

Sasha froze as her brain caught the mistake. Bringing it to Lance's attention, Sasha said worried, “Lance, are you saying that you only knew a few hours ago when you called me?”



Sasha was about to answer Lance when Tia yelled. Sasha turned around and made a dash for the upstairs.



Sasha was frozen with fear at what she saw. Not seeing Tia, Sasha asked scared, “Silvia, where is your cousin Tia?”



Sasha nodded at Lance as she said, “At least the P.S. Makes sense now.” With that she headed downstairs.

Tia was terrified as she sat on the floor of her room. They had destroyed her cousins and her rooms just to send her a message. Looking at the two notes in her hand, Tia said to herself, “How did they know? What if Silvia, Mika or Marsh had been up here?” Tia stared at the notes and realized that one was addressed to The Hidden Andreas, while the other said Princess.



Tarik was in what was left of the children's sitting room. There was not a place that he couldn't step that didn't make a noise. Tarik said quickly with wand drawn, “Lance, it is me, Tarik. Darik and Brennan are checking the perimeter. Flo and Sasha are finding that owl we received this morning. I sent Horus to Richard.”

(OCC: Sasha, Tarik, Brennan are some of my characters. I have permission to add Flo and Darik, from Jane.)

LANCE



“Thank you Tia,” Lance said as she handed him the note and headed off. He was getting good at reading her. He thought maybe he should have a talk with Darik about making it so people could not read her so fast, but decided against it. Tia was still too unpredictable and the little hints she gave were some of the only clues she may be up to something.

The note was addressed to Sinclair and sealed shut, so there was no way of knowing what it said at the moment. He put it in his pocket and went looking for Sasha. When he found her, he found she also possessed a note.




“Yes, I cannot explain it at the moment how anyone found out but believe me Sasha, I will hunt until I find out where the leak is, I promise.”

As they discussed her notes message they heard:



Lance’s heart skipped a beat, when he realized Tia was not with the others. “I will find her….Go now.” He motioned to the door out of the sitting room without taking his eyes away for the scan he was doing of the room.



Lance nodded. How someone had made this much of a mess without alerting the people downstairs was beyond him. Some type of sound buffer must have been used.



”Ok, Tia where are you,” he thought to himself as he first examined the boys room then headed for the one shared by the girl’s. Lance’s heart started to race.




Lance heard Tia’s voice in the girl’s room. Slowly he walked to the door and looked around the door jam. Tia was sitting on the floor in the middle of a greater mess than the other two rooms. While scanning the room with his wand he listened to her question how anyone could have known where she was. She was also afraid for the other younger ones.

It made his blood run cold as he started to think what would have possibly happened if one of the children had walked in on whoever did the destruction all around them. The children now would feel they could not even be safe in their own house. Quietly, so he did not startle her, asked, “Tia, are you alright?” She was lost in her own thoughts. Lance walked a little closer and squatted down afraid to even extend a comforting hand. “Tia, what do you have there?” He was trying desperately not to frighten her, because he was not sure she knew he was there yet.



Letting out a breath he did not realize he was holding, Lance motioned for Tarik to come into the girl’s room. He pointed to Tia sitting on the floor. Walking back over to her, he squatted down again and said, “Tia, Tarik is here along with others, how about we go downstairs.” Lance looked at Tarik to see if he thought Tia could be helped up or whether they would frighten her. To him she did not look like she had come back to the present.

DARIK

Darik listened to Dr. Sinclair as he told him his thoughts. Reluctantly Darik had agreed to be Master Sinclair’s sounding board for his worries, problems, dreams and nightmares. He did not have any of the formal human training, but he had the ability through Legilimency to go deep into Master Sinclair’s psyche to dig out things he may not even want to admit himself, things which were having an effect on his subconscious.

There was also the matter of the plan Master Sinclair was trying to fathom out, to get The Number to stop going after everyone else. Darik had great misgivings about the idea, but he would rather be up on what Master Sinclair was planning then be told to go away and not told anything. He would not be able to offer protection if he was not involved.

Darik felt a slight motion in his pocket as he sat in the waiting room of Master Sinclair’s office, because he was with a human patient. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out the glowing orb. It was the signal to come immediately to the person holding the matching one. By the color of the orb it was Master Tarik’s and Mistress Sasha’s private home. Darik wrote a quick message in the air, telling Master Sinclair he was needed elsewhere and evaporated out, appearing in the living room of this blood-brothers house.

He found Master Tarik, Mistress Flo, Mistress Sasha and Master Brennan, deciding who was going to check where, because something had happened in the house. He was sent with Master Brennan to check the perimeter of the house.

They had just finished their rounds and re-entered the house when:



Tarik went to the top of the stairs and called Darik’s name, quietly and as even a tone of voice as he could use. “Darik, can you come upstairs please……alone please.”

When Darik arrived at the top of the stairs, Master Tarik said, “Tia has been frightened badly. Could you check her out please Brother?” Darik nodded and walked through the debris littering the floor. He found Master Lance kneeling down beside Mistress Tia, who was staring at some papers in her hands. He knew what had happened before he even started to examine her.



Darik did not want to go in any deeper. He was afraid Mistress Tia would know he was there and go deeper herself, making it more difficult to pull her out. Putting his hands down to his side he turned to Master Tarik, “She is at Level Two and I do not want to push her lower. Could you bring the young ones back upstairs please? If we can get her to the bench in the hall she will need to see they are alright.”

Tarik jumped slightly when Darik asked him a question. He had been concentrating on the room. There was a dark residual energy mixed with the energy the destruction around them was causing. Tarik nodded and headed out into the hall. He noticed the dark vibrations ended at the door to the sitting room. Slightly leaning over the banister he called to Sasha, “Sasha, could you send Marshall, Mika and Silvia back upstairs please.” When she came into view, shepparding the children towards the stairs he shook his head no, letting her know only the children were to come. He added a slight smile to add reassurance about the lack of danger.

He kept the smile on his face as the three children came up the stairs stopping when they were standing in front of him. Tarik bent down on one knee and looked into all their eyes. There was so fright there, worry maybe but mostly questions. “First, I want the three of you to know, you are in no danger. Tia has gone within herself,” he stopped and waited to see if there were any questions, with none he continued, “We are going to wait out her and let Lance and Darik bring her out. When she sees you are safe we are hoping it will help her relax. Ok?” Receiving three nods, he added, “I will let them know you are ready, and then I will be right back out to stand with you. Do not re-enter the room.” He was still worried about the darkness he was feeling.

Tarik walked back in the room and nodded to Darik then went back out to stand with the children. When he again stood near the children, he noticed all the adults had congregated at the bottom of the stairs where they could see and hear everything going on. Brennan was the only one not looking up; his wand was pointed out and he was watching the rest of the house.

(OOC: Darik, Lance, Marshall and Silvia are my characters. I had permission to use the other characters in writing this part of the thread.)

LANCE



Tia had gone deep. Lance held off trying to connect with her because he was worried she would “run” in her mind taking her deeper inside herself. Tarik had gone to get Darik and it seemed forever before he entered the room with Tarik a few steps behind him. Tarik seemed to feel nervous but Lance put it off as being upset something like this could happen in his home.



It surprised Lance when he could hear what Tia was thinking while Darik was connected to her. Raising one eyebrow he looked at Darik, who only returned his unspoken question with a slight smile.



Darik turned to Master Lance when Master Tarik had left the room. “Master Lance, you are going to have to be the one who gets her to the bench in the hall. I will monitor Mistress Tia, but I do not want to talk to her through thought. It must be verbal.”

Lance looked a little shocked, but nodded and asked, “What do I do?”

Darik smiled and said, “Move around to in front of where she is sitting and get back down to eye level with her. When Master Tarik returns to let us know the children are in the hall. I want you too calmly and quietly, try and convince her she can get up, without running and walk with you into the hall. You may mention the children, any of the adults and your plans but do not say anything about the destruction in the room. She will not even realize it looks like this.”

Lance moved to just in front of Tia, moved some to the clutter out of the way with his foot and knelt down in front of her. He carefully reached out and tried to remove the notes from her hands but her fingers held them fast.



When Tarik came back and nodded Lance took one last look at Darik who had again formed the halo over Tia’s head. Receiving a nod he started. “Tia, look at me. Tia it is Doctor Lance. I need to tell you something but I need you to be looking at me…..”

“We need to go out into the hallway. Marshall, Mika and Silvia are waiting for you there. They want to say hello. How about if you walk with me to the bench in the hall……”

Tia looked at Lance without seeing him.” Tia,” he tried again, realizing the fact her face was now turned toward him, “Come into the hall with me. We need to get ready to go to Doctor Sinclair’s office. He will be expecting us soon.”

While he was talking to Tia, Lance again tried to remove the notes from her hands with an even gentle tug. This time they came lose slowly. He handed them to Darik, who still standing behind Tia, had dropped one of his hands to his side and had the other near Tia’s back, but not touching it.

Darik read the notes and put them in his pocket until they could have a chance to discuss them:



TIA



Sasha nodded and then said, “Lance, at least one secret no longer has to be kept from her. I rather you tell her than them.”



Sasha asked worried, “Lance, what if...you don't think...they wouldn't...not with us all here?”



Sasha was frozen by the vision of what had destroyed the room. Before she ran out of the room, she said angrily to a darkness in the room, “I won't let you corrupted her as you did Daniel!”

She saw a picture of her twins in her head as a voice said, “Don't dare threaten me Seer! Now leave or Else!” The picture of the twin shattered. Sasha just prayed that Lance know what he was up against.



Tia was hearing her note in her head. The note didn't come from Shadow of that Tia was sure. “Guardian? I am no guardian.” She couldn't run or the sender would just target her cousins. There was only one spot that was safe. She had found it when she was two. Tia hardly went there anymore but she really needed his advice.



Tia was glad the cave was still in her mind. She sat and waited as she remembered her friend's words, Stay perfectly still and nobody but me will find you. They can never hurt you here. I won't let them.

The entity in the cave smiled as he said to Zia, “It worked, the princess has indeed done exactly what I expected. The fools never realized what was done by your son. The Seer might be a problem, Insure that she understands!”

Zia bowed and left the chamber. The girl had been programmed by her son hid in the cave went scared or frightened. The high priestess smiled at the thought of how old the princess was when her son had first introduced her to the cave that he had placed in her mind. The girl had just lost her mother. She had to agree laughing, “Toddlers were so trusting.”



Tarik shook his head as he said, “This is what I was afraid of. She has went inside of her mind.”



Tia wondered if her friend that protected her would show.

Remembering the danger to her cousins, Tia thought,I must not run, I must not run…..they will hurt the young ones if I do…..I will stay still and no one will find me…I must not run….” Tia felt somebody close and got worried.



Tia had remembered the path her friend had showed her so long ago. She got up and went down the left path to the unusual chamber. Nobody would find her here.

The voice was pleased that she remembered as he said, “Welcome Princess.”

Tia jumped as that was not the voice she remembered. She was about to run when he showed her why she had come in the first place.
“We are going to talk and you are going to stay perfectly still Princess. Remember your friend's words. You run and your enemies will hurt the young ones. I can protect you but only if you fully trust me.”

Tia sat down and remind perfectly still. She had to trust this being she could not see but only hear. She whispered, “Where is my friend and does he know about you?”



Tia was being shown things that this being could do. Her friend trust this voice. Tia saw her parents and how close they had been to this being. He had tried to protect them but they had listened to others and had strayed from each other.

The voice asked her to show him, her fears and hopes. Then the voice said something that got Tia even more scared, “Princess, they can never protect you. You will understand my true power soon. See the snake, you move from where I have you and it will strike your cousins. The Hidden Andreas escaped me once but let's see what happens now.”



Tia was very still as she realized that she was bait. If she ran, the snake would kill her cousins. If she didn't then William's grandmother was it's victim. The being laughed as he showed her what his followers had done to the old woman. As Tia screamed, the voice said, “She died when Veronica betrayed her oath. No, you will see who has lied to you! Then he will be powerless and you will come to me Guardian.”

Tia wanted to run away but she was not going to leave her cousins at this being's mercy. She thought, You lied about my parents. Why are you playing games with me?

Tia heard it say, Because you fear these head games, princess. Now that we are linked my sweet child...Well you will see what I have in store for you.



Tia was terrified as felt that this voice would forever be in her head. It had told her that if she refused to come when the woman or Jackson came for her, the price would be shown tonight. He had also told her that tonight he would show her true power. You will learn my sweet child or suffer. You remember what happens to bad little girls? If not maybe tonight I will have a surprise for you?

Tia went white as she remembered the deep pain from the iron bed that Darrell and his friends had tied her to. She had told Samantha what they had done. Each night after that Tia had found out Darrell showed her the true meaning of pain. She still had the mental scars from the tortures him and his friends did. He had especially liked when he forced her to run until her scar bleed. She had learned that it was better to not be a tattle-tale. Mir had been her only protector until she met Marcus at eight. Darrell hated Marcus but at least the bully learned to leave her alone.



Tia clinched her hands into fists and dared not open them. Watching the snake that was inches from her bound cousins, Tia dared not move. She pleaded with the voice saying, “Please let them go. They are children.”

All she heard back was laughing.



Tia heard the voice say, Don't move or it strikes. Tia dared not move.



Tia was stunned by what she barely heard. Her cousins were safe. The voice must have heard it too because it got angry as it pulled her closer to the dark area at the back of the cave. She felt the voice's words as it said, I said Don't Move! Now look at me!



Tia was terrified as she looked at her captor. She cried as she heard, If he wants you...he will find you. Until then, Don't Move! I want to show you something.

Tia screamed as she felt herself be magically tied to the ceiling of the cave. She was upside down and below was nothing. I would not move princess. Not unless you can fly without a broom. Tia knew it was laughing at her terror.

(OCC: Preplanned thread.)

LANCE



Lance was having misgivings about telling Tia about their relationship. They were cousins, knowledge he treasured, but when she knew he would be discovered by those who could get into her mind. He would become someone else she tried to protect.



Knowing what Sasha was insinuating, he said, “No Sasha she is here. I can feel it. The others would have known if she had totally disappeared and they would have said something.”




As Sasha ushered the children out of the room, headed for downstairs, Lance heard her comment. Who she was talking to he did not know but the fright and worry in her voice was unmistakable.

Eventually he found Tia sitting on the floor in the destroyed mess which was once a fairy-princess girl’s room.



He needed to get the notes out of her hands. Trying to see what they said, he could only pick out a few words on the one which was opened. “Greetings Princess …. future Guardian finds herself well …. wait for your arrival …… our relationship …… powers you never dreamed existed. ….. Join with me…..



Lance nodded. “Has she had the training to come out?” he asked Tarik.

Tarik shook his head no, adding, “She has never shown the ability. So I do not know for sure if she can figure it out.”



Lance had seen Tarik jump. Tarik had noticed something and whatever it was it was not good.



Even though Tia was not registering the fact they were in the room with her, her facial expressions were changing. Now there was pure fright on her face. Looking at Darik he thought he saw the Elf wince. “Darik, what do we do next? You have felt something, I know.”



Tia’s scream was unsettling and frightening. It contained fear from the bottom of her soul.



Before he could follow Darik’s instructions he noticed Tia’s face. Something in her mind at the level she was at was frightening her. He came to the realization she was not alone. Someone else had invaded her thoughts.



Lance did as instructed and nodded to Darik. Then he looked at the door and waited for Tarik to return. As he squatted down, he looked at Tia’s fists. They were squeezed tight. If it was not for the two pieces of paper she held her nails would be digging into her skin.



As he looked in her eyes, he noticed a bare flicker of recognition. As quickly as it showed it disappeared into the emptiness.



The flicker of recognition came back, stronger but still disappeared. Lance realized he could reach her mind, but she still did not move. If she was only at Level 2 she should be moving by now. He looked away from Tia for a moment and asked Darik, “What level has she gone too, I know it is lower than 2?”

Darik checked by taking a reading through his hands. “She is at level three and falling fast into level 4, Master Lance. I cannot stop the decent without letting the others know I am here.”

Lance had just received confirmation of his idea Tia was not alone. “Others” meant more than one. “How many others Darik?”

Darik checked again and answered, “Two, but I think one is leaving.”

Lance took a deep breath; he would have to be on his guard. He sat down on the floor and crossed his legs. He put his hands on Tia’s upper arms, squeezed slightly and drew them down her arms until they were on top of her hands. Then he closed his eyes.



Tia’s scream almost made Lance loose contact, but he was able to hold on. After taking another breath he dove in……

Level one, level two, and level three sped by quickly. He stopped at level four to see if he could find her.



Lance found himself in a cave. He was a good distance underground, he could tell by the layers of dirt and the type of rocks imbedded in the walls. The floor was relatively level and absent of large rocks. He was amazed the cave was lit up as much as it was. Someone defiantly wanted it easily traveled.

He said out loud so Darik would hear. “I am at Level four and in a cave. I would be willing to guess possible two or three levels underground. There is a path leading off to the right and one to the left.”

Listening for any sound which would give him an idea on which way Tia had gone he heard murmurs off to the left, so he started in that direction. Again out load he said, “I hear something off to the left. Heading that way now, but will have to go deeper I think.”

“…… “I want to show you something. ”



Lance turned and with a running start, dove to the left. With a quick stop at level five, he knew he was closer. He still held the hope she had not been taken past level 6. “Darik, heading down to Level 6.” he said out load.

At Level 6 he found himself standing outside another opening. The feeling of Tia and another presence being there was over whelming. Slowly he made his way through the opening and was stopped short by the vision of Tia hanging over a pit. There was a rather large snake coiled in one corner near the wall on the other side of the pit. He looked at Tia and tried to smile. She was terrified. Looking off to the right he saw a shield which seemed to have its own light emanating from it. Slowly he walked closer to the shield. When he reached it he looked back at Tia, who had been able to turn in his direction and smiled one more time. Taking his eyes from her and fastening them on the shield he waited………..

(OOC: Darik and Lance are my characters. I have permission from Barbie to say how Tarik reacted in this thread. Information concerning Mind-Diving can be found in Legacy Wiki, Magical Items….)

DARIK



Mistress Tia’s thoughts were clear. Darik knew in her mind if she moved then something dreadful was going to happen. Her mind was controlling her body so she sat statue still. He had the sense it was a snake which was a fear Mistress Tia had.



Darik was hoping seeing the young ones, would allow Mistress Tia to not be fooled that they were being hurt. If only they could get her out into the hall. He did not want to bring Master Marshall, Master Mika and Mistress Silvia back into the destruction for two reasons. One it would just remind them of what had happened before they could come to grips with the situation and two there was something menacing in the air around them.



As Darik’s connection with Mistress Tia became more stable, he felt something or someone else around her. He was having difficulty pinpointing it to one area of where she was in her mind. It was strong and very old. The thing said to him, “Hello, my little elf. It is good to see you again!” and then it laughed.

Darik knew if he answered the being the connection would become stronger so he had to stop thinking open thoughts; so he:



Lance was giving him a questionable look, but he received a nod along with it.



Darik winced. She was going back to when she was a very small child and being tortured by some bullies at the orphanage. At the time they had told the very small Mistress Tia they were playing but the pain they had inflicted had been real. All of the bullies had died in the explosion at the orphanage except for one and Darik had not been able to locate him. With all his heart he wished he could let her know, but he had to stay out of her mind’s eye for the time being.




Darik could visualize the threatening snake keeping Mistress Tia from moving. It was five times larger than any snake which lived around the area. She even started to take on the posture of a smaller child. Her shoulders were hunched and her hands were holding her knees. She was also shaking. She was a frightened little rabbit.



Darik knew by watching Master Lance’s eyes he had seen a change in Mistress Tia. She was definitely hearing him. Master Lance’s strength at mind-diving was growing. It made the little elf give a quick smile.... “Master Lance was growing into the powerful Wizard he was born to be.” he thought to himself.



Darik did not want to tell Master Lance about the strength the entity had which was with Tia in her mind’s eye. He was not sure how nervous he would get, and now he would need all his concentration to stay sane. Darik would jump in if possible but he was not sure he would even have the strength to fight the unknown being.



Somehow Tia had found the being. By this time Darik knew it was not a corporeal being but some type of energy. In a way it had form as it had edges, but it had no central core, he could discern.

All Darik could do was listen and try and learn more about the being. Something about it was trying to drag memories from the past, but so far nothing definite.



“She has been here before, but somehow the being is presenting a different person to her.” Darik thought to himself. He was fighting the idea that there was more than one of these energy pockets.



Darik was fighting to stay in control. Although some of the scenes were depicted correctly, small changes had been made to make it seem like this being was benevolent. Maybe he had started out like that, but not at the present time. He was pure Dark Magic.



It replied to the things she showed it, “Very good my little Guardian. When you join me all your hopes will be realized, at least the ones I can help you control. If your playmate, Landon wishes to join us you may even have him as your servant or pet….whatever your desire is. I am afraid I will not be able to allow all of your friends to remain….some are past being able to enjoy the powers I will show you.”

“As for your fears,” the voice continued, “Here are some of those now.” The Number started to add substance to Mistress Tia’s fears and enjoyed every minute of seeing his pet, cringe and try to stay very still. Darik could feel how fantastic he thought it was to see some of the control she was exhibiting. The being thought it would be marvelous to harness her abilities.



Darik knew who the being was talking about. Luckily Master Lance was a Wizard full grown and did not scare easily. He would need all of his abilities to fight to free Tia.



Darik had been right in one thing. The being was making Mistress Tia think Master Marshall, Master Mika and Mistress Silvia were tied up in the same cavern she was in and being threatened by the snake also. If Mistress Tia could pick up on the fact the fear he was using was the mind games, she might be able to turn things around. Darik knew she was not strong enough to fight the being by herself and win, but she should be able to block a little of his threat. Without thinking a thought he sent what energy he could through their connection. Hopefully enough for her to realize the children were not there.



Darik was startled when he heard Jackson’s name…it could only be Jackson Russo the Headboy at Hogwarts. It would be one person he would be having a talk with that was if he could beat Master Tarik to it once he told him how his name was brought up by the being.

The picture of the iron bed which had been used on Mistress Tia, again jumped into her mind. The ominous promise something would happen tonight was also a large problem.



The being was purposely drawing Master Lance to him. It was a trap which with combined skills, Darik hoped would be able to be broken.



Darik heard Master Lance say he had arrived at level four and he listened to his verbal description of what he found. “There are signs they have been here. Pieces of memories are floating in the air. The green tinge of fright has created patches on the walls. The floor appears to be littered with broken shards of dreams. By the energy emitting from the green patches, it has not been long since they left.” Darik listened and visualized what was found.

In order for the being to make such a finite impression on the very young Mistress Tia, it would have had to take her to an actual place which resembled what he was now showing her mind’s eye. Scotland, Ireland and even England had many caves. They could also have gone anywhere in the world, but Darik did not think so. Each place on the planet had its own energy signature, which was why humans felt more comfortable in places they knew and had been happy in. For a small child to feel comfortable enough to be in a dark cave, the signature would have had to be familiar to her. That narrowed the area down.



Darik had to keep from touching Mistress Tia to be able to keep the distance between him and the entity, but he interlocked his fingers in the hallo and put his forehead onto his thumbs. The sixth level was where two people could physically feel what the other was feeling. The entity would be able to use Mistress Tia’s fright against Master Lance and vice versa. This gave Darik an idea. Concentrating on Master Lance he said out loud, “Tell her to use Ridikulus on the snake.” Darik had the hope if he could give Mistress Tia a small amount of control, she may be able to gather more in. She would have to use it because if Master Lance did it would only turn into something ridiculous to him not to Mistress Tia.



Darik watched through Tia’s eyes. He keyed in on the shield. He had seen it before. Possibly in a picture but he thought it had been in person. For some reason he remembered being very close to it at another time ….. When Master Lance and Mistress Tia were back then he would seriously think on it.



Now they all waited to see what would happen next. Darik knew Master Lance wanted to just cut Mistress Tia down, but he was also smart enough to know she was being used as bait. If whoever was using her thought she was not useful anymore he may make her think she had fallen into the pit, which could be just as real to her as if it really happened.

(OOC: Darik and Lance are my characters. I have permission from Barbie to say how Tarik reacted in this thread. Information concerning Mind-Diving can be found in Legacy Wiki, Magical Items….)