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Post by Alessandro Darko on Oct 9, 2007 23:37:23 GMT -5
He didn't realize how hard he was gripping the book, his fingernails were digging into the leather binding. His eyes were wide and still transfixed onto the book. Everything around him seemed to be muted. He was aware of D'rorah's presence as she swept up to him urging him not to open the book.
With a clenched jaw, he turned his darkened eyes to her. "D'rorah....I think it shall remain with me...." He said eerily as he could feel it pulsating in his hands. He took in some air rather quickly as he felt shortness of breath.
"I hope you didn't clammor through my house making noise, as I would have severe trouble explaining to my mother as to why we are here..." He said in a slow, and chilling tone, still planted to the same spot she had found him in.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Oct 9, 2007 23:48:04 GMT -5
"I moved as quietly as I was able," she replied, still carefully inching her way toward Alessandro. "If you hold the book, can I trust you not to open it? Alessandro," she reached out and bravely put a hand on his shoulder, finding his eyes with her own. "Alessandro," she repeated his name, "I do not want your book... I only want your word that you will not open it until after we have seen the others... they can assist us with fighting the book's hold on you."
She pushed into his mind once again, wishing to strengthen the barriers holding the darkness back, but found herself roughly pushed back. Bringing her hand to her forehead, she stumbled a bit, momentarily put off-center by the shock. Not sparing any further thoughts for care or propriety, she took hold of his shoulder and apparated as quickly as possible, taking them back to the entrance to the Hogwart's grounds.
She once again sent out the call to the others, bidding them to meet them in the Room of Requirement. Time was of the essence as she searched for a way to get them back to the castle quickly.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Oct 10, 2007 0:09:42 GMT -5
Without warning, she grabbed him by the shoulders and disapparated back to the entrance grounds to Hogwarts. Still not used to this new means of travel, Alessandro toppled to the ground upon apparition, gasping for air.
He quickly regained himself and snatched up the book, his eyes darting to D'rorah like some wild animal. Come to the forest, Alessandro...she's trying to hurt you... said the dark voice. He let out a small gasp as he felt some sort of magnetic pull toward the forest.
"Dee..." he gasped as he began to feel cold, having all the light fleeing from his essence, his eyes looked like chunks of glinting black ice. His breathing began to quicken as if he wasn't getting enough oxygen. "I can't let go of the book...." He finally managed to say as he started to force himself to walk towards the school with whatever ounce of willpower he had left.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Oct 10, 2007 0:19:06 GMT -5
"Alessandro, I would never hurt you," she replied, her voice a mixture of caring and urgency. She could feel the monumental effort he was making just to hold himself together. His strength of will was amazing, she had never seen anyone hold out against such terrible onslaught. "I believe you can hold on just a bit longer," she replied quietly as she took his arm and began dragging him toward the castle, willing them both to move faster. It would have been faster to fly back, but she wasn't sure he would be able to handle the mental strain of the transfiguration. It seemed as though the grounds stretched out forever, an endless see of grass. Cursing the distance, she continued to urge them both faster and faster, resolute that his fighting and suffering would not be for naught.
Finally, the castle seemed to be within a manageable distance and she pulled them both along, through the main entrance, up the stairs, down the sixth corridor. As they made the requisite three passes before the entrance to the Room of Requirements, she knew she had to get Alessandro into his own Elemental chamber... being surrounded by the power of his element was bound to give him more strength--which would be helpful in aiding his resistance to the book, but would likely mean her death if he was not able to resist.
She flung open the door, hoping to find some of the other Elemental Masters and Shadow Warriors there to meet them.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Oct 10, 2007 0:42:18 GMT -5
He was drifting in and out as D'rorah dragged him along the endless grounds toward Hogwarts. He was doing all he could to hold himself together. Everything was seeming to go further and further away from him, as if somehow, he was being pushed back inside himself. A numbing sensation began to make itself felt up and down his arms and legs as the book was furiously struggling to win over D'rorah's efforts to get Alessandro to safety.
Soon he found himself at the room of requirement. Wasn't he just in the foyer just a second ago? He felt like he was dying, the darkness inside was killing him, eradicating his life for a new one to take over. He was slipping fast and hopefully Dee could fix it like she did when he first was assaulted by darkness in their common room.
His breathing was frightening, it sounded as he had been completely submerged in the lake in the dead of winter. Unable to maintin anylonger, he let go. ...Get the book... He was able to transmit one last conscious thought before he faded to black.
Alessandro blinked and slowly looked around him. He began to eye D'rorah with malice as he slowly reached for his wand.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Oct 10, 2007 11:44:38 GMT -5
D'rorah heard one last thought before Darko faded permanently to black. She backed up a bit as he brandished his wand, her hand swiftly moving to extract hers from her pocket. "Alessandro..." she said his name quietly, looking for any recognition in his eyes. She assessed the situation quickly, finally settling on the chant she had used the nigh in the Fifth Floor Corridor. She cursed herself internally for allowing him to avoid her after that night... obviously things had been drastically wrong even then. Her own delay had allowed this to happen because she had been worried that pursuing him too strongly would simply push him away, eliminating any possibility that she might have of helping him.
She looked for an opening. She knew she had to take the book from him, at any cost. As she raised her voice in a chant, she hoped the others would arrive soon she would be able to do little to dissipate the accumulated darkness on her own. Watching the malicious gleam in his eyes, she knew that he would attack at any moment. She was prepared to defend herself from physical attack, but hoped fervently that the darkness within him would not have increased his physical strength. As she chanted, she slowly moved closer, hoping she could come close enough to remove the book from his iron grip.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Oct 10, 2007 12:10:22 GMT -5
He looked her in the eyes and snarled at her. "You think that you can cast me away this time, Shadow Warrior?" He said with a horrible tone to his voice that sounded like it was being chopped up in a blender.
He watched as she began to move closer to him as he eyed her. He took a step forward as to say: Well go on, i'm right here. "This is what you want? Are you sure you wish to hold it in your grasp? I'm sure Alessandro would be quite displeased with you taking his book..." He cackled. "Why don't you be a good little girl and just come with us?" he growled.
He began to move in the direction of a circle as she continued her chants. "I know a chant too, girl, Expugno lumen nillus lux..." He laughed maniacally as the room grew dim. Feeling his efforts to break her were becoming futile, he went to a darker place.
"Remember that one fateful night, D'rorah Philosophy? You were so surprised to see your father burst in through your front door, even moreso when he put you in a full body bind...." His voice thickened and his words rolled off of his tongue with a malice that could cut through steel. He eyed her for her reaction before he moved on.
"How did it feel, little girl? Hearing his desperate words to be silent in fear of your life being snatched away like theirs? How did it feel as you were forced to watch your parents shredded like paper dolls? Hmm? Do you still hear their screams at night?" He let out a laugh similar to the sound of rolling thunder.
He thrust his wand at her as he angrily began to speak. "You were tainted by shadows, you FAILED to succumb to the darkness that so eagerly awaited for you. So we prey upon this innocent Alessandro instead, he is in pain and suffering for YOU." he snarled. "So make this easier on yourself, D'rorah....." Said the evil making its home within the shell Alessandro provided.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Oct 10, 2007 19:57:01 GMT -5
D'rorah fought to ignore the dark beings hateful words. Nonetheless, they struck a chord deep within her. How much easier it would have been to separate her emotions as she faced it; but with Mordred gone, such an action would only pull her into darkness and lead to her own corruption. She wondered where the others were, why hadn't they responded to her summons? Even as large as Hogwart's was, there was no reason they wouldn't have arrived yet.
As a thought occurred to her, she reached forward and plucked the wand from Alessandro's grasp. Her voice was slightly strained with the emotion she held back as she ceased her chant to speak. "Creatures of the Shadow Realm cannot wield wand magic," she remarked, her own words hateful. I would offer to trade my life for his, but I do not believe you would uphold your end of the bargain if I were to make the deal."
She mirrored his motions, beginning to circle slowly, warily. "I did not fail to succumb to darkness, I succeeded in resisting. Alessandro chose his own battle in this." She smirked. "Really, if you were smart, you would have chosen me... I know far, far more than he does. I suppose the problem with darkness is that it makes the it difficult to see the obvious. You have chosen the weakest Elemental Master of the group... one who is afraid of his own powers." Her tone was mocking, challenging. "Really, your attempt is laughable. You may as well have chosen a normal student, perhaps even a first year," she added with a derisive laugh.
She paused and tilted her head. "Or does your mistress honestly think she can secure victory for herself by continually stripping away our weakest links?" Seeing an opening, she lunged for the book, making an attempt to wrest it from Alessandro's grasp.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Oct 11, 2007 0:00:16 GMT -5
ooc: lol gee, thanks Dee....
The dark creature howled as Dee stole his wand away from his grasp. How stupid of him to think that she would be fooled that he could perform wand magic. None the less, he still had the book. He smiled as she knew that he of course would not hold up his end of the bargain if she were to offer up her life in exchange for his. How unfortunate for the barrier to break right as he became enclosed in a magical room with no outlet. He had been struggling to break free when they had apparated in the field, but Alessandro's desire to hold on was surprisingly strong in his last moments of struggle.
As they circled, D'rorah began to chastise the creature for choosing a weaker link in the Elemental forces, however, that is how the forces of evil gain leverage against the side of good. Destroy the weaker links of the chain, divide and conquer. A tear began to make its way down the side of Alessandro's left cheek. "Ah, but I believe we now have two of your party, if not more within these walls....strength must now lie within few, not the numbered...." He hissed.
All of a sudden she lurched forward, both hands having a firm grip on the book he had now held in one hand, a vice grip upon it still. She wrestled him to the ground as he fervently tried to wrestle it away from her.
"NO!" he cried out demonically as she yanked it her way, with his hands wrapped fiercely around the bindings. He pulled back hard drawing all the strength Alessandro's body could muster. He began his own chant for darkness, knowing that it would strip all light from the room, as it was meant to do.
"Expugno....lumen nillus....lux..." He began to intone as he struggled with her on the floor.
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Post by Wysteria Edwin on Oct 11, 2007 22:12:41 GMT -5
Wysteria heard Drorah's call ringing loudly in her head as she sat reading in the Hufflepuff common room. She was fairly certain that Alessandro was not quite rid of all his "demons" which had plagued his thoughts the past few days. Wyst set down her book on the table and headed off to the Room of Requirement, walking past the blank wall three times before the large wooden door emerged and she burst in.
She came upon Drorah and Alessandro struggling on the floor. They were so close together she couldn't put a shield between them, and any hex she threw might hit them both...she knew Alessandro was not in his right mind.
Alessandro... she called into his mind and as she grabbed hold of him in an attempt to pry him away from Drorah and the book. I know you're in there. Fight it, come back for just a moment and let go of the book. Let go...let go....
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Oct 11, 2007 22:37:20 GMT -5
Wysteria had jumped into the battle for the book as she began to attempt to wrestle Alessandro away from D'rorah and the book. He snarled as she transmitted thoughts into Alessandro's mind. It was one or the other, he was being subdued and knew he couldn't get away with the book. He cursed his timing and let go of the book with a thrust to back D'rorah off of him while at the same time, flailing wildly knocking Wysteria off as well.
"Alessandro isn't with us anymore, precious Wystie..." said the creature with a low growl. He eyed the door and quickly dashed for it. Suddenly the door shimmered out of sight and was replaced with more wall. The creature slammed into the wall, not expecting the room to shift on him. He was trapped.
He whipped around facing the two lightfighters. "Let me out, let me out or else!" He howled.
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Post by Dylan Cooper on Oct 11, 2007 23:41:10 GMT -5
Working on his Arabic translations in the library, he heard D'rorah speak urgently in his mind. Collecting his things together quickly, he exited the stuffy room and made his way up to the fourth floor successfully. Walking along the fastest route possible, he turned a corner to find a large patch of quicksand taking up the entire width of the corridor. Swearing, he wondered who on earth had put it there. Debating over a way to get across briefly, he remembered the call he'd received and doubled back. Dumping his satchel outside the Ravenclaw House entrance along the way, he continued through the corridors. Taking the longer, but significantly safer, route, he soon reached the stairway leading to the fifth floor and continued his ascension through the castle.
Finally reaching the desired corridor, he strode past the correct patch of wall thrice and quietly entered the room. Assessing the situation quickly, he found that he didn't have any idea what was going on. Seeing D'rorah and Wysteria facing Alessandro, he was immensly confused. Grabbing the wand from within his sleeve quickly, he stood still, unsure as to what to do.
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Post by D'rorah Philosophy on Oct 12, 2007 8:33:16 GMT -5
D'rorah shifted her eyes to Wysteria and began a chant, quickly raising her volume, nodding for Wyst to join when she had learned the chant adequately. She looked Dylan as well. Light, as much as you can manage, she thought, waiting for Wysteria's voice to join her own in the chant. They needed the other Shadow Warriors. She could only hope Susan would join them, unsure if Keaira had left yet for China. She had been so absorbed in recovering the book from Alessandro that she had paid attention to very little else in the past few days.
(ooc: sorry for the short post, I'm pressed for time and won't be home from work until late, so I'll see you all soon!)
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Post by doppelganger on Oct 12, 2007 10:59:27 GMT -5
Dien heard D'rorah's voice urgently in his mind. He dropped what he was doing and ran up the four levels of staircases to the sixth floor, where he opened the door of the Room of Requirement just as it was sealing from another entrance. He came in, and saw Darko attacking D'rorah on the floor. He didn't know what was going on, but he heard a thought about light. He took a hearty breath, and waved his wand. A long, silvery-white string came out, and began to form a huge shape. The shape eventually formed into a dragon- specifically, an Ukrainian Ironbelly. The lumbering beast bent its head down to Darko, and stared, white smoke coming out of its nostrils and mouth. As Dien spoke, it moved its mouth with him. "Stop," it croaked.
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Post by Alessandro Darko on Oct 12, 2007 11:43:13 GMT -5
The creatures eyes widened at the arrival of two new figures in the room, Dylan Cooper, and Professor Dien Serlaen. Cooper looked confused as he had no inclination of what was happening, and Dien quickly produced his patronus into the form of a Ukrainian Ironbelly Dragon.
He was trapped like a rat. There was nothing he could do to gain leverage in this situation. He knew that more would soon show up and he had to act fast. He quickly shrank back as far as he could go as the patronus reared in front of him, its light dancing in his black eyes.
"Get it away!" The creature howled as it dashed forward towards Dylan. He let all the darkness fade from his appearance, allowing Alessandro's gray-green eyes to retain their normal hue. He grabbed onto the sleeve of his robes and began to beg.
"Dylan, please!" He cried. His voice was now solely Alessandro's, and not the demonic choral of shadows that it had just been. He warily eyed the rest of the room. "They're all crazy, Dylan, they're touched by Darkness and they mean to inflict it upon us as well!" He ranted like a crazed lunatic.
"Quickly, please, get us out of here!" He begged, eyes pleading.
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