A Kingsnake and a Rattler ((Keaira and Zane))

[Zane Lucifer Bishop]

Waiting. Zee was not a fan of waiting, and yet he was patient enough to do so without complaint. He sat in the Slytherin common room, another thing he was not a fan of doing. The dankness of the dungeons did not suit him and again he briefly wished he had been in Ravenclaw instead. It would make the trip from the common room to the Astronomy tower much quicker if nothing else. Still, he figured this to be a good place for him to meet with his fellow prefect since it was away from the ears of any of the others. He simply planned on discussing things concerning their house, but truly he wanted to learn more about the girl behind the Prefect Badge.

She was a most unusual specimen from what he had determined the night they'd met. And of course she was involved in this shadow business that he still knew little about. D'rorah was involved for sure, but given the situation with Dylan Zee felt she was likely distracted and he also wasn't sure it would be wise to spend extra time with her. Wysteria he didn't wish to drive away by attempting to get sensitive information out of her, and he usually had his mind on other things when he was with her. Alessandro was another he could talk to, but hadn't found a good moment yet. With them both in the same house and now both Prefects, it was far simpler to create the right moment with Keaira.

Reclining languidly in an overstuffed chair, Zee yawned and folded his arms, fighting off the mild weariness that was beginning to come over him. He hoped Ms. O'Connell would make an appearance soon.

[Keaira O'Connell]

((Well you left it open for me to decide the setting. So here we go.))

Saturdays. Keaira loved them. No classes, no homework, no worries, well almost no worries. Keaira knew that each day she lived was a day that brought her closer to the impending conflict with the shadow mage. Each day could mean that some one she cared about, or had grown friends with could die. Much like the way Dylan had been tortured. Some one was looking for information, and knew who to target.

Saturdays should be carefree, a time to rest for your average 16 year old. But not for Keaira. There was training to do, books to study. And plenty of other tasks she needed to attend to. Well, that she should attend to, but for now she planned a break. Studying was plenty hard enough and training would take place later. This afternoon required a bit of an excursion to the grounds to let some steam go off. Her backpack sufficiently packed with things to do, including her devil sticks, tin whistle, Latin book, and a few other choice items that she intended to take advantage of.

After she checked to ensure she had her potions kit, and wand were easily accessible, she closed her bag, and locked it. The enchantments that were in place on the bag left it looking practically empty even though it held so much, a neat trick to keep wandering eyes at bay. With that her journey to the outdoors was started. With a fluid motion she donned her cloak, and a pair of cotton stretch gloves with a build in rubber grip, and finally her bag. With everything ready she took the first steps that she needed to head towards her courtyard. Her steps fell quietly as she made her way down the hall towards the common room. Her plan was set in motion and hopefully she wouldn’t decide it was too cold to continue once she stepped outside.

[Zane Lucifer Bishop]

((Heh heh, my bad. I forgot this thread won't show up in the most recent posts section unless I sign into the common room. It's bookmarked now. Sorry.))

There she is. Where could she be headed? Perhaps we . . . I should join her. Nice gloves.

Zee pushed himself up and out of his cozy chair and took a step toward the other Slytherin Prefect. His mouth opened as he thought to call out to her, but he closed it again without uttering her name and instead took several more steps toward her. From her garb it was apparent she was heading outside and while that may forfeit some of the privacy the common room allowed, it could also provide more depending on where she lead them. Coming up to her, Zee smiled warmly and touched his temple with two fingers in a nonchalant salute of greeting.

"Good morning Keaira. I'm not sure if you've heard, but our illustrious headmistress has seen fit to appoint a second Slytherin Prefect and for whatever reason has bestowed the honor upon yours truly."

Zee gestured to the gleaming silver badge with the green serpentine "S" pinned to the left breast of his well tailored button up and grinned proudly.

"Since we now share the duties, I thought it would be a good idea to touch bases as it were. I see you are on some sort of mission, no doubt quite secretive, yet I was hoping perhaps I could tag along and we could talk. If, that is, my presence would not be grievously inconvenient for you."

Taking a step to the side so as to remove himself from her path, Zee held out his hand toward the common room exit that would eventually lead to the rest of the castle and the grounds outside, inviting Keaira to lead the way to where ever it was she was headed.

[Keaira O'Connell]

((Sorry i've been a bit busy with the new house and all))

So much weighed on Keaira, things around her seemed different. It was as if the paeple in the world around her were changing. Not just your every day growing up and maturing to the world around them but changing for real. The more she thought on it the more she realized she needed a day off. She needed to get out and about, if only to just try and enjoy a day alone.

As she headed towards the door a movement to her left took her attention. Her body momentarily tensed as she felt the eyesof another person on her. She had learned not to trust her fellow Slytherins a while ago. Most noteably when dealing with those who hadn't earned her trust. As she glanced in the direction she was being approached by she relaxed a little and turned to face Zane. Her eyes drifted over his robes to the gleaming badge that she knew matched her own.

A new prefect. This didn't bode well. As it was she didn't trust the headmistress, so to find that she had appointed another must mean that the headmistress was looking for a set of eyes and ears that could beat her own. She couldn't help but to think that the way that he implied that she was sneaking about on a secret mission was a way to find out if she had one. With her thoughts occupied on analysing his comments she let a smile drift to her features.It was after all beneficiaal to act the part of the nice girl sometimes. Particualrly when you couldn't be sure if you could trust the person.

"Well I'm not on a mission of any sorts. just out to attempt to enjoy the day. you're welcome to join me Although I can not gaurentee that you'll have that much fun. But I am sure you couldd use a little bit of guidence as to what i normally do. But you may wish to grab a heavier cloak, it is a bit chilly outside."

Keaira adjusted her book bag a little higher on her shoulder, and apparoached the door to the dungeon hallway. She would wait for him if he wished to get a cloak, and then it would be out in to the hallways and then outside. Maybe a chance to really talk to him could do her some good, then again maybe not.

[Zane Lucifer Bishop]

"Probably a good idea. Thank you for your concern. A moment and I'll be ready. Accio cloak. Accio gloves."

Pulling his wand from its place in the underside of his many wristbands, Zee flourished it toward his dorm and a moment later a heavy black cloak and similarly hued soft leather gloves flew to his waiting hand. Replacing his wand and unpinning his Prefect badge, he swung the cloak over his shoulders and affixed the badge over the center of his chest, clasping the cloak in place. Grinning broadly as he slipped on his gloves and strode over to the exit to join Keaira, he pushed open the portal and held it open for her to exit. Following her through, they traversed the bleak passages of the dungeons until they reached the stairs up to the ground floor.

"I suppose I cannot fault you for wanting a day of rest and enjoyment. I feel I still owe you for your timely arrival in the forest, and now I owe you again for showing me the ropes of this whole Prefect deal. I'm racking up quite a debt."

As they wandered through the entrance hall and out the front doors, Zee caught site of the tops of some of the trees of the forest and considered what the headmistress had mentioned concerning shadow-warriors. She did seem to fit the bill, but Zee wouldn't make any assumptions. They passed through the courtyard and toward the lake, neither really leading.

"So what are your main duties? I understand we get to stay up later to make sure the other students are in bed, but I'm not sure what else is part of the responsibilities."

[Keaira O'Connell]

(( I really should have just made this two posts, and broken it up in the middle, but once I started it I couldn't stop. I'm sorry its so long, but enjoy. Aside from GMing the Mage and Dien, I also minutely stated that you were looking at me, but if that a problem let me know.))

Keaira's mind wandered a little as they traversed the stairs headed to the ground floor. There was still so much to think about so many things that needed to be done. Teaching the others how to channel the chants, passing on her sword and bow skills that she had acquired. It just seemed that her lists of tasks grew more daunting each day. Her mind always debated which tasks were more important to her future, school, or the light-fighters, a decision that she still had no clue on.

As Zane spoke again she considered his mention of the night at the forest. Yes being a light-fighter definitely had its lifesaving qualities, and then there was the small fact that if she didn't survive this war she would have no need for any of the skills she learned at school. As quickly as the thought passed through her mind she thought of Mongel and the way the shadow mage killed him with out mercy and with out a second thought. Surely that could have been any one. Wysteria, D'roraah.... Alessandro, all their lives were in danger each day, including her own. With that she made a silent resolution to train a bit more, and give the group more of a fighting chance. She didn't wish for more people to die, and if her knowledge would better arm them, then she would train.

"Well with classwork, and Prefect duties, as well as the drama of a girls life I find I get fewer and fewer moments to my self these days. I'm just glad to finally have one. No classes, no homework, and well, Alessandro isn't here to distract me, so I guess I have the day mostly off."

As she mentioned Alessandro she fell silent momentarily. It pained her a little to know that his parents had pulled him out of school so suddenly. They didn't even get to say good bye. His face swam in her mind,bringing forth memories of not long ago. Times when they played jokes on each other, teasing and kidding as if there was nothing dark and sinister around them. It seemed a little unfair to think that kids were part of a war that they barely understood. If only it was adults that were given the power to fight, and not kids.

Approaching the lake Zane spoke again breaking the silence of her thoughts. Realizing she was being really quiet Keaira wondered if it had occurred to Zane that this was a bit abnormal. She looked ahead and saw the tree where she had turned Alessandro in to a mouse, and remembered what D'rorah had done.

"Well prefect duties are relatively easy. each night we patrol the hallways for the first hour after curfew making sure that all the other students have gone to bed, or at least the common room. If any one is out in the halls after hours we catch them, and either dock them points or give them detentions. I find that depending on how late it is and where the students are will generally dictate the decision on the punishment. Our main responsibilities are the dungeon, ground, first, and second floors. Everything above that will belong to either Gryffindor, or Ravenclaw. We share this area with the Hufflepuffs, so we will see Wysteria from time to time, during patrols. Aside from patrols we are in charge of keeping the younger students in check. Making sure rules aren't broken, for instance, Transfiguration on students is forbidden, no one is allowed outside after hours, we can confiscate forbidden objects, like love potions, or cursed items. Just last week I caught some third year student about to use a hair brush that was designed to make the users hair fall out. Its a brush sold at Zonkos, and I promptly found the student that have given it to the girl and gave her detention. Some of these items are a bit harder to spot but you'll learn. Lets see thats the basics, Also we are in charge of leading the first years around the first few weeks of school, but thats done, and in time of emergency the headmistress or teachers may call on us to help keep order. But that rarely happens. So our jobs pretty skate most of the time."

Keaira had been talking slowly, as they meandered around the lake, it had taken a moment for her to go through all of the things that she knew they would do, and even then she had the feeling she was forgetting something. However, she knew that this would get him started and cover the basics. When she had finished she waited for him to begin the questions that she knew would come. After all she had a few herself the first time she had been told what to do. As she waited she gazed about realizing they were almost at the far side of the lake, closest to the gates. The wind blew a slight chill across her spine, as she felt a cold that cut right through her heavy cloak. The sun hid behind a cloud and cast a shadow over them as they stood by the lake.There was almost no one there as it was not a Hogsmede weekend, and the weather tended to deter the casual walker from going this far from the castle.

As she glanced toward the gates her mind slipped away, she wondered where Dien was. It seemed like weeks since they had last seen each other the night of her return to the castle, and several days had past since they last had mental contact. The air around her sent a shiver up her spine, as she felt her breath float out of her mouth and form a cold fog. Her thoughts were focused on Dien, so much to the point that she felt the tug of their mental connection once more, something that had not happened in some time. Her vision blurred momentarily, as she felt the pull toward Dien, so strongly that the Hogwarts gates faded and blurred in to a sinister looking tower, the stone crafting made the place look as if it would swallow your soul and never feel regret. She had seen that tower before, only once had her mind been pulled toward the place, and she had hoped that a return trip had not been in her future. She was wrong.

The air around her was cold, so cold that each breath she drew felt like an icy sword sliced through her lungs. There was no warmth, or caring in this place, everything was swallowed by the darkness. As she looked upon the tower she heard a scream pierce her mind, a voice she knew cried out, perhaps the last sound that would ever be heard from the lips of Teresa Serlaen.

'Dien.' Keaira knew why she was here. She felt the way Dien had pull to her, and she followed the mental line he had cast trying to locate him. She mentally floated through the tower, headed for the mind that was Dien. It seemed like forever moving through the cold dark shadows that surrounded his mind, but she had found him. The sadness that enveloped him was so thick that Keaira could not get close enough to his mind to bring him back. As she gazed about the room he was in she saw what caused his mind to call out. Teresa was laying on a stone alter, her blood dripping off the ledgeand pooling to the ground. Several wounds covered her body, a wicked dagger protruded from her chest. The Mage had tortured her, and then killed Teresa in front of Dien.

Keaira pulled her minds eye away from the sight of the carved women, and faced her elemental master. "DIEN, DIEN,"she called out to him mentally but there was no way of reaching him through his grief fogged mind. The man she had learned to trust her memories and emotions to was chained to a wall, wounds from a fight he had lost were all over his body. Blood poured from his body, a body that Keaira knew was no longer that of a ghost. He looked beaten, mentally, and physically. His head hung low as tears poured from his eyes. 'Dien...' the gasp escaped Keaira's lips as she heard the icy chill of an evil laughter behind her.

"Well done my wraiths, I knew he wouldn't last forever. He called for her and now she has joined us as well. Kill him, and catch her!" The cruel voice of the shadow Mage echoed in her thoughts. Keaira spun around and backed away as she saw two wraiths descend upon her, and two fall toward Dien. She faced them and began to spew forth the chants that she had spent so many hours learning, to help shield herself from the shadows. As she spoke the words she felt a hot stream of tears fall down her face. This could be the end. There was a small cry that escaped her lips as she felt the cold slash of the wraiths scythes. Her arm was opened, and a red line of blood had appeared. Her eyes darted to Dien as she saw the wraiths upon him, and with one fell slice she saw the sickening splatter of his blood fall from the scythe wound across his chest. "NOOO DIEN!!" Keaira cried in the middle of the chant as she felt the mental connection that held her to the realm be severed. Dien's mind was gone, and Keaira felt the pull of the material world call her back.

Her eyes opened, as she glanced around, the sky was a bluish gray, and the face of Zane hovered above her. Keaira realized she was on the ground, and sat up using her right arm to push her weight off the ground. As she went to push up though she cried out in pain, as she felt her blood sliding down her arm. Switching to her other side she sat up and threw off the cloak that had kept her warm, and pulled at her sleeve with a force good enough to rip the fabric that was already stained with red. As she removed the cloth she saw the cut. Gagged, and deep, it started near the back top of her shoulder, and curved down and around her thin arm nearly to her elbow. It bleed horribly as she attempted to close the wound. Her bag, lay on the ground a foot away, and she needed it. "Zee, please, get my book bag, and bring it to me." As she waited for the slew of questions, that she knew was about to come she only hoped that he would listen and react.

((For the record, anything I said there, you heard, the whole thing lasted about a minuet and a half, and I fell shortly after my vision blurred.))

[Zane Lucifer Bishop]

Zee listened attentively to Keaira's explanation of their duties. Other than a missed step that almost had him stumbling into the lake when she mentioned Wysteria, it was a fairly uneventful stroll. He was glad that she had suggested he get his cloak as the wind was blowing harder and colder than he'd expected. The dark fabric whipped about him as they approached the gates. He hadn't worn the cloak since the day he'd received his wand from D'rorah in Ollivander's. That seemed a long time ago to him now, when in truth it had only been a couple months.

His mind was filled with thoughts of his experience with D'rorah in the Ravenclaw common room after their last Defense Against the Dark Arts class and with Caira in her office a little after that. Much had been revealed to him in those two encounters, not least of which was Keaira's status as a Shadow Warrior. True, D'rorah had never confirmed it, but given what Zee had witnessed of Keaira's Shadow slaying in the Forbidden Forest, it was apparent. The headmistress had likely come to the same conclusion and Zee was a little anxious about what that could mean for his fellow Prefect. Even if he was wrong, as he wasn't absolutely convinced, he doubted Caira held the same doubt.

In all probability she had saved his life that night in the forest, and he had repayed her by revealing her to an agent of the Shadow Mage. He hadn't known it at the time, but he'd suspected. Now he wasn't sure what would happen to her and the uncomfortable new feeling of guilt he'd been wrestling with had grown larger. Should he tell her? No, that may not have been as silly a notion as when he'd considered telling D'rorah he'd tortured Dylan, but it was nonetheless illogical. What would he expect? Open armed forgiveness? Still, he felt he had to say something, if only to confirm to himself who she was.

"Keaira, I know that . . . Keaira? Keaira!"

Turning toward her as he started to speak, Zee noticed the vacant look in her eyes. Then she was falling and Zee had to dive forward to his knees to catch her. She felt cold in his arms, even through the cloth that separated them. He immediately thought of the hospital wing and began to stand to carry her there. He remembered though her resistance when he'd tried to lead her there the night they'd met. Just then she uttered something. In his panic Zee hadn't caught what she'd said. It was no matter however as she proceeded to shout the name twice more.

Dien. He'd heard it before, much as he'd heard Mordred's name. Dien Serlaen; he was a professor there at the school, but he'd been away or consumed with other matters because Zee hadn't ever met him. Zee also wasn't clear on the status of Dien's pulse. From what he'd heard the man was a ghost, but lately there'd been confused rumors. Zee had no idea, but Keaira was growing colder. Zee carefully laid her down on the ground and quickly looked about.

No one was there. He thought about going for help but didn't want to leave her out here alone. Suddenly she screamed again, a primal cry of denial and pain. Something must have happened to Professor Serlaen. Zee again dropped to his knees beside Keaira's cold form, gazing down with concern stamped clearly upon his face. He tore off his gloves and reached to check her neck for a pulse as she'd grown quite still. He stopped before his fingertips reached her throat, distracted by the blood that was beginning to show through her right sleeve.

Zee blinked in confused surprise just as her eyes fluttered open. He could only wince as she immediately tried to put her weight on her injured arm. Reaching to help her up, he paused and nodded at her request, scrambling on his hands and knees the few feet to her bag and returning within two seconds. He tried once to open it but found the straps wouldn't respond to his pull. Grimacing in frustration, he merely set the bag beside her.

"Keaira, what happened? Are you all right? What could possibly have cut you so? What happened to Professor Serlaen? Let me help."

He remained beside her on his knees, ready to assist in any way he could, his discarded gloves lying nearby.

((Don't worry. Other than making me look bad, I have no complaint about your uber long posts. Love 'em actually. Oh, and I modded my previous post so that I'd have gloves just to make sure there was no actual contact when I caught you. I know, you had long sleeves and gloves, but I'm paranoid. This is gonna be interesting . . .))

[Keaira O'Connell]

((I think we can draw this out a post or two more so I have more time to think, also I think we should actually bond in a different location to keep your identity a secret. And by that I mean not moving the thread but just traveling with in it.))

The pain in her arm felt worse than anything Keaira knew she had felt in her entire life. There was no way to describe the icy burn of a wraiths scythe as it cut through your flesh, whether it be on this plane or theirs. Her arm bleed unendingly, with out the slightest hint of stopping. As she waited for Zee to return with her book bag Keaira wondered what questions might follow. She knew that he must have witnessed something in the past few moments that had him so concerned.

Keaira had to admit she was quite glad that he choose to react as quickly as he did. After a moment of him struggling with her bag she watched as he passed it on to her. She forced a light smile, as she up did a small concealed flap that revealed a small combination lock. She quickly swirled it around and imputed the numbers needed to open the lock. Followed by a flick of a wand, and the muttered word 'adaperio', and the bag opened itself to the main pocket.

She fumbled shortly feeling around in the bag with her left arm until she found a small box. With out hesitation she pulled it out and opened the zipper system, allowing the box to fall open in half, much like a book, to show the two compartments inside. Quickly she pulled out two vials, one a deep blood red and the other a murky yellow-green. Taking the greenish one first she carefully attempted to remove the cork, a difficult process with only one hand, but she managed. Swallowing the entire contents of the bottle, she almost gaged. The thick fluid flushed down her throat making her feel as if she would get sick.

Keaira looked intently at her arm, waiting for the healing effects to kick in. She stared for a few seconds and noticed that lack of results. It was something she had been prepared for, although she had never been on the receiving end of a wraiths scythe, she knew from Dee that the blades of the shadow mage could not be healed easily. As she thought quickly as to how she would be able to stem the bleeding she only had one thought, and it wasn't a pleasant one.

She looked to Zee, the concern, and questions on his face were something she could not avoid. Keaira knew that there was only one thing she could do to stop the bleeding long enough to get real help. The wound wouldn't heal with potions or spells, and dressing it was not an option, fire was the only way to go. When injured by the mage, the only way to get better was through more pain.

"I might need your help. I need to cauterize the wound to stop the bleeding until I get to Dee, and I can't walk through the castle like this. It needs to be quick, There are things going on here that I don't think you understand Zee, and there is far too much at stake to just trust you. So please save the questions, for now I need to stop the bleeding, replenish my blood before I faint, and get to the room of requirements. There I can get more help if needed. Have you ever used the spell Flagrate? Its a spell that will allow you to draw a line of fire. Do you think you could use it to close the wound?"

Keaira quickly reached in to her bag and pulled out one of her hand sticks, and clenched it in her mouth. She couldn't cast the spell while clenching the stick in her mouth , and she needed to make sure she didn't bite her tongue off when he burnt her flesh closed. She gave him a weak smile, and turned so that he would have full access to her arm. It would take seconds to seal the wound, seconds of searing burning pain. She turned away so she wouldn't see it coming and waited for the pain to come.

[Zane Lucifer Bishop]

Fascinated by the simplistic effectiveness of Keaira's locking mechanism, Zee wondered if it was magical or a purely mundane muggle item. He would lose some considerable respect for the girl if it were the latter. The bag itself clearly held magical properties as it required a spell to open and housed more than its outward appearance would suggest. Zee could only kneel there watching as Keaira fished out the container that held two potions. At least they looked like potions.

He hoped they were potions when she gulped one down. Following her gaze, he also looked to her arm but saw no improvement. She was losing a lot of blood, far more than could be safe. She turned to face him then, and he was sure he saw apprehension on her face. She didn't trust him. It seemed no one trusted him and regardless of how wise a decision that may have been, it still annoyed him. He didn't enjoy not being trusted.

Perhaps I can prove to them that I am trustworthy. Perhaps I can be trustworthy. That will be the more difficult task.

Zee cocked his head curiously as she quickly explained that she couldn't explain anything. He started to smirk, thinking how he knew more than she thought he did, but instead looked surprised when she asked him to burn her wound shut. The irony was not lost on him. He immediately drew his wand and nodded determinedly to her.

"Don't worry Keaira. It won't hurt for a moment longer than it has to. You're in good hands. Flagrate."

Not necessarily safe hands, but good hands. Am I to set each lightfighter on fire eventually?

Zee carefully drew the line along Keaira's arm, starting at the elbow and working his way up. His words had been true and he didn't hold the spell any longer than he had to. The blood flow stemmed, Zee quickly slid his wand back into its place and placed his hand on her uninjured shoulder where the cloth hadn't been torn. He squeezed slightly to get her attention and make sure she was still conscious. She had lost enough blood that Zee had serious doubts about her ability to walk and was prepared to carry her if he had to. With a small crooked smile he revealed a bit of his knowledge.

"Shame Alessandro got pulled out of the school. The Elemental Master of Fire would have been useful just now."

His look wasn't cruel or conniving. He more wanted to test her reaction than anything. Zee still didn't feel he had enough information to choose a side, though he was leaning toward the light. The dark may have suited him more, as Caira had said, but he wasn't sure D'rorah had been at all wrong about the inevitable demise of those who joined the dark.

[Keaira O'Connell]

Keaira looked out over the courtyard, there was on one about, something to be thankful for. Her teeth clenched the hand stick, waiting for Zee to begin. She wanted to laugh at the fact that he promised to make it quick. The pain of the wound would be there for the rest of her life. That was the beauty of the Mage's weapons. The pain never fades, no matter how long it is.

As she prepared for the fire she relaxed her body, slowly focusing on her breathing much like she had trained to over the past 16 years of her life. Slowing down her breathing and her body allowed her to meditate, hoping to keep her mind separated from the pain of her body for a moment or two. The word came from Zee's mouth quickly and then the pain started. Keaira's eyes winced cosed as the first bite of fire licked her elbow. Her teeth clenched closed, as she inhaled suddenly.

The pain was no worse than anything else she had felt since coming to Hogwarts, but it was still an unbearable feeling as he moved up her arm. The smell of burnt flesh filled her nostrils feeling that she might become sick came to her mind as she took in the scent of her own melting flesh. Tears threatened to well up in her eyes, but she quickly pushed them away. It took only a few seconds but it had felt much longer than that when the pain finally stopped and there was silence.

Keaira felt sick to her stomach, and her appearance didn't have her looking much better. Her skin was pale, and felt cold but clammy to the touch. Keaira was not holding up very well, she was after all only human. Her arm looked charred and scabby along the line of the wound. It cracked with any tiny movement she made causing some tiny creases of blood to leak from the scab. Removing the hand stick from her mouth she placed it back in the bag; small teeth marks marred the rubber coating.

She felt faint from the loss of blood from her body, so she turned her attention to the other vial that she had removed from her potions kit. A simple blood replenishing potion, one of the few that she always carried. With a small bit of effort she uncorked the bottle, and pressed the thick red fluid to her lips. It felt warm and thick as she swallowed it, but it took away the faint and sick feeling that threatened to overcome her.

Keaira was ready to go back to sleep. To end the day, but she knew there was still so much that needed to be done. Dien was dead. The elemental master of metal, her elemental master, was dead. D'rorah needed to be informed, and there was the matter of her injury, and explaining more things to Zane. As she mused over these ideas it registered in her mind what Zee had just began to say. He knew Alessandro was the Elemental Master of Fire, did that mean he suspected her to be Alessandro's Shadow Warrior? She digested the idea for a moment as she stared right in to his eyes. Surely he would have already attempted to hurt her if he was on the side of the Mage. He had the opportunity, and she had no doubt that he had the means to do so as well. What was his motivation in telling her.

She stared in to his eyes trying to read them to see his motivation. His eyes did not show any cruelty, or maliciousness, so what was he to gain by revealing this. She felt the potion working its magic, replenishing her blood slowly back to safe levels. It would still take hours for her to be back to normal, but she would be able to walk to the room of requirements momentarily. As she looked at him she moved her hand slowly to where he had his hand rested on her shoulder, and gingerly picked his hand up slowly lifting it from her body.

"Mister Bishop, I believe we need to have a little chat about what you know, and if you don't mind joining me in a more privet location I will share a little more with you, including what just happened."

As she slowly lowered his hand down toward the ground she felt a slight spark of energy as her soft skin below her gloves brushed up against his exposed arm. Her mind rushed back to when she was a little girl, only three or four, she lie in her bed, brown curly hair a mess around her face. An older man sat on the bed next to her, reading glasses on his face. He spoke in a slow voice as he read along in a strange language. She smiled as the memory faded away.

Keaira tried to pull her hand away, not wishing to be so open with her mind. "NO, not here!" She felt the beginnings of her mind slipping in to another memory. Six year old Keaira was collapsed on the ground, people surrounded her, some one was yelling "What happened??!", "Is she alright",and then another voice. "Call a doctor, some one." The older gentleman from her first memory scooped her up, "Quickly we need to get her home, her mind can't take all the people around here." They spun on the spot and disappeared.

Her mind went black, as she tried to stop the process. This couldn't be right, they couldn't have replaced him already. She shut her mind down and wrenched her self away from him, knowing that he had just experienced a little show of her mind. She felt a mess, weird feelings surrounded her, as she tried to sort out her own feelings and emotions from those round her. She felt like she was still grasping at straws, when she slowly began to speak.

"Now I must insist that you accompany me, there is much to talk about. Lets go." She quickly gathered her things, tossing everything expect for the potions kit unceremoniously in to her bag. The kit carefully had the bottles replaced in it, and then was closed, and gently placed in to the bag. Once it was filled, she closed it and locked it, spinning the combination lock once using only her right middle finger. She then taped the bag with her wand, after a moment of thinking, she carefully slid her arm under her cloak, attempting to cover the wound from sight, then she carefully stood up. Her body swayed for a moment, as she made sure she wouldn't black out, her bag hung from her right hand hand, as she faced Zee waiting for him to join her.

"I promise, you won't be hurt." Was all she said as she waited for him to join her side on their way to the castle. "If you come with me that is." Was her added thought to him as she turned toward the castle.

((so that was just a small glimpse of her memories, expect a full on experience next post when we're in the ROR... if you do join her.))

[Zane Lucifer Bishop]

While he was certainly relieved and somewhat impressed by Keaira's forethought to have a blood replenishing potion on hand, Zee had hoped he would prove a necessity to Keaira's safety if only so that he could gain her trust to some degree. That plan clearly wouldn't come to fruition. No matter, she had caught his comment and understood its implications.

Zee stared back passively as she looked into his eyes. He realized she was likely trying to get some feel for his intentions, but he doubted she would get any. For one, Zee had grown quite adept at lying with his eyes. Mainly though, he wasn't even sure of his own intentions. D'rorah had been right about logic leading him to the side of light, but she didn't know about his great fear that they would discover his duplicity. If any of them learned of what he'd done to Dylan, the consequences would likely be dire. But if D'rorah found out . . .

His hand relaxed as she lightly plucked it from her shoulder. He offered no resistance as she set it on the ground, thinking it noteworthy that she had switched to calling him "Mister Bishop" rather than "Zee." There was a slight flinch when he felt the small surge in energy as their skin contacted. A vision of a little girl who bore definite resemblance to Keaira flitted through his mind, bypassing the occlumency he had let slip into a passive state. There was also an older man who seemed to be reading to her, though Zee couldn't make out the words. He was reminded of what Keaira had told him about her grandfather the night he'd met her.

As she pulled away from him he threw up the walls of his mind with great force, not wanting to risk anything sliding out the way something had evidently slipped in. To his surprise and horror, the next memory came through anyway, completely unimpeded by his occlumency. The reappearance of the old man in her second memory reaffirmed Zee's belief that this was her grandfather, but the comment about her mind only confused him.

The world spun and Zee found himself lying face down on the ground. He couldn't think straight, but he heard Keaira's voice pierce through the confusion. The voice had an odd duality to it, as if he were hearing it in his ears and in his head. Through the whirling pandemonium about him, Zee managed to push himself to his feet and stumble toward the castle. Again her voice came to him twice, and he took some comfort in the sincerity of her claim. The addendum came only in his mind, but it changed little. He already intended to follow.

As they made their way back to the castle, Zee tentatively thought his response, thinking she would hear him but not certain.

I will hold you to that promise Miss O'Connell.

Desperately Zee tried to keep his own memories and other thoughts inside, but the connection had been made, and while it was being partially blocked by their communal efforts, the flow was by no means halted. As hard as Zee was trying to keep any image of Dylan's torture from sliding through, he knew that his mind must be clearly showing his fear of the room they were heading directly for. He wanted to start thinking of a way to persuade Keaira not to tell anyone, or better yet, to somehow hide it from her. Yet he felt certain that if he diverted his focus at all he would lose his grip on the memory and the whole thing would fall right into Keaira's lap.

[Keaira O'Connell]

Keaira's mind was flooded, images of her past, feelings of anger, depression, sadness, and then the slightest bit of hope. She knew that there was no saving Dien, he was dead, and now Zane was the one to replace him. Her pace was steady, and slightly brisker than that of a casual walk. She wanted to get there quickly, but didn't want to look like she was in a hurry. As she walked to the sixth floor she said nothing, not to Zee, not to any one in the halls. She smiled and waved once or twice to people she knew, but other than that kept moving.

Luckily they manged to make it to the sixth floor with out too much of a delay. As they walked toward the hallway that held the room of requirements she made sure no one was following them. Reaching out with her mind to touch any one in close proximity she read their surface thoughts. No one was watching them suspiciously, and no one was looking for them on the sixth floor. She looked forward, checking to see if the next hallway was clear before they turned down it.

She held her hand out, so Zee wouldn't enter the hallway while she waited for a student to turn down the corridor on the other side of the hall. Once the student had left she walked down toward the door, and started thinking of where they needed to be. No interruptions, a safe place where Keaira could talk to Zane, and test him as well. Somewhere with little to no metal around, where once they enter they can not leave until Keaira told the doors to open. Yes those stipulations sounded good. a safe, metal free area that no one else can enter, and no one can leave until Keaira told them to open. She thought it clearly as she passed the doorway three times. On the third pass a door slowly formed and Keaira quickly grasped the handle and pushed the door opened.

She held the door open for Zee so he could enter the room as well. Once they were both in the room she closed the door and watched as it's seams melted in to the wall disappearing from view. She turned around and looked at the surroundings. They were in a small round room, there were no windows, no doors. Simple furniture adorned the room, a carpet, bean bag chairs, and a plastic table with a drawer. No metal except for what they had with them. It was a good arrangement for what she needed to do.

She looked at Zane, assessing him once more, before walking to one of the bean bag seats and plopping carefully down. She opened the drawer on the table and happily saw something she had been think about subconsciously. She quickly pulled out several gauze rolls, some antibacterial cream, burn ointment, and most of everything you could find in a first aid kit. After a moments debate she rummaged through the drawer and pulled out some essentials for dressing her arm.

"Zane I need to know everything, and if you try to hide anything I have no doubt that I will know. Dien Serlaen is dead, along with his wife. The Shadow Mage tortured his wife until he went to her, and when he got there they tortured him until he called for me. The Mage has no remorse, and she will torture and kill all of us if thats what it takes. And you Zane Bishop are about to be added to our numbers whether you like it or not, the Mage will target you when she finds out ."

Keaira threw off her cloak, and exposed the wound. With a deft hand she carefully wiped the wound with an alcohol swab, and then applied some ointment, slathering the wound so it would be more likely to heal. After it was treated, even if it was sloppily done, she wrapped it up evenly with the roll of gauze, tapping it down. It hurt to have it done, but she knew it was necessary. With her arm taken care of she turned her full attention to Zee.

"Zee, do you know what happens when an elemental master dies?" She paused waiting for his response. He knew much more than he let on to, he had far more knowledge about the light fighters as it was, and she needed to know why. "I'll be completely honest with you, if you are honest with me. There is far too much at stake to let you just comment so lightly on one of our own like that."

[Zane Lucifer Bishop]

Zee did not handle himself nearly so well as Keaira did as they made their way to the Room of Requirement. He managed to walk without appearing inebriated, but he kept his face turned down and emotionless. Gradually he let go of his grip on his memories as he realized they woulod not slide right out of his mind and into hers without the physical contact they'd briefly shared. Still, he could feel her presence in his mind, and as his occlumency had strictly kept his consciousness isolated from any other for over a year, the feeling was extremely disorienting and disconcerting.

Obediently he halted his steps as she indicated with her hand, then resumed following her down the hallway. Again he paused when they neared the section of the hallway he knew to conceal the door to their goal. Not wishing to have his thoughts conflict with hers as she tried to summon the room, he waited there until she had passed three times. OF course he didn't know whether it would have been an issue, but given the amount of unusual magic Zee found himself dealing with, erring on the side of caution seemed a good plan.

There was a moment's hesitation before Zee walked through the open door. There were many memories he held that she would not be impressed by, a few that she might simply kill him for, and all he had was her promise that he wouldn't be hurt if he followed her. Promises were more easily broken than a first year's hex. Still, the alternative was hardly more attractive. With a weak smile and a slght nod, Zee stepped through the portal.

The room was a bit different than when he'd last left it. And yet given the way the door vanished as soon as Keaira closed it, it still seemed somehow very similar to the room in which he'd tortured Dylan. He had caught some of Keaira's desires for the properties of the room as she'd projected them, ironically much the same as D'rorah had caught his when she first showed him the Room of Requirement. The thoughts were broken up and he heard them as if over a great distance, but he distinctly heard something about "no metal."

This somewhat confused Zee, but given what D'rorah had told him about Elemental Masters and Shadow Warriors and what Caira had mentioned about him researching elemental magic with a focus on metal, he began to suspect. With so many pieces of the puzzle still hidden from him though, Zee's predominant feeling was confusion. He remained standing as Keaira saw to her wounds, clearly on edge and not at all comfortable. While the description she gave of the Mage's methods didn't truly surprise him, he still felt a twinge of revulsion that would have srprised him if he hadn't grown accustomed to such things. They'd been coming continually more often since his experience with Dylan. He let the reaction show, his face twisting into a disgusted grimace.

His head shook vigorously when she asked about his knowledge of Elemental Masters and death. Truly his knowledge on the entire subject was less than his comment about Alessandro had implied.

"I don't know much. Alessandro is the Elemental Master of Fire and you're a Shadow Warrior. Miss Philosophy, Wysteria, and Dylan are involved but I don't know how. Based on your question and what happened just now, I'd say Professor Serlaen was an Elemental Master as well. I don't understand how you observed whatever happened to him though. I believe you to be a telepath, but can all Lightfighters see each other's minds from any distance?"

Zee hadn't been informed that Shadow Warriors and Elemental Masters came in pairs. He knew there were five of each, but little beyond that. Happy that she seemed more interested in what he knew than in reinitiating the memory transfer they'd briefly experienced, Zee grew hopeful that if he could manage to answer her questions without lying and without mentioning certain things, he may be able to avoid any repercussions for some of his less noble acts.

[Keaira O'Connell]

Keaira watched intently as Zane answered her questions. When he shook his head she nodded, and waited for him to elaborate. Even if he didn't know what happened when one of them died she had to know something. She kept her face blank when he started naming people who she knew were involved. She left her eyes focused on his attempting to read him, with out actually using telepathy. Dien, yes, he was an Elemental Master, and not just any one, her Elemental Master.

When Zane commented so lightly on her friends she felt her chest constrict a little. But she tried her best not to show it. He knew enough to hurt them, but she know something that he seemed so far unaware of. Soon though he would know, and whether that was a good thing or a bad thing was yet to her unknown.

She nodded, knowing it was time to answer some questions. "Yes, Dien was an elemental master." She paused, taking a breath to steady herself for her next statement. "He was my Elemental Master. You see the Shadow Warriors and Elemental Masters come in pairs. They work as a team, each using their abilities to protect the other, and fight the shadows. In each generation there are 5 Masters, and 5 Warriors, chosen by the force of good to work together to defeat the shadow. When one of them dies, or is killed, the next generations chosen is awakened. Its rare that a newly chosen replacement finds his pair instantly, and sometimes it even takes years in oder for them to unite. The light fighters have been lucky though."

Keaira had been attempting to keep her feelings in check the entire time she had been with Zane. It scared her, knowing that he was now the one she would turn to. Knowing that Dien would not be able to help her any longer. But it also gave her a sense of hope, knowing that the battle could go on, that she would be able to fight when the time came down to it.

"Zane, you are the Elemental Master of Metal. When Dien died, you were awakened. I know, and because of that you must learn to trust me, and I you. No secrets, no lies, there is no going back. You were chosen, and that means in order for you to ever fully understand and use your abilities, you will need my help. I can show you things, help you understand the shadows, and the light. All you need to do is sit down, take my hands, and close your eyes."

Keaira held her hands out in front of her body, offering them to Zane. She held her body up strait, her head slightly bowed. Apprehension tugged at her heart, and mind, but she tried to swallow it. Bonding with another person was not easy. It forced her to reveal the moment that the shadows first attempted to corrupt her soul, the moment where they almost won. The moment that defined her as a shadow warrior. It established the mental link that would connect the pair through mind, and spirit. She would be replacing Dien as her protector, and her guardian. Zane would have full access to her memories, emotions, and more than he might ever want to know. But with the flip of the coin, she would know him, better than any one else ever could begin to claim. Better than he might know himself at times. His intentions, his feelings, his thoughts, his hearts desire. She would be able to read him like a book, open to only her.

Silently she waited, hoping that he would trust her, knowing that he might not understand.

[Zane Lucifer Bishop]

Everything Keaira said, all the hope her words seemed to carry, had to be taken with a grain of salt. "The lightfighters have been lucky though." How much would she believe those words once she had unfettered access to his mind? Zee's arms instinctively crossed over his chest as he leaned back against the wall, considering his companion. She was confirming things in no uncertain terms, something he'd not recieved before until very recently. D'rorah's words of warning that some knowledge he would rather not possess came back to him. While he still didn't really believe them, he wondered if Keaira soon would.

Zee did well to remain on his feet when she flatly revealed that he was indeed the Elemental Master of Metal. Not least among his immediate thoughts was that this must have been what Caira was referencing when she told him of a power he may possess. But how could she have known? He hadn't even know yet. As far as he could tell, it wasn't even true at that point. Suddenly Zee was wishing he hadn't gone to see the headmistress. He was in way over his head on both sides.

According to Caira (and he had a hard time refuting the claim) he was more suited to the Dark than the Light. Looking back over his entire life, particularly the last six months or so, he couldn't help but agree. This then made him think that he'd be better off joining the Shadow Mage. However, according to Keaira (and he had an even harder time refuting her claim) he was the Elemental Master of Metal. If D'rorah had been honest with him, this meant his very existence was a threat to the Shadow Mage, and Zee understood darkness far too well to imagine he would be allowed to live long while he represented such a threat. That then clearly meant he could not join the Dark, leaving the Light as his best option.

But given the revelations he'd made to Caira, whom he now saw clearly served the Dark, and particularly what he'd done to Dylan, Zee struggled with the notion that these Lightfighters would ever accept him or trust him, and perhaps would think it best to be done with him and hope the next generation's Elemental Master of Metal would arise close by. That seemed a recklessly foolish course to him, but he also couldn't deny the logic in not trusting him. Zee felt trapped, and once he was truly known to Keaira, he was sure she would feel the same.

Despite the danger, despite the belief that she may simply attack him after this, Zee strode over to Keaira and sat opposite her, holding his own hands up and moving them to clasp hers. He paused just before contact though and gave her an apologetic look.

"You won't enjoy this Miss O'Connell. I just hope you remember your promise."

With that he lightly gripped her hands and closed his eyes. This could possibly be Zee's last, greatest mistake, but from all he could tell, it was the best choice in a list of bad options.

Mixed in with the multitude of thoughts and images Zee received from Keaira, he caught glimpses of his own memories as they poured forth into her mind.

The bust of Salazar Slytherin cracked unevenly and fell to pieces as it hit the cold marble floor. A very young boy with dark hair and eyes looked about a little nervously. Soon a man came around the corner, curious as to the source of the sound. As the man looked from the clearly valuable bust to the child, large tears began pouring from the boy's eyes. "It was the elf Da. He tried to blame me by disapparating after he broke it." With a warm smile at the boy, the young man bellowed out "Knickles!" and a plain house elf weaing a soiled hand towel around its waist appeared and was promptly kicked in the face. The man beat the elf. The elf screamed. The boy grinned.

The room was dark, the curtains drawn and the door locked from the inside. The young boy, maybe eleven now, sat crosslegged on the bed. In the air floated a cat, evidently suspended by its tail and howling as only a house cat in pain can. The poor creature's fur was matted with blood from the several cuts that ran all over its body. The boy seemed passive, indifferent. There was a sudden swich as the boy swung his wand and muttered a severing charm. The feline's body twitched as it hung in the air, its head bouncing off the hardwood floor. A serene smile crept onto the boy's face.

She was screaming, screaming so loudly it was painful on the ears. Writing on the floor she looked as though she wanted to crawl away, but her limbs wouldn't obey her, able only to twitch and convulse. The young man who had beaten the elf and who didn't look so young anymore stood watching, a smirk on his face. On the opposite side of the cruciated woman stood Zee, looking much the same as he did currently, his smirk matching his father's perfectly. His finger was pointed at the pain wracked woman before him, and every now and then Zee would chuckle. After several minutes, Zee retracted his finger, only to jab it back at his victim and mutter "Imperio." She stood and joined Zee's father, both standing passively, faces blank. After a moments consideration, Zee spoke to them. "Mother, Father. I'm going to Hogwarts. See that it's taken care of. And make me some stew."

Wysteria Edwin paced along the ledge of the Astronomy Tower. The moon above was brilliantly glowing and Zee stood upon the ledge himself, watching Wysteria's slow, graceful steps. His face held quite the grin, though not the hard, malicious thing he'd worn while torturing his mother or the cocky look he typically wore around anyone. No, it was a warm, contented smile, as if he felt a peace he'd never known anywhere else while there with her.

The room was solid, luminous white. No features at all. Except for the boy floating in the air screaming his lungs out, his head and feet ablaze. It was hard to tell, though based on the voice behind the screams and what could be seen of the face, the burning boy was Dylan Cooper. A raspy, choked laughter filled the area, blending with Dylan's screams in a cacophony of horrid sound.

Caira LaPointe, a sweet smile on her face, listened intently as Zee recounted the events surrounding Keaira's return to the school. Their conversation faded in and out, but Keaira's name came up more than once. The headmistress' voice sounded clearly as she extended an invitation to Zee to bond with a Shadow, as did Zee's as he diplomatically refused. His smile looked sincere, except in his eyes there was just the tiniest hint of fear.