[RP] Thorn - Fire and Ice

[Lordblackhawk]

Lbh thinks on how to reply.

"Some say the Lady died and in one sense that is true."
"I prefer to think of her as `moving on`." he says.


"You found some things of hers! That is good"
"Now, you say there is a room that `scares` you?"
"In what way does it `scare` you?" Lbh says quizzically.

He wonders if that could explain the feelings he has been having.

[Thorn]

Thorn listened to Lbh and looked at him wondering if he was being serious with all his questionss, curious as to why this seemed important to him. She could only assume there was something that had not been right about this lady's death that left questions for him.

Why is it good to have found her things? Thorn asked quickly. It seemed an odd thing. Yet his asking about the room made her shiver and Thorn's grip on her daughter tightened slightly, subconsciously a need to hold her, but not understanding.

I only touched the door handle... she paused as the moment replayed in her head. She had gone to turn the handle, wanting to see inside, and yet the second her hand touched the handle she went cold. It felt pure... evil, and yet she could not understand the other...

I can't explain it. I felt a coldness... unable to continue Thorn looked at Lbh and shook her head. Please I cant explain.

A sound from Annabel made Thorn look down at her daughter, and shocked realised she was holding her too tight. Hushing her Thorn kissed her forehead, lifting her to her shoulder, and patting her back.

Can you help me? Thorn asked quietly, her eyes pleading.

[Lordblackhawk]

Hearing the ladys answer about the room Lbh tenses.

"You `feel` that there was something in the room that was evil." he says.
"I presume that you didnt enter it."
"And the child, was she with you at the time?"

Lbh stands thinking for a moment.

"Maybe I should go see this room but a walk in the garden would be helpful."
"I would like to see the room from the outside first."

He smiles reassuringly at the lady and child.

As they walk around the house Lbh talks to the lady about the town and how it has grown since he first arrived.
Then he stops and looks up.
Pointing he says, "I think that is the window to the room you mentioned."

Satisfied that he now knows the room Lbh escorts the lady back inside.

"I may be able to help but there is a chance that I may not be able to do much."
"However, I have sent for assistance. Someone who was my tutor and they should be here soon."

Mentally calling the power of Earth Lbh sends a calming influence to the lady, helping her to relax.

[Thorn]

I know there is... was something evil, Thorn corrected, her voice clear and sure. No I couldn't bring myself to enter... this little one tensed so badly I don't know even now if she picked up my fear, or I felt hers.

Thorn looked at Annabel, the child's head on her shoulder, and gently she rubbed her back. Looking back at Lbh Thorn thought for a moment before continuing.

I'll walk with you and then take you to the room, Thorn said nodding at his suggestion. Quietly she listened to what Lbh said, walking with him back into the garden, the window for the room at the front on the Manor. As she looked up at the window Thorn got an image of a bed, but could not understand its importance. She said nothing of this image, it blurry at best, knowing it was not a complete picture.

You want to wait for your friend before going to the room? Thorn asked once back inside, confused at how he could have already known to have called anyone for help. She went quiet sensing something, feeling a calm wash over her, and Thorn looked at Lbh wondering.

[Lordblackhawk]

Once he has calmed the lady and child Lbh says, "Now is the time to go see this room."
"You and your child may remain here, I will know the way."

He climbs the stairs, pausing at the top he looks down.
"Hopefully, we should be able to sort out whatever is causing the problem with that particular room."

As he walks along the corridor he feels a sense of unease growing.

"Ah yes." he thinks. "Just as my old tutor said."
"The sense of fear is always the first attack."

Ignoring it he continues to door of the room.
As he reaches for the door knob an intense coldness eminates from the room beyond.

"Second stage attack." he remarks as he calls up the Power of Fire.
Now warm he opens the door and enters.
As he stands surveying the room his breath mists in front of him.
He can `see` with his `senses` words and symbols of power and confinement adorn the all the surfaces.
The room `looks` vacant but using his `sight` Lbh can make out a black cloud in turmoil on the bed.
Gesturing at the spells written he says, "Some one of power wanted to make sure that whoever or whatever could not leave this room."
"However, they overlooked one thing."
"Nor could they travel to the next plane."
"Hmm, maybe they did not have the knowledge to make that happen and this was the next best thing to do."

The black cloud seems to grow larger and Lbh can sense a feeling of great anger and rage.

"I had better start whatever it is I can do to remove this thing from this world." he thinks wondering if his old tutor will come.

Concentrating, he begins to call up the ancient power of the Blackhawk family - the 'FAWE'.

He begins to recite the credo, - "In the name of the Old Ones who came before. In the name of The Guardians of this world who came before me, I call upon the powers of ..."FIRE"..."AIR"..."WATER"..."EARTH"...heed my..............."
Before he can finish a force of pure evil pins him up against the wall!
Lbh struggles to move, slowly he pushes back the force but he can feel that it may not be enough.
Determined not to let the thing beat him he concentrates more, reaching deep inside himself.

He thinks that while he cannot do more and the thing cannot either, it is a stalemate.
He looks for some way, some slight edge to break it.

In front of him he is amazed to see a symbol of his family appear!

A Blackhawk!

Suddenly, his tutor stands between him and the cloud.



'The Hooded Man' raises his hands and from them springs a glowing orb of white light.
He sends it at the cloud.
Reaching the black cloud the orb envelopes it and starts to shrink around it.

Lbh watches as the ord grows smaller and smaller until it winks out of existence.
The room gets warmer and his breath no longer hangs in the air.

Lbh sighs with relief and looks at his tutor noticing that the spell of confinement have vanished.
'The Hooded Man' stares at Lbh.

"It was brave of you to confront that which was imprisoned here." he says.
"Brave but foolish. You have not yet mastered the skills needed to fight such as that thing."
"We will have to continue your teachings but at another time for my task is not yet completed here."

'The Hooded Man' gestures towards the door.

"There is a lady and child here."
"The child holds a secret. A secret which is important to the lady though neither know of it."
'The Hooded Man' places a hand on Lbh's shoulder.
"It will be a time of sadness for them but also great joy."
"I need you to be strong, for the lady will need your strength afterwards."
"Come let us go."

With that he sweeps out the room and followed by a puzzled Lbh heads downstairs.

[Thorn]

Thorn did not say a word as Lbh left her standing in the hall as he walked up the staircase. She held Annabel close to her, calm but a memory of something else.

Shhhhh, she soothed her daughter, kissing her forehead as the child craned to look up the stairs. Thorn paced slightly, rocking her daughter in her arms, and at a sound she stood still. Frowning she heard a muffled muted voice. The minutes passed and Thorn considered following, when finally she heard movement, and saw a hooded man, followed by Lbh.

What happened? Thorn asked Lbh, looking past the hooded man, but her gaze going back to him as she waited for Lbh to reply. Who...

Thorn stepped back, her eyes on the men, her daughter still in her arms.

[Hooded Man]

Looking at the woman and the child `Hooded Man` knows what must be said and done.
He gestures to his pupil to be silent.

"My lady." he says.
"You need have no fear of that room any longer."
"The danger is gone. "

He sits down and leaning forward he speaks.....

"There is much to tell you but no doubt he....."

`Hooded Man` points to Lbh.

"has 'hinted' about some things about the Lady who lived here."
"What he knows not is that the Lady, despite what has been rumoured, did NOT `die`!"
"Instead, what happen was that her essence, her life force was moved to another."
"Any memories of her previous life were `blocked.`"
"This was done to protect her."

`Hooded Man` looks at the lady.

"You have sensed that some things in this Manor are familiar to you."
"That is because someone close to you has lived here before."
"And now is the time for that person to give up the Lady."

`Hooded Man` stares at thorn.

"Your child is the host of the Lady who came before."
"It is time for that Lady to reclaim her life now the danger has past."
"You are that Lady."
"But, you have to accept your past life."
"What came before will no longer exist for you. You will become 'Thorn', with all her memories, all her feelings."
"As for the child.......I have no idea what will happen to her."

`Hooded Man` awaits a response.

[Lordblackhawk]

Listening to what his tutor has just said Lbh is stunned!

"Wait Master!" he says.
"The child. I know Thorn would rather give up her life than see another harmed."
"Can we not do something to prevent that?"

[Thorn]

Thorn watched as the hooded man, followed by Lbh looking somewhat confused, swept through the hall and into the sitting room. Silently Thorn followed them, her initial urge to run being stemmed. Holding Annabel close Thorn entered the sitting room and went to the couch opposite where the hooded man sat, keeping her eyes on him, unsure, confused.

I don't know... Thorn started to say, almost interrupting the hooded man as he began to speak, wondering what he meant by hints.

Thorn listened, biting her bottom lip to stop herself interrupting again, waiting for him to explain. Holding Annabel close Thorn looked at the hooded man as he spoke, explaining that the previous lady had not died, but not understanding what he meant. The more he said the more confused she got. If the lady was not dead then she would come back... Thorn gasped as the hooded man told her that her daughter held the previous lady's essence, and she looked at her baby who was looking up at her with the strangest of expressions on her face. Frowning Thorn looked from her daughter to Lbh, then the hooded man, her eyes returning to her daughter, a growing fear and comprehension growing behind her eyes.

He hinted? Thorn looked at Lbh and thought about everything he had ever said to her, shaking her head, unable to recall, wondering what she missed. How can I be... how can memories be blocked? Why? What was to be protected from? Thorn paused, her hand going to her mouth, catching herself, the questions pouring unchecked from her mouth. Taking a breath Thorn looked at the hooded man, feeling far from calm.

Yes the Manor is familiar but I have never been here before... I don't know why I know things in it and about it... the servants, Thorn said, her voice becoming low, and she looked down at Annabel frowning. What did he mean...

How can she be the host of this lady? She is a baby... so young. Why did this lady need protecting? What was so special about her? Thorn paused... he had said she was that lady, but then... Thorn looked at the hooded man with a sinking feeling. How can I know nothing? Why were memories blocked? What danger? What do you mean what came before won't exist... the time I can remember now, or the time before that? I am confused. How does she give up those memories you claim are mine? Thorn looked down at her daughter and then kissed her forehead gently, scared.

[Hooded Man]

Looking at the lady `Hooded Man` says "Inside each and everything on this world there is a life force."
"We refer to it as 'The Essence', just as matter cannot be destroyed only converted so 'The Essence' can only be converted."
"Depending on a persons life and the way they have lived it, it may convert to the light or the dark."

`Hooded Man` pauses to see if the lady has understood.

" However, there are times when a person is too early for the Conversion. It is not their time."
"In which case, it is possible to......"

He pauses as he tries to think of the proper words.

"Let me call it a `Rescue`, not the right word but it will suffice."
"What happens is, the essence of that person is removed and placed in a......."

Again he struggles for the right words.

"Imagine a sphere, within the sphere is the `Essence`. Protected and safe. While in the sphere it is in a state of stasis, never ageing. A deep sleep if you wish to think of it like that."
"It would be impossible for the sphere to exist without a `host body` so it is placed in another person."
"Neither are aware of the other but, the sphere is not meant to last. It is a temporary haven."

Having explained what he is allowed to he goes on to say.

"The time has now arrived for the Lady within the sphere to return to this world."
"It is important that she does for it is her descendants that play an important role."

Sensing the unease within the lady he sends a calming force towards her and the child.

"All that you were before, will still remain."
"You will still be YOU with the addition of the Lady's knowledge and her power."
"I shall not lie to you, there is a risk to the child. An even greater risk to her and the Lady."
"We must act soon or they both will cease to exist."

Looking at the lady `Hooded Man` can see the confusion and concern in her eyes.