Welcome to Gaia! ::

Tianara shrugged. "Every little bit helps, Joshua. If it hadn't been for you and Mac, I wouldn't have survived the first round," she replied. Listening to his assumptions, she smiled. "Yes, and yes. We have the strongest, bubbliest, happiest person in the clan challenge it, and then everyone else backs him or her up. The more people backing the person up, the easier it is for the challenger to push the Dark One back."

At his next question, she frowned. "To be honest, I don't really know. We've never tried it - we don't mess with a system that works. I would assume it would choose the weakest of the challengers, but since I don't really know how it thinks, I suppose it's possible that it would become confused, or back off entirely because it didn't know what to do."

Mac listened without talking for awhile. He didn't exactly help much, he knew he could have done better, but he wanted to make Tianara fend for herself so she could become stronger. He knew she was powerful, but next time he'd prepare himself. He never had any negative feelings, and was usually either neutral or happy. "I just didn't realize they could project their energy through the barrier. They still can't get in themselves, but surrounding the place was very interesting" he said. He got up and looked outside, "Seems as though its not here at the moment" he said, "I don't think you need to worry now, I'll help you guys out. Don't worry about me, I never have a problem with negative feelings".

A business woman walked down the street. Her walk constant with her serious expression. The dusk's remaining light was almost gone. The streetlights were illuminated. She made her way to the mayor's office and entered the door. A secretary looked at her, "May I help you?" she asked. "I need to speak with the mayor, its urgent" she said. "Well would you like to make an appointment?" the secretary asked. "No, its urgent" the business woman pleaded. The secretary pushed a button and spoke into the microphone, "Sir, there's someone here to speak with you" said the secretary, "Send them in" a voice replied. The secretary directed the woman to the door and she walked in.

The Mayor was in his 40's and very professional looking. "Hello, and what would you like to discuss?" he asked. She looked at him seriously, "There have been very unusual things going on around here. Just the other day, some people have reported seeing monsters, and other paranormal things" she explained. He looked at her with skepticism, "What on Earth are you talking about?" he questioned. "I myself can't explain much either, but I have evidence that several youths are connected to it" she said. He looked at her with slight confusion, "...I'm not sure what to say, but until I have evidence, I am not going to act upon this" he said to her. She sighed, "In that case, I will let things be and things should happen again as before. Just don't let your town be jeopardized when you have been warned, because its not my problem" she finished before he had any time to say anything else and walked out. He looked at her with unsureness, "Well...goodbye?" he said with befuddlement.

It was so strange - she knew she was dreaming, and yet she couldn't help but believe that she was awake. It all felt so real.

She was cold, so cold. Standing there alone in the dark, hearing whispers - but she couldn't make out what they were saying. A soft shiver passed through her. Whatever was being said, she knew it wasn't good. The cold seemed to be pressing into her bones as she stood, silent and watchful.

What was she waiting for? What was she watching for?

She didn't know. All that she knew - all that mattered - was that she had to watch, had to wait. It
(he)
would be here soon, and she would know.

The whispers grew louder; the cold was growing unbearable. And the dark was closing in.

With a sharp breath, Tianara's eyes opened and she sat up. Her dark hair was tangled, but her face showed no trace of sleepiness. The dark...closing in.

"It's coming," she said, and her voice was cold and certain. "It's on its way. I hope you two have some good memories handy."

She didn't look at either of them. Instead, her gaze turned out towards the window once more, and automatically she reached out - as though looking for someone to take her hand.

((OOC: Feel free to choose for yourself what he feels and sees. Just make it appropriately depressing/terrifying/angering, please? smile ))

Tianara stiffened as the darkness began to close in. Then she felt Joshua's hand in hers, and the simple strength that came from the contact made her relax. Not much, just a little.

But then she caught what he was doing, just as the darkness began to envelop the house. "No!" she half-hissed, half-cried, reaching out with her free hand as though she intended to turn his head away. Even as she reached out, her eyes stayed locked on the window - like hell she would allow Joshua to take the creature on alone.

Something like a low chuckle seemed to emanate from the darkness outside the window, making the house shake. Tianara's hand tightened desperately on Joshua's.

As the darkness grew, Tianara felt only the secondary effects. She realized despondently that yes, just like she'd figured, the Dark One had chosen the challenger least likely to be able to force it back. All she could do for Joshua now was support him. Summoning all the positive memories she could - all the love and hope and joy she'd felt over the entirety of her life - she forced it towards Joshua, pushing through the difficulty of human-to-human mental contact.

((OOC: Lovely. 3nodding ))

Tianara felt him shaking, and knew that she was not getting through. Channeling all the love and warmth and general good energy she'd ever felt in her life, she wrapped her arms around him and pushed everything she had at him - and at the Dark One trying to get in. Out! Out!

Reaching out with what little concentration she could spare, she shrieked mentally to Sorry to help, to help him, he was going under.

Immediately there was a response. The wave of good feelings was almost strong enough for Tianara to lose contact with Joshua - she nearly forgot about the Dark One entirely. She could only hope that it was coming through with the same strength to Joshua. In case it wasn't, she pressed what they'd given her towards him as well. He needed all the support she could give.

It's a lie, Joshua. Everything it's showing you, it's all a lie. This is reality. This.

As the darkness faded, both the good feelings and the bad gently seemed to vanish with it. The merfolk let go of the contact, leaving just the two of them. And slowly, uncertainly, Tianara at last released Joshua. She was shaking nearly as badly as he was, and her breathing was laboured - her concentration had been so fierce that she'd forgotten to breathe for the last couple of seconds.

The first words spoken were sharp with a thin sheen of anger, with the very real fear just underneath. "What did you think you were doing?" Tianara demanded, still shaking. She was blinking very quickly, and her eyes were too bright. "Did you not hear anything I told you? You could have died, Joshua." She shuddered once, and the anger broke, leaving only the fear behind. "That's what the Dark One does when it takes over - the original soul dies."

She turned away and rested her elbows on her knees, covering her face with her hands. Her words came out muffled. "Please, Joshua. It'll be back again. Promise me you won't do that again."