Marek looks at Julian a bit agitated. "Alright" he looks into Julian's eyes. "Is this why you're always around me and torturing me?"
"I was only torturing you once..." says Julian. Daro moves to stand but stops suddenly when she feels her bones shifting underneath her skin, you could hear her bones cracking and bending, causing her too groan.
"I wasn't going to do it again...I would only do it if you wanted me too..." says Julian, he looks over at Daro as she begins to cry out from her bones shifting and changing. Marek studies her, surprised and confused. Julian runs up to her and lifts the back of her shirt and examines her back. The shifting stops for a moment allowing her to take a breath and to speak.
"I never told anybody my secret, not even Jack."
"As long as you're here. I can feel your pain. It is happening physically as well as your spirit form." Explained Marek too Daro. She begins to cry out again as she falls to her feet once again in agonizing pain.
"What is happening? Something is growing…changing" Marek asks confused, she shifts and groans as her bones begin shifting underneath her skin. "I've never seen this before…Eeugh! I can take the edge off the pain." Marek turns ethereal and reaches in, sending numbing energy into her body while she is transforming.
Daro stops him. "No, don't. It's supposed to happen." she cries out and fisting the ground. He stands by and watches, fascinated. The shifting continues as her bones crack and the skin begins changing to a light sea blue color. Her hands and arms turn into blue wings and claws. Her head shifting into a dragon snout and a tail growing.
Julian backs away a bit. "Daro?"
"Interesting…" says Marek.
"A dragon? very interesting." Says Julian now intrigued by this. The shifting finally stops and in front of Marek stands a sea blue dragon with splotches of yellows and reds. Her eyes were closed but she opens them to reveal an orange eye with slim black pupils. (Just so you all know…. Daro isn't a REAL Dragon, she can shapeshift.)
Julian whispers softly. "Woah."
She looks away from Julian as tears welling up in her eyes. "Don't look at me. I'm hideous in this form" she says telepathically.
"No, you aren't" says Julian trying to cheer her up. Her voice was a bit deeper than it normally was when it was human.
"Everyone is afraid of dragons!"
"I'm not. Afraid of you." Says Julian.
"Some people are." She looks away, feeling ashamed of her form.
"I've had this for 15 years." She says sounding a bit more distressed. "I've never appreciated it."
"Its special to have this" says Julian.
"It's a curse. I was cursed!"
"What is the cure?" asks Julian again.
"There isn't one." says Daro. Julian begins to think. Daro sighs and lays her massive head on the floor as Julian sits next to her.
"I despise this form."
"There there..." he runs his hand along her neck, and side.
"My, My. Isn't this a sight to behold?! Such an impressive creature, beautiful." Says Marek. Daro shivers as Julian's hand runs along her scales.
"Wait! Curse? By Whom?" he wondered.
"I don't remember who cursed me. It's very faint. The person who cursed me said that the curse is incurable."
"Do you mind if I go through your memories?" asked Marek.
"I wouldn't mind. Some of the memories, I believe, may be vague." She explained.
"Make sure you help her Marekie" Julian kisses his lips once again. He hums gently as he turns ethereal and reaches into Daro's head, going through memories. As he searches, he pulls the one needed.
"Here we are…" he recognized the person. "Huh? It can't be…" he demon growled.
"Who is it?" asked Julian
"What is it?" Daro asked him curiously. She lifted her head off the ground slightly.
Marek projects memory. "THAT LITTLE...! I thought that cult was wiped out. They must have been the last, no doubt made a deal with a powerful demon."
"I can't make out who or what those are." Says Daro still confused. Julian watches as it is projected for them to see. "Is there any way you make it a bit clearer?"
"You'll have to concentrate, try to remember and work with me for that." He focuses the memory and increases her concentration. She does the same and finally the memory becomes clearer.
"Oh god. Now I remember what happened on that day. They had captured me and tortured me for days and said they would let me go if I made a deal."
"Does the cult still exist...?" asked Julian.
"I-I'm afraid so."
"I'm going to find them and make them pay" say Julian.
Marek runs his hand through his hair, agitated. "They must have started back up with new members. I would stop you but…just use what you've learned in training and get that book they're hold." He sighed. "Good luck" he nods and leaves Daro's mind. She begins to form tears pricking the sides of her eyes as the memory repeats in her mind of that terrible and tragic day for her and her family.
"Let's go" and the memory fades as Daro returns to her physical form. She looks away as tears slip from her eyes. He rubs her back in an apologetic way. She looks away trying to forget the memories she remembered once again as tears still spilling from her eyes as the memory keeps repeating in her mind. Marek watches...helplessly. "I could bring forth happier memories?" She curled up in place with her tatted clothes in some places. It had taken a lot of energy to shift, her body was exhausted from it, physically and spiritually. She tries to move but she couldn't due to how tired she was from shifting. Marek sends strength and energy into her body for her. She groans while sitting up with her back towards Marek. "Are you alright?"
"It hurts...every time it happens. I-"she groans and lays down.
Julian returns with the book. "I got the book, luckily they won't know if it's real or fake, I made a copy of it."
"Good, let's see what's inside." Marek opened the book.
"Unbind me from that WORM while you're at it. Get every tattoo. Skin him if you have too!" He carefully flips through pages. Daro begins hugging her knees sitting away from them as tears flowing down her cheeks, the pain was still unbearable. He skims each page, quickly taking in the information. Finally reaches the shifters. "Of course…it's hidden! WHY NOT?!" He scans for certain words. Daro stands up but stumbles, and still falling over feeling a tad bit weak. She quickly regains her footing and walks over to look at the book. She examines the runes and symbols on the pages, her eyes almost sparkling as she recognizes them. Marek cracks his neck "Ah! Much BETTER, I'm fairly whole again."
He finds the right combination and recites it. She steps back a few feet, and a bright glow begins to shine around her body as he recites the incantation. Daro begins to float off the ground as the incantation is complete. He manifests entire library of every book he ever collected and places the book on the shelf. After her feet touch the ground, her legs give out under her making her collapse to the ground. "You should leave and get some real rest, Daro." She slowly and shakily sits up and shakes her head.
"I-I'm not...going anywhere...just yet." Daro slowly stands up and almost stumbles again. Julian appears and helps her stay standing. "You must rest..."
"I'm not...ready...to rest."
"You need to rest..."
She shakes her head. "I'm not resting yet" she wasn't quite tired yet and the horrors of what she repressed seemed to go right through her mind once again.
"Sit then" demands Julian, Daro leans against the wall instead ignoring his demand.
"That isn't sitting." She just shrugs and leans her head against the wall anyways. (Stubborn XD).
"Ok that's enough." Julian picks her up with his strength, strength that he hadn't had before and sits her in a chair that magically appeared in the void world when it was needed. She sighs after she was sat down and takes a deep breath. "Oo it reclines" making it sound more amazing that it ACTUALLY was, Julian makes it recline and covers her with a blanket.
"Thanks Julian" she says with her English accent.
"No problem." He smiles happy to help his friend. Daro begins to start drifting into sleep hoping that she wouldn't get night terrors after remembering the past that haunted her for years, she starts feeling her eyelids getting heavy and finally falls asleep.
"There we go...." says Julian as he slowly is pushed to the back of her subconscious. While she was asleep, she rolls onto her side, getting more comfortable. Her mind goes dark and quiet.