A horrible migraine pounded against her temples relentlessly, however she still had not opened her eyes, breath slow and stable as to not alert her captors that she had regained conscious. The right side of her head raged in pain, pulsating viciously and she did not need to touch her face to know the sticky substance on her skin was blood. She knew its smell all to well as to confuse it with something else.

It was rather quiet where she was kept, yet she could still distinguish several voices talking not too far from her location.

Trying to focus, her mind drifted to where the mistake was made. She had two people with her, following at all times, yet she was found out when her eyes locked with Lazlo. Tonks passed him, ignoring his presence entirely. Talia did not have time to look behind her at the Auror who always had her back. One glare was all it took, that ominous aura of hers as if spreading outside her body, alerting everyone.

It all happened so fast.

From behind Lazlo, a shop door opened, Karol pointing a finger at her. And then chaos. The hit she took to the head knocked her out rather fast, last thing she could recall was Lazlo yelling her name as he turned to attack his brother.

"Is she awake yet?" that voice brought her back to the reality of the moment, a voice forever latched inside her head, sending shivers down her spine, Constantine Crane. A door was kicked open, footsteps echoing dangerously close next to her ear as she laid on the floor, not moving a muscle. A sigh left his lips as he bent to touch her face, assessing the damage to her fractured skin "You could have handled it better."

A few words were chanted, water being summoned, a cold rag being dragged down her skin, washing away the blood, yet she still did not stir. Despite it feeling as raw electricity was coursing through her limbs, she remained silent and still as if she was dead. However that would not be too far off, only a matter of time, now that she was within the heart of the enemy camp.

There was at least one more person besides Constantine, one that remained silent, more than likely not wishing to anger the demons inside him, further darkening his soul.

Two she could take on, was the last thought that echoed inside her head.

Wild eyes swung open, the colour of murky waters, hand immediately grabbing hold of his, burning through fabric and skin. Constantine fell back as he recoiled from the pain inflicted, Talia getting up in one swift move, Bombarda being launched at the second person witnessing everything. Casting Protego on herself, she kicked her father as hard as she could before making a run for it, sprinting towards the door.

She did not register how many people were following her, fire erupting from the palm of her hands as her feet carried her on uncharted terrain on adrenaline and muscle memory alone. She would burn the entire forest to the ground if needed be. She did not have an ace up her sleeve, nothing to conjure and spare her from the pain that would be inflicted on her by the hands of her father.

It was just her own strength.

Stumbling as she took a hit, she rolled on the ground, getting back up, her shoulder feeling as if it was on fire. As two henchmen Apparated in front of her, she hissed through her teeth, recognizing them immediately since they were Jasper's men.

As they took out their wands, Talia took a step back fire burning hot and bright, several footsteps from behind alerting her that more were approaching. It took one single word from Constantine for them to attack in whichever way they saw fit. Two she could deflect, even three on a lucky day when she was at her peek.

However, it seemed that for one kick or spell cast, two more hit her. Her eyes watered as she fell back not having time to decipher who kicked her in the face, the only clear thing for a moment being the sensation that she could not breath as blood ran down her lips and chin.

Constantine watched her struggled as she was being subdued by force, fire burning alive anyone who dared to approach. Just like a wild animal, she kicked and screamed, using everything at her disposal, wandless magic draining the power in her limbs "Hold her left hand down."

Through her bloody vision she saw him approaching, axe in hand as he smirked "There is only one way we can ensure you won't use your magic anymore."

Horror gripped her chest, Flippendo being cast from her right hand ensuring the person holding her let go. Turning over as much as space allowed it, she sank her teeth drawing blood from the leg of the other one stepping on her left hand, a scream echoing throughout the forest.

Another hand yanked her by the hair, a punch making her close her eyes on impact just as Constatine dropped the axe.

Silence covered its heavy blanket on the entire scene, Talia blinking rapidly, ragged breathes leaving her lips as she looked over at her father and his cold smile that never touched his eyes "It appears I have missed. Try that again Talia and I will ensure they find pieces of you to bury." With a single chin wag, several hands hoisted her on her feet "Make sure she stays put, if not, kill her."

"Pardon?" one of the men enquired in disbelief.

"You aren't here to ask questions but to execute, you heard your orders, I will not repeat myself." Rolling his eyes he pulled out his wand, casting the killing curse directly at her chest "I give it an hour maximum. Just don't damage the heart, because unlike her, you only have one pathetic life to give away."

The next hours did not register properly, one minute she was awake, ignoring the pain in her body altogether as she tried to fend off her captors, the rest being blank for whoever knew how long. They started betting on how fast she would recuperate and come back every time, their wild sickening laughter burning in her ears as they tossed a few galleons around.

When her brain caught up to it, understanding that in front of those men her life meant nothing, she just stopped reacting, saving strength instead, looking up at the ceiling of the small wooden cabin, not wishing to fuel their crazed minds any further.

Yet her own hectic mind worked relentlessly.

It had to be a couple of days since she had been captured and there was still no sign of anyone coming to her rescue. She had to come up with her own escape plan. The only one that appeared to know about the ritual and how to perform it was Constantine Crane, however he was not the type to dirty his hands until the right moment.

However when that certain moment came, Talia knew, solely by how his eyes burned. Those cold, lifeless eyes, the same turquoise pools she inherited from him. He always had this power over her mind, chilling her to her very bone marrow with a simple glance her way.

"I could just kill him." She thought as he bent to look at her, yet the angel on her shoulder spoke of more running away, of her turning into him. She was facing a monster, she had lived all her life in the shadows cast by him, the aftermath of his sins spreading their venom towards her.

"I see you have calmed down." Her upper lip twitched in a snarl, revealing blood stained teeth, however even that action caused pain. Despite having tried to preserve her energy, her body was far too beaten and broken by that point in order to actually face even one opponent in combat "To be fair Talia dear, I am happy you decided to make a mistake." Sitting on the floor next to her he continued "Because you made it willingly and so wholeheartedly. Since you remained here for him."

"Don't you even dare utter his name. He's far too good to have you soil it." Alert copper coloured eyes danced inside her memory, how long and full his dark lashes outlined those wide pools of wisdom. How they always reflected what he was thinking, even now betraying his intentions. Talbott remained the only sane thought she could form, more than likely the only reason she was not acting on her initial thoughts of killing her father.

Cocking his brows he nodded his head "I'm impressed, you really are a Crane, you have that fire inside of you, truly my child."

She would have raised her arm to at least hit him, however she was certain it was broken "Your child? No, I never was." A heavy sigh left her chest, the pain in her ribs radiating through her body "Never wish to be either."

"I see." Running a hand through his raven hair, his wand came in view, immobilizing her already restricted movements. Lifting his nose, he inhaled deeply "Can you smell that in the air? Rain is coming." Running a hand through her hair, he offered her the same shallow smile "And with it, your mission will finally be fulfilled. You did good, so, so good."

As he continued to caress her hair, his words started escaping her, instead being replaced with dread "Just so you know, even if you weren't the one sacrificed, I would have never allowed for you to be with someone like Winger. Such a nobody, insignificant in the grand scheme of things." Embers danced in her eyes, the only thing she still had control over, telling him she would destroy him if she ever could, if she possessed the power "Shhh, listen, can you hear the rain?" his eyes cast towards the ceiling, small water droplets hitting the wooden structure "It's time."

As she rain hit the earth beneath the clouds relentlessly, soil soaking up the water, a couple of men dragged Talia to the sacrificial site. Hands and feet were tied down to a wooden structure, Constantine chanting in old Latin, his voice resonating above the rain.

All of the sudden if felt as if all lessons learned over the years left her mind all at once. It appeared as if she was five once more, meat on her bones shaking despite the spell not allowing her to move.

As a cup was presented to him, hands lifting in the air, he drank the content whole, Talia feeling as if all a sudden she was drunk without having drank a single drop of alcohol. Yet the memory of the sensation was familiar, the ritual beginning to affect her, immobilizing spell dissipating however she still was not able to move. She could not struggle, however her voice worked once more.

Yet words were stuck inside her dry throat, fear chocking her.

As Constantine approached her tears bit at her eyes as he cut her shirt open, taking time to admire his former work. She recognized Karol who approached silently, offering her father the dagger meant to finish everything, to end all that she represented "This time I will do a better job. Cut right alongside the sternum, then carve the skin and muscle to reveal the rib cage. I promise I will cut in the shape of a heart." Leaning to look in her eyes, his finger gently wiped away the tears forming in her wide scared orbs "Don't cry, I will give you a fitting end. Your name will forever remain CARVED in history."

Digging the blade into her flesh, her voice broke out in a loud scream, echoing through the thick forest "Shhh, shhh, just a bit more. It will be over eventually." As the blade cut once more, Karol looked away, covering his mouth. It did little to help him as the vile bile crawled up his throat, eventually glared his way for a moment before speaking "Go guard the perimeter if you cannot stomach this." As the blade dug into tender flesh again Talia screamed once more, voice beginning to lose its edge, however not before she yelled out.

"SIT AND WATCH YOU COWARD! YOU MADE THIS A REALITY. NOW FACE IT!" A sickening laughter reached Karol's ears, Talia chocking as Constantine ignored her, continuing his meticulous work.

"I did tell you that you are a true Crane." smirking, his eyes burned maliciously "I am so proud of you."