Shifting Power

A few swings, a wall run, which was even more of a hassle to get Halice across than the bar, and a short fall later, the group of three was getting closer to the exit. "Halice, come on." Manar said as his sister slowed. She had always been the more... well not active, but something to that effect. She could keep going at a good pace much longer than Manar ever could. But now, it seemed like she was getting tired. "What, is that infamous stamina of yours giving out on you?"

"Can it, Manar." Halice muttered, slowing a bit more. Then, there was a sharp stabbing pain in her left arm, and the Sand markings began to glow brighter. The girl collapsed to her knees, the blackness of her skin creeping higher up her arm. Black smoke rose up around her and sand burst out of the wounds on her arm. The grains of the sand and the thick smoke swirled around her, tearing at the already damaged ivory robe she wore. Underneath was was pair of golden coloured Persian pants, resembling the pants that the Prince wore ever so slightly. The shoes Halice wore, once thought to be sandals, revealed themselves to be much like Farah's, pinning her pants to her legs as they went up her shins.

It did not stop there. The ivory robe continued to wear away, revealing a leather belt and an ivory coloured shirt. The sleeves of the shirt were short, and the neck started in the middle of her shoulders, passing over her chest to reveal little to no cleavage. The charred blackness continued across her skin and there was a flash of light. When the sand, smoke and light was gone, Halice was on her feet. Delicate golden lines gracefully worked their way over what could be seen of her body. The thick black smoke that had replaced her hair flowed straight down from her head, billowing out at her shoulders. Her completely golden eyes opened, looking at the two males of the group. Her brother had gone through a similar transformation, and the Prince realized that he looked much like a younger Dark Prince in this form.

"You looked like you might need my help." Dark Halice said, and Halice looked forward. Ahead was a large chasm, that would have been a dead end. Before Halice could speak, her counterpart continued, "Before you ask use the sand on your arm. Impose your will upon it. It'll do as you wish." While she was confused, something to the girl that this voice was trying to help her. Focusing, the sand moved as she wanted it to. She looked out to the middle of the chasm. It was to wide to wallrun normally, and there were no ledges or bars. What it did have was a few porous metal plates and a small torch stuck to the wall.

Halice swallowed hard. Running over a pit was one thing, but trusting a pile of sand to safe your life was another. But trust it she must, because the longer she stood there, the weaker she felt. So, disregarding her fear and the little voice of logic in the back of her head saying it was a bad idea, Halice began to run along the wall. She could not go as far as the Prince, or her brother, at that point, but just as she was about to fall, she willed the sand from her arm beneath her to form a small platform. Landing on it, she realized that it was indeed sturdy. Sand crumbled away at the edges, and her time for awe was over. Another wallrun, and Halice was on the other side of the hole in the path, a feeling of triumph wheling up inside her as the sand rushed back to her arm.

Manar shivered when he realized that his sister, the one who hated the thought of performing a stunt that would end in death, had cross first. "Well? What are you waiting for, an invitation?" a voice echoed from the back of his head, and, like the others, could be heard by the Prince and Halice. "Use the Daggertail." The voice seemed almost like a younger version of the Dark Prince, but it's voice sounded a little more like Manar's voice. "Go already!"

"Impatient, aren't we?" Manar muttered, beginning to run along the wall as his sister had done. He knew he wasn't going to make it, but before he started to al, something dawned on him. Wiping the Daggertail at the torch, Manar swung farther and higher along the wall, allowing him to cross. The Prince, on the other hand, lacking his Daggertail, used the dagger plates. He ran up the wall, stabbing the Dagger of Time into the plate, before wallruning to the next plate. The Dagger holding on to the next plate, he managed to make his way across the chasm.

"I cannot believe you threw the Daggartail here. If I could, I would strangle you right about now." the Dark Prince said contemptuously as the Prince crossed. The Prince frowned, not justifying that statement with a response. He looked around, surveying the area. They were almost to where the Daggertail was, and it made him uneasy. He knew his alter-ego would love to have it back. For now, it could nothing but taunt the Prince.

Either way, they need to keep moving. The golden lines on Manar and Halice were not quite as sharp before, and there was nothing that might contain any Sands to restore their energy. "Well, come on." he said, walking farther down the path. Ahead was a pool of water. The water here in the sewers was actually fairly clean, and that was why he choose to keep the Daggertail here. The corruption that it had caused may not be able to be washed from it, but here if he needed it for some reason, he would not transform soon after getting it. At least this way he had some time before he could transform.

They started into the water, ignoring the protests of Manar's other half. As soon as water touched the twins black skin, whitish blue tendrils swirled up around them. Transforming back was a much quicker process, as there was a quick flash from within the tendrils and the two got up from their knees, back to normal. "That was a trip." Halice said to herself, holding her head.

"I agree." Manar stared into the water. Wasn't he surprized when he saw the Daggertail in the water. He quickly checked his arm to find the whip's blades still embedded in his arm. "What...?" The Prince carefully grabbed the weapon, which, after all this time, was still a weapon for one of the creatures of the Sands of Time. He winced as it snaked around his arm like it had Manar. Luckly, there weren't any Sands around to infect the open wound. At least not yet. "But if he has... and I... Huh?" Manar was utterly confused, trying to wrap his brain around the fact the both he and the Prince had the Daggertail.

Halice sighed at her brothers confusion. "We're not from this time. Of course both of you can have the Daggertail." This didn't help her brother much, but at least it took it off his mind. "Anyway, we're almost out. I can almost smell the fresh air, so let's get a move on." The energetic Halice Manar knew and loved was back.