The Sand Master

Reflecting on everything that had happened, Lance noticed a few similarities between the conditions of the two rolling on the ground with pain.

Darius had started to be affected after he had controlled the sand ramp. And Yu Yan had gotten affected after trying to use her IN on Darius.

Both of these were situations linked to brain waves. From conversations he had had before both with his master and Darius, powers like controlling sand came by using the energy construct in one's dantian to empower brain waves which in turn effect the particles of sand to control them to move, with the presence of one's IN.

Yu Yan also did the same-she used her brain waves to hypnotize someone.

This meant that someone was somehow causing pain to the two of them with brain waves! Just like radio waves, brain waves could travel through walls.

Realizing this, Lance immediately put Darius in a sleeper hold.

"Yu Ying, knock your sister out! Someone is affecting them using their brain waves!"

Yu Ying ran towards Yu Yan and mimicked Lance, putting her sister's head in her hands and depriving her of air.

Soon, the both of them were knocked out. The screams stopped and their breathing returned to normal. Even the expressions on their faces relaxed, which brought sighs of relief from Entsy and Yu Ying.

Lance decided to let them rest for a bit. "Guys, lets explore the room. See if you can find any weapons to use."

The two nodded and went in different directions, rummaging through the treasure.

Gold coins, diamond bracelets and necklaces, shining rubies heaped in piles, all kinds of priceless artifacts were present. Yet, these were all useless right not to Team Lance.

Continueing to search, Lance finally found something Entsy could use. It was a short curved dagger, with the blade and hilt both made of gold and studded with precious gems.

Lance remembered that it was called a "Khopesh". Testing the blade, although gold was a soft metal, he found that it was either mixed with something else to make it stronger or the gold was just a coating on top.

Deciding to give it to Entsy later, he continued digging.

"Ah!" A short scream resounded from where Darius and Yu Yan were resting. Rushing back, Lance saw that Darius was awake, massaging his forehead.

He seemed much better. "What happened?", asked Lance, worried that the condition might repeat.

"Something was controlling the sand devils. Perhaps even making them. When it tried to use the same sand I was using for the ramp, it found a route into my head. It was too strong to resist. I could only stop using my power but some part of it was already connected. It seems that getting knocked out severed the connection. That was some quick thinking, Lance. Damn, my head hurts like somone hit it with a hammer", he moaned at the end.

"Something? Not someone?", asked Lance, puzzled at the honoriofics that Darius had used.

"Yes. Its definitely not human. I got a short glimpse of it before passing out. And its not the first time I'm seeing such a creature.", he said, sending shivers down Lance's spine.