"It's just..." He paused a moment, struggling for words. "Well, I was still hoping that it simply wasn't true and that somehow I was still alive."

Trailing once more, his blue eyes defocused, pain filling them. "I wish I knew what happened," he continued, his eyes remaining vague for a second longer. Then they suddenly snapped alert as his gaze fell into Graysith's violet one. "But then, you would have been one I might have thought knew that. After all, I was married to your sister, had a blood oath with you and lived in Prinn'chatka with you and others for quite some time. Why is it that you do not know me?" he queried then, arching an eyebrow. Then, his thoughts shifting once more, his blue eyes darkened a shade. "And how am I going to help save Galen from that hell-spawned Roan, who led her to believe that she traded her life in exchange for mine...?"

Trailing one final time at that, Terrin's eyes darkened yet another shade as a different sort of great and overwhelming pain flooded him.

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“My Lady,” he called out. “Thoran speaks of a chronatic shield around your ship, perhaps placed there by Aelvedaar. If this is true, should we not return to the temple on K’eel Doba?”

He continued to blast at imps, helping Graysith to impede the demonic advance. He was unaware of the red pulsing and humming emanating from the object hanging at Graysith’s side, and did not hear the words spoken only into her mind.
“Wield me, dear lady, and end this madness…”

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Graysith smiled grimly, beads of sweat beginning to pop up on her brow.

“Yes-ss…” she whispered at length, but whether to herself or the softly spoken voice or in reply to the towering Sith or the shout of warning from the shade, or the billowing pain leaping forth from Terrin, she didn’t know. All she did realize, perhaps on some unconscious level, was that the thing at her side had so far proven true to her.

Now was the time for ultimate trust.

She raised her head.

She dropped the protective forces she had been using, allowing the Glyph to settle down into its usual brilliancy.

She snatched the mysterious device at her side, unleashing it smoothly from her thrimm, and took hold of it with both hands.

Taking a deep breath, she held it aloft….

[ 04-20-2004 12:40 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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So, Ghost, you refused me once. Now you shall see the power that you let pass. And you shall supply the source of energy.

A bright red thin beam shot from the one of the crystals at the tip of the device, driving itself deeply into Phalomir’s side. He immediately stiffened, his arms going to his side and eyes rolling back into his head. The device hummed loudly, then sent a surge of Sith magickal power into Graysith.

Graysith flung back her head as a sudden rush of powerful Sith energies overwhelmed her, flowing upward from the channeler into her arm to then cascade through every inch of her body. The Glyph on her forehead burst into a brilliance she had never before experienced, sending such radiant slices into the eyes of the others that they had to raise their hands before its fierce light, squinting. Her hair raised up of its own accord, billowing out about her head like living flame only to roil and writhe about as if in the clutches of some unseen wind.

She stood motionless for a heartbeat, wallowing in the luxury of the sheer forces at her command…

And then she used them.

The movement as swift as a striking dianoga, she flung the Claw-bearing hand out to one side of her, parallel to the non-ground beneath her feet. That hand fisted, with only the Claw of S’slan remaining pointed outward like the awful finger of some wrathful god. She closed her eyes then, and words she did not even know she knew burst forth from her lips, flinging out and echoing about the rolling, noisome mass of demons, each syllable pushing against them, forcing them to whine and howl and screech all the more horribly as they battled and tumbled about with each other.

Then something reminiscent of the fiery birth of the universe itself exploded from her in a great and unstoppable wave as she moved her arm back and forth in a great, sweeping arc.

That awful wave flashed out in all directions like a hell-born tsunami, gaining impetus with each centimeter it traveled, each wavelength growing in amplitude while shortening in length until they all seemed to bond together, making the very air ripple with a strange and fearsome charge. It bore inexorably over the yowling demonic horde, covering them, seeping into them, absorbing them as it moved outward and outward toward unguessable distances lost in shadows beyond comprehension.

And when at last it disappeared from the group’s straining, squinting eyes…

So had the demons.

Every last one of them.

Graysith shuddered as those wondrously hideous energies quite abruptly reappeared and flowed backward into her, impacting her body, traveling then along her arm into her hand, following the sleek lines of the Claw until they finally sank back into the channeler from whence they had come.

The Glyph on her forehead dimmed to normalcy.

She fell to the ground with a loud groan as from somewhere behind them a particular Dark Lord of the Sith let loose a bellow of rage.

[ 04-23-2004 01:00 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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The Lady’s hunger was great, her need for power almost equal to the spirit’s need to provide it. So he pulled more from Phalomir, and let the Lady’s desires feed back into the spirit.

She was strong. Strong enough, perhaps. For the first time in centuries, the Axis was enticed. The Lady had used all he provided, allowed her own power to flow freely and mingle with the Sith magick, and together they had defeated the hordes of the Darker Realm.

He relished in the rush of combining All and Sith magick, and basked in the victory. Victory over the demons, and over the Dark Lady’s doubts. She had taken the first step, now the bonds would be strong. Stronger still as each day progressed.

But the Lady was losing control, too much power for the first time. But it was done, she had used it well. It was now time to leave and strengthen the bond. He used the little bit of Sith magick still within him to strengthen the Lady, enough so she could stand.

“Yes, dear lady” the spirit soothed. “You have vanquished the enemy. Let us make our exit, there is much still to be done and you need rest. Trust in Phalomir, for you will need his strength. And now, we return home…”

Using the little bit of All power still remaining in its reservoir, the channeler opened a portal into the grand dining hall of Temple of the Warriors.

“Release the hold on the shade and instruct him to carry Phalomir through the portal. He will comply, his fear of Roan is great and will take his chances serving you over certain destruction.”

...well, powerful. Truthfully, it was disturbing. Terrin couldn't help but glance at Rhua, who was recovering from the blinding light himself. He opened his mouth to say something to the Kaminoan, but it was then that a portal was reopened before them...

...and with sudden certainty Terrin felt he had to reiterate his urgent need to somehow get to a point where he could at least ensure that Galen was brought back to safety. His blue eyes fell into Graysith's violet pair, and he almost reached out a hand to her in order to further grab her attention...

...but then withdrew it. The thought of how his spirit-body might respond to her flesh one sent a shiver through him. So instead he resorted to words.

"Please," he opened with, concern and worry evident in his voice, "Don't leave me here with no hope of ever bringing Galen to safety. She's endured so much...

...and I can't bear the thought of her enduring even more pain and hurt. She's been cruelly twisted in all of this with Roan...

...and I simply cannot rest while she remains in jepordy. Help me help her somehow...

... please..."

At this he quieted and said nothing futher, hoping the urgency in his words would give his concerns the voice the needed.

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“Yes, let us depart from this wretched place,” she agreed with the voice in her head, turning her attention to the shade still held in the grip of her powers. She opened her mouth to order him through the dancing and shimmering Portal, when Terrin’s plea came into her ears.

My sister… Galen… she thought with a frown, instinctively tightening her hold upon Thoran. The shade writhed and moaned in that grasp, trying to free himself.

She… lives….

Her eyes narrowed as a wealth of dark thoughts tumbled through her mind. Then, a sweet smile upon her lips, she turned to the shade of Thoran.

“It is my understanding that you once shared your essence with another… and without corporeality cannot enter back into the universe with us,” she said. “Apparently it is being suggested that you accompany us back to K’eel Doba; hence, there is obviously a means by which this may be done.”

She paused then, now turning to the Kaminoan scientist.

“Here is a corporeal body; perhaps there is room within it to accommodate not one, but two spirits?” she suggested, tilting her head to Terrin and lifting her brows in seeming innocence at her own suggestion.

"Or," she continued, turning now to the towering Phalomir.

"Perhaps the twain can be doled out, one apiece?"

[ 05-06-2004 10:06 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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“What—what happened?” he stammered, blinking at the barren landscape now before him. “Where did the—What did this?”

Some thought finally found its way into cohesiveness, and Phalomir noticed the channeler still in Graysith’s hand. The jewels glowing around its tip seemed to somehow mock Phalomir, pulsing a taunting light. He looked into Graysith’s face, her eyes. He suddenly felt very distant.

“Yes, my lady, let us depart,” he said quietly. “We have much to discuss.”

He looked to Thoran, almost pathetic as he writhed in the binding energy.

“I will take this one,” Phalomir said. “As you know, he was in my mind before, I now understand his guile.”

He stared at Thoran for a moment, then cast a reassuring look to Graysith. Just who he was reassuring, he did not know.

“It is good to rejoined with you, my lady. I was truly lost without you.”

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Kriffing hell, but life was so much easier when I was...

...well alive.

Shaking himself from this thought, Terrin looked to the Kaminoan. And even though he was a spirit and could now do things which all spirits could, Terrin was still unsure of just how to go about this. After all, until recently he'd been rather hoping that he was really still alive.

Hell, Danner, a little angel on his shoulder piped up, If you're gonna try to share this guy's body with him, you could at least be polite about it.

But then the devil replied, Who says you have to ask anyway? Just do it...

Terrin ignored the latter, and found he much rather preferred the ethics of the angel's words. Maybe it was just his business background playing a hand in this...

"Well," he then spoke up to Rhua, "I know this is alot to ask you to do, and the thought of doing this gives me the creeps...

...but just maybe it could work out, since right now we have a common goal."

He paused, looking at the Kaminoan but uncertain of what thoughts might be going through his head.

Dammit, this guy has a good sabaac face...

"So shall we put our heads together?"

Ok, Danner, the devil snorted, That was totally lame...

[ 05-07-2004 03:25 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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He turned his limpid eyes from Terrin to the energy-ensconced Thoran to the recovering Phalomir and then to the slight form of the Dark Lady before finally mustering up the wherewithal to voice a comment.

"I'm not certain how to do what it is you are saying, lady, but may I suggest that we do this quickly? I fear that the former Dark Lord is a bit put out by the destruction of his, er-- pets; I know your strengths are great, but I also know him and I do not wish to cross paths with him again if it is at all preventable."

He turned back to Terrin and blinked in a manner surprisingly languorous for all the words he had spoken.

"To think of sharing my physical being with the essence of another -- fascinating. I always wondered about the humans' thought processes...."

He fell silent with that, waiting for whatever might happen next... hoping deeply that it would not be the unwelcomed arrival of Roan's evil and noisome presence.

[ 05-07-2004 06:28 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Rhua Ki ]

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"This integrating of spirits and bodies... it-- it is something beyond my capabilities. Perhaps you can provide some direction, and soon, that we might depart before the Dark Lord befouls us all with his presence?"

Her eyes still closed, she cocked her head slightly to one side, letting a portion of herself break free from the inner communion to pay heed to the bellows yet coming from somewhere in the distance. They seemed to be crescending both in timber and strength, as if by the sheer weight of the horror borne upon those waves of sound the little party might be brought, helpless, to its knees.

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"The power overflows, I must say I am truly impressed lady Graysith." Came a voice from behind. The voice was surprising, as it was deepened, but barely, as it was not yet deepend with great age.

Looking around for a moment, Graysith beheld a dark haired boy of no more than fifteen, wearing a dark closefitting suit of thick mesh. With bracerlike bands surrounding his wrists, and what appeared to be the ends of lightsabres under them, a peculiar design indeed.

"I appologise for interupting the proceedings, but I find it all to enjoyable." The boy said, smirking. "Oh I did forget to introduce myself, I am named, Rykounagin, but don't let my sudden appearence bother you, no, continue as you would as though I was not here.

With those words, he flicked one of this various dark colored strands of hair over his shoulder, and stepping back a few meters to a better and safer vintage point.

[ 10-23-2005 10:56 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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The lad eyed her with an expression nearly as expressionless, mirroring her own save for some sort of amusement she thought she saw deep in the back of his bright eyes. She frowned at that, unconsciously tightening her grip upon Thoran as her lips tightened as well.

Where had this one come from? Who was he? That he was not Sith was a certainty—

She shot a sidelong glance to Phalomir, then back to the youth.

—and by rights should not, could not be here in the Darker Realms with them. It was impossible; he had no sorceries, no All, no means of opening a doorway into this dark dimension…

Yet somehow he had.

She shook her head, and finally spoke.

“I would speak further with you of how it is you have managed to come to this wretched spot, but not here. Momentarily we will be taking passage back to our world in the universe as we know it; perhaps you will choose to follow that we might continue with this conversation under surroundings more pleasant.”

With that she quieted, now speaking inwardly to the spirit in the Channeler.

”I find this turn of events strange, and would have your input regarding it. But not here; please, I bid you hasten with whatever proceedings you must in the joining of spirit to flesh. This place grows wearisome, the bellowings of Roan ever more of an annoyance…

“…and I would discover who this newcomer is, and how and why he has chosen to join us, here, as he has.”

She quieted her mind then, and turned a sweet smile upon the smirking lad. Something within her jumped to see him, for even through the façade of youth his manner bore a striking resemblance to a particular darth of her former acquaintance….

[ 05-12-2004 07:02 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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The Dark Lady felt another strange power surge upwards through the part of her body touching the chaneler. It passed through her, mingling with the All within, exploded before her eyes in a dazzling display of lights seen only by her. Somewhere in the distance she might have heard the scream of a familiar Sith. When it subsided, both Terrin and Thoran were gone, leaving Phalomir clutching his head and the newcomer struggling for balance.

A few moments later, he had become completely unawares of what was happening around him, as he had entered his own mind.
They have seen me, and now know that I am watching. However, they do not realise the implications of this, as they only have the slightest of our intentions. I will now proceed along, but first I will watch a few moments more. I know that I am not following exactly as we had planned, but this invitation is a new development, and I wish to follow it for a short time, as it may prove valuable to locating the one's we have spoken of. Rykounagin thought, looking deep within himself to convey this message.
They only see the mask, and it will be a while until the masquarade has ended, but soon it will come, and they might see yet the true master, the puppeteer behind this. But until then, I shall be the mask, and allow you to wear me proudly. I will serve you well.

Rykounagin released himself from his inner comunication, to watch Lady Graysith some more, and soon we shall meet him, for he has what we seek, yes...

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Introspective, she thought to herself, not fooled in the slightest to believe that he was merely being respectful. True her memories of events had been curtailed to those immediately following her stay at Khar Delba with Darth Wicked, but something deeply suppressed fought and screamed that the manner of this youth was identical to that of others she had once dealt with, others who had the means to link with others in communication.

Had I myself not done the very same? she thought, remembering clearly a time where she had knelt outside a particular door in the, at that time, unoccupied Temple of the Sorcerers, her hand upon the cool engraved wood, her thoughts going out to the one sequestered behind it.

This attitude I know… yet, to whom is it he speaks?

She gave her head a minute shake, and let a corner of her lip lift.

There is but one way to determine this.

Now she mimicked the pose of the black-haired youth, going inward herself to touch the spirit of Telion de’ R’lous.

”Yes, I shall watch this one, and closely,” she sent to him, thrilling with the warmth the spirit shot back throughout her being in obvious agreement. Then she once more lifted her head, her eyes clearing.

“You now bear the spirit of he with whom who are already familiar,” she said, pointing to Phalomir. The towering Dark Lord staggered again, but slightly, and finally straightened up to his full height. He said nothing but nodded to her.

“And you—“

Now that pointing finger swept gracefully from Phalomir, bypassing the astonished Kaminoan scientist to come to rest on the quietly waiting lad. He perked up, focusing upon her, a seemingly pleasant smile upon his face.

“You bear that of one lost to us, the human bearing the name of ‘Terrin Danner.’ Bear it well, and without defiance, for the removal of a passenger spirit is far more difficult and painful than its integration… and sometimes the host body…”

She paused, now boring holes into his face with her eyes.

“…may suffer in consequence.”

Nodding to herself then, she turned to face the shimmering rift back into the real universe. Through it she could see silvered shadows of a great and ornately decorated room. Impressively horned and wondrously dressed red-skinned beings moved gracefully about therein.

She blinked, knowing of her destiny, unaware that it had already been carried out.

The Temple of the Warriors… alive with Sith.

A sudden thought struck her then, and she raised a belaying hand to the others.

“No, we shall not return to K’eel Doba, not at this time. Not until…”

She trailed once again, turning her full attention upon the newcomer who now was carrying the spirit of the human male Terrin Danner within him.

“Not until I know who you are, how you found us in this place where none without certain strengths may come, and more importantly…

”Why.”

With that she made an unconscious movement with her hand. The rift darkened, rippled, froze… and then resumed its earlier shimmering aspect. She cast a glance into it, smiling to see the familiar outlines of the bridge of the trapped Sith warship.

“First we shall have a little talk,” she said, then with no further ado waved a commanding hand toward the rift. She did not speak again but stood in that formal pose until all of the party had stepped through. Then she quickly followed, closing the Portal into the Darker Realms with a snap as she stepped out onto the bridge.

“And now, my fine young man, you shall tell me who you are and how you have come to us, and why,” she commanded, turning to the young lad and gesturing that all follow her as she proceeded to lead the party from the bridge to a ready room where they could speak.

[ 05-13-2004 09:57 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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