"My daughter," she finally repeated, letting the words roll from her tongue like waves upon a flat and distant shore. She took another drink, then set her goblet down once more and leaned back in her seat.

"There must have been something remarkably unique about you, Mr. Danner, that I should agree to such a thing. Some wonderful ability that I myself do not possess, some item of intrigue, perhaps?"

She let her eyes bore holes into his.

"Something of great power to substantiate such an agreement. Otherwise, believe me, there would be--"

She bit off the words as the channeler throbbed in warning at her hip, and let a hand fall gracefully to it that she could answer the unworded question she felt seeping into her body.

"Why else should I protect my sister?" she thought to Telion. "She had to die, as did my father by my own hand. There must be no surviving lineage; this my dear Sire had made quite clear to me. Only the Chosen Daughter..."

She quieted with a sweet smile, waiting for replies from both Terrin and the spirit inhabiting the Finger of R'lous.

[ 05-18-2004 05:34 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

--------------------

“Your sire had his own agenda, dear lady,” came the reply from the device. “He has used you from the beginning, using your trust, your power, your love, to work towards his own personal goals.”

A warmth pervaded once again from the device.

“But that is long past, even though your memories do not agree with me. We shall unlock the doors that hold those thoughts from you, dear lady, and until then trust your feelings. And I hope that you once again find your trust in me, as I trust in you. The days of the Dark Lord’s betrayal are over, his hold on you has long been broken though he even now tries to pull you back into his control. You are greater than that, you are beyond the influence of any man, any Sith. You are independent, powerful, and free.

“But he was correct in one very important matter, though not for the reasons he stated. In order for you to survive, dear lady, your sister must die.”

"What is that thing, it seems to almost, speak to you?" Rykounagin was feeling like something was behind a veil, and he desperately wanted to see what was behind the veil, but couldn't for some reason.

He felt as though it had some importance, as though it called to him, or as though he needed it, but he couldn't think of why...

--------------------

"This?" she breathed, now letting her fingers drift along the channeler. They came to a halt upon the crystal knob at its end, which she then grasped protectively.

"Why-- this is something given to me by-- by..."

She trailed momentarily, frowning.

"By someone who deemed that I was destined to carry it," she finally whispered, her eyes clouding over as they turned inward once again.

--------------------

For Rykounagin could not know why he would feel such a strong connection, yet only that it existed, still pulling. Mayhaps it has to do with the past, but I should remember it, something like that should be memorable.

But I don't, so therefore I shouldn't need to worry about it, but if only he could feel it, or maybe even examine it, it may open more clues to himself.

But there was no way she would relinquish such an important thing. But if only...

--------------------

Phalomir’s thoughts seemed to freeze for a moment, focusing in on that fact.

She doesn’t seem to remember who gave her this device, she doesn’t remember the contact she last had with her own sister – and it seems as if…

As cold realization set in, Phalomir felt a somehow familiar tremor pass though him, as if the air around him was beginning to vibrate. A slight nausea crept into his mid section and a feeling of dread blanketed his thoughts.

She doesn’t remember me…

He forced his hands to move, withdrawing from their positions around the Dark Lady, and stepped backwards one pace.

No, surely she remembers... I took her madness, we have shared so much, this cannot--

His face set in a blank expression, he grasped into the swirling mass of random thoughts circling through his mind and allowed one of them to make its way to his vocal cords.

“Who, Jharmeen,” he said hoarsely. “Who gave this to you?”

[ 05-19-2004 10:41 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Phalomir ]

--------------------

Your sister must die….

Somewhere deeply hidden within her, a dark spark of triumph began burning a bit more brightly, with a bit more intense of a heat.

It was as she had promised her Dark Heart; it was as she had deduced that day when she first touched upon that which would change her life forever; indeed, it was as that instinctive urge had first informed her of when she walked out of that ancient and hidden hanger, a yet-unignited Glyph laying dormant upon her forehead:

Her sister must die.

Would die.

A flicker of a smile passed over her lips; then she shook herself and forced her attention upon the Sith who had just addressed her. A frown replaced that smile.

“I do not really recall, actually; it really does not matter,” she said brusquely. “Possibly it was my Sire; no matter, the fact that I do possess this device now is what is of importance.”

She ran her fingers lightly over it once again, then turned inward to speak to de’ R’lous.

”I do not believe that which you say about my Sire,” she told him flatly.

”He would not betray me; he gave me that which I have, and guided me to my dearest Dark Heart that it should come to life.

“I could never turn against him… not without solid proof. More than the mere words with which you fill my head.”

With that she fell silent, then simply took another drink of brandy.

[ 05-19-2004 05:20 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

--------------------

Yes, better to be left for a better time.

[ 05-19-2004 10:55 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Rykounagin ]

--------------------

He stepped backwards further, hands going to his sides.

“No do not recall…” he whispered, his words barely audible.

“Yes, my—Dark Lady,” he forced, “that is what is important. Of course.”

Somewhere, buried deeply within him, was a ball of madness Phalomir had extracted from the Dark Lady not so long ago. Soundlessly, without notice, the strong hold he maintained on this madness loosened.

He winced and put his hand to his head. Spying a nearby chair he moved his frame, imposing yet suddenly subdued, to it and sat quietly. Once again thoughts spun through his head in a whirlwind, and he allowed them to spin out of focus and suddenly wished he had not left the Darker Realms.

--------------------

“Proof you shall have, dear lady. But yes, words are indeed not nearly enough to convince you, and more tangible evidence is called for. But to gather such evidence is dangerous, dear lady, and will require someone with great strength, power, and cunning. Of course, you fit that description perfectly, but you are far too important and will be needed here.”

A soft feeling of playful warmth crept into the Dark Lady.

She was sounding almost like...

...well, like her old self...

"To answer your question concerning why you made any sort of...

agreement with me," Terrin finally spoke up then, "I used to own a large ship-building company, one which dealt in manufacturing ships as large as the Super Star Destroyer. For this reason I had many influential business-related connections...

...ones that tended to also be of the political nature. You made the blood oath with me under the conditions that, when the time came, I would be willing to use these connections to act in your...

...and the Sith's...

...behalf."

--------------------

Graysith smiled sweetly as she shot that thought back into the channeler.

"After all, I know all of you not. I only know of my dearest Dark Heart, no matter what misuse he had of me, and of the devotion and teachings of my Sire, Lord Aelvedaar.

"As do I know of the final destiny that has been placed before me now, now that the Sith appear to have been resurrected."

Now she turned to the young turquoise-eyed lad, but it was not to him that she addressed her next words.

"Mr. Danner, if we had a blood oath as you claim... then perhaps you can find the means of revealing the truth in what has happened in this mysteriously disappearing past of mine. Obviously you placed yourself in servitude to me by making that oath; I am Chosen of the Sith, and so in assisting me, you likewise assist them as well.

"That is--"

She paused once more, her eyes darkening to garnet.

"If I can assume that what you speak is truth, and not something simply conjured from thin air for your own interests."

[ 05-20-2004 04:12 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

--------------------

Rykounagin quickly realized he would have to speed up to keep with the pace here, or he would be plowed under and left behind, the imprints of their boots still well formed in his flesh.

He decided that he would let Danner have command for a short while, and he relayed this to him quickly, hardly even focusing on the idea.

He decided to look back upon what had happened so far. His previous master had sent him to the dark planes with that shard, that still pulsated against rykounagins ribs in it's safely tucked away cubby in his mesh.

Then he had journeyed to that ship, where he had explained himself, and been greatly pained by his master for nearly revealing him. He then swore fealty to Graysith, also under the command of his master.

They had then journeyed to this place, and the spirit inside him had begun to make itself at home, and he had discovered that strange thing in Graysith's possession that seemed to commune with her.

That thing had struck a strong chord in Rykounagin for somereason, though he had no reason why. And now they sat here plotting about something he had no idea about. Though the rest of them seemed to have a good idea about what was going on.

Suddenly it seemed as though this had all been planned, all been laid out by something greater. Like setting a holochess board in places where one's pieces would been in more favorable or less favorable places, instead of their usual places on either sides of the board. Could it be that his master... No it couldn't be.

Well at this time, he would just lay back and watch, and if the need arose, he would step in. Otherwise, it was time to take a little break.

--------------------

At first, after the apparent death of Romanus' body on the outskirts of the tomb, Ragorian had despaired, feeling that all was lost and he was doomed to isolation and silence again. Doomed to wallow in his own insanity for another thousand years. But this was not to be. For, not long after Romanus had seemed to have died, he had felt another hand grasp his hilt. Too weak to use his power of possesion, he had instead struck up a deal with the one who had taken him up. The boy called Rykounagin.

Binding his soul to the boy's, Ragorian began resting and recuperating his lost strength. During this time, he had discovered many dark and astounding secrets about the boy Rykounagin that he did not seem to quite be aware of yet. Ragorian had thought it wise to block these from him until he was ready to accept them, and instead use the lad to his own advantage for the time being. Giving his a shard of the sword that carried his essence in it to him, Ragorian had sent Rykounagin to find Graysith and the others, and win their trust. For Ragorian hoped to find some secret to Graysith's amazing power that she had defeated him with when they had first battled. With this knowledge, he hoped to harness the power for himself, and use it to return himself to his own body and power.

He had been amazed to witness Graysith's power when she defeated the swarm Dark Lord Roan had sent from the Darker Realms. He had sensed this force she called the All in the power she had used to eliminate the swarm, but there had also been a strong feel of Sith sorcery in the magick, which Ragorian knew the Lady herself could not use. So he had focused Rykounagin on finding this soure of Graysith's newfound might.

Ragorian had been startled, to say the least, when his connection with Rykounagin's mind had been severed through Graysith's fealty ritual. But as he had bound himself to the boy's soul, their connectiuon had not been lost, and instead he had also felt a slight bond with Graysith himself, as she bound to her the one with whom his soul was intertwined. Another shock had come when Ragorian had sensed another conciousness in Rykounagin's mind aside from his. One called Terrin Danner, who was somehow important to Graysith. Ragorian cared not for this Danner, and only viewed him as an annoyance that got in the way of his attempts to reconnect with the boy's mind. Yet just recently something had drawn his attention again. During the conversation, along his ever-so-slight bond with the Chosen Daughter, he had felt her conversing with another entity, separate from those in the room, and his interest had piqued Rykounagin's own. However vague Graysith's explanation had been, Ragorian had felt great power in that object she carried. This, indeed, was the source of her newfound sorcerous powers. This so-called Axis.

Upon coming to this conclusion only moments ago, Ragorian realised that he must take the Axis, for it, he was sure, could restore him to his former body at long last. He would worry about how to tap its power, or the wrath that he would evoke from Graysith later. Now was the time for action.

Focusing again on Rykounagin's mind, Ragorian noticed that the boy had relinquished control of himself to the spirit of this Danner. A perfect opportunity for Ragorian to regain control. Focusing every might of his power on the shard the boy carried, Ragorian leaped into the boy's mind itself.

Sweeping aside Danner before he could react, Ragorian quickly looked out through the boy's eyes, which now gleamed crimson, a sign that he had taken control. ven so, he felt the body's muscles reject him, as if they knew he was not their rightful master. Knowing he could not hold the lad's body for long, Ragorian took in his surroundings. Graysith seemed deep in conversation with herself. Or perhaps the Axis. The larger Sith, Phalomir, was he called? seemed to be struggling some pain or emotion, as he was slumped in a chair, holding his head in his hands. Perfect. They were both distracted. He had to act very quickly, or he would lose his chance. Surprise and assault would be the quickest method possible.

Gathering every mite of his power he could muster, Ragorian focused again on the shard Rykounagin carried, which began to glow steadily brightly as power collected inside it. Gathering the magick into what he called a "Mind-bomb," Ragorain let the flood of power lose. Searing light filled his vision for a moment, then quickly cleared to show him the scene in the room. Just as he had hoped, the intesnse assault on their minds had rendered Graysith and Phalomir unconcious. But, Ragorian assumed, not for more than a few minutes. Their midns and souls were very strong, and Ragorian knew they would recover only momentarily. At that moment, Rykounagin's true mind resurfaced, puzzled and furious. Desperatly, Ragorian turned his focus to the object that lay on the floor, near Graysith's outstreached hand.

The Axis! he half-shouted to Rykounagin, and simultaneously using what he could muster to throw a cloak of invisibility about the boy, directing him then to hasten as quickly and directly as possible to a particular point outside the tomb where he lay.

Grab it and return to me, quickly! We must get off this planet! Now is the time for haste!

[ 05-24-2004 01:59 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

--------------------

I thought I had rid myself of him, he was gone! Rykounagin thought angrily as Ragorian fell silent and left his body.

I gave an oath, he should be gone! But, he did promise the truth...

Rykounagin looked back to when he had found the large sword that had lay next to that seemingly destroyed husk of a body. It had been so interesting to watch, so curious that he'd picked it up.

He suddenly found that it could speak to him, telling him its story, and striking that bargain to tell him of the truth that he had forgotten.

He stepped towards the fallen Graysith and looked around at the fallen Phalomir and Rhua Ki.

He stepped up to the glowing Axis, it's gems still glowing with the residue of it's suddenly halted conversation with Graysith.

As he picked it up he whispered in Graysith's ear, "I'm sorry."

He stood up straight again and walked in the direction indicated by his master.

Before he departed altogether, he looked back to all of them, some already showing signs of recovering from the attack. "I'm sorry to all of you, I hope to oneday return the Axis. I hold no feelings against you if you do hate me for this and attempt to kill me. I feel as though I deserve it. Goodbye."

With that, invisible to the eyes of any Sith who were there, he stepped through the doorway of the Dining Hall and into the corridor beyond, not stopping but hastening onward to his master, as that door quietly closed behind him.

[ 05-24-2004 02:05 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

--------------------

But as it was, the strength of the magick of the Sith was stronger, having taken her so completely by surprise that she hadn’t had the time to raise defensive measures against it. All she could do was lay on the cold stones, feeling them become warmer and warmer as her rage mounted and soared, heating her skin until she felt she was veritably alight with a flame of such fury that it could never be extinguished.

She ground her teeth at the effrontery of it all… as well as in anger at herself for her own stupidity.

You acted as a child! she snarled inwardly. Your dear Father taught you better, did he not? Did not your own Dark Heart warn you of unexpected strangers bearing gifts? Yet your own ego ballooned out too far, blinding you to the wisdom they had imparted to you.

And you would consider yourself the Chosen of the Sith…

Hot tears sprang into her eyes, enraging her more for the fact that as yet she couldn’t even blink to eliminate them. Her world blurred, wavered; the bodies of the giant Sith, the willowy scientist merged together into a weird chimera of arms and legs all out of proportion to each other. The stone beneath her hot cheek fairly seethed with flame of its own making, strengthening new resolve now slamming into her body.

Vengeance is indeed a dish best served cold….

Time passed… and little by little she regained control over herself. Soon she was able to blink, then to extend her tongue to lick her dry lips. The image of combined Kaminoan and Sith resolved into two, both groggy, both jerking and groaning to get themselves to their hands and feet. She found her lip was able to curl, and that strength was starting to flow back into her body.

At length she rolled over on her stomach, then gained her hands and knees, and finally managed to rise to her feet. She lurched; one slender hand reached out, clutching, grasping; it connected with something and she found herself steadied.

She looked to the spot her newfound apprentice had so recently occupied, recalled his final words to her before he departed.

“Yes,” she now answered in a chilling whisper, and merely waited for the others to revive, one hand grimly stroking the place at her hip where the Finger of R’lous had hung.

[ 05-23-2004 10:44 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

--------------------

But what was this? How had this happened? What insurrection of the peons had dared interrupt his reunion with the One?

Kidnapped? Yes, he had been kidnapped, stolen away like a babe from the arms of a weeping mother. Oh, this was precious. Indeed, Axis felt a sudden rush of amusement at the situation, the jewels on the Finger glowing a brief yellow before settling back into smooth deep red.

He called out to the mind of the youth who now carried the device, being careful to knock lightly on the surface of the boy’s mind, not venturing too deeply.

“Well done,” came the voice into the boy’s mind. “But what now, how do we plan to escape this planet of Sith? Amaze me, boy, and I may grant you use of my powers. Bore me, and you shall share the fate of so many others before you.”

“My lady,” he said, “what has happened?”

He looked at her other hand, patting the area where once hung the Finger of R’Lous. A feeling of dread washed over Phalomir, followed immediately by a sense of urgency.

“The Finger…” his eyes snapped to the Dark Lady’s, a red spark showing around his pupils. “Are you injured? Your well-being is of course most important, but the Finger has been taken. We must find it, quickly, it cannot be in any other hands but your own! I can pursue him alone if need be…”

--------------------

“No, I am not hurt,” she said brusquely, pulling her hand from Phalomir’s even while something deep within her psyche roiled and writhed and yowled…

Liar-rr-rrr….

She sniffed in something approaching momentary embarrassment as she followed the direction of Phalomir’s gaze. The segue smoothly performed, she let that hand now press down upon her thrimm, removing any unsightly wrinkles it had taken in her graceless fall to the floor.

“He shall not get far; I can find him yet; I may require your assistance in this—“

Her voice trailed and the strange light now flickering in her eyes faded inward, as she reached out to regain contact with Telion de’ R’lous. For, had there not been a link? Did they not share minds; was not her ability, honed ever sharper by lessons she had received from Lord Aelvedaar, enough to now actively stretch out and find him?

For find him I must, she thought, and straining, stretched further.

Atop her forehead, the Glyph began whirring into life, while deep within her being the Beast sat up, shook away the remnants of long slumber, and began raking its razored talons up and down, up and down, up and down….

She ignored this then, jerking herself back to consciously focus on her surroundings... which were decidedly opulent. Recalling who she was here, she moved to a richly brocaded bell-pull and tugged it. It seemed she had scarcely let the thick material fall from her hand when she was approached by a large Sith with eyes of aquamarine. He bowed respectfully before her.

"Yes, Lady?" he inquired.

"There is a lad running loose somewhere in this temple or its grounds; he has stolen a personal object of mine that I would like back. Please send soldiers to find and detain him."

She dismissed Salandaar after providing him with the description of the young Rykounagin, then returned to her task of reconnecting with the spirit occupying the Finger of R'lous.

[ 05-23-2004 11:12 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

--------------------

“He is human, and has taken that which is Sith,” was all he said.

Indeed, was all he needed to say.

The Captains growled in reply, whirled as a unit, and departed to their squads. Soon the temple and its grounds were alive with the steady march of feet, as the warriors of the Sith set out on their quest to find the object their Lady required.

As for what they needed to do to regain it, once it was found….

“Oh, dear lady,” he called out, feebly. “I have been taken, but I shall not allow him to use my powers. But hurry, dear lady, for I fear he intends to deliver me into the hands of another. Perhaps Aelv…”

Axis allowed the link to falter, cutting much of the energies he used to maintain his ever-growing bond with the Lady. He waited a brief second, then redoubled the energies to the link.

“Hurry, dear lady!”

Axis let the link dangle, feeding wave upon wave of energy to it, growing the Lady’s need and urgency in finding her treasure. He knocked lightly on the boy’s mind once again.

“If you have not another plan, may I suggest a stealth approach? This temple is crawling with Sith.”

I heed your call! she cried out to him, straining to maintain contact.

“They are yet on this planet,” she said aloud, her voice terse with the strain she was holding. “We shall go to them…

“Now!”

Tightening her hold on the spirit of de’ R’lous, she closed her eyes and concentrated. The Beast roared within, the Glyph flared into incandescence then, as with a wave of one hand she opened a portal in the fabric of time and space.

Wavering dimly through the shimmering energies was a dark and somehow ominous form.

“My soldiers shall soon be at hand; come, Armorer, and attend your Lady!”

With that she stepped through the portal to confront that which was lurking on the other side.

[ 05-24-2004 12:29 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

--------------------

His concentration was broken briefly when another voice entered Rykounagin's mind: that of the Axis. Rather than sounding
angered or distressed at its separation from the Lady, the voice emanating from the so-called Finger sounded amused, of all things. Interesting. Ragorian was also mildly startled to find that the voice actually was asking Rykounagin to impress it, and offering him advice on how to avoid detection. Most interesting indeed. And it gave good advice as well, advice that Ragorian immediatly acted on.

Feeding and weaving energies as best he could through the shard of the sword that remained with Rykounagin, he draped the fleeing boy in a cloak of Sith magick that would render him invisible to any normal being's eye. For how long, Ragorian could not tell. His powers were still faltering; he still had yet to regain his full strength. And this was not a good time for him to not be at full power.

As he focused on the Axis, Ragorian felt it communicating along a link with Graysith...and then nearly close the link, after crying out desperatly for Graysith to help it. The Axis had shown two sides to this situation thus far. Which was an act, and which was the truth? Cautiously, Ragorian opened a link with the Axis.

My apologies for wresting you so quickly away from the Dark Lady, but my greed got the best of me. Ragorian said to it, attempting to sound friendly, which was not something he did often. We have not yet been introduced. I-

Ragorian suddenly cut off as he sensed a shift in the air close behind Rykounagin. As the boy's head turned to look, Ragorian felt chills go down his spine as he watched the Lady Graysith emerge from a portal just opened in the air, her eyes smoldering with rage and desire for vengeance. Shouting to Rykounagin to flee, Ragorian poured his own magick into the boy, aiding him to escape all the more swiftly, far faster than he could normally go. Still, Ragorian had little hope of successfully fleeing the Lady. Unless...

Ragorian turned back to his link with the Axis.
If you truly wish to escape this temple, he said smoothly, his voice filled with much more calm than he felt. then any assistance you would be willing to offer would be greatly appreciated.

--------------------

She was in a quiet little cove in one of the far gardens of the Great Temple of the Warriors. Nearby a small fountain tinkled lightly, on one side of her an ornately carved stone bench silently beckoned to those who wandered to come sit, rest, compose oneself in that meditation which is oftentimes the true core of a warrior's strength.

She snorted, turning her back on that bench, and cast another look about.

Nothing... yet there had been something, a dark wavering in the very bits of matter from which everything is made.

The Glyph flared in protest, the Beast roared, it's feast of blood snatched from beneath it's very claws. Pursing her lips grimly, Graysith now closed her eyes, and reached out along that link.

"Telion de' R'lous, where are you? You have been spirited from me; make notice of yourself, that I might find where you have been hidden and deal with the traitors who dare raise their hands against me in this foul manner!"

--------------------