He followed the trail, and wondered wether his search would be worth anything or not. Only time will tell. But unlike my master, my time is limited.

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

Instead, he turned his curiosity outward, sizing up his situation as best he could. Rykounagin, he could tell, had departed, which was discouraging, considering that he was Ragorian's only ally, most likely, in this place.

Wherever 'this place' even is... he though to himself, sighing slightly.

Using his senses, he quickly located Rykounagin, who was moving through the Sith city at a brisk pace. Much too far away for communication, he realized, his frustration spiking.

Or...was he?

Focusing on the corridors of his own concious, Ragorian was surprised to find he still felt some sort of...link to Rykounagin, one that pulled at him, pointing in the boy's direction.

An interesting phenomenon, Ragorian thought, but then, he and I have been through much. And he always did seem to have strange powers.

Closer examination of this unpalpable thread that linked both of their spirits brought only confusion to Ragorian. This bond was of a completely alien nature to him. He could not even discern if communication was possible through it. Still, he figured that it could not hurt to give it a try. Focusing his mind on this link, he spoke.

Rykounagin? Can you hear me?

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

He threw caution to the winds, and approached a sith. "Excuse me, did you see a cloaked figure of somekind. A sith pointed me in this direction and-"

Suddenly, it seemed like a screechy, wailing sound filled his mind. He crumpled instantly, then realized it was his master, and tried to think back at him. Cease master! Where are you? I need your help!

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[ 10-20-2004 09:47 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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This is the First and Foremost rule in sorcery, after all.

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"Aelvedaar, this is Sa'kal'ishaalas. I apologize, but Raelgosh and I failed to defeat this Dark Lady. We are investigating something that Raelgosh saw on our flight to a life sign we found on the planet. Should I carry your orders out to kill Raelgosh due to his failure to help me in killing our targets?"

So close.

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Realizing his attempts at speaking were hurting Rykounagin, Ragorian stopped, listened to his reply, and attempted to imitate the pattern and direction of thought Rykounagin had used.
Rykounagin, I am still with Aelvedaar.

He debated internally a moment. His initial plan had been to call Rykounagin back to Aelvedaar's room, or send him off to scout, but now he realized that the lad was pursuing his own interests. Something very important to him, it seemed Normally, Ragorian would not have cared one iota, but...he owed the lad much. He could give him what assistance he needed.

Tell me where you are, Rykounagin, he continued. And how I can help you.

[ 10-26-2004 02:50 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Blade of Chaos ]

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Rykounagin sent, wondering where he was. He left the place, and began heading back to the audience chamber where he had seen aelvedaar. When he reached the entrance, the sith stopped him.

"Excuse me, I need to find Aelvedaar."

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Ragorian sent his reply quickly and forcefully to the young lad.

Trust me, Rykounagin, you do not want to confront Aelvedaar now. Nothing would you accomplish by doing this. I know not how or why, but I can communicate with you still, and with time I shall learn, hopefully, to aid you with my powers once more. I am in no danger, and can remain in Aelvedaar's possession for the time being.

Sighing, he hoped his reasoning would have an effect upon the brash young Rykounagin.

For now we should focus on getting you off this planet, or out of this city at least. Then we may begin searching for those you seek.

Though how they may accomplish this search still remained a mystery.

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"Yes my master. It will be done."

He rolled, and clutched his arms around him. Whats happening?! He mentally screamed, still verbally shrieking into the night. "Ragorian!!!"

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"Guards, send for the Healer!" he barked into the dim hallway beyond. Then he pulled back, kneeling at the human's side, and placed a clawed hand on his shoulder.

"Be at ease, the Healer is coming," he said, all the while wondering if the Healer could work his magick on this obviously non-Sith.

A few moments passed, then booted footsteps announced the arrival of the Healer and his small entourage. They paused in the act of opening the door.

The Healer's brows shot skyward.

"You again?" he said, half laughing, half worried. Then he motioned to his interns.

"Take him to the Healing Center, and see his bed is a soft one."

The others nodded politely, then seized Rykounagin between them. Each one taking hold of a limb, they carried the human in this fashion back to the Healing Center from which he had so abruptly departed, not too long ago.

They laid him on a bed, drawing back as the Healer entered the room and came up to him.

He said, glaring at them, though the glare weakened as the pain from his runes began to fade. "I suppose I owe you thanks. But I Must leave this place, retrieve my master from aelvedaar, and find graysith."

He said this his eyes closed, feeling the burning fade.

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"Retrieve your master?" he said softly, stepping back a bit as he removed his hand from Rykounagin's forehead. His sky-blue eyes roved over the young man's form, took in the strange runes enscribed upon his body.

And being a healer... recognized them.

He cut his eyes to one of the interns, and nodded. Once.

The other closed his eyes, bowed, and quickly left, going to take the message to their Dark Lord.

The Healer turned back to the young man.

"Tell me, son," he began carefully.

"How is it that you have come to have Sith runes upon your flesh?"

"I've had these as long as I can remember, which is roughly about two months." He frowned, feeling the etchings around his neck move slightly. "How would I have gotten them? What are they exactly?"

He asked, puzzling over it.

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

At length, he reached out one clawed hand and, taking Rykounagin by his chin forced him to stare him straight in the face. Their eyes met for a long moment, as the Healer sought for the barest hint of deception lurking in Rykounagin's soul.

He found none.

Letting his hand drop, he got to his feet.

"The answer to this is not my privilege to release," he said quietly, bowing his head to the human. He turned and left Rykounagin's side, but paused at the door which led to the corridor beyond.

"I shall see to it that you come before Lord Aelvedaar. Remain here."

Sa'kal focused his attention on the blockade surrounding the planet as he and Dash exited hyperspace.

"I'll let you go, but you need to give me any information you have about Graysith and Phalomir. I no longer need to kill them however. But I just might to regain my honor. But from watching Raelgosh fail, I'm starting to believe that it would better for me to admit they are stronger than I am..." said Sa'kal as he turned the cloaking device on. They once again passed through the blockade and landed on the planet. "Stay here, I must do something."

I reached out with my Sith magicks and found them to be even more powerful than before. "Hmmm, that is interesting," I said to myself. I sensed Rykoungin to be not far off, but I determined it would be better for me to confront Aelvedaar first. I entered the temple and saw several sith rushing to Aelvedaar's chambers.

He lay there, his runes genlty burning, when he noticed something different about them. They're red. They've always been black. Why did they change suddenly? Is it that sith magick?

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I got up from my seat and walked out behind Sa'kal.

Stay here. Right. I wish I had a lightsaber.

"What are you doing?" I asked as stopped behind Sa'kal.

[ 10-29-2004 02:45 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Dash Kelderon ]

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A few moments later, Rykounagin was free from the healer's scrutinization for the time being. Taking the opportunity, Ragorian spoke to him.
Are you all right, Rykounagin? What happened?

Before he could continue, something caught his attention about the boy. The runes that covered him, which Ragorian had never taken the liberty to examine fully, were now red, a sharp contrast to their usual black. And, looking at them through Rykounagin's eyes, Ragorian found that, oddly enough, he could almost...almost recognize the runes.
What is this? he thought in confusion, his words also being spoken in Rykounagin's mind.What are these runes? Why can I almost read them?

[ 10-29-2004 03:46 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Blade of Chaos ]

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He lay there, extremely frustrated as he tried to puzzle out what was going on. What's Aelvedaar doing?

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First they came to where Sa'kal'ishaalas stood in growing impatience, his arms crossed, his red eyes showing his growing ire. They stopped before him, nodding in unison as they opened their ranks, then closed them as he stepped within. As one unit they then whirled, turning about and proceeded to go back the way they had come, toward the sacred Inner Sanctum of their Dark Lord.

As they passed a particular passageway a group of four broke off from the main body, and made a smooth detour away from it. They followed this passageway for some time, turned where it came to a T-intersection, traveled another corridor, climbed a set of stone stairs, and finally came to one of many healing bays scattered widely about the temple. Entering therein, they found the equally glaring Rykounagin waiting inside, his dark hair falling over and partially obscuring his turquoise eyes.

The Sith stopped, staring at those eyes.

Then they nodded; the tallest of the group spoke up.

"We are to take you to the Dark Lord; you are to come with us."

He went along the hall, and suddenly felt a rune on his neck burn. Whats going on?

He wondered as they approached the sanctum, another group of the sith standing before the doors, he wondered who else was being brought before Aelvedaar, and suddenly the runes burned again. Strange.

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