The next all comparative hell had broken loose. Her eyes flew open, but instead of seeing Phalomir's dear face before her all she saw was black. For one heart-racing moment she thought she had been blinded; then she realized she was laying on her back, staring up at the top of the chronotic shield bubble she had emplaced about the three of them.

It was nothing but the sheerest of luck that had prevented her from falling against it; shuddering, she shot a glance to her right hand, which lay on the strange non-floor mere centimeters from the oddly wavering blackness there.

She snatched her hand safely away, raised herself upright, hurried to Phalomir. A quick and gentle probe confirmed the reason for her rising delight.

"It is as I suspected; he is healed."

Sitting back on her heels, she leaned forward to give the Dark Lord a warm embrace. Then she rose to her feet.

"We need this no longer; gird your strengths, my friends."

With that she made a simple gesture, and dropped the chronotic shield.

[ 11-19-2005 05:05 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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

The reaction was purely instinctive from that point on.

"NOOO!!!" Her cry rang as, before she was even aware of it, her feet began to move underneath her, her desire nothing more than to somehow get that Thing off her husband before anything further happened.

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

Oh Great Khaandon's Ghost! She would have to come out from under right now... right now!... wouldn't she?

I scarcely had time to form the thought, for Shayla was moving too fast. So far no one else had revealed their thoughts to what the demon had spoken, but I for one believed we should listen to what he had to say. A small droplet of trust, wary though it might be on both sides, had just begun to coalesce between us when here comes the cavalry galloping misleadingly over the hill.

I moved without really thinking of it, without even crying out a warning or anything. Besides, I didn't really think Shayla would pause just for lil ol' me, and if she wasn't stopped I was positive that not only would the imp disappear back into the shadows but would leave Erik dead just for spite.

Those thoughts were enough to send me flying from Terrin's side and charging into Shayla's trajectory. And this time timing was everything, for we came to the same spot in space and time at the identical moment.

Which basically meant that I simply bowled her off her feet, taking her completely by surprise. The momentum of my rush sent us flying off at a tangent, where we impacted the squishy floor and rolled, a tangle of arms and legs.

NO!"

Now I finally found the seconds I needed to let words catch up with action.

"We need to listen to what this thing has to say!"

Even as the last word fell from my lips we rolled to a halt, she laying on her back legs and arms akimbo, me sitting somewhat disheveled a meter or so away from her. I shot a fast glance at the glowering imp, ignoring the undoubtedly glowering Shayla, hoping like hell this proved beyond any doubt that at least I was willing to stick my neck out to show that I trusted it.

At least a little bit.

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

Terrin rushed out right behind Galen, hoping to create a barrier between Erik and the imp and Shayla as he motioned for Matt and Erik--and whoever else cared to join them--to help. Little did he know Galen had plans to take Shayla totally off her feet by simply knocking her clean from them.

Dammit, what was with Erik and Shayla and their impulsiveness??? Between the both of them they had a solid strategy to get them ALL killed...

He came to Galen's side, helping her back to her feet, then eyed the downed Shayla, who was quickly beginning to recover from her initial shock, scowling as she did so.

"The demon wants us to listen, and wants to be certain that we're not going to harm him before he lets Erik go. We were just in the process of confirming that when you showed up and came blazing forward."

At this, Terrin returned the scowl. "We need to listen, he says he knows something about the Master and Phalomir," he explained, then turning his blues to Galen. "Nice TKO," he commented, trying for the moment to lighten the situation at least somewhat. Then he turned serious again. "Everything still in one piece?"

[ 11-20-2005 09:56 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

Or perhaps he was just wondering if she was going to blast him.

The scowl faded a bit, and logic began to win over her initial reaction to a possible threat to Erik's life.

Two sides to every coin, remember Shayla? came a little voice from within her mind. And you can't understand that other side if you won't at least listen...

...and certainly attacking that thing on Erik's back will only make things worse.

Shayla's look softened, and she turned an apologetic look Galen's way. "I'm sorry, I just..."

She trailed, eyeing Erik as the demon remained on his back, its tail still switching. He nodded once, as best as he could.

"...I'm sorry," she repeated. Then, looking to the imp. "I'll listen," she stated simply then, "And no more attack."

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

“Me thinks is not good,” it said, “but me thinks it have to do. Not time to fight, only time for talk, then time for die if stay. Dark Lady free now, Phally-mire free now, even Sorcerer free now… all happy goodness, no?”

The imp spat a laugh.

“No! Not happy goodness. Master not good, now even worse. Master wanted son, but not get son, now paying price for pissing off darkness. Me thinking you all go, not even all of you want to make fight with darkness when it takes Master. Tower busy now, now time for leaving. Much badness to be had here, and many things to be fixing elsewhere.”

The imp pulled back its lips in a form of a smile.

“Things me knows, that why you taking me with you.”

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

Take it... with us?!?

An eerily gutteral groaning sort of burbling moan came from the black lump which yet slouched in the background; I cut a glance toward it, and then back to the sneering imp.

That worthy merely sneered all the more, one devilishly clawed forepaw now waving delicately about as if to say, I told you so.

I drew in a shaky breath, shot another dagger look Shayla's way, and approached Erik.

"Gee, I've always wanted a pet.

"Ok, you come with us, and Sissy-poops--"

Now I turned to Jharmeen.

"May I suggest you rip open one of your handy-dandy little doors back to the real world, and pronto? I don't think we've got too much more time..."

I nodded meaningfully toward the black lump, then turned back to Erik and his demonic burden. Drawing in another breath, I crooked my arm toward it.

"Care to humor me, Lizard Lips? I mean, you might want to get off of your hobby horse before his wife blows her stack again."

Rolling my eyes in apology toward Shayla, I then shut up and waited impatiently for peeps to get moving before the black lump on the floor exploded into gods only know what.

I just know I didn't want to be around when and if that happened.

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

She trailed, a something quite nearly tingling up and down her spine as she then turned to Jharmeen. "Can you open a portal back to where we were, or have you the strenght after healing Phalomir?" she asked in concern.

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

“I accepts you’s terms, I trusts, I goes with you, I be’s your pet.”

In nearly one fluid motion, the imp hopped from Erik’s back, onto the floor, and bound with lightning speed towards Galen. Even as her eyes widened it reached her arm and used it to prop itself as it wrapped its arms around her shoulders and hung gently to her back.

“Now we goes,” it whispered.

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

There were, however, wounds in his mind that could not be healed as easily, and they were bared fully as Phalomir turned his eyes upon the demon hanging from Galen’s back. He immediately powered up his magick, a red blast of energy forming in his palm.

“Galen!” he cried out. “On your back! Duck!”

He brought up his hand, preparing to strike when Galen’s head moved out of the way.

[ 11-25-2005 01:04 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Phalomir ]

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

...and Phalomir reacted. Something in Terrin totally related to him, and somehow he knew.

Aww hell, you too, huh?

But as Phalomir started to direct a red ball of something the demon's way, Terrin's legs went in full motion, and he stepped in front of Galen, trying to get Phalomir's attention.

If he went blasting that thing while it was on Galen's back, gods knew what it would do! What was he thinking?!? Oh yes, he probably WASN'T.

Terrin waved his hands in front of him, just to try to gain Phalomir's attention more fully as he then spoke. "Woah, pal!" he started. "If the demon had wanted to hurt us, it would have done something a long time ago. He knows something Phalomir, something that may help us against the Master. We need to get out of here...

... with him ...

...and hear what it is he has to say."

[ 11-25-2005 08:54 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

No time for talk now, Jasyn realized, the brandy he had probably making him feel a little invincible, Time for action.

Taking everyone totally off-guard then, Jasyn blasted forward, a la Han Solo. He ran full-speed directly for Phalomir, tucking his head and slamming into the shakily-standing Sith's gut, taking him by surprise as well.

Taking him enough by surprise that his balance was thrown, his extended hand knocked upward as his whole body rocked back. The red ball of something he had been intending to throw the demon's way shot upwards towards the darkness that acted as the "ceiling" for this horrible place, causing a momentary blast. Then the non-ceiling seemed to just absorb the red stuff, and Jasyn found himself staring directly up at it, now flat on his back on the non-ground.

He scowled and cringed at the feel of it, momentarily frozen as he recovered, hoping Phalomir didn't decide to blast him.

"Can we please just get the kriffing hell away from here and recuperate and plan for what we're going to do, before something worse happens?!?!" he then spoke out, beginning to sit up again.

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

He looked down at Jasyn, saw that he was unhurt, and then peered up to the ceiling. The area where his blast had gone was unaffected, as if it had been hit by nothing. He puzzled over this and then glanced to Galen and her guest, then noticed the strange non-ness behind her. Something seemed to wiggle there, and he sensed a very dark and foreboding presence. That, mixed with the memories of what had happened to him in this room gave Phalomir a sudden desire to be elsewhere.

“I am sure you will all fill me in once we have vacated,” he said, looking down to Jasyn. He extended a hand to the man to help him up, then looked around at the others. Noticing Aelvedaar, Phalomir nodded his head in reverence.

“I tend to agree with Terrin,” he smiled. He then turned to Jharmeen.

“Are you well enough to open a portal?” he asked. “I cannot say what place would be safest, but I do feel that this place is not safe at all.”

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

"I am quite well; I have no idea why everyone is suddenly so conscientious regarding my health when it is simply obvious--"

She cut herself off with that, biting her lip as a different sort of frown came over her features. Giving her head a little shake, she let out a most disgusted-sounding sigh, and waved her hand.

Immediately a portal blinked open, shimmering with its own brand of unreality.

"Shall we go, then," she said and stepped through, hurrying just a touch as the same strange warbling growl came wafting to her ears from behind.

((OOC: Follow Graysith back into Elseness in the "Jedi/Sith" forums, thank you.))

[ 11-26-2005 12:31 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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

He smiled a moment, but there was something that briefly flashed in his eyes, something that made her wonder just what had gone on in the time they had been apart. But now was not the time to ask. Without another word, she stepped through the portal behind Jharmeen, Erik at her side, glad to be away from this horrid place.

(((OOC: Follow Shayla and Erik back to Elseness in this same forum.))

[ 11-25-2005 11:52 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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"Yeah, Lizard Lips. We goes."

Then giving my disconcertingly willing burden a heft, I waggled my brows at Terrin, took in another fortifying breath, and followed Sissy and Shayla into who knows where that damned doorway opened.

Just as long as it wasn't Here.

((OOC: Galen and her lil buddy follow Shayla and Gray into Elseness in the "Jedi/Sith" forums, thank you.))

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

He liked it better when it was on Erik's back...

Then, shrugging the thought aside, Terrin began to head into the portal right behind Galen, stopping only a moment to pause and make sure Jasyn and Matt were along as well.

They didn't need any prompting. In moments they had stepped through, and Terrin was glad they were away from the Darker Realms...

...at least, for the moment anyway.

(((OOC: Follow Terrin and the boys back to Elseness with everyone else.)))

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

Now turning to the other two Sith, I bow formally to them, letting my gaze sweep down to the strangely disturbing floor of this hideous place before it rakes up and into their own pair, one after the other.

"Come, my brothers. Let us depart."

I raise a hand out to one side even as the other reaches to take my Chosen Son into an embrace warm enough to banish, for the moment, even the dank chill of this awful place. He sighs contentedly, leaning into my side, before breaking away to head toward the Portal.

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

“Panthar,” Phalomir said, stepping towards him. Panthar continued to stare.

“My friend,” he repeated, stepping closer. Phalomir grew concerned and closed the space between them. He reach out and placed his hand on Panthar’s shoulder. Panthar jerked his head towards Phalomir, eyes snapping to his, wide and surprised.

“Panthar, what is it?” Phalomir asked. Panthar shook his head and smiled, and placed his hand on Phalomir’s. Phalomir immediately felt a sense of dread sweep over him, and tried to mask the concern and fear he suddenly felt. Panthar winked and headed through the portal, leaving Phalomir alone.

Phalomir turned to the chronotic shield and stared into its strange nothingness. From what he understood, nothing could enter or escape it through normal means. What had they trapped inside of that shell? The Master?

A thought occurred to Phalomir, and the feeling of dread intensified. He recalled the way the Master had entered and exited this very room, the walls opening and closing portals seemingly on his command. He looked down at his feet, where his boots were leaving impressions in the strange spongy floor, and wondered if the shield was a complete sphere, or merely a shell placed over the floor.

He stiffened, and turned towards the portal. An eerie and deep growl emanated from the opposite corner of the room, and Phalomir dove through the opening.

(((OOC-Follow Panthar, Phalomir, Aelvedaar, and Aelymaar as they join the others in Elseness)))

[ 11-26-2005 01:33 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Phalomir ]

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

The Black Tower.

He snarled as he approached it, looming there before him, a desolate shadow against shadows more drear. For a moment his snarls truncated into a deep series of sadistic chuckles, as he recalled not only the wonderful tortures he had inflicted upon his once brother, but those he had promised to fulfill. It was for that express purpose that he was returning to the Tower; his snarls were for the stupidity of his demonic troops, who as yet couldn't seem to understand the meaning of discipline.

Not even upon the pain of disembowelment.

He shook his horned head, entered into the Tower, soon came to a particular room.

The dank walls echoed with his yowls of rage when he found his plaything to be missing. Quickly then, he turned and left, his strides lengthening until he was nearly running, heading now to the Master Hall of the Black Tower. His eyes grew dead, his fangs gnashed and shredded his own lips in fury, for certain he was as to who exactly had taken Lord Aelvedaar from him.

"Aelomir!"

His roar filled the halls along with his bootsteps as he quickened his pace even more.

"What have you done--"

The words were truncated the moment he entered into the torture room called the Master Hall. For there, instead of finding his unwilling companion, all he found was a black lump.

One he well recognized.

His lips curled in amusement.

"See how the mighty have fallen, to be tricked into imprisonment beneath a chronotic shield!"

He thought of letting him remain there, giving him the freedom of the Darker Realms... but no. As a shade, he held no sway in the Universe that men term real; he needed his erstwhile ally, though he hated to admit it.

Grudgingly then, he yanked the Finger of R'lous from his robes, where it had been hidden. While he couldn't drop the shield as it had been emplaced by another, he could raise it.

Using the Finger to strengthen his own considerable All abilities, he pointed it at the blank blob, watched in satisfaction as, disconcertingly enough, it appeared to worm its way upward through the very interstices of spacetime which yet existed in the Darker Realms. It rose to about three meters from the vaulted ceiling which arched overhead and there stopped, hovering impossibly.

His eyes flicked down to the spot it had covered, his lips curled to expose his fangs, his great broad chest barreled out with the breath by which he would let loose his explosive curse toward his brethren...

Only he was not there.

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

For the Master, it had turned a life.

For Roan, it was a cruel bastard.

---

The Master struggled against the power of the black ooze. It fought to control his mind, his body, to possess his spirit. It was the physical manifestation of the power behind the Black Tower, and it toyed with the Master for as long as it pleased. There was nothing he could do but wait until it tired of the game.

It settled into him, speaking calming whispers, promises of power, warnings of betrayal. The Master beheld beautiful images of darkness, felt the power flowing through him, and relished in the delight of what the future held in store.

Oh yes, there was hope.

But first, there was one who had gone off on his own, one who put himself above the good of the whole; one who must be punished, and then brought back into the fold.

The black ooze settled into the Master’s skin, flowing into the pours and turning his red hue into a marbleized jet black. His eyes snapped open, cold and glowing bright red around a center of pure black. He saw the strange energy surrounding him, felt its danger. He smiled and reached out to the Tower, sensing its response and acknowledgement, and began to sink into the floor.

The Master emerged from the floor a few meters from the shield, slowly unmelting. He stood effortlessly and smiled at the back of Roan, who was standing in a confused anger. The Tower knew, for it was part of its own essence that now lived within the Master, and within a second the Dark Lord Roan was sunk into the floor up to his waist.

The Master stepped behind the bellowing Roan and grasped his horns firmly, his new strength quickly twisting Roan’s head until it snapped and was facing directly opposite of where it should.

The Master smiled a black smile. Roan’s eyes widened in surprise and pain. Being dead already, a broken neck meant nothing but pain to this shade.

“My brother,” said the Master, his voice flowing like smooth silk. “I bring you good news. A joyous rebirth has taken place, and though until now you walk your own path of blindness, you too shall be taken in and allowed to nourish from our power. He has chosen ME, my friend, and I forgive you of your past. Power unlimited, my friend, that is what the Tower has given me. I shall save the Sith, I shall unite the realms, and I shall give you the vengeance you so very much deserve.”

The Master patted the top of Roan’s head.

“But the plans of the past are folly, my friend, and we must begin anew. But worry not, for we can build upon that which is already done. And we begin with a slight reminder of who you are and what is your place in this realm. I shall return for you, my friend, after your lesson, and hope that we hold a new respect for one another.”

The Master released Roan’s head and let it fall to the side. The tower floor constricted, tightening around Roan so he could not even scream. The Master sliced an opening into space and time and turned to give Roan one more glance. Black ooze from the floor had begun to creep up Roan’s chest and neck.

“Simply listen to it, my friend, and learn from it. Pride will do little for you.” The Master sounded caring, almost sad. Yet as he turned towards the opened portal a broad grin swept across his dark face.

He stepped through the portal, closing it behind him.

The Master waved his hands, opening another portal behind the surprised healer who stood before him. He smiled endearingly and pushed the air between them, sending the healer backwards through the portal and into the darkness beyond. The portal closed, and his dark skin seemed to glisten in the low light as he took in ShaRhylla’s beauty. He stepped to her bed and ran his hand across her forehead, feeling the darkness within her and relishing in the despair he felt inside of her.

“And now, my dark angel,” he whispered. “I am here for you. Awake.”

(((OOC – Follow The Master into Chasing the Shadows in this same forum)))

...all in his head.

At length his eyes snapped open, his fevered brain grew less laden with blood-hate. A sideways vision of the distant wall mocked him, reminding him of the predicament he was in. He strained to draw in a breath, Aelomir's final words taunting him, laughing at him when he found he couldn't move as much as a toe, and even that slight jostle was enough to make the black oozing diaspora creep ever higher up his chest.

Finally he stopped, closed his eyes, and for one of the very few times in his life -- or afterlife -- he calmed himself and actually tried to think.

The answer came to him with blinding simplicity.

Now he let his vision tunnel inward as he reached inside, finding that portion of his soul to which the All still responded. It leapt obediently to his call then, following his unspoken order to gather from his very thought processes minute bits of energy which it channeled into the ooze and the floor. The calmer Roan became, the harder he thought, the more energy he managed to produce and the more and more heated grew that weird non-material which entrapped him.

Hotter and hotter it grew; now he grimaced in yet more pain, bearing it's fiery embrace. But even in the Darker Realms matter is matter; though perhaps not of the same variety as that of the more earthly realms it still responded to physics. So as the floor and the ooze grew hotter and hotter the bonds holding them together grew looser and looser, until finally they liquified enough that the Sith could scrabble free of his imprisonment.

He crawled upon the cold stones of the surrounding floor, the high vaulted ceiling above him jouncing before his eyes even as the stones scraped against the flesh of his chest. When he was far enough away from the place Aelomir had enmeshed him, he pulled himself to a sitting position and with a quick jerk reached upward and twisted his head back the way it belonged.

He then turned back to the blackened and now slowly cooling ooze.

"Never again," he growled, reaching out now with the All to gather it all up into a roiling, oily ball. Then with a flick of his fingers he placed the lot of it upon a Mobius strip time-loop, that it would exist in a permanent now, thus being handily out of reach of any within this realm or any other.

He smiled grimly as the ooze popped out of existence. But the smile turned dark and foul as he recalled the last sight he had of his erstwhile ally.

"He shall not succeed," he muttered to himself, not knowing for a fact but harboring something of a suspicion as to what the so-called Master was planning.

"She will not let him..."

They will not let him...

His lip curling with disdain, he then opened up a portal into the world of the living, one linking his shadowy existence with that of the Temple of Sorcerers on Khar Delba. Through a long tunnel, darkly, he could see the glint of fire dancing in a hearth, could hear a distant murmur of a voice, could smell the fresh, clean scent of life.

"Rykounagin, my son," he called seductively across the boundless perimeter separating them.

"It is your Father; you must trust me now, my Son, and come to me now.

"Come, Rykounagin, enter into the Portal I have opened up...

"Come hither to me; there is foulness afoot and one who would keep you from your given destiny of greatness..."

((OOC: Dark Lord Roan calls out into My Enemy, My Ally in the "Jedi/Sith" forums; go there to see what happens, thank you.))

[ 12-21-2005 11:03 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Dark Lord Roan ]

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

"Of course father-" He said, walking quickly through the portal.

"Father, why would you not merely-" He looked upon the strange sith who stood before him, for all appearances having been the conjurer of the portal.

In a flash the lotus in hand, Rykounagin stood ready for battle with any fiend who would dare imitate his father. "Who are you? How dare you summon me under the guise of my father!"

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

It begins now, he thought to himself as he brought himself up to his full, towering height. From there he looked down at the lad, who although being fairly defenseless -- unbeknownst to him -- didn't show as much as one drop of trepidation.

This one is indeed one after my own heart, Roan thought as he strove harder to present a more calm demeanor in the face of the boy.

"I do not present myself under the 'guise of your father,' as you so charmingly put it," he said, now nodding his head in the direction of the weapon the boy carried. The lad did not reply at all, but merely tightened his grip.

"I am the one who has chosen you to become my son, and offer you in union to my daughter ShaRhylla. You can rule the Sith, my boy, in all their power and might. The two of you will be invincible, for together do you represent the very heart of the warrior.

"There is much to tell you, but first-- see for yourself..."

Again he nodded toward the weapon Rykounagin carried, only this time making it clear that it was not the sword he was trying to bring to Rykounagin's attention, but rather his wrist.

[ 12-21-2005 11:22 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Dark Lord Roan ]

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

"Who are you?" Rykounagin said, while slowly bringing his arm forewards from the place where it had horizontally hovered, so that he could watch this sith as he looked upon his arm.

"What in the name of Cobridos...." he said, gazing on the mark.

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