He felt the approach of Erik, coming quickly down the hallway. The Jedi was weak, but his Force signature emanated well enough to be noticed.

“Remember, my dear,” he said to the sleeping Shayla. “There is a difference between evil and darkness. Take care whom you believe, and with whom you side. Love is as strong as hate, and sometimes just as dangerous.”

His subliminal message planted deep within her subconscience, he stepped back through the portal and vanished with it, leaving no other trace of his presence.

All the while a frown formed on his face in relation to the thoughts now blossoming in his mind.

"Panthar..." he started, trying to figure out just how to say what he was thinking, "Don't you find it a bit odd that your head only hurts when you are not heading for the Dining Hall? I mean..."

He trailed a moment. "I've seen enough weirdness to know that something of this nature almost sounds like some sort of mind control, and somehow..."

Again he paused, his look darkening further, "Someone really wants you to get to the Dining Hall? Someone controlling you somehow?"

Falling silent for a moment, Terrin let the question hang. Then he ended with, "Hey, did Jharmeen heal your hand, cause the Force that Erik and Shayla use sure doesn't work that fast..."

[ 02-23-2006 10:12 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Terrin Danner ]

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

Panthar stopped.

All bother.

Panthar felt an ire rising within him, and heard the faint whispers of a voice in his mind. He had a sudden flashback to the strange days when he held Phalomir’s essence within him, when a voice first spoke within him. And although this voice was different, the same chills sprang up his backside.

These insignificant slugs, running about their lives as if their actions somehow mattered, as if the grand scheme somehow included them. Never in their wildest dreams could they comprehend the absurdity of that notion. Quite humorous, indeed. Ahh, but perhaps that is why these pathetic beings are allowed to exist? Why they are allowed to breath the very air that I move through? Indeed…

But still, nothing would be more satisfying than to turn around and bash this one’s brains out of its skull… to watch the blood and gray matter ooze down the wall, and relish in the horror when its mate finds its remains. To hear it shouting at the unfairness of it all, to have this one brought back from the dead only to die once again in such a banal matter.

Ahh, indeed, such gratification… but no, it is a move of folly, it would only bring suspicion, and there is more yet to be done before…

The voice stopped, and Panthar found himself holding has hand in a tight fist, the urge to turn and swing flittering at the top of his thoughts. He unclenched his fist and swallowed hard.

“I don’t know how my hand was healed, Terrin,” he said, very deliberately. He still did not turn to face Terrin. “But I am very grateful for the pain to be gone. However, right now all I can think about is how very hungry I am, and that getting to the dining room is a very good idea right now. In fact, I can’t think of anything else I would rather do right now than get to the dining hall and find some food. I hope nothing gets in my way, because I don’t know if I could control myself.”

Panthar waited, but the pain did not come. He stepped forward.

“And I sure would not want to be disturbed when I am there,” he said, still looking forward. “So I don’t want to see anyone following me.”

He quickened his pace, the urge to move overpowering him.

[ 02-27-2006 12:35 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Panthar Dantares ]

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

“But I do not yet know my part in this play,” he continued. “I heard the Master saying something about the Vong. I thought at the time I was in delirium, but I am sure now that he said it. I do not believe he welcomes their presence, but, alas, it is all speculation.”

Phalomir placed his hand on Jharmeen’s cheek.

“Which is why we fight the battles we can, and the battle we face first is for the Clan of Warriors. I know you hate this, but ShaRhylla is usurping your position, whether through her own actions or under the unwitting control of another – such as Roan – but this must end.”

Phalomir stood.

“And the others are likely awaiting us in the dining hall, our convenient place of convening.”

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

It was amazing how wide a gulf the Portal she opened had spanned.

The scent of Dagobah lingered yet in her nostrils, heady and heavy with greenness and life; the hooting calls of distant flyers fought to be heard in her memories amidst the gentle, ever-present scrabble of the white spiders as they scurried along their little lives. That buoyantly overpowering essence which made the swamp world such a haven, that joie de vivre, sang through her very bloodstream, yet as she stood there leaning into Phalomir's hand she could feel its presence dimming as a growing chill began to spread within her.

For one moment she wavered, yearning to return to the world that Yoda once called home, seeking to depart from the distress and despair and pain she knew she would find ahead on this one.

Not to mention the danger.

She sighed, let her eyes drift open, and stared deeply into Phalomir's brilliant green pair.

"And who is to say that the approach of the Vong is not the intended path this galaxy should follow?" she whispered, raising a hand in turn to Phalomir's cheek, remembering yet again the strange little venturings of the spiders.

She turned from him with a sad little smile and approached the sofa. The gown laid out by her lady-in-waiting looked somehow lonely now that Phalomir had dressed himself. Letting forth a small sigh, she took up the gown and quickly let it drop over her, closing her eyes again as she took a brief moment to relish the soft kiss of spider's silk against her flesh. She did not wear the gown so much as it draped and flowed about her, magickally clinging to parts of her anatomy in utter defiance of the laws of physics, baring her skin in others. The color was the deep green of Dagobah at twilight, sprinkled with silver Krayt dragon pearls which chased each other along whorls and spirals embroidered upon the bodice and airy, flowing sleeves. A delicate tracery of gold-webbed pearls was the finishing adornment; it caught up her flaming locks in tight bondage, only to release them in a waterfall down her back.

She turned to Phalomir with a slight curtsey, then gave him a subdued look.

"While the events if state that you speak of are unbeknownst to me, I am glad you are here," she said.

She then took hold of his profferred arm, and let him lead her into the corridor without their chambers. The stones echoed with their soft footfalls as they made their way along to the Dining Hall that they might break their fast--

Oh and Khaandon be with me, not my heart-- she couldn't help thinking, not without a touch of dread.

[ 03-03-2006 03:26 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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

It seemed to me that with my physical change, also came an increased apetite. Apparently either I had truely changed, or the magick that gave me all of this effected me in a very strong way.

As I carried a sliver of a foreign meat to my lips, I paused, to look at ShaRhylla.

"I find it odd that none of the others are up. I would have thought them to be here sooner, as I'm sure everyone feels the same general need for food... perhaps-"

I stopped as I heard, then saw one of the doors opening. "-Talk of S'slan..."

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

Terrin frowned, back off from Panthar's trail slightly, but never departing from it. After all, there was one other thing Terrin was certain of. Down deep, Panthar seemed to still be himself, and seemed to want someone to keep an eye on him while not stepping in on his actions.

Or perhaps that was all part of the ruse?

Terrin wished he had a blaster or something as they approached the Dining Hall, Panthar making a beeline for the double doors to enter therein. Terrin stayed several steps back, keeping a keen eye and ear out, and stepping into the room as well. His eyes stayed on Panthar, however.

"Allright buddy," he said quietly to himself, "Now it's time to see what you are really after here..."

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

More than likely, there goes breakfast.

Trying to ignore the sudden rumble my stomach obligingly emitted at that precise moment I gritted my teeth, moving quickly down one corridor after another, turning left here, nodding to a passing Sith there. Soon I came to the quarters I shared with Terrin and Darra; the door suddenly flew open, spitting forth my daughter.

I stopped briefly, still uncomfortable with that idea. It was more as if she was a suddenly discovered sister, or a cousin that had popped out of nowhere...

She smiled at me, queried politely as to my morning, how I slept, the usual stuff one says to another at the beginning of a new day. I, however, didn't have time for such niceties, so I'm afraid I cut her off a touch wee impolitely.

"Everyone's heading to the Dining Hall; I have to find Jharmeen," I explained rather hurriedly. Her brow rose in question at that, but I decided now was not the time to fill her in.

"Go on and join everybody; I'll talk to you later," I finished before hurrying off again, leaving her standing in something of a puzzlement in my wake.

On I went, now moving deeper into the bowels of the temple, once in awhile letting my vision grow dim as I focused on my memories of its inner mazes, trying to remember just where it was she had kept her rooms.

I think it's this way...

I was rewarded as, coming to yet another corridor which intersected the one I was hastening down and turning down it, I could see a distant stone wall. That wall was steadily changing color, growing a touch wee more violet, more blue, as if alit by a steadily approaching light.

That's her, I thought in some relief, quickening my step. I soon came to the next intersection where I turned to the left, letting the glow direct me. There farther down the corridor came my sister and Phalomir, their arms linked.

"Jharmeen," I called out. "There is an apparent problem with--"

Something made me pause. I dunno, call it the way that the wierd thing on her forehead was lighting her path, really bright, fiery bright, as if it was a tiny sun planted there. Perhaps it was just the fact that her skin looked a bit more pale than usual, maybe in contrast to that flaring glyph. Call it a sudden shadow I saw swimming in her eyes, something only a sister, one of common blood, would see.

Or call it another one of those damnable hunches I have always had.

"Jharmeen-?" I repeated her name, the tone of my voice rapidly switching to one of concern. "Are you--"

I never got to finish the statement. She stopped in her tracks, bringing Lord Phalomir to a halt beside her, surprise and growing worry fighting along the hard planes of his face. He looked to her, she looked to him, then back to me.

"I--"

The single word whispered musically against the stones of the corridor, ringing as a harsh oxymoron in both my ears and Phalomir's. For in unison we both said the same thing.

"No."

My feet took life unto themselves, my brain left, shocked, in the dust as to my horror every last bit of color drained from her face. She swayed, then slid from Phalomir's grasp, hitting the stones of the corridor like a bundle of limp rags.

By the time I reached her side and fell on my knees beside her, the Glyph on her forehead was not only out...

It was gone.

"Jha- Jharmeen?" I choked, leaning forward, shocked, horrified, uncomprehending, oblivious to whatever it was Lord Phalomir was doing at the moment.

For there was no breath, no heartbeat.

Nothing.

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

I once asked you to be my consort; now it appears matters are being settled for me, directing me along another path but one not so different from the one I--

Her thoughts were interrupted by a completely unexpected source. Instinctively she whirled about, the brandy goblet dropping from nerveless fingers, her eyes seeking out Rykounagin's, perhaps not so much in yearning to share with him one particular moment but in horror for the approach of yet another, one whose beginnings had been incompetely thought out by her but yet formed, as if somehow thought of by another, a moment now slamming into her with a vengeance.

A sudden flare lit the Dining Hall; slowly her eyes were drawn to that which was ablaze.

It was the Tattoo of Entitlement, once a somber black, now flaring forth in incandescent splendor before settling down into a steady, golden glow.

Her mouth fell open in shock, and she blinked, at first not comprehending. Then her gaping mouth restored itself into a sultry and darkly victorious smile, her eyes hooded like a rancor about to pounce. They lifted once more to Rykounagin, but not with the desire to meet his.

Instead they glued themselves to the hand which was holding an eating utensil, stopped in the act of carrying food into his mouth.

His Tattoo was blazing a brilliant gold as well.

She knew instantly what had happened. Her smile broadened, showing a peeping fang.

"And now it begins," she muttered softly as she motioned to a nearby serving girl, who likewise was caught frozen in startlement. The young Sith moved into obedient life, bringing ShaRhylla another goblet of the potent and vibrantly green Sith brandy.

ShaRhylla raised her glass on high before bringing it down to her lips. In the overwhelming surprise of this moment, it never once dawned upon her that the words she uttered were not her own.

[ 03-05-2006 06:01 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by ShaRhylla ]

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

It comes from nowhere, slamming into me, crippling me, sending my muscles into shocked rictus, my eyes unfocused, the increased beating of my heart an almost deathly thing.

For the Link, that one magnificent Link, is severed with a finality I know to my very soul to be complete.

I double over, the pain flowing, beating at me, striving to trample me to the floor. But gradually thoughts of what has happened segue into thoughts of its inescapable why, in turn followed by thoughts of those remaining, and what it is we all have yet to face.

Tears fill my eyes, unable to evaporate even in the fires of them. I stumble to the Octahedron, stand before it, one clawed hand upon its cool surface, the words forming like dread in my head.

"Show me--"

It obeys, my eyes are not deceived. I close them against the sight, a sight I knew was coming, but not now, not this soon, oh gods why did it have to be so soon...

Even as denial rears its head logic follows on its heels. I know she is human, was human, as did I know this that day I chose her from the myriad who make up the portion of the Universe termed humanity. I know such frail minds cannot handle Sith magicks without rupturing, splitting, in the end going mad.

How could I expect her to handle that which I bestowed upon her for the remainder of a human's natural life?

A sage once intoned that the good of the many far outweighs the good of the one, but such pronouncements do not make this moment any less painful to bear.

I hang my head in sorrow against the the cold serendipity of time, and in letting my hand fall to my robes let the image become lost within returning greeny-golden splendor.

[ 03-20-2006 02:46 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Aelvedaar ]

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

A golden tattoo of entitlement.

I stared at it for what I could only describe as an eternity in a particle of a second. Then with a collison of the strongest emotions, I became as still as a statue, for neither could win over the other.

In my right hand, stood my joy. I was now dark lord, lord of my lady, lord of the warriors, and naught could harm me now. The woman that I hated most was dead.

But that is what gave me the emotion of the left hand. For there it was, the true, barren, and simple fact.

She was dead. The woman that I had sworn to kill, was dead. The opportunity for my greatest hate and greatest passion to be undone, to be gone and thus my curse and burden lifted, was taken from me.

Finally, the inward conflict subsided, and I merely smiled, fangs glinting in their hidden joy, as I heard the voiced words of my lady. "Yes, yes indeed."

It was in this moment, even as I spoke, that almost all feeling escaped me. Not even the beauty and comfort of these robes did I truely feel. Not the scent of the chamber, the creeking of the door, the weight of food that I had eaten; did I truely feel.

With that, I chuckled, setting the food down gently, before looking to her fully and smiling- not caring for those who had just opened the door and were now looking at us openly.

"We have achieved apotheosis, my Dark Lady of the Warriors."

[ 03-05-2006 06:52 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Rykounagin ]

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

...and never letting go. With a start, she sat bolt upright in the bed, much to the surprise of her husband, whose look of utter concern was totally missed. Shayla's eyes defocused, and she honed her senses on that which was tremoring through the Force...

...and that which was suddenly missing.

No. No, no, no, no, NO ...

She didn't even explain to Erik, but rather rushed to her feet and past him, her feet taking wings as her Force-senses lead her towards the source of the unmistakable tremor now residing within it.

No.

Shayla knew not what paths she took, nor did she know if anyone followed her. All she knew was that, with each passing moment and each passing step the tremor grew and the rift in her heart grew as well.

No. Please let it be a dream, a hoax, anything.

As she continued on, she heard movements of muted startlement and perhaps even sobs. The sorrow within the hall was enough to squelch the life out of any one being...

...and Shayla's was no exception. She froze in her tracks at that juncture, her eyes adjusting to the eerie darkeness...

...and focusing on the still form now surrounded by other familiar forms.

"No, Noooo....."

Falling to her knees beside the still form of Jharmeen with others, Shayla placed a hand upon her head where the glyph should have been. "Nooooooooo..." she cried again, her eyes closing as tears began to stream down her face, her Force senses trying to reach out for anything she could lock onto and heal. "It cannot be, it cannot..."

She shook her head as she spoke, her eyes sealed closed, the tears still falling. "You were the only true friend I ever had...

...it cannot be..."

[ 03-05-2006 10:17 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Shayla Stargazer Petrolu ]

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

Time halted, and all Phalomir could do was stare at the pale face of the only woman he had ever loved. He had crossed time to find her, endured the sufferings of hell with only thoughts of her to keep him sane, and had finally found that inner peace with his heart wrapped securely in her love.

And now that peace was gone, replaced by emptiness.

Shayla had appeared from nowhere, and Phalomir fell backwards and sat against the wall. Still staring, he again felt for the link of love and found nothing.

She was gone.

Phalomir leaned forward, his long arms reaching past Shayla and Galen, and gently picked up Jharmeen’s still form. He brought her to him, cradling her to his chest, and lowered his head to hers. Tears welled, then flowed freely from his closed eyes and down his suddenly tired face. He trembled, a pain deeper than any wound shuttering through his body.

And in the quiet corridor, in the presence of two others who held Jharmeen dear, Phalomir threw his head back and let his agony escape him in a deafening cry that resounded through the temple.

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

No. Not again, not another life, not again, not my sister, no, it cannot be, I won't believe it, I cannot believe it, it isn't right, first Darra then Terrin and now--

Terrin.

I blinked, a flicker of hope rising from ashes.

"You're Sith," I stated calmly, my voice in complete incongruity to the emotions now waging full war within me.

"Terrin died, he's alive, can't you do something? Aren't you supposed to be some kind of big, bad warrior; don't you have all those weird tattoos on your body from all the other clans, don't you have any S'slan-forsaken power at all?!?"

I could go on no further. The grief was too overwhelming, too painful, too reminiscent of other losses I knew I'd never get over as long as I lived.

[ 03-06-2006 12:25 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

He involuntarily looked to the Sith across from her, and a feeling of anger and hatred rose within him. The two exchanged words, and the anger grew more pronounced. Panthar marveled as he could feel these emotions, yet managed to remain detached from them. Something else within him was fuming furiously.

Then the feelings stopped.

This is her destiny, the voice spoke. It floated in his mind with an eerie blackness.

Panthar remained silent, puzzling. He then jumped as the startling wail of Phalomir carried to the dining hall door. And without thinking, empty to his own feelings at the moment and carried only by the emotional waves from the entity within him, he looked to other Sith and laughed.

“Your fate is sealed, my friend,” said the voice, through Panthar.

[ 03-06-2006 12:25 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Panthar Dantares ]

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

Farewell, Mother dearest... she smiled to herself, glancing once again at the tattoo upon her wrist.

Panthar's sudden appearance, however, broke through her smug musings; startled, she raised herself smoothly to her feet, one hand lifted in front of herself, although whether to stay Rykounagin's ire from erupting, or to ready herself to let forth with a blast of her growing talents, or perhaps even in instinctive self defense, none could say.

Her eerie bi-colored eyes narrowed.

"Is that a threat?" she purred, cocking her head and staring Panthar directly in the eye.

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

Panthar’s feet carried him into the dining hall and to a table of food, where he picked up a plate and nonchalantly placed small pieces of fruit upon it.

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

He smiled at the female shape before him, which at first wavered in and out of existence, then she settled into a very solid form. The woman’s eyes remained closed, and the Master waved a hand before her. She floated from her feet, then pivoted and came to rest on her back on a long bed.

“Sleep, Lady,” said the Master. “Death is not easy, and here you shall be safe from others who have awaited your arrival. The power of the Tower is more vast than that vile beast can comprehend, and even he cannot find you here. I shall awaken you when you are needed.”

The Master smiled once more, satisfaction now pervading his dark expression. The darkness around his body hummed with excitement, and as he left the room he recalled he once had stored another soul in this very chamber. But unlike Terrin, this one would never be given to Roan.

But Phalomir would need to be told...

“Her body is empty, Galen,” he said, his voice steadying. “I don’t know how this happened, but my magicks cannot bring the dead back. Her spirit is gone, flown away to –“

Phalomir stiffened.

“-- to the Darker Realms.”

His tears dried, his eyes turning to alarm. His thoughts filled with images of recent events in the Darker Realms, both during his torture and before that when he and Jharmeen had faced the army of demons.

Roan was waiting for her. He had relished the thought of her spirit entering the Darker Realms… and now she was most likely there.

“I have to contact the Master,” he said flatly. “I must enter the Darker Realms.”

He looked from Galen to Shayla, then down at the still Jharmeen.

“I will hope against hope that we may bring her back," he said hoarsely. “But the order of That Which Is will prevent that.”

He looked back to Galen.

“It is her spirit I fear for, that is why I must seek the Master. And perhaps Aelvedaar, I just don't know. All I can do now is protect this body in hope that...”

He shook his head, not knowing what to say. Although his mind sought answers, his eyes had taken on a vacant quality that could not escape Galen's notice. In the cold light of the hallway, Phalomir's massive frame remained sitting, huddled with the body of Jharmeen held close.

[ 03-06-2006 09:08 AM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Phalomir ]

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

I rose quickly to my feet, came over to the knot of them, stared down at the too-quiet form of my sister--

She who had been on my trail for years, she who had sworn to kill me, she who had killed our father, she who had hounded and persecuted me, who had drawn me into this nightmare of the Sith--

But she who was, after all, my sister. And sometimes blood is the strongest tie of them all.

"Well, wake up and quit moping around then," I said, nudging Phalomir with my foot. My voice trembled as I spoke; with some difficulty I steadied it. I gave him another nudge, then turned to Shayla. That was for moral support; the words I continued to speak with were directed to the collapsed Sith Lord.

"What do you mean, you can't restore her? I mean, don't we have a Khaandon-damned sorceror Dark Lord in our camp? Can't anybody do anything? We brought Terrin back to life, and yeah yeah, I know, I remember. That Which Is--"

I paused a moment to close my eyes in brief reminiscence. It only spurred my denial and despair and sorrow on down the road to heightened anger.

"Well-- that's just tough."

It sounded inane enough, true. But the simple words said it all. My sister, though having done the terrible deeds that she had in the recent past, was still my sister. She hadn't asked for this curse to fall upon her.

She didn't deserve to die for the damned Sith, or because of them.

If there was the slenderest thread of hope, damned if I wasn't going to follow it. Do everything in my power, even if that meant entering into those terrible realms again, even if it meant facing that black blight called the Master or even more noxious splotch going by the name of Roan.

I was going to get her back, somehow. And then I was going to take her away, far far away, and talk some sense into her, and remind her of her humanity.

She was human, after all. She didn't belong with these people; enough was enough, wasn't it?

I turned back to the Sith Lord, eyed his limp form, frowned.

What was it with him? Is this what the Sith were really like? All big and bad and powerful with their magicks and all-- until the going really got tough? Did the tough just--

Fall down? Was that what truly destroyed them when they were attacked all those millennia ago?

That only fueled my personal fire.

Well, here's a little human intestinal fortitude for ya, buddy!

I booted Phalomir again, the motion more urgent, even a touch on the vicious side.

"Hey...! Don't you think now might be a good time to disappear with her? I mean, the Sith already think she's dead, right? Wouldn't this be the time to take her to Aelvedaar; maybe he can preserve her some way like Recinis preserved Terrin, until we can link her soul back into her body again."

Phalomir cocked an ear in my direction at that. I grunted, reached down and snagged him by his chin, yanked him to face me fully.

"That's exactly what we're going to do. And like I said about Ole Peepers--

"Tough."

[ 03-06-2006 01:07 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Galen ]

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

The halfling Dark Lady quickly came to her senses. Rising to her own feet, she moved directly into Rykounagin's path.

"Stay your anger, my Lord," she said simply, one hand flashing up to lay against his muscled chest.

"I wish to speak with him further, for there is something-- familiar in the words he has just spoken."

She nodded to her mate, requesting he remain where he was, or at least did not continue on his former murderous course. Turning away then, she strode with stately hauteur to where Panthar was seated, calmly partaking of his breakfast.

She stopped beside his table, stared down her nose at him.

"How did you know that?" she asked, not specifying the meaning behind her words any further than that, not really understanding why those words provoked such a response within her, only knowing that deep within her most hidden self that they had.

[ 03-06-2006 01:27 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by ShaRhylla ]

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

“As I said, we must protect the body,” he said, trying to calm himself. “There are magicks than can do this, I can do this myself, but we must have a safe place to hide her. I think you are correct, Aelvedaar is the answer. But you must understand also the importance of finding her spirit as quickly as we can, for she made many enemies who may now dwell in the Darker Realms. I know in particular that Roan was waiting for her, and with my last breath I will prevent that beast from having her.”

Phalomir stiffened, trying to stop the shakes that had overcome him on his last statement. He bit his lower lip, then looked back to Galen.

“And yes, the Sith are a very emotional race,” he said softly. “It has guided many decisions from the greatest of us, and is perhaps at once our greatest strength and weakness.”

Phalomir looked again at Jharmeen, his face filling with determination. He then looked back and forth to Shayla.

“Yes, Galen, Old Peepers be damned. You are also right in that now is not the time for tears, we must act quickly. Only a small handful of Sith know that Jharmeen was not killed--”

Phalomir choked back an emotion.

“—earlier. So they must not now see her like this. I will for now take her back to her chamber, can you gather the others and join us there? Consider what is our best option in reaching Aelvedaar. A ship? And at the same time, how do I contact the Master?”

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

The incredulous thought slammed into me, unbidden.

Isn't he your dear ole Daddykins? Don't you know--?

With great effort I forced down the retort that had likewise flashed to my lips. For while anger was an awesome fuel to carry us onward, misdirected anger was most certainly not.

I smiled at Phalomir, my lips pursing in a thin, grim line.

"All right," I said, drawing in a breath. Then I turned to Shayla, who appeared somewhat stunned by the turn of events.

"You go get Erik and the others; I'll head back to the Dining Hall to get Terrin. So far we have the freedom to go from place to place here-- but day has come, and the majority might see us as a threat, as the murderers of their Dark Lady. We'd better be making ourselves scarce, and quickly. As for getting to Aelvedaar--"

I narrowed my eyes, gave Shayla an intense look.

"Weren't you Jharmeen's second, or something? Did she ever show you any of her parlor tricks? Is there anything up there that might help us get off this planet and to Aelvedaar, or to at least attract his attention somehow?"

I reached over with my fist, and knocked her gently on her forehead.

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

He went inside the chambers and lay Jharmeen down upon the bed, covering her. He sat at the foot of the bed, fighting back his emotions, and called forth his powers. He placed magick on Jharmeen’s body that would stop the onset of death’s effects, placing her in a frozen state.

When he was finished, he lay back on the bed, placing his hand on the portion of the blanket over her feet. He let the emotion drain from him, but the memories and loss pervaded his mind.

He sought once more for a link with Jharmeen, but nothing was there. No, wait, there was something. A small twinkle deep within his being… Hidden in the bowels of his spirit, a small ball of energy wrapped tightly around something alive and writhing…

It was the insanity that he had taken from Jharmeen. He recognized it, and suddenly wanted to set it free to consume him. All of the sadness, the anger, the shock, it would all go away if he simply let it loose…

“No!” he shouted, sitting up. “It is all I have left of her within me-- and it is a living piece of her. I will treasure this thing, and keep it alive.”

He looked at Jharmeen’s face, cold and pale. He tweaked his magick a bit, and a rosey color entered her cheeks. He smiled for a few seconds, then burst into a torrent of tears that flowed freely.

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

...but other than my Force abilities, my All abilities have been blocked. I don't know how we would contact Aelvedaar other than to go directly to Khar Delba, but..."

She trailed, her eyes growing a bit distant as she thought. "Wait a minute...can't the Dark Lords contact each other somehow? I thought Lord Recinis and Aelvedaar used to do so, anyway. If not, maybe there is a device here, somewhere, in the Dark Lord and Lady's chambers to do so...

...but at the moment I'd say that'd be a rather risky venture. The other alternative is to attempt a Force link...

...and my brother can help with that. Getting to her feet, Shayla could sense her heavy heart being jarred into action. "I'm going to go get him, and the others still in their suites as well. I'll meet at the disignated location as soon as possible."

Shayla turned, took a few steps, then paused, turning one final time to Galen. "Be careful, please."
Too many terrible things have already happened for the day, came the unvoiced addendum.

And with nothing further she turned once more and hurried on her way.

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