The Dark Warrior could not believe that the Old Man did what he did. It was nothing short of pure raw power to do it. And it was done so simple ? simple to the Dark Warrior. Travanix did not realize the total strength that ran through the Old Man?s fingers, the raw power of the Force at his command. He did not believe what could have been done had in fact been done to him.

The Old Man knew the secret to destroying the loop, to stopping him and Romax from cloning. However, it would have been the biggest step into the Dark Side the Jedi Master would have taken, and even he may not have been strong enough to come back from it. So what happened next was beyond the understanding of the Warrior.

And things were only getting worse.

The sound of the whip cracking in the early morning hours is something of a brief moment of time when all was right in the world. However, the girl's scream of pain and following plead for mercy is music that is almost infinite in its beauty.

I bring the whip down again across her delicate flesh, hearing the screams once more. For but a moment in time, I almost forget what I wanted from the girl. Stepping nearly from the shadows, my gloved hand reaches out to the girl's face and slap it roughly. I begin to question her ruthlessly slapping her repeatedly until she tells me what I need to know.

If the old man had not done what he did, this interrogation would have gone much smoother, and I would have enjoyed the girl instead of leaving a shreaded corpse in my wake.

I will find a way out of this, I will restore everything.

Then will this planet quake under my wrath.

Research - I almost thought I was done with it. However, that brief moment of touching the Force again reminded me that it was through research that allowed me to touch the magnificent power the first time. Research this time was more difficult. Fewer books, fewer resources.

Fewer fools to torture the information from.

However, the research proved positive. There may be a way to restore my true self. Restore that which was taken from me. But now that the research is done, it is time to begin the hunt.

I hear the last call out into the darkness before my connection is broken. Afterwards I feel sluggish at best. My whole body slows down and I become dizzy. I stumble, trying to keep control of my limbs long enough to make it to my final destination for the night. By the time I get there, I am holding on to the walls for support ? I am angry with myself. If an enemy or even some punk nobody were to come upon me now ? I would be dead.

And without the Force, I have no hope of reaching a cloned body.

NO! I must focus. I will not die ? not on this pathetic mud ball of a planet. My fingers dig into the grain of the wall as I continue to push my way, my teeth clenched so that I can hold on to that last bit of strength! Only a moment longer and I deliver my item. The messenger is terrified as I pass out and he runs. Good. The others will know what to do with him when he arrives with my note. I slip down the wall and close my eyes. I focus my thoughts one more time ? one more try, one more burst.

They may not be able to find me, but they will know that I still fight on!

There is a moment where it flows so free, so simple - almost tangable through my fingertips. It announces, it calls, it pulls, it pushes - the Force sweeps through me and brings to me all its darkness.

More than that I was able to awaken enough to complete destroy a few simpletons. My mind was strengthened by their screams.

The barrier is breaking down.

My moments are lasting, I can force myself through but still it is not enough. To correct this permenantly my final plan is in motion.

And then Rage and Darkness will consume me once more!

I have gone as far as I can. There is no farther to go. My connection to the Force is not strong enough to completely destroy the binds that confine me to this body and mind. Memories are flooding back, however. I am remembering everything.

I understand everything.

It is strange to watch the world from other eyes. I can force an awake state now, but it does not last for long. I can take control for periods of time - I have had to defend the fool multiple times.

Of course...Some would find it strange that a nobody would be attacked out of nowhere. That may have something to do with being awake long enough to send off a hit order on myself.

Nothing triggers a physical memory faster than having to use those muscles once more.

I scream into the darkness once more, reaching out to touch the mind of another that I have managed to corrupt. All the pieces are in place!

The final act is about to begin!

The shadow crept forward, red curls masking her red eyes. Something drew Katerrina closer, so closer she went staying well within the darkness.

The crystals blossomed further, their energy a near searing thing that brought her the greatest joy. As the man fell up and back in his thrall, Lilliana let out a delightful cackle of pure, un-adultered joy. The ether was dark in the back of her mind, and the fingers were ever creeping, near ecstatic with the dark joy the witch bore. Her hands rose into the air, and up shot those crystals. The sky darkened further, churning and boiling in it's dance of black and red. There.. Inside, she felt it begin.

Eternity frowns a bit?He has no idea what's going on, just that there's been some wicked bad juju in the air and the sky lately, and it led him here. He looks around for anyone that might know what's going on, ocean blues snapping to the man with his outburst, widening. He wanted to do *something*, but he had no idea what. He looks over to Lilli. ?Lilli, what?s going on here?? He moves to place a hand on her shoulder.

?I wouldn?t do that if I were you?? came the ring of Klytus? chiding upon Eternity?s deaf ears.

Katerrina stopped, he head snapping towards the sound of the cry. Her fingers whitened on the bark of a tree as she dug her fingers into the trunk.

"Can't stop a snake mid-strike," Sami retorted quietly. The predatory eyes undead genetics had leant her allowed the hazy sight of those too blue peepers to cut easily through the distance and the darkness to see the figures and their plight. Just an observer wrapped in a gentle cocoon of leaf-lit fragrance, she smiled and leaned back against the tree.

Will didn?t see the crystals rise, but his eyes went from blank to a blood red glow. He began to rise, his arms outstretched, his feet close together. The storm was growing more violent, the clouds were getting darker and the wind was picking up.

Something raw and white hot seemed to surround the buxom gypsy. The very breath of air about her was warm with some unseen fire, as if some angry god had cast his breath upon her. Amber eyes were now glowing from within, lamp lit and molten. Lilliana drew in a deep breath as every inch of her thrummed to life; the core of her was alive, boiling and growing. Her power had never been tapped in such a way, and the result was terrifyingly strong. One cannot know light without the dark. A hand reached out to the man before her, fingers lying their pads to the middle of his forehead once more. ?Come back t?me darlin?? don? linger in the black, come home, be safe!? She spoke as if from down the long end of a hallway, echoing and distant.

Katerrina staggered into the clearing, staring wildly at the man. She didn?t know how he came to be where he was, but she knew who it was! Her eyes boiled with the storm, her voice releasing months of bottled emotion, let loose into the raging wind. ?TRAVANIX!?

Eternity pulled back his hand from Lilli?s shoulder quickly, shaking it viciously to cool it down! He takes a step back. Is there nothing he can do but watch? He looks around for anyone who would know about the situation and he shoots a glance towards the screaming Katerrina. The name sends a brief shiver down his spine. Did she just say what he thought she did? ?Oh hell no!? He looks back to the man hovering before Lilli.

Burnt paper was rolled betwixt the Derby Dame?s thumb and middle finger. It was flicked into the wind for the storm to carry away. The void of a girl let rage crack her ethereal mien and expose the dead thing beneath just a moment. Sucking in the emotion, glamour soon returned and from her resting spot against the tree she wallowed in contentment at the scene. It appeared that a 'Welcome Home' card would be in order.

A voice echoed into the darkness, resounding without limits: ?I am the darkness, I am unaffected by the light!?

Funny how one could be unaffected by light but need it for their existence as the fire needs its oxygen. Cold crept through her body now, quelling the hot thrall that'd claimed her moments before. The witch finally gave into her body's protest and slumped to her knees, hands cradling her as that waterfall of flame bright kinks swam about her face and shoulders. "... in me?" Some lingering link claimed her mind to his, and she felt all the dirtier for it as his essence slunk to its goal.

Katerrina flung back her head and screamed her delight into the darkness, a blood-curdling sound boosted by the rage the Dark Jedi felt like a drug within her!

While Eternity couldn?t see, he could still definitely hear, and his head jerks in the direction of that scream. He gripped Hyperion tightly. There's got to be a way for him to know what's going on. He closes his eyes--like it'd matter if they're open anyways--and tries to feel out the various energies in the area.

Will was consumed, only a shadow in the flames ? and they began to rage in full it seemed, reaching up to the sky of blood red clouds. Only his eyes were defined ? those glowing blood red eyes in the flames. His body went rigid within its confinement!

Romax dropped himself deep within the Dark Side of the Force as he fed off the fear, rage, hate, anger, and pain that was flowing freely all about him within the glen and it was his voice that was suddenly booming around them all. "Travanix.... It's time you returned home, my friend... your flesh calls out for you.."

A ghostly voice filled with rage escaped into the blackness around them all. Save me!?

Something in her power couldn't let the deed go undone. Against the will of her mind and heart, the witch's body acted without movement; it was his voice, her power knew it's plea. The Witch released a sharp, pained breath as a pulse of her last efforts lead an ethereal path for the Slaver Lord's essence to slide home.

Katerrina stepped fully into the clearing, arms flung wide, electricity coursing over her from head to toe from the storm! ?Master Travanix, reutrn to me!? As she called with her voice, she dug into the Force, further than she ever could before, and grappled for his essence.

Eternity can?t feel anything! He should have known, that terrible cold energy is still overriding everything. He is truly blind! He grits his teeth more hearing the voice of Romax. Not exactly a good voice to hear in this blindness. And more voices shouting out for Travanix?s return. His knuckles were white from the grip of Hyperion.

Lightning arched around Will?s body as it hung in the air - striking the crystals repeatedly - then striking him. The energy in the lightning was without mercy, the first strike budged the body the second sent it out of the flame, shattering the crystals! Will's body crashed hard in some bushes not far away. Slowly, unwillingly it seems, the storm begins to dissipate. But the body is hiding within the bushes.

The burst from the crystals; that pulsing, pushing ebb of such a power threw the weakening witch backwards a decent few yards like some petulant child's neglected play thing. Limbs were a tangle, her hair a wild mess that swathed her in silken fire. Lilliana curled inwards on herself, willing the world to stop spinning and her breath to slow. Shards of the crystal sprinkle to the ground around the glen. After a moment, the last of the energy is gone and the crystals dim to blank rock.

The absolute blackness was starting to subside. Eternity?s angel wings were starting to regain their normal faint glow, as was Hyperion. Katerrina stared wildly about, nails from one hand digging gouges into another tree. Each breath rapsed in her chest. Now able to see again, even the darkness of the night was a bit too bright as Eternity?s pupils started to contract again. Ocean blues looked around as his vision unblurs. He thinks he can see Lilli, and she doesn?t appear to be in good shape. He quickly moves to her side.

Romax glanced around at the carnage that littered the glen and simply nodded once. ?Whelp, it seems that my work here is done?again.? Katerrina nodded in agreement, a smirk lingering on her lips.

From the cradle at the tree's feet a jolt of energy propelled her upwards and the skinny-limbed promethean had sights set on the buxom beauty with fiery auburn hair. It was all fun and games until somebody gets hurt, right? The addicted little dim-wit was rarely well meaning, but it seemed right to walk across the wild grasses and into the proverbial lion's den.

Eternity then stops, turning toward Romax. He glances toward Lilli, then back to Romax. ?Hey!!? Bellowed out toward him, ?What the hell just happened?!?!?

Throbbing, aching; every inch of her body felt like it'd been plunged into the world's greatest hangover. Then again, there was no real drink like pure, psychotic rage. Pale fingers uncurled from about her waist as the gypsy gave into the coolness of the grass beneath her once again. So soft, so fresh and nice; maybe she could just close her eyes and pretend. Picking her head up was a chore that was far more taxing than it should have been. "Oh dear swee' goddess.."

"I take it you've never seen some of Sam Raimi's latest work." This rather offhanded and likely confusing comment was directed to the fellow clutching a sword. Knobby knees bent and lowered the rest of her emaciated frame to the ground. "I'm gonna suggest some valium and a big glass of red wine. You alright, homes?"

Romax turned towards Eternity and held up his right hand with only his index finger up. "Shhhhhhhhh!!! I'm working here!" He stepped over to the empty clone of Travanix and quickly located the body of Will across the Glen hidden in some bushes.

He can hear Sami's comment, but he doesn't get it at all. ?No, I'm not alright!? Ocean blues fall upon the clone. What can he do to stop this? There's got to be something. But standing there thinking wouldn't be very productive when it turns out to be too late, so he dashes toward Romax and the clone, hoping an idea hits on the way there.

Katerrina was already on the move, intercepting Eternity in his movement towards Romax. ?Don?t.? Were the only words that escaped her throat.

Eternity skidded to a stop at seeing Katerrina suddenly appear. ?And why the hell not? Who?s going to stop me?? His ocean blue eyes turn to ice and narrow as he watched her.

Reaching out with his left hand the limp form of Will lifted off the ground and flew through the air to land with a resounding THUD at his feet. Once again he reached out through the Force, only this time he forcefully pushed Travanix's essence out of the broken form and guided it safely back into the waiting clone in a matter of a blink of an eye. Travanix was whole once more.

Eternity caught the movement of Romax and knew that he was already too late! ?Damnit!?

The emotional aftershock was bound to come sooner or later, but the distant, underwater-sounding jibe from the string bean of a Dame lifted the witch's lips only the barest of curls at their corners. "I... I think I'll be takin' tha' vacation I've been wantin'." Eternity?s voice stole her gaze, sluggish thing it was, and her dry voice lifted. "Eternity, don', please.." Quiet, parched, sore, but very much her regular voice.

A snap-hiss was not mistakable as a purple blade of light was Katerrina?s response to Eternity?s question.

Darkness floating in darkness - the cold embrace then ripped from one then to another and...something comfortable. He heard nothing, felt nothing. A beat. Then another. The tube was starting him up. When the blood pressure was right the tube opened with a spring, expelling the cloning fluid on to the floor of the glen - the nude warrior with it. A breath and then a cough. He slowly pushed himself up with his arms, sitting there in the goo on all fours. After several more inhales and exhales he looked up, auburn eyes becoming a blood red glow. Quietly, slowly two words escaped his throat. ?I. Live.?