New Religion (Aria Sihin)

[Blade Bacquin]

Rain fell on waking him from his slumber, he blinked a few times releasing he was still in the valley on Rutan. The last words he could remember was her saying "To find, Darth Abilus.". That was his quest to be a sith again he had to find her and he already she was the one known as Darth Abilus.

Rutan City

A Day had past since Blade had awakened and already he was with in the city The first leg of his journey. As the young man who looked all of 15 standard years walked down the streets he found himself bumping into people not exactly sure where he was going. Every time he bumped into a new person he could feel there signatures weakly rubbing off of them. To Blade that was a good sign his power was coming back.

Blade pulled the gray hood that was stuffed inside of his trench coat out to cover his head as the rain started to come down age for the second day in a row. The clouds cover the sky made Blades mood depressing thinking already he had lost his chances of being a sith again.

For two more days he stayed in the streets on Rutan unsure of where he should go. Each Day his force sense grew stronger, each day he focused on it harder on it. On the third Blade awoke and found himself wandering the streets stopping before a small pawn shop. He entered and began to look at the goods with in , soon his hand was out stretched, Eye's closed, finger gentle running over item after item. He felt the sense tell him to stop moving his hand and open his eye's. There Before him laid his first weapon, a ancient sith dagger sat before him. Blade picked it up and Began to check its balance and craftsmanship.

Pawner: Hey kid be careful with that its an artifact

"I Know."

Pawner: Don't get smart with me kid

"I ain't your kid."

Pawner: Get the hell out of my shop if you ain't going to respect me.

"You need to respect me but you aren't deserving of my respect."

Pawner: That’s it kid I’m kick your scrawny little....."

Before the man could finish Blade had picked up a small throwing dagger that had been sitting beside the sith Dagger and whipped it at the man. The Dagger imbedded itself in a gundark head hang above the wall after having just buzzed the pawners ear. The Pawner was in such shock knowing well he was lucky that Blade had been aiming for the Gundark and not him. Blade then lift the sith dagger in front of him showing the pawer it.

"This is mine now." The Pawner just nodded.

Rutan landing Platform

Later that day Blade found himself at the landing platform talking to a young rodian female pilot. He was trying to convince her to take him along the hydian way to the planet of Malastare but she was only willing to take him to Eriadu since he didn't have any papers on him showing who he was. Blade nodded and accepted the first steps of his Journey where going to be made this day.

[Blade Bacquin]

2 Months had past and now blade was on the final leg having run into only a few minor delays along his journey. His force sense was fully working now and he could feel her nearing. About a month ago he had felt her trail going cold while he was on the planet Brentaal. Then he hit luck when he came across landing ex-landing platform tech. The tech had seen a woman fitting Blades description about a month before that who stop to refuel her ship. After she refueled the destination logged into the landing platforms computer was Bandomeer the tech told him.

Bandomeer

Here he was sitting in hotel room meditating, He could feel her he knew she was close. Blades eye's popped open and looked down at the star map in front of him. He called on the force bring a pen to his hand and then made three circles on the map Garqi. Agamar, and Dathomir. He eliminated Garqi feeling the planet was way to populated for Darth Abilus. He based this off of all he had learned on his journey, she tended to like to stick to secluded planets and if she had to stop on a more populated planet she stuck mainly to the landing docks.

That Left him with Agamar and Dathomir both planets where great choices for hiding. Agamir a jungle planet and Dathomir home of the rancor’s and Dathomir witches. Blade's first thought was that Maybe she was a witch from Dathomir so that would be the first Place he would look for her his end steps to his journey would begin there.

Dathomir

Blade Had been searching the planet for days now with out any contact From any of the native animals. Also he was having a hard time finding the witches but his luck was about to change. After wondering for an hour he headed back to his ship he had stolen. Tied to his Belt now was the sith dagger and a sith sword he had found on Malastare in a pawn shop there. He also now had twin Blaster tied to leg holsters, he was once again looking like the warrior he once was.

Luck was not with Blade that day as he approached his ship he saw a young woman with what seemed to be a pet rancor looking over his ship. She sensed him immediately staring hard at the young rogue known as Blade ice. She could tell he was a force user from the minute she laid eye's upon him.

Witch: You are trespassing and that is punishable by death

"Is that right I'm here looking for some one is all."

Witch: Who?

"Darth Abilus?"

There are no sith here just us witches, now die!

The woman began to cast a spell but from blades recollection it wasn't that powerful of a spell. He thought he might be able to survive this until her rancor began to charge him. Blade's sword and dagger came from his belt with out a second thought. He was running on pure instinct like the old days.

The rancor came lumbering fast at Blade trying to use its head as a battering ram. Blade called on the force as it drew close using the force push to propel him into the air doing a flip over the rancor landing behind it. Blade's sword then came at a diagonal down swing at the back of the rancor’s knee cutting into its muscle and causing it leg to collapse. it hollowed in pain as Blade was about to take out the rancor’s second leg the spell the witch was casting came at Blade.

It was a pair of projectiles in what looked like fire balls but rather Blade knew it was a strong force push with an illusion spell wrapped around it. The push slammed into his chest as he flew back threw the air his back slamming into a tree with so much force the tree began to crack. Blade was now laying up against the tree in pain, unbearable pain. He began to focus on that pain as the witch began to approach him with her own sword out ready to go in for her kill.

As she came forward and brought her sword forward stabbing in for the killing blow. Blade no longer had his weapons in his hands but her Blade seemed to be coming in slow motion in blades mind. His right hand shot up grabbing at the edged end of her sword. He grabbed hold, holding it tight focused so fully on his own pain the young grasping the woman’s sword so tightly his hand was starting to bleed he stood up.

In the next few seconds the witch was noticeably frightened at what she had unleashed. Blade left fist came across cold cocking the witch right in face not once, not twice but three times repeatedly. Her face was Bleeding as Blade once again called don the force Slamming his face into hers with Force head butt Breaking the woman’s face. She finally let go of her sword and began to back away still locked in the fear of the fury of the man that stood before her. Blade then used a force push of his own throwing the witch into a tree behind her. He so enjoyed the sound of her body thudding of the tree and then onto the ground.

He picked up the witches sword from ground and walked up to her barely conscious body an evil grin loomed on his face. He then beheaded the witch and then stuck her sword in the ground and put her head on top of it. He left it there with small sign written on the ground before the head in blood. It said "The Sith Live"

It was off to agamir then to begin his return to glory of being a sith. he could feel her now more then he ever could before. His ship took off for the planet agamir then his journey was about to be complete.

[Aria Sihin]

One Month Prior

Deep within the Binka Forest of Agamar, Abilus found exactly what she was looking for. The area hadn't seen any human or alien life in years. The only visible tracks were from the native fauna and quite a number of them led into an abandoned cabin.

The steps creaked in protest under her weight and when she opened the door, it fell off its rusted hinges and crashed onto the ground. Birds scattered in fear and several wild rabbits skittered passed her.

Upon entering, light filtered through the hole in the ceiling, revealing years of dust covering what little furniture was present and cobwebs that twinkled of morning dew. The repairs seemed endless and required a lot of time and energy to restore the cabin to a suitable living environment.

Dropping her cloak, she began immediately.

The Present

Knee deep within the Oalin River, Abilus reeled in her third catch of the day, a three pound celin trout. Whoever had owned the cabin previously had chosen their claim wisely. The outlaying land was bountiful in fresh fruit and wild game, and the river was only a mile away.

In the month since she began restoring the cabin, no sentient being set foot near the area and Blade's presence was lingering in the back of her mind. Nothing concrete was felt, but Abilus could feel his desire to find her growing stronger. That was why it was imperative to find a suitable place to begin his training in secret and once she landed on Agamar, it felt right and she followed her instincts that led her into Binka Forest. Now it was only a matter of time before Blade would find her, and find her he would.

She waded back to shore and began to dry herself off before getting to work on the trout. Methodically, Abilus picked up a rock and cracked the flaying fish on its head. Pulling out her cutting knife, she chopped off its head and cut a line right down its belly, readying it to be gutted. Instead, she paused and stuck the knife in the ground and looked towards the sky as a presence jostled Abilus out of her mundane task.

Abilus should have sensed a gentle wave of emotion when victory was had by Blade. Instead, a raging tsunami crashed against her.

Picking up the knife once more, she continued with the chore and muttered to herself, "He will have to learn subtilty as well."

[Blade Bacquin]

He landed on the planet of Agamar in the dead of night landing his ship in a open area of the jungle. As soon as he stepped off of the ship he could feel her presence as clear as day. He could finally sense how strong she truly was from this spot and he new she wasn't far. The connection between them had grown stronger over the past few months and Blade now knew his place once again.

He walked for a couple of miles seeing and sensing the small furry critters roaming the grounds. He almost had to wonder if he was walking towards a Jedi's house instead of a siths. It seemed almost to perfect as if it where out of a dream of a Jedi, had he slipped into an alternate reality again he had to wonder. He normally would have thought a sith to have a blood covered grounds and heads on pikes to scare people away.

He shrugged it away think well at least it was peaceful and quite with out all that moaning and yelling that normally came from the cellar on Meras. He came across a remote cabin set nicely in the jungle and it didn't seem out of place. It had a small garden in front of it where vegetables where ripening and it seemed well weeded. There where no warning signs of any kind telling him not to trespass or any signs that he was not welcome. Now he was sure this had to be a dream but he moved on closer to the cabin.

The cabin seemed as if it had recently been fixed up with new board here and there. New shingles running along the ruff and what seemed to be a new lantern above the door. He could also smell the fresh stain on the porch which engulfed his sense of smell. If that didn't wake him up from this dream he didn't know what would. He opened the front door expecting to at least hear a creek but it didn't.

He stepped through the door seeing his new master sitting down in a chair before him facing the door. He already knew she was waiting for him. He didn't say a word only took a few more steps in then knelt down on one knee and bowed his head. This was his first sign of loyalty and respect, his first step towards change.

"I have arrived master."

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus did not say anything; merely let him remain kneeling before her while she studied him, sensing his emotional state. What was revealed was mainly confusion during his journey here, yet when Blade looked upon Abilus, all of that had been washed away and he felt a renewed purpose once more. He knew she had to be abide by the agreement for Blade had passed her test. It was why he already referred to her as Master.

She pushed herself off the chair and hovered over the boy, "The Force is strong in you, Blade. Much stronger then when we last met. Your power has steadily increased as I had foreseen, but this is not the world in which you remember."

There was a momentary spark of surprise from her Apprentice, "Yes, I know much of you now. My meditations have revealed a great many things about you and if you want to survive in this new world, you're going to have to trust in me.

Now rise, my Apprentice," she extended her arms out and slowly lifted her hands upwards, "and henceforth be known as Darth Lucid, the name that once was yours is now bestowed upon you again."

[Blade Bacquin]

He was in shock as he rose she seemed to have learned a bit about him while he was searching for her. She knew that once before he was even Blade Ice he was a sith named Darth Lucid. A name Blade even himself had chosen to forget until that moment when she spoke it.

he was speechless for maybe a minute or two not knowing what to utter. He was lost on the sith named named Lucid a sith that at one time would follow his master to ends of the galaxy just to learn more about the sith. He spoke then the only words that seemed to be appropriate.

"Thank you Master." He bowed his head again.

[Blade Bacquin]

The trouble maker

Sometimes it take allot to learn something knew or something forgotten. Loyalty and respect where two things lost to Blade a long time ago. he may have shown it on the first day he arrived at the cabin but every day since then has been a struggle for Blade.
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6 months after reaching the cabin.

Blade had been sent to a small village to trade so goods for some much needed equipment for the cabin. Aria had choose to sit out side the village and meditate believing that Blade could accomplish the task on his own. They had been to this village a few times before to trade with out any problems, yet Blade had always been chaperoned before this point.

Blade came running out of the village Yelling something In aria direction. He was running fast staring behind him periodically to see where the men that where chasing him where at. There was group of about six of them chasing him. He was in a dead out sprint for Aria holding something in one hand and yelling curse behind him at the men every now and then.

He came nearing closer to Aria's position looking back noticing the distance he had gained by being in better shape then the men chasing him. He was now about thirty yards away from aria Yelling at her. His weapons where already in his hands as he dropped the golden idol he had stolen to the ground.

"I would suggest preparing yourself I don't think they are to happy and they want us dead?"

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus turned around, more annoyed then anything else, at Blade's antics. The golden idol that had dropped to the ground was worthless to anyone outside of Agamar. Blade probably had thought it made of gold and was priceless, but it was sculpted out of pyrite, a metal the galaxy had an abundance of, but the religious sentiments that the idol carried could not be so easily dismissed. The idol represented Kelekelanui, a minor god that native people looked towards to bless their family during harvest season.

Without hurrying, she unfolded her legs, dusted herself off, and moved to her feet. Blade stopped alongside her, preparing for a fight. His knuckles had gone white from holding the knife and swords hilts so tightly. She could hear his heart beating in glorious anticipation for the inevitable fight, and Abilus was quite sure Blade had gotten himself in trouble on purpose for that very reason.

"Sheath your weapons." She ordered. Blade hesitated and Abilus looked at him sternly, "I said sheath them, now."

Blade was confused and disappointed, but after a few moments of stubbornness he finally sheathed his weapons. His disliked having to do it and it was clearly written on his face.

The six men that were chasing her Apprentice varied in combative prowess. Mostly were simple tradesman but two of them were well toned from the laborious work required from tending to their farmland, an almost sacred ritual because some of the land on the planet had been rendered useless in the on going struggle between the Rebel Alliance and the Empire.

She stepped in front of Blade and held out her hand in a simple plea to be heard. The rapport Abilus had with the villagers went far beyond being courteous. The Force had aided in her ability to make allies with the people and because of this, they were willing to hear her out, but it was quite clear from the nasty looks they were giving Blade that they wanted to beat some respect into him.

Acting innocent, Abilus looked between the five men for the sixth was recovering the idol, "What has my brother done to incur your hatred, Johnansen?"

Johnansen was one of the farmers. A stocky man who's callused hands easily could wrap around Blade's neck and force his eyes to pop out of their sockets, something that Ablius sensed that he still intended to do. "Your brother stole my idol! I went to get the items he wanted and thought when I wasn't looking, he could snatch Kelekelanui from my alter!"

"Your brother needs to be taught a lesson!"

"Boy needs to learn respect!"

Other threats were bellowed towards the two of them but no one advance. Abilus wouldn't allow it, nor would she allow Blade to instigate things further. She knew he hated being called a boy and pushed him back to silence his advance.

As much as the villagers anger controlled their words, her own halted their actions, "Please, there is no need to fight. My brother's old habits are hard to break. It was the only way he could survive on Coruscant until I was reunited with him. I've been trying to break him of his habits but it's been difficult. Here ..."

She lifted the bundle of furs off Blade's back and extended them to Johnansen. "What we came to trade is yours now. A small compensation for his actions, but accept my apologies that it won't happen again."

Johnansen blinked. He knew he should still be angry for what the boy did, but he found himself agreeing with his sister. Her words made a lot of sense to him, as they did to everyone else present. "Um yeah." He took the bundle, "Just, make sure that it, that it doesn't happen again. Okay?"

Abilus smiled, "It won't."

Grunts of agreements came and the small crowd dispersed, just like Abilus' smile. She grabbed Blade's arm and dragged him away like the good older sister she was and once the villagers were out of earshot, she began scolding him, "Foolish Apprentice. You know we must avoid confrontation or let it be known the Force is ours to command. Even simple villagers like them, who hate the Empire, could inform them of our presence and we'd be hunted like animals. You must learn caution and learn to control your impulses."

[Blade Bacquin]

"Oh come on it was all in good fun don't you strive for a little action in your life?"

Blade had a playful smile on his face although he was severally disappointed in not getting the fight he wanted. The idol was no matter he just wanted to beat the living crap out of something. Although he felt the villagers would be no match it still would have been something.

"I don't care if the Empire comes I will fight them all until I’m dead or grow bored of it."

Again a the child like smile hung on his face trying to get Aria coxed into turning around and beating down the villagers. Yet her stern gazed showed him that wasn't going to happen. He felt more like a Jedi then a sith at that moment. He grew a bit frustrated with Aria and raised his voice a bit.

"We are sith we should be ruling over these people you know?"

[Aria Sihin]

With the villagers far from sight and now under the cover of the forest, Abilus did not need to hold back.

She backhanded him across the face without warning, "Never raise your voice to me! Have you learned nothing since coming here? Hmm?"

Abilus circled around Blade, much like when they were on Rutan, "This is not the world where you came from where Sith and Jedi could walk freely throughout the galaxy without care. The Empire is far more powerful then you give it credit for. Their Inquisitors are not to be taken likely. Their ability to use the Force and technology is to be respected for they could kill even the most powerful of Masters. Your arrogance makes you weak and a fool on top of that."

She lashed out again, kicking Blade against the back of his head, "Rule? Over peasants? We Sith do not concern ourselves with the mundane. All that matters is the Dark Side and our place within its power, focusing on our strengths, mastering our weaknesses, using our anger and hatred in search of perfection.

"But no," Abilus spat on the ground, "you must continue to seek conflict that benefits no one and could get us killed."

[Blade Bacquin]

"Is death not better then complacency Master?"

He asked from the ground where he was now on his hands and knees. He was focusing hard to hold back the pain for he knew it would only fuel his anger. Which in turn would lead to more pain, According to Aria he was not to focus on that pain any longer.

"You even let them call me a child, where is there punishment for disrespect of a once Sith lord?"

Blade growled he was trying to hold back the pain that was leading to his anger. It was coming on like flood yet still he tried his best to hold it back. He wanted more then anything to be that sith lord again. He wanted to show Aria how foolish she was in her beliefs as he was could have but Blade knew he was weak now and that only angered him more.

"Let me show them who is the real child!" Blade slammed his fist into the ground unable to hold back the flood of pain that was fueling his anger.

[Aria Sihin]

She sighed, "You are with your outbursts, Lucid."

Abilus knelt down before her Apprentice without trepidation and folded her hands inside her lap, "And why is death preferable? All you will do is begin again where you started eight months ago. You will be nothing, or perhaps even worse, your memories won't return as fast as they did this time and it will take longer to learn who you are.

Is it worth it to take that chance?" She shook her head, "No. You don't truly believe that, nor do I."

She reached out a hand and took his shoulder, "We must be patient for our time will come, Lucid. Until then, we must be mindful of our surroundings."

[Blade Bacquin]

U]Growing Faith[/U]

His training had been focused on three aspects Combat, Illusion, and the teaching of the sith as a religion. The pain that resided in Blade was slowly getting beat out of him, Darth Abilus was teaching him to focus on other emotions and through this he was growing stronger then before. Before this point combat had been his means for survival but he was learning the force itself had allot to offer him.

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1 year and 2months pasted in total time.

Both him and his master where in quite study in the late hours of the night looking over sith scrolls from her former masters collection. Blade was dead silent while he slowly read over a passage by Darth bane in one of the scrolls. The scroll outlined the basis of the rule of two. A rule Blade had viewed as foolish in the past but a rule his new master followed.

"Why do you hold Bane's rule above all the rules of the sith before him Master?"

His question broke the silence and only held a tone of curiosity. For Blade the rule only limited the sith, because to him with more then two sith you could crush worlds. With more then two sith the numbers would be over whelming enough to show the true power of the dark side. To him Bane rule was only instated so Bane himself could be the key possessor of total power. He knew Bane had only made the rule out of fear of his own death.

"You know why Bane made the rule right master?"

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus sat in front of the fireplace, staring into the lashing flames. The wood cracked and popped under the heat of the fire and the smell of the burning wood tickled her nostrils.

"Bane created the rule to stop the constant in fighting between the Sith." She paused to blow away the warmth from her fresh cup of hot tea. "Mainly it was due to his taste of true power. He was able to convince the other Sith to join him in destroying the Jedi by combining their abilities. They were invincible and victory was moments away, but their vanity was far stronger then their desire to defeat the Jedi, as was their fear of what they saw inside Bane's heart when they were connected. Sickened by the weakness he saw, Bane killed every Force user on Ruusan. He escaped to Dxun and created the very rules you are holding in your hands."

She unfolded her legs and walked towards the table her Apprentice was studying at on bare feet, "He was the Dark Side's chosen one, enlightened by the power obtained by the combined efforts of the Sith Lords. He was no coward. Only a realist, knowing that the Sith had grown complacent in their war with the Jedi and needed to be eliminated. Very similar to what occurred with the Jedi over twenty years ago."

[Blade Bacquin]

"Bane created the rule out of his own arrogance so he could be the only on that held the true power of the Dark side."

Blade debated back for in his former life that had always been his belief. Bane created the rule so that he could be the soul possessor of the Dark side. So that only Bane could know the true secrets it held. Blade did not think bane a fool but rather a clever sith who knew how to gain what he desired most unlimited power.

"Bane was not a fool in my opinion but rather genius well trained in deception. Indeed a great sith but one has to wonder if he was truly right in his choice."

Blade hide nothing from his master mainly because she pretty much already knew everything about him. He also knew that what didn't know she could easily get by reading his thoughts. Although he admitted to himself if she tried to go to deep into his mind she would only torture herself.

"Yes the Jedi twenty years ago fell but if this timeline plays out like the last I lived through the Jedi will return and the empire will fall."

[Aria Sihin]

"You must not rely on your past in order to predict the future," she urged. "Nothing but pain will come of it."

Abilus set down her cup and took away the scroll Lucid was reading, "The future is always in motion but to even gain a glimpse of what will be, you need to use the Force as your guide, not assumptions."

She placed the old scroll back into its case and folded her hands upon the table. Lucid looked at her confused by the silence but knowing that his Master expected something of him, he just wasn't sure what it was.

"Immerse yourself in the Dark Side and let go of your conscience self." Lucid still was having trouble connecting with her even after a year. He was utterly loyal to her now, but he still wasn't able to read her well when a lesson was to be learned. "Allow your emotions to run free in its power. But above all, do not be afraid, for the Dark Side can reveal a great many terrible and wonderous things."

[Blade Bacquin]

Lucid sat himself on the floor in a meditative position laying his arms to rest on his legs. He let one thought pass his mind before, man how he could go for cig right now to relax how long had it been a year and some months since he last took a puff. After that he let his thoughts drift into the darkness and fade away.

His mind was clear and he no longer heard the creeks of the board and the settling of the cabin. He drifted so far the only thing he sense was his master before him. He let the dark side flow through him and in between him and his master. His master was his focus for this test after all.

Images flickered through his mind like a family photo album but they where not his pictures but rather his masters. In his mind he could fast forward or rewind the album as he wanted. He started at the beginning not wanting to miss a step of his masters life. The first image he stopped at flickered to life.

Through her eye's he was lifted upon a man's shoulders as she pointed at something in a store window. It was some kind of furry animal r a stuffed animal Blade really wasn't sure the image was blurry and faded as would happen to any picture over time. Blade smiled outwardly as he heard the words come from young aria's mouth "oooo buy me that daddy!".

Blade then fast forwarded again this time the Aria was looking upon an older man as he slayed her family before her. Then he saw the old man trying to coax her out of hiding telling her he wouldn't harm her. Reluctantly the little girl came to him tears still in her eye's from her parents death. Blade himself wanted to shed a tear for her but held back not wanting to break his concentration. he was to engulfed in the story to let it go now.

It went forward again to fight scene above what Blade thought could be coruscant. Before him where two combatants one he knew was aria and the other he presumed a Jedi. As the to took to battle Imperial troopers began to shuffle all about taking careful aim on the two. Yet soon the fight took the air both combatants jumping from speeder to speeder attacking each other. By the end Aria was battered but Jedi made one mistake in mid air leaving him wide open for Aria's attack and he presumably fell to his death as Aria ran to find safe hiding quarters away from the imps.

She was now the age of 17 and she choose to attack her master feeling she was ready to become the master. Yet he beat her down relentlessly and in the end unleashed force lightening on her forcing her to shield herself with her arms causing severe burns which is why she always had them bandaged because of the scarring and it also left a white streak in her hair.

Blade looked to the more recent past seeing her kill her master from her view point and then seeing her taking him on as her apprentice. He then decided to take glimpse into the future what he saw there shocked him and broke his concentration. His eye's fled open looking straight at Aria emotionless.

"I have seen much master perhaps to much."

[Aria Sihin]

At first, she had thought it curious that Lucid would be focusing upon her, but Abilus was a strong presence within the Dark Side. He could be using her as a focal point in order to not become lost with the visions presented. Regardless, he alone would see the visions and she would have to be patient until Lucid was finished.

He snapped out of state abruptly an hour later. Though startled by what he had seen, Lucid remained calm on the outside.

That pleased her but not with how he handled himself, "You must learn control. Your visions should not hold mastery over you."

Then her eyes closed, trying to gauge what could have shocked Lucid so. "The future you saw." Abilus delved further. "I sense ... fear and ... desire." Yet for some reason the Dark Side would not reveal to whom those feelings belonged to and opened her eyes, "Are they your feelings, Apprentice, or someone elses?"

[Blade Bacquin]

"Those are allot of peoples feelings."

He spoke matter of factly those visions of the future he locked away then in deepest reaches of his mind. A place even Blade feared to go it was so deep. He didn't want her to know what he saw and he didn't want to if what he saw was true. The other images though he kept those of his master growing up.

"Just remember the future is not certain master and is never written in stone."

Blade told her hoping to end the subject there and trying his best to forget those particular images. He then pushed his mind to focus more on the past then the future. The past he saw of his master. He had one question on he wasn't sure if his master would answer but one he wanted to know.

"Did you love your father and mother?"

[Aria Sihin]

It was obvious that Lucid didn't want to speak of his visions, at least not yet. Perhaps in time he will reveal what he had seen but forcing the issue would be unproductive.

"Just remember the future is not certain master and is never written in stone."

At least he was beginning to understand ...

"Did you love your father and mother?"

... but then Lucid blindsided her with an odd question. She paused in reflection. "From what little I remember of them, yes. I did."

Her heart began to pound just a second faster, the memories of their murder crept forward, "My love for them has given me great power. When they were killed by my former Master, much anger and fear had been created inside me."

She blinked away the vivid memory and rose to her feet, "Come. It's late. Time to turn in."

[Blade Bacquin]

The Warrior

It isn't that often that master and apprentice know just about everything about one another. Even rarer still when the apprentice knows the possible future before the Master. Over the last few Months Blade tried his best to change a few events he had foresaw. Yet it seem Destiny still headed in the final direction of the vision.

1 year and 5 months pasted in total time.

Only a few days ago he had been given the rank of Warrior by his master. With the title he now held a little more respect in his masters eyes and sense of accomplishment with in himself. It had been at least five months since his master got the urge to beat him down for doing something stupid but Blade knew the reason for this. Ever since three months his attitude towards her had change drastically. He had change because of both what he had saw in her past and in her future.

Blade was in his morning training exercises will Aria watched over him half meditating. Only half meditating because he noticed she would open one eye every now and then just to make sure he was actually still there. She knew Blade had learned a trick where he could leave his force signature behind for a short time. Ever since that day it had been like this and it made Blade laugh on the inside.

He still held his sword and dagger because still Aria did not trust him to make a saber. Although unknown to Aria as far as Blade knew that saber was in fact two and where already built only needing the crystals to be finished. Blade had hide them well about eight months ago but he still had not gotten a hold of the right crystals he needed to finish. Blade stopped in his practices and turned to Aria.

"Do you think I'm ready for sabers yet?"

[Aria Sihin]

"You seem to think you are ready for one." An amused smiled came across her face as Blade tried to cover the guilty look on his.

"I believe it was the third panel from the left underneath your bed when facing it?" Lucid stumbled for an answer but Abilus held up a hand. "It is all right. I'm actually impressed with your patience in constructing it. I am uncertain of how many months of trading it required you to gather the necessary parts, but I'm pleased regardless."

Her Apprentice could already hear the 'but' coming. "But I am not as certain if you are ready to carry one. Your actions in the not so distant past say otherwise. Reality is also against you, Lucid. Finding the crystal you lack to activate the lightsaber will not be found on this planet."

[Blade Bacquin]

He did have a guilty look on his face for most of her little speech and he saw the 'but' coming from a mile away. He Also knew the last part to be true the crystals could not be found on this planet. There where only a few planets in the galaxy that right types of crystals grew on.

"My actions have much improved over the last few months master. As for the Crystals not being here this I know all to well, the planets where they can be found are rare."

He was not arguing with his master just making a statement in his defense and then one of understanding. He wasn't really asking for permission to make sabers but rather to go in search of the last two pieces he needed to finish his twin sabers. He had already pinpointed the planet in which he need to travel to, in order to get the right crystals. He had found the Planet by accident while he sifted through an old scroll a month back.

"I'm asking to go on a quest in search of the two crystals I need. I already have the plan mapped out but all I need is your permission Master."

[Aria Sihin]

She laughed, "That would be a monumentally poor decision on my part. I concede that your actions have improved but you are not quite ready for a task like that yet. Especially alone."

Lucid was horribly disappointed and kept his outrage silent. Abilus stared at her Apprentice, who merely bowed to her in respect before returning to his lessons in earnest. She was surprised that he didn't try to show off with his weapons in order to prove her wrong. Instead, he channeled his anger into doing something productive. His movements with the sword and knife were practically flawless, and she could sense how freely the Dark Side was flowing through him. If this conversation had happened months ago, Abilus and Lucid would have gotten into a fist fight.

Perhaps, she judged him inappropriately.

Her eyes narrowed, "To have them means a great deal to you, doesn't it?"

[Blade Bacquin]

He was allowing the dark side to flow through him so fluidly that he almost didn't hear her words. He was indeed disappointed that Aria still felt him a child in some ways, that and the fact that sabers had always been something that defined him. That is what had fueled his anger and allowed him to channel the dark side so easily.

"Yes master it does."

There was no out anger in his voice but there where underling hints. It wasn't however him lashing out at his master but rather him just letting the dark side flow through him with ease. He respected his masters wishes and there for would not allow himself to lash out at her.

"I know and understand swords and weapons master. I have always been able to use just about any weapon with out any difficulty. Yet even a weapon master has his favored weapon and mine has always been the light saber master."

[Aria Sihin]

She continued to sit on the ground, mulling over Lucid's statements and the affinity he had for the lightsaber. Abilus would be insane to agree to let him leave. Lucid was simply not ready to be left to his own devices just yet and they both still had much to do here on Agamar.

Yet her instincts told her to grant Lucid's wishes and instincts must be heard, not pushed to the side and forgotten.

Abilus purposefully got to her feet without a word and disappeared inside the cabin. Several moments later, she emerged with a wrapped item in her hand. She approached Lucid and took the knife out of his hand and replaced it with what she held. A tiny sparkle of pride managed to be seen within her green eyes. "My old Master's lightsaber. You may use the crystals."

She watched as Lucid unwrapped the cloth and answered his unspoken question. Why? "It holds no meaning for me. Having it." She had to stop herself from speaking further. It was a strange thought that had no purpose being inside her mind, but having Lucid as an Apprentice was meaningful to her, even though Abilus was well aware that their relationship as student and teacher would only end in either one's death. It was a perplexing feeling.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade was shocked at first as Abilus handed over her masters old saber. A saber he had only seen once before and that was on the day he had first met her. He still remembered that day how could he forget it was the day he was offered his second chance.

He looked at the saber she handed him and at its fine craftsmanship. Blade could tell as he ran his hand over it that it had not been made on the first try. No Abilus's master had put allot of thought into this saber and certainly had to of had many tries before coming up with the final product. The saber ran off of dual crystals that allowed it to cut through just about anything like butter. It would be almost a shame to rip it apart Blade thought to himself.

"I can not take this, this is your trophy master."

Abilus shock her head and insisted Blade take it. Reluctantly Blade excepted the saber. He stood and stared at his master for a moment, knowing then that he had made the right choice a year ago to go in search of her. He was proud of her as a master and even prouder still that she was willing to give up her trophy to her student. He almost ran to the cabin immediately to finish his sabers but stopped and turned back to his master.

"Thank you Aria this means allot to me."

[Blade Bacquin]

Dripping Wet

Things change, People change, and Ideas Change everyday. It's funny how the littlest things can change ones life and set them out on a totally different path. Blade started out as a sith that focused on the pain and torment life had brought him but in one chance meeting he learned pain was no way to live your life. Soon something else began to change besides just his sith view though.

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

2 years 5 months total time passed

She was laughing at him now as he slipped an fell in the mud. He was already covered from head to toe in it. He couldn't help from smiling though in Aria's direction. It was probably part her evil little plan to get back at him for putting snakes in her bed a few days back. That’s the way it had been going for a few months now and Blade wasn't even sure if either of them remembered who started the practical jokes.

But this had been Aria's idea to train on one of the worst days in the rainy season. It was down poring and there was mud every where. Blade had slipped in the mud like four times already trying to keep pace with Aria who seemed to be skipping across the rocks in the mud with ease. As she laughed at him again for the fourth time Blade grabbed a mud ball and threw it at her.

"Maybe you should come play in the mud too."

[Aria Sihin]

Their relationship had become lax in certain areas. The five-year-old girl that had witnessed her parents murder had not died as previously thought. Lucid was able to awaken that child in small parts with his mischievous behavior. The practical jokes were unbecoming of a Sith, she had told him, but the lure of his smile and arrogance in being able to 'get her' had made Abilus determined to beat him at his own game.

She back-handspring to a rock behind her, which gave her the momentum to propel herself into the air, executing a perfect back flip, missing the mud ball with grace and style.

Abilus landed on the slippery ground with both feet and one hand, which slid into the mud further then intended. Her mood sullen as she noticed the mud had dirtied the bandages that hid the scars underneath. She painstakingly kept them from being soiled.

"I'd rather not," Abilus lifted her arm, extending it fully so the rainwater could wash away the filth. If only Lucid could have been cleansed so easily. At least he was a humorous sight. There wasn't one centimeter of his body that hadn't been stained by his clumsiness. It made her smile, "The cabin doesn't stand a chance if both of us are covered in mud."

[Blade Bacquin]

"Bah the cabin has survived worse. Remember the time I set blaster cell to explode to wake you up in the middle of the night, it has survived worse."

Of course she would remember it only happened a couple of weeks earlier. Blade smiled with cocky grin even though he she still wasn't happy about that practical joke. Blade never really understood why he only fried on chair and half the table. The fire it had started wasn't really that big. Maybe it was cause he blamed it on one of the village people who didn't even know where they lived. Either way he had been punished for that one.

"Or the time let a couple of squirrels run around inside."

Maybe he shouldn't have said that cause now he remembered she didn't blame that one on him. She thought it had happened because a window was left open while she was off in the village gathering supplies and Blade was suppose to be training. Anyway she knew now it was him.

Blade watched as the rain pored down over both him and aria still sitting in the mud. As of late he had caught himself staring at her more and more. He also loved it when she smiled or laughed mostly at him but it was still a laugh. They had grown closer over the past year or so and Blade was starting to realize she was just as much a friend as she was his master.

[Aria Sihin]

She raised a brow, "That was you?"

Her hand curled into a fist and slowly Abilus lowered it. "You lied to me."

Lucid heard the disappointment in her voice. It was thick and uncaring. The very tone he tried to avoid or risk being punished without mercy.

Then she broke out into laughter as five globs of mud were pulled from the ground by her will and formed into four-centimeter wide projectiles that were flung towards Lucid.

His own attempt at trying to hit her with mud balls was the perfect punishment for his behavior. Granted, he was already covered completely in it but being hit by a fast moving mud ball was all together different.

She found it exceedingly hilarious and maybe Lucid might learn a thing or two about balance in the process. All in the fun are games, but Abilus was ever the Master. She needed to continue to teach him regardless of their budding friendship, which still made her stomach turn into knots when she thought about it. Lucid was the first person she ever considered a friend. She really didn't remember if she had any as a child, and her Master had cloistered her away from the galaxy, teaching her to view everyone with suspicion and to trust no one.

That should have stayed true, even with Lucid, but an Apprentice was to be afforded some trust, and perhaps Abilus had crossed the line in allowing him to know her too well. Then again, that wasn't entirely her fault. It was the Dark Side's. Lucid may not have said it outright, but Ablius was certain that the vision he had over a year ago was about her. He hinted at it enough.

The entire situation was puzzling.

[Blade Bacquin]

The mud balls came at him fast the first he easily knocked to the side with a force push as he got to his feet once again. Then the second came in Blade just did a side step out of its way dang near slipping in the mud again. Then the third came in sorta like curve ball Blade used the force to jump away. While jumping away towards a tree he used the tree as spring board to miss the fourth mud ball. Then he landed near perfect on larger rock as he smiled with a bit of arrogance.

It had to make Aria wonder why he was covered in mud if he could show such good Balance against mud balls. Then again as he stood on the rock in arrogance the fifth and final mud ball caught him right in the face knocking him off the rock and back into the mud. He could hear laughter as the fifth mud ball smacked him. Blade couldn't help but laugh himself at what had happened.

"Not fair it blindsided me."

Blade continued laughing as he had got to his feet once more. He slowly walked his way up to his master almost like a mud monster. His toothy white grin showed through all the muck as did his lightly glowing orange eye's that told Aria he was not angered.

"You have to have your little mud ball minions do all the work for you don't you? Why don't you come down here in the mud and fight me yourself master?"

There was no anger in his voice it was clear he was just joking with her. He admitted to himself he would liked to see Aria covered in mud but seeing her wet from the rain wasn't bad either. He almost couldn't peel his eye's from her especially her face as he noticed the rain matting down her hair.

[Aria Sihin]

Lucid's mind was incessantly fixated on the notion of his Master becoming covered in mud but it was all in good humor. He continued to be completely at ease with her even though he had failed in his task. She knew Lucid realized that, but he didn't care. He had always cared about regaining his power but as of late, his desires had been pushed to the side in favor of their friendship.

Abilus noticed that her Apprentice had stopped stalking forwards. She sensed his thoughts had become distracted by her current appearance and it made her feel awkward.

Without warning, Lucid tripped as if the rug had been pull underneath him and felt a small tap against his shoulder by an unseen hand. "Because not all enemies you face will be honorable."

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade was back in the mud again with an unseen hand tapping him on the shoulder. He looked up at his master spoke. As of late she had been letting her inner child out but there where times when she caught herself. When she did she always seemed quick to change back into the master and apprentice roll. Blade could understand why with her past and all. Yet Blade was trying to change her a little trying to teach her that universe wasn't just about studies and training.

He stood up again and walked up to hiss master as he reached up inside his shirt to wipe his right hand clean. He stared at her for only a second. Then his right hand went up quickly before her face and he push back so of the wet matted hair from in front of it. He had done it almost on instinct with out even thinking about the consequences.

"Yes but I don't consider you an enemy Aria, you are my friend and master."

[Aria Sihin]

Her unblinking eyes stared curiously at Blade. She sensed no ulterior motive as he raised his now clean hand at her and touched her ever so gently.

His gesture caused that awkward feeling inside her to grow, as did the emotions radiating off of Lucid. His words were sincere but what he was trying to hide from Abilius unnerved her greater then the caress.

She shot to her feet quickly, having to catch herself from falling for the first time, though the slip was subtle. "You would be wise to change your views then, Apprentice. I'm as much an enemy to you as the Jedi. You know this to be true."

Abilus turned away sharply and walked in the direction of the cabin. Her mind was clouded with what she had felt today and needed time alone to meditate on how to handle this difficult situation.

[Blade Bacquin]

The Hunt

Time went by and Blade found himself caring for his master more then had cared for anyone previous with the exception of his daughter. He wasn't quite sure what was drawing him to her but Blade did not question it. He felt Maybe the force was guiding him or that he was meant to learn a lesson from all of this. It was not easy for Blade to offer friendship to his master, friendship had never been an easy thing for Blade to give. To many before Aria had accepted the friendship only to stab Blade in the back. Yet Blade felt different with Aria almost at ease and peace with himself.

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

3 Years total time passed.

Blade was now a Sith knight in rank, he was almost back to his full strength as a sith. Everything he had lost was almost all the way unblocked, he could feel hi s own strength growing. Yet still something puzzled him and that something was not the force but his master Aria. Over the past few months he had slowly opened himself up telling her his feelings towards her. Every time the subject came up though Aria seemed to run off to meditate. So over the past few weeks Blade tried his best to refrain from seeking them.

He had been woke up early that morning by Aria to go hunting. This was there usual routine ever other week. The hunted with bow and arrow for skins and food and also checked there traps. They used the bow and arrow so that the skins could be virtually unharmed. None of this was new for Blade as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes as they walked down there usual hunting path.

Soon they came to where they had there smaller traps set. They had caught a few local rodents and the like. This was the norm for small catch and there pelts where worthless to trade the best you could hope to get off of them where few apples. Most of villagers that traded didn't even want the rodent furs and turned there noses up at the site of them. Yet they collected the small furs after killing the animals and then moved onto the bigger traps.

The bigger traps rarely ever had any catches. If you where lucky you might catch a snar beast or even a ogre beast. Both where ugly animals to look at but there furs where traded high. Especially ogre beast green fur pelt. Blade thought it was amusing to see a beast called an Ogre. Oddly enough it kind reminded him of Dale's old husband Ogre except it had fur.

"Think we will catch anything today Master?"

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus was crouched over one of their traps that had been set off but nothing was caught. She was covering the thick woven rope underneath leaves and flora that was in reach. Snar's were intelligent creatures, at least for an animal. They were no bigger then a rack deer but they had an uncanny knack of picking up habitual behavior.

"We're going to have to go deeper into the woods. Our game has gotten wise to us." She stood and wiped her hands against her tunic to be rid of the dirt, "If we don't catch anything today, we can move to the river. It's spawning season for the celin. They'll catch a fine price for trading purposes if our other traps don't prove fruitful."

Slinging the quiver of arrows over her shoulder, she picked up her own bow and led them towards the next trap. After a quarter of a mile, Abilus heard the distinct grunts of a snar beast.

She held up her hand and turned towards Lucid, pressing her index finger against her lips and then pointed in the direction he should go. When Lucid acknowledge her, Abilus disappeared from sight.

They would circle around the creature incase it was not caught and take it by surprise. Today's hunt would not be an entire waste after all.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade nodded as he began his silent approach from the left. Bladed was creeping ever so silently with his bow at the ready. as he came around the bend he couldn't see Aria approaching from the right but he knew she was there. He crept even slower now knowing he had to up on the beast pretty quick.

He spotted the snar finally from about fifty yards out but he didn't have a clear shot on the thing. He could tell from this angle that snar was really close to the trap they had set just from the general directions its grunts had come from. He continued forward through the thicket getting even closer until final popped out into the clearing where the trap had been set. Aria popped out from the other side just seconds after blade.

They both could see that there prey had been caught in the trap. A snar beast was an ugly creature to blade and he hated the smell of them. They where no bigger then a rack deer with two pointy horns sticking out of there head. They resembled a cross between a deer and a goat in looks but with razor sharp Canines the slightly protruded from there mouth. They where generally well muscled animals that could run fast. They where also Highly intelligent which is why they where hard buggers to catch.

"Looks like we finally caught are selves one."

Blade approached the dangling beast putting his bow down by his side. He came with in a few feet of the animal and stared into its eye's trying to intimidate it. Blade wanted to show the creature who was the smarter species. Aria slowly walked up behind Blade and gave him a weird look that basically said kill the dang thing already.

[Aria Sihin]

Sometimes, Abilus did not understand Lucid and this was one of those times. He stood there, trying to intimidate a beast that couldn't fight back. The haunches of its legs were firmly secure by the rope by which it was dangling from.

Although, it wasn't as secure as either of them presumed. The snar had struggled most of the night to free itself from confinement, causing the rope to become worn from rubbing against a particularly sharp protruding piece of bark.

Even now it tried to fight and kicked itself closer towards Lucid. She grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him out of the way, "You dally too long."

She unsheathed her knife, "Now, are you going to kill it, or shall I?"

Abilus looked skyway into the canopy as an odd pop was heard, almost like when wood burns. It was then the rope broke all together, sending the snar to the ground.

The agile creature didn't even allow itself the time to set its legs free. It dug its front hooves into the ground and propelled its head forward to attack Lucid. Abilus didn't have time to think, in fact, she actually panicked as she pushed Lucid out of the way of the snar's deadly horns.

"AHHHH!" The horn stabbed into her left side, and the pain caused her to drop the knife she was holding. She hissed down at the beast and grabbed either side of its head and pushed the snar away, forcing more groans of pain to be heard while she tumbled towards the ground.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade heard the pop and the next thing he knew he was shoved away from the beast. Blade just caught beast out of the corner of his eye goring his master as she shoved it away and fell to the ground. He acted purely on instinct then calling on one of his force abilities to speed up his actions.

On instinct he grabbed his dagger from his belt and let it fly at the now fleeing beast. He didn't even watch to see if he dropped the beast before he ran over and was already kneeling at aria side. Of course though his rage must of been driving him because the dagger he had thrown at the beast had dug deep into the back of its head dropping it as it had reached about fifteen yards away from aria.

Blade however didn't even seem to care if he had dropped the beast or not. He was to concerned with aria to even look away from her as he moved her hand away to peer at the wound on her side. Aria seemed to be in much pain as she laid there bleeding and breathing hard. She trying her best to control the pain yet even a master sith could not avoid such pain. The wound had almost gone completely through to the other side.

"Your going to be alright Aria I will help you."

Blade spoke with a light smile on his face. Then he pulled his shirt off exposing his bare chest. He crumbled his shirt up into a ball and put it down on the wound and applied gentle pressure to try and stop the bleeding. He then unstrapped the belt from around his waste, as he had aria holding his shirt on her side. Blade gently lifted Aria's back off the ground so he could get his belt around her. The he tightened the belt around her just enough to put pressure on the shirt that covered the wound to hold it in place. He also grabbed some of the rope that had snapped and cut it into two peace to do the same and help belt with its job.

He had done all of this with out a second thought and so quickly that aria had barely any time to put up a resistance. Not that she was strong enough at this point to really fight off Blade but she had wanted to she could have force choked him or used force lighting to fend him off but she didn't.

"There that should do the trick for now Aria but I'm thinking I should get you to the village medicine man?"

[Aria Sihin]

With the bleeding abated, Abilus was feeling better, though her skin was still sickenly pale. Even with Lucid's quick work, she suffered ample loss of fluids. The wound was not mortal, but she was not out of danger yet. She could still contract an infection if the wound did not receive the proper care.

'NO!" She shoved him away, "I can take care of this myself."

Abilus' control continued to slip. Her anger was not directed at Lucid but at herself. Inwardly, she berated her actions, allowing her concern to overwhelm logic thought. For months on end, Abilus had fought off the confusing feelings that Lucid felt towards her. She acted ignorant or would dismiss them entirely by leaving her Apprentice to meditate, which never proved fruitful. Her mediations were supposed to reveal an answer on how to suppress Lucid's feelings, not to have her acknowledge that she shared them.

She could not trace it back to a single instance that caused her feelings of friendship to mold into desire. It made little sense, but emotions of this nature seldom did. Her Master had tried to warn her as much but Abilus refused to acknowledge such carnal pleasures would interest her, all that she wanted was Paladus' death.

With that desire gone, there was nothing left to fill it, but as time went on and her mind became more open to possibilities, Lucid began to fill that hole. First as a student, then later as a childish younger brother and friend. They spent every moment together and Abilus had watched how he had grown up and into the man he was today. Confident and powerful. His rage and anger channeled properly as she guided him to his own perfection within the Dark Side as she spiraled into confusion in regards to his presence. A confusion that spilt her desire into two needs, that of a Master trying to further the Dark Side’s wishes and that of what she wanted as a woman.

Lucid probably had gleaned some of that information with her lapse in control. That notion angered her further and foolishly she tried to get to her feet. Putting weight on her left side caused considerable pain, forcing Abilus to double over once again.

[Blade Bacquin]

She shoved him away then attempted to stand on her own. Blade admired her strength for a moment remembering the old days when he could take a beating and still stand up and ask for more. Yet as she doubled over Blade was there to catch her before she hit the ground.

He knew she would probably try to push him away again but this time Blade was prepared. He wasn't going to let his master push him away just because she didn't want Blade to get close to her. Blade could tell with out even trying to read her thoughts that she was afraid of how close the two had gotten as friends. She probably feared that the line between master and apprentice would break. She held the sith as a religion and if that line where to break her faith would be lost. At least that was Blade idea of what was happening as of late.

Held her up from falling as he helped her support her stance. He almost wondered if it would be easier to carry her then to hold her up and practically drag her. Yet inside of him he knew she would fight it all the way if he attempted to carry her. It was Best that he let her believe she still had a little strength left to carry herself a bit.

"Come on Aria you need some help. I ain't going to leave you out here to bleed to death. Cause frankly I don't feel like going to look for a new master and to hell with you if you think I'm going to bury you properly. I will just let the dang animals feed off your carcass."

It was clear Blade was just joking with Aria, he was trying to get her to lighten up and let him help her. He had desires for his master but he hide them as best he could from her. He loved her as a friend and he did not want to see another friend die in his life. In fact she was his only friend in this new universe that he was still getting accustomed too. He told him he drag her kicking and screaming to the village or knock her unconscious just to make sure she survived.

"Now we can do this the easy way or the hard way? Its your choice Aria either way though your getting to the village for help and I will be the one taking you there."

[Aria Sihin]

It was bad enough that her pride was being squashed every second Lucid was holding her up, but to be pressed against him without his shirt only made the situation worse. She was showing him weakness. A terrible lesson to teach.

She let her hand slide down his side lazily and grabbed the hilt of his knife, "The hard way it is then, Lucid."

Abilus pulled the weapon free and stabbed at his side. She would not allow her feelings to compromise her ideals any longer. It was time to reeducate Lucid on what their relationship was.

[Blade Bacquin]

Her movements where slowed because of her weakened state and blade saw it coming. As she stabbed at his he grabbed her arm quickly and twisted it behind her back as she still gripped the knife. His other arm went up under the arm pit of her free hand around the back of her neck (putting her in a half nelson). He applied a enough pressure to her neck and arm so she could feel the tingling of slight pain.

"Do not be foolish Aria. If we are both out here wounded and bleeding to death then nothing gets accomplished."

Blade head was right behind her ear speak into it with a calm tone. He didn't care for the fact that he had to wait for her to be in a weak state to win a fight against her but it had to be done. He wasn't about to let his masters stubborn pride win over reason.

"You have helped me more then you know Aria. It's time you let me help you for a change. Even the greatest of sith masters need help from there apprentices at times. Where do you honestly think emperor Palpatine would be with out Vader?"

[Aria Sihin]

His breath was warm against her neck and it caused her to shiver. "No," she said to deny Lucid and her desire for him.

Abilus struggled against his hold, only furthering the pain felt in her arm and side. "This is your opportunity, Lucid," she spat at him, "You should take it."

Her head launched backwards, cracking Lucid against his face, allowing her the opportunity to slip out of his grasp.

"Kill me, you become a Master," she swiped at him again with his own knife, "You needn't worry about finding a new teacher then!"

[Blade Bacquin]

Her swipe didn't amount to much as her arm was twisted against her own back. Blade hand slipped farther up her arm though towards her wrist. As he put pressure on her neck and arm, he now used his thumb to put pressure on the bottom part of her wrist just below the palm. There was a pressure point there that if enough pressure was applied a fist or grip around an item would loosen. Blade was attempting to get her to drop the dagger.

"I do not kill those who are not at the top of there game master. If I felt I was ready I would challenge you when you are at full strength."

Blade spoke into her ear again still with a calm voice. Although he wondered why his master would say such a thing. The rule of bane dictated that apprentice had to challenge the master not vise versa. It also dictated that both had to be on equal stand before the apprentice could take the title. With Aria in her weakened state and that weakened state not having been caused by Blade to his knowledge would make the title null.

"You should know the rule of bane better then anyone master. Do you not remember that it is I who has to challenge you. That I can only challenge you when I feel ready. That both combatants have to be on equal ground."

He was trying to reason with her again and use her own beliefs against her. He knew that she probably wasn't thinking things through, she was letting her anger and stubbornness control her. Both things she had told Blade where unbecoming of a sith so early in his training.

"Listen to me Aria dam it!"

[Aria Sihin]

The pressure point that Lucid used did what he wished. The knife fell from her grasp and harmlessly hit the ground. His words stung and the truth of them weighed heavily on her that she went limp in his arms.

It was ironic how the tables had turned. Lucid was scolding her for acting like a crazed beast similar to how he once behaved in the past. She felt ill for being treated like a child when she knew better.

"I know the rules. As do you," she replied, defeated in tone. Blood had soaked the shirt fully that covered her side. Her outburst only served to allow the wound to bleed faster. She was such a fool.

Weakly, Abilus pulled herself up against Lucid once more and leaned her head against his broad shoulder, "Take me to the village before I pass out."

Though she was very deserving of death, Lucid would not kill her, and he wouldn't allow her to die from blood loss even though her behavior was imbecilic. She should have just let him take her to the village right away instead of putting up a struggle. Now there were questions hanging in the air that made Abilus uncomfortable and she worried about the consequences of the fight.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade didn't say a word as she finally came around and accepted hiss help. As she leaned her head on his shoulder blade began to walk with her. He could bring himself to speak for a long while and she seemed lost in thought to much to speak herself.

Blade wasn't really thinking about much rather then getting his master back to the village to have her wound mended. He did not want to see her in anymore pain then she already was. His thoughts drifted to the pain she must be feeling. It had to be similar to the pain that use to drive his anger and rage. He knew her pain was coming not just from the wound she suffered but also from having to give up her stubborn pride.

"We are nearly there Aria."

He spoke softly to her as the village could now just be seen in the horizon. Mid afternoon was already setting in when Blade first saw it and Aria had lost much blood by now. For the first time Blade was praying to a god he never believed in hoping she would be alright.

As he reached the village and few of the villagers came running out to meet them just outside of town. They noticed the blood drenched shirt around Aria's side. Blade looked at them and pleaded with them.

"Please help her."

The Villagers didn't even hesitate leading Blade Directly to there medicine mans hut. Blade laid Aria down On a cold cement slab in the center of the room. The Medicine man quickly undid the belt and ropes that held the shirt against her side and began to stitch her up. Blade stood off tot he side as he watched after the stitching the medicine man gave Aria a shot of some kind. Blade believed it to be Kolto the predecessor to Bacta.

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus was deathly pale by now, her body cold from going into shock. After Jalba, the medicine man, finished administering the injection he called to two of his own children to bring warm blankets to cover the Sith Master.

Jalba covered her dampened forehead with his hand and frowned, "She's feverish from the infection."

Something that the two of them feared could happen. The medicine man looked to Lucid, "What happened to your sister?"

A weak hand wrapped underneath the Shaman's arm, "Snar's antler."

She shivered violently and Jalba brought her hand down to rest against her side, patting it gently, "Do not speak. Save your strength."

Even if she wanted to argue, Abilus could not. Her body demanded sleep ...

She clung against her mother's leg, crying, screaming for the man to let go of her father. "Please!!! Don't hurt Papa!!!

Her father was battered and bloodied from the venerable man pushing him against the concrete wall. Aria didn't understand how an old man could be so strong. He was like a droid!

"Go, Erran!" Her father gasped, waving his wife and daughter away. "Get Aria out of here!"

"No! I can't leave..."

He cut her off as the man ignited his lightsaber. "GO!!!!!!"

Her mother scooped up her sobbing daughter within her arms and ran off as fast as she could, "Aria. Keep looking at me. We'll be fine."

Aria didn't listen. She wanted to make sure her father was all right and peeked over her mother's shoulder, just in time to watch as the old man ran him through with his weapon ....

"PAPA!!!"

She awoke, startled, from her feverish dream and bolted upwards.

"Arrrgh," Abilus was quickly brought back into reality, clutching at the wound she suffered. Slowly her breathing was brought to normal while she adjusted to her surroundings. The room was unfamiliar and familiar at the same time. Lucid was able to bring her to the village in time for Jalba to heal her. This was one of the huts he used for treating his patients.

"Only a dream," she spoke quietly and kicked off the sheet covering her, though quickly pulled it back once she realized that she was naked from the waist up. No clothing was readily seen either.

She swung her feet over the side of the bed that she was moved to. Her feet hitting the floor caused several shocks of pain to remind the Sith she was far from being healed. It was also so terribly hot still. The fever hadn't fully broke yet. So she remained, sitting on the side of the bed, summoning the strength to stand up and find Jalba.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade sat outside the hut meditating focusing on Aria, keeping track making sure she would not slip away. He didn't think she would but Blade was worried by the simple fact of how much blood she had actually lost. Jalba was surprised she hadn't died with that much blood loss but Blade knew that her master of the force is what had kept her alive. Still he kept watch over her from outside the hut.

He felt her wake from a dream, he felt her try to move and realize the pain. He then came out of his meditative trance for second he had felt the pain she was feeling. He thought maybe that he had gone to far in keeping an eye on his master. It was one thing to watch over her, it was totally different when you got to close, so close you could feel there pain. He stood up then as quickly as possible and turned towards the hut. He did not barge in though knowing his master was Half Naked inside.

Night had already fallen over the village and allot of the villagers had settled in already. Blade slide the door open just a crack but enough so the slight breeze and moonlight could be seen and felt. It was enough to let Aria know some one was at the door and she probably already knew who it was.

"You Alright in there aria?"

[Aria Sihin]

The sound of Lucid's voice drew her to the doorway and learned that it was evening by the darkness outside.

"How long was I out for?" His concern was ignored, but she appreciated his decency. She wrapped the sheet around her body and gasped. Her arms were uncovered, exposing the horrible scars she kept hidden. Most of the damage that Paladus inflicted was on the front of her forearms since Abilus used them as a shield to block the electrical barrage.

"Where are my bandages?" She said with urgency. "What did Jalba do with them?"

She fumbled around the bed, looking for something to cover them with and ignored how much pain it was causing her, but as Abilus got a good look at herself, it dawned on her that they looked different.

Her mouth gaped opened in amazement. The scar tissue was not as thick as previous and the minimal damage that the back of her arms received was almost fully healed. She was still horribly scarred but some of the damage had been reversed.

[Blade Bacquin]

"There in cupboard above the right above the table where Jalba sets his tools before surgery. There knew and clean given to you by Jalba and there is a shirt up there too given to you by his wife."

He never understood why Aria had always insisted on covering her scars. To Blade they where not hideous they gave a person character. Blade always loved the scars he carried although none of them where no longer on his body any more. He remembered the claw marks from ogre, the impaling wound from Anbira, and the scar that use to be on his hand from offering brotherhood to Vega.

Blade had only seen the scars twice before once in a vision he had and the other one time when aria had changed her bandages blade had caught a glimpse of them. She had never told Blade why she wore them and had refused to tell him before his vision. After that vision he had never asked her again why she wore Bandages around her arms.

"I do want to ask why you feel the need to cover them Aria? Is it because they remind you of how cruel your master was?"

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus steadied herself and slowly got to her feet. Even effort that small made her feel weary and out of breath. Her green eyes looked expectantly at the cupboard. It was on the other side of the room and trying to walk over there would be foolish. Jalba was sure to have stitched her wound, walking over there would probably open it up.

She sat back down easily and opened the cupboard with the Force, reluctantly answering Lucid, "In part but mostly because they remind me of him. Not just his cruelty."

The shirt floated over to the bed and Abilus gingerly slipped the clothing over her head.

"You may enter, Blade." She called him by his given name since they were in the village. "And since you're here, could you hand me the bandages."

She was still weak and to over exert herself, even with the Force's aid, was not a viable option.

As Lucid did as she asked, her eyes narrowed at what he said. "Wait. How could you know they were from my Master. I never told you how they were inflicted."

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade grabbed the bandages from the cupboard and began his walk over to Aria. Blade just smirked a bit as she asked her question, It was time for him to reveal a bit about his vision he had, had awhile back. He felt it was time she knew for sure that the vision he had was about her. Before he spoke he grabbed one of her arms and began to wrap it for her. She tried to resist at first but Blade's grip was to tight and she was still unable to fight back with out ripping her stitches.

"The day you told me to focus on the force and listen to it is the day learned of it. I learned allot of things about you that day for some reason the force made me focus on you."

He didn't know why the force had singled her out but it had on that day. Part of the reason for his maturing at least a little bit around her was due to that vision. He had learned where she was coming from and what she had felt. That vision had tied them together some how and Blade had sifted endlessly through scrolls to find nothing on why it might have done that.

"Truth is Aria I kept it from you, I wanted to give you time to be able to tell me yourself. Yet you wouldn't for some reason you feel it is unbecoming of a sith to tell your apprentice about yourself."

Blade finished wrapping the first Bandage around here arm then he waited for her to hand him her second arm. She didn't do it willingly but Blade held the Bandage back away from her until she was will to hand over her last arm.

"I once had many scars Aria. Four deep wounds along both of my shoulders front to back from my old masters husband. I had a scar from being impaled on a light saber from a Jedi master when I was still a warrior. My favorite had to be the one I once cared on the palm of my hand when I finally gave up fighting an old master and took him in as my brother. I never his my scars I carried the proudly, I do not find your scars Hideous Aria."

[Aria Sihin]

She looked down at her uncovered arm, "That is where you and I differ then, Blade. It was not out of pride that I attacked, Paladus, but out of arrogance and rage. He did not have to scar me as such, but he did it to teach me a lesson. They represent failure and that is why I cover them."

Sighing, Abilus extended her arm towards Lucid and began to look at him differently. He was quite gentle in caring for her and for once it didn't seem so upsetting. Maybe it was because he finally admitted the truth of his vision. Seeing her scars had probably prompted it.

"What else did you see?" She asked. "In your vision."

[Blade Bacquin]

"Well the fight against the Jedi and my masters husband where meant to teach me a lesson to. My master Husband did not have to do what he did to me but still did it as well. I failed at both and yet I rather liked those scars they showed I could survive just about anything."

He so loved those scars they showed his strength. They had shown that he could take a licking and keep on ticking. Now there was nothing there to show who he once was. There was nothing there to show his enemies that he wasn't to be taken lightly. He felt though that the scars not being there made him a different person then he was.

Then she asked him what else he saw he wasn't sure how much he wanted to tell her or what he could tell her. Those images of the future where the ones he was to afraid to tell her. He could tell her everything else though he felt she had the right to know at least that.

"I saw your parents, I saw them being killed through your eyes. I saw your training and I saw your master give you those scars and that white streak through your hair. I saw you kill your master through your eye's. I saw most of what has already happened between us and even further then that."

[Aria Sihin]

She could hear it in Lucid's voice, his true feelings for her as he mentioned the future.

It made her uncomfortable and Abilus turned away, trying to dismiss the desire that burned in her heart. She even pulled her half bandage arm from his grasp to be rid of his soothing touch. "I ... I had thought as much."

Her mind was too unfocused and Lucid's presence wasn't helping. She felt weak for letting uncertainty escape into her voice. "Do you believe things have happened due to the vision, or were your feelings led by it?"

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade couldn't help but laugh at her last questions. Of course what he had saw for the future had slight differences but allot had come to pass but in a different way and sometimes order. No vision gave a clear and total picture of the events to come some things where out of place and others didn't end the same way.

"No my feelings had nothing to do with it, At the time of the vision all I cared about was reclaiming my rank as sith lord then killing you to become my master."

He shrug as if those feelings had somewhat died away. He still wished to be a sith master but there was a part of him that had doubt as to weather he could kill aria to become a master. Yet there was still part of him that knew he could do it as well with out a second thought.

"Do you think I hide it from you because I didn't want you to know. I tried to hide it from myself more then from you. I am terrified of what I saw still which is why I will not speak beyond what has already happened."

He had feeling for Aria and he knew in the future that both there feelings would develop even more. In the vision though it was not his own feelings he felt but it was Aria's. In his vision he had seen this very moment where spoke to her for the first time about it. Yet in the vision they had been at the cabin eating the meat of the snar and aria was not injured.

"Do you wish to blame this all on me, if so do it punish me and get it over with?"

[Aria Sihin]

Lucid knew she desired him. The truth radiated off of him with every word he spoke as if to mock her. She felt so utterly naked before him now, having her feelings exposed to him and as pleasant of a thought it would be to punish him, Abilus was in no physical state to do so and in truth, her heart wasn't in it.

It wasn't pain that she wanted from her Apprentice.

"I do blame you." She whispered. "A Sith should not have these feelings."

She simply wanted to please him but was at a loss as to how.

"I should not have these feelings." Abilus' choked out her admission and began wrapping her arm again. Every centimeter of flesh that disappeared behind the bandages started to renew her confidence. It was as if it was helping to bury her feelings in a ritualistic manner.

"Go and get Jalba for me." Strength had returned in her voice, though she was still visibly exhausted. "He'll need to see the wound."

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade completely ignored her last request, he knew it was her just trying to hide. Hiding wouldn't solve anything Blade knew that from experience. He once tried to hide from the truth with Dalethria and it only seemed to make things worse for him. He once thought himself that no sith should have feelings for another being but now he knew that was wrong.

"So you are saying a sith should be mindful of there feelings? A Jedi once told me that his master use to spout that at him a long time ago. Jedi forsake emotion not sith Aria."

Love was not a forbidden emotion for the sith in fact love was one of the greatest emotions of a sith. Most believed sith to be loveless and cruel in truth love could fuel some of the strongest emotions. Love inspired rage, hate, and passion. The three main parts of the sith code where all fueled by one emotion. Most sith new however love was the strongest emotion but it was also the hardest to control.

"Are you that afraid of your feelings that you would forsake it? Hiding it or hiding from it does help it any. I tried that once and now everyone I knew is dead because of it."

Blade wasn't going to let her hide it from him. He would fight her to the bitter end if he had too. He didn't want her to travel down the same path he once did the path of self destruction. The path that lead to pain, a pain you could never let go of no matter how hard you tried.

"You told me that the path of pain is no way to travel through the dark side for it controlled you. My pain was caused by hiding my love and trying to forsake it. If you wish to travel down that same path you might as well kill me now Aria cause I will not go down that road again even if it would be with you this time."

[Aria Sihin]

The role reversal between her and Lucid was embarrassing. Being lectured on what it meant to be Sith was appalling no matter how much sense it made.

Or perhaps it was fear driving her to push him away. Abilus had never thought about romantic relations with anyone until her Apprentice stumbled across her path. She hadn't thought herself capable of desire or even love.

No. She couldn't be in love with Lucid. It was impossible, merely feeling lust for the opposite sex, which at least made sense to her because the two of them had been cooped up for years together.

"I will find him myself then," she declared and pushed herself to her feet against Lucid's constant protesting. Abilus found her legs were wobbly and the pain was just as bad as she imagined it would be. Stubbornness made her continue but halfway to the door, her own body fought against her stupidity and forced her to collapse.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade saw her collapse and he let her fall he didn't even rush to her side like he had done before. He looked at her on the ground with his arms crossed. His was not mocking but rather serious as he looked down at her. He almost felt sorry for her a sith master who could barely keep herself together.

"Your right Aria you don't need me, you don't need anyone."

Tuff love was sometimes the best lesson in life and Blade was going to teach to Aria right now. He wanted to be there next to her helping her up but he wouldn't let himself. He just stood back watching her try to push herself up. If she wanted help she would have to ask for it, something Blade didn't think she could do.

"If you keep fighting your feelings all you will do is wind up in the same pit I was in when you met me. The pit you helped me out of but expect me to dive head back in there after you."

He still stood there watching her slowly push herself up and fall again. He couldn't let himself move no matter how much he wanted to. He waited for her to say the words asking for help. Then he spoke the words that might cripple her even more but he did it to see how she would react.

"I love you Aria before you I only felt once. It is a strong emotion its easer to hide from it then accept it. The worst part is it can't be killed either."

[Aria Sihin]

He finally said it and her heart began pounding furiously. It was so loud that she could hear it beating in her ears. An exasperated sigh was let out at another failed attempt at standing.

"Just go and get Jalba!" She snapped at Lucid, refusing to ask for aid. Abilus would just have to return back to her bed in admitted defeat, but her pride would not be further put into question by allowing herself to ask for help. He continued to push her when it was obvious that Abilus wasn't ready for this. Yes, she might be arrogant and refuse to acknowledge what was happening between them, but to force the issue did not make it right either.

Lucid just continued to stand there. It only continued to anger her. She snapped her head towards him, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, "GO!"

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade didn't say another word he walked right past her on the ground and out the door to go find Jalba. He walked to the hut that the doctor lived in and pounded on the door. Jalba answered the door and blade quickly spoke to him.

"Aria wants to see you. When you go to talk to her tell her I left the village and when she is strong enough she can come look for me if she even gives a dam!"

Blade's voiced raised a bit as he spoke, he tried to hold it back but he couldn't. With that he turned away and walked out of the village in the direction of the cabin. Both him and Aria had allot to think about, he knew it, that’s why he had to leave the village. As he walked to the cabin he was lost in thought wondering if it had been a mistake the day he met Aria if perhaps some god was trying to teach him a lesson. He mumbled once as he glanced briefly back at the village.

"Stubborn woman."

[Blade Bacquin]

Existence of Love

Most people consider love a form of inspiration and often times believe it to be a sign of good. Love has inspired songs, poems, stories, and even the history of the galaxy. In truth though love is much darker if you really look at it for what it does. Love can cause people to kill, fight a war, it can rip families apart, it can destroy best friends, and it can cause people to destroy even themselves. For these reasons the Jedi forsake the emotion and sith embraced it. Love is a weapon perhaps the greatest weapon.
--------------------------------------------------------------

3 years 7 months total time passed

Her wounds had healed fast and now she was completely back to being normal Aria. So secretive of her emotions and strong at hiding them from Blade. Yet Blade new they where there hanging on the edge of her mind as if she wanted to speak her thoughts but she could not. Her religion or at least what she believed of her religion had no use of the emotion love. Yet there it hung almost like an open swore that could never heal.

Lucid as she always called him was totally disgusted by this fact. He had tried hard over the last seven months to try and get her to open up around him. yet she only seemed to grow tighter around him boarder lining on total control over him. he was no longer allowed to speak as freely as he was once was. He could no longer bring up the topic of love, even if it related to a scroll he was reading. Heck almost all the scrolls on emotion where now forbidden for him to read mainly because he would purposely read into them to far just to bring up that one topic.

It was late night and Aria was asleep at least as far as Blade knew. He sat at the edge of his bed fully dressed with a bag at his feet. In the bag was what he had for belongings and a few reminders of Aria. It had a been a spur of the moment choice for him to leave even though he had thought about it a few times before. He had come to a final choice this night to leave the cabin and Aria behind. It reminded him much of the many times before he attempted to leave Dalethria's side in an odd way.

He stepped out of the cabin then slamming the door behind him. He didn't even realize he had slammed it that hard. His feet where already stepping in the direction of where he last left his ship. He wasn't even sure if it was there anymore but he felt it was time he left no matter how long the journey took him.

He loved Aria and he knew she loved him too. Yet in the end she could not bring herself to tell him totally. Instead she blamed it all on him making it out to be his fault. It wasn't his fault though in his vision of the future he saw Aria fighting with these same emotions but in the vision it was her who had left not Blade. He would not let her travel down the same path he once did so he made his choice. He would travel his old path once again to save Aria from pain and self destruction.

[Aria Sihin]

She awoke, startled. Someone had slammed the front door. Instinctively, Abilus reached for the knife under her pillow but soon realized that there was only one other presence near the cabin. Lucid.

What she felt confused her greatly. He was despondent and for once, she couldn't tell why. Lucid had shut himself off from her so completely that it was difficult for her to penetrate his defenses. She could punch a hole right threw it but her feelings told her otherwise.

Abilus slipped out of bed and quickly put away the knife and donned her white robes. Soon she was standing outside on the porch when Lucid was several meters away. He hadn't sensed or noticed her yet. What she notice, however, was he was fully dressed at four in the morning with a pack slung over his shoulder. Lucid was leaving.

The feelings she had pushed aside for months began to swell up inside and it was difficult to control the panic within her voice, but Abilus managed to, "You're leaving?

[Blade Bacquin]

"Yes, it's for the best Abilus."

At least that was Blade's opinion on the matter based off what he had saw from the future. He couldn't let her walk his old path and left only the option for him to walk it again. It caused him more pain then he wanted to admit but still his feet kept moving forward not stopping. He didn't even look back at Aria as he walked away to afraid it might turn him back.

"I will walk my old path once more. For almost similar reasons as before, reasons you probably would shut out and ignore Abilus."

She followed him at a distance as he spoke to her with his back turned away and his feet moving in a steady pace in the direction he had last left his ship almost four years earlier. He wasn't sure what exactly Aria wanted from him as she followed but he wasn't going to ask either.

[Aria Sihin]

She walked the ground with bare feet, forgetting to put on shoes in her hurry. At least the ground was dry and was mostly of grass. It had been quite the dry season as of late and it was hurting what little means they had of growing food for themselves. But that was neither here nor there...

"Regardless of your reasons, what you want you cannot have." She quickened her pace enough to walk alongside Lucid. "You swore yourself unto me under the Code. We are bound forever until one of us dies."

He wasn't truly listening to her words nor was he looking at her. Lucid's eyes were transfixed in front of him and Abilus refused to be ignored.

"Damnit," she grabbed hold of his arm and yanked him around, almost pulling his shoulder out, "Do not ignore me!"

[Blade Bacquin]

"It wouldn't be the first time I broke such code or shrugged off loyalty."

He stared at her hard as he spoke, not letting his emotions get the best of him. It was so easy to slip back into the roll he had once played, almost to easy. He wasn't going to let her win. He wasn't going to let her drag him back just to let her turn around and do the same thing at a later time.

"If you wish to kill me then do it, if you want to just let me leave do it. Either way my goal will be accomplished and I will have prevented the future events from happening."

Really for the first though in his life he wasn't begging for death. In fact he didn't want to die, he didn't really want to leave either but he thought he had too. What ever choice Aria made it would end the cycle though and Blade would free Aria from his curse.

"Do as you wish Aria but you are no longer my master and I am no longer your apprentice. You can not force me to come back on that alone."

[Aria Sihin]

"You don't have the authority to do what you want!" If his goal was to push her buttons, he succeeded. Her fist cracking across his face made that quite clear. "You ungrateful cur! I've made you a far more powerful Sith in shorter time then you were previously!"

Abilus did not want to kill Lucid. It was the last thing she would ever want to do to her Apprentice. He had to have known that, hence his arrogance but she would not allow him to leave either. His last words to her had stung the most because she knew exactly what to say to keep Lucid by her side. Fear kept her silent but the fear of loosing him was growing stronger.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade dropped back as the fist slammed into his face but he did not lose his Balance. His face had been turned to the side from the crack and he slowly turned it back to face Aria eye to eye once more. No rage swelled inside of him he stood strong blacking his emotions on a Jedi like scale.

"I am not ungrateful for what you have achieved in me Abilus. I still can not stay and you can not make me."

His tone was calm an eerie calm as if nothing could change his choice. Although in Blade's head he was in constant thought emotions fighting other emotions. Some telling him to lash out and kill his master where she stood. Yet the stronger of his emotions knew better he loved her and he could not kill her and he could not let her walk his path so he had to stand strong.

"Kill me or let me go those are your options. Unless of course there is some other reason you want me to stay besides the code. I have never been one for religion, there for breaking its code does not pain me in the least. Call me a blasphemer and heretic, hunt me down and kill me for those reasons I care not."

[Aria Sihin]

Her body was taut, so terribly stiff. Abilus was running out of options to try and convince him to stay. Lashing out at him had done nothing and her accusations held no merit. That meant killing him or...

She felt her body growing tired as the adrenaline rush began to subside. It was no longer required since Abilus would not fight him. The strength wasn't there and she felt like a heretic herself for not implementing the Code.

So, she turned away, shivering from his piercing gaze. No longer could she bear to look at him knowing how much of a failure she had become. Her deceased Master would have thought her weak if he could see her now.

"I cannot give you what you want," she said in resignation. Her hand pulled the white fabric back over her shoulder that had fallen when she punched Lucid. "I've told you I don't know how. So," she swallowed so hard that it hurt and whispered, "You best just leave."

[Blade Bacquin]

He didn't move even though he knew he should. He knew he should turn and go as far away from Aria as possible. Yet he had to tell her something before he left. He knew he had to tell her why, something he could never have done with Dalethria. Although leaving her was out of fear that his emotions would be used against him. With Aria it was different He was leaving out of fear of losing her the way he once lost himself.

"Before I go you deserve to know why I have made this choice. It is not something I want to really tell you but I know I have to."

Blade gulped back the lump forming in his throat. This required him both to speak of his past and the future. Neither of which where that bright and cared allot of pain with them. A pain Aria had long ago taught him how to get around and focus on other things.

"You did not fail as a master, I failed you as a student. It is something that has come up often in my past leaving my masters for only myself. Yet this time I have choose to do it for other reasons."

He couldn't spit it out he held it back not knowing if he should tell her. He was doing it to protect her not himself this time. Protecting other people was never Blade's strong side. In fact he would rather stab his friends in the back just to keep himself safe. This time was different he couldn't let her fall he would take the fall for her sacrificing himself for his friend.

"In my vision on the night I reached the rank of lord once more." He stopped for a moment to reword his thoughts.

"A rank I feel is drawing nearer. On the night you give it to me you will leave me to travel my old path. You will do this for some of the same reasons I left my old master Dalethria. The main reason is because you can not or will not let yourself deal with emotions you feel.

I leave now because you are good master and I can not let you walk my cursed path. Instead I will walk it again in your place. I do this for two reasons, one because you are great master, and two because I do love you. I will sacrifice my own life to protect you now Aria."

[Aria Sihin]

"Whatever you believe to be true is fine, Blade. I understand your reasoning, but you must know that it was I that failed you and my previous Master." Her shoulders sagged while she continued on despondent, "I deserve no praise, even though it seemed that was what I wanted from you."

Abilus began the short walk towards the cabin, knowing it would be the first time she would sleep alone in close to four years now. It terrified her, thinking that. Lucid had been an integral part of her life and opened up her own beliefs in mostly obnoxious insane ways. But that was who he was and that was the person she fell in love with.

[Blade Bacquin]

"Forget your previous master he isn't worth crap! Why do you care so much about someone who used you? You killed him and yet still you follow his ridicules code!"

Blade's voice was a bit furious because he firmly believed Aria had not failed anyone. She had not failed him, no he had failed her only because for the first time he didn't want to lose something. So instead of losing it he was going to run away from it, keep it safe the only way he knew how.

"Your master was a fool, he read to far into bane and imposed rules on you that are not there. He did it so he could control you and even after his death he still owns you."

In truth Blade had purposely tried to break Aria free of her code. Yet as hard as he tried he continued to fail, even now he was failing. He wanted to break through her shell make her free but he wasn't sure if it was possible now.

"You did not fail me at all you offered me a second chance. You offered me a chance to be something greater then I ever was. I'm the one turn my back on it you can't blame yourself for that. As for failing your master maybe its time you tell him off."

[Aria Sihin]

Abilus stopped dead in her tracks, fists clenched tightly in frustration, as she berated him, "Gods, you still speak without thinking, Blade! You're a fool! My Master is dead! I think my feelings about him were crystal clear when I killed him!"

She lowered her arms as tiredness began to weigh her down. One thing that Lucid was correct in believing was that Abilus had been questioning herself numerous times throughout the years. Her Apprentice had opened her mind to other possibilities of the Dark Side, but she was too afraid to let herself go. She did, however, allow him to see the young girl she was before her parents murder. That was as far as she was willing to go and feel safe.

"I can't keep doing this. Either stay or go, Blade." She finally turned to face him, but only for a moment, "This conversation is over."

Whatever Lucid was going to do, it was up to him. She wasn't going to beg him to stay, even though a part of her wanted to try. Abilus was cold and thoroughly exhausted from the argument and only wanted to fall asleep, hoping that this entire ordeal was a bothersome dream that would go away once she had woken up for real.

[Blade Bacquin]

"If your feelings where so crystal clear, then why do you still follow the code he beat into you?"

Blade was sure of himself this conversation was far from over in his books. This thing between them what ever it was needed to either be forced out or forever buried in both there minds. Blade would prefer it be forced out because to bury it always left a chance for it to resurface.

"I have always been one to break the rule's or change them as I see fit. If you never break the rule's you will never survive, I was taught that lesson a long time ago. Funny thing is it wasn't a sith who taught me that one it was a Jedi."

Blade laughed a bit remembering his old friend who died by Blade's hand. He almost wondered if Jackson had survived in this universe or at least if a clone of him did. He was the only Jedi Blade had ever met that didn't lie and who truly saw the universe for what it was. Yet he was Jedi not a sith because he did not believe in using the force as a weapon, he did not believe in using it for power, or control.

No Jackson believed only to be teaching tool one to expand and opens one's mind to greater things. He also believed some where not worthy or ready for the knowledge of the force hence why the light side and the dark side where created only a division of great thing that that mortality created on there own.

"I love you Aria can you break the rule's just this once and let yourself admit the same?"

[Aria Sihin]

Those simple, yet so very powerful words, caused her to shiver from more then just the night air. She had to bring her hands up to her arms to find some measure of warmth. Lucid's words were spoken with such a simple truth that it moved her. He wasn't trying to beat some sense into her, he wasn't trying to prove her wrong just to irriate or cause conflict. For once, her Apprentice was being himself with his last utterance. The purtiy of his emotion had moved Abilus.

"I," her head began to lower while her eyes closed, lips trembling. Her heart was beating so furiously that it threatened to burst out of her chest. Never in all her life had Abilus been so scared, or so vunerable. Not even when her father had died before her eyes had she been so frightened.

Lucid could hear his Master's breath along the wind, moreso then the vunerable voice in which she spoke, barely hovering over a whisper, "I love you too, Blade."

Tears had long began to swell around her lids which then finally found the strength to break free upon admittance. She choked back a sob, realizing what she had done, covering her face with bandaged hand as if to hide the shame she felt for allowing herself to subcumb to love's weakness.

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade was about to turn and leave thinking finally he could never get it out of her. Yet as he turned she said it and promptly burst into tears. Blade stopped in his tracks for one of the first moments in his new life he had no idea what to do.

It was the first time in a long time of a very long life someone had actually said those words to Blade. He knew those words where the truth but very few ever wanted to admit it to him. In The past Blade had been a hard guy to like and when times got tough and he couldn't fight it with fists he had run. Now though he didn't know what to do he was almost locked in place the only thing running was his mind.

With out even knowing it his feet where taking baby steps towards Aria. He knew why but he just couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe he cared that much that he move closer to her to try and comfort her. As he approached he arms wrapped around her waist and he held her tight in a hug. He leaned in and whispered into her ear.

"Everything will be alright Aria."

[Blade Bacquin]

A new universe to explore.

Time passes along into the future at an ever-accelerating rate. Allot of things change yet there are something that stay the same. It's odd as a boy you look up into space and wonder what is out there. You grow into adolescences and your still stare at the stars. Then you grow into a man and leave to see those stars. Yet those you love, those you call family want you to stay and continue to gaze at the stars. They would chain you to a wall to keep you with them just one more day if they could but eventually they have to let you go and see the world for yourself.

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

5 years have past and now is in the present.

Five years it had taken him to gain what he lost but in those five years he had gained even more. He gained a family he had once longed for. He gained a teacher and master whom he loved with all his heart even in the difficult times. There where more difficult times then easy. Aria was everything to him family, lover, master, teacher and above all that his best friend.

Blade the sith lord stood before the door to the cabin in early afternoon. The sun was out and beating down its never-ending heat wave of summer. Blade was shirtless for he had been doing his share of the choirs and some where in the middle lost it like most men seemed to do. Something was on his mind and had been for a while now. Something he wasn't sure how to approach Aria about.

Although Aria was understanding about something, most things you had to push and shove to get her to allow. She always thought Blade was thick headed and stubborn but she seemed to miss that flaw in herself as well. Yet still it was her stubbornness and almost unbreakable faith. Also the fact that she always seemed to think she was right that Blade fell in love with her.

He walked through the door to see Aria gutting a fish for there dinner. Blade first thought was how to get her to let go of the knife before he told her what he had to tell her. She was not going to like what Blade had to say one bit and Blade was almost afraid for his life. But that never stopped him before.

"Hey you’re looking nice and sweaty today."

Blade put on a charming smile and came up to attempt to peck Aria on the cheek with a small kiss. Oh course she could probably tell already this was a front. Blade was only ever really sweet when few things happened. One when he had done something really stupid and wanted to apologize before Aria found out. Two He wanted something from Aria. Three he had bad news that he knew Aria wouldn't like.

[Aria Sihin]

She paused, her fingers still deep inside the innards of the fish, and slowly turned to look up at Blade with narrowed eyes. He wanted something. His stance and the sheepishness in his voice indicated Blade was not looking for pleasure.

Abilus didn't need the force to know he was hiding something. The question was what did he do wrong, or what did he want.

She resumed gutting the fish, showing no liking or disliking of Blade's comment or affection. "What is it you want?"

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade attempted to lie at first just to lead up to the true question at hand. It wasn't an underhanded lie more like he wanted to hold of Aria's explosion until later.

"Why do you assume I want something?"

Blade asked with a sheepish grin on his face. He tried to make it sound as sincere as he possible could but it always seemed hard to lie to Aria. He didn't know why but it just always seemed that way.

[Aria Sihin]

The fish flopped onto the table, fresh water and juices spluttering from the impact.

"Because you're being nice." Abilus snatched a towel to dry her hands and stood up, "Too nice."

[Blade Bacquin]

Blade shrugged it was the truth not matter how much he wanted to denie it. He was generally way to nice when he wanted something or did something. He wanted to lie to her then there and tell her some fiction about his plans but he couldn't the truth just slipped out from his lips after his eyes looked into hers. It was almost hard to lie to her when he stared into them orbs of hers.

"Well I guess you know me better then I thought. Indeed there is something I want Aria. I'm just not sure if your going to like what I have to ask."

[Aria Sihin]

She turned away from him, her form stiff and her movements mechanical, "You will get what you want whether or not I agree to it. I can sense it in your voice."

Abilus tossed the towel onto a clean counter and crossed her arms, "Your heart is wild. You want to be free."