Redemption: Rebirth

[Jared Mriad]

The moon had just began it's lengthy rise to the heavens as the sun began it's sleep. Cries of anger and sorrow echoed around a town as hundreds of humans morned or cried for their dead. They cry words of damnation to the one with the dragoned marked face, the one with claws of fire and mind of the insaned.

Noone knew his name, nor cared. All they needed was revenged for their lost loved ones... or... a round of redemntion for the killer.

Jared walked slowly and solomnly through a large patch of thick vines and forests. His large sword, Etemnentaki, slashed through the vines and brush that was in his way. He was being trailed by someone, and each night as he backtracked to find any sort of trail left by the presuer he found nothing at all.

No tracks, no disturbed dirt... nothing.

Each day, as Jared traveled faster and with more rage. He had become what he most feared in a matter of months; a monster, a cannibal. The desire for human flesh became greater each day of his lousy life.

Exiting the jungle, Jared turned and walked backwards until he reached a cliff. Keeping an eye on the tree-line. Jared quickly stole a glance over the edge of the cliff and grimaced at the sight of a complete dropoff into a deep and huge ocean.

Growling quite audibly, Jared turned and roared into the trees;

"Come out damn you!"

[The Black Rider]

The trees and bushes shook--not because they were physically shaken, but because the aura of death around them made them shiver. Leaves turned brown and roots died. The stench of death filled the air.

Then the figure approached. The heavy clopping of hooves shook the ground around them as the cloaked Rider trotted into the clearing. The Rider gazed into the figure standing before him. It's eyes pierced the other's; but yet it had no eyes. Within the hood, there was no eyes, or face, or head. Just darkness. Darkness.

The dark horse was lead closer to the man who stood, enraged and bloody from scratches by the brush. He was full of rage, anger, and life...The Rider almost smiled. The horse reared, screaming threateningly into the night as The Rider pulled the reigns tighter with one hand. The other rested out of view.

"Your pursuer is revealed, young one," hissed The Black Rider. His voice was raspy and rough. The voice wheezed, as if those words were the last. "You are hungry. But not for food...for flesh. Eat." The Rider pulled his other hand into view, grasping a young boy by the waist of his pants. The boy was terrified, his eyes glazed over in shock. He had no concept of reality--the being that held him exerted so much fear into the boy's heart, he had become merely a shell of a human being. Pathetic, anyway, though The Rider. He threw the boy towards the man, knowing it was much like throwing a bloody steak to a rabid dog...

[Jared Mriad]

Jared's noticable look of anger stood firm, even as the boy was sailing at him. In a heartbeat, the second where the boy would hit Jared's form, his hand struck out and gripped the meal by his dangling neck.

Examining it, and still watching the Rider, Jared shook the boy meekly. "Not living." He hissed, moving the boy from dangling from his neck to having his head wrapped in Jared's well developed arms.

SNAP... The boy's look of horror faded and his body gone limp, the spinal cord severed. The head flopped over to the side, revealing a pale neck begining to swell with oncoming blood.

"Why do you follow me?" Jared asked the Rider, removing a dirk and slicing the neck thus letting the life essence retreat into the soil before he dug in and ripped peices of the meat away while eating..

[The Black Rider]

The Rider trotted towards the young Sith slowly. The young one had questions; the older had answers. But in due time, they would come.

"Eat, and gain your strength," it spoke in a loud whisper, not menacingly but firmly. "Soon, you will be tested--you will need your health." The Rider stood tall. He knew this would intrigue the young man. Sith were prideful warriors, confident of their ablilities--much like himself. They didn't like to be questioned, and The Rider had certainly eluded to some type of challenge.

[Jared Mriad]

"Tested? Are you taunting me?" Jared growled, tossing the corpse over the edge. The hunger had subsided for now, curiousity was the major.

HIs figure did not move, his eyes traced as the Rider became closer, if the cloaked thing came close enough for the Sith to strike out. There was no doubt Jared would not hesitate.

[The Black Rider]

"You are gaining in skill as a warrior," it said in the same raspy whisper. "You have become the formidable foe, am I right?" It paused, alowing Jared to think for a moment. It wanted the words to seep into his brain. The dark hood stared at him, inciting fear in the boy's heart. Truly, he was strong, but The Rider created an atmosphere around him of fear and death. No one--not even himself--could escape the feeling of dread in it's presence.

"You can learn more..." The Rider wanted to open the curiousity of the boy's mind. He liked this kind of talent--young, angry, agressive. It reminded him of himself, in his youth. Youth. That was centuries ago. "More power can be obtained."

[Jared Mriad]

Jared's guard dropped, but his anger rose. So did his curiosity, "More power? And how would this be acheived?" The question would seem more of a demand to the Jedi, a nusance to the dark jedi, and a request to the Sith.

He found it a perfect time to step away from the edge, sidestepping to the left and away from the death shrouded figure. "What makes you think I need more power?"

[The Black Rider]

The Rider chuckled to himself softly. Well, as much as vocal cords of his age could chuckle.

"Think? I know, Jared." He let his mind float out towards the other. He wanted the boy to feel his knowledge--feel the 3000 years of experience that resided in his brain. "I am never wrong and rarely right; but all who ask the right questions will receive a great many things." The Rider cocked his head slightly. Would the boy inquire for more? Was he angry? Threatened? The Rider waited in silence as the man before him thought about his words...