The great Hunt.

[Zrascak]

Sammael looked at the Nemian for a short while before he answered, his new body giving him a voice as cold as a glacier. "What always happens in this universe, war and slaughter. Who are you, you must be the one they call the Nemian but who, or maybe what is a more proper question, are you?". As he finished speaking Sammael turned his attention to one of the other remaining armours, leaving the body of the old creator on the floor, the first rite of mourning completed. With a few spells Sammael turned this armour into a pair of long curved dual edged swords with one-and-a-half hand hilts. Satisfied with his blades Sammael used the remains of the armour to create two sheathes and fastened them at his waist.

[Yuno]

Svetlana stood looking at Torak as he signed. Something was off about all of them. As She was listening to the voice her brother charged in. Guards were attempting very poorly to stop him but his honor guard seemed to be dealing with them well enough. "Where is my sister?" he shouted his eyes then falling on Svetlana's figure. She turned her eyes falling on him.

"Halt your weapons." Ness called moving forward to his sister brushing past Torak and taking Svetlana's hands, "Are you all right? What about the baby? They didn't harm you did they?" he said concern registering barely on his face. It was then the voice showed her what had happened. She stared straight ahead witnessing the whole event her pupils dilating as she stared in horror. Then the vision ended. Her head fell slowly as tears of bitter betrayal and loss fell from her eyes. "You....you (please do not swear)...you killed her....you..." Ness reached to touch her and his hand hit the floor blood not even flowing from the stump that was left. In Svetlana's hands her runed light weapon had a small line of blood on it as Ness turned ghost white from pain, "What the (please do not swear) Svet!?"

The shadows seemed to crawl towards her slowly...it was strange, she'd never felt such rage before. It wasn't just at Ness...it was at her whole (please do not swear) up family, at the (please do not swear) up games that had caused the man she loved to become a shadow of his old self. But her sister, the only one who'd ever truly understood her ways had been murdered in cold blood by family. She was sick of it all...all the lies and all the (please do not swear) that these petty people had.

Even from where Sammael was planetside, he could feel a sudden burst of power. The shadows swirled up and around Svetlana consuming her form. Her eyes turned a deep and menacing red as Ness Stumbled backwards from her letting out an alarmed cry of fear. Her once golden hair seemed to glow finally falling in sharp dark silver angels. And her small wings seemed to grow in an instant turning grey-black and very large. A bloodthirsty grin seemed painted on her once lovely face as she strode towards Ness a talon forming where her hand had been as he screamed, "Svet I did it for you."

An inhuman voice filled with rage answered as she picked him up like he was nothing, "No...no you did it for yourself..you are a selfish...devious creature...your soul is dark...unlike your magic..." the others around her watched in horror as she reached her taloned hand out making motions so ghastly and forbidden and fast that the only motion anyone could discern was extract. In answer to the runes, Ness's light left his eyes as dark swirling esscence poured from him to gather around her hand...At the same moment the Nehmian felt his mind thrust into the body of Ness. She dropped him then the shadows still moving around Svetlana.

It was then that everyone came to their senses...."She used...it's forbidden...get her..." Svetlana whipped forward taking one last glance at Torak, a look that seemed to carry an apology with it as she disappeared out through the hall guards giving chase.

*two months later*
It hadn't been easy getting off the homeworld. Everyone and their mother had been ordered to look for a pregnant half breed matching her description. In the end, she'd had to cut her hair, and pay for a black market transportation. Lucky she still had friends from her assassin days. When she finally had managed to do so she found herself on Majoris. It was a trade post world, nobody noticed anyone here. Although the authorities still searched for her, it hadn't been hard to avoid detection and gain a new identity.

One of her crime lord friends took her in, making it clear he didn't care about her pariah status so long as she worked well for him. He set her up smuggling illegal cargo. The baby came in what was late spring for that world...motherhood suited her fairly well. It was a boy child. His human dna had asserted itself most strongly..the only thing amiss about him were his pure white eye and pure black eye. She named him Kageri....

[Edzilla]

The hall emptied almost instantaneously, Torak was even more alone than before, the two things he had in life stripped away in the same day. Almost instinctively he pulled out his knife, holding it towards his heart. He was finished, it was time to go, everything this world had to offer had left him, maybe the afterlife had some more.
"Giving up so easily boy, I always knew you were pathetic..."
Torak looked around him, the empty room was being breached, breached by a dark smoke that flew in through molecular gaps and smothered the floor in shadow.
Toraks knife left him and was now pointed outwards, a slight expression of fear on his face... "Who the (please do not swear) are you? What the hell is happening?"
A deep laugh rang out through the palace, only those who were sleeping or Torak could hear it ad to them it sounded agonising. The type of laugh heard after the loss of one to a mortal enemy," Behind you boy!" Torak turned fast, he saw something recognisable, something darker and more malevolent, with hellish red eyes, it was him in his shadowed form.
"Your supposed to be gone, I defeated you!" The Shadow smirked ,"your even more of an idiot that you seemed! You cannot be rid of shadow, the gash it leaves is to deep, you will always be scarred with me, just as Svetlena will be.." Now he laughed again, slightly less loud. "Even if I can't come out and kill during the full moon, even if I'm not really within you... I will be there."
Torak looked at the smoke at his feet, then he retorted almost automatically ,"My sunny side has gone as died, the more shadow the better!"

He opened his eyes the room was the same, only without shadow... he looked at the clock, he'd been under for 8 hours now, night was nearly here... Svetlena would be far out of reach, not that he cared anymore, he had a new purpose and it was lace with shadow.

(We can do a whole x amount of time before.)

1 week later.....

"I participated in that (please do not swear), whether we won or not I don't know, but I'll get the (please do not swear) you promised right now!" He held a Divinty corps representative by the collar over his desk. It had taken him almost a week of travel to get back to the Forhman juggernaught vessel, it appeared the party had been and gone a few days prior, he needed one thing only. "Give me those (please do not swear) coordinates, you can push pencils for the rest of your life, ok?" He pulled out his knife and held it to the mans throat. "I'm not authorised to tell you that.." Torak smiled evilly ,"Then you die.." The blade was about to pierce another jugular. "Wait, I can direct you to the place that knows.." Torak relaxed his hold on his knife but not on the man... "Lets go then."
The door didn't take alot to open, inside was totally dark, only illuminated by the light of the corridor, inside were rows and rows of filing cabinets, all labelled alphabetically. He looked angrily t the man ,"second on the left.." he said fearing another blow to the head. Torak immediately pulled out the draw, labelled with the year. Nix, Sammael, Svetlena, Torak and Tyrin. He grabbed his own and with a little hesitation grabbed the rest. "I'll be leaving now.. thanks for the help.." It was going to take him at least a month to get home.

[Tyamius, Shadow Lord]

Mikale watched as everything unfolded, the shadow worked fast. He smiled as he walked out of the room away from Torak's unconscious body to leave. He reached into his pocket and lit a match as he walked past his "brother" and tossed the match on the armor, setting it ablaze. This place was scarred, Torak would come back eventually seeking answers and possibly work, Svetlana would have to be found as would her child, and wherever Sammael and Nix were did not matter to Mikale. Only the Carnage that would follow...he was King now...his reign would be the most powerful any Vaasidori had ever seen.

"So Shadow...who's next on our list to turn to the power of darkness?" Mikale said aloud.

"Who did you have in mind, young blood?" the shadow answered back quite intrigued.

"Hmmm how about an entire clan of shadow wielding nutcases...all who obey me...the King of Shadows?"Mikale said with a vicious laugh, the shadow smiled such a plan it had never heard of before, but it was a plan that could not fail.

[Zrascak]

Sammael had silently disappeared after the fight with the Miduni was over, going back to his legions. After the hunt he had spent the time waiting for information from his many agents and worked on his new body, making it even stronger than the old one. When he finally received word from his subordinates that the agents had finally found one of the others from the hunt, Torak.

Sammael's ship arrived to the Fohrman juggernaut mere minutes after Torak had arrived and Sammael exited his chamber for the first time in quite some time, looking like some kind of dark elven knight from hell, his body made entirely out of black scale armour, inscribed with rune after rune in sinister patterns, his main weapons this time around consisted of two long curved blades with runes of horrible spells inscribed in the metalwork.

Without saying a word Sammael strode out from his ship into the Fohrman juggernaut, accompanied by some of his legionaries. As they marched through the halls people hurried out of their way, an armed party of eight who all wore the mark of Sammael's legions and the Terribilis Legiones that acted as an escort to a ninth person, Sammael, who wore his own personal mark on his long armoured coat.

Shortly Sammael and his men arrived at where Torak was and Sammael greeted him. "Hello wolf, looking for somebody?".

[Yuno]

Svetlana sat nursing Kageri smiling and idly singing a song she had learned from her time with Torak. She petted her child's soft newborn head looking up sharply when she heard a knock at the door. "Liana...it's me Trey" she stood slowly still not used to walking without the extra weight from pregnancy. She pulled the door open and stepped back allowing him to enter.

She sat as he closed the door returning to nursing. "Whats up?"
He sat opposite her smiling as he took in the lavish surroundings. "I must say, for a woman who has lost her clan and power you live a very cushy existence."
Svetlana looked up grinning, "I'm no fool...my 3 years off world paid very very well..and I put it in some accounts not linkable to myself. and I invested in some excellent merchants so my money only grew."

Trey smiled at this and laughed "I came to tell you that someone took your file...and that of your hunt companions." Svetlana looked up at this. "Who?"
"Torak..." Svetlana looked down at this her hands beginning to shake as she stood laying Kageri down and sitting again her body shaking with unshed sobs. Trey crossed the gap sitting beside her, "You miss him still." he said. "Every day...every moment....every time I look at Kageri."
"Have you considered bringing him here?"
"Yes"
"Why haven't you?"
"I saw the look in his eyes...after Seta...he was...soul dead...I...the baby...neither of us would matter to him....not truly..."
"what are you going to tell Kageri...when he grows."
"The truth."
"what of Torak?"
"What about him?"
"he doesn't get to meet his child or see him?"
Svetlana did not respond she rose shouting angrily, "I am a pariah in case it has slipped your mind...I can't go rambling about the galaxy looking for Torak to show him our baby and say just thought you might like to see him."
"You could write to him and send him pictures though." Trey said rising up shouting as well at her.
"To what end? So that he can know what he is missing. He won't care! He's lost...After all that I did to try and stop it he is gone. If Seta could see him now that wolf would be so disappointed. But no...instead he is going to walk through life like a damn zombie!"
"Are you any less lost? What right have you to judge him or make decisions for him. You are just as tainted by the darkness as he...your problem is that you are afraid..."
The vase that slammed against the wall seconds later as Trey screamed at her in a dark rage woke Kageri who wailed for all he was worth. Svetlana for her part lay against the wall as Trey strode out shaking his head coldly.

*Okay so bringing up our soldier romance days wasn't a good idea.....* she thought as she lifted Kageri up swaying as she moved to clean up the broken vase. She reached for a camera and after several moments of debate took a picture of herself holding his now sleeping form and another of Kageri himself. With little effort she found a secure line and sent them along to Torak along with a note "Kageri is 2 weeks old...I won't stop loving you...I hope you find what you are looking for"

[Edzilla]

"Well isn't this in interesting situation..." Torak held up the files ,"this is for me," he said pointing to his own file, smirking. "These are for my own interest, and for something to read on the way." He smirked even more deviously, looking slightly evil, "I'm sure you wont mind me looking into your history... " He knew what was coming, he knelt down pulling out a black cloth that seemed to conceal something. It unrolled to reveal a sheathed sword, about a a metre in left, it's shape curved to gently and on its hilt was the seal of the shadow clan.

A week before

Torak stalked through the palace being careful to avoid Mikale and his guards. If he was to enact his plan, he'd need to be more powerful, the shadow had the answer. Two guards stood on either side of a double door, slightly reduced by the hunt for Svetlena. "Where do you think your going boy." Torak smiled, before one could draw a weapon, Torak had rammed his blade into the side of one of their heads. He collapsed to the floor, Torak withdrew his blade, these guards weren't the strongest in the garrison, that was clear. The other guard reached for his rifle, but Torak had already kicked him in the chest before stabbing him through the neck. He made a hoarse sound as he took his last breath, collapsing into a pool of blood. Torak gently opened the door, into the Shadow clans room of artefacts.
After much searching he found something he liked, it was heavily lit and steps lead up to it. Despite being sheathed it was still a thing of beauty making everything else in the room seem insignificant. In the Vassadori world it was feared, a blade for only for royalty. In their dialect it was known as The Penumbra Blade. Torak lifted it off its pedestool and immediately the alarms could be heard all through out the palace. He walked towards the nearest window, smashed the glass with his foot, the wind swept through the palace. "Or we can fight..."

"If you've brought a bodyguard I can only gues it is for one thing." He gripped the sword tightly ,"we can part ways right now..." He smile evilly again, it was becoming a habit. He unsheathed the blade and every single one of the Legionis could feel a cold wind which chilled their very soul, leaving the infinitely cold .

[Tyamius, Shadow Lord]

"Sammael, step aside please...I wish to speak with him." A voice said from behind the nine warriors of the Legion. Mikale stepped forward, "Torak....torak......torak...how are you my dear boy? How is my sword?" Mikale smiled as he took a step forward. "You know that doing what you did was treason? So you have a choice now, give back the sword or die." Mikale held out his hands as if he were a scale on which the terms were weighed. "If you wanted more power all you needed to do was ask! I would've given you entire squads, ships, a Juggernaut class cruiser!"

[Zrascak]

Sammael looked at Mikale and smiled, his new body making it into a disturbing and sinister expression. "Well then, the wolf without wolf, the shadow king without the freedoom to reign, and of course me, the last one of my kin. The thing is this, shadow king, I will not let you kill the wolf, I have an interest in seeing that he reaches his goal and his bride. Feel free to hurt him but do not presume to fatally injure him lest you wish for war with the legions." Sammael said as he turned slightly, his eight bodyguards moving ever so slightly to let Mikale through.

[Edzilla]

Torak smiled again, they knew even less than he thought, he may as well tantalise them. "How do you know it is her who I desire, my purpose is very different.." He raised the Penumbra blade to the air, looking like he would strike quickly. "This better work," he muttered under his breath. He looked like he was straining, his mind was being forced to do things it shoudlnt. Then all of a sudden the light of the ship was smothered by a wave of black emanating from the sword, none could see. When the light finally returned one of legiones lay on the floor, his eye black from a blow to the face. Torak was gone, having fled in the darkness.

Torak pounded down the corridor, he didn't need another enemy and he couldn't die so soon. The hangar opened up in front of him, full of empty ships, perfect... A small civilian class was left open, that'd be his ride out of here, and to his destination. Threw the files on one of the chairs, sitting down in front of a keyboard and began typing in coordinates. His concentration was quickly broken by a voice. "I can do that for you if you'd like..." It startled him, "Who the hell are you..." The voice replied, sounding feminine ,"Im S.A.R.A.H, but you can call me Sarah..." the coordinates were automatically entered and the ship immediately took off. and left the hangar. Torak lay back in the chair, "So your like Erin," The ship seemed annoyed ,"No, Erin is a far heavier duty ship than I am, " Torak rolled his eyes ,"Ok well nice to meet you to.... Any idea on the ETA for our destination?" The Sarah let out a little laugh ,"About a month..."

[Yuno]

Svetlana picked Kageri up from where she'd put him down and she cradled him as she took him to his crib. She smiled kissing his head, "Mama loves you so much Kaggy." she smiled hugging him close before setting him in the crib.
"Lovely home you have here..." Svetlana turned to see a silver haired woman admiring the decor.

Svetlana moved forward a runed blade appearing in her hands quickly. The woman shook her head as the blade left her hands. "Not now daughter. I am not here to harm you or your cub...come talk." Svetlana followed the woman in a weary distrustful way.

"I am soul...the divine being of soul magic..." Svetlana bowed at this "I apologize for my ways early...I did not know." the woman smiled lightly as they walked out of Svetlana's home. "Do you know why I'm here?"
"Because I used the soul magic..."
"Yes...clearly...why else..."
"I'm guessing you know my secret..."
"Go on..."
"The last tomes containing soul magic...I destroyed them....after studying them...I'm the last mortal being with that knowledge...."
"yes...and more...you are the last of a very pure caster sect...you have an affinity for magic...don't you"
Svetlana smiled nodding, "there isn't a school I can't manipulate...light, shadow....but the one that comes fastest to me...is"
"Forbidden yes I know...it has worn on me lately that I have no followers. when the others made me forbidden it got quite lonely..."
Svetlana walked on in silence for awhile.
"Why are you here then.."
"Because it is time my magic came back...and seeing as you are the last user of it..."
Svetlana nodded, "You want me to regather vaasdoori...and train them...and others to use your magic...don't you..."
"Yes....precisely..."
"what is in it for me?"
"To be the ruler of a clan meant to rule over all the others....."
"what should I do?"
the two began to talk about plans.

[Tyamius, Shadow Lord]

"So he's running...Sammael, the cloak is already in your possesion...kill him. Then bring the sword back to me, I have the Scythe of the 8 Kings in my armory awaiting you. Mikale said walking from the ship to his own private luxury class cruiser. "Kara...take me to Majoris, main city please. I'm going to speak with Dante..." Mikale knew that if anyone knew of Svetlana's whereabouts it was him. He was the Slum Lord, his main post majoris but he could be on any planet in that area, He owned them all.

"So why do you seek the girl..." The Shadow said having been silent for several weeks.

"Because she knows something more powerful than anyone in the sector...she knows soul magic...I don't know how she does but she used it. I saw with my own eyes." Mikale said staring at his feet. "I must rest..."

*2 days later*

Majoris, slum world. Home of the Black Market. Mikale donned a hooded cloak to cover his more official looking clothes of royalty, it wouldn't be good to meet an enemy of the clan here.

He looked around, the bar he sought out was hidden away. When he finally found it he had been walking for several hours. He walked to the barmaid and slipped her a pouch of gold coins, "I wish to speak with Dante." She eye'd him precariously weighing the pouch in her hand before taking him to the top floor.

"Hello Dante...It's been a long time." Mikale said lowering his hood as he entered the room in which Dante sat.

[Yuno]

Dante turned from his place in the upper levels of the bar looking surprised to see Mikale. “Well hello old friend...” he motioned for more drinks and food to be brought as his brother Trey moved to sit with them. “What brings you around these parts?” Trey interrupted before Mikale could answer, “Don't waste his time...he's here for her...” Dante sighed at this folding his hands as he considered his options.

Trey stood coldly, “We owe him nothing brother...Svetlana was Gale's wife....and she has come through for us time and time again...even if this...” he paused glaring at Mikale, “Gentleman scoured the planet with a thousand soldiers he might never find her.” Dante turned to Trey, “That was 8 years ago...and she put him out of his misery....” Trey looked angry at this, “Don't even start that again..she loved him deeply...” Dante stood throwing his glass across the room, “She was 16! Of course she did.”

“Don't fight over me boys..I'll hear what the king wants...” all eyes turned to Svetlana who stood in a dark tunic and corset along with knee high boots covered in blades. Her hair had grown long once more and the bits of blond were beginning to show.

Svetlana strode forward smiling at them and held her hand out to Mikale, “Dance?” she said grinning as she pulled Mikale onto the floor with her. She soon found the beat of the pumping club song, “What do you want?”

[Tyamius, Shadow Lord]

"Just a bit of information. And before you ask, yes I can get information from anywhere I know that. You also want to know why I came to you? You are the only person with the information I seek. You know soul magic...I want you to tell me where you learned such a form of magic. Teach me...I will make it worth your time." Mikale stopped talking and fell into the beat with her, she was gorgeous but he knew she was more dangerous than any person he had ever met.

He kept dancing she was silent the entire time, she was having fun and he could tell. Dante watched from the upper level, he was becoming agitated, Trey too.

[Yuno]

Svetlana laughed at this and then gave herself over to the beat. She could see Trey and Dante above her glowering down. She grinned wider at this as the crowd parted for the two talented dancers to allow them more space to move. She allowed the song to finish before pulling him out after her and smiling lightly.

Something within her seemed different, more in control of herself than before. "Worth my while...hmmm interesting proposition." he found himself pushed against the side of the building as she leaned towards his ear, "Tell me..king of shadows...what do you offer to the woman who has everything?" she smiled her finger tracing his chest lightly as he felt a pull on his soul that wasn't painful, but it was like being touched in a very intimate way that made him feel worry. And then it was gone. She smiled at him. "I'll tell you this much...I learned it...from the last tomes of knowledge on the subject...which I destroyed after the fact..."