Scourge was not permitted to aid Kianna in the mystics trial, it didn't sit well with him, but he acquiesced. She was powerful and capable; it was he who saw knives in backs and betrayal around every corner. She would not die here, it was not in his vision, in this one area he tended to agree with the Voss, a vision was never wrong. He watched her meditate at the alter a moment longer, then he felt her essence leave her body as it crumpled to the ground, alive, as though in a deep sleep. Eventually Kira approached him.
"The mystics are asking you to leave this area." Kira said.
He looked down at her with intense red eyes, sneer on his full lips. "I care not for the wishes of mystics."
"You don't, but Kianna does. Nothing will happen to her, me, Doc, Rusk and T7 are here to make sure nothing happens to her. The fact is, your dark side Sithiness is affecting our girl in the trance." Kira gave him a heated resentful look. Kira knew he paid her no mind, didn't acknowledge the third Force user in their motley crew, but Kira sensed the tense and emotionally charge energy between the two. She resented the persistent reminder of her year long imprisonment, even worse was that Kianna was falling for him, Kira wanted him gone, now the mystics wanted him gone and Kianna needed to focus on her task, not on a unstable brooding three hundred year old Sith. "Go back to the city, go for a walk, go jump off one of the many cliffs in the area, I don't care, but you need to leave this place." Kira hissed refusing to be intimidated by the imposing Pureblood.
He stared down at her, lip curling, he looked back at Kianna's sleeping body, vulnerable, open, and he felt something twist inside of him, her hood had fallen, black hair spilling over her face, lips slightly parted. He realized his desire, and anger and any other emotion he could barely contain would seep into her dream state. He barely controlled his anger and disdain when he realized that Kira was right.
"Comm me the moment she has finished." He turned and stalked out of the Shrine of healing.
Scourge was slowly getting better at controlling and focusing his emotions, with Kianna's help and the old memories of his long finished life, he was finding his equilibrium. Still he had only sparred, had not been presented with an opportunity to test himself in true combat. He did not doubt his martial prowess, only how the reintroduction of emotion guiding the Force would affect him and his abilities.
Once outside, Scourge headed towards a cave that had called to him on their journey in. It was a place of power he sensed, strong with the dark side. As he walked his senses tingled, as if a cool breeze on the back of his neck, he was being followed. His lightsaber hung at his hip, the familiar weight a constant in his over long life. Despite being followed, he breathed deeply and enjoyed the crisp and earthy scent of this place anyways. His mind strayed to her, as it always did, Scourge quickened his pace, not letting his emotions catch up with him, he needed a moment of stillness to collect his thoughts without them being taken over by tugging, insistent, adolescent feelings.
He stopped at the caves threshold he sensed the entity following him stop as well, he turned his head to one side, not seeing anything. Scourge willed his lightsaber into his hand, and walked forward. It was more tunnel then cave, he could see the dappled sun on the clearing at the other side. He walked purposely towards it, the feeling of familiar malevolence was strong here, it waited for him, and he would meet it.
Shiloh exited the healing room, giving the mystic a respectful bow, she felt calm and at peace, Vector and Malavai had not returned since the tea had banished them, and now, feeling more like herself then she had in over thirty years. She felt strong as she exited the room, as she rounded a corner she was passed by a large and scowling Sith Pureblood dressed in the robes of a Jedi. The face was unmistakable, she looked to where he came from, heavily guarded, Kianna must be in there. She looked back, catching only the flutter of his robe as he turned another corner. Shiloh followed.
The crisp air met her when she reached the exit, the horizon a blaze with the colours of the orange and red leaves on the trees. She saw him not far heading towards a small goat trail path, leading to the mouth of a cave. She walked a few step then activated her stealth generator. What was he up to, this Sith, why would her sister travel with him? Why would he leave her sister at this junction, her goal was simply to investigate and follow, who was he.
The cave was dark and damp, he had looked right at her at the mouth of the cave, he knew, but she chose to remain hidden anyways, deciding she was not a serious threat. The Sith walked to the clearing, it was a small clearing with a large ancient Sith altar at the edge of a cliff that fell away. Despite the sunlight it was a dark place, cold and deadly, the cliff inviting death, the rock face surrounding the cave opening sheer and unyielding. Shiloh waited at the mouth of the cave, wondering what he would do. She gripped a grenade in one hand. He knew she was there, he could sense her, and she wanted to make sure she could make a quick getaway if possible. He was still gripping his lightsaber, though it was not ignited.
He walked to the altar and knelt in reverence, he bowed his head, his back was to her, so Shiloh couldn't see his face, but she could only guess he was meditating. Black and red smoke started to envelop him, Shiloh had seen a physical manifestation of the dark side only once before, and that was in the presence of Darth Jadus, when he "blessed" her so many years ago.
He lifted his head and turned his gaze on Shiloh, she checked her stealth field generator, it was still on, but his red eyes bore through her, past her. It was only when she heard footsteps behind her that she realized it wasn't at her he was staring. Shiloh did her best to turn into the rock she was standing beside, there was nowhere to hide, there was no way for her to climb the smooth wet wall, she flattened herself as best as she could. That's when she saw them, the healing, the peace and the calm she had fought so hard to attain in the past twenty four hours was shattered. Vector stood beside them, blaster hole in his head, pale green eyes staring.
"Lord Scourge." Ardyth spoke the title with a respectful bow of her head, "Our master is displeased with you. I am to collect your head." She ignited twin sabers.
"Wrath." He spoke the one word before igniting his crimson lightsaber, and then waited for her to come to him.
