Chapter Three

Noaa'lan stood at the end of the long corridor as the dark man approached. The red-violet glow of the looming figure's lightsaber bathed his shiny, black body armor in an aura the color of blood.

Noaa'lan tried desperately to hide in the shadows, but the dark man could smell him. He could smell fear a million miles away, and Noaa'lan was afraid.

"It's no use hiding in the shadows, Noaa'lan, " hissed the dark man, venomously. "Come with me, your highness, and let me teach you the true ways of the force!! Let me teach you to mold your anger, your hatred, your fears, into a deadly weapon!!"

"NO!!!" cried Noaa'lan, at the top of his lungs. "I'll never give in to the dark side!!"

"Still obsessed with the feeble power of the light side, I see. The light side of the force couldn't save your family. Only now you know that the true power lies within the dark side of the force!! Join me, or you will pay with your life, my. . .pitiful. . .brother. . ."

The dark man gave a malicious laugh, as he pulled back his hood, to reveal the dark hair and blue eyes of a man in his early-forties.

Somehow, Noaa'lan had already known who the man was, even though his face seemed different and foreign. It was the evil face of a man consumed by the dark side, and the confirmation that his brother had been corrupted, though he had suspected such a thing for quite a while, left Noaa'lan with a sickening feeling of dread in his stomach.

"Kahl'aan!!" gasped Noaa'lan. "NO!!!!!!!!"

Kahl'aan reached out with his hand, and bolts of blue fire cascaded from his fingertips, tearing into Noaa'lan, and searing his flesh.

Kahl'aan's lips curled back in a smile, and he laughed as he watched his brother writhe in agony.

"NOOO!!!!!" cried Noaa'lan, as he woke from the nightmare, drenched in sweat, his head throbbing. He could still feel the blue bolts of electricity surging through his head. Noaa'lan began to cry loudly.

Cel'aanaeus rushed in to comfort his son. Noaa'lan immediately clung to his father for dear life.

"What's the matter?? Did you have another bad dream, Noaa'lan??" whispered Cel'aanaeus as he smoothed down Noaa'lan's unruly hair.

Noaa'lan nodded quietly as he hugged his father tightly.

"Was it about the dark man, again??" asked Cel'aanaeus.

Noaa'lan looked his father in the eyes, not sure of what he should say to him. His head was pounding. Surely he was capable of dreaming any kind of nonsense when he was hurt or sick, but he rarely ever dreamed about something that didn't come true. He couldn't say to his father that Kahl'aan was the dark man, though. His father would never believe that!! Noaa'lan couldn't even believe it himself!! It was impossible that that man was Kahl'aan!! Kahl'aan was just a four-year-old boy!! No, he had hit his head, and he was delirious. That was all.

"My head. . . it hurts so much!!" Noaa'lan sobbed.

Drawing from the force, Cel'aanaeus soothed the pain in Noaa'lan throbbing skull. Then, he got him another icepack, and put him to bed.

"We'll check that head of yours again in the morning, Noaa'lan. Sweet dreams." said Cel'aanaeus, as he turned out the lights.

Noaa'lan stayed awake for a long time after that, wondering whether the dark man really was his brother, or whether he was just pretending to be. Kahl'aan seemed so innocent. He couldn't really turn to the dark side!!? Noaa'lan just lay awake, in fear of things to come.