A Wonderful Day for an Exorcism

[Cain]

While outside the sounds of torrential rain and thunder claps filled the air, inside the Jedi Temple there was nothing but silence. Cain sat silently in the dark, the last candle burning in his meditation chamber finally reaching the end of its supply of wax and gently, quietly, dying as it slips into darkness.

Cain remains still, inside his mind Alex stands atop the Temple spire looking out over a Coruscant in chaos. The real Coruscant was steadily begin to match the one that appeared within Cain's mind's eye, but this scene was one of absolute devastation. The planet was as dark as a moonless night. There were no city lights, the buildings were nothing but ruins, only the fires and the odd lightning flash provided any light. Alex stood observing this with a scowl on his face, his long black hair whipping in the wind, his yellow eyes scanning back and forth. Behind him sat a young man, Ryuu, with dark red hair and crystal blue eyes, a heavy sadness on his face.

"So... it would seem your grasp is not as all consuming as you had thought, my lord," Ryuu said, looking up at Alex, "but then again, who would have guessed Zilfer would be so weak?"

"Weakness is an infection," Alex answered, "Even as far as he had come, Lord Nanashi was unable to let it all go. That's what made him weak. It was inevitable that he should fall, though I had anticipated him to be stronger then he proved to be."

Ryuu smiled slightly, snickering as he flicked his bangs from his face, "You may be able to fool all those idiot lackeys of yours, but you still do not fool me, father. Zilfer's failure has exposed you. Whether you would admit it or not, a blow has been dealt to your Empire. You need me now..."

"Don't be so sure of yourself, boy," Alex quickly snapped back, "You are weak... weaker even than Nanashi was. Your training is not yet complete. If we were to go forward now you would no doubt suffer the same fate. Your bonds with those on the outside still run too deep."

"Just give me my chance, father," Ryuu replied, a twisted smile on his face, "I will sever those connections. Just tell me who you will need eliminated... master..."

[Cain]

Through the darkened catacombs of the Jedi Temple Cain slowly makes his way down a long hallway and into a laboratory room. There are many tubes in the room, each lit up and filled with liquid but otherwise inconspicuous. However, one contains a body, a body very different from the one Cain currently was walking around in. It was a clone of his old body, of Alex Drake. Unlike the form he had left before which was ravaged by age and the dark side, this body was fresh and youthful. Long black hair, fair skin... even blue eyes.

Cain stared at the body in the tank, an unsure look on his face as he pressed the button to drain the tank. With the liquid gone Cain used the force to open it up and move the body onto the operating table in the center of the room. The clone was given Cain's spare robes and he also gave his lightsaber, short sword and holocron to the unconscious clone. Cain then sat down besides the table and began to meditate... began the spirit transfer ritual.

Inside his mind Alex stood before Ryuu who was knelt down on one knee, his eyes to the ground, "You understand clearly then what you must do?" Alex asked.

"Perfectly," Ryuu responded.

"Then rise, Lord Drake. I will leave this vessel to you. Do not hesitate to seize control once I vacate this form, or your body will be destroyed along with your soul."

Ryuu nodded and Alex closed his eyes. The scene around Ryuu began to grow dark. Alex's consciousness was leaving and the nothingness of the void was quickly taking his place, Ryuu would have to fight it.

On the outside Cain's body began to waver before going limp and crumpling to the floor. The clone on the table then suddenly took a labored gasp of air, thrashing wildly as if in horrific pain. The clone of Alex sat up abruptly, breathing heavily, his vision was blurred and every inch of his skin stung with cold and pain.

The body of Ryuu remained slumped over, unconscious. Now in yet another new body (or not so new depending on how you look at it), Cain eased his way off the operating table, his legs wobbly as he was still not used to his new form. He checked his robes, making sure all of his possessions were still with him before glancing at Ryuu on the floor. Slowly Ryuu's eyes peeled back and he too struggled to gain his bearings.

"That was unpleasant," Ryuu commented giving his neck a crack, "I would very much not wish to do that again."

"You'll come to get used to it," Cain answered in his old familiar deep voice, "Like the embrace of a cold dead friend... you'll get used to it."