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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 1918632" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 101: Familiar FacesIt wasn’t that Shadow didn’t hear Akan, simply that she was having to keep her attention on the moment. She’d avoided a few of those four armed monstrosities who’d tried to ask questions in a language she didn’t understand, and was getting worried that the luck wasn’t going to last. Jen was doing a good job of being difficult, struggling against Shadow’s grip every time someone came into view. Other than that, they didn’t really speak. Honestly, there wasn’t much to say. Thankfully, it hadn’t take very long to finally reach the entrance. That did, however, bring more difficulties.    Three well armed guards(each of the four arms holding a weapon, though the pun was not lost on Jen), flanked the entrance and assaulted Shadow with a barrage of questions. Jen picked up on the general feel of the language, noticing that it was similar to an older form of Durese. This didn’t mean she understood it, though. Shadow, also not able to understand, did her best to look menacing without speaking. Hopefully, the strong silent type was a common stereotype among these...things. At first, they got weapons pointed at them, and Jen had the worst feeling that they got very close to being shot. Shadow had then thrust Jen forward as a sort of human shield, which had caused Jen to yelp suddenly. This managed to get the attention of the guards, and the three quickly moved to the side to let them pass.    Now...to navigate the halls. Jen could vaguely remember the way she’d gone to reach that domed chamber before, so she helped to direct Shadow. The corridors were packed with creatures, though, so Jen had to do this by shrugging a shoulder when they came to turns. At first, Shadow hadn’t picked up on this, and wondered what was wrong with Jen, but when Jen’s mind started feeling frantic, Shadow finally caught on. All of the creatures they passed by stopped and pressed themselves against the walls to let the two pass. Jen started to worry that they were expected. Shadow, though, already was sure of this. It was all too easy. The fact that she didn’t speak their language should have tipped off at least one guard.    Because of the time it had taken to walk across the sands and then Shadow having gotten them lost in the maze of corridors, the two of them were wandering for hours. This is what worried Shadow the most. No one took notice of the fact that they were going in circle aimlessly. Yet as time passed, there were fewer and fewer guards around. Both Shadow and Jen got the impression that the creatures were preparing for something. That something was obvious enough. Voort and Akan were on their way, and would likely be arriving anytime now. Maybe this taking so long would actually do some good, synchronizing the attack outside with whatever Jen was going to o with Sadrak.    And then, finally, they found the chamber. Empty. No guards. Lights were still on, but provided only a soft glow to illuminate the circular room. Near the center of the room was the same chair as before, up the few steps and below the brighter sections of lights. From what Shadow and Jen could tell, it was empty. Again, too easy. Shadow risked a glance behind them again, then finally let go of Jen. She then took a deep breath, and then morphed back to her own body. Sighing with relief to finally be herself again, Shadow swished her tail around in annoyance, “I don’t like this.”    “He’s watching,” Jen said quietly, suddenly realizing that she’d not even told her mouth to say that. Strange...those weren’t her words at all. In fact, she’d planned on just agreeing with Shadow and commenting on being glad to see her as an Alraxian again.    Shadow gave Jen a surprised look. Jen’s voice had sounded off. Shrugging, the Alraxian took a few steps over to the chair. Just as she got to the foot of the steps, the chair spun around and sitting there, in typical egotistical maniac style, was the robed Sadrak. He was even doing that horrible laugh. Jen wondered why they hadn’t just left the guy on this sandy planet, especially considering that he’d seen far too many holodramas for his own good. All he’d do to the galaxy as a whole would be to cause a good amount of annoyed sighs at all of his cliches. And if his ‘look’ wasn’t enough, his words were even worse.    “I’ve been waiting for you,” the voice sounded from inside the dark hood.    Really, there were a thousand other things he could have said. But no. He picked that one. Shadow sighed, though neither of them actually said anything. Despite how stupid Sadrak seemed, he still radiated a strong aura of power. It was obvious he was still someone to take seriously...even more so, as something felt wrong about him. The voice was Sadrak, yet different.     As Shadow took a few step back and Jen stepped forward, Sadrak stood up. Though they couldn’t see his face within that hood, both Jen and Shadow could feel his eyes looking over them in that dangerous way. Studying them in some amused fashion as a child with a new toy. Neither of them could find any words to speak, and though that ‘other’ in Jen’s mind was feeling stronger, she couldn’t find any words at all. They could feel Sadrak’s smile beneath his hood, “I believe you finally understand me.”    How did Jen know He was talking to her? He was...but without being able to see his face, it was odd to realize this. And then Jen’s mouth opened, yet again speaking words that weren’t hers, “Leave them out of this.”    Sadrak laughed. It was an odd laugh that they’d never heard before, hauntingly familiar and alien at the same time, “It has been a long time, Shinai.”    Something clicked in Jen, and she found herself responding to that name. No...Jen didn’t respond. Instead, it was that non-Jen part of her mind that did. And now it had a name. Not it. She. Jen found that she wasn’t completely in control of her body at this point, and watched helplessly as she took a step forward, speaking words that yet again were not her own, “You die today, Sadrak.”    Another laugh from the hooded figure, and he reached out with his hand off to the left, signaling something. This wasn’t what Shadow and Jen noticed, though. What they saw was Sadrak’s hand, clearly extending out of the heavy robe. Three brownish colored and claw-shaped fingers attached to a very thin looking wrist. Yet this was Sadrak. It had to be. What did this mean?!    But this question was simply answered with another. Out from one of the darker areas of the chamber came a figure. It had four arms, and looked much like all of those guards, except that it was twice their size. The figure was twisted and broken, with odd scales grafted across the chest and legs. But that was not what got a gasp out of Shadow. The face did that. It was impossible not to recognize, especially for Shadow. The eyes, nose, shape, and even the slightly burnt hair were still the same. Landau. This...thing, standing there and looking out of dead eyes was Landau.    The thing stepped forward, a slow and hulking pace that made it even more painful to watch. Sadrak simply laughed again, and said from under the hood, “Now now, little cat, I did not forget you. We have business to take care of. In the mean time, you may enjoy yourself,” the hood turned to face the Landau-thing, “Kill her.”</blockquote>

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