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Thanks to Selene's biotic enhancement, the umbral steeds' cross the vast expanse of sand with ample time to spare. "We've got to be getting closer. The rocky outcrops are getting larger and more numerous, the Ss'Kul'Kyn Queen's nest is very rocky.", Firin'Rai said, looking over to Selene. No sooner had he spoken, the wind began to pick up exponentially as the sands are blown around in a violent sandstorm. "Damn!", Firin shouted, as he brought his arm up to cover his eyes. Both Shadeland Steeds rear back, frightened by the sudden sandstorm and throwing both Firin'Rai and Selene to the ground. Firin hit the ground hard, feeling more of the impact through the lighter Kehjani armored duster. "Well...I think we're close...", Firin groaned, trying to speak over the raging wind.

Firin stood slowly, his vision obscured by the raging sands. He brought his arm up to his face to shield his eyes from the sand, looking around for a landmark or something to denote their location within the Ivory Sandstorm. Firin settled his gaze straight ahead, the vague outline of a dark pillar spearing out from the horizon catching his eye. "There! Over there, let's hurry!", Firin'Rai shouted over the howling wind, pointing towards the Obelisk in the distance. He hurried his pace, trying to remain balanced as the loose sand and raging winds fought to deter him and Selene.

The howling wind and stinging sand ceased as the bubble raised. Firin looked to Selene, a look of concern on his face. "Be cautious. It would be unwise to drain yourself before we reach the Obelisk.", Firin said, leading the way towards the column of darkness.

As Firin'Rai and Selene moved slowly through the raging sandstorm, Ran'Ku hovered high above and out of view, the whipping sandstorm not bothering him in the least. "That's it, young Firin. Press on...for soon you and the Starborn will know the meaning of true power.", Ran'Ku thought to himself, a vile grin gracing his lips. After about a half hour, the sands suddenly stop swirling as the wind dies down. The sandy ground here is highly compacted into a hard sandstone, spiked pillars of the same stone spear out all over while the enormous Obelisk of darkness looms in the center with several burrow-like caves perforating the ground around it, casting an unnatural shadow all around. The sandstorm continues to rage behind them as Firin slowly walks towards the imposing shard. "It's...unbelievable...", Firin gasped, a dread chill racing up his spine as he moved closer to the Obelisk.

Firin watched from over Selene's shoulder as she pulled a crystalline panel off of the Obelisk, pulsating black couplings within sending currents of pure negative energy up and down the shard. Firin steps in to get a closer look, "The Captain is going to flip when...", he began, being cut off by an all too familiar distorted chuckle. Firin turned to see Ran'Ku descending slowly from the sky, arms crossed over his darkness cracked chest. "Oh I don't think Vas'Kaa will have much to say on the topic, young Firin. He's rather solemn these days.", Ran'Ku hissed with a dark chuckle as he touched down to the ground. Firin gripped his longsword's handle, ready to draw his blade on Ran'Ku. "What are you on about?", Firin growled with hate towards Ran'Ku. A crazed laugh escaped him, "Oh you'll learn soon enough, as I send you to join your Captain.", Ran'Ku hissed as he lowered his arms, walking slowly towards both Selene and Firin'Rai. "Send me to join my...", Firin began as his eyes widened in shock, clenching his teeth to fight back a sudden dread feeling, "No...you didn't..." Ran'Ku walked closer, black static jumping from the dark cracks on his body to the Obelisk and vice-versa . "But I did. I left the old fool dead at your Highlord's feet. And you two are next.", Ran'Ku growled maliciously, his abyssal eyes narrowing while his crimson eyes flash bright. Firin drew his blade, roaring in anger and sorrow as he charged Ran'Ku with tears streaming from his eyes. "YOU MONSTER!!!", Firin growled in rage as he slashed down on Ran'Ku, the twisted fallen prince pirouetting out of the way. Firin spins and slashed horizontally as Ran'Ku dodged, but in vain as Ran'Ku lept over the slash in the opposite direction. "You can't win, boy.", Ran'Ku said with a twisted grin as Firin attempted a diagonal slash. The blade stopped in mid-swing as Ran'Ku grabbed the blade as it sliced through the air, holding it an inch from his neck with ease while Firin tried with all his strength to pull back his blade. "I'LL KILL YOU! YOU DEMENTED FREAK!", Firin'Rai roared as he planted a solid kick into Ran'Ku's stomach, breaking the hold he had over the blade. Ran'Ku took a step back, unfazed by the kick as he let go of Firin's sword, "Is that all you've got?", Ran'Ku growled as he stepped closer to Firin, bringing his left hand up to grab Firin's blade as he swung once more, and with a frightening speed, grabbed Firin by the throat with his other hand. Ran'Ku raised Firin'Rai off the ground single handed, the Lieutenant struggling for air as he dropped his caelium blade. "Now then...Go ahead, girl. Activate the Obelisk.", Ran'Ku hissed in a demanding tone as he glared at Selene with a malicious gaze.

Ran'Ku's grin grew wider, his eyes narrowing in a glare. "Finally...", he hissed as tossed Firin aside like a ragdoll, the Lieutenant rolling across the sandstone while gasping for air. Ran'Ku walked towards Selene, his abyssal eyes looking up as the Obelisk pulses with dark power while his regular crimson eyes flash even brighter. His mental power wraps around Selene in an unbreakable grip, raising her into the air while slowly crushing her with telekinetic force unequaled. "You've done me a great service, my dear.", Ran'Ku hissed in his twisted tone as he stood before Selene and the Obelisk, "But that is where your usefulness ends." Ran'Ku held his hand up and swatted at the air, sending Selene crashing across the sandstone with enough force to crack ribs as well as the stone itself. "Ever since that day...Ever since the Accord was broken...The Obelisk has laid dormant. You call yourself a Hero? When you've just handed me the power that slipped through my fingers all those ages ago.", Ran'Ku growled as dark ichor formed claws on his hands. He thrust both hands into the open panel, black lightning spewing from within, bursting across Ran'Ku's body as the Obelisk pulsed. "IT ENDS!!", Ran'Ku roared as he began to draw power from the reactivated Obelisk, using his own dark power to wrest control of the spire from Selene. The ground beneath Ran'Ku's feet cracks as the whole area begins to quake, his roars becoming more and more distorted. "WHY WOULD I WANT TO STOP IT!!!", Ran'Ku roared as his body began to warp and writhe as the energy flows into his body instead of being dispersed.

Ran'Ku growled in fury as Selene fought against his control. "ENOUGH!", he growled as he pulled his right claw from the Obelisk, pointing it at Selene. The ichor that formed his claw writhed and reformed into a long spike, elongating at blinding speed to spear Selene through the stomach. The negative energy that makes up the spike begins devouring Selene's energy, weakening her biotic power and then turning on her life force. Firin'Rai managed to stand, eyes widening as the spike shot from Ran'Ku and impaled Selene. "NO!", he shouted as he tried to run to her aid. Ran'Ku's eyes flashed once more, an enormous burst of telekinetic force slamming into Firin's chest. The Lieutenant flew back, slamming into a stone pillar with such a force that the stone column crumbles over top of him. "It's TIME!!!", Ran'Ku roared as he turned back to the opening in the Obelisk, regaining control over the negative energy within. A diagonal crack of darkness opens on Ran'Ku's chest, a dark tendril of negative energy wriggling out and connecting directly to the black crystal couplings, forcing the Obelisk's energy directly into his body all at once. Ran'Ku was blasted back, remaining standing as he slid across the sandstone. The Obelisk stopped pulsing, losing it's dark luster as cracks slowly formed along it's surface. Ran'Ku was standing slouched over, slowly he began to rise into the air as a pulsing aura of fell darkness surrounded him. Looking up at Selene revealed his eyes were now an unholy black, the cracks on his body absorbing what little light the stars cast, causing the area to be thrown into an unnatural blackness. "Make peace with your Gods, mortals...", a harsh voice echoes through the darkness, a voice that is painful to listen to as it rips at Selene's thoughts, "For I will turn on them next!"