Aeris used the force to push downward, simultaneously softening her landing and pushing away the mist below, giving him a clear spot to land. She landed on the hard ground, which knocked the air out of her lungs, but otherwise was much less painful than one might have expected. She pushed through the soreness in her muscles, forcing herself to stand. As she stood she glanced around the room, seeing that the mist was all around her. Jax and Dren were almost to the other side of the room.<br/><br/>Dren's Jedi companion, however, was in a difficult situation. She caught the tail end of his encounter with one of the other Jedi, who he had previously reported had been taken by the mist. She saw him pull the Jedi to him, only to be met with a saber in the gut. She tore her eyes away and looked to Dren and Jax, who soon dropped to the ground in front of Saila, force pushing the mist away. The mist exploded around them, but just as she began to focus on her own situation, she realized that it hadn't been enough. Rather, the mist had enveloped all three of them, rather than just Saila.<br/><br/>She saw figured form from the mist, two Jedi and a Sith... Cain. So, this was the fate he had suffered. She clicked her tongue and looked from him, to the figure of the Jedi who had killed Sheik. His appearance changed from that of the Jedi to that of Darth Devorer, who turned to Dren, then screamed. Moments later the room erupted with a Force push, just like before, throwing them all back against the walls.<br/><br/>Cain approached Jax, who was pinned against the wall, but Aeris couldn't hear what was being said. She could only see a grimace on his face as black mist poured from Cain, surrounding him and creeping up towards his mouth. Saila appeared to be suffering a similar fate at the hands of the second Jedi. She looked away, her eyes seeking out Dren, caring more about his safety than whatever fate would befall her, not realizing that the mist itself wasn't encroaching on her as it did the others.<br/><br/>Her eyes widened as she watched the figure that appeared to be Asha, the Jedi from before, approached Dren. She couldn't hear whatever the Jedi said to him, but the kiss was unmistakable, as was the black mist. "NO!" She screamed, fighting against the force that held her against the wall. She felt an overwhelming desire to rip the "Jedi" away from him, to protect him. She couldn't let him be killed, nor could she allow him to be taken over by this mist and turned into one of Darth Devorer's slaves.<br/><br/>As the various emotions flooded over her, from anger to fear, even perhaps a hint of jealousy, she managed to break herself free of the force that held her against the wall. She hadn't consciously thought about what she was doing, how she would save him, but rather acted on instinct. She reached out with her hand, drawing on strength she didn't know she had left in her. The next thing she knew the mist promptly evacuated Dren, pouring out of him and fleeing from him. Along with the mist, the Jedi was also pulled away from him, jerked backwards. It flew towards her and, with a wave of her hand, it dispersed.<br/><br/>Darth Devorer watched the scene, evidently intrigued by the scene he watched unfold. How was this girl controlling the mist? His mist? She shouldn't be able to. No one should. Was she, perhaps, a descendant of his? Whatever the reason, his interest was piqued. She could be useful if he played his cards right.<br/><br/>Aeris rushed to Dren's side, now that the Jedi was gone. "Dren! Are you okay?!" She asked almost frantically, a state not often seen from the usually composed young woman. The very brief victory, however, was short lived, as the voice of Darth Devorer soon interrupted, tightening the hold he had on Dren and the others, trying to ensure that they didn't escape. Surprisingly, though, he stopped the assault on them, keeping the mist from further invading them.<br/><br/>"You can save your friends." He spoke to her, his intense gaze focused on her as he waved his hand, gesturing to Dren and her two Sith companions. "All you have to do is join me." His voice still sounded somewhat broken, as though it were not complete, despite the significant improvement it had undergone since their last encounter. "Join me and I will let your friends go free." He reiterated, a menacing smile-like expression twisting his already vile face.<br/><br/>Her eyes widened as she listened to the words. Her mind mulled over everything that had happened thus far, trying to consider any other options, any way that they could manage to get out of this mess and escape alive. Everything she came up with, however, was risky and more than likely ended up with one or all of them dead. She didn't see a whole lot of other options.<br/><br/>She did consider the fact that if she left, Dren may not see things the same way she did. He might think she truly was a Sith, that she was evil. He may hate her, and he might never forgive her. These possibilities tore at her heart, willing her not to go. That, however, was her own selfishness, her own desire to stay by his side, to not let him go, to not hurt him and lose him again. In her heart, though, she knew she had only one choice. Even if he didn't understand. Even if it meant hurting him and being separated from him again, she couldn't let him die. She would rather he live hating her than die loving her.<br/><br/>Beyond that, if she said no, they'd all likely die. It had become painfully obvious that they didn't have the strength to defeat him alone. Certainly not now. If they all died, who would stop the destruction that was to come? Who would defeat him and save the galaxy from certain devastation? No. He needed to live, to escape and warn the galaxy of what was to come. To find some way to defeat him.<br/><br/>This left her with one choice. Join him. She would never truly be loyal to him. She would do her best to find a way to escape his grasp, to flee and find Dren again whenever she had the chance. Until that time came, however, she would do what she must to protect him, to ensure that he lived, and that she survived long enough to get away, if such a thing was possible.<br/><br/>After a few moments spent considering her options, she finally replied. "Fine." She replied, resigning herself to her fate. "I will join you, so long as you let them go." She added. There was no hesitance in her voice, not even any fear, just conviction and determination. She gathered that he likely wanted her to serve him voluntarily, perhaps because of whatever had just happened with the mist. That meant that he was less likely to kill her, and likely to release the others as he had promised, to ensure that she would leave with him.<br/><br/>A few moments later he released his hold on the other three, letting them fall to the ground, the mist evacuating their bodies. "Very well. You are free to leave." he spoke to the other three. "Go, before I change my mind." His voice almost hissed as he spoke. Aeris glanced back at Dren, making sure he was okay. Her eyes begged him to understand, showing how much she didn't want to leave, how much she hated this. But how she felt didn't matter. She had to keep him safe, no matter the cost. From the corner of her eye she also saw Jax and Saila on their knees, coughing, gasping for breath. Jax looked her way and she thought he was trying to say something, perhaps telling her not to go, but whatever words he wanted to say wouldn't come out.<br/><br/>"Come." Darth Devorer gestured to her. She gave Dren one last fleeting look, her eyes showing everything she felt, begging him to forgive her before she turned and began to walk away from him, again. Each step she forced herself to take, each step that carried her away from him broke her heart, but she forced herself to keep going, following the Sith she hated away from the Jedi she loved. Resisting her desire to turn around and run to him, to kiss him as she'd wanted to so many times, to finally tell him what she had wanted to tell him for so long--that she loved him. She promised him in her heart that she would find her way back to him one day, as soon as she got the chance. She could only hope that, if and when she did find her way back, he wouldn't hate her.