A Necessary Bond

[Kruel Zing]

I was no stranger to the Sith code, but it was just that. A mantra that as demonstrated by Nabrina could be taken in any manner of ways. Every Sith could possibly have their own interpretation of the ancient code and still be incorrect about what it truly meant as they were not the original architects of it. One could tote the code as though their own interpretation was correct, they could pass it on to their students or whoever else would listen. It was up to the individual to decide what the code truly meant for them. For as much as Nabrina may not understand the true power behind fear and its true purpose but so few Sith did. The words she spoke fell on deaf ears, how many times had I heard those same words? Dozens, I had faced Sith as well though they had been before I touched the force. I paid no heed to their preaching of their ancient mantra as it spoke so much for the individual and spoke of freedom yet so many Sith locked themselves in the shackles of that code. The only true way to freedom was if you broke free of that code and no longer paid heed to it.

“Don’t forget who is the one far older than you. I once held power that you would never have imagined.” My voice carried a tone of warning. Fear was something that I acknowledged long ago and accepted. It aided me and through it I gained more power. Having constantly been between the light and dark I understood aspects of the force that neither the jedi nor the Sith did. So many Sith focused on the more passionate emotions such as lust, rage, and jealousy that they forget emotions such as love could just as easily be as powerful if not more so. It was my love for my family that gave me strength, it was the love of Shiva that caused me to be here. And it was for that love I would avenge her.

Reaching the overhang we were able to look down on the chamber below. Kneeling hands interlocked six nightsisters sat in a circle. Their bodies moved to and fro in a smooth, hypnotic motion as though performing a dance to entice the onlookers. Their chants merged together echoing off the walls of the chamber and the air itself hummed with power. In the center of the circle sat what appeared to be the corpse of another nightsister. This one far older her skin wrinkled but the more they chanted it was as though she was being revitalized. We had to stop the ceremony and I only knew one way how. Right hand extending palm out I summoned my emotions and leaping from my hand was a surge of fire that caught one of the witches’ full on in the back. Cast forward by the force her screams broke the chanting and her fellow sisters retreated from her burning corpse. “Attack!” I screamed leaping off the overhang and into the chamber below.

[member="Nabrina Vao"]

 

[Nabrina Vao]

It was the first time the young Twi'lek encountered Dathomirian witches, let alone the Night Sisters. From the overhanging rock formation above, she watched their pathetic little ritual - to whatever end it served was irrelevant. Admittedly she'd been left disappointed by the remarkable lack of things to free-boot from their excuse for a dwelling, but a good fight would just have to do in its place then. Nabrina's nostrils flared and her pupils constricted, her retinas briefly glowing a bright, sickening yellow as she grit her teeth. Her clutch around the hilt of her lightsaber tightened as she let the much larger and more physically capable Firrerreo leap down first, following a second later with the ignition of her lightsaber. By the time her feet hit the ground, the vents activated as well, revealing before the Nightsisters a crucible-formed lightsaber, notably larger than its contemporaries and with a much brighter burning blade due to the Eralam crystal inside.

"Die!", Nabrina cried as she immediately ran at one of the five remaining witches, who, armed with her own charmed Vibro, dashed at the Twi'lek. Their weapons slammed into each other, catching both combatants in a lock with the latter's weapon sparking and crackling under pressure. The witch though, with many more decades of experience under her belt, simultaneously directed a well-known Dathomirian spell, the Scream of the Ssurian, to Nabrina on the other side of the lock. The head-splintering sound wave forced the Sith to break the lock off, her facial expression notably one of intense pain as she bit down on her teeth and her eyes pressed shut; her hands pressed against the sides of her head. She took a few paces back, only to open her eyes a second later with her retinas glowing a bright yellow, outstretching her hand at the Nightsister and with all her rage, forcefully closed her fist and pressed tight - the Nightsister's windpipe was instantly crushed, and the corpse was forcefully slammed into the side of the cave.

Still reeling from the aftershock of the spell with a splintering headache and a constant ringing in her head, Nabrina pulled her lightsaber over her head and behind her, perpendicular to the ground pointed downward, and just in time to catch another Nightsister's vibrosword, which with a sidestep and a pivot on the ball of her trailing foot, she caught in a lock against the vent-hilts of her weapon, swung it around, disarming the witch and tearing a searing cut right through her viscera in one clean motion. The Dathomirian witch collapsed to the ground, after which Nabrina deactivated her lightsaber, and headed for the older nightsister's corpse, the apparent centerpiece of this little ritual - leaving [member="Nomar"] to deal with the other three - a menial task surely, for one who's powers would allow one guileful enough to wage war against an entire army on his own. She watched briefly as she slowly paced towards the shriveled up witch's corpse, reveling in the death and destruction.

 

[Kruel Zing]

Falling to the chamber below I braced myself for combat, the thrill of battle once again filled me as adrenaline began pumping through my system. The emotions elicited by battle was something a warrior never forget. The singing of blades on blades, the hum of power in the air and the excitement brought on by always being one misstep away from a permanent end. All those things were apart of battle and to truly become a warrior you had to accept it. Landing upon my feet my knees bent as I squatted down. The sound of crackling lightning filled my ears as the first witch opened up with a salvo of force lightning. The problem with witches of this caliber was that many limited their own use of the force by first chanting or making hand motions. The scent of burnt ozone assaulted my nose and I knew the battle had truly begun.

Hearing the lethal song of Nabrina’s saber I knew she could handle herself. While I did not carry a lightsaber I was still just as lethal. Right hand curling into a fist I hammered it into the cave floor and a few centimeters before me a pillar of stone shot from the cave floor becoming a makeshift shield for myself and cutting off and grounding the lightning of the first witch. The other two were already on the move to circle around pincering me in. Around each side of the pillar they came their vibroblades ready to engage me, their bodies amplified through the mystical energies of the force. Unable to do such things myself I fell back onto the martial arts I had been taught as a youth. Teras Kasi, a lethal martial art made for engaging force users and putting them in their places.

The Nightsister coming from my right thrust at me her vibroblade intending to pierce my heart ending my life. With a fluid step to the left I dodged the stabbing maneuver bringing my right arm up I locked it around the Nightsisters and twisted my body. A sharp crack followed the maneuver signaling the shattering of the Nightsisters forearm while another step brought me behind her. Left hand coming about I struck directly at the right shoulder with enough force that the joint popped out its socket. The nightsister didn’t even have enough time to scream as I steered her into the blade of her ally. The witch that had been coming from the left had slashed trying to stop me but did nothing more than end her own allies’ life as the blade easily carved through the pale flesh of her belly.

One down and two to go. Pushing the dead nightsister at her fellow witch I stomped my foot. This time instead of being a pillar that was summoned it was a spike of earth that easily tore a hole through the dead witch and penetrated the sternum of her clan sister pinning both to the wall with a sickening crunch. The final witch left alone acted predictably, she released a scream that echoed off the walls of the chamber assaulting my own ears. While my hearing was keen such loud noises could overwhelm me and I fell to one knee both hands clamping on my head. Punching the pillar, I had used to shield me from the lightning the tip broke cleanly off and was propelled at a speed rivaling a cannonball.

Halting her scream the nightsister cartwheeled to her left barely avoiding the attack, and by that time I was up again. Extending my right hand palm up I summoned a burst of compressed air that hit her dead center. Having not yet caught her balance the witch was flung back and into the chamber wall with a loud thump before falling limp to the floor a small stain of blood where the back of her skull had hit the wall.

I was rusty, I could admit to it. Much more than being rusty I wasn’t as powerful as I had once been. However, we had survived, and even triumphed over the witches. This victory felt hollow, the serpent clan was nothing like what they used to be. They were nothing but a husk that we had ended. Admiring Nabrina’s own handy work I patted her shoulder before squatting down near the body she examined. “You did well for yourself. I wasn’t expecting you to perform to such high standards. Consider me impressed.”

[member="Nabrina Vao"]

 

[Nabrina Vao]

Hmpf.

Nabrina let out a soft, grunt of pride as she felt the much larger male's pat on her shoulder. As the Firrerreo squatted down beside her, with the corpse of the aged-looking Nightsister before them, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread, but also of fascination. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were trying to bring her back. I guess the stories are true - the Dark Side is a pathway to many abilities some would consider.. unnatural." She almost paused towards the end of that statement, reflecting in silence.

Unnatural? What did that mean, anyway? Not in accordance with the way of things? Blasphemy against order? But if it was attainable, was it really unnatural? What was "unnatural", except a label stamped onto more morally complex and incomprehensible things, courtesy of feebler minds and weaker spirits?

Then, almost in an instant, the expression on her typically moderated face changed - she lashed out in rage as she reached her hand out; immediately a wild, uncontrolled surge of indigo lightning surged out from her fingertips, dashing straight into the corpse with a deathly but bright hue. Nabrina notably struggled however, as some of the streaks discharging from her fingertips shorted and arced around, returning to her own hand and forearm. After a good 5 second assault, she relented - her hand steaming; her expression one of a mix of pain and disdain. She closed and balled her fist, dampening the pain at having slightly burned her own hand in rage. The corpse before them both - still a corpse, still recognizable, but slightly charred as parts of her skin and what little hair was left on the body smoldered in a light cloud of smoke. Nabrina was disappointed with herself. She'd lashed out in a fit of pure rage, but couldn't control and direct it. She raised her hand to look at it at eye level, examining it as she rolled it inside and out. After a few brief glances, she lowered it back down, her gaze now returning again to the fallen Nightsister.

She was angry. [member="Nomar"], perceptive and contemplative as he was strong in the Dark Side, would feel it - radiating from her; her thoughts swirling like a monsoon barreling onto dry land after building up its strength at sea. She was angry at not being powerful enough to redirect her Force Lightning, but also furiously jealous at not knowing the Nightsister's secret to restoring life - now that, was power - the power to not only destroy and dominate all life, but even to create it.

"Imagine that", she continued, almost mumbling in softness as she spoke to both Nomar and herself, "the power to manipulate Midichlorians in order to return life, or even, create it." She then turned her orange eyes, the yellow glow now having subsided again, to Nomar, as if saying, Someday.

"What now?"

 

[Kruel Zing]

Examining Nabrina’s face I searched for any clue of what the grunt actually meant. I felt as though it had simply been one of acknowledgment. My own abilities with the mental aspects of the force were completely abysmal. I had never even been able to control the mind of something as simple as a rat, much less reading the emotions of another force user through the force. That had also extended to protecting my mind. Thankfully my teachings of Teras Kasi made up for this weakness protecting my mind from force users. “Yes it can, remember they did create a spell that bound me to life for centuries, also my clan did a similar spell after my first death. They revived me through the force but I didn’t come back as I once had been. This was perhaps nothing but another version of the same spell."

Hand reaching out I touched the throat of the Nightsister to ensure I didn’t feel a pulse and that the spell hadn’t succeeded. Before I knew it I felt the air heating up and I drew my limb away. Lightning arced from Nabrina’s own hand striking the corpse where smoke and the smells of toasted flesh rose into the air filling the chamber. If I had left my hand there I could’ve possibly suffered some pain. A burn? Unlikely, I had once been able to swim through lava being burned by lightning should be near impossible. However, I watched the spectacle admiring the skill the young twi’lek displayed. Her face had at one point been contorted in rage, and swiftly switched to one of pain. Her hand steaming, I shook my head. A similar experience had once been endured when I first learned to control fire, instead the entire left hand side of my body had been burned terribly. Had taken weeks of bacta treatments to heal.

“With anger like that I think abilities such as this may be outside your power.” I said, not an insult but its from what I had experienced. “It took many witches to bring me back and even here it took six. I don’t think it possible for one person to wield such power.”

“As for what’s now, I brought you here because I assumed you wished for some sort of payment. IF you search the back half of the caves you may find whatever gems or jewels the Nightsisters have stashed. I know this particular clan used to extort some of the other villages. After that, I’m guessing we each go our own separate ways?” This part was more of a question. Perhaps I had spent far too much time alone and didn’t want to leave Nabrina already. But I also could admit I saw a bright spark in her. “Or perhaps I could ask for a ride off this planet?”

[member="Nabrina Vao"]

 

[Nabrina Vao]

5 minutes later..

Nabrina emerged from further in the cave, discreetly shoving a few trinkets under her steelcloth cloak as she appeared from the dark, seemingly unimpressed, but not disappointed either. By some stroke of luck, although by her standards little more than consolation, there were two lightsaber crystals back there - among a myriad of other gems, jewels and precious stones, but none of them really of value to the young Sith. The Twi'lek wasn't about to lower herself to peddling baubles with scoundrels either - typical and predictable pride. As she walked back up to [member="Nomar"], she was already wrapping her cloak back around her again; her lightsaber disappeared again under her rough robes. "I've thought about it", she just managed to say as she finished, "Even if you did have a ship, I don't think there are many that can survive centuries' worth of wear and tear, are there?", she almost chuckled in between her awkwardly menacing grin.

She quickly looked around, just to make sure they weren't being tailed or that there weren't any more Nightsisters around. She still winced from time to time - obviously rocked by that sonic scream the first Nightsister dealt her - it wasn't a pleasant thing, having one's head and sensibilities rocked to the bone. Nabrina was a Sith, but she wasn't exactly unassailable - something she tended to scold herself for; probably more often than even most Sith did. For what is was worth, she'd be walking away with a Katak and a Vexxtal crystal - she'd have plan for those later, but that was for another time. "There's a lot more back there; plenty more baubles for other witches to fawn over; little harpy savages. With luck, they'll come, and we can return another time to slaughter more."

And with that, she trained her eyes back on Nomar, having to look up just to match his gaze. "I take it you'll be interested in visiting your homeworld?" She almost smiled, as if the offer was of genuine indulgence.

 

[Kruel Zing]

I simply let Nabrina go on and have her fill with the treasure that had been pilfered and extorted from many other villages that had possibly been in a similar predicament to my own. Sadly, it had been so long I doubted those villages no longer existed. There would be no point in trying to return something to people that no longer lived nor even remembered when the treasures had been taken. In that case Nabrina was the best bet. She could put them to use, but unlike other Sith or scoundrels she didn’t come out holding armfuls of jewels. Not even her pockets were sticking out, she was more modest than I had thought at first. Or perhaps she just had riches and cared not for what the witches had gathered. “Oh you thought about it did you? Do you think you could keep me from catching a ride if I truly wanted one?” I asked offering her a sly smile. “I honestly think you’re starting to get attached already.”

My pockets remained empty, there was nothing of worth in that cave for me. There never would be, everything that had been gathered by them was covered in blood. The blood didn’t have to be visible, I could almost feel the deaths that had been dealt out to acquire that wealth. “Hmm, I doubt it. Nightsisters know to stay out of anothers territory. This cave possibly won’t be found for months and those inside at that point will have decomposed. There is no point in returning, for all my hate of the Nightsisters I won’t waste time traveling to and fro from this accursed planet.”

Turning I led the way out of the chamber and up the incline leading to the exit. We had been here long enough and the burning corpse smell was becoming incredibly irritating. Nabrina’s question of where I wanted to go first was a fair one. I did wish to return to my homeworld, at least to the one I consider my own. Yet I was still exiled and while those that I knew would be long dead I had no reason to yet return. “No, instead I’m going to be needing a new lightsaber and I know just the place. Have you ever been to Mustafar?”

[member="Nabrina Vao"]

 

[Nabrina Vao]

Nabrina's brows furrowed. "Mustafar? What could you possibly want there?"

Her eyes looked up at him, squinting as she became suspicious, and while initially presupposing foul play, she ultimately let up. "There's nothing there but molten rock and oxide. Even if you could thrive in such a hostile place, I wouldn't", she half-snapped and half-whined.

Oh.

And then, it came to her. She gave off this smug, cunning smile - as if appreciating the cunning of the to-be composition of [member="Nomar"]'s proposed lightsaber. "A lava crystal, is it?" She let off another one of her smug little grunts. Huh. "They're a rare find, even on volcanic rocks like Mustafar. I take it you have a contact or an old friend who's supposed to lend you mining equipment? They would be dead, considering you've been kept here on this karkhole of a planet for centuries."

"As for your ride off this world, fine - guess I couldn't keep you off my ship even if I tried." She huffed as she started to walk out of the cave, comically leaving Nomar to follow her. "It's a transport, so there's lot's of room - even for someone with a head as big as yours."