A Pact made to other Gods (Mandagora Open)

[Garza]

R Y L O T H

Not sure if this was the CIS that I had heard of long ago, or of this was a reformation of it. Long ago, once as an apprentice of the Sith Empire, I had gone within the CIS space as they were building their confederacy of planets. Expanding greatly. While I did leave them, and later joined the Crusade on Exocron, It was when the CIS slowly faded away. However, Were these the same people as before, only growing stronger? Or where these different people who wanted to use the same name as a form of power. Names carried weight. Names and titles could carry people. While I cared little for other titles such as Governess when I did have a planet to take care of as a lone Knight within an order of Force sensitives, I deeply cared now of the name I took.

Kalee, Goddess of War of the Moross Crusades.

It was a title gained only by those who showed the truest path of their connection to the Gods. While Kalee once walked the Galaxy as a male, a Mandalorian's body was used, I learned that the best place to be was between the Crusades, and Mandalore. However, I learned that much happened between when I was kidnapped into Hell by a being known only as Akala. Having been stuck there, time moved faster in Netherworld. Hundreds of years had gone by within the hellish landscape, while it seemed to be only a decade or two were passed here. While the confusion was different for me, as essentially I had hundreds of years worth of life experiences in hell, I was still barely a thirty year old woman.

So much has changed. I felt different. Strange. Even my arm as it was dying on me, I attempted to use the force to keep it at bay. Feeling a spike in pain as I walked through the streets of Ryloth. The Dathomir were a group of witches known for their ability in Magics that could have the potency to match, or surpass the force itself. I wanted to see this for myself. Having been trained in a few abilities after leaving hell with a dying shaman, she did mention that I could find them either on their home planet, or search for a group that worshiped the "Son" and "Daughter." as it were.

Strangely, I found this group. Rumors of the Witches had recreated themselves upon the planet of Ryloth within the CIS space. Hence my being here. A place I was unfamiliar with, and in which I was completely alone. Dressed in furs, leathers, and even carrying my Beskad. I looked around me as others began to stare. Keeping their distance from me just because I was clearly a sore thumb.

I attempted to search through the force to find a cluster of people with the force, but could feel some what of one, but as I began to grow closer, it faded. Not sure if this was to prevent others from finding them, or I was just messed up from my time in hell. Either way, I was lost. Stopping for a moment, I purchased a drink at a local stand. Taking a long hard chug of it. Looking to see the bottle now half empty, I sipped on it as I walked onward for a few more blocks. Only stopping as the crosswalk was stopped. Signs preventing me from walking on ward as the speeders were zooming by.

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"],

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Katrine was hungry. Definitely hungry. Staring. Like she could eat a deer. She didn't know if Ryloth had deers though, she hadn't seen one but she was only in the city when she was here. Eating a deer would probably upset her diet, she hadn't had any raw food in a few months now but damn it, she was craving something big, fore legged and something she could hunt. The thought made her shake her head, focusing on the other thing that had her attention, which was a few flowers in her hand. Yellow, pink and white; pretty but not at all fascinating by definition of a flower, no. Instead, she plucked at a petals as she walked, releasing it and stopping her movements as she concentrated, calling it to hover around her. Then another one and another one. When she had four petals hovering around her, making her smile. It was calming, to say at least, removing thoughts of a hunt for the time being.

She continued walking, the petals following around her, entertaining her as her sapphire blue gaze searched for one of those food carts to grab something to eat. When she finally saw what she wanted, the petals dropped behind her where they were, remaining on the pavement as she hurried to grab some food, only to stop dead in her tracks when she realized her eyes had spotted something, or rather someone she didn't expect to see. She turned, staring at the woman... at least she thought it was a woman though she looked... tribal, for lack of better word and yet then some. That wasn't everything though. Katrine was drawn, her feet moving as she drew nearer to the female. There was power, definite power inside her. Katrine could never really stop herself being drawn to power, which the Force tended to lead her too since they had an understanding between each other about these things were old and pretty clear.

"Hi!" The blond very cheerfully called out as she watched the woman sip of her drink. "What are you?" Her question followed her greeting very fast, she was the type of person that couldn't contain herself when she needed answers and right now, her head was forming a lot of question, stacking them in order and leaving spaces for answers she required but right now, only one had come out for reasons not even Kat could explain to herself.

[member="Artemis Nightstalker"]

 

[Garza]

This world was very much different from what I had been used to. Civilized and the aura of Order. While the people did not slaughter eachother over the smallest of things, I could clearly feel the malice that was subdued and kept in check. The emotons of those around me kept me from noting a woman had almost rushed over to me. That was, until she spoke. Her voice quick and light, with a side of enthusiasm that would only come from an innocent mind, or one of curiosity. The latter was true as I could feel the prowess she had. While smaller than any average master of the force, she was still quite powerful in her own right. One day she would reach that level, but at the moment, she was stuck here.

The question of "what" I was made sense. With so many people around here not carrying weapons, or if they did, it was a blaster or gun of some kind. My visage was tribal. When you are living in a hellish land, with nothing more than the skin of those you have defeated, you learned quickly how to make clothing of whatever you could. Here though, that was not a necessity. Her own clothing of a blue dress, the collar white and accented her hair nicely. The movement of setting my drink down, I looked the woman over. Smaller than myself by a few inches, and I was clearly more suited for combat with my larger and more muscular frame. However, this girl was a deceitful one. Her eyes showed a knowledge of what many would not have. It surprised me more than anything.

"I am Kalee Bladesworn. Birthed from the Netherworld, and in search of Magicks within the Confederacy."

Straight and to the point. However, I would throw the Godhood title that I carried if it was that important, but as with throwing it around, it made me look either as someone who had massive amounts of an ego, or would attract the wrong kind of attention. Right now, I was not wanting the wrong kind of views cast upon me. The Pantheon would not be grateful of my trifling in other places that are not needed. However, Neth himself, were he still alive, would love to hear that I was expanding my horizons.

"You must be someone of this group it seems, or am I mistaking your essence as something else?"

Many times in hell, there are many who would feign their power over one who they deamed more powerful. They wanted to make the physically powerful, seem smaller, and thus create less of a problem. She didn't seem like this type, but one could never be too sure.

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Kalee Bladesworn, birthed of Netherworld and looking for magicks within the condeferacy. "Kalee. I like that. Where's the Netherworld? And you've come to the right place," Katrine addressed each bit of the statement one by one and in order as received. "I'm Katrine Van-Derveld. Of House Van-Derveld, of the Dathomirian Singing Mountain Clan, Chosen of the Jart. Born on Dathomir." As far introductions went that was probably the longest she had ever given but Kalee had given all that info, though didn't have as much of a background as Kat did so it seemed fair to return the favor by giving proper introductions. Kat no longer had to hide her ancestry, not when both Mother and Father knew she was here. Besides, no Dathomirians around here to tell on her to Nona who didn't know she was in this time. "Why are you looking for magic within the Condeferacy?"

Was she someone of the group Kalee was looking for or was she mistaking her essence as something else? "You could be," Depended how she was reading Katrine. She wasn't human even though she looked it, even though her Mother had originally been born as one. Even with her Dathomirian genetic roots, she was all Lupine like both of her parents where at the time of her birth. "I am a Mandragora Witch though, you're right about that. Something I can do for you?" Katrine was hospitable in nature or rather by upbringing. The Singing Mountain Ma'tra had taught her to never think the worst out of your guests. Even when it came to darksiders, one should have always been given a chance. And besides, Kat had been on that side of the spectrum at a time, so she honestly didn't think fair to dismiss someone just because they made a choice. Life was a series of choices after all. But she didn't always get a chance to be hospitable but here on Ryloth, where Father had once been the viceroy and where Mandragora found its ground, she could be welcoming to strangers seeking her help. It was totally the right thing to do.

[member="Artemis Nightstalker"]

 

[Garza]

She knew not of the Netherworld. Good. It was a place no one should ever visit. Even more so forcefully like I had. Being dragged into the plane of existance was a whirlwind of emotions and feelings that kept you from having any kind of ray of sunshine. Yet the woman continued, stating her own ranks as well as her name, and what clan she was from. Not any Mandalorian clan I remember of, so likely a Witch-clan. Chosen of the Jart took me off course. What was she chosen for, and why? What did this mean? I am sure these answers would bare their fruit at a later time, as more so just learning where to find these people was more important upon me.

Continuing on, she brought forth her own question of what I was seeking, and why. I simply raised my arm to her, Showing the growing and ever consuming wound upon my arm. Flesh that was slowly dying and turning into a collection of grey and black flesh. Drying out and looking as though I were in the process of being mummified. Flexing my hand into a fist, only to open it as a sign that my arm was still operable, but well past the ability to feel with my arm. While I had no other signs of this upon my body, I felt like this was a curse sent upon me to slowly eat at my body and soul.

"The Netherworld, or what some consider to be the existence of Hell, is where I crawled out of. For my sins, my body is dying as I breathe. I see to prevent my rapidly approaching death, in place for a death that would be much more meaningful. I have been taught small healing rituals by a exiled Shaman. She passed before I could learn more. As such, I seek out those who could continue this."

That was a lot of explaining to do. Firstly, I came from Hell. Secondly, I was dying, and third, I needed to be taught, even at a master level within the force, of how to prevent this death, so that I can have a more honorable one that would not be simply thrown away. It was a lot to take in. Considering this woman has never heard of the Netherworld, or Netherrealm, it would be quite weird to see someone as myself something more than a Zombie, or otherwise something of the Blackwing virus or of the Nekgoul viruses that plagued the galaxy.

I only hoped that these Mandagora witches were open to the possibility of someone literally rising from hell to join their ranks.

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"],

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Netherworld was Hell. That statement spun Katrine's mind around, a confusion expression staring back at Kalee. Sure, Kat knew what hell represented. The darkness, the suffering, the theory of eternal pain. It was folklore and legend, a myth. Even Witches now acknowledged that their liberated souls went on to the aether, to a point of the dead, from where so spirits were able to return from. So the idea of hell actually being real confused her. Kalee even said that her body was dying for her sins, Kat's sapphire blue gaze drifting to the exposed flesh, moving a little closer to study it. The wound was nasty, to say at least though Kalee could clearly still work her arm despite it. An exiled Shaman had showed her small healing rituals but left this world before she could teach her more so she was hunting for cures.

"I've never heard of the Netherworld and place of damnation is meant to be a myth, something to scare to children with. Witches no longer do that, even they acknowledge a free spirits's journey into the beyond," Katrine babbled, still staring at the arm, trying to get an idea of the type of disease it was, though what she did see was death, gray and black. It was decaying, for lack of better word. "How did it happen?" She wondered when she looked back at Kalee, her head refusing to accept that it was just a body dying for her sins. No, something had to have happened specifically to cause this disease, as it happened with all wounds.

Katrine had seen decay before, in a special virus but that one affected the brain. The girl who had it was lost in the head as well, dangerous. Her bite or scratch could infect another. Kalee didn't seem anything like that. "What did this Shaman teach you?" She asked, trying to get an idea on what the tribal woman actually did know, if it was Dathomirian magic or something else. She herself could heal with the Force, a skill taught to her by a family member who had chosen himself a Jedi, and Nona had taught her how to heal but the spell she possessed was that for animals. Spells were easy for Katrine, they could be refitted with a purpose but she hadn't found use to do so and she was never one for simply creating spells for the sake of creating them but by the look of the woman, a purpose was beginning to form in the back of her mind but she had questions still, before she could begin to help her.

[member="Kalee Bladesworn"]

 

[Garza]

The woman was surprised and seemed to almost talk to herself upon the realization that I was not from where she thought was possible. Trying to reason it. I merely shook my head with a sad smile. So many people seemed to forget of the millions of people that were suddenly transported to a different place, in a different time, only for the dead to rise all around the galaxy. It was for a moment that I was back in the living plane of existence that I jumped back into the portal, and tried to fight Akala. That was how I got stuck, and thus began my torture of hundreds of years.

I waved the thoughts away. There was no need to talk about this Hell-existence in the open public. However, the question of this shaman teaching me came up. I expected as such. Raising my left hand, my normal one, I fluttered my fingers with a small wisp of green mist rose and then dissipated. Upon which, I spoke.

"I know of your ichor manipulation to some degree, and I know of the ritual of the Whuffa. As I stated, I learned to heal myself only enough to keep it at bay."

That was the important parts that I needed. How and where I came from can be explained later, and in better detail. As much as i wanted to search for this knowledge, I needed to also bring myself back to the Pantheon. To attest for my absence. I would do that when I had returned to my full self. Not in this... form that I had taken.

"Who, and what I did, and where I came from can be explained later. Not a fan of this crowd."

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Her head titled when Kalee mentioned the spirit irchor and the revitalization Whuffa. Katrine recognized both of those terms but only as spells belonging to Nightsisters, with a rough idea of what they were. She remembered asking Nona about it when she was first introduced to the titles but Nona gave so little information as it was not something lightsided Witches learned. There was something int he way that Nona described them but refused to speak of them too long that made her wonder even back then. It grew her curiosity but no one inside her clan could ever teach her. "Those are Nightsister abilities. No Witch devoted to Allya would teach their younglings that," Katrine said after a few beats. "Would you be against teaching them to me?" The question came almost immediately after the statement. Katrine was not like other Witches loyal to Allya, she believed the caster chose their fate and their alignment and she choose that claim it all, not just one side. No, she believed herself strong enough to use both and not fear the dark.

Who, what and where could be answered later, Kalee then informed. She wasn't a fan of the crowd. "We can continue this conversation in the library," the blond suggested. "Just let me grab something to eat before I get so hungry that I have to slaughter a flock." She was hungry like crazy so the suggestion wasn't a lie, that was how hungry she felt like right now. She left the woman without waiting her to speak, moving to the food court, giving a quick order for a dozen little sandwiches and throwing enough credits on the counter as the vendor seller looked at her funny before he began adding meat into the bread, one by one, wrapping each and throwing into a plastic bag, handing the whole thing to her after a moment. Kat dug out one right now, biting into the first one as she made her way back to Kalee. "Want one?" She asked the other girl between her bites before pointing behind her. "This way," the blond said the next moment, already reaching for a second sandwich, leading the way for Kalee to follow. They'd reach the library soon enough, the building not far and in the meantime, she'd eat and make sure she didn't go all beast.

[member="Kalee Bladesworn"]

 

[Garza]

The woman looked at me rather strange for a moment after I told her of the abilities that I knew with "Magicks." It was a moment later that she then confide upon me that these abilities were dark sided by the name "Nightsister" alone added to the fact that she stated Witches who were of Allya did not use those abilities. Yes, it was rather true of various uses and thoughts that these abilities could be dark in nature, however, I did not see why. Abilities were abilities. It did not matter to me how you need to draw upon them, just how you use them. So a second later, and with what seemed to be almost no hesitation, she asked if I could train her. All I could get out was,

"I guess."

Before the woman then stated that we should go to the Library, wherever that was. Also then stated that she was hungry. At first I thought she meant power, but then I realized she meant food. Upon following her for a moment to the stall where she bought quite a bit of sandwiches, I chuckled to myself. Thinking of an old joke that I had told to me before my "adventures." What kind of witch lives in the desert? A Sand-witch. Considering that this woman named herself as a Witch, it was just too good to pass up within my head.

Despite this thought, she offered me one. I took it just for the sake of being kind and slowly nibbled upon it. Seeing this young lass eat and feed upon them like a thirsty horse drinking water. Yet she tried her best to not look so famished. I smiled. Knowing that feeling all too well. Even as I followed here, we reached a building. For her ease, I opened the door for her so that she could still hold her food and the bag of sandwiches.

"So I assume this is where all the mandagora meet at?"

[member="Katrine Van-Derveld"]

 

[Katrine Van-Derveld]

Secluded section of the Library, Ryloth​

Noming her food, Katrine led the way to the building of the library, offering a small smile meaning thank you as Kalee opened the doors for her. It was a nice thing for her to do, Kat thought to herself as she took another bite, not actually needing the help but liking the actual part of doing it. Without stopping, she continued through most of the library, giving a nod to her new friend at the question asked, leading Kalee all the way to the special area of the library where Katrine tended to spend most of her time, since it was filled with most information on Mandragora, and even other Force Orders. It was without a doubt her favorite place in the whole building, she already knew.

The few remaining sandwiches laid on the table and gave a nod to Kalee for her question. "Not really. We don't really have a place just yet. I guess you could say so," the blond struggled slightly to explain. The Mandragora had yet to find a place for themselves but in the meantime, Katrine had found this section of the library to be useful for any kind of bigger meet, especially when she wanted to study the Grimoire with other children of Mandragora. "It's my favorite part of library and it's easiest to put people together when we have to study our history." Witches didn't necessarily dabble in figuring out speciel places. There was a Town Square where ceremonies were held, an altar for special rituals and then whatever place Elders chose as their meeting grounds which didn't always have to be the same so for her, it was more about finding their own place. Where the Circle actually met, the Nightmother and the Shamans, Katrine didn't actually know since she was neither of those things.

Looking at Kalee now, Katrine recalled of what Kalee had said in response to her questions. Who, and what I did, and where I came from... which now were essentially cause for new questions. Kalee didn't know Katrine enough to know that the blond needed answers and she required them in order since inside her head, there were questions and spaces for answers for her mind to store. It was just the way her head worked. "So, how did the arm thing happen exactly?" She asked first, waiting for a couple of seconds at best before she formulated Kalee's answer into a question. "Who and what did you do, where did you come from? That is what you said before, you would tell me later. Now is later. I really should know relevant info before I can actually help." Katrine didn't quite know whether her explanation sounded good at bad but it was the truth. Spells were ancient and new. Some of them could always be used, others needed to be reworded to fit. While Katrine could heal through the Force thanks to Aston, sometimes Force powers weren't as imaginative as chants could be. But before she could tell any of that to Kalee, she did need to understand how the wound began and what had caused it.

[member="Kalee Bladesworn"]