An Ungracious Host

[The Dark Man]

[THEME]

The damp grass squished beneath his soles, and dew licked themselves against his polished shoes. The morning sun had just arisen, and grasshoppers frantically fled out of his way. Butterflies drifted like leaves in the wind, and his almond eyes watched the path he trod.

There was a mystery to this land that not even his brain could fully comprehend. And so he lived. He did not need worry, and he did not grow hungry nor thirsty, he did not age, nor was he ever in want. He simply was existing. His mind captivated him, and the beauty and splendor of the Netherworld drew a hungering gaze from him every so often.

This was the land restless souls came to be. Many simply absolved into the Force, and became one with the cosmic energy. The Dark Man was not among those many. There were so few of them he had encountered in the Netherworld, so few others.

A cottage ahead welcomed him, and his eyes drifted to the far-stretching dunes. "A storm is coming," a familiar tone spoke. The Dark Man slowly rose his chin, and his tired eyes warmed up. A smile broke his usually stoic lips. He spoke to the stranger who filled his brothers boots, "I remember a time in youth, The fighting and arguing and all in between. You were never kind to me."

"Come in for supper, Ekul."

--

Ekul explained to Nodnarb Selah, "Anyone who spends much time with me finds me disagreeable." He was retelling his brother tales of his time in life. His departure from the Jedi Order, and his lonely wanderings throughout the galaxy. His journey into the Unknown Regions to attempt to dismantle the Primeval, and his ultimate death. "I've never had many friends." His brother showed, for the first time Ekul had ever seen, genuine interest in him.

"You were not the only one," Nod joked, but Ekul remained silent, his eyes sat on the floor. "I'm sorry for what happened. Everything." The lights dimmed with the emotion that swirled in the room, as though the Netherworld was responding to them. Ekul gravely said, "People die everyday; mopping floors, washing dishes, and you know what their last thought is?" His eyes rose to meet his brothers, ". . . 'I never got my shot' . . ."

"You wasted your life, you had every opportunity for greatness. You were better than me in every way, stronger, smarter, naturally gifted with the Force, and the favor of our parents. Master Ko called you a prodigy." Their meals and wine were left untouched. "I didn't want to kill you, Nod." He slowly stood from the table, "But you were out of control, and someone had to put you down."

"Thank you for the dinner," Ekul said as he retrieved his hat by the front door. "I'm sure if we had need to eat, it would have been spectacular." He opened the front door and was almost about to shut it when Nod lunged forward and prevented it with his boot. "Don't go," he quietly said, "Something's coming." Ekul frowned, and his eyes drifted back to the dunes where the storm would soon be upon them. "I've weathered worse storms."

"No, it's something else." Nod's hand gripped onto Ekul's jacket, and Ekul froze. He had never seen such fear in his brothers eyes... what could he possibly be talking about? What could inspire such fear into the man who alone killed a Jedi Master as a mere Padawan. Such fear in his brothers eyes drove fear into his own heart. He felt his blood freeze over, and the hairs on his nape stand on end.

 

[Boethiah]

Snow crunched beneath her feet, the cloaked figure was wrapped in a warm overcoat that concealed her from the light of day. Like diamonds the ice crystals glistened under the sun of Csilla, homeworld of the Chiss and where their Ascendancy began. She walked up to the large metal doors, a compliment of Gulandi warriors trailed close behind. Their fury was unrivaled as was their lust for death... Their own deaths just as much as that of others. The sephi forced the doors open, a hiss sounded as old air inside was assimilated by the cold. It was the kind of cold that gnawed at your skin, tearing into your flesh and turning your red blood black.

Anja stepped inside, her pale eyes gazed afar taking in every detail that they could as the Gulandi rushed inside after her, each took up a position and formed a circle around their Host Lord and crouched with their weapons brandished. The overcoat that kept her warm dropped at her feet behind her, revealing the Umbaran figure inside and the frigid air did not hesitate to invade her body, each breath she drew and released was colder than the last. The rift to the Netherworld was a strange sight, it didn't seem real but the power of the force surged from it like nothing she's ever felt. Wary of its effects, she knew the moment she stepped inside her powers through the force would be useless. Removing her vibroblade, still sheathed, she dropped the weapon on the floor much to the curiosity of one of her Gulandi.

The Sephi's eyes searched their way to the sound of its drop. "Your Worship, are you sure it's wise to enter unarmed?" He spoke up in a coarse tongue, clearly Galactic Basic was not his native language. The Host Lord did not look in his direction, "tell me... Have you ever tried to kill a dead man?" She walked forward and reached out, her naked hand brushed against the rim of the rift, dark tendrils of energy escaped her fingers and surged inside. Shortly following in suit was her other hand which slowly sank into the fabric of force energies beyond her comprehension. Before she stepped inside she closed her eyes and reached out in perceptions beyond mortality, looking for the man she intended to bring back from the dead; against his will or otherwise.

A whisper called out to the one she felt, his name sunk inside her mind... Words on the wind,
"Ekul Selah"

[member="The Dark Man"]

 

[The Dark Man]

The sandstorm visibly quickened, and worsened. Sparks of lightning whipped out viciously. The brown ridden dust turned an acrid black of inky darkness. Out of this storm came a voice, as powerful as a hurricane. It boomed over the endless wastes, "Ekul Selah." He could feel it too, and he turned to peer into the storm. His mind could not penetrate it, and for the first time since he had began existing in this place neither here nor there, he realized the Force would not come to him.

Emotions overwhelmed him, and decades as a Jedi had not prepared him for this. The Netherworld was beyond the comprehension of the mortal mind, and it had its own laws of reality. He felt the palm of his brother grip his, and pull him inside. The door shut violently, and Nod was pulling him back to the table. "This place we're in, I don't know what to call it, and I think you know what it is. We're neither dead nor alive, we've been forced from our galaxy, our life having left our bodies, but we are not yet merged into the Force. If anything I feel that it is a station, and we are waiting for something to be fulfilled before we go on."

Ekul gingerly took his seat opposite his brother. "I feel like we're going to go two different ways now, and this is may be the last chance I have to talk to you." Ekul didn't move, and if his emotions had been overwhelming him before, they were now outright drowning him. "The time I've had in this place has let me learn, so let us drink merrily, Ekul, talk to me like we were the brothers we always wanted to be growing up."

Time did not operate here as it did in the galaxy. Time was a concept that was both foreign and strange to this existence, and while that storm was still raging towards them, inside this cottage it seemed it would be hours before it arrived, and they had spent hours talking. At first they both were hesitant and found it hard to fall into conversation; but as they drank and ate, the night became easier.

Ekul couldn't recall a time when he had not viewed his brother with nothing but spite. While Ekul loved him dearly, it was hard to get over what he had done, and how he had treated him as boys, and adults. Though seeing him was an unexpected but welcome experience, he had earlier quickly acted harsh to Nod.

Now they spoke as though they had been friends for a lifetime, and the cottage was filled with laughter. The room was bright and spectacular, and the air smelt of flowers in a warm spring. They together regaled in the times of their youth when they got up to mischief, before the Jedi. Back when they lived a simple life, as simple children.

Nod would remind Ekul of a time he had gotten him in trouble, but they laughed it off with another story. Ekuls smile spread from cheek to cheek, and he was genuinely surprised at the amount of good memories they had together. A lifetime of grudges, and a cosmic duty to the Force, had allowed him to forget the good times. He allowed his life to become embroiled in stopping the darkness that he himself had forgotten what good there was out there, and what good had been.

And when night reached its zenith, Ekul bid his farewell to Nod. So engulfed by his joy in the moment he had not realized he was essentially operating on autopilot, and when the cottage was emptied but for his own presence, his mind seemingly returned. He stood there quietly and silently, and felt the urge to call out to his brother, but something told him he was no longer there.

He walked towards the front of the cottage, and his hand pushed against the wood of the door. When it swung open, an eerie sight he beheld. The storm was passing the cottage, and his eyes perceived nothing but darkness, and the echo of the words Ekul Selah. He could feel it worse than now, the presence coming for him. His hand reached for his lightsaber, but it wasn't there. He tried once more to penetrate the darkness, but the Force did not abide.

Kark.

 

[Boethiah]

Hesitant at first, Anja pulled herself into the Rift and stepped through. The sensation was that of bursting a bubble; a powerful gust of wind hissed roared past her as she began to tumble through the black, streaks of light revealing themselves now and again for only brief moments at a time. As she continued to fall Anja could feel the force itself being severed from her, all powers, perceptions, and unnatural gifts torn away. Her head spinning, the black faded and revealed the warm touch of spring and summer's blue light amidst the starless pale sky.

At first she did not grasp what had happened or where she had gone, the goals in her head vanished from all thought as she looked around. Even for someone like the Host Lord who versed in very dark and powerful arts, the Netherworld of the force was such a mystery that it did not fail to inspire awe and a feeling of solitude. In all manners of the word she was alone and there was no one to follow her from behind, unarmed and unknowing of what was out there she walked away from the Rift and wandered in the direction where she last felt connected to. Little was she aware of the path that followed, her brief connection with Ekul Selah had created an internal compass of sorts, a connection that transcended even that of the living force.

Her feet sank into the soft soil, grass crunching under each step and the sound of life buzzed around her but the source of such sounds were not within sight. Deductions of how or why they exited in the first place were pointless endeavors, this was not a place in our world and no flawed being could hope to control it. There were no Gods, no angelic beings, nothing to offer any sign of a greater power within the confines of this twisted garden. Without a sun in the sky there was still light, she still cast a long shadow, and she could feel the pleasant warmth resting on the back of her neck. Each strong step forward became weaker with contempt, and her journey slowly lost its purpose. Other forces as it would seem are still at play out here, yet she was strong enough to carry on.

It was a lonely path to tread and for the second time in her life, Anja began to lose purpose in her existence. Why did she want someone her Warlord had killed? An answer when he himself asks the question, but it was a good question to have.

[member="The Dark Man"]