Private Bloodless

[Iviroa Jinoes]

Still reeling from her strange experience Iviroa barely even noticed the billow of steam warming her cheeks. Smiling at the scent of tea Iviroa accepted the metal thermos patting the astromech as a sign of adoration. "Thank you. I did not sleep well last night..." Glancing at a comatose Kahlil the weary woman took a sip of tea the warm leafy green sensation pleasurable, to say the least. "Good to see one of us had some rest." R6 turned slightly at this comment, Maybe he found it humorous? She'd never know technology wasn't her strong suit.

Walking over to her snoring companion Iviroa tilted the thermos over his head and poured a small stream of tea on him. "Wake up. It's time to go." If they were gonna find the mystery of that strange place they would need to be on high alert which meant, no sleeping in!!

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Hot tea was certainly a way to wake. Kahlil snapped upwards, panicked for just a moment before he reached up to rub the slight red mark that'd form. ".. There are better ways to wake people up, right?" The tall man glanced down to Iviroa Jinoes for a moment, then sighed. At least she didn't try to kill him in his sleep. He pushed his way to his feet as R6 rolled over with his usual coffee, holding the thermos for him. A couple of sips later and he certainly seemed more awake than before.

"Alright. Let's go find this source then."

 

[Iviroa Jinoes]

Iviroa swayed at Kahlil's advice which sadly fell on deafened ears. "Of course there are. But you have to admit none are near as fun!" Sipping away at his own caffeine Kahlil expressed his readiness as Iviroa applied a new layer of makeup.

2 hours later

The town stood over the horizon golden light christening the dirt road the duo stood on the edge of. Even from this distance, malevolent energies found their way inside the witch as the two approached. Even with a partner, Iviroa was reluctant to press forward as her thumbs twidled endlessly. That cold biting sensation. That eerie feeling of being watched. The subtle whispers in your head. You never get used to it no matter how malicious one might paint themselves.

The two entered the town and already the aura surrounding the town grew stronger the closer the pair drew to the center. The grass had turned brown and vines and other flora had become grey and frozen like the people it surrounded. Iviroa clutched her stomach as her face turned green She was sick...no revolted with this horrid sight. It wasn't like this last time not when she first encountered this unholy sanctum. "I think I'm about to lose that tea in a minute..." The Witch put her hand over her mouth.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil grimaced as they entered this room. It was abundantly clear that whatever was the source was within. Not even the plants that had been immune within the city escaped the dark hunger here. He let out a half chuckle as the witch spoke. He had half a mind to do the same, but perhaps the fact she said it aloud let him keep down his coffee from earlier. "Just stay behind me. Whatever it is, we'll see soon enough."

The blue blade crackled to life once more as Kahlil stepped in first, the crunch of dead and dying leaves audible underfoot. It was the only sound, asides from the pairs breathing. At least until the source did come into view. A pair of thumps, followed by another pair, and another. A heartbeat. Rounding a densely covered section of dead roots they'd both be able to see it. A corpse, inhuman and unnatural, split open and rotting. The only living thing was a heart, black and twisted. Barely beating itself but the sound echoing was impossible to ignore.

It was hungry. Had been, since whatever killed it's host.

Iviroa Jinoes

 

[Iviroa Jinoes]

Suppressing her gaging Iviroa followed closely behind Kahlil her fingers curled like a spider and her eyes golden with power. Death was on the wind...and it stunk. It was so quiet, so dark with only the crushing of leaves providing any ambiance. Her breathing became rapid at the sound of a heartbeat steady and lively at that. Slumped over a small marble pedestal a blackened and rotting corpse split open and oozing clutched a small object riddled with filth. She should have been appalled, frightened even...yet she let out a sigh of relief.

The energy was strongest here, strong enough to be grabbed with an open hand. "Such hunger..." Darkened veins began to climb up the side of her neck as her body began to weaken. "Its...It's still eating!" The Woman approached the slumped over figure and opened its decayed palm as it shed its rotten flesh on the floor.

in its hand was a small device made of gold and copper. There were golden patterns running up and down the sides and red glass lining the center of the mechanism. It had four metal claws on its sides and black accents on its structure.

Eagerly Iviroa picked it up twisting and turning it as she inspected it closely. "Just what is this thing? It radiates power and consumes power...but it feels dead, inactive."

Intrigued the witch turned towards her Jedi companion genuinely excited for his input.

"What do you make of this Jedi? It feels warped and everything around it falls under its influence but..." She tenderly stroked the object despite its obvious connection to her troubles. "I-I can't get anything on the device itself. This is all very troubling..."

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

As soon as the artifact was pulled away the heart stopped beating. Kahlil's eyes narrowed as an uncomfortable chill washed over his body. Whatever the artifact was.. No. He could read it. Sith. The young Jedi held out his hand for it, glancing worriedly to the Witch. "Whatever it was had lost it's enchantment. It needs to be destroyed." Which was something he could do, but not without danger to Iviroa Jinoes . By the dark lines her body must of been corrupted by the Dark Side in some way.

"I'll destroy it, and we leave. Okay?"

 

[Iviroa Jinoes]

Wide-eyed Iviroa clutched the small artifact to her chest shielding it from the Jedi. She didn't doubt Kahlil's ability to destroy the artifact rather she was fearful of the detriment to her or others under the device's influence. The duo didn't know exactly what the artifact was or even what it did and he wanted to destroy it? They must be more cautious than that...

"B-But we don't even know what this is! We can't just destroy it on the spot?" The witch stepped backward clutching the thing closer to her. "This thing could kill me! It could kill you too! We gotta figure out what this thing is first!" Her eyes narrowed as her pupils burned brighter filled with dangerous intent.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"It's a dark artifact that feeds off of life to make the wearer immortal. That?" He pointed to some of the visible script. "That's ancient Sith. When the person who was wearing this died, it went out of control. You must give that to me, Iviroa. Or it'll attach to you." This was bad. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt Iviroa Jinoes , but this couldn't be allowed in the galaxy. Not again. The young Jedi took a calming breath as he kept his hand out for the artifact.

"Trust me."

 

[Iviroa Jinoes]

His logic made sense and she had no cause to mistrust his knowledge...but she couldn't shake the feeling that he was being too hasty. He claimed that it was ancient Sith that it would attach to her and consume her and in truth, she wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that. The Sith were an anomaly to her, she didn't know much about them or their motives and what she has heard of them she can't really equate to evil. Besides, that Iviroa couldn't be equated to good either. Most of the time she acted out of instinct doing whatever it is she felt was in her best interest...regardless of everyone else.

Kahlil kept his hand out his eyes silently pleading with her. "Okay okay! Listen! This thing has attached itself to everyone in town right? So if we disconnect it what might happen? If this thing really is eating these people than simply turning it off will be like leaving a half-eaten plate! We have to think this through!" Her eyes grew brighter as the veins on her neck fell deeper into darkness. Her fingers turned to wood as they wrapped tightly around the device intent on serving their mistress.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"There's no way to save the people outside. What it fed off of them was keeping that heart beating. It must be destroyed, so they can at least know peace." He took a step closer to Iviroa Jinoes, his worry only growing more and more as her body showed more and more corruption. "It's calling to you, right? You can feel it. Look at yourself, it's corrupting you just to have it in your palm. You need to let it go, quickly!"

 

[Iviroa Jinoes]

"You don't know that!!" She shouted as she slowly inched her way towards the exit. Her body was shaking with fatigue as her knees buckled and her hands darkened along with her plants. "I don't know-" Pain shot up her neck forcing her to wince. "How I'm gonna do it-" Her voice became strained as she stood next to the exit her eyes locked on Kahlil. "But I'll save these people, I'll show you Jedi!" The deadly glow in her eyes turned to determination as she outstretched her palm sending bristles of vines forward to entrap her companion.

She didn't want to hurt him she really didn't (Otherwise she would have given the vines thorns). In truth, she's grown to enjoy his company despite him being a Jedi. Unfortunately, this was bigger than either of them and if he wanted to stand in her way she needed to subdue him...

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil didn't move out of the way of the vines. He sensed no lethal intent in Iviroa Jinoes 's doing, and thus perhaps, if by letting himself get wrapped up, she might start to listen. His hand stayed outstretched, waiting for the item to be placed in his palm. His eyes continued to plead that the witch indeed do so, before the corruption took hold anymore than it had. "It's killing you already, Iviroa. I can't let you leave, or it will succeed in devouring you." He took another breath before turning his palm towards her.

"Forgive me."

All of his focus would change to the item itself as an otherworldly grasp formed around it. Trying desperately to pry it away from the witches hand and send it flying towards his own.

 

[Iviroa Jinoes]

what a surreal feeling it was to turn on someone you care about if even a little. It surprised her to see him give in so willingly, yes he truly was a Jedi that or he is just patient. "Nothing can kill me so easily Kahlil...Today I've shown you my beauty, I DON'T want to show you my deformity!" He asked for forgiveness as a resolute glint shined in his pupils. Power surrounded the artifact as it tingled in her hand shaking ever so slightly. An audible gasp escaped her lips as the device was torn from her hands and into his.

In a flash her somber attitude became cold and menacing, her eyes burned brighter and the blackened veins on her neck crawled further up her throat. The vines entangling Kahlil bolstered themselves as their constructs turned to wood and their leaflets became thorns laced with paralyzation agents. In particular, the vines began to ingrowth his neck intent on strangling him and rendering him immobile.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

He winced as the thrones pierced his skin, but he didn't try to fight her off. What he was about to do was going to hurt her far more than anything else he could. He gave a small, sad smile to Iviroa Jinoes, flinching as the vines began to wrap around his neck. He was not scared, or resentful. The artifact was preying upon her. Kahlil took a breath before his hand brightened with pure light.

The Lightside of the Force swelled within him and erupted from his palm. In a wave of power he'd burn away the dark around him. His focus was the artifact, and the runes would quickly begin to burn away. But he couldn't stop it from radiating out. He wasn't strong enough to control that. He tried his best to instead burn the enchantment away as quickly as possible to spare the Witch too much pain.

 

[Iviroa Jinoes]

By now Iviroa had resolved that she would kill Kahlil where he stood ending his interference before it got out of hand. Her fingers curled as the branches around Kahlil tightened his neck caught in their abrasive grasp. A dark cloud formed over her mind, corrupting her body and eating away at her soul. Her condition was terrible yet she felt as though she were invincible, unassailable from her high rock overlooking a sea of sorrow. Her grip tightened to snap the man's neck ending his suffering quickly. Plainly she stated her intentions in a cold, dark monotone. "I've chosen to kill you Kahlil. I don't want forgiveness only cooperation." The branches squeezed tighter their thorns burrowing themselves in his skin. The witch narrowed her golden eyes as she closed her fist forcing her plants into action. "This is the end!"

Bright as the sun and hot as one too Kahlil's hand let out a shower of light that burned away the dark and reached the crevices in the walls. Iviroa screamed. So much power hit her at once sending her tumbling into the wall along with her resolve. The burning in her flesh was epic. Not a crevice was missed and not a nerve spared as every evil intent in her body was cleansed...painfully. With darkness clouding her mind, Iviroa was unable to think but with this light taking its place, she wished she could hide in darkness. As if feeling her pain the branches entangling Kahili began to spur passionately like a tentacle cut from a sea monster.

They were only plants, but even they knew the source of their Mistress's suffering. Like the bizarre constructs, they were the flora spun themselves into a singular point sharp and precise as though they were a spear. The forks shot forward towards Kahlil's stomach intent on impaling him.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

The plants.

Kahlil hadn't expected that. The light died from his hand as the plant turned to a spear and impaled him. Poison was already tearing apart his mind, forcing him to fight for consciousness. A fight he was already loosing. Add the lack of air and now this? He coughed up blood, wincing as the pain of being torn into like this overwhelmed him.

But the device was destroyed. The dark within burned away. And Iviroa Jinoes wasn't going to be further corrupted. That was enough. He closed his eyes as he stopped fighting the poison and let himself fall unconscious.

 

[Iviroa Jinoes]

With labored breathing, Iviroa forced herself to stand the burning sensation on her skin having passed. It's not like I've never burnt my hand on the stove before but damn burning hurts! Clutching her still pained stomach Iviroa turned to face Kahlil the orange glow in her eyes burnt out. She had already accepted the fact she may have killed Kahlil, such was the fate of any who tried to change her ways. Content stifled her face as she looked towards the artifact burns and scorch marks adorning its surface. Her eyes shifted to Kahlil a large pike driven through his abdomen. Blood trickled from his mouth and neck whilst poison could be seen visibly running through his blood. If she didn't have him wrapped up in her flora she would have assumed him to be dead but even now his heart was beating, fighting for its life.

Calmly the witch approached Kahlil her hands wrapping around the spear lodged in his stomach. Wretching it from his body blood began to pool at the wound a small measure of poison visible in the stream. "Can't leave that the way it is." Pike in hand Iviroa, slit her palm a steady flow of crimson gushing from it. Carefully she seeped her blood in through the wound allowing Kahlil's body to do the rest. In terms of her poison, Iviroa's blood carries the only antidote meaning that one must spill it in order to save themselves. Tenderly the naturalist placed her fingers on the stab wound her fingers turning to sharpened blades of grass.

Briskly the grass stitched the wound closed effectively stopping the bleeding. Her energy utterly depleted Iviroa feel to her knees the crumbling wall behind her offering support. "Not gonna lie to you Jedi. I kinda wish I killed you. Not that I hate you or anything like that...it's just that since you're alive..." Iviroa clenched her fists as her mind traveled down a dark road. "I have to decide whether I want to face your wrath or...or live knowing that I made the choice to kill you."

Emotion rose in her chest and as her regret rose to a boiling point Iviroa broke out in crying laughter. "It's not like your even awake to hear this!" Her laughter grew louder as her tears grew bigger. "What am I even saying?!" Sighing Iviroa's tone became sultry and lighthearted. "Man, your gonna be piiiissed! Well then again you are a Jedi so..."

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

At least he wasn't bleeding out anymore. Kahlil though would be unconscious for a bit, or at least seemingly so. Minutes, hours. He himself didn't know how long he was out, but it wasn't long. Not with the poison removed and his body healed by Iviroa Jinoes at least. Her laughter was what roused him, his eyes blinking slowly as he sat up. The witch was.. Laughing? And crying? He chuckled himself as he shook his head.

"I don't really get pissed when someone stops me from dying, so you're good in that at least."

 

[Iviroa Jinoes]

It would seem Jedi are as resistant to poisons as she had heard. Most people injected with her poison fell into a coma for at least a day but Kahlil...it wasn't even five minutes. A flush of red rose in her cheeks as she wondered just how long Kahlil was listening. He didn't seem to be upset after all he had enough strength to crack a joke which somewhat lightened the mood. "Do you get pissed when someone tries to strangle you?" Iviroa hung her head in shame. She attempted to kill an ally and even worse it was over a piece of metal that wouldn't even work!

"Look." Attentively Iviroa locked her eyes with Kahlil's a repentant look on her face. "I tried to kill you..." Her eyes drifted off. "There's no making up for that, a-and given the choice..." With a slight of her hand, she recalled her vines their thorns and bristles pulling away from the Jedi. "I would do it again." The witch fell to her knees and shut her eyes her demeanor resigned and her tone emotionless. "I've done something...that can never be forgiven." She took an elongated breath. "In exchange for forgiveness...I'll accept any punishment you will give me." In this matter Iviroa was unapologetic, she knew she was in the wrong yet had no repentance in her choice. Without repentance, she cannot ask for mercy only judgment...

...this is the best she can do.

Kahlil Noble

 

[Kahlil Noble]

He was conscious, sure, but not exactly stable. When Iviroa Jinoes waved a hand and dismissed the vines keeping him up he practically fell with her, slamming onto his knees with a groan. His whole body hurt, probably from.. Well everything the Witch had done. He let out a sigh as he listened to her though. Kahlil wasn't a Sith. He wasn't vengeful. And he knew better than most just how all consuming the pull of the Dark could be.

Weakly he reached over to pat her shoulder. "How about you get me to my ship. I think that's punishment enough." A weak, pained smile formed as he tried to keep this in a more lighthearted mood. "Never know when more of those little rodents'll come by, right?"