Hidden Amongst The Thicket

[Maiev]

Maiev followed in silence, allowing Elpsis to lead the way as the empath looked for a place they could hide away in for a bit. Thankfully it was a spot that provided plenty of shade, and enough foliage around them that any potential passersby would caught sight of them.

"I'm fine thank you. Fortunately I didn't get hit to badly, just hurt my back a bit." She'd be able to access the damage later, once Kalax was done talking, but for now that was her focus.

Finding a suitable spot, Maiev settled herself onto the ground into a kneeling position. While the witch trusted Kalax-Ra, their bond was still bound to the same rules of between spirit and host. By default, Kalax did not have full control of her body, as such Maiev required to remain still throughout the process in order to keep those walls up. Even though Kalax would never forcefully try and take over, it was still a precaution to take.

Whether Elpsis also sat was up to her, but Maiev remained where she was and closed her eyes. The wind around them seemed to still, and yet strands of the witch's hair seemed to billow slightly. There was a increase of tension and anticipation as it swirled around Maiev, the Force gathering about until everything went suddenly still again. Maiev opened her eyes slowly.

They were completely black, devoid of any pupils and were in fact the distinct opposite to Elpsis' pale orbs.

"Greetings, Elpsis Elaris of Firemane." The voice was clearly Maiev's, but there was something else there. Kalax's own voice was creeping through at the same time, creating an eerie and somewhat creepy combination.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


Elpsis decided to sit down as well after they reached the safe spot. When the Force coalesced around Maiev, the redhead watched with a mixture of concern and anticipation written across her features. She was not quite sure what to expect.


The spirits she'd encountered so far tended to be the 'cower before me, mortal, or face my wroth' variety. Up to and including the ghost of her very unlamented father, He'd been a monster in life and stayed that way in the death. She pushed that memory aside. It was an unfair comparison.


The buildup of power subsided, when Maiev suddenly opened her eyes again. Being blind, Elpsis could not see that the obsidian orbs were as black as the night. However, she could feel the presence. Until now it had been buried deep inside Maiev and, save for the brief moment after her attempt to pull information from the Felucian's mind had gone awry, she'd only been able to perceive it faintly.


Now it was unmistakeable. She tensed slightly when she heard the eerie, alien sounding voice. It sounded like Maiev...yet not at the same time. Still, Elpsis did not flinch. Appearances could be deceiving. "Uh, hi, Kalax," she responded. "Can Maiev still listen to us or is she, like, asleep right now?" The witch clearly trusted the spirit, otherwise she would not have yielded control, but that would not stop Elpsis from being a wee bit concerned about her.

 

[Maiev]

"She can yes; listen I mean." Kalax began, giving a moment's pause before continuing. "As Maiev answered to your questions earlier. She is in full control, it's her body and always will be. In situations like these, she can allow me to shift to the surface more and take over temporarily. Think of it as as though I've been allowed to step in front of her, while Maiev remains standing behind in view still."

An apt description, especially through the eyes of an empath like Elpsis. Whereas before, Kalax-Ra's presence was like a speck hidden beneath Maiev's own. It was now much larger, and stood presently in front of the witch's. However, rather than it being a complete reversal, Maiev's presence was just as large and vibrant as though she was still in control.

It was like an eclipse, with Kalax's in the middle, and Maiev's around it.

"But we still have to abide to the laws and rules that bind a spirit and host together. Because our joining was of a willing nature, the host maintains absolute control and if so wishes can allow for the spirit to have...a breath of fresh air so to say. It is why I suggested we move to a concealed location, as while I'm speaking I cannot move much."

If they had remained where they had been and were attacked, then Maiev would've been in serious trouble and unable to act in any way until the controller was changed again. The process of which, took a few minutes to progress through.

"Do you have any more questions? Or shall we proceed to discuss our next course of action?"

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


When Casper the Friendly Ghost, who sadly hadn't gotten laid for aeons due to the whole being noncorporeal thing, put it that way, it kind of made sense. Being an empath and - more importantly - someone who was accustomed to perceiving the ebbs and currents of the Force, Elpsis could faintly make out presence of Maiev. It was obscured, like when the dark silhouette of the moon obscured the intensely bright light of the sun, but not gone entirely. This did its part to reassure Elpsis to a degree.


"I sense you're being straight with me. I can see her." It was a bit childish, but Elpsis could not resist the urge to give Maiev a wave with her hand. Perhaps the spirit was not that bad. Perhaps their relationship was as symbiotic as Maiev had described, though a certain degree of suspicion maintained its foothold in the back of the young empath's mind. It's so far out of my comfort zone and kinda seems to be good to be true, but let's try to keep an open mind, she told herself. Many people would've also rejected the tribe out of hand and condemned me for embracing its ways. And there's more at stake here.

"I got a ton of questions. About you, Maiev, about how the hell you ended up bonded with her, and what you did before that, but I figure those can wait. People are dying, the whole forest is dying and being twisted into something evil. We gotta put a stop to that. So let's chat about how."

 

[Maiev]

Kalax probably would've raised an eyebrow at Elpsis' actions; waving her hand, but it was currently impossible. Maiev truly had absolute control in this situation, to a point where she could essentially lock the spirit out from even forming an expression. Currently, she was literally just sitting there staring at Elpsis like a statue - well aside from breathing and talking of course. Language was another factor too, as while Kalax spoke in her own tongue while in the metaphorical back seat, it wasn't necessary for when she was speaking through Maiev.

You mind loosening it up a little? Otherwise you're going to have a stiff neck once this is over.

Oh! Right, sorry. It's been a while since we last did this.

There was a slight shift in the Force again, the 'leash' as it were was loosened allowing for Kalax to move her head a bit more. With that, she smiled and nodded at Elpsis.

"That is why I like you Elpsis. You get straight ot the point at hand, don't bother with frivolous matters that don't pertain to what's happening." Although the spirit did acknowledge that her questions were in concern for her host, and no doubt due to curiosity too. "When you were in the Felucians mind before, you said you saw an image of a sarlacc pit; the Ancient Abyss as the natives call it. I believe that to be the source, but first a little history lesson." Kalax paused for a moment before continuing. "While their origin is unknown, there was not always a sarlacc present on Felucia. It was the result of an experiment, introducing a female of the species to grow then bring the male in to reproduce their usual mating. The reason this was done, was to see how a Sarlacc would react when on a planet with such vibrant life, in comparison to the more mindless nature of the ones you'd find on desert planets like Tatooine. It's why this one grew so big; to a point it's believed to be the largest one in the galaxy." This in turn did give some idea of just how old Kalax was, taking into consideration how old a Sarlacc could become.

"The point being is that sarlaccs can form a measure of telepathy as they age. That, along with their size will determine how advanced it becomes. And a planet like Felucia? Its full of many minds it could link with. To a point where the more feral Felucians worship the creature, enough to build a city along its outer maw. My theory, is that whoever is trying to corrupt this place, is using the Ancient Abyss as a means to spread it, at least across minds anyway."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


"Wow, you must be, like, real old," Elpsis blurted out. Was it a faux pas to ask a spirit her age? "I mean, I'm sure you look like, uh, let's move on," the empath trailed off before she could get ooh-shinied or embarrass herself further. Regardless, at least she'd realised that, judging by the way she spoke of the Sarlacc, Kalax must be ancient. This in turn made Elpsis' questions more pertinent, but they would have to wait for now.


"So if the bastards behind this have twisted the Ancient Abyss to their will to mess with others' minds, we gotta reach out and free it. If it no longer sends whatever message they want, they should lose their power over others' minds. If I were them, I wouldn't wanna be in the same area as a pissed off Sarlacc when that happens," she knitted her brow together in contemplation as she thought. "That might explain the mental stuff, but now the landscape's gotten twisted. It's like the forest is blighted. Dying."

 

[Maiev]

A deadpan expression appeared on Maiev's face, emphasising the mood Kalax was in at the suddenly blurting out of her age. There was no denying the spirit was pretty damn ancient, but there was a certain measure of decorum about just saying something like that.

Kalax however didn't reprimand her, just gave her an annoyed look that went unseen, but probably still felt.

"Yes, I am quite old." She said, her tone somewhat clipped. But that shifted away to slight bemusement as Elpsis stumbled over her words. It was clear the empath didn't mean the words in any negative context, rather just a habit of her blurting whatever sprung to mind.

"On the matter at hand...yes I agree, its is paramount we reach the sarlacc and free it from their control. The issue being however, we likely need to go directly to the Ancient Abyss to severe the connection. As far reaching as he is, the further away we are the weaker our attempts will be." Though there were several obstacles that would block their path. The cultists would no doubt be aware they'll try and make their way there, and as such ensure they intercepted along the way.

"And yes, it was something we noticed upon arriving. Maiev managed to cure a plant we had came across, but it did not act as if it were a simple disease. Instead, it fled and with the information we have now I assume it was towards the Ancient Abyss." Kalax paused, a thoughtful look crossing her face. "Amongst the Cosmic there is the Living, and both are simply the Force. Its reach spans the galaxy and it touches everything, connected to life as we know it. And as history has demonstrated, it can be used for the most dark and twisted desires. My theory is the culprits are using the Ancient Abyss as a psuedo Nexus to spread their corruption through the Force. That is why only certain flora are being effected first - they're targetting the weakest first. Likely intending to obtain a foothold, then move onto the tougher ones."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


It was probably quite blatant that Elpsis suffered from chronic foot in mouth disease. It was quite difficult to cure. Anyhow, the spirit did not seem too offended. The look of annoyance went unseen, but Elpsis still felt it. Ok. No asking Caper about her age, she noted mentally. Somehow, the spirit's annoyance made seem more human and thus more relatable to Elpsis.


Regardless, the young empath managed to focus and listen when the spirit. As childish and immature as Elpsis could still be, she turned serious when something important was at stake. What was transpiring on Felucia constituted such a situation.


She nodded after Kalax had spoken. "Your words are wise. You remind me a bit of my mentor," she said. Mentor was one of many things that [member="Laina Silvias"] was to her. Lover and mother figure also applied, but that was besides the point.


"Guess what we faced so far is just a foretaste of what the bastard's are gonna throw at us, and if the Ancient Abyss has been corrupted, it may attack us till we've gotten through to it. I know how dangerous a Sarlacc is, but I'm ready to take the risk."


Perhaps Kalax would sense that the whole affair seemed to be a little personal for Elpsis. Her father, a vile Sith Lord and Bando Gora Sorcerer, would have revelled in this act of desecration. He was dead, having perished by the hands of Siobhan Kerrigan. His daughter, whom he had tormented both mentally and physically after getting her into his clutches, had beaten him to a bloody pulp in the Netherworld.

 

[Maiev]

"Thank you," she said with pride in her tone. Amongst everything that Kalax was, she was first and foremost very prideful, especially when it came to wisdom and knowledge. Albeit, her disdain to others was never so apparent, but during her time alive she was a chronicler and knowledge keeper. And while all her records were now nothing more than dust; destroyed by time, it still remained within her mind. That of which was further emphasized by her countless years as a spirit, experiencing history through the eyes of various hosts.

Back during the early years of her inhabitance within Maiev, she had saw the young woman as nothing more than another body. That one day she'd inevitably pass on and she'd have to find a new host. That much was still true, but now Kalax wished it wouldn't be the case. Her time spent with Maiev had brought back emotions once thought to be gone entirely.

To care for someone.

Kalax pushed those thoughts aside, knowing it wasn't the right time to dwell on such matters.

"Indeed, there's no doubt what we just faced was merely a tiny fraction of what they have awaiting us." Perhaps it had been a 'warning shot', an attempt to deter them from pushing onwards to stop them. But either way, she was fairly certain neither of the women present were going to be leaving the planet until the culprits were dealt with.

"My suggestion is to wait until nightfall, or some time near it. If we could perchance sneak into the Ancient Abyss, reach the sarlacc and break his mental chains - we might just be able to get an ally on stomping the cultists with their own manipulations." There was after all, nothing more sweeter than turning an enemy's own plans against them.

Silence lingered for a few moments, Kalax's eyes lingering directly at Elpsis'. She had indeed picked up on the intensity in which the empath spoke. It told a number of things, each making the spirit that more curious.

"You certainly seem eager, Elpsis. More so than one would imagine, given we're soon to throw ourselves into a rough situation that could very well result in death."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


Elpsis shrugged with feigned nonchalance. "Someone's gotta do it and I don't see anyone else signing up except Maiev and I'm not letting her walk into danger alone. Might as well be me. It's what I do. Go places, beat up bad guys, help the innocent, have fun with cute girls." Her tone was to earnest to make this the whole truth.


She knitted her brow together, as if weighing how much she should reveal. "I get visions. They're a part of me I can't deny or run away from. I tried to do that in the past. I was selfish, only thinking of myself. Running away from the visions, the Force, my past. Scared and alone. Then I met some amazing people who showed me the way." This was the Cliff Notes version and obviously not the whole story.


"I follow my goddess and go where She guides me. The white wolf brought me to Felucia for a reason. I have faith that she will protect me, until my time's up. And I pray that she'll protect Maiev, too. She's never failed me before." There was fervour in her tone.

 

[Maiev]

Kalax nodded, a knowing smile on her face.

"You have faith in your goddess; your White Wolf. That is good, but it can also be blinding. A prime example being the cultists behind this, as there's no doubt in my mind they're following the will of their own deity. Those that have taken the offered guiding hand and ran with it, like a pack of hungry wolves. It is often the case; spread across history, that the disciples will take whatever meaning they can from the messages left behind."

It was after all what Kalax had been to Maiev all these years, and still to this day. A goddess, guide, mother and friend. At one point only the first two had been Kalax's intention, but as time went on it became impossible to remain just those. Despite the spirit's plans etched over eons, somehow the Dathomirian witch had nestled herself in her heart.

"Visions can be both a tremendous gift and a treacherous curse. They are indeed impossible to run away from, and trying to walk a solitary path will inevitably lead to nothing." That was the reason why the spirit had urged Maiev towards groups like the Vigil. That while they had done plenty good on their own, she could do much more while surrounded by like minded individuals. "I am glad to see you eventually found a group you could come to trust, that took you in and guided you."

Kalax looked up slightly, towards the sunlight that was trying to break through the cover high above. The heat was slowly dying down, making it clear the sun was slowly starting to set.

"What is that saying...it seems we have some time to kill? Hmm, yes I think that's it. We have some hours before night is upon us, so there's time for more questions. If there's no more about what we're to do, I'm open to hearing what's been on your mind since you've learned of my existance."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


"The ancient spirit is telling me I shouldn't trust cryptic, noncorporeal entities? Am I hearing this right?" Elpsis asked sarcastically. There was, in her opinion at least, a certain degree of irony. "Seriously, I get what you mean. Pure faith can blind. Even a good faith can be corrupted and turned into an instrument of oppression. I've even seen that in the tribe that worships Her. Trying to follow my visions hasn't...always had good consequences. Many of them are awfully cryptic and vague. Some are of the future...others about stuff that's already happened. It's hard to tell which is which. Even more to figure out whether trying to stop something bad might not bring it about," she sighed slightly, running a hand through her firemane.


"But I trust Her - and I trust the people that led me to Her. She doesn't want me to burn 'nonbelievers' at the stake or force my faith on others. She's a goddess of valour, nature, and love." In the meantime, the sun was starting to set and the heat was dying down. It would still take some time before nightfall.


"You've been around for a long time. Do you, like, go from host to host and, uh, bond with them, then move on to the next when they die? How'd you run into Maiev? Why'd you pick her?" She'd heard that the spirit had saved the witch's life, but figured there was more to it. Little did she know how true that was.

 

[Maiev]

"Yes, that is the general idea. I inhabit a host until they die then eventually move on to someone else." Kalax paused in thought, head tilting to the side slightly. "But the bonding is not always the same, sometimes it's non-existent. There have been times when its simply been a necessity, and then there's the few times I've been forced into a host for their personal gain. But there had been one occasion where becoming my host was a family tradition. That in itself had been a mixed bag in terms of forming bonds...especially given I was essentially a family relic to them."

It was a tale that spanned at least five generations, all ranging from good or bad. But did ultimately lead to Kalax being on Dathomir.

"But in terms of how I met Maiev and why I picked her, I believe she talked about it before." Again another pause, as a wave of sadness seemed to emanate from Kalax. Or rather from Maiev specifically, it was after all a rough memory for the witch to remember.

"Her mother was made an outcast because she laid with an outsider, something that was majorly frowned upon in their village. They chased her out, forced her into the Wilds." Anger followed that in particular, again from Maiev. "She managed to survive though, incredible as that is with her being pregnant. Though of course, she did have a helping hand during that time." Kalax lingered silently for a moment, clearly indicating just who exactly that 'helping hand' had been. "But it was very much the perseverance of a mother, that kept her going until she could give birth. Enough time to be able to hold her newborn in her arms." The mood dropped to sadness once more, but this time tears began to trickle down from one eye. Even while taking a backseat, Maiev's emotions were coming through.

"And yes, I saw an opportunity to take on a host in the form of baby Maiev. But she also wouldn't have lived it hadn't done that. I was able to reach out with some influenece, and use one of the Wilds' native creatures to carry her back to the village."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


Elpsis felt a stab of guilt when she saw and - far more viscerally - felt Maiev's sorrow. "I'm sorry, Maiev," she said feelingly, sounding contrite. Leaning forward, she pulled the dark-maned witch into a bear hug, holding her close.


One hand moved to her cheek to gently wipe away tears and caress in what was hopefully a soothing gesture. "I didn't mean to cause you pain. You're a great girl. I'm sure your mother is proud you. She's watching you. I know it. One day, the two of you will be together." She held the older woman for a while, rubbing circles across her back.


She would hold the woman for a while, rocking her gently, before she withdrew. "I'm sorry," she apologised again. "I won't prod further about this. I'd...like to hear about your life before you, well, became a spirit, but I won't push."

 

[Maiev]

The hug was admittedly rather awkward at the start, given Kalax hadn't the ability to move Maiev's body out of her statue-like state. Although the emotional turmoil that was stirring within Maiev resulted in the tether snapping away and bringing Maiev back in control. Kalax made no fuss about, allowing herself to be pulled back to her original spot. It was after all her entire point of bringing the subject matter up.

"Thank you," Maiev said not really knowing what else to say. Other than sniffling slightly to bide back any further tears. While Kalax had over time filled in that mother role, there would always be that connection to her real mother, even though she never got the chance to know or meet her. At one point it had been a choice for Kalax, whether to severe that connection early or allow it to remain. Clearly, the spirit had chosen the latter and sometimes she did wonder if that had been a mistake.

Maiev was strong and determined, taking to Kalax's lessons like a duitiful student and gave the spirit hope her dream and ideals would be successfully passed on. But the Dathomirian was also vulnerable, emotionally so when it came to the subject matter of her birth mother.

<I am sorry too Maiev, but it was necessary. You can't remain on your own forever, and you know I don't really count towards that. You need actual people around you - friends, loved ones and so on.>

At some point the witch wrapped her arms around Elpsis, all though it was rather awkward given the empath was wearing armour. Eventually they broke apart, and Maiev gave her a smile

"No, it's alright you have no need to apologize." Maiev said, taking a moment to stand up and stretch her legs. "And Kalax won't be able to directly talk for a bit, these kind of moments have a tendency to break concentration."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


Awkward City: Three inhabitants. Of those three, two were sharing a body. Awkwardness all around. The third was an empath in phrik armour and a chronic case of foot in mouth disease. But, hey, she meant well. Points for effort!


Eventually, the two broke apart. Elpsis smiled slightly, feeling that Maiev was back in the driver's seat, so to speak. "No, I should apologise. I didn't wanna upset you. I didn't lose my mother like you did...but I spent most of my life growing up without her. So I get it a bit," she said softly, patting the darkhaired witch on the shoulder.


She nodded curtly. "I'll stop with the Q&A. It's getting dark, but take a moment if you need it." Her curiosity would have to take a backseat for now. They still had a quest to complete, after all. Beat up the bad guys, save the day and all that. Hopefully without being eaten by the Sarlacc.

 

[Maiev]

Maiev had gave the empath a warm smile, intending for a moment to correct her for not needing to apologize again. She had after all willingly allowed for the conversation to eventually wind up on the subject of her mother. At any point, Maiev could have put a stop to it and pulled Kalax to the backseat once more. But it was something need, as while Elpsis had some measure of trust on the witch, it wasn't necessarily the same for Kalax.

"Just a moment yeah, being...'out' of my body has some slighty discomforts when I return to the driving seat." Maiev continued her stretches, bending her legs and arms to loosen her stiff muscles. Her body arced almost unnaturally at certain points, demonstrating some of that Vahla blood she had.

She always considered it a type of disconnect, that everything about her just felt like it wasn't hers. Even if Kalax was only in control for a minute, that feeling of being on a foreign body - while still in her own, was there.

Even as the witch ran her fingers thorugh her wild hair, it felt strange. But it was only temporary thing, and soon enough Maiev felt comfortable again.

Though her eyes did snap over to Elpsis, realizing she had very likely given the empath a little bit of a show. Maiev could hear Kalax laughing at her expense, and she was swift to change the subject before it could even come up.

"Alright, let's get moving. The sooner we can reach the Ancient Abyss, the sooner we can get come up with a plan to reach the sarlacc - hopefully without alerting the whole village there."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


Could you still oggle someone if you were...blind and only capable of perceiving auras? Well...suffice to say all that stretching, bending and so on still managed to catch Elpsis' attention. Sure, Maiev was pulling off those manoeuvres in order to pump life into her stiff muscles after she'd been rigid for a good while. Only natural after she'd been in the backseat while the spirit was in the pilot one, so to speak. Still, show.


Realising that she'd probably been caught staring at the older witch's aura, Elpsis flushed slightly and looked away, feeling just a bit embarrassed. "Uh, yeah, right. Let's go. I'll take the lead." Fortunately, Maiev seemed just as eager to get going. Doubtless Kalax was enjoying this. Elpsis was certain that she'd felt a feeling of strong amusement that did not emanate from Maiev.


Anyhow, off they went, moving deeper into the seemingly endless forest. Night had fallen upon Felucia. The sun had vanished behind the veil of darkness. Elpsis' helmet did not have any fancy night vision and she was not wearing it anyway, but she still walked with unerring precision, for the Force guided her.


But the deeper they moved into the forest, the more widespread the corruption became. Here, there was no plant, no mushroom that had not been infested with the sickness the malevolent cult was spreading. Here and there, they would come across grossly mutated animal cadavares or corpses that might have been human or Felucian. In the far distance, the outlines of the Ancient Abyss could be made out.


The Force itself felt tainted and warped. Elpsis winced slightly and rubbed her head, as if she was suddenly overcome by a headache. She shivered strongly, as a cold chill ran down her spine. It felt as as if her energies were being slowly leeched away from her. For a moment, she could barely focus. Her vision grew hazy, as if her sight had been robbed from her, and she stumbled over a corpse. She hit the ground hard, though she fortunately suppressed a yelp.


"I'm fine," she insisted, keeping her voice low. "The taint is getting stronger." Raising her head slightly, she breathed in. With focus, she could see. Mutated Felucian warriors and war beasts were on patrol, scouring the blighted land. "I really should've asked Mum for that bending light crash course," she muttered under her breath.

 

[Maiev]

Once all was said and done, the pair were trekking their way through the forest. Maiev strode with Elpsis, keeping up with the empath's pace consistently. While she used the Force to guide her forward, Maiev's gaze was able to pierce through the darkness.

Countless nights spent living within the Wilds of Dathomir had taught her how to adapt her vision to it. Nothing close to the usefullness as proper night vision, but it was enough for her to see things a lot more clearly than Elpsis - especially so as they began to walk amongst more of the corruption.

The further they went, the more concentrated it became. There was not a single bit of flora that wasn't touched by it in some form. And the worst part of it all was the fact it wasn't killing them. Rather it was just keeping them alive, torturing and twisting them into something else. At one point Maiev lingered to the side slightly, leaning down so her fingers could brush against a plant as they passed.

She instantly recoiled as she caught a glimpse of the pain it was in, a silent scream of agony that echoed out along with the rest of the flora around.

They needed to cull the source of this, and fast. Hopefully it would be timely enough that the damage could be undone.

It was when the Ancient Abyss began to creep into view, that Maiev felt a pulse through the Force. It was like a foul presence lingered within it, stretching out from one point. The witch didn't need to be an empath to feel it, but it did cross her mind the effect would be worse. Her eyes snapped over to Elpsis just as the redhead fell to the ground.

"Elpsis!" Her tone was heightened, but still remained a whisper as hurried to the woman's side. "Are you alright?" Although the insistent response didn't ease Maiev's mind on the matter. She helped Elpsis slowly onto her feet, and then looked out towards the land before them.

They were now in view of the village's outskirts, a mess of huts and hovels with flickering torches lighting the pathways that weaved between them. Felucians twisted by the corruption moved around like guards, rather than actual residents. While all manner of twisted beasts and creatures patrolled around. And this was nothing, considered 'light' given they had no view of the village that lined the Ancient Abyss' outer maws.

"Yeah, sneaking in is going to be our only option."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


If Mum were here, she could fashioned a cloak of invisiblity for them, allowing the pair to sneak past the guards. Her stealthy prowess would have also enabled her to silence their seps. However, Elpsis was not [member="Coryth Elaris"].


Nor was she Siobhan Kerrigan. She was not an indomitable force of nature that crushed all opposition. As a matter of fact, she already had trouble seeing anything without concentrating a lot. She was just...Elpsis. If the gentle reader is getting the impression that the empath might have a slight inferiority complex, they would not be mistaken.


Anyhow, Elpsis considered her options. Her head hurt. The empath backlash made her wince. Screams of agony emanated from the soil and the blighted plants. It hurt. "My armour's kinda heavy for sneaking and the dark taint's mucking with my vision. I'm not good enough with illusions to hide us," she admitted. It was not an easy admission to make.


"I could draw their attention away from you. You sneak in, I join you when I can." Assuming she did not get stabbed or eaten by a rancor. The plan had a number of holes, but it was a plan at least. Kinda sorts.