Hollow World

[Sky'ito Yumi]

Noriko slept, [member="Ashelia"] meditated, Sukai? she contacted her family, setting down the multi holo communicator, soon a blue image of her bother, mother and the greatest Jedi in the whole galaxy Akari came into view. "Mother, brother, master Akari", she said, the latter part with a bit of humor. "Daughter, long time not talk, do I hear right that you are entering the rift? quite a trip you have", the words coming from her ever stoic mother. "Oh oh, what is the wift? sound cool, can I go there"? Akari's antics earning a chuckle, the little girls ramble only silence by her mother, "maybe when you are older".

Akari nodded excitably, sitting back down on her mothers lap, keeping attention on her older sister. "Yes indeed I am, an expedition of sorts, mainly to allow a new Padawn to obtain force powers". That wasn't something you heard everyday, her bother cocking an eyebrow at the statement. "Interesting, I never really thought that was possible, can't be easy though, otherwise everyone and their dog would be going to the rift". Sukai gave a small nod, "Is is hard to navigate, not really deadly but their are many dangers, one needs quite the advanced ship to get inside safely, even then it's under SJO control, doubt any Sith will be getting to it".

The conversation continued for some time, finally before long news about their arrival, Sukai bidding farewell to her family before heading back to the bridge. Already she could sense the chance in the air, the feeling through the force, a sense of strength, she felt like she could bring down a star destroyer with ease. Still her own gains were not the purpose of this adventure, they were here for [member="Ashelia"], speaking of which.

Glancing to her right Sukai looked on as the women began to, well use the force. It was simple, just lifting an object, but even so she had to be impressed by such a feat, a deserved clap coming from the Jin as her progress. "Congratulations Ash, you have progress 100% in but a few seconds". In but a few seconds the women became one of the fastest trained Jedi in existence, to some extent that was an achievement to be proud of.

[member="Noriko Ike"]

 

[Noriko Ike]

[member="Sky'ito Yumi"] [member="Ashelia"]

Noriko was looking at Ashelia as they came out of the ship. Here standing around there was a good amount in the monoliths station. A section more molded to it and at its center was the warping gate. Force activated and massive covered with runes to open it up and get inside. The scientific teams that were around here experimenting. Noriko led them forward but she grinned. "There we go.. but you aren't gong to want to stay here the rest of your life to be able to feel the force." She said it but was walking towards the gate while a few noticed but most didn't seem surprised. THe jedi master was focusing on the ring gate and the force as she poured the energy into it. "Alright, I am going to need both of you to focus on the gate and start opening it."

 

[Ashelia]

Ashelia
Post 8
Location: Monolith, Bubble of the Lost
[member="Noriko Ike"] [member="Sky'ito Yumi"]

“Yes, master! I’ll be right behind you.” She replied. Ashelia had to resist the urge to test the limits of her newfound abilities with Force. For the time being, Ashelia let herself be satisfied with the datapad by itself. Channeling the Force through herself once more, the diminutive Elzeri envisioned the device through the Force and willed it to levitate in the air by her side as she followed Noriko and Sukai out of the ship and into the Monolith. When she arrived at the large gate, Ashelia let the datapad fall into her left hand and she stowed it in her backpack.

Ashelia was surprised at how strong she felt in the Force, already. She had trained and studied the techniques utilized by the Jedi and Sith to manipulate the Force for months without results. It dawned upon her that during that period, she had lacked the proper tools to make her attempts at exploration and study of the Force successful. It was akin to attempting to undo a large and tightly wound screw without a screwdriver or any other type of handheld appliance. However, when one finally received the necessary tools after months of working without them, the previously insurmountable task suddenly became far easier than it had been before. Additionally, the act of working without the tools for months had made her stronger over time. If she had been gifted the necessary tools in the first place, she certainly would not have developed the strength and skils that allowed her to so easily manipulate the Force only after months of working at a severe disadvantage.

Ashelia closed her eyes and drew on the potent cosmic energies around her like solar energy pooling within a solar collection device. Then, she opened her colorful eyes, and focused that same energy on pushing the gate open. The gate was far heavier than the datapad, and as such, it demanded more effort and focus from her. Once again, Ashelia let her eyes close as sweat dripped from her brow in her efforts to push the gate open...

 

[Sky'ito Yumi]

So it was only temporary, the force flowed through everyone here, but it wasn't apart of them yet, still it was impressive to see [member="Ashelia"] use the power with such ease. Perhaps all of her studying before today had paid off well, for one thing such determination demanded some reward. Now though her time for work came, seemed this trip would be more then just a tag along adventure for her, Sukai nodding to Noriko, giving a small smile to the new force user in their presence, she was certainly enjoying this new power.

Closing her eyes the young Jin reached out, feeling around the massive gate in front of them, testing it's weight with a small shove. It was heavy, but not a challenge, and with a relatively calm expression drew on the empowering feel of the rift, slowly but firmly pushing against the massive gates in front of her, feeling it slowly give way and open up to the next part of their trip. "That was a nice warm up, haven't needed to push something that big in a while".

If her mother was here the women could have probably done both doors without lifting a finger. She had quite a long way to go before gaining such power.

[member="Noriko Ike"]

 

[Noriko Ike]

[member="Ashelia"] [member="Sky'ito Yumi"]

Noriko looked at the two of them as the gate itself was powering up. her hands held out to infuse the force into it and that was the trick, only a force user could open and pass through the gate. The rippling effect when it appeared was the force itself... the sense almost blinding as she almost wanted to shield her eyes to stop the blinding sensation across her vision. Warmth and coldness washing over her. She pushed forward with the power they had. She spoke. "Go forward and don't look back until the light becomes mostly normal.... it can be a little jarring and you don't want to get lost."

She could barely sense them within the force as it was like being cast about in a sea of energy that was strong and you could practically taste it. Like unfiltered or diluted drinks that needed something to cut down on the bitterness and sweetness. Noriko was moving forward as she felt it. A tingling sensation across her body as she felt it breaking, reforming, melting away and she came back standing there for a moment on her knees choking back bile in her throat as it burned. Sands around her and stones... pathways carved into the ground as you could see the dried grass all around them.

The paths fork and divide. With each step you take through the ancient garden, you make a choice; and every choice determines future paths. However, at the end of a lifetime of walking you might look back, and see only one path stretching out behind you going as far back as you can see. Noriko knew this... somehow... like something or someone or was implanting the thoughts into her mind. The dark shadows seemed to whisper around her and she didn't know if Sukai and Ahselia were around her. She knew that things here could cast a shadow when they chose to remember at least.

"tysk tysk tysk." The sound echoed in the garden drawing her attention around as she could smell it before anything. It was like summer peaches and the thing... and she could tell it was a thing now. Each time she blinked it shifted, changed going from male to female to in between and she could see two shadows. One black and sharp-edged the other wavering like a heat haze. A smile creeping across its face as the barest hint of teeth showed like sunlight from a knife edge. Skin as pale as smoke with eyes tawny and sharp like yellow wine that were unchanging. It smiled in brief flashes for the moment.

Then the garden changed the stone and rock around them, Each one holding a small mirror and more were on stands. Looking at different places. She could see the Rishi Maze, swirling... massive and concealing thousands of worlds. She was watching the maelstrom as it swept across the stars housing the massive more spacefarring whales the size of starships. Others were looking at people, in different acts. Noriko's eyes met one of them and there was a moment as she felt something pulling at her through the force and thesmaller child seemed to scream in terror as sweat and dread was on his face.

"Careful." It moved forward. "Don't want to scare all of them just yet now do you perhaps understand."It seemed amused. "Each opening shows her an existence within the galaxy. Some only for moments, others for lifetimes." It was showing as some of the mirrors shifted and changed but others followed from different surfaces those were were important perhaps. "Some things are changeless. People love, and die, they dream, destroy, despair, go mad. They fulfill their destinies, live out the course of their lives." There was a look on the things face as Noriko stayed there and she reached for her saber to protect but it wasn't there.

 

[Ashelia]

Ashelia
Post 9
Location: Monolith, Bubble of the Lost
[member="Noriko Ike"] [member="Sky'ito Yumi"]

As the gates opened, a blinding white light washed over Ashelia’s vision, so powerful that only the outlines of Noriko and Sukai remained visible to her. The energies of the Force had grown so potent and overwhelming that she could no longer sense the presence two women through its webs. Nevertheless, when Noriko spoke, Ashelia listened and repeated her words to herself.

“Keep going forward. Don’t stray the course. No distractions. No hesitation.” Ashelia whispered softly, before repeating the words over and over as she climbed the stairs and passed through the towering gate into the unfathomable void of whiteness.

Suddenly, she found herself standing in a dark alley within the lower levels of Coruscant. She couldn’t exactly recognize where she was, but the place felt familiar to her in a way that reminded her of her tiny apartment, which was close to a number of alleyways which were similar to the one she stood within now. With her sensitive ears, she heard the sound of water dripping from a few nearby pipes and the scurrying feet of rodents nearby. A pungent odor was in the air as well, which she identified as emanating from a nearby dumpster.

With a deep intake of the familiar air, Ashelia continued to walk forward. However, after only a few steps, she saw a path to another alleyway immediately adjacent to her. When she looked ahead, Ashelia saw a few more paths, which presumably led to different alleys or streets as well. The young Elzeri was strongly tempted to divert from her original path so that she could follow it. She thought that she could the inside of her apartment through a window at the far end of the new path. There were also bright neon lights which she could see flashing as well, which reminded her of her favorite nightclub back on Coruscant. Ashelia very nearly gave into her curiosity, but she suddenly recalled the words the Atrisian Jedi had spoken to her before she entered the gates.

“Go forward and don’t look back.”

With an intense and focused glare in her heterochromatic gaze, Ashelia turned away from the new alleyway which had presented itself and she continued down her original path. Even so, each step was harder and more painful than the last, as space and time contorted itself around and within her. Her perception of the world around her seemed to lag as she continued onward. In order to maintain her senses through the nonsensical and confusing cosmos which surrounded her, Ashelia repeated Noriko’s words to herself over and over.

Her determination and strength knew no bounds, and she would continue until the light was no longer painful to stare upon.

 

[Sky'ito Yumi]

Thankfully Sukai had her eyes closed when the gate opened to them, but even she had to raise her hands in an attempt to block the shear brilliance of the incoming light. It was pure force power, she could feel it just as much as she could see it, like a wave crashing into you on the beach. Just as fast her ability to sense the others around her became muffled in the constant barrage of force powers, their signatures being indistinguishable from the cosmic energy. Only her sense of smell allowed some confront, each of the women's scent though new to her body was enough to distinguish them from what ever this place was.

"Perhaps we should have tied each other together before hand... oh well, just have to keep a level head", something easier said then done with the current state of things. her eyes opened slightly to take in the surrounding before following behind the others two women as they started heir accent into the rift. Only it wasn't, as her eyes opened into the world she found herself in a strange but familiar landscape, it reminded her of fathers descriptions of his home world.

The rolling hills and cherry blossoms trees continued to roll forever into a strange haze of sorts, whats more the moment she left her gaze to look at another point her sight returned to an area changed. It was as if the relm around her was moving the moment she looked away, very disorientating. A small amount of worry set in, but not before Noriko spoke up, forward, just keep going, don't falter, use your other sense instead of sight, do not focus on what is around you, it's not real.

Eash foot landed in front of the other as Sukai attempted to stay on the straight an narrow, her head feeling all clouded and full of water, her location making it hard to determine an exact direction. Still she persisted, pushing forwards against, what ever this place, determined to see it to the end no matter what.

@Ashelia @Noriko Ike

 

[Noriko Ike]

[member="Ashelia"] [member="Sky'ito Yumi"]

Noriko could feel the others finally and she stood there not looking back but she wasn't going over it yet letting the two of them catch up but they seemed to be seeing something else as the being spoke. "Something like that." She didn't like when something read her mind easily but finally she managed to and moved over towards Ashelia and Sukai. Where she could check it out and the jedi master watched. "Let them see." She wasn't certain but these were not things you demanded from... no they weren't exactly known for their niceness but at the same time they didn't care enough usually to keep things up. It shattered theillusion remaining in the garden for all three that combined the pathways with lights and trees from the other two. "Better." It said it and seemed bored..... now why would you come here? The force is not a plaything and this realm is not for the weak."

 

[Ashelia]

Ashelia
Post 10
Location: Monolith, Bubble of the Lost
[member="Sky'ito Yumi"] [member="Noriko Ike"]

Pain wracked her form from the inside as Ashelia continued on through the alleyway. However, before long, the illusion shattered before her eyes. Then, she suddenly found herself in a garden as a cold and mysteriously shifting figure began to speak. The pain finally ended, but she felt a strong ache throughout her entire body, as if she had been torn apart and put together atom by atom. Much to her relief, Noriko and Sukai were standing by her side, but as the sole reason for the entire expedition in the first place, Ashelia knew that its question was hers to answer.

With all the hard work she had done to get herself to this point, Ashelia could not help but to feel offended at the implication that she was weak. More aptly, she felt angry. She had no intention of using the Force as a toy. Ashelia believed that she held more knowledge of the Force than most Jedi Initiates, and she wasn’t about to let the strange creature address her like she was some simpleton. By all means, The Elzeri knew that she possessed real respect for its power, especially given her own extensive study of the Force.

Who was this being to imply otherwise?

“If you’re gonna start this conversation like that, then why don’t you do away with the shifting act and show me who you are really are so I can punch you in the mouth for daring to imply that I’m weak?” Ashelia began in a bold tone that laid bare her anger for the voice to hear. “You have no idea what I’ve done to get here, so how about you cut the shit and maybe you can start this again in a more civilized tone, hmm?”

 

[Noriko Ike]

[member="Ashelia"]

It seemed to be looking at her and was indifferent. "Shifting?" The voice was almost curious as it spoke moving around. "I find the notion you believe yourself important enough to have attention wasted upon you Ashelia, the copy of Ashelia B'nargin." The being was looking more at her and black eyes reflectig starlight didn't need to blink as Noriko shifted a little closer and in front of Ashelia. She had seen the spirits of bedlam when they were annoyed poof people into something else so.... here in a place that contained it and bent to its will. Noriko would try to defend if she could but she wasn't certain what they could actually do to it.

"Not much." It had moved forward standing there and looking down at them as it seemed almost impossibly tall. "You are utterly the stupidest, most self-centered, appallingest excuse for a living being in this or any other plane!" Where it was looking though at her remained there. "I'm not blessed or merciful or here for your petty troubles.. I'm just me. I've got a job to do and I do it. Listen... look and learn: even as we're talking, I'm there for the old and young jedi... sith, innocent and guilty, those who die together and those who die alone rejoin me. I'm in temples and room and cities, in hospitals and forests and the dark void."

Where it was looking had changed and the image shifted several times but the yellow and starlight remained much the same as its voice came out. "For some folks am a burden.... a gift..... a calling and for others an abomination, a terrible thing. But in the end, I'm there for all of them." It chuckled though looking at some of the mirrors showing others and then moments from Ashelia's life. "Many talk of me going around corrupting minds and buying sould, like a fishwife come market day, never stopping to ask why? I need no souls. And how can anyone own a soul? No. They belong to themselves … they just hate to face up to what deals they made in here and the burden."

 

[Ashelia]

Ashelia
Post 11
Location: Monolith, Bubble of the Lost
[member="Noriko Ike"] [member="Sky'ito Yumi"]

Ashelia gasped in a mix of shock and anger when the spirit referenced the Dark Jedi Elzeri Princess who she had decided to name herself after. The strange being standing in front of her was truly omnipotent. Yet, they were childish and petty at the same time, since it seemed to be genuinely offended by Ashelia’s earlier comments. The thought of an omnipotent deity being so sensitive as to the take the insults of a mortal woman personally made her giggle out loud in a tone that conveyed both anger and perverse delight.

“I may have taken Princess Ashelia B’nargin of House Solidor’s name, but know that I will become far more powerful in the Force than she will ever be! I will be stronger than any dumb princess!” Ashelia retorted. “You know, I frankly find it...cute that such a powerful being as yourself is so sensitive that you would let the words of a mortal schutta offend you! Perhaps you are not so far above us as you think.” The Elzeri added musefully.

“If you do not want souls, what is it that you require in exchange of those who...” Ashelia’s words trailed off. “Come to you with requests?” The Elzeri finished as she took two steps closer to the towering creature standing before her. Ashelia’s pride would not allow her to accept Noriko’s protection, unless she truly needed it.

Perhaps it was a haze of irrational anger clouding her better judgement, but Ashelia did not feel like she needed it now.

 

[Noriko Ike]

[member="Ashelia"]

It seemed to just become calm. "It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the gods, the spirits, the eternal have emotions beyond love, hate or uncaring. But the half-wit remains a half-wit, and the god remains a god." It backed up a little and found a seat remaining there and sitting down as it looked out and everything seemed to form and shape around the base of it. "When one comes to me with a request it is simple, I travel along with you or at least a piece of me. There to remind you of your choice, of your burden and when you pass and you will. You are going to be here, you'll not return to the force, you will not renew and be reborn within the future generations. You'll know an eternity of torment, you'll know a lifetime and even for one here time can pass at the same snails crawl of the outside. A lifetime, several lifetimes all of it here."

 

[Ashelia]

Ashelia
Post 12
Location: Monolith, Bubble of the Lost
[member="Noriko Ike"] [member="Sky'ito Yumi"]

Ashelia could not formulate a response to the spirit’s assertion. Indeed, she was exceedingly young even by the standards of short-lived sapient species. Having been alive for only four months, though her thoughts were clouded within the haze of her anger and humiliation, Ashelia realized that she still had much to learn. The spirit had well and truly beaten her.

Nevertheless, the defeat did not sap Ashelia’s determination. One day, when had attained more wisdom and had grown stronger in the Force, she would return to re-negotiate the deal to be more in her favor. She had no intention of being enslaved to this spirit for an eternity, and when that day came, she would use the Force itself to achieve victory and break free of her chains.

The diminutive Elzeri got down onto one knee and glanced up at the spirit.

“I accept your proposal, under those terms.” Ashelia spoke softly, but she looked up at the spirit with what a sparkle of defiance in her heterochromatic gaze. Although it was obvious that the spirit knew of her intentions, what the spirit had failed to grasp was her motivation to become more powerful in the Force. It viewed her as a weak and spineless child, and one day, it would grow to regret that it ever held that perception of her.

"Now, give. Me. My. Power." Ashelia demanded with a growl of pure rage and passion as her pulchritudinous features formed into an expression of perseverance.

 

[Noriko Ike]

[member="Ashelia"] [member="Sky'ito Yumi"]

It was looking at her. "Why? It was already done when you first came here." It moved off the seat and walked forward crouching down and looking in the mismatched eyes. "I am anti-life, the Beast of Judgement. I am the dark at the end of everything. The end of universes, gods, worlds… of all things. And what will you be then, Ashelia?" It seemed amused while looking at her. "Be Hope." There was a moment and Noriko looked at the two of them having been silent for the time. The being seemed amused with them though and was going around. "You have no power here, you will never have more power then me here."

Finally that thin dagger thin smirk became a full smile. "Afterall what power have mortals in the realm beyond shadows?" It stayed there watching all of them and seemed to know what she was thinking... what she was planning. "You say you accept but your mind goes away from here... away from your allies, away from the concept of the light itself. I have no power over you, not really this is your choice. The choice to bask in the light or cower in the darkness. Perhaps you think your thoughts are true. But you say think that I am here to care about your feeling. Feelings have no power here?"

"Tell me, Ashelia, Sky'ito Yumi, Noriko Ike... Ask yourselves, all three of you, what power would the lightside have if those in service... those imprisoned by the darkside were not able to dream of the light?" It seemed to be looking at them standing back up. "You have anger, you have rage and passion and inner darkness, you are selfish, you are impulsive. It will damn you to much child and what might what you might think is love is no part of your thoughts. Love belongs to desire, and desire is always cruel much likie you seem to be shaping up to be. Using these jedi to get power."

 

[Sky'ito Yumi]

Sukai had been rather silent after the illusion vanished, her voice self silenced upon looking at the being before that as it talked with @Ashelia. It was a strange sight to behold, the words from it's mouth revealing a thing beyond their relm of understanding, was this one of those ethereal creatures? She was unable to form an answer, looking on speechless though with each passing second becoming a little worried by the young women's insistence on attaining power. The more she talked the more Sukai could draw parallels to the Sith and their ideology, a small bead of sweat coming from her forehead.

Fortunately the being saw such a thing as well, reply with some words of it's own, ones she herself could agree with. Having been down the path of a Sith such things and the problems brought about be emotional power. Still, she was not sure about the question posed, 'what power would the lightside have if those imprisoned by the dark could not dream'. "Your question, I am confused by it meaning, do you say that our power or strength comes from dark side users and their deep wishes to not be slaves to their emotions"? Sukai was unsure if the being would answer the counter question but tried never the less.

[member="Noriko Ike"]

 

[Ashelia]

Ashelia
Post 13
Location: Monolith, Bubble of the Lost
[member="Sky'ito Yumi"] [member="Noriko Ike"]

Ashelia stared at the spirit with a stunned expression on her face as she came to the realization that she had possibly been tricked into giving up her freedom. Her features took on an aspect of anger when she realized how completely this strange entity had played her. Nevertheless, the creature’s message of hope and optimism fell on deaf ears. Ashelia had no business with hope when she had just become a slave for eternity. She felt that she needed to break from them, in order to save her future.

“The power that you speak of which you hold over me is only true at this moment. It will be less true tomorrow, and in one hundred years what you speak today will be but a joke!” Ashelia countered. “And don’t you dare speak of me as a traitor!” The Elzeri screamed out loud, as her form shook with rage when the entity declared her thoughts.

“You, who would enslave me while telling me to remain passive in my fate, only speak the advice that would allow you to remain complacent in your power while I wither away and die like any other mortal!” Ashelia spoke with anger and conviction as her colorful gaze pierced into the entity’s soul. “If I am a cruel creature, then what does that make you?” Ashelia asked. “A monster!” She declared with a shrill scream. “It was you who decided to deny me the ability to harmonize with the Force when I came into this world. You were the one who stacked the cards against me! For months, I had nothing while I toiled so that I could come to this point, and now I finally realize that you were the one who did this to me. You had the power to give me the Force and you knew that I would feel incomplete without it before my creation was even conceived! It was your intention to enslave me from the very beginning for eternity by taking advantage of my desire to feel the cosmic energies, and you have the audacity to call me cruel?!”

The Elzeri took an audibly deep breath. “I've accepted your deal, but you have nothing more to offer me other than lies. I believe that we’re done here.” Ashelia huffed and stood up from her kneeling position, before turning on her heels with the intention of leaving the Monolith. "Be prepared for my return, because I will not be the same weak woman that I am now."

 

[Noriko Ike]

[member="Sky'ito Yumi"] [member="Ashelia"]

The thing looked at Sukai for a moment. "Do the darksiders not chain themselves constantly trying to have the freedom the lightsiders have. Always wanting to be stronger then another while the lightside basks in freedom and ability to relax their mind. A lightsider might become dark to become in their mind stronger.... and then spend their life to try and get back to that state where they could choose and be free to follow different aspects of the force." Then it listened to the angry Ashelia who was almost fuming ad Noriko looked at her. "You'll have to rise above your hatreds and mistrusts. Otherwise you will die. Or else you'll live, but come back here unsuccessful."

It seemed to go back once she was done. "When did I lie? I'd say it doesn't matter but you have been given what you wanted, you have demended it all, you have shown no gratitude to me, to the ones who came with you. You've only shown how selfish you can be, shown only why your friends should have been warned of your thoughts." It looked bored more then anything Noriko noted in her head.. standing there and she looked at Ashelia when it spoke again. "You are unahppy because what? you've desired something in your short lifespan that could not be for you?"

"That is what wanting and desire is. The need for something we can't have. This the need for something you could have, that was there for you to get with many different methods. That little one is greed." It seemed to look at her and the ground shifted rising up into a spire that mirrored the spire of the jedi temple while looking out across coruscant. "Here. Now. By my right and ordinance within the force, I pass sentence on you Ashelia. Whose soul I will divide into as many pieces as you have years when you return. And I will cast the pieces from the roof of this tower. That you may learn a new aspect of the force in the shrieking of the wind and an understanding in the thunder."

Noriko was looking at it and she wanted to protect Ashelia but the padawan was revealing a lot more about herself to the jedi master... mostly how dangerous her obsession really was. She was almost gleefully using her emotions and the darkside without second thought. She had studied the jedi and both aspects of the force solight and dark and without even a thought she jumped to the dark because something didn't she wasn't sure... it wasn't lying as she claimed if anything it gave her exactly what she wanted. She said she would pay the price even though it had said it had no real need for one so it chose. It said she could use the light and she jumped to the dark.

 

[Sky'ito Yumi]

"I-I see what you mean, I understand that feeling", her own time as a Sith she constantly sought out that freedom, thinking that the dark powers would be as much. In reality, what she yearned for was a return to the light and the true free thinking it brought. The dark side was but cheating on a test, getting good marks and feeling powerful, but ultimately just shooting yourself in the foot further down the road, constantly wishing you had properly learnt.

She wanted to ask more, to converse with the being but any sort of meaningful conversation was basically ruined as the two started to argue. Through it all the ethereal stayed calm and brought up certain points. Was she being a bit harsh towards [member="Ashelia"]? A little, but Sukai could understand her judgment and less then pleased attitude to the newcomer wanting power.

The path Ash was taking didn't seem any different from most dark side users, Sukai's hand clutching on the hilt for her saber staff, fully anticipating the women's fall to emotions and passion. If she had truly been deceiving them this entire time, using the two Jedi for her own goals the Jin had no qualms about cutting them down where they stood, but there was some small manner of sense that kept her blade stayed. She could not understand Ash's mind set, herself not meeting many people who wanted the force badly despite not being born with it, most just focused on other skills which they could exceed at.

Still, if needed Sukai was ready to draw her weapon. the dark side could take hold of someone quicker then one realized, the present danger of having to defend herself was certainly there.

[member="Noriko Ike"]

 

[Ashelia]

Ashelia
Post 14
Location: Monolith, Bubble of the Lost
[member="Noriko Ike"] [member="Sky'ito Yumi"]

Ashelia paused, but she did not turn around to face the entity as it spoke to her, just yet.

“You wish for me to have hope? Selflessness? Faith?” Ashelia began in a bitter tone, before turning around to face the spiteful spirit. “Then show me your faith. Correct the mistakes that you made when I came into this world. Do away with the deal entirely and grant me the Force for free like you did with them!” The Elzeri spat with jealousy as she pointed a barbed finger in Noriko and Sukai’s direction. “Perhaps then, I can have hope and optimism. But despite your 'best' intentions, you have inadvertently proven me right by taking advantage of my desire to command the Force. It is the universe’s unfairness that causes people to turn to Bogan. You have the power to correct that, and yet you don’t! You merely take advantage of it so that you may carve out your own personal fiefdom of power in the cosmos like you’re some lower-level gangster! You’re powerful, but you possess not an inkling of wisdom above that of a common thug, until you do something selfless for once!” Ashelia finished, reveling quietly in the emotions of anger and envy which pulsated deep within her youthful soul.

The cloud of the dark side, though still looming over Ashelia like a thunderstorm on the horizon, had wavered somewhat in its advance. Though the girl was by no means powerful in the Force, she at least possessed a small degree of control over it.

It was likely the only thing preventing her from attempting to strike down the entity where it sat.

 

[Noriko Ike]

[member="Ashelia"] [member="Sky'ito Yumi"]

"Wisdom comes from a lack of experience and experience my dear comes often from a lack of wisdom." Watching her go and still seeming to blame others for her shortcomings. "You speak as if there is some ideal order to the universe, as if there is some rightness by which it might be judged. Concepts of fairness, mercy, justice that sort of thing." It seemed to look at her walking away. "Take the universe and grind it down to the finest powder and seive it through the finest seive. Then show me one atom of justice, one molecule of mercy, one particle of fairness." It seemed to be looking at the three of them and Noriko looked at Ashelia but she could feel the gate had opened up behind them.