Private Into the Woods

[Tiya Ayres]

In the heart of a remote woodland area, the ruins of quaint temple stood on the outskirts of a nearby village which appeared equally as abandoned. However, while it was evident the temple had been abandoned for centuries, left the be reclaimed by nature, the village did not experience any level of decay. Instead, it appeared as though residents had collectively abandoned the village for some unknown reason with some homes left with rotten food on the table and none of the buildings were locked. It was a peculiar event which had begun to draw attention to some keen eyes.

In reality, lifeless temple ruins had become the hub for the community who had become enslaved by an enchanting figure who had arrived in the village a few weeks prior. They were not bound by chains or bars but they had become prisoners in their own minds while their bodies carried out the tasks designated for them through an unyielding force which dominated their autonomy.

Tiya removed the free-will of the village's populace for the purpose of creating her own cult - a group that would worship her and do anything for her. She had seen it happen to others and she had been a part of another's followers but now she had struck out on her own and created her own fantasy which she forcefully maintained, knowing the townspeople would not worship her without her influence over them.

The temple door led to a set of stairs underground where several chambers were connected and in stark contrast to the ruins above they were modern and extravagant, reflecting a life of luxury. Tiya herself wore a long ballgown, torn at the edges, and was barefoot. She sat with her legs hanging over the side of what appeared to resemble a throne and beside her stood a person holding a tray of food, an emotionless expression on their face. She laughed and clapped along to the music being played as people danced before her, lights streamed across the room in all directions, creating the ambiance of a nightclub.

It was a wonder why she didn't do this sooner.

Sakadi Marathi Sinvala

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

A N D E L M- I V , -T R I P A S A -T O W N
W A Y S E E K E R -# 1​

Andelm IV wasn't the kind of planet she regularly paid visits to. Neither was Tripasa, the small village at the fringes of Andelm's civilization. That was because no Jedi had a reason to visit a place so far removed from galactic conflict as this. Not that it were the Jedi that had brought her here - this was her own affair. Digging into the past to find that which she had lost in the present. Cas.

She sauntered through the village its main street, her attention drawn to the many small shops and stands that sold primitive yet exotic items. What really managed to attract her, however, was the strong scent of a broth. It originated from a small hybrid shop, built into the outer wall of a stone building. The large pot of simmering broth that hung above a central fire in the shop reminded her of something she hadn't done all day. Eat.

Sakadi turned to the shopkeeper. A man with a dark beard, deep brown eyes and olive skin. "Excuse me. Could I have some of that please?" She put extra effort in her projected voice - adding a familiar sensation that made speaking through the mind seem normal as not to startle him. It worked, and he flashed her a somewhat weary smile. "Of course miss. Glad to see a tourist in our humble town again."

A small breeze pulled at her cloak. With it came the sounds of dozens of wooden wind chimes, which hung near almost every door or window she had seen so far. She pointed at the one hanging from the shop's overhang, and asked "If I may, why does everyone have these?" she didn't believe they were just for show. While most had their own uniquely coloured patterns, the design was the same for every one. Indicating that this was either a tradition, or a mass-production. "I imagine it isn't just because you like the sound." she projected with a soft chuckle.

The shopkeeper's smile faded. "You don't know?" He shook his head. "Ah of course you don't. You're not from here after all." She gave him a questioning look, raising one perfect eyebrow. "They're protective charms. Wards off the witch." "The witch?" He glanced around the street with a shifty gaze before he continued. "They say she comes at night. Luring people away with her beauty and charm, never to be seen again." She stared at him for a brief moment. "Superstition. Has anyone even seen this witch?" The shopkeeper clenched his jaw, dark eyes glaring in her direction. "I have." He leaned forward on his stool, one hand on his knee to support his weight. Sakadi folded her arms and leaned back against one of his stands.

"Couple of weeks back, during the night. I had just closed down my shop, ready to head for bed when I heard my wife come down the stairs. She wasn't feeling well. A headache or something, she told me. I told her it was probably fine since she had those from time to time, you know. I took her back to bed and joined her shortly after." He fumbled with his hands, his eyes glassy as he recalled the story.

"And?"

"I woke up in the middle of the night. Heard the stairs creaking at first, and thought it was nothing. But then someone slammed the door shut. Not open but shut. It was at that moment when I realised my wife had snuck out of bed and gone outside, without letting me know. And when I looked out of the window, I saw her."

"Your wife?"

"No. The witch. She stood in the middle of this street, hands raised like she was summoning something. And people came to her. Left their houses in their nightclothes, without so much as a whisper." He balled his fist. "It was her. Luring our people out of town, into the forest. I know it was." He fell silent, staring into nothingness.

Sakadi was the one to break the silence after collecting her thoughts. For once, she had wanted to pass through a place without wanting to interfere. But there was only one though she could project. "Where did they go?"

He gave her a worn look. "They disappeared into the woodlands" He pointed north north-west. "But don't get any crazy ideas. We've sent search parties after them. Never returned." He sighed in defeat. "It's no use. They're gone.

Sakadi took a step forward, placing a warm lavender hand on his shoulder. "No one is ever truly gone. Besides," she folded her cloak back, revealing the signature tool of the Jedi. The reflective silver-white electrum and titanium-gold of her hilt glittered in the sun's exposure, drawing attention to the mythical weapon. "I haven't tried yet."

It took half an hour of heartfelt gratitude before she could finally set off. Her display had drawn the attention of more than just the shopkeeper, resulting a small crowd waving her goodbye. All of them radiating with hope and a feeling of relief, as if the matter was already concluded.

Honestly. It made her smile.

But simple directions weren't enough. The village had sent a search party. Most likely hunters, who had to have followed some sort of trail. The fact that none of them returned meant that they had indeed found 'the witch'. If she could follow that same trail...

Sakadi knelt down, placing the palm of her hand against the mossy soil. What little light penetrated the canopy highlighted certain parts of the undergrowth. In a way, the woodlands of Andelm IV reminded her of Kashyyyk, although the plant growth was less dense. That would prove to be no issue. She had learned to hunt during her two decades among the Togruta tribes of Shili. They had taught her how to track prey, no matter what form or shape that took. It was perhaps the most valuable skill she had developed during her Barash Vow - the instincts of a Togruta huntress. Instincts she had adapted to the great wilds of Kashyyyk.

Instincts that made tracking this witch seem like child's play.

Signs of previously broken twigs and branches. Moved and trampled undergrowth. Small scraps of cloth, and much more. It formed a clear path, straight to her destination - an abandoned village in a glade.

She stopped at the edge of the forest, observing the desolate buildings standing in the long shadows of the trees. Had the villagers of Tripasa simply forgotten to mention this glade? Or had this 'witch' made them forget?

Her attention was drawn to a single emaciated figure in torn clothing. His feet were blistered, and his bony fingers were wrapped tightly around a basket filled to the brim with food. He had to be in pain. Had to be hungry. And yet he seemed unbothered by everything. Everything but his mission!

She pondered for a moment. Then stepped out into the open.

"Hello?" No response.

"Can you hear me? " He passed by her, without so much as a glance in her direction. That confirmed her suspicions.

Sakadi raised her hand, channelling and sending the Living Force like a wave at the mental confinements of the man. The second it hit him, he collapsed to his knees, dropping the basket. Tears welled up in his eyes. "Please... please..." Sakadi walked over to the emaciated man, still somewhat cautious. "You must help us! She's mad, she's..." "Where." Sakadi interjected. The man pointed, and Sakadi followed his outstretched hand to the ruins of a small temple. "Behind the door, down the stairs." Her head fell in a slow nod. "Thank you." She turned to him once more. "Stay here, and try not to move too much. I'll be back in a minute." She did not share the fear that lingered in this place. Nor the anger of Tripasa village. All that her features betrayed, was her determination.

Thus began her descent into the ruins. Moving toward the sound, as the roiling energy of the Living Force began to build inside her.

Tiya Ayres

 

[Tiya Ayres]

In such a short amount of time, the Temple had turned from sprawling ruins into what promised to be the hottest nightclub in town. However, feeding off of her delusions, the perception of all those who viewed what she had created were skewed. In such a short amount of time she had not been able to materialise the labour and resources needed to build her fanciful hideaway, nor did she have the patience to do so. Instead, everything witnessed was simply an extension of the illusion that they were under. It was tangible enough to satisfy her fantasy and the benefit was its instantaneousness and the ability to morph into whatever she so desired. It was an ideal solution. The only reality present was the people and the food.

This was her escape.

Not content with sitting and watching, she soon rose from her seat and sauntered over to one of the women dancing and joined her. Surrounded by people smiling, laughing and having a good time, she too smiled, moving her body around slowly and out of time with the music as though she was on a high. The music grew distorted and quieter in an eerie fashion as she became wrapped in her own head but as soon as her eyes snapped open, it was over and her attention was quickly was quickly drawn back to the woman before her.

She began to back out of the crowd, a wicked smirk on her face as she beckoned for the woman to follow her into an adjoining room which was much more primitive-looking than the former with torches lining the walls. Pulling up the whistle from around her neck to her lips, it let out a painfully shrill sound which was followed by the pummelling of something pounding against the ground.

​

A few moments later, hideously mutated, disfigured animals akin to dogs barrelled into the room, though they did not act, instead standing obediently behind their master. There was no need for restraints, after all, the woman could only react how she was permitted to.

Tiya pulled a vibroknife from out of the front of her dress and flicked it open, using it to scratch her chin as if in thought while she paced around the woman before lightly running the blade across the other's arm, harder and harder until she could begin idly flaying the skin, to which the woman had no reaction, at least physically, and any inkling of response through the Force was drowned out by an ocean of everything.

Her interest in flaying soon fleeted and turned elsewhere. With a lightsaber at her hip, it was crude to use a vibroknife for such a purpose but she was unaffected by the sight and instead circled around the woman again like a vulture before her gaze was caught by the mutant mutts at the door. "Oh, I'm sorry boys." She ran the blade up the woman's arm, deciding to stop just above the elbow before messily disarming her and throwing the limb to the hungry monstrosities. "Here. Be patient. Good things come to those who wait." She told them in an unnaturally cheery manner.

With blood covering her hands, she sighed and made a half-attempt at wiping the bloody prints on her dress before continuing with her experimentation. "They're a lot easier when they don't wriggle." She pondered, tapping her chin with a bloody finger and tilting her head to one side, then the other. "But they're a lot less fun too." She considered releasing the woman from her mental control but ultimately decided against it. That was what the next person was for.

She reached down to the remaining hand and brought it up to inspect it. "Ooh, a ring!" She exclaimed, prying the jewellery off of the woman's finger and placing it on her own before admiring it along with seven other mismatched rings. She then placed the tip of her blade under the woman's thumbnail and began to slowly lift the nail.

When she looked at the woman's face again, expecting to see no reaction, there was a single tear streaming down her dirty cheek. With her free hand, Tiya reached up as though she was going to wipe the tear away but instead dug her finger into the eye-socket to pull the eye out and once she had done so, after much effort, she threw it behind her to the dogs.

Becoming fatigued with the woman, Tiya held her palm open and produced a small flame which she held near her victim until it gently licked at her clothes and began to grow into an inferno. Taking a step back, both to admire her work and avoid the flames, she watched in satisfaction as the woman went out in a blaze of glory. With nothing left to attend to, she turned on her heels and walked out, waving a carefree hand as left the flames behind her. "She's all yours, boys!"

She came to a sudden halt when she felt a distinct presence in the Force, one she rarely felt but often remembered when she did. The party of her making continued to rage on around her and with so many people under her control she felt pretty secure. Even if she didn't, she didn't care. Fear was a thing of the past. All she knew of was hatred and pain. If the newcomer brought either then they were more than welcome.

Taking her place back on the throne, she casually hung her legs over the side again, seemingly unbothered by the new presence when she would make herself known. "Please, wait by the door and offer our guest a drink when they walk in." She told her lackey after taking a drink for herself, to which he complied, approaching the door with a colourful drink on a tray. Pulling out the tiny umbrella from the drink, she placed it behind her ear, further spreading the blood.

Sakadi Marathi Sinvala

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

S P E L L- O F -T H E -W I T C H
W A Y S E E K E R -# 1​

With a light step and one hand tracing the wall, Sakadi descended the uneven stone stairway. Some of the persistent weeds and shrubs that grew between the steps had been trampled, indicating the movement of many people. It made her wonder whether Tripasa was the only town raided by the witch. Perhaps the entire region cowered under her cruel grip. A grip that didn't seem so cruel as she finally set foot on the lower level.

A man was waiting for her. His hair ruffled, and eyes laying deep in their sockets. His clothes, although in better shape than those of the man outside, were still torn at the edges. A second glance, however, revealed the real injuries. A part of his ear was missing. Bitten off, by the looks of it. The wound, like the ugly scars on his hands, was festering. And that wasn't even addressing the elephant in the room.

The tray with stem glasses. Champagne glasses, to be precise. She studied them for a moment, her lilac eyes shifting from the man to the tray. She didn't know what she was dealing with. If it were a nightsister, the concoction could be the source of her powers. She thought about it. Then took a glass from the tray and sipped. It could be called a Jedi's vanity. But she was confident that she could break the witch's control.

"Thank you. But you really should be going now. It's not safe." She gave his elbow a gentle nudge, evaporating the cold touch of the Dark side in an instant. The man caught himself before he fell, his breath raspy as it was finally his to control again. "D-d-don't go in there.. she's -"

"I know." Her head was already turned toward the entrance. A place that beckoned her with warmth, music, laughter, and the urge to drink and let go. "Wait for me outside." She took another sip, pulled her hood down, and entered.

She stood in the door opening, glass in hand, eyes darting through the room. The bass vibrated through the floor, people were everywhere, and... were those strobe lights? She had expected less... ambiance.

Sakadi took three steps forward, a path clearing toward the far end of the room. The single piece of furniture that stood against that wall, was a luxurious throne. On it was the woman she could only presume was the witch. She kept her calm, her features remaining serene, almost dissonantly so. Despite everything she wanted to say, Sakadi went straight to the point. "Could you release these people please? I'd like to give you a chance to repent and do it yourself." The Living Force that roiled inside her felt like a rumbling volcano. A very clear warning of what was about to happen.

"Otherwise I'll be forced to step in." She took another casual sip of the cocktail, warily eyeing the black-haired woman.

Tiya Ayres

 

[Tiya Ayres]

Even if the alcohol did affect her, it wouldn't have made a difference. With such a loose grasp of reality anyway, some measly spirits couldn't draw her any further from the truth than she already was. It was clear in her actions and speech that it was not the behaviour of someone intoxicated but someone inherently deranged and so far removed from reality that she was rarely aware of the consequences of her actions and as such was not particularly careful in her endeavours, leading to instances such as the one she was soon to face in which another Force user, immune to her transcending power, would not be affected by the ethereal forces gripping the minds of the others present.

The half-Sephi seemed surprised to see another like her and immediately became intrigued, moving her feet from dangling over the arm to flat on the floor where she inspected the newcomer with hungry amber eyes. Her polite request, followed by a thread, was noted and largely ignored aside from a calm reply "Even the Devil wouldn't accept my repenting." Never had she planned to release these people. They lived to serve her now until they died of... natural causes.

Rising from her seat, she padded over to the Jedi, leaving bloody footprints as she closed the short distance between them. As she had done with the woman she had killed earlier, she began circling the stranger, examining her as she had previously, only she wasn't intending to attack and displayed no aggressive inclination. Instead, she appeared to be marvelling at the woman, almost admiring her - or sizing up her prey. Was there a difference?

Tiya stood before an almost alternate version of herself, a person of high-esteem who had been given all of the opportunities she had never had. The woman's lavender complexion much warmer than her own and her iridescent eyes free from the taint of the Dark side. As comparable as night and day with her own raven locks in contrast with the Sephi's pearl white sheen on her halo of hair, they represented the physical manifestation of the polar opposites of each side of the Force they had dedicated themselves to.

The Witch was fascinated.

She had never seen a Jedi up this close that hadn't been dead.

In an unusual move, once she stopped in front of the Jedi, she reached out with her hand to cup the other's face, as if bewitched, but upon noticing the blood on her hand she showed some restraint and didn't touch the other's face - if she could even get that far in the first place.

"It won't do, I'm afraid." She turned to walk back towards her self-appointed throne, lifting up the bottom of her long dress as she did. "It's not my fault they're too weak to resist." She gave a nonchalant shrug, clearly feeling unthreatened. Even with the inklings of warning in the Force, she had been desensitised to such feelings of fear and besides, she wasn't afraid of any Jedi.

What was the worst she could do?

Sakadi Marathi Sinvala

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

S P E L L- O F -T H E -W I T C H
W A Y S E E K E R -# 1​

She preferred giving people a chance to be better. To learn from past mistakes, atone when necessary, and move on. But when it came to beings enveloped in the Dark side of the Force, she found her compassion lacking. She simply did as the Jedi code suggested. To at least give them a chance, so she could sleep at night.

Sakadi remained where she stood, staring her down as the witch approached with malicious curiosity. Letting the woman circle around her. She - in a torn and stained ballroom dress - seemed intrigued by the Jedi. Perhaps because she so starkly contrasted this place. No, not this place. The witch herself. Whereas she exercised her power to create chaos and pain under the guise of lust and happiness, Sakadi exercised restraint to achieve inner peace. Ideals that not only seemed to shape their unique presences in the Force, but their appearances as well.

She began to see it herself when the witch stood in front of her. Invading her space with an extended hand. Bloodied fingers hovering inches away from her face...

You wouldn't dare.

She outright loathed people getting too close without her permission. It was one of the few things that amplified the traits she preferred to suppress. Such as the cold intimidation, and the air of contempt and superiority all of house Sinvala seemed to have been cursed with. From her Great-great-grandfather King Alaric the Third, all the way to her distant cousin Alena Sinvala. It usually scared people away. This witch, however, seemed more concerned about the blood on her hands.

"That's okay. If you won't do it, I will." Sakadi calmly retorted. In a graceful motion, she brought up her hand and snapped with her fingers. The Force immediately complied, driving away the Dark side in a burst of ethereal light and incorporeal flame. The icy control the witch had on the crowd of people melted away, with it freeing a storm of emotions. Miraculously, not one of them collapsed. Her presence invigorated them - giving them the strength they needed to rush for the exit.

"It seems like you and I have different interpretations of weakness." She added, as the illusion continued to shatter around them.

Tiya Ayres

 

[Tiya Ayres]

With one swift motion, her grip on those under her spell was torn from her grasp without giving it the opportunity to even falter. If the power of the Jedi before her had been questionable before, now its true potential had been displayed. As her control slipped, as did the façade of their environment which melted to reveal the dark, dank tomb beneath the temple that they had been in all along.

Still, the Witch remained unconcerned and rather folded her arms as though she were disappointed in the outcome. Nothing about her would give any indication towards her being even slightly stable. While she was evidently weaker than the Jedi, she at least had the benefit of unpredictability.

With her control over the others dissipated, her focus centred on the Jedi - a new play-thing.

After all, the galaxy was wide and teeming with weak-willed individuals but coming face-to-face with a Jedi was a rare treat indeed.

Tiya opened her palm to reveal a glowing green flame which she stared at it for a moment as though transfixed before closing her hand and turning it over to inspect her dirt and blood-stained nails. "It seems we do, doesn't it?" She replied before her amber eyes finally lifted to meet the Jedi, a cruel smirk upon her lips.

As one of the middle children of her family, she had been unfortunate enough to get caught up in the crusade of the Sith Empire while her elder cousin was long gone before the Sith made landfall and her younger cousin... she had no idea where she was or if she was even alive. Of the family she knew, it wasn't unreasonable for her to consider herself the last remaining member.

Not that she cared.

Not anymore.

"It's very rude to burst in here like that. Didn't the Jedi teach you any manners?" She asked, producing a blade as she did and tapping it with her fingertips. In an instant, she disappeared, her voice trailing from behind the Jedi where she was holding the blade against a man's throat. "Perhaps I should." She relished in the power she held but was clearly only teasing as she reappeared back in her original spot a few moments later.

"I'm kidding. Lighten up a bit, sweet cheeks." She told her, leaning forwards to pat the Jedi on the cheek, apparently with a sudden lack of regard for the blood on her hands.

Sakadi Marathi Sinvala

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

S P E L L- O F -T H E -W I T C H
W A Y S E E K E R -# 1​

Sakadi calmly studied the ebb and flow of the Force as green flickering flames ran along the witch's hand and further, producing a blade as if made out of thin air. Her gaze lingered on the blade for a moment. It was dark with ridged edges, glistering unnaturally in what natural light entered the cave. From tip to handle, it reverberated with the Dark side. But in its moment of creation, she found the wild lack of control that seemed to be the witch's trademark. A possible weakness, or so Sakadi thought.

For it was not the first time she had dealt with techniques like these. It was reminiscent of Nightsister Magick. An old art, but not forgotten. The select few Sith sorcerers she had encountered and seen in action had all proven their mastery over techniques such as these. At the thought of some, chills still ran down her spine. It was something not to be messed with. Something abhorrently lethal and destructive in the wrong hands.

And these were definitely the wrong hands.

The Sephi didn't move a muscle as the witch faded out of existence, only to take shape elsewhere. Her ears twitched, angling slightly as the voice now came from behind her. She saw the slight movement and glistering of the blade from the corner of her eye. She had dismissed the thought of moving as swiftly as it had flashed through her mind. The witch was testing her. Gauging what would bring her to react. And it wasn't a stretch to think that she wouldn't end lives. Here, apathy was the only path that led to salvation. Even if she was on an entirely different level, she couldn't afford to play with lives. Not now, not ever.

Although the transition from apathy to swift, aggressive action was effortlessly made. The second the witch chose to reposition, chose to lean forward, Sakadi moved.

"Now now, I think we are far beyond the stage of using our manners, aren't we?"

With the Force as her guide and support, Sakadi grabbed the women's wrist in a lightning-fast motion. She immediately pulled at the arm in an attempt to unbalance the witch, while she balled her other hand into a fist and attempted to slam it deep in the woman's midriff.

Tiya Ayres

 

[Tiya Ayres]

It was rather commendable how nonchalant the Jedi was and it made for a much more exciting meeting, wondering what the other's limits were and how she could be best provoked. She hadn't met many Jedi to learn much of them. They were unpredictable and it was exciting. Despite the thwarting of her fun, she was filled more with curiosity than anger towards the Jedi. In fact, it was apparent that despite her own volatility, she was not one to burst out in fits of rage - at least not yet.

Despite all the grievances she held towards others, she was not a particularly hot-headed person but rather apathetic, that much was clear.

It was clear from her toying that she didn't see much threat in the Jedi, that or she simply didn't care enough to see it, so it was no surprise that she would find herself in the situation she did a few moments later. The Jedi's comment made her smile, an amused smile which caught her off guard and led to her downfall only a moment later.

She quickly tried to rebalance herself to remain in control but grunted as the other woman's fist connected with her abdomen and sent her to the ground where she put out a hand to cushion her fall while the other one lay over her abdomen. Through her grimacing, she began to chuckle and looked up towards her attacker. "Clearly we are." She replied, amused.

"Well, congratulations. You got me. Now go home, Jedi." She told her as though feigning defeat before getting to her feet and taking a few steps back to place some distance between them, learning from her mistake last time, though clearly not aware that the likelihood of them simply walking away was slim. She had never been at the mercy of a Jedi before.

Sakadi Marathi Sinvala

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

S P E L L- O F -T H E -W I T C H
W A Y S E E K E R -# 1​

Sakadi stepped out of reach as the witch fell and unclipped the electrum lightsaber hilt from her belt. "Did you lose a contact lens or something?" She remarked, surprised by how little it had taken to drop the witch.

"Well, congratulations. You got me. Now go home, Jedi."

Sakadi tilted her head ajar. "Don't worry. It happens to the best of us." She ignited the fiery silver-white blade. "Now. I've given you a chance to repent." Sakadi placed herself between the witch and the exit. To cut off any means of escape, she condensed her presence in the Force to a bubble around her. It would prevent the witch from finding an anchor point to teleport to. "So you final chance will be to come quietly." Sakadi brandished her lightsaber with a twirl. "The village demands justice."

Tiya Ayres