Let's Go

[Madalena Antares]

[member="To'Kola Bakari"]​

Madalena nodded. The challenges, it appeared, went both ways. The thought alone made her smile; outside of the few months she'd needed to acclimatize into her new body, she knew that she would've demolished any woman who'd dared try to challenge her for Cardinal. While she wasn't as good in pure physical fights as she had been in the previous body, her arts and talents lay now in the realm of Sith Sorcery, making her a deadly foe nonetheless.

Glowing green eyes eyed her man as he wiggled his cute butt into his native clothing. A nod was given when he said they could have something made for her, though she had no clue what the traditional Jiwe garb was for women. By the way Cardinal was looking at her, she guessed it was something that covered very little. She bathed in the shivers that coursed through her as he kissed her again, pulling her body tighter to his, and the next moment the two of them were off.

The cool breeze surprised her; she had expected something hotter, more humid. But this… Was very nice. The first thing she noticed – Cardinal – had changed. He seemed to stand differently now, radiate a different sort of energy now. Almost… As though a missing piece of himself had fallen into the exactly right place. Madalena smiled, and couldn't help but wonder if she would seem like that to him when the day came they went to Endelaan.

And then it began.

The Sandali people, with their spears, approached them. She could see the caution in their eyes, the fear of the unknown. She could not blame their suspicions; Madalena supposed that if she had seen a spaceship like that for the first time, she would've been wary as well. But then suddenly there were five children climbing on him, and their smiles were positively contagious. Madalena could not keep her own back as one hopped into his arms, and then a small silence as she was noticed, just before they questioned who she was.

And at last – a word she'd learned intimately on how to use. "Jambo!" she greeted back with warm smiles to each of them, crouching down so the children would have easier access to her. Their little hands touching her face and hair were more than welcomed and she laughed warmly, feeling almost at home right there and then. It was only a handful of moments before Cardinal took her hand in his, an she waved to the children as she rose back up and left them to be by his side.

It was only one comment that made her pause, her warm nature coming to a halt almost instantly. Thousands of lines she could use for comeback floated through her mind, so most of them were not part of how she usually spoke. Within moments though, she made a decision to act against her very nature, and bit her tongue. At least, for now, until she knew more about the weave that made this culture and how they viewed sass.

Only when Cardinal had taken her a little to the side and they began to walk did she whisper to him, "what makes him think I won't be the one to mount you tonight?"

Moving her gaze to the village, she nodded, mostly to herself. This would be their home for the next few days, perhaps longer. Eventually, this would be one of their homes, for as long as they lived. "Would they appreciate helping hands or are guests meant to… Mount, until the feast begins?"

 

[ToKola Bakari]

​

[member="Madalena Antares"]​

​

The hut that had been prepared for the two was, in some ways, more comfortable to Cardinal than any home he had back on Ryloth. It was small, perhaps large enough for a few people but certainly no more than three. Crafted in the shape of a dome, the ceiling rose to a peak which led to a smoke vent for the fire-pit in the center of the floor. The ground was made of finely shaved wooden logs. To the bare foot it was a soft firm surface. There was a single shelf that held a number of wicker baskets and a spout for a fresh water tap. Cardinal walked over to the spout, turning a hand crank that allowed crystal-like water to flow into his hand. He smirked before dipping his lips and savoring the taste of fresh water. "We used these irrigation systems in my village. They use special crystals to purify the waters and it tastes damn good too." Cardinal thought he could take a moment to explain it a bit more, yet his words were cut off when it felt as if....the ground was quaking? It was ever so subtle, however there was a noticeable shimmer under their feet. Cardinal lowered himself to the ground, spreading his hand over the wooden surface as he felt for the subtle vibrations.

"Madalena..." He muttered, before his grin grew wide. He jolted up, grabbing his Yua by her wrist, leading her back outside. "Come on!" He led her, back into the evening sun and the cool winds. The smile he wore was almost akin to a child's, and what his eyes were fixated on was amazing in it's own right.

The Jiwe warriors were mountainous. Their skin glimmered in the sun as the sweat bled from them and they returned to their village. The hunting party was large, at least forty and all, and not one seemed out of spirits. The men stomped their feet, bringing about that great quake that went so well with their title. Around the village, the villagers let out a symphony of deep barks in greeting. The women waved their hands in the air, their hips moving rhythmically with the sway of their arms. It was a stirring, powerful site for Cardinal to behold. To watch his heritage displayed so vividly when he had not seen it's like in hundreds of years. It was truly empowering. Cardinal barked along with the members of the village, greeting the hunting party the same way as his kin. The hunting party continued to stomp through the center of the village, many of them carrying large animal corpses in their arms. The warriors were a sight to see. Most had a number of tattoos crossing over their bronze skin, while many others kept their features covered through wooden tribal masks. One by one the huntsmen laid out there catch. They had brought enough animals to feel a small city, yet to the Sandali this was only a few days of food. Some of the villagers began to bring out a number of drums and in no time at all lumber was drug to the center of the village.

"It looks like the feast is beginning now. Some of the gatherers will craft the fire whi-" Cardina's words were cut. A Sandali woman had approached him, pressing her lips to the man forcefully. It was obvious that the man was surprised, as he immediately pushed the woman back with a forceful shove. Wiping his lips, he looked to the woman with a truly pissed expression. "Unafanya nini?!" He demanded.

The woman threw her head back in a proud laugh. Her braided hair fell back below her waist as she let out a deep scream of laughter. "Wewe ni wangu." She said, confidently. pressing her hand onto the man's chest. The woman looked to Madalena with a challenging gaze, one that showed nothing but challenge. "I claim him as my own." She spoke in challenge, before pulling a crafted tomohawk from her waist. She leaned down, slamming the blade of the weapon into the ground, a sign of true challenge. "Choose your weapon, Nje Nje." She turned from the two, returning to another group of women who had been watching intently. Cardinal turned back to Madalena with a matter of fact expression. "I thought I would have been challenged first." Cardinal looked to Madalena expectantly, though he was unsure of how she would react, he was certain of a single emotion she would feel, rage. "Madalena. We are not in the Confederacy anymore. Here, every warrior is accountable for their actions. She has not insulted me here, she has insulted you, when it is all said and done, her fate is yours to decide." His final words were spoken softly as he stepped back.

Around them, many of the warriors had gathered to watch the challenge play out. Some sat upon the carcasses they had brought in while others continued to dance to the music that played through the village. As the evening sun fell down towards the horizon, Cardinal could see the traces of crimson in the skies, fitting.


Nje Nje- Outsider

 

[Madalena Antares]

[member="To'Kola Bakari"]​

The hut was… Beautiful. Madalena paused by the door, taking it all in as Cardinal's smile widened and he walked around the place, stopping to take a drink of water. She almost missed the quaking ground almost entirely, looking at him with a questioning face as he bent down to touch the ground. That was when Madalena could feel it too, the vibrating rhythm, though it too seeing Cardinal smiling before she realized it was not a soft earthquake.

Suddenly grabbed, Cardinal pulled them outside into the evening sun. There was barely any time of breathe as she did as she could to keep up with him, moving through the grounds until…

Madalena froze in her place, taking the sights in. The warriors, the dancers, the women… And one very specific woman. The rage boiled and bubbled beneath Madalena's skin as the woman's lips pressed against Cardinal's. Somewhere in the back of her head, Cardinal had not pushed the female dog away quickly enough. She wasn't sure what his words meant since they hadn't gone over them during their language lessons, but she could guess. What. The. F.

Nje nje. There was a similar word on Endelaan, though Madalena could not think of it in just that moment. But the meaning was all there. When Cardinal turned to her, the rage was still easy to see on her face, and the Sith did not care.

"He is mine," she said as she shifted her gaze back to the woman who had challenged her, "Nampenda and the next time any of you try to touch him like that without issuing the challenge first, you will die."

She was carrying no weapons. She didn't need weapons.

"I fight with weapons that were not made by any man or woman," she announced proudly, lifting her chin. Her training with the spears, both long and short, as well as her small stash of personal weapons, was not good enough yet for a battle such as this. But the Force…. That she could handle. It was one of the few parts of her that had been unharmed by the change of bodies. Her mind, perfectly clear.

Raising her right arm, the Spear of Midnight Black formed in it, its color the very darkness itself, darker than night, and giving off the sensation of deadliness. And just as easily as she had made it appear, Madalena made it vanish. There were more tricks up her sleeve.

"I will you give you a single chance to withdraw your challenge," she spoke, her voice loud and deep, "if you insist on going forth with it, you will see horrors much bigger than that. To'Kola is mine and you shall not have him."

 

[ToKola Bakari]

​

[member="Madalena Antares"]​

​

As the challenge had been issued to Madalena, it was not Cardinal's place to speak against what was transpiring. He would only disrespect his love by voicing his thoughts. Yet, there was a part of him that was eager to see how Madalena would handle herself. She was not a feeble, weak-willed woman who could be so easily intimidated. When Madalena spoke in the dialect of the Sandali the warrioress did not seem surprised, though her eyes did offer a bit more respect than they had the moment before. Her smirk faded for a brief second, but it returned in the next moment. Cardinal could see the anger that was so clearly expressed by his Yua. She was pissed, understandibly so. Sandali women were....bold. Perhaps a bit more bold than the man had expected, but Madalena was seen as an outsider. She would be tested, just because of that. Perhaps the woman had no true interest in Cardinal, perhaps it was Madalena she was truly focusing on. Cardinal crossed his arms as Madalena formed a spear of midnight black, a darkshear. It was a powerful ability that he had only seen a few times in his own long life.

The woman who stood before Madalena was unphased. No, if anything her eyes held a certain spark to them. She pulled her tomahawk from the ground, spinning it around in her hands expertly before looking to another of the warriors, one of the men who had met Cardinal and Madalena when they landed. He stepped forward, yelling out loudly. "Changamoto! Sa'nira challenges the outsider." The declaration was, technically, the beginning of the bout. The Sandali never backed down from a challenge offered, so to withdraw a challenge that you yourself initated was one of the most shameful things that could be done. Regardless of Madalena's display, combat was inevitable.

Cardinal stepped to Madalena's side, placing a hand on her shoulder. He did not seek to comfort her or offer words of advice. Instead he did something far more meaningful. Pulling her into his chest he wrapped his arms around her, biting into her shoulder. It was a possesive display, that showed his faith in her and had another message with it. "Fight, My Yua." He urged her, before stepping back from the two. The Sandali music had all but ceased, aside from a number of drums that could be heard through out the village. The woman, Sa'nira, stood across from Madalena as the others stood back to offer space for the duel. "Come outsider, show me the color of your blood."

​

 

[Madalena Antares]

[member="To'Kola Bakari"]​

​

Her challenger did not retreat. Madalena, though the anger still radiated from her, offered her a predatory smile. As a Sith Sorceress, the last thing she needed was weapons. As a child and a Princess of Endelaan, there was no mercy that could reside within her towards those who would want to take her loved ones away. The challenge issued might have been according to local Sandala laws, and Madalena would not break them, but she had given the woman a chance to back out of it – and had warned her what would happen if she did not take that chance.

In her mind, the woman was already dead, her body already to serve as food for the worms. It was only Cardinal pulling her aside for a moment that served to lower the blood lust – but only for a handful of seconds. His bite on her shoulder could have meant a whole lot of different things, yet it drew a deep moan from the woman as her neck stretched and she looked at the sky, the expression of near ecstatic joy open to see upon her face. There was no hiding. There was no shame. She might have been challenged for him, but she was just as every bit his as he was hers. And those who tried to come between them… Would die.

The fight had begun, but Madalena held her ground, and did not move. The glow of her green eyes focused on the woman, on Sa'nira, as she began to gather the Force around her. To those who were not attuned to the Force, she would seemingly just be standing still and doing nothing. But those who could feel it… It was not just a neutral amount she was picking up. Around Madalena, the Force began to swirl, the very dark essence of it growing with every breath.

Raising her arms, Madalena began to work. Her grandmother, had been gifted with the elemental Earth control. Her sister had inherited that gift from her. Their mother, however, could control the very air, and Madalena was the one to inherit that. She raised her arms, and four tornadoes began to form; big enough so that those who were standing sufficiently close could feel their pull, even if not be pulled themselves, and yet small enough to keep the collateral damage at a minimum, for the time being.

Still smiling, the tornados began to spin. She had no intention of removing homes from their foundations or even of picking her opponent up and throwing her away. No. The tornadoes began to spin with elegance around Sa'nira, faster and faster.

How much did these people know of science, Madalena wondered as she resumed her work, adjusting the tornadoes to move along with Sa'nira's movements. While the show was indeed, satisfying to watch, she was focusing on what it was she was doing – the placement of the tornadoes, the way they moved… It was all designed to slowly, very slowly, pull the air from Sa'nira's lungs. They could think that she was not strong enough to do more than have them dance around her. They could think she was slow. But like the rest of her family, like the man by her side, Madalena was a predator.

And woe be them who saw the glow of her eyes and dared to think otherwise, even as she was playing with her prey.

 

[ToKola Bakari]

​

[member="Madalena Antares"]​

​

The drums let out a resounding booms as they filled the evening with a tone for the match. While the Sandali warriors around them danced and howled to the rhythm of the drums, Cardinal stood silently, stoically. He had found a large bolder that could host his form and so now he leaned back on it with his eyes locked on the two. No, more fitting to say they were locked on Madalena. The Dark Side of the Force spilled from her in droves, to the point where some of the Sandali took a step back from her. Not all could feel this weight, this pressure. Those that could were likely the Shaman, those who had been blessed with the Force as children and grew to wield it as a mighty weapon. Even they shrank back from her power. The Darkness, he could feel it, so close to him to the point where it felt as if it was caressing him, calling him. He shook off it's allure, by focusing his mind on the duel that was taking place.

Perhaps Sa'Nira was a great warrior in her own right. However, she was young and had misjudged her enemy. The Sandali believed themselves the masters of war, why should she believe an outsider could best her. Her will did not yet erode though. As the hellish winds began to twist and dance around her, she ran with them, attempting to free herself. Each time she was slammed into an invisible wall and thrown back into the dirt behind her. What was even more noticeable was the quickness in which she was losing her breathe. She had barely ran a few seconds and already she was breathing as if she had spent hours in a sprint. Wildly she threw her hand axe at the winds. It, like her own body, was flung uselessly back into the dirt.

It did not take her long to collapse onto her knees. Her head had grown light, the vision that was before her, frightful as it was began to fade away. As her eyes watched the Sith Sorceresses disappear from her gaze, it seemed as if the gods would claim her. She had boasted, she had challenged, and now she had lost. Her life, was the cost of this. Perhaps she understood, or perhaps she did not. But weakly she pressed the palm of her hand to her throat, just before she collapsed onto the ground, barely holding on to what little life she had left.

Cardinal felt his pride rise, to a point it seldom did. He watched as Madalena twisted the winds to her command and even more so he watched the Sandali warriors gaze out at her. He watched them, respect her. How appropriate, that they would learn of her power through combat.

The man crossed his arms, looking to the other Sandali warriors who seemed, speechless. His smirk was hard to miss, as was the meaning behind his words. "Yibambe."

The Sandali, responded in kind. "Yibambe!" They howled with a glorious thunder.

 

[Madalena Antares]

@To'Kola Bakari​

​

There was not a remnant of the loving, sweet, warm Madalena that Cardinal had come to known and love as she continued to control the winds that danced around Sa'Nira. Neither was she the wild woman she had been when she'd inhabited her sister's body, taking relish in the chaos she unleashed upon the field of battle. There was nothing chaotic about her action, about her movements. Her focus was laser sharp, the glow of her eyes intensifying as she continued to weave her control over the very air that her challenger – no, her enemy.

It was a family trait, one that went back for as many generations as existed in memory. There were two main forms of rage and anger. The first was the loud, warm one, surrounded by tones of screaming, almost like barking dogs. Much has been accomplished through it, for they were Sith for the most part, and their emotions were their passions, and their passions made them strong. Yet there was a coldness too – the icy anger, the freezing rage. The galaxy fell silent as it happened, as though the very stars held their breath.

And when Sa'Nira dropped to her knees, Madalena walked towards her, standing just out of reach of the tornadoes that she was still controlling. There was no gentleness in her expression, no compassion. She had been challenged, and she had given her challenger the chance to back out. By refusing to, the other woman had marked her own death, and the one she had received was a quick one.

If anyone else thought they could challenge Madalena and win, she would not be as benevolent, and when her gaze moved up to look at those gathered, shamelessly peering straight into their eyes, she let them see it – like an open book, they could see the predator that she was, the monster that she so easily would choose to be, every single time.

At last, she released her tornadoes. The woman was dead and there was no longer any need for them, though she did consider making show of it for a moment before deciding it was better not to.

Her gaze turned to Cardinal then, and all those that looked would see how quickly her expression changed, now full of pride of love where a moment again nothing short of a cold blooded murderer had stood there.

As the screams of Yibambe began to chorus all around, she smiled, the predatory tension evaporating from her shoulders, and she walked over to Cardinal, her head high and proud. Her lips found his and she pressed her body against his, resisting the urge to jump and wrap her legs around him. Instead, she turned around, looking at those gathered again.

"Yeye ni wangu," she announced, "I welcome any who tries to challenge this. But before you do, know this – your death will be much slower, and much more painful, than Sa'Nira's was."

Smiling at Cardinal again, she took his hand in hers, enjoying the warmth that his body always radiated. "Shall we feast?"

 

[ToKola Bakari]

[member="Madalena Antares"]
​

In this moment, Madalena had been transformed into pure power. As the winds twisted and writhed, the female Sandali fell lifeless and was sucked into The Force. As the spirit left her body, Cardinal watched a number of the warriors slam their Spears into the ground. A sign of respect, not to the warrior who had left life, but to Madalena who had claimed what was hers and defended it with wrath and blood. The gods cheered for her victory and so did the Jiwe tribe. The music and commotion died down as Madalena spoke. None stepped forward to challenge her or her claim. As she spoke in fluent Sulu, they could see her heart and the truth behind it. Cardinal had remained silent, simply watching to see how Madalena was received. When she turned back to him, he stood to his full height, looking to her with an approving expression. "My Yua." He said, letting their lips meet. He kissed her passionately, feeling his body warmed by the duel and how expertly she had handled it. There was no surprise, she was his sorceress.

While the sun began to fall below the horizon, the evening feast was set to begin. A number of fruits and vegetables were being seared and grilled, all the while a large pot of stew could be smelled from the furthest end of the village. Many of the villagers worked to clean and tend to the meat, while the warriors were offered a time of rest. So they drank. An interesting type of mead flowed, from cup to cup until the entire village had it's share. The liquid was made from a pale blue honey that caused the drink to be a cloudy, milky color. This did not deter Cardinal.

He and Madalena had been offered a place close to the bonfire, seated with the warriors. While Cardinal was not yet a warrior, he was well known by the Jiwe and Madalena was treated as his other half, a right she had earned.

When the next morning came, it came quickly. Cardinal had risen a few minutes before the rise of the sun. The night offered good rest, but perhaps not enough for what was to come. As soon as he awoke, he dressed himself in nothing more than a dark brown robe that loosely hugged his form. The symbol of the tribe was stitched onto the back of the garment. Madalena had been provided one as well, as she would accompany Cardinal in his trials. For now, he stood in the doorway of their but and stared out silently. He was not worried, he was eager. Eager to prove himself a warrior and stand as an equal amongst his people.

 

[Madalena Antares]

[member="To'Kola Bakari"]​

​

Yes. As the power she had gathered slowly began to subside, she and Cardinal were in each other's arms again, the sweetest words he could ever murmur caressing her very soul. My Yua. "I am," the words came from her, the whiff of darkside power clinging to them like sweet scent to perfume, and the corners of her lips turned into smiles as she added, "And you are my Lochem." Only now did she pause, but for the briefest of moments – none but Cardinal would have caught it. Lochem. An ancient word that would not be found in any contemporary records. But by the sound of it alone she knew where it had come from, and more importantly – she knew what it meant.

The Yua and the Lochem. Two words that held such meaning. Two entire ideas that could weave entire tales. She did not wish to think on what the future would hold for them. They were in the present, and they were with each other, and she would not change how the present was for anything that she could imagine the universe had to offer.

The sweetest of laughs escaped her mouth when she saw Cardinal drinking the mead and its color, before she kissed him again, tasting the lasting drops that remained on his lips before she licked them clean. There was power, in the entire evening. Power that ebbed and flew through her, and the world spun in the most delicious of ways, and Cardinal's warmth and heat never strayed far, letting her enjoy them to the near fullest even when the roaring bonfire was so nearby.

The rest of the night went on like the sweetest of dreams, and when Madalena opened her eyes the following morning in the hut, it took her the span of a breath to realize that a dream it had not been – everything that had happened was true, forever etched in their memories.

Quietly, her eyes followed him as he moved about and got dressed, not stirring from her spot until he stood by the doorway, gazing outside. Of course, she knew what today was. She, had been tested the day before. Today, he would be allowing his own people to test him as he tested himself.

Still smiling, she rose from the bed, only the thin sheet serving to pretend as though she had any modesty. Her arms came to wrap around him from the back as her chin rested against his shoulder, and she inhaled, taking in his scent.

"My parents went through similar trials on our home planet," she said quietly, her own glowing eyes lingering into the distance, "I never thought I would see such things again before I returned there. Last night's fight, today's trials for you… It makes me happy, to be your Yua. More than I thought was possible."

As she spoke, one of her hands moved up – not, to tease, but to rest against his heart, feeling it beat beneath her skin. Placing another kiss against his shoulder, Madalena smiled once more. "When will the trials begin?" she asked, "And do we have time to eat before them?"

 

[ToKola Bakari]

​

[member="Madalena Antares"]​

​

Lochem. It was a word Cardinal did not know. It was not Sulu and it was not Galactic Basic. Even the way that Madalena had said it was new to the man. He looked to her with a curious gaze before speaking the word back to her. "Lochem. What does that mean?" Honestly, Cardinal had not expected to learn from her this trip, yet it seemed his expectations were consistently being exceeded, especially when it came to Madalena. He turned back to the center of the village, eyeing the firepit with an unreadable expression. It was immediately noticeable that only the warriors moved about the village this early. The warriors were cleaning the old ash and wood from the pit, throwing large dry logs in it's place. He nodded to the pit without turning to look at Madalena. "When the fire comes alive, it is time." The feeling of Madalena's arms around him, normally he would smile. Not now. His mind was focused, he was turning his attention to every aspect of this trial. Still, he heard her words, and he appreciated them. "I was lost before you Madalena and it is only because of you that I'm here now." He turned, pressing his lips to Madalena. His hands pressed into her hips, pulling her close to him.

Just as Madalena asked when the trials would begin, the faint sound of footsteps could be heard. An elder woman, with long sunken cheeks and gnarled hands approached. She carried a staff, woven from the lumber taken from this world. She was old and dainty in appearance, yet the Force flowed from her as naturally as any stream. Cardinal turned to her, bowing his head respectfully as he placed a hand over his heart. "Elder."

The deference shown by Cardinal was well received. The Elder entered with a frown, a disapproving look turning to Madalena and back to Cardinal. Her staff came up and immediately, fell down upon the man's head. He grunted at the force, but his lips curled into a knowing smile. "I said, I wanted to see her when you first got back. Not the morning of your trials." The elder woman declared in a thick, raspy accent. She turned to Madalena and gestured to Cardinal. "He's worthless, you know. Brawn and brains, but no manners." The woman cleared her throat before looking to Madalena searchingly. "Quite lovely you are and powerful with the great ocean of the gods. More powerful than To'Kola I suspect. More training and you'd defeat him in a duel of the gods, I'd wager." Cardinal recovered, arching a brow before the elder woman turned back to him. "Ah! Not a word. Wima is talking, boy." The woman turned back to Madalena smiled thoughtfully, the first smile she had shown since she had entered the hut. "My name is Wima Bakari." She said no more, as now Cardinal was able to speak, a slight smile still upon his face.

"Madalena. Wima is the last surviving member of my family on Sandala. She is my great grandmother's sister." This alone would likely cause Madalena some thought. Cardinal was hundreds of years old himself, and Wima survived an age that was hundreds of years longer than that, making her life a very long one.

"The tribe of Jiwe is separated into over one hundred clans. Once, the Bakari were the greatest. But when the great empire fell, so many of us were taken by the gods. After the death of my son, I was sure we would fade. But it was not meant to be. The gods returned To'Kola to his home, and with it he has brought me hope." Her next smile was more of a smirk, one to Cardinal and Madalena both, but her expression soon turned serious. "You are ready?" She asked Cardinal, who responded with a firm nod. "Find your voice, boy." He blinked for a half-moment but knew better than to incur her wrath. "I am ready, Bibi."

"Good." She gestured to him to lean down. Wima was old, yet she was still nearly as tall as Cardinal. She pressed her lips to his brow, before doing the same to Madalena. "And you? Are you prepared?" She asked, insinuating that Madalena would stand beside Cardinal through his trials.

 

[Madalena Antares]

[member="To'Kola Bakari"]​

"Warrior," Madalena explained with a warm smile, "On Endelaan, people speak Basic and Ancient Sith. But there is a language that predates both of these on the planet, a language that has no name. And that word is in that language. Only the scholars still learn and remember it, and no one really speaks it."

Enjoying the warmth of his body, Madalena had no expectations for smiles or anything else. She knew how important that day was to Cardinal – and she knew exactly what her role in it was. "No," she said softly, "you are here because of you. I did not push you to finding your people, your world, I did not push you to come here for tests and trials. I am here to support you, because I love you. But you have this with merit that is entirely your own."

As the old woman approached, she let go of Cardinal, and mimicked the hand against the heart and bow that he gave the older woman, trying to remember if there was any other protocol that she was meant to be observing in this instance.

Her eyes narrowed though. While the woman was elderly, and no doubt knew Cardinal, she did not appreciate her calling her man worthless. Was this on any other planet, she would have opened her mouth and put the woman in her place right there and then, but at the risk of causing a scandal for Cardinal, she preferred to keep her mouth shut. Only one smile she gave, when Cardinal explained who Wima was.

Her gaze glanced over to Caridnal though, when Wima mentioned hope. Hope for the future. It didn't take a genius to figure it out – breeding. And while WIma would receive all the respect that her age and position gave her, there was no way in hell that Madalena was going to discuss breeding with her there and then.

"I am always ready to stand beside To'Kola," she said with a nod, and moved closer to him, "For if he truly was a worthless brute, he would not have been able to inspire my desire to come here." Well... She had to retort to that earlier statement, despite everything.

Gazing now outside, she saw the fires being lit. It was time.

 

[ToKola Bakari]

​

[member="Madalena Antares"]​

​

Wima said nothing more, merely granting the two an aged smile. She turned, making her way out of the hut and standing by the door. Now she gestured for Cardinal to follow her. The large man turned to Madalena and placed his lips firmly on hers. He drank in her scent before running a hand over her cheek. His smile was pure, even when he pulled himself from her. Turning to the door, he followed Wima into the center of the village. A quiet morning had already turned into something else. The village, in it's entirety was moving outside with stoic gazes. Not one set of eyes did not eventually make their way to Cardinal. He could see them, looking at him as if he was a man with three heads. It unsettled him, but he paid it no mind. Wima, however, still wore a smile as he led the two towards the giant flame that was coming to life. It danced with smoke and embers, until Wima approached. The moment she stepped forward, it came alight with a hellish blaze.

The flames rose and the drums began. Somber, loud, and even, they began to overtake the village. What came next caused Cardinal to pause. Wima glanced back at Cardinal before reaching out towards the flame, allowing it to wrap her hand in it's fiery embrace. He did not budge nor did Wima flinch. The flames washed over her hand as if they were cool waters flowing through a stream. When she pulled her arm back, her body began to tremble, as if overtaken by the cold. Her grip tightened around the staff in her hands. Dark, black markings began to cover her from head to toe. Her pale grey hair turned black and vibrant as the wrinkles that plagued her skin began to fade away.

​When Wima spoke again her voice was like glass, clear and pure. "To'Kola. Today we rejoin the ancient blood. We rekindle the lost spirit, and we shall rebuild the broken body."

It held none of the weight of age it had only moments ago. She was a beautiful woman, still apparently older than Cardinal. Her eyes. They were once shallow brown orbs, but now they burned like dying stars. Just like his. The Force wrapped itself around her. The brown cloak she wore turned a deep shade of Navy and her form filled itself in it fully. Her accent was rich and plentiful as she spoke, and not a single word would be misunderstood by any.

"Madalena, come child. Stand before him, who claims your heart, and stand before him whose heart you claimed. Together you have come, together you shall be tested. So says the gods."

She raised her hand to the sky and the flames behind her began to twist and writhe violently. The villagers around them fell to their kness, all but the warriors who stood with their weapons in hand. The flames behind Wima shot into the sky and arched forward in four plumes of fire. They slammed into the ground beside the woman and danced with the sound of the drums. As the flames were extinguished, four warriors stood beside Wima, clad in the garb of their class. Each one had swirling black markings which moved and danced about their skin as if it was alive. They were the elders of the Jiwe, preserved by the Force and hardened by years of war. These three men and two women caused the very mountain to quake.

"So, the son of Jiwe returns." One of the Elders said, his voice cocky and sure as he looked to Cardinal. Yet, his eyes did befall Madalena. "And with an outsider...The rumors are true." He was hushed by Wima, who looked to the others with a certain expression. "To"Kola proved himself worthy of the trial when he helped us fight back the water walkers. And, this Outsider, was able to kill Sa'Nira without so much as a scratch on her. Will you contest the trial?"

The elders exchanged looks before shaking their heads in unison. "Blood and Glory." They chanted in unison before the man stepped forward. Khemu, bald with a left eye as white as snow. He looked to the two and spoke proudly, his voice falling over the village. "The trial of Jiwe holds four challenges. The challenge of Earth, Fire, Water, and Shadow. The challenge of Earth is undertaken in ritual combat. Blood to blood."

He turned back to the crowd of warriors, yelling out loudly. "Challenge!" In but a moment, two warriors stepped forward, brandishing clubs crafted from some type of strange wood. "We would challenge them." The brothers said in unison.

Cardinal glanced up at the two men, before turning back to Madalena. He was going to speak, yet he was cut off. "No weapons, no command of the great ocean. The challenge of Earth is completed with the body." The two men threw their clubs to the side, knowing that this duel would be faced, unarmed. These "men" were larger than even Cardinal. Each one had a number of scars marring their body and their own swirling black tattoos to show of their conquests. They would not be easy to defeat. Cardinal began to pull off the brown cloak he wore, before glancing back to his Yua with a smirk. "We should offer them a chance to surrender." He said, as the Elders stepped back to the edge of the clearing.

 

[Madalena Antares]

[member="ToKola Bakari"]​

​

​

Quietly, Madalena followed Wima and Cardinal, keeping a short distance away to give them both whatever space was required. While Wima had indeed told her she would somehow be a part of it, Madalena felt like it was more ceremonial than an actual thing, and kept looking around t what the crowd was doing, trying to understand the social cues that differentiated between this place and what she was accustomed to.

Her eyes narrowed as she watched the flames take over the old woman, the washing over her like water not having gone unnoticed. But it was not the fire that held her interest, nor the water or the dark veins – it was the eyes. That orange-yellow glow, the way it was almost as though the iris itself danced. Cardinal had it as well, and still something about it felt different. The rest of her appearance that had changed did not hold a candle against those eyes.

It took every ounce of self-control when she was called. She had not been expecting it. She didn't think Cardinal had been expecting it either. And suddenly she was called, to stand before him, to have… Her heart claimed. Part of her wanted to scream that she was not ready, that they were still learning themselves and their surroundings, that it was too early to acknowledge what they had in such a public way. Another part of her wanted to beam with pride that they knew he was hers. She had, after all, killed someone the previous day to show them that it was a bad idea to mess with her or take what was hers.

But it appeared they would fight together. A smile appeared on her face as she took her place in front of Cardinal now. Together. Did they know, that she and Cardinal had fought together before? The missions they had been on? How they worked together?

The dancing around them resumed, the fire, the drums. It was almost as though she had stepped into a dream. And when one of the Elders referred to her as an outsider gain, Madalena held his gaze, refusing to avert her eyes. She had every right to be there as anyone else – perhaps more so, because one of their own had deemed her worthy. Worthy enough to help bring her a body, worthy enough to still give his heart as a result of it, still worthy enough to bring her here, to his home. She would not balk. She would not stutter.

Blood and Glory.

The challenge of the Earth was completed with the body. Madalena looked at the two, looking at their size, taking them in. Their scars had no effect on her; she had walked for over half a year in a body just as scarred.

"Should we?" she purred as she stretched her neck, letting a few crack sounds out of it, "all right then. Surrender."

Without the Force, it was not going to be an easy fight for her. She was not the physical Warrior that her sister was, and she relied more on ranged weapons and force abilities. But she could still hold her own. She was still quick, and flexible. If Cardinal went on forward as the major offense, she could fill in the role of the support.

Not to mention that they were fighting on sand. Madalena was definitely not above tossing it into their eyes. "Just like everywhere else," she whispered, mostly to herself. They had danced this dance before. They had faced worse enemies. "Hey, are we allowed to kill them if they don't surrender?"

 

[ToKola Bakari]

​

[member="Madalena Antares"]​

​

The large Sandali man could not help but chuckle a bit as he braced his knuckles against his hand. A string of loud pops erupted out as he turned to look at Madalena. She had asked about killing the men and Cardinal merely chuckled. "Ritual combat ends in one of two ways. Yield or death. I will offer them a chance, but only one." The man turned to the two Sandali warriors and looked to them with a challenging expression. He held his arms out in challenge, before slamming his foot into the ground. "Uso Kwangu!" He aimed a fist at the man closest to him. "Uso Kwangu!" He repeated, demanding the man fight him. The Sandali warrior let out a mighty roar before slamming his own foot into the ground. He was large and imposing, yet his emotions were like a never ending storm.

He charged. Disregarding his brother and disregarding his safety. He charged for Cardinal, who could only smirk. "He's yours." He promised Madalena before charging forward. He ran past Madalena, running towards his challenger at full speed. Perhaps the man believed Cardinal would meet him head on and enter combat. No, this was no Eshan. This time, he would use his brain. His full power went into his legs and in a single maneuver, Cardinal leaped over the Sandali warrior. The Sandali warrior was dumbfounded as his opponent bounded over him.

When Cardinal's feet impacted the ground once again, he continued his charge. This time, he did not charge the man who he'd initially enticed. No, he went for his brother who stood ill-prepared. Cardinal ran forward, locking his arms around the warrior. His hands clamped together over the man's shoulder and he forced himself forward. The man's feet came off the ground and he felt the rush of Cardinal's assault. When the two came down onto the ground, it was with a thunderous slam. The entire village yelled out in one mighty roar.

"Yibambe!" They cheered the start of the match. Cardinal was quick to mount the Sandali warrior, one of his knees pressing into his abdomen. He continued his attack with a fury. One massive fist after another, slamming down into the man's arms that rushed to protect his face. "Never again!" He yelled, his eyes showing a fire that they had only ever shown once before. Eshan.

 

[Madalena Antares]

[member="ToKola Bakari"]​

Yield or death. Madalena shook her head. It was obvious that they weren't gonna yield before the fight had even begun – she hadn’t been on Sandala for long enough to know the ins and outs of their culture, but that bit at least, was as clear as day. She eyed the two large men, annoyed with the fact she could not use the Force. In her old body, that would not have been a problem at all; it was a body that was trained for physical fights. This one? She knew more than enough defensive maneuvers, but her offense would be weak.

A plan began to form in her mind. She would support Cardinal – let him give the majority of the blows and physical assault, while she backed him up, kept an eye, and held the defenses up when he was otherwise busy. It would be the best way for their relative abilities to come together and ensure their win. Because even though she was not from Sandala, the message that she and Cardinal both painted every single day, with every single action, was a simple one – We do not yield.

Where Cardinal demanded one of the brothers charged, Madalena remained silent, keeping herself light on both feet, making sure she would not stagnant in place. When Cardinal said the charging brute was hers and then charged himself she blinked, her gaze locked onto the other brother, full expecting him to use the chance to make his own attack, but he just stood there like a wall of bricks, doing nothing.

Crouching ever so slightly, she continued to watch, realizing what her Nusui was doing.

Madalena smiled.

As Cardinal continued on to his brother, she herself moved forward. Where Cardinal had gone atop of the man, she seem to be aiming for below him. But that was not where she wanted to be; her crouch had merely given her the option to collect some sand within her fist without it being noticed, and a moment later she ducked out of the way just in time to let the man's punch connect with nothing but air.

She might not have been a great offensive warrior in her current body; but she was still limber and quick, and now that the first punch had missed, she began to circle him like a tigress stalking her prey. The sounds of the villagers cheering was blocked from her focus; she needed to make sure she weakened him first.

Again the brute charged at her, but now she let him, his arms coming around her as he picked her up and attempted to slam her down to the ground. She had not expected that though; her legs had already been working to climb swiftly to the other side of him, but the drop had been faster than she'd anticipated and the next thing she knew she was on her back, and he atop of her. How she wished she could electrocute him for the insolence.

Realizing that she had picked the sand up earlier for nothing, now she attacked; one hand came quickly up to cover her eyes and mouth while the other smashed a handful of sand into his face, fingers poking for his eyeballs. It was enough to get him to move backwards a few inches, a chance that she used in order to fold her knees up and kick him off of her, albeit it took more effort than she could have liked.

Using the single breath of freedom she'd received from her move, Madalena quickly got to her feet again, moving backwards to open some space between them, before launching forward again – this time aiming directly to tackle the man by his family jewels.

After all, no one had said that was against the rules.

 

[ToKola Bakari]

​

[member="Madalena Antares"]​

​

Cardinal was unleashing a fury upon the man under him. As his fists landed against the man's arms, he grew more and more outraged. He wanted to hit home. He wanted to feel the hard crunch of bone and cartilage under his fist. Yet every time he slammed his fist on the man, it was expertly blocked. Eventually Cardinal attempted to grab the man's arm, hoping to pull it back from his face. This left him open. A fist slammed into the bottom of his throat, causing Cardinal to reel back. The warrior beneath him was fast. His leg flew up just as he gripped Cardinal's shoulder. They rolled and in the next second, Cardinal was the one on the ground.

The man was larger and his mount was more firm than Cardinals. An elbow slammed down into Cardinal's cheek and had his jaw not been clenched, it would have likely been shattered. Again and again the elbows descended down onto him. He was able to hold his guard for a time, hoping to find a crack in the armor. It got to the point where the man over him was falling into a rhythm. His moves and motions were falling in-sync and they were becoming anticipatable. Then...

Crack!

Cardinal's fist slammed into the man's nose, a stream of blood drained onto Cardinal's chest while he reached up. He used the same move the Sandali warrior had used on him. He was able to slam the man back into the ground, and reclaim his mount. But this time, he did not hesitate. The back of his fist fell onto the man's nost again. This time the soft squish was paired with a loud roar of pain. Next, Cardinal reared forward, yelling out as he grabbed the man's arm. He curled his own around it before twisting violently. The loud snap was heard by all and the Sandali continued to cheer. The man was wounded, his arm was broken, at this rate Cardinal would defeat him.

 

[Madalena Antares]

[member="ToKola Bakari"]​

​

​

Cardinal was fairing much better than Madalena was in that moment. Her attempt to ram into her opponent's family jewels had not gone well enough, and he'd moved Justin time for her head to slam into his stomach instead. Whereas normally that should have sent him into trucks of pain, he instead made to grab her, flipping her legs over her head before he sent her sprawling to the ground. It was only by the stroke of luck that she did not land on her head or snap her spine, but she could feel the pain and the protest of her body in being treated thus.

A scream erupted from her as the man next kicked straight into her stomach before she could even realize it was coming, and she tried to roll away. All she'd managed to do in that time instead was get on all fours, which gave him the perfect opportunity to kick her in the rib cage. Her fight was definitely not going good.

The crowd was cheering. Was it for him? Was Cardinal doing something that brought it on instead? He had warned her that outsiders were not as loved as people considered part of the tribe, and while she had won her own fight the day before, she was uncertain where her standing was; would they cheer for her? Or for anyone who was mildly successful in this fight?

Her question was soon answered though. As she coughed and spit, her opponent turned to the crowd and raised his arms, bringing more cheers on. That cheeky bastard.

But it was enough for her to find her footing, to get back up.

His own back was turned to her. Wasting no time on breathing, Madalena launched again. She ran up to him and jumped, her arms folding around one of his biceps as her legs did the same to the other one, effectively scissoring both his arms, keeping him from being able to move them. Most of her focus was on her own arms; those were the ones with the potential to let go too soon. Her legs, however… Thick thighs saved lives. In this case, they would be saving hers.

And as her arms held on for dear life, it was her thighs that she squeezed, time and time again, trying to hurt him, sprain a muscle, loosen a bone, anthing.

 

[ToKola Bakari]

​

​

[member="Madalena Antares"]​

​

The Sandali man loomed over his opponent, a man who was battered and bloody. The warrior laid in the dirt, barely clinging on to consciousness. His arm and nose were broken and his face was marred with bloody bruises and scrapes. He let out a soft groan, before his hand came up, pressing into Cardinal's chest. The man was large, but even with his size the push was little more than a pat. Cardinal swatted his hand away before leaning down, grabbing the man's collarbone and bracing his fist.

"Yield!" He commanded. The Warrior looked up to Cardinal through a single eye, gazing up at him with a puzzling look. Where most would show an expression of disdain or hatred, there was only a passive look on this warrior's face. Even through the Force Cardinal could not feel the slightest bit of hatred. Cardinal looked at him with a confused look before lowering him back to the ground. "Yield. It is over." The man gazed back up at Cardinal before pressing a hand to his wounded nose. "End it then..."

Cardinal pressed his knee into the man's shoulder. "You would choose death?" He asked, his fist still clenched tight before the man. The warrior made a sound that mimicked a snort, yet it seemed to pain him, he winced before speaking once again. "You have been away...for too long... Death is t-t- the only fate for those who truly wish to bring honor to the Jiwe. You....you beat me, so end it..." Cardinal paused, rearing his fist back as if preparing to strike the man, but he could not, not yet. "This is ritual combat! I am not your enemy, but your challenger! Live today and fight again another day."

"Live...in mockery....in scorn? Are you....weak in the heart boy? You...claimed my life when you bested me....now finish it!" He growled the final words as if Cardinal's hesitation had angered him so much more than his defeat.

Cardinal paused, gazing up at the Sandali before him. There was a mixture of expressions before him. Some looked to him with hard gazes, holding respect but a certain contempt as well. The others, they looked to the man who was beaten with a sadness. The Sandali, especially the Jiwe, believed combat to be sacred. But who could see a brother struck down for such a thing? A man killed for what? A challenge? The yells had ceased and Cardinal looked back down to the man before him.

"Do it....it is our way...." The warrior muttered.

Cardinal growled, before slamming his fist into the side of the man's head. He was effective in knocking the warrior out cold, but he did not end his life. "If your life is mine then I'll do with it whatever the hell I please." He spoke softly before standing up from the warrior.

"I will not kill a man who did not wrong me." He declared to those before him, those who looked to him in confusion. "Waste of a good warrior..." He finished before turning towards Madalena. He was eager to see if his lover would need his aid in this bought, or would she handle it her on her own?

 

[Madalena Antares]

[member="ToKola Bakari"]​

​

Over in Madalena's corner, the struggle remained real. While her thighs were still wrapped around the man's arms, her hands wrapped around the other arm, the two formed a cross. Where he tried to bring his arms together or find a way to shake her off, he failed. Yet at the same time, she was not having much success in gaining inches on him either. While he could do little to hurt her right there and then, she could not dispatch of him as well.

It would be a war to see who had more stamina. Madalena grunted. She wasn't weak by any means, but her focus since coming into her own body had shifted from the physical into the Force, and she knew that at the game of holding out, the man she was fighting had the upper hand. She had to find something quicker, something better to do, or her half of the match would be lost, and Cardinal would be shamed in front of his own people.

Struggling to maintain her thick grip on him, the man had already formed another plan in mind. Madalena screamed as he suddenly jumped, letting his upper body fall backwards – onto her.

The two were on the ground now, his torso on top of hers, his weight pinning her down into the sands. She knew that if it came to a fight of brute strength – she would lose. Hard. Grunting, one of her hands let go of his arms and she went straight for the eyes – her thumbs and finger pressing straight into them.

"YIELD!" she screamed viciously at the man, applying extra pressure. Atop of her, he was trashing wildly, trying to move away, but her thighs still had his arm locked between them, and she was fighting and struggling to not let go. "YIELD!" she roared again, applying even more pressure. She didn't let herself think, didn't let herself consider that one wrong breath and his eyes would rupture.

"YIELD!" she demanded a final time – and pressed forward.

The squishiness between her fingers was more icky than words could describe. And still, she refused to let go. She couldn't check, couldn't see, that it was only one eye she had gotten, and that within moments, the two would flip, and her limbs would let go as he now sat on top of her, one hand pinning her hand down, the other forming hooks with his fingers to take her own eye as well.

 

[ToKola Bakari]

When To'Kola looked up his eyes befell Madalena, pinned underneath the Sandali Warrior. Blood drained from the man's eye and he clawed at her face with vicious intent. He had already pinned her to the ground and they were locked in a bloody struggle. That was when To'Kola realized it. Madalena was not in Scherezade's body any longer. Her prowess in physical combat had not been as keenly perfected. Against the might of a true Sandali warrior, that was a problem. His feet moved before he had realized it.

He charged for the two, realizing that neither of them seemed to notice that his own battle was over. Blood still crossed his face as he moved across the ground and dirt. He felt his muscles tighten, even his jaw was clenched. It was something more than a ritualistic battle that could be lost with Madalena's defeat. It was more than the trial of becoming a warrior. It was rage. Pure anger that welled within him and propelled him to move faster than his massive form had any right to move. To'Kola stood behind the two, a behemoth shrouded in shadow, save for the soft light of the flames that roared behind him.

His hands reached out, wrapping around the wrists of the warrior before him. He was strong, but To'Kola was stronger. Even with his muscles going through the stress of fighting the warrior before, he felt only power, power and anger. Why did this man think he could lay his hands upon his Yua? The flower of his life. To'Kola pulled, growling deeply as he bent the man's arms behind his back. It was fast. The joints at the shoulder let out a sickening snap. They had been shattered when To'Kola ripped them back.

He didn't stop. Not even when the screams started.

He ripped the man off of Madalena, slamming him into the ground, holding his limp arms as if they were the reigns to some sort of mount. "What do you think you're doing?" His foot slammed forward, pounding into the man's spine. Harder and harder he pulled, until the warrior's screams turned crazed and wild. The color in the warrior's hands faded away because of the raw grip that To'Kola had on his wrist. He pulled and pulled until flesh and bone parted, ripping violently out of the man's sockets. "You will never touch her….again!" His final word came out in a violent yell just as the arms were ripped free of the torso. To'Kola jerked back, tossing the man's severed arms into the air.

Shock overtook the warrior. Blood spilled from the sockets in slow gushes while To'Kola bent down, wrapping his hand around the back of the man's neck to pick his torso up from the ground. "No one touches her." He whispered to the man, before slamming his face back into the dirt. He was already dead by then and the village was in an uproar. They roared and cheered at the display of blood and combat. To'Kola huffed, trying to catch what was left of his breath. He turned back to Madalena, his chest struck with blood and bone matter. He walked over to her and held a hand out to her with a proud smile. "We won, my Yua."