Private The Law of Equivalent Exchange

[Mona Fae]

Darth Maliphant's ritual chamber.

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The Dreadnaught was massive. By far, it was the biggest and most impressive vessel I'd ever seen. Within its depths, it was easy to forget that I was even on a ship at all. Like on the ship I'd originally been brought to, the time I'd spent here had been mostly my own. The few times I broke from sutdying and learning, I wandered around, investigating the huge vessel. Also like on the other ship, I had to return at the end of each cycle. Mostly, I respected the cycle and slept when the lights were dimmed. A few times I'd stayed up to study, a few times the Darth himself had come to check on my progress.

A shudder raced down my spine.

I'd made a calculated risk when I had bonded my soul to his. I had succeeded in what I'd intended to do; his soul was safe from further degredation. But... it had changed. The Sith Lord was far more powerful than I, and he'd changed it, made it stronger, taken away my control over it. I'd lost count of the nights I'd spent, laying awake, thinking about what might happen. Would he ever let me go? Return to the jedi with what I'd seen? Would he let me break this bond? Would I even be able to?

The ritual chamber itself was a truly magnificent room of Obsidian, glowing symbols set into the dark stone. In the center was a circle, where the Lord himself would sit. I kneeled just inside it, facing the center. I had had his AI ask him to come as soon as he could; to tell him I had cracked the problem, and could finally restore him. A grimace passed over my features as I considered what lay ahead of me. Doing what I'd already done was one thing; energy could be restored over time. In fact, I'd spent much time meditating and restoring what the bond took from me.

But in truth, it was nothing compared to what was about to happen. In truth, I hadn't cracked anything. I knew a way to restore the Darth's soul, to free him from this strange affliction that ravaged his soul, but it was not without its price.

There would be a heavy cost extracted.

Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Empyrean]

The Acerbitas was more a minor symbol of power for Maliphant at this point, and its costs were growing by the day, but he doubted he’d surrender it for the sake of ‘economy’. He’d just have to steal more, make his companies more powerful, or ensure the IGBC actually conquered the galaxy through finances alone -​

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Though today was not the time for any of that, for Cybele had told him of what was coming. Mona Fae, his new found servant and personal doctor, had found a solution to his issue - and while he didn’t mind using her as a crutch to use the Force, he certainly wouldn’t mind having the full power he once had coming back to him. Training with his droids was only so helpful before it fell short to reality;​

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Much to his dismay.​

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Still, as he entered the meditation chamber, he grazed his fingers over the crest of the Togruta’s montrals and found his way to his seat at the center of the meditation chamber. It was where all the localized force energies of the ship were centralized - and the best place for any would be magick.​

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“So I’ve been told you’ve found a solution - would you mind explaining it to me, Mona?”, he said as he crossed his legs on the floor.​

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Mona Fae​

 

[Mona Fae]

By now, I was well-attuned to the Sith lord's presence.

Even before he entered the chamber I felt his approach. My heart immediately began to race, my every fibre suddenly standing on alert. It seemed that no matter how long I was here, no matter how much time I spent on the Master's ship or in his presence; it still commanded a powerful reaction from deep within my instincts. I was afraid of him still. He's already shown his power, and how much it had dwarfed my own. What if the same thing happened here? What if this, too, ended up twisted and corrupted somehow?

The Darth himself swept into his chambers. Instantly my thoughts and worries were banished, my attention suddenly snatched and fixed upon him.

Darth Maliphant approached me, his fingers brushing the top of my montrals. My eyes closed, a soft sigh uncoiling from my chest. Accompanying that soft touch was a sensation withi which I wasn't entirely familiar; a wave of butterflies that seemed to briefly spring to life in my gut. It must have been our force bond, or perhaps whatever he'd done to it. There was no other explanation for the touch of a Darth to be so pleasant.

My Lord sat in the center of the chamber, cross-legged, that intense, powerful gaze fixed directly upon me. He spoke as I settled myself on my knees in front of him. Taking a moment to center myself, I drew in a breath and let it out.

" Greetings, Darth Maliphant, thank you for heeding my summons. There is an ancient technique," I began slowly, my gaze dropping to my hands, "originally it was used to rescue a Jedi Master that had been imprisoned in his own mind... gone mad. I've found a way to alter it, to rescue your soul from the Netherworld. But..."

I trailed off, not wanting to explain what the rest would be, what I'd have to do. It was strange, but vocalizing it seemed to make it... more real. However, he wouldn't let the rest remain unsaid, so I continued,

"There's a price; something, or someone, has to be sacrificed. The Jedi Master who first developed the technique did so with seven other Masters. They sacrificed years off their lives. I can't do that because the power required would kill me before I could finish it. However..."

My hands moved to my abdomen without my notice.

"... I have the cost covered."

All things considered, it was the best option; Darth Maliphant would not hesitate to slaughter someone for this ritual, I was sure of that. This way, no one had to die.

Still... was I really ready for this?

Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Maliphant tapped a finger against his chin in pseudo compilation; only fake by the pure measure he didn’t really care what the cost was. After a moment of pondering, he spoke;​

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“Then go ahead. I want to see what you’re capable of.”​

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And with that, Maliphant slowly closed his eyes, and let Mona goes about her business - but he would assist where he was able. Bringing the Force to the meditation chamber would be easy for him - even with his forced connection through Mona, amplified by the incarnations he had formed before his loss of prowess. It condensed, became nearly physical to the touch, and seemed to stick to her skin as it did his.​

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In a sense, it felt humid - though hardly in the same way, and Maliphant began to float in his form of dark side meditation. The power around them seemed to spark every few seconds - from a random point in the air to another - and it grew intoxicating as it took on his essence. Dark, malignant -​

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There was danger in the force, but it moved to her beck and call.​

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Mona Fae​

 

[Mona Fae]

The moment Darth Maliphant entered his chambers, I could feel it.

As he sat before me, the force seemed to gather aroud him, around us. As he sat, I let out a small sigh, feeling the energy gathering in the center of the room. It was thick, almost palpable; as if, should I reach out a hand, I'd be able to feel it rolling over my skin like a fog. A part of me was in awe of the place, of how richly the force gathered here. But a part of me was afraid. The dark side was strong here. Already, the technique that I planned to use was not entirely in the light. I was venturing into territory with which I wasn't comfortable, and this place felt dangerous... almost hungry.

The Darth himself spoke, utterly dismissive of my implication, and simply closing his eyes and preparing for me to begin.

I... I faltered.

Something happened, something tied itself into a tight, uncomfortable knot in my gut. I blinked, staring at him for a moment as my mind began to flee from the place of quiet meditation. A tempest began to build within me, a dizzying, powerful, violent energy; anger. I was angry, angry that he didn't seem to care about what I was about to give up to restore him.

My mouth opened, but I paused.

Why should he care?

"There is no emotion, there is peace." I mumbled under my breath.

He didn't ask me to do this, he asked me to heal him. The fact that this was what it took wasn't part of the equation. I wasn't giving up something to a Sith who didn't care for it; I was saving the life of some innocent would-be sacrifice that I'll never meet.

"There is no passion, there is serenity."

Skipping a few lines, I reminded myself. Soon, the anger faded, and once more I found myself in my quiet place.

"Alright, be still."

Sitting on my knees in front of him, I spoke softly, reaching out. A flash of fear, sudden and powerful, jolted through me, singing in my veins, as I reached out to touch the Sith. Even in all the time I'd been here, I still wasn't entirely used to his aura, to the embodiment of the frightening tales sitting in front of me. But I let the fear pass, and placed my hand on the side of his head, my fingers gently touching his temple.

Closing my eyes, I let out a breath, and allowed to drift into the force, tapping into the force bond between us. While I did, he would have complete, unfetted access to my mind, but I couldn't worry about that now. I began to travel along the bond, drawing on the force energy around us.

The ritual had begun.

Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Maliphant could feel her anger, though it wasn’t by any means dangerous. He wondered vaguely if it was related to the Dark Side that surrounded her in abundance - perhaps it’s mere presence was enough to influence those of weak will; and that thought alone made him break into a grin. He knew she could see his thoughts as he could see hers;​

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So he let her see what he wanted.​

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Her hands touched his head, and he floated just barely off the ground for her own sake; ease as he would call it, he knew that any strain could inadvertently hurt them both, so while he was willing to play cruel jokes on her mind, he wasn’t so willing to risk the Force lashing out against them both. Instead, he would wait quietly, patiently -​

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Letting his mind wander through hers, seeing the memories of her time with him, reliving them at times. He had time to waste, afterall.​

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Mona Fae​

 

[Mona Fae]

With a breath, I closed in on Darth Maliphant's force aura, channeling the energy around us.

I began to drift, the room, the Dreadnaught, the Sith in front of me, it all soon began to fade away as I left myself and delved into his mind, deeper than memories, deeper than feelings, searching along the strand that was the bond I'd made. There were pieces here, fragments of what he was, what had made him into the man that sat before me. I tried not to look, told myself that if I didn't know anything, he'd be inclined to let me go. But of course, we both knew that I wouldn't come out of here without at least a little more knowledge of him than I should have.

At the same time, I felt him pass through the doorway, entering my mind. He casually flipped through my memories as thogh idly perusing a magazine. I felt them dragged to the surface, cringing and shifting as he relived them inside my mind.

Focus, Mona Fae

Steeling my jaw, I let out a long, low sigh and returned my focus to the task at hand. It was nearly over.

There.

Beyond the Darth, beyond his mind and the force and the galaxy itself, I'd followed the link to his soul all the way to... the Netherworld. Not... not the netherworld, not exactly. It was an echo of it, a dream, a dream I hopefully could snatch his soul from as I woke up. That was the plan, anyway. It came aroud me like a mist; a dark, grey fog that was all around. A pang of fear shot through me, causing my physical body to flinch.

"Are you here?"

I called out into the fog, my physical body remaining quiet as I called out through the force. Slowly, I reached out a hand. Now that I was here, the Darth himself could join me, follow my trail through the force, come through my mind and stand here, in this echo of the Nether.

As I waited to see if he would follow my call and join me, or simply wait back in his body, I told myself that it was easier for the ritual to go if my patient was near me. I told myself that it wasn't because I was afraid, or because I wanted someone to be with me in this frightening place, even if it was a Sith.

That's what I told myself, anyway.

Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Maliphant could feel her need for him - hear her calls, and knew that it wasn’t simply for ease. She feared what she faced, and Maliphant was anything but sympathetic - so he appeared. Slowly fading in, Maliphant rested a hand on her shoulder as he appeared - offering a quaint smile as he looked about the Nether.​

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It wasn’t exactly where he was before, but it would do; they only need the final portions of his soul after all;​

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“A final meeting place. I was here once - and I wasn’t alone then either.”, he said with a glance about.​

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“Though you’re certainly different company.”​

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“Do you think it’ll work, Mona?”, he asked suddenly, as the cold of the Nether creeped over their skin.​

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Mona Fae​

 

[Mona Fae]

It was easier to have my patient beside me.

That was the reason I told myself I was grateful to have the Darth appear before me, here in the Nether. His hand rested on my shoulder, and I told myself that I knew it wasn't a comforting gesture, that this was solely to help make the ritual easier. How could I find comfort in this? In the presence of my captor? He spoke, and I tore myself from my thoughts as I turned to him.

"I couldn't imagine anyone being here alone," my reply was soft, breathless almost, "even you."

He mentioned that I was vastly different to his previous company, and I blushed. Not physically, but the sensation with which my soul was familiar still felt as though it reflected on this incorporeal face. Different indeed; perhaps, I hoped, this time, he would walk away whole. A shudder raced down my spine as he asked if it would work. How could I answer that? I hadn't ever done this before. Even the Masters whose technique I had borrowed had done it differently.

"I have to."

I finally answered.

Moving through this place felt... wrong. Every step felt as though I was trespassing, like I wasn't meant to be here. Fitting, perhaps. No living being was meant to tread this place, especially not a Jedi - even if she was but a padawan. Even with the Sith lord beside me, I very much felt how unwelcome I was here.

Thankfully, it didn't take long to find him. Following the trail I had left, I came to the remnants of Maliphant's soul. This time, however, it lay within a golden orb of energy, the shield I had placed, stopping this place from leeching what remained of it. As I knelt beside the orb, I turned up to the Sith himself, wondering how - or even if - he'd react to seeing the result of what he'd done to himself.

"Are you ready to have this back?"

Not wishing to draw this out any longer than I had to, I reached out from where I sat on my knees, letting my hands reach into the orb of golden light, allowing my fingers to close around the remnants of the Sith's soul. They felt cold; colder than the eerie place around us, cold and dead. I gasped, but kept going. Bowing my head, I let my eyes drift closed, beginning the second part of the ritual as force energy began to flow from me to the precious thing in my hands.

I wasn't sure if it was my presence here or my physical body that screamed, maybe both. All I knew was that agony suddenly tore through me, from my lower abdomen. I dropped my head, my arms feeling weak. The pain was excruciating, ripping through my form as if I'd been impaled on a lightsaber. I had to keep going, I could feel the Nether slowly relinquishing its hold on the Sith's soul, reluctantly accepting the exchange. My mind began to grow foggy, the pain taking over my concentration, urging me to stop, to let it go and retreat. But I had to hold on. If nothing else; I had to finish this. My shoulders heaved as I dragged in breath, fighting to keep a hold of his soul.

Don't think about the pain. There is no emotion. There is peace. There is peace.

The force was dark here, from the dark energies in the meditation room, to the Nether itself; there was no peace here. It was chaotic, painful, dark. I was afraid, hurting. But I could feel it coming free. Turning my gaze up to the Sith, I cried out,

"Take it! Take it now!"

With a final push, I shoved myself into the pain, sending a final burst of energy. All at once, the golden orb vanished, the remnants of the Sith's soul now free for him to reclaim and absorb. I could recall only a cry, maybe mine? As everything went dark and I was flung back into my body.


Darth Empyrean

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Maliphant could feel her pain - through the bond they yet share. Unlike her however, he was used to it - capable of handling what came forth. He’d been enslaved, beaten to a pulp, choked, and maimed more than he could imagine - even crucified on Bastion once, long ago. He lowered himself to a squat next to Mona, and took what pain he could - to ensure she could finish what she hoped to do without permanent scars.​

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He rationalized it as protecting what he had claimed - but he knew it was because he was growing soft. Things he didn’t want to admit, perhaps -​

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Yet as she called for him to take the Soul from her - he did. A hand reached out and held it aloft, losing his support of the girl for a single moment - watching as she passed from the Nether back to the world of the living. He beamed as he held it, finally whole once more it seemed. With a press to his chest, the fragment of his soul still gone found its place among the others, and Maliphant cried out something fierce.​

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Pain? Perhaps, it wasn’t often a person reconnected their soul.​

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Shock, however, seemed the most likely feeling; how cold it felt. How sudden, and rapid the change was - to feel all his power come back to him at once. A terrifying sensation, but one he couldn’t help but find pleasure in - and then, just as Mona before him, he was thrust from the Meditation room.​

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Though his meditation had failed. He almost slammed into the ground before he caught himself - slowly lifting himself and stretching. How perfect it felt to be whole again…​

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The ritual had gone off without a hitch, and he could feel his power slowly coming back to him. His soul was whole - more than it ever was, and the pain he once felt no longer tore at him constantly. He clenched his fists, opened them, then did it all again as he felt the newly founded freedom he had obtained - Beautiful. His gaze slowly moved to the Togruti, kneeling still in the meditation room.​

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"You've done well, Mona."​

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Mona Fae​