The Student Becomes The Master

[Stephanie Swail]

He watched with honest interest - so much of the practice of the Sith and even the Force was lost on the typical violent butchery and aggressive tactics used in war. This, however, felt different. It needed concentration, skill, brains and calculations. Something he, as a blunt weapon, was deemed not to have.

Asterion watched Nimue at work, eyes darting over her hands as she moved one piece of the alchemist puzzle to another; combining liquid, adding bone and who knew wat else. She truly was brilliant and different at what he ever thought.

When she turned, a glint in her eye and a devilish smile drawing a knife, the Minotaur sighed and held out his arm. The weapon didn't bother him.

”Oh be gentle,” he said, flexing his hand.

Again, he trusted her totally. It felt good to trust another, especially one as gifted as the Empress. He certainly was falling hard for her.

[member="Nimue Stormson"]

 

[Nimue Stormson]

She smiled before taking his hand and, very quickly, made a small cut across his thumb. A small stain of blood, which was enough, was on the knife. With it she now knelt down and dabbed it into the concoction. She then gestured for him to stand close to the area where the ritual was in place. When he was close enough she began to chant something. An odd almost dead sounding language that seemed to echo within the room itself. ​

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As she said the words the spell finally began to react. Everything seemed to melt within itself, bone and blood and magical mixtures alike. All began an oozing liquid that began to seep into the shadow [member="Asterion"] . Both connected before the shadow formed from the spell began to grow in shape and size. Eventually it had taken a more familiar form. A snout. Eyes. Paws. A large furry body. In the end the large bear familiar stood there, grunting before finally settling at the command of his new master. ​

 

[Stephanie Swail]

While Asterion knew about magic and spells and sorcery, he’d seen glimpses of it within the Teth bunker, he’d yet to be up close in person to one such as the Empress conducting it herself. He was transfixed on her methodical way of taking the blood, mixing it with the bone and chemicals.

He stood still as the residue began to thicken and form with his own shadow, yet he couldn’t tell where it was going. Was it absorbing into his own shadow or even into his own body via the Force? Head turning to watch it happen, not wanting to look on to Nimue as her chanting seemed to be something conducted not of this world, he saw the shadow begin to form.

A good 7ft tall on the hind legs, standing like a mutated form of beast and shadow, but still identifiable much like the wolf and snake before it. Asterion was dwarfed by the wild shadow bear, and he had to check how it was fixed to his shadow, yet separate.

”Ok this is impressive. So…what do I do? How is this formed, or how do I control it?”

[member="Nimue Stormson"]

 

[Nimue Stormson]

Nimue was smiling at the sheer size of the familiar before hearing [member="Asterion"] ask, prompting her to answer "Think. Feel. Reach with the Force. This familiar is an extension of you now. It's part of your shadow, and your shadow is bound forever." She took a few steps back before gesturing for him to try, saying "See for yourself."​

 

[Stephanie Swail]

Trying not to fidget with his hands, not knowing where to put them or how to even position himself to enable this dark voodoo magic to work – physical combat was much easier – Asterion submitted to Nimue as she backed away, exhaled sharply and let the combined Force aura from both their bodies wrap around him.

Telekinesis was second nature to him, like breathing, but this wasn’t moving the shadow – the best – this was controlling it. Letting it move as part of you – to attack as part of you. Already he knew he was thinking too much.

”Like this…?”

Asterion reached forward to the opening in the stone wall leading outside to the evening, as if commanding the beast to move…but nothing happened. The mental block of working out how a shadow could be real, and stem from his own, puzzled him.

With a shake of his head, a defeated noise left his lips, followed by a scratch on his eyebrow out of embarrassment.

”Sorry.”

[member="Nimue Stormson"]

 

[Nimue Stormson]

Seeing that [member="Asterion"] wasn't getting the hang of it Nimue sighed before walking behind him. Apparently he needed more guidance than she thought. Hopefully she knew how to put it in the right words where he would understand. "You don't need to think to hard about it. Just breath. Relax. It's not so much you commanding something else, it's more of you commanding a part of yourself. Imagine it like a being that's part of you, that thinks and feels as you do." ​

 

[Stephanie Swail]

He turned his head slightly, feeling her behind him. Breathing in her scent and taking in her calming aura, Asterion nodded and looked back out to the planet.

”To walk as me – to feel as me – to fight as me.”

Walking forward, he opened himself to connect with the shadow – HIS shadow, forged from his blood and the bone of the bear now fused with his Force midi-chlorians and part of him. The bear would come to protect and serve him, to intimidate others and be an ally in battle.

The bear would be his shadow and his alone; moving with power wherever the Master went and attacking on command, or dying on command.

Asterion breathed in the fresh air and looked back. The bear was standing behind him, heaving gently in the dark and he could see Nimue watching where they left her. The Knight turned away, confident in his ability, believing in himself and walked back to Nimue. The bear would remain in the opening to the outside grasslands, as if it was guarding them.

”To be nothing but me.”

He smiled, feeling the connection between the shadow and his own – unified.

[member="Nimue Stormson"]

 

[Nimue Stormson]

As she watched Nimue was all the more impressed and happy he was getting the hang of it. It would take time for him to master all the aspects of this new grand familiar but for no at least he knew control. The great hulking shadow beast lumbered over to the doorway, Nimue watching as the new creation of [member="Asterion"] had moved about with an almost haunting grace. As he walked back to her she kept that proud smile on her face to indicate how she felt. ​

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"You see? Nothing to it."​

 

[Stephanie Swail]

A small satisfied nod followed, before glancing back to see the shadow of the bear already retreating to his own like smoke fading from the air. He would certainly spend time practising and learning this art of sorcery.

”Thank you, Empress.”

Reaching for her hand, he brought it to his lips and kissed the fingers gently.

”Is there any other tricks or black magic you can surprise me with, or is that all you had to show me?”

[member="Nimue Stormson"]

 

[Nimue Stormson]

"I believe that's all we will be able to cover tonight." she said in answer to teaching more. "But in terms of 'magic' I can try and amaze you with something else." She gave a coy smile before adding "In my quarters." ​

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[member="Asterion"]​

 

[Stephanie Swail]

A smile cracked on his lips – whether it was with her body, or her words, or simply being around him, she had made him smile more recently than he probably ever had before. He laced his fingers through hers and looked around once more, taking in the view.

”I’ll be sure to pay attention.”

He leaned in to kiss his lover with tender passion, the moonlight cresting the mountains in the distance that spiked through the tall room, signalling the end of their dabbling in magic as the beasts outside began to call through the night.

[member="Nimue Stormson"]