The Weaver of Nightmares

[Athena Heron]

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

Shoulder blades shivered. "Cut off from the force, permanently?" Pensive-frown deepened.

Footsteps were barely heard as she stopped on the balcony next to her lord. "I have heard of it. More of a legend than something tangible, lord." Charcoal-brows rose as she put the two bits of conversation together. "It seems like the force light version for dark siders? But could you use something like that to counteract force light or would it be too late if you were already being attacked?"

When she was curious, questions tended to bubble out like water from a stream.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Cameron tilted his head slightly. "Dependent upon the user and the amount of exposure time, it is possible to be completely severed from the Force. The issue of permanence is an intriguing one though...and the theoretical limits could be debated for hours. However, I will summarize by saying that there is hardly any state within this galaxy that I would deem...permanent." Any state of being could be manipulated or altered if one was willing to put forth the effort and, in many cases, make the sacrifice.

To her next series of questions, the Sith Lord replied with a thin smile. "That too could undoubtedly be debated at length." Raising a hand to indicate he was about to digress from the topic, Cameron shifted his weight slightly. "Understand that I am not attempting to pseudo-intelligently dismiss your questions, nor am I trying to create some sort of image that I know not how these abilities work." Lowering his hand, Cameron clasped both behind his back as he continued. "I am, however, illustrating the reality of the Force. The full extent of any manipulation is never truly known because of the Force's nature as a living entity. A simple use of telekinesis may have a different effect from one master to the next. I will say that I've never seen a Dark Side Web counteract Force Light directly. Let's break down the way these two abilities are designed to interact, however. Force Light principally contains and attempts to eradicate the presence of the dark side - hence making it much less of an offensive power than one might think. It's purpose is not to destroy and because of the manner in which it is materialized from the Force, you stand a much better chance of being weakened...but surviving."

Taking a few steps back, Cameron extended both his hands out to his side. As he did so, tendrils of purple-black energy began to lace around his wrist and up his arms. "Dark Side Web takes more time to summon...it is one of many abilities made more potent by manipulation of the Sith Arts - which you will come to learn. Its main purpose is to destroy, but it does so in a truly devastating manner. As it effects the user, searing through skin and armor, it also severs the target's connection to the Force. Where Force Light may sever one's connection for a longer period of time, Dark Side Web only does so as long as the web remains active. That said - the only real method to counter a Dark Side Web after it has initiated is with Force Light...using it to contain the manifestation. Even then, I suspect a Jedi would have to be quite powerful and quite quick. A Dark Side Web does not contain manifestations of the light side, however. As such, it would have little real effect in combating a Force Light attack as a means of defense beyond perhaps delaying the ability of the Force Light to reach the user. However, a simple protective bubble of force energy would be much easier and infinitely more effective. Defending either of these attacks certainly relies on speed and understanding."

The moment Cameron had ceased talking, he unleashed the energy that had cascaded around his arm in a powerful, lightning-fast torrent that quickly raced to consume [member="Athena Heron"]'s entire being in a deadly Dark Side Web. Cameron could not attack the woman with Force Light, but he could certainly ensure she knew the struggle of having her connection to the Force rapidly severed.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

Dark eyes widened but not so much in surprise. She knew something was coming. She just didn't know what until now. Light-boned body moved quickly as she lunged to the side. The dark-tendrils caught her leg and quickly traveled up the rest of her torso.

Form shuddered as she stumbled against the railing of the balcony.

She did not cry out even as her face contorted in agony. Feathered-hair fell across her face as her head drooped. Everything burned. Panic threatened to consume her. It reminded her too much of slavery. With trembling lips, she kept a check on that panic.

If her lord did not let up soon, she would drag herself over to him and, well, attempt a tackle, curious as to if she made contact with the user what would happen.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

[member="Athena Heron"]

Cameron's intention was not to destroy or damage the young Acolyte beyond repair. This did not, of course, mean he would artificially protect her from harm. Pain and sacrifice were often the best teachers of any lesson.

Following a few moments of Athena silently writhing in agony, the Sith Lord spoke loud enough to be heard, but he did not release the web's hold of her. "Push past the pain. Attempt to manipulate the Force, access any element of its energy, and understand the true terror of any attack bearing the capability of severing one's connection to the Force...whether permanent or not."

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

Dark-orbs narrowed, a deep crimson tainting the coal-like sheen. A mental wedge sought a firm hold on the attack, seeking to turn the energy which entrapped her into something much, much more: a fuel source, a drain. A hunger mixed with a heady-fear quickly tinged her face as she staggered to her feet.

Her hunger focused on her Lord but it wasn't for physical lust.

She was slowly pulling the energy of his attack into herself, storing it up. But it was like controlling the flood waters of a broken dam. Reaching out a pale-blue hand she went to curl her fingers around his wrist, wanting more of his power like a thirsty, out of control drunk.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

[member="Athena Heron"]'s efforts were...admirable. If she'd perhaps been a bit more trained in the manipulation of such strong inflections of the dark side, she might have even been effective. As it stood, the constricting web was, of course, energy, and it would bolster her strength for a moment. However, the energy of the web was also the problem, cutting her ability to even so much as feel the Force at an almost exponential rate.

As the Omwati got to her feet and strained against the intensity of the attack, the Sith Lord merely smiled. His new Acolyte seemed to find new ways to impress him at a steady rate. This was good...for him, mostly. For Athena, it merely meant that Cameron would appropriately adjust the intensity of his instruction.

The moment her hand made contact with his wrist, the Sith Lord allowed the searing energy to surge forth from his body. He was not at the point of using his complete strength in the action, but it was markedly more that what the young woman had been experiencing thus far.

He was curious to see just how far she could indeed be pushed.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

The agony was agony enough. She wasn't expecting an amplification of that agony as her pale-blue fingers circled around her Lord's wrist with the intention to yank him down. Distract him. Throw him off balance. Somehow.

Feathered-face scrunched up in pain as Cameron's searing energy hit her lithe figure. Her grip around his wrist was torn free as she was pushed backwards by its force, landing hard on her back. A groan left her lips as dark strands of black hair covered the humiliated expression on her face. On the floor beneath him, she gathered enough strength to prop herself up halfway and kick her long-legs out in an attempt of a leg sweep with a frustrated cry from her mouth.

She imagined it was going to feel like trying to topple a statue.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

[member="Athena Heron"]

Cameron ceased his attack on his young apprentice when she was wretched from his wrists. For the briefest of moments, he allowed a thin smile to linger on his lips as he gazed down at the young Omwati. Naturally, he expected some form of frustration-fueled retaliation. Fortunately for Athena, even a statue was easily toppled if a key support was removed. Unfortunately for Athena, Cameron was not actually a statue, and her attack would have been easy enough for one not sensitive to the Force to likely anticipate.

Levitating himself roughly a meter off the ground just before her leg sweep would have actually made contact with his own legs, the Sith Lord maintained his gaze on Athena. "There are few things more devastating than having your connection to the force weakened or outright severed. However, there is a consideration to make. Jedi, by doctrine, are very into trying to...save sentients from the dark side. That reality often includes dark side practitioners."

Allowing himself to settle back down to the ground, Cameron clasped his hands behind his back. "You'll find precious few doctrinal Jedi exist in this galaxy so most of them will simply be trying to kill you. They will strive for your death for the same reason the One Sith is hellbent on destroying the Jedi. There exists an underlying belief that the galaxy will be a better place without you. Now, get up...unless of course you draw pleasure from being on your back." A mischievous glint briefly fell across the Sith Lord's features as he turned to retreat back towards the penthouse quarters' interior.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

Intelligent-eyes silently stared up at her Lord. The lesson was learned. She bit off a huge mouthful of humility. "No Lord, you must understand, my pleasure comes from being in your presence," a mischievous glint crossed her dark-eyes, "no matter the position."

Feathers ruffled as she stood. Fingers trailed down the fabric of her clothes, straightening out the material. She followed after Cameron with a bit more caution.

"I've already experienced these jedi," she spoke quietly. "There was no mercy on Telti. They were out for blood, not redemption. Although, my actions mirrored their own. You were at Telti, were you not?"

 

[Cameron Centurion]

[member="Athena Heron"]

Cameron had already turned from the young Omwati as she made her cheeky comment. Though he did not audibly laugh, a small smirk did form on his lips. Perhaps in another life, she would have certainly been tempting the...creature of pleasure in him. Perhaps...she still was.

As the conversation turned towards Telti, the Sith Lord inhaled deeply and stopped just short of the doorway. Turning, he regarded Athena with an empty expression. "I was indeed. I was in some restaurant, and I was probably all but two heartbeats from killing several children, padawans." Cameron paused for a moment, holding Athena's gaze. "A handful...were my nieces and nephew. Children I helped train in their younger years, grown now into Rogue Jedi. I suppose my assistance was sufficient enough to enable them to escape."

Turning from Athena, Cameron exited the sprawling penthouse and re-entered the main corridor. "I demand only excellence from all those I interact with. Keep this in mind, Athena. I love those children, but I am all too happy to end their lives as a consequence of their weakness. What do you think that means of my own weakness?"

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

She came to realize her Lord was prone to stopping suddenly, in mid-stride. She nearly ran into his broad-shouldered and muscled-back. But she stopped just short. Light-boned form quickly stepped back to a respectable distance.

"You certainly don't have a weakness for your loved ones." If she was disturbed by anything her Lord just said, it didn't show on her light-blue features. "Considering you view strength above all else. However, it just shows you are enslaved to judgement of what their weakness actually is."

Coal-eyes met his boldly as she walked by his massive form.

"Perhaps enslaved to destroy what you consider weakness. But, Lord," she tipped her head in respect, keen to play the game very carefully here. After all, she was an Omwatti, not some literal air-headed bird brain, "who can judge what really is weakness or strength? Some would say a loyalty to friends would be considered a weakness. Others could argue it's a strength, would they not?"

 

[Cameron Centurion]

[member="Athena Heron"]

Cameron could not help but allow a satisfied grin to spread across his features. The Omwati was revealing herself more and more astute with each passing conversation. However, Cameron remained optimistically cautious. He had seen such apprentices in his past...though none had been his. In the end, they had a tendency to drastically disappoint. Why? Simple...very intelligent, educated students were hard to teach. In fact it was very hard to fill a cup that was already full.

Nodding his head in assent to the majority of Athena's statements, he added a...caveat of sorts. "Where is the line between loyalty an dependency? Who is stronger, the individual that is compelled to make those around them better or the individual that accepts and uses those around them for their own individual strengths?" There wasn't a real answer...at least not in the traditional sense of one of his options being better than the other. The reality of strength rested in those that knew themselves. Whatever worked for an individual would always work for an individual. However, if said individual did not understand the reality of their own strengths, they would ultimately fail.

A thin smile touched the Sith Lord's lips as he guided his young apprentice down the spiral staircase to the ground floor. Cameron knew where his abilities resided...he would continue to force his weaknesses into strength through sheer power of will and effort. That was the only way he had survived, and it was undoubtedly the reason he had excelled in a variety of positions in his past.

"Remember, Athena. The power of the dark side most certainly does rest in passionate, unfettered immersion into the Force. However, this is nothing without a measure of control. You must absolutely know what you are capable of handling...what extent of the Force's raw power you are capable of wielding. With time, you will expand your power in such a regard."

It would be a few minutes before they returned to the main entrance of the Temple. Upon arrival, Cameron would gradually slow to a halt before regarding the Omwati. "Now. Tell me, Athena, what is your greatest desire in this moment? " Silver-green eyes slid slowly over her form as the Sith Lord waited for his answer, allowing the force of his presence to push purposefully against Athena's.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Cameron Centurion"]

Was that a smile on her Lord's face? Perhaps it was. She could hear it drift into his tone for just a moment. She found herself pleased that he was pleased. These feelings were quickly masked, shuffled, and bottled up.

Coal-eyes widened as they stopped and his entire attention was fixated on her form. Strands of dark, feathery hair rustled on her shoulders. She was very aware of his gaze and the feeling of his presence against hers. Lips parted even as her heart-rate betrayed her. She knew she was being manipulated.

But she didn't care.

"I think you are well aware of what that is, my Lord."

 

[Cameron Centurion]

[member="Athena Heron"]

Cameron casually closed whatever distanced remained between him and his petite apprentice. His exposed upper body lingered close but not so close as she would be unable to look up, to his silver-green eyes gazing down at her intently.

As the Sith Lord's left hand drifted up the side of her body without touching her, Cameron utilized the Force to casually tease the nerve endings in her skin. "Perhaps...yet does supporting my imagination give you the greater...control in this interaction, or do you abandon it to my own whims and desires?"

This was the paradox of manipulation. An ability to break through such a paradox was the greatest indicator of finesse in the mental arts. It was not a Force power that Cameron was showing Athena...such abilities were simple, merely requiring similar efforts as influencing the Force to move a rock.

Cameron's finger only just barely touched the feathery hairs of Athena's shoulders before he recoiled and turned to resume his pace. "Take it from me. Pursue whatever desires you hold but don't ever wear them on your sleeve. Enemies and friends alike can often use them to their own benefit."

Exiting the Temple among the handful of priests and priestesses that were going about their business rendering whispers of concern as they paid their respects to the Deceiver, Cameron walked down the white marble steps before angling towards an auxiliary building in the distance. The Sith Lord never asked if Athena was, in fact, attempting to manipulate him to her own ends moments ago, inside the Temple. The lesson remained either way.