Private Walking With the Night

[Vanir Eris]

Now that he had a sense for it, it wasn’t hard to find the spirit again as she had asked. However a shiver went up his spine as a creeping dread slithered along his senses. As he looked a new set of spirits started to appear and he heard Vytal telling him to get away, but it was difficult with so many hands grabbing at him.

The spirits around him wanted him to stay, even as he felt the shift of new entities slowly gathering. However he would not be denied and he shut down hard upon this new sense, severing the flow of energy and his spirit, tethered to Eris pulled him back. He sucked in a deep breath. His head ached abominably, but he had come prepared and a pitcher of ice water, a small box and two glasses drifted to him with a thought. He opened the box and inside were an array of small bottles filled with various medicinals, pills and liquids.

One vial he drew out was a deep and vivid green, this he poured a bit into his cup and then filled with water. He drank this down quickly, grimacing at the taste, before stoppering the vial and slipping it back into its slot. He drank down some more water to cleanse his mouth and then looked at Vytal. “What in the name of all the supposed hells were those and more to the point, where did they come from?”

Because she seemed to know what they were, something she hadn’t mentioned when she first started the instruction. Which was what really had him annoyed, she should have told him at the start. “I would have appreciated a warning.”

It wouldn’t have deterred him in the least, but it would have been helpful to know. At least he managed to get free, but still, he would have liked having more information. Slowly he started to feel the ache ease. He could have simply healed it away, but usually he ministered himself through normal means unless the circumstances called for doing so quickly. He rubbed the middle of his forehead impatient for the medicine to kill the problem.

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

Not quite the sort of exit Vytal would have encouraged, but Vanir had managed to escape getting mired by the spirits. Just one of many topics they would need to discuss and train on. She hadn't expected that skill would be necessary so soon, however. If things had gone too far out of bounds, the pale Witch had been prepared to intervene, but seeing how the circumstances had occurred it was as good as time as any to introduce Vanir to certain things.

His use of mystical energy to retrieve the medicinal substance and water for consumption was quietly observed. In fact, it was an opportunity for Vytal to watch the man himself and make sure there weren't any spiritual riders that cling to him from the experience. Fortunately, there were not.

"Remnants. From Crait," the Nightmother replied calmly despite the man's tone.

A smile graced Vytal's black lips. "Very well, then know this -- the realm of the Spirits is governed by no physical laws. Whatever you think you know about how the world works, or why things happen, means nothing in the Nether. Time. Distance. Gravity. Air. The very ground beneath your feet is nothing more than an unconscious projection you create. It is a realm without limits. Wild and full of indescribable wonders... and eye-gouging horrors. For every light, there is a shadow; for every shadow, a light."

"I once encountered dark, troubled spirits on Crait. They had been drawn there, purposefully, to snare another -- or perhaps to consume those that would aid him." Vytal's smile had faded as her green eyes remain fixed on Vanir. "It would seem despite banishing one great darkness on that world, however, others lingered, and they came to pay their respects." Perhaps it was some essence of herself that drew them to Vanir?

"Such things are why it is dangerous to enter the Nether alone, especially at first. There is much that can be taught of these things, though not always time to do it in the order one would wish." She paused to give the man time to reflect and posit questions he had of these matters.

Tag: Vanir Eris

 

[Vanir Eris]

The Nether was influenced by his own influence? He blinked at her, the implications filling his mind till he shook that off. “So it could be your influence and thus your fault?” He shook his head with a sigh. “That aside, you said time and distance meant nothing there, does that mean its possible to move one’s self through it? Obviously not without risks. Just how much can I shape that place? Can I define borders? I am not the sort to claim I know anything at all about the world, if I did I would not keep finding new things to learn.”

That last bit was dryly remarked as this constant idea in her head that he made such assumptions was quickly becoming a bore. He had established he did not see things that way when they first met, something she seemed to forget. “Only fools maintain such rigid philosophies so they can willfully choose ignorance and entropy.”

When the headache finally let loose its teeth and claws from his head he stretched to ease the lingering tension and then shifted so that he was more comfortable. “We trying that again or can we not bite back the terrors long enough for more of the lesson to be accomplished?”

He assumed she had a number of things to show him, but didn’t want to rush her. Going back probably meant dealing with those things again, or worse. “Why did you tell me to not trust the Force?”

While he wasn’t a Jedi, he did give the power he could touch a measure of trust. Had it not been there for him on many occasions? Had it not drawn him to places that had benefited him? More than that upon touching that power, he had felt empty and powerless. It had helped solve many problems, opened doors that had been just out of reach. It had given him something that was all his own outside his duty to his clan, a clan that only clung to him because of his family and what they tried desperately to keep the same. He had been freed in a lot of ways because of it, even if he still remained chained.

He wondered what had led her to feeling so and hopefully she would explain her reasoning so that he could better understand the position she wanted him to follow.

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

Vytal's head rotated ever so slightly to the side at the man's question. "Yes." A small smile graced her lips. "Normally I would accompany a young witch to act more directly should such occur. I do not always convince every spirit I meet to work with me; and there are those that would gladly see me possessed or worse out of sheer spite. However, you are not an inexperienced Witch, and you already had a deep connection with your world. Since I knew you would react responsibly, I did not see the need to hold your hand." Had it been dangerous? Obviously. Was she apologetic? Not at all. Vanir was young to spirits, but not to the spiritual world; and he exhibited the willingness to listen, learn, and heed what she said. There'd hardly been any risk at all given what she knew of him.

"And you can move through it." Vytal extended her hand off to the side to form a rectangular doorway that led back to the grassy area just on the other side of the chasm that encircled the Castle on Ryloth. Through that doorway, the Castle was clearly visible only a few minutes walk from where the rift in space stood. After a few moments the doorway was shut, and Vytal continued, "This is one of the more advanced forms of that power. It takes considerable power, focus, and familiarity with the destination. Before this, learning how to move through the Nether itself would be the natural course -- but to travel there invites the dark spirits to hunt you, and if found they will swarm eager to find a means to return to our realm."

Vanir's less thrilled tone at what she'd said earlier was heard, but the male would simply have to endure. Perhaps he would never make any assumption at all -- consciously. The Witch, however, would impress upon all she taught not to take anything for granted. The first time someone young in the Art assumed anything might be the moment their time in this world ended. Vytal did not send people into the greater spiritual world without giving them the tools to survive. "In time, you can shape the Nether in ways small or great. There are entire buildings or even fortifications within that realm sustained by ancient and powerful magick. Many did not suffer the uninvited, but the Solanceae have been granted access to one that serves as a place of refuge free from assault, and positioned to study its depths." How much Vanir himself could do would be up to him and practice. His skill in the Living was impressive; to date, he might be the most likely candidate with an aptitude to forming something within the land of the Dead. "I have broken the perception of space in the Nether into jumbled shards to disorient spirits attempting to reach us; and I would consider that at the lower end of what is possible." Some might think the Nightmother all powerful -- which suited her fine in terms of respect -- but Vytal knew she was no god. There was much left to learn in both worlds.

A soft laugh bubbled forth at Vanir's suggestion they return, or rather in the potential inability to do so. "We can explore without them setting upon us immediately." Sometimes they found a soul faster than others, with fewer or greater of their number that gathered thereafter. It was, more or less, a toss of the dice as to one's fate within that realm.

As for the Force... "I do not look down upon you when I say this, Vanir, but I will explain why I said what I said," the Nightmother prefaced in order to excuse any feeling that she spoke of what he might consider self-evident or banal. "The Force -- magick -- is pervasive, and powerful beyond measure. It becomes as familiar as old leather," something a Nightsister knew much of unlikely the 'civilized' people of the galaxy and their desire for objects that were clean, new, and pretty. "And that is when you are at your most vulnerable. There are places and creatures that can suppress or weaken your connection with the Force. Many Jedi and Sith become too reliant upon it; too confident that it will solve all of their problems, or that its guidance will save them from destruction. I believe in the wisdom of the spirits, but continue my training should another come between us."

Tag: Vanir Eris

 

[Vanir Eris]

At least her reasoning was sound, though… “I hardly consider myself experienced in this form of teaching or in anything really.” He replied with a soft scoff.

Seeing her display of power and finding out that his instinct had been true, excited him. “Are you limited by only your own personal familiarity or could you make such a window from a memory provided by another? How far is the range or, because of the connection to the Nether, is such distance meaningless? What kind of toll does it take on the practitioner and what other inherent risks are there aside from spirits making their way through such a space? What happens when such spirits find their way free? Can they be given bodies? Does said body need to be of flesh or can it simply be anything?”

In him was an insatiable curiosity that had in the past vexed his now deceased teacher. One set of questions bred another set and it was this drive to learn that had him drifting from place to place. When she spoke of the Jedi and Sith he snorted. “Its because of the doctrine of their orders that generally breed such arrogance. I know perfectly well that without a blaster handy and I cut from the Force, I would be fairly easy prey. In fact, I make a habit of going places where I lose that connection, just to make sure that my reaction time to such an event is not detrimental. I can fight close quarters, but it is not where my real strengths lie.”

Adapting to difficult circumstances had been the root of a lot of his early training. It hadn’t been enough to just learn a skill, he had been put in a lot of harrowing experiences to make sure that learning stuck. In fact, he often wondered if some of the ‘training’ hadn’t been revenge for his ceaseless questions. “How did you make it hard to find us?”

Obviously learning the skill would come in handy. It would also give him an idea of just how his abilities would work and an idea of how to manipulate that realm. “Is it possible to make a permanent gateway?”

He might not do it, but the how and if possible was more interesting than setting the idea into reality. His mind was abuzz with all kinds of ideas, but he caught himself before he completely got absorbed internally. “What happens if a living element is introduced into the nether? Like, can things grow within it or do they simply wither or get devoured?”

Of course his ideas would eventually turn to living things and how to shape a space with them. It wasn’t in his nature to not try to make a space greener, to thrive. All of his questions could seem random, but all of it was interconnected in a way. “Is it normal for certain circumstances to end up leaving a person with more energy than usual at one’s fingertips? Occasionally I find myself so and I wondered at it. Usually I store off the extra for later, but I wondered if this was because of these new revelations or if it was not. I hadn’t come across any force teachings that mention it, but stars only know what the Jedi and Sith have ferreted away beyond my reach.”

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

It would seem Vanir was not short of questions, which was both wonderful and potentially exhausting. Well, the Solanaceae promoted the sharing of knowledge as a key tenant, and Vytal -- being the cause of that -- wouldn't fail to abide by it. "The memory of another may suffice. It is not so much that you remember what it looks like, as it is...experiencing it. When you visit a place there is a personal connection you make with it. How strong that connection is determines how easily you might find your way back to it." Which also went to similar questions such as would seeing a place in a holo-recording be enough? It would not.

"There are limits, but they are not set in stone. It varies based on familiarity, time spent forming the connection, and the path you travel in the Nether. There may be spirits that will seek to lure you from the way, or that will delay you long enough where the exit is no longer where it once was. Distance in the material realm is of no consequence, but you will often find the Nether has its own sense of... scale." The Nightmother was loathe to associate it with their understanding of the space between two points. Preconceptions were dangerous, or made things more difficult than were necessary in the land of the Dead in her experience. Still, everyone she knew experienced some requirement of time spent there before they could emerge where they expected to. Even 'time' was the wrong word, but there was not a language that could adequately describe such a realm.

"Rarely will you find spirits able to leave a properly formed gateway. That is why they are eager to form deals, pacts, or agreements that allowed them to possess or 'accompany' one of the Living back into this realm. That is how they escape. Without a host to cross the threshold they are bound to the Nether." Vytal paused for a moment. "Except when there is a tear in the Veil between Worlds." There was always an exception to any rule, after all. All it took was time before it became evident.

"In order for them to be free in this world, they must possess a living creature. Only sentients tend to find themselves in the Nether -- as most animals are wise enough to stay clear of any gateways -- so only they would emerge possessed. However," the Witch clarified, "it is possible for a Witch to have a spirit possess an animal, or bind it to an object. The spirits may exert an influence on the world in these forms, but they will often not pose as direct a threat than if they were in a sentient being." Animals could become ferocious beasts. Objects could corrupt entire areas. But it was a Host that moved among the Living as one of them that could cause the most damage before someone realized what was happening.

Vanir's comments about deliberately seeking out places to lose his connection with the Force was somewhat unexpected. Not unwelcome, of course. It was pleasing to hear he knew well the dangers of becoming reliant on such power. He did not need to be a mighty warrior, but there was a significant difference between knowing how to defend yourself, and being bereft of any thought of such things.

Of course, there were more questions that soon followed. "When you reach out, as we did, to find a room full of spirits you extend your own spirit into their world -- as a fisher would a net. The wider the net, the more likely the sharks will notice; and the smarter sharks will know where prey can be found as a result." Or more to the point, Vytal simply kept her presence in the Nether small by focusing her attention on specific spirits or powers. The spirits may be able to move between worlds (some of them) because distance did not matter, but that did not mean the proverbial ocean shrank.

Then back to the means of transportation, which caused Vytal to nod. "It is. It is a taxing effort, and if done improperly its collapse could herald many... consequences. Both for the one that tried, and the world upon which they tried to form it." The Nightmother had conjured one such permanent gateway herself. Just one, and only after considerable preparation.

An interest in plant life in the Nether drew a slight rotation of her head. "I have not tried. I suspect Shamira Karuto , one of the Sisters, might experiment with such a thing. As the realm has no stars, however, I wonder if there would still be light if all animal life left an area." It was something to explore, at least.

"That would depend on the circumstances. Is it possible? I would think so. A Living creature is able to naturally handle its own share of power. At first the potential is unknown until instruction or experience broaden the person's awareness of their own abilities. Spirits can supplement or take the place of that personal source, allowing a Witch to go further than if they were alone. Multiple Witches working together can accomplish more in unity than each alone combined." Vytal smiled slightly. "Each of us has a... steady state of being, which we return to. That is not our limit, nor is it forever locked at a certain level. The stronger you become, however, the more difficult to grow; but this is true in all things."

Tag: Vanir Eris

 

[Vanir Eris]

It seemed he would have to be a bit more specific. “When I share company with an individual, after I have a bit more energy than I started with. Not a whole lot, but enough energy to drain off into something else, almost like I am a cup filled just that bit more. If I had to say my energy is like a cup filled to half an inch before the rim, the surplus fills that half inch just a hair from spilling over. Don’t ask me where it comes from because I have no idea, but what I do know is that it didn’t come from the individual whose company I was with.”

Again, barest details because she really didn’t need to know what he got up to. As for the rest of the information she gave, it gave him a number of interesting ideas. A doorway would have to wait of course, if it gave her that kind of caution then it was something likely he should leave alone. For now. “Does the subject have to be alive to be possessed? What if the creature offered is something made from a plant or is a plant?”

Again, it was mostly him feeling out the limitations. Dead things were far easier to acquire than say, living people and while messing with corpses was something some would have issues with, alive held worse repercussions. Frankly he’d rather do something with cold meat that was mostly useless than take a live person and take away their freedom. Even a criminal does have the basic right of having that life till their actions extinguished it in whatever capacity that eviction was granted.

However if someone thought he wouldn’t they were sorely mistaken. He just didn’t want the legal hassle and using cadavers for science was a well established practice. He did have the license to get them, if he so wanted. He just hadn’t had a need, but if this new magic called for it, cold meat would have to be delivered.

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

Vanir's curious circumstances had the Nightmother wondering as to the nature of these encounters. Nevertheless, there were more...mundane encounters that with an unrecognized aptitude or talent might result in what he experienced. That was what she felt until the man mentioned the energy did not come from the person whose company they'd held. Not environmental, obviously, else the presence of another would not be required. Power that sprang forth as a result of contact, but not from the one encountered... From the exchange taken between the two parties, then?

"The exact source I would have to witness this interaction to identify," the Witch replied unaware of the exact circumstance of which the man spoke. "However, from what you describe there are many possibilities. It is not always necessary to drain the life of another to receive power. There are creatures that feed on anger, lust, and fear in the galaxy -- much as you will find the Sith encouraging their Apprentices to 'use' their anger. The other party, if there is one, does not suffer any deleterious effects from this in most cases. It is as though the person radiated these emotions through the 'Force' or into the ether, and rather than bleed into the background of Creation as a whole, you draw it into yourself."

"Another option would be these acts draw the attention of certain spirits, who exchange this energy in tribute. Much as one would receive power or knowledge after performing a sacrificial ritual." There wouldn't be the slightest batting of the eye at the mention of 'sacrificial ritual' from the Witch. Some people mistook Vytal's acceptance of learning the ways of the Light to mean she was of the Light. The Nightmother was of no side, and if a ritual required a sacrifice for the greater good then it would have one.

Admittedly, Vytal was making a few assumptions about the exchange in question. However, when Vanir got around to speaking of animation (or possession) that was something she felt quite certain about. "No, it does not need to be alive. If the possession is caused by a Witch. Animating plants is possible, if one learns the Art of Botany. You would like Shamira, she has combined that of Botany with Necromancy. Not quite what you ask, but similar enough, and in some ways stronger than either alone."

Tag: Vanir Eris

 

[Vanir Eris]

One dark blonde eyebrow rose at her comment of being witness or participation. Clearly he would have to be that specific, but he couldn’t resist teasing either. “Nightmother, I was talking about when I have been intimate with a paramour. However I am quite flattered that you would willingly inflict the watching of such interaction upon your eyes or even be willing to participate to test.”

As for rituals requiring the death of another? It didn’t make him balk one bit. “Is not the mere act of living and maintaining that life a type of ritual that demands sacrifice of some kind? We sacrifice for our chosen paths. We sacrifice for clan. We sacrifice for offspring. Something must be given for those things to be done, so taking a life willingly or no, is just another means. As for necromancy… I would not concern myself over much about the manipulation of meat shed of it’s spirit. Though I dare say there are others that would disagree with me, something about the dead and sanctity and other such things.”

If using the corpse of a beloved brother meant that he would live, so be it. Afterwards he might apologize, maybe. “Is it possible to say, use the death of an enemy to bolster your own?”

Obviously there were rituals, but if someone was to die anyways, all the energies released were wasted.

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

A slightest lift of a brow followed Vanir's... clarification. "There are rituals that can empower a person through carnal acts," Vytal replied calmly. Perhaps with a touch too much calm. "Perhaps, if you are very lucky, you might be invited to participate in such a ritual. The effect is all the more stronger combined with Circle Magick." Her brow lifted ever more should Vanir follow her thoughts on this matter. Perhaps she had walked into this situation unknowingly, but the man found himself before a woman of a people that did not shy away because the energy was full of passion -- 'darkness' as the people of the stars called it.

"Few of this realm have come about in a manner that does not survive off of death of another -- directly or indirectly. It is the way of things. However, there are certain spells only certain spirits can bestow, and they often demand the sacrifice of life not to sustain your body in health, nor because it is necessary, but merely to be appeased. Such spells are not for those that compare themselves to 'Jedi.' Nor are these spells sought after without cause." At least, Vytal did not conjure such things needlessly. While perfectly willing to engage in such sacrificial acts, there was a balance even then. Taken too far and you left naught but a trail of corpses in your wake.

The Nightmother listened as the man before her asked another question related to the topic at hand. The fact he asked these things did not bother her in the slightest. Sharing information was their purpose, and in return they would learn from him. After all, Vanir had already offered a gift of Kyshyyyk seeds. Each had begun on the path together.

"It is. There are powers to siphon the life of your enemy while they live, or to capture the energy contained within them as they die. It is difficult to capture their essence after they have passed, but not impossible. The longer one delays, the more difficult it becomes." Vytal smiled for a moment. "Many spirits return to the Source soon after, and they cannot be gathered. Those that linger in the Nether realm, however, if you are strong enough or cunning enough can be found again. However," she lifted a hand to give pause, "spirits should not be enslaved to one's will. Pacts may be formed as temporary bonds, but permanently binding an unwilling spirit to something or someone will only corrupt the soul. The Nether needs not any more ravenous specters than it has already."

Tag: Vanir Eris

 

[Vanir Eris]

He sat contemplating that and then came an uncomfortable thought. “The spirits of the dead, can they be called upon? If so, how long before that window if there is one stay open?”

He was thinking of his mother. “If I took you to where she lived, would it be possible to find if my mother hid something away? It comes to mind that my mother may have had a place of her own. My brothers spoke a time or two of her spending a lot of time alone at a spot within the forest. A place I used to play at myself and I wondered if she had a reason for being there, one they knew nothing about. It stands to reason another witch might be able to find something another secreted away.”

For reasons he thought obvious, he had never thought for a moment she had done so, but could she have? He’d been but a child and she just a story to him, his brothers taking him to that place was out of kindness. He had eventually grown out of needing supervision, but even still on his own and studying for his duties, the thought hadn’t come. Now though. Given what little he understood, perhaps this instinct would be true.

If his mother could be called upon, would she come? How ill death have shaped her? His concerns were written in his eyes and expression. Did he want to call upon her? Should he? That part of him that was still that lonely boy craved seeing who had given him life, but the man he was now didn’t know if it was right. It was one thing to trouble the soul of a stranger, but one of his own blood? This was a hard thing to think on, very hard.

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

The Nightmother's lips quirked upward for half a second. An echo of the previous topic preceded a shifting into the next, far more personal one to Vanir. "The Nether is full of spirits. Both those that never were, and those that have passed on from our realm. How long they remain there close to what the Living once knew them as... Well, time does not flow there as it does here. It is my belief this 'break' in time is what causes our interactions with ancient spirits to be such as they are. It is as though the glass in which we see them has clouded with time. A soul may linger there a second, or a millennia. Most I believe linger for seconds or minutes in our time then they are gone -- returned to the Source where only a fragment of who they once were might be found again."

It was not so surprising Vanir would ask about his Mother at this point. Had he intended to lead them here? Consciously or unconsciously, it was bound to arrive. Now or later. There were few that would resist simply asking on the subject. It would be highly unusual if he did not, given all they'd learned of his birth.

"Then we should go there," Vytal declared at the on set. "I won't bore you with what might be, and say only this -- all things are possible. With magick and the power of the spirits what you know of reality is limited only by what you believe to be true." That was truer for the Nether than the Material, but only because people did not know what the Nether 'should' be. They assumed what it was like, and therefore it shaped itself to meet such preconceptions, but the illusion was easily broken and remade. As for the Realm of the Living... each of them had lived so long under rules imposed upon them that even their unconscious thoughts held it more or less in a constant state. To say anything was possible was truth, but to act on it was the furthest thing from easy and on some level practically impossible.

Though there had been those that tried. Only a few had ever come truly close to managing it -- and she only believed that to be fortunate because those that tried had almost always been the self-serving type that would unravel Creation if they succeeded.

"One thing I believe to be true, Vanir, having spoken with the spirits a great deal," Vytal added, "is you should do so only when it is necessary. It would be convenient to rely too heavily on the spirits and miss what it means to truly be alive; and to cling too heavily upon the past can keep one from walking their Path." Should Vanir call upon his Mother? It was not wholly inappropriate... when the time was right. "Let us explore this place she called her own, and we will have our answer," the Witch answered the man's unasked, direct question. If there would be a time and a place to do it, Vytal believed it would be there. Somewhere the connection would be strongest. Perhaps a place the woman had prepared for this very reason. Then, by the goddess and god's Will, closure might be found for both.

Tag: Vanir Eris

 

[Vanir Eris]

He frowned and though he could not see his ship, his gaze still fell towards its direction. Going by ship would mean a great many things that would get in the way and then add to it he brought an outsider? “We can’t go by ship. My clan would spawn a whole nest of kittens that frankly, I don’t want to deal with, simply by my bringing you. Not to mention how long it would take, once that is settled, for me to get through stars know what kinds of domestic issues that for some reason they couldn’t go to my cousin for.” He shook his head with a sigh. “It is also a chance for me to experience this… Poofing through the nether thing for myself. Use my energy if you must along with the image I can give you, I give both willingly. I will need to change however, just in the off chance we get caught...”

Besides that, he wasn’t technically breaking the rules even telling her that much. Were they to go by ship, he would be because he hadn’t let the elders in the clan deliberate. He was Leader, but only on some things did he need to deliberate with his clan. In this case there was less risk of being seen since that area was not normally visited. Telling her what little he had was safe enough as well, but taking her by ship would give away the location and even size of his clan.

Technically she’d still be able to snoop, but without him there her life would be in danger. His father had known of force users and the things he had set around were a large part of why he knew how to function without the force, for inside the village he lost his connection. Luckily they will be outside those protections and he was needed to expand the borders and thus far, he hadn’t been called so he knew it was safe enough. But would she do it? He looked at Vytal wondering if she would accept his reasons for basically sneaking around.

He couldn’t tell her the whys. He couldn’t share why going back, even for this, made him so desperately unhappy. He hadn’t been back to this spot since before he had unlocked his powers. He had no idea what he would find, just that he hoped this wouldn’t be fruitless. Perhaps he was grasping at straws, but if he had a means to learn about this new part of himself? He had to try, he had to do what he could to learn how to govern it.

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

"It would seem our Clans have too much in common," the Nightmother replied after a moment. Oh, they had a great deal dissimilar as well, but no love lost for outsiders was a commonality. She could have offered to change her appearance or cloaked herself so she went unseen, but from what Vanir said there was more than just Vytal's presence he would be forced to reckon with.

"The image will be sufficient." The pale Witch took a second to smile. "We can save the sacrifices for magicks far more...influential." A simple vaunt into and out of the Nether was of little consequence. Perhaps another might try to barter; and perhaps another would have cause to do so. She, however, had been exposed to such energies and learned a skill in the Art of travel. Not that anyone found her using it instead of her own two feet -- one should respect the power at one's disposal, not abuse it. Besides, a lack of walking or even running would only make a woman physically weaker.

Vytal shifted slightly and sat back before she added, "I will wait for you to change. Time is, for the moment, on our side." There was nothing that demanded haste. The odds they would miss communing with a spirit by a matters of minutes was all but impossible in her mind. If his Mother was no longer there then she'd passed into the Source some time ago. Not to mention the Nightmother quietly whispered on the winds of their coming in the unlikely case she lingered and was considering departing at long last. Just because it was unlikely did not mean a Witch couldn't take precautions.

While he changed it'd give her time to study the journal once more as well. Perhaps there was no great secret she'd see on a second viewing, but it could hardly hurt.

Tag: Vanir Eris

 

[Vanir Eris]

It took Vanir almost an hour, he had had to find out a few things from a servant he trusted, like what the weather was. His excuse was he was considering a visit within the next few months and didn’t want to walk into some kind of storm. Turns out it was nearly time for the snows, which meant dressing for the cold.

When he came from upstairs she’d see Vanir dressed in a style that made him look like someone from some old and primitive time. He was dressed in mostly leather, the top had a high collar, but was more like a vest, all from top to boot was dark and undyed. Under he had a pale yellow cream colored tunic, the sleeves tucked in to gloves that went half way up his forearms.

His hair was pulled back in many braids that spilled behind his head. A thin band of bone that had symbols carved and dyed green rested on his forehead. She could even see little wood or bone beads in his hair. Around his shoulders hung a cloak made of tawny colored fox pelts, on his arm, another in silver and black. This might have looked strange on others, but on the Lopara, he carried it as if this was more his truer self.

Oh, he dressed well and played his part, but before her stood a more primitive man. One who carried the sword and axe with that same unconscious dignity that always seemed to be about him. One who was clearly an authority within the world they were stealing into. As if all the modern trappings were just a mask and now she was seeing underneath. Something more wild lurked in his eyes now, something more like the predator he was. In fact, he was dressed for danger and in his eyes? What they were about to do was dangerous enough. “It’s going to be cold Nightmother, I do not know if what you are wearing now will suit, but this cloak ought to help. It isn’t quite time for snow, but when we arrive there will likely be frost as it will be late morning.”

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

Admittedly, when Vanir said he needed to change, the pale Witch expected he'd be done in five minutes. After fifteen minutes Vytal had gotten the impression it might take longer than most other men -- at least from the indirect observations and whispers of other women painted it. Then again, Vanir wasn't the typical male. The extra time only gave her more time to contemplate the circumstances, read the journal, and reach out to the spirits. Should she be concerned? The spirits gave no indication concern was warranted, and she thought more of Vanir than to think something had gone awry merely changing attire.

Her head lifted and soon her bright, green eyes beheld Vanir in his 'primitive' attire. Obviously, the time had been spent donning all of 'that.' Given its simple construction yet mildly elaborate mix of leather, tunic, braids, bone, beads, and more, Vytal could tell his people were strong naturalists and quite beholden to tradition. Such an outfit belied a ritualistic position. One that require proper attire -- not just whatever someone wove together and you shoved over your head. A painstaking effort to make sure it was just right to not lose respect in the eyes of others.

Slowly, the Nightmother rose to stand before the man as he spoke. "To an extent. However," she held her arms out to receive the cloak, if it was offered, "I welcome your thoughtfulness." Frost? Her armor should suffice -- aside from the head. A deep cold, however, it would not hurt to have another layer if avoiding use of magick was necessary.

In turn, she held the journal up upon the palm of one hand. "Do you believe there is a deep spiritual connection to what is contained here, and your mother?" It would seem Vanir himself was all the anchor they would need, but Vytal would not leave behind something that might be of use. If it had served its purpose, however, best to leave it behind so it was not damaged or lost. She had the feeling where they were going might not be terribly receptive, if found.

"Is there anything else I should know, or will you give me your thoughts in forming a gateway to our destination?" This was perhaps more dangerous than she'd let on, especially when it was another party supplying the spiritual connection to the other end, but the Nightmother felt confident in her own abilities. They would arrive, together, and continue to explore the man's origins. Hopefully to meet the woman that had done something quite reckless, and understand why. Merely for her legacy to be passed on, or was there more? Vytal withheld judgment until the reasons were known.

Tag: Vanir Eris

 

[Vanir Eris]

While Vanir could have handed over the cloak and let her get it arranged, he didn’t. Instead, he moved behind her and draped it over her shoulders then gently pinned it in place with a cloak pin. When she asked about his mother he sighed. “Nightmother, I have no idea what we will find, if we find anything, but the trying can’t hurt. As for my ideas? I thought to simply show you my memories of the place and then we would do what we needed to make our way there. You have more experience than I on the means with which we are to travel. My job is to see what I can learn and try not to get myself killed once you tell me I know enough to make my own attempt, eventually.”

It sounded simple in practice, but he knew this endeavor was a lot more complicated than it sounded. Truth was he resented highly being one that knew so little. It had been a long time since he was some green apprentice and the fact that he couldn’t just do as he pleased was highly irritating. He looked down at his hand then sighed looking over at her. “I’ll need to touch you to show you. I could, without, but it makes it easier to bring a person into my mind.”

Messing with the mind of others he could do as long as he could sense his target. His own? Frankly it actually scared him, one of the very few things that did. If he touched her, he could ground himself and better focus and it was one of the few things that he hadn’t managed to train himself out of. “I should warn you, I discovered a while ago that how I experience emotions is a lot stronger than what most people feel. A fact that almost assures I’d make a very awful Jedi. Probably for the best, all things considered.”

He tried to make a joke, but he didn’t know if she’d find it funny or not.

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

Vytal's eyelids drooped just a bit as the pale woman smiled. "As long as you control them, and they do not control you -- like most Sith -- your emotions can be a source of strength." It pleased the Witch to hear the man did not feel inclined to become a well mannered, naval gazing Jedi. Not that she hated them or thought their beliefs quaint; but they were not a Nightsister's ways. One's mental and spiritual control did not require strict emotional control. Balance was the way of all things -- even if it was easier to say than to do, else everyone would have already mastered it.

The Nightmother stepped forward to take Vanir's hand as her green eyes peered out at him. "A Nightsister is not afraid of being touched, Vanir. We're a very passionate people. We just don't welcome outsiders to Dathomir with open arms because they often seek to take more than they give." And, of course, there was little desire for traditionalists to mate with such people. Not to say Clan Mothers had not if they felt a male possessed great spiritual potential, of course.

"Close your eyes." Vytal would wait until he did so, and only repeat herself once with more command if necessary. "Picture our destination. What it looked like. What it felt like. A fragrance in the air. Imagine it as it was -- as it was always meant to be." What if it had changed? What if it had been cut down and a towering building built upon it, or it had been swallowed into the planet's crust? Wouldn't matter. The latter might if it was a pool of lava, but otherwise spiritual matters were not about the physical reality. It was the connection to a place and time, one fixed to a certain spot in the fabric of reality by unseen anchors. Find the right anchors, and it did not matter how time had changed the destination. If the connection was strong enough.

With her other hand, the pale Witch began to conjure a gateway into the Nether itself. Not one directly to their destination, however. Not like the demonstration. Vanir wished to learn then he would need to begin where almost all students did -- at the beginning. First you learned how to reach your destination the 'long' way; then you could explore shortcuts and bypasses in order to achieve a direct and immediate path to somewhere you knew.

At least Vytal hadn't thrown the man into the Nether and waited to see if he managed to survive on his own. No, she wasn't cruel enough to think how she'd begun to learn the art was the right way to do it. Perhaps it was -- time would tell based on how well Vanir learned by her taking a more structured approach.

Once they shared the image of where they would go, they could begin to walk the Path in the Nether together.

Tag: Vanir Eris

 

[Vanir Eris]

His hands were soft and warm, grip firm though gentle. There was no hesitation in his touch, but inwardly he had to draw calm into himself. Putting down his barriers and letting another in was a hard thing to do.

The snow crunched under his feet as he followed after the figure leading ahead. Taller than him, a towering force that his young self adored with his whole being. “Moriii! Waaait! Where are we going?”

His brother stopped and grinned down at him. “Just a bit out side the wall Van.”

He paused when he managed to catch up and looked behind them apprehensive. “But… Going outside the wall is forbidden. I’m not a man yet, we’ll get in trouble…”

How often did he already get in trouble unless Mori or Lias were with him. He’d hear a laugh and looked over at Velias who came from around a corner. “You’ve got us with you Van, if anyone takes issue, Comori will just glower them into a puddle. As for father, pff, so? We do as we wish and nothing out there is a match for us. If danger happens I’ll toss you up into a tree, deal?”

“I’d wonder where you’d been oh shadow in the shape of my blood. You are getting better at keeping me guessing.” His eldest brother said amused.
“Aye, all the better to keep me from being bored to tears.”

“In any case…” Van gave a squeak as Comori lifted him up and sat him on one of his shoulders. “You will be ten winters old, man enough as I see it. We go to a place your mother always went when she wanted to be alone. I thought to show you how to get there so that if you wanted a good place to hide and study, this could be that place.”

He shifted and they started to walk again, Van gazed around him now that he was perched up higher. He saw the village and, as always, the stares. Comori was getting a lot of disapproving looks carrying him so and he tried to make himself small. “Ignore them. I am your leader and you said you wanted to serve me, yes?”
“Y-yes…”
“Then I order you to not cower under those eyes, they do not matter. Someday you will bend the knee to me and when that day comes as Velias is my right hand, you Vanir… You will be my left. I love you and you have done nothing wrong for them to be sour over. Is that understood?”
“Yes brother…”

It didn’t take long for them to get to the gate, where his brother made sure to leave orders with the guards. Their father was the only one who could overturn such a command, but when it came to anything regarding him, his sire heard nothing. Good or ill, he cared not, but Comori and Velias did and they were as close to mother and father as he’d ever see.

The air smelled better once the gate closed and the boy perked up immediately. “Does it always smell like this?”
“Hm?” Both paused to breathe in and Velias shrugged. “‘Suppose so. Guess your nose is way keener than mine now eh spratling? I think you’ll be coming on your change soon eh?”
“Think so?”
He heard a ‘hmm’ sound from the one who he perched upon. “You have said lately you could hear new things and smell new things. You could be. No telling how your mother’s blood takes to you, but an early change might not be a bad thing. It’ll give you an edge with the other children in your grouping for training. Your mother took on the form of a sleek cat, only time will tell what your beast will be. I asked her just after we got the news she was carrying you what might happen. She only said the beast will be closer than a brother and is unique to the one who is so gifted. Pity I didn’t ask more, it would have helped now.”

The blue eyed child scrunched his nose. “I know you both try to tell me what you can, but she’s dead. Why does she matter now?”

To that however neither of them could say anything, but he saw the sadness in Velias’ face and wondered if he had said something wrong. However when the path opened up to a clearing his mouth opened. Sitting in a circle of stones that looked to be in the shape of fangs was a small waterfall that drained into a small little creek. The evergreens were placed just so and even though the other trees were bare, Van could tell this place would be very pretty come spring.

He was let down and he drifted to the water to look, something about this place felt good, even if it made him shiver. “Was this always like this?”

A pair of dark eyes turned to him and both his brothers blinked as they looked around. Sometimes their brother got strange notions, which they paid attention to. How did he guess that this was not the way it used to be? “Ah… No. She said she made this as a poor reflection of an important place to her clan. She said once there was a site on her world many many times bigger than her poor reflection that was a place of power for her people. Truth be told it gave us the shivers when she explained. Basically, something about her gods willing things so and her asking the spirits here for shaping, or… Something. Do you like it?”

Vanir looked around and looked up at the falls. “I dunno… Makes me feel funny, but not bad, just… Eyes. I feel eyes. Like… On gathering days, but there is just the trees. Could… Trees be watching?”

Velias made a face. “Trees can’t do that, its just trees. Gods, if the trees are watching, it means I have a crowd when I’m chasing a lass for a romp. Egh, that is a terrible thought.”
“Not any more terrible the notion of what stupidity those poor trees saw and the horrors of witnessing any success and me for imagining it so!”

All he could do was watch the two of them bicker thinking they made no sense. “Why would anyone want to chase a girl?”

In unison both responded “One of these days you’ll find out.”
“Ew, no thanks, girls are mad.”

The memory had an incredible draw upon him. There was power in that memory, now that he called it up and knowing what he knew now? Yes. The trees had been watching, likely the whole place. The pain of that time in the past made his heart ache. What he wouldn’t give to go back, just for a moment and have his brothers near him. And other memories of that place soon followed, him alone sparring and practicing. Him with his brothers just after his first change as he struggled to control the new strength in his body after accidentally breaking the arm of one of his year mates in training.

Always this place stayed the same, except for the seasons. Till it was just him alone as a man, the day he was to depart his clan and do his duty as a scout. One last look at a place that had been so close to his heart.

Vytal Noctura

 

[Vytal Noctura]

The Nightmother stepped into the Nether with Vanir's hand in her own. Together they arrived in a place that did not know space or time -- only thought. Vanir's memory was painted on the canvas of the spirit realm and soon set into motion. It became more than a vague recollection of events or details. It took shape and depth at a short distance from where they stood. A preferable means of examining the moment he'd chosen, even if she could derive the substance without a visual representation. Sometimes there were details that should not be overlooked, such as a grimace at a certain uttering.

"When life seemed like it fit in the palm of your hand. When things seemed simpler," the pale Witch said aloud before a winding path of black earth formed in the void before them. Whether her comment was about the man's history, or an empathetic remark about her own went unclarified. Vytal then began to follow the path without releasing Vanir's hand.

"Welcome to the realm of the spirits. A ward should keep most from harassing us along the way," she explained, "but do not venture from the path." Seemed unnecessary to go into detail what may happen or bait the man along. Vanir wanted to return to this place as much as she desired to lay eyes on it. "It is dangerous to walk these lands where spirits may twist the reality you see before you; but this is the way one begins to understand how to connect to places in our realm together -- by taking the long way around." Part of this venture was an opportunity for him to learn how to travel; it seemed important to describe as much while it occurred if he had any hope to learn it.

Vytal did add as they drew near the end of the Nether path, "Watch your thoughts when we arrive. There is no telling what is in store if this place was prepared as you recall." That the place had been dormant awaiting his full awakening left much undiscovered. There was nothing to say only his mother's spirit might linger there. Curiously, as the Nightmother peered into the Nether void she could not see the spirits loitering in wait; but then relative distances were difficult to gauge between realms. "Are you ready?"

Tag: Vanir Eris