Private Where Madness Grows

[Arcturus Dinn]

Dagobah... How long had it been since he was on so willfully wild a world? On any world, for that matter, which was not Zaathru, his brief trip to Eliad to see off Zachariah Conway aside. Too long. He'd forgotten how it was to be within the rest of reality, away from talks of Gods and Rituals and Sacrifice. The children were back on Eliad for now, resting and recuperating with nursemaids and servants doting over them. Arcturus had stationed his personal guards there too, to keep watch over the children, staff, and fortress in general. Nothing would happen to them if he could help it.​

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He would be just a moments notice away. Blessed tattoos!​

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So why then was he on Dagobah? Well, a little birdy had suggested he might find an old friend there. Okay, so it was Wax. Almighty Wax the Shadow who had found Pharus Dystra 's parents in the deepest depths of the Nether, and who had somehow known to keep an eye on one soul in particular. For any sign of his movements. So that's why he had come to Dagobah, because Wax had not strayed him wrong thus far.​

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Out into the swamps he wandered, at first alone as he tried to make sense of the directions he'd been given and then not so alone as the Shadow drifted alongside him. He bobbed up and down slightly, as though affected by the wind, and tutted when he saw that Arcturus had made a wrong turn.​

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"I should have specified it was the blackened willow with the three-clawed scratch in its trunk" he hummed, "Well, no time like the present, Mister Sandman. You were supposed to turn at the blackened willow with the three-clawed scratch in its trunk, Sir. About half a mile that-a-way." Wax gestured behind them, and almost reluctantly, though not quite, Arcturus turned and sloshed his way back.​

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"How much further, Wax?"​

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"If he's still where he was two minutes ago? I'd say..."​

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They fell into a series of conversations as they made their way back to the willow tree in question, and from there proceeded on toward where Quintus had last been. ​

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"And you are sure it's him?"​

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"Quite sure, Mister Sandman."​

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Arcturus hummed in approval. Well, he reckoned, time would most certainly tell.​

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Quintus Varro​

 

[Quintus Varro]

Rot, that's all he was doing was rotting away at this point in body and mind. He'd been lost, completely lost, when the Sith fell and those he had thought of as true gods were trounced. For a true believer there was nothing but despair when faith was destroyed, and his faith was beyond repair. He'd come to Dagobah in hopes of finding a witch to teach him more magic as he'd done before, but this only lead him to a deeper failure. He had dreams of alchemy and sorcery, but it turns out he simply wasn't as strong in the force as he'd thought. Now he just rotted, awaiting the end.

So he bathed in the dark side of the force, and researched ways to gain more ability to tap the force. The outrage of it all made his rage come to a boil, but still there was a limit. He could hear the singing voices just around him, but he couldn't understand them. They never quit though, they thirsted on his despair as much as they wanted to teach him.

He would find a way.

Black robes covered weathered skin which had been far too long without a bath. Baths weren't important to his research though, no, he must focus. A small transport sat nearby providing the 'housing' for this Sith Acolyte. Vines had already began to grow up the ship which had sat here long enough he wasn't sure if it was still functional.

Another droplet of blood fell down off his arm as he felt a presence in the force approach he had not felt in quite some time. Not since the good days, a man he had once called friend. His presence was bright in the force and it made Quintus despair all the more and even brought out a touch of rage at his poor searching friend. Of course Arc would be powerful in the force, he always was.

This brought his attention back to his work as he slowly cut another Sith rune on his arm. There were ways, but they were difficult and required much sacrifice. Most of which would not be him, but this part he must endure. He runes when complete would help his skin soak in the blood and force sensitivity. He was sure it was work, he just wasn't sure he wouldn't lose his mind in the process.

Finishing just as an old friend crested into view Quintus let go of his robe arm allowing it to cover his newest wound. The runes weren't healing well, in fact they seemed to be not healing at all, but in his mind that only proved they were already working all the more. Pushing himself off the tree he took a few tentative steps towards Arc. Opening his mouth he tried to speak, but it was just a hoarse whisper for a moment. Of course, silly weak body. Taking a swig of water he tried again after a moment.

"Greetings, lost brother, or perhaps it is I that am lost? No matter, one must be lost to be found I suppose. Well you have found me, and more's the pity. I have not fared well here Arc, and I have faltered. I am unworthy, but still I seek. You though, you feel, yes. Your power has grown substantially. I knew you would. Grundark would have been proud of you my friend."

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

He may not have seen the infected wounds as he came into sight of Quintus, but he knew well the smell of it, of blood in general, he and indeed Quintus, had once studied under a great eldritch being whose mastery lay specifically in that field; Arcturus had only built upon the knowledge she had provided them, delved deeper, blood rituals, sacrifices, he'd killed men by manipulating their blood, and used it to leave trails on the wind.​

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Yes, he was most familiar with the smell of blood, both clean and dirty, and Quintus' was very, very dirty.​

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"Long it has been, brother mine," Arcturus said, not yet addressing the cragmoloid in the room that was Quintus' physical and mental state. Instead he stepped closer, and offered a hand out to clasp the other man's and, if permitted, pull him into a brotherly embrace. "We all are lost who wander this Galaxy without a true home, are we not?"​

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Glancing past Quintus he spotted the ship-turned-ruin and then glanced around the rest of the camp. Being that it lay in the midst of a swamp the uncleanliness of it did not surprise him, but the way in which it lined the man's skin? Caked on, discoloured...​

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"Grundark would be most displeased if he knew what I'd gotten myself into" Arcturus countered, though he smiled as he said it so as to soften the words which deep down hurt him most dearly. Blood was dripping from the man's fingertips, making it obvious which arm had been freshly mutilated. Arcturus reached out a hand to grasp the man's wrist, provided he could, and slipped up the sleeve to see the worst of it.​

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"Smells like death, Quin," he sighed, whether allowed to roll up the sleeve or not. "Please, let me tend it?"​

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Quintus Varro​

 

[Quintus Varro]

He chatted oddly, like a lost bird in search of it's nest. It struck him rather powerful as he just stood as still as a statue with a rather wide eyed look at Arcturus, the man wasn't saying anything. Was he mad? Oh it was possible, oh yes, they'd both been there on that day, and they'd both let them in. As he came closer some deeper part of his mind that remembered the man's intellect spit up the simple observation he needed.

Arcturus Dinn was approaching him like a mad animal, he was just speaking soft and soothing things to try to keep him calm. Glancing down finally as Arc touched his wrist gave a strong look around the swamp to make sure there was nothing else waiting in the shadows. No, oddly enough it was just a shadow in the shadows. How what a delightful little thing. Suddenly he giggled as Arc lifted up the arm of his robe.

As the puss filled wound came out into the open though he simply shook his head. "No, old friend. I need these, oh yes. Blood in and blood out. You remember the crazy thing that thought itself a god no? Yes! Of course you do! Silly me." Shaking his head again he muttered under his breath for a moment upset with himself. "Oh yes, anyway, yes. Blood in and blood out. I am weak, this is a reality I was forced to face. Not my fault but still mine all the same. Simply born without the sensitivity some have. You have, yes I can feel it. It sings to me. But, but, no. I will have it, blood in and blood out. The blood of the sensitive will soak into these runes and out I will emerge like a butterfly from a cacoon. Oh yes, and I will fly. Well perhaps not, I'm not entirely sure how in the force one would do that. But... well... yes."

Walking away for a moment he spoke with a nearby tree that had a face carved into it. Point in fact Quintus had apparently at some point mounted eye glasses on his friendly professor tree. Oh yes. the bloke was mad.

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Quintus seemed quite taken by the sight of Wax. At first his giggling had seemed for naught, out of the blue even, until he followed his gaze for a moment and spotted the Shadow stood there. He had expected that he would leave, but nope. For whatever reason he remained. Perhaps he should introduce them, then, perhaps--​

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No, Quintus claimed, no he did not need to be patched up. Arcturus frowned slightly at that. "Transfusions are possible, you can even continue with such mutilative rituals, brother, but you are allowing yourself to rot from the inside out, you will not be a stable host for such transformations if you do not find a means to cleanse yourself of this... puss." That was one word for it, Arcturus saw it more as impurity, sickness, dirt and rot. The puss was just a symptom, an indicator, of what was going on inside.​

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And Arcturus knew well enough that such toxicity could fast become fatal.​

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"Please, Quin... Please. I do not want you to meet your end like this. You deserve to go out like a star, not shriveled up and swallowed by the swamp when you become too weak to move. You can fly, you will fly, but not if you haven't the arms to spread."​

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Crazy, mad, yes, and after recent events that should have caused him to back off, put his distance between himself and this man, this world. But this was Quintus, not some stranger. This was his brother, they'd once been thick as thieves. He could not abandon him here to rot. Would not.​

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Quintus Varro ​

 

[Quintus Varro]

He was loud, louder then the kindly professor tree who he talked science and sometimes argued. It wasn't Quintus fault though, no, not this time. Professor Tree was thick headed as his wooden hide. He didn't listen, couldn't even fathom the idea of being wrong. It was ridiculous! Even the greatest scholars were wrong sometimes and that was how they learned. Believing you'd reached your peak because you were the only professor on the planet was not the same thing as knowing everything!

Exasperating!

Fine, fine, fine. If Arc was going to get him away from another of the long winded speeches that Professor Tree had already begun to wind up. "Puss? Weakness? No, I understand your confusion, but this pain is part of the process. I had more... knowledge on it before, but to be honest," Looking about the man raised his eyes into the sky as through looking for the words to fly by. "To be honest, I can't remember anymore. I remember there was a reason, and it was going to work. But, but this was all, well it started when I left years ago. I came here to find a witch, to learn and soak up the dark side of the force away from silly preaching and orders."

Soak he had, there were plenty of dark places on this world, and one even conveniently nearby. Well it hadn't been so convenient to find, but once he had he moved his ship nearby. Reaching into a pocket he pulled out a dagger that had long since lost it's sharpness but was still painted with dried blood and gore. "You don't understand, Arc. If they don't infest they won't even pretend to scar my flesh. I tried it clean at first, but I woke to healed flesh every morning. No, no, no. The infection keeps it from healing as quickly."

Moving towards his ship or rather what remained of it without another word Quintus went to take the last few possessions worth taking. Most if it was in as bad disrepair as Quintus was, but two items stood oddly out. A pair of books without a touch of dirt on them. Eyeing them with a laugh which broke into a long giggle before finally catching himself.

"I can't use them now, but if I can just open my flesh to the force I can. Well that's a lie, but not a lie. I can start to learn more through them. They'll teach me the words. The whispers will swell to music and I will bath in their knoweldge. Oh bath, oh my. How long has it been since a bath or a good rain? Must be the dry season?"

Suddenly laughing powerfully the former acolyte half danced before continuing back out the door. "Ok, Arcturus Dinn I will go it seems, but you must understand the need of flesh and blood no?"

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Arcturus had quite forgotten Quintus' hyper-healing abilities, innate to his race. That... Complicated things, didn't it? If the wounds healed before he could do what he needed with them, then he'd just keep going around and around in circles.​

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Still, that didn't mean he felt at all good about standing by and watching as the man left wounds to weep and suffer.​

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"How about we pause on this, then, you can search through my library, there's all sort of books on rituals, magic, occultism. Once you know what you're doing and why again, then we can work on it, brother. I won't interfere save to make sure they don't fester so much you die or lose a limb..."​

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Arcturus knew he had no right to dictate the life and choice of another. He also knew that Quintus was not exactly all there right now. In fact that was something of an understatement.​

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Still the man seemed willing to leave with him, even though Arcturus had never tried to hint at wishing for that to happen. He did want to bring him away from here, of course, but it was nice to know that Quintus was just as happy to go with him.​

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"I do understand, friend. Come, you can bathe in the Grotto before we begin our journey to my home. Give me your hand, please."​

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Reaching out his hand, he waited for Quintus to take it. Provided he did, the pair would be whisked away quite suddenly, far from the swamps of Dagobah and across the Galaxy to a remote system that wasn't even on the map.​

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It would soon be apparent what he had meant by bathing in the Grotto, for they were spat out on a high ledge overlooking a vast underground lake. At the center was a small island with an ever blooming tree, who held pink flowers and leaves both. The entrance to the Underworld, the Natives would claim. Well, they weren't wrong about that any more, Arcturus had literally torn a rift into existence, pierced the veil and provided his worshipers with their own dedicated patch of the Nether. Their own afterlife.​

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The ledge was situated in such a way that one could jump down into the water unharmed, or drop down to the floor below. If Quintus glanced down at their feet before doing any of that, he'd see a series of small, blood-laced and intricately etched runes all in a circle around where they landed.​

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"Home sweet home" Arcturus practically sang, "Have at it, brother, or would you rather wait 'til we're at my City?"​

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Arcturus did not care either way.​

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Quintus Varro ​

 

[Quintus Varro]

He'd forgotten how funny Arc was, or maybe it was just that he didn't say such funny things before. Eh, didn't matter either way he supposed. Taking a hand he felt near jolted out of his own skin as the entire universe around Quintus seemed to shred and tear until they were somewhere else with a great jerk.

Blinking in rapid repetition Quintus tried to adjust to his new surroundings even as his mind searched nooks and crannies inside of his memory for the how. "Woh, guess that will save on the fuel cells." Suddenly he twisted his head around searching for something for a loud shriek of misery left Quintus' throat. "ARC!? NO?! My children?!" Reaching inside his robe desperately he let out a rather ragged breath as he pulled out a small brightly colored bird.

With a soft sigh he placed it on his shoulder and breathed in slowly as his heart began to beat normally again. "I thought I didn't have him, I mean the others will miss me but little Blue? No, no. Little Blue is here though now isn't he? Yes, so you see.."

He stopped there as the bird began to give off a soft and rather complex hum. The bird's eyes seemed strangely focused on the face of Quintus as he starred at the bird as if hypnotized. Yet slowly his muscles relaxed and the tension in his face came down into something considerably calmer. If left uninterrupted for a few minutes Quintus would finally recognize Arcturus Dinn question.

"No I believe here is better to wash off this filth, who knows what rare bacteria I've brought up from that swamp." It was as if for just a moment the light found its way into a dark hole. A half smile crossed Quintus' face as he jumped down and his eyes cleared. Still the bird hummed as it glided down towards the pool below. It's haunting melody bouncing off the walls around it but faded away before a true echo could form. There was no doubt Arc would feel the presence of the bird in the force as it sang it's song. The Jubba Bird's calming effect would touch Arc as well undoubtedly.

As Quintus floated there in the water his ratty robe left adrift on the waters until it snagged on a rock and stayed there. He looked peaceful on the water as the bird continued it's soothing song. Whatever power it had seemed to break a spell over the long forgotten Acolyte, even if just for a moment.

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

As reality stabilized around them once more, Quintus' wailing screech took Arcturus by surprise. He turned toward the man, only to see him unveil a bright blue Jubba bird from within his robes. Arcturus blinked, amazed by its presence here, and gave the pair a moment they seemed to need as bird stared into the very soul of Quintus through his eyes. He could sense the calming presence it held, and more than that the effect it seemed to have on his friend. Quintus was soon softening, the madness waning as clarity overcame him, and a great relief met Arcturus.​

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Things weren't entirely dire, then.​

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"Little Blue" he retorted softly, "I'm glad you were not entirely alone in all of this, Quin."​

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When the man spoke of his intent to jump in, Arcturus took from him the books he'd seemed so protective of. He watched as man and bird leapt off the ledge, only for Blue to glide while Quintus plunged deep into the water. Arcturus sat cross-legged and watched for a moment, before turning his attention to the rest of the cenote. Home... Oh, it did feel so great to be home. ​

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Quintus Varro ​

 

[Quintus Varro]

He floated as if transfixed, his insanity washing away with the dirt and mud that coated his body. There were enough coats in fact that the water started to look muddy and cloudy. His eyes didn't see though as they stared at the bird on his chest happily singing away for him. He was haloed in light and in the clearing mind of Quintus he had to question for a moment if it was even real. He wouldn't be able to hold onto it though, he never was. When the song stopped it all came back in and turned to a heavy fog of insanity.

There was something about the song, some piece of him it altered that he couldn't figure out. Maybe if he had more time with a bit of clarity he could figure it out. He didn't dare move though even as his eyes flicked up to where Arcturus Dinn was above him. He was afraid to speak, to startle the bird and end the spell it was casting. He knew it was smart, far smarter at least then any other bird he'd ever met, but he couldn't communicate with it in time. He'd tried once, but when he did it quieted and listened, and that was the end of clarity.

He could feel the witch inside of himself even now squirming for control. She'd been dying, and he had thought that made her safe. All it had done was made her desperate. It required him to both engage in a mental war for control and try to figure out how to at the very least prolong this. Flicking his eyes back up to where Arc was. He winced as a lash of pain went through his mind as the witch began to attack his defenses to regain control.

This was the cycle of Quintus' life, and it was a battle he was truly afraid he wasn't winning.

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Sitting down on the runed ledge, Arcturus peered up at the gaping hole overhead which let natural light down onto the blossoming tree. It had been an utterly crazy week, and quite frankly he was absolutely beat. It was almost time to bring the kids back home, he realized, to bring them back to their mother. They missed her dearly, and he knew the feeling would be mutual. He'd just... needed to give everyone just a tiny bit of space to recover from the trial fiasco.​

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Had it been the wrong decision? Frankly he wasn't all that certain.​

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Gaze shifted down to Quintus. Well, now he had someone else to care for didn't he? As good a reason as any to make that change now. Celephaïs was going up surprisingly quickly, maybe he'd bring Rhiannon out to the desert. Give her a change of scenery and something else to focus on. She could help to pick out furnishings and the like. They could do it together, all of them, as a family.​

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He looked back down to where Quintus floated, and smiled. It really was good to have his friend back in his life. When he saw that wince, however, he felt a sudden jolt of worry.​

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"Are you okay down there, brother?" he asked, "Do you need anything?"​

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Arcturus was really trying not to be overbearing but, simply put, it wasn't exactly easy.​

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Quintus Varro ​

 

[Quintus Varro]

With due focus Quintus slowly lifted his eyes up to Arc above and took a deep breath before speaking. "It's been too long, my friend, far too long. It's not safe for you with me. I'm not myself anymore, well not completely at least. She's in here too, and she's dangerous. Perhaps more to me then you, but when she finishes me I don't know what she'll do."

His words seemed as insane as his previous ones, but his voice was steady now. His eyes closed as he floated another tickle in his mind as she touched at his defenses reinforced by the singing of the bird. He didn't know how, but he knew the bird knew what was going on. It was odd being slowly killed from the inside, taken over like a puppet. It wasn't even personal for her, she didn't hate him or even care, she just wanted life again. So she was stealing his.

"The end is approaching, Arc. She's getting stronger every day and I'm growing weaker."

A second lance of pain shot through his mind and he gasped as the startled bird flew off of him and quieted. The walls began to collapse almost immeaditely, and to his terror his mind began to instantly fracture. "Yes, yes. Bird is flying now, just like the treeman. Hope is gone, and the force is gone."


Arcturus Dinn

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

All that Quintus began to say with his more sound mind made Arcturus understandably alarmed. Not safe? She... Who was she? Someone was corrupting him? Was that why his mind seemed so fractured, or had she simply picked up on that and used it to her advantage?​

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"She? Quintus... Who is she?"​

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He didn't realize until the bird drifted away just how much good it was doing for him, soothing him and allowing rational thoughts back in. Arcturus frowned, and rose up to his feet.​

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"Hope is not gone, brother... We will find a way, she cannot claim dominion over you. I refuse to allow it."​

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But how? What could he do to help expel her?​

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He wondered if maybe it wasn't time to go and pay Lucien Cordel another visit. The man was a master mentalist, after all, and being that he was in the Nether he wouldn't be impossible to find.​

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"How long, Quin?"​

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He was gone again, though, the birds flight had ensured that was the case.​

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Quintus Varro ​