Whispers on the Wind

[Vithar Seth]

Walking along the edge of the mountain that would lead to the remains of the Gleaming Moon Clan Vithar wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. His Lavender skin seemed much more vibrant taking on the luminosity common to the Andre’al race. That’s what finally starting to eat properly could do, when he had escaped the clutches of the Scorpion clan Vithar was free to become his own person, however he still felt as if there was something missing. As though he had some greater calling on Dathomir still. Almost as though the planet was speaking to him and urging him to stay and go back to the village where he had once lived. So he listened and had decided to pay one last tribute to the people that had died due to his failure to protect them. Vithar had given his all to fight against the Scorpion clan, he had even given his being over to the force for more power. Yet had still been outclassed by the Clan mother.

Nearing the top of the mountain Vithar felt an unnatural chill retreat down his spine and he cast a look back down the way he had come to see nothing. It was off putting but he continued up the last few meters to finally see the remains of his village. All that remained were ruins with half destroyed houses and the skeletal remnants of those he had once fought alongside. With a heavy sigh Vithar bowed his head taking a deep breath. He had a lot of work to do.

 

[Vithar Seth]

Vithar set to work on gathering the skeletal remains of his people, it was not a job many would want as he had to be gentle and pieces of flesh still clung to the skeletal frames. The smells assaulted his nose, but he withstood it knowing that this task had to be done for his clan brother and sisters to rest in peace, or was it so that he himself could rest? Vithar could barely tell the difference these days. With a grunt he set another corpse on a sheet of stretched out fabric before rolling it inside. He had no intention of burying his people, that would be a dishonor to them. They had died like warriors, and they all deserved a warrior’s funeral.

Walking back to one of the shacks Vithar ducked beneath the doorframe and entered the home where the first thing he saw was a skeleton stretched out across the floor as if it had been trying to crawl away and another crumbled in the corner. From the size of the second it was obvious it had been a child and as he neared the corpse he saw the little hand knit doll that lay beside the body. It didn’t take a genius to put together what had happened, but Vithar wished he hadn’t. Kneeling next to the body he reached out to pick it up and the doll. As he did so he felt a sudden sense of vertigo as his mind was assaulted by a barrage of images.

Each one seemed to play in slow motion and each image seemed real. The father trying to crawl from the Nightsister that stood over him. The Daughter reaching out and crying for her father, and worst of all the Nightsister that stabbed a sword through the fathers back a look of enjoyment as she laughed before making her way to the daughter.

With a gasp Vithar dropped the doll and as he did so the images stopped and all seemed to vanish. His body shook and cold sweat had begun to pour down his forehead. What had he just seen? How had he seen it? Vithar wondered as he rose to his feet shaking his head trying to get rid of the memory of the images and even then tears fell from his eyes.

 

[Vithar Seth]

“Calm yourself my child.” A disembodied Voice said snapping Vithar back to reality. Spinning on his heels Vithar looked behind him for the owner, he knew the voice but it was impossible. Ublic had died years ago. Is this another blasted vision? Vithar thought to himself as he began to stalk through the house searching for the voice, he even walked outside scouting the area to find nothing but the sun lowering in the sky.

“I am not an illusion Vithar. I am more real than I ever was when I was alive.” The disembodied voice said as a strong gust of wind blew through the village and as it did so Vithar could feel a presence that he hadn’t felt since his teenage years. The strong and calming presence of Ublic Seth.

Releasing a roar of rage Vithar grasped his head. Get out of my head! The thoughts were projected through the force due to his loss of his voice. Its all lies! Vithar’s mind screamed as he backed himself into a corner eyes scanning the room wildly. His thoughts lashing out harsh and cold as he tried to chase off the presence of whatever was there. If it was truly Ublic why had he just now shone himself? After all these years, why show up now. After the village had been destroyed and his son held captive for over eight years.

“Is that truly what you believe?” The voice said before the presence seemingly disappeared however when it returned a ghostly blue image came with it in the form of Vithar’s father.

 

[Vithar Seth]

Shaking his head in disbelief Vithar stumbled backwards into the wall as he looked at the ghostly blue image of Ublic. The man looked the same as he had the day before his death. His build was similar to Vithar’s in almost every way except for their hair. While his father had been born with white hair Vithar had ended up with black. The lines of age had even seemed to disappear from his father’s face. “How can this be?” Vithar said projecting his words into the force. It was obvious that his father could understand him and without his voice he had no other way to speak.

“With the force nearly anything is possible my son… And my how you have grown. Your mother would’ve been so proud to see you now.” Ublic said with his head cocked to the side as he examined his son.

“Where have you been!? If you still lived why did you not come back to help us! The clan has been destroyed! Our members murdered in cold blood! I was powerless to stop them! And you sat off to the side watching?!” His temper building as Vitahr’s emotions were projected into the force and with a slam of his hand into the wall beside him a fist sized hole was made in the stone.

 

[Vithar Seth]

“No my son. You were just to blinded by your emotions to hear me then.” Ublic said his tone scolding and reminding Vithar of the verbal lashings he used to receive when he had misbehaved as a child. “After my death your rage drove you, and after the destruction of our clan your despair and regret hindered you and your connection to the force. I tried many times to appear to you, to speak but my words fell on deaf ears.” Ublic said casting a small glance at the hole that had been made. “I even saw what your anger and desperation drove you to. To give up your entire being to the force is dangerous and as you now see costly. Even with all the raw force potential in the galaxy you couldn’t stop the clan mother alone.” Ublic said his disappointment obvious.

Sighing Ublic shook his head before finally setting his eyes back on his son. “You know when I saw you give yourself to the force I regretted ever training you in its ways.” Ublic said before turning on his heel and waving for his son to follow. “Come with me. We have much to discuss.”

 

[Vithar Seth]

AS Ublic spoke Vithar realized just how right his father was. After Ublic’s death Vithar had flown into a blood rage, he didn’t care who he faced during the days after that as long as he could have his revenge. There had even been a young nightsister trying to retreat from battle once and Vithar killed her with his bare hands. Even all these years late he remembered picking her up by her frail neck and squeezing till he heard the sounds of bones snapping. The worst part about it was that he had done it infront of not only the retreating Nightsisters but his own clan. The looks of horror from both sides had etched their way into Vithar’s memories and even the children had been told to avoid him since.

“You are correct, but my anger made me stronger! I brought victory to our people. I was able to hold out for months after your death. I just don’t have your skill in directing battle.” Vithar said trying to defend his actions though they seemed almost half-hearted like he didn’t truly believe himself either.

“All I wanted was to end the war as fast as I could. It was a war started over my life, and I no longer wanted others to suffer for it.” Vithar said his head bowed as he followed his father out and into the sun that was now falling over the horizon. The sky had taken on a orangish-pink glow as the sun lowered.

 

[Vithar Seth]

Coming to a stop at the edge of the mountain Ublic looked off at the horizon his arms behind his back as though he were still living. He listened to his son’s excuses and when he turned the disappointment had spread to his face. “Is that what you truly believe? That I was simply the better tactician? If so you are more foolish then I realized. You had the potential to last just as long as I had but you let your rage drive you! I did not raise some son just for him to fall to the darkside.” Ublic said swinging his right arm across his body.

As the movement was completed Vithar was blasted in the chest by a mighty gust of air that flung him heavily into the wall. His body nearly left an imprint and the air was knocked from his lungs causing Vithar to fall to his knees. When he looked up Ublic was standing above him and looking down upon his son. There was no rage in his eyes, no signs of detest or hatred, simply sadness. “I know what you wanted my boy, but it was not you they went to war over. I would’ve stood alone if I had to. The clan went to war because they were sick and tired of being abused, and having their young stolen. My standing against the Scorpion clan was just the motivation they needed to go to war. “ Ublic said raising his hand. Another gust of wind came and lifted Vithar to his feet.

“However to discuss your past decisions is not why I’m here. I came to enlighten you to your destiny."

 

[Vithar Seth]

Holding his ribs Vithar breathed heavily as he looked on at his father’s ghostly image. When the gust of wind had come there was nothing he could do to protect himself, he hadn’t even been able to sense it and he felt his body shaking from the sheer effort of staying on his feet. He had taken heavy hits from a lot of things, but that had been one of the worst. However, he deserved it. Everything Ublic had said rang true. Vithar had given into his anger and it had led to the destruction of his village. Casting a look back across the land he bit his bottom lip not sure how to retaliate. Ublic wasn't wrong and there was no way Vithar could fight the allegations, and why would he? It was all his fault.

“What destiny are you talking about? I am alone, now. There is nowhere else for me to go. Nothing for me to do except wander this galaxy alone.” Vithar said solemnly as he finally straightened himself and even then he could feel his body screaming in protest. “There is nothing left for me. Not on Dathomir, not anywhere.” Vithar said turning his back on his father and limping back to the building.

 

[Vithar Seth]

Vanishing and reappearing before his son faster than one could blink Ublic held out his hand motioning for Vithar to halt. “No, your journey does not end here… It has only just begun! Your path will be long, grueling and filled with even more death then you have seen here, however it must be traveled.”

“Enough with the cryptic one liners!” Vithar said swinging his arm at the ghostly image for his arm to phase through it. He hadn’t known what he expected to happen. He knew his father was gone, however he still wanted to lash out in some way. “What are you talking about? What destiny do you speak of?”

“A destiny that has long since belonged to our family since its creation. You remember the stories I told you of our home? The Planet where we originally came from? Glyss.” Ublic asked as he stood still as a statue while eyeing his son.

“Yes I remember the tales of the Mynkir, of how they terrorized our people, and how our people came to be. The stories of the mythical Te’van. What of them?”

“Those were not the stories I was referring to. I was referring to the Zerith.” Ublic said turning away from his son and as he did so the sky finally darkened and lighting coursed through the sky. “About how I left my post in a search for power. Power to subvert the forces will and brink back my love... Your mother."

 

[Vithar Seth]

Vithar froze as his father admitted to his crimes. Vithar did remember the tales of the Zerith. A numerous species that once controlled the planet of Glyss before their ancestors had arrived and fought them back to the savage lands. The mental images of the creatures still clung to Vithar’s mind to this very day as his father described their thick dry skin. Their eyeless heads, and the horrific mouths filled with rows of sharpened teeth. “Yes I remember the Zerith, though I’d rather not.” Vithar grunted as he shoved the images deep back into the abyss of his mind where they belonged. “However you told me you had been a simple guard. You said they let you leave to learn more about our ancestors.”

“I wish that had been all it was.” Ublic said with a downtrodden look and slowly it began to rain. The environment seemed to be matching Ublic’s emotions perfectly. Could he be controlling the weather? Vithar asked himself however stayed quiet. “I wasn’t just some standard guard… I was the head guard. I was the one tasked directly with protecting the kingdom of Glyss and the ones who sat upon the throne. Ever since I turned eighteen I had served the Sovereign family. Protected them, fought for them, stood beside them. Then I met your mother, and soon after that she had you. She had left us behind and me with a son I had no clue how to raise… I loved your mother with all my heart and when she died I couldn’t let her go. I began to neglect my duties and dive into studying the force. I looked for anyway to bring her back, then I ran across a spell of how the Dathomirians could possibly revive the dead… So I left my position, I left Glyss, and not even five years later the planet fell to the Zerith. I felt it as the planet fell, and it I hoped to raise you so we could return one day to reclaim it… Sadly now I pass that task on to you and the new Queen. You have met her once before and you will know when you meet her again.”
“How am I to combat the Zerith?! I could barely combat the Nightsisters and I have no training in the force besides the little you taught me!”

“That’s why I have come. To help you. While I may not be able to train you in everything I know, I can help you. However, first you need a weapon fit for a warrior. My old weapon.” Ublic said turning to his son.

“What are you talking about?”

“You shall see soon enough.” Ublic said placing his hand upon his sons head and as he did so Vithar felt a surge of force energy fill his body. It filled him and coursed through his entire being as images flashed in his head. Images of a great sword placed in stone, of Glyss, and of the Zerith ruling the kingdom.

When Ublic removed his hand Vithar crashed to the ground breathless. “It will be awhile before I can appear to you in such a way again my son, so heed my words and follow the path laid down by our family for generations.” Ublic said as his body seemed to slowly vanish.

“Wait what about teaching me?!” Vithar shouted out realizing that the words had left his mouth and had not been projected through the force. “How?”

“A gift to aid you on your journey… I shall be watching.” Ublic’s voice said however Vithar couldn’t see him.

 

[Vithar Seth]

A few hours after his meeting with Ublic, Vithar stood in the dead of the Dathomirian night. Rain sprinkled against his smooth skin and his Lavender skin seemed to almost glow. Behind him in the center of the village was a large stack of corpses all wrapped in fabric. He had gathered all the remains of his people and put them in the center of town. They had died as warriors and they deserved a funeral fitting for warriors. So setting the torch alight he placed it among the coals and watched as the fire began to spread.

“When they came for me you all fought alongside my father, and when they took my fathers life you still fought alongside me. Even if you had no intentions of doing it for my cause I thank each and every one of you. I will not allow this to happen to anybody else as long as its within my power. I hereby sentence you to rest and as the fires claim you, you shall return to the arms of our winged goddess… Goodbye my old friends.” Vithar said and as the flames finally finished engulfing the corpses he turned to leave.