A Healing Retreat

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Maiev"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Tegaea stepped back when Maiev’s eyes went black and her stance changed. Instinctively she edged a bit closer to Siobhan, though for whose protection it wasn’t clear!
She said nothing, but fiddled uneasily. She remembered hearing about possessions and was certainly not pleased to learn that their guest had hidden this.

Chesna meanwhile showed no such fear. She even moved closer to curiously examine Maiev.
“Very interesting. Yes, I see the link is parasitic…no…symbiotic. Interesting. What is your origins, Kalax? How did you become merged with this witch?”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"], [member="Tegaea Alcori"]


She's been with you since you were a newborn. How convenient for her, Siobhan thought cynically. Her features remained hard when Maiev's eyes went black. She did not take her gaze away from the possessed girl. She had been possessed once and it had not been pleasant, to say the least.


Suspicion was reflected in her eyes. "And is this 'inhabitation' willing or have you taken over? Does Maiev consent or have you made you just made her dependent on you?" she asked sharply. At least she was not reaching for a weapon at this juncture. "How do you hide your presence? And does Elpsis know about this?" If she did, it would be another mark against her adoptive daughter. Siobhan had many reasons to dislike her.

 

[Maiev]

A pair of soulless eyes stared at Siobhan, eyebrows furrowed as though Kalax was offended at the woman's immediate accusations.

"No I haven't 'taken over', Maiev has full control over whether I can take over or not - but yes, if the situation requires it I can." There had already been an example of this when Maiev had first met Elpsis, exhausted from having helped the sentient Sarlacc defend itself on Felucia. Although, from the sound of things it seemed as though Elpsis had never informed Siobhan of that little adventure, or just not fully.

"I can probably go into boring detail of how it works, but it's basically because of being connected for so many years. As spirit and host, we've blended for so long that our presences are almost the same." It was a natural process for possession, albeit typically that was with the original host slowly being engulfed by the spirit, but that wasn't the case with Maiev. "And yes, Elpsis knew - impressively quick too. She's a very powerful empath."

She turned to look at Chesna next.

"My age is faded, but my knowledge is ancient." There was a look of concern, Kalax was surprised that she couldn't quite remember her age. "I lived in a time when there were no dogmas or ideologies, just the Force. Like any other Disciple looking to learn and become a Master, until I ran into the ire of a nasty sorcerer that damned my spirit to remain on the material plane after my death." Kalax remembered a much younger version of herself, one that had passed the threat as nothing but an attempt to strike fear.

Little did she know...

"Generations passed, I came to inhabit a number of hosts across the years. Over thirty years ago, I found myself on Dathomir, wandering the planet after my previous host died. Then one day I heard the sound of a baby's cry - her dying mother cradling the newborn in her arms. Maiev would've died, never reaching her potential if I hadn't used the veil to possess her at such a young age."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Tegaea Alcori"]​

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] [member="Maiev"]

Were this a game of D&D Chesna would be rolling an insight check to determine the validity of Kalax’s words. It seemed though that the spirit was being truthful, as much as could be determined.

Tegaea’s logical brain always found it hard to process the Force and all it’s often contradictory effects and conditions. At one point she opened her mouth, then closed it.

Chesna meanwhile pushed her hair back slightly. “Well, I know a little how you feel. I’m going on twenty-five millennia, but still on the lookout for grey hairs!” she joked.

She looked to Siobhan. Having been with Siobhan a lot she could tell the human was not pleased at all still.

“So it worked out for the both of you then…a spirit finds a host, and a child a protector.”
She wondered if there was more, but it was hard to determine.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"], [member="Maiev"]


Siobhan was depowered and infirm, but her gifts of perception had not fully faded. Indeed, being forced to rely on her mundane senses might have sharpened them. Thus the brief look of concern upon Maiev's features did not escape her. "You don't remember how old you are," she concluded.


"In all these millennia, you have not come across a way to break the curse?" she queried. It might have been a rhetorical question. "Maiev over here is in her late twenties now and you've been with her since she was baby. In my experience, few possessions last that long, especially not with anything meaningful remaining of the host. How healthy is this for her? Would she be able to function if you were separated?"


She briefly glanced towards Tegaea. "It's nice to know that Elpsis saw fit to withhold important information," she remarked cynically. She would have words with the girl. It was another black mark against her.

 

[Maiev]

Kalax chuckled, looking over at Chesna. "Well, you certainly look good for someone whose lived that long." But the concern returned when the spirit was reminded of the fact she couldn't recall what she originally looked like.

The mind is a complex thing, and when you once made a habit of jumping between bodies and minds then issues would begin to arise.

And once upon a time, Kalax had made that choice between Memory and Knowledge. A decision that had been made after a long campaign of chasing her enemy across millennia.

"I'll admit our situation isn't exactly common, but it isn't that abnormal either. There have been many cases where the spirit has coexisted with the host until the day of their death - in which case the spirit would either remain or pass on with them." And in Kalax's case, the curse had kept her bound from every truly dying. "As far as we know, Maiev is perfectly healthy with my presence in her mind. The fact the possession was made so young, meant our connection was able to grow and strength as she physically grew and matured." But she gave no answer on how Maiev would be if they ever separated, outside of whenever the witch died.

"You shouldn't be too harsh on her, Siobhan Kerrigan." Kalax spoke plainly, looking directly at the woman. She had a feeling Sio wasn't one who took being questioned lightly. "Take it from someone who once was dedicated to teaching the young, and took a similar stance. Tough love; or whatever the expression is, can be a useful tool to direct the younger generation towards their future. But it can end up being a fine line to walk, a push over the edge and you might just find her snapping and walking away from you, forever."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Tegaea Alcori"]​

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Maiev"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Tegaea had been thinking a similar thing regarding Elpsis. It had been something which she had been able to pull from this whole confusing turn this conversation had made.
“She might have had a good reason,” she said in reply, though she was wondering what it was. It was just as well Kalax was not malevolent or else the two of them would be stranded here with little aid.

“It would likely be a severe, if not fatal shock by this stage anyway to separate them,” Chesna put in. She approached Mailax, as she’d probably call the spirit and host.
“To put Siobhan’s mind at ease, would you mind if we had a brief communion? I am remarkably good at telling the intentions of the spirit and mind in such a way.”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"], [member="Tegaea Alcori"]


Disapproval was evident in Siobhan's features. Kalax was right in assuming that she was not used to being questioned. "I cannot fathom a good reason. The girl needs discipline. Firm discipline. Otherwise she will remain naive, foolish and an aimless drifter." She felt like telling Tegaea that she was too indulging, but restrained the urge. She would not criticise her wife in front of a guest.


Regardless, she seemed to realise that she was going off on a tangent - as justified as she was sure it was! "I will discuss this matter with her later. Let us get back to why we are here," hearing Chesna's suggestion, she gave the elf a nod. Now it depended on the spirit.

 

[Maiev]

The desire to continue the subject was great in Kalax, but the spirit refrained from drawing herself into a lecture. It was a familiar occurence for Maiev back in the day, although much less now that there was little for Kalax to lecture her on.

Besides it had nothing to do with the current situation.

She turned to look at Chesna as she approached. Kalax mulled over it for a moment, but she wasn't overly hesitant about the idea.

"That's perfectly fine with me, we've delayed for too long as is."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Tegaea Alcori"]​

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Maiev"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Chesna moved forward and extended a hand, touching Mailax’s head.

What the witch would see was a metaphysical realm of stars. Before her she’d see Chesna’s essence, a form of shadow and power behind mundane coverings. She’d see that much like them there was a duality to the Eldorai, a darkness behind the brighter light.

In turn Chesna saw the form of Maiev and Kalax intertwined, their destinies and essences merged symbiotically…but irrevocably to her mind. She did not see any great darkness or malice in either.

Emerging from the communion, Chesna blinked. “I think we’re clear, Siobhan. I see them now as they actually are. I do not think we have anything to fear from them.”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"], [member="Tegaea Alcori"]


"I see. I trust you," Siobhan said after a pause. "Well, then let's get started, shall we? Time's a wasting." The fact that she had contributed towards them wasting time seemed to escape her. She would still have words with her wayward daughter though. Regardless, she lay back down, lowered her mental walls and forced herself to relax.

 

[Maiev]

A moment of tension filled the air as Chesna placed her hand on Mailax's head. Not of fear, but because one part of the spirit-witch duo never really got use to that particular sensation. Having a mind that was essentially two-in-one meant communions were initially unpleasant.

Kalax had explained it once, long ago. Typically, a newborn didn't go through the process of merging to minds into one. Therefore anyone else wouldn't have such a reaction, but for Maiev it was sharp stabbing pain.

Not matter how merged she was with Kalax, they were still two minds in one body. And Maiev had the physical limits of a single person.

Sorry Maiev, I forgot it hurt you a bit.

It's fine, not like I remembered either.

With Siobhan satisfied with Chesna's assessment, Kalax knew her job was done. She took a 'step back' and allowed Maiev to return to the surface. The Force shifted around them, almost as if it was being sucked back towards its original point. Mailax's eyes closed during the process, remaining so until things calmed down and they shifted from the dark void, to Maiev's natural colour.

"Yes, let's get started. Tegaea, Chesna, I want you to take a seat on either side of Siobhan - we want to form a circle." Whereas Maiev would sit directly opposite to the Kerrigan Matriarch. "Generally this ritual is performed with a lot more people, but it's still very viable with just us. There's even an argument to be made that a fewer amount; but with a deeper connection between them, is much more effectively."

Maiev rambled on as she prepared, pulling out her necklace that had been tucked away until now. She held the emerald crystal flat in the palm her hand. The witch mumbled some words, and the dark colour suddenly became a lot lighter. It's solid interiot became liquid as the spirit ichor manifested itself within the necklace. Placing her other hand over it, Maiev pulled away like she was dragging a piece of string, drawing the ichor out and forming it into a sizable ball; enough to fit in her hand.

From there she cast it out in the middle of their circle, forming a font of sorts.

"Now, hold out your arms and grasp one another's forearms. We need to form both a physical and spiritual connection." The witch stretched out her arms, palms held upwards for Tegaea and Chesna to hold. Once that connection was made, Maiev closed her eyes and began chanting again. Her temporarily font of ilchor began to flow outwards in the form of several thin tendrils. They first went towards Maiev, wrapping around her shoulders and snaked down her arms until they began to do the same for the other three, binding them together.

"Chesna, Tegaea, I'm gonna need your help as we make our entry. While I'm sure Siobhan can open her mind to us, we're no doubt going to run into some resistance on a subconscious level."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Tegaea Alcori"]​

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Maiev"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

To say that Tegaea was bewildered would be to not do it justice. She had been listening to Maiev’s words in a detached way, until she was ordered to join the circle.

“Uhh…” she began hesitantly.
“It’ll be fine, Mistress, I’ll help you,” Chesna said reassuringly.

Tegaea did need reassurance because suddenly there was an emerald, and stuff was coming out of it, and it was binding her to Chesna and Maiev. Now of course Tegaea had nothing against binding, but she was completely out of her element here.

"Chesna, Tegaea, I'm gonna need your help as we make our entry. While I'm sure Siobhan can open her mind to us, we're no doubt going to run into some resistance on a subconscious level."

“Uhh…?” she said uncertainly. She wasn’t a Force user, and had no idea how to make an entry. Well, not a metaphysical one anyway.
“Just relax, Tegaea, still your doubts, listen to my voice. Do not be afraid,” Chesna said in a suddenly commanding tone.

Though Tegaea had no idea, Chesna knew exactly what Maiev wanted, and her mind reached out, touching the Witch’s, drawing power from Tegaea to fuel them as they worked to restore Siobhan….

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Tegaea Alcori"], [member="Maiev"]


The mind was a complex thing. Once the trio entered Siobhan's, they would find themselves in a wide chamber. It resembled a mustering hall. Tegaea might remember it, since it was the site of Mystra's last stand. Here the dark goddess of the Xioquo had been slain.


They would see a growing light as a being approached. Though of regular size she hovered above ground, a great shadow flowing out from her. Her voice seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere. Her armour was slick with blood and she wore a crown of gold studded with emerald. Her hair was a glorious mane of scarlet.


"What do we have here? A spirit nesting inside a witch, peddling tales about benign intentions. Cursed to hop from body to body while your memories die. And the witch to clings to you." Next she turned her gaze to Chesna. "A 'Paragon', so afraid of your power that you have gone from ruling your people to ruling no one and servicing everyone. What a waste," the being spoke.


At long last her eyes fell upon Tegaea. Her contemptuous words matched her expression. "And you, the powerless has-been and concubine. Mistress of nothing. Reduced to being the wife. A follower of those with a stronger will. You have no role to play here."

 

[Maiev]

It probably shouldn't have surprised Maiev that the first place they appeared in, was admittedly impressive in size and splendour. Seemed very like Siobhan, although the witch knew little of whether the location had a personal attachment to the Kerrigan Matriarch.

For all she knew, it could be the manifestation of something else that was festering deep in Sio's mind.

Maiev mentally shook her head. She needed to focus, and not let her mind wander. She didn't have Kalax to guide her, not entirely anyway. The spirit was remaining in a more 'dormant' state while in the ritual. Being within another's mind was already complicated, add being connected to two others and having one of the three participants be possessed...would make it even more complicated.

She winced slightly, raising a hand up to shield her eyes from the light. When the figure appeared, Maiev stood her ground. Even when the mysterious person began to dig their metaphorical claws into them.

Must focus.

"I don't believe that, I'd say Tegaea has an equally important role here, if not more so." Maiev took a step forwards, staring directly at the hovering figure. "You seem to have an idea of who we are, so may ask who are you?"

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Tegaea Alcori"]​

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] [member="Maiev"]

Tegaea grinned. If she was going to be in a trippy vision world she could at least have some fun.
“What about you, vision of what only a poser would wear because it’s edgy. Really, emeralds? My wife has better taste than that. Are you the vision guardian or something, here to make silly comments to get us upset? And all this to fix someone’s legs. What would we get if we tried to fix a sprained ankle?” she asked with the same disdain.

Chesna waved a hand at her. “It’s only a waste if you consider the only goal in life to control and dominate. Siobhan doesn’t believe that. Let us help her, because whatever manifestation of her you are you want her to be strong, and we can make that happen.”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"], [member="Tegaea Alcori"]


"Do you really think you know her that well, Ardarvia?" the apparition asked Chesna pointedly. "And I seem to recall she almost killed you once, Tegaea." She did not respond to Maiev's query, but her features seemed to shift from Siobhan to something else entirely. Each of the three would see someone different. Chesna might see Ashira, Tegaea Kaelin and she would probably take an appropriate shape for Maiev. Someone who had inflicted great harm on Witch or someone she had failed in some manner. Or who was otherwise associated with a very painful memory in her life. Even her voice would change for each of the three to match the guise she was assuming.


"The three of you took the plunge into her mind, just to repair it. How noble. But how strong is your resolve?" As these words left her lips, the landscape would shift for each of the three ladies. Each would find themselves confronted by their most harrowing memories. The apparition would attempt to trap them inside a loop of torment.

 

[Maiev]

For someone who had a spirit inhabiting their mind and body, Maiev wasn't exactly an expert on mentalism. She knew harm done within the mind would impact one's body, but hadn't gone into this with the complete understanding of what could happen.

Maiev stood resolute, lips pursed slightly as the apparition spoke down to them. What she didn't expect to see was it shift in form and appearance, becoming someone Maiev didn't expect.

[member="Vaermina"]

Her childhood friend, the one she had effectively abandoned on Dathomir. Kalax had urged her too, citing the girl to be too young and a distraction. And sure, Maiev had eventually returned to help Vae leave Dathomir. But the years in isolation and torment had broken Vae's mind.

Evie?

Maiev knew it was impossible for Vae to be here, but it didn't stop the guilt from swelling up within.

However, before the witch could dwell on it any further, the floor beneath her suddenly vanished. Falling into a bottomless void, the sensation of it catching her for a moment before she hit solid ground again.

The witch groaned, slowly pushing herself onto her feet. Maiev glanced around, realizing she was suddenly on Dathomir, within the Wilds to be specific. But there was something odd about the place. She recognized the area, and it was far too fresh and lively than she remembered.

Little did Maiev know, that the apparition hadn't plucked a memory from her, but Kalax instead. The two shared a mind and body, which meant memories were also connected. Only Maiev was never able to see Kalax's before.

And now she was about the bear witness to Kalax's memories of her mother. From when the spirit had first begun following her.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Tegaea Alcori"]​

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] [member="Maiev"]

Chesna stared vacantly into space. Her sister was there, her flowing golden hair shining.
“I know this is an illusion. I guess it’s a measure of my guilt. I’m sorry, now and always.”
“Your repentance and penance is a sham. You’re just afraid of who you are, Ardarvia. You want to be forgiven and hide your true self behind debauchery and jokes. In reality though you are nothing but a sham.”
“I know.”
“You are a disgrace.”
“I know.”
“You should have perished instead of me, rather than linger forever.”
“I know.”
“Then why don’t you do it? End your miserable existence and join me….”
Ashira presented her a blade.
“The only true redemption is gained in death. Join me, sister, and I will forgive you.”
Chesna’s hand wavered as she took the blade.

XXX

“This is the last time I get involved in Force stuff,” Tegaea muttered. More barbed comments, and then the features of the woman in front of her shifted into a face she still had nightmares about.
Kaelin Isandros
Tegaea felt her resolve wavering as the setting around her morphed into a dingy warehouse on distant Fondor. She was secured to a chair, helpless.
“I’ve been waiting for this a long time, pet. We’re going to have such fun again…forever and ever.”
The malevolent, sadistic Sith was there, a glint in her blue eyes, a blade in her hand.
Tegaea felt the same stab of fear she had when she had seen the Archangel clone.

This time though instead of being frightened, she became angry. “Oh, sod off, apparition. Who the kark knew it’d be so karking hard to fix a simple case of memory loss. I am not playing these stupid games any more. I am done.”
The Sith came forward, cackling, her blade cutting. Tegaea had wondered whether in this reality she would feel pain, whether she could be hurt. The blade hurt.
Her resolve wavered, but as she looked up at the Sith standing above her she narrowed her eyes.
“I will fight this, I will win this. I do no need the Force to win this. All I need is the will.”
She closed her eyes and focussed possibly deeper than she ever had. Around her wrists and ankles the bonds…vanished.
The Sith stood there amazed for just a second as Tegaea rose and punched her, hard, in the jaw.
“I am not letting my fear of you conquer me ever again. This time I will destroy you, and I will help my wife. I am not weak, and you are going to get out of my head forever!”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"], [member="Tegaea Alcori"]


Siobhan, meanwhile was...elsewhere. The room was strewn with corpses. Some of Sith stromtroopers, others of prisoners. Once again Althenea died before her eyes, gunned down by Sith goons. Her blood was splattered across the walls.

"You've done your best to forget about this day, haven't you, sweet sister?" a voice spoke. When Siobhan spun around, she saw Althenea. Her prisoner uniform was splattered with blood. There was a bullet hole inside her forehead.

"Althenea..."

"The first of many lives you destroyed. The first casualty on your road to glory. Your own sister."

"I didn't want to...I did not mean..."

"You never mean to. It's never your fault. Yet you did. The great enemy of the Sith betrayed her own sister to them."

"I wanted us both to get away from this hellhole. I was stupid. Foolish...I'm sorry. Nothing I can do can make up for it."

"No, it cannot. Your guilt is a sham, Karishzar. No matter how many battles you win, how much riches you amass and how many people you dupe into seeing you as a goddess, you will always be a fraud. A woman who sold out her sister."

"Yes."

"What gives you the right to live in luxury, to have a family after what you did? What gives you the right to live?"

"Nothing."

"Then why don't you end it? You're practically a cripple. You have dragged your wife and your unloved daughter's friend into your mind and made them suffer because you're selfish to admit that your time has passed." A pistol manifested in her hand. "It should have been you who died on that day."

"Yes," Siobhan took the gun. "But I didn't. There's no right in this world...except the one we make. You're dead. I'm not. I'm done apologising. Holding on to the guilt is pointless. It's selfish."

"You're going to hell!"

"I know. Now go." She shot the apparition.