Private Dark Matter

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina chuckled at his reluctance and want to tour the rest of her home. The was a privilege no one had earned, the fact that he was even here made her more agitated than she cared to admit but she had promised to return his ashes and despite all that lay between them in their past the last few hours had proven that they could work together and that there was as she had always suspected, far more to him than met the eye. He was growing on her, as much as she hated to admit it.

She didn't look up at his question, keeping her eyes on the way ahead, watching for any movement that might be out of place, glancing at each trap as they travelled deeper. "That energy you feel is chaos energy. Its the force without the constraints of this plane of existence, which means my wards have deteriorated. However, the traps seem unoccupied so if anything has escaped, it is at least contained to the lab."

The base of the stairs held a small lobby, enough for them to stand shoulder to shoulder before the laboratory door, her hand disappeared into a recess, pressing her palm against the reader within, feeling the sharp prick of a needle before it issued a soft beep. Withdrawing her hand she brought the bleeding finger to her mouth momentarily before letting out a sigh gesturing towards the door controls, activating them with a nudge in the force and letting the doors slide open.

The first thing to hit them was the energy that filled them room, raw and uncontained that made her hairs stand on end as she stepped over the threshold into a short tunnel that opened into a vast cavern, the centre was dominated by a raised dais, upon which a tear seemed to rest, its shape shifting and unstable. The second thing she noticed was the sound of a soft fluttering wings. Her gaze lifted up, above the portal where a dozen creatures flitted high above, chittering loudly.

"Well, I was not expecting that."

The moment the words left her mouth the chittering stopped and a dozen sets of green eyes turned to regard her. The were no bigger than a seagull, their skin rough and black, tiny leathery wings pumped furiously to keep them high above the portal and they grinned down, showing an array of needle like teeth. For the moment they seemed content to stay out of reach, watching the pair of them. The portal before them shuddered, a wave of energy rolling from it that shook dust and loose rock from the ceiling.

Lina snapped her gaze to it, sweeping forward, the creatures above them forgotten. "Its destabilizing. If it collapses it will bring down the whole cavern." She moved towards it, sliding her sleeved up her arms as she rose up the three steps, her eyes scanning the ground studying the runes. Runes she'd painstakingly tended that would now need to be redone. There was only one problem, they required sacrifice and blood and the only blood she had was her own. Unless...

"I'm going to need your help." She pointed to a worktable. "Ritual blades on the table, bring me two."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

"Well, at least we know where they'll be I supposed." It was perhaps the only silver lining to what sounded like a nearly untethered portal into another realm that they were approaching with each step they took. With any luck the portal itself would be their only concern and nothing would have managed to slip from it into the laboratory, or at least nothing warranting attention before the wards were restored at least. But Darth Strosius wasn't a believer in luck, nor was it one in Him.

What He did believe in more and more was that Lady Ovmar had indeed managed to tamper with the veil between the living world and that of the dead, a sickeningly familiar sensation tickling the back of His mind that grew all the more prominent the closer that they drew to the base of the stairs. Keeping His "wings" from flaring out took a more conscious effort by the time that they did reach the small lobby and the thankfully still secured door. An effort that only became more difficult when the door granted them access and the unfiltered energy behind it made His whole form tense and shiver briefly.

The masked man peered in around her as they reached the end of the short tunnel, taking stock of the more open cavern before His gaze was drawn to the tear itself. He rather quickly glanced away from it though, not at all enjoying how looking at it directly made His "wings" pulse accompanied by an odd throbbing sensation in the back of His mind. He almost missed the little creatures flapping above it entirely until Lady Ovmar spoke and He cast a glance back towards the tear only to see the movement above it.

"...What the feth are those?" They didn't look like any significant threat at least and she didn't seem to be readying herself to fend them off so He assumed they were more akin to some sort of pest or vermin at their worst, but of course He wasn't certain. Regardless the portal was far more worthy of attention even before it made the cavern shake and gave Him a weak feeling in His knees at the same moment. He even had to spare a moment to catch His breath as she spoke, He couldn't remember the last time that He'd been breathless.

Darth Strosius chose to hang back as Lady Ovmar moved forward towards the dais where the tear sat, glancing around the cavern warily as He idly focused on maintaining His composure and keeping His "wings" from flaring as they so insistently wished to. He perked up when she called out to Him again and His gaze flickered to the worktable that she pointed to, huffing and muttering something under His breath as He marched over to the table and retrieved two of the blades.

They were a bit more elaborate than the ones He was used to but He could sense the purpose within them even before He plucked them up so He knew that they were the right ones. Or so He hoped at least, the portal was making His senses a bit...fuzzy for the lack of a better term. Difficult to discern. Hoping that He appeared undaunted He approached the dais Himself and flipped the blades around to offer the handles towards Lady Ovmar, notably keeping His gaze firmly on the ground the whole time. "These ones will work yes?"

Lina Ovmar

 

[Lina Ovmar]

"I'm not sure." she answered his question regarding the creatures hovering high above them, though she imagined that this would do nothing to ease his concern. They were not a threat, the portal collapsing was. She noted the way Lord Strosius seemed to want to recoil from the energy, something she filed away to dig into at a later date. She remember the first time she had opened the portal, the raw power bleeding from it had made her sick, but time and exposure meant she had gotten used to it, missed it even when she was away from it for too long.

Her hands moved, weaving a pattern as her lips moved soundlessly she drew on the energy, felt it bleed into the core of her, her emerald eyes vanished behind veils of obsidian that engulfed her entire eye. The stole she wore shifted, revealing the tips of her once silvery scars, now stained black. As he approached with the blades, she turned her eyes upon him head cocking at how he stared at the ground. The first blade she took drawing it across her palm before tossing the blood stained blade into the ground at her feet and reaching for the second.

"My apologies, mine alone will not suffice." It was the only warning she gave, lifting his hand to draw the second blade through fabric of his glove and biting into the flesh beneath with speed enough to prevent protest. The second blade thudded into the ground as she gripped his wrist, turning the bleeding palm towards the portal as she did her own.

The blood didn't fall from their wounds, rather it was pulled towards the portal, crimson drops that rippled with each pulse of energy. They pooled together forming one large droplet as Lina weaved her magic, before stretching and spreading around the portal in a ring, forming a pattern of runes. The spell demanded more, pulling essence from her, but she held fast, High Sith whispering from her mouth overlapping with the whispers pressing from beyond the portal.

Then she let his wrist go, dropping her own hand as the blood runes fell to the floor, painting a circle of red around the dais. The portal shuddered once more, before the energy it was bleeding became muted, its jagged edges smoothing as it settled into something calm. Lina let out a breath and pitched sideway into Strosius as her legs gave out.

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

The hidden blank look that was shot her way when she admitted that she wasn't certain what the creatures looming above them were had no heat but was certainly not lacking in judgement and concern. He didn't like the sound of that at all, Lady Ovmar was meant to be the knowledgeable one here! She had to be, Darth Strosius was totally out of His element and He wasn't keen on the classic method of trial and error with unusual creatures from an unstable portal to a realm not meant for mortal interference.

Especially with His thoughts starting to become somewhat disjointed and scattered with each step closer to the portal that He took to offer the blades. At least if His gaze was on the floor His eyes were relatively unscathed, albeit with more idle drifting and unfocusing than He would have liked. He was even thrown off so much to the point that the masked man barely even noticed the movements of Lady Ovmar and her apology until the blade cut into His hand causing His eyes to widen in shock.

"Wait don't-" A hiss of pain escaped Darth Strosius, not from the cut itself but rather from the maroon drops which flowed from His hand and mixed with hers in the air before the portal. His lungs seized and for a moment His vision swam, briefly stumbling and stifling a groan at the sudden spike of pain in His head while Lady Ovmar performed some ritual that He couldn't follow. All of His focus and attention was occupied keeping Himself upright so as to not drag her down with Him and interrupt whatever it was that she was doing.

A task that became all the more crucial, and difficult, once the portal seemed to stabilize and allow Him some relief from its pressing energy only for Lady Ovmar to fall into Him. In spite of the weakness in His own knees He held fast and caught her, finding moving His limbs and His own mental clarity all the easier now that the portal wasn't "leaking" out. Still, He heaved a breath and shifted His grip on Lady Ovmar to try and help her back onto her feet. Provided that she responded in some manner at least, if she didn't then it wasn't as though He would actually have any trouble holding her up or moving her elsewhere. "I believe it worked, Lady Ovmar?"

Lina Ovmar

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Strength waned breifly, her hand clutching at Lord Strosius's robes as he righted her on trembling legs, unsure for a moment if consciousness was going to hold. It would have been beyond embarrassing to collapse in front of him in her own lab.

Reaching into the force she pulled on it using it to feed her strength. A temporary fix. She would need rest sooner or later, butbahe had a guest to tend to. She cleared her throat, releasing her grip. "My apologies." She said softly stepping back and smoothing her robes. She moved away inspecting her work.

"Yes it will hold for now. Though I will need to procure a more substantial sacrifice before they waver again." She waved a hand dismissively, it was a problem for another day. "Now that that is settled..."

She moved away heading towards a cabinet thay stretched from floor to ceiling. Some cubby holes were stacked with ancient scrolls and tomes, other were sealed behind glass, objects of power pulsing softly behind them. She reached for an urn, black in colour, decorated with runes with no visible lid or seal to break.

She moved to a large desk opposite, its surface littered with data pads and sketches, and half written spells. If he was inclined to investigate he would find mention of bloodlines, of curses and the cost that might come with them. She brushed a handful aside setting the urn on the heavy wooden surface.

She traced a pattern in the air above it, marking the air with a soft trail of shadow as she painted a rune, then with a smooth movement she pressed it down and twisted her wirst. The urn let out a hiss of pressurised air as it opened.

"I believe these belong to you."

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

There was a twinge of relief when Lady Ovmar did indeed manage to stand under her own steam again, His hands lingering outstretched for just another moment after she had pulled way as though in silent concern for her well being still. Or perhaps just the more practical notion of not wanting her to collapse again. It was difficult to ascertain, even for Darth Strosius Himself, yet the silent offer didn't last long as His arms returned to His sides and His hidden gaze shifted back to eyeing the portal warily.

He didn't at all appreciate the idea of having a temporary solution to it growing unstable again, at least not whilst He was in any sort of proximity to it. He could only hope that her quick dismissal of it as an object of interest was signifying that it wouldn't prove to be an issue in any meaningful timeframe. Hopefully she was right, for both of their sakes.

Darth Strosius was all too eager to step away from the portal, less eager to fully turn His back on it yet He still did that all the same of course, and regard the storage area of the cavern that Lady Ovmar was now perusing. It was also a chance to take in the wider space around Him properly without the constriction of danger, His gaze roaming over the scrolls and tucked away items alike before briefly drifting off to the room at large. Only to snap back to her as she set something down on a desk.

An urn.

He came to stand across from her at the desk, glancing over the brushed aside writings and datapads to idly note their contents before looking back at the urn as she traced a pattern over it. The moment that Lady Ovmar had pulled the top off of it, His tendrils lengthened and dove for the vessel. They were halted before they got too far, pale strands looming over the desk in stilted and paused motion as He peeked over into the urn Himself to confirm what He sensed within.

Himself, or rather remains of Himself. "'Belong' isn't quite the word I'd use given the circumstances, but yes." The masked man pulled the urn closer to His side of the desk, His "wings" twisting and turning above it as He held it in place. "Thank you, Lady Ovmar. I won't forget this...charity. I wouldn't recommend looking for a moment though." With that warning in place His "wings" descended, tendrils slipping into the urn to absorb the ashes within like the tongues of some thirsty creature. Which was perhaps a fairly apt comparison.

Lina Ovmar

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina didn't flinch when the pale tendrils lurched forward, her emerald eyes danced with delight not bothering to hide her fascination with them in the moment. she resisted the urge to reach out, to touch them. They were an extension of his soul, to do so would be a violation of the highest degree. She took a breath, relinquishing the urn as he drew it closer to him.

"It is not a charity, Lord Strosius." she said softly, not turning away from the moment, watching with nothing but curiosity. The study of his ashes had already unveiled much about him, but there was something riveting about seeing the creature he had become in action. To witness the many layers that made him working as one whole to create something...beautiful.

For a beat, her breath caught, entranced by the scene before her as his wings devoured the ashes she had prevented him with like a starved monster. Caution crept up her spine, reason dampening whatever spell had just been cast over her. This was a man who had turned her wedding red, had driven a lightsaber through her abdomen when she had retaliated on Faldos... and she had sworn to herself. After Sarlow, after all she had lost.

Never again.

"I am simply returning what is rightfully yours." she folded all of it behind closed doors, fingers resting upon the desks edge as she watched.

Darth Strosius

 

[Darth Strosius]

Darth Strosius didn't spare her a glance, not even when He heard her breath hitch when she undoubtedly must have glanced as He warned her not to, too eager to get this humiliating task finished. He didn't even watch His "wings" as they soaked in the ashes Himself, unable to bear the sight for very long. He could feel everything that was happening just fine anyway. Feel as the tendrils pressed and slid along the confines of the urn, each movement drawing ashes into them, gorging themselves on the grim contents until they began to slowly extract themselves one at a time.

Each pale strand now coated in a grey tint, the ashes absorbed but not fully reincorporated and thus visible in the glow that they dimmed with their presence. As soon as the last tendril was finished emptying the urn Darth Strosius wrenched them back behind Him, out of sight and as out of mind as He could keep them. "And yet," His voice was sullen for a moment, riddled with shame, until He straightened up once more and reaffirmed His steady tone again. "You are the first to have done so. A rare charity indeed."

The first that He could recall to so freely offer Him anything without her other hand demanding something in kind. He wasn't certain where this generosity of hers came from, nor how long it would last, but for the moment He simply appreciated the sentiment and carried on. The urn was unceremoniously pushed back across the desk towards her as He idly rolled His shoulder and adjusted to the new weight hanging from His back. "Now then, you've upheld your end of the bargain and I believe I should make progress on mine. Your condition is still in need of a more permanent means of control."

Lina Ovmar

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina's eyes tracked each tendril they withdrew from the urn, the light in them dulled by the grey of his ashes consumed yet not entirely absorbed, she wondered idly about the process he would now go through, to separate them once again and reabsorb them through the oubliette. Would he perhaps be open to observation? She realised she was staring as the sound of the urn shifting back across the desk towards her jarred her from her thoughts, her hands moving to catch it as she dropped her gaze to it.

Her fingers traced the runes carved into it before she took a breath and set it aside, her face composed into something almost impassive, save the polite smile she allowwed to form at his words.

"Take your time, Lord Strosius, you have already given me something that I can work with for the moment, if the runes deteriorate I at least know the combination to create them again until the ring is complete."

Something settled in the quiet that fell her eyes searching his mask for a moment, as if it might give way to reveal the face beneath once more to allow her to glimpse the truth of what he might be feeling.

Lina cleared her throat, mentally shaking herself as she moved away from the desk. "I would offer you tea, but I suspect you are eager to return to your ship with your prize." She made back towards the laboratory door, intending to walk him back to the shuttle.

Darth Strosius