date on dathomir

[Seruka Khat]

Dathomir's forests were lush but cold. Tainted by the dark side so heavily that one can't help but feel it's presence in the pit of their gut. This was almost more true near the Frenzied River, a body of water truly worthy of it's name. It ran far for ages and it's water always thrashed like attacking rancor storming the shore.

It was there Seruka stood alone on the rocks and sand. She wore tight black leather armor with her sabers on the belt and although it rained didn't dare raise her hood. She was meeting someone, someone important. A soul she heard echo from across the galaxy, one that she hoped would help her alter and mold the galaxy.

First, she needed something from him. A lost treasure of her family now in the clutches of an old witch. When the boy arrived she would make it clear but until then waited in the pouring rain.

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"So you're the one that called me here." Before [member="Seruka Khat"] the shadows on the ground suddenly crawled atop each other, building and bubbling into a portal with the depths of the Abyss. Through it the darker skinned Zabrano stepped, his hazel eyes staring down at the sitting witch with curiosity and mistrust. He wore a simple cloak of black, typical of the Sith, but sported a pair of gauntlets that exuded the Dark.

"Care to tell me why?" The portal fell behind him, the shadows returning to their natural state. He kept his distance from her, his body tense and ready to jump to action as needed.

 

[Seruka Khat]

Seruka took a step back as she watched the shadows move and sway right in front of her. Terror, joy, love and fear, she went through an entire range of emotion while the dark prince materialized. As he stood before her questioning Seruka knew in an instant the Son’s Vigil had found their vessel. There was a certain hunger inside him she could not ignore.

For a moment Seruka was speechless in front of Kahlil. It seemed her life she was searching for a true sign from the Son and this boy was her living proof.

“M-my worship,” In a rare act of humility Seruka dropped to her knee and averted her eyes to the ground.

“You truly bless me with your presence. I have worked long and hard toward this meeting. It was all worth it, for it will be you who leads us into the next age.”

Taking a deep breath Seruka looked up to meet Khalil’s eyes. Her speech sped up with hurried excitement. “I have seen a great vision my lord. You will sit upon the eternal throne and rule over every being in the galaxy. I have brought you here to to take the first step forward.”



[member="Kahlil Zambrano"] (sorry I didn’t colour the speech up I’m posting from my phone)

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil watched the display [member="Seruka Khat"] made with a bewildered expression, his eyes immediately darting around in case the Witch was just trying to distract him so her allies could ambush him. After a moment of silence and once he was sure there was no such threat, he cleared his throat, staring down at the woman with a brow raised in confusion. "I have a great respect for the visions and power of the Witches here. If what you say is true, please, tell me more."

He stepped forward then, crouching down in front of her and extending the clawed gauntlet to help her to her feet. "What is your name?"

 

[Seruka Khat]

So far so good. Kahlil hadn't torn her to shreds and seemed to be somewhat receptive to the young witch. Though she hated the thought of lying to the vessel, Seruka needed to keep him in the dark about some things a while longer.

"I am Seruka Khat, cardinal of Son's Vigil." Reaching out and grabbing hold of the cold hand Seruka lifted herself up. "My order hopes to restore a great power. One that belongs to you, Kahlil Zambrano son of the immortal emperor."

She turned her head to face downstream. "There are trials ahead for both of us but I believe in you, my lord. Our first step is to kill the wretched exile Natti. She is a disgraced member of my order and has stolen the Vigil's most prized possession, our spellbook. It holds the rituals needed without it we cannot continue."

With that, she beckoned for Kahlil to follow her along the river. "Come my worship, we can talk as we travel."

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil's eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of his father. He always hated how his life was so heavily built on the blood of the man who impregnated his mother. But, he understood some of what [member="Seruka Khat"] meant. If he could attain a new power, he would.

It didn't mean he trusted the witch fully.

"I'll follow, for now. But I expect more information. I have not met you before, yet you treat me as a god. Explain." Calmly the young Sith clasped his hands behind his back, now walking towards where she said their destination resided. It wasn't often a cult formed and decided to name you god, so saying it peaked his interest would be a vast understatement.

 

[Seruka Khat]

Seruka smiled. She could sense the weariness in Kahlil and took no offense, it was only natural for a man with so many enemies who'd see him dead. As she treaded alongside of the river she would fill him in on what she could. It was a short journey to the witches hut but hopefully enough time to put his mind at ease. At least for now.

"For generations, my people worshipped as many of the witches on Dathomir do, following the teachings of the Son and the Daughter. Beings who live beyond our plain of existance, beings that do not only influence the force but embody it." Seruka gave out a long exhale. She didn't live during the time but it was supposedly one of bliss and growth. Deep down she strangely longed to be back there.

"Then, following a fight with the other covens, we were exiled to Rattaki. The elders called it reclamation but we all knew the true reason for our departure. It was a dark period in our history, we would have been lost if it was not for-" She turned around and looked back at [member="Kahlil Zambrano"] and her voice filled with appreciation and devotion. "If it wasn't for you, Fanged one. We indulged in dark rituals to appease you and you provided for us. Against the natives, against famine, you were our savior time and time again."

"That was before you were brought into this mortal plain. You were born into this galaxy from the force but not born whole. The rest of you and your power rests in the Royal Courts of Mortis. It is my duty to make you whole again." Seruka smiled again, warm and tender. "I know this may be confusing but trust me, my Lord. Your destiny is mine as well, I wish only for you to succeed."

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Fanged One, huh? A faint smile crept over the features of the young Sith as he heard it. It was.. Odd, being worshiped, and his smile was more an awkward one then sincere. Still, [member="Seruka Khat"] held no hint of betrayal, only an undying devotion to her faith. A faith that made him an object. His smile faltered as once again it wasn't him that was wanted. It was his connections.

"Well, Seruka. I'm not your Fanged Lord. Not yet at least. Until we complete this ritual, don't treat me like your god. I'm Kahlil," He noticeably left out the Zambrano part. "So adress me as such. I want this power as much as you want me to have it. We are both fellow seekers of the Dark, no?" He gave the witch a warm smile. For now, until she proved otherwise, he would trust her. But not as a servant.

 

[Seruka Khat]

"Oh Kahlil," She didn't mind addressing him as such but was already worrying about the scandalized clergy back home. "I seek only to see you reach your true potential."

That much was true. Seruka was whole-heartedly hoping for Kahlil to succeed the trials but she did have some personal reasons for being so invested. Her visions were cloudy but it was clear to her that this man would be the ticket toward her own power. Even in this brief meeting, Seruka knew he was the key to her future.

"Now, I have a question for you." Seruka watched Kahlil closely as she spoke. "One day you will rule the galaxy as the head of the sith and a god. What will you do with your power, what do you have in store for the people of your empire?"

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"That's a question I don't have an answer to. My time in the Sith has been fraught with attempts on my life by those seeking to have the honor of killing a Zambrano. To gain power and survive has been all I know." Kahlil's voice was a quiet response to [member="Seruka Khat"] , more of an admission of guilt then anything else. He had no idea what he'd want to do once he was free enough to make the choice.

"I imagine, however, as we embark on this quest we will find my answer together."

 

[Seruka Khat]

"You should think on it when you have time. As an emperor, your biggest responsibility will be to guide your people's future." Seruka pointed across the river. "Look, we're here."

On the other side of the Frenzied River sat a small wooden hut, in plain sight and just sitting just behind the stony shore. The wood was old and musty. Moss grew in spots from the bottom of the walls to the top of the roof in a wild and sporadic manner. Although there was no windows on the tiny building many holes sprinkled the top of the hut where sunlight would illuminate the inside. It looked rickety and sad. Whatever life the witch lived didn't seem worthy of the power she held.

Seruka exhaled and closed her mind to everything besides the other side of the shore and her own body. It was only half a second in real time but in that state, it felt like time stopped. She felt her legs swell and surround themselves in the magic aura of the galaxy, the force. At first the sensation was loose but it tightened swelling until she couldn't stand it anymore.

"Please, Kahlil. Let us exterminate this rat." Seruka lept into the air, the feeling around her legs leaving and slamming in the ground at her feet. She flew high above the river, her arms flailing out of instinct. A few meters away from the hut she smacked back down on the ground, tucking her arms and legs to roll as she landed.

Standing back up she looked over to [member="Kahlil Zambrano"], beckoning him to follow her over.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil held up a hand as [member="Seruka Khat"] was about to jump across, gently setting it on her shoulder. He held a finger to his lips, pointing to one of the windows. The light had just turned on as the Witch was about to jump. Under his breath the Sorcerer spoke forbidden words, pulling her close to him as shadows rose around them, blocking out all source of sight.

Both for them and who ever had woken up. After a long moment the Knight muttered another set of words, the shadows dissipating. He gave a swift nod as he held up a hand. Another dark passageway formed and he stepped into it, glancing behind him to her. "We'll end up on top of the hut. Should give us an advantage."

 

[Seruka Khat]

At first, Seruka was puzzled and scared but the darkness that enveloped them both made her feel protected. It was odd, she thought. Never had she felt a sense of protection, only a duty to protect her clan and church. As brief as the moment was she enjoyed it. Her head filled with images of a different life and she knew no matter what happened across the river she would be safe.

"We'll end up on top of the hut. Should give us an advantage."

"You're filled with surprises." With no hesitation in her, she grabbed [member="Kahlil Zambrano"]'s hand and followed him into the dark portal.

Seruka closed her eyes as her foot touched the darkness and an unexplainable force pulled at her until again she was surrounded by darkness. Her faith was with her companion but although she was told they'd end up on the roof she worried where they would end up.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

It was indeed atop the roof they ended up, Kahlil having long mastered the spell that had brought them there. If he had tried it with less experience, they'd likely have ended up part of the roof, but as light once again filled their eyes they'd both find themselves comfortably standing atop their targets abode. Given that they were here to find the book, the Sith held off on completely destroying the hut itself, instead tapping his sword.

The blade sprang to life, pulling itself from his sheath to cut a hole in the roof. Once it was done, Kahlil nodded to the Witch, suddenly lifting the artificial entrance with a wave of his hand. Below there was a gasp of surprise and the Sith jumped in.

[member="Seruka Khat"]

 

[Seruka Khat]

She was impressed by the prince's haste and brashness, not to mention his sword. Without wasting a breath she hopped down the hole with [member="Kahlil Zambrano"].

Dust was still kicking up into the air as they landed. She heard someone gasp but instead of looking toward the enemy she surveyed the surroundings. It was humble at best. The old woman had made most of her furniture out of wicker and even her bed was nothing more than some twigs and leaves piled up on each other. Good, she thought. She hated any notion of this woman living an easy life.

A feral hiss came from the same direction as the gasp and it finally caught Seruka's attention. A beastly woman stood only a few feet away from the duo who just arrived, obviously scared but now ready to fight and clutching a large book in her arms. Like a tiger backed into a corner she was preparing to pounce. Her gray long hair was wild as her, frizzy and bigger than life. It created a large mane around her twisted and distorted face. Dark side taint was obvious in her features, the black veins invading her entire body were proof enough but it also seemed like the woman had contracted cataracts and was somewhat blind.

Seruka cataloged the woman's deformations in the back of her head and then spoke with confidence only standing beside a god could bring. "Exile of the Khat Clan, you have stolen sacred text. We've come to execute you for you crimes against the clan and god."

Receiving only another beast like hiss in return she looked over to Kahlil, waiting for his move.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil remained silent as [member="Seruka Khat"] spoke, clearly planning to let the Witch take the lead as this was one of hers to deal with. He didn't want to step on her toes after all. But once she looked his way again, it became rather clear that the Knight was going to have to play the part of executioner. A deep sigh escaped him as he stepped forward, staring down at the aged woman.

A single gloved hand rose, pointing directly for the aged witch. She was going to prove problematic if she actually started to attack. And with her clutching the book, Kahlil couldn't use his normal spells. Instead, a mass of darkness gathered above his outstretched arm. It was invisible to the naked eye, only able to be felt through the Force. The elder Witch stopped her hissing for just a moment, lowering the book as if to start a spell of her own.

"D̫̖̼̹̗̥̺͢a̠̠̝r҉͔̘̼̜̻̲k̖̤ś̝̪͉̮h͏e͕̘̱͍̠a̴̗̺͔͚͈̦r̛̝̼̜̪̦̮."​

The second she opened her mouth the top of her head was suddenly removed. Only the lower part of her jaw and neck remained, her now lifeless body slumping over. Behind her, a large hole suddenly appeared in the wall of the hut, cut clean by the power of the Knight. Slowly the Sith lowered his arm, his face devoid of any emotion.

"Gather your book."

 

[Seruka Khat]

Seruka's eyes widened and a grin grew across her face, surprised and amused at the bloody state of the witch. The wet smacking sound of the top piece of the head hitting the ground brought delight Seruka had not felt since her warmongering on Rattatak. It was the same feeling as when you lifted a rival's head high above your own, victory after a long time coming. She even giggled as the rest of the witch tumbled to the floor.

Her happiness was trance-like almost to the point she didn't hear Kahlil talking.

"...book."

The word brought her back to reality, Seruka had nearly forgotten the reason she was there. As she walked over to the corpse she turned to look at Kahlil, shooting him a glance of appreciation. It had to be confusing for him but he's done everything asked. Beyond that, he seemed to be ready to go forth with her plan. She didn't have anything on hand but knew this behavior was to be rewarded.

In an attempt to appease Kahlil's humanity, which she would soon hope to see torn from him, she attempted a joke. "It's been so long since we've had the thing, I'm not sure we'll know what to do with it." She forced laughter, too embarrassed to wait and see if Kahlil knew she was kidding. Trying to get away from what she perceived might be an awkward explanation she turned to the body on the floor.

The book was still in the stiff dead arms of the witch and Seruka had to kneel down to pry them open and get it. The witch, what was left of her, already looked like she was decomposing and it was no feat to move her brittle bones. After a moment, she had it, a black leather bound book, fat with pages that bent the spine and bleeding an aura of dark energy over everything it touched. As she gripped it Seruka felt her own magic melding with the book's. An exchange of power as she and her family's tome got to know each other for the first time. The feeling was painful at first, the surges hunched her over and froze her but it was over in a minute.

When it was done she stood back up, book rightfully tucked in her arms. "I'm sorry if this has been a bit lackluster. I admit it wasn't quite the messy ending I'd hope for the traitor." Seruka made her way over to [member="Kahlil Zambrano"], this time close enough to softly run her hand up his chest. She spoke low and tender this time, her amber eyes staring into his earthy browns searching for their attention. "But I must say, I did enjoy our time together. We have a long way to go and I have nights of studying ahead of me in a dark old church. Coruscant level 1313, you'll meet me there soon, right? You can't miss the place, it is devoted to you after all."

 

[Kahlil Noble]

There was a slight brow raise at [member="Seruka Khat"] 's attempt at a joke. In a way, it was funny. He hadn't expected that from the Witch, especially as she turned away embarrassed that she even tried it. He let a faint smile play across his features, the only sign that he even recognized the joke. As quick as it appeared it faded though, his attention once again brought the brutal murder of the old woman.

He remained silent as the younger Witch attuned herself to the book, not even flinching as she was surely wracked with pain. Such was the price of the Dark after all. Once it was said and done though, he offered her a hand to help her stand again.

"Don't worry about it. You have my curiosity. I'll surely be in touch. If you have need of me, don't hesitate to call I su-" He paused, glancing down at the Witch's hand over his chest. His voice caught in his throat as surprise wracked his brain, and the faintest of a blush formed on his cheeks. There was an awkward silence before he cleared his throat. "Right. Just call if you need me."

 

[Seruka Khat]

She leaned her head in ever closer to the young man's but made sure to not give in to any form of temptation that might have struck her. "You stay safe, precious." Seruka winked before pulling herself from Kahlil and spinning on her feet toward the door.

She felt elated. Everything had gone just as it was supposed to. Wheels were in motion to turn the prince into a king and Seruka had already decided her fate lay at his side. Still, there was more to do. Prepare for the ritual, inform the clergy, and a vast number of other things that seemed a million miles away at this time. It was important but she had just achieved her first milestone toward her greater goals, there was time to relax.

As she opened the door and made her way out the forests scents and sounds once again surrounded her. She took a deep breath and then exhaled the day. Reaching the tree line and where she believed she was out of sight, she glanced back at the hut one last time uttering to herself.

"Until next time, my prince."

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"]

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil couldn't hide his embarrassment for long as [member="Seruka Khat"] closed in on him. He watched her with wide young eyes, a blush clear on his cheeks. He had trained himself with the intention of getting around this. It was far easier for someone to kill him if he was flustered after all. But even then, he couldn't stop it. He opened his mouth to say something once she pulled away, but his voice caught in his throat.

He was left standing there by the slaughtered corpse of the old woman, watching as the Witch left.

"Y.. Yeah." The Sith mumbled under his breath as the door closed. He'd definitely see her again.