Private Fear of the Unknown

[Nezira Viresh]

Tag: Cadere
Theme: Ambience
Location: Dathomir

Nezira had been pacing back and forth in front of the entrance of an ancient Dathomirian temple, built long before her time or much of the Dathomirian people as a whole. The pale girl looked worried, hugging herself around the waist, waiting for the arrival of Cas Tynen. It had been a few days since she contacted the Jedi Knight with a rather frantic and vague explanation as to why she needed his help. One thing, Cas would have noticed over her holo call, was the fact that the girl sounded panically pleading. It was a short message though with a location and asking him to come to Dathomir as fast as he could.

The Nightsister's recently achieved predicament, after she had slain Pereema the Hutt on Nal Hutta, have made her afraid of her own magick almost, afraid of using even the basic spells. Nezira hasn't told her Sisters or Mother about her situation with her "force scars" on her arms and hands, as she was wanted to try and fix it herself. She needed to calm down, which the girl found almost impossible, even with her mind trying to add logic and reason to her thoughts.

Ever since Nezira freed the prisoners on Nal Hutta with Mathieu, she had done a lot of research and indirectly asking her Night Mother or Elders for guidance as well as questions about places on Dathomir that could help her. While Nezira's Night Mother and Elders were suspicious, they didn't push the issue, as they expected the girl to not come forth when she was ready.

While Nezira wore her usual red on black clothing with bits and pieces of gold jewellery, she had also wrapped her arms and hands in bandages in order the cover up the bright green luminous colour radiating from her unnaturally formed scars. The temple itself has been abandoned for over a thousand years, though the Elders of her coven did warn Nezira of light draining beings still alive deep within its halls after the temple was abandon. Even with the grave warnings of horrible death, the girl did not let it scare her, fully, though it was one of the more indirect reasons for calling for Cas at her side.

 

[Cadere]

Nezira seemed badly spooked, which Cas inherently knew was serious seeing as he'd never seen the emotionally closed off Nightsister so scared before. As Nezira was his friend, Cas deemed it appropriate to temporarily halt his rigorous training regiment to stop the Dark lord Darth Insatious. After clearing some things up with the Silver Assembly, he was granted temporary leave to deal with this - which they believed was simply a break from his duties.

Travelling to Dathomir was always an annoyance with it being in Sith territory and all, having to sneak passed and avoid all of the Sith patrols in the area, while a challenge, grew very tiresome over time. But... he knew he had to help Nezira, especially when she was this panicked. Although, he wondered what it could possibly that had someone as stoic as her nervous. Regardless, he'd find out soon enough.

With the red rock finally coming into view, Cas' brown eyes gazed out toward it in apprehension "You'd think the more I come here, the less I'd hate it." Cas commented aloud, prompting BB-5 to respond with a beep of agreement. Releasing a deep sigh, he steeled himself and drew the Phenex starfighter closer toward the planet ahead. As Cas and BB-5 entered the planet's atmosphere and began preparing their landing, a few nervous beeps and chirps would escape the BB unit "Don't worry, I'll land us somewhere obscure. The scaries won't find you... hopefully." the Kiffar teased.

Activing his scanner within the cockpit, Cas tried detecting for any signs of life... or the least signs in this case. Conveniently, close to Nezira's coordinates was the least amount of life signs he could find. Landing the starfighter inside a cavern, the canopy slid open and Cas leapt out of the cockpit, landing on the red terrain. Glancing up at BB-5 in his astromech socket, he smiled and lazily saluted at the droid "This feels like the safest place you'll be. Be good, alright?" BB-5 expressed anxious beeps but was otherwise accepting of the situation.

The Jedi Knight then travelled across the scarlet landscape, making his way toward Nezira's coordinates. Drawing nearer, he spotted a pacing figure in the distance standing outside what looked like an eerie temple - even from that distance he could sense the Dark side radiating from it. This is the last place he needed to be right now, but supporting his friend was more important to him. Approaching the pale Nightsister, he waved at her before following it up with a friendly hug "You seem like you need one." Cas stated, justifying the hug "What's going on? I could sense your freaked out-ness from the planet's atmosphere." he exaggerated, pulling away from the embrace.

Nezira Viresh

 

[Nezira Viresh]

Nezira was so lost in her thoughts, that something as simple as noticing signatures of other force-sensitive individuals went right through her. Feeling Cas' arms, the girl froze on the spot for a good few seconds and ready to attack. With Cas' warm voice following the embrace, the girl actually relaxed enough to forget every worry in her life, even for just a few seconds.

A small sigh left her lips, only to be snapped back into reality, causing her to instinctively cradle her forearms, in an attempt to hide the faintly visible, but very actively glowing scars underneath her bandages and even clothes. "NO, please don't, stop! I need to fix this!" Said Nezira stressfully, turning her side to the Jedi Knight, like a girl embarrass to show her new dress to the boy she likes. "I need your help, I'm... I'm scared and losing control" began the pale girl to explain but paused a bit, fighting against every fibre of her being to not show Cas her forearms and hands. "Something happened to me" began Nezira again with a worried tone, finally turning to face the Jedi she secretly likes.

Looking at Nezira, she looked normal, maybe paler than normal, if that even was possible, but her eyes pleaded for Cas to help her. As the Nightsister started to remove the bandage of her hands and then arms, after rolling up her sleeves, the Jedi would see the luminous scars pulsating
bright green colours starting on her hand with a large cluster and then slithering up the arm in shapes of lightning.

Now, Nezira always kept her connection hidden when she wasn't using magick or letting the Ichor flow through her body. Like before when they had been together, Cas had a hard time sensing Nezira's connection to the force, and yet, the scars on her hands and arms screamed and dripped with Dark Side and Ichoric Magick. It was as if the very Dark Side of the force and by that, the Magick flowing in her body, tried to break free of the mortal shell that was Nezira.

Nezira started to pace again, back and forth, back and forth. "I don't know why it happened?! I'm feeling like I'm losing control! It's all that Hutt's fault I lost control! No, I've never lost control before! I need to find a cure. I need to fix this, but how?!" Rambled Nezira on and on and then turned to Cas, "I need your help to fix this... these scars!" expressed Nezira frustrated and scared and let go of the Jedi's shoulders to go back to pacing like when Cas arrived.

Cadere

 

[Cadere]

"Easy, easy." Cas raised his hands in surrender as Nezira pulled away. She was way worse than he'd initially thought, she was downright frantic almost. He listened to her, hoping she'd explain what was going on with her - but she was being apprehensive. "What is it?" Cas asked, trying to not sound impatient. Throughout her panicked state, he couldn't help but notice her bandages and as he raised an eyebrow of curiosity, Cas wondered if this was the reasoning.

The Kiffar was close to bringing attention to it until Nezira began to unravel the bandages herself. He took a single step closer as she did so, scanning her arms carefully. What was revealed shocked the Jedi Knight, his brown eyes widened as the green hue of Nezira's scars glowed on Cas' bronze skin. "Nezira... what... what is that?" the Jedi Knight was ignorant to way Nightsister magick worked and was completely at a loss of what he was seeing. All he knew was that it wasn't good based on Nezira's emotional state. The Dark side that seeped from her scarring didn't seem natural either...

Cas listened with a concerned expression as the Nightsister tried to explain what happened, unfortunately she didn't know much. "Okay, I'm here for you. Whatever you need." Cas would reassure her, the Jedi Knight took a step back and glanced toward the ancient Dathomirian temple, examining its entire structure. With basic deduction, he put two and two togehter and guessed that Nezira believed she would find some answers here.

"So, inside this... temple. You think we can find something to help you in there?" Cas queried, slightly apprehensive in his body language. This was really the worst place for him to be right now, with his struggles with the Dark side growing stronger and more troublesome. Sighing, he steeled himself and prepared for Nezira's answer.

Nezira Viresh

 

[Nezira Viresh]

Hearing Cas' reaction, Nezira turn her side in order to hind her scarred arms and wrap them in her bandage again. She tried to calm down, ease her own tension, only calming herself down a bit, now that Cas came to help her. "I-I don't know" stammered the Nightsister girl frightened and hugged herself when she finally turned around standing much more protective of herself. It was honestly strange to see Nezira react this way since she always presented herself with a sense of ownership and standoff from other people. There was none of that shown in Nezira now, but a scared and very desperate girl.

Gathering herself a bit more, trying to push the self-destructive thoughts and focus on what lied ahead and the potential chance for fixing whatever was wrong with her. "I need to find a cure, anything that can fix this!" She snapped almost falling right back to her frantic state, but luckily caught herself and looked away from Cas, seemingly embarrass over snapping at Cas.

"Sorry"

Walking over to the entrance of the cave, Nezira looked the stone archway over, "I've spoken with my Clan Mother and she told me of this cave and that there might be a potential to cure the uncurable curses and the likes" explained Nezira, feeling the strong pull of the dark side of the force call to her, begging her to enter the pitch-black cave.

Staring down at her feet, Nezira was silent for a moment, clearly distraught over her situation that the fact that there might not even be any help to get in the cave. Nevertheless, she forced her eyes from staring at her feet, to look at Cas, "but I don't know what's down there and I need help. I-I'm scared to use my magick" explained Nezira, though with great difficulty, completely opening up to the Jedi Knight, despite them only spending a few times together over months if not more.

The desperation was showing mixed with the horrid realization that there might be a chance she could succumb to her scars if they kept expanding and growing up her arms. She tried not to think about the last part, but she'll be lying if it wasn't a thought that popped into her mind every now and then.

"Are you sure, you want to do this?" Asked Nezira, subconsciously expecting the Jedi to regret helping her and leave, because why would anyone help her?

Cadere

 

[Cadere]

Ambience​

Nezira snapped at Cas, surprising him slightly due to him being most use with her stoic persona. However, he ultimately expected it at the same time. Nezira seemed to calm slightly, or at least gain a bit of composure when she softly apologised to him. Cas met her with a smile of reassurance before responding to her "Don't worry about it. You're good."

Cas kept an eye on Nezira, as well as the cave entrance, as the Nightsister approached it, listening to her intently as she explained more about the situation. Like the Nightsister, he too could feel the Dark side's pull grow as he took a few steps closer to approach Nezira. It was intense, causing old wounds, feelings and bad memories to stir up and trigger his buried anger - however, he kept a cool head knowing that these were the effects of the Dark side. Festering on his darkest emotions and trying to erupt them to the surface, having keeping his anger buried for years now it wasn't a hard task. At least for the moment.

Stopping beside Nezira, Cas placed an affirming hand on her shoulder and curled his lip into a smile "Yeah, I'm sure." he answered "Let's go." Cas put on a brave face and led the way, fighting against the whispers of the Dark side that fed on his inherant anger. Thankfully, the inside of the cavern housed cracks and crevices within its interior, allowing the natural light source of Dathomir to shine through and illuminate the cave. Well enough that it wouldn't require a light source.

Continuing to trail on within the cave, he glanced around at the red rock and walls - noticing strange patterns and lining etched within it. They obviously weren't natural and were man-made. "What is all this?" Cas asked Nezira. It was like they were in an ocean of the Dark side, swimming within it or... in Cas' case, drowning. Its dark nature was so intense that it dulled his other sences, hindering his ability to sense for potential threats in this cave. The Jedi Knight hoped that Nezira was fairing better than he was, since the Dark side came more naturally to her.

"Do you have any idea where we need to go?"

Nezira Viresh

 

[Nezira Viresh]

Seeing Cas so determind to help her made the girl feel a sense of relief in her heart as she watched the Jedi Knight enter without any doubt. It made Nezira realize how precious friends actually were and it brought a small sliver of a smile on the girl's lips.

As she took a step forward, stopping at the entrance to the darkened cave, she looked over her shoulder, scanning the area to see and sense if there was anyone near them. Certain of no other signature near them, she followed Cas into the cave, disappearing from the dull light cutting through the clouds above.

Giving her eyes a few seconds to adjust to the almost pitch-black cave with the exception of the sunlight shining behind them through the entrance. It did help on the light with the various cracks and crevices to not make everything impossible to see without a light source because Nezira wasn't particularly feeling using her magick now.

Following the trail, she noticed the same patterns, almost ritualistic depictions of something ancient. "Something ancient" commented Nezira, stroking her fingers gracefully over the mural at the smooth walls. "it's a path, or I suspect it's a path," said Nezira reading over the patterns again.

As they went deeper and deeper, following the narrow path, its dark side connection to the force also grew in intensity. While the Nightsisters were born, grew up and lived under the influence of the Dark Side, Nezira could sense the trouble within her friend. The same patterns continued with only a little strange as they descended deeper.

At one point, the narrow path opened up to a massive expansive room with artificially made stairs with tools. Standing at the top of the stairs, Nezira looked around the cave, scanning any opening to lead them onwards. However, she couldn't see any continuation, other than the long open cave they now stood in.

Walking down the stairs, she listened for anything moving or making a sound, as Dathomir's caves weren't exactly hospitable. Unable to hear anything, she still didn't trust this. "Keep your senses open, I don't like how quiet it's here" warned Nezira, having her troublesome glowing scars pushed back for now. Right as she finished warning Cas, her voice echoed down the long open cave, expanding to every corner it could find.

Nezira didn't like this at all as there wasn't just quiet, it was as if the sound itself had been removed completely, with Nezira and Cas being the only ones producing any sounds.

The long wide cave was filled with both large and small stalactite and stalagmite, forming at the edges of the cave giving off the sense of it being a long-dead giant animal with rows of teeth. To make things just more creepy, thick mist reaching their knees didn't help the nerves of not knowing what could be hiding inside. While the patterns showed less and less, they did provide them with a sign of going the right way... not that they could go any other way really.

After maybe half an hour of walking, they were finally able to see the end of the cave, however, they found no continuing path, or monsters laying in wait. What they found was a simple coffin, carved out of stones placed upon a raised platform with stairs leading up to the coffin. When they got closer, the coffin had no description on it, no sign of what it was or who it belonged to.

Cadere

 

[Cadere]

Fear of the Unknown​

Travelling through the cave was an interesting sight to behold, some of the Dathomiri's ancient histroy could be surmised through this temple. Despite that though, the continued whispers of the Dark side, festering in his head was beginning to grow more and more bothersome. This was made apparent by the Kiffar's sudden twitches and head jerks, as well as his twitching eyes, it didn't do anything but it was Cas' way of coping with the Dark side swelling around him.

Arriving at the inner cave, Cas glanced around before releasing a loud whistle of admiration that echoed throughout the cavern's walls. "You don't have to tell me twice." Cas said, responding to Nezira's advice of cautious. Following her down the steps, he too tried to be alert and was suspicious of the fact that they hadn't encountered any form of hositlity or resistance yet. Knowing how something like this usually played out, meant that there was something worse at the end of this.

The long walk bore Cas half to death, forcing him to try and initiate conversation with Nezira a few times but ultimately falling flat. 1.) she wasn't much of a conversationalist anyway and 2.) she already had enough on her mind. Apparently they may have arrived at the designated area... or so he thought at least. What lie there though was a creepy stone tomb that radiated the Dark side of the Force. It almost felt like, some sort of convergence point.

Curiously, Cas took a step closer to analyse the tomb. Caressing the gravel with his gloves hand, he turned to face Nezira "This is it? Really? All this distance and nothing to show for it?" he let out a disappointed huff "This temple couldn't have at least thrown some opposition my way?" Cas turned back to the tomb and placed his palm over the stone lid that closed over the tomb's opening. Unsurprisingly, the Jedi's impulsive nature caused Cas to force the lid off of the tomb, causing it to slide off and onto the ground. Its movements created a dust cloud which forced the Jedi to cough, gag and step back. "Gross."

Hovering over the tomb, he glanced over to find a mummified corpse inside "Wow... it doesn't smell as bad as I thought it would. Expectations subverted." suddenly, the body appeared to twitch. Believing his eyes to deceive him, Cas rubbed them with his forearm before analysing the body again. It continued to violently shake before its neck whipped in Cas' direction, creating a disturbing snapping sound with its motion. Its lifeless and empty eye sockets then began to glow an ichor color, similar to Nezira's magick.

"Oh.... no." he muttered. He was definitely not going to hear the end of this from the Nightsister.

Nezira Viresh

 

[Nezira Viresh]

Each time Cas tried to speak or did speak to Nezira, or made any sound, it would echo throughout the whole cave. Nezira had to admit, though she remained quiet for the moment, upon arriving by the stone tomb, she was rather disappointed. Looking over the tomb, kneeling down to the side, trying to see any description, indication, anything that could help them... nothing.

"I-" she stopped, seemingly in thoughts. Why would her Clan Mother send her here? Turning her back to the tomb while Cas continued to interact with it, she tried to see if there was any other entrance they hadn't seen. The fact that they found nothing worth speaking of that could help her situation, had her panic start to creep back into her mind as she started to unconsciously stroke her forearms.

When Cas, the genius he was, accidentally pushed the lip off, Nezira's mind snapped right back as she turned around, "what did you do?!" Asked the Nightsister angrily waving the dust away from her head. Looking down at the mummified corpse, the first thought that came to mind, was that she recognized it as a Nightsister or Nightbrother in the way it was mummified. However, what she did find strange, was the fact that it was placed in a stone tomb and not in a burial pod.

"Something's wrong" managed Nezira express, before the sudden twitching and then whipping of its neck. Long slender bony fingers grabbed the edge of the now open tomb and pulled itself up.

Standing its full height, nearly 6 feet, the mummified corpse's eyes burned with ichor, so much so that it looked like dancing flames. Taking a couple of steps down the stairs, Nezira suddenly found herself in a dilemma. If she used her powers, she would only worsen her scars, but if she did nothing, she was basically useless. hugging herself as she felt the scars radiate with Dark Side energy, pulsated from her glowing scars on her forearms. The illuminating green scars on her forearms had intensified, glowing brightly through her clothes, causing the girl now to panic.

"No... no no no!" repeated Nezira, now completely ignoring the obvious threat before her, as she started to tear her bandage off in a violent manner. The mummified corpse had first its burning stare directed at Cas for disturbing its slumber, but right at the moment of Nezira removing the bandage, its focus got directed to Nezira, seemingly taking an interest the moment her glowing scars appeared.

Creaking and cracking sounds came from the corpse, as it started to step out of the tomb, speaking in a foreign language that Cas could only imagine was ancient Dathomiri. "Wer pobon di wer jeskgarh ithquent" spoke the corpse and raised its bony mummified hand to reach out for Nezira.

Cadere

 

[Cadere]

The mummified creature stood slightly taller than Cas, instinctively forcing him to back away slightly. Eyes still locked on the creature for any sudden attacks, he aimlessly reached for his lightsaber attached to his belt, pulling it off the lightsaber's snap-hiss upon activation drew its attention to Cas for a split second. That was until Nezira's panicked words reached both his ears, and whatever was left of the mummy's.

Both his and the mummy's attention focused on Nezira, his eyes widened at the sight of the Nightsister's growing scars. They were... hauntingly mesmerising. Whatever was happening, it garnered the mummy's interest as it outstretched its gaunt arm toward Nezira, speaking in some ancient tongue Cas couldn't hope to understand.

Reacting instincitvely, the Jedi Knight rushed to his friend's aid with his lightsaber ready to strike at the walking corpse. "I think we all got off on the wrong foot! There's no need to non-consensually touch the lady!" he quipped as he swung his lightsaber to attack the creature. However, with a raise of its other hand in Cas' direction, the Jedi Knight was promptly lifted off his feet and flung backward when an ichor like wave struck at him.

"Hkkk!" Cas vocalised as he was sent toward the cavern wall. His back slammed against the gravelly wall, a grunt escaped the Kiffar just as gravity pulled his body back to the floor below him. The impact his body made with the floor managed to knock the wind out of him, feeling harder than when his back made contact with the wall. Desperate for breath, Cas gulped in several short breaths before he lifted his body from the ground "Get... away... from her..." he said breathlessly, lungs still trying to recover the breath lost.

Extending his arm, Cas sent a telekinetic push of his own at a loose piece of mineral formation erupting from the ground. The invisible force managed to knock a relatively large piece of the mineral off of the formation and directly into the corpse's side. Recoiling in pain, it clutched at its rib and temporarily halted its advance on Nezira.

Nezira Viresh

 

[Nezira Viresh]

Nezira flared her magick, burning bright with Ichor from her eyes as well, despite every warning clock in her mind going off. "Stay back sister!" Called out the girl, standing between Cas and this mummified dead Nightsister. Without even looking at Nezira, the dead Nightsister just swat her way with its hand like she was nothing, slamming Nezira into a wall of her own.

Heading towards Cas, Ichor burning hotter than he had ever seen Nezira being able to produce, it began to float raising its hand up followed by Cas feeling himself getting locked in place and pulled up from the ground. Held in the air, the Jedi Knight could stare directly into the burning flames of the force itself, powering this corpse.

That's when Cas would feel it, his life force starting to ebb away, sucked into the mummified corpse. Having now a first-hand experience with force drain and its capabilities for its user, it wouldn't be hard for the Jedi Knight to realize the corpse was trying to use his life force to give itself new life. However, the dead Nightsister didn't really get far as it was slammed in the side by a large boulder, torn from the cave by Nezira. Cas luckily only felt a bit winded, maybe out of breath as the corpse didn't manage to break completely through his mental barrier.

Landing beside Cas, Nezira, having fully flawed her own magic, looked to Cas. "Please say you're unescaped," said the young Nightsister, hoping she had managed to stop her dead sister from hurting the Jedi. While Nezira could look really scary at times when she was angry with her eyes engulfed in Ichor and green dancing magickal Ichor orbs covering her hands. Now she not only had her eyes and hands aflame in Ichor but the lightning-shaped scars, covering now her entire lower arms, burned a bright toxic green colour like the rest.

Another thing Cas would feel was how much stronger the dark side was around her, like the scars on her lower arms had opened directly into the Force itself, but more importantly, the Dark Side of the Force.

Despite what Cas said, Nezira went straight into attacking her dead sister, which she wasn't even sure if she could call the corpse a sister. There must have been a reason why the dead Nightsister was placed in the tomb and not in a burial pod.

However, the rock did hurt the corpse but did not seem to waver it from whatever it wanted to do. Crackling with electricity, Nezira threw her hands forwards, sending a lightning storm at the corpse, despite fully knowing what it meant to her conditioning. The lightning struck the corpse head-on, sending it right back into the rocky wall behind it, followed by more rock tearing free above the dead Nightsister, crushing down on it.

In other words, the dead Nightsister was completely buried under rock and stone, seemingly not moving, at least not at the moment. Not wasting any moment, Nezira turned to look at Cas, "let's get out of~ ARRRGH!".

Nezira only managed to take a single step, before she fell to her knees and screamed from unimaginable pain. Her Ichor burned even brighter from her scars and eyes, like the very Force itself psychically tried to break through the skin holding it back. Her entire body was shaking and phasing between an incorporeal and corporeal state.

And just as the first time it happened when Matheu found her, Cas could just watch as the Ichor scars on her lower arms started to crack painfully up her arms, passing the elbow and stopping at the beginning of her upper arm.

And if that wasn't enough, the rubble and rocks started to fall off of the corpse as it started to get up again.

Cadere

 

[Cadere]

His bearings were beginning to return to him, his vision stabilised and his spinning head was beginning to slow. Pressing his palms against the rough surface, he attempted to push himself up only to feel his muscles suddenly tighten and restrict, ignoring the commands his brain sent to his limbs. Cas grunted as he struggled in vain against the invisible force restricting him. The Kiffar then felt his body raise from the ground on its own, now hovering upright, his eyes met the ichor fuelled eyes of the mummified Nightsister.

Air began to involuntarily escape his mouth followed by an uncomfortable feeling within his chest and abdomen, the sensation of his organs being violently ripped out of his body overtook Cas. He recognised this feeling all too well, while he had developed an innate resistance to it thanks to his various encounters with Insatious, he was not immune. The Dark side ebbed and flowed from the Nightsister, she was powerful, that much was obvious just by the intensity of his essence being currently drained by the witch. His teeth grit and his brows furrowed, Cas' eyelids clamped shut as he released a pained yell as the painful sensation within his body continued.

Thankfully, it didn't last long when Cas was suddenly released and fell to his knees. Hugging his abdoment, Cas' mouth gaped as he inhaled loudly and deeply, trying to recover what he felt was lost air. "I'm alright... alive. Thanks." he answered Nezira breathlessly, offering her a weak smile before breathing in deeply once more. Quickly, he summoned his lightsaber back into his hand despite wherever the weapon was currently located. Seconds before Nezira began attacking the mummified Nightsister once again, he felt the Dark side emanate from his friend which could have rivalled the corpse they were currently facing right now. It wasn't fun to be around.

"Nezira, wait!" Cas exclaimed, concerned that the continued use of her abilities would worsen Nezira's condition. However, he was forced to watch as the Nightsister unleashed a powerful barrage of magick at her resurrected brethren, although, it did seem to stop the mummified Sister in her tracks. Hopefully permanently. His feet left the ground the moment Nezira displayed signs of pain, as she fell to her knees the Jedi rushed toward the Nightsister and quickly knelt down, holding her up before she completely fell over. "Nez, you shouldn't have done that!"

Cas noticed that she looked worse, her markings looked like ruptures, all the energy inside her looked as if it was beginning to leak out of her "Come on, I'm getting you--" beginning to help her to her feet, his words and motions halted once he heard the slight movement of the rock pile the Nightsister was buried under. Turning his head to glance behind him, his eyes confirmed what he heard. "Kriff..." his lightsaber ignited before the Kiffar released Nezira from his hold.

Bolting toward the recovering Nightsister enhancing himself with the Force's Light, Cas saw an opportunity to put an end to this once and for all. With the Nightsister recovering from Nezira's previous attack, she wouldn't see him coming - especially with how fast he was going. Dragging his right arm back, Cas channelled the Force's intangible energy around his hand and forearm before expelling it toward the Nightsister as he threw his arm in her direction. The wave staggered the Nightsister slightly, giving Cas the time to get in close and decapitate the Witch with a single horizontal wave of his lightsaber.

What followed was the mummified Witch's skin beginning to tear and crack, green light shining out of the seams before eventually, its body evaporated in a green blast. The shockwave sent Cas off of his feet and flying toward Nezira before he landed hard beside her. Groaning, he let out a stifled cough "Did we just kill a zombie? That's... that's a first..." quipping weakly, he let out another cough.

Nezira Viresh

 

[Nezira Viresh]

Thankfully for Cas being able to catch her, she didn't crash completely. The pain was just ten times worse than when the scars first appeared on her hands as the Nightsister girl could do nothing by look at her tainted arms in fear and pain, watching as mist-like fog dripped from the scars only to evaporate as soon as it split from her arms. With her shoulder leaned up against one of the larger stalagmites in the cave.

Nezira didn't focus on the Jedi Knight killing the undead Nightsister zombie, as she had trouble actually extinguish her magick and only just managed to hold on when the shockwave hit her. Closing her eyes, no squeezing them shut, using all of her mental prowess to extinguish her open connection to the force and the flowing Ichor. The extremely wild and potent connection to the dark side of the force finally dulled down, returning Nezira to her normal state as Cas knew it.

Nezira was exhausted with the adrenaline gone, she could feel the toll on her body. However, her glowing scars also seemed to return to normal, if you could even call them that. At least they didn't continue to grow up her arms now, radiating only a small amount of energy from the Dark Side of the Force.

"be on your guard, death not the final state for Nightsisters" warmed the tired Nezira to Cas. The cave's temperature started to drop, so much in fact that they could see their own breath. They both would finally understand why the undead Nightsister had been placed in a tomb as she rose from the body itself crackling with a deep menacing laughter. Raising from the motionless and beheaded body of the Nightsister, an incorporeal being of pure Force related Ichor floated right above its dead body.

With an unnaturally wide Wolf's Grin "h'nerel k'tedah, tlesu chu nuin jef tzela fro'tlesu naite shuree?" said the Nightsister spirit tauntingly.

Everything started to shake and crumble around them as the cave itself start to implode. All manner of sizes of rocks crashed against the ground, not to mention the many stalactites tore themselves free, shattering upon impact with multiple almost impaling Nezira and Cas more than once.

With much difficulty and in a weakened state, Nezira looked to Cas, "I can't use my powers to get us out, we need to..." Nezira stopped in her track and looked at the still laughing sister and a foolish, straight out dangerous idea popped into her mind.

With an oddly focus determination, she turned and look up at the spirit of the Nightsister. "I have come to bargain!" Called out Nezira, hoping innerly that she did not just doom herself.

Surprisingly, the laughter stopped as did the collapse of the cave itself. The spirit's incorporeal grin, however, remained as flew closer, looking the young and fearful girl over like a slave getting inspected by a potential buyer at a market. The spirit completely ignored Cas as he was no threat to her in her incorporeal form and just phased through his body as if he was made of air.

Dark whispers filled the echo-filled cave chamber;

"Deal. The prrrrretty girl wantsss to make a deal?" repeated a harsh hissing voice behind them in basic

"What deal?! Tell us!" Demanded a second bodily voice in an aggressive tone somewhere behind them

"I'm sure the stupid girl didn't mean any offence, by what she actually suggested" spoke a third voice with a rather degrading tone.

"Kill her and be done with this!" Yelled a fourth voice full of rage.

"Well?" Asked the final and fifth voice, coming directly from the Nightsister spirit herself.

Nezira dropped her eyes to the ground, before looking back up at Cas. With apologetic eyes, Nezira turned back to the spirit floating in front of Nezira and Cas with a smug sinister grin on her incorporeal form.

"I..." Nezira hesitated.

"I don't want to die, but... These~ whatever they are, are killing me every time I use my magick" explained Nezira to the spirit who now showed a great deal of interest in what she had to say, unlike before.

"If you do this for me... I will bind myself to you." said Nezira finally, staring back at the spirit with determined eyes.

Cadere

 

[Cadere]

Cas' demeanour of relief immediately deflated following Nezira's words "Ugh, why am I surprised?" he muttered condescendingly to himself. The Kiffar felt himself shudder as he let out an audible "brrr" sound, eyes gravitating to the visible air escaping his mouth. This must have been it, Cas thought to himself, this whacko Nightsister was going to find some way to return back to life in some shape or form.

Then some green mist rose out of the headless body that was the Nightsister, the Jedi Knight released a sigh before his lightsaber ignited once more. Honestly, he had no idea how he was going to fight a noncorporeal being but... stranger things have happened. However, Cas wouldn't get the chance as he began to feel the cavern they were in beging to vibrate and rumble, staggering his balance. Holding onto Nez to keep her stable, a large boulder crashed next to him "Whoa!" and more began to fall around them.

Throwing his head skyward, Cas witnessed more ceiling rocks fall but now threatening to crush him and Nezira. Cas' arms shot upward as he telekinetically created an invisible barrier, stopping any and all stalacites threatening to impale the two. The more that piled on his barrier began forcing Cas to buckle under the weight, concentration straining, he fell to one knee and yelled out in strain. Sweat formed under his brow and his arms shook, so focused on keeping his barrier up Cas neglected to notice Nezira's request to bargain.

Only when everything stopped, he realised what has happened. Straining again, Cas stood up to his feet and moved the piled stalacites with the Force away from him and Nez before collapsing to one knee again, panting. He heard the five voices but his brain hadn't registered anything while he was so focused on recovering his strength and bearings. The sensation of something... ethereal but also carrying a slight weight passed through him, he didn't see but whatever it was made him feel nauseous. The sudden nausea forced Cas to bow over, only able to hold himself up with his forearms pressed on the ground.

Groaning, he listened to the conversation transpiring between Nezira and another unknown voice "N-Nezira?" he said weakly "What're you... what're you doing?" Cas was breathless but he continued to speak "Bind who to you...? Nezira?!"

Nezira Viresh

 

[Nezira Viresh]

Levitating above the ground, the Nightsister spirit looked down at the two inferior beings of flesh and her eyes burned hot with intent when Nezira offered her bargain. Nezira might have caught the dead Sister's curiosity, now she caught the Spirit, her attention.

The Spirit flew down in front of Nezira, moving her face right in front of the young Nightsister girl with a wolfish grin, "If I save you... you will keep this bargain? To serve me in life... and in death?" Asked the spirit deeply delighted by the prospect of what the young girl offered.

"Forever." Said Nezira, completely devoided of any hope, filled only with desperation.

"We got a deal." expressed the Spirit excitedly, as her voice echoed around them while reaching out her incorporeal skeletal hand for Nezira to take.

The young Nightsister looked to Cas, still recovering from his nausea. "I have to do this Cas... it's the only way" A few watery tears formed but was quickly dried away as she looked back at the grinning Spirit and clasped her hand with the incorporeal Nightsister.

Inches before their hands touched a neon green electricity flashed between their palms, only to intensifies for just a second as floating Ichor swirled around them. The Ichor went faster and faster, forming a magickal barrier between them and Cas and then... nothing. A flash as bright as the Sun blinded them for a few seconds, followed by the crackling laughter of the Nightsister spirit.

When they received their vision back again, they both stood outside on Dathomir, right where the entrance was no more. It was late afternoon as the shadows had grown long, merging soon into evening. Nezira just stood beside Cas, first confused as to what had happened, but then felt something in her closed hand.

Upon opening her palm, a small glowing crystal of neon green colours revealed itself. The crystal itself was attached to leather straps and could be worn as a necklace like her talismans. Staring down at the crystal, she felt the presence of her dead Sister and the deal they made and equipped it around her neck. As soon as she wore the crystal necklace, her scar's intense pulsing glow started to fade, until it was nothing more than a dull green light not strong enough to light through her clothes or be visible during the day.

With a sigh of mixed feeling, Nezira slumped down on a flat rock, placing her hands on her cheeks. She felt weaker and had to accept the weakened connection to the Ichor and the Force. On the bright side, she gets to live and use her magick again. Looking up at Cas, she looked him over, unsure how he was reacting to it all. She was sure he would tell her how stupid she was for accepting such a deal.

Cadere

 

[Cadere]

Once Cas realised what was happening, what Nezira was about to do. The dazed Jedi Knight proceeded to summon all of his remaing strength, fighting back both the nausea and diziness flushing through his body and attempted to push himself off the ground with the will of a thousand soldiers. "Nezira stop!" he called out as he shakily got up to his feet, Cas spun around and witnessed the deal between the living and dead Nightsisters just before locking eyes with Nezira's pale blues. She apologised, the Kiffar's organic arm reached out to her and his lips parted to scream "No!" but before any words escaped the Nightsisters' hands touched.

The green ichor surrounded them like a tornado, Cas' dreads blew back and his arms covered his eyes as the force of the Ichor was beginning to become too much to withstand as well as blind him. And then... it was all over, a distant laughter was heard and their surroundings had changed. Cas' head and body spun around as he took in his new surroundings, they were back outside... somehow and Nezira was now stood next to him.

"What just happened?" the Kiffar's brown eyes fell onto Nezira's scars, they had seemed to calm down. Eyes widening in shock, he realised what had just happened prior wasn't a dream or a hallucination. Frustratedly, Cas ran his hand through his dreads "Why did you do that?! We could have found another way, Nez!" he asked, now concerned that his friend had promised herself to some kind of malevolant entity and what that meant for once she became one with the Force.

Cas growled in frustration and pulled on his hair, pacing about like an amped up predator. "'Serve me in life'?" he repeated, quoting the Nightsister's spirit "What the hell does that even mean?! Do you even know what you've done?!" Cas exclaimed, growing more and more frantic "B-because I sure as hell don't!" he just knew it was bad.

Nezira Viresh

 

[Nezira Viresh]

Nezira just sat there as Cas expressed his concerns and frantic uncertainties and the Nightsister was right there in the camp with him. She wanted to scream. To take any other solution to her dying condition, but she was out of option and the more Cas showed his growing frantic uncertainty, the more a wave of anger started to boil over inside of her.

"I don't know, okay?!" Snapped Nezira, getting influenced by Cas' own emotions and bolted up on her feet. Grasping her own hair and holding on like her life depended on it and began to pace back and forth until she stopped in front of the Jedi Knight. Holding the green crystal up in her hand, "I was dying. this deal saved my life! What was I supposed to say to a cure? No?" Explained Nezira with an increased voice, "I TRIED to find other solutions without any luck! Was I suppose to keep looking until I died?!"

Nezira didn't even know why she was yelling at her friend, he wasn't the one that made a deal with an ancient Nightsister that had been sealed by her own coven. Nezira released a frustrated snarl and turned her back to Cas, and walked a few steps away from the Jedi before stopping up. If anything, Nezira was angrier with herself than annoyed by Cas' worried state.

She had really messed up this time... what would her clan mother and her Sisters even think over this deal? She had basically made a deal that would lock her spirit to this being... Turning her side to point towards the Jedi, Nezira looked down at the ground with a sigh. It was weird, she was sad over it. If anything, the fact that Cas was so... disappointed her? Felt sorry for her? Cared enough for her to be afraid for her wellbeing even after death? She was unsure which one of them affected her the most.

"I need time to think..." mumbled the girl and opened a portal in front of her... A common tactic for Nezira when she wanted to get away from her troubles or mistakes and as well as a very unhealthy thing to do in the long run.

The portal was very familiar to Cas with its luminous green outer circular border with the pitch-black body of the centre. However, the portal had a sort of slight flicker to it, and the Jedi would quickly be able to sense the weakened power in Nezira's magick. While the portal didn't look as if it was starting to collapse or show a sign of being a danger to anyone going through. What it did tell Cas, was that Nezira's connection to the force was nowhere close to the prowess and overwhelming Dark Side powers she had showcase other times.

Not only that but creating a portal did drain a bit of Nezira's stamina, though she tried to hide the strain on her.

Cadere

 

[Cadere]

Cas wasn't surprised at Nezira snapping back at him, the Jedi's fists clenched and he held his ground as she raved at him. When she stopped in front of him, he simply glanced down at her with a look of anger, fists clenching even tighter. Cas let her get everything off her chest, once she was finished he watched her step away from him. His face was still contorted in frustration "Dying is better than what you've done." he said coldly.

Cas was in an emotional state right now, worried for his friend's safety as well as the fate of her spirit following her death. He would have said what he said more tactfully if he wasn't so mad but... he still meant every word he said. Death is a much better fate than serving some malevolant spirit after death... for eternity. His brown eyes lit with a green hue as he gazed into the portal created by the Nightsister, doomed to a life and afterlife of servitude. Cas didn't respond to her, he simply watched her before silently, gauging her presence within the Force. She felt weaker, much weaker than before and it saddened him.

So much so that he couldn't bear to be on this planet anymore. Turning on his heel, Cas began walking away. Away from all of this. As far as he was concerned, he'd had enough of Dathomir and Nightsister sorcery to last several lifetimes. When he'd see Nezira again or when he'd be ready to talk to her, if ever, he didn't know.

Nezira Viresh

 

[Nezira Viresh]

Nezira felt a whirlwind of emotions coursing through her entire body as she stood in front of the whispering portal. "Dying is better than what you've done," he said coldly to her which struck her deeply. How could he say something like that? Did he seriously want her to rather die a painful death than have her be alive... She squeezed her eyes close to get his words out of her mind, as tears started to travel down her cheeks.

Hearing her friend walking away from her like she wasn't even worth anything to him, a throwaway relic of his past life... or that was the building voice of emotional anger and fear of abandonment whispered to her. With a raised hand, at first, she tried to use Force on him, forcing him to stop walking away from her. Whether it was her weakened state in the Force, Cas' now superior connection to the Force or her own unfocused mind, she didn't know but nothing happened to Cas.

Watching Cas continuing to leave her, only made her angrier with herself and hating herself even more as she pulled her hand back. "Fine! Leave. I don't need you!" cried out Nezira desperately, when in reality she was her own cause for losing her friend and wanted him to stay. A whisper infiltrated her mind, the voice of her contractor, "he haaatesss you. Look at him, he doesn't even attempt at understanding your plead for help. What kind of person would leave a friend in need?" whispered the voice, tainting the already emotional Nezira's mind. In a desperate attempt at stopping Cas from leaving her, she flared her magick with electricity in the palm of her hands.

"Yeessss, do it. Teach him not to turn his back on you!" whispered the voice with an energetic hiss and Nezira would almost have done it and actually attack her friend in the back, if it hadn't been for her own doubt and shame for even letting her thoughts take her so far from rational thinking.

Cas would have felt the sudden burst of flow in the force behind him, though highly weakened, for just a second, before it disappeared again along with Nezira from the planet.

Where she went, Nezira actually didn't know. This time, Nezira didn't specify any location and would end up at a random place. Travelling through the netherworld to the other end of the portal. Walking alone through the netherworld, having just lost her maybe only real friend was crushing her heart and she felt terrible. Hugging herself for comfort with tears slowly slithering down her cheeks, she didn't even pay attention to the many nether creatures in the distance minding their own business.

Upon finding the other end of her portal, she could see a vast everlasting city on the watery surface and could hear the distorted noise coming through the portal. Closing her eyes, she looked over her shoulder, as if Cas would be running after her, stopping her from entering the portal to the megacity. Maybe it was more wishful thinking that it would ever be a reality as he had no way of reaching her here, nor would he use the force to enter the nether if he could. A weak smile formed, she guessed that was one of the reasons she liked him as a friend, his determination in following his path and not diverting from it.

With one final glance back at the direction she came from, she passed through the portal to the strange megacity and found herself in Denon in an alleyway. As the portal closed behind her, she looked around, taking in the noisy, smelly and busy city before drying her tearful eyes with the palm of her hands. With no goal in mind, she made her way out of the alleyway and soon disappeared into the crowd.

//End Thread

Cadere