For the Goddess

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

The Eldorai called them the Iron Mountains. The majestic mountains stood tall and proud against the paling blue sky. Up here it was cold, chilling to the bone even. Moreover, the air was rather thin, making it difficult to breathe.


The young firemane had climbed high. Very, very high. The Star Fortress, the great citadel the Eldorai and Firemane had constructed to serve as a bastion against foreign invaders, lay beneath her.


The same applied to New Santaissa, though the city was several kilometres away. She could still see the distant silhouette of the Grand Cathedral of Ashira, though she was too far away to hear the church bells ring.


Elpsis kept climbing. Her resolve did not waver for a moment, even though her ascent took a toll on her stamina, even though breathing was becoming more difficult by the moment. The Force was her ally and it was a powerful companion. Here and there, she used her grappling hook. The Great Spirit would not mind, unless she became overreliant on technology. Up in the sky, dark storm clouds gathered.


By the time she reached the peak of the mountain, she was baked in sweat and out of breath. She was also overcome by a sense of exhilaration as she stared down upon Tygara. The redhead turned her sightless, milky-white eyes to the darkening heavens, feeling the abrupt shift as Mother Nature made herself known. Though it was cold up here, the Force gave her all the warmth she needed. To her, it was a glorious moment.


New Santaissa was distant, as was the Star Fortress, but she could not see any of the denizens, she felt the myriad emotions that coursed through them. It was like she was in the middle of a vast ocean of feelings and passions. But out here, the voices were muffled and she could experience a sense of peace and tranquility.


The girl wiped some sweat from her brow, then rummaged in her rucksack before she wound a water bottle. Drinking straight from the bottle, she gulped a good deal of water down.


First there was the roar of thunder, then it started to rain. Clouds roiled, rain came down in fits and spats. Then the clouds finally unleashed their downpour, rains sheeting across the mountains. Lightning slashed out of the clouds, creating brilliant sparks of light in the sky.


Elpsis did not feel cold, for the Force gave her all the warmth she needed. She shuddered slightly as the chill water sluiced down her neck. She wiped it away from her face and looked down upon the valley beneath her, opening herself to the sea of sentient life.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

"You're soaked. Do you want to watch pneumonia?" Siobhan's tone was mildly exasperated when a very soaked Elpsis, who looked a bit like a wet poodle, showed up on the villa's doorstep.


"I had a chat with my guardian spirit today. She told me she'd keep me safe and that I should dismiss claims of pneumonia!" Elpsis replied in an exaggeratedly chipper tone that she knew was bound to annoy her auntie a bit.


"One would think she'd actually have important things to do," Siobhan spoke airily. "Well, get changed and put the wet clothes away. Don't just leave them lying around. I don't want my villa to turn into a lake. Dinner is ready soon."


A sigh. "Yes, auntie." There was a pause before words left Elpsis' lips once more. "After dinner, I'd like to, huh, poke around your library a bit."


Siobhan looked just a bit suspicious. Since when did Elpsis read things?! "My library? What do you want to look at?"


"Surprised? I can use a book as more than a club, y'know," Elpsis retorted, sounding a bit defensive. However, then her tone softened.


"I've been thinking. I've got control over my empathy, but now it's time to take the next step. I can do a lot more with it than calm people down when things go to hell or sense emotions. My Mum's this great illusionist. I'll never be as good as she is...but there's ways I can contribute."


An expression of surprise crossed Siobhan's features, then she smiled. "I'm surprised...in a good way. You've come a long way. My library's open to you. I'm not sure how much you'll find there about mentalism, but we recovered all that was left of the Inquisition's archives. I can talk to Mirien about giving you access. Is there something specific you're interested in?"


"Mentalism in general, but there's one thing specifically. I believe it's called Battle Meditation. It's the logical next step after empathy."

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

Elpsis' blindness caused some issues. Most of the time she could deal with these, though they often vexed her more than she'd like to admit. It was no fun when you made a mess at the breakfast table because you could not see your food!


In this case, she obviously could not read any of the books in the Firemane archives. Being unable to actually see anything that could not be perceived through the Force prohibited this and, sadly, this applied to the written word.


One way to get around this was having a protocol droid read things aloud for her. Luckily, holocrons and datacrons were pure audio anyway.


Firemane's archives were obviously not equal to those of the Jedi or Sith, but they were quite extensive. Siobhan had acquired many trophies and loot during her campaigns. Moreover, they had a good friend in [member="Phylis Alince"], one of the Jedi's foremost scholars, and had recovered all that was left of the archives of the Atrisian Inquisition.


Elpsis was the exact opposite of a scholar. She had a well-earned reputation as a firebrand and a darevil, but there was another side to her. As [member="Laina Silvias"] would be able to confirm, the young firemane could be quite dedicated and studious when she found a subject that she considered important.


She had used her empathy to calm Firemane soldiers when Cthulhu suddenly - and illogically - manifested in orbit above Atrisia. Moreover, she'd drawn upon an unrefined form of battle meditation to boost her allies during the horrible battle of Kaeshana. So she studied, spending long hours locked away, with no company save translators and her pet lion, who occasionally popped by for pets and to scare the aforementioned translators.


“Every soldier knows that war is more than arms and armour, every warrior carries an image of impending victory in his heart. When the image shatters, to be replaced by defeat, he is beaten. But sometimes a warrior receives assistance from an unexpected source, an in-rush of light, blasting away his fear and despair, releasing new inner strength! Yes, a war is much more than arms and armour. Half of every conflict is the will to win. We are Jedi. We must recognize that the will to win, and the power of war, are given sometimes by the dark side. And sometimes, as dawn throws back the night, victory is given…by the light!”


So Arca Jeth had once said millennia ago. Elpsis had no love for the Jedi, but nonetheless. Battle Meditation was a technique that considerably boosted the morale, stamina, and overall battle prowess of an individual's allies while simultaneously reducing the opposition's combat-effectiveness by eroding their will to fight.


Through their influence, a Sciian could coordinate entire fleets of ships, allowing them to perform at maximum efficiency, acting as a single entity with the ability to counter every enemy move quickly and effectively. Of course, that was something reserved for true masters of the art. Elpsis might never advance that far, but she would learn all she could.


Wars were won by valour and force of arms, but also by spirit and will. That was how the Rebel Alliance had toppled the tyrannous Galactic Empire, even though cold logic would dictate that the odds were daunting. Their cause had been blessed by the Great White Wolf.


Elpsis had been blessed by her goddess with a power that could be a gift or a curse. It was her duty to use it for good. Leon eventually got fed up, growled and nudged her until she finally went to bed.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

The next morning Elpsis rose early, as soon as the first rays of sunlight pierced her curtains and cast a bright light in her room. She was a light sleeper by nature. After getting washed, praying, having breakfast and exercising, she meditated on the Force. As was the norm for her, she did not do so in a meditation chamber of stone and brick.


No, when she touched the Force and contemplated the will of the Great Spirit, she wanted to be out there in the wilderness, surrounded by nature. Thus she did so in the nearby forest. Here in the woods she could feel the kiss of the wind upon her skin, hear the song of birds and frogs and feel the energies of the Living Force, for it touched all life that dwelt beneath the heavens. Here, she was sheltered by age-old oak trees that were far older than her and would probably still be standing by the time she'd travelled through the void and entered the Great White Wolf's kingdom.


Many sentient beings spent too much time trying to surpass nature and exact their will upon the Galaxy. They were so small, and yet yearned to be giants. Before the Creator, even the mightiest was tiny. Those who could call upon the Force were so quick to believe that their might made right.


Elpsis did not seek power. She did not even have much of an interest in playing a formal role in her aunties' corporation. She wanted strength, sure - to protect herself and those she cared about, to stand up for the innocent and defeat the wicked. She was certain this was a good cause. That was what made you a good person, not your colour scheme.


Opening her mind, she could perceive the great stream that was the Force. If the Force was a vast ocean, then she was only one grain of sand. Those who served evil sought to dominate the ocean, she was content to be a part of it. She lost track of time as she meditated, immersing herself in the Force. Eventually, Leo got annoyed and she took him hunting so that he'd get the chance to sink his teeth into something tasty.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

In ages past, the Dark Lords of the Sith built meditation chambers in their warships. In battle, they would seal themselves there and direct powerful visualisations upon the conflict that raged around them, exacting their will to strengthen their allies and bring ruin to their enemies.


Darth Malak had considered Bastila Shan's Battle Meditation to be such a threat that he'd wiped out Taris, killing billions of people, including his own soldiers, just to prevent her escape.


This showed not only the barbaric, savage nature of the Sith that put the lie to any claim that they would bring 'peace and order' to the Galaxy, but also his stupidity, especially when one considered he had an infinite fleet at his disposal. They created a wasteland and called it peace. In more recent times, the late Je'gan Ol'raen, the Traitor Grandmaster who had briefly been a member of the Atrisian Inquisition, and Spencer Varanin were masters of the art.


Elpsis' days were spent in a state of intense contemplation: Studying, performing physical and mental exercises to hone her body and mind, and meditating upon the Force. There was, of course, only so much she could learn from shutting herself away from the rest of the world.


She had never been the sort to seal away in an ivory tower. The Living Force had to be experienced, out there in the real world. A woman's real character was displayed in the face of adversity. Thus she began to join Firemane naval patrols that were likely to see action against Kraal or Scutarii raiders.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

A trap had been laid. The Tygaran Alliance had gone on the offensive, exploiting the Kraal's predatory greed and bloodlust. Like a moth to a flame, a corsair fleet had been lured into the net by rumours of booty and plunder. The power of a Firemane Interdictor ship tore it from the blue tunnel of hyperspace into the blackest abyss.


The alien, blood-red Kraal warships were caught by surprise, but they were still numerous and eager for blood. In the moment of confusion, the small Tygaran task force lurched forward, guns blazing. Weapons turrets came to life, starfighters roared out of the hangars into the cold void, and space was light up by the brilliant flash of turbolaser fire.


Elpsis had sealed herself away in a chamber aboard the Ashira's Wrath. It was not a mystical meditation chamber of the sort the ancient Jen'ari had employed, but it would suffice.


She was outside of the immediate battle. Though she possessed some skill as a pilot due to her past as a smuggler, she was no ace. Nor would she be accompanying boarding parties that would take the fight to Kraal warships that might be disabled during the battle.


No, she was on the sidelines...and yet intimately connected to all that went on around her. Part of her felt guilty about hanging back, but she soon banished these traitorous thoughts. She had her part to play and if all went well, it would aid her comrades.


No, it would end well. Doubt could not be allowed to enter her mind, for those were the whispers of the Black Wolf and his evil spirits. She sat upon a fur carpet in a meditative lotus position, submerged in the great ocean that was the Force.


It was her heartbeat that set the tempo; it set the pace. It set the mental cogs in motion inside the deepest recesses of her mind. The steady thump was what gave her focus and allowed her to centre herself, finding that place where she felt safe and secure: Deep inside the Shadowlands, where she was shielded by titanic Wroshyr trees and amongst the wild beasts of Kashyyyk.


Breathe in. Breathe out. As she opened her mind, her perception expanded. She would reach out, first to the crew aboard the battleship: The commanders, the gunners, the comms specialists, navigators, marines and so on and so forth, then eventually the pilots of the starfighters.


For this exercise, she would limit her influence to one battleship and its squadrons. There was only so much she could do at her level and she did not want to risk her experiment going awry. Within the great ocean that was the Force, the auras of her comrades were like lighthouses.


In this moment, she was so attuned to their emotions. She felt their fears, their exaltation, their confidence and anger. Some were green rookies and experiencing the mixture of anticipation, excitement and anxiety that any soldier felt in their first battle, others were old hares.


She was with a starfighter pilot when he brazenly and courageously launched his craft into combat and entered a furious dogfight with a Kraal. She was with a gunnery officer when she coldly, precisely calculated the firing solution for her cannon aboard the Wrath, unloading salvoes that vaporised incoming fighter craft in puffs of hot gas.


She was with another pilot when her life was extinquished as her craft was destroyed by a torpedo shot. The empathic backlash was like the stab of a hot knife to the gut. Elpsis winced strongly, beads of sweat dripping down her face as she sought to concentrate, but despite the intense pain she refused to pull away.


This was her moment to do good. She was with her comrades, like a watchful hawke on their shoulder. Focus, she ordered herself. Like a spider spinning a web, she would spread her influence, one mental silken thread at a time, connecting all of them one by one.


Focus, she told herself. And like a spider spinning a web, she would latch a mental silken thread upon each person. Searing them into memory. One by one. Counting them all. To steady herself and enhance her focus, she raised her voice. Words leapt from her tongue as she chanted.



"Great White Wolf, blessed mother and guardian, whose voice I hear in the winds, and who gave me the breath of life, hear me.
You, whose fur warms me and whose teeth protect me from evil.
You, from whose loving care I receive nourishment and who endows me with the great gift.
You, who raised me from great distress and made me see the divine feminine.
For I need your strength and wisdom.
Let me see the beauty of your creation and never think myself above it.
Make my hands respect the thing you have made and my ears sharp to hear your voice.
Help me seek pure thought and act with the intention of helping others.
Help me find compassion without empathy overwhelmning me.
Make my wise so that I may understand the lessons you have hidden in every leaf and rock.
Make me strong, not to be greater than my sisters, but to fight the evil wrought by the Black Wolf.
So when life fades, as the fading, my spirit may traverse the void and find peace in your eternal forest without shame."



Wider, she ordered herself, pushing herself further to reach them all. Her strength would become that of her allies. Her faith in the righteousness of their cause and their victory would become theirs. Her hands shook slightly and the strain intensified, but she pushed on. One singular image would be imprinted upon their minds: An image of victory. They were strong, they were righteous, the Force was with them.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

The exhilaration was terrific. The Force coursed through her veins, seemingly stronger than ever. It felt like a strong rush, better than anyone she'd ever experienced.


Better than any rush spice or glitterstim had ever given her. Her aura burnt as brightly as one of the many stars that populated space outside. She was not experienced enough to undermine the morale and fighting spirit of her enemies, but she could boost her allies - and so she did.


She was with them - and through them the Force. The image of victory, of an avenging, radiant Phoenix that swept away the wicked and consumed them was imprinted upon their mind.


She was with the starfighters as they fell upon the Kraal like furious birds of prey, tearing through their craft. She was with the gunners of the Ashira's Wrath when they vaporised an enemy battleship. The firemane was the little angel on their shoulder, reassuring, guiding and warning them. Her milky-whites eyes perceived the ethereal realm, as she pushed her farsight as far as possible.


Across the vast expanse of space, the wicked perished. She winced with every death that took place. Each left a mark upon her soul, each pained her, but she did not waver, for the cause was just and righteous.


She had a great and powerful companion - the Force. Its power permeated the air around her and have her strength. It allowed the blinded one to see. The girl kept chanting, her hands moving in intricate patterns as she channelled her Gift. The strain was becoming too much. Her face and mane of scarlet were matted in sweat, her hands were shaking, and her breathing was intense.


She gave it one last push, giving it all she had. Her heart thumped inside her chest, giving her the feeling it might be about to burst. Then darkness claimed her as she finally passed out. Luckily, there was a carpet beneath her, so her head did not hit the cold floor. But either way she was out cold.

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

Slowly, very slowly, Elpsis arose from her unconsciousness. The noise was tremendous. Explosions rocked the ship and the illumination dimmed for a moment.


"Hey you, Cinder! Stop napping and get your tits in gear!" she heard a determined, impatient, feminine voice yell loudly. The shout was followed by a strong hand gripping her shoulder. Then she got a good old fashioned slap to the face. Now that woke her up!


Sightless eyes fluttered open, taking in Freya Solveig. The Sergeant was fully kitted out and her expression was all business. Her aura radiated both concern and a high degree of impatience.


"Come on, soldier get up," she barked in her best drill sergeant tone. Elpsis would not admit just how much it turned her on.


"Huh? What happened?" Elpsis looked about wildly as the lights flickered again, trying to get a grip on the situation. Her head hurt like hell and the loud noise was not helping. Her mind was clouded by fog, making it hard for her to think clearly.


"We got no time to chit-chat. Fly boys thrashed a good chunk of the greenskins, but more came knocking. We got boarders. Get your arse moving."


Now Elpsis was properly motivated! The redhead arose from the carpet onto unsteady feet and began to search about as if in a daze. With a huff, Freya seized some items lying around and thrust them into the younger woman's hands.


"Ready, Cinder?"


"You know it, Blondie. Where are we going?" Elpsis could not feel a stab of guilt about passing out. Perhaps if she'd done more, the Kraal would have all been driven back. But there was no time for recriminations now. She strapped a pistol to her thigh and slung a rifle. Luckily, her lightsabre was already on her belt.


Freya opened the door and took a peek outside. "To the bridge. The Commander needs our help. Let's kick arse. For Firemane and the Order." Outside, a maintenance droid was busy polishing the floor. The futility of its efforts were lost on its processor as Freya and Elpsis ran past.


The high-pitched whine of blasterfire, accompanied by bestial roars and the detonations of bolter rounds could be heard coming from down the corridor. Orders were shouted, wounded cried out in pain.