Private Great! I'm back at square one!

[Ravenous]

"Great! I'm back at square one! Just being above this place gives me the urge to...ah forget it." Ravenous peered deeper into his reflection the golden gaze it returned disturbing even to the one casting it. This new coping mechanism is a bust, Ravenous already directs most of his anger at himself anyway if anything all he's doing is distracting from the main problem with himself...himself. On second thought...distractions aren't that bad. Digging into the calluses formed on his hands from excessive fist-clenching, Ravenous let out a thunderous cry of anger the hateful energy it carried enough to chill any being it washed over Force-Sensitive or otherwise. Ravenous' reflection shattered into a million pieces the shards of glass littering the hard-wooden floor. Welp...guess it's time for a new mirror...

"Anas Tarnas, Ravenous?"

"No, no it didn't actually. Thanks for your concern." Ravenous aggressively wrapped his cloak around his Armored shell of a body the final piece of his outfit yet to fall into place. The man's gauntleted hand hovered over his bone mold mask habit mandating that he suffer its cryptic vigor before he began his morning routine. Repressing his instincts, Ravenous slipped his mask into one of the pockets of his cloak its dark power resting for the time being. His mind needed to be semi-clear for the coming event and that included explaining the damn mission, to begin with. In a matter of minutes, Ravenous was standing at Telani 's door a look of apprehension plastered on his face.

He honestly had no idea what to expect with Telani but whatever it was he's determined to be prepared for it. Ravenous' eyes grew intense until they were a burning bright orange that radiated power in every direction. Falling prey to the will of the Dark Lord the door's locking mechanism deactivated and the sliding doorway slid open enabling, Ravenous to step inside. "Telani? Get up, I've got something to show you. Something that's gonna bring you to the next level." Ravenous reached into his cloak and wrapped his hands around two items both of them ambiguous and both of them the cause for Ravenous' ear-splitting grin.

 

[Telani]

Telani had been slightly better. She still wasn't a Jedi, she certainly hadn't stopped being a sith in nature, but she'd been taking some pointers from her and Ravenous's jedi companion, which she still couldn't figure out why he'd joined with Ravenous given his jedi nature, and she'd learned to calm herself a little better, control herself just a bit more, she didn't really want to most of the time and therefore didn't, but when she knew it to be beneficial, she could do it with some difficulty.

The best part about this was that her fury no longer seized control of her when she got angry, and she no longer flailed about in her anger, trying to kill anything and everything. Now, she still got mad and she definitely still used it, but now it had direction, purpose, form. Now it was a tool, not just brute force if that made any sense.

Of course, she still lacked modesty of any kind, Ravenous had, once or twice on his surprise visits, run in on her completely skyclad (naked) and she didn't even bother to cover up. Usually when she was doing some kind of exercise or something, or maybe if she just felt like it. And she still spoke as though nothing was wrong during these times.

Luckily enough for him, or perhaps unluckily depending on his thoughts on the matter, she at least wore a chestwrap and what could only really be called panties, while she was doing her usual exercises, sit-ups and crunches, push-ups and squats and such.

Ravenous to step inside. "Telani? Get up, I've got something to show you. Something that's gonna bring you to the next level." Ravenous reached into his cloak and wrapped his hands around two items both of them ambiguous and both of them the cause for Ravenous' ear-splitting grin.

"Please don't tell me it's a plan to rebuild the Death Star? That thing isn't big enough anymore." She said with a sigh, but she was obviously paying attention to him as she stretched out her recently worked muscles.

Ravenous

 

[Ravenous]

Ravenous scowled at Telani's comment. "Do you think I'm so stupid that I'd build something easily destroyed by some random kid? No, I've got something greater in mind." Reaching out Ravenous held two items in his hands one his very own emanating with power and the other what appeared to be a sith Holocron albeit with a very strange and intricate design that deviated from the norm. "This, Telani is what I like to call, The Abyss Key. It holds the knowledge and psyches of many people and it has made my training infinitely easier. I neglected to show this off because I assumed I alone was strong enough to use it."

Ravenous stepped further into the room his eyes stilled glued to Telani in a vain attempt to preserve his menace factor. She is NOT going to catch me off-guard like she did the other day! This time I'm ready for you! I'm not A'sura you promiscuous fool, you won't catch me lacking the way you caught him! Ravenous tossed the Holocron up and down in the air clearly trying to focus his mind on...other things. "This thing will drive you mad if you aren't strong enough. And even if you are...you'll still slip into depravity. I'm not going to lie to you...if you manage to open this there is no telling what might happen as a result. The only reason I'm even giving you the option of opening it is that...I trust you...I trust you to be able to not fall into the depths of madness without a proper fight. But that would be without showing you your other choice."

Ravenous spun his mask in the palm of his hand horrid, foul energy pouring out from the mask. "While the Abyss Key has a chance at making you go insane if you mess up the mask WILL make you go insane if you mess up...however if you can endure the void you will have a new shade of force power not belonging to the dark or light. Imagine there's a closet with a candle inside. If I light the candle it can be mostly light or mostly darkness depending on how bright it is. This mask..." Ravenous' eyes softened. "Think of it as the wax that melts when you light the candle. Each time you snuff out the fire the wax hardens, when a fire is lit the wax melts. The void won't grow in the presence of darkness but it rejects the light entirely."

Ravenous took a step toward, Telani his golden pupils serious, and his sinister aura steaming in the stale air. "Tell me, Telani...do you think you are strong enough? Strong enough to give a piece of your humanity to take on one of these burdens or...maybe even both. Of course, you may simply choose neither but that I think you're more daring than that. I'll get the answer to the question I seek no matter what you choose. No pressure. Except maybe to put some clothes on..."

Ravenous sighed. "Seriously woman don't you understand the definition of shame?!"

 

[Telani]

Ravenous scowled at Telani's comment. "Do you think I'm so stupid that I'd build something easily destroyed by some random kid? No, I've got something greater in mind."

She held up her hands in surrender, then placed them on her head as if waiting to be arrested, but the grin never left her face. "I don't know. You've done some pretty dumb things before."

Reaching out Ravenous held two items in his hands one his very own emanating with power and the other what appeared to be a sith Holocron albeit with a very strange and intricate design that deviated from the norm. "This, Telani Telani is what I like to call, The Abyss Key. It holds the knowledge and psyches of many people and it has made my training infinitely easier. I neglected to show this off because I assumed I alone was strong enough to use it."

This caught her attention, and she gave the items he held a good look. Leaving behind her promiscuity for just a little bit to focus on the artefacts, she could feel the power coming from them. It was intoxicating and intimidating at the same time. She continued to listen, looking from the artefacts up to his, apparently unmasked, face. He didn't often remove his mask, so it was a little unusual to see him without it. But it let her see his face, and more easily gauge his thoughts. Which came up just afterwards.

Ravenous stepped further into the room his eyes stilled glued to Telani in a vain attempt to preserve his menace factor. She is NOT going to catch me off-guard like she did the other day! This time I'm ready for you! I'm not A'sura you promiscuous fool, you won't catch me lacking the way you caught him! Ravenous tossed the Holocron up and down in the air clearly trying to focus his mind on...other things.

She grinned and looked him Square in the face, leaning in just slightly to let him see her cleavage a little more clearly. "I don't need to read your mind to know what you're thinking boss. Look all you like boss, I keep myself open for a reason. You can do even more than look if you'd like~"

"This thing will drive you mad if you aren't strong enough. And even if you are...you'll still slip into depravity. I'm not going to lie to you...if you manage to open this there is no telling what might happen as a result. The only reason I'm even giving you the option of opening it is that...I trust you...I trust you to be able to not fall into the depths of madness without a proper fight. But that would be without showing you your other choice."

Ravenous spun his mask in the palm of his hand horrid, foul energy pouring out from the mask. "While the Abyss Key has a chance at making you go insane if you mess up the mask WILL make you go insane if you mess up...however if you can endure the void you will have a new shade of force power not belonging to the dark or light. Imagine there's a closet with a candle inside. If I light the candle it can be mostly light or mostly darkness depending on how bright it is. This mask..." Ravenous' eyes softened. "Think of it as the wax that melts when you light the candle. Each time you snuff out the fire the wax hardens, when a fire is lit the wax melts. The void won't grow in the presence of darkness but it rejects the light entirely."

Ravenous took a step toward, Telani his golden pupils serious, and his sinister aura steaming in the stale air. "Tell me, Telani...do you think you are strong enough? Strong enough to give a piece of your humanity to take on one of these burdens or...maybe even both. Of course, you may simply choose neither but that I think you're more daring than that. I'll get the answer to the question I seek no matter what you choose. No pressure.

She dropped the promiscuity again, and looked to be in some serious thought. Actually considering it and the risks. She was a risk taker yes, but now that she'd learned to temper herself, even slightly, from A'sura she'd started to think a little more and charge in blindly a little less. And the threat of insanity? She was less than decent, she was abnormal, but her sanity was intact, and she'd rather keep it that way. Even so, it was a challenge, and she loved overcoming challenges. She also loved the idea of the power it could give her. She took a breath and exhaled, "yes, I think I am strong enough."

Except maybe to put some clothes on..."

Ravenous sighed. "Seriously woman don't you understand the definition of shame?!"

She grinned evilly, and without a word she used the force to drop both her top and her bottom, leaving her completely bare for him to inspect, and she stood, hands on her hips and chest out as if proud, and really, why wouldn't she be? "Nope."

 

[Ravenous]

She took a breath and exhaled, "yes, I think I am strong enough."

Ravenous smiled ear to ear his hope having been realized. He had a feeling she wouldn't back down from this and all the terrors it could entail. I wonder, just what effect will the void have on her? Will she be more like me or more like Orex? No telling, she might just be her own thing entirely.

She grinned evilly, and without a word she used the force to drop both her top and her bottom, leaving her completely bare for him to inspect, and she stood, hands on her hips and chest out as if proud, and really, why wouldn't she be? "Nope."

Ravenous quickly turned away and feigned disgust hoping to coax Telani into keeping her clothes on going forward. "I'm not giving you the satisfaction you seek, Telani. Your just lucky I'm not my younger self or I just might have taken you up on your offer. That being said..." Ravenous sat both his mask and the Abyss Key down on the floor his golden gaze having receded. Scoffing Ravenous gave, Telani a quick once over before turning to leave. "I've seen better. Maybe when you learn to trim your ego ill find you more lucrative." That should cut Telani's ego long enough for her to put on some clothes and hopefully make her choice of mask or Holocron. In truth, Ravenous didn't expect her to try both he didn't even think she could endure both not the way she is now.

Ravenous can take on both but only because he learned to suffer through the void for so many years. Sleep, eating, bathing, training, there was never a time the void wasn't lingering in the back of his head forever taunting, forever...hungry. The Abyss Key was nothing to someone who already carried the hopes and desires of one, not himself, adding on a few more was simple like taking the first step into the shallow end of the pool. "I wonder, just how far will you swim..." Ravenous quickly disappeared down the hallway his mind reaching out to sense what knowledge or panic Telani might find in her decision.

Minutes later Ravenous would be back outside the door his cloak and armor replaced by a black duffle coat and a pair of trousers he found at the back of the closet just collecting dust. Trying to look mundane is hard enough when most of what you wear is either a suit of armor or smells of blood sure that's rough enough but having a crispy burnt face like his is bound to mark him in the streets of Iziz especially with the terrorist attacks going on. Yes, once again like ALWAYS, Onderon is in the middle of a civil war "threatening social order" which to the common man simply means: Watch out there's going to be a gang of bandits and revolutionaries boxing with the military in the streets.

These wars over the crown are so insanely frequent that even Ravenous found himself caught up in the military back when he was fifteen. The very few people that know that about him (and were sober enough to remember) probably thought he had some sort of mental scarring from the experience because...that's the reality of war. The reality of war is that it's hell on earth and that there are demons in the top brass casting people into the lake of fire. Most people burn away and the ones that are left carry lifelong burns and scores. So why? Why is he fine with all that? Why did he feel nothing as his friends were sniped from rooftops their final death throws denied by an enemy who'd demand the same of him.

I guess he really did belong in that lake of fire. I guess it's where demons belong right? Who would have thought the "victim" would live to be the perpetrator pushing people straight into hell willing or otherwise. Circle of life he supposed.

"Just so you know once you're done in there we're going down to, Onderon. There's ANOTHER civil war going on and I intend to end it before the whole city burns to the ground...but that's not all. I'm not planning to go down there and subjugate the whole planet don't get me wrong, but I do have something of an...operation going on. You'll see when we get there but to make sure no one pays attention to us..." Ravenous pinched his forehead. "I'm serious this time. Put on something normal non-murderers wear. Don't forget who's the stronger of us two."

That's another lie. Even now, Ravenous can't in good faith say he's stronger than Telani not noticeably anyway. A wise man may be skilled with a blade but a fool needs no skill to use a gun.

 

[Telani]

Ravenous quickly turned away and feigned disgust hoping to coax Telani Telani into keeping her clothes on going forward. "I'm not giving you the satisfaction you seek, Telani. Your just lucky I'm not my younger self or I just might have taken you up on your offer. That being said..." Ravenous sat both his mask and the Abyss Key down on the floor his golden gaze having receded. Scoffing Ravenous gave, Telani a quick once over before turning to leave. "I've seen better. Maybe when you learn to trim your ego ill find you more lucrative."

She grinned wider and said, "ooh, degradation play? Who knew you were such a dirty bird?"

Honestly, he already had, she was doing this for fun, to mess with him. And his reaction was exactly what she wanted, which gave her all the satisfaction she needed from this encounter.

After he left she started to think. No she didn't put clothes on, they were uncomfy. But rather about the two objects. Which to choose. Was both an option, could she even do both?

The way he made it sound, the mask could be used as a way to help protect from the effects of the holocron. Would that work? Maybe.

She put a hand on the smooth white of the mask, then put her other one on the holocron, trying to test the waters before diving in. She'd certainly learned the benefits of caution, but she still followed her version of the mantra "go big or go home".

So after a moment to steel herself, and focus on grounding her mind firmly in reality, she donned the mask...

"Just so you know once you're done in there we're going down to, Onderon. There's ANOTHER civil war going on and I intend to end it before the whole city burns to the ground...but that's not all. I'm not planning to go down there and subjugate the whole planet don't get me wrong, but I do have something of an...operation going on. You'll see when we get there but to make sure no one pays attention to us..."

Telani sat on her knees, naked save the mask, and exhausted. She hadn't moved from where she'd been from the moment she opened the holocron. But she heard him, and knew instantly that she'd have to wear clothes, she didn't even have the energy to give an exaggerated, exasperated sigh.

Ravenous pinched his forehead. "I'm serious this time. Put on something normal non-murderers wear. Don't forget who's the stronger of us two."

That's another lie. Even now, Ravenous can't in good faith say he's stronger than Telani not noticeably anyway. A wise man may be skilled with a blade but a fool needs no skill to use a gun.

This would earn a chuckle from her, clearly he didn't remember when they first met, maybe he was stronger than she overall, but she was also strong in the sense that she had significantly higher endurance, which is what allowed her to force a stalemate on his, now destroyed, ship. (Pun intended)

But she would comply. Wearing her loose pants and black boots, but she still only wore her chestwrap under her old shirt, one that was also wraparound and secured on front like a jacket, but this she wore completely open, she had to show off just a little, besides, if they absolutely had to, they could say he owned her and required some level of skin showing (◕ᴗ◕✿)

 

[Ravenous]

At first contact, the mask did nothing except smell like crap. Evidently, it never crossed Ravenous that he should wash his mask if only to get the sheen of sweat and dried blood off. At first, Telani would feel like taking it off if only for the smell and- wait...she didn't say that. What is this? A new feeling, not hers, thoughts and emotions coming from a place she couldn't see couldn't feel. But how? How can you feel someone else's thoughts coming from inside you? How can you be looking directly at something and yet see nothing? It was right there, breathing, touching feeling and-no that's wrong. There was nothing there. What? Of course, there is it's staring you in the face! No, it's not. It's right there! I...don't see anything. Is it just me or is it getting hot in here?! It's just you. Are you kidding me?! It's burning hot! If anything it's cold. Oh please, it's like I'm on fire! More like frozen in ice. Hot! Cold. It's so bright! I can't see someone turn on a light. Can you speak up!? Quiet down.

"Gal j'us Kente?" A dark horrifying voice tore through the air each word it spoke carrying death on the wind. Actually, that's a lie. It's actually quite soothing almost like a mother consoling their child after they skinned their knee. Such brass masculinity in its voice like the legendary heroes of old. No, that's wrong. The voice is more like the sweet old lady that lives down the street.

"Sis Kash Tave Laisvas." A peculiar painful bliss would engulf Telani's body like being frozen by fire or getting stabbed by a thousand marshmallows.

"Viskas lies Atitrazi Tave Maskuoti." Telani would feel her lungs fill up with liquid as she began to drown in nothing. Things would appear serious until the sensation stopped inducing panic or any sensation at all. Such a scary thing it was to be drowning and be unable to care one bit. In her other hand, the abyss key would begin to vibrate dark energy casting an ominous crimson glow on the walls.

"Visas Tash Tu've Visaz Girdim. Kash Status Stai." Comfortable in its ability to feast the void would eagerly move in devouring everything it could get its greedy hands on. If it was a part of Telani's life the void would take it, or it would try to as it seemed Telani had no intention of being gorged by this curr and all its vile intent. Gluttonous as ever the void began eating a hole to the center of Telani any memories or hobbies that tried to stand in its way swiftly shunted aside before facing predation. The void was like a massive storm cloud that only grew darker with each meal and soon enough its hunger would be staved. Up ahead there was a core philosophy radiating with will and experience.

"Xalone..."

Speeding across the mindscape the void quickly began chewing a hole inside what could only be described as the physical manifestation of a character trait. Telani was quick to follow behind the dark cloud but not before it chewed a massive tunnel inside the notion of "Mercy" before hollowing it out and turning it into some sort of twisted chamber of depravity. With, Telani's conviction wrapped tightly around the hollow shell of her mercy, the void had no choice but to submit until it regained the strength to fight again. That's the curse of the void...you can't tame it. The void will always fight, always press forward, always look for a way to fight and kill and devour. Most people can't endure that, most people just choose death over that hellish existence.

Seems, Telani isn't like most people...

All that was left was to finish opening the Holocron, a feat that would require all of what Telani's strength still remained intact. Her capacity for compassion was compromised but if she can do without it for long enough then she can appease the Holocron and show it she's worthy of its knowledge.

 

[Telani]

At first contact, the mask did nothing except smell like crap. Evidently, it never crossed Ravenous that he should wash his mask if only to get the sheen of sweat and dried blood off. At first, Telani would feel like taking it off if only for the smell and- wait...she didn't say that. What is this? A new feeling, not hers, thoughts and emotions coming from a place she couldn't see couldn't feel. But how? How can you feel someone else's thoughts coming from inside you? How can you be looking directly at something and yet see nothing? It was right there, breathing, touching feeling and-no that's wrong. There was nothing there. What? Of course, there is it's staring you in the face! No, it's not. It's right there! I...don't see anything. Is it just me or is it getting hot in here?! It's just you. Are you kidding me?! It's burning hot! If anything it's cold. Oh please, it's like I'm on fire! More like frozen in ice. Hot! Cold. It's so bright! I can't see someone turn on a light. Can you speak up!? Quiet down.

"Gal j'us Kente?" A dark horrifying voice tore through the air each word it spoke carrying death on the wind. Actually, that's a lie. It's actually quite soothing almost like a mother consoling their child after they skinned their knee. Such brass masculinity in its voice like the legendary heroes of old. No, that's wrong. The voice is more like the sweet old lady that lives down the street.

"Sis Kash Tave Laisvas." A peculiar painful bliss would engulf Telani's body like being frozen by fire or getting stabbed by a thousand marshmallows.

"Viskas lies Atitrazi Tave Maskuoti." Telani would feel her lungs fill up with liquid as she began to drown in nothing. Things would appear serious until the sensation stopped inducing panic or any sensation at all. Such a scary thing it was to be drowning and be unable to care one bit. In her other hand, the abyss key would begin to vibrate dark energy casting an ominous crimson glow on the walls.

"Visas Tash Tu've Visaz Girdim. Kash Status Stai." Comfortable in its ability to feast the void would eagerly move in devouring everything it could get its greedy hands on. If it was a part of Telani's life the void would take it, or it would try to as it seemed Telani had no intention of being gorged by this curr and all its vile intent. Gluttonous as ever the void began eating a hole to the center of Telani any memories or hobbies that tried to stand in its way swiftly shunted aside before facing predation. The void was like a massive storm cloud that only grew darker with each meal and soon enough its hunger would be staved. Up ahead there was a core philosophy radiating with will and experience.

"Xalone..."

Speeding across the mindscape the void quickly began chewing a hole inside what could only be described as the physical manifestation of a character trait. Telani was quick to follow behind the dark cloud but not before it chewed a massive tunnel inside the notion of "Mercy" before hollowing it out and turning it into some sort of twisted chamber of depravity. With, Telani's conviction wrapped tightly around the hollow shell of her mercy, the void had no choice but to submit until it regained the strength to fight again. That's the curse of the void...you can't tame it. The void will always fight, always press forward, always look for a way to fight and kill and devour. Most people can't endure that, most people just choose death over that hellish existence.

Seems, Telani isn't like most people...

All that was left was to finish opening the Holocron, a feat that would require all of what Telani's strength still remained intact. Her capacity for compassion was compromised but if she can do without it for long enough then she can appease the Holocron and show it she's worthy of its knowledge.

It was agony, bliss, hate, complacency, everything all at once. But eventually she started to understand what was happening, but she was too late to stop it as it devoured a part of her. But she had time for one thing to register in her mind. Dread.

She knew instantly that she would be changed for the worse, irreversibly. She was forever changed. And it was an odd feeling, a strange emptiness, as though she was missing an organ she knew should be there but it wasn't.

But this gave way to something else, the thing that gave her enough, more than enough, strength to subdue, at least temporarily, this parasite she'd welcomed into her. Hate, pure, unbridled hate. She didn't think, not in words, her mind now laser focused on one task, victory. She would win, and she'd do it before any other part of her was lost. She used the shell of what had once been her sense of mercy as a prison to hold this creature, it wouldn't be tamed, but she would never let it out, even if it meant she'd die keeping it trapped, she would keep it contained, no matter what.

In her physical body, she slumped over, now on all fours from the intensity of what had just happened, and the mask fell from her face to clatter to the floor. She took a moment to catch her breath, she felt changed, different.

After regaining her strength she looked to the holocron, she remembered that A'sura had quoted an old Jedi Master by the name of Yoda, and it was this that popped into her mind now, "do, or do not, there is no try."

She would do what she had intended, she wouldn't try, she'd succeed. So taking the memory of what she'd just lost to fuel her, hate and fury filling her being, and giving her strength greater than she'd ever had.

Starting from the time that her Mercy was consumed, he would be able to feel all of her thoughts and emotions, such were their potency that they permeated the air like noxious fumes of raw emotion. Maybe he expected it, maybe he didn't, but despite what was happening she was certainly getting stronger for it.

Now it was time to learn from the holocron. If he were paying attention, he'd know when she opened it. She'd succeed, and she'd pour everything she had into succeeding. She refused to fail here.

 

[Ravenous]

Ravenous felt a surge of energy flowing through him like a drop of white in an endless sea of black it was refreshing and due to its contrast easily grabbed his attention. This was the sensation he got when the void fed on another person and their mind and body disappeared into his own gone forever...devoured. However, since coming back to check on, Telani , Ravenous had not moved from that spot with his arms folded. He wasn't the one feeding. He couldn't help but smile as the air around him soured as though hate were contaminating it. No that was hate, so much that it became tangible like black smoke in the air it clogged the lungs and infected the minds of any who breathed it in.

If Ravenous didn't know any better he might assume there was a fire going on but that wasn't the case not unless we're counting the fire burning inside, Telani. Now the two are connected at a deeper level one that transcends them and one that transcends time. There's no telling what will happen beyond this point for the last time two were in possession of the void at one time only half of the pair remained...

...the successor.

What effect will this have on their relationship? Are the two forever entwined by a cloud of darkness or will the time come when one of them must give up the mantle in order to complete the race? Is that the nature of the void, to take one as a vector to spread its influence further? Ravenous is stronger than Orex now that much is undebatable but...when they met they were equals...Just like Telani and Ravenous.

Does this follow the same principle as, Bane's rule of two? That power is like poison in that it is more potent the less it is spread out? Perhaps their teachings have even more applications than even I understood. And perhaps the ignorance of that understanding is what led me down the path I'm on now. The path I just put, Telani on...what does she value? What could the void have taken in order to solidify its welcome? It must be something tying her to this world like my sanity or Orex's sense of justice.

Ravenous found himself falling into the abyss his mind endlessly tracking the shining drop of light illuminating the sea of iniquity surrounding it. The light was lost it couldn't hope to swim in this void for long not before it drowned and became a part of the abyss itself. Ravenous felt his mind wrap around the singularity a ray of warmth and forgiveness running through him, for just a moment he forgot who he was what he was and just let him be content with that moment. That moment of merciful release...mercy?

"So that's what he took...interesting. Wonder what else he took, the void isn't one to just take otherworldly possessions no. He took something precious to her something she will never get back...I wonder what it is..."

Opening the Holocron was a simple task from then on, Telani's raw anger appealed to the key's darker side and all of its forbidden lore. Many nights, Ravenous found himself delving deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole of knowledge the seemingly infinite writings and recordings either shattering or solidifying his understanding of power. In a way, one could say the Holocron understood that drive for power and understood the cost to obtain it which in turn bade it to open itself to one who would go so far to reach their goals.

Slowly the mechanism turned its cogs having been fueled by the heat of someone's passion. The passion to grow powerful. The world around, Telani seemed to fade away replaced by this time, not an empty abyss but a vast expanse of the cosmos billions upon trillions of stars all burning brightly in the color-filled space. There was no ground to stand on so instead, Telani would find herself floating in the vast expanse where the world itself seemed to revolve around her...and another.

"I'm not gonna lie. I didn't expect you to be able to unlock both at the same time. Do you feel well?" Out of seemingly nowhere, Ravenous stepped into the expanse his hands shoved inside his pockets as he took in the view and the ruby woman floating through it. "I hope you didn't have any plans of becoming one with the force after you die because if you did that dream may as well be another one of these stars. So bright but billions of miles away. The abyss is on another level of existence, where the cosmic force would be in the fourth dimension we as in you and I have entered the fifth. Death is just another part of the circle of life and like all circles, death will inevitably return to the beginning point of life. Everything that dies is given new life and everything that lives eventually dies. The abyss doesn't follow that rule, it destroys but it doesn't kill it's not even right to say it devours because even then the devoured find life in becoming new energy. When we drag things into the abyss they don't come back they're just gone and become nothingness and it is through this rejection of life and death..."

Ravenous gestured to the expanse before them. "We can see the fourth dimension spanning before us. This is the point of no return if you try to go back you would have to release the void. But I doubt it would just leave your mind. If you want to change yourself, you have to kill the part of you that wants to stay in the past. Think of that unwillingness to change like an anchor on a ship. You can move as fast as you want but that anchor is still gonna slow you down by dragging its feet."

Ravenous moved in closer and brought his face closer to hers. "When you get to my level you'll be able to control that abyss in the back of your head. But until that happens keep that mask on even while sleeping and bathing. You've got to learn what it means to live with two people in your head instead of one or you'll just be driven into degeneracy."

 

[Telani]

"I'm not gonna lie. I didn't expect you to be able to unlock both at the same time. Do you feel well?" Out of seemingly nowhere, Ravenous stepped into the expanse his hands shoved inside his pockets as he took in the view and the ruby woman floating through it. "I hope you didn't have any plans of becoming one with the force after you die because if you did that dream may as well be another one of these stars. So bright but billions of miles away. The abyss is on another level of existence, where the cosmic force would be in the fourth dimension we as in you and I have entered the fifth. Death is just another part of the circle of life and like all circles, death will inevitably return to the beginning point of life. Everything that dies is given new life and everything that lives eventually dies. The abyss doesn't follow that rule, it destroys but it doesn't kill it's not even right to say it devours because even then the devoured find life in becoming new energy. When we drag things into the abyss they don't come back they're just gone and become nothingness and it is through this rejection of life and death..."

Ravenous gestured to the expanse before them. "We can see the fourth dimension spanning before us. This is the point of no return if you try to go back you would have to release the void. But I doubt it would just leave your mind. If you want to change yourself, you have to kill the part of you that wants to stay in the past. Think of that unwillingness to change like an anchor on a ship. You can move as fast as you want but that anchor is still gonna slow you down by dragging its feet."

Ravenous appeared in the void with her. And she looked his way, and listened to his explanation. She didn't truly understand it, not fully. It made some sense, but she simply hadn't had enough time to truly understand it in all ways, especially not in the way he did. But full understanding would come in time. For now, she mulled over his words, and thought about the nature of this void. But she also had a question to answer.

"No," She answered, "I do not feel well. At all."

She turned to the void and looked around. "I've never accessed a holocron before. How does one access the knowledge in it?"

Ravenous moved in closer and brought his face closer to hers. "When you get to my level you'll be able to control that abyss in the back of your head. But until that happens keep that mask on even while sleeping and bathing. You've got to learn what it means to live with two people in your head instead of one or you'll just be driven into degeneracy."

Her face fell, the mask had already fallen from her face, lekku tended to make wearing things around the head not designed with them in mind rather difficult. But she was still consciously keeping the void inside herself. It wasn't going to get anywhere, it certainly wouldn't do any damage, not with her vice grip around it and threatening to tighten should it misbehave. So for now that wasn't a worry.

 

[Ravenous]

"No," She answered, "I do not feel well. At all."

"Yeah, I know." He whispered seemingly lost in thought. "No one does. It'll get better, just give it time. You'll forget about the loss." That's a lie. And he knew it. There are some things you don't forget about and an encounter with the void is one of them. There's a reason mortals are in the third dimension. And it's because the brain breaks outside of it.

"I've never accessed a holocron before. How does one access the knowledge in it?"

"Holocrons are tricky things to find out. They only share what they have and it's tricky to find out what that is without some prior knowledge of what might be inside first. Lucky for you The Abyss Key has information on just about anything you could ask for. Just will it to appear in its logs...you'll find what you're looking for. Although you might find yourself getting frustrated because a good chunk of the information begins to experience corruption further down the line. Also as new innovation arises much of the previous information becomes obsolete. Don't obsess yourself with it, you'll just waste your time."

Ravenous shoved his hands back inside his pockets. "Now I want you to think about something you're really passionate about. Something that ties you to the physical world. If you can do that you'll be drawn back into the third dimension, back where your body is. Keep in mind time here moves much slower than in the real world."

Ravenous slammed his eyes shut and found himself thinking of a table with a red cloth draped over it. In the middle was a plate with a golden omelet still fresh and steaming as though it had just come out the pan. People severely underestimate Ravenous' love of food and the lengths he will go to in order to acquire it. Ravenous is just one of those people who wait to get their first scoop of food before asking for double just to make sure the clerk doesn't play games with the second scoop by making it smaller.

All that aside he was back in the material world as the switch between physical and metaphysical was simply second nature for him at this point. Telani should have no trouble following him but she might be surprised to find them in the back of a storage unit surrounded by a strange contingent of armed individuals prepped for a fight. There were crates of explosives lining the middle of the deck as well as some heavier weaponry and ordinance. Throwing her into the middle of all this was a bit mean but he was sure she'd catch on quickly.

"Our mission as of right now. Is to get these men out of the city undetected. I was hoping you'd wake up sooner your skills would have made this first part of this go much smoother. Right now Iziz is about to go on full lockdown and it's our job to make sure we are out of here before that happens. Are you ready? Because the first checkpoint is coming up soon."

 

[Telani]

"Yeah, I know." He whispered seemingly lost in thought. "No one does. It'll get better, just give it time. You'll forget about the loss." That's a lie. And he knew it. There are some things you don't forget about and an encounter with the void is one of them. There's a reason mortals are in the third dimension. And it's because the brain breaks outside of it.

"Why don't I believe you?" She asked him straight up. But it wasn't confrontational. It was sad, it was more to do with someone saying 'thanks for trying' than anything. Even so, she would move on. Maybe it was a good thing it ate her sense of mercy, cause now she'd have no mercy to show it. It would never know freedom with her, it was unwilling, but now she had nothing to hold back her wrath should it step out of line, she'd destroy it if she had to, or die trying.

"Holocrons are tricky things to find out. They only share what they have and it's tricky to find out what that is without some prior knowledge of what might be inside first. Lucky for you The Abyss Key has information on just about anything you could ask for. Just will it to appear in its logs...you'll find what you're looking for. Although you might find yourself getting frustrated because a good chunk of the information begins to experience corruption further down the line. Also as new innovation arises much of the previous information becomes obsolete. Don't obsess yourself with it, you'll just waste your time."

She nodded and said, "understood."

Ravenous shoved his hands back inside his pockets. "Now I want you to think about something you're really passionate about. Something that ties you to the physical world. If you can do that you'll be drawn back into the third dimension, back where your body is. Keep in mind time here moves much slower than in the real world."

Something she's really passionate about huh? Hmm. She let her own eyes close, and thought. Well she really enjoyed making A'sura really uncomfortable, so teasing him was certainly something she considered a passion. So she pictured it, his face the last time he saw her naked, and how amusing it was to make his life difficult. And back she went into the material plane.

All that aside he was back in the material world as the switch between physical and metaphysical was simply second nature for him at this point. Telani Telani should have no trouble following him but she might be surprised to find them in the back of a storage unit surrounded by a strange contingent of armed individuals prepped for a fight. There were crates of explosives lining the middle of the deck as well as some heavier weaponry and ordinance. Throwing her into the middle of all this was a bit mean but he was sure she'd catch on quickly.

"Our mission as of right now. Is to get these men out of the city undetected. I was hoping you'd wake up sooner your skills would have made this first part of this go much smoother. Right now Iziz is about to go on full lockdown and it's our job to make sure we are out of here before that happens. Are you ready? Because the first checkpoint is coming up soon."

Well, that was something. At least she'd be able to let out some frustration. She didn't know how much clothing he had managed to put her in before dragging her in there, but knowing him he probably didn't want her without clothes on. But that was a secondary concern.

"So what do you need me to do?"

 

[Telani]

Ravenous

 

[Ravenous]

"So what do you need me to do?"

Ravenous stood and laced up his jacket before throwing up its hood shrouding him in shadow. "Nothing right now. But be ready I have a feeling we won't be peacefully leaving Iziz." From out, Ravenous' sleeves two hilts flew into Telani 's hands shining with a new layer of metal wrapped around it presumably foreign in nature. "I took the liberty of cleaning those things up as well as adding a cortosis weaving around them. It's not perfect to properly smith that would take far more time but still, it'll stop your weapons from being cut in half right?" Having said his piece, Ravenous retreated to the driver's compartment the red flashing lights and huge 50ft tall laser gate outside the window upsetting him, visible by the scowl that formed on his mangled face.

"Lockdown..." Ravenous slammed his eyes shut and began seething properly meditating on his irritation and anger, they were fuel and they would serve him well in keeping his focus. Exhaling, Ravenous felt the rage leave his body clearing his judgment to make his next move to remember his next move. It was clear to him that their escape would be impeded so they would have to be aggressive, surprise them and HOPEFULLY put the enemy on the defensive. Inhaling, Ravenous brought anger and hatred back to his mind plaguing his thoughts and crafting his bones of steel for the battle ahead.

"Everyone listen closely. I only wanna say this once. The gate in front of us is the only passageway into the outer wall of the city and the armed Onderonian guard has it locked down. That being said there is one other way through the wall...but it isn't pretty." Ravenous stepped toward the back of the transport his fingers curling his lightsaber in their semi-cybernetic grasp. "The whole city save for the royal palace gets its water from the same reservoir meaning there has to be pipes connecting the inner ring to the outer ring." Ravenous turned his golden gaze toward, Telani his eyes burning with fury and passion for blood.

"It's settled my plan is now in motion. Telani. Take a small team and find out where the inner rings pipe system is housed, I got a plan that could benefit from your skillset." Ravenous gestured toward a crate sitting in the middle of the deck its lid slightly pushed off revealing a row of explosives and heavy ordinance inside. "Take those bombs with you and plant them on the sides of the pipes. If this works we'll be able to dry out the capital and make our escape." Ravenous slammed his fist into, Telani's chest the impact not as powerful with all his armor and metal plating gone.

"This is your mission. Don't screw it up. We're on a timetable here, if you can't find the reservoir before the rest of us are pushed into a corner this revolutionary movement is gonna be that much harder. If you mess around and fail I'll kick your ass!" Having thoroughly chewed out his twi'lek friend, Ravenous turned to address the rest of the insurgents some excited at the prospect of fighting and others sweating a river that rivaled the one they were planning to swim through. "Take who you need. Everyone else is with me!! We're gonna hide this gear and cause as much mayhem as possible! Hopefully, we can divert enough of the guard to make, Telani's job easier."

There was a loud banging on the side of the transport leading up to a set of footsteps approaching the backdoor, Ravenous was leaning against. "Open this door! We're coming in!" Ravenous smiled a toothy grin all too happy to let the kind guards in. With a shudder, the twin doors flew open revealing the vagrants inside their weapons primed and blinking trained on whatever poor sod decided to drop in. You can't describe that mixture of fear and surprise that comes right before death. It's something otherworldly. Makes sense considering you only see it right before getting sent to the other world.

"WHAT!!" A sea of red flooded the streets as dozens of weapons discharged filling the air with an ion-esk smell that was lost in the charred smoke rising from what used to be an Onderonian guard turned smoking husk. Ravenous slipped to the back of the crowd hiding himself from the huge firefight ensuing sparks and flashes of light just barely missing him as he saw to the rates sitting in the middle of the transport. "Do what you have to but get these crates out of here!" There was a brief pause in the fighting as the rebels jumped onto the pavement two of the group cut down by the enemy before they ever made it off the street and into the back alleyways with Ravenous and the others.

"She'll be fine. The void shouldn't be potent yet." Ravenous assured himself in regard to, Telani and the monster seething within. The dark Jedi was making a point of keeping his Lightsaber hidden until its environs became the most effective for it, the less he was seen the better. Shock value is a lot of what goes into a fight and he was certain that the enemy wasn't expecting him to whip out a Lightsaber and start twirling it around like a madman. "Climb onto the roofs! They've got numbers and they've got skills but all that doesn't mean jack if they're unprepared to use it!" Getting the cargo up there could be a hassle but they can't afford to leave it behind too much has already gone into securing these weapons losing them would defeat the whole point of coming here.

 

[Ravenous]

Sorry about the wait I was having trouble actually getting around to writing because things kept coming up and my work kept getting deleted when I came back.

 

[Telani]

Sorry about the wait I was having trouble actually getting around to writing because things kept coming up and my work kept getting deleted when I came back.

(no worries, my summer's really busy so I won't reply much. I will reply though, I swear.)

 

[Telani]

Ravenous stood and laced up his jacket before throwing up its hood shrouding him in shadow. "Nothing right now. But be ready I have a feeling we won't be peacefully leaving Iziz." From out, Ravenous' sleeves two hilts flew into Telani Telani 's hands shining with a new layer of metal wrapped around it presumably foreign in nature. "I took the liberty of cleaning those things up as well as adding a cortosis weaving around them. It's not perfect to properly smith that would take far more time but still, it'll stop your weapons from being cut in half right?"

She wordlessly caught each saber hilt, now reinforced somehow, she wasn't privy to the exact nature of this reinforcement or how it worked, but it was an upgrade. She couldn't complain. She simply nodded her understanding. (Btw did he dress her or is she naked and in a mask while among these revolutionaries? I'm fine with either, just wondering.)

"Everyone listen closely. I only wanna say this once. The gate in front of us is the only passageway into the outer wall of the city and the armed Onderonian guard has it locked down. That being said there is one other way through the wall...but it isn't pretty." Ravenous stepped toward the back of the transport his fingers curling his lightsaber in their semi-cybernetic grasp. "The whole city save for the royal palace gets its water from the same reservoir meaning there has to be pipes connecting the inner ring to the outer ring." Ravenous turned his golden gaze toward, Telani his eyes burning with fury and passion for blood.

"It's settled my plan is now in motion. Telani. Take a small team and find out where the inner rings pipe system is housed, I got a plan that could benefit from your skillset." Ravenous gestured toward a crate sitting in the middle of the deck its lid slightly pushed off revealing a row of explosives and heavy ordinance inside. "Take those bombs with you and plant them on the sides of the pipes. If this works we'll be able to dry out the capital and make our escape." Ravenous slammed his fist into, Telani's chest the impact not as powerful with all his armor and metal plating gone.

"This is your mission. Don't screw it up. We're on a timetable here, if you can't find the reservoir before the rest of us are pushed into a corner this revolutionary movement is gonna be that much harder. If you mess around and fail I'll kick your ass!" Ha

She grinned evilly behind the mask. She didn't have a problem with sabotage or murder before, but now she found that she was relishing it. She wanted to kill someone. To rip them in half with the force and watch their innards spill across the ground. She wanted death.

"Yes sir." She said simply.

She stood up and selected four men. They'd handle the bombs and ordinances, as well as cover her flanks, she was on point, and she'd handle the fighting. As soon as Ravenous started the fight, she and her squad went out and left for the reservoir pipe. First they had to find someone who knew where it was to make it easier. Luckily there were enemy soldiers all over the place. Catch one and torture the information out of him, and they were golden. Or she'd just rip it out of his mind, as long as the job was done.

As they left the battlefield behind she lead her group. They'd get this done, not that Ravenous frightened her, no, she forced a stalemate when she didn't have so many secrets, he might still be her superior but she was relatively sure she could force another stalemate if it came down to it. But she intended to succeed, he'd given her a purpose, and for that he had her loyalty. She'd succeed, or die.

 

[Ravenous]

(As scary as a masked, naked red woman running through the streets would be I'm gonna have to bet on, Ravenous trying to keep his credibility lol)

Vigil in his movements, Ravenous carefully avoided every blaster round fired at him his footwork and boastful expression highlighted by the fact his hands had not even attempted to leave his pockets. Ravenous was enjoying himself and no amount of blaster fire would change that no matter how close some bolts came to striking the man.

"You got those crates up here?" Ravenous calmly said as a blaster bolt flew overhead. "Yeah, but I don't understand what you expect us to do with them." Stepping to the side, Ravenous allowed another beam to strike the rooftop scoring the stone from which it was built. "Observe." His expression growing serious, Ravenous formed cracks in the rooftop as he ascended into the air a faint blue glow steaming around his feet as he landed on the adjacent balcony five armed guards quickly turning their blasters to the apparent sorcerer.

"Bring it, chumps." There was energy in their movements, power in the stride they took, and intent behind every pull of the trigger made in vain. The Force is like water in that every single action leaves ripples perceivable to those that would see them and feel their energy inconsiderate of how significant. Before a shot even fires a ripple in the Force is made and Ravenous responds to it, heeds the warning and as a result...he's left unscathed.

Ravenous is the bane of life a plague on the Force and yet he uses the cosmic currents to meet his ends no matter how much twisting and warping must be done. The Force can despise him all it wants he's still privy to it and even as it lashes out in anger at him he stands outside it, taunting it, feeding on it. It's a miracle he's even allowed to stand with the things he's done and the things he plans to do. The barrel of his blaster blocked by Ravenous' hand a conscripted soldier quickly fired off another charge only for his weapon to turn on him and explode in the hand of the still untouched Ravenous.

"Don't you get it yet? You were finished from the start." Pushing forward, Ravenous split the air in his path as he bolted toward the nearest enemy and quite literally shattered his hands by smacking the blaster of his hands. Keeping the momentum, Ravenous forced energy to gather in his fingertips creating an electrical charge that coated his arms in Sith Lightning in all its crackling, purple glory. His arms now weapons, Ravenous shoved them through the ribs of two soldiers splattering charred innards on the ground as the Dark Jedi continued his advance.

"Phone it in!" Dropping the two corpses, Ravenous seemingly teleported behind the final guard when in reality, Ravenous had yet to leave his initial spot. Frenzied the older gentleman began firing at nothing his worry only growing as his shots flew through the illusion before him. "Hey, gramps." Ravenous grabbed the man's armored shoulder. "I'm over here." In a particularly gory demise, the old man's chest exploded leaving a gaping hole in his torso where only a thin strand of muscle tissue connected the head and shoulders.

"I hope these revolutionaries offer dry cleaning services." Caked in blood, Ravenous spoke through crimson-stained lips. "This jacket is no mere thrift. I'd like to keep it for a while." It's probably better if we don't discuss what happened to the final guard but it suffices to say that he didn't make it. Jumping over to the rest of the group, Ravenous found that things grew quiet now that the initial guard had been defeated and with few casualties. "We'd better split up. A bigger group will be easier to track."

Reaching into his coat pocket, Ravenous retrieved a commlink and held it out to the rugged brick of a man who met his gaze with skepticism. Or was that resentment? It's hard to tell with these strong silent types. "Take. It. I don't like standing around here long." After staring for a few more seconds the captain (if you could even call him that) finally took the commlink and clipped it to his belt refusing to revert his attention away from Ravenous. Everywhere, Ravenous looked the rebel's eyes followed boldly staring into the golden glow of hate.

"Sooo...we're fighting with, Jedi now? What a joke. What do people like you want with Onderon?" Ravenous sighed and wiped the blood off his face. Evidently, he would have to explain himself to the public eye. "What do you know about the Jedi? They're marketed as peacekeepers you think they'd do that? Well, your right. They just refrain from it because they follow a code, a set of restrictions meant to keep their power in check. I have no connections to that code other than having been instructed on it by a certain friend of mines. Jedi, Sith, me we all probably look the same to you people and that's fair. Now be silent. I'm too tired to explain five-thousand years of history right now."

The day, Ravenous loses his stamina problem is the day he achieves perfection he swears it. Until that fated day comes, however, he will have to rest and cling to what little stamina he possesses. Why couldn't he be born a Skywalker or some other beast with godly endurance? "We're splitting up. You take the crates and keep them moving around the city while I..." Gripping his saber hilt, Ravenous charged off the side of the building pushing away the dust that would venture to stand in the way of his descent.

"Give you the chance to determine Jedi. I wonder...just how much the Queen values her men. To be throwing them away trying to kill something...that doesn't live." The Dark Jedi quickly took off down the alleyway the will of death and destruction burning on the surface of his skin.

Telani

 

[Telani]

Another guy with a gun came by, another guy with a gun cut in half. Telani and her unit were blitzkrieging their way through the city, and they'd found their way to their objective. She directed the men to place the bombs while she went to work butchering anyone dumb enough to come close to the area. Telani was far from forgiving before, but now... now there was nothing in her mannerisms to suggest that she had any qualms about killing everyone. Noone, absolutely noone was spared.

The bombs were planted, She told them to get to a safe distance, killed the last few immediate threats, then followed them, and said "Blow it."

There was a loud blast, and the pipe was destroyed. It would take a long time to fix that damage. It was time to get back to their compatriots, and so they went back the way they came, noone to kill this time, everyone was already dead. She saw the rest of the enemies back near their vehicle, and her vision went red. It was time for murder.

 

[Ravenous]

Two flashes of light, two bodies collapsed on the ground smoldering their heads having been removed from their shoulders. Every step took backward, every squeeze of a trigger or withdrawal of breath sent ripples through the Force crashing into one another and producing a feeling of motion that Ravenous could track. It didn't matter where the ripple came from or just how small and insignificant it was. Every action that could be made could be predicted ahead of time as the feeling of movement rushes ahead of effects and leaves a whisper an echo in his mind.

Water rushed over him coming from behind. There was force and killer intent behind the attack as it rapidly rushed toward him. Ravenous dipped to the side and dodged the oncoming laser round before using his amethyst blade to return the blast to its sender. Two steps backward? Ravenous took two steps forward. Ravenous went for the strike and it struck true as the soldier felt his chest ripped open. There was a sort of rhythm in the way Ravenous moved when assailed by an enemy that outnumbers him.

The Dark Jedi finds himself moving reactively only striking when opportune and always finding his mark no matter what steps they take to evade him. In the distance behind a sea of buildings, an explosion rang out shooting fire into the skies and filling the air with shadow and smoke.

"Looks like we're done here for now. I'll be back to murder your queen later...but you all won't get to see it." Darkly, Ravenous' body began to swirl with crimson energy that tore apart the ground and let depravity into the air. Everything it touched was drained of life and everything that saw it was filled with despair before being torn asunder the strings with which their life made music ripped out and dried on the floor like their now decaying bodies.

"That attack...cannot be blocked. It drains the lie of any it touches...in this case you-" Ravenous fell to a single knee his energy drained and his throat plagued as he retched coughing blood onto the ground. "Guess I went past my limits again. Really need to work on that." Ravenous rose to his feet and followed the sounds of battle coming from the explosion. No doubt following it would lead him to Telani where both groups could link up and exit the city.

Rounding a corner Ravenous found his red-skinned friend eagerly dashing toward the enemy their retreat a wiser move than they might even realize. "Let them go. We do want survivors to tell our tale, don't we? If you just give in to that hunger every single time it arises then sooner or later you'll become addicted like I once was. For karks sake what happened to all that compassion you were so proud of before? Don't tell me that got eaten as well? No matter. You probably didn't need it anyway. Mercy is just an excuse we come up with so we don't have to make a decision we might regret."