Hidden Amongst The Thicket

[Maiev]

Maiev bit back a curse as she realized Elpsis was right. Even if her armour didn't make a noise when moving, the silvery metal wasn't exactly ideal for sneaking through darkness and shadow.

The witch looked out at the village again, trying to size up whether an outright assault would be any good. But it was plainly apparent the numbers would be highly against their favour by a large margin. Even then, there was the whole hive mind thing, if they were to attack one then it would no doubt alert the rest of the village and they'd have the entire population gunning for them.

Although Maiev's musings were broken upon hearing Elpsis' plan, the witch turning to look at the empath.

"That's-no, that's way to dangerous with the fact the corruption's presence is effecting you." Maiev's eyes lingered out to the village again, but could not think of any better alternative. Splitting up and distracting their forces would make it easier for the witch to sneak in. Though it practically threw Elpsis right into thick of danger. Maiev was concerned even though she knew the redhead was capable of holding her own - she also had several things going against her that might impede her.

<You could always try a blessing, there was that one tribe that co-existed with the Wilds.>

But would that even work here? It was only useful because they were in harmony with nature...

<There's no way of knowing until you've tried. Besides, you did commune with the planet earler remember?> Maiev's attention returned to reality, her eyes still focused on Elpsis.

"Okay, we can do that. But I might have something that can help you, a blessing of sorts - or I suppose you could even call it an enchantment."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]

As far as plans went, it was not the best. But they lacked good options. Elpsis would be lying if she said she was not anxious or afraid. Fear was something no warrior, no matter how experienced or tough, could entirely banish from their mind.


Unless they were seriously deranged in some way. At some point, survival instinct set in. The key point was whether you let fear dominate you or used it as drive to prevent that which you feared from coming to pass.


Her eyes lingered on the village ahead of them, taking in the myriad presences she felt. Of men and beast, of those who had been corrupted and those who were still being broken in. Of the twisted plants and the blighted soil beneath her. It was an effort to maintain sight, but she could still feel the pain that was so palpable in the air.


White Wolf, give me strength. Because I could really use your help right now, heavenly mother, she thought to herself. Maiev's words pulled her out of her thoughts. "A blessing, huh? Sure. That's sweet. I'll be fine, but I could use a good luck charm. Uh, how does it work?" Her eyes locked with Maiev's. Will I get a kiss? she wondered.

 

[Maiev]

<A good luck charm she calls it.> Kalax let out an amused snort in response.

Maiev on the other hand gave Elpsis a small nod, happy that the empath had agreed. Crouching down the witch dug her fingers into the dirt, but paused when she realized the corruption went deeper than just the surface. That wouldn't do, but nor could Maiev do anything to remedy it. The blessing required some connection to the planet's nature, but with the state of the ground around them?

It was impossible for the physical element to be implemented.

Cursing lightly, Maiev brushed the dirt from her fingers and looked over at Elpsis.
"Firstly an explanation..." She began, figuring the empath would prefer some context to what was intended. Maiev knew she certainly would if she were in her boots. "There's this tribe on Dathomir, situated into the furthest reaches of the Wilds. They generally keep neutral to the ongoing 'politics', focusing on protecting the forests. There's several chants and blessings of there's that help communing with nature. Although part of it makes use of some physical catalyst - like dirt. So unfortunately this won't be as potent as normal."

This was certainly not some simply 'good luck charm', if that wasn't already clear by the time she finished explaining.

Maiev walked up to Elpsis and raised her hands to the redhead's face, gently resting them against either side. Within a single beat of the heart, Maiev simply looked into her vacant eyes, wondering what it was like to be effectively blind. Words and descriptions were one thing, but experiencing it was something else entirely. She moved on from that swifly, closing her own eyes as she began to chant in Dathomirian. The words likely came across as gibberish if Elpsis couldn't understand the language, but there was still some elegance to it. The usual combination of Maiev's and Kalax's voice did not flow from her lips, this time it was solely the witch herself.

As the chant continued, Elpsis would feel a small degree of lightness, lifting some of the weight that was burdening her due to the corruption. It wasn't done away with entirely, rather something else was lending a helping hand and lifting a small portion off her shoulders. Other than that, there would be a sensation of something being draped over her back, like a cloak invisible to the eye. But Elpsis would certainly feel it, and its connection the the earth. Maiev was calling upon the connection she had made earlier, when she had tied the feral Felucians down with roots.

Slowly the chant began to wind down, the words bordering on alluring but was soon over before that could really sink in. Maiev ended it with a small kiss to Elpsis' forehead. Probably not the type the redhead was hoping for. After that, she stepped back and gave her a nod.

"There we go, you now have a temporarily connection with Felucia's earth, or nature rather. If you end up in dire straights, she shall come to your aid if needed. It should last a few hours, which will hopefully be enough time for me to reach the sarlacc."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


Well, that was not the good luck charm Elpsis had expected. It was a lot better...even if she did not get the kiss she wanted. She experienced a sensation of lightness, as if a spectral hand hand raised her up and reduced the crushing weight on her shoulder.


She felt empowered. More importantly, she felt connected to the soil beneath her feet, and the primordial power of the earth that was free of corruption and beyond the reach of the taint. A warm cloak covered her shoulders, shielding her from the malevolent forces in the air. She breathed in. I won't fail. "Thanks. You really gotta teach me what those words mean. Well, off I go. May She be with you...and with Casper." Yes, Kalax was not losing the nickname that easily.


"Ok. I'm doing this." Maiev got a quick hug, then Elpsis rose to her feet. Leaving Maiev in her cover, she stepped forward, advancing. Hmm. I guess I gotta say something...dramatic, she realised. It was time for her to exercise her remarkable wit....yeah, totally. "C'mon, you lot, let's party."


A whispered incanation leapt from her lips. Then blazing light and flame streamed from her hand. Felucian warriors hissed, war beasts roared, spears and slug projectiles were hurled her way. Elpsis kept moving, even as a storm of volleys both mental and physical shot towards her and warriors charged. And suddenly there the entire area was filled with illusionary apparations of Elpsis. Each of them wore the same archaic armour, each of them looked and felt real, to all intents and purposes. Undoubtedly the hive mind would know it was a trick and only one was the true one, but finding her would take a little bit and buy Maiev some time. Now Elpsis just had to avoid getting swamped and killed.

 

[Maiev]

Maiev chuckled at Elpsis's comment towards Kalax, the spirit grumbling away with indignation. She was most certainly not getting away from that with Elpsis around, and in fact Maiev was debating on whether it should stick around even when the empath wouldn't be.

Though the joking was quickly pushed aside as things got serious.

"And may the Force be with you." Cliche as it was, it was nonetheless still true.

Maiev returned the quick hug and watched from her hiding spot as Elpsis moved out into the opening.

<She'll be fine> Kalax said, sensing the tension and worry in the witch.

You don't know that...

<Perhaps, but what I do know is you need to stop worrying and focus on getting your arse moving.>

Maiev exhaled, levelling out her breathing as she watched Elpsis enact her plan. She waited until the empath had their attention, drawing their numbers from the village and solely towards her. For a moment Maiev battled the instinct to help her, but kept herself grounded and waited until an opportunity presented itself. After that, the witch dashed from her spot and into the village proper.

She used the shadows and the various huts to keep herself hidden, ducking behind something whenever a Felucian or beast came roaring past. There was no doubt in Maiev's mind that they would just continue pursuing Elpsis until the culprit behind all of thise clued in on what they were doing. Which the witch presumed wouldn't take too long, meaning her chances of getting to the sarlacc would lessen if she wasn't fast enough.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


And so Elpsis was being pursued. She led Felucian warriors and war beasts on a merry chase. Screams erupted across the village. Brainwashed primitives were roasted by fire, others were blinded or clashed with illusionary apparitions.


Sweat dripped down her face and back. Each death caused a red-hot needle to strike her brain, putting a toll on her mental defences. The young empath grit her teeth, steeled herself and pushed on. She would see this through, no matter the cost. She was an inferno that walked and talked, charring flesh down to the bone.


The illusions were strong enough to cause harm in the minds of the primitives and their twisted animals. Strong enough to make the mind believe that the faux lightsabre or fireball really burnt them. But they were taxing - and they dissipated upon being struck.


She needed to get away fast. Just give Maiev another minute or two. "You cannot hide from us," the hive mind's voice tore through her mind with a malevolent, serpentine hiss as she decapacitated a Felucian warrior that had already been burnt by her fire.


"What are you without sight?" Then everything turned black as a shroud of darkness descended upon her. The darkness was not purely physical, for it robbed her of her Force sight. The young empath was swallowed by an all-consuming void, accompanied by the boom of thunder.


She stumbled and fell, crashing against a tree. She tried to focus and fight back against the darkness, but as she tried to centre herself and draw upon the earth, manifold presences manifested. She could not see them - but feel and sense them.


"Hello, Elpsis, sweetie. Did you miss your Daddy? I sure missed you." Her breathing intensified when she heard that terrible, evil voice. "Look at you, wasting your gifts. Again. You're just a pathetic little whore and it's time you learned discipline."


"You're not real. Siobhan killed you. I killed you again in hell."


"Did you really think hell could hold me? Silly girl. As for Siobhan...you failed her as well."


"I should have never welcomed you in my family. You're just a weak, childish brat. You failed at Kaeshana, you failed at Mustafar, you ran away like a coward. You have brought nothing but shame to your family," the apparition of Siobhan Kerrigan hissed.


"Look who's here, my failed daughter. You know what Mirien did to me and yet you cuddled up to her. I despise you. You betrayed me, and for that you deserve to die." Mental lightsabres pierced her mind and the young redhead screamed in pain.

 

[Maiev]

It seemed Elpsis had done a splendid job at drawing everyone towards her, as Maiev encountered little resistance as she moved through the village. There were still guards stationed around, but it was easy to sneak by them. The one thing that was really difficult was when a group of Felucians came running past, likely storming through and onwards to back up those that were already pursuing Elpsis.

<Can you feel that?>

Maiev paused as she noticed the ground shaking ever slightly beneath her feet. One could easily mistake it as some type of mini quake or tremor. But with a brief shift of focus towards it, revealed it was the movements of the Ancient Abyss.

The witch pushed across the last stretch, up a steep incline until she was at the top and could look over. Before her was the sarlacc, it's size was immense and it's span seemed like it could rival a decent sized town. This sarlacc was truly ancient to have grown so much.

<Be careful Maiev, the sarlacc is no doubt not going to like->

Kalax's sentence was cut off in the wake of Maiev quickly darting to the side as one of the creature's tentacles slammed down at the spot she had been standing in before. The sudden movement knocked the witch off balance, and she went tumbling down the slope towards the sarlacc. Thankfully there was a decent amount of land before reaching the creature's maw.

Maiev stopped her roll, only to immediately push herself across the ground again as the sarlacc tried to crush her again. This repeated several times, each time the witch barely got out of the way.

Realizing she wasn't going to get a break Maiev summoned the Force to her, waiting until she had a moment; jumping aside just as a tentacle slammed down right beside her. Immediately she placed her hand against it and began her attempt to communicate with the sarlacc. At great risk, as another of its tentacles came soaring down towards her head.

Then it stopped, several feet above her.

"You should not be here..."

A deep, booming voice echoed out across her mind. It's arrival was like finger nails against a chalkboard, grating to both Maiev and Kalax.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


"I didn't betray you! She's not the Mirien you know. Not the one who hurt you. I'd never...aaargh," any words that might have left her lips were cut off and replaced by anguished screams when the volley of lightsabres struck.


Her mental walls were strong, but they cut through, much like a lightsabre can carve through almost any door like a hot knife through butter. Then there was pain - pain and agony when the psychic blades carved through her mind. She felt like her brain was being taken apart.


"You'd never betray me? You did. And as punishment, I will leave you to him," the voice that sounded like her mother's snarled. Her every word dripped with hatred and venom. Dizzyness overcame her. The empath felt light-headed and giddy and her head spun as a strong feeling of vertigo washed over her.


"I was too kind to you. Too forgiving. Now that ends," Siobhan's voice threw in. Pain shot through Elpsis' chest like the stab of a javellin. Her heartbeat was becoming increasingly irregular as she was locked inside the fathomless darkness that seemed to swallow her whole. She screamed.


"Can't take it, dirty little whore? I remember when you were in my dungeon. You sounded just like that when I slithered into you. Your mother screamed in the same way," her father's voice hissed hatefully and mockingly.


"Deep down you're still the same pathetic little girl. So desperate for approval. Like a lost puppy. They're all going to die." Screams resonated inside her mind. Screams of her family being cut down.


"No...no this not real...I must not fear...fear is the little..." The response she got was pain. Thinking was becoming difficult as it felt like blood had trouble reaching her brain. The void itself was draining her. "When all seems lost, She will be there."


"Your imaginary friend cannot save you. Your dear Maiev will die as well. She is being crushed while you whine and cry. Even your dear Taryc saw you're weak. That's why she left you."


[member="Taryc Ap'Irae"], that name helped her find some clarity. She remembered a sweet moment between the two, shortly after that awful battle on Kaeshana. "You are amazing just as you are, you know...you..." She fell silent, knowing that she was pushing into places that might best be left alone. However, she cared too much to do so. "You don't have to be anything but what you are, a compassionate and talented pyromancer and empath who loves her family and friends. You don't need to be a soldier, you don't need to be ok with death..."


Slowly, Elpsis managed to focus. Maiev was out there, counting on her. One hand touched the soil, calling upon the spirits of the earth. The other was raised, displaying a glowing palm. "You're wrong. Taryc cares about me...and I care about her. Mum loves me. So does Sio, even if she's a hardarse about it sometimes. Maiev won't fail and nor will I. And you're just the shade of a monster." Blazing, white light emanated from her open palm. It washed over the darkness like a wave, cleansing it.

 

[Maiev]

"He will be able to sense you, if he isn't already listening in."

"He won't, we're at the epicentre of the storm as it were. It's a blindspot in comparison if we were talking further out." Maiev knelt down and dug her fingers into the dirt. At first glance there was no visible sign of corruption, and a further examination proved it. There was none present within the proximity of the Ancient Abyss. One of her theories had been proven correct. The sarlacc wasn not the source of the corruption, just the catalyst to spread it.

"Hmm..." The sarlacc paused in thought, his presence lingering in Maiev's mind. "You have a point, but what can be done? As you can see, the culprit is nowhere in sight."

"Then do you know where he is? And for that matter, who he is?" She asked, receiving an annoyed grumble in response.

"No." There was anger in that single word, but it wasn't directed at Maiev. "He never showed his face, or gave his name. He simple arrived with four others and went about performing some ritual that tied his being to mine."

"Was it not possible to stop them?"

"It was already too late. By the time I could react, they had managed to infiltrate the village around me, corrupted a portion of the Felucians."

Maiev cursed quietly and began pacing back and forth. Now that the connection was established, and the sarlacc wasn't going to crush her, the witch could freely move around. It was then an idea came to mind, though Kalax was quick to respond.

<That is way too dangerous!>

We don't have many other options available to us, plus this will give us a means to locate the one's behind this.

The witch knelt down to the ground, shifting until she was comfortable. Although before she got underway, she looked over at the sarlacc once more.

"Before I start, I want your word. As one that protects this land and its inhabitants, I want your word that you will do everything you can to help Elpsis. She's currently out there diverting the corrupted Felucians, but I fear she won't be able to keep up with the amount of forces against her."

The Ancient Abyss grumbled, the very ground beneath her trembling as a result.

"You have my word."

Sensing no deceit in the creature, Maiev began to chant, her hands began to move of their own accord, fingers digging into the dirt and began tracing runes around herself. There was a slight rumble in the Force as it progressed, something the Ancient Abyss took note of.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm performing a spell, one that will tether me to the earth and you. I'll be able to take what binds you to the cultist...and place it upon myself."

<Maiev...>

I'll be fine Kalax, but I need you to remain at the surface. Elpsis will be able to pinpoint our location, and from there she'll need you to point her in the direction of the main cultist. If she can cut down the head, the other's will fall as a result.

With that, Maiev finished her spell weaving, and slammed her hands into two runes at either side of her. Both shone with a bright blue glow, before Maiev's lead slumped down and she was greeted by darkness.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


Light washed the darkness away. Much like snow is melted by a supernova, though on a less grand scale here, of course. It was like a veil had been lifted from her eyes. At last, she could perceive the material world again through ethereal eyes.


Elpsis breathed in deeply. Her legs felt very shaky, but she felt like a crushing weight had been lifted from her tired shoulders as clarity returned to her mind. Beads of sweat trickled down her face, while her skull was still afflicted by a painful throbbing. But at last she could breathe freely. Unfortunately, her illusionary apparations had dissipated in the process.


She could see again...but the Felucians could also see her. Ok, this sucks. She could see perceive manifold shapes approaching her location. They felt angry and primal. Loud growls and snarls emanated from the bushes, footsteps thundered on the ground. Oh, dear. So Elpsis did the smart thing and began to run, as if the hounds of hell were on her heels.


Maiev, where are you? She could feel the other witch's presence. It seemed to call to her, but as she tried to pinpoint it, it seemed it like it was being swallowed by darkness. Come heaven or high water, she needed to get to the Ancient Abyss.

 

[Maiev]

As Elpsis reached out, she would feel Maiev's presence but there would be no response, nor was it the witch herself that was calling out.

<This way Elpsis, we're over here!> Although Kalax's words would be lost to the empath; not knowing the language the spirit was speaking, it was still clear as day it was Kalax who was calling out to the redhead.

And as she ran, the Felucians and beasts left behind suddenly halted, confused as a wave of nausea washed over them. The connection that had twisting their minds had been severed, the Ancient Abyss was able to reach them now without the corrupting influence of the cultists. Unfortunately a number of them were not easily dissuaded, or had been corrupted early on and were too deep now to ever be freed from it.

Left in her wake was chaos, with Felucians fighting amongst each other. It gave the empath a clear and open path to reach Maiev's location. Any stragglers that broke free of that carnage, chasing Elpsis, were met with nature's wrath as roots began to curl out of the dirt and stop them.

Upon arriving, she'd find the witch in question knelt on the ground, head lulled forwards, body completely unmoving aside from the rise and fall of her chest. Although that wouldn't be seen by Elpsis, rather she'd see beyond that and to within Maiev. She was still very much alive, but there was a darkness that was swirling around, trying to take control but was meeting resistance.

"Do not get too close."

The sarlacc's voice echoed out across Elpsis' mind, a booming voice but one more calm than previous.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


And so Elpsis ran. She could not understand the words that whispered into her mind, but she knew it was Kalax. Concern and worry for Maiev swelled up inside her. For if it was the spirit that was calling out to the empath, what had happened to the witch?


CRACK A stab of pain surged through her ankle, and she yelped. The bullet had not penetrated, but damaged a joint and so she fell, hitting the ground with a loud thud. A subsequent round bounced off her back, having struck the heavy plating.


Cursing violently, she tried to get up. A ball of flame burst from her hands towards the shooters, then a loud, blood-curdling growl tore through the air and she found herself staring right at two enormous rancors. Felucian warriors emerged from the burning bushes, carrying various melee and ranged weapons.


A shaman raised his hands and a blast of lightning tore through the air...then suddenly the psychic call from the Ancient Abyss reached the horde. Reeling from the blast, it took Elpsis a moment or two to realise what was going on. Like a flood, a wave of nausea washed over her pursuers. It cleansed the minds of a great many of them. When she looked upon them with her ethereal eyes, she no longer perceived the vile taint in most of them...with a few exceptions.


With a loud roar, one of the rancors suddenly plucked the still corrupted shaman from the ground with his massive hand and devoured him. Here and there, Felucian warriors turned on one another. As blades clashed and bullets flew, Elpsis used her chance and got away.


From beneath the earth, roots sprung up and seized those who pursued her. Her features were twisted into a pained grimace, for her ankle gave her grief. What kept her going was the adrenaline surging through her. Finally, she had left the carnage behind her and come across Maiev.


The witch was rigid, unmoving and surrounded by a dark cloud that threatened to engulf her. It felt disturbingly similar to the vile taint produced by the hive mind. Actually, it felt exactly the same. "Maiev! What have you done?" Elpsis called out. Then there was a loud, deafening noise, like the boom of a cannon ball or thunder. It made her wince. Even the ground quaked beneath her feet.


She looked up and beheld the ancient sarlacc. Its size was tremendous and its expanse so vast it could easily fit in a decently populated town. All those legends about it being ancient were not exaggerated. Those tentacles were huge. "You're the Ancient Abyss and...not trying to kill me. So I guess you're not enthralled anymore.Maiev did something, didn't she?" She had the feeling she was not going to like it one bit.

 

[Maiev]

"She freed me, took away the cultist's leash that had bound me to him. But..." Even though the voice could only be heard internally, each word shook the ground, more so now being so close to the source. "Now she's placed it upon herself to stop the corruption, in order for me to turn the tide with the Felucians." Again the ground rumbled, but this time it was after the sarlacc had stopped talking. One could imagine the Ancient Abyss had glanced towards Maiev.

The witch in question remained dead still, but to Elpsis she could probably see that the woman was flinching. Her presence in the Force; a overall grey tone with a shades of light and dark mingled within it. Threads of corrupted darkness were attempted to seep their way through, but immediately met resistance and cast back.

While Maiev was holding it at bay, Kalax was actively helping to force it back - snapping tendrils in half as she tried to get a location of the source.

Both worked in tandem with one another, years of being bond together had formed a tight knit unity between the two. There was hardly a hole in their assault and defence against the corrupting influence.

"I sense two, where there should only be one...The other is trying to find the culprit behind all of th-"

The sarlacc was interrupted by a roar, followed by the sound of stomping feet charging across the ground. From behind Elpsis, across and up the hill incline that led down to the Ancient Abyss, was a rancor. It's presence reeked of the corrupting presence, more so than any before. The cultist leader had imposed his will upon it directly, not even Maiev's efforts to severe the initial connection would've changed it.

But as the beast came charging down, there was a sudden thunderous boom and crack. One of the Ancient Abyss' tentacles swung around and slammed into the rancor, sending it flying into one of the outlying village buildings like a simple rock.

At the same time, Kalax reached out from Maiev and probed at Elpsis' senses specifically, effectively turned the empath's attention to the east - where the Felucian village was at its most densest.

Where the leader was located.

"Go. I shall protect these ones while you track the culprit down."

The sarlacc's various tentacles began to shift around, the ones closest moved to wrap around Maiev forming a physical barrier. While the outer ones shifted into position, ready to lash out at any enemies that might appear.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


Elpsis looked...equal parts concerned and sort of grumpy. "Maiev, when this over we're so gonna over have a talk about this," she grumbled. In all fairness to the witch, Elpsis was probably in no position to get judgemental about awfully risky plans.


However, then there was a tremendous roar, heralding the arrival of a rancor. Ere Elpsis could act, the magnificient beast was struck by the might of the Ancient Abyss and catapulted far away like a rock. That was cool.


However, now was not the time to fangirl. Her attention was pulled towards the east, where the Felucian village lay. There, chaos reigned. There, the puppet masters who had orchestrated this madness were hiding. They could not be allowed to continue their work - or escape punishment.


"I'll go find and end them," she swore, resolve evident in her tone. The Force flowed through her injured foot, doing what it could to stiffle the pain. It could not eliminate it, but would make it easier to walk. There was no time for healing. She moved as fast as her wounded foot would allow her. "Look after her for me...please."

 

[Maiev]

"I owe her a debt for freeing me. Protecting her is the least I can do. Now hurry, the sooner they are dead the better."

Silence fell, there was little else to be said, the Ancient Abyss remained resolute in its defence of Maiev. The dark cloud continued to loom around the witch like a stalking predator, still attempting to find a hole in her defence. And gradually it was working, chinks of Maiev's mental armour were slipping away. Her entire body twitched in reaction each time it happened.

Kalax was able to force it back, but it was still left a hole in the defence. One the chaotic influence would become insistantly focused on, to try and widen the gap.

There was nothing more that could be done here.

As Elpsis would move through the village, she'd find it in turmoil. Many of the Felucians had since returned to it, but they were still in conflict with one another.

There was an obvious divide between the corrupted and the uncorrupted, but even some of the latter were fighting amongst each other. It seemed the sheer thirst for blood went beyond that.

At the far end of the village, beyond all the fighting, was a large round structure. It was a meeting hall of sorts, and more specifically was where the source of the darkness was lingering.

Back at the sarlacc pit, more of the leader's minions were beginning to arrive. The Ancient Abyss growled, the ground rumbling in its wake. Tentacles raising up, poised and ready to fight.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


"I will not fail," Elpsis swore, and dashed away. Inside the village, she found naught but chaos. It a relief to see that many of the Felucians had broken free from the hive mind, but equally sickening to watch the slaughter that unfolded around her.


The natives fell upon one another with blade, spear and gun. Cries of pain echoed across the village. Her heart pulled at her to intervene and help...perhaps attempt to pacify the feral ones. Her head told her that her and Maiev's efforts would be for naught if she did not end the real culprits.


In the end, her head won out. Her feet carried her towards a large round structure. Seen through her ethereal eyes, it did not look like a conventional building. Instead, she saw a massive cloud of darkness, which seemed to engulf the entire building. Indeed, it looked like it was surrounded by a thick black haze.


Filled with purpose, she approached the den of vileness. A stab of precognition jolted her skull and she ignited her lightsabre in a blaze of orange, just in time to catch a scalding blast of lightning that shrieked from the fingertips of a dark robed cultist.


Just as her blade intercepted the forking arcs of dazzlingly bright hatred, a telekinetic blast from another cultist slammed into her and blew her off her feet, sending her flying into a wooden wall. Ouch. She landed hard, rolled and was dazed for a moment.


But then she rallied. Now at last she could behold her opponents, four dark acolytes in total. Her lightsabre was out of her grasp, but her left wrist was raised and the Wrist Tensor spat doom, expelling a focused, compressed tractor beam that burst the cells of a charging cultist. Cells died, flesh was torn through cracks and a cultist cried in anguish. Her right hand became flame and expelled a charring wave.

 

[Maiev]

The leader had known she was coming, it was inevitable after the damn witch had managed to severe his connection to the Ancient Abyss. And while she had taken the tether onto herself, it was now going to be impossible to get any further in trying to control her.

Especially with the empath no doubt fast on her way to his location.

For now he'd have to resort to sending the Felucians and beasts he still had control over, to the sarlacc to capture the witch. She had proven herself to be resourceful, and the fact she seemed to have a spirit lingering within her was more so intriguing. Even if his efforts on Felucia were to fail, if he could pull the Dathomirian under his control...

"Master, she's here."

His attention snapped towards the door, and he could indeed feel the empath's presence approaching. Chit, there's no time to escape....

"We have the greater numbers, prepare yourselves. She cannot beat us all." The leader skulked to as far back as he could, allowing his underlings to do all the work. He wasn't that much of a fighter after all.

The moment she entered the building, one of the cultists sent a burst of lightning towards Elpsis, but she had managed to absorb it with her lightsaber. Another however managed to land a blast against her, sending her hurtling into a wall. But it didn't seemed to deter her, and before they knew it one of their numbers had fallen. Then the fire came and the leader quickly scuttled across the shadows to get out of the way of it.

One of the cultists managed to summon the force, bringing up a barrier around himself. Another managed to utilize it to defend himself too, but the third was caught in the fire and perished. With the building now in flames, the remaining two went to attack Elpsis, while the leader was trying to stealthily sneak around towards the exit.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]


Two down, two more to go! However, right now Elpsis was on the defensive. An unnatural pressure clamped down upon her throat, holding it in a grip so tight as a droid's pincer. It became...difficult for her to breathe. She did not fight the pressure, or try to force oxygen into her lungs. That only made it harder to resist. Instead she focused and through sheer will dissipated the chokehold. But the two flunkies had crossed the distance and launched themselves at her, one coming from each side.


One launched a furious cut aimed at her head. The redhead was too late to bring up her lightsabre, but rather than cause her head to tumble to the ground, her attacker's sabre met a barrier of the Force, bouncing off as if it had hit a solid wall of phrik. Sparks flew and Elpsis got some serious sunburn, but was otherwise unharmed.


The other cultist launched a flurry of strikes, coordinating them with his comrade's subsequent assault. Twin crimson blades rained down upon her like a furious tempest. Her own orange blade rose in response to intercept them. Dodging, sidestepping and parrying, she tried to ward off their attacks and gain breathing space to draw upon the Force and end this before the flood overwhelmned her.


However, it was then that she sensed the true mastermind, the author of the misery that had afflicted Felucia. His presence could not be missed - and he was getting away. The distraction was enough for one of the cultists to slip past her guard and directed his burning beam towards her arm. White-hot pain shot through her as the blade burnt into a joint. It was sheer luck that she did not lose her arm, but it bloody hurt.


She was driven back and buckled under the strain, as the injury in her foot played up again. Luckily, she ducked under a massive cut and directed her good foot to give her opponent a hard kick in the ribs. The Force exploded outward like a small nova. It knocked her opponents aside, though they were probably still alive, and pushed the charring flames towards the leader of the cult.

 

[Maiev]

As his two remaining underlings continued to fight/delay Elpsis, the leader was making it closer and closer towards the door. He knew that he was potentially going from an simple fire, to an outright inferno outside. Even from in here he could hear all the racket outside. Now that his control was broken, the Felucians had been driven mad, either still feeling the lingering effects of the corruption or falling upon their base instincts with all the fighting that was going on.

But he'd rather try his chances in a more open area, than in a building that was quickly becoming a fire trap.

The leader looked over to see the empath was gradually getting the better of the two cultists, so he loosened his presence a bit so she would see him.

A calculated risk but...

One of the cultists managed to land a blow against Elpsis. The double distraction allowed for the leader to finally reach the door. But it was within that same moment when the empath simply unleashed the Force outwards in an explosive impact. Both cultists were sent flying, the one she had kicked in the ribs was thrown into a burning chair.

It was safe to say it was his final resting place.

Chit, chit!

The leader pushed the door open just as the fire nipped at his heels, managed to catch the bottom of his robe on fire. He leaped to the ground as the fire roared through the doorway and over his head, but his immediate concern was trying to put out the fire on his arse. Literally.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]​

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Maiev"]

"Hurts, doesn't it, queen?" Elpsis spat while the cult leader was caught by the flames. He deserved it. Limping, she advanced towards him, stepping through the flames. She was hurt, in pain and remarkably pissed off. One cultist was dead, another might be out cold but still among the living. She ignored him for the time being.


"That's just a tiny fraction of the pain you put the planet through. I felt it. Viscerally. Question is, can you take it?" The Force swelled up inside her, like an avenging phoenix eager to unleash a firestorm and consume all evil in its path.


"Let's see." Then she slammed her mind into his, mentalist to mentalist, unleashing what to all intents and purposes amounted to weaponised empathy. She had soaked up all the pain, anguish and terror that permeated Felucia, now she was throwing it back at the source of the planet's misery. Her mental thermic lances wanted to not just penetrate his brain, but fry it.