Into the Badlands

[Cortana Jade]

It was very weird in the fact that she hated [member="Darth Vornskr"] with a deep passion, but loved his insane antics and overwhelming presence nearly all at the same time. While she despised what she became, she secretly began to embrace it all as he brought out emotions she had held back for years as a Jedi; she wouldn't dare lie and say she didn't feel liberated. However...she thought her unusual liking of the Sith Lord was partially due to the enchantments on her mind and soul. While she grew to like the monster, she knew she needed to slay him all the same; he had caused her too much pain...

She worked as his hand, up until his disappearance and not even she knew what became of him. He seemingly vanished, his presence wasn't nearly as powerful as it had been, but it lingered on as she still had a piece of him...her true goal was to be rid of him and everyone else; even herself and to accomplish that she needed to be free, and now was a time better than any other.

Recently she had joined [member="Ashin Varanin"] in The brotherhood that is Ke'dem hoping to work against and strip power from those who wouldn't deserve it. While she hated the Jedi as well...this seemed the more viable option given her current situation...an enemy of her enemy. Though, first she needed to update herself on Sith Lore and Sorcery to dispel the enchantments restricting her from complete freedom.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"] was a contact she came to discover through the Ke'dem network. Tracking her down was difficult to say the least, but she finally sent word to Denon in hopes that her journey there wouldn't be in vain; she was running out of time.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Sochi Ru"]


"I hear you're dead, Master Jedi. I'd say rest in peace...but oblivion is not always final, is it?"


Totally not a cynical thought, yet one that crossed Sumiko's mind when she received Sochi Ru's message. The Jedi's death was a matter of record, though some details might still be nebulous. Yet clearly she had returned from the Netherworld. The easiest explanation would be that she had come back from the dead during the Second Akala Crisis when the gates had been flung open.


Sumiko was sceptical. No, this was a different matter. A potentially more intriguing one. There were very few resurrections that did not come with a price. The message she had received elaborated on the fact that the former Jedi sought out her expertise for Sith magicks. Reading it over again, she sent a response, declaring she was interested and would like to meet Master Ru on Denon.


The Tegaea Alcori Café would be a good spot for a first meeting. For one, they had delightful wafers. Sumiko would make the necessary arrangements so that a private room would be set aside for their meeting on the upper levels of the café. One good thing about Denon was the fact that it was a massive ecumenopolis and thus easy to get lost in.

 

[Cortana Jade]

"Master Jedi...a title I had so long ago, a title under which most knew me. I remember even still my devotion to such a title, and those who gave it to me..." she thought very silently and emotionally to herself reading the response of Sumiko...her response?

"It would seem my definition of the afterlife was wrong all along. Is anything really final? I'll be seeing you soon."

No time was wasted in her travels to Denon, she was much more confident seeing as how a place was established; she would have hated searching for one specific person in a massively populated area. Her very limited time here was a fulfilling one for the Togruta...no one knew her here, and the very presence that enveloped her made her seem like she was one of them...no one. However, while things seemed alright from her perspective, she drew unwanted stares due to her appearance. After being put to rigorous physical test under Kaine she had opted out of normal robes often, a more primitive look suited her best...it expressed how she felt.

She wore very revealing garments, which were only covered by a single overlaying robe; nothing else.

She stumbled into the Cafe, and stood there as others stared her down. She walked forward and demanded of the service to escort her to her contact. She let go a sigh as she followed her guide to the upper levels, and as they ascended things became more lavish to say the least; she didn't expect it to be so.

She walked into a nearly empty looking room, and the doors shut behind her. She stood there...

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

((Sumiko didn't actually send that stuff as a response, just thought it ))


[member="Sochi Ru"]


When Sochi arrived in the room and the doors shut behind her, Sumiko was already waiting, seated at a table. She had ordered some wafers and Atrisian tea. As everyone knew, Atrisian tea was the best. Maybe it was just her, but it did not taste quite the same since the Sith had taken over Atrisia. They were probably not running the tea plantations properly.


But she would endure this as well, and so she sipped her tea. "Master Ru, I presume," she said wryly. "Please sit down. It's a pleasure meeting you." While Sumiko was no stranger to pleasures of the flesh and enjoyed the company of beautiful women, she was not distracted by her very revealing garments. Physically the Togruta was very easy on the eyes, but the Atrisian was not here for pleasure. Sochi was also a darkside master, which made her dangerous. Especially since she was a largely unknown variable for the former Inquisitor.


In contrast to her, Sumiko was dressed in a turtleneck and black pants, her feet were tucked into black sando aqua monster boots. The latter were probably excessively fancy, but a woman was allowed some vanity. A pendant graced her neck, though in actuality it was a hold-out bolter. Her lightsabre was hidden inside the seam of her pants. "I've checked the room for bugs. We can talk freely." Thank you, mechu-deru techomancy space magic. Tone was casual and polite with a slight Atrisian accent, but her eyes were alert as she studied Sochi.

 

[Cortana Jade]

(Ahh now I see! I apologize)

She would lay eyes on a woman just some feet in front of her at a table, "Lady Tanaka..." she would say in the most exotic accent as she walked towards the woman and sat down upon her request. "The pleasure is mine" she said with a tranquil expression, her solid black eyes peering directly at the woman, almost as if she looked through her.

She happened to glance at the womans garments, hmm maybe she should have dressed more appropriately for the occassion, seeing as a more primal outfit made her stick out like a sore thumb, she hadn't considered that much until now.

For moment silence graced them both, the Togruta woman was aware if she was able to speak on the topic she wanted at this precise time, however [member="Sumiko Tanaka"] changedthat entire thought process...

"I need your assistance...I've gone through hell, and have been brought back..." she was surprised she could say such things, perhaps it was so because of the death of her master. "Enchantments have been placed on my soul...I am binded to the Voice of the Emperor. I have to find a way to reverse the effects so that I am able to be free. Your knowledge on the matter is more extensive than mines."

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Sochi Ru"]


Sumiko cocked her head to the side slightly as Sochi elaborated on her predicament. Someone who was, well, nicer would've probably expressed sympathy for the ordeal the Togruta had been through. However, Sumiko was not a particularly nice person. Or rather she did not like wasting time with small talk.


"I understand," she calmly took a sip from her tea. "I'm familiar with the phenomena from a theoretical standpoint. Such binding spells are old magicks, common in the days of the old Sith. A darkside cult I used to work with practiced a more primitive, knockoff variant. It is basically a mental 'web' that binds your soul, to use a metaphor. There are rituals to undo them, though they are not without danger. I will need a precise description of anything you remember about the ritual the Sith Lord did to bind your spirit, and his name. I trust you are able to provide appropriate compensation? I accept money, knowledge or artefacts."

 

[Cortana Jade]

Her eyes squinted as she listened, her left index finger came up slowly and curled itself, laying gently on her bottom lip. She pondered everything from this point on, at least there were ways to counter the effects. Destroying the foreign presence in her mind would provide her a way to go on about her business without being detected; her plan needed that.

"I remember..." she sat back in her seat with the faintest expression, her mind was racing through everything that had happened until this point."I remember blood...lots of blood. I awoke and my body was covered in it, it wasn't mine. I remember a surge of dark energy flowing through my body, almost electrifying. Then...Darth Vornskr placed his finger on my forehead, after that I had no choice but to serve him." she stared off for a moment, reliving it all and being disgusted all over again...

Her eyes shut and then reopened as she shifted emotion, "Compensation shouldn't be an issue...Myself and an associate of mine have located a artifact that should bring a thousand years worth of knowledge...I take you for someone who would be interested in such."

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Sochi Ru"]


"Kaine Zambrano, I see," Sumiko said thoughtfully, though her expression remained as placcid as ever. Her old boss' girlfriend had a habit of duelling him a lot. "Yes, such an artefact will do nicely. I'd be very interested in it," she smiled thinly. Of course, she'd verify its authenticity and stuff, though she didn't think the Togruta was trying to mislead her.


"What we will have to do then is purge the infestation from your mind and soul. It will be an arduous process, and I must point out that it will be risky. The risk that you might lose your mind and be left a vegetable is very real." The former Inquisitor was not one to sugarcoat things. "Binding spells like this always have a fail-safe to prevent tampering. I will have to consult my books to determine the appropriate counterspell. We will likely have to enter your mind during the ritual." Because this writer loves weird mind sequences.

 

[Cortana Jade]

She nodded at the womans response, "It would seem I have already lost my mind...to say the least. Though to have it completely slip from me would be terrifying in itself. I understand." the torture she endured within the void and after her resurrection have further fragmented her mind. Though it seemed that Kaine was the one who held it all together, just to serve his own means that is.

"I see, i'm sure such a powerful incantation would require and equally opposing force to even attempt to remove it. Though your books might provide more details into what we must do. I am ready."

She worried that Kaine would know of her attempts and definitely become aware if she were to remove what was left of him from her very being. This was likely to have repercussions but she would be ready.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Sochi Ru"]


Outwardly at least Sumiko remained as calm as ever. Though she was obviously not unaware of the risks she faced, too. After all, the spell could very easily backfire. "You are correct. I don't have the raw power to perform the spell alone, so I will need your power backing me up." After all, she was only Knight level and stuff. The situation was not ideal because Sochi might also have to defend herself against whatever failsafe Kaine's spell contained, but the Atrisian seemed confident that breaking it could work. Kaine was reported to have perished on Dromund Kaas, though he would probably claw his way out of hell soon. But it gave them a window of opportunity.


"I do have an artefact in my possession that should help with the spell." Sentient Sith sword. Totally reliable. "Oh, yes. I will gladly be of assistance. After all, I am your loyal sword. I commend your audacity. Try not to lose your mind." Speak of the devil, and he shall whisper into your mind with words that absolutely filled you with trust. Fortunately he was only talking inside Sumiko's head.


"You must be terribly bored if you're randomly popping in my head," the Atrisian thought to herself, though she did not voice the thought out aloud. By now Sumiko had gotten used to Souldrinker talking to her despite being far away. Regardless, she pushed the sword out of her mind, which made the blade laugh a bit, and finished her tea, then arose. "Anyhow, let's get going then." Just stay away from the booby-traps the slightly paranoid Sumiko had placed in her apartment.

 

[Cortana Jade]

The Togruta nodded, she walked towards the center of the room; it only being just a few steps away anyhow. She slowly descended towards the floor, taking up a crossed leg position that would better give her comfort. She scuffled about the floor to find her place, and then she relaxed her body, muscles, and spirit.

"How must this process go? Must I enter a deep trance now? Or are there any of aspects we must complete first?"

To say she was anxious was an understatement, she was fully ready to get rid of this worm implanted upon her soul during her rebirth.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Sochi Ru"]


Time skip ensued, and then our two ladies were inside Sumiko's apartment. It was spacious and quite nice. The book shelves contained several tomes of an arcane or alchemical nature, along with a few inspiring novels. Such as Atlas Shrugged. Totally the thing for the aspiring darksider to read.


Sumiko vanished from the sitting room for some time. When she returned she carried a Sith grimoire and a Sith sword that reeked of darkside energy. "This is your new friend. Our case in need? How sweet. I feel much fear from her. A pity I never met this Kaine. He actually seems like a decent Sith. So rare these days," Souldrinker spoke.


"That's just Souldrinker. Ignore him. He's always a jerk, but he'll help with the ritual," Sumiko said sarcastically and put the sword down. With a telekinetic tug, she lifted the nice looking carpet on the floor and pushed it away, revealing that she'd drawn an arcane symbol in the shape of the pentagram on the floor. Contrary to popular belief, a pentagram was a protective symbol and had nothing to do with demon worship.


"Sit there. You won't be in trance yet. I've found the right book, but to power the spell I need a few drops of your blood. Blood is power or some rot like that." Without further ado, she produced a dagger with some intricate looking arcane symbols engraved upon the blade. "Only a few. Stretch out your palm."

 

[Cortana Jade]

The skin above her left eye rose, when she pondered the existence of this...sith sword. She had seen many things in her day, so she was surprised, but curious. Sensing the presence of Sumiko just before she re-entered the room she turned her attention back to the current task.

Turning her head, her large montrals twisted in place when she peered above her right shoulder.

She needed blood?

These sort of rituals always came with an offering of some kind. She could only imagine the exact details of what Kaine did when he attempted to bring her back...Even as she sought to get rid of him, thoughts of him still burned the fringes of her mind.

She quickly stuck out her right arm, and tilted her wrist downward. Her head turned back to its center and she wouldn't watch when she drew the blood. She slowly opened her hand to reveal her palm.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Sochi Ru"]


Sumiko made a clean, precise cut through the Togruta's outstretched palm, using a a knife that had occult sigils carved into its blade. "Blood magic gets a bad rep, but it's perfectly natural. I believe there's even a bastardised light side version of alchemy that uses blood," Sumiko said conversationally while a couple drops of blood dripped onto an urn.


She was polite enough to offer Sochi a small bandage for the cut after she got what she needed. Then she sliced across her own palm, drawing blood. The crimson liquid intermixed with Sochi's as it dropped into the urn. Having done that she quickly wrapped her own hand, tying the bandage. Then she looked at the ancient grimoire one last time, studying a page in the manuscript, for there was no room for error.


After all, this ritual could just as easily help Sochi as drive her to madness or summon a hellspawn into the room. "Feed me your energies. I will require your support for the ritual. Open your mind to me," she commanded and then began chanting. Drawing upon the tangled web of the force, the room noticeably gained a dark undercurrent through it as Sumiko sorted through to the darker threads, gaining strength in the darkside as she pulled upon the delicate strands. The ex-Inquisitor exhaled slowly, before she began to speak in a hushed tone.


The words that left her lips were spoken in a hushed tone. It was a most dark and foul language, that of the ancient Sith. Her voice broke into a chant and whilst one of her hands gripped Souldrinker, her free one performed a series of complex gestures. The blood inside the urn began to turn a darkish red as she called upon its power, then poured it over Souldrinker. The sentient Sith blade had been forged millennia ago...and somehow outlived all its wielders, which was not morbid at all. Slowly, bit by bit, the sword seemed to drink in the blood...as if it were vanishing without a trace.


What Sumiko was calling upon was an enchantment of sorts. A call to the dark powers to guide her to the lock that had been placed upon Sochi's mind and allow them to break it. Beads of sweat dripped down the Atrisian's face and back as she sank deeper into the darker currents of the Force. The room was filled with the intoxicating power of the Dark Side, as if the shadow had descended upon it. Abruptly, some of the candles went out, there was a rush of cold air and if one were to listen, one could hear disembodied whispers.

 

[Cortana Jade]

Within seconds she felt the energy of the room suddenly shift. Gravity seemed to rest on her shoulders, and while she noticed it she then heard the words of Sumiko. The Togruta lowered her head, and began to focus her energy downward. Forming her free energy into a ball within her stomach, she could hear her heart beat speed up. A chill worked its way up her back...and it reminded her of how she felt whenever she was surrounded by the currents of the Dark Side.

Though surprisingly she welcomed it, it compare her then to now...this was something she sought; a disillusioned Jedi.

Feeling the current shift within her body she opened the gates she formed just seconds ago to keep it at bay. In that moment, her energy reached out to her associated, meshing, molding itself to hers.

Her mind scavenged through memories of what she could remember. The whispers of the room filled her head as the voices she kept within spoke as well. What she witness inside itself was a fractured plane that leaked her inner darkness...something she didn't even know she had.

She felt the touch of [member="Darth Vornskr"] on her spirit and body, it pulsated...Her mind grew heavy when the corporeal chains began to reveal themselves.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Sochi Ru"]


By now it had become rather cold inside the room as a deep chill descended upon it. Small goosebumps formed on Sumiko's skin as cold air brushed against it and she shivered. Most of the candles had gone out, though a few still provided some illumination in the darkness.


Souldrinker pulsed with dark power. A close approximation of rapturous delight could be felt emanating from the sword as it lapped upon the darkness. Despite the increasing cold, Sumiko was sweating strongly and her head hurt, for the immersion in the Force demanded a price.


But Sochi had given her an opening, and so she slid through the metaphysical gates. Abruptly she was hit by a flood of memories that were not her own, as if she was viewing the trials, successes and tribulations of the former Jedi in a holovid. She steeled herself in order to avoid drowning in the flood, riding out the wave until she could finally 'see' the corporeal chains weighing Sochi down.


"Through victory, your chains are broken," she spoke as she stood upon the fractured plane. "Gather your power and destroy them, if you no longer want to be a slave. Summon your rage and unleash it like a thunderbolt," She took a deep, laboured breath as she as she gathered her power into a ball and called upon the power of her blade, summoning a powerful blast of darkside energy that she intended to unleash upon the mental restraints that were holding Sochi in bondage. They were approaching a critical moment and Sumiko suspected that the Sith Lord had left behind safeguards to make it difficult for his spell to be broken.

 

[Cortana Jade]

Suddenly being drawn into her own plane, she stood there with Sumiko, because up till this point she didn't know what to do. She looked tot he woman for answers, and she received them...to her it was the outcome she expected. She gripped her lightsaber and nodded her head. She ignited the cerulean blade and turned her body when she felt the presence of another.

Her face dropped, and her mouth opened for words that didn't come out. She lowered her guard..."Zaachi..."

She looked upon the body of her sister, he twin sister. While they didn't share the exact same appearance there was a bond there like no other. She lost her years ago...and never spoke of her, she never really dealt with it the way she should have.

"Your dead...I know your not real but..." It pained her to even lay eyes on her. To be the work of Kaine, to be exposed only drove her further to wherever she was going.

She closed her eyes, and slowly brought up her lightsaber. "Forgive me sister..."

Simultaneously, Zaachi had drew her saberstaff as well. The two would face off, a battle Sochi could not lose. Their weapons clashed and sparks flew from the combat.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Sochi Ru"]


So there it was. The appearance of an illusionary construct of Sochi's sister was an unanticipated variable, though it made sense as a safeguard. Truth be told, the Atrisian had been unaware that the Togruta even had a sibling.


She'd compliment the Sith Lord on his artistry. "Destroy her," she ordered coolly. "Don't let anything hold you back." She could not intervene in the fight, for she was suddenly gripped by shadowy tendrils that seemed to manifest through the power of the Dark Side.


They seized her like vices and she felt her energies being drained as the tentacles tried to suck her dry and drag her down into a pit of despair. A spew of Atrisian curses left her lips and she used her blade and the Force to tear apart tendrils and free herself.

 

[Cortana Jade]

She heard Sumiko' words just as their blades unlocked from each other. Stepping backwards, she gripped her lightsaber tightly in her right hand and launched herself at her enemy. With her sisters saberstaff coming down, vertically, above her Sochi swiftly brought her own weapon up to block her attack and then tilted her wrist to block the other end of the saber coming upward at her from below. She then planted herself to the ground, bent her knees and launched herself over the sweeping attack that ended her sisters sequence of attacks. Aided by the force she flipped over her opponents person and landed in a crouched position behind her, with her back facing hers.

Zaachi quickly spun around, and before she could react, Sochi's blade protruded from under her arm and lightly cut her right side forcing the woman to fall back a couple of steps and hold her side, which lacked blood anyway.

"Sochi....you would strike me down? Your own sister?" Zaachi spoke an exotic speech, which was full of many different types of voices. It didn't even sound like her...

She slowly stood up and turned her head, with a hurt expression on her face. "Zaachi...I am working to revenge us both...but you...you stand in my way. So you must die." she inhaled, and her chest slowly grew. Her back tilted backwards just a little, and she jolted forward unleashing an ear shattering screech towards her sister.

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Sochi Ru"]


The power of the Dark Side surged through Sumiko as she used her arm as a conduit. Sickly looking yellowish-green light leapt from her fingertips. The tentacles seeking to restrain and drain her, being constructs of the Dark Side, were vaporised by the powerful blast.


Sumiko sunk to the ground, breathing heavily. Of course, all of this was inside the dark recesses of Sochi's mind, but it was still tiring. Outside in the real world, back in the room in Sumiko's apartment, the Atrisian's body shook strongly, for she'd fallen to the floor.


Here in the void, she was bruised and covered in bite marks from the tentacles' sharp teeth. She glanced over towards Sochi, seeing that she had Zaachi on the defensive. Sumiko had the presence of mind to summon a bubble in order to shield her ears when the Togruta suddenly unleashed an ear shattering screech. "Good. End her, Sochi. Then we can break your chains," she said coolly. Through victory...your chains were broken. The Force helped those who helped themselves.