Memoirs of a Keisei

[Sawa Ike]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMPNjPpdjKU​

[member="Maple Harte"]

She laid there, Ni-Ne had forsaken her... abandoned her... their fight ending in something she had not expected... instead of them fleeing Atrisia together. Ni-Ne had gone to the jedi... had left with them and Sawa had been left here at court standing over the body of Midori and Akiko. She had been taken away and searched... information taken but she had been expected to be killed and then he came. Taller then she thought possible, skin like dark chocolate with muscles on top of muscles. He lifted her up and carried her out in one arm like she was a child.... more then that he had promised that she wouldn't be touched by anyone and she hadn't been. THe Emperor was angry but he wasn't about to risk angering this man who took Sawa to keep her safe as a bride to solidify an alliance with Atrisia.

As she laid there in the bed with the ship coming down she thought about it... for the first time in a long time she had thought about him and everything that came with him. He had taken her to the city of the dead, the Necropolis. an entire planet.. an entire city built on to of the dead and he turned her... he loved her, he cared for her, he gave her a child but he also corrupted her. TUrned her into a creature of darkness and she had laid there hearing the reports about everything that had happened. Sawa had been looking at it and the woman remembered slaying him.... not a risk many knew the truth of. SHe had hated him just as much as she loved him after all of that time and her daughter had grown with that hate.

Sawa herself recounted the tale to Ni-Ne when she was laying there.... looking at the woman who was laying there she had a look on her face. "THat is what happened." She had recounted it and she had prepared for anything that might have happened. Keping her alive over these years, immobile and unable to move in the sedative state. Sawa was looking down at her and the years had been... something she still felt everything and laid there next to her just stroking at her hair. "Goodbye my Ni-Ne... my.... my love." Sawa said it while she was holding some of the hypospray to her thigh and she injected it. ENough to put her to sleep.. to let it finally end. Her anger had ben.... dissipated, her hatred and rage cooled into this.. she still above all loved her as she held her close just crying.

"Mommy." THe young girl was there, a hundred yes but she was a small child compared to others with her looks, the black hair done in pigtails She came over and could sense her mother as her dark eyes looked out at the woman on the bed. "Who is that?" She said it and Sawa hugged her as she spoke. "Just a friend, go back to bed Aoi." Sawa looked at her and the little girl came up and just hugged her as she spoke. "Good night mommy." Sawa hugged her and she hugged her close to Ni-Ne for a moment unsure if she was still awake but she spoke. "I know our parts made us who we are but that doesn't mean I will ever stop loving you. Until the sun burns out, the stars die and everyone else is dust. I will cherish you."

Sawa woke up.... she felt it and it was a strange foreboding feeling to her when she looked around. She was looking at her there in the silk sheets. Close to her and Sawa felt something coming to her before she was moving around now. Slightly at first but then she had shifted position enough to speak. "We are here." After everythign that had been happening and everything they had done well the cat nap was quite welcoming before above out the viewport of the planet itself. Like an orb as above you could see the moons and Cherry Blossom station, the Atrisian defense force was there and on alert that foreign attackers would be trying to infiltrate. She had the clearance codes as from the moon a message came.

"Welcome home mother." There was a woman, black hair, pale skin ad lots of leather with her kimono. She was sitting on a chair looking over and there was a scar down the side of her face. Where she had gotten her eye almost clawed out and she was holding a sword. "Aoi." Sawa said it and her voice slithered almost before her daughter showed a small shudder of excitement. "So I got your message about what you wanted... I was surprised but my soldiers have contacted the Oni and told them to be prepared. THey are locking down the few ports leading to the region." THere was a look on her face though as she spoke a little more and kicked a boot up. "I'll see if I can come and help you since Elise has returned I have yet to go and see my daughter."

Sawa bowed her head as the view came to her and she sent off the message as Akano was there on the ship and she approached standing there. Tall and with her hair barely moving when she stopped close enough and offered two kimono's. One for Sawa and one for Maple to wear. She had a look on her face though before she was speaking. "I sent a message to Kamikuu, she has started assembling your Onna in the region mistress." Sawa looked at Akano and moved over wearing her kimono as she slipped it on and stroked her thumb over the woman's cheek. "Good Akano.. now when we arrive you will have an important task. One of the heirs in Jar'Kai needs your special brand of treatment. Namimi shall do well and with her we can start rebuilding in Jar'kai once her mother agrees to my terms."

Akano had a look on her face and she had a smile though that was wicked and moved off until she stepped away. Seeing the doors close though while she was looking over at it. So they could all see it, Sawa waited until Maple woke up, dressed and she took the time to embrace her looking over but she hungered... she was frisky yes but she spoke until the look on her face though. "I must feed my dear. for both the coming fight and because I haven't in a bit.... I could have... I should have but..." She said it and looked at Maple kissing her, using her lips to tug and pull lightly at her lovers lip. She looked at her eyes with her silver ones an d pulled away smiling as her fangs appeared in her mouth with a small snap of them. A servant had come in and she stood there as Sawa tilted her head up exposing her neck. THe doors opened as one of the commander's of the Oni had come.

"Lady Sawa." She said it standing there with black robes and a metal chest plate that were gilded and golden . Hair over her shoulders. She was with them and heading down to the planet as they had the Onna there. Her ship arriving to one of the ports before Sawa spoke. "Izami." She smiled with the older commander there who smirked wickedly. Sawa was feeding from the servant as she pulled her mouth away from her neck. THe serv ant was there before Izani the commander saw the slave girl sent from the room, her Onna were standing around and there was much more to their works. "We are approaching my master." She said it and stood there for a moment before revealing fangs but also a katana with the other guards. "We have a pathway towards her ready for you."

 

[Maple Harte]

While Maple had dreamt, the spirit inside the jewel they had brought from Maranon's tomb stirred as the ship reached Atrisia.

Maple had brought the trinket with her in a daze induced by the spirit that resided--writhed--in the Void within the trinket. From its perspective, it could see the rot within itself, and that it was chained to the rock essentially, too weak to break its chains...

...currently.

But...something...some mysterious power, had given her a boost. Enough of one to start entering Maple's sleep.

The void it was chained to was endless shadow, nearly, save for a few flashes across its mind of the real world, of the delicious Maple Harte and how sweet her soul tasted to Maranon, who wanted to bind the ex shadow to her mind as much as Sawa had managed to for her own. She had licked her dreams. Whispered sedition in the madness, made her bring the spirit here, where it could feed on the intensity of emotions from them as they seduced each other. It had engorged itself, feeling returning to it nature, and felt only the cold of its prison, which it wanted to escape but did not know how, truly--[member="Sawa Ike"] had fed thoroughly.

Winging it will not gain you freedom said an unknown voice of what the creature that had once been Maranon could only describe as that of a seductress

Who is this? the spirit of Darth Maranon asked.

Your ticket out of here, Sweetie. came the answer in the Dark.

At what price?

There was silence again...at first...

What do you think the price for not being in your own million credit portable tramp stamp forever should be?

The Spirit of Maranon was silent for a moment.

I see your point. it conceded.

I'm going to put it to you bluntly: you will never escape without my help. This trinket possesses just enough of a charge to sustain you, but you will inevitably exhaust it. When you do, you will go into oblivion alone, screaming, and in the dark.

Even I am not so arrogant as to believe I have much to offer at this point. What do you gain from helping me?

A resolution to my...'compatibility' issues...

Meaning?

Even if you somehow 'did' escape, Darth Shojo has inflicted too much damage on you spiritually for you to survive on your own. You must merge with me.

What will happen to me?

To its credit, it gave her no attempts at reassuring her its deal would be above board.

You're just going to have to take your chances, Sweetie. it bluntly explained. Roll the dice...besides, there is nothing left to fear now except fear itself.

More silence. It was broken a few seconds later by Maranon.

I accept...

Goooooood...now, Maple still sleeps...why don't you go and...pay the lovely shadow a visit...

If the spirit could have grinned as it felt a power surge in its very being, it would have.

No need to tell me twice...heh...

Heh heh heh heh...

Minutes later...


Maple was in one of her rare pleasant dreams, playing in a field of white flowers, just...running around. It was sky blue and it was endless fields of white flowers around her. She was in a white dress and she was just running around in circles with her arms in the air. She saw the occasional butterflies, which landed on her when she stood still. Her green eyes glanced around in wonder and joy at the flowers and the butterflies. There were no weapons and no rivals or strange, menacing women with purple eyes. Just flowers and butterflies...

...and a giant, gaudy music stage that erupted like a sore from her left, and she paused stepping back fearfully as Maranon rose through a platform at the center of the stage in a purple business suit, her black hair that went dow to the base of her spine whipping in a sudden wind. The Zeltron was still gorgeous, but Maple knew better. She was dating Sawa, after all.

Maranon was singing something that sounded suspiciously like this:

Spoiler

https://youtu.be/siwpn14IE7E

But was interrupted by Maple.

"I was having a good dream, Sith."

There was a sound like a record scratching, and just when the pyrotechnics were getting off the ground. Maranon kept that seductive smile, the pink shade of her skin healthy and smooth, not at all like the Lich in the chamber on Katanos.

"If you were having a good dream..." Maranon cooed gently, sulphur-golden eyes looking on the Shadow in lust as she easily tore off her suit revealing the lacy black lingerie underneath and her well toned muscles.

"...then wouldn't you argue its gotten better?"

"What are you doing here, Maranon. No, screw that--"

"Screw what?" she interrupted smugly.

"--how are you here? You're too weak. Sawa ate most of you--"

"I have my secrets..." she said, suddenly next to Maple, pulling her close by the waist, smelling her, the Sith Lady's throat rumbling with desire. Maple noticeably didn't resist, smelling the wild rose scent of the dead Zeltron.

"Who's helping you?" the bounty hunter asked suddenly, stroking the dead Queen's face. The Sith kissed the fingers as they passed by her mouth.

Maple struggled not to acknowledge the little sliver of excitement as Maranon smelled her neck again.

"Ugh, must I explain my evil plan?" Maranon whispered into Maple's ear gently. The bounty hunter let that rose scent travel into her nose.

"These flowers look so soft..." the Sith whispered, her darkness in every laced, poison word. "I think they would hold our weight well...a field of flowers is one of my favorite places to make love in..."

"Likewise..." Maple admitted, still closing her eyes, feeling how soft the visions hands were.

"You think Sawa is 'nice'?"

"Sawa is the Sawa-est of all possible Ike's. She is what she is. Just as you are what you are. Just as I am what I am."

"I'll cop to it: I'm a horrible person..." Maranon admitted, chewing on Maple's dream-ear. "I was such a bad girl trying to kill every last man, woman, and child on Katanos Seven...and yes, perhaps I did bring about my own demise. But at least...

Maranon touched her eyes, whispering something evil sounding, kissing Maple's fingers after as their surroundings changed. Maple let her.

They were no longer in the field of white flowers. They were in a lavish chamber, Maranon and Maple staring at Sawa and a young, beautiful woman, lying immobile as Sawa injected her with something Maple knew was lethal.

"At least I never did that to my lovers. I was civilized. I just unfriended them on my social media profile and tossed them out on their ass." Maranon spoke softly.

Maple turned to her in surprise as the death scene played out.

"You had a social media profile?" she asked as one of her eyebrows went crooked.

The Lingerie-wearing Sith Ghost shrugged. "Doesn't everybody?"

There was a cry, a scream, a scream from the woman in the bed. She looked considerably tall, and grew a foot taller as she thrashed as Sawa hugged her, screaming. And then Maple stepped back as the woman's eyes opened.

They were obsidian in color, save for a glowing purple light at the center. She sank her fangs into Sawa, holding her tightly.

"Wait, we need a proper track to this..." Maranon said with a fiendish grin, snapping her fingers.

Something that sounded suspiciously similar to this started to play ambiently:

Spoiler

https://youtu.be/7j_yGYU_jUU

The woman that had suffered every torment and worse while immobile at Sawa's hands, only to have the life of the person she had previously been ended ignobly and cruelly, took revenge for a century of pain. She had been no more affected by Sawa's previous alchemized experiments previously than she was this time. But the pain killer had been the secret. The pain killer overdose, meant to take away her agony before stopping her heart, were all it needed to finally trigger a mutation. A mutation that fed on Sawa, eating her happiest memories, including those of Sawa and Ni-Ne, and as it pulled away from her neck, hair disheveled, mouth and white kimono red from Sawa's delicious blood, but the thoughts it had consumed were sweeter. And it had consumed so many.

It rose, and Maple's breath stilled at the seven foot height and demonic twitching.

But it was the voice that sent a chill up her spine, even with the hilariously appropriate music in the background playing.

"I feeeeeeeellll Love...ly. Sooo lovely" it muttered in a demonic tone. "I feeeeelll pretttttyyy...and wittyyyyy..."

"I totally know the last line to that..." Maranon joked.

Maple watched as the vampire crawled onto the bed with an unconscious Sawa.

"A century. A century of horrors for your wounded pride!" the woman snarled, inhuman eyes glaring with murderous hate but whatever she still felt for the Jedi Code and the innocent prefect from Kagamiri preventing her from killing Darth Shojo on the spot.

"I won't kill you, loooovelyyyyy Sawa. Thats too good for you! You have condemned me to vampirism! May there be no hell hot enough to burn you! Because you deserve to freeze in whatever hell the Gods stick you in. Somewhere you can remain frozen and unable to move like I was. But this will have to do, my love." she emphasized, sneering out the last two words.

"I don't knooooowwww how but I know I've eaten your memories. Of you at Kagamiri. Of us...you deserve none of them!" the new vampire hissed violently, clutching the unconscious Sawa's face.

"When you wake up, you will only remember that you have always been a monster. I've left you enough for broad strokes. Something to piece a history together with. But what is missing will gnaw at your heart even as you rot..." she snarled, yet looked completely heartbroken.

"That's eight times I've died now...eight times...Midori was right...I am a cat." the bloody mouthed vampire snorted.

"One life left...no more ressurections...Midori never knew just how spot on she was...did she, Looooovvvely Sawa?" The vampire asked, crying. "If I am going to have only one life left...I will live it by being acknowledged for what got me this far...far enough to out last this...death...I will live it by being acknowledged as Nine Lives!!! the vampire roared at her unconscious and now blissfully ignorant foe.

The vampire rose, and Maple shivered as Nine's unnatural twitching paired with the way she glided over the floor in her kimono headed to a sword on the wall, a gift from Sawa from the old days, reclaimed after their falling out. Gold and black lattice work played over the short, double edged sword...

And then the vision ended...They were in a field of flowers again.

"Don't kid yourself...Sawa totally brought that one down on her own head..." Maranon whispered, blowing gently on Maple's dream ear, having not stopped holding her. "Wake up now."


Roughly a half hour later...

Wearing: Red Jedi Dancer Outfit (http://starwarsrp.net/topic/97046-jedi-dancer-outfit/) (Bought this a while back)

Armed with: DC-19 Stealth Carbine

DC-17 Multipurpose System

DC-17 Commando Blaster.

Things had happened in a bit of a rush, waking up to a naked Sawa, showering, and then getting to wear a white Kimono. (disturbingly, she noted, like the one Nine Lives had been wearing). But that vampire kiss...damn it all if that wasn't a hell of a kiss. There was something about her that made Maple throw caution to the wind in a way she wouldn't...couldn't...with Maranon, despite how utterly seductive she was.

Was that how Ni-Ne had felt once?

As Sawa explained she had to feed, Maple nodded in understanding, while one of the Onna had ran up to her, holding a reflec coated case. She had called in a favor from one of her old contacts. It had been prepped in time.

Maple looked in the case while the others told Sawa they had a path open. She however, could only grin, trying to put what she had seen out of her head...and tell Sawa about the dream at the first opportunity. Maranon could have been lying about some of it. And Sawa had already confessed. Maple was no saint either.

"Sawa? I'm in business..."

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Maple Harte"]

Sawa looked at her while the ship was coming in and it docked within one of the ports. Sawa could sense something from Maple and her mind was pressing as itself. More she was remembering things... feelings and everything before she was walking and she recounted her own dream. Touching Maple who had her weapons and equipment. THey would have plenty of it before the day was done she was sure of it and was looking at more around them. Walking through the ship as the doors opened to reveal the port and jungles. "Welcome to Atrisia my dear." She said it and the heat was the first thing to notice and then that moisture. It made it seem hotter.

THe jungle was pressed back just enough, the stone and metal of the port itself was black, oily and polished. IT wasn't overgrown as atrisian's moved. dusky skinned, feminine looking even the obvious males of them. Long black hair and golden eyes as they stood taller and more lithe. Like statues with weapons and simple clothing that displayed their bodies more then anything and their muscles. Wearing pants but then veils o their faces and head to protect from some of the bugs that were flying around. Sawa was presented as one of the Oni came forward standfing there with necklaces and oils. "To prevent the bugs from biting."

Even being as he was they could still be dangerous and she was moving with her attention on the port and city around them. It was larger then most on the continent and just as hard to find. The black stones of the city weren't interlocking or put down... something had fused them into a solid mass almost fully. The rare seam seemed to be few and far between when exiting out of the port itself revealed stalls of the Oni who were moving around. She had plenty here working on it. Food was being sold, tanned racks were holding hides from the different animals. They were cleaning them and exotic cats were walking around the streets.

Sawa had a grin on her face seeing some of them as the stall presented gold, aurodium, jade, ruby jewels. Everything that they could get and give out while wearing them and the sith lord thought back to this place. She had been here several times since she was a little girl and the long journey to Kaisei province at the time had meant cutting through here with a Keisei and Ni-Ne...The sounds of people splashing in water came and Sawa moved seeing it. The section of river that they had well it was netted with metal rods and netting. Everything to keep out the creatures and smaller fish itself. It allowed them to be protected as stone filters were used to prevent the various parasites.

"THey use the stone and netting to keep parasites and the creatures from getting through it allows them a small amount of protection and ability to use the waters for bathing, or cleaning. There are more systems to use in the homes but there are dangerous creatures that can still get through on land." SHe said it while pointing and the remains of a massive snake were able to be seen, the meat being sectioned, portioned off where they got the meat and were preserving it to feed the entire city. THe skin was being taken portion by portion to be turned into clothing and as they cut it open there was other parts of it.

A large creature was inside, skin glistening and partially digested from stomach acide in the weaker parts. Its tail had come out of its throat where it tore the flesh and the snake had bled out eating the large crocodile. THey were taking it out in just as many parts while the eaten bodies of some children were there. Massive teeth and claws. "THey fight but this land... there is a reason Atrisia avoids it, beasts of great size, sickness, death and far more dangerous things out there in the jungles." As she was saying it shouts came and high above a night flyer appeared over head. Thick leathery wings, gleaming black scales and red eyes for a moment.

The screams from it was being dangerous before Sawa moved a little to the side and she could see all of it. The archers were firing off energy bow shots until they had been moving around. THen she checked going about it. As she hid there for a moment her mind flashed and she wasn't standing in the city with Maple... she was in a palace. Massive and golden with veins of silver. Shining in the sun itself. She knew this place it was from her dreams, the Sun Gods palace here on Atrisia... or at least she thought it was. Maranon was there sitting in the one seat... no not a seat. A lounge she was on ehr side, one leg rest and flat on it, the other curved up and bent at the back letting her jut forward a little.

Her posture was impressive on it as few looked well decent, or even seductive within the confines of just a seat.. she managed to from the pillows arraigned to the way she looked up with a hand roving over her stomach. The muscled pink flesh, the glint in her eyes and everything. Sawa could see Maple was there next to her.... then she was moving and the vision of her as she joined the zeltron on the couch was redning before Sawa was moving after them both. Able to hear Maranon. 'You consumed my being and made my power a part of you but oh the delicious thoughts I now have seen.... your fears, your desires, your passions.... Ni-Ne, Nikki, Maple my sweet Maple, even Kurenai and Elise.... Aoi, Sukai, Akari... these lovely toys."

Sawa was watching her and the sith lord moved finally able to get a grip and she shook at the vision of Maple but there was something off, her skin was paler, her eyes with the same golden sulfur eyes of a sith but more hungry. She was consumed and enthralled by being with Maranon... she was there as the zeltron spoke caressing and holding her close. All around the sounds of flesh and cries of ecstasy came from people she knew... people she had seduced and it was like her own private hell or heaven compared to many other places. Sawa was still watching them as Maranon's voice came out. Dancing across her skin.

"Oh so sweet, so young and innocent compared don't you think. She has killed sure but she has not the bodycount of you or me, she has not used her body for such things.... such debaucheries, such pleasures, such things only one could do." Sawa was looking at her and she moved onto the loung hovering over the woman as Maple was pressed, writhing and buried in between them. Not painfully but it made for a scene when the vampire watched her and Maranon spoke seeing the figure lurking behind them. A shadow against the shadows and sounds. Dark skinned, impossibly tall and broad shouldered.

"I met him you know, that husband of yours thousands of years ago... I trained him, I taught him how to seduce and in exchange he betrayed me... sought to take my kingdom from me. So I exiled him, cast him away to a city built on top of the dead and still he thrived. When I felt Maple... there was power and then I felt you and could taste him upon you." Sawa remained there and she didn't move from above the two as Maple shifted and was kissing along her cheek, trailing hands over her back and Maranon had one arm gooing along their skin making small goosebumps. "So delicious the hatred you had for him after hurting your friends isn't it."

She thought about it and all of that time she had wanted Ni-Ne to feel her pain, to feel her anger at the situation that had led both fo them down the path they had been on btu she had done vile things to her in the name of revenge... she didn't know what els eto do but eventually after... he had died she had moved forward and decided to end Ni-Ne's life but it would take time. "He was dangerous and he spoke truth, the galaxy was ours, those who could live longer then the rest, those who fed upon them. It was ours to take and I agreed with him, I supported him, I would have even followed him... but he hurt Ni-Ne and for that he had to die.... just like you were going to hurt Maple and so you had to die."

Sawa was looking at her and the vision cleared as she moved in the street. Coming back to it and the span of only a few seconds had passed after the nightflier before she was taking in a few of the sights and excitements. THey were being led into one of the buildings for a moment as she spoke. "Welcome, welcome mistress Ike, we have been preparing for your arrival and it will only take about an hour to have the final things set up. The Onna from the site have been sending in reports of earlier attempts but there was not much success within the jungle. Just come and enjoy yourself while we get the rest of the supplies loaded up."

SHe was looking at the Oni who spoke and he was tall yes, with muscles that were lightly tanned. Sawa herself though sat down and looked at it. Her blade was brought to her, the gleaming black blade and her lightsaber.... then another. A smaller dagger meant for being used in the off hand before she was looking around. She sat there seeing Maple and left the area around her to check it out. "For you, obsidian and not entirely for practical use my sweet but it is a ritual blade. We used it once upon a time for the different gods here on Atrisia." The smirk was there and she could see the porters and her Onna were mounting up.

 

[Maple Harte]

Maple, once she stepped off the vessel, passed the great and oiled looking port of black stone that seemed impossibly fused together and took a deep breath of the jungles and swamplands beyond, following [member="Sawa Ike"].

It was hot and humid for Maple. It reminded her of that mission to eliminate an insane Republic Colonel on Felucia. He'd begun cutting off the left arms of all the locals after they had done...something to him in a temple of bone. Maple, back then still called Uri Udinia, had tracked him down through a river and had to end up killing him with a machete in an extended fight through a field of rotting spores and mushroom stalks. The humidity reminded her of Felucia. She hadn't gone back to that place since. His final words after all of the dozens of machete strikes it took to kill him still made her wake up at night sometimes screaming.

She was led through the city, the thinly clothed but obviously fit looking men and women betrayed the fact that not a one of them was to be taken lightly. Judging by how Sawa navigated the place, Maple guessed she had been here before.

Some of her most violent assignments had occured on this planet, but mostly in the modern areas...this was a completely new experience. One full of giant snakes that everyone was eating. She'd had snake before. Tasty. Like chicken, or gizka. The airborne animal that had flown overhead was soon very dead from energy bow shots, and Sawa seemed to zone out for a few seconds doing it. The dark part of Maple urged the Ex-Shadow to stay close to her, to bask in her aura, to explore its depths. She maintained her self control and followed promptly into another building, where she was astounded by the ancient frescoes lining the walls of Atrisia's ancient battles. Her eyes focused on one of a large, golden and black ship with intricate command towers mounted on top. It looked like it was bursting into flames over a jade city's mountain range, a figure of a young woman with black hair and dark red robes falling through the sky, holding a red katana, arm wrapped around the waist of a young woman in white who looked much like Sawa as burning shrapnel rained around them back to the city below.

"Excuse me...whats that?" Maple asked one of the white clothed male servants, pointing to the fresco.

The servant looked up. "Oh...thats known as The Destruction of The Sacred Ancestor...it depicts the last of the Li-Ves Clan catching her lover from the Ike Clan in a desperate attempt to be with her in their last moments after succeeding in saving Atrisia from a prototype warship known as The Sacred Ancestor, which was originally meant to be the flagship of the Emperor.

"Are their names known?" Maple asked.

"Stricken from the record unfortunately."

"Huh." Maple muttered, going back to where Sawa was, picking up the Obsidian dagger.

"Well, here's to hoping I know how to cut straight..." she joked, taking the blade. She began to look at what else they had, picking up what looked like a Geonosian Force Pike, giving it a test swing.

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Maple Harte"]

Sawa turned her attention and looked at Maple who was looking at an image. her heart skipped a beat thinking about it and a grin was on her face. Where they were looking at it. She moved to stand over next to her with a look on her face. "It really was quite a sight to behold." Sawa said it and was moving along as the sounds of the room, the people were there. Drums, dancing, exotic spices and perfumes. Oils being applied and where she was leading now. The others who were with them before Sawa could see the seat. She took it and was looking out over the city itself. "Hmm this is mostly the largest of the populated cities Ukiyo is dangerous and less come here then the others. It is hot with sickness but there are richess that can be had to some and best place to hide a secret."

Sawa was moving and she could hear a sound coming to them. The stone buildings as footsteps pounded on it. THickly soled boots from the sounds of it and the energy vampire looked up as someone jumped down with one of the larger atrisian tigers chasing her. The sounds of people moving to the side and blades being drawn as she rolled popping up with an obsidian blade slashing the beast in the arm. Its eyes were gleaming and fur black before Sawa moved off to the side and smirked to herself. Maple would want to fight maybe but she was going to have to be back a little. "Our guide just showed up." THe woman was moving quickly and got the blade into the ribs of the tiger.

THe howls came as the blade dug into the tiger and Sawa was waiting there as another who came to stand next to her. "Hey boss." Sawa turned to look at her and the second female stood with a raised eyebrow and jungle gear. Formed temperature regulating clothing,belt of different things mostly small sprays that could be used but wouldn't leave a major lasting effect. Repellents for the fish and bugs but also lights and climbing axes. Power packs and some food. "We were scouting ahead with some of your men and well things got a little exciting." Sawa looked at her and got a small grin though as she heard the tiger scream and fall to the ground.

The two of them moved and Sawa just stood next to Maple as there were some sights from them. "SOrry boss, we were tracking some men through the jungle and the Taeki released several tigers on us... and them but we didn't have the weapons for all of them plus their berzerkers." Sawa gave a nod of her head and looked at maple as she moved to some fo the other murals and images. "The Taeki are ancient and dangerous.. compared to many of the others things on Atrisia... some think that they are only a legend." Sawa stopped at the one Mural and there was some of them, thin and with more animalistic features.

"THey are from a time before most records and attack just about anything here in the jungles but their isolation to this continent has meant they were only a legendary thing and long ago they were just Atrisian's who worshiped the gods before becoming twisted." She was looking at it and the pair moved around to stand looking at them. "Don't let the pictures fool you or the tales they are vicious and will literally cut your heart out the first chance they get... and make a ritual of it all." THe pair fo them were standing there before speaking one after the other. "I am Akala." "I am Rava." THe two were ready for anything and the Oni had descended upon the tiger mostly to skin it and use it.

"We've been scouting as we said and we can get to the site where castle morpheus was placed and hidden. THe lake presents the biggest problem. THe fish and eels can be very dangerous even with repellent and the caves for it are just as dangerous. They have moved in making traps and lures." Akala walked around though and she stretched while Sawa followed seeing they had everything they needed to head out into the jungle. Parts of it were small, mostly just soldiers and fighters to take care fo the hunters numbers. That was their purpose and the rest would be up to Sawa and Maple.. Akala and Rava would check out the other tunnels and get them there.

 

[Maple Harte]

The Force Pike swung good, well balanced for a staff, and Maple took a liking to it instantly. With that liquid swiftness that reminded Maple of a stream going down river, [member="Sawa Ike"] was at Maple's side, and her own comment told Maple only a hint of how involved she had been in this world's history. She was following, pleasantly getting an eyeful and not complaining as oils and other things were applied to the vampire's bare skin.

"It was in a place much like this I first heard the phrase, 'Extinguish with extreme bias'. Almost died of Felucian Malaria." she admitted. "Never leave your rations in the open on a planet full of spores. If you aren't puking you're violently hallucinating."

She heard a sound, a large growl and a rumble. The tiger attack had been right out of nowhere...it was telling that even in this day when they were selling alchemy items like bottles of fruit juice, they still had not completely tamed Atrisia. It was good. Tiger attack once in a while kept everyone sharp. At least, sharper than the poor fellow who couldn't out fight the tiger. Skip. The ghosts visited her in her cell to begin the new torture routine. Skip. Back to normal. Sawa's head was still that of a rabbit to Maple's perception, so, not completely normal. Her squirrels were made of fingers though, so it evened out. She still didn't bother drawing her weapons before it was slain.

The ones that they were waiting for as they traveled through ancient stone buildings arrived and introduced themselves, explaining the situation. Sawa had told her about the violent natives and more and more Maple was starting to think a visit to Atrisia would play out in familiar fashion...with massive amounts of death. Maple was non plussed by it, as she was used to missions going bloody.

"What about the hunters we chased to Atrisia? Any sign of them? Also, how much resistance can we expect from the 'friendly' locals Sawa described--

Her breath stilled as her nose caught the scent of Darth Maranon's skin, that of wild roses. She heard the purr of the Sith in her skull but ignored it. She blinked and saw Maranon naked on her throne, playing with a harsh purple lightning that arced across bare skin.

"Everybody loves Maranon, Maple, my sweet, darling Maple..."

Maple shook her head.

"Did the village pick up any signs of ships before we arrived? Might give us an idea of where in this jungle they operate from. The Taeki might be malicious jerks with a penchant for human sacrifice but the Hunters want Ni-Ne dead. Do the Taeki know when to fold them if enough force is applied?"

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Maple Harte"]

She ghave a small snicker to that. "They tried to go directly towards the locations. THe storm cliffs have their name for a reason. If they managed to survive intact enough to land they would be putting in at Yateem and that isn't a kind place to anyone. THey wouldn't be slaughtered but there is a lot of jungle and the best way through it is by water with flesh eating fish, eels, snakes and all manner of things that want to tip your boat over." SHe gave a small grin while walking. "I have to hand it to you though boss, where you secured the ship is not exactly easy to find." Sawa was looking at her and walking through it though she raised an eyebrow.

"You tried to get there?" The two fo them looked back and forth. "No and a little yes, we wanted to get an idea of the place but once we got to the eye well.... really hard to get back up from it." Sawa gave a nod of her head. "Yes they aren't going to have it easy getting there but there are other ways in there we can use." Where she was going though the energy vampire set it all up and they had their equipment as the jungle itself gave way to a trail being held open with thick branches and bones. "The ancient roads if left without would be overrun, the jungle here is tenacious in trying to overtake it all and...." Sawa stopped as she looked at them.

"You have done well and the Taeki are vicious, the might not know when to pull back from modern weapons but they are not exactly normal themselves. The darkside has twisted them, the jungle has shaped them compared to many and they are able to get everywhere." She was looking at parts of it though while checking it when the group started to head out. Getting onto one of the rafts that would take them up river when she stood there with the other two behind her and Akano to the side. THe Atrisian looked even more pale with the sheen of sweat from the humidity before Sawa was checking out parts of it.

"We'll be able to get there easily enough with the river, just watch out from above there are some birds and some of the monkey's." She said it and pointed as howler like ones moved around the trees and vines with leaves and brush were hanging as birbs flew around them. THe sounds before the shadows came and lights were activated illuminating the jungle. Eyes tracking from different creatures but you could make out for a moment the form of a mud covered or painted body. No violence just watching and Sawa spoke. "The Taeki are always a step away fro watching but they won't attack everyone. They will watch until they want to take you. It is the fear of playing with their food."

Sawa said it but didn't point or make room to acknowledge them. "JUst don't let them see you cower it will only make them want to come after you for now." THen the river was opening up and the five of them there on the boat with everyone was in a larger pond as the boats stayed to the side near the tree lines. "Avoid the deeper waters, it is harder if we get tipped." THe one Rava said it where they were going around. She pointed towards the flicking lights of the cliffs and spoke. "THe storm cliffs, well one fo the entrances towards it. The river funnels into the throat along with several others to create the main way into wherever you hide the ship."

Sawa gave a nod of her head to that as she spoke. "I wanted it to be somewhere no one would find so, the hidden caverns we discovered long ago... when we first came here. They were massive, able to hold an entire ship and still have a city around it. Just needed to be able to let the centuries pile on for the jungle to reclaim and obscure what we cut and blasted away then replaced." She was watching it and in the water schools of fish could be seen slightly causing the waters to look choppy before light went on them and red tinged water from blood and chunks of body from larger fish or things.

"The yazill have found another victim. Make sure all cuts, scraps, anything that might bleed is sealed. They are not exactly something you want taking a nip of you." She had a grin on her face and where the hunters were touching down or trying to was a city it wasn't going to be wholly dangerous but it was also not as welcoming to anyone. THe storm cliffs had them close to the Taeki's origianl temple. THe temple of the moon goddess who slew her mate in the well of souls. Something the two fo them had suspected based on it was where the massive cavern they had traversed through led it they had gone far enough.

Sawa was looking at some of the other things though as the time went on and the five of them could mill about. Akano had found something as she lounged in the moonlight with one of the guides. Rava herself though was in the one room with Sawa and the map that they had of the area. Old, not very detailed with more crude drawings that you might do if you were exploring and trying to show off some landmarks. Sawa had everything set up around them for Maple to join the pair. "I don't know boss, this map isn't the best but if we go by it then we want to go inside of the throat and down it." Sawa gave a nod of her head to that. "Yes, we'll need to get what equipment is essential to the group as there is not goingt o be a lot of space."

She was bringing up some ideas and had some memories of it. "THe throat is actually multilayered with overhanging sections and stone strutes. Someone built it, designed it as opposed to it forming naturally and it leads to a number of underground rivers going throughout the continent. We want the lowest level and we can base jump inside of it. The water is deep enough, the real danger will be speed and not getting lost. Caves are disorienting at the best of times but these are underwater and filled with dangerous traps, creatures, little to no light and there is a current pushing throughout all of it."

Sawa tapped it to show. "There are also sharks and yazill around, sharp rocks and obsidian blades." She was looking t Maple. "but this is the fastest way to the shi, the other ways have more dangerous things, require cave diving and surviving through geothermal vents that can burn your flesh." Rava gave a look. "Well it also has Taeki and these hunters so we'll go this way and have the team prepared for it." There were nods of agreement and room for Maple to add it with her own suggestions or ideas. Parts of what they could do and have here as the boat docked with a large metal dock placed in the vines and side of the one stone strut.

From the outside and looking it it the several waterfalls just looked like the were pooling under a small rock with a section of temple above it overtaken by the jungle. As the storm cliffs were around and thundered having snow and wind above that swirled. Below the darkness made the water almost inky black as Sawa stood there and looked upon it. What light there was reflected in veins of gold, jade, ruby, amber... casting hundreds of colors down below to illuminate the massive cavern of waterfalls and multi-leveled lakes almost that seemed to et deeper and then go room into more and more tunnels.

 

[Maple Harte]

Maple listened to the answer given by the scout, in the meantime swapping out the assault blaster module to her DC-17 for the sniping module, testing the handling of the old back up weapon as the scout had explained the dangers of the jungle and the river, feeling Maranon's whispering subtly just below the surface, smelling that rose scent still as she got aboard the boat as it sailed through the river, spotting Taeki camouflaged in the mud close to the river banks. She watched them try to be still but took no shot, even though some of them couldn't possibly have hoped to dodge it. As long as they kept their silence, she wouldn't let her rifle talk to them.

Maple blinked and she wasn't sailing down the human river with the dangerous predators anymore. She was sailing down a gold plated yacht on a river on Ancient Zeltros. Maranon lay across her on black pillows, dressed in sheer silks that were entirely too transparent. Maple was in her white dream dress, still afraid of Maranon. The dark part of Maple was not however.

Her golden sulphur eyes danced over each part of Maple's skin. She rose, stretching luxuriously, letting Maple observe each curve and muscle.

"Oh, so eager [member="Sawa Ike"] is to bail out her ex..." Maranon chuckled. "Clinging to the past...oh if she only knew..."

"Knew what?"

"My encounter with her on Katanos Seven was not our first. I'm likely one of those memories that got eaten by Ni-Ne. I remember Sawa when she was just some starry eyed romantic school prefect. She'd been captured with Ni-Ne...I of course, seeing an angle decided to throw my weight around...wasn't even a Sith yet, just another Dark Witch keeping herself alive through magic."

"Why did you give in to the Dark?" Maple asked, blinking the beautiful sunset from her eyes.

Maranon snorted. "Why did you leave the Order?"

"I was no longer happy..."

"Deeper answer, Maple."

"I didn't want to be alone anymore."

"Same reason I left the Order." Maranon answered with a smile, though inwardly she was disconcerted by how similar their reasons were. "You were fortunate. You are a product of millennia of destruction...it was easy for you to make that decision. Me? I had the misfortune of being born in an era where that whole 'Sexless Drone of Light' bit was reaaaallly popular. And, as was a very, very common problem back in those days--much more common then the Jedi will ever admit--so many of the young ones, with their whole lives ahead of them...couldn't handle it...I was one of the ones who had self control, unfortunately. I waited too long...had self control even until old age..."

Maranon frowned, staring at her beautiful, smooth almost red skin.

"I spent sixty years in dusty tomes, teaching, but never doing. I shudder to think there was a time I used spectacles. I watched my skin wrinkle. Watched my curvy, lovely body grow decrepit and bent. All I got as compensation for throwing my youth away was "Eternal Gratitude" of the Jedi, and an empty light side promising me a wisdom that would only be truly useful, truly worth something once I was dead..." Maranon answered angrily, and now it was Maple's turn to be uncomfortable, because it wasn't until now that she realized just how similar she and the dead Sith were.

"So if you were just a bitter old woman, what changed?" Maple pressed.

Maranon smirked.

"Even in my private bitterness and old age as a Jedi Sage, I was still powerful and wise enough to receive a revelation. A divine revelation. I got a piece of the Kolda-Bratha Calculus."

Maple leaned back in surprise and horror, eyes going wide. "You used it on yourself?! Madness!"

Maranon grinned. "So you've heard of it...the Time Altering Magic of Eldritch Origin. I used it to give myself a little bit of a rewind...and then paused where I liked it."

Maple steadied herself, stopped recoiling. "Surely you were punished by the Masters for such arrogance, using something so dangerous for something so trivial as a glorified Face Lift..."

Maranon dismissed Maple's criticism of her actions with a roll of her eyes and a wave of her hand. "You try teaching a bunch of thick-skulled padawans for the umpteenth time that they are holding their lightsaber wrong and see if you don't think you're owed the right to at least use some of the million horribly dangerous things you encounter for a little 'you-time'. My patience teaching a generation that never seemed to prepare for the future or learn from their true mistakes was heroic." Maranon asserted.

Then her demeanor changed from a bitter woman venting about something that clearly affected her still to that coy seductress that had gotten into Maple's head on Katanos.

She blinked and Maranon was next to her.

"So gorgeous..." Maranon breathed on Maple's ear. "So lonely...give it ten years...you'll be in my shoes."

Maple blinked and was surprised to find it was nighttime, and that they had reached dangerous, stormy, snowy cliffs overlooking their path to the jungle. Sawa was discussing the plan with one of the guides, and Maple, still disturbed by the similarities between her and the Dead Sith who had taken a fancy to her.

"I'll go down there first..." Maple said, "I'm used to scouting and taking point. I'll take out any Yazill and Sharks, then signal the others to follow once I get to the bottom to follow. This current is dangerous. That way, in case I bite it, we won't lose multiple people. As for the Taeki...I find any of them down there waiting, I'll give a short burst from my transmitter, telling you to wait until I've dealt with them quietly. The quiter we are, the less the Taeki will be able to react..."

The boat docked, and the somber Maple, still troubled by Maranon's answer, grabbed climbing gear and breathing equipment, venturing forward to the darkness within the magnificent cavern, her stealth carbine out and primed and began the trek to their insertion point within...

OOC: let me know if I should edit, Matsu.

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Maple Harte"]

Sawa was listening to the plan when she felt something, a brish of Maple's mind and she was in a vision. THe energy vampire turned to look at her while they were discussing the plan. The sith though moved when they were docked and she looked down as the scents of it came, the light spray of water reaching them were the mist was and she could see it, she could feel them in the force where they were moving. "A dangerous plan but we shall go along with it. Make sure you are prepared for the temperature." She said it and looking at the three who were there with them they had a smal group and the sounds of thunder were coming from below.

SHe knew from experience that it went deeper, deeper still was where it went with underground rivers, caves, temples even that show where they had at one time possible been above the water or if the world was frozen over cleared out and carved but then sank beneath. THe deeper down now though might connect to the massive underwater ocean. Sawa was looking at more of it as Akano stood next to her and crouched down. The pair of guides had equipment packs for each of them ready to be used, they didn't load food or weapons but they were looking at what could be used on the run in caves or under the water.

"Everything is ready to go. We'll let Maple head down to scout and repel down into one of the pools to make a beeline." Sawa nodded her head to that taking her pack when they looked down. She didn't want to fight the taeki... mostly because they were dangerous in ways few understood and they knew these jungles, the creatures better then most. Poisoned weapons or even the traps they could do would not be something to see before she was heading out and over to reamlly check on a few parts with line to repel down firing off into the walls to give them a way back up if they needed it.

 

[Maple Harte]

Maple strapped on breathing equipment and attached a line to her, securing her weapons before rapelling down into the water.

It was a strong current so she had to move with it as she swam underwater, keeping an eye out for threats, the cold and dark of the water making it difficult to navigate before she finally rose ashore, and not a moment too soon because she saw a Yazill in the darkness of the water that had been edging closer.

She silently commed [member="Sawa Ike"]. "Yazill in the water...big ones...saw one riding the current just now. Ashore somewhere north of your current position. This cavern...its...its so huge..."

Maple advanced through a path of rock which quickly began showing signs of habitation. Maple brought out her Stealth Blaster and spotted a crowd of Taeki in front of a shrine. A shrine of severed human heads in the middle of a large underground oasis. They were clad in war paint and knives. And they were clearly doing some kind of ritual on a live captive, chanting something hideous-sounding under their lips.

Maple popped the one leading the ritual and the Taeki started yelling, looking for their attacker hidden in the shadows. Human Sacrifice was about as scummy as it got for anyone. Sawa had probably pulled something like that in the past being all dark side and stuff, but Maple tried not to think about that as she helped her try to save a monster she had helped create. Femme Fatales: Her fatal flaw.

Maple rushed forward to the live captive, a screaming woman of togrutan origin. Her skin was pale red. She was clad in rags.

"Its okay. Why did they take you? How many of them are there?" Maple asked.

OOC: You can give the npc answers, matsu

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Maple Harte"]

Sawa was listening and watching as she could see better int he dark with a look on her face. The two fo them were with her started moving as Akano spoke from the small group. "Ehhh I am not really one for exploring master... I'll protect the boat if that is okay." Sawa knew Akano and she knew could fight but swimming with her mass of hair wouldn't be something great and she wasn't exactly ready for much as her hand came up. "Very well." Sawa said it as she grabbed a rock and threw it down towards the lower sections. Then lept with the two others and the equipment was being sent down a repelling line that Maple had been able to set up.

Sawa dove though, her body leaping up and hands going forward as she went through the mist and darkness to impact into the water and she could see the movement of the creatures while she was moving. The three of them were in the water itself and there was the chill for a moment but her hair stayed in its tight ponytail as she was swimming and could see the small school of fish coming after them. THe scent of flesh as she caught sight of their eyeless looks and rows of razor teeth. Sawa moved quickly and grabbed one as she tore into it and the blood stained the water driving the others crazy for the pieces as she moved off to the side.

Meanwhile the togruta was moving and looking at Maple as she spoke. "We were missionaries, this group contac ted us about coming into the jungles. They said we could find people deeper in who were using the caves and needed supplies, food, medicine, clothing. They came with us but then they were gone as we met those things.. they took us and did things." She seemed to be recalling it and it was dangerous to think about she was scared and bleeding from cuts along her skin. Other bodies were strewn around as it had been done and the two arrived through the rocks looking at it and speaking. "Who is that?"

Raza looked at her and had a weapon ready but shook her head. "We're just here to explore." A smirk was on her face though when they stood there and had equipment packs with everything for them where they could go. THe sounds in the caves though were dangerous and there were other things around. Screeching as a white salamander darted along the wall with needle like teeth in its mouth, tail waving back and forth as it grabbed some of the bugs that were going over the remains. She moved around though as they took cover and Sawa was moving into the cave looking at it. "What is this?" She was curious thinking about it when she moved.

"Looks like someone was trying to convert the locals."The woman said it while looking but was getting some things out for medical supplies. Sawa was watching though and she moved forward looking at the Taeki when she tapped him. "They are not going to like this but it will have scared them back for a moment. In these tunnels it will be easy to get turned around and lostk, there are chambers, leading to rooms of bones, shafts that go deep into the earth, underground rivers going to a black and lightless sea. Geothemal vents spitting sulfur and heat that will have small ecosystems of creatures developed and the Taeki know where it all is."

She didn't like the idea and they had to move fast but she wasn't going to say they weren't going to have to fight them or scare them or handle them if they attacked. THe sounds echoed through the caves from the darkness of blaster fire as someone else was screaming and Sawa looked at them... then she was looking at Maple as she spoke. "You know it will be dangerous to take her with us and we can't really head back and beat them to the ship." Sawa was looking at what they had and at what they might be able to do. Her hands on Shojo as it rested on her hip and dark sister was with her. She could hear the screams and shouts echoing.

 

[Maple Harte]

Maple looked at the Togrutan captive.

"I'll take responsibility for this captive..." Maple said to [member="Sawa Ike"].

When Sawa explained what was waiting for them as they went deeper, Maple sighed.

"And here I thought I'd seen my last portal to hell on Mimban. This planet's ecosystem doesn't do anything half-assed, I'll give it that much."

Maple turned to the togrutan captive, unsettled how the shade of her skin was like that of the creature that sometimes preyed on her in her sleep.

"Ma'am, have you seen anybody else besides you? Anybody you knew wasn't local?"

"There...there were men...men in dusters...with sun symbols on their chest..."

Maple looked at Sawa in alarm. The hunters had made it here...they'd gotten past the Taeki even.

"Miss, its very important you tell me which way they went..."

"To the south...the woman coughed..."Some sort of fethed up ritual site, just killing and sacrificing people through ritualized torture...they...they...they drugged me and made me sacrifice my own brother against my will!" the captive said, breaking down in tears, inconsolable.

When Maple heard this, her fists clenched in horror and disgust at the Taeki. A nearby rock split in half from an unconscious use of telekinesis on her part.

"Barbarians..." Maple whispered.

She knealt down.

"I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could do..."

"You could butcher them all!" the woman yelled in pure, unbridled rage, fists clenching, teeth bared.

"You might just get your wish there..." Maple trailed as she heard the murderous screams of the Taeki, advancing, about to ambush the intruders.

Maple handed the captive her DC-19, switching it to non stealth mode for more conventional use.

"Time to decide lady! Badass...or Dead?"

The togrutan woman hefted the rifle up.

"Badass..." the woman answered defiantly. "Come...we got maybe thirty seconds. I know another way into that chamber..." the captive explained heading to a wide tall stone tunnels that was full of reliefs of the dark, hideous acts that went on in these caves. She spotted Taeki coming from the other end and opened fire, the heavy bolt slamming into one of the vibrosword armed madmen and she felt Maranon's mind connection shiver in lust at Maple's ruthlessness.

That felt great on my end, feeling you go all cold inside as you pulled the trigger. Do it again! Please!

Maple snorted, shaking her head as she opened fire, hitting a target trying to close in on Sawa from behind. She felt Maranon spiritually shiver in pleasure as she fed off the death Maple caused.

Again! the dead Queen begged.

You are a 'twisted' creature, Maranon she thought at the dead Sith.

Kill for your Queen. Feed me a corpse as I would feed a pomegranate to you. We'll make it a date. Maranon replied lustfully in the shadow of Uri's madness as Maple shot another Taeki, feeling Maranon grow stronger, laping up the blood metaphorically speaking, enjoying every murder Maple kept commiting as she advanced clearing out threats in front and sometimes behind her with controlled shots that passed through multiple Taeki.

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Maple Harte"]

Sawa was moving and she wasn't going to leave the girl here but wading through the taeki was not exactly something she wanted to do as the sounds came to her and she was moving. Down here they had the advantage and they had what could only be described as force talents. THey worshiped the darkside of the force and used it to almost disguise themselves. She moved around in the area and they were defending themselves as Sawa could feel something going on with Maple. she could feel danger and excitement almost under the surface but she moved quickly. Maple and the togruta had a handle on things before she kicked off a wall.

"Move." THe vampire was moving down the tunnel itself and the sounds of weapons going off echoed around them. Sawa was moving and leading the way through the tunnels as the sound of the hunters fighting came to her ears. The scent of blood when the chamber opened to reveal a tower that was moving quickly. Spinning obsidian blades impaling people where they looked, the taeki above moving around on the walls and on vines. One fo the hunters dodged the blades that proved more like a test of skill and endurance. Sawa moving into the area as she saw some of the hunters trying to make it and she knew the path to the ship in the tunnels... they didn't but that didn't mean it would be dangerous.

"THis way." Sawa moved at it, the force enhancing her speed as she ducked down and scrambled along the ground under the blades letting them impale one of the hunters as she was curious how they got here... well not wholly the different ways into here were easy to find but she was moving and leaping over one of the bladed arms as she started to ascend the tower itself. She was moving to let herself scale it quickly while the others had found a place they could be away from the walls and shafts the taeki used. With clear lines of sight and nothing obstructing them as the hunters were moving around one of them chasing sawa up the tower.

"Careful now." THe man sneered trying to stab her as she moved and lept up onto the uderside of an arm grabbing where it wasn't bladed and holding herself with steely arms until she found a second handhold and then another moving in between the blades not letting herself cut sliced until she got to the top and looked down at what they had risked around here. The galleon that had been here before was still here, more rotted then she had seen it before. How it got this far in and below was unknown but they would have to see when she was moving quickly. She kicked him when he got up high and he landed on a spike as one of the Taeki stood there.

Sawa was looking at her and it was clear it was a female, skin painted in a fresh helping of crimson gore and pale flesh underneath. Ornate hair serpents, silvery black eyes and her mouth was showing filed teeth covered in golden caps... But she wasn't sneering or barring her teeth at the energy vampire. Her lips were gone, removed as she spoke with a his in the ancient Atrisian clicking her tongue against the teeth, a look from Sawa though and rush of power had her hand coming up as she watched them. The Taeki stopped and moved away from the small area where Maple and them should have been quicky to keep going after the hunters as Sawa starred at the woman.

 

[Maple Harte]

Maple advanced, having already depleted the ammo for her DC-17, and that was when the electro staff came out. It was a good the ends could seperate because the place was full of Taeki. [member="Sawa Ike"] was cutting loose as much as she was. She spared none of them. Not after what she had just seen them do.

It was strange, slipping so easily back into murder while Sawa was around. But Sawa had this curious ability to make Maple want to impress her. And besides, these guys liked human sacrifice. Screw 'em.

Maple's sticks brutally smashed through Taeki skulls as she advanced behind Sawa, the Sith Spirit inside her head invigorated by the violence, egging her on. She targeted joints and soft tisse, the electrified ends providing extra damage that flattened everyone who tried to challenge the blur Maple had become, sticks smashing into bone and muscle whipped around with a dizzying grace. Everywhere she saw a Taeki she tried to cave a face in. The Togrutan held her own, having been obviously traumatized and wanting vengeance for all they had done to her as they ascended, foist past ancient shafts and tunnels thick with cave vines, then past an ancient sea vessel.

The Leader was about what Maple expected but that was the least of their problems. More Taeki were showing up. And so far the only sign she had seen of the Saffron Dawn Vampire Hunters was an eviscerated corpse they had passed by on the way up

Maple took the obsidian knife, hearing Maranon snarl in lust in her skull as she cut her Palm. Contact with with the Spirit provided a flash of insight...

She held out her hand.

"My Queen, Send unto me your charisma..." she intoned in a trance.

A red wave of energy flowed out of her hand as Maranon's spirit rumbled in delight, hitting the Taeki in front of her, though the act drained Maple so much she was brought to her knees.

The Taeki hit by the blast began chanting one simple thing before they began attacking the Taeki that had not been hit, their eyes glowing red from the spell:

"Everybody Loves Maranon."

Maple dragged herself away, panting, while the Togrutan covered her with blaster fire.


(New Spell Learned!)

Spell Of Charisma:

Spoiler

A blood spell, using this sends a red wave of energy that temporarily brainwashes npc's into fighting for you for thirty seconds.

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Maple Harte"]

Sawa was watching and seeing Maple she motioned for a moment as the taeki leader spoke her voice in a hiss to the others who backed away. "Chez chel." She said it and standing there looked at them for a moment. ONe hand up but she moved around and Sawa stood there watching her as she motioned for the others to get together. A circle and motioned for Maple and the togurta to stop. She had heard what Maple said and what was happening in the forc but would have to worry about that later... right now something was happening and these taeki were dangerous compared to many things. She dind't want to have their bodies being used to attract some of the dangerous predators.

"We don't want to deal with you, we are after outsiders.. others who came looking for something we gave to you a long time ago." She said it while watching the eyes of the being... she seemed to think about it more as a hand came up and pointed towards a body hanging. The emblems of the vampire hunters on him as his chest was open, organs spilling out and there were some others around them. THe scream that came as one was being dragged out from a tunnel with weapons going off. Sawa raised an eyebrow and it wasn't in the direction of what they were looking after when she didn't look at maple as much as she just motioned for them to move slowly towards one fo the caves.

"Dnon't make aggressive actions, they are being attacked by the hunters as well and if we aren't a threat to them they'll attack them... which is what we want. While they roam around and get lost in the other tunnels we can make our way towards one of the temples." Where she was looking at a few things and there was a marooned ship that was from the ancient air ships. Armies splayed out in it still with their bones and armor... where she was going was the cave below it as she started walking and the Taeki didn't follow instead watching then letting them go. "THis is forbidden to them, they don't go near the death within the ship."

 

[Maple Harte]

Maple had been dragging herself away from the melee one moment and then the next she was back on Maranon's river yacht on Ancient Zeltros. The Sith Queen cradled Maple's head on her lap, a jeweled glass of wine left before Maple's lips. Maple was clad in her white dream dress, her hair being petted by the dead Sith.

"What did you do to me?" Maple demanded to know.

"I awakened your mind to power. 'My' power." The Zeltron answered, her face languid with lust. "Oh, so powerful, and she doesn't realize it. [member="Sawa Ike"] sees what I see. Brimming magical potential. You could be a queen if you wanted." Maranon cooed. "Drink?"

Maple, not having a very good experience in cramped caves full of murderous Atrisian cultists decided to throw caution to the wind. She knew it wasn't wine but she knew Maranon didn't want her dead. She leaned her head forward, still cradled by the dead Sith's hand.

It wasn't wine. Wine warmed her, dulled her senses, this...this invigorated her. This red substance was some how part of Maranon's essence.

That creature that stalks you in your sleep..." The luxurious ancient queen spoke, closing her eyes, shivering as part of her merged a little with Maple.

"She needs you insane...well, more insane than you already are...she means to break you...but I can protect you." Maranon whispered into Maple's ear.

"You didn't do too hot against that damn thing last time." Maple noted.

"Circumstances have changed..." Maranon cooed. "I can protect you in a way even Sa-to-the-wa-to-the-Ike can't.

"How are you doing this?" Maple asked again, not distracted by Maranon's beauty. "You were barely a whisper when Sawa ate most of you. What changed?"

"Oh, so persistant with your questions!" Maranon chuckled delicately. "Ever the assassin trying to get the bad girl to reveal her evil plan. What if I told you my evil plan was simply to get a new body, rebuild my kingdom and take you as my consort?"

Maple snorted at this, even as she noted how soft Maranon felt.

"I know that part, what I don't know is how you plan on doing that..."

"And that's the part I won't tell you. I have been in the business for quite a while. Long enough to learn not to let the important details slip."

Maple felt Maranon's fingers slide over her forehead. Maple felt an electric shock across her Mind as Maranon sent some of her wisdom through the artificial connection.

"I have a present for you my dear..." Maranon whispered into Harte's ear. Lower where your pathetic vampire hunters have gone, something sealed away, close to Ni-Ne. Poor Ni-Ne...at least I enjoyed the death of my old self. Ni-Ne...stuck in suffering...you can feel it on the wind...I wonder if Sawa can feel her suffering, as I do...there's much to be learned in suffering..."

Maple snapped awake, Sawa giving orders to move to one of the caves, spotting the dead hunter.

Maranon's wisdom, her vigor, overcame the ex-shadow and she crossed the area to the hanging body...plunging her hands into the split open insides, receiving insight, however brief. She mindlessly spoke unholy words as she performed the strange act, not noticing the smell.

She could see it as a flash of images, then felt them, even through her madness, currently trying to convince her she was fighting an army of cotton candy. She could feel where his comrades were, what they were planning and could only start to panic. She removed her hand and instantly felt the strange magical effect cease.

"Sawa! We have to move! Patrick Keitel is nearly to Ni-Ne's ship! They plan to flood the caves and drown everyone if it means winning!"

(Plasmid Acquisition Theme plays)

(New Magic Spell learned!)

Spell: Visceromancy

Spoiler

Speaking unholy words while touching the intestinal remains of the recently slain, allows one's Force sense to be massively increased for a short time, ending when hands are removed from entrails.

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Maple Harte"]

Sawa was moving and she felt more from Maple as she allowed the force to guide her as they were moving again. She imagined they would get close but this seemed to be getting faster and faster as the energy vampire came through one of the tunnels and the ship was there in a massive cavern. Thick rock struts that were set up to hold it over the rushing waters of a whirlpool The size of the ship with along the sides of it frost and glasiers that held ancient ships. Metal and wooden bones forming dangerous ladders to climb it. Sawa smirked to herself standing there for a moment and took it in as she saw it again after so long. The Taeki had not touched it, they didn't need to and this deep down in the planet it was chilly compared to the humid jungles and little light was around making it more dangerous. Sawa was motioning for them to go and there was a whole lot more taeki fighting things, slicing and grabbing as they crawled along the walls of the stone going after the ones who were trying to shoot at them. Some connected and others were thrown into the waters below. She motioned to one of the bridges and it arced with stone and wood across the gap. "We are going to have to take one fo the bridges, the Taeki are preoccupied and then ascend the side of the ship to get to the airlock."

 

[Maple Harte]

Discovering: Castle Morpheus (http://starwarsrp.net/topic/129671-castle-morpheus-the-leviathan-tantive/#entry1788101)

Maple followed [member="Sawa Ike"] down through the cavern, the scared, terrified Togrutan woman following them down, having no other allies but them, and even that had been by pure chance. Surely she was wondering if she had escaped the frying pan only to end up in the campfire it was cooking over.

It got colder, but Maple didn't notice it, too distracted by Maranon's presence in her brain sifting through it, enjoying sending images of debauchery and hedonism that the Dark part of her fed on, but the surface resisted. This only amused Maranon.

Don't be afraid, my dear. You're far too delicious to destroy.

Maple, to distract herself from the feeling of the dead Queen's fingers gliding over her skin, her brain caressed by Maranon as her spirit hacked into it, forced herself for the first time in years to call on Ursula's teachings, trying to focus on anything, even counting cards to try and get some bit of normal back into her thinking process. Ursula's cold, but calm words grounded her slightly:

Remember, Uri, your mind is your greatest weapon. You must never surrender it... Sandraven had told her once. Maranon chuckled in delight as she sensed Ursula's memories.

This one in your head...this Ursula...she was as close to a mother as you've ever gotten...and...and...

Maple was given pause when she felt the spirit searching her brain from its own prison go still for a moment...

Your madness prevents you from seeing it...poor girl... the spirit spoke. I...I actually feel sorry for you...

Before Maple could ask what Maranon meant, Sawa stopped a moment and Maple's mouth dropped. This had been in the caves?! It was so large! She could see the grand whirlpool, the frosted glaciers that had trapped other ships somehow. But the ship itself...

It looked menacing. Immaculate looking. Strangely gothic. A mist had settled over the gigantic hull, and Maple could see it was of very ancient make indeed. It might even be as old as the first Emperor of Atrisia. Stretching it, possibly but that design simply wasn't common. It was a cruiser, the hull a dark purple, shining and reflecting the whirlpool.

"I'll take point..." Maple offered, gesturing to the bridge. She focused on Sawa, kept picturing that perfect, deadly fanged grin of hers as she climbed down to where the paths started and stepped on a bridge first, testing the weight. The Togrutan tossed her the stealth blaster and Maple began crossing the bridge, only to come under fire from a far away vantage point. Maple dropped as bolts flew over her head. She spotted them. Two Saffron Dawn Hunters on a natural rock bounty trying to rip up the bridge with assault blasters. Two shots from her rifle in non stealth mode dropped them.

"They know we're coming! Check above you and around you! There could be more hiding on the outcroppings!" Maple told everyone as she got up and advanced. She spotted a rocket launched at both her and Sawa's position and chose to shoot the rocket speeding towards Sawa first, reducing it to shrapnel falling to the water far out of range of harming Ike. She barely took out the rocket aimed at her before it entered kill radius with another shot, blasting the ones who had fired from the hull of the ship itself. Skip. Sidious controlled the galaxy and was killing off the last of the resistance. Skip. This skip had cost her, because in the split second she was distracted a bolt hit her in the shoulder. Her armor took a good portion of it but she was still knocked to the planks of the bridge she was crossing. They had three left atop the hull. She saw more hunters come from other passages. Maple forced herself to fight the pain, deciding to do something risky...

She tapped Doashim's power, and the pain to her shoulder ceased instantly. There was a high chance of her frenzying but she'd lucked out this time. Maranon screamed in an entirely suggestive joy in her mind as Maple let the force dull her nerves and she began aiming and firing, advancing extremely quickly, taking a bolt to the thigh and not reacting as she shot the one who fired, dropping him from the top, getting closer to the hull. All fire began to concentrate on her position as she dropped every face that her scope fell on with a headshot.

"That human is crazy! the Togrutan muttered next to Sawa.

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Maple Harte"]

Sawa was moving and she didn't test the bridge... she knew it was old but it was also mostly preserved down here. The sections of it iced over and she moved as the attacks were coming in, blaster bolts and rockets with Maple firing off and generally striking back. She could see where the Taeki were moving around and some of them started to tear at the hunters dropping down with little regard for their lives off of the rocks from the cavern above. it was suicide but as one dropped down and crushed with the impact force two of te hunters there was more screams. They protected things down here and far above the whirpoool was sections of the continent where they sacrificed to the dark gods below.

Sawa ducked under a shot as she heard the togruta and spoke with a wicked grin on her face firing off a fireball from her hand with shaping and the force. "Yes and that is what makes her most wonderful." Where she moved and fired of a shot brought the energy vampire up near the one ship. THe spine along the hull when she started to ascend it using the sections of hull to get up to the one airlock and she knew how to get in when her hand moved out quickly grabbing a hunter who had been coming after them and she tilted her head for a moment before tossing them into the whirlpool below with their scream coming.

She managed to get it ipen as Maple was going off on them, with attacks and her weapons. THe others with them were also attacking and letting their weapons come out. DC rifles they changed to sniper mode and were fighting... they were many things explorers, tomb raiders but they had been atrisian soldiers before many things. THey served on the colonies before Sawa positioned them in different areas to go after some of the bridges and where the hunters were coming in. It was a lot more dangerous as they went into cover firing off a shot and Sawa slid her hand onto the scanner of the airlock. She and Ni-Ne had been added to get access if needed and she didn't like letting it be there while it slid opened just a bit to let them in. "Come on."

 

[Maple Harte]

Maple advanced on the pathway to the ship, still under the effects of Force Body. She was incredibly lucky she had not frenzied, else she might have ended up attacking [member="Sawa Ike"].

The great space ship loomed over her with an unusual sense of menace. Nine Lives still liked to live posh, it seemed. But these hunters posed a significant, ongoing threat. She made sure to down as many as she could, popping them off ledges, shooting their grenades, and causing natural balconies of stone to be destroyed as she advanced, covering as best she could for Sawa. Maranon was beside herself in Maple's skull, feeding somehow off every kill, getting stronger, bit by bit, invigorating Maple as well.

Still, she had not spotted Patrick. He must have gotten past the security systems somehow. Maple made sure to keep an eye out because Keitel was a priority kill. But these hunters were really determined, braving these caverns, the Taeki, just to kill a few vampires. There were so many worse threats out there. Consumers, for example...

Maranon's cries of ecstasy at all the killing weirded the ex-shadow out to no end as she reached the hatch of Castle Morpheus, having sustained another two grazing shots at the shoulder. But at this point the pain killing effects of Force Body wore off and she was shuddering in pain, though Maranon's connection seemed to give her the strength to stand in spite of it. But the shots that landed hurt, and her rifle was still trembling as Sawa got the hatch open. Maple stepped in...

...and entered Maranon's throne room. The silk-clad dead queen of Katanos Seven drew the ex-shadow to her effortlessly. Maple, hypnotized felt herself being pulled forward.

"Oh, so entertaining, when you kill..." Maranon trailed with hungry, golden eyes. "You've made me stronger. Given me the power I need...now, to draw lovely Sawa into the grasp..."

Maple, the dark part of her hungering to obey the dead Sith, made the lonely ex-Jedi merely say; "What is thy bidding, my Queen..."

Being called Queen by Maple seemed to please Maranon, who took a step forward, pressing a finger to Maple's arm, revealing the strange blood spell she had implanted in her mind on Katanos.

"This place is a nexus of the Dark Side...not the ship itself, but the surrounding area...such a charge. Excellent for our purposes.

Maple swooned in the vision feeling another presence enter this...domain...

Maple turned and so did Maranon...

It had a feminine outline, but seemed composed of broken red fragments of...something, the only idea it was staring at you was the red points of light where its eyes should be. The broken fragments moved in unison. The part of Maple still not quite under the Queen's sway, instantly understood the power source behind Maranon's resurgence. This spirit was powerful.

"Who are you?" Maple asked quietly in a daze as the spirit approached the throne.

"I...I am an exile. Twice over. Once from this plain of reality, when my life was stolen, and again from where I was sent to...such a strange place. I was trapped in the void you passed by escaping the Kanzer the first time. It was supposed to be my prison eternal, from where I was banished. But then..." the seductive voice of the spirit added, circling the semi-hynotized Maple.

"...You came along. You touched the void, woke me as you passed..."

"What's so special about me?" Maple asked the fragmented spirit.

"You're...connected to something. Something powerful. Its the same thing that draws that monster in your sleep to you. Maranon here simply lusts for you, so you needed nothing special to wake her...but her purposes and mine are, for the moment, aligned..."

"What do you want?" Maple asked, "And why the feth do I seem to be the catalyst for every freak, whackjob, and abomination getting loose?"

"You have that magnetism?" Maranon suggested playfully, prompting a mild chuckle from the fragmented spirit.

"Destiny draws strangeness to the destined. As for what I want. I want..." the spirit trailed, getting closer to Maranon. Who seemed to tense in anticipation.

"To change the Galaxy...I simply lack the means..." it answered, going over to the smirking but still tensed up Maranon, who then shuddered as the fragment-creature passed through and disappeared into it. Maranon blinked, and when her eyes opened again, two red points of light were at the center of her pupils. Maple backed away.

"Don't be frightened, my dear Maple..." Maranon spoke with two voices, both seductive, and in sync. "Neither of us want you dead...just devoted. To us..."

Maple tried to summon the will to escape the vision but Maranon's hungered stare held her close.

"When you are deeper in the ship, my love..." the Queen whispered in Maple's ear, whispering the unholy incantation and instructions to the brainwashed woman, who only nodded mindlessly in response...

Maranon smiled pulled away. "Now...go and finish your task. I must prepare Sawa now..."

Maranon kissed her on the forehead, and the symbol of a crown appeared on it, quickly fading.

Maple snapped back to reality a half second later, having entered the hatch that led to the bridge deck, which was large and silent. Maple shook her head, the pain in her arms and legs coming back and making her limp slightly. The ex-shadow had forgotten the instructions completely, but they would rear their ugly head at the wrong moment...

The purple Togrutan woman who had followed the only people who could protect her, saw the split second Maple had swooned and went over to check.

"Are you alright? What is this place?"

Maple nodded, then spotted a placard on one wall, written in ancient Atrisian and basic that read "Castle Morpheus".

Maple spotted a repair drone...and a yellow smiley face with devil horns popped up on screens on the bridge computers, surveillance cameras turning on and swiveling to the new intruders.

A pre-recorded audio effect played in a deep, sinister tone on ship speakers.

"MUA HA HA HA HA HA..."