Rainy Mood Mashup

[Boethiah]

Thunder roared in the distance as a dark overcast moved in above Ravelin, rainwater cascaded from the high walls of the Imperial Palace falling upon the guards below and soaking them, but they did not move. No; the guards that protected the Host Lord and her advisors did not budge even as the sky fought to mingle with the world below. To the children playing in puddles they were but statues, silent guardians watching over the monstrous structure which overlooked the city upon a plateau.

Within the palace walls themselves, Anja remained confined to her chamber quietly reading away into ancient tombs of forbidden knowledge collected upon her many journeys. Here the rain touched the window sills, a small bird took shelter within the frame and chirped melodiously at the pouring rain, glancing back ever so often at the pale witch lying in her silk-draped bed. The rest of the room itself was rather sparse, containing no treasures or jewels, only a simple desk, a chair, and two shelves existed in the modest room once reserved for delegates.

Being twenty kilometers across and two high, the titanic palace was easy to get lost in, but the doors were open to all of the Primeval.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

Bastion​

​

Vaulkhar had traveled far and wide since finding a master in the ways of the Force. He had visited Tattooine, Coruscant, Atrisia, and even planets in the Outer Rim that need not be named, purely because they were controlled by small time gangsters and held little to no importance to the young man, aside from a few good fights here and there. But something drew him to Bastion. To the blind man, he'd likely call it premonitions through the Force, calling him out to a place he had never been to better himself. Others would likely call it wanderlust, but it mattered not. Whether he grew as a warrior, a man, or a scholar upon this journey; he knew there'd be growth. It was a part of exploring he enjoyed greatly.

His ship descended from the skies, landing as near to the palace as he could. Learning from his brother of Ravelin, he hoped to see it's beauty and wanders for himself, maybe visit the palace and meet any who'd be willing to give him their time of day. If not, oh well. There'd probably be a library, most palaces had those.

Dropping the ramp to his ship, Vaulkhar departed quickly and quietly, giving a nod to those nearby as the ramp ascended into the ship. He strode away and moved in the direction of the palace. The blind man walked the streets comfortably, something those who suffered from blindness normally could not do. As he approached the palace he took in the beauty of it to the best of his ability, smiling all the way up the steps and into whatever semblance of a courtyard there was to be had within. The young man looked about, seeking something, but what he was unsure.

"This is frustrating..."

He was all over the place and the frustration was beginning to radiate from him, a beacon of the dark side of the force coming from his very being. And a rather powerful one for an Acolyte at that.

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

The rain did not stop; lightning bolts zigzagged across the sky, weaving pictures as the Gods themselves wept upon the world, but for what? Anja wondered.

As a witch, Anja was feared by her enemies. Her prowess as a weaver of spells and magicks had forged fear in the hearts of those she's fought, that fear radiated from them and found their way into the minds of many. Although few knew her as the Host Lord, they all recognized her aura as an entity that advises caution in battle. Yet few truly knew her, so few knew this Anja Aj'Rou. Never having a master, this Umbaran walked a path in darkness, blinded to the future and never knowing where her destination lie.

So when she felt an energy near the palace, one among the few dozen force users nearby, she knew there was someone much like her... Someone who walked their path alone, seeking something only they knew they needed. Empathy? No... Camaraderie? Not that, either. Anja was unable to find the right word for why she felt the way she did, no matter.

Approaching the subject was a guard clad in black, the steel of his armour glistened as rays of light escaped through a crack in the clouds. "Trespasser! Your clearance codes do not authorize you to land in the palace district," the rather colossal near-human drew a mighty two-handed vibroblade which he was able to wield in one hand. Before the guard had a chance to attack, and the acolyte a chance to react, the beast of a man stopped in his tracks. Exhaling was a cold breathe from his lips, the weapon released from his fingers, his knuckles cracking as they pulled back--the blade fell, bouncing twice on the stone-paved path.

For a moment there was silence... "You may enter... As a guest," a feminine voice echoed behind the masculine one belonging to the guard. Within her chambers, Anja opened her eyes, to which the guard fell to a knee and heaved as he drew his breath. Rising slowly, "You may enter this place, but if I find out your visit is malicious, you will die by my blade." His deep voice was masked by panting.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

One moment Vaulkhar was simply wandering about and the next a guard approached him, drawing a blade nearly as large as the blind man himself. Seeing him wield it one-handed, Vaulkhar had determined he was likely in a world of hurt. As the seconds ticked by he determined there was likely no escape from this situation and he did his best to formulate some form of combat plan, but it was abruptly cut short by a powerful spike of energy within the Force. Before the man before him even fell to his knees, Vaulkhar had realized there was something at work. Something that was influenced by the dark side of the Force. As the words were spoken by [member="Anja Aj'Rou"], his heart skipped a beat within his chest.

Her words spoke of authority, something not many could claim within the Galaxy. They spoke of confidence, something that even the greatest of warriors lacked. But most importantly, they spoke of power. Power that could only be achieved through the greatest of sacrifices and the harshest of training. Her words poured over him, sending chills down his spine and goosebumps prickling across his skin in waves. His mouth hung agape momentarily as he stared into the darkness, his force sight allowing him to see but a single woman, surrounded in dark side energies that rivaled even that of his Sith master, Vyrassu.

Am I in love? The Acolyte raised a hand and rubbed a hand over his eyes to make sure he was not mistaken at what he was seeing. Never had a single person, man or woman, have an effect such as this on him. Just as he felt him, he felt her. She radiated the same power he had, only greater in strength. Walking towards the woman he could only nod at her words. Only the greatest of fools would make the mistake of causing trouble after such a display. As he passed the guard he offered a hand, aiding in the injured man's standing before continuing on his way.

"Greetings..." He began as he entered through the massive doorway, looking upon the woman through the force. "I am Vaulkhar..." The young man was at a lost for words, he could not even remember why he had traveled to this planet. His mind was clouded in confusion by the sudden turn of events, and it was clear in days within his empty gaze.

 

[Boethiah]

Anja allowed her signature to echo in the force, enough for the stranger to follow should he wish. Of course she did not request that he did, only that he was allowed entry into the city-sized palace.

The witch remained where she was before, quietly reading away and turning pages ever so often, her murky-blue eyes following the black ink with intense focus. The path to where she was spun about the palace, going from corridor to corridor, passing rooms of every conceivable purpose and those that seemed to lack purpose all together. One striking feature was the seemingly lack of life amongst the pillars and chambers, sparsely decorated and hardly manned. Certainly a palace of that stature could hold tens of thousands, yet an observer might gather that only a fraction of its capacity was utilized.

How many weeks had it been since one visited the Host Lord? Long. Aside from her advisors, few ever met with her, and only on the battlefield did she reveal any nature to her allies and enemies alike. Otherwise the enigmatic woman kept to herself, and that which surrounded her. Truly an occasion she'd remember for quite some time to say the least. Each guest's face would be forever imprinted into her vast and endless memory.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

As Vaulkhar strode up the steps and introduced himself he realized that only an echo of what was once there was gone. Looking around momentarily, he found a trail to follow. This was a moment to decide whether he wanted to follow the woman forward and learn of her and her power, or simply study the deepest corners of the palace. While the feint echo began to recede his decision was made. He was going to follow it and see where it led. And so he began, turning and weaving throughout the relatively empty hallways of the palace. The palace was huge, likely as large as the city it was within, and it surprised the blind man.

He made his way through the halls at a brisk pace, following the fading echo as it went. He made note of the dozens of rooms, the large halls, the beautiful artwork and everything in between. There were very few places as beautiful as this Palace. Even the Palace of Atrisia paled in comparison to what he looked upon now, and it was something that made him smile. The planet itself reminded him of another planet far off in the galaxy, hidden way by prying eyes. A planet always storming.

Eventually the young man came across the room the Host Lord worked in silence. He did not pretend to himself that she had not noticed him. More likely than not she noticed his approaching aura long before she could hear the echoing foot steps that traveled about him. Unlike her, he could not hide his force signature, and the curiosity and confusion radiated from his body. Stopping at the door, Vaulkhar was unsure how to continue. She allowed him entry into the palace and saved him from what could of been a life or death situation. Taking a deep breath, he decided to knock upon the door to her open room.

"I do not mean to intrude, but I have a few questions for you. If you have the time that is, ma'am. I am Vaulkhar."

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

Sliding from the bed, two bare feet stepped upon the lukewarm ground and silently pressing into the stone flooring, her pale hands closed the ancient book she read and placed it gently atop a small pile of other nameless works. She did not reply immediately, instead her gaze sized him up, exploring every inch of his body from his attire to his heartbeat. An Umbaran's eyes did not miss a detail, and the illusionist would not be denied the truth that stood in front of her. After she took in whatever it was she saw, her lips parted and she spoke.

"You are either very bold or truly unwise to enter here without considering the possibilities... Unless of course you did so, and decided your curiosity lusted too greatly for whomever spoke to you." She did not deny that she attempted to read his mind, but whether she got that off of his mind or merely decided such from his decision to arrive here was not answered by any means. In fact her face failed to reveal any sign of emotion, but didn't seem completely devoid of it, either. Another talent of an Umbaran was their natural and almost subconscious ability to hide what was on their minds. An angry Umbaran could seem tranquil as the small bird which continued to chirp.

The Host Lord then moved from in front of him and to a small balcony, stopping just in the archway and looking off into the rain. For someone who lived in a palace, she did not dress regal but instead wore a simple, green robe that stopped barely above the knees, covering her arms, thighs, and torso.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

The Host Lord would find his mind impenetrable. The Epicanthix natural ability to ward off any form of mental intrusion was powerful and kept his mind locked up like a vault. At the probing of his mind, his focus upon her dropped momentarily. It was not common for someone to poke at his mind, so when it occurred it still confused him. Shaking his head at the sudden change, he ignored it momentarily. He did not expect an attempt at searching his mind, but it mattered not. After intruding within her home, he could not throw a fit over a failed attempt at mind reading.

"You can either call it stupidity or wanderlust; whatever you prefer, ma'am. I simply found a powerful force signature and followed it. You stopped the Guard from attacking me, which easily could of resulted in the death of one or two men, purely due to a misunderstanding; and I thank you for that." Vaulkhar lowers himself into a bow towards the woman before straightening. "It pleases me greatly to see you have not attacked me for this. Considering I am invading your home for the most part, I thank you for not attacking me as well."

Vaulkhar watched her stride towards the balcony, speaking as she was about halfway.

"It may sound odd, but your voice drew me towards you. Your voice is soaked in power. It demanded respect and attention, and it very much gave me goosebumps. I wanted to meet the source of the voice. And it's rather nice to see the woman who wields it is as beautiful as she is powerful."

He then quieted down as she approached the balcony, unsure of how to continue. His hands moved behind his back, fingers interlocking as he looked upon her. He cleared his throat and straightened.

"May I enter or would you prefer I remain in the hallway, ma'am?"

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

"Oh, come in," her words seemed distracted as her eyes paid attention to the outside world, watching the lighting strike in vibrant colours only he could imagine without an Umbaran's eye.

To his early comment, she did not seem displeased, nor did she seem flattered by anything he said. Truly he wouldn't be the first to comment positively on her appearance, as a few have done so in the past, but those who have were bolder and wiser than the man who stood some distance behind her. That wasn't to say he lacked the potential to be as them, but even they had failed to obtain her undivided attention in such matters. One might even ask if such matters meant anything to her at all.

Although Anja stood in the archway, a few droplets of rain were carried by the breeze and fell upon her lips and face. Yet regardless of the nerves in her body, not the smallest sign of movement could be noticed. She, much like the guards from earlier, seemed unphased by the weather. Bastion was not known for its rainfalls, such like these were rare, and often it was only brief and gentle showers that touched the soil which gave life to the plants. Aside from the artificially maintained gardens, the world itself was more like a savannah than anything.

The witch spoke once more, "why have you arrived on Bastion?" She asked, still her visual attention remained elsewhere.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar strode into the room and approached the balcony. He walked casually and stepped up beside her to stare out at the world before him. It was beautiful as he had decided earlier. He found that every planet had something that made it beautiful, something that made it stand out within the galaxy. With this planet, he honestly could not tell, but simply looking over the palace grounds and the city before it brought a smile to the blind man's face. Her posture was something Vaulkhar could not help but notice. She reminded him of a stone. Sturdy and strong; unmoving even in the face of the elements.

At the sound of her question, he turned his attention to look upon her slightly. Her question did not take him by surprise, but the young man still had no answer to the question beyond the desire to wander.

"I am a traveler at heart, I suppose. I've spent the last year or so traveling the galaxy with the intent of learning all I can from it. I've seen quite a few planets. My half-brother Enoch said this planet was rather beautiful, so I decided to come and see for myself."

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

Anja did not mind that he stood in the Balcony with her ,but she herself turned from the archway and returned deeper within the room as he looked out into the distance at the rest of the palace and the city it overlooked. Raising her arms, she stretched; a keen eye might note her acrobatic physique by the way she stretched, what they did with that information would be up to them.

"Many travel to Bastion, many seek to learn from our libraries... But you said that Enoch told you of this place? I know that name, he rules half a world not too far from this sector." She spoke quietly and walked over to a desk where her ceremonial armour was laid out for her.

Anja wondered what exactly it was he hoped to learn, but decided not to ask the question for the now. If he wished to explain more then he would, if not she wasn't eager to know his intents and purposes. All necessary things came with time, she knew that much.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar watched her depart momentarily, noting her stretching form before returning his attention to the world laid out before him. Before she spoke, he felt alone as he looked out at the lands stretching onward. For the first time in a long time, it felt like a great expanse of space stretched out to be explored by him, and grant him knowledge he so desired. Shaking his head gently from his contemplation, his ears perked up in time to hear the woman's statements and question. It was true his half-brother spoke of this planet and [member="Anja Aj'Rou"] rather fondly. For what reason, he did not know.

"I truly do not even know what it is I desire to learn," the young man admitted to her. "Maybe something involving the force, or maybe a little history of the planet, I'm not entirely sure yet." He turned away from the world and leaned comfortably against the archway, crossing his arms over his chest in the process. "What is it you did that incapacitated that man so quickly?"

The young Sith could not help but once more look the woman up and down again. Her physique was that of a healthy and fit person, something she sported well. The robes were of a green color and rather simple for one who lived within a palace. He himself sported a simple gray tunic with a black robe over it. His pants matched his tunic's color, and his boots were a black color. The man's hair was tied back into a bun as well. Vaulkhar could not help but wonder what this woman thought of him? Did she think him weak? Pitiful? Wasting their time? Many questions ran through his mind, but he simply pursed his lips and remained silent, opting to stick with what he'd already asked.

 

[Boethiah]

Anja wasn't so quick to reveal her secrets, that gave her an edge in many respects. "He obeys me," was the short answer and not entirely incorrect; the witch was fond of speaking half truths. Her hand reached for each piece of armour one-by-one, adjusting each piece as they were strapped over the green robe underneath. Lastly a plain necklace was hung neatly around her neck, the Umbaran's dark locks hung off to the sides and behind her neck. It hadn't taken longer than a few minutes for her to achieve this, making it fairly obvious that this was a daily routine for her.

Yet it may have been odd for her to do so with a complete stranger in the room, if he had been an assassin she was certainly vulnerable to attacks. "If you wish to learn magicks, it is not something that can be taught like mathematics or history. It is like sculpting a statue, if you haven't the artist's mind you'll never achieve desirable results." Her metaphor may have been a tad confusing, yet what she said was truth. Even if he knew the force, magick was an entirely different area. What she knew--what she could teach--was not a subject, but rather an artform.

Of course she wasn't judging his ability, merely cautioning him on the path which he may seek.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar nodded at the simple answer, not at all convinced of her answer, but it mattered not. He was within her home and it was common courtesy to show respect in that regard. He scratched at his cheek with two pale fingers, watching her put her armor on with a perked brow. "I'm a warrior, and I've never worn armor a day in my life," he pauses, shaking his head. "Probably a rather foolish decision." Funnily enough, the very idea of this woman's safety being threatened was upon his own mind.

"The idea of you dressing yourself in battle gear before a stranger is rather odd. Then again if you felt threatened by my presence or were not confident in your own abilities, I doubt you'd be doing this." He paused his musings and closed his eyes. "Then you wield magic? What exactly is magic?" The young Sith had no knowledge of magic whatsoever and it was clear in his gaze, even though it was an empty one.

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

"this armour was not made for fighting, it is a symbol of my lineage," she explained that much.

To his question, however, that would require a different kind of explanation all together. "Sith and Jedi fight with the force, a discipline heavily surrounded by philosophy and dictated by form, stance, and tactic. One could almost consider it a martial art. I--and some like me--explore an entirely different path. You might see the force as a living entity, but that is a false assumption. It is a fabric--a reality of its own. If one were to bend that reality; they can achieve unimaginable things." Despite its lengthiness, that was honestly the short answer to his question.

Should he be more curious on the subject, she'd certainly be willing to answer further if he had any followup questions. Should he not, however, it wasn't a subject she'd press willingly.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar nodded along as she spoke, peering at her with curiosity.

"I must admit, this magic is quite interesting. Say a Sith were interested in it, would it be possible for them to utilize this magic?" He tilted his head to the side while recrossing his arms. "I will not lie to you, I find myself interested in it. It may not even be to learn at this point, possibly even to study and simply understand; but knowledge is my weakness. I seek it similar to a starving man seeking out a loaf of bread." Vaulkhar turned away from her once more and peered out to the city and rest of the palace.

His mind was quite literally spinning circles within his head. The concept that magic utilizes the force as it's means for power just a Jedi or Sith would utilize the Force for their own, usually more direct, means. It fascinated him greatly, and he did not bother hiding that fact.

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

"It has its costs, and certainly if you are as you say... Any Sith brothers and sisters may become envious of this gift; should it be granted." Anja was always wary of Sith, even those allies of hers in the One Sith whom she's fought alongside more times than one. Of course, it is natural to mistrust the Sith as their history as opportunists is not so easily forgotten among their sudden change into a more political entity that they are now. That wasn't to say she was displeased by opportunism, as to an extent she respected the concept.

Powers like magick, however, weren't like bombs or starships, you couldn't just give it to someone and if you did they weren't guaranteed to use it properly. "I would have to know someone more to teach them, but discussing the concept is something else entirely. Why do you wish such knowledge?" Although she is unable to read his mind, an Umbaran can still tell a lie through other means.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

Vaulkhar simply shrugged his shoulders at the concept of others within the One Sith becoming jealous of him. He knew very well, from experience mainly, the way members of the One Sith reacted to power. Everything was a challenge, there could be cooperation in the acquiring of power. It was not a mentality the young man liked, to be fair. He didn't so much mind the slaughtering and subjugation of those who required it; but that was something else entirely. At her statement and follow up question, Vaulkhar leaned against the balcony and seemed to relax a little bit. The man's posture showed he was comfortable and for whatever reason trusting of the woman.

"You're right about the jealousy, but my name is unknown, I'm just an acolyte traveling the galaxy." His head would turn from side to side every so often, seeming to take in the vast expanse of the world before him. "Why do I wish such knowledge? To be honest, I'm not sure. I'm a warrior at heart and prefer physical combat. The Sith sorceries have never interested me, so I doubt I'd want to study this magic for power. Maybe to broaden my understanding of both the galaxy and the force, I suppose. I do travel to learn, after all." His words were blunt and clear. The young man was being honest, albeit a little confused about it all.

After a moment, he turned around to face Anja once more. He sat down upon the balcony and crossed his legs. Closing his eyes, he began to simply feel about the area through the force. "What drove you to learn it, ma'am?"

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

Learn.

That wasn't the right word, Anja never exactly learned it, she discovered it and it discovered her. Through that discovery she set down a path of obscurity, diving into ancient knowledge, some of which she has yet to fathom. That question alone had caused her mind to stumble, her tongue to fail in all manners of word. For a moment she remained silent, her head tilted up as she glanced towards the ceiling at seemingly nothing; as nothing was there but the signs of time passing through the small cracks.

"Necessity," again a very brief answer was given. Honestly, it was the best she could offer for him, and offering him an answer was a courtesy more than anything. "If you're willing to learn then learn you shall," she maneuvered herself back towards the archway but did not step through. "However; I warn you that the costs may be grave." There was no intention of being melodramatic in her words, each one was absolutely serious.

The dangers of magicks were that they had a habit of costing more than they offered in the long-run, requiring more magicks to counteract that. It turned into a viscous cycle, one reminiscent of the natural order--chaos and harmony. One thing could not exist without the other, every power had an equally high cost. But with magicks? That cost was incomprehensibly large, as was the product of it all.

[member="Vaulkhar"]

 

[Vaulkhar]

The word necessity caused Vaulkhar to open his eyes and gaze upon Anja once more. Some choose to walk these paths. Vaulkhar chose to walk the path of the Sith, just as he chose to come here, and may possibly choose to learn more of these magics. But it appeared to him Anja did not, and that worried him slightly, especially if the costs of learning them were as grave as she stated. After a moment of awkwardly staring at her while contemplating this information, the young man once more closed his eyes and simply ignored his mistake. His breathing slowed as he began momentary meditation on the subject at hand.

For him to devote himself to these magics, he'd be pushing himself beyond normal limits. Or at least he believed that personally. Already he worked night and day with his various masters, pushing himself to the edge of death, and then leaping into the pits. He had to break a new boundary everyday, extend his limits for survival and survival alone. He chose that path, so he had the chance of backing out. Anja did not.

Finally he reopened his eyes and opened his mouth to speak.

"Would I still be capable of utilizing the Force as I do now? I would like to learn of these magics. Maybe simply study them, or possibly practice them. But I've given up much in my current path, and have faced horrors men and women my age around the galaxy could not even comprehend. I would not want to just give up what I've learned without first contemplating it all."

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]