Private Rending the Wound

[Runi Kuryida]

"What you deserve Bacathe is long overdue." To think the Fallen had grown so utterly divorced from reality. No matter how eloquent or well-behaved them might be, there was no doubt they had lost their minds. Whether before the end of the eternal war or as a result of their incarceration it hardly mattered. The Rilvel'klar had been summoned to this battle, and the Rilvel'klar would met out what Bacathe deserved.

"'Cannot,' Bacathe? I recall many people telling me what I cannot accomplish. I see precious few of them remain." Their kind had always had a certain arrogance. She, herself, hadn't been immune. It was that bad habit born of time and authority that had Runi live humbly among the lifeforms of the galaxy. It was their realm. It had been left to them. Perhaps not from altruism, but it was theirs all the same. It would not be taken from them by a self-serving, aggrandizing sycophant such as Bacathe.

Rilvel'klar had nothing further to say as Bacathe advanced with her own weapon in toe. As they drew near enough to strike, the realm changed. Whether Bacathe was not fooled by it or could adapt quickly enough only time would tell. The Pure Mandalorian warrior simply ceased being in 'front' of Bacathe and had appeared 'behind' her as the spear thrust toward the core of her Being.

Those fragments cast off into the void to retrieve or shatter the anchors bridging realms did similar 'twists' of what was perceived as the reality around them. If it were normal space such numerous ripples in the fabric of existence would be dangerous in close proximity -- entire solar systems had been lost that way long, long ago. This, however, was not that plane of existence; the method was purer here as though it were meant for this realm. Onrai might recognize it as similar to the way Runi had split and recombined space the first time they met to spare Mandalorians being pelted by the woman's distributed ball bearings.

If that wasn't enough then Rilvel'klar would dilate time making it more difficult to perceive her movements as she circled and danced with the evil Entity. Their weapons could clash time and again as the muscles of her arm flexed with surprising strength. After all, Runi Kuryida was not known for being the strongest Mandalorian nor the greatest warrior; but Bacathe had chosen to confront her destiny and as it would happen destiny had chosen to accept.

There was no need for lightning or acrobatics. A simple warping of reality would keep them close if Bacathe sought to flee. The piercing of her spear to entrap and break the dark entity would suffice. Flashy displays and needlessly complex dances were for the young, after all. Rilvel'klar meant to end Bacathe.

Onrai | Sasmay Cull | Shavara

 

[Shavara]

She tilted her head slightly at its reaction. The fire had had an effect, the explosion too. Though clearly not enough of one. It felt the need to comment on it out of pain or irritation. She decided to try an alternative tactic. Flapping her wings and using the force to launch herself backwards from the creature, she reached out with the force not to harm it, but merely to turn it to the side and hold it in the air. She didn't know yet what level of resistance the creature had, hence the extra attempt at evasion. But she was hopeful. She doubted it's weight would be of any concern she'd lifted things of far greater size, her main concern was if it was properly force resistant, or it had its own tricks up its sleeve such as flinging those bones it had at her. Thankfully, her shield and sword were readily at hand and unimpeded. But there was always a risk. There was risk just being present in a place like this with people like this. Thus far the creature hadn't displayed anything truly worrying other than its unpleasant design.

Shifted form: Osorae. Less claw-like hands. 3 meters height. Has not fully shifted the mouth reducing its potential for biting but permitting speech.

shavaras-robes
shavaras-kestralis-ring
vuns-kaliek
shavaras-shield
gkchrn

 

[Sasmay Cull]

WEAPONS: Purple Lightsaber
EQUIPMENT: Personal Robes
TAGS: Onrai Shavara Runi Kuryida

Sasmay
Even the addition of her own consumption could not outshine that of her teacher. Pieces of her weathered flesh continued to deteriorate and fizzle out of existence and Sasmay attempted to resist the assault.

Onrai's words reached her ears. Reached parts of her mind that had been woven with a fog that twisted the words around until a clawed foot raked across the runes that were embedded into her skin.

The brief disruption of those shackles was enough to drain the strength out of her.

The memories filled her mind at that moment. Stunned and disoriented, she failed to make a sound as her voice found itself caught between a scream and a cry. The truth of it all fought against the lie that had been burned into her skin.

Sasmay writhed against the energy that coursed through her veins and her grip loosened against her teacher.

The runes Onrai tore apart created a rippling effect across Sasmay's skin, the runes burning out with a distinct hiss. Dark energy bleeding through them in a useless attempt to remake the marks before failing and flitting from her form.

The shift of her arms and Onrai's was met with little resistance.

Her initial confusion grew as pain filled her senses. The real slowly came back, a needless breath catching. Her arm spasmed in the grip her teacher had. Panic setting in before warmth settled into the back of her neck.

Her whole body twitched, energy drained suddenly as her weight began to settle into the one holding her.

"I. I do…don't. Not. No. Hel-p." Her voice stammered, never getting her message out as her energy was sapped completely before she slumped in Onrai's hold.

Her body a husk as it became a conduit for the Parasite that had grown from her.

Kurineth seized the connection between Sasmay and Onrai, slipping her own presence into the one that had destroyed her host. The small entity made herself as docile as possible, malignant intent hidden as thoroughly as possible in the transfer.

Made easier as she hid herself during Sasmay's final moments.

-
Bacathe was not so readily tricked by the sudden shift in the realm. A slight shift in her own presence was the rebuke to Runi before they properly began their fight. At least that was the intent as Sasmay perished beneath her mentor's hand.

Her death was not the great undoing however.

The moments after that were however as Kurineth disappeared from her perception. Alarm threw her focus aside and a single misstep in their contest of strength was all it took for Bacathe to feel the sting of Runi's spear.

Her overconfidence in the puppet and the sudden disappearance of her construct brought her end as the realm settled.

The far off calls of lightning settled as well, the shards being unhindered in their goal.

-

When the force was used to subdue the entity against Shavara, it was unable to break free of the hold she held.

It had taken enough energy to reform itself into the mess that it was, expecting an easy meal rather than what had transpired. It flailed in the hold she had. A few bone protrusions falling harmlessly between them as its own energy failed.

The bindings that kept it held together slowly weakened as it began to tear apart at the seams.

The previous wounds opened readily as it fell apart in her hold and screeched in agony. It's creation simple and one that had been the work of little more than an inexperienced child.

Slowly, or with help, it would perish with little more than a warbling and garbled scream before falling silent as well.

 

[Onrai]

Onrai wept.

She held the desiccated remains of of Sasmay as they broke apart and turned to dust, whatever remaining power within having been turned to dust by the parasite that had linked itself to her. There was no spirit left to absorb, no fragment left of her to save, and that was what hurt her more than anything else. She was thankfully ignorant of the death of Bacathe, but slowly rose to her feet, having aggregated whatever she could of Sasmay’s ashen remains.

“We need to leave.”

The entire domain rumbled as from a distance, great swarms of shadows began to emerge from the fortress-prison. Each a Bacathe, or a servant thereof. The Fallen had been aroused and not even Runi herself would be able to survive them all. Onrai began to retreat, almost forcibly seeking to drag her compatriots back to the shuttle as they attempted to leave the domain. As the shuttle powered up and they headed towards the collapsing exit, a voice, more sinister than anything that could ever be experienced, spoke with mockery and malicious intent, coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once.

Thank you.

And once the trio breached realspace again, the rift collapses, the threat… ended for now.

FIN

Shavara Runi Kuryida Sasmay Cull