Scientia ex Mutatio

[Xevek Nekonis]

Fresia, Temple of Pain, Dark Forges


Xavka stood silently within one of the shadowed corners of the Dark Forges, silently observing the organised chaos as men and woman laboured over their creations within the swelteringly hot room.

Closing his eyes, Xavka took a deep breathe, absorbing the sensations of the large chamber. The clanging of metal rung in his ears like a welcoming lullaby, the smell of soot and burning metal and heat tickled at his nose, the feeling of the roaring flames fingers of heat running across his exposed skin, the taste of the pure heat generated by the furnaces that would allow beings to manipulate metal into shapes that they desired.

Slowly opening his eyes, Xavka stared, unseeing, at a flame opposite him, casting his mind back to the last time he had been in a proper forge, a time on comfort. It had been back on Iridonia, a planet that now seemed to hold a life that existed centuries ago, despite his frequent visits. He had been working on the weapon that had been a close companion during his time within the Slave Pits, his Zhaboka, a weapon that was now lost to him in the fires of an explosion that had stolen his left arm.

Returning his mind back to the present and away from his memories, Xavka cast his eye around for the man he was waiting to meet.

He had come to learn of what most of these beings would be doing, using the Alchemical Arts to imbue their weapons and talismans with abilities that most only dreamed about. He had approached his Ay'edor, Darth Ferus, with his request for knowledge about that Arcane Art that utilised one's connection to the Darkness that populated the universe on an unseen and untouchable level that he could not truly reach.

Ferus had agreed to teach him and that had lead to that moment, Xavka hidden within a shadowed corner observing the working of forgers, as he waited.


[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"It does seem just like home, doesn't it." It was a passing though Ferus had, but he felt it right to share with [member="Xavka Duquo"] . The shadow of the Dark Lord slowly stepped up beside the younger man, both hands clasped behind his back as he, too, observed the workers. Only, he wasn't thinking of home. Instead he was focused on which forge he wanted, and who would have to move to make it so.

"You wanted to learn Alchemy. Tell me, do you have anything you would like alchemised?" Red eyes shifted a glance at the boy, expecting an answer. The Blood Rituals were never just used for a trust run. If it was to be taught, an object must be made for it.

 

[Xevek Nekonis]

Xavka stayed silent after Darth Ferus spoke to him, his half blinded gaze locked on the fires across from him. He stayed still, frozen in his stance, as he kept up the stare, letting an uncomfortable silence start to fall between the two Iridonians, one born to the planet the other the mercenaries.

Stirring from his slight haze, Xavka twisted his head to stare at Ferus, a slight smile on his lips. "Home indeed."

He let the words hang for a moment before turning to face Ferus, tearing his attention from the flames that filled the room with a haze of heat as it settles through the hall. "My apologies Ay'Edar for my delay in replying, memories are a funny thing. So easily lost yet so easily lost within. My apologies, again. Yes, I wish to learn Alchemy, my lord. And yes, I have something with me, upon which I had hoped for a demonstration."

Reaching inside of his robes, Xavka removed an item wrapped within brown cloth, which he handed over to Ferus. Within the cloth the elder of the two would find a cybernetic arm, a creation of Xavka's which he intended to be used as a replacement for the arm he had lost in an explosion on Coruscant.



[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"An arm? Now that's anew one. Sounds useful, though, when did you loose your old one?" Red eyes glanced to [member="Xavka Duquo"] for a moment, but the gaze flicked forward to the basins. He'd move right up to an open basin, running a hand over its edge. "This shouldn't take to long, but you will be doing this more more or less alone. Prepare yourself. "

 

[Xevek Nekonis]

Xavka followed behind Ferus answering the question asked, even if the answer was unwanted. "I lost it a while ago while following a early contract. The gunsos decided to follow the cheaper option and tried to blow me up. I to get a shield up, but not quick enough nor strong enough to save my arm."

Stepping around the Alchemical Basin while Ferus ran a hand along it, Xavka stood with his arm, the biological one, behind his back with his new fake arm grasped tightly in his hand. "I take it I'll be learning by doing this time, Ey'Adar?" Even though it was a question, Xavka acted as if it was a statement, moving closer to the Basin by a few steps. After letting the silence drag on for a few second, Xavka spoke again. "What should I be doing, then, Ey'Adar?"


[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Set your hands on the rim. And put your arm into the waters. You must make the metal one with the liquids. Fear not, the waters will listen. They always do." Alchemy. A peculiar thing, but one the man loved with a passion worthy of any Sith. "Feel it with the force, andnfeel the arm. Make them one."

 

[Xevek Nekonis]

Bowing his head at Ferus's instructions, Xavka made to comply immediately. Lowering the cybernetic arm into the basin before him, Xavka set it into the dark waters and let it sink to the depths. He stood, watching it fall, with his hands In front of him until he saw it come to a stop at the base of the alchemical basin. Once it had done so, Xavka made to follow Ferus's second orders, to place his hands on the rims of the basin.

Doings as he was bid, Xavka proceeded to the third step. Reaching out through the Force, Xavka weaved his consciousness inside of the waters, tying it to the innate Darkness he felt residing there. That done he reached out again, this time towards the metal arm that lay at the base of the structure.

Focussing, and keeping in mind the desire to have the waters join with the arm, Xavka began to weave the waters into the feeling of the arm. He aimed to have his desire become the desire of the waters, his will become its.


[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Good, good. Just like that. Let your desire flow forth into the arm. Change it. Use the waters to change what it is into something better. Imagine the polished steel. Imagine the reversed polarity. Keep these in mind, and force the metal of your arm to take it's shape. The water is your domain. What ever goes in is free for you to control." Ferus had begun to pace, both eyes watching the young Zabrak for any hint of weakness. Not that he found any of course. [member="Xavka Duquo"] was a rare breed of acolyte. Wise beyond his years, and tempered to perfection. He was a rough blade, forged in fire, needing to be polished.

And polished he shall be.

A smile formed over the face of the Lord as he watched on, knowing that his own apprentice, [member="Darth Ophidia"] , was forging a weapon stronger then steel out of this boy. In fact, Ferus was only here to add the accents. Make it look pretty. Death was the one truly in charge.

 

[Xevek Nekonis]

Ferus's words seemed to drift to a fog to reach his ears as Xavka focussed more and more on the Waters that stirred beneath his will and direction. He felt his head move slightly in a nod as he directed more of his focus towards the Basin under his hand. His mind to be the Water's, his will to be the Water's. The Water was to become an extension of him, an appendage that he could manipulate at will and use as he liked with no, if any, effort or struggle.

Focussing, he continued to infuse the Waters into the arm that rested at the bottom of the Basin, directing them to become one. As he did so, he began to gather the Dark towards him, gathering it in his hands and from there down into the Basin towards the base until a Maelstrom of Darkness gathered around the arm. The gathered Dark fought to decrease as it was pulled into the arm alongside the Waters, however more and more Dark was being introduced to the maelstrom.


[member="Darth Ophidia"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Good, very good. Now, feel the metal. Change it. Force all dirt out of it. Seal the atoms, and reverse the magnetic polarity. Don't worry, think it and the waters will do it for you. Now begin!" Once more he wouldn't really do a whole lot. Just sort of watch [member="Xavka Duquo"] as he would proceed. No amount of help or advice would be given from this point on, it was all up to the Zabrak.

 

[Xevek Nekonis]

Bowing his head at Ferus' words, Xavka focussed further on the arm that rested at the bottom of the basin. Shifting slightly, Xavka focussed, instead on directing the Force into the Waters, on his emotions instead. Imagining them as a heavy stream of water flowing out of his hand, into the basin it rested upon and down into the Waters were they would sink to swirl around the metal arm that rested at the base of the stone Basin. Instead of directing the Force, the Darkness, Xavka instead allowed his emotions to be a draw and manipulated what wisps of Darkness that was drawn to the maelstrom of emotions.

Focussing on his desire for the metal to be purified of whatever impurities that were present within the arm, Xavka felt a shift within the Waters as they reacted to his whims. He raised a brow, where his left eyebrow would be if he did have one, at the feeling. It was like the Waters had become an eager servant, willing to follow his will with even the smallest of hints of his desires, a stray thought and the desire to see it happen was enough for the Waters to act independently to him while still being tethered to his will.

The Waters within the Basin seemed to swirl with a malicious light as he felt them flow into, around and then out of the arm, clearing away the impurities they found. It took a few minuets for the job to be completed, the speed of the Waters being sluggish and slow at times while, at other times, being exceedingly and surprisingly fast.

Drawing to mind the next step, Xavka directed his will into the Waters and let them set to work. His desire was simple, for the Waters to sink into the arm, to seal the atoms and prevent access from any but him while also reversing the polarity of each atom, magnetically sealing the entire arm. He felt as the Waters sank and settled into the cybernetic arm, his mind supervising the actions of the Waters as it sought to please him. Slowly, ever so slowly, his desires were being followed.


[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Good, very good. Keep channeling. Focus your hate, your anger, and infuse this into the limb. Make it into an item of the Dark, a channeler of your will. Once you've done this, the arm will be sealed, perfect." Red eyes watched [member="Xavka Duquo"] with a dark intent. This was good, powerful. Corrupting. Soon this Son of Iridonia would feel more and more of the Dark channel into himself, slowly trying to take over. This was more of a test for him to overcome and bend it to his will, and not be bent to it's own. At the end of the day though, the Dark always won. It was just a matter of how long one could hold it at bay.

 

[Xevek Nekonis]

Grunting slightly from the strain the effort of imbuing his future arm, Alchemising the metal, was placing on him. The strain wasn't physical, no signs of fatigue, stress or exhaustion were present on his features, instead, he looked strong and at full health (minus the missing arm), as if he wasn't doing anything more than standing over a Basic, hands resting on the rim of the stone work as he stared into the Waters with one blind eye and one seeing eye.

The strain he was feeling was mental. As he directed the Waters to his will, slowly altering the very atomic makeup of the cybernetic arm, Xavka was being battered from within by the emotions of pain, anger, bloodlust and paranoia as the true face of the Dark Side tried to control him. His eyes, once a bright and piecing yellow, had slowly changed over the years, becoming darker until it was a shade of dark orange that filled his irises. Now, even the orange was fading at times, replaced by a menacing red as his irises flickered between the two colours, proof of the slow corruption the Dark Side was having on his body.

However, there was one factor of Xavka's personality that was holding back the maelstrom of negativity as it waged a mental war. His stubbornness. He refused to bow to any being he hadn't given his allegiance to and, due to the simple desire he clang to, he was resisting the seductive whispers of the Dark. He was in control, not it. He would control it, it would not control him. Every time he beat back against the swirling Dark, it beat back harder, seeking to cow him under its wrath, to control him. In return, he would fight back harder, strengthening his mental walls.

While the mental was occurring, the speed at which the Waters were working had increased, the surface of them now creased with waves and ripples as the power of the Darkness flowed through it as a conduit, using the Waters to follow his desires.

When the Waters stilled, the job complete, Xavka withdrew his hand from the Basin sharply, the draw on the Dark being cut off abruptly as his eyes settle back into the burnt orange shade that now filled them. Reaching out through the Force, refusing to shy away from the Dark, Xavka lifted that cybernetic arm out of the Waters. Dark Water, almost black in hue, dripped from the surface of the arm as it broke the surface, the colour of it seeming a little bit more than when it had been placed in the Waters. Other than the word 'more', Xavka couldn't think of any other way to describe the changes, no other word would fit within his mind, would match to what had just happened.

Turning his head, tearing his attention away from examining the arm, Xavka looked at the form of Ferus. "Is that all, Ay'Edar?"


[member="Illaudata Renovare"]