Private Shadowy Depths

[Syn]

Sera Inkari

He listened to her and it surprised him again when she curled up only for a moment and he agreed to it. "Very likely what others forget about the darkside is it is constant and even those who walk the light struggle, it is what makes being there so much more important." He said it and as she rose up he followed suit looking at her and just standing there for a moment as he allowed the force to envelop them. His hands coming closer and cupping her face for the moment. Thumbs tracing the cheekbones as he lightly pressed his head to hers. Letting the force flow through to her as he shared his vision with her and through the bond between them to keep her steady made a loop of it to expand outwards.

He spoke and she had sight but her sight was still physical and in the force. He remembered a saying that the teachers had told him... from a holocron. 'When one relies on sight to perceive the world it is like trying to stare at the galaxy through a crack in the door.' He was focused upon it and sharing his vision with her as his voice came through the force. 'It is like a cloud, a mist that drifts from living creature to living creature. Set in motion by currents and eddies. It is the eye of the storm. The passions of all living things turned into energy. Into a chorus. It is the rising swell at the end of life. The promise of new territories and new blood. The call of the new mysteries in the dark."

He was seeing it, the force around they as looked on. Peeling back the layers slowly and focusing on it. The stars around them burning, the galaxy moving slowly and he narrowed it. The mass all around becoming the planet and then the cave and then them... and finally around the cave as the presences in the darkside. 'We are dust motes in a storm… a grain upon the beach…' His words came but extending their senses to find the creatures they were there gathering around a larger chamber and going towards it while ignoring them. They were so small in the force as he was enveloping them. 'There they are gathering there.'

He said it while moving and returned to her for a moment as he stood taller and let go. "I will always remember what I am, I shall always remember what I was taught and what has made me how I am. Who I have loved And at times the fact of that absence hits you like a blow to the chest, and I will weep. But this happens less and less as time as gone on. They are dead. I are alive. So I live." He said it and stood there breathing in micro breathes to the point he almost looked like a statue and was prepared for anything that might come near them but the tremors down below were going towards the central chamber.

 

[Sera Inkari]

Surrendering her eyelashes closed to sight. Syn cupped her face, she felt her pulse racing. Lightest connection, interwoven beside his voice. Sera felt threaded into a swirling misty vision. Hearing voice of her mentor echoing within her Seer's soul.

Weaving her along currents and eddies, his voice guided her sight unfolding out toward stars burning new life across planets. Possibilities of endless creation, futures promised to each watcher, our force expanding within each new soul's eyes.

Her warmth and glow across their cavern reflected their visions, unpredictably mapping light into grooves painting amber nuance, unique details revealed and then lost. Bringing her back with his words. She placed her hand on her amulet feeling physicality return.

'We are dust motes in a storm… a grain upon the beach…'

A single tear ran down her cheek, catching a bright glow.

"I will always remember what I am, I shall always remember what I was taught and what has made me how I am. Who I have loved And at times the fact of that absence hits you like a blow to the chest, and I will weep. But this happens less and less as time as gone on. They are dead. I are alive. So I live."

Sera leaned her head to his chest, whispering, "they live within you." Such a fragile, picture-perfect moment and vision, precious like how brief their moments alive were. All of them were within, "their essence upon our eyes and hearts," of those left behind. "We could not see beauty without their love being there," and he had shown her that. The way Syn spoke of them, visions he saw, she looked over his expression and let go too.

Feeling what was coming, Sera dipped her head and readied herself to act. Hand moving toward her weapon. Warmth built around them, around her. "We walk for them." Because they could no longer walk themselves, their hearts and minds carried them.

Syn

 

[Syn]

Sera Inkari

He nodded and slowly remained there allowing the moment to pass. Her words were a balm in many cases and the jedi master was moving once they had the moment... carefully and silently stalking through the cave and gripping parts of the walls as he muffled his footfalls or their movements. The sense of going towards the larger gather was not lost on him how crazy it could be but it was what they did and if it was hundreds of those massive wyrms then they would need possibly a better plan then his usual punch and kick... maybe... he was really really good at the punching and kicking in most cases and squeezing through one of the holes he felt the air shift in the chamber.

The scents in the air were thicker pheromones then most things and could likely be scented by anyone without enhanced senses... the moisture in the air was also important as it was more of a mist clinging to the skin and the floor as he touched it was slick with mud and slime. The wyrms roaring and snapping at each other as the jedi master moved forward and looked down seeing the pool of darkside bodies writhing and wrapped around one another as other joined and forced themselves in. "It is a mating ball." He could hear the sounds of it and was crouching down to observe in the force and find a perch so he could look on but not be noticed listening to other things.

 

[Sera Inkari]

Tender moments gave way to a ball of trouble and not one with fancy dresses, dancing partners, and wistful Cinderella stories. Teeth, claws, darkside energy magnified and condensed into hungry writhing maws.

Seeking answers beyond burning their entire cavern to ash, unsure she could summon enough flame to even hold back their powerful foes should they attack. Their small living ball of fire circled their ceiling and then went left, rotating around and drawing a circle, trying to get their attention.

There were many rivers, channels, and tunnels of water all around them. She was drawn to her fire, a kinship with her creations, which might grow with time. ~Our water's flow might aid us~ Her mindspeak shared. Bringing together a future of discontent for these creatures, either through water pressure, drowning, or superheated Sera Inkari steam. Her fingertips wanted to taste a fiery embrace.

Living fire kept moving to a pattern, trying to show them which way water was flowing. To better predict what would happen with a cavern breach. Her thoughts hadn't gone to saving, capturing, or scattering these creatures, still focused on killing them all.

Protective warmth around her increased. Responding to dark side energies lingering nearby, ~Can they be saved?"~ small progress in her attitude, but small was something.

Syn

 

[Syn]

Sera Inkari

"Improbable, they were made like me but they are more instincts than thought. It makes conversing with them difficult." He said it and wasn't going to condemn them they were after all doing what they were bred to do. He could sense more of the force and stalked around the pit itself allowing them to get a better sense of where they were and what they could do. Flooding the pit might not entirely work in as they were massive... but if enough of them were entangled they couldn't move... it might work best. "Flooding the chamber could work but it would be a dangerous if the crack is not perfect." He had a look on his face though as it was likely to be one of the bigger ideas. "If we miss one there could be a danger but if there are too many it could mean there is enough to survive and if they have eggs somewhere this could happen again." He needed more information and to sense it but there was also the chance while she slid a hand down and brushed the twin blades on hi thigh for what they would be able to do. Sera's fire could do a lot down here if they directed it right. "We might be able to get them into the hole though and use the water to contain it and channel the flames."

 

[Sera Inkari]

they were made like me

His words stopped her from further suggesting extermination. She had deep care and debt for what Syn had done for her. Other answers were sort along future currents, were there paths they didn't see? "You were saved Master." She was too. Flames above her hand didn't die down but lingered, control over her abilities was growing. Letting him decide whether their Wyrm's path should be cut here, or whether they could turn even beasts such as these.

Dogmatic ritual was used to force-sign a fiery flash ahead of her, perhaps a prayer for their souls. She dipped her head to signal she was ready. Hovering ahead of them, their living ball of fire also bobbed up and down. Sera was resolved, she knew darkness needed to often be cut, and what their roles were within their force's greater tapestry.

~Our living fire might help guide them where we need them Master,~ she mindspoke. How many would follow was uncertain, there were so many creatures here to try farseeing on. Perhaps between water's current and their fiery friend acting like a shepherd's dog toward sith sheep, along with any tricks Syn had, they could manage to herd all of these sith spawn? If he agreed, their living fire would go toward where Syn suggested. Burning a Wyrm or two to get their attention.

Their plan would take a careful approach, water and fire were both unpredictably dangerous when unleashed. Not to mention Sith Wyrm's! Both her hands glowed, flickering with contained flaming potency above them. Dangerous, but growing control over her powers brought a temporary sense of certainty.

Syn

 

[Syn]

Sera Inkari

He was looking at it and the trick would be a problem... largely getting them to all be in one place and it would be easier if they were untangled... enough of the bodies could act like a shield and protective layer if they were careful about getting all of it.He stood up tall and ready as the twin blades went to his hands. This was no time for being subtle as they wanted them to be focused on one thing while the water and fire around take care of the rest. THe twin blades activating as the black and white blades were humming softly as he released his limiters. The force energy shifted and the presence made the creatures all of them look up to notice him.

He cracked his neck for a moment when the wyrms were snapping and hissing. The jedi master dropping as he lept to one of their heads and slashed into it. Allowing Sera the time she would need to properly prepare her energies for the water flooding in and the fire to contain all of them. He would just do what he did best while he was moving along the length of the beast and plunging the blade into the creature. The shriek was there thundering against the stone and he allowed the force to breathe throughout his body enhaancing all of his muscles and his speed so he could dodge and run along.

 

[Sera Inkari]

Unprepared for his level of trust her Master gave, she was no expert with current or water. Dogma and prayer began lighting up her concentration, Kintan's priestess extended her hands outward, projecting their force toward their cavern's walls. Heat rose and environments altered. Doing what she could at her living fire's behest. Their cavern wall began to warm at two key spots, softening slowly. Thankfully water against their wall need only find one crack to assist, and slowly jets of water burst ahead of her, assisting to build two channels.

Her ocean eyes deepened, losing herself within her dream. Globes of unpredictable flame grew around each hand. Fire kept building and kept building, and with cracks appearing, rock began to fall. Softening so slowly till earth came loose. Their rock fully burst, and water came through swallowing superheated earth and air. Steam soon rose across her channeled liquid.

So much water. So much for her flames to try and affect, unsure how well she did. Sera had to draw deep, falling further into her dream. Perhaps rivaling when she had saved a Sith Emperor, sweat was across her brow, burning a light orange aura from her hands. Kintan's priestess looked like she might sway but didn't, holding to her convictions and prayer. Lowering her head her eyes closed tight, almost glowing like a candle.

Living fire moved to help Syn, their small fiery entity trying to block any stray hit coming his way, with a warning burn against Wyrm tail or body. Beside him, steaming water encircled their Wyrm's, herding their cluster where they hopefully wanted. Sadly water was unpredictable when unleashed...

Let's see how well they did… was their force with them today?

Syn

 

[Syn]

​

Sera Inkari

The fire was there.. the feeling of the water was on the edge of his senses and the jedi master moved. His hands reversing the grips on the sabers as they went into a reverse and he was shifting them to slash deeper into the beasts and moving. He channeled the force... focusing it into a fine blade that allowed him to weave through them and sever one as he slammed his blade into another and kicked off with a cross slash into the back of another and severing what was its spine the thing slumped while more were untangling but like crabs in a barrel they were fighting and pulling each other down into the waters that were rising as fire spread around them and seared several with loud screams. He was pushing the force itself outwards and using the pressure of it... the power to hold some of them in place when he drove the blad einto another and let his weight pull him downwards into the pile so he could stand and slash into all of them delivering more strikes across all of the and severing one so it slumped into the flames.

 

[Sera Inkari]

There was no doubt this level of force use was exhausting for their priestess, and eventually she would no longer heat these channels of water to steam. Glowing brighter, brighter, flames above her hands were starting to get away from her. Resisting as long as she could, steaming water encircled and pushed their Wyrms toward a choke point for Syn's blades.

Dropping her head, her heat vanished. Glow going dark. She inhaled, chest rising and falling quickly. Pulse racing and cheeks tight. Precious moments of respite. Her eyes opened once more. Moments she did not have! She couldn't see him. Piling Sith spawn blocked her view, but felt he was still alive. Their living fire followed with him downward, still assisting however their entity could to block, cover or consume.

No time to rest when they were only half done. Moving with grace, she somersaulted to clear distance. Jets of flame ignited from her palms, trying to wrap around their ball of remaining Sithspawn, and keep them contained on a leash. Concentrating on a light leash, rather than an inferno to preserve her strength.

There was concern that they'd be enough. How was Syn holding up? She tried to sense within their pile, their bond giving her closer insight.

Syn

 

[Syn]

Sera Inkari

He could feel her, the scents of fire and water in the air.. steam scalding the air as several of the wyrms roared before one of them was torn through and he was going down deeper and deeper into them. Trying to wade towards the female of the ball that was the main threat.. it wouldn't mater how many they defeated if the one that could lay eggs remained when he found her and he couldn't stand but slashed into the body. The scent the first thing to him before he was finding a grip with his footing as the blames continued to slash and it was more a whirlwind of carnage when he looked up and through the force with a maw coming closer. The jedi master lept up and through the mouth into the back of the throat as he slashed with the blades and kicked with his boots to rend and tear through the flesh. Getting up and kicking off to the side of the stone to direct force energy down and hold them in place.

 

[Sera Inkari]

While Syn directed his energy down, as her last act of force use, her thin cordon of fire began to strangle, pressing their remaining Sith spawn into a condensing pile. Holding her hand out, she was wavering on her feet. Edging steps forward to put them further under Syn's pressure, crushing beast against beast. Their two actions caused these creatures to claw and thrash at each other to just escape their torment.

Eyes alight with amber flame. Expanding force use around their priestess was seen, glowing embers like before. Her aura bled into visual sight, showing how much she was struggling to continue. Finally, there was no more to give. Experienced as she was, there was only so much to draw from. Her fire went out and she sunk forward, propping herself up with her amber saber staff.

~I have no more.~ She spoke through her force to Syn's mind, feeling such overwhelming darkside energy had compelled her to keep going, keep fighting and digging deeper. Her reality was that she could not fight what she had done forever, and perhaps that was her test to surrender to this unavoidable truth.

Almost on cue her living fire blinked in and out of existence, dropping down toward their pile of Sith Spawn and bursting into a small inferno at their center, with several catching fire. She felt something unexpected, sadness at her allies passing, but then even living fire could never last forever, unless it could? A story for another day.

Pulling herself up by her saber staff, she tried to stand.

Syn

 

[Syn]

​

Sera Inkari

He could feel her wavering... she was powerful... she was fierce and the jedi master allowed the force to open more.. the limiters were removed from him which meant a lot of bad things for the sithspawn in the pit. He was moving upwards as the flames sputtered and went between them for a moment rounding the hole and navigating it. Allowing the force energies to cascade off of himself as more water was coming in and not being made into a scalding jet meant it was filling up. His hands wrapping around her and pulling her into the curve of his shoulder and neck for her head to be secured when the roars were drowned out and he saw in the force where it was coming in and where they would need to go as he waited. Looking down at her and moving a free hand to touch the red hair and move it to the side. "You did well." He said it with a small smirk on his face when the waters enclosed around before kicking off and upwards into the hole once it equalized allowing the jedi master to swim upwards and hee controlled his breathing breaking out of the water with a gasp to allow him to push her head above the waters and he listened. Breathing air and force energy into her body while tilting her head back a little...

 

[Sera Inkari]

Warm water was not unwelcome, rising liquid filling their cavern to lift her up gradually with his help. Syn moved her hair and she blinked lightly, feeling tired. "I had a good teacher," she smiled back at him. Liquid would cool as more came, pushing water out of her eyes as they surfaced, she looked happy, for a little while. Feeling a wave of refreshing energy from Syn and closing her eyes again.

There was no rush, just water, energy, and kindness. She didn't pull away from him, she didn't resist his help, or try to do everything herself. Small steps, healing to being a Jedi again.

Almost letting her guard down enough to make a joke, did we win, but that wasn't her.

"Do you sense any more remaining on our path?" She breathed deeply and opened her eyes.

So relaxing. Being this close to water, their mission, her friends, and mentor, everything felt right. She tried to contact liber to tell her their status, so she didn't worry. Wondering whether she was heard.

With him holding Sera, her hands moved to her neck to unclip her necklace. Cupping his hand with both of hers, and sliding it into his palm. "I know my religion can seem foolish to others," she admitted to him. One of two she had, her other locked away aboard their ship. A small amber globe within a picture of a sun. She didn't know how this would help, only with her vision on Kashyyyk "I've seen this in your hand. I think...." visions of their future were never definite, "I think this will help you." Almost like she didn't want to tell him more yet, what was she hiding?

Syn

 

[Syn]

Sera Inkari

He moved in the water to get them through it and towards the area that they could rest. Sitting there and he shook off some of the water from his chest and hair as she was sitting there and speaking. He moved to look at her and hands in hers there was the necklace with a look at her while he held it and moved it around in his hand. "It is not foolish to you, that is what matters." He said it and looked at her. "There are still other things but not wyrms around us... less hostile and reactive to our presence and there is more life coming out with the threat gone for the moment." He offered a bow of his head though while taking the necklace and putting it on. "I will cherish it."

 

[Sera Inkari]

Sera dipped her head, gently resting her palm on his necklace and nodding. His understanding lifted her spirits. "Thank you." She folded her legs underneath herself and sat down beside him. Hoping her symbol would help him when needed, future's were always so hard to see. "I've not been…" she tried to find her words, "without a symbol of my faith since I was a girl." Wearing her necklace every day, often sleeping with her burning globe necklace close by her side.

Small fire lit ahead of them, warming to dry their clothes. She sat quietly, watching their flames. Not saying anything within her long silence.

Wanting to do a selfless gesture, yet knowing he would just wave her concerns off or tell her not to worry. She felt indebted to him still and couldn't shake her feeling. "What do you want... What do you dream of?" She asked Syn, slowly drying her hair. What did he want more than anything? Remembering his words about everything he'd seen, how all-encompassing and vast his vision had been. Was there still mortal impulse, or was his dream beyond that?

Their flames ahead formed an image of something she'd seen, something he might tell her, today or tomorrow, or their next lifetime….
Syn

 

[Syn]

Sera Inkari

He was sitting there, near her and the flames that would dry them off. He sat there and she was next to him while he thought about it... dreams were something that he had but he looked towards the next mission and the next He would have to see what it was... "I give it little thought, I have my task... I have those who rely upon my mission even if they do not know it as the darkside cannot be allowed to get a massive foothold." He said it and looked at her as he bowed his head. "And I have you." He said it and remained there while remaining still and holding a hand up. "You have come far, you still have more to do but you are taking it in stride and relying on the strength and will to not give in."

 

[Sera Inkari]

Heating her hair on either side, till she felt cozy. Part of her wished she hadn't and kept herself soaked as long as possible. There was no good being cold though, and she felt cold easily, so heating herself was wise while they rested.

Syn had his mission, singleminded and determined. She admired that, and nodded lightly. His singular focus on his mission reminded her of her own beliefs and faith. Carefully arranging herself so she wasn't so disheveled. "Our mission is always there ahead of us." Until their last day, and she knew he never thought about these things beyond their watch.

She blushed heat right to her hair roots, helping her fire along, and speaking with pinched lips. "You always say that," running hand across their fire's edge. Not that she minded, Syn's constant encouragement was building her own confidence on every mission they had together, and her veil was barely used anymore.

Her palm came to a stop, unable to see his dream within their flames. Was there no mortal wish he had, an object, a place, a sight he wished to see? She knew his visions and how complete they were, what could life offer that would compare? "You see so much Master, but sight isn't everything." For once she was admitting her own visions were not enough, "what would you hold in your hand, experience, or who would you talk with if it could be anything in all our stars?"

Syn

 

[Syn]

Sera Inkari

He listened to her and the thought of what he could want was rare... he dind't doubt there waas something he would want eventually. He knew he would.. he would see his son and daughter from time to time.. they were active and traveling around the galaxy doing much of what he did... they helped and served among the jedi as they could. Iella had passed and become one with the force and therre was not much beyond that. "Maybe, for three score years and ten. A human lifetime. Time moves no faster for us than it does for others, and in this solitude it shall crawl at a snail's pace." He said it but looked at her and smiled for a moment. "I have what I need for now.. Iella has passed into the force, my children aare aiding as they can and traveling... making their own paths and when it is needed we will find each other. For the moment, my attention is for you. A flicker of light and fire... one whom I might be able to ffer that which was given to be once long ago."

 

[Sera Inkari]

Her darker instinct wanted to ask of his savior, to relate to her own life more easily, but that was overshadowed by a more selfless side, his children. "You have children?" A warm smile spread across her cheeks and kept going again. Winding her body around to face him, back to her fire. Syn was really making her blush right now, her eyelashes curled down and her lips parted to speak to dismiss her embarrassment but she could not. ~All we help and do, all I become is because you were there, and made me face myself. You cared enough to make me care.~ She said into his mind, maybe he could feel that she really cared about him, and what he thought. This emotion felt unfamiliar. Care of another did not sit easily, and her instinct was to make herself resist, almost afraid of letting herself care for him.

Head curling up, eyes out over their waters. Silence. Truth stirred. No matter how many times she felt herself twisting with guilt. She couldn't make up for all she had killed, all she'd led by her visions to Keth's experiments or those that roamed their galaxy like twisted, grotesque…. Their fire flared up behind her and she stopped. Internally she hated parts of herself, maybe hating herself and pulling away was her way of avoiding meaningful vulnerability to another.

Not speaking for a while. She pulled herself out of her self-pity, and self-indulgence.

"You have not spoken of them before. What are their names? What are they like?" She had many questions, but all for him. Just wanting to focus on him. Small steps toward normality after a battle for their lives. One moment danger and the next Sera drying her hair and sitting there asking him questions, their lives were often like that.

Syn