The Half-Blood Witch (Solo)

[Asajj]

"Dathomir calls..."​

Asajj shot up from her sleep, a sweat suddenly taking over her. She was exhausted, as if she had been running. Her hand wiped the moisture from his forehead as she rose from bed. At night her armor was unwearable, and so her burned flesh was plain to see. Across the room was a desk, rarely used yet stacked with books and tomes. She used to enjoy reading, yet now her appetite for it was lost. Slowly she made her way over, sifting through them to distract herself from irritation brought from her damaged skin. One particular tome stood out, a leather bound one which had her name scribbled on the front. Upon opening it she recognized it's contents, a small journal from her younger days. It was hardly used, only a few pages containing scribbles and plans for a rocket launcher. Drawn to the book she sat down, ignoring the increase in pain from contact with the chair. Page by page she flicked through, examining the crazed mind of her childood self. The dead of night was silent, yet a sudden noise came when she turned another page. A scream shot out as if from the book, and the pages erupted with a flurry of bats. They swarmed her, their wings hitting against her burned skin. She screamed herself, and something shouted back.

"Dathomir calls..."​

​

Asajj shot up from her sleep, this time with the light of day peaking through the blinds. As she looked around she noticed that her last awakening was a dream, or more of a nightmare as it seemed. It was over now, but she still felt drawn to something. Something was calling out to her, and there was no use ignoring it. As much as following a dream sounded childish, she accepted that it might be the best option. Maybe the force itself called for her, or maybe it was someone else. There was only one way to find out.

"Dathomir calls..."​

 

[Asajj]

Dathomir was a varied and, to some, beautiful planet. It's dramatic landscapes and coastal lakes caught the eye of many, which is why Asajj found it odd that most of it remained unexplored. The fact that it did meant many secrets were left for the taking, which is something she couldn't complain about. As she stalked one of it's largest forests, she felt a slight difference in the force presence. It guided her to something, yet the energy itself felt more... primal. Slowly a path opened up before her, and soon it ended by a large hollowed-out tree. Almost like a cave it shadowed the inside, making the hunched over figure less noticable at first.
"Are you it? The one calling me?"
"Dathomir calls... For the one who uses the namesake of an ancient Nightsister..."
Asajj Ventress, the use of the name had come up quite often in her life.
"I have divined in the spirit realm, and they have noticed you..." A thin, boney finger extended from the frayed robes of the woman.
"Why me? I am a Sith, not a Witch."
"Not a witch... Not yet... You have met death in battle, yet you have more trials to face..."
The situation was odd, so much so that Asajj thought she might be dreaming again. Just before she could ask any further the woman moved into the cave, forcing her to follow. A winding tunnel took them into the ground, before opening out around a large pool of green liquid. Smoke poured up from it's edges, and the stench of the dark side was heavy.
"The ichor of the great tree... My clan once worked these waters, many moons ago... Now they are left only to me, and soon you aswell..."
Following the woman had only created more questions rather than provided answers.
"Why me? Why not a Witch on the planet. All this work to bring me here, one would think it a trick." Hostility hung in her voice, she was not one to like being played.
"No tricks... You will see... The spirits do not lie..." Her skeleton-like hand extended again, this time to the waters. "Bathe and you will see... The spirits will show you your destiny... The spirits do not lie..." Hesitant steps and a look towards the pool made her think twice, but Asajj could feel there was something about these waters that could be truth. "Your armor will hinder you... The ichor must grace your skin..."
Unfastening her armor piece by piece, she stared into the pool. It bubbled slightly and swayed with miniscule waves, it seemed alive and conscious of her presence. When she had finished undressing she climbed in, her burned flesh being soothed by the hot liquid. As she stood in the pool her head turned to the woman, only to find her hand on her head. "Watch." The last thing she heard before being plunged underneath the water...

 

[Asajj]

"Welcome..." A voice greeted her, similar in age to the woman before but with an ethereal echo following. Asajj found herself on the floor, surrounding by darkness and fog. In front of her stood a figure, this time not fully robed but instead wearing the traditional garments of a Witch of Dathomir. "Tell me, who is she?" Asajj's eyes followed the pointing finger of the witch, reaching the body of another woman beside her. Crawling over, she noticed a familiarity not through apperance, but through the force.
"My... Mother..." Her eyes then flickered to the side, a grieving Zabrak now crouched over the dead body. "Father?" He did not reply, as if merely an illusion to her mind.
"You seek the death of many people..." As if the witch's words conjured their meaning, another figure appeared before her; [member="Mantic Dorn"]. He stood in Jedi robes with a lightsaber ignited. Yet again he took no notice of anything around him, only a visage in this dream. She turned away from him, unable to contain the rage that brewed within her when looking at him, only to see another man. [member="Darth Mythos"], sitting upon his throne with an axe by his side. Suddenly another woman appeared and a young girl, his happy family no doubt, and she kissed him on the cheek.
"Hatred," Minna and Krest disappeared with her word, labelling them as she continued. "Revenge," Mantic faded into a moving mist. "Jealousy." Mythos and his family were now gone, and there only darkness and fog again. "You are driven by emotions, but they are not purposeful. They lead to defeat and ruin. Following them will only break you."
"You know nothing!" Asajj rose with fury, turning to face the Witch who was no longer there. Instead her voice came as if from all directions.
"The spirits know everything. They have seen your destiny. You must train in the ways of the Witch, only then will you have the power you crave."
"The Dark Side is powerful, I do not need your folklore and tales."
"Through the Dark Side you wield a false power, yet through the spirits you wield power itself. Nature will lend you it's aid, Powers you never thought possible will open themselves to you, no longer will you by scarred by fire and failure."
Asajj looked down at herself, mangled and burned by her defeat at the hands of a Jedi. "There is no healing this."
"Your ignorance is the only thing stopping it from being healed. Let us teach you our ways, give yourself to the spirits and siphon their power. In return we only ask that you listen, and serve the Twins in times of need."
"You offer me power?"
"Power beyond imagination."
As always, the offer was enticing. If her words were true, then the power she craved would come. No longer would the others look down on her, they would kneel before her.
"Your twisted thoughts betray you, this is not the way to start." Her thought process was interrupted. "You have been tainted by this false Lord you serve, he has twisted you into a mere shell of your former self. Our first lesson will be to free yourself from the chains that bind you. No Emperor or Pretender controls you, dear Asajj..."

 

[Asajj]

This time it was [member="Darth Ferus"] who appeared before her, looming above like a statue. He stood motionless, staring at her with his usual sinister look, judging her as always. "This is the man you serve blindly. Powerful as he may be, his strength is nothing to the possibilities of a Witch's magic. You will not leave this cave able to defeat him, but your journey towards then will be well under way. The Elders of Dathomir can conjure storms from the skies and shift between the planes of existence to render themselves invisible. One day you could reach that pinnacle of power, but for now we start basic."

"Forget everything the Sith have taught you, the lies they indoctrinated you with. Only the spirits provide the truth."
It was a lot to take in, and Asajj was still not convinced. Forgetting everything she had been brought up with wasn't a simple task, but with the simple promise of power she wouldn't turn it away just yet.
"The fundamental to all magic work is Spirit Ichor, a substance you can conjure and warp to your every need. Feel the energy of life and death flow through you, bring it into the physical realm and contain it within your will. A tangible energy for you to use, something the Sith do not make enough use of." These jabs at the Sith's ways did not bother her too much, she thought it best to get on with the practice. As her hands came together she focused on this other energy, like the force but in a more raw sense, and soon enough a green mist began to form. It somewhat surprised her, but she masked that with an emotionless look. The energy shifted and flowed with her thoughts, she truly could control it herself.

"That is only the first step..."

 

[Asajj]

"You have channeled the energy of the Winged Goddess, but now you must achieve balance with the Fanged God." As the witch spoke the apparition of Ferus came for her, igniting a red lightsaber and lashing out at her with multiple strikes. Quickly she moved aside, backing up against the cold rock in fear. He did not relent, marching towards her with his blade held high for a final strike. By instinct her hand shot out, releasing a sharp blast of Spirit Ichor that took no particular shape but still hit the illusion hard. He staggered back, affected by the hit but not downed. With newfound confidence she moved forward, launching more blasts of spirit energy at him until he was the one backed against the wall. In her rage she felt something else, maybe someone aiding her through the force. Unlike her bursts of anger before, she was in control, guided by an unknown entity. Alas, Ferus fell to his death after enough blasts, leaving Asajj standing above his corpse the victor. "The Fanged God aids you in battle, through him you will crush your enemies. He is powerful, but never forget the balance of the Twin Dieties.Only by channeling both will you break free from the shadow's hold."

Asajj remained silent, staring down at the fake corpse. It was surreal wielding this new power, and she hadn't even scratched it's surface yet. Maybe this path was for her, maybe she would become a Witch.

 

[Asajj]

"Aiagl gokaoth uln Brier gothaor, goka." Words chanted by the Witch accompanied a sudden upshoot of planets and roots from the ground, weaving through the rock walls and ceiling until the place felt more like a forest than a cave. There was now life around her, in the form of trees and vines. "The Surge of the Brier is a spell all Witches should know. It is a connection with nature that extends into the physical realm. Calling upon the aid of plants and roots is highly benficial, either in times of healing or combat." A small shift under her foot made her step back and examine a small root that had pushed only an inch above the ground. "Reach into the spirit realm, feel the essence of the plant, and give it life under your control."

Asajj placed her hand over the small root, focusing on this other realm the Witch spoke of. Through some form of connection she managed to see in, a hue of green replacing her normal vision of the plant. It's essence glowed dimly, yet when she concentrated on pouring energy into it the light shined brighter. In the physical realm the root ripped upwards, creating a bigger hole in the ground and reaching the ceiling. When it pushed against the top of the cave she let go, and the physical world came into view again.

"You see how life itself is yours to commune with; the spirit realm opens many doors for power." The witch herself was now visible again, approaching Asajj with slow steps. "I feel the pain of your scars brought by fire. They can be healed, but the journey is a perilous one."
"Journey? Where must I go?" Asajj frowned, wondering why a spell could not just be used now.
"You must go North, there the spirits will guide you to an ancient cavern. Inside lies the River of Life, bathe in that river and you shall be healed." The witch was now next to her, examining the burns on her skin. "Not only physically..."
"What does that mean?" A question which remained unanswered, as suddenly she awoke in the pool she had started in. Except now it held no water, only her bare self in the centre. At the edge stood the old woman who had met her first. In her hands she extended a pair of green robes, of which Asajj accepted to cover herself with.
"The River of Life is not reached easily, an army of death guards it. Do not tread alone, for only a warrior can fight the battle within..."
By the time Asajj had passed the robes over her head and onto herself, the woman was gone. It was now only her and the winding tunnel up to the surface. As she made her way out, her mind stuck on the last words. Only a warrior can fight the battle within.

She knew where to find a warrior, but the meeting might not be so pleasant...



End: 2424 Words