Private The Otherside

[Revna Marr]

Darth Strosius // Lina Ovmar ​

Revna felt the mind of Alisteri brush against her own, pressing inwards and she offered no resistance, allowing the Sith Lord to sink into the dark depths of her mind. Revna’s presence was still very much there, and she was still mostly in control of her own mind - but the eyes behind the Void lurked in there too, watching intently.

The sounds of the Nether would fade the deeper Darth Strosius went into the darkness of her mind, as if He were walking or floating down a corridor. Almost immediately, images of her past would flicker along the “walls” of the darkened corridor, giving Him snapshots of different points in her life - from childhood and her enslavement, all the way up to more recent events. The situation was desperate and dangerous enough that Revna didn’t really think to block or hide certain memories from Him, especially the more vivid ones or memories that plagued her with powerful emotions such as fear, rage, regret, or even positive emotions like joy and love.

Glimpses of her time in slavery could be seen, and snapshots of her early days under His tutelage as a scared and nervous Acolyte. Her rather many escapades out from Formos or Faldos, her adventures that led to either enlightenment or danger.

In one memory, Alisteri would see her sitting at a fire, talking with a man across from her and sharing a bowl of stew he had made…a man who was a Jedi. Their encounter was not hostile, more curious than anything - both learning about the other and departing on neutral terms.

In another memory, her Father would see her in Jutrand, at the Palace - arm in arm with a rather handsome young man that He would know: it was Empyrean’s grandson, a young Sith man whom she had developed a crush on for a while, though they eventually had gone their separate ways.

Many other smaller memories flashed by, though the deeper Alisteri went into Revna’s mind - the darker the memories became.

He would see a snapshot of the day of her capture: the moment she faced down Darth Prazutis, the fight for her life - the agony of being burned alive. He would see other things too, things she couldn’t hide from Him in time. Like the memory of Darth Carnifex showing her mercy and healing the damage the Shadow Hand had done to her, and sitting down with her to have a rather normal conversation. Revealed before Strosius too was the Dark Lord’s offer extended to her - one she didn’t turn away immediately. In fact, she accepted it, after a period of time - willingly putting herself under Darth Carnifex’s authority to learn directly from the Dark Lord of the Kainate himself.

A series of memories involving her training with both Carnifex and Prazutis would flash between the shared mental link - but none quite stood out as prominently as the moment where Revna was ordered to exterminate a couple of Wonosan outposts out in Wild Space…locations that she had previously tried to hide from Prazutis, but was unable to do so in the end. Knowing that her very life hung in the balance, Revna did as she was ordered - though it shattered her to do so. Wonosans fell at her hand as she marched against them under the Kainate banner - utter despair filling every part of her. It would be clear that, despite the memories her Father would see, that she hadn’t wanted to do any of it - but obedience was compelled by the device in her spine.

Shame and regret and feelings of betrayal seeped from that dark memory, but just like all the others, it continued on. The Kaggath, the Force Scream, the moment Caedes stepped in to save her life, his gentle coaxing for her to come back from the grasp of the Void…her arrival to Korriban after Caedes had taken her into his 'possession' and away from the Dyarchs. Memory after memory zipped by, almost as if the Void was trying to hinder them both and stop whatever aid would reach Revna…that was until Strosius was suddenly engulfed by one in particular.

A Garden and a water fountain, built into the Palace of Vardin itself. It was utterly beautiful, filled with flowers and foliage both native and non-native to Korriban, the place presenting an atmosphere of tranquility and peace even. It was here that Revna’s presence was strongest.

In the Garden’s center was the knelt figure of Revna herself - hands clenched into fists as she rocked back and forth ever so slightly on her knees. She was whispering words that didn’t seem to make any sense, and she didn’t really seem aware of her Father’s presence, not yet anyway. Like she was lost within her own mind, or perhaps that she was engaged in a fight for ownership of her very soul.

Slowly, corruption from the Void was beginning to seep further into the Garden, the sacred space. Alisteri would get the impression that this place within her mind was where she retreated to when she needed an escape, a place of safety when everything else was crumbling around her. A place where she could draw strength from to face her challenges.

And the Void was seeking to rip it away from her, and leaving nothing behind except the fate it had in store for her. ​

 

[Darth Strosius]

Darth Strosius idly sensed the lattice shield forming around Him even as Revna allowed Him to delve into her consciousness, a stream of memories flowing around Him that He barely paid any heed to. Some of them were familiar enough from the last time that He'd been inside her mind, specifically to train her against intrusions such as this one oddly enough, but of course they weren't His aim anyway. Whatever snippets of memory that did flitter into His focus were thankfully brief and did little to bring Him pause. For the most part at least.

Her escapades were hardly of interest, and frankly there was a part of Him which would rather not know them. The dinner with what must have been a Jedi of some sort made Him raise a proverbial eyebrow but it was nothing important really, even He had spoken and worked with Jedi before. The sight of His daughter arm in arm with the corpse's brat made Him snarl, physically beneath His mask, but it too wasn't worth His attention for long. Finally He seemed to be breaching into the depths of her mind and with it came some sights that did forcefully snag His attention however.

Her capture wasn't at a scene that Darth Strosius wished to see but it was one that He simply couldn't tear His gaze away from, guilt and hatred coiling tight within His being at the sickening memory and Prazutis himself before it transitioned to an offer of mercy and tutelage from Carnifex of all monsters. For what purpose He wasn't certain, aside from the typical Zambrano pride and assumption that all would bend the knee to them. True to her nature as a survivor she did accept the offer, not at all what He would have done in her circumstances of course but her survival was all that mattered.

That she was trained by both of the Zambranos was quite surprising and unusual indeed, though in the back of His mind He idly noted the details of such training for His own usage later. Insight on His enemies wasn't exactly the most available of resources after all. What sent a cold spike straight through Him however were the recollections involving Wonosans whilst Revna was in Kainite hands. His body slumped at the sight, falling to His knees as His breath hitched and choked. He almost instinctively retreated from her mind but He forced Himself to persevere.

Even as He had to watch more of His followers suffer and perish at the hands of His foes, not even decent enough to do the job themselves and instead forcing Revna to do it on their behalf. Wretched Zambrano filth. His mood was hardly soothed by the memory of the Kaggath and the reveal of the Void lurking within her being, unable to resist a glare at the sight of Caedes so easily swooping in to take advantage of Revna in moment of vulnerability. All that talk of not being a sycophant and there he was with the Kainites all the same. He'd wring that "king"'s throat before too long, of that He was certain.

Soon enough however the specific memories began to blur and become all the less distinct until finally He was freed from them and present with a garden of sorts. It was tranquil, idyllic even. Darth Strosius spared a curious glance around before His gaze settled on where Revna herself sat in the center, the decay of the Void seeming to bind tighter around her with each passing moment. "It would be a pity to let such a place pass into ruin." In an odd return to form He appeared and spoke He did in the realm of the living, unlike the chorus and gleaming appearance that He sported in the Nether.

He didn't even seem to have His "wings" at all as He slowly approached Revna to place a hand on her shoulder. Whether this projection was a cloak crafted for Him by her very own mind and memory or was one fo His choice was unclear and He made no comment on it either way. "What troubles you, my dear?" His voice was gentle, lacking any urgency in spite of the Void's ever-creeping advance. "Why do you allow the claws of such a vile thing to sink into the depths of your being? Banish it back to its dark corner where it belongs."

Lina Ovmar / Revna Marr

 

[Lina Ovmar]

A handful of creatures landed on the lattice protecting Strosius, tentacled faces wrapping around the shadow trying to tear they way in, those the dove for Revna were turned to ash by the glowing red tendrils that flowed from her. It was becoming clear to them that their best target was the only one still moving. Lina's lightsaber scored through the black ice at her feet, unsure if doing so would harm Revna in anyway, she was left with no choice but to try and free her leg before she was overwhelmed.

Yet no sooner had her blade finished its line, it had grown back, the cold digging deeper into the flesh of her leg. "Chit." Shadow leapt at her command, her own ink black tendrils punching for the airborne fiends, tearing holes through them. She carved one from head to tail, forming a spear of midnight black with her riposte and launche it into the air with a flick of her fingers, skewering two of the beast before they got into range, her offhand saber spun, splitting a wing from a body.

For every one she carved away, there was another to replace it, and every moment that passed she had to hold the lattice, to hold the drain back on Revna. If she faltered, they were all doomed. Her hand crackled, reaching into the air as she filled the sky with white lightening, incinerating and incoming wave, giving her self a beat, but only one.

One was enough.

Lina delved deep, immersing herself not just in the darkside, but in the chaotic energy of the Netherworld. "Kinisrsa! An ki!" the words, were spoken softly, but they travelled far. A command that could not be ignored, no matter how much they despised the forest. the creatures were upon her again, but beyond the hum and hiss of her lightsabers she could hear them. Their heavy foot falls crashing through the forest as the crawled out of shadows coming to her aide.

Standing at over nine feet tall and made from pure darkness, they tore through the tree line, reaching with large hands sporting elongated fingers to swipe the creatures out of the air. Their appearance sent the batlike creatures into a panic scattering them as the forest filled once more with their shrieks. Lina sagged as they redirected their attacks diving for the Kinisrsa instead. A long hand reach from behind her, stretching for Revna, seeking to handle the other threat to their Queen.

"RA! Nindz ji!" The Kinisrsa bellowed in response, looking between Revna, the red tinted tendrils and the ice that had engulfed her entire leg, it let out a long mournful cry, reaching again. "Dari nindz tash tu'iyia raka ant ki Tinira!" Her voice was filled with panic, panic that the Kinisrsa seemed to understand, retracting its hand and coming instead to stand over Lina, snatching another bat like creature from the sky.

Revna Marr Darth Strosius

 

[Revna Marr]

Darth Strosius // Lina Ovmar
​

~"It would be a pity to let such a place pass into ruin."~

Revna gasped, seemingly startled, when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder. Her head lifted and turned around to settle upon the figure of Darth Strosius there with her in the sanctity of her safe space. She appeared as she normally did - except that the corruption of the Dark Side was gone from her. In its place was the young woman that had met Alisteri those years prior on Formos.

~"What troubles you, my dear?"~

Blue-gray eyes blinked at Him for a moment, before she rose to her feet and practically threw her arms around Him in a ghostly embrace. “Oh thank Bogan You are here…” she whispered, her voice free of the slight distortion the Void often projected when she spoke aloud. The embrace didn’t last longer that necessary, and she stepped back after a moment to cast her gaze around the garden, noticing the gray lifelessness that had begun to seep into her safe space - though its incursion had halted.

~"Why do you allow the claws of such a vile thing to sink into the depths of your being? Banish it back to its dark corner where it belongs."~

Revna returned her gaze back to her Father, a somewhat tired look on her face. “If only it was that easy…especially when I’m fighting alone. But now that You are here, I can renew my efforts to push it back.” Her stormy eyes turned to the outside edges of the garden once more, where the presence of the Void curled and waited like some stalking predator. Through her symbiotic bond with the Void, she could feel its wariness. Something about Darth Strosius unsettled it, made it stay at a distance.

Was it because He was partially divine in nature? Blessed by Bogan directly? She wasn’t sure…but it was something she could capitalize on. Already she could feel its presence loosen upon her, its abyssal grip having retreated some.

“The Void…the moment You came into this place, I felt its hold loosen on me. It knows You…something about You makes it wary. I can use that to my advantage.” Revna lifted up her hands, ungloved and bare here in the depths of her mind. Both of them were safe there. “Take my hands. I asked You to come in here because You are my anchor point - my point to bring me back to reality and to draw strength from to overpower the will of the Void.”

She would wait for her Father to do so, before closing her eyes and focusing, using her Father’s presence as an anchor point for her. Here, she set about reinforcing her Will, drawing courage and strength from her Father’s presence there with her. It was why she had encouraged Him to find her in this place - for if it had worked with Caedes, then surely it would work with Alisteri. It was a temporary solution, however. Eventually - she would have to learn how to exercise her Will over that of the Void’s, without outside aid.

That was proving to be the challenging part. And here, in the Nether, the Void’s will was so strong. The fact that she had been able to hold it off as long as she had here was nothing short of a miracle and spoke to the sheer strength of her own Will.

Slowly, the Void began to withdraw - both within her and beyond her physical body. Beyond her mindscape, Lina would feel the drain on herself lesson and withdraw, the black ice like substance crumbling away from her leg. Revna maintained her focus, smothering the Hunger underneath layers of herself, supplanting the need that surged through her veins with other things that brought her hope and joy and life. It was paramount that she did not give in to negative emotions or feelings here - for that would only empower the Void in this delicate and critical moment.

Finally, after what felt like a lifetime though it had only been mere moments, her Father would notice a sense of ease fall over her, the sensation shared with Him too. “Thank You for...being willing to do this. I…I hope I haven’t hurt You or Lina…I don’t know what I would do if I had…” Revna murmured softly with genuine concern as she finally opened her blue eyes, her hands gripping His own as if they were a lifeline.

“It’s…it’s back under my control again. We should return and make sure Lina is still okay. We don’t want to be trapped in here. In the Nether...that is.”

 

[Darth Strosius]

There was a slight startle when Revna first looked at Him, memories of their first meeting which felt so long ago now briefly occupying His mind at the sight of her. Free from the stains of the Void and even the telltale blessings of the Dark Side. Very nostalgic in the most wistful sense that one could imagine, but of course Darth Strosius couldn't quite slip into reminiscence whilst there was the encroaching threat at hand. Another time perhaps, but not now and not here.

He didn't hesitate to return the embrace of course and He was rather thankful for the grounding that physical contact, in a sense at least, provided. No matter how brief it was. "It is that easy, my dear." There was little room for doubt in His words. "I will aid you in your struggle now, but in time I will ensure that you can properly fend off the Void on your own. I know that you are capable of it." She had to be, He wouldn't be around her at all times after all.

But now was not the time for instruction and lesson it was a time for action. That the Void was apparently wary of His presence brought a warm, if somewhat dark, chuckle from the masked man. Oh He'd give it a reason to be wary alright. Darth Strosius took her bare hands in His own gloved ones, His fingers rather notably more full and firm here than they were elsewhere. More alive one might say. As Revna focused herself on turning back the Void, He too closed His eyes and set His attention on a goal.

That of reinforcing the garden at the core of her mind against the grasping claws of the Void's influence, even as she worked to dampen and push it back. The Void's willpower was incredibly strong, ancient even in a manner that He had only glimpsed before. But Darth Strosius had torn His own mortality apart through sheer force of will Himself, and He'd be damned if He faltered now when His daughter was at stake. With the Void withdrawing He shrouded her deepest self from its predations. A temporary measure to be sure, a simple barrier that it would inevitably break through.

Yet one that should hold until they were out of this accursed realm and back in the one of the living. When she eased Darth Strosius didn't lighten His grip on her hands, instead gently squeezing to reaffirm His own presence and her success. "Think nothing of it Revna." Whether He meant in regards to her thanks or her concerns it wasn't clear. "Yes, we do have other matters to attend to. Like getting out of this horrid forest." Beneath His mask He smiled and reached up to pat her on her cheek.

"Nu nulis j'us, nuyak Dukra. Always."

The next moment His golden eyes were opening in the waking world again, His exit from Revna's mind far swifter than His entrance and expedited even further by the urgency of the situation. He glanced around at the shield that had been formed around Him, His "wings" stretching to press against it as He loudly cleared His throat. "Lady Ovmar, if you would?"

Lina Ovmar / Revna Marr

 

[Lina Ovmar]

The ice that continued to creep its way up her thigh and bit into her hip seized its advance, the pull she had felt on her essence faded and Lina immediately let go of her own draw, twisting her leg the ice shattered, a deep seated exhaustion seeking to take root in the core of her being as she toppled forward to her hands and knees. Her shadow formed guardian shifted over her, letting out a soft whine that swiftly shifted into a snarl as a stray winged creature flitted to close. It's flight ended abruptly as it was snatched from the air and crushed, its body consumed with a sickening sound of crunching bone.

There were few of them left now, fleeing for the treeline as the Kinisrsa settled onto their haunches forming a circle around the trio. They were restless, uncomfortable in the presence of the whispering trees but they stayed, refusing to let their own natural fear force them away from the woman who commanded them.

When Lord Strosius voice drifted to her she shifted upright, settling onto her heels and reached a hand towards the net that encased him. It peeled away drifting back into the pool of shadow that rested at her feet. Her gaze moved from him to Revna, the Kinisrsa standing over her let out a guttural growl.

"Tuti dyiasi, ki wirjuri, ri nirasa shiyi wiri"

She reached a palm to pat the beasts foot, the only thing she could reach from her position on the floor.

"Revna?"

Revna Marr Darth Strosius

 

[Revna Marr]

Lina Ovmar // Darth Strosius ​

Alisteri’s reassurances were like a gentle balm on Revna’s soul; His confidence in her helped to reinforce her own Will as she sought to push back the encroaching Hunger. Seeing and speaking to Him here, in this place, allowed her to distance herself from the whispers, from the near mind numbing temptations the Void spoke into her mind. It was why she had called the Sith Lord here to this place within her mind, for she had done this before with Caedes and it had worked, so she knew it would work with her Father too.

Thankfully, the usually stubborn man didn’t fight or balk at her command for Him to take her hands, and while she noted that His hands felt…different…in her grasp, she put that observation aside for the time being so she could focus her energy on reinforcing her Will against the Void, and her adopted Father set about His own goal: doing His part to reinforce the garden sanctuary within her mind. She noted this as well, though somewhat distantly, and she was thankful for the added support for it took some of the weight off her shoulders when it came to battling back the Void Hunger itself.

The will of the Hunger was a powerful thing, consuming and undeniable. It made its presence known to the Sith Lord that dared to trespass within what it considered its “property”, but it recognized the Touch of Bogan upon this individual. There was power there, a sort of power that not even the Void could deny or challenge. It withdrew, begrudgingly, slowly, hatefully - but it did so nonetheless. The more its presence retreated, the more that Darth Strosius’s presence shrouded the Void’s living vessel from its sight - effectively cutting it off from Revna, at least for the time being.

But the Void was always there in the background, watching and waiting. She would have to give in to its Hunger again, and again, and again. The Void was eternally patient, for it knew that it would have its prize, one way or another, one day.

Revna took comfort and strength in the gentle squeeze Alisteri gave her hands. He seemed to wave off her comments, or at least didn’t truly respond to them, though He did agree that they still had work to do and it was best if they returned to Lina, and to reality…or however reality appeared while in the Nether. He reached up and gently patted her cheek, and though she couldn’t see the smile He bore behind the mask, she could feel it.

His next words, spoken directly into her mind in the Sith tongue, stunned her for a moment - and physically she inhaled a small breath of surprise. She had never heard Him utter those words, not to her at least. And she tucked that moment, that memory, away for later reflection.

A surge of warmth would pass from her to her Father, her way of saying I love you too, before both of them returned to the present moment.

Revna blinked a couple of times, the current situation crashing down around her and bringing her back to the moment sharply. The creatures were still above them, still dive bombing them…but their numbers had been significantly reduced, and most of those that still remained were already fleeing. Raw power flooded through Revna’s form, and bled out of her in near tangible wisps of dark energy. She heard Lina’s voice, calling her name softly, and the young Sith woman turned around to see Lina on her knees.

She hadn’t been like that when Revna had surrendered to the Void Hunger. What had happened?

“Lina? Are you okay?!” Revna exclaimed as she turned more directly towards the woman, though she cast a wary glance at the shadow guardians around Lina. She could tell that Lina was exhausted, and it made a chill race up and down Revna’s spine. “...I didn’t hurt you did I?” she asked, her voice tight with concern and worry.