The Room of Dreams

[Sage Bane]

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LOCATION: SITH TEMPLE, CORUSCANT​

According to the teachings of Naga Sadow, when a person sleeps, part of their natural life force goes into the Dream Realms. Skilled Sith Sorcerers were able to manipulate other’s dreams, unless those dreams were warded. The Dream Realms could not only be manipulated and entered, but also harnessed in Dream spells, which focused on the Dream and warping it to the user’s demands. A powerful Sith could even kill or maim someone in the Dream Realm by ripping the very life Force from the victim.

So with the thirst for the knowledge that had been held in the hands of the dark Sith magicians of legacy, Sage Bane, Lord of Thorns, and Hand of the Dark Lord of the Sith, dutifully began to study the teachings of these alchemists and sorcerers. Letting the Dark Side guide him in deep meditations that helped to map out the atlas to his journey, the Sith Lord began his own experimentation with the Dream Realms. For his first experiment to be successful, he needed a living dreamer. Even better if the dreamer were a powerful Jedi, as Sage always did enjoy a challenge. The Sith Assasins were dispatched with orders to capture the victim alive.

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When the woman woke, she found herself on the edge of a deep, dark forrest of unknown origin. Behind her was the thick, tangled woods filled with the sounds of crickets and the occasional rustle of other nocturnal vermin. In front of her, was a clearing marked by a well-worn path which twisted up and around the side of a cliff, ending at the precipice. Growing at the top of the cliff was a single gnarled tree with roots that poked out through the edge of the cliff like hooked talons.

The tree was not alone, as evidenced by the anguished sobbing that pierced the air. The woman would see a figure, a mere shadow against the edge of the night sky. The being hung his head despondently, wracked with pained cries, and, almost as if in slow motion, began to walk towards the edge of the cliff where an endless void awaited.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

The young woman's eyes fluttered open with a soft groan. As her eyes began to adjust to the scene around her it was quite evident that Ana was no longer in bed all snuggled up with [member="Orick T'ane"]. This forest type area she also noted was nothing like what she was used to. It had a dark sinister feel to it that the Master just couldn't shake.

As she pulled herself up off the dew stained grass Ana could hear the sobbing clear as day. The Master couldn't help but wish to help but at the same time she was quite disorientated herself. This was not what she had expected when she opened her eyes Ana needed to readjust and fast.

Turning towards the dark forest she sighed a hand going to her hip. Ana was at a loss of how, when or why she was here. Seeing she was still in her pink little nighty made it make no sense at all. Ana didn't wear this outside the house so something had to have happened. She would try to figure out that puzzle later. Something told Ana she needed to get out of here now. Someone or something was coming and it wasn't the crying man.

Taking a deep breath she turned to walk the path towards the cliff where the man was crying. She was hoping to reach him before he jumped or well he looked as if he was about to jump. "Excuse me sir," Ana spoke as she got closer in hopes he would hear her and not jump. She was hoping he would have answers or may even be able to help her.

He didn't move as she spoke but continued on his quest to the cliff. It was almost as if he hadn't heard her or perhaps he didn't care either way Ana pressed forward.

"Do you know where we are?" She questioned louder now as she stood near the tree. This was as close as Ana felt comfortable getting.

[member="Sage Bane"]

 

[Sage Bane]

The sobbing man stopped sobbing, and stood very still, his face still shadowed by the leaves of the lone tree. He turned very slowly to the woman who was talking to him. His face was bathed in black, but vague shapes undulated there, like a bubbling ooze. Angles turned unnaturally, cheekbones, nose and chin, widening and then thinning. Features writhing. He opened his mouth which gaped too wide, and gave her his answer.

"We are in hell," he said.

Unbeknownst to the woman, Anastasia Rade, Sage stood at the bottom of the path that had ascended. He lurked behind a couple of gnarled, dead trees, keeping watch on the woman and her dream companion. With a flick of his hand, he made the figure turn and continue his death march. A few steps later, the shadowed man with the moving face jumped off the cliff and into the void below.

The differences between controlling a waking dream realm and a sleeping dream realm were fascinating to Sage. The sleeper's visions turned out to be much more malleable than the illusions spun for the waking dreamer. There was also less fear of the dreamer suddenly dispelling the illusion as the wakers often did. A bit of Sith poison shot through Anastasia Rade's bloodstream, helped to keep her body weak, and her mind firmly rooted in the nightmare, one that Sage was currently manipulating. In this sense, her dream realm was a veritable playground for the Sith Lord, and he planned to play a starring role.

Patiently, Sage waited, like a fox in the glen. In the meantime, he moved his fingers all along his body, clothing himself in the brown robes of the Jedi. Using the fabric of the dream itself, he gave himself a Light Sided aura, glamouring away his Dark Sided energy. He waited for the woman to turn, and when she did, he would step out from behind the trees. She would know his face as a Sith, but see his clothing and his energy as a Jedi Master.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

"Hell." The one word echoed in her mind as she watched the man once again begin his descent off the cliff. She knew hell quite well and thought it to be a part of her past that she left behind. This place did have an eerie feel to it but to Ana thus far it wasn't the special type of hell that she had experienced. The last thing that she was going to do was underestimate this place as she had no clue what was in the woods.

Running a hand though her blonde hair Ana sighed as she took a few more steps towards the cliff. She knew already it was a dead end but even at that she still felt the need to check for herself. As she peaked over the edge Ana saw nothing but an endless pit of blackness. Biting her lip the young woman sighed as she took a few steps back towards the forest. She didn't get why she felt so disappointed. It wasn't as if she thought a magical door back to her bed was beyond the black abyss.

Turning the bare footed master began to walk the path back towards the forest. As much as she didn't want to go that way it seemed to be her only option. She was a tad freaked out about exploring a forest that she just appeared at but she would be ok. Ana had been in much worse situations than this one. The forest was her friend or well she had the ability to make it her friend. Twisting and turning branches in every which way and despite what was in it.

Ana's nightmares normally consisted of her being put in chains once again with no hope of escape. A new layer of horror as of late had been added as she had been forced to watch the love of her life die right in front of her. This dream or whatever thus far was nothing like any of that which she was grateful for.

As she drew closer to the edge of the forest a figure in brown Jedi robes popped out to stand in front of her. This caused Ana to take a stop and take a few steps back. "Who are you?" She questioned trying a different question this time as supposedly they were in hell.

[member="Sage Bane"]

 

[Sage Bane]

"Don't you remember me, Anastasia?" asked Sage, a furrow in his brow. He kept his face a mask of worry, attempting to paint a picture of a man who was just as lost in the woods as she. "Cryax's brother, Sage."

Sage slunk out from behind the gnarled tree, and took a few careful steps forward, as if the woman was a flighty forest creature. Anastasia looked delicious, barefoot and wearing nothing but a scant piece of lingerie. He had forgotten how breathtakingly beautiful she was. It was a challenge for Sage to keep his eyes above the neck, and he only just barely managed. The "Jedi" spread his hands and dropped a revelation.

"I turned to the Light Side. I was captured by Jedi during a One Sith operation to subjugate Belgaroth. For months they worked on purging the darkness from me."

A beatific grin came.

"Now I am finally free of the Dark, and I have given myself to the Light. Body and soul."

He hid his Dark Sided aura quite easily, replacing it with the pure, virtuous energy of the Light. It was an easy ruse. This was a dream, one of which he was in complete control. She would not sense one iota of the darkness that corroded him.

"I think that we're both dreaming the same dream," Sage theorized. "And I think it's all part of a Sith experiment."

Sage blinked a few times, a facade of unwavering compassion on his face. He held out his hand for her to take.

"I think we might be trapped. But together, I believe we can figure out how to escape."

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

Blinking Ana looked over the person standing in front of her. He did look like the boy that she had met so long ago in that library. It hadn't been a good time for her as the breakup with Cryax had been fresh. Sage and her had been able to bond beyond that of his brother but from their past as slaves. He looked good considering where they were which made her wonder why him out of all people.

She nodded lightly with a smile as Sage spoke. Ana wanted to believe that he had seen the light but there was something in the back of her mind that was bugging her. She kept shrugging it off as it wasn't him just where they were. He seemed quite genuine so she was going to leave it at that. "I'm sorry Sage, it's just this place has gotten me all confused. I'm happy that you found the light and didn't let what happen consume you."

Ana's eyes closed slightly as she let out a sight upon hearing his thoughts on what this was. It wouldn't surprise her if it was a Sith experiment and they were lab rats. The two lightsiders were easy pickings to a Sith due to their hard pasts that haunted them still. Ana wasn't sure about him but at time sometimes she still had those nightmares. "The man that just walked off the cliff said this was hell. I agree, together we can find a way out."

Smiling she took a hold of his outstretched hand as they turned to head into the forest. She really wished it could have been her husband with her. He was her rock and with him she knew anything was possible. She didn't know Sage very well and could only hope they would work well together.

Upon entering the forest Ana couldn't see anything. It was far too dark to even see where she was going but she could hear something growling in the distance. Slowly she kept moving forward in hopes that her eyes would eventually adjust to the light before they ran into something.

"Did you hear that?" She said softly enough for [member="Sage Bane"] to hear as a different noise was heard. This one wasn't a growl but something darker she couldn't make out.

 

[Sage Bane]

As Sage clasped Ana's hand, feeling her warmth, he couldn't help but smile. Of course, Ana would see it as the compassionate expression of a keeper of the Light. In reality, it reflected his pleasure that the experiment was going so well. It lead to all kinds of conclusions about the malleability of the mind in the midst of a dream. In reality, emotional klaxons should have been blaring in her head, warning the Jedi of twenty different reasons why trusting Sage Bane was a really bad idea, but here in the dream, she accepted her unreal reality.

Perhaps this unconscious compliance could be utilized in some way, using Sith Alchemy or Sorcery. The possibilities were limitless. More experimentation would be crucial.

The forest before them was dark and murky, draped in shadow and mist. Sage was literally spinning the illusion ahead of them, fast enough for it to be fully formed once their steps caught up. Through the inky blackness the two would see vague shapes, branches, vines. Nothing too discernible. The dead leaves crunched underneath their feet, and there were faint growling noises in the air.

The figure of Sage suddenly stopped. He turned toward her with a worried glance.

"There's something very wrong with you."

A pale, thin hand reached up to her forehead and came away with a few wriggling maggots in his fingers. His face went a dull shade of green, as he flicked them away. His hand returned, this time coming away with a palm full of the writhing white worms. Plop. Plop. Plop. Maggots began dropping on the dead, grey leaves like the beginnings of a gentle rain.

"They're spilling out of your forehead."

[member="Anastasia Rade"]