Wanderers Through Time

[Vereshin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qlgmf5tcCdI​

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The forests of Aurum welcomed Vereshin on the kind of brisk morning he preferred. His tutor called him early to the temple ruins to introduce him to a technique which had piqued his curiosity for quite some time. Striding down a bending road, snarled with vines, he caught the peaks of the ruins in the distance of his eye. Wearing his usual clothes, he did not appear a Sith and only the sickly hue of his skin and the dark rings around his eyes suggested any Dark Side corruption. A scarf covered his face above a black coat which hung long over suit pants and boots. He huddled beneath the thick coat as the morning air grew chill.

The road turned at a corner to reveal stone steps beneath hanging vines. Empty ruins stood above a precipice, the morning sun coursing through their crevices and holes. A presence hung presence hung over the ancient place, one alien and sickly to the Sith. A presence radiating the health and vitality of the light. Though the strange, the aura of the temple ruins penetrated his frail form and roused with him with a natural energy he did not recognize. Vereshin strode into unknown territory today and as he placed a foot above the first step, the figure of a young woman emerged upon the temple precipice.

"I come seeking knowledge of the flow-walking technique, are you Asha?" Vereshin stopped at the final step and looked at the woman from a distance. He received the face of a Je'daii, the origin of the Force using orders. He moved forward onto the height of the cliff and parted his lips in a smile, casually pushing his glasses up his nose. "My name is Vereshin, though if you like I go by Vi. I am a here to learn from you." He slid his hands into his pockets to warm them and strode forward to meet her face to face.

"I'm happy to be here, I am a long way from home." Vereshin nodded as he introduced himself. "Time is something I harbor great interest in regarding my studies." He finished, now a regarded sorcerer and scientist among the Sith. He pursued his endeavour in harnessing the magic of time with subtle steps. A stone arch loomed over a vast cliff-face, the sun glaring through the wide space beneath before a platform of moderate size for both Force users to practice their skills. Stone benches circled the space on each side of the narrow cliff face and Vereshin met Asha in the center. He only wondered if she suspected he was Sith, time would only tell if they melded ideologically.

[member="Asha Hex"]

 

[Lief]

Aurum was quiet this time of day.

While a few busy bodies back in Azar City were greeting the dawn, for the most part tranquility reigned supreme - and nowhere more so than out amidst the verdant jungles. The odd bird cawed overhead, the chittering of native fauna their only accompaniment, and it seemed as though a tactile haze had settled over the underbrush. Dew clung to blades of grass, dripped from waxy leaves, and past the canopy clouds gathered quickly with the promise of morning rain to wash away the murk of a humid night.

This was her favourite time. Time when she could sit and focus, or train alone, enjoy the land for what it was, and touch the Force without distraction or judgement. And if it decided to rain? Then all the better, it was a welcome reprieve from the near-oppressive heat the jungle retained.

It was not, in fact, a Temple she was stood outside of this day - for the Je'daii had yet to build an official headquarters here on Aurum, that she knew of - but a hut created by her own hands. It was a modest structure, risen off the ground like a throne atop its dais to avoid any of the flooding which threatened the area during certain seasons, a thick rocky slab which acted as a foundation. A small garden lay to one side of it, cordoned off by a woven wicker fence to keep the native wildlife from eating the greens she grew, and a chimney which billowed smoke gave the whole place a welcoming effect.

Asha was always brewing her signature tea, after all.

She had been finishing off her morning session of Alchaka when the stranger approached. Word had reached her of his presence here on Aurum, he had asked after her specifically once reaching Azar City and thus had it trickled down the grapevine... Leading to this very moment in time. As of yet, the young Hex had not made any promises, nor would she, when it came to teaching the man.

After all, he was here for a technique that was as dangerous as it was rare. She did not worry over the potential fallout of his utilizing it where others were concerned, there was no way it could be applied offensively, it held no combat function, and if he sought to use it to pinpoint the future then he would be sorely disappointed in its effectiveness for such.

The future, after all, had yet to happen, and as such there were countless, infinite possibilities for what would be. Endless strands to walk upon and get lost within. Perhaps that was why Asha had nearly always stuck to witnessing the past.

Coming to a slow end, she opened her eyes and looked toward the stranger. A very light sheen of sweat had coated her body during the session, Alchaka was one of the most physical forms of activity there was, especially considering it was classified as meditative in nature, and even though it was a technique she had been doing since she was first able to walk it still forced her to exert every part of herself, expend all of her energy, by the end of each session.

"Greetings," she began, wiping her face down with a towel before tossing it onto the small porch at the front of the hut, "I am Asha, yes..."

He seemed so confident, so certain of himself and his purpose here, that it seemed almost cruel of her to deny him it. But as with all things, you could not simply dive in head first and hope for the best. That was how you got yourself in trouble, or worse.

"... And I don't think I shall teach you that technique."

Now, at least... But she felt it important to see how he might respond to such. Why did he want to? What did he hope to gain by being here, aside from another notch on his 'I learned this obscure technique' belt? Did he realize that this wasn't a cut-and-dry thing? How much of a time sink it would be? How much time they would be forced to spend in one another's presence?

If he didn't, then he would.

[member="Vereshin"]

 

[Vereshin]

Delight came to Vereshin's senses as he smelled tea brewing nearby. The delight quickly turned sour and the lines of his mouth curved downwards in a disconcerting glare as Asha abruptly refused to teach him the technique he came seeking. He swallowed a sigh and recoiled as he realized she was most likely testing him. He would need to do his best to think of a good reason, besides acquiring more power to wreak havoc with the laws of nature. A most formidable Sith of his rank, Vereshin did not take kindly to being tested.

As Asha stood before him, the Sith sorcerer merely extended a hand and turned over his palm to face the sky. The leaves and dust in the air and the steam rising from the kettle froze in time around Asha and himself, their motion fixated as they stopped in mid-air. The bushes discontinued their swaying and froze as they had appeared in the wind, like carvings on statues.

"I have seen my future." Vereshin stated as he kept his hand facing upwards and maintained the spell. He spoke of the events during his trial to become a Sith Knight, during which he was plummeted into the space between the physical world and the nether. He was confronted with visions of his future self, from only a few years to centuries passed. "I wish to discover if the visions I can see through this technique are at all similar to those which I have already witnessed." Vereshin explained to Asha and retracted his hand. The spell waned and the surrounding imagery continued in time and swayed back into motion.

"I assure you, I have many means of practicing flow-walking should you refuse to teach me." He spoke sternly and softly, brushing down the front of his coat and preparing to take his leave if Asha refused him any further. "I am already well-versed in time distortion as a sorcerer. I understand the risk involved." Vereshin exhaled a nervous sigh and maintained his serious composure, having any joviality from before.

[member="Asha Hex"]

 

[Lief]

Delight.

That was the first thing which crossed his expression, as the scent of tea wafted through the air. But it did not remain for long. Soon enough it was replaced by a disgruntled glare that could easily have made her cower and break. Instead she stood strong and unflinching stance before him and met his gaze levelly.

Asha could not help but wonder if the man before her was accustomed to getting anything less than his own way.

Soon enough he seemed to understand what was happening, realized that anger was a sure fire way to ensure that he was not going to learn anything from her ever, and his expression soothed itself. Good. A step in the right direction.

Settling her hands to her back, she took a step toward him... Before realizing that she was incapable of doing so. Incapable of doing anything. The leaves which had drifted from the canopies overhead halted in place, the noises of the wind, of rushing water, of animals lurking in the jungle, became silent, until only his voice could be heard. And even then she wasn't so certain she could see his lips move.

He held quite the grasp over time, it would seem.

In the middle of his speech he moved his hand and everything flooded back into motion, into life. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, as a very subtle frown worked over her features.

"Then I need not inform you of how dangerous traversing the threads of time is, even to one trained in its manipulation. One false move and your mind and body can become separated. Of course, you already know that... Alas, I do not think that you will find the answers you seek. The strands flow walking can provide us with are infinite when you look to the future, filled with endless possibilities that can change in a heartbeat."

With a very slight sigh, she turned from him and began to walk away... Back up to her trio of huts. Once a few steps up she gestured for him to follow suit.

The least she could do was offer him some tea.

[member="Vereshin"]