Private Weighed On Higher Scales

[Darth Virelia]

"Testing..."

Tags - Adean Castor




The crypt chamber was silent.

Silent, save for the low mechanical thrum of ancient pylons buried beneath the stone, powering technology so old it defied categorization. Sith runes shimmered faintly across the floor in concentric rings, pulsing with dim red and violet light like a heartbeat beneath the surface. The air was thick—charged not just with the energy of the Force, but with something older. Hungrier. This place, like so much of Virelia's design, had been forgotten by all but her. And now it had purpose again.

She stood at the center of it.

Darth Virelia—Serina no longer, not here, not now—was a figure carved of shadow and will. Her armor whispered with power, sculpted like the body of a goddess and reinforced like the shell of a predator. Sleek obsidian plates hugged her form in layered elegance, ridged and seamless, the only organic softness her lips—painted like bruised temptation—and the slow, deliberate movement of her hands as they folded behind her back. The bottom part of her helm was absent.

Six violet eyes glowed faintly against the dim, their insectile arrangement subtle now in the half-light. Watchful. Patient. Hungry.

She had not summoned Adean with urgency.

She had summoned her with expectation.

This was not some delicate conversation. Not some twisted seduction. The foundation between them had already been laid, brick by brick, in breath and voice and the silent surrender of two bodies pressed too close to ignore what they had become. That part of the trial was done.

Now came the next.

How powerful was Adean? What had she become, truly, beneath Virelia's hand?

Was she merely a girl playing the part of a Sithling, leaning into the gravity of affection and fear because it was safer than ambition? Or was she something more—something greater—something Virelia could forge?

The walls around the chamber seemed to close in ever so slightly, like the air was thickening with invisible hands. There were no lights save the runes. No doors visible behind the veil of darkness that had descended. No windows. It was a tomb—but a warm one. Intimate. Claustrophobic. Designed to peel back layers until all that remained was essence.

Virelia breathed in through her nose, slow and poised. Awaiting her arrival.

 

[Adean Castor]

TAG: Darth Virelia

There was only so much more the creases in Adean's brow could deepen as she considered the crypt. There seemed to be a pattern with the Darth's summonings. Office to tomb. Tomb to forgotten training chamber. And now, back to a tomb. Adean could only hope the intention of this summoning would not be the same as the previous, similar locale.

Once more, it'd crossed her mind to ignore the summonings, if only to see what would happen. The thought was swiftly dashed as she was flooded with memories of their last meeting. She'd been given leave to go, a word given that she'd never have to stay. Be it indignance or some other, baser, instinct, that permission had ensured it was the last thing she wanted to do.

One of the last things, at least.

That was a dangerous feeling to have, especially without truly knowing the nature of her relationship with the Darth. At one point, the word 'apprentice' came up. In another moment, the space between the two of them had been non-existent. Those were two very different messages, at least in her mind. She needed some clarity in that regard.

Her boots stopped right at the threshold of the runes, face scowling at their gentle glow. Their inscription was familiar only in the way that they were with all other runes, their unknown intent casting them only as a threat.

She wasn't about to step into another ritual circle. Not again. Already, she could feel the crypt threatening to smother her in its humidity. Without a place to go, heat and pressure settled on her limbs. Already, not looking to be an especially comfortable meeting.

"I'm not dealing with another ritual," she called out, uncertain just how far her voice would have to travel to reach the Sith. Hopefully, not too far, lest they both spend far too much time in their respective locations.

 

[Darth Virelia]

"Testing..."

Tags - Adean Castor



The laugh came first.

Low, velvet-rich, and rolling off the chamber walls like warm smoke. It wasn't mocking, but there was no mistaking the amusement in it. The kind of laugh that said oh, little one… you really think you're steering this conversation.

"You wound me," Virelia's voice floated back, smooth as poured wine. Somewhere ahead, the shadows shifted, her silhouette breaking from the central pillar of darkness like a figure uncoiling from the heart of the tomb itself. The runes' glow found her cheekbones first, then her mouth—softly curved in a smile that was equal parts welcome and warning. "A ritual? Adean, you make it sound as if I spend all my days collecting incense and chanting over cauldrons. Do I really strike you as that… repetitive?"

She stepped forward slowly, and the air moved with her—humid and warm, but now subtly scented with something sharper, like ozone just before a storm.

"If it were a ritual," she continued, drawing closer until the runes' light licked across her armor and the violet blaze of her eyes, "you wouldn't still be standing at the threshold. You'd already be inside, and far too distracted to argue about it."

Her head tilted, a feigned consideration. "Although, if you want another ritual, I could be persuaded. I know how much you enjoyed the last one." The slight emphasis on enjoyed made it unclear whether she meant the ceremony's outcome, or the way Adean had looked caught between panic and fascination when the power had begun to seep in.

Virelia stopped just shy of the first ring of runes, hands clasped loosely behind her back in the way that made her look less like she was waiting, and more like she was keeping something in reserve. "This," she gestured faintly toward the chamber's center, "isn't about binding you, Adean. It's about measuring you."

She let that linger for a beat, eyes narrowing—not in malice, but in precision, as if she were already cataloguing strengths and weaknesses without needing the test at all.

"I want to see exactly how far you've come. How deep the Force runs in you when no one is whispering instructions in your ear. Whether the girl who once flinched at chains is ready to wear them—because they fit, because they're hers, because they've been reforged into something no one can take away from her."

The last words were spoken like an indulgent promise, each syllable slow and deliberate.

Then, she grinned—not the slow, predatory curve of earlier, but something sharper, almost playful. "Besides… if I wanted to smother you, Adean, you'd never have made it this far into the crypt."

She took one more step, letting the glow of the runes spill between them. "So, here's my offer: step inside, and you get to prove me right about you. Stay at the threshold…" A slight shrug. "And I'll just have to follow you home and do it there."

Her gaze held Adean's for a long, unbroken moment before softening—not losing its weight, but layering it with that infuriating comfort that made retreat feel more dangerous than advance. "I told you before—when I want you, I don't let go. This isn't a trap, Adean."

Her voice lowered, warm and certain. "It's an invitation."

A pause. Then, with the faintest smirk: "Unless, of course, you are begging for me to break that pretty mind of yours in another ritual."

 

[Adean Castor]

TAG: Darth Virelia

"I wouldn't put anything past you." The neutral answer seemed far more fitting than pointing out how the vast majority of their encounters, even the accidental one, thus far had involved a ritual or runes of some kind. Still, the laugh was reassuring. Perhaps a little condescending, but not so much so that it encouraged any action out of spite just yet.

Being able to actually see Virelia was more of a relief than Adean would've liked to admit. Granted, it was in no small part due to having just a visual confirmation she wasn't alone in the wrong crypt.

A brow rose, doubt twinged with maybe an inkling of pride coloring the Epicanthix's posture. "I stopped the last one, what would keep me from doing that again?" Perhaps it had been a fluke that her panic had stirred a moment of clarity then, coupled with her already naturally shielded mind. Nevertheless, it was a win she had every intention to hold onto. Her eyes narrowed at the word 'enjoy', hardly the word she would've described her reaction.

It wasn't lost on Adean how many times Virelia had already used her name. Not an alias, the one shared in nervous confidence. It still felt wrong hearing the syllables aloud after so many years, something she wouldn't be surprised if Virelia had already caught on to and had spurred it's frequent usage. A piece of herself only one person has been given. It'd make sense it'd then be used

A ping of anxiety ran through her as the intention of this meeting was revealed. "You're not going to like what you find," she said, turning sheepish. She tested well in the academies...in theory or in group exams. Practical applications, her lack of presence pulled her through by the skin of her teeth (or until she had the chance to alter the written scores). Being under individual scrutiny, however, seldom went anywhere.

"Don't threaten me with a time," the dry tone mostly did well to disguise the heat that crept up her neck at the mention of following her back to her quarters. She had another saving grace in being backlit by the crypto's entrance.

Her lips pursed. She could almost feel Virelia's gaze soften under the half helm. She wasn't sure what should've concerned her more - being wanted by the Darth in whatever way that might be, or the fact that at least in this case, she trusted her.

No, there wasn't any question as to which aspect was more concerning, rather how willing she was to actually acknowledge it.

"Nope, nope, I'm good. No mind breaking required here." The words came out rushed, only further encouraging her across the threshold.

A part of her wondered, since Virelia had taken the time to approach, if some sort of greeting embrace was expected. Just as she wondered if that consideration was only on her mind or if it was shared. Perhaps she would've gone for something - a brief hug, a peck on the cheek - if not for the reminder this was a test of aptitude. If a formal apprenticeship was indeed happening, those instances of affection would surely have to stop.

Besides, it was better to redirect now before any genuine fondness started to form.

Taking a steadying breath, Adean passed further into the crypt with arms loosely crossed in front of her. "Alright, what test are you wanting me to do first?"

 

[Darth Virelia]

"Testing..."

Tags - Adean Castor



Virelia didn't move right away. She let Adean's words settle in the space between them, violet eyes glinting like molten glass catching torchlight. Her smile this time was smaller, more private—somewhere between I'm pleased you came and you have no idea what you've agreed to.

"Stopped the last one?" she repeated, her tone laced with dry amusement. "Oh, Adean… you interrupted it. Besides, it's your loss, a broken mind can actually be a lot of fun when I get to shape it."

The fact she said it without malice—just matter-of-fact—made it all the more unsettling. And yet, it was paired with the barest tilt of her head, the faintest softness at the corner of her lips, as though she almost… respected the effort.

She took a step inside the runic circle herself, closing the gap just enough to look down at her without looming. "You think I won't like what I find? You should know by now, Adean…" Her voice dipped, rich and slow, "…it's not about liking it. It's about knowing it. I can work with anything—raw power, raw fear, raw resistance. But I can't work with what you're afraid to show me."

And then the smile widened into something sharper. "So, first test—simple enough. Pure strength."

Before Adean could ask what that meant, Virelia turned slightly and nodded toward the far side of the crypt, where a massive stone sarcophagus sat in the dim glow of the runes. It was old—ancient even by Sith standards—and at least twice Adean's height in length. The lid alone looked heavy enough to crush bone.

"Push it," Virelia said, as casually as if she were asking her to slide a chair. "Not the whole thing, just the lid. Off the side. Without cracking it." She let the instructions hang for a beat, then added with that infuriating hint of playfulness, "Unless you want to carry the whole thing instead. I do reward good behaviour after all..."

The challenge wasn't barked—it was offered. Like a dare over a glass of wine.

Virelia stepped aside just enough to give her room, but not enough to feel distant. She folded her arms, posture relaxed, watching with that maddening combination of appraisal and enjoyment. "You can use your hands. Or the Force. Or both. Surprise me."

Of course, she never mentioned that the sarcophagus was filled with voidstone, but Adean could find out.

A moment passed before she added, quieter: "But remember—this isn't about the sarcophagus. It's about you. How you move when the weight isn't in your mind but in your body. How you decide where to put your power. And," her eyes glimmered, "what you look like when you strain for me."

It was impossible to tell if she meant that last part as a joke or as something far more pointed.

"If you fail," she went on, her voice light but steady, "you learn where you stand. If you succeed, you prove me right about you. And if you refuse…" She let the thought trail off with an elegant shrug. "Well. You already crossed the threshold. You've made your choice, whether you've admitted it yet or not."

Virelia stepped back to lean casually against one of the carved pillars, arms still folded, expression still warm despite the underlying edge. "So—show me. And don't think too much about it. Strength doesn't wait for the perfect moment. It takes one."

The grin returned—open, amused, and entirely certain she'd get exactly what she wanted. "Besides…" Her voice softened just enough to make the last words feel far more intimate than the scene called for.

"…I already know you want to try."

 

[Adean Castor]

TAG: Darth Virelia

"Fun for you or the mind being broken?"

Adean was fairly certain she already knew that answer. At least from her experience, it was very much the former.

Her brow furrowed at the mention of raw strength. Already, they were starting off with one of her weaker points. The academies had done well to ensure physical fitness was a necessity but her built was by and large meant for dexterity and brains over brute strength.

When she took in the sarcophagus, she bit back a comment of 'you're kidding'. The thing was massive, it looked well beyond her ability to move physically. Yet most of her fellow students would've found a way, almost assuredly via the force, something Adean hadn't even considered until Virelia mentioned it as an option. That avenue was promptly forgotten, as was the added challenge of carrying the whole thing.

No, Adean would have to find another way.

A brow rose as another or Virelia's comments reached her ears. "How I strain specifically for you? And that's different from any other strain how?" She wasn't sure if she actually wanted the answer, already imagining it'd be something along the lines of possession.

Running her fingers along the sarcophagus' lid, eventually pressing her palms to it, Adean wasn't fully surprised when no hint to the puzzle laid before her flashed before her eyes. Even if the glimpses of the past were more a shot in the dark, a talent she'd made little headway in finessing (and unbeknownst to her, rendered useless by the void stone), it hadn't hurt to try.

"Want to try and know it's expected of me are two very different things," the words slipped out from under her breath as she studied the sarcophagus. Strength might not wait for the perfect moment, but the chances of her brute forcing the lid open were next to none.

Instead, she turned her attention to where the lid met the base of the sarcophagus. When the light cast by the runes wasn't enough to get a good look, she pulled the lightsaber from her belt. "You said I couldn't crack the lid, slicing could still be an option." The thought was mumbled, more thinking out loud more than anything. She suspected if any of these trials could be achieved via a technicality, the first one wouldn't be the one to start.

Shifting her attention beyond the sarcophagus itself, she glanced around the rest of the tomb. There wasn't much to it, beyond some weapon racks- wait a minute, she could use that.

Pulling a halberd off the rack, she brought it back to the sarcophagus, bringing the end of the weapon to the lip of the lid. This wasn't a matter of raw strength, it was one of finding leverage. Taking a mental snapshot of the scene drenched in red light, she deactivated the saber, returning it to her belt lest it get lost in the dark. And then, with visibility traded for a lessened likelihood of losing a limb, she set about trying to use the halberd as a lever of sorts.

The grind of metal on stone and eventually stone on stone was hardly music to her ears. At one point, the thought of someone or something being in the sarcophagus sent a wave of anxiety down her spine. She didn't fear the dark per se but the idea of something jumping out at her from the very thing she was struggling to open was enough to make anyone worry, surely.

When she couldn't stand the anxiety any further, she retrieved the lightsaber once more, letting it's crimson light wash a wave of relief over her as it provided a glimpse at the stone's contents. Her eyes narrowed a fraction, recognizing the stones she found within.

"Use the force, huh?" Her voice was back to desert dry, though perhaps in a mock annoyance more so than genuine. Perhaps the stones' presence would do well to mask any lack of skills on her part.

 

[Darth Virelia]

"Testing..."

Tags - Adean Castor



Virelia's laugh came soft, velvet, curling around the edges of the crypt like incense smoke. Just that terribly infuriating note of someone who had already expected every step Adean had taken, down to the halberd screeching against stone.

"Oh, Adean," she purred, easing herself off the pillar and drifting closer. "You really are delightful when you're trying to out-think me." Her tone landed somewhere between fond indulgence and hungry appraisal. "And for the record—yes, I enjoy breaking. That's something not to be ashamed of, finding joy in the uplifting of others is rather noble."

She stopped a step short of the sarcophagus, eyes glowing faint in the wash of Adean's saber. "But you won't find an answer in there. Not one you can brute, not one you can coax with clever tools." Her hand lifted, gloved fingertips brushing lightly against the lid Adean had levered up by fractions. A hollow clink rang from inside when she tapped it—an odd, cold resonance that seemed to drink in the sound rather than echo it.

"It's full of voidstone," she said simply, voice dipping into something heavier, reverent even. "Dead weight in every sense of the phrase. That beautiful little talent of yours—the flickers of sight, the pushes of presence—worthless here. The Force cannot touch what it does not exist within."

She looked down at Adean then, smile curling slow, satisfied. "And yet…" Her hand drifted from the sarcophagus to rest lightly at Adean's jaw, thumb brushing in an idle, possessive stroke. "…you still tried. You sought leverage. You adapted. You turned panic into planning. And when the dark pressed close, you lit your saber for comfort rather than weapon. Do you know what that tells me?"

She didn't wait for an answer. Her smile sharpened. "It tells me you don't need to move the lid to pass. You only needed to show me you'd fight to find a way. That's what strength is—when the impossible sneers, you sneer back. And," her hand trailed down, deliberately slow along Adean's shoulder, "you do look rather exquisite when you strain for me."

The last line, of course, delivered with maddening seriousness.

Virelia stepped back, releasing her, giving Adean just enough space to breathe again—but not so much that she'd feel unmoored. "So the sarcophagus stays shut. I don't care for empty exertion." She let her tone dip playful, conspiratorial. "Besides, if you had somehow managed to open it, I would've been forced to scold you for desecrating what amounts to a rather expensive paperweight."

Her violet eyes glittered as she turned, gesturing deeper into the crypt. The runes flared faintly as if awakened by her attention. "Strength, then, is not where your test lies. I've seen enough to know where your power sits. That sharp little mind of yours. That hungry instinct that can't leave puzzles unsolved. That—" she glanced back over her shoulder, smile wicked—"irritating refusal to admit how badly you want my approval."

She began to walk, heels clicking softly against the stone, each step deliberate, patient. "So, well done Adean, now comes the next trial. One less about muscle. One more about… will."

She paused at the mouth of a narrower corridor, half-lit by dull red glyphs that pulsed like a heartbeat. "Behind that door is a room with no weapon racks, no sarcophagi, no clever toys to leverage. Just you. And the Force. I want to see what you do when it is only you. How you shape it. How you try to bend it. How it bends you."

Her head tilted, smile almost tender now, voice dipping into something that managed to be both reassuring and merciless. "Don't worry. I'll be watching. Always watching. And if you stumble…" she let the silence stretch, then softened it with a conspiratorial smirk, "I'll catch you. That's half the fun."

She extended her hand toward Adean, palm up, the invitation undeniable. "Shall we?"

 

[Adean Castor]

TAG: Darth Virelia

For the briefest of moments, the retort of 'I don't have to try' pushed at Adean's lips. Did she actually believe the words that threatened to be known? Or was she more interested in poking for a reaction? It was hard to say, even for her. Nevertheless, best not to poke the beast quite yet.

"Yes, I've gathered." The glimpse she caught among the saber's emitted light had verified as such. Still, part of her was attempted to continue trying to lever the lid out of the way, if only to grab some voidstone for herself. But then she'd have to figure out how to store it and whatever other factors would play into keeping it.

It was with practiced restraint that Adean's breath didn't hitch when that thumb met her jaw. "I've said it before, I'll find a way." When that hand trailed down along her shoulders she felt that restraint crack a fraction, glancing up to meet Virelia's gaze. "And again, what does that mean?" And was it really straining for her over straining because of her?

Her face fell a fraction, eyes not meeting the wicked smile tossed her direction. "Approval isn't top of my priorities," she murdered, perhaps more to herself than the other before her. Clarity, she was far more interested in. The rest were simply bonuses.

The praise was...not exactly unwelcome but even it felt unearned. Not quite a pitty point, but a 'gotcha moment'. Just off enough to make the one uninterested in testing be annoyed at the results. It left an acrid taste in her mouth.

Anxiety heightened with the description of the next test. Just her and the Force...a test she expected her nevertheless dreaded.

Adean's hand slid into the offered palm in such a way as to have the most amount of contact before lifting slightly as it settled. As if she could somehow gleam a hint, an intention, to propel her through the next test. And perhaps a part of her wanted to savor what contact she could get before cutting it off for good.

"But would being caught mean failing the test?" She wondered, head tilting to the side. "I suppose I'll find out soon enough."

 

[Darth Virelia]

"Testing..."

Tags - Adean Castor



Virelia's hand closed around Adean's, slow and deliberate, letting their fingers lace together in a way that could never be mistaken for casual. Her touch was warm, heavier than mere contact—an anchor disguised as indulgence. Her six violet eyes narrowed with a predator's amusement, the glow catching the damp stone of the crypt.

"Fail?" she echoed, tilting her head with mock offense. "Darling, failure would mean you've stopped being entertaining. And you're far too stubborn to let me grow bored."

Her thumb stroked once across the inside of Adean's wrist, lazy and knowing. "Caught? Exposed? Outmatched? That's not failure. That's trying." The word lingered, decadent, delivered with all the wicked humor of someone who knew exactly how it would land.

She stepped closer, close enough that Adean could feel her breath against her temple. Her voice dropped, conspiratorial. "You're still thinking in binaries—pass or fail, approval or shame, caught or unseen. But me?" She leaned in until her lips nearly brushed the edge of Adean's ear. "…I prefer games that don't end."

Pulling back just enough to look her in the eye again, Virelia smiled—slow, dangerous, indulgent. "If you stumble, I'll laugh. If you fall, I'll catch you. And if you break, Adean…" Her hand lifted from the girl's wrist to her jaw again, thumb brushing the corner of her mouth as if to test her composure. "…then I'll be the one who puts you back together. Better. Stronger. Mine."

Her hand fell away, the absence deliberate, leaving space that felt more like a tether than release.

"So no," she said, voice playful now, almost light. "You can't fail this. You can only disappoint me in not trying. And trust me—" her smile curved sharp as a blade, "—that's far more dangerous."

She gestured with a flourish toward the deepening glow of the runes, as though unveiling a stage. "Now. Show me how far my little ghost will go before she learns she was never meant to hide."

 

[Adean Castor]

TAG: Darth Virelia

Adean didn't want to think about how grounding it really was, her fingers cold and dusty from having handled the ancient tools interlocked with Virelia's, strangely emitting warmth despite being gloved. So she ignored it, even when the contact on the inside of her wrist nearly sent a spark of sensation up her forearm.

The touch was something to grow used to, not to be ruled by. Same for the pet names. And the attention.

Unfazed by the shrinking distance, the Epicanthix's head tilted to the side. "You said it was a test. Of course I'm going think of the grading-" faltering as lips just barely avoided the shell of her ear, she fell back to silence as she regained her composure.

"I don't think that's as reassuring as you think it is," she said slowly, back to pointedly ignoring the thumb that brushes against the corner of her mouth. Nevermind the fact that it was reassuring in some regard, to know this wasn't a test she needed to win at. Still, the annoying urge to impress - or at the very least, bewilder, was heavy on her shoulders.

With a creased brow, she proceeded further into the rune-rich room, still suspicious of their intent, but at least willing to enter. And she continued walking, head turning on a swivel, expecting something to hit her at any moment. There might've been something every now and then, a feeling faint enough to see her turn in a certain direction, but not enough to compel her further. Like a signal underwater, trying to reach someone on the surface who didn't know where to look.

A few minutes of, well, relatively nothing, she spoke up. "...Have I missed something or...?"

 

[Darth Virelia]

"Testing..."

Tags - Adean Castor



Virelia's laughter came low, velvet in the stone chamber. It wasn't cruel, not quite—it was indulgent, the sound of a predator amused at the prey's hesitation.

Her steps followed Adean's, unhurried, each one whispering against the runes that pulsed faintly at her passing. "No," she said softly, voice echoing just enough to curl around Adean's shoulders. "You haven't missed anything. You've simply never known where to look."

Closing the distance, she came to stand just behind Adean, her presence pressing like heat at her back. One gloved hand rose, slow and inevitable, brushing along Adean's forearm before coming to rest at her wrist. Not to guide with force, but to anchor, to remind. "You search for the Force as though it lives in walls or shadows. But it doesn't. It begins here." Her fingers pressed lightly against Adean's sternum, right where her heart pounded. "Always here."

She leaned closer, lips just shy of her ear again, tone dropping into something more intimate. "Stop straining outward. You're not chasing prey. You're listening to the tide already carrying you."

Her hand at Adean's wrist lifted, extending her arm gently, palm open toward the runes. "Don't reach with your eyes. Don't chase the signal. Breathe. Let it come to you. The Force isn't shy—it only waits to see if you'll stop lying to yourself long enough to feel it."

Virelia's six violet eyes burned from the helm's slits, watching her closely, but her voice gentled, rich with promise. "Do that, Adean, and you'll never ask again if you've missed something. The galaxy itself will answer you."

A beat. Then, softer still, a whisper curling with quiet command:

"Try again. This time… with me."

 

[Adean Castor]

TAG: Darth Virelia

Adean tensed as laughter filled the room. Anxiety flicked at the back of her skull, knowing she was being followed and not having a corner to disappear behind threatening to tip anxiety over to annoyance.

That annoyance and anxious hypervigilance actually saw her arm twitch away from the contact before accepting the inevitable.

"I'm searching for whatever this test is going to be," she corrected, though the comment fell more under her breath. Already, Virelia had established she was in a mood for tricks. Clearly her words weren't to be taken at face value.

She found herself drifting back half a step as words once more just barely missed the shell of her ear, backing further into the gravity well just barely taller than her. Briefly - not even half a second - she considered letting her head fall back further, rest against the Sith's shoulder or some other play at affection before cutting herself off. But no, now was not the time, especially when Virelia seemed actually invested in teaching her something.

The instruction was abstract at best. Perhaps if she'd grown up with the theory, it'd mean something more. Yet with no other course of action and no real reason not to try again (unless of course, she wanted to see how long she could pull off being contrarian), she let herself be coaxed by that gentle voice.

Hand raised, breathing slowed, Adean couldn't help but steal glances at Virelia and the runes around them, ensuring she was mimicking accurately. And then she waited.

And waited.

And just when meditative silence started to bleed into awkward discomfort of an arm left outstretched and unsupported for too long, she felt it. A surge of...something she didn't have words for, often felt only in the heat of a moment where instinct rules over conscious thought. And then it was gone, as if there was nothing there to begin with. Then back. Like an unevenly rosined bow trying to draw forth a symphony. Swelling and overflowing one moment, silent the next. It sent a tingle down her arm like she'd struck her funny bone.

When the sensation became too much to bare, she withdrew her hand. "Is that normal?" She asked, timid. As doing so would only further draw attention to the wool she'd been pulling over the eyes over any she'd encountered in Sith space. The lack of knowledge, the lack of control, felt all the more real when mentioned allowed.

 

[Darth Virelia]

"Testing..."

Tags - Adean Castor



Virelia didn't chide her. She didn't laugh again, though Adean's nerves all but begged her to. Instead, the Sith Lord moved with a patience that was as startling as it was unsettling. The silence stretched, steady as her shadow, until at last she came to stand at Adean's side.

Her hand found Adean's wrist again, the same one she had lifted moments before. Not restraining—never restraining—but steadying, her thumb brushing along the fine bones there as though to remind her that tremors were not failure, only signs of life.

"Yes," she murmured, at last. The single word was quiet, too quiet for triumph. It was closer to comfort. Her helm dipped, lips not far from Adean's ear. "It's normal. You are not broken. The current doesn't always rush for you at first—it teases, it falters, it slips. That is how you know you've touched it. If it were smooth, it would be a lie."

Her fingers shifted from Adean's wrist to slide over her palm, flattening her hand once more, coaxing it upward like a flower opening toward light. Virelia didn't force the motion, she simply mirrored it with her own, raising her other hand until the two of them stood with palms extended together into the crypt's heavy air.

"Don't hold it. Don't chase it. Let it wash through you," she whispered, voice low and molten. "When it fades, wait. It always returns. And when it swells, do not grasp—yield."

The word carried weight. Yield. She let it linger.

The runes flickered faintly in answer, though neither of them had touched them. Virelia's gaze flicked to Adean, six violet eyes aglow, not for the stone but for the girl beside her.

"You want to command it," she said, softer now, as though it were not reproach but secret. "But power isn't always in command. Sometimes, it is in letting it move through you, until you stop knowing where it ends and you begin."

Her palm pressed gently to Adean's outstretched hand—warmth through cold dust, strength through trembling fingers. The smallest smile curved her lips, audible in her tone. "Do it again. Not for me. For you."

And then, with a rare softness that almost sounded like teasing, she added, "Though if you insist, I will enjoy watching you strain."

The silence that followed wasn't empty this time. It was full—of pressure, of expectation, of the strange comfort of her presence looming close enough to lean into if Adean dared.

"Breathe," Virelia whispered once more, and let her hand linger over Adean's like a promise.