What Do You Call Yourselves?

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Arcis awaited him on Coruscant, and the Dark Lord was just beyond him.

Cyril was going to need allies. His first thought was the Graug. The reptilian warriors had served well in the past, and Cyril felt confident they would do so again. However, as he began to punch in the hyperspace coordinates, something else came up in his mind. Dathomir was not particularly far, and it was host to a number of powerful clans that might prove useful in the coming war.

It was with this thought in mind the the would-be usurper made his way to the primitive world. He had to take care to keep himself from being discovered my Mandalorian patrols. Eventually, he managed to land on the planet's wild surface, albeit a bit more panic stricken than he would have liked. Smuggling oneself onto a planet was never a good experience.

From there, he departed his starfighter and allowed the force to guide him. A number of tribes congregated in these lands - many of them unfriendly. It was quite likely he would need to prove himself, and so he had opted to stride through the swampy terrain in full battle regalia.

An hour of walking led him to the fringe of a village. He felt a number of strangers bearing connection to the force, but one in particular drew his attentions. It was odd - unnatural.

Frowning, the Sith Lord drew his cowl over his face and wandered into the village, hoping that the robe would make the women perceive him as a visiting nightbrother rather than an offworlder. He went in a straight line toward this unnatural source; his features set with grim purpose.

[member="Lady Sovereign"]

 

[Voices of The Deep]

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Crimson red optics remained steady and diligent as thoughts of The Void remained on her thoughts...it had been several weeks since her body changed into this...newer form. And frankly she was unsure what to think of this new look she had been granted. It was strange...looking into the mirror only to see a different person looking back at you every time. Winter remembered the old her...frosty white hair and icy cold blue eyes...now her eyes were a bloody red and her hair a vibrant energetic orange. It was longer...much more annoying to work with all things considered. Her royal guard often had to help her with managing her hair considering Winters old one was straight forward and simple. Now it had to be tied up, put under a hood, pulled through a few holes and tried into some weird knot on top her head...

However, she did not let this get to her...she had tossed her old cloths and decided to wear something more fitting to her culture (Among other things). A black cloak worn over her bare body as a long loincloth hung around her waist...blue toned skin flawlessly smooth as the woman strutted through the Dathomir woods...wide hips swayed like a pendulum as the mysterious cloaked woman found herself arriving at a rather large clearing...dead orange leaves crackled beneath her bare foot as the woman inhaled deeply and decided this place would work.

Winter slowly slide down onto her knees...Her smooth bare knees sinking into the dirt and crunching in the leaves as she inhaled the planets earthy scent...yes...this would do indeed.


Folding her hands into her lap and closing her eyes, Winter began to focus her mind...those eyebrows knitting together tightly as she remained stationary and inhaled. The force collected around her subconscious...focusing on The Void and emptying herself into nothingness as she slowly lifted her hands and held them as if she were holding some kind of invisible ball...focusing the power of The Void and focusing its absence of energy into a raw metaphysical manifestation...and almost as if dark matter was collecting between her hands violet swirls of aura collected within her palms...a small sphere growing larger and larger with each passing moment. Growing in size steadily until a pulsing Void orb remained within her hands...opening her crimson eyes and looking over it...staring into its energetic core that seemed to mirror that of the universe.


This...was The Void.


[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

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Mephirium didn't know what he felt.

The force was acting strangely here; fraying at the edge of his mind rather than rushing to embrace him. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. Still, he managed to give off a presence of power within the force, a small mingling of energy that followed him with every step. It was a farse, truly, but it kept most of the villagers away. He had no desire to speak with any of them.

His path brought him to a clearing, empty save for a single woman. She did not have the looks of the witches he had come to know, though that was not something he hadn't expected. The Dathomiri women tended to be quite varied in species, let alone aesthetics. Drawing back his cowl, the Sith Lord walked along the edge of the treeline, blue eyes narrowed in contemplation.

The woman held something odd; a purple orb that seemed to be emitting that uncomfortable feeling within the force. A chill ran down the would-be usurper's spine. This was the source of his discomfort.

He wasted no time in making his presence know. Stepping forth from the shadows, Mephirium strode confidently across the clearing, his shoulder back and his head held high. He had the look of an average man: a little over six feet in height, well built, and with eyes that seemed to shimmer the faintest shade of blue. He came ten paces away from the woman and folded his arms over his chest.

His gaze shifted to the orb, then to the woman.

"What is that?"

[member="Lady Sovereign"]

 

[Voices of The Deep]

It was strange...Winter had always known of the force growing up. But her entire life all she ever heard about was the Light side or the Dark side...that's it. There wasn't even really a gray but how much of that did anyone actually know about? So with that hammered into her head the Ice Queen had always felt stuck...as if ropes were tied to each wrist and both sides of the force were playing tug-a-war with her body...wanting her...all the 'potential' her mother always said she had. And yet Winter had never felt it...she never felt special or unique...gifted or talented. She may of been born a princess but the truth was Winter always denied her birthright...she never felt like she deserved it. Being handed a title of power from one generation to the next was archaic and foolish in her eyes...


And years later...after she had lost everything she felt it...something nagging at her insides and calling for her. Whispering to her through the force...she doubted at first. Never really being attracted towards the Dark Side because of her absence of emotion and never attracted to The Light because of her lack of faith and idealism. So which side would she ever go to? Luckily...she did not have to choose either once she discovered the existence of The Void. It began as little more but a theory...and when put to practice, who would of ever known it was a real thing?

Winter was...pleased. With this new discovery...a feeling of achievement was something she rarely felt. And as the void pulsed within her hands the sudden disturbance of a darker energy made it vibrantly glow as its core stirred violently. And as a deep steady voice erupted in front of her Winters crimson gaze drew upwards to land on the mysterious mans ice cold ones. Her expression blank as her eyebrows narrowed tightly into a scowl before looking back down at the orb.

"It is...everything yet nothing...light and darkness...it is...The Void." She stated coldly, focusing more energy into it and watching as the orb squealed and echoed with raw energy. She wondered...if the man could truly 'see' the truth. Rather than closing his eyes and seeing the lies he had been taught to believe.

[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

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Mephirium was experienced enough to know witch magic when he saw one. He was not the type to turn away from it in disgust, but he did not wholly embrace it as the Dathomiri did. It was a subset of the force; a watered down understanding of that which he had spent an eternity learning to master. Still, the violet sphere was interesting to behold; beautiful in its glow and thrumming with barely contained strength.

The Sith Lord was not intimidated. He strode across the valley, shoulders back, his head held high as he closed in on the woman. She was scantily clad, though most of the witches tended to be. The scowl might have been a warning, though Mephirium freely ignored such.

"Witch magic has always intrigued me," he lied, "What do you plan to do with the orb?" He folded his arms over his chest and lofted a brow. His gaze shifted across the clearing to the treeline beyond.

No targets, so far as he could tell.

His eyes fell, once again, upon the strange crimson-eyed witch. "What do you call yourself?"

[member="Lady Sovereign"]

 

[Voices of The Deep]

Winter could sense the mans mind was one of simplicity as his gaze wandered over the raw power within the palm of her hands...The Void was not a practice for everyone and most certainly not for the narrow minded and simple. In the galaxy people either aligned themselves with The Light Side of The Dark Side. Open and shut, goodbye, the end. The Void had been lost for millions of years since the days of the Mind Walkers...not for the faint of heart. And as she man simply strode forward with arrogant gusto Winter merely blinked and observed when she said he was intrigued. Asking what she planted to do with it, the woman merely looked back down at the energy and tilted her head.

"Undecided...the void takes many shapes and forms but this is its most basic...however, reshape, deshape, Deconstruct, reconstruct...matters little the effect is almost always the same" She explained simply, widening her hand and focusing the energy into more practical shapes..the orb quickly stretching and taking the shape similar to that of a lightsabre. Its matter remaining the same but its shape much more practical...Winter took the Voidsabre and quickly slashed it across the trunk of a nearby tree...the void cut through it like butter...but unlike the classic lightsabre that melted through things, The Void simply removed its physical matter...the tree quickly collapsed in on itself and crashed to the ground beside them.

Winter's gaze was unchanged as the Ethereal blade slowly hovered back to her...and as she pressed her hands near its surface she reshaped the voids shape once again...this time focusing it into the shape of a Voidbow. Slowly standing to her feet the woman looked to the star speckled sky and aimed the bow upwards...taking aim for the stars she reached forward and pulled back a near-transparent string...and as it was pulled back she focused the energy of The Void and constructed a metaphysical arrow along the string...taking a deep breath, she released the string and launched the arrow into the skies followed by a bright vibrant light.

Winter watched as the arrow left behind a trail of aura and narrowed her eyes a bit...looking down at the bow and watching as it deformed back into its original shape...

"But...it's original form can be used for much more...destructive purposes." She mused, throwing her body to the side and lifting her arm as if she were a pitcher...throwing her hand ahead and discharging The Void as if it were some kind of ball. And as the energy flew into the woods once it got to a certain distance The Voidbomb unleashed a powerful metaphysical blast that obliterated several of the trees around it...The Ice Queen grimaced and clenched her fist lightly. "Destructive being a key word apparently..." She muttered to herself, closing those crimson eyes and averting her gaze to the man before her.

"They call my many things...but you may call me Lady Sovereign...Queen of The Awoken." She explained calmly, narrowing her eyes lightly at the man. Not really interested in asking the man for his name given the circumstances.


"What is it you desire?" She asked coldly, preferring to stay on topic rather than engage in small talk.


[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

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"A great many things." Mephirium piqued up, a hint of humor lacing his words.

He had watched the display with keen interests. Nightsister magics had always intrigued him to a certain degree, and it seemed this woman had no problem with displaying them all for him. He hadn't even had to ask.

Lady Sovereign. Nobility of some kind then. Mephirium had not heard of the Awoken before, he spent very little time in this part of space. He could only assume it was some form of Dathomiri Tribe or something of the sort. He held his tongue for the moment, simply observing the woman. She commanded the force to particularly advanced degree, and that wrongness seemed to ebb off of her in waves.

Interesting.

"I've come looking for the witches. Something tells me I've found them." He cracked a thin, albeit warm smile. Master of the Dark Side he might be, Mephirium had retained some of his humanity. He was not the type to live his life grimly.

"Why is it you speak to me so coldly?" He challenged in mired amusement as he slowly paced around the woman. "We've only just met. No need to hold me in such scorn, my dear."

[member="Lady Sovereign"]

 

[Voices of The Deep]

Winter found her gaze being pulled by far more important things as she looked to the destruction she had caused and examined it closely...she knew that there were witches on this would who could regrow these trees with very little effort so she was not that bothered with cutting a few down if it meant progress...though there were probably better ways to achieve such ends The Ice Queen would have to find them another time...She had spent months unlocking The Void and even more trying to get it to take the forms she desired. She had gotten this far with no master or teacher...and she would get even further on her own.


And as the man told her he was looking for the Witches the woman scoffed. "You found 'A' witch. But you are here on Dathomir, and you radiate dark energy. What you desire is the Nightsisters...their tribe is at the base of a mountain thirty cliques east. And you should keep an eye out for Mandolorians...they don't like unsavory types wandering their midst." She explained bluntly, paying little mind as he began to circle her. Winter simply walked away from the man, letting him just walk in a circular motion around nothing as she went to examine the bruising of another tree. There seemed to be rather large whiplash cuts along the surface, leading her to believe the blast either had a kick of kinetic energy or shrapnel from the surface cut through it...But she could not be certain...she would have to do this in a more controlled environment with cameras so she could see how it all played out.

And mere seconds later the man asked a question that made Winter shake her head as if to say 'I don't have time for this'. Keeping her gaze to the floor and walking around the place the voidbomb had gone off she studied the cracks and damage done to the earth with narrowed eyes.

"Don't take it personally. I speak to everyone coldly. Padawan, Knight...Master or King...So i will continue to speak to you as such because words are not going to hurt you. Put your shoulders up and shake it off." She growled, crossing her arms over her ample chest and looking the man up and down. "You may call this arrogance...disrespect or whatever else you may choose to label it. And you would probably be right. But understand i do not consider myself better than you or anyone else. I'd spit in the face of a god if they overstep their bounds just like i'd spit into yours if you overstep yours..." She explained coldly with a callus expression. Scoffing before looking around a bit before sighing.

"Either way, feel free to call me a queen or whatever creative name you can come up with...makes no difference to me. Unless you are the type to draw your blade because someone is mean cause if so i hope it makes you happy." She grumbled, looking the man in the eyes with her cold crimson orbs.


[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

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"I radiate a lot of things." Mephirium shot back as the woman went on to inspect her work. He folded his arms over his chest and lofted a brow, trying discern whether this was worth his time or not. "I know of the Nightsisters. Many are dead. Even more have pledged their services to the Witch King." Mephirium pointed out, his gaze trailing after her.

In truth, he would have gone after the Nightsister. As it was, he would not dare to go near them. Not with this new Witch King and his followers running about. Something told Mephirium that they would not be the fans of the Sith; particularly not one who would call himself the Dark Lord's usurper. This one, however, might be different. He shrugged off her anti-social nature and strolled alongside her, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"You make a lot of assumptions." He pointed out, coming to a stop somewhere near the center of the clearing. "I am Darth Mephirium, and I've come for the help -" He stepped forward and reached for her forearm. " - of a Witch. Of what alignment, I could not care."

He would relinquish his hold then, stepping back to give the woman her space. She had, after all, just spoken of boundaries. "I think we can be friends, dear. It might be beneficial for you to think the same."

[member="Lady Sovereign"]

 

[Voices of The Deep]

The Ice Queen found her gaze dancing over the darkness behind the thickness of trees in the distance...Winters feet planted firmly into the dirt as slight vibrations rippled through the core...she could...'feel' others close by...the force was not telling her anything...so if there truly were stalkers in the bushes, they were concealing their force energy. And they were good...undoubtedly even the most powerful of masters would be unable to sense them. These watchers must of been master hunters who survive by concealing themselves within the shadows.

And while she could hide in the shadows...conceal their energies...and even slow their heartbeats. There were other things they could not hide. The blood flowing through their bodies and the beating of their hearts...the earth connected to the deepest roots of the oldest trees and each tree had a story...a 'voice'. Winter did not walk barefooted or wear the clothing she did as a fashion statement...freedom of movement, feeling everything around her through the surface of the earth. It all played a part with connecting her to the world...while some used the force to see and others used their senses, Winter used the Earth beneath her feet and connected to it.

If it lived...if it breathed. And if it moved...she would find it. And she had found them.

Winters gaze wandered to the Sith and she quickly dismissed his attempts to negotiate and walked up to him bluntly...grabbing him by the collar of his shirt she put a hand on the back of his head and yanked him into a rather forceful kiss...Her expression remained unchanged as she kept this for a moment...his eyes flicking from left to right cautiously before slowly breaking the kiss and leaning into the mans ear.

"Shut your mouth and listen." She whispered almost seductively, making it seem as if she were just speaking to a lover. "We are not alone...eyes watch us from the darkness and we are outnumbered...and thus outmatched. So i would suggest...getting your weapon ready...and staying alert." She moaned, slowly pulling away from the man and smiling flirtatiously, planing her feet into the dirt and inhaling deeply as she tried to keep her senses wired.

Wait...listen...learn...and adapt.


[member="Darth Mephirium"]

 

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Mephirium felt them on the fringes of his mind. He had never been particularly skilled at detecting other beings within the force, but then his talent were more prominent in other particular skills. Still, he'd managed to catch a whiff of wrongness when the women stopped speaking. He did not know who or how many there were, but preliminary warning was enough. His hand had fallen to the cold steel of his lightsaber when Lady Sovereign approached.

It occurred to him that this might have been a trap. It would not be the first time the Witches had pulled something of the sort on him. It was quite likely the lady was little more than a decoy - a pretty face to draw him out. Rage bubbled up within him. He had come here for the assistance of the witches - he would not become their pet. A fist balled at his side and his lips parted to spit accusations, but the gray skinned woman's lips had found his own. Whatever words he might have spoken were drowned out in her momentary embrace.

It was shock that took him at first. Then the outrage came. The only thing that kept him steady for the moment was the fact that they had company of the unfriendly kind. "You could have simply told me." He grumbled, chewing on his tongue to ignore the taste of her own.

A moment passed. Nothing moved.

Mephirium was readying to turn about and face these aggressors when the dart flew toward him. A simple stressing of telekinesis reflected it, but then there was another, and another. One finally met its mark and sunk into the Sith Lord's neck. He immediately called upon the force to fight back the toxin, but it as around that time that the hunting party sprung out from the shadows.

His lightsaber hissed as it came to life, its blue blade blurry in his hazy vision. He could not defend himself and fight off the toxin effectively at the same time. A warrior woman charged, war-glaive raised. Mephirium raised his own weapon, and then everything went black.

[member="Lady Sovereign"]

 

[Voices of The Deep]

Winter could feel the vibrations of heartbeats running through the soil of the earth...each beat growing faster and more rapid as the sith before her expressed slight irritation by the witches alternative method of explaining things. And as he looked back and forth and observed the environment, Winter herself took in a breath and narrowed her gaze as she focused her connection through the force.


And as moments passed...things grew as silent as a grave...and suddenly, the sound of a whirling dart whizzed through the air and struck the man before her. Winter's eyebrows knitted together tightly as everything seemed to go wrong at a single moment...the two of them assuming battle stance as witches seemed to flood out the woodwork screeching like savages...The man slowly faded out of consciousness after he activated his saber...falling over like a tree and landing in Winters arms.

"Well...ok." She growled, leaning him down onto the floor as the savages around her all closed in like vultures...their energy bows firing towards the woman as she quickly moved aside.

The Ice Queen was then hit with multiple darts before she could even fight back. And within a short time...she to found herself falling unconscious.


[member="Darth Mephirium"]