Ask Lighter Skies

[Arla]

Arla had been busy at work the same as Vahliri, and when the other Sith arrived back at the area, Arla was ready and practically climbing into the speeder before she'd even come to a full stop.

Good! Arla said, and it wasn't entirely clear if she was excited for this or merely eager to be done. Either way, there was an energy behind her movements and actions that didn't seem to have been there earlier.

I'm ready for the ritual, she said. The setup should only take a few minutes and the ritual itself should only be a few more minutes, she said. If all goes well, she mentally added.

Anya's got a few people together. Word is spreading, and some of the Shadow Killers and Hunters have even agreed to ambush and harass the others when they come to investigate the ritual. We'll storm with the other Warriors, she said. It was clear that Arla was well within her element now.

Let's do it, she said. As they tore through the jungle, Arla began to explain what she would need from Vahliri.

I'm going to drag It to our location and force it into the corporeal realm, and then when I drop the runes and restrain it, you're going to use the Force to burn it, she said. Yeah, totally easy.

When they reached the cave, Arla quickly made her way inside, bringing her hands together and reaching out to the ground. Rather than carving the runes with her knife, she forged them in the air out of spirit ichor and then moved them to the ground until they lined the area.

You ready? she asked, looking back to Vahliri. The other Sith would see the runes begin to glow brighter and then wisps of smoke began to fill the circle in the middle, a testament to It's appearance.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri nodded ever-so-slightly, feeling a hint of relief that Arla had prepared the ritual without issue. While she had faith in the Nightsister, the half-Annfyn couldn’t shake all the different ways that their task could go horribly wrong. It wasn’t often that Vahliri found herself out of her comfort zone and vulnerable, but this was most certainly one of those times. For her part, Arla would feel the faint pangs of that anxiety that radiated out through the Force.

“Good,” She said, allowing for a momentary pause to mull over the information. Vahliri still didn’t trust Anya entirely, but wasn’t about to vocalize such thoughts at this point. There was no point - and frankly they needed the other Nightsister and the Warriors she rallied. Perhaps the half-Annfyn was simply being paranoid.. But that wasn’t entirely unjustified, either.

“Let's hope it is that easy.” Vahliri said, her amber eyes narrowing onto the jungle ahead. She tore through the dense brush and trees, carving a path back to the caves she’d discovered only half an hour prior. She had a sickly feeling it wouldn’t be that easy, but things rarely were. Success was all that mattered, in the end. “Once it is banished, we make our move on Svarta.” The woman was marked for death at this point.

She paused for a long moment, exhaling through her nostrils. “You will likely need to take her place, you know.” The half-Annfyn said after a moment, glancing over to Arla. “Fill the void that she leaves behind.” The traitors would be executed, but there would need to be a clear replacement leadership figure to keep the clan in line. The fact Svarta had managed to rally support in the first place was testament to that fact.

While Arla established runes across the room, Vahliri drew both of the saber hilts into her hands - igniting the one in her right hand, while keeping the left hilt gripped tightly. “I’m ready.” She said after a moment, exhaling a breath through her nostrils. The half-Annnfyn watched as the smoke and shadow began to fill the room - energy crackling like static off the walls of the cave. For the first time, It was being drawn to them - bound by the words of power that Arla began to utter. It was weaker than when they last encountered it - easier to target.. But it was also more desperate to stay alive and within their realm.

Slowly but surely, Arla and Vahliri could be able to see It take shape - shadows condensing and swirling into a figure not entirely physical. The Darkness radiated off the creature in waves of power - its influence immediately lashing outward like needles into both of the Sith’s minds. Vahliri grimaced at the pain, staggering backwards at once. Lifting her left hand, the half-Annfyn instinctively began to draw upon the Force - flickers of fire swirling between her fingers. The moment it was brought into the corporeal realm fully, she was prepared to unleash Pyrokinesis directly into it.

Deeper into the jungle, the sound of commotion would clearly become audible. The followers of Svarta could feel the Shadow Fiend being drawn into the banishment ritual, and immediately began to fan out into the forest - attempting to follow the pangs of magick that swirled from the ritual. They were frantic and panicked, oblivious to Anya and the assassins in wait.

 

[Arla]

Yes, Arla said thoughtfully as Vahliri said that she would have to take over. There was an argument that Anya could do it... though probably not until after a time. Arla wanted - no, needed - to make sure that things were stable.

The thing that she dragged across the Veil... she didn't know what it was, but she was sure that others would know. She was certain that many people knew. What she knew was that she needed to hold it there until Vahliri could strike it down.

Fire from the Vahliri poured out and the creature reeled back as if struck. Where Vahliri spewed fire, the creature raised its arms and spewed out two columns of frosty ice, cold enough to cause frostbite on contact.

Out in the forest, Anya had instructed the Shadow Killers to show no mercy. Although numbering only three strong, this was their domain. They were not front line combatants, but killers lurking in the darkness, stalking their prey and striking when ready.

Already, they had begun to track and murder the first of Svarta's warriors as they fanned out to search for the source of the creature's approaching demise.

 

[Darth Tempest]

To the very best of her ability, Vahliri shut out the whispers and mental intrusions - feeling as It attempted to root itself in her mind. She could tell that it was weaker than it had been on Wilbur’s planet - but that hardly meant it didn’t need to be taken serious, especially as rival blasts of cold shot forth to envelope her. The half-Annfyn grit her teeth, pressing back against the assault with equal goats of fire.

“How much longer!?” She called back to Arla, the strain clear in her voice. Embers and motes of frost swirled through the cave, lapping hungrily at the ground and whipping up the air around them. Even the slightest break in concentration would mean Vahliri’s downfall, but she only needed to hold the creature until Arla could do her job.

But that didn’t mean the Nightsister was without her own challenges. While It battled with Vahliri physically, Arla would feel the Spirit reach deep into her mind - attempting to worm past the mental defenses of the Nightsister. In an instant, Arla would see a different reality before her - one that was so real, so easy to make a reality, for a moment it wouldn’t seem like only a vision at all.

The Nightsister would see herself upon a throne - with the whole of Felucia and Dathomir stretching out before her. The Queen of Two Planets - of all the Nightsister Clans - with no rival to her power. She would feel the Entity bound to her will - working in tandem together in a symbiotic relationship. She would feel the Shadow answering at the mere flex of her fingers, unbridled power and knowledge at her disposal.

All she needed to do was halt the ritual.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla could see the vision before her, and she wanted it. More surprising than ever, she actually craved that power and perhaps even the power to rule. She had always been uncertain of her desire to rule Dathomir, but now that she wasn't just thinking about it but was actually experiencing it, she realized it felt good. Better than she could have imagined.

There was a temptation to seize hold of the vision and accept It's help, but there was one more thing that stuck in Arla's mind. Pride. She had made it this far in her life refusing to trade on the names of her parents. She'd hid her heritage and built her own assets rather than just those of her Mother. She could and would rule one day, but she would do it on her own power.

Screw you, she spat in Dathomiri as she pushed back against the attack, slamming her own will in and letting the power of the runes flow through her and against the creature.

She planted a final rune on the ground, and the power of the planet flowed through her and into the creature. It reeled back, screeching as if struck and exposing itself for Vahliri to strike the finishing blow.

 

[Darth Tempest]

Whatever was happening in Arla’s mind, Vahliri wasn’t aware of it. The half-Annfyn was only aware of her own battle with It - feeling as deadly gusts of cold attempted to wrap around her and freeze the blood in her veins. It took every ounce of her strength to hold it back, as streams of red fire poured from her fingertips with equal intensity.

It wasn’t until the final rune was placed that Vahliri found her opportunity.

The Spirit shrieked - and there was a split second of weakness. And that was all that Vahliri needed to send waves of fire clashing into the creature, completely enveloping its spectral form, flames lapping away at the dark ‘cloak’ that covered its body.

For a moment, only the screams of the creature filled the room - as its physical body was destroyed, and its spirit was banished back beyond the Veil. Wherever it had come from, whoever had brought it into this plain.. Whatever the Sith of ancient past had attempted with It, the monster was no more. There was an absence that both of them could feel, a sense of peace that neither would have felt since first arriving on Wilbur’s planet.

And all that remained was a single, black shard - condensed energy and magic bound into the gem.

@Phoenix

 

[Arla]

Arla let out a heavy breath as it was finally over, the creature banished - hopefully permanently - back across the Veil. It was no small feat, and for a moment she sunk to her knees to catch her breath.

It should be gone for good. It's energy will return to the Shadow, but it's will and consciousness won't ever be the same, she said. In other words, it was destroyed. She reached out and took hold of the crystal. Kyber by the feel of it.

It's consciousness is probably stored here, she said, holding it gently in her hand, almost mesmerized for a long moment before sliding it into a pouch.

We still need to kill Svarta, she said, turning and heading out of the cave. She could rest when this was all over and done.

The Shadow Killers had done their work well, and Arla wasn't going to tie herself up with the warriors in the forest. She was going to cut the head of the snake and probably let Anya and the rest do the rest. Svarta was the head, and she had to die... painfully.

The two would make their way back to the base without too much issue and Arla wasted no time in making for the sealed upper door. She drew the power of the Shadow to herself and thrust it outward, the door slamming back and clattering to the ground as Arla rushed - probably somewhat dangerously - inside.

Anya and Vahliri would have to actually work together to take down the various warriors in the room, and one quickly set her sights on Vahliri as she lunged forward, a long handled axe-pike type weapon - imbued with the Force to resist lightsabers - thrusting out at Vahliri to skewer her.

 

[Darth Tempest]

“Funky,” Vahliri said after a long moment, squinting down at the crystal. The half-Annfyn wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about a Kyber filled with the essence of the banished spirit, and a part of her wanted to suggest spacing the damn thing at nearest opportunity. Perhaps that was wasteful, but she simply had enough of the Spirit for the rest of her mortal lifetime. Somehow, she doubted that Arla would be interested in that proposal. “Suppose you’ll find a function for it?” She asked after a moment.

Of course, they didn’t really have time to discuss it. The half-Annfyn nodded grimly when Arla reminded her that they needed to deal with Svarta, though admittedly Vahliri was internally pleased by the development. Magick was out of her wheelhouse.. But she had no problem with putting down some rogue Nightsister the old fashioned way.

“About time,” She said simply, following Arla as they weaved through the jungle, found the stronghold of the rogue Nightsister and burst through the door. Anya was already right alongside them, and Vahliri resisted the urge to use the other woman to throw at her enemy.

Instead, Vahliri’s gaze narrowed upon the Nightsister that charged her. Without lifting her lightsaber, the half-Annfyn abruptly coiled the Force around the other woman - squeezing her chest tightly and with enough strength to crack ribs. With an abrupt swing of her arm, Vahliri send the woman bodily crashing into the nearest wall, filling the air with a sickening crunch when skull collided with stone.

Electricity sparked between Vahliri’s fingertips, flashing forth to put down the next woman that charged at her. All the while, the half-Annfyn worked to give Arla the opening she needed - allowing the Nightsister to advance on Svarta without issue.

 

[Arla]

Arla watched Vahliri take down the intercepting Nightsister, and didn't waste any time in moving forward. Svarta would die by Arla's hand... or by her magick.

Even if Arla had spent her life concealing her heritage from most, she - by blood - still had the power of her parents flowing through her. She used that strength now, casting her arms out wide and letting a spewing stream of concussion bolts slam against the shield that Svarta now erected.

Before the last of the bolts had finished, Arla raised both hands and unleashed green lightning upon her, pouring anger and hatred into the bolts. She let her animosity and indignation fuel her. This thing had tried to usurp her and her mother. It had plotted the downfall and shattering of their people. It had toyed with a spirit that Arla had already banished. Svarta wasn't a person anymore, she was an object and an obstacle that needed destroying.

Eventually, in a sheer battle of wills, Svarta broke first. Lightning tore across the woman, scorching flesh and leaving a potent and foul smell in the air. Arla's silvery eyes were pure fury, glinting with more vibrant flecks of gold as she moved against her wounded opponent. She reached out and summoned two pikes from the floor, pinning the obstacle to the wall and slamming both pikes through her belly with enough force to bury them into the wall behind her.

And there Arla left her. Bleeding out, scorched, and slowly dying, her body hung from the wall while the other warriors finished off the traitorous witches.

It's done.