Ask Nature of the Beast

[Rax Khan]

​

Rax could not explain why he had come here. He could not explain the need.

For so long, the Fras had done nothing unless it satisfied a need. Thirst. Hunger. Warmth. Desire. They had been the only language he truly understood.

He had played at being a person. Like his masters of old, the soldier Arcturus or the many sentients that crowded every settlement and spaceport. But he could not be like them, he was not like them.

None of it suited him. Not standing on two feet or holding a weapon, much less the making of a house and home. Whether by birth or breeding, he was an animal, not a person. The greatest among beasts, but lesser than any man. It was a destiny he had surrendered to once and for all, though without a master it made for a purposeless life. The pursuit of need was all he had found to fill his days.

Yet here he was, padding through the snow on all fours, no need he understood driving him on. The pulse that he had felt had been totally alien, the flare in his mind so unfamiliar he wretched. Yet something lay ahead. A power that drew him as blood drew the lions.

A structure emerged from the frozen mists, a fortress built by men silhouetted against the sky. Rax's massive shoulder blades shifted uneasily as he stalked towards the walls, the perfectly evolved predator suddenly feeling the prey.

The babe hanging in its swaddling clothes from his jaws moaned weakly. The cold had silenced its cries, but it lived still, vaguely conscious of the world around. Rax had feasted on its parents and had no other use for the child. But something unshakeable had made him bring it here, to offer it to the power within. Something connected them all; Rax, the babe and the shadow between the walls. It may have a use for the newborn than Rax did not understand.

Perhaps, if he was fortunate, it would please.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

He had a steady stream of visitors since he set up camp here. Most of them were eaten or tossed over the bridge, but few arrived bearing gifts that were permitted to leave. The wraith could see the animal arriving at his door, carrying a tiny life in its jaws. The Sith was only mildly curious - if nothing else, this would serve as another willing meal.

The dark entity stood before the Fras, waiting for him to kneel. If he did not, both he and the child would be consumed one after the other. If he did, the Sith would glare down at the man, crossing his arms over his chest.

“What is the purpose of this?” He looked at the baby. The tentacles from the sides of his nose began to protrude out. He was already losing his patience. He would eat the appetizer and then make a meal of the much larger Fras. However, he paused for a moment, red eyes gleaming as they studied the child. The Force swirled within it. Powerfully.

The Sith made no mention of this, though this did make the baby more appetizing. He instead waited for the oversized cat to answer.

@Alhon

 

[Rax Khan]

The being that stood before Rax had the look of a man, but he was nothing of the sort. The scent of death clung to him and every fibre of the Fras' being bristled. The fight or flight instinct that had governed him for so long went into overdrive, but a stronger impulse held him still. The impulse to obey.

Rax bowed his head, setting the child down on the icy ground and pressing himself to the floor in subservience. His claws retracted and his ears and tail lay flat, cowed by forces he barely understood. The man radiated power and authority beyond anything the Fras had ever felt. He was something new, something higher. Even the most ruthless of his past masters would not even compare.

The figure spoke and his voice too was beyond human. It was like conversing with a force of nature.

"A gift" Rax replied in his own primal drawl. "It is strong in the Force, a vergence to absorb or raise for your purposes, master". He opted not to waste words, sensing a being this powerful would expect him to get to the point quick.

The babe began to stir, but the cat remained prone, his snout pressed to the ground as he waited for the verdict. Rax felt in his bones that he could serve this being well, that he could rise to any purpose he might have for the Fras, and in doing so realise his own destiny and potential. But he was under no illusions. He was completely at the man's mercy. If neither he or the newborn piqued his interest, Rax would likely not make it out of here alive.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

Trigger warning: violence writing concerning children











The Anzat did not look the least bit amused, his lips curling into a sneer. The cat was barely halfway through his sentence when the tentacles at the sides of Raze’s face thrust out and buried into the infant' face. There was no cry, no protest. The tiny creature wouldn’t even realize what happened, its being siphoned out in an instant. The life was drained from the little being that would never grow to realize its potential.

After the infant was consumed, Raze turned his attention on the cat itself, the Force taking a firm grip around his neck. The beast was lifted off the ground, hovering several inches above the ice as the Anzat stared at him vacantly.

“You would make a suitable throw rug,” The Sith stated, genuinely considering it. He leaned towards the beast, tentacles extended and prepared to siphon the life from him. However, the child had been a satisfying snack and the Sith wasn’t particularly hungry right then.

The beast was released and left to fall in a heap in the snow, “I need a groundskeeper,” He stated simply, “Prove yourself worthy of more than menial tasks and I will not consume you by the end of the week.”

It was clear that Raze was not the type to simply give out jobs. His workers needed to sell him on why they were needed at all.

@Alhon

 

[Rax Khan]

The speed with which his master pounced almost stopped Rax's heart. The Fras watched unmoving, red eyes staring as the babe was seized by dark tentacles and drained of its lifeforce.

All the power and promise that had abided in the child was stolen away into his master, absorbed into the shadowy mass coiling within his cloak. Had Rax been a man, he would have been ashamed of the urges it stirred in him.

Then the dark power seized him too, a vice closing around his neck as he was lifted into the air. He had worn a collar most of his life, but the invisible hand that now closed around his airway weighed heavier than any metal.

Rax hung like a carcass in the smoke house, unable to move as his master's otherworldly face drew close. He had hoped to be so much more than a rug, but at least something of him would live on, serving a spirit so much greater than his own.

Then he fell to the ground unexpectedly, rising onto his paws even as the voice told him of his task. For the first time, he dared to look up directly at the being above. "As you command, master".

Rax had been granted a reprieve and an opportunity and would not waste them with idle words. Sensing his master was already elsewhere, the Fras turned tail and hurried towards a stone stairwell up the inner wall. He needed to survey his lord's domain and all the work that lay ahead of him.

Whatever it took, he would prove himself worthy. There was no other life he wanted.

@Sreeya

 

[Rax Khan]

The fortress was vast, with many spires and twisting walkways rising inside the perimeter wall. Rax hurried along them, climbing stone steps and scurrying across narrow ledges as only a cat could. He promised himself he would learn every inch of this place, until he knew it intimately. Finally, he reached a balustrade mid-way up where he could survey the grounds.

The only access to the fortress was the main footbridge approaching from the north and spanning the deep chasm below, shrouded in mist. On the other three sides, steep impassable mountains rose into the sky, their lower slopes flattening into a vast ice field that formed the castle grounds.

Rax's claws gripped the stone beneath him, red eyes narrowing in the wind as he considered all that must be done. His master had chosen a perfect place to make his own, but his cares were many and there was much the Fras could do to bolster his lord's lair. He had felt the man's power, smelled the scent of destiny on his dark wings. To play a small part in his ascension was more than most could hope for, Rax would not let it pass him by. He did not want to die, but he feared continuing to live a shadow of a life even more.

The Fras was strong, with the strength and fortitude of at least two men, but all the same he could not remake this place alone. He would need help and thus his first task would be subduing the natives. He had picked up several scents on his way here; men, Skel, mighty icetrompers and fierce wampas. None had faced an apex predator like Rax Khan before and all could be cajoled into his master's service. He would start with them.

Next, they would need to clear the ice field around the fortress. His master could no doubt move mountains if he wished, but clearing snow was a poor use of his powers. Rax would see the grounds kept cleared and levelled, with ready access around the fortress and the deep volcanic vents down below exposed. His master had little need of heat, but Rax suspected many who would flock to his banner would need warmth to survive. His own paws would benefit from a thaw now and then.

Finally, there were ancient wonders on this world that should be gathered together. Lost statues and hidden tombs Rax had heard of in whispers. His master was entitled to all this world's secrets and Rax would have them brought to him, even if he had to drag them here himself.

Yes, there was much he could do here. He yawned wide, baring his fangs as he stretched in readiness. It was time to begin his god's work.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

The dark entity did not spend much time at his new lair. He was gathering intel on various syndicates and how to leverage them best. He didn’t have vast amounts of wealth like he did when he was Emryc Thorne, but he was the main reason Emryc got as far as he did. He knew how to get what he needed, but it involved wandering around and forcing situations to work in his favor.

News about him killing the infamous Ilana Morata was making waves across the galaxy, though the Rangers were still bumbling about trying to identify the culprit. He really did miss that iconic armor.

The Anzat returned after a few days and found the fortress tended to as demanded. The Fras went above and beyond what was asked of him, earning himself more time without being consumed. Raze didn’t react to any of the workers hired, though he supported free labor. Fear was a wonderful motivator for most commoners.

During a lull in the day, the Sith found the Fras. Though the cat towered over him, Raze’s presence commanded authority above anyone that was ever in his vicinity. Crimson eyes gleamed with malice as they gazed at the Fras to regard him, knowing he would be respectfully kneeling so the height difference was no longer a factor.

“Tell me, beast,” He began smoothly, “Is a creature such as yourself capable of ambition? And if so, what are they?”

The fact that he was asking this question at all was the closest Rax would ever get to acknowledgement of all his efforts.

@Alhon

 

[Rax Khan]

The work was the hardest Rax had ever done. He had expected it, but it challenged his very being all the same.

A week was little time to impress a god and Hoth's days were no longer than those on most worlds. The Fras used every hour, glad for once that his species' tendency for long sleeps had been largely beaten out of him as a runt. He toiled from first light until long after dark, pushing his body and genetic talents to their limits.

The natives were no pushovers. Even the gentle lumbering icetrompers could crush him with a single step. He had used both his brawn and guile to frighten a small herd to hurry inside the walls, conditioning them through baiting with algae and biting with fangs. Soon enough, the huge creatures were encouraged to do his bidding, their amiable plodding keeping the ice fields around the fortress clear and packed flat. Rax had a wily group of Skel fashioning great chain links for the main gates; gates that, in time, would be too large for anything but the icetrompers to haul open.

The wampas had given him more trouble, but also the greatest sport. The first he had encountered had surprised him with its strength and speed, nearly trapping him in a death grip at one stage. But then he had reached inside himself involuntarily, as he had only a few times before, drawing on a strange power that granted greater stamina and ferocity. He had bested the wampa and eaten more meat in one day than he had sampled in a month.

The dark power was ever present in the vicinity of the fortress. Rax knew men called it the Dark Side, just as he knew what they called his master who wielded it. To him, it was more of a scent and a feel, a shadowy haze that hovered all around, just beyond sight. The Fras knew he was not dead to it, knew there was an affinity inside him as there had been in the child, though buried far deeper in his case. This place tugged at it more than anything ever had, fuelling his efforts while all the while wrapping him more tightly in its embrace.

Rax was working on clearing the volcanic vents in the fortress undercroft when his master appeared without a word. The Fras found himself prone on all fours without thinking, a deference that came to him easier than breathing. It had been more than seven days he was sure, but there was no telling if he had done enough.

"Yes, master" Rax replied, quick to answer but new to questions about himself. "Fras dream" he continued, daring to go on and consider his own goals. "My aspirations are to help you achieve yours". He spoke the truth through serrated teeth, bowing his head and envisaging all the roles he might play. "They say your designs are grand and I aspire to aid them. Whether that be to tend this place, join the ranks of your armies or lead your legions. I would carry you into glory myself, were it your will".

Even now he Rax could feel his master's aura buffeting him, stirring his senses. In Darth Raze's service, there was no telling what he might become. He kept his head bowed, but his lord would more than likely see the imagined futures that flashed through the Fras' mind.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

If Raze was pleased with the answer, there was no indication of it. In fact, there was little to be drawn from the stoic way his pale visage was set. The unnatural, red eyes calmly stared at the Fras. Moments of silence were always unsettling with the Sith - it always felt like Raze could move to kill or do nothing at any given moment. The obedience of the great cat was delicious to him, and it was exactly the kind of blind loyalty he desired.

“Come, pet,” He commanded as he turned on his heel and led the way. He moved with purpose, leaving through the fortress gates and across the bridge. He could have easily ridden on his pet’s back for the journey, but he chose to walk instead. Their little jaunt took place in silence, Raze practically gliding across the ice and snow.

He stopped before a cave, one that pulsed with darkness. The Dark Prince stared at it briefly before stepping inside.

It was a dark, damp cave. Even the Fras would be able to feel a chill run down his spine and hear faint, disembodied whispers. The Sith stopped before a stone slab in front of a wide wall. The slab had two bowls on it. He picked up one of the bowls and extended it to Rax.

“Fill it with your blood,” Raze stated curtly.

@Alhon

 

[Rax Khan]

Darth Raze said nothing at first and the long silence hung above Rax like a sharpened guillotine ready to fall. He did not yet know his master's ways or his will. The Fras could be moments from death.

But death did not come. Eventually, Raze beckoned him to follow instead, leading out and across the footbridge to the frozen lands beyond. Rax padded along in silence, sparing the occasional glance at his master for any hint of his thoughts, but finding nothing at all to read. He resorted to keeping his attention on the ridges and shadows all around, ready to defend the Sith from any threat.

When they came to the cave, Rax stiffened instinctively, the scent of the Dark Side thick on the air. This place was strong in the power Raze served, with the stone altar and bowls clearly fashioned for some purpose. Rax could only wonder what it might be.

His master extended one of the bowls to Rax, his command inexplicable. The Fras saw little gain in wounding himself, but it was not for him to question. He had put his life in Raze's hands when he had first come here.

The Fras extended his left paw and unfurled the long claw on his right index finger. Gritting his serrated teeth, he plunged the sharp talon into his left palm, drawing lengthways and slashing open his skin. Crimson blood pooled immediately and he diligently fed it into the bowl. It was not a serious wound yet, but Rax's heart was racing and the blood flowed consistently, pouring into the bowl and rising toward the rim. "Blood of a loyal servant" he breathed, offering it up without protest.

The Fras had spilt much blood in his time, but he had never thought his own had any special value. Perhaps this was nothing more than a test of his obedience, or something far beyond his ability to understand.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

The Sith watched calmly as the Fras followed the order without question. He could see the pain in him as he cut into his own flesh, but there was no hesitation in the way he plunged the claw in. The Anzat could smell the sweet scent of that coppery blood. The wraith stood in silence, drawing the bowl to himself.

“You are an obedient pet,” He remarked, almost a hint of amusement in his tone. Without warning, the bowl was carelessly tossed aside, the contents spilling on the ground. Rax’s initial assessment was correct, this had been nothing but a whimsical desire of his cruel Master. It was a pattern with Raze- first giving no regard to consuming an infant powerful in the Force, and now this. It was almost impossible to figure out his agenda.

Raze walked towards the Fras. This was perhaps the closest the Sith had been to him. Though much shorter, his presence was almost oppressive. His face was pale and ghastly, the eyes haunting. There was a twisted beauty to him, but not many could appreciate it beyond the visceral fear.

A green mist would appear over Rax’s wound, and he would feel a strange sensation followed by the gash closing up. Healing was impossible for Sith, but magick had a crude way of doing it. The effort would leave the Fras with a permanent mark, almost like a brand. To mark Rax as something that belonged to Raze.

The Sith turned towards the platform where the bowl had been, “I intend to conduct practices here that will demand…subjects. I will need a steady stream of people brought to me here. They need to be intact. Only adults. Children are worthless."

He didn’t elaborate further. For what he had in mind, he needed the entire body, not just a bowl of blood.

@Alhon

 

[Rax Khan]

"Always, master" Rax bowed his head, thrilled that Raze was pleased. He had been conditioned for this life and was sure he could prove himself a uniquely trustworthy servant if he was only given the chance.

The Fras was surprised when the bowl of blood was tossed aside, little more than a test after all. His master stepped towards him and the weight of his presence rose another notch.

Rax had never encountered so much power coiled inside such a small being and it had a huge effect on him. Like the radiating heat of a fire that threatened to burn, it kept him in check more than any whip or chain. He suspected he would never quite get used to the feeling. It was a good thing it made him feel good, in his own twisted way.

Raze had an otherworldly appearance, particularly up close. There was a perfection to his pale porcelain visage that the Fras had never seen in Humans. He looked like a creature from another plane that had slipped through into the mortal world. The strange magick he brought to bear on Rax's arm the work of a higher being.

The Fras felt just a fraction of his master's power flood his wound, and a rush of ecstasy as the flesh closed together. The dark mark that was left on his paw had a nasty look about it, but Rax warmed to it immediately. How many others could have earned the same? "Thank you, master. I will bear your mark with pride".

He listened intently to the Sith's plans. "There are men and women on this world" Rax replied, recalling the surrounding ice fields he had already surveyed "Settlers and poachers. I will bring you all the subjects you require, master". Capturing them alive and dragging them to the cave would be more difficult than the kill, but still well within his capabilities. He wondered what Raze intended for the helpless fools; though he was deeply satisfied to have passed the test, he was slightly disappointed not to have learned more of his master's ways.

A question rose to his lips, though he hesitated to ask it. But perhaps Raze would be pleased he showed interest. "This place, your realm here my lord, it is having an affect on me. I feel stronger, fiercer, I believe I have even grown though it should not be possible". Rax had reached maturity for his species years ago, but it was as if his evolution had resumed here. At first he had thought it was just the heavy labour, but it was going beyond muscle mass. His shoulders were an inch broader, his claws a fraction wider. He felt certain his master would know what was at work, and whether it was to be embraced.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

If the Sith heard anything Rax had to say, he gave no indication of it. Slender, dexterous fingers were brushing against the wide wall before him. If the cat looked, he would see faint traces of ancient writing appearing where his fingers trailed. He knew this planet would bring the worst kinds of people across the galaxy. His existence shined like a beacon amidst the wretched. He could sacrifice them and no one would miss them or come looking.

“You knew the infant was a being of the Force,” The Sith said without looking, “Are you aware you possess the same affinity? You are far more appetizing," He added with the hints of a cruel grin.

Faint cracks appeared in the wall where he touched it. The Sith began to speak some words, an ancient Sith tongue. There was a hue of green in his palm, the wall shifting and coming to life. He was transforming this cave and imbuing it with Dark Energy. He would turn this into a workshop - a factory of sorts to allow the creation of Force aberrations. Walls shifted, chunks of earth moving and rippling as if were a child molding clay.

“You are at less than a fraction of your potential,” He said smoothly, switching back to speaking in Basic.

@Alhon

 

[Rax Khan]

Darth Raze did not answer him, at least not directly. His master seemed occupied with the rockface before him, illuminating ancient script on the stone and sending the cave wall into spasm with flashes of sickly green light from his palm. Eventually, he turned the question back on the Fras, with a most discomforting tone at the end.

"I was unaware for many years, master. But it is clear to me now yes". Decades of being a blunt instrument for criminal types had offered little chance for Rax to discover his innate nature. But the auras in this place had brought his connection to the fore, he could deny it no longer.

His master continued his work, speaking in tongues and warping and twisting the stone to his design. Rax marvelled at how even a cave as old as time bent to Raze's will.

The Fras did not quite know what to say to talk of his potential. He had never consciously explored his affinity for the power - the Force as they called it - nor was he sure he knew how. Instead, he had offered his lord his strength, savagery and cunning. Were they nothing? Did his master wish him to lean instead into the same dark power as his own?

"If it would serve you for me to pursue this potential, master, then pursue it I will" he vowed, pausing only briefly. "Though, I do not know the way".

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

The Sith could sense the hesitation and disappointment in the Fras, but he paid it no heed for now. The shard given to him by Malerion glowed. He knew there were several shards like these, and he wanted to collect them all. The magick he worked began to reveal things to him. They were mere glimpses and faded pictures, but someone as powerful as Raze could conjure and piece together enough to have a heading.

“You will know enough to influence the masses to follow you,” He explained. He considered anyone that couldn’t wield the Force to be inferior. Even the slightest hints of it, like in the Fras, made him far superior to every single individual that didn’t possess it.

He drew back from where he observed the shifting walls, having gained the knowledge he sought. The Sith turned and began to leave the cave, “Come, pet, we have work to do.”

@Alhon

 

[Rax Khan]

Rax stared after Lord Raze, head cocked to one side. Previous masters had provided training of a sort, whatever was necessary to fashion him into a blunt instrument of their will. But it seemed that the Sith planned to do far more than that with him.

He followed his master obediently out of the cave, still considering. The Fras had never had power over anyone. It was the right of beings like Raze to rule and loyal servants like Rax to do their bidding, but perhaps it was not that black and white. Perhaps to serve his master effectively, he would need to lead others and rise above the rank and file.

And perhaps he would actually enjoy it.

/exit