Twilights Parasites (closed)

[Darth Callidus]

Wind and rain lashed down upon Iziz like a cruel whip. The city's residents tucked themselves away in the warmth of their homes. Out in the midst of the storm, however, things were going bump in the night. Far into the reaches of the Wilds, where no sane man would tread, a spectre of a figure stood waiting. Your time has come, Darth Anxia.

[Razielle Alastor]

Crouched in the branches of a massive tree, she waited. She could smell the earthy scent of the ground, the barrage of rain gave off a muddy vapor. It was pouring down, soaking through the material of her clothing, puddling in her boots. She didn't care. Her long hair was unbound and equally as soaked, falling about her like a sodden mantle, plastered to her face and nearly covering her eyes. She didn't move it away. She was as still as the night around her. She felt she was being hunted, maybe she was. But was it her Master, or a predator that was stalking her? A touch on the back of her neck, a hand. No. A tail, long and serpent like, it wrapped around, not yet contracting, but it would.

Your time has come, Darth Anxia

Her hand moved, wrapping around the tail of the serpent, she pulled it from its branch above her head, yanking it down to her level. It was a heavy lengthy thing and hissed at the sudden and unexpected movement of its prey. Like a whip, she brought its face up to her own and smiled, a flick of her blade opened its stomach, from tail to gullet. A plethora of local wildlife spilled out, mostly rodent and lesser reptile.. and one human arm. How nice..

She dropped the offensive writhing mass from her. It feel to the ground, several feet in front of her Master and slunk about, dying. Her descent followed. She dropped down from the high branches, her booted feet connecting with the head of the dying beast, crushing its skull and stilling its movements. She quickly dropped into a kneel, head bowed.

"Master..."

[Darth Callidus]

Callidus did not move. The shadows of the evening seemed to stretch and seep from his robes, curling outward in a dark cape. Behind his mask, Callidus' eyes were fixed upon the woman stood before him. “Rise, Anxia. Tell me what you have learnt thus far.”

[Razielle Alastor]

At her Master's leave, Anxia rose and assumed a more relaxed stance. One knee bent slightly forward, her hands resting lightly on her thighs. She met his eyes with unblinking focus and recounted the things she had been working on for two years.

"You once revealed to me the secret behind my speed and accuracy with a weapon. I have learned in two years to ensnare the coldness around me, to pull it in and use it, also as a weapon. My focus has increased greatly since this discovery. "

Her eyes dropped to the ground briefly. I have also worked on touching the minds of others. I find this to be most a most agreeable art. My only displeasure stems from not having someone to practice recieving thoughts from. I only hear your voice in my head.

Looking back up, she seemed pleased with herself.. "I have also discovered something else recently. " She crouched low to the ground. Her palm not touching, but parallell with the terrain. She summoned from around her the coldness that was always present and a small rock flew up into her hand. Rising, she dropped it to the ground and awaited his response to her newly learned skill.

[Darth Callidus]

“Your progress is... pleasing. Soon, you will have another with whom to practice your skills.” She had advanced further than Creas, understandable given the length of time which they had worked together. “You say you enjoy touching the minds of others. What about deceiving them? Does the concept of illusion-craft intrigue you?”

[Razielle Alastor]

A sudden interest lit her eyes.

She could remember only two other occasions when she had wanted something as much. As a child she had been tutored in fencing with safety swords, made of either wood or dulled and capped on the end. The first time she had been taken to the Royal Market outside Davora palace, she had walked right past all the stands with ribbons and jewels and made a direct path to the smithy. She had demanded that a grand sword be commisioned for her, to adjust to her smaller frame. She had been nine years old.

The other occasion had been more recent. Two years ago. Another tedious sword demonstration. A nearly instant win. Silent appraisal in the milky white eyes of one man, while the others clapped her father on the back and wanted to know if he had any caged primates that could accomplish the same parlor trick. Her skill had not been lost on him. He would get her out of this life and she would forever belong to him, to do with whatever he saw fit. Such was the value of her training by him. To this day, she would sever her own arm if she thought it would please him. Now, the very man dangled another sweet before her.

Illusions...

"Yes, Master.. I desire that very much. "

[Darth Callidus]

“Very well.” Callidus began to walk, knowing that Anxia would follow accordingly. They were not in the most dense patches of the Wilds, so the path was quite clear, as if it had been used many times before.

“To fool the mind of another is a complex skill. Unless you are a Master of the discipline, there is a high chance you may fail and have your attempt to delude another's mind backfire. To begin with, you must work with weaker minds, and sustain the illusion for only a brief period of time. As you progress, however, you will begin to feel more comfortable maintaining the masquerade, it will come as second nature.”

As Callidus spoke, the image of him began to change. His hood vanished and white hair cascaded over his shoulders; layers of armour spread like scales over his skin, yet made no sound. Though his voice remained the same cold tone, everything else about him suggested that he was in fact the General Dalamar. Through the eyes of this new mask, he questioned: “How do you think that I have accomplished this?”

[Razielle Alastor]

She couldn't help it, her eyes widened. She hadn't thought such things were possible. It only served to show her how little she knew about this art that her Master was training her in. She shook her head in bewilderment, rain drops flying this way and that.

"I.. do not understand how this was done. I can only speculate that the image was put togther in my mind, not in physical reality. To do this you planted the image in my head, I see what you want me to see?"

She had the urge to go and poke at her Master. To see if it was him she would feel, or cold armor. To see if the cloak hiding him was still there in the rain, or had it truly been replaced by long pale hair?

[Darth Callidus]

“Correct. The stronger the mind, or the more minds you are attempting to hoodwink, the more difficult you will find it to create the illusion.” Their walk took them further under the canopy of trees, to an area that was marked by the tracks of wild animals. Ahead a cave was barely visible in the darkness, it's entrance dressed with vines and moss. Inside, forest animals lay sleeping. “Can you feel them?” Callidus asked, his true form once again visible, shadowy robe and all.

[Razielle Alastor]

To survive outside the walls of Iziz, one had to be very aware of their surroundings. If your senses are even a little bit off, you run the risk of being a meal to any manner of nasty beast. She knew this going out into the wilds with her Master and was prepared. Becoming still and quiet she looked for who her Master was refering to. Her eyes were drawn to a partially concealed cave entrance. The inside, she was sure, was a den of some kind. There seemed to be a family group huddled inside, just beyond the veil of rain and jungle vines.

"Yes."

She didn't approach the cave. Although she percieved no threat, she knew unless provoked they weren't likely to leave the shelter. She waited for her Master's wishes to be known.

[Darth Callidus]

“These beasts are placid herbivores. They will not perceive you as a threat... not unless you make yourself appear so.” Callidus lifted one gloved hand, pointing towards the cave. “Lure one of them into the open.”

[Razielle Alastor]

Glancing around, her mind worked quickly to arrive at the best option. She took notice of the local plantlife, most of it chopped back from the animals munching at it. Walking forward she grabbed a branch and hunkered down outside the cave, feeling foolish. She have much prefered just sticking her arm in and yanking whatever it was living in there out. But her Master had phrased it quite nicely.

Lure one of them into the open.

After what seemed like a humiliating length of time, one of the creatures took note of her and decided to sniff her out and see if she was a threat.

[Darth Callidus]

Beneath his mask, Callidus was smirking. It wasn't quite what he had in mind, but it had worked. “I want you to make the creature believe that you are it's mother. Draw it into the centre of the clearing.” He did not speak aloud, but rather his words echoed inside her mind, so as to avoid distracting the creature.

[Razielle Alastor]

She really had no idea where to start. She thought about their previous discussion on how the image was as simple as having the weaker mind see what you wanted it to see. No question, she knew that she had more brainpower than a cave dwelling... what-ever-it-was.

It was close enough to her that she could see it now. Its size and shape, although she was till unfamiliar with the species. Locking her gaze on the animal she tried to establish a connection with it, the way she did with her Master when she spoke to his mind. When she felt she had done that, Anxia rose and moved away. She focused on herself the image of a slightly larger version of the creature, and a protective instinct telling it to follow.

A few paces into the clearning she stopped, not turning to see if it had follow. She knew it had. She was afraid the if she turned, her concentration would be altered and the beast would run.

[Darth Callidus]

“Bring it closer to you, so that you are able to reach out and touch it,” Callidus instructed, again speaking only into the mind of his apprentice.

[Razielle Alastor]

For a moment she did nothing. Anxia simply let the feelings that she had been focusing on grow and surround her more. She inhaled the smell that the beasts gave off. She observed how this one had moved. Only when she was sure that her concentration was strong did she turn and once more crouch down.

Raising one hand, she held it just above the head of the animal, waiting. Yes, lovely.. I feed you. I shelter you.. Don't fear me..

Slowly, cautiosly, it pawed at the ground, gave a snort, then it's head lifted up to her hand and rubbed agaist her palm. She raised her eyes to her Master

[Darth Callidus]

“Kill it. Now. Fill the air with it's dead blood. Do not silence it's screams – let them draw it's kin into the open. Once they have emerged, you must mask your presence with that of something sure to terrify them. Gain control with fear.”

[Razielle Alastor]

Without pause, a blade slipped from the sleeve of her shirt and fell easily into her palm. An upward flick of her hand sent the small dagger through the jaw of the beast. It screamed in pain and immediately began spurting its blood everywhere. Its struggles were in vain, Anxia had no intention of letting it get away from her.

After its screams had roused the other creatures from the nearby cave, Anxia shoved the blade further, straight up into the animals skull, it died instantly and she tossed its carcass at the approaching beasts who first sniffed at the fallen adolescent, then growled at her menacingly.

Smiling, she rose and tried to think of the most horrible beast of burden that could possibly haunt the wilds. The list was quite long, but she selected the mighty zakkeg. She envisioned exactly what it was supposed to look like, smell like, sound like... Then opened her eyes and advanced on the group of animals.

[Darth Callidus]

The beasts, both enraged and terrified by the sight of their fallen brethren, charged forwards towards Razielle. They were not the only ones to be awakened by the death, however. A nearby pack of Maalrass (http://starwars.wikia.com/images/1/17/Maalrass.JPG), on their nightly prowl, had caught the scent of blood. They loped through the undergrowth towards the cave, letting out a feline howl as they neared their prey. While they were a more sophisticated breed, they were also carnivores and would stop at nothing when it came to felling their evenings meal.

[Razielle Alastor]

Her problem was no longer the cave-dwelling critters. They would have been easy enough to pick off, even if they swarmed. They were rather soft about the underbelly and not hard to kill. Anxia put them from her mind entirely as they ran back into the relative safety of their narrow cave at the arrival of a new enemy.

She knew what these things were, Maalrass. She also knew them to be adept predators capable of taking her down easily if she made any mistakes. It didn't help matters any that her skin and clothing were coated in blood and gore from the two creatures she had already killed. She smelled like an appetizer for any carnivore.

Anxia used the advantage she had of already appearing the bigger creature. If she could hold the illusion of a zakkeg, she had a strong chance of making the maalrass retreat. That was her primary focus now. She didn't even spare a moments thought for where her Master was. Narrowing her eyes in concentration, she took a menacing step forward.