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Taja Loraan
Apr 1st, 2001, 12:11:24 PM
A slender figure clad in robes of a dark blue hue stood against the desolate environs of Bast Castle, on this planet known as Vjun. The sense of a stale bereavement, of what had once been, was unambiguous. And yet, despite the antagonism emanating from the cavernous dwellings within the bastion and encompassing all that surrounded it, this visit held a purpose.

Taja’s eyes surveyed the landscape, brown pools bearing the mask of a peculiar shadow, revealing naught but the ambient impassiveness that enveloped her entire being. Her face betrayed no emotion, perhaps for she felt none. Neither the fictional righteousness sought by the Jedi, nor the confident sadism expressed by one who served the Dark Side. However, she carried the title of Sith Disciple, and to execute her duties she must.

Her footfalls fell silently on the serrated surface as she stepped toward the grand entrance that led through to the inner coil of the Dark Jedi abode. Remarkable was the natural manifestation of her black heart. The desire to learn was not patented, yet shrouded by a veil of apathy. For such was her temperament: to hide that which was her true essence. Perhaps for this had been lost.

The Sith potential was aware that the residents would be doubtful of her intentions, but
the continuance of such studies was one commanded by her Master, and Taja would remain obstinate until attaining that. She only hoped they would be willing to hear her speech.

Knocking against the door of the structure, Taja directed her gaze to the ground as she awaited audience.

Evil Hobgoblin
Apr 2nd, 2001, 12:11:01 PM
The set of double doors in front of her open slowly. The doors stop after a moment, making the entry to the castle a rather slim one. The outside light penetrates the gloom ever so slightly, revealing the outline of a figure of a dwarf.

The figure neither speaks nor moves- just stands there.

Cardinal Aiyalin
Apr 2nd, 2001, 05:24:27 PM
**From a parapet a story above them, a hooded figure looks down. She had sensed her brother's presence, and had come to investigate. The black cloak blended in with the night, she placed her ivory hands on the stone edge, and peered down. Her cloak whipped about her in the wind, the fabric making soft flapping noises in the night.

**Leaning against the railing, she watched the interplay between her brother and the stranger. She kept silent, only waiting for her moment to speak.

Taja Loraan
Apr 4th, 2001, 04:05:23 PM
Taja remained motionless – the code of honor she followed prohibited uninvited entrance, regarding such act almost as sin. Despite the absence of light, she did not strain her eyes to envision what was now merely a silhouette in the darkness. That which was to be revealed would be in due time.

Taking a deep bow in respect to the unfamiliar figure, she spoke, her voice low and monotonous: “Greetings, sir.”

Evil Hobgoblin
Apr 4th, 2001, 04:28:26 PM
The Hobgoblin ambles forward a few feet, regarding the newcomer with curious eyes. He considers her for a moment, then begins to speak aloud.

"Neither standing on ceremony or being oh-so polite
Will allow you entrance to the Hand dark as night.
I don't have all day
To wait for you to say
What your reason for coming is- all right?!"

Taja Loraan
Apr 5th, 2001, 03:43:18 PM
“I am Taja Loraan, Disciple of The Sith Empire. Apprentice to Lordess Dalethria Mal Pannis. As was her instruction, I am to resume my teaching in the Dark Arts under her guidance. I come here today before the Black Hand for this purpose, for I believe she is a member of this faction of darkness. Please forgive me if I am mistaken.”

Upon further thought, she continued – Taja had heard of the Hand’s wariness toward strangers.

“I beseech you, sir, do not shun me for your judgements of the collective to which I belong. I have thus far traveled my own path, and it is this course that has led me to Lordess Mal Pannis. I ask only that you allow me to continue this, if it be my Master’s will, if she indeed have residence here.”

Jeseth Cloak
Apr 6th, 2001, 02:31:26 AM
A small clicking made it's way across the land scape as a tall figure making it's way closer to the main gates of Bast Castle. Thunder clapped momentarily as the man spoke a few words to the Goblin, but they had been lost in the sudden cauldron of sound.

He continued to walk, his face pale and filled with pain and anger. An armour plate covered the man's chest, not revealing the large amount of damage that at one time had been inflicted to him. He walked by the stranger, stopping only to glare for a breif moment. The wings on the man's back lacked any plumage, resembling some kind of bat in their pale and fleshy appearance. The man carried a strong odor which would have easily caused any to gag.

He abmled on after a moment more, stublimg his way past the Goblin.

Cardinal Aiyalin
Apr 6th, 2001, 12:22:15 PM
**She stared in shock. Absolute, unbelievable shock. The wings, were her eyes deceiving her? Her body started to shake, violently. She couldn't cry, she would not. This was not happening. Was madness already descending upon her? Was this some cruel joke played by her mind? But no.. he stopped and spoke to the Hob.. it could not be just her mind, it could not be !

**Planting a hand on the parapet, the woman vaults over the railing. She landed hard, only using the dark side to slow herself slightly. She stared after the man.. and took off running. She ran past the strange woman who came seeking TBH's help, past her Master. Catching up with the winged man quickly, she touches his arm. Staggering back, her face twisted into a grimace. The smell, dear gods, the smell. His wings, once soft and downy white, were now batlike in the moon. Fear bubbled up to the surface.

"Jeseth? Jeseth Cloak?"

Evil Hobgoblin
Apr 6th, 2001, 01:55:38 PM
Hob watched the cadaverous figure wander away and turned his face back to the person seeking entrance to Bast castle.

The slight smile on the old dwarf's face disappears as he lifts his head. His eyes are closed and his brow is furrowed in slight concentration. Hob returns his attention back to the newcomer and his slight smile becomes a malicious grin.

He ambles closer to Taja, then socks her in the gut. As the Sith apprentice stands gasping, Hob springs over her with a powerful leap and sweeps her feet out from under her with a swing of one hand. ~ Ye wish entry to Bast. Earn it.~

Jeseth Cloak
Apr 6th, 2001, 04:47:45 PM
"Jeseth's dead."

The words shot out monotone, traces of aggression and vile hatred lacing them in a pleasant and ear grabbing arrangement. It was almost melodic in some twisted sense...

"But you may call me by that name, if you so wish."

The man shrugged, a bit of dirt falling from the fleshy wings as he continued onwards into the castle, not bothering to stop or take notice of the fight breaking out right behind him.

Cardinal Aiyalin
Apr 6th, 2001, 06:25:51 PM
**He had just simply turned away. Outrage and anger floated up inside of her. Who was he that he turned his back on her? The one he had brought to the Dark Side, the one who he had promised to mentor.

**She ran forward, catching up with the man. Gagging slightly, she grabbed his arm. He turned towards her, and she supressed an involuntary shudder. His eyes held no light, no warmth anymore. She began to walk towards a small corridor leading down.

"Come, we need to talk privately. In my chambers."

**At first he hesitated and the woman gave a vexed sound.. figuring she would have to drag the damn man along. But he soon began to follow down the dark stairs, down to the depths.. down to Lust's domain.

Taja Loraan
Apr 10th, 2001, 02:45:48 AM
As her feet were pulled out from beneath her, Taja arched back, pressing down her palms against the hard earth and flipping over into a standing position opposite the Goblin some distance away, poised in an almost instinctive defensive manner. The hood of her robes had been pulled back and strands of short brown hair whipped across her face as she now discarded of it on the ground beside her.

Although alert, Taja’s eyes retained their dim luster. Her breathing was still slightly heavy from the sudden attack and her abdomen ached from the bodily pain … and yet she could feel nothing, isolated in the seclusion of her own warring mind. Drifting thoughts of wonder at the figure who had just passed by her were locked out as the Sith potential’s psyche pleaded freedom.

Taja closed her eyes, the silence of concentration drowning out the ceaseless cries for a moment. No physical attempt on her part would bring about the desired consequences on the Goblin, this much was certain – she had not yet any experience on such methods of combat. However, if she had been commanded to gain entry by forced means … so be it.

Her breaths were drawn longer as the image embedded within her psyche developed into clarity, a technique she had employed whilst training under her Master. The vision was as always: a second sight, viewing the world by way of the Force intensity contained in each and every being. Thus Taja could see outlines through the darkness of the mind, even of inanimate objects that were illuminated due to having been touched by the shadow radiating from Bast Castle. The material impression left by the Goblin’s sneering melted away, his form glowing bright in her blind sight.

”Blood of wrath, bones to dust.”

The Sith Disciple nodded. Her teeth clenched in set jaws. She yielded to the calling, the face exposed to all else retreating to the recesses of her mind, to house a different side instead. The pain inflicted by the Goblin was elevated to a greater level, more so now that Taja was aware of this hurt in her psyche and not just in terms of the body. Her breathing grew shallow as the warmth seeped through her frozen inner coil, driving it away.

At the same time, a tinge of cold formed in the Goblin’s mind. Not probing or attempting to enclose, but just being, so minimal that he paid it no mind. It was no obtrusion.

”Full of fury, revenge is just.”

Taja’s eyes opened, the shadowed exterior giving way to a spiteful black. Stepping back, she ran a few paces forward before bounding into the air in a somersault. She came out of the roll with her heels aimed at the Goblin’s chest - a simple attack that was nothing more than was to be expected of someone with her amount of practice.

Meanwhile, the tendril of frost slowly extended, fueled by the escalating heat of rage and hatred gradually enveloping Taja’s senses, repelling her own cold.

Evil Hobgoblin
Apr 11th, 2001, 07:22:53 PM
Hob extends a hand and Taja's path through the air stops abruptly.

The Hobgoblin then tosses his hand upward and Taja's body flings itself into an upward arc. As she falls towards the ground, Hob leaps into the air and swings his fists at her with the intent to bash her into the ground.

Inside of his mind, dark mists swirl in reaction to the probing tendril of cold.

Taja Loraan
Apr 13th, 2001, 04:15:57 PM
“I disclose this heart, this heart of rage,
Take thine enemy, bring him pain.”

Taja twisted her body to the side, skidding to a halt on one knee as she made a sudden, violent landing. Without delaying further, she sprang to her feet just as the Goblin’s fists impacted the ground, consequent spirals of dust and debris rising and settling in the still wind. All pain she felt was intensified in her mind, exciting the thoughts of malice and hate.

“Unleash upon thee the sins of odium,
Reveal, bind, consummate pandemonium.”

Seizing this opportunity in the momentary confusion, Taja glanced once at the depression that may very well have been her own head before lowering into a crouch and kicking the Goblin’s legs from underneath him, not allowing him enough time to recuperate from his previous onslaught.

“With these bones I now do crush,
Make thine enemy turn to dust.”

She doubted highly that this would be to any great effect, and as soon as his feet lost their hold, Taja brought down her elbow, aiming to connect with the back of his neck - there was no assurance that the Goblin’s intended fall was indeed to be executed, and so she had to act fast.

“Torment, fire, unrestrained,
With this hex I curse thy soul…”

The cold in the Goblin’s conscious grew, harnessing Taja’s own boiling rage. As the spell was enacted, it danced around his mind’s defenses, embracing their darkness. It did not negate his dark mists, but instead developed around them, frozen arms of cold branching out to touch upon his psyche. The Goblin could now feel the first trace of cold in his mind, taunting in its very lack of action.

Dalethria Mal Pannis
Apr 16th, 2001, 09:49:49 PM
She continued to watch, unseen by her Apprentice, from the shadows that hid her form upon the walls of Bast Keep.

Evil Hobgoblin
Apr 17th, 2001, 11:02:20 AM
Hob abruptly flings himself away telekinetically, catching himself on his hands a short ways off and beginning to walk upside down. He turns around and regards Taja as she recovers from her missed attack, ignoring the distraction her mental attack is creating. He continues to walk upside down as he approaches her, stopping just outside of her reach.

~ Methinks ye need t'see things differently, lass,~ Hob tells her.

Abruptly, Taja's feet swing out from under her and up into the air, leaving her as though she was hanging from an upside down rope in the air.

Taja Loraan
Apr 19th, 2001, 12:08:49 PM
Looking up as soon as she gathered her bearings from the failed attack, Taja’s eyes focused on the Goblin, only to be greeted by his next assault. His command over the Force was great – however the Sith, too, was accustomed to utilizing a more immaterial approach. It was the one field she was experienced in with any certainty, and it was all she had to retaliate and gain entry to the Bast. It was also perhaps her own most formidable foe.

Not making any attempt to break her suspension in the air, she breathed in deeply and closed her eyes, arms crossed over chest. Icy mists seeped into her throat and circulated throughout the body, her skin cold as frost as Taja embraced the shadows, in both physical and ethereal planes. She uttered the final words in a glacial monotonous voice, the seal to any incantation:
“So mote it be.”

The cold in the Goblin’s mind that had been flowing over his senses with the consistency of liquid ice almost immediately froze with the intent to temporarily nullify him physically as a consequence. The Goblin’s hold on Taja cracked in the instant that the last word was pronounced and she regained her stance on the ground, her stare piercing into his now still form. The Sith did not know of the Goblin’s expertise in such matters and so watched in silence whether the spell’s effects were to last, either in the current physically disabled state or as a prolonged cold in his mind. It may very well be that she was merely in the eye of the storm. She could only wait to determine that much.

Taja held her breath and sprinted to cover the distance between her and the Goblin. If indeed the effects diminished soon, she could still make use of the few seconds there were to spare in the interval. With one hand, she pressed down her fingertips over the dwarf’s face, imprinting a mark of sheer cold. Swiveling around, Taja brought her arm down to strike his chest.

Evil Hobgoblin
Apr 19th, 2001, 02:07:13 PM
At the instant freezing of Hob's mind, the dark mists that resided within it previously were suddenly and abruptly forced out.

The mists hovered over the Goblin's still form.

As Taja moved forward to touch the old dwarf's face, she falls to the ground as though she's tripped over something. While still on the ground, her body begins to drag itself along, going faster and faster. The edges of the still Hobgoblin's lips turn upward slightly, and beside him an image forms- a duplicate of Hob in every way, simply ethereal.

~ Has yer former teacher taught ye only to rely upon a single, quick attack?~ Hob's voice speaks into Taja's mind. The illusion of Hob floats alongside Taja, peering down at her. ~ Ye should not expend energy so wastefully! Do ye not see how Hob kept his attacks simple? Do ye not see how he drew ye out, forcing ye to respond with effort against what it took him so little to accomplish? And when ye went to use yer single, carefully created strike ye failed. Failed because Hob had the energy to stop ye, the preparation in place, and the cleverness to respond when ye thought ye had success in hand. Failed because Hob has experience in existing outside of his own body.~

Taja's body abruptly flies into the air. Light passes into shadow, and she hits the ground gently.

~ Nonetheless,~ the image of Hob continues. ~ Hob is currently unable to fight further without first attending to himself.~

Bast's doors close in front of Taja with a resounding clang that echoes throughout the front hallway. As she stands, she realizes that she is now inside the darkened castle.

~ Welcome t' Bast keep, lass. Ye have earned yer entry.~

Dalethria Mal Pannis
Apr 19th, 2001, 08:16:59 PM
After watching the proceedings outside, Dalethria disappeared behind the wall and masked her presence to all those present in the Keep.

Taja Loraan
Apr 30th, 2001, 04:47:18 PM
Taja drew in a sharp breath, the Goblin’s ethereal visage continuing to swirl through her mind even after she found herself within Bast Castle. His words pierced her conscience – not as realization, but more of apprehension. His speech held much truth, and she was aware that she would have to adapt both mentally and physically to these new situations she encountered during her tutelage under Lordess Dalethria. Otherwise, as her Master had suggested … she would eliminate all traces of her past teachings. Even if it killed her.

Regaining her composure, Taja swiftly rose to her feet. The aspect of her mind that had been active while battling the Goblin once more retreated to the recesses of her psyche, regardless of the protests. They caused some pain in their endless screams, but none that she had not already learnt to ignore. It was useless to heed their twisted cries of a craving for carnage, for the moment anyway.

Her fingertips brushed against the damp wall, and yet her senses were numb to this touch. The apathetic face of the Taja shown to all again resumed control, or as much as was possible. A wave of cold washed over her form, permeating through her pores. Shadows stemmed from within the heart of the Keep, dancing around the mists of the Disciple’s own as she took steps forward at a relatively brisk pace. Although she could not ascertain where or how she would finally locate her Master within these dark, spacious grounds … what was to be, would be.

Dalethria Mal Pannis
May 2nd, 2001, 06:35:02 PM
Taja finally won her entrance into Bast Keep. Her worth was shown in her battle against Hob and he would have only let her in if she proved her worth. Determination and a strong spirit that was buried inside her Disciple shown through and her first step in coming here was complete.

Now her next task was to find Dalethria. Inside Bast was a labyrinth of corridors that led to dead ends, countless rooms and holes in the wall that opened up to the outside. It was near impossible for Taja to find where her Master was hiding.

Taja Loraan ...

Suddenly, Dalethria's voice resounded through her mind, cutting through any mental defenses that Taja had in place with ease.

You have come. Have you completed what I asked you to do when we last trained?

Taja Loraan
May 6th, 2001, 02:16:48 AM
The Sith Disciple immediately stopped moving. She would be lying to herself if she thought it possible to determine exactly where her Master stood within the Keep. She would have to trust in the voices in her head … or more particularly, that of the Lordess Dalethria’s, her words reverberating freely within the barriers of Taja’s mind. The veteran warrior’s presence had been cloaked, but the Sith potential was confident that the instructions she had received were spoken by none other than her Master.

Taja’s fingers coiled around the hilt of the lightsaber which hung by her side, very recently tailored to suit the requirements of the inexperienced bearer. Kneeling down to the ground, she lowered her stare and held the weapon in both hands vertically before her. The blade flickered to life, illuminating the immediate darkness with a hazy blue light, though merely seeming to add to the omnipresent sense of gloom.

Closing her eyes in concentration, Taja directed her reply back to from whence the message had originated. “Yes, Master.”

Dalethria Mal Pannis
May 6th, 2001, 09:01:13 PM
The crackle of the snap-hiss of Taja's sabre echoed down all the corridors and did reach her Master's ears. No sound other then the sabre and the gentle hum of the blade to remind the wielder that it was on, was heard.

Minutes passed after Taja tried to communicate to her Master. All the sounds that she could hear where the sabre and her heartbeat, her only friends.

Excellent. The words broke the silence so suddenly that it almost was deafening.

Have you taken the time to feel it? Having it a part of your body? If not ... is that what you seek next. To learn the art of sabre combat?

Taja Loraan
May 8th, 2001, 09:52:05 AM
"Yes, Master. I have learnt to adapt such weapons to my own techniques to some extent. However, I lack the experience gained in actual combat. If you see it fit, I am at your command."

Her brows furrowed in determination and concentration to keep the link open despite not knowing exactly where Lordess Dalethria was situated. The unexpected break of the silence resounding in her mind, she awaited further instruction.

Dalethria Mal Pannis
May 8th, 2001, 11:53:46 AM
"Follow my thoughts, my Apprentice. It will lead you to find me."

Taja's mind opened up fully to her Master's own awareness. It felt like the closet thing to being one with her Master's own thoughts, though certain areas of Dalethria's mind were completely cut off to Taja.

A path was laid out in the mind, leading through all the strange corridors that made up Bast Keep. Finally, she reached her destination. Corridors upon corridors were everywhere. It looked like the inside of a bee hive and if Taja thought she could have gotten lost before, she would most likely never find her way out of area.

One thing was for certain, somewhere Dalethria was waiting ...

Taja Loraan
May 17th, 2001, 09:52:17 AM
Taja walked, using what was revealed of her Master's thoughts as a dark beacon to reaching her destination. And although the Lordess' deepest emotions were hidden from her own conscious, the Sith potential lowered the barriers of her psyche. Allowing her demons of shadow to be set free, to some extent, so that Dalethria would be able to feel what her Apprentice did. Hate. Apathy.

Nonexistence.

She was no longer one person, one particular individual. As had been seen in her short fight against the Gatekeep of the Bast, Taja had many a different face, each distinct. Most hidden.

The link between Master and Apprentice highlighted the path within Taja's mind. She continued walking through the seemingly perpetual darkness that surrounded all entities present within the Keep's walls. Searching to pinpoint Dalethria's exact whereabouts.

Dalethria Mal Pannis
May 23rd, 2001, 12:33:14 AM
A surprise. Taja lowered her defenses completely and Dalethria was awakened to the complicated nature of what was her Apprentice. It was a strange sensation. At times, she felt these same emotions. Hate. Apathy. Even a sense of nonexistance. Dalethria never had felt them all at once or so vividly as Taja ... she went through long pains of such emotions ... felt them to the extreme and then they would pass accordingly.

With her physical presence masked, Taja could only follow the general thoughts of her Master's mind. She watched as the slender form of her Apprentice walked past her, failing to notice that Dalethria was mere inches away ... hiding in the shadows.

Taja Loraan
May 25th, 2001, 12:15:15 PM
The demons rooted in Taja’s soul swirled around Dalethria’s own thoughts, mainly those of a similar nature. The pain existing in her Master was evident. However, one attribute Taja greatly lacked that the Lordess had conquered: control, of empowering oneself in battle by feeding these repressed emotions into one’s actions, and control of one’s own self, both physically and not. Though the latter was perhaps a skill that few, if any, can ever manage to fully achieve.

Her dark mists, let free from their habitual imprisonment in the cage of her mind, acted somewhat as a guide for accomplishing the task at hand. Those shadows belonging to her Master, alongside Taja’s, only reinforced their hold on her mentality. Calling to the Sith hopeful so as to return to where they belonged, beckoning to once more be allowed to haunt her. And so, Taja could only follow the trail of her shadow.

A piercing cry now caused Taja to stop dead in her tracks. She was quite accustomed to such screams of pain, absent of sound. As was the case here, the calls of the demons were very near. She had released them to find her Master so that she may understand what drove the Apprentice in a way that words could never describe, and so their cries meant that the Lordess, too, was very close.

Although no living entities other than herself were to be seen in the physical plane in the Bast, there was no mistaking the distinct shadows residing within all creatures, especially in those attuned to the Dark Side. Taja kneeled in respect, her forehead touching the cold ground.

Dalethria Mal Pannis
May 28th, 2001, 04:15:47 PM
OOC~ I am a bit under the weather still :( so I will post tomorrow with a proper response that your post deserves :)

Taja Loraan
May 29th, 2001, 12:48:33 PM
OOC: Hey, don't worry about it - your health is much more important. =) Get better soon!! ^-^v

Dalethria Mal Pannis
May 29th, 2001, 01:31:29 PM
Being in tune with her Apprentice to a certain degree afforded her to feel and sense things Taja normally would keep hidden. It was so dark and uncaring but for Dalethria, it was moving for her. Admittedly, it did scare her. Never had she seen something so dark other then herself and her Sister's own possessor, Vicet. Moving past the fear that easily came under control, she felt fortunate to walk in those steps that few could ever see of Sorsha and it gave her some insight into what Taja could be seeing and thinking. There was only one thing that she could not readily understand, these screams that echoed and … guided her Apprentice to her. These dark wails were under her command or perhaps it was a bonding of sorts. Something that Dalethria would have to learn more of. Of course, every time she was near her Disciple, she would learn something new about Taja and what she was capable of. Truly, Taja was destined for great deeds but there was a purpose about her. There had to be.

She watched as Taja kneeled before her and it made her feel uncomfortable. It was just like how her Sister would kneel before her own Master. This also forced her to remember something Sorsha said to her. Dalethria surpassed had surpassed her and still felt aloof with Anbira. Things just weren't the same.

Dalethria pondered if perhaps history might repeat itself with Taja Loraan.

Her gaze stayed focused on her Disciple and permitted a small smile to part her lips ever so lightly, "Rise, Taja. You've done well in finding me. The mental capabilities that you posses are unique."

The shadows that were so deeply rooted to hide Dalethria's presence began to part slowly. It was so clear in Taja's mind where her Master was but now her eyes could finally see. Her hood fell back on its own and Dalethria pierced her Apprentice's eyes with her icy stare, "Tell me of these shadows."

Taja Loraan
May 30th, 2001, 04:20:01 PM
Rising to her feet, otherwise dormant thoughts in Taja’s mind were roused as her Master spoke of her abilities of the mind. Waiting her turn to speak, her voice now was softer than usual, “Master … my mind, although it is by far my strongest weapon, it is also that which causes the greatest and most prolonged suffering.”

“I was once a Jedi. I am not ashamed to say this, as it helped me to see them for what they truly are: liars, if only to themselves. It was here that I was trained in controlling my own mind and emotions. I was taught intensively in the art of apathy, although since having found my path with The Sith Empire, those I have met serving the Light do not concentrate to greatly on this one attribute.

“Nonetheless, I was a loyal subject, and I dutifully learned. Over the years I came to realize the unachievable nature of the Jedi’s objectives, and with this knowledge left their faction to further my studies on life and reality. Perhaps I had taken my teaching too seriously, as with time I lost that which I had so extensively tried to attain: control. I would not allow myself to indulge in any stray thoughts, and so I began to … lose myself.

“It is not that I am unsure as to just who I am, Master. ‘I’ no longer exist. My many faces were estranged, growing into their very extremes in the restriction of my mind. Since then I have developed certain techniques to confine these shadows, only allowing them to show when it is required. They are not demons which haunt me – they are a part of me, rearranged beyond recognition and control. And as such, I cannot control them, but rather they control me.

“We all exist on both the physical and the immaterial planes. Some can alienate themselves to travel through the latter, most are at harmony with both. I am two, unable to separate my mind from my body completely, or combine them together. I cannot blame any enemy for my troubles other than myself.”

Taja frowned. She had never before had to confide in anybody, so she wasn’t sure how to relate through speech. “Master … do you wish to see?”

Dalethria Mal Pannis
Jun 4th, 2001, 11:33:56 AM
Ogre had spoke of the the different planes that existed. It was part of her first beginnings to learn how to transverse into the spiritual realm. Her body actually being able to survive being into another place through magick. What her Apprentice spoke of was unique and thought that even her own husband would know truly what the underlying source of Taja's power would be.

Dalethria wanted to help her Apprentice. There was some need in her to see this through and understand how to help Taja. Such emotions in her hardly ever came to surface for those she taught. Very few had pleased her with their achievements. Taja was the exception. She hadn't fought the Jedi yet nor had tried to really be open in her new home. She kept to herself and with each lesson, she was slowly coming along with her training. Taja required patience and Dalethria had plenty of it.

Stepping forward, she slowly walked over to Taja and cupped her chin in her hand. Their eyes locked and Dalethria needed to feel what Taja felt in order to understand her, train her, and help her find as much control that was possible for her Apprentice. Her nostrils flared and Dalethria dropped all her defenses. She would have to experience these shadows fully.

"Show me."

Taja Loraan
Jun 8th, 2001, 12:10:54 PM
Dalethria felt a tingle in her hand as a finger of cold gently came to rest on it. It then extended, rapidly crawling over her body as new icy tendrils stemmed from the original vine and touched her senses. She could also now notice an echoing sound, gradually increasing in pitch and intensity as the cold spread. Except, it wasn't a 'real' noise, its source unknown. Also, the Lordess' field of vision seemed to grow hazy. These were, however, no more than a slight discomfort, and the strange melody combined with the darkening of her sight seemed almost to feel as though she was drifting off into a peaceful sleep. Until the cold seized her mind.

She lost all power to see as strange shadows shrouded her eyes. To the ordinary onlooker, they would appear to have an unreal, dull gray luster, similar to Taja's. The sound was now clearly a shrill scream, or actually, numerous loud cries each of a different tone that melded together into one persistent ricochet, rebounding from the barriers of her own mind. They would not cease, and only grew louder as one shadow collided with another. Although Dalethria had lowered her defenses, this was a separate power altogether in that she was at war with herself, in more ways than one.

None of these could, however, compare to the condition of her mind. Her physical self was well and able as always, yet her consciousness was frozen. It was as though the oneness of her mind was tearing itself apart and the more she struggled to grasp for control, the greater the pain. "Dalethria" was now merely one of the many voices screaming relentlessly for dominance, only further augmented by her personal mental strains in the past. All had such voices in their minds, only some were more extreme than others. Now it felt as though they had all reawakened and were equally as strong, ripping Dalethria's mind into shreds. Resistance only heightened the hurt ... a balance of sorts was required. Not only that, but to compromise with herself as her own mind mauled her senses - the shadows were unrestrained and out of control, thus prohibiting her from seeing or hearing.

Taja gazed emptily through her Master's eyes, not unlike hers. She had long had to adapt to her screams, and so regained some ability to behave and sense things just as the next person. Her demons forever haunted her, and now Lordess Dalethria experienced these same shadows.

Dalethria Mal Pannis
Jun 10th, 2001, 08:58:51 PM
This was so confining! It was like being brushed back into the mind of Navaria once again. Unable to be at the forefront and in control as she so rightly deserved. The screaming shadows ripped and tore at her for being so brash in trying to gain dominance. Icy shards bore into her being that brought the Lordess to her knees before Taja. Her Apprentice kept a tight grip on her Master's hand, much to Dalethria's pleasure. To break the hold now could possible kill her .. if she could think! The sea of voices burrowed further and further into her mind, reaching all the way back to the actual day of her conception.

Your grandfather is ... he's dead sweetie ... Your grandfather is ... he's dead sweetie ... Your grandfather is ... he's dead sweetie ... Your grandfather is ... he's dead sweetie ... Your grandfather is ... he's dead sweetie ... Your grandfather is ... he's dead sweetie ...

Every new shadow that was created those words grew in pitch and strength, feeding off of that one single memory. It was like they wanted to mock her and make Dalethria try and fight the new existence they held in her mind. Each call of the Dark Side to make her stronger against these demons forced her into a spasm that knocked the wind out of her.

Another memory entered her mind, but it was of her own doing, not the voices. It was one simple face, but the person that wore it was not so simple. Her sunken eyes and pale reflection that caste an ethereal glow around her in the light ... Delirion. It was her once sister in oath that showed her how to understand and face the voices that resounded in these very halls. Dalethria could push back the voices all she wanted in the beginning, but they would come back that much stronger. Banging into her brain like a hammer and destroy her defenses. Harmony ... co-existence is what the craved. They didn't mind another voice but to try and force them out, a painful reminder that they had a right to be here was enforced.

That which was Dalethria in her mind ceased to overtly push out what Taja showed her. What piece of her that she could claim as her own became quiet and still. It was her hope that this was indeed the same answer it was to when she lost her mind completely here at Bast Castle. It was hard to believe that two different situations could provide the same response, but it was possible.

Her blue eyes that were so sharp as ice now were a dull grey, and they looked up to her Apprentice. She could barely keep her head straight and beads of sweat rolled down the length of her now tired face. Maybe if she were in her right mind, Dalethria would have the chance to wonder what Taja thought about this. All that she could do was concentrate on stillness and simple survival as the shadows loomed all around her … waiting for any offensive gestures.

OOC~ If I did something that made no sense let me know and I can rewrite.

Taja Loraan
Jun 12th, 2001, 01:34:40 PM
Taja grasped her Master's hand as she stared into the near reflection of her own eyes. One could see straight through the two hollow gray pools but at the same time be confronted with an impenetrable wall of shadow, though for Taja it felt more as comprehension. To reveal her true essence to the Lordess also helped to see what she herself was. As was seen from Dalethria's physical appearance and manner both ... an almost lifeless corpse.

Except now, the Sith Disciple could sense traces of the actual Dalethria surfacing. It was a strange concept: one voice appeared higher than the rest only once it had been lost in the very confusion that caused all this. Taja had, however, long surrendered to understanding this phenomenon. All she needed to know was that personal torment fueled these demons - in fact, any mental activity at discord with her other voices resulted in these inner battles. And as such, Taja had learned to disregard her own past, locking those memories to the very depths of her mind, the few recesses in her subconscious that even the shadows could not attack and ravage. This was in large what had driven her to such a state a state of apathy. Now Dalethria, too, discovered that silence was her only ally, and through this she could begin to regain her physical senses. Literally, to see through her shadows. To hide, inside ...

If there was one thing that she found remarkable about her Master's current behavior, it was her endurance and ability to adapt. She was not very familiar with Dalethria's history, but from her handling of the situation in her own head Taja could ascertain that she had experienced severe troubles of the mind and, more importantly, that she had overcome them to a great extent.

She frowned. Why was she doing this? Taja had learned not to trust in any, and yet here she was, relating herself in this contradictory and hostile approach. Not least because she was unwilling to share her sufferings, but for Dalethria did not deserve any of this. She had prevailed innumerable obstacles and emerged the victor, and it was not in her Apprentice's place to bring back past pains. Perhaps it was ... guilt, that she now felt. Taja had brought all this upon herself. Dalethria hadn't.

The cold fingers clasped around the Lordess's psyche collapsed, releasing their unsympathetic hold before retreating back into Taja's mind, to where they belonged. The latter tightened the grip on her hand, waiting. Waiting for Dalethria's voices to lower their screams to a whisper again, as it was impossible for anyone to completely rid of them. At best, you could simply choose to ignore. That is, if the circumstances made it possible which, in Taja's case, they didn't.

Although it was her Apprentice's mental touch that had invoked her shadows to awaken, it had only incited that which was already there. Taja could do no more ... it was entirely up to Dalethria now.

Dalethria Mal Pannis
Jun 17th, 2001, 05:12:00 PM
Her whole body became riled with stress that was tightening her muscles, forcing the Lordess to becoming unmoving. The sudden withdrawal of the shadows from her mind caused her mind to revolt and punish her body. The grip upon Taja's hand became a vise, her Master's hand becoming as strong as any stone. The grey overcast that had beheld her eyes melted away like liquid mental to reveal Dalethria's icy blue eyes. If her faculties were completely her own, perhaps she would be relieved to see the world as she remembered always seeing it. Not the forced haziness that the shadows created that caused the surrounding environment to become dull and lifeless.

The strength of the voices rescinded but even as Taja called back the demons, the awakened nightmare found its bonds loosened. It was time to seize this opportunity and be alive once more. With Dalethria fighting against the demons, she seemed to have forgotten about her specifically. She did remember the time when she had to fight against her control, which was how her resolve saw her through the struggle against the unknown entity.

Now the part of Dalethria that wanted freedom became disgusted with what she was witnessing. This bond that was forming between Master and Apprentice was weak and sickening. Dalethria herself could not sense what Taja was thinking but it did. How could it have allowed her to chain her up like she did Navaria! It was stronger then that pathetic copy of her true self. It wasn't only that which angered her so. The power that she held was being leeched off and being used for Dalethria's own selfish purposes, being used as a battery to channel the Dark Side to a great extent. No more! The bonds have been lifted for a short time and now it was time to capitalize on this moment. If it wasted anymore time, Dalethria will quickly sense what was happening and put a stop to its release. In the farthest recess of the Lordess' mind, a scream emanated. It was one of the voices that were most prevalent during the shadows brief stay inside Dalethria. Now it was growing louder and louder. The waves of pressure building as it barreled through, breaking to the surface. Dalethria was not recovered sufficiently to defend herself against the onslaught of her alter ego. She felt foolish. She should have known that this could have been a possibility when accepted Taja's offer to understand her Apprentice. Now it was too late and as she tumbled backwards into her deepest thoughts, she prayed that Taja would be able to withstand what was to come.

From Taja's perspective, she watched her Master's eyes return to their normal color. It seemed that Dalethria was able to bring herself out of that desolate nightmare and find her way back to the real world. The tight grip that had paled her hand to a deathly white was beginning to find color once more as Daalethria loosened her hold. Finally, those blue eyes blinked and then again, fluttering to life as the Lordess stood. Her eyes surveyed the environment around her, not fully seeing that Taja was standing right there, waiting for her Master to say anything. Things here were vaguely familiar but as if she saw them in a dream. She still held Taja's hand and finally looked to the young Disciple of Dalethria.

Her eyes narrowed at this girl in front of her and began to glow a light crimson. With a jerk of her hand, Daalethria pulled the girl toward her and growled out her words with almost an inhuman speech, "Who arrre you and wherrre am I?"

Taja Loraan
Jun 20th, 2001, 03:00:11 PM
Taja's heart felt as though it skipped a beat as she stumbled forward, violently pulled toward her Master without warning. Her breathing grew shallower, but otherwise there were no physical signs of the shock she had received from this unexpected act. The Sith Disciple stared into Dalethria's now ice-blue eyes, having regained their original luster with the fading of the shadows. Taja's face and expressionless eyes registered no signs of her confusion, yet this bewilderment was definitely present. It was when Dalethria's eyes converted to a fiery red hue that her fears were confirmed.

This was not her Master, Dalethria Mal Pannis. Though the embodiment was the one and same, Taja could not sense the Lordess' very essence, the distinct aura emanated by her teacher. If one's eyes were truly the gateway to their soul, then the Apprentice was finding it impossible to determine where exactly her Master was. Behind the veil of impenetrable shadows, Taja's eyes implored to seek out the real Dalethria, for at the moment she saw and felt nothing. Panic began to surface, and this new sensation in itself was enough to cause her to be scared. She wasn't prepared for what she was about to do, and there was no guarantee that she would succeed. It was rather an impossibility.

She was lacking in all means to trace the source of this new ... entity that presently used Dalethria's body as a host. Taja had no clue what it could be, and all she was sure of at this time was that she had to find her Master. What scared her the most was that if the considerably high probability of her failing did in fact occur, she didn't know what would happen to Dalethria in spirit. The Lordess had not incurred these shadows willingly: Taja had brought them unto her, and thus it was her duty to undertake all means to rectify the situation at hand.

Taja needed to ascertain what this being was, and what had come of Dalethria's true nature. That one voice couldn't have been completely submerged in that sea - she had just momentarily begun to reappear. Something else had to have overwhelmed even that face of Dalethria, prominent though it was above the rest. If this was true, then chances of Taja being able to touch upon her psyche, past the mutineer blockade of mental defenses, was growing all the slimmer. That, and Taja had never before attempted at such a feat.

The same tendrils of cold as before again touched upon Dalethria's senses, absent of any force so that their effects were not immediately noticeable. Except this time, Taja would have to go with them. Simultaneously she muttered a few words quietly which Dalethria strained to distinguish, but Taja continued chanting without raising her voice. Once it seemed clear that her Master was about to lose her patience, she inhaled sharply.

"I am I."

The words echoed through the hollow's of Dalethria's mind, and her Apprentice could visibly see that she wasn't all too pleased with this answer. Before she could physically react, Taja closed her eyes and uttered the final words: "So mote it be". And all at once everything appeared black - she had been struck blind.

Dalethria felt Taja's hand clasped in hers trembling and any color in her naturally pale cheeks faded to a ghastly white. This passed in a matter of only a few seconds before her entire form went limp, pupils rolled into the back of her head. Taja collapsed on her knees and during the instant in which she was falling a vision painted itself in her mind. It seemed much like a diamond - each facet reflected a different image, separate from all others, and yet the sole stem was the same in each face, only seen from a different angle. However, as she was without sight for the moment, these "images" were instead representations of Dalethria's voices that the Apprentice could feel. As soon as this vision disappeared, the one Taja melded together with the fingers of cold touching on Dalethria's psyche. The obstacle of losing herself amidst the omnipresent flood of voices was a later worry - first she would have to tackle any barricades this "new" face of Dalethria had created.

In her physical state, Taja's eyes darkened to a pitch black, and she looked up at her Master. The corners of her lips curved upward into a slow smirk as she rose to her feet. Of course, with the departure of one voice, another would have to take control.

Dalethria Mal Pannis
Jun 26th, 2001, 11:25:43 PM
Daalethria fell back against the wall due to the backlash from what Taja did. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head as the Sith tried desperately to fend off the invading mind that had entered her space but this Disciple of Dalethria was too strong. Some force was willing her to delve into her unconscious thoughts and there was nothing she could do about it. The transition to being in control of this body just happened. Her strength was returning slowly in the physical form.

She fell to the ground, sliding down the length of the wall, which almost lifted her cloak over her head. Every fiber of her being was going into shock ...




Taja found herself in a state of nothingness as her eyes and body finally adjusted to the transition of being in her Master's mind. It was perfectly quiet. The resounding echo of her heartbeat pounded inside her ears as each breath wove a new melody. That was all there was in this nothing. No lights, no signs of any life ... she had a strange existence in a place that seemingly held none.

SNAP-HISS

It was so audible that it almost caused her to go deaf. Taja spun around to find the source of the crackle of energy that now was a low hum as her senses screamed of danger.

The blade glowed like a red-hot sun, melting the looming darkness that was endless. It arched up and lit up a very familiar face.


http://darthogre.clanpages.com/dalethria/Prissred1.jpg

This was the one that Taja came to find ... another facet of Dalethria's soul itself.

Taja Loraan
Jun 27th, 2001, 01:00:49 PM
Taja tilted her head to the side and raised an eyebrow as she watched the Lordess fall backwards, and a small smile played on her lips in amusement. Curious, the behavior displayed by her Master at the moment. One hand idly drifting down to her belt, she grabbed the hilt of her currently inactive lightsaber and casually passed it from one hand to the other, her eyes never leaving Daalethria.

Though it didn't occur to her just why she was conducting herself in this peculiar manner. Surely one of her deserved stature, both physical and not, had granted her more control than was shown now? Not that Taja really cared anyway. This was proving to be quite ... fun. To watch, at least.

And now the blood-red hue of Dalethria's own saber. Except, she couldn't see anything lighting up the dark halls of the Bast. As far as she could tell, her Master was lying still against the wall, motionless in all ways other than the requisite act of breathing. The "real" Taja's roots were embedded within her psyche, and it was through this that she could physically sense the heat from the lightsaber and hear the generic sound heard on initiation of the weapon. She frowned, then pouted.

"I want to play, too."

Inside the mind of Dalethria, Taja stood frozen. She was staring into the face of one who appeared exactly as her Master, illuminated by the radiant light of her saber, but it could obviously be sensed that this being was completely different. At least, her Apprentice could feel this much. She had hoped to have been able to remain in this foreign mind without causing any effect, at least for a while, till she could determine what had come of her true Master. It seemed that she had no such luck, and now she was faced with this.

This wasn't the only enemy Taja could sense. The other facet of herself that was now occupying her physical body also knew of this inner battle and was prying at her mind, wanting to merge with the aspect of Taja present within Dalethria's mind. She wanted to play, and the regular face of hers couldn't protest. She needed to save her Master, and desperation called for previously unimaginable measures.

As the two voices melded together, Taja's pupils contracted and gave her eyes the appearance of those belonging to a snake, glowing red as they reflected the only light in that deceptive empty void. Holding her lightsaber vertically opposite her face, unflinching as the blue blade sprung to life.

Daalethria
Jul 3rd, 2001, 10:55:31 PM
The one standing before Taja stepped back almost in shock as her face twisted into an evil grin. Tongue in cheek, she began to size up this Apprentice of Dalethria. The Force was being employed and Taja could feel it as it was surrounding her. Daalethria's eyes widened in fascination in reading the aura of Taja's.

"Not one, not two ... but a complete army inside that head of yours, eh?"

She twirled the red sabre back and forth around her body in a fluid motion. The Apprentice noted that the familiar look of her Master was replaced with clothing that Dalethria had once worn. Nothing else was illuminated by the red or blue blades ... all that existed was darkness and two minds inside the Sith Lordess.

Taja's snake eyes dilated as if angered by what Daalethria had just said.

"Eh now ... I was only making an observation. I mean hell, look who lives here."

Her arms shot out to the side and she made a full circle around by hopping on one foot. The darkness subsided to where both women could look at each other clearly without the sabres illuminating the area. A mist also began to slowly cover the ground up to the knees and Taja could feel through her boots that the ground wasn't as stable as before. It felt spongier but was hard to pull her feet from off the ground.

On the last hop of her little circle, Daalethria brought her head down to touch upon her shoulder and bit her tongue playfully.

"Me ... your precious little Master got rid of me once and I do wish to thank you for letting me live once again. So glad that Dalethria is still the curious little bitch like always."

Her head rose slowly as her eyes narrowed in thought.

"Ya know. I should probably thank ya for this."

Rushing forward with the speed of a cat, Daalethria was already on top of Taja with a twisted grin of excitement and bringing her red blade down at the Disciple.

Taja Loraan
Jul 7th, 2001, 05:26:05 AM
Taja hopped up lightly and somersaulted forward just as the red blade sliced through the still air, landing with her feet planted facing to where Daalethria now was. Not waiting to see whether or not the latter had yet stood, the Apprentice swiftly sprinted toward her and struck the blade down at her midsection, a simple attack which was immediately parried by Daalethria. As the flashes of red and blue clashed, Taja grinned at the near mirror reflection of her Master, canines appearing more as those of a viper's in the eerie displays of light.

"My, you do speak kindly of my Master. Could this possibly be jealousy I hear?"

Face contorting in distaste of Daalethria's earlier references to her Master, Taja retracted her saber blade and dropped low into a squatting position, hands pressed against the strangely unstable ground and back turned to this alter ego of Dalethria's. Outstretching her legs behind her, Taja's feet locked around the ankles of her opponent and she pulled them towards her with the intention of throwing Daalethria off-balance. Predictably, she abruptly corrected her posture and looked to Taja almost mockingly.

Regaining her upright stance during the slight distraction, Taja again initiated her lightsaber and stabbed the blade vertically into the ground. Using the hilt as leverage, she leaped up and swiveled around, aiming for her foot to connect with the back of Daalethria's neck in a midair roundhouse kick.

Daalethria
Jul 15th, 2001, 03:32:49 PM
This attack was surprising. Daalethria didn't think that this Disciple of Dalethria was able to accomplish such things. The small protrusions that looked to be fangs coupled with the space they were fighting in ... it left much to the imagination of how much was Taja's skill and how much was due to the strange emanations of space. So the kick that was performed expertly landed to the intended target.

Daalethria was forced to run a few steps forward, trying to right herself as stars blinked in and out of existence before her eyes. She summoned the Dark Side through her endless rage and spun around to face Taja. Her eyes screamed with hatred as she spat out every word, lacing it with venom.

“Not bad for a whelp. Course, you have been once tainted by the Light …”

It was a pleasure to see the Disciple act surprised. The sabre in her hand twirled back and forth in front of her body as she began to sing a little song.

“I share your Master’s thoughts and she shares my thoughts and you’re here now so I have your thoughts!”

The blade’s humming seemingly began to match the tempo of the song as it swung throughout the air. It was hard to discern a pattern as the blade weaved around Daalethria’s body in a chaotic manner.

“Need to remember one thing little girl …”

The speed that Daalethria had was incredible. As she came closer to Taja to attack, with one swing of the sabre … it looked as if three different blades were coming straight at her, even though it was indeed three separate attacks that the counterpart that was Dalethria was delivering.

“… I rule here!”

One blade seemingly was coming straight at her throat, the other was coming in on her left flank as the other was ready to pierce straight into her thigh. Two attacks would not land but one would … would the Disciple be able to figure out which attack was for real?

Taja Loraan
Jul 30th, 2001, 01:35:27 PM
A soft growl escaped through gritted teeth as the Apprentice's eyes darted in each direction to follow the red blade dancing before her, gradually rising in volume as Taja's level of tolerance was breached. Finally, she blinked. She was past caring ... the task of keeping up with the movements of the saber was far too grueling to bother with. And just as her eyes reopened ... Daalethria's illusion was upon her.

Agitated anticipation gave way to sheer desperation and Taja's clutch on her own weapon tightened as she fell back to avoid the attack that appeared to be for severing her throat, a low rumble emanating from its depths. What sense that did remain in her could make out the irregular pattern of the blade to move downwards, toward her left. It was now evident this attack had been bogus. How nice.

With a sudden cry of annoyance, she swung her lightsaber clockwise to counter the opposing blade that threatened to slice straight into her flank, moving with tremendous velocity. The two contrasting forces again collided and barely prevented Taja from being dissected, though her side was visibly grazed.

The Disciple's image of a snake was completed as a result of this onslaught for which she had been largely unprepared, a loud hiss sounding from within clenched fangs. It was remarkable how users of the same side of the Force could be turned on one another, to settle personal vendettas. Nothing was perfect ... not even the unity of Darkness.

Taja's fangs glistened as she ran her tongue over them. She glared up at Daalethria from where she had fallen ... It was as though she had been rendered voiceless. Her face then twisted into a hideous smirk and she scrambled up, kicking against the shin of this imposter of her Master and throwing her off-balance - perhaps the only reason this was to any effect was for Daalethria would not have been expectant of anything so brash.

Pawing wildly at the ground, she pounced on all fours on Daalethria without any hesitation, her each motion empowered by the Dark Side, and instinctively the latter raised her saber to counter. But all Taja did in response was dig her canines into Daalethria's arm wielding the weapon, injecting venom directly into the artery. It was no feint ... Just pure savagery. Taja's character was developing more and more into that of a rabid beast with the passing of each second ... the orchestral piece unfolding was losing its regular tempo.

Daalethria
Aug 15th, 2001, 02:13:14 PM
This one was a savage, not anything that was even human! Daalethria herself was less then human in her own right but never had seen been possessed by pure animal rage like this. Taja herself could channel the spirit of the snake in this realm ... something that the imperfect clone of Dalethria didn't think was possible. Her 'sister', Sorsha, could accomplish such a task. Truly her spirit was interwoven with Vicet so that was logical. This wasn't. How could Taja do this???

Already the venom was spreading its deadly affects throughout Daalethria's body. Her entire right arm became deathly white, the veins popping out and becoming even a darker shade of blue. It locked up on her and now her weapon arm was a useless appendage. She wanted to stick the blade of her sabre straight into Taja's back but now it was impossible! Death was coursing up her arm where it split to her chest and head. Desperation was all she had because there was no way she could combat such an attack. True this was the astral plane ... the war was fought with the mind. How was Daalethria to fight back with weapons she had no knowledge of? That blasted clone, Dalethrria was the one that had the knowledge of life ... healing and purifying the body. Daalethria was only a body used for battle, aggression, and pleasure. Her limitation was now going to be her death ...

"NOOOOOOO!!!"

The angry cry resonated louder as the clone tried to channel the power of the Dark Side into her, giving her the strength to fight back. She could feel it working and her elbow began to bend just as the skin around her neck became the color of death.

<font color=purple>"I don't think so my dear."</font>

Her concentration was broken at the sound of her maker.

"No! I imprisoned your ass when this whore entered your mind! You couldn't have broken out!"

<font color=purple>"True. Now your power is weak as the venom runs through your veins. I am free and now I shall be rid of you forever!"</font>

Once Dalethria was free from the furthest recesses of her shared mind, quickly her power grew. Now it was all too easy to to keep Daalethria stationary so her Apprentice would not be harmed.

The disease overtook her body easily. The last remains of Daalethria's face was coated in that sickly white hue. She wanted to cry out but her face had already locked up. Her mouth was twisted and contorted in a strange motion that looked as if she wanted to scream. Horror emulated from her eyes just before they dilated and then became glazed over in a milky white substance, not unlike the color of her dying skin.

Her death was quiet. Only Taja could hear the breaths that expired from the clone's mouth. The distance between each one became greater and greater until the last breath was uttered ... leaving a soulless remain.

The nightmare vanished and Taja was now alone. The dark landscape did not change at all but she could feel that the presence was abolished. The imbalance within her Master was finally as it should be ... much like when Kat expelled Navaria from Dalethria's mind. No longer would Dalethria be haunted by the presence of her clone. The bars that she constructed after her time on Elrood weren't as strong as she thought. It only took a Disciple's mishap to weaken them and she was grateful it was Taja. Others might have taken advantage of this situation and killed the Sith Lordess but Taja came and rescued her.

<font color=purple>"I owe you much, my Apprentice."</font>

Dalethria didn't appear before her, unsure of what her current state would be. Instead it was best to test the waters and hopefully Taja would regain her composure. If not, this battler was far from over.

Taja Loraan
Sep 21st, 2001, 09:24:03 AM
Thin lines trailed from Taja's parted mouth and trickled down her chin, soothing yet astringent together as she swallowed the blood of another, her mind absent to what effects her madness had on Daalethria. Fangs stained with red and the sweet taste lingering on her tongue, the Disciple raised one finger to touch her lip.

It was at that instant that her eyes widened, bloodshot, frenzied. Seized with a sudden panic. Hesitantly, she lifted her head up but, instead of confronting the wretched clone, she found herself facing an extending corridor. Doorways of light calling, beckoning. Heartfelt warmth threatening to accept, to embrace, her latent emotions registered on an impassive white canvas replacing visage. Languid; neither distraught nor tinted with the vibrant colors of excitement. Not enthused, ambitious, yet lacking the pallor of the hopeless. Taja stood still, the naked walls that were the confines of this enclosed space disclosing naught. Lost. Her expression was empty, as was her vision - perhaps fearing the return from depths of confusion, perhaps in turmoil, or perhaps those thoughts didn't exist at all.

A lone window to the Disciple's side overlooked the ground below awash with blood, her glazed eyes piercing through the glass of indifference. Shadows danced in hidden corners ablaze with gray fire, the tongues defeating all possibilities, her confidence in the inevitability of death melting away other uncertainties. Taja pressed a palm against the cool glass; the window itself impenetrable, much as her wooden conscience ... she had concluded that no decision was hers, and so she surrendered. Recognizing her place to merely watch and never seek any answers, lest she be swallowed in all she had for so long struggled to keep hidden. Destroying the heart and constructing a barrier to what was left of it.

Amusing; her every pore absorbing the fearful ecstasy as she viewed the death and destruction below. An innocence mauled with the wrath of despair and curiosity, the tourniquet binding her bleeding conscience fraying.

Looking down, Taja's eyes stung with fresh tears, the tiny droplets washing away with them the remnants of her facade, an opaque mask. Choosing to conceal emotion with the mirage of a cold black heart, silent spirits screamed within ... hopeless. Deprecated, a suicide of her decaying soul. Conceding to the voices.

The vision of the hallway in her Master's mind and the astral plane dissolved around her into the dark passages of Bast Keep. The schism Taja fought against with the snake-like identity and that of her usual self was numbed for the moment, with the first taste of blood. Her physical body did not reveal any wounds, and her ghastly appearance, sunken eyes and frail structure were no different from the ordinary. The never-ending fight inside of her had halted for now, but Taja had since grown to disregard these fleeting moments of freedom. There was no point in joyful anticipation, as it was likely to be taken away from her just as quickly. So instead, her eyes looked on blankly. Waiting.