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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2020 11:58:45 GMT -8
Mariah lingered in silence for a long moment after Gavin had finished up with his excuses and posed that ignorant question. Even after holding that artifact for as long as he did, the dangers that it posed still seemed to go right over his head. Then, to go as far as to make an assumption that led up to her having some deep, subconscious desire to keep him alive. His cockiness and narcissism were astounding. Despite it all, she still had to maintain some semblance of trust in him. He managed to bring the crystal back to her. The violent war in her head would continue. With those frustratingly angry thoughts racing through her head, Mariah tightened her fist around the glass. She let that beat of silence become like a deafening scream before she spoke, knowing that time had to still drag on for Gavin as the effects slowly expelled themselves from his aura.
"One," she stated coldly, "a few Hssiss taking out our guards still outweighs that single artifact taking out half of the galaxy in its desire to rid darkness from the world. If your actions led to the reality of your inability to regain control, you would have single-handedly brought down the Dark Jedi and brought Sith Empire to their knees. If you had died, I wouldn't have been able to retrieve the crystal and get it back here safely at all, thus leading another to find it and do the very same damned thing. Which leads me to number two."
As she spat out the number with a vile scolding, a high-pitched ringing began to pierce through the air in an unbearable frequency. Nonetheless, the crimson-haired woman seemed utterly deaf to it, as though she was wholly unaware of the Force resonating with an ominous destructive power, focused solely within the hollowness of the glass.
"The runes were attuned to your presence, Phoenix, not the crystal itself. The moment you died, the magicks that hid the crystal would start to fade, and the entire kriffing planet would sense it. You were the pedestal, channeling the power into the runes and keeping the enchantment alive. That's why you were important and why I needed you to snap out of it. Don't get any sort of funny ideas as to why I needed you alive. Got it?"
Within her hands, the glass split from the top to the base, the sound of the crack's formation resonating like the hiss of a saber's ignition. Now forced to be aware and vigilant to the power she was beginning to exude, Mariah expelled a breath, releasing her rising anger. With it, the ringing faded. Mariah sighed, finishing her drink before it spilled from the crack and was wasted on the floor. Leaning forward, she then placed the empty, damaged glass onto the table in front of her before she continued, her voice quieter and less fierce than before.
"I know you're smarter than that, Phoenix. These things were hidden away for a reason. You felt this one's power. Now imagine if there were more, multiple crystals like this one that managed to fall into the wrong hands. You may believe it's noble to save the lives of a meager few, but you seem to lack the foresight for what would have happened if you didn't regain control. Let me paint you the so-called petty reality, as you had put it, if things went the way they should have."
Her eyes pierced into him, and although she kept her tones controlled, there was a passion and conviction that was otherwise void in her very being.
"Wars would be waged. The balance of the Force would be disrupted as these artifacts waged to take out the other until nothing else existed. My father spent many tiring years erasing the history of these wars from Archives across the galaxy to better keep these artifacts' existence a secret. My grandmother did the same before him. Not only would you have created mass hysteria and destruction that would rival even the Sith and the First Order, but you would also burden me, my children, and my grandchildren with that same fate as those who came before me. That is, if we even managed to stay alive that long. All because of a few Hssiss that you didn't want wandering into the Temple."
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Gavin Phoenix
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 18, 2020 13:13:47 GMT -8
Gavin merely listened as Mariah spoke, the intensity clearly rising without a need to even sense it. The high-pitched ringing caused him to grunt as he tried to hold himself together, though difficult in his disoriented state. It was all it took to not let it overpower him and drop him to the ground. Though it was for a few seconds, it felt like much longer before it stopped, allowing Gavin the ability to lean forward and catch his breath as he worked to keep himself conscious.
One by one, he pieced together her words, seeing the flaws in his own assumptions. With the little knowledge he had, it was easy to make his statements with only the little he had witnessed, though he had to reprimand himself for the reality of why she still couldn't;t take the crystal in his cloak. When he had taken the crystal from its place on the pedestal, he saw the runes beginning to fade. She had even said as such before he held the crystal the first time. Yet, considering what he had just bore, he felt he was a bit entitled to a small memory lease.
Yet, there were some aspects of what she said that didn't sit so well with him. Yes, he knew it was powerful. Yes, she did say it could overwhelm the people holding it, either making it unbearably painful by those of the dark while giving the light an overzealous seeker of justice. He had seen both through Mariah and himself. But what she failed to express was exactly how powerful they were. All the more reason he couldn't figure out how he could do what she said was impossible. Sheer will and direction shouldn't have been enough to contain it as he had for taming it he had not.
Once she had finally finished painting the picture of what could have happened, he took a few breaths as he gathered his thoughts. Damn it, Mariah. One would think explaining just how powerful it was would be the first thing I needed to know. Ignorance is bliss? Not if it can cause greater risk. Yes, you expressed it was powerful and what it could do to people, but that didn't define its power. With it I could be powerful enough to eradicate the Dark Jedi and the Sith on my own? That is something I needed to know. I would have taken even more precautions than I did to ensure it could not find any foothold." He sighed a bit then before looking at her, his voice calm all the while as he didn't have the strength to allow any form of frustration to appear. "Have you ever held one? Have you ever felt its power? The power they unleash is like a raging river. Even the smallest can overwhelm your senses as it tosses you about with you doing all you can just to keep control of yourself. That wild nature doesn't allow one a proper gauge to measure what its capable of, especially when it takes everything to just contain it. Only when it is tamed and mastered can one comprehend what one can do with it." He then shook his head. "Then again, perhaps that is nothing more than me and my belief regarding power. To any other, they could feel like gods as they let it take them over, thinking they can control it when it the other way around."
It wasn't a direct admission to her being right, but it was an admission to his mindset being vastly different than another. In a way, it was a boon and a curse. It allowed him to be aware of what laid before him while also blinding him to reality. Still, it was apparently better than the alternative. "You took a great risk on me moving this. Still, you can't say you were unaware of the likelihood of me losing control was incredibly high. I may have held it for a moment without issue, but this was several minutes. Why didn't you return to your chambers for the chest and return with it so that I only had to move it a couple of feet at best?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2020 13:25:46 GMT -8
Mariah rolled her eyes as she listened to Gavin go on and on about how apparently reckless she was. As much as she wanted to cut in and interrupt him, though, she let him ramble on about his concerns and questions without an answer. Instead, the woman stood to her feet, carefully picked her glass up, and brought it into the kitchen. A small voice in her head whispered louder than Gavin, though, issuing her to keep it. It was an odd, instinctive feeling, but Mariah succumbed, leaving it positioned on the center island. However, she still went through the process of claiming a new, undamaged glass and pouring herself another drink. This time, though, she chose one of her more easily obtained liquors.
Reentering the room with her glass in one hand and the bottle in another, Mariah arched an eyebrow condemningly at the man as she asked, “Are you quite done?”
With a sigh, she sat back down on the same chair and set the bottle on the table. She sunk her gaze deep into the clear liquid in the glass but didn’t take a sip of it yet. Instead, she took the time to bury her challenging tones deep within her. As much as she wanted to silence Gavin using the force of her fist, she decided to humor him with answers, biting back the venom in her tones. The ‘why’ was simple: he did the impossible for her. Now, she was obligated to clear up the misguided assumptions that still lingered. It was otherwise dishonorable -- a secret code she continued to damn by this man’s hand.
“Do you really believe it would have been a wise decision for me to tell you what these crystals have achieved in the past?” she asked, turning her fiery gaze up at Gavin. “Sure, you could have been more cautious, but it would have only opened up a hole in your resolve -- a weakness that it could have utilized, creeping in and taking over. What more, let’s say you weren’t trustworthy, Phoenix. Let’s say that you were just planning to pull one over me to steal that crystal. Telling you what it could accomplish would have just fed that desire even further. It served no greater purpose to tell you then than it is to tell you now.”
Leaning back, Mariah brought the glass to her lips as she took in a long sip, giving her time to ponder his next barrage of questions. Judging by his calculative questions, the effects had already faded from his presence, giving him more clarity of mind. At this point, she could hope that he would continue to fill his glass from the bottle she presented, fading his mind again, until he knocked himself out.
“I’ve never held one directly,” Mariah murmured, “but I have been in the presence of one. My grandmother once had to perform a ritual so powerful that she needed not only several generations of our People but one of the stones as well, so off to Korriban we went.”
Mariah pursed her lips as she half-shrugged a shoulder. The more questions she answered, the more Force-damned ones that would come. With a sigh of defeat to her circumstance, she continued to keep whatever questions would come at bay.
“She ended up taking in the brunt of the stone’s power, but… we were all linked in the ritual circle, attuned to her presence and lending her our power. I felt it… The darkness and its desire to consume all of life as we know it. I felt what it was capable of, how another could slip into a sleep-walking, power-hungry state, yet… There is a stark difference between you and me with these stones.”
With another roll of her eyes, she felt her rising anger appear again at his final question. Abandoning further explanation, Mariah snapped her gaze over to him with a condescending, joyless smile, and a look that called him the idiot she didn’t bluntly state.
“Yes, let me leave a strange man who hasn’t been honest with me once in the short time that I've known him to watch over this precious, powerful artifact that I know he can somehow handle, while I run back to my room to get a magical box that can contain its presence. Do you think I’m stupid, Phoenix?”
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 20, 2020 13:51:58 GMT -8
Gavin's eyes merely squinted at her with an intense fire, though not as potent as they once were. His body was heavy and it was taking all he could to move. While the effects were slowly fading, allowing him clarity, with it came new side effects. And now that he knew more of what kind of power it held, it made more sense as to how heavily the weight it set upon him.
With her first words, he sighed after a few seconds, letting his head fall back onto the couch in a seemingly defeated look. As much as he could fight her, the truth was that she did know more about these stones than he did. Each thing he said had a counter as to why something couldn't be done. What was left was simply arguing against her discretion in something that he believed could have ended much worse than it had. He knew himself, knew for certain that seeing it carry the power she claimed it did would have been the assuring fact he would have refused to even act as he had in the cavern. But he stayed quiet on the matter. There were things they still didn't know or understand about the other and simply claiming the contrary would only keep the endless circles of discussion until she most likely broke and bore into him with her aggression.
Still, he wasn't fully out of it. In fact, if anything, he believed he now carried a bit more insight than she did. As such, telling her would be a warning should she ever attempt to hold one. "That may be, but I can most assuredly tell you, being in its presence or even feeling it through another and holding it are two entirely different matters. When it's in your hands, its power seems to become far more intense as it courses through you in an attempt to mingle with your power and corrupt the mind."
He doubted she'd take the words to heart, believing that she still understood them more than he ever could. Still, he had felt it and he would grant her that bit of knowledge but it would be up to her to heed it. He then gave a small scoff. "Stupid? Far from it. Yet, I wonder how you view your trust. If I ran, do you really think you would have been able to strike me down? I had the power to single-handedly take down the Dark Jedi and Sith, I could easily sense the Hssis as they approached. I would have easily anticipated your attack, but with the stone, do you not think I could have easily detected your movements? The more you tell me, the more I believe that if I had chosen to take it, there would have been no stopping me. To allow me to carry it here required absolute trust. If anything, it was more of a comfort just knowing that it stayed within your sights."
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2020 14:38:42 GMT -8
Two different things. While true enough, he still missed the point. Mariah only offered a quirk of her eyebrows as she brought the glass to her lips again. She wouldn't bother to correct him this time. The more misinformation he had about her connection to these things, the better. Without a question to answer, there wasn't a point in addressing him anyway. However, when the two questions did come, Mariah nearly choked on her liquor by a jeering laugh that tried to surface. Those two questions were ones she would gladly answer. However, as she turned to Gavin, wiping the liquid from her lips with the back of her hand, it was evident that his words lit another fire deep within the woman.
"You may have had the power to take down powerful foes single-handedly, but do you really believe that these artifacts have existed all this time without my People finding a way nullify the wielder's power, if but briefly, to take them out?"
It was quick, the movement of her hand to her hip. The flick of her wrist glimmered with a blackened sheen, which blurred within the air. Before Gavin could blink, five distinct, soft thuds pierced into the sofa. Two pinning close to his arms, two striking by his ears, and the last just below the family jewels, mocking him, his cockiness, his misogynist beliefs that he was better than her and thus could belittle her and question her judgment. However, there was a sixth, which stopped with pristine precision to hover centimeters from his face. Without the power of the crystal to ignite them, the truth of their power would be lost on him. It mattered little, though, as she ensured her words would cut with crystal clarity.
Standing to her feet, Mariah uttered, "I may have acted recklessly today, but I won't run a fool's errand."
She approached him then, brushing the knife away from his face with one hand as the other grasped around an athame by his ear. Leaning forward so that she was nearly nose-to-nose with him, Mariah's eyes pierced into his blue, and she whispered with an eerie calm, hiding back the inferno within her tones.
"Let me make one other thing very clear to you, Phoenix," she growled through clenched teeth. "You already snuffed out whatever little bit of trust between us you managed to spark. You've played me for a fool, and your disrespect in trespassing on holy ground should have been the end of you. Today, you were a necessity, and my thanks to you is your life. Make no mistake. If you had double-crossed me, I would have gladly killed you as your atonement."
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 20, 2020 15:08:36 GMT -8
Gavin didn't even flinch as the themes suddenly emerged in the blink of an eye. While he would have barely reacted normally, his mind still wasn't able to fully keep up, all its focus spent on just being able to listen to her words and register them properly. The more she spoke, the more his spirit stirred, however. He had to remind himself that it was foolish of him to make assumptions when she would clearly have the answer and the knowledge to support it. Yet, if life taught him one thing, knowledge only carried one so far. Say what she did, he could only wonder if she could have stopped him and if she truly understood the power the crystals held.
But he stayed his tongue. He wouldn't believe himself right and her wrong. This was a subject she knew very well and all could fall as she said it to be. His words were meant to only serve as a cautionary tale to her, one he doubted she'd listen to. And as she continued to speak, standing just before him, he only stared back, the intensity gone, but no sense of concern or worry.
Taking a deep, he pushed himself to his feet, working to push past her so to stand. "I see. Well, I guess that makes us even, fulfilling this task for you to make up for my actions." If any words stung, it was those last ones. He still hated how he played out their spar by using what little knowledge he had against her. Even hiding the fact of his intentions to come here when she asked him to burned at his soul. No matter the case, this was what they seemed to be. Giving a sigh, his gaze turned to look at her from the corner of his eye. "I have fulfilled the task my Empress has required of me. Do you need anything else?"
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2020 13:26:12 GMT -8
The calmness in his eyes seemed almost dead. It took a few beats of silence between the two of them before Mariah realized she was beating a dead fathier. He had the strength to ask his questions, but his mind was as weak as his body. He could summon the strength to scoff and question her, drive her mad with frustration and anger at his interrogation of doubts, but when it was all said and done, he would probably wake with this conversation nothing but a foggy memory.
Mariah huffed a sigh and rolled her eyes as Gavin managed to push past her. With an air of defeat, the woman took hold of the floating athame with one hand and summoned the rest to rip free from the fabric to meet her other hand in yet another synchronized, spiraling dance.
"We're far from even, Phoenix."
She muttered her answer under her breath, subduing her prior intensity that sent those weapons flying at him mere moments ago. She attached the athames back upon her belt while unsure if she should curse or bless that Gavin never saw their actual strength. What she was certain of, though, was that the crystal rested in the chest, still sitting on the center table. She wouldn't have been able to do it alone. With a low growl and subtle shake of her head, Mariah shifted her attention sharply to his glass and the bottle.
"I'm not your Empress," Mariah murmured with only a fraction of the venom she usually displayed. "It's just a stupid title that means nothing more than a seat in the throne room."
Snatching up his glass and bottle, she turned to leave him be. Sometimes silence spoke louder than any words. At first, she had nothing more she wanted to say to him. However, as she turned her head to glance at him over her shoulder, she paused. The weight of all that had transpired came crashing down around her, forcing her to sort through the wreckage. The crimson-haired warrior only needed a split second to do so, though, and to finalize a verbal answer.
"Stay out of the public eye until the next morning."
Turning her whole body, she cocked her head to the side as she watched Gavin with a slightly narrowed gaze. She would have preferred that he kept himself here in this room so that she could ensure that no one attempted to pay him a visit with the crystal still affecting his aura. Rolling her eyes, her gaze fell downcast to see the holes she riddled through the one sofa. While playing babysitter was the safest, albeit unwanted option, she wasn't ignorant that she had surrendered that possibility, and thus bit her tongue. Again, she was going to have to entrust him with a task that was even more so undesirable. She had no other options left.
"The chambers assigned to you will be sufficient, so long as you refuse any visitors until that time," she continued, her narrowed gaze finding Gavin once more. "If you experience any side effects from the artifact, though, you're to report it to me immediately. I don't care if it's midnight or dawn, Phoenix. Immediately."
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 21, 2020 13:55:27 GMT -8
The fire had significantly lessened with her next words, but in the end, it didn't really matter. Her previous words had set their course and with Gavin's mind and body growing weary, he no longer had the ability to be is typically self when around her. Instead, the cracks deep within, his very thoughts regarding the sting she created from each line were slowly becoming more visible. Still, he stood there as straight as he could, his body feeling more and more like jelly with each passing second.
Then came her denial of the title. It was strange considering how she used it during their last meeting when she offered him a place here, a day that could have set an entirely different tone for this encounter had he simply expressed his interest. He had his reasons, thinking it would make for a nice surprise, but clearly she and even her sister saw it differently than he did. And he was paying the price for it all.
Each thought passed through his mind only worked to drag him down just a little bit more. He had to shake it off. He then gave a nod accompanied by a deep sigh. "If you say so. Shouldn't be a problem, though. I'll be out of here within the hour." It was a clear enough statement to understand. He wouldn't concern himself with sticking around the temple. Using what strength he had, he'd gather his things and depart the temple for his trip back to Iridonia. He had hoped to stay longer to speak further with her, but it seemed his welcome had been worn out with her for the time being.
Turning, he made his way for the door. The first step came hard and slow, but then came the second and the third, each seeming to get easier. Maybe as he went, he'd do better at regaining his strength. Yet, after his seventh or eighth step, he stumbled a bit. Though he caught himself, his legs proved unable to hold him as he dropped to a knee.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2020 15:34:20 GMT -8
Gradually, the overconfident man who usually stood before her melted away into an exhausted shell of the man Mariah knew. It was expected, for the most part. It was an expected side effect of drawing on such power. The rebound back to a natural state would leave one feeling sick, disoriented, and weak. His words stirred a meld of shock and confusion, although neither revealed themselves in Mariah's expression. Instead, she arched an eyebrow skeptically at him, as though this was just another one of his games. If it was an attempt to get some kind of a rise out of her, she stood her ground and only watched him without speaking a protesting word.
It wasn't until he began trudging his way towards her door that she realized it wasn't some kind of a bluff. He was actually planning to jump in his ship and fly back to Iridonia. The realization struck her like a blaster bolt. His persistence was borderline suicidal. He had already ensured a stranger had a place to rest her head, one who very well could have been after his. At that, he later attempted to heal her after their duel while already in a weakened and exhausted state. He was as reckless as ever, pushing himself past his limits as though they didn't exist--as though he was invincible.
A whispered song echoed in the back of her head, urging her forward, which Mariah tried to shake at first. However, when he collapsed to a knee, that melody reached a crescendo, commanding Mariah's first step, only silencing the moment Mariah acted. She was growing further chained and indebted to this man by this Force-awful unspoken code of the Blades. Although there were too many particulars revolving around the artifact, Mariah could honor two today and free herself from at least them. She owed him a place to rest his head while wounded in such a state, and she owed him her life, which he could have so effortlessly taken that day.
"Are you insane, Phoenix?" Mariah asked skeptically, her composure and arched eyebrow otherwise remaining a fixed feature etched into her expression. "You'll end up as a piece of floating space trash if you try to pilot your ship all the way back to Iridonia in your condition."
With an exasperated roll of her eyes, Mariah closed the gap and slid herself between Gavin and the door, barring his exit. Although unwilling to help guide him to his feet--just as he had honored her in those sacred chambers--she still reached out a gloved hand to him to help guide him back to his feet should he wish it.
"Unless you can introduce me to the crew who will fly you back to Iridonia or show me your pilot droid, you're staying in the Temple for at least one more night to regain your strength. I may have never held one of those things directly, but I'll remember how I slept for three days straight after my grandmother's ritual was over. If you're right and it is more powerful to wield directly, then you aren't in any condition to leave the planet today."
She hated to give in to the idea that he was right about her People's artifact. If it meant reinforcing her point, though, then she would gladly play his words and experiences with that crystal against him.
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 21, 2020 16:24:41 GMT -8
Once again Gavin's breaths grew heavy under the strain his body endured. He felt it was best to take his leave, despite his condition. Yet, it seemed his body disagreed with the sentiment. If he was going to make it back to his room, it was most certainly going to take every ounce of his will to break past his current limitations.
He didn't look up, which allowed him to hide the small expression of surprise as he heard her footsteps first approach, then pass him. With each footfall that grew closer, so to did her words. What was interesting in it all was that first question. It was like for a moment, she stirred his normal persona, making him chuckle a bit. "You could say it tends to happen from time to time." He then turned his gaze upwards towards her, a smirk upon his face and a faint fire in his eyes. It only lasted for a moment as what he was able to trudge up faded. He simply looked to her for a few moments, contemplating her words.
She was right. He wouldn't deny that. It would take everything out of him to get the ship into hyperspace before being able to engage the autopilot. It never stopped him before, though never had anyone ever stood between him and his exit until this day. It was interesting to think about how quickly and easily he contradicted his teachings. He always said that a true warrior knew his limits and here he was, trying to push past them. True enough, he more referred to battle as one always needed to try and surpass their own limits, but in this case, it it did nothing to strengthen him. If he wanted to become stronger, forcing himself forward when he could barely hang wasn't then way. Only rest granted that option.
Forcing any sarcastic comment about autopilot on his ship or the computer he used as well or any claim that he would be fine to the back of his mind, he nodded before reaching up to grab her hand. What would his stubbornness and pride gain him? Nothing. In fact, it would only ever hold him back. Just another reality of his ever-wandering loneliness that he needed to cast away. "You're right."
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2020 12:54:05 GMT -8
Mariah had anticipated something of another fight, some semblance of an example to their two personalities clashing like oil and water. However, it seemed that the crystal really did take more out of him than Mariah had anticipated. That, or he used up what little strength he had already in butting heads with her earlier. No matter the reason, Gavin not only yielded to her demands, but he also agreed with her aloud. It was enough to send an eyebrow arching skeptically at him, but nonetheless, he had accepted her aid and took her hand. At least she wouldn't have to go through the trouble of landlocking his ship now. With a roll of her eyes to simply accept the odd turn of events, she pulled him back to his feet with a little help from the Force to give her strength. From there, it was just a matter of guiding him back into the sitting room and finding a place where he could rest--preferably, a sofa didn't reveal a burst of her anger moments ago.
"That's usually the case," she murmured under her breath, "to both accounts."
Time to time--he had done something reckless every time she had the misfortune of crossing paths with him. Either he was downplaying, or he was just careless around her, for only the Force knew why. It didn't matter which was correct; both were just as foolish in her mind. However, the pure dark joy came from his admittance that she was right. The faintest of wicked, smug smiles tugged at the corners of her lips, but the crimson-haired woman didn't let it sit on her expression for long.
Continuing, she commanded, dulling her sharpened tones, "Give it a few hours and just rest, Phoenix, for both our sakes. Once you've regained your strength enough that you can make it more than eight steps, I'll ensure you can finish resting in your chambers until you're ready to head back to Iridonia to your precious students. I don't need you found on the Temple floor and rushed to the medbay, though."
She found her tones sharpening again at the mention of Iridonia. She had found herself utterly shocked at his stupidity that it became a slow simmering realization. He came to join the Dark Jedi--to surprise her, apparently--only to find her and leave the very same day. Although she couldn't have cared less about his decisions involving her, what was unsettling was the idea that he was returning to remain under the Sith's reign. He was still planning to train their own into zombie-like, power-hungry beings of the Dark Side. She could only harshly judge why. While she wasn't wholly ignorant of his decision, she believed it to be another bluff, another tout to make himself look either incredibly courageous and loyal to his students or incredibly stupid. To Mariah, though, it was the latter. He really was asking for a death wish. He fully accepted that he would be walking back to stand among the Sith as a Dark Jedi. That was if he even was a Dark Jedi. While she wasn't a Dark Jedi in her own right, there was something that separated the two, even further than oil and water. Despite bearing his weight as she guided him to a sofa, her gaze drifted over the chest again. He was able to carry and overcome this stone of pure Light, even wrestling back control after it seized his presence and body.
"Who in the seven circles of kriffing Chaos are you, Phoenix?"
Although those words succeeded in parting from her lips, she was quiet enough that, in his state, he shouldn't have caught it. Then again, he managed many impossibilities. Nonetheless, it took less than a beat after she whispered those words for her to bite her tongue. Even if he missed her words, it was still more than evident in her sudden solemn nature and her fixed, uncertain gaze upon him as she released him to sink into one of the large sofas, offering him ample space for him to stretch out and sleep, should he require it.
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Gavin Phoenix
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 22, 2020 13:23:40 GMT -8
Doing what he could to aid her, he pushed with what strength he had to get himself to his feet. A task that, unfortunately, still left her doing most of the work. As she led him back to the sitting area, he couldn't help laugh faintly. He couldn't say it completely true for her being right but didn't feel like splitting the difference between them. "Yeah, I suppose so."
As they made their way back, his thoughts pressed inward once more, thinking about the past and his typical stubbornness and how often it resulted in him being put into this position or worse. Why did he push that far? What was he trying to prove? In his current state, he couldn't truly focus on any of the moments where is stubbornness and pride led to such sorry states. But it did make him wonder if he was a walking contradiction to his own teachings or if each circumstance actually required him to play that part. It was something to dwell on, but one thing he needed to be wary of moving forward was those character flaws. It was one thing to behave in such a manner when its was all fun and games or when the situation allowed for no other option. Yet, there would be times in which he just needed to accept reality for what it was.
These thoughts, along with his current state had turned her final words into nothing but a muddled whisper. Yet, the sound of her voice was enough to break him of his moment of reflection, letting catch her gaze. It was strange, the same fire and intensity weren't the same. She seemed solemn now, her gaze uncertain. What was she thinking to make her look at him in such a way. As she settled him into another couch, he grunted a bit before looking up to her. "What did you say?"
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2020 13:33:06 GMT -8
Gavin wouldn't make it that much longer. That much Mariah could see. As she draped him over the sofa, she cursed inwardly at herself for even showing this much sympathy towards the man. She very well should have just let him pass out on her floor by the door. Still, Mariah couldn't shake that Force-awful feeling of being bound to him for his prior kindness to her--if one could even call it that. He was far from kind, his overconfidence like a vibroknife in the chest. Merciful was perhaps a better word. Nonetheless, it didn't matter now, not with the tides shifting in such a manner.
After his question was uttered in the delirium of his exhaustion, Mariah huffed a sarcastic laugh. She could ask again, but he would be out cold amidst his thoughts, an answer never arriving. Not like it mattered. Chances are, he wouldn't give her the whole truth anyway, if even had one to give. They both held their secrets. His were formed after hundreds of years of his experiences. Hers were after thousands of years of generational legends and mysteries. Still, she gave him something of an answer, so that he could shut up and rest.
"I'll ask you again when you wake, Phoenix."
Once he was comfortably positioned on the sofa--or at least from what she could tell at a glance--Mariah lifted her hand to summon his feet up as well, allowing him the ability to fully lay down and rest. With a snarling sigh and shake of her head, Mariah then turned her attention to the box. Scooping it up in her arms, she prepared for the long day and night ahead of her. For one, she had to ensure he wasn't his idiotic self by waking up in the middle of the night to sneak off. He really was like a certain rebellious student. The thought sent a violent roll of her eyes. At least, that wasn't all she was set to accomplish.
She only gave him a passing glance before she departed up the staircase, to ensure the chest was tucked away, before returning to the main sitting room. She had too much to do while he slept, and she would end up having a sleepless night because of it. With a frustrated sigh and a wave of her hand, she issued the lights to be lowered and the curtains to be drawn shut, not for Gavin's comfort but for her own. If he was still hanging on to consciousness, the appearance of a holoterminal whirled into existence with a soft blue light. A map of the tunnel network appeared.
Mariah's first job was erasing the shaft leading to the chamber from the map itself, then sending the revised version to the commanders who would spearhead the excavation. It was one job of many to clean up the mess of the day, to ensure that no others would get caught up in her affairs. At the very least, this was a minor inconvenience to what she could have been forced to do. Despite her earlier scolding to his actions, Mariah wasn't ignorant. The outcome of the day was the best that it could have possibly gone.
The artifact was in her possession. No lives were lost, other than a couple of beasts. Only one single soul now knew of the crystal's existence. At last, her ill-fated journeys were beginning to show a little bit of luck and good fortune. It wouldn't last long, she knew, but for now, she would take it.
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 24, 2020 14:57:20 GMT -8
Just as she suspected, Gavin was hanging on by will alone. The moment she set him down upon the second couch, his body instantly let go against his wishes, no longer able to support him. All he could manage was a nod at her response and a slight chuckle of her laying him down to sleep. He, too, expected her to have just let him sleep on the floor or just sat him down on the couch. The fact she tried to lay him down was just an amusing thought, one that allowed him to slip off into the darkness, no longer aware of anything that happened around him.
~~As Gavin's body slipped into slumber, it was almost as if his being fell. Falling back from reality, through the floor of the Fallen Empress's chambers into a watery blackness, like that of the deepest oceans. Sinking deeper and deeper, his figure descended further into the darkness, his eyes never opening as his spirit was just as drained of energy as his mind and body were.
Yet, eventually, his falling came to a halt as his body seemed to find rest, allowing him to lie flat and float there. The deafening silence slowly began to fade, giving way to softly moving water as the light seemed to break over the horizon. Once again, he had found himself within the mangrove swamp that shaped his inner world, only this time, instead of standing there, he was lying in the water, just barely floating on the surface. The sound that caused his eyes to open was the sound of water dripping followed by steps in a shallow puddle. He could feel it without ever looking. Vannihr was present and no doubt ready to have some things to say.
"I don't even need to tell you how foolish that was. You should just be glad your body has adapted over the decades to greater power. Otherwise you'd be dead right now."
Gavin's eyes barely shifted over to see what amounted to his dark animalistic doppelganger."No, you don't. It was all foolish. Yet, she asked for my help. She apparently needed me to aid her in this task, so who am I to turn her down?"
"The real question to ask yourself is what are you going to tell her?" Gavin glanced over with a slightly arched eyebrow at Coretha sitting next to him, her own face showing the same exhaustion he was. Wasn't surprising considering the light of the stone coursed through her being just like his. "She asked you who you were. No doubt about the fact you handled the stone. For what can be seen, it should be impossible in her mind. Will you tell her your secrets or avoid them?"
Gavin's gaze shifted upwards as he thought on the question. What would he tell her if she ever asked again? He couldn't say. "I...don't know."
"All I know is that she said that there is another one paired to it that's filled with darkness. If you really want to throw her for a loop, you should handle that one, too."
Coretha then looked to Vannihr, her eyes as sharp as they could be. "No, he doesn't. He has nothing to prove to anyone, nor does he need to try containing such power again. We were lucky we could endure it. Just because we ended up capable doesn't mean you two can, not after enduring it once. Besides, you just said it was foolish. Or is that just because it wasn't something you could latch onto?
Vannihr glared at the woman with pitch-black eyes, a snarl escaping his throat. "Are you challenging me? Trying to say I'm weaker than you? Why should you be allowed a taste of that kind of power but I should be denied and forced to hide away from your momentary 'brilliance?'
Pushing herself to her feet, she stood before the demon, the balance between the light and dark threatened over this encounter. The area began to shake as the two beings began to glow, ready to go at it with each other.
"Enough." His voice was calm and quiet, yet sharp enough to cause them both to stop and turn to him. "Do not let pride threaten what we worked for. It was this very reality that created discord in the beginning. And while we still can not truly become one once more. Balance is a fragile thing, no matter how tempered it is. We must always be vigilant in understanding the other side and the many options before us. For at this moment, both of you are right. We do not need to try and prove anything to anyone. So we won't be cocky and try to hold the second stone. It's not as if we'd ever see it. Mariah entrusted us with this knowledge after having stumbled unexpectedly and uninvitedly into the chamber. We were able to aid her once, but there is no reason to think she'll look to us again. However, it is time to deepen our training. That way, should we ever be asked to endure that stone again, or even carry another, we can be ready for it. We know now what it can do. Now we must prepare ourselves for it should we ever face such a circumstance again.
Turning to him fully, the fighting and tension stopped. They knew his words were true and further proved his own ability to let go of pride and stubbornness while staying ready for whatever life chose to throw at them. With a nod, they, and so, too, the world faded, letting darkness cradle Gavin's resting soul.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2020 16:06:55 GMT -8
The night had been a long one for Mariah. An endless supply of coffee kept her awake and sharp while spiking each drink with plenty of alcohol numbed her frustrations. Over those midnight hours, she checked off item after item in dealing with the aftermath of the day before, only taking breaks to refill her mug. Every so often, Mariah glanced over at the body, which rested unmoving on her sofa. Gavin very well could have been dead with how still he had been, and she would have no idea of his fate. His cloak, still covering him like a blanket, shut out his presence wholly. Nonetheless, that possibility of his demise didn't seem to resonate on any level with the crimson-haired woman as she worked tirelessly to clean up the mess they had both made--even if she would verbally blame him and solely him.
Using the hototerminal centered within the sitting room, she had altered her personal map of the tunnels within the Meditative Canyon to ensure that the guards would be unaware of the trail to her People's chambers. Once she was pleased with her modifications, she promptly sent it to the head of the guard with instructions to utilize it to recarve out the tunnels, which had collapsed at Gavin's hand. With one task checked off her list, she had another dozen to finish. Before moving onto the next task, though, she had changed into something far more comfortable and again refilled her mug with the spiked caffeine mixture. Despite the mind-numbing stress in changing the holomap, she would next need to tackle a far more wearisome responsibility. Questions were already buzzing throughout the Temple, and she would need to address them but on her terms. Writing up an official report to later record, Mariah would need to submit it soon after dawn at the latest, else gamble against Eris--or worse, Ifrit--to come banging on her chamber door and demanding an explanation. With Gavin still passed out on her sofa, she had no desire to test her luck by running that risk.
As Mariah composed a decent enough summary to report, daybreak peeked through as a glow behind the curtains all too soon. With her time running thin, the woman slipped into a robe to appear more formal for the hologram and opened the curtains just enough so that enough light cut through the pitch black for the holo-recording to pick up her figure. Standing tall and poised, Mariah spoke plainly and confidently yet also remaining unemotional and matter-of-fact throughout the whole of her report.
"This is an official report on the collapsed tunnel, located in sector thirty-three of the Meditative Canyon, given by Mariah Shadows, current Empress of the Dark Jedi Order.
"Per my personal mission, I tasked myself with the mapping of the caverns throughout the Canyon. During my excursion, I was attacked by two Hssiss that had wandered from Lake Natth. To date, I have no knowledge as to why they ventured that far into the Canyon. After taking minor wounds from the battle, I was forced to extremes to ensure that they would not take my life nor wander too close to the Temple. In my sound mind, I believe that I had no other option left before me, and thus, I collapsed the tunnels on the intruders. During my escape, I found an order member wandering the catacombs beneath and escorted them to safety. It is my understanding that they were simply a bystander, and I have no reason to suspect that they were involved in the Hssiss' appearance."
Mariah paused briefly. If she could keep Gavin's name out of this, she would. However, her hands were tied. She would need to mention someone. There were multiple eye-witnesses of her exiting the catacombs with a man in tow. Although bitter, she accepted what she had to do, to say. However, she would only give as much information as she deemed absolutely necessary to cease any further questioning. Masking her torn thoughts as a brief break in the recording, Mariah inhaled a slow, deep breath before she continued in the same monotonous, droning tones.
"To further report, no SOS signal was sent back at my fault. I neither saw nor sensed the Hssiss' approach until their initial attack, which forced my hand to enter combat quickly. Outnumbered, I was unable to issue a transmission. Despite this, I am taking full responsibility for my actions that led to the collapse. I have released an excavation task for Units Alpha-Three and Beta-Five. I have also sent my personal map to the head of the Temple Guard to aid in this process. Should anything else be needed, I shall comply with any and all orders to ensure that this tunnel returns to its former state before my actions.
"This concludes my report, which includes all pertinent details I have relating to the collapse."
Mariah then ended the recording and lowered her head with an exhausted sigh. The night had been a long one, but the growing list that Mariah dealt with seemed unending. The worst, at least, was over.
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 26, 2020 11:58:31 GMT -8
The hours passed by as Gavin's body worked to regain its strength from the strain it faced from the artifact. The night moved by without so much as a small stir from him, expressing just how much it had affected him. But as the morning came and Mariah began her work to provide an official report of the incident in the caverns, it was the light that came from the cracked curtains that first caused him to return to reality. It wasn't, however, until Mariah began speaking that he truly began to wake. His movements grew as his mind slowly roused. Only the faintest of grunts escaped his lips before his eyes opened.
Only allowing his head to move, he saw that he wasn't in his own chambers, remembering Mariah dropping him onto the couch. Had he still not been on the weaker side, he would have at least sat up at the sudden realization. Still, he simply returned his gaze to the ceiling before closing his eyes, his mind finding its focus on the words she spoke. He was only able to catch the final bits of what was said, starting with the mention of a bystander.
It was odd. For all she had scolded him for, it seemed, from what he could tell that she was hiding the truth of what happened. It made sense in one aspect. She didn't need any knowledge of the artifact getting out. But what seemed out of place was there was no mention of him within that report. His question stayed locked within his mind, though until he knew she had finished her report. When he heard her sigh, he finally spoke. "Now that's curious."
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2020 12:39:04 GMT -8
Gavin's faint sounds as he stirred hadn't gone unnoticed by Mariah while she gave her report. However, she kept on with it without her gaze straying nor her attention broken from the task at hand. As far as she was concerned, he could just roll back over and doze back off. It wasn't until he spoke that Mariah finally acknowledged him.
"What's even more curious is how the hell you're already awake."
Lifting her head, Mariah shed the robe from her body and draped the silken fabric over the sofa. Now clad in a bare minimum of black to be considered decent, the crimson-haired woman darted into the kitchen with her mug in hand. However, an even more curious move was when she abandoned her cup to fetch a tall glass and fill it with water. She then retrieved two small pills and headed over to where Gavin rested. Setting both items down on the edge of the holoterminal nearest him, Mariah pressed a button for the piece of machinery to retract with a gentle whirl, forming the grand center table once again.
"I'll have to ensure I can't hear your grumbles before submitting the damned thing, though," she growled, although her tiredness muffled her usual harshness. "Take these, and drink up. It'll help with the headache that's due to hit you like a podracer any minute now."
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body"
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 26, 2020 12:51:59 GMT -8
Gavin worked to push himself into a seated position as Mariah disappeared into the kitchen. He was up and she was finished so he saw little reason to keep laying around. As he did, the throbbing began, his only indication of it was the tense squeezing of his eyes. When she brought the water and pills, explaining what they were for, he could only laugh. "Yeah, already there. Thanks for the warning."
Taking the pills as instructed, he leaned back against the couch and took a breath as he thought on her initial response when he woke. What answer could he give her to how he was up as quick as he was. He only contemplated it for a minute before finally speaking. "Let's just say I'm more resilient than you may think." He took another drink of the water before looking up at her. "Speaking of your report, I'm curious as to why you left so much out. I get the fact of not mentioning the artifact. That's obvious. It's the fact of not mentioning me at all outside of being just a bystander and taking full responsibility."
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2020 13:31:45 GMT -8
Mariah laughed sarcastically as Gavin made mention of the headache already raging. With a quirk of her eyebrows and a half-shrug that might as well said, 'don't say I didn't try to warn you,' she headed back into the kitchen to then take care of herself with another round of coffee and whiskey. Her dark amusement, though, was given more of a voice at his mention of resilience. With a huff, Mariah scoffed that cynical laugh before gliding her way into the room again.
"I got the memo a while ago, Phoenix. You're still mortal, though, even if you are a hardy son of a bantha."
Seating herself on the other sofa, the one still riddled with holes from the day before, Mariah picked up her legs and settled herself as comfortably as she could manage. As she had said, she would need to take a look at the recording to ensure it was up to her standards before submitting it. However, with Gavin now awake, it unlocked a whole new list of missions in need of dealing with. With the sun just only over the horizon, she judged she would have at least another hour before the Temple was fully awake, and then another hour after that before a decision would be made to confront her if the briefing hadn't yet been received from her. The more pressing matter was getting Gavin up to speed, to ensure that her report of yesterday's events didn't unravel after he left. Lucky for her, he cut straight to the chase.
Lifting the mug to her lips and taking a long sip of the hot coffee, Mariah paused for a beat after his question. Lowering the steaming cup down towards her lap, she cocked her head to the side, her piercing crimson eyes locked onto him. Although he was more than evident that exhaustion weighed on her, she still carried that eerie intensity as though it was a natural phenomenon.
"I gave them everything that they could possibly need to know. As far as the Fallen and the rest of the Order will be concerned, I was the sole reason for the collapse," she explained. "Ifrit knows me well enough to know that it's well within my range of possibilities and won't have a doubt in his mind that it was me."
There was faint wickedness laced within her tones as she went on about what Ifrit knew about what she was capable of doing. Mariah wouldn't dwell too much on that, though, as it wasn't necessary to explain at this stage. All that did matter was that her story was believable. That was something she needed Gavin to not only understand but accept.
"Once they find the crushed bodies of the Hssiss during excavation, it'll solidify my report, and it can finally be put to rest. The moment they think you're involved, though, you'll be kept here until they figure out what happened and create an even more accurate report, to ensure the safety and dignity of this brand new Temple." Mariah rolled her eyes before she locked back onto her target and continued, "The fewer people involved in this, the better, and the faster that we can just move past yesterday's events in the public eye. That's why you're just going to remain a bystander, and a nameless one for the time being. It'll buy you enough time to get off this rock like you wanted and back to your precious students. Eris or Ifrit will no doubt ask me later for a name, but even after I give them that, they'll have no reason to pursue you, not with how little they'll think you were involved, especially with you off-world."
Huffing a sigh, she swirled the coffee-whiskey mixture with a finger before lowering her voice.
"Just trust me, Phoenix. We don't need you associated with this any more than you have to be, alright? It complicates things to unnecessary levels for both of us."
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Gavin Phoenix
The Dark Jedi Order
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Post by Gavin Phoenix on Apr 26, 2020 14:06:56 GMT -8
Gavin returned the laugh as she spoke, finding amusement in the idea as well. "Yeah, just as my body is keen on reminding me." He shook his head with a slight grunt, followed by a roll of his shoulders. With a heavy sigh, he looked down at the last bit of water. If she only knew the truth of his resilience. Being a descendant of his particular race, his body was capable of recovering at a far greater rate than most, allowing him to heal a third faster than normal. It didn't grant him the ability to heal fast enough to overcome serious injury to get back in a battle, but when it came to what he endured from the crystal, that was mere child's play. Though he wasn't fully recovered, he was well enough that he was nearly fifty percent. When it came to moving about and flying back to Iridonia, that would be an easy task.
Downing the last of the water, he set the glass aside as his gaze shifted over to her. It was easy to notice how tired she was. Had she been awake all through the night? It seemed so. But why? Just to keep eyes on him? Perhaps though after all was said and done, he doubted it because she didn't trust him. Maybe to ensure nothing happened to him due to any side effects of the crystal? Possibly. Despite his curiosity, he elected to leave the questions alone for now. He simply let himself listen to the explanation she gave as to why he was left out. He wouldn't deny it made sense. As little as he felt it would matter, keeping things as tight and to the point allowed for the situation to pass much faster.
Sitting up to prop his elbows on his knees, he nodded. "I see. Makes sense. Short and to the point. The fewer reasons people have to snoop around, the better. If they do come asking about who was with you, I don't foresee a problem with my name coming up. Ifrit was the one I saw first. He knows that you invited me and that I would be looking for you. The truth can still be given. After not finding you for a week due to you avoiding me, I had to 'sneak' around so as to hopefully catch up to you. After all, you'd still be ill regarding my victory over you." A smirk then came across his face as that line slipped from his lips if only to irritate her a bit. "From there, I was on my way into the catacombs when the cavern collapsed and you ran through to grab me. Only a slight fabrication of the truth and one I feel is quite believable considering."
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