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[Renfry]

Renfry was silent. It was far from the answer she had expected. The words terrified her but also allured her. She found herself both captivated by the words and resistant to the thought of anyone owning her. She was no ones.

But there was truth. They were connected whether they wanted to be or not. Something had tethered them together, but tethers worked both ways, no?

He had a cruel smile, that sent a shiver down her spine. But there was something unnerving in her eyes as well. The corner of her mouth twisted up ever so slightly.

So you've started me down the Sith path? You're going to drink up my soul? Use me up until I'm spent? she asked, a spreading grin that was unsettling now graced her lips.

She was crawling toward him now, slowly, seeming to pay no mind to her wounds. That same dark tether was now driving her.

That's fine with me. I do love playing with fire, she said, quieter now than before.

She was close now, close enough that he'd feel her breath against his ear.

You can only have what you can take, and you must be so very careful what you wish for, she said, now whispering the words against his ear temptingly as if challenging him.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

The grin for him lingered a bit longer before his face settled back into its impassive mask. He heard her, but gave no indication of it. His gaze remained locked on hers, the flames bringing his silver eyes to light. They reflected in his golden mottled irises, and she would be able to see her own reflection in them. She spoke and her eyes betrayed even more. There was a battle raging within her, just as there was for him.

He didn’t have to look as he manipulated the Force around her. Tendrils of her clothing that had been torn began to slip away with each move she made towards him. His gaze remained fixed on her as he expertly manipulated the Force to take away the layers till he could see the warm glow of fire on her skin.

Emryc took her by the hand and pulled her closer till she was on his lap. He was a considerate man. He knew her injuries were on her back. He gazed up at her, his hands sliding down the sides of her body to rest on her hips. He pulled back so he could look at her eyes. He could look at so much more, but he looked into her eyes instead. His fingers dug into her skin, and she felt warm to touch with the fire near them.

“And what is it that you desire?” He asked softly. He didn’t care. He shouldn’t have cared. And yet a horribly curious side of him wanted to know. Wanted to hear it from her lips.

 

[Renfry]

She could see herself in his eyes. They were shockingly reactive. While he may have worn a stoic face, his eyes somehow betrayed him. They said that the eyes were the window to the soul, but in this case it felt more tangible than a simple pithy saying.

She could feel him began to pull away at her clothes until she was exposed. Her pale skin was no longer hidden and she felt shockingly vulnerable. She fought a primal urge to run. She felt like she was prey being lured into a trap. She had expected something far different from this, to simply be taken, but this was... somehow more nefarious.

She knew what she was doing. It was a trap, and she was nestling in for it. The tether had been set and somehow she knew that whether she wanted off of this ship or not, she had no choice in the matter.

She could feel his fingers against her skin. The sensation made her heart skip. He asked her what she wanted and for a moment it seemed as if she didn't hear him. Her finger traced over him. Along his arms to his shoulder, along his chest and up the side of his neck where skin once again contacted skin. She took her time, surprisingly unrushed in the moment. Her eyes trailed along with her finger the whole time until they finally broke away and once again stared into those deep silvery orbs.

Everything, she said quietly.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

---​

He put his clothing back on, wiping his mouth off as he glanced over at the fire. He had to come back from the edge of a cliff, and it left him more irritated than he cared to admit. However, his face didn’t betray this. Despite her actions and her words, he responded with complete silence and with a blank face. He watched with mild interest as she dressed herself, the rain finally beginning to slow down around them.

“There is a Force nexus inside the cave,” He said after a moment. It was as if none of the moments prior had happened. He tilted his head to look back in the direction of the cave, “I wish to corrupt it. It will need both of us.”

It was about as close to asking for help as she would see from him. He didn’t like needing to rely on someone. In this case, he didn’t even know her name, nor did he care. He simply knew that he had half of what was required to get the intended result.

Without waiting any longer, Emryc turned and began to walk back towards the climbing point. He glanced up and sighed, rain drizzling on him once again. Hopefully this time the attempt would go off without a hitch.

 

[Renfry]

Renfry's eyes rolled so hard as soon as he turned around. She knew she was right even if he decided to pull back. He was the worst. So annoying, frustrating... what an idiot. Why was she even still here?

Twice now and she hadn't gotten what she wanted. He was immediately onto the next topic as if nothing had happened. Idiot.

She brushed her hair back into place as she stood back up. Corrupting a Force Nexus? Oh and he'd deigned to inform her of the plan. Actually, now that she thought about it that was progress.

She sighed and shook her head before walking over to him. The climb was going to be much harder now with her injuries, but such was life. She thought about just leaving, but... well, she had a toxic streak in her.

As she passed him she draped her panties over his head without slowing her pace.

I believe you laid claim to these, she said nonchalantly before continuing up to the ledge and starting to climb.

The climb was harder because of the injuries but easier because she'd done it already and knew the footholds.

She made the peak relatively quickly and knew he would be right behind her.

I'm not going to be able to help you corrupt this if you get me killed, she pointed out, recognizing that they were probably going to face those creatures again.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc was focused entirely on the Force nexus and the exertion it would take to corrupt it. He was genuinely caught off guard when the frilly undergarments were tossed over his head. He grabbed them and eyed her for a moment as she walked ahead and began the climb. She walked past him and had her back to him, but that was when a smile spread across his face. It was impossibly rare for a genuine smile to grace his face, but there it was, purposely timed when she couldn’t see it.

He stashed the undergarment away, beginning to climb after her. He was focused this time, keeping his internal nuisances at bay. The curse threatened to creep in every now and then, and it certainly conflicted him earlier in the evening.

Emryc didn’t respond to her words, mainly because he begrudgingly agreed. He needed her for this, and there was little he despised more than ever needing someone. He hoisted himself over the edge and stepped into the cave once more.

“I didn’t explore the very bottom of the hole,” He explained, beginning to descend down the spiral steps again, “There could be more of those things there.”

 

[Renfry]

She completely failed to notice his smile or the change in his demeanor. It was fleeting and gone by the time she gave him any heed again. On the bright side, if he were going to kill her he had ample opportunity. Of course, he may just do so after the corruption of this Nexus, but she didn't think so. There was a lot she didn't understand about the Sith, but she was beginning to get the first inklings of him. Murdering her now didn't seem to fit. Evidently she was banking her life on it.

The trip into the cave was far less exciting than the first time and there were no more of the creatures that came to attack them right away. She glanced over at the blood stains that were hers from earlier. It had been one of her closer calls, and she was fortunate to make it out alive.

She made her way over to the hole, bending over to look down. She winced in pain as she felt the injuries on her back once again threaten to tear open. The bacta had done a great deal to heal them even in a few hours, but it still wasn't great.

Why do you tear your back open? she asked. He already hated her, and she was no less curious now than ever. Though, really, the question she should have been asking was a different one. One she would no doubt ask eventually.

She took in a deep breath and smelled the creatures. Yes, she suspected there were more of them down there. She continued to descend as well, waiting patiently for the answer to her question that she pretty much expected he wouldn't answer.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Her question was met with silence. There was nothing but the sounds of his footsteps as he descended deeper into darkness. There was also the gentle hum of his saber as he used it to light the way. By now, she had learned that asking him anything was always a gamble. There was always a much higher chance of him simply remaining silent.

It wasn’t until he reached the last step that he paused. He could hear some of the creatures in the distance. Emryc’s gaze was trained forward, but he tilted his head slightly to the side while she was behind him.

“For my religion,” He muttered quietly, “It is how I atone for my sins,” Emryc answered truthfully. He looked forward again and kept walking, hearing hissing as the creatures scurried further into the depths from the bright light of the saber. Anything down here was sensitive to any lights.

It still puzzled him what the creatures were. They looked as if concocted from darkness, and yet the nexus was neutral in allegiance. The Force was almost overwhelming down here, almost intoxicating in a way.

“Does the Force here empower you?” He asked curiously. He was studying her and bit by bit learning the way of her people. Did they draw from the Force like he did? Did her strange powers feed from the same energy? Was it more powerful than the way he knew? He mentally chastised himself for even thinking that last thought. That was a thought of treachery, and his chewed the inside of his lip in anger.

 

[Renfry]

Renfry was... actually quite shocked when she received an answer. Particularly after the extended silence she had already rolled her eyes, assuming she had been ignored.

When he actually answered her, it wasn't what she had expected. A religious thing? Who did these Sith worship? Surely it wasn't the spirits, was it? The Ancestors? Or their "Force" that they all went on about?

Oh, she said, and it was perhaps the first time he'd have actually seen her speechless with no trolling comeback. This brought on many more questions, but she opted not to press her luck.

They stepped in deeper and Renfry was acutely aware of the flow of power. It was incredible and felt a great deal like Dathomir as a well of power.

Now he asked her a question. She didn't like telling others about Shadow Magick, but a question for a question seemed fair. She recalled he was interested in learning her ways, and though she couldn't fault him, she found it captivating that all the Sith seemed interested in learning more techniques apart from their own. But was she any different? She had come out here to the galaxy to acquire more knowledge for herself.

Yes, I can feel its power, she said. Though we don't call it "the Force," she said. She was beginning to grow accustomed to hearing the outsiders call it that.

She continued on, stopping short of the creatures at the far side of the cave. She watched them, studied the way they moved. While she didn't know what they were, there was something about them... unnatural. They were almost humanoid but also animalistic. She frowned, curiosity never abating.

They aren't natural, she said. I think they might have been human once, she said. And drawn to the Nexus and its power. A creature sensitive to the Shadow, then? In fact, they almost reminded her of the necromantic creatures from Dathomir.

Shivers rippled down her spine at the thought that came next.

I don't think we're alone, she said. She suspected these creatures were created - or twisted - by another Shadow wielder. A powerful one if she had to guess.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc filed away what she said into his memory bank. He hungered for knowledge of all kinds, it was part of why he had a more refined taste in things than most others his age. He had been called ‘precocious’ by others that met him, and part of that was his fascination with anything he didn’t understand. It had ultimately led to the calm resolve he maintained most times. Even his rage, when it came, simmered beneath the surface.

When she paused and declared they weren’t alone, he could see the shift in her body language and demeanor. The sight caught his attention more than the danger of whatever creature lurked beyond. He reached his hand out and fingers traced down her back, eerily along the exact ridgeline of the shivers that rippled down, “Are you afraid?” He whispered quietly. Was she afraid of the creature or what he would do in the presence of the creature?

“Don’t worry, I’ll pretend I care this time to give you that tingly feeling,” He scoffed as the hand traveled further down her back to grasp at her rear before he kept walking past her. It was a split second shift from flirting to becoming a killer. He was powerful in the Force here, and it surged through him.

Unlike the Jedi, he commanded the Force and beckoned it to bend to his will. His will was something he shaped and crafted since he could remember. He had been honed into a conduit of the Force and his religion added principles and creed to its execution.

As the creature finally snarled and showed up, the stench would hit them first. It stood several feet taller than the two, and Emryc still quickly analyzed the creature and their surroundings. As the creature began to charge at him, he used the Force to send it bodily flying backwards. He didn’t stop there, dashing towards it. He ran up along the length of its body, dragging his saber along. It cut along one of its long ‘arms’, one of several. The thing shrieked and howled in pain, blindly charging and slamming itself against the wall to knock Emryc off.

 

[Renfry]

She felt his hand along her back, and the tears in her clothing meant that his fingers were directly against her skin. She didn't move or stop him as his hand traveled down further. He certainly did seem to like to mark his territory considering he seemed afraid to actually follow through with it. Performance anxiety, she decided with a shake of her head.

As he mentioned he would pretend to care and walked past, her face scrunched up and her head shook slightly in a mocking gesture that really couldn't be called anything other than childish, but she didn't care and he wouldn't be able to see it.

Good, and I'll pretend to help you fight it, she said as he began to move in on the creature. In fact, however, she was far more interested in the source of the creatures. The Nexus contorted everything, twisting the Shadow and making it more difficult to read, but she was almost certain there was another here, and she didn't mean the creatures.

She cupped her hands to her mouth, quietly muttering words into them before tossing them into the air. A small green orb set off deeper into the cave, past where the Sith was fighting the monster but took an abrupt turn down a side passage.

She eyed the passage closely, making almost no notice of the battle raging on nearby. He could handle himself, though if he died before actually following through she might be mildly annoyed.

She started down the path, wary of the fact that it was likely leading toward something far more dangerous when she stopped. There were carvings in the cave wall, markings that were distinctly of humanoid origin and sentient. That confirmed her suspicion. Though who could have been making these creatures? Another Sith? Some other sect? She frowned, not knowing and not liking not knowing.

She turned to look back over her shoulder toward where Emryc was fighting the beast.

Are you coming, dear? she asked in a tone that was... well, typical of her.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc wasn’t used to having help, and he didn’t expect it here. While he had his habits of abandoning others, he always expected the same courtesy back. It was simply the way of Sith, and that didn’t change here. He wasn’t bothered by the lack of help, and he continued fighting the large monster. He ran along the lengths of its body, slashing where he could. He was thrown off the monster and slammed into a wall, but he got up again.

Renfry’s experience of this would be growls, the hum of a saber, the occasional thud as he was thrown around like a rag doll. A few moments passed before the creature gave one last mournful cry before collapsing.

He heard her question as he fell back into step and made his way down the path. He was in pain and he now sported a gash on his bicep, but he was entirely unconcerned about it. He had finished the job, and he was satisfied enough with that. He didn’t respond to her, but there was no hint that he was angry in any way.

“Sometimes a Force nexus can originate from an object,” He explained as they walked, “It could be an ancient weapon, dagger or something simple. Or it could simply be a place of memory. And that memory needs to be tainted in order to corrupt it.”

Emryc’s entire left sleeve was missing and he was openly bleeding from his bicep. He kept walking ahead, stopping to marvel at the etchings and markings. She would see it in him, that same fascination he had in that tomb on Dathomir.

 

[Renfry]

He was a bit torn up but alive when he caught up with her. She wasn't particularly far ahead of him and her pace had slowed as she examined the carvings. She held a glowing green "flame" over her hand to illuminate them more clearly for both of them.

She ran a hand along several of them, wiping away dust that had collected and stole a glance over at him. There was... was that excitement on his face? She was quickly learning that he betrayed little of what he thought and felt (or, you know, didn't feel), but there was certainly something there now.

You mean they're not natural occurrences? she asked, surprised at the revelation. She had assumed they were like Dathomir: centers of power blessed by the Spirits. Although if they weren't natural that would better fit with what she'd been taught about magick: it was strongest on Dathomir because of the world's uniqueness.

She continued until the carvings stopped and then proceeded further down the path, following the orb that led them on. And then it stopped dead and was snuffed out. There was no more movement on its path and she heard a voice from the shadows just up ahead. The darkness that clung there was clearly unnatural, too deep to be seen through with the eyes.

Begone. This is not your source of power, the voice said. It sounded strangled and choked and there was an evil that permeated the darkness. While the Nexus was not of the dark side, whatever else it had attracted clearly was.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

He pondered her question, and it showed more wisdom than most he met. He turned to look at her for a moment, the hints of curiosity still in his eyes, “They can be natural occurrences,” He explained, “But this one does not seem like one,” There was something unnatural about it here, and especially in the way it kept attracting such twisted creatures.

Emryc stopped in his tracks when he heard the voice. He quirked an eyebrow, analyzing the setting. The energy felt dark, and he wondered if someone had the same idea as them and had gotten ensnared somehow. Emryc began walking again, and he could feel the nexus pulse in strength here.

“Begone!” The voice hissed.

“You’ll have to do better than that,” Emryc drawled as he continued to walk, drawing from the nexus. He stopped in his tracks when he could see the inner chambers. There was a massive spiderweb. There was a man trapped within it, hanging from the ceiling. His hand was trapped near a black blade that looked ancient, also caught in the web. He couldn’t move, and he was left barely alive, but immobile.

It suddenly made sense why there were so many dark beings here. The nexus was intended to be corrupted by the man and his dark artifact, but he had been stopped in his attempts by whatever trapped him in the spider web. The slow poisoning of the artifact bleeding into the nexus corrupted and warped anyone that had arrived with the man.

Emryc eyed the sickly looking man with a disgusted expression, “How long have you been here?”

“Be...gone…” He responded, angrily attempting to grip the blade that was barely out of reach.

“You are no Sith,” Emryc muttered, “How did you come upon that blade?”

 

[Renfry]

Renfry didn't say anything in response to his answer because she was pondering what he said. Some where natural and some were not. She supposed there was some sense in that, but it brought her to wondering what exactly could create such a power. She could perhaps of thought of rituals, but they were difficult and would require incredible power from multiple people... and that was only theory. This was interesting.

The voice that called out in the darkness was unnerving. The Sith seemed to be unconcerned by it, and Renfry didn't back down, but she was wary. Something was out of place. She spotted the man and go the impression he'd been here for a very long time. This place had sustained him?

She began to move slowly, taking careful steps. A natural rhythm took hold of her and she began to draw on the power of the Nexus as well. There was a predatory look to her movements and her eyes scanned around the room.

What hunts a creature that can corrupt a power like this? she wondered to herself. Whatever her feeling about the Sith, she was watching his back on this one. She had a feeling neither of them would make it out otherwise.

Sith, the being spat the word with contempt. You claim to be a Sith? I see what you carry in your mind! he said. As he said it, Emryc would be able to feel a burning in his mind from the presence of the curse.

Weakling!

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc sighed as the man began to speak. He stared at the man as the web began to constrict around the man. The Force coiled around him and threads from the web began to tighten around his neck. Emryc felt the pain in his mind from the other presence, but his will was strong. The artifact empowered him as well.

“Tell me, what else do you see?” He asked as the man’s eyeballs bulged and his face grew red. There was a sick crunch as his ribs began to crack. Emryc took his time, slowly walking around the scene as he tortured the man for no good reason. The man was attempting to breathe, and the Force dug into him. Within moments, the shattered bones from his ribs abruptly jutted out from his body, poking through the webs. The silvery webs were suddenly crimson red. The man couldn’t scream, threads tightly wound around his neck, but not enough to snuff the life out of him.

“I can’t hear you,” Emryc said before he violently yanked the bones out towards himself. The man’s muffled screams echoed as his body finally gave up on him. The front of the torso was open and the ribcage was grotesquely pulled from where it should have been. Blood spilled like a cascade from the body.

He looked over at the woman, a glint of gold in his eyes. For a moment he looked as if he would passionately take her right there and then, the bloodlust of the kill sending his blood boiling. But he controlled himself, jaw tightening and muscles twitching just a bit. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. When he opened them again, he was as calm as a summer lake on Naboo.

“I will get the blade,” He said curtly, “Be on the lookout for whatever ensnared this man.”

 

[Renfry]

Her eyes swept over the room, looking for signs of the predator. She wasn't going to be killed by this thing. They continued sweeping over as she listened to them speak. And then she heard the choking, the gasping, and heard the sounds coming from the web.

Her eyes swept down and went wide, shocked at what she was seeing. She was no stranger to violence and she wasn't squeamish, but this was... this was beyond her. She watched the man literally ripped apart by the Force. Slowly. Agonizingly. Her eyes were wide and she felt genuine fear. Not of the creature prowling the caves, but of the man she traveled with.

She loved playing with fire, but she had no idea just how far she was going. Just how much danger she was in at any moment.

He turned his focus onto her as she finished with the man and she could feel it all. She could feel the hate, the anger, the lust emanating from him. She stiffened, chills running down her spine and her heart seized in her chest. She had a sudden fear that she would be violated and killed here and now in this cave. But she didn't move. She didn't back away nor did she move toward him.

And then, as quickly as it had begun, it ended. He was back to "himself" if you could call it that. The external veneer he maintained.

She didn't say anything in response to his order, not because she didn't want to but because she didn't trust her voice to remain steady if she said a word. She just nodded.

Her eyes swept over the cave but they continued to dart back to him. Watching.

She almost missed the creature descending down from above. It emerged from a crevice cloaked in shadow. Or perhaps it had taken form from nothing. It was a wicked looking creature with a twisted darkness in the Force.

Whatever fear she experienced was now shoved aside and replaced by another instinct: the fight for survival. She raised her hands and sent a small orb of green energy lancing through the air, but it met nothing. The creature vanished and reappeared on the ground across the room. It was quick and she would wager it was incredibly dangerous if what they'd seen so far was an evidence.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc noticed the lack of a quip at him more or less commanding her. She normally had a lot to say, but there was no rebuttal. There was just the silence, and he saw the flash of fear in her eyes. Despite the urgency of the situation, there was the faintest grin that appeared on his face. It was unsettling, and it would tell her that he could see her. He could read her. He was undressing her then, laying her soul bare, searing into her mind. He was penetrating her in all the ways she didn’t want him to, and none of the ways she wanted. He knew. All with that grin, and he was collecting all of that data and rapidly filing it away. He wouldn’t dignify her with words, leaving her haunted.

He spun on his heel and bolted towards the web, leaving her just temporarily with the creature. The ancient blade had powers of its own, and he knew it would help them deal with whatever was attacking them. He could see the giant creature at the corner of his eye, but he sprang up and grabbed a hold of the web. He unceremoniously used the dead body to climb, stamping his boot on the dead man’s permanently screaming face as he hoisted himself up.

The creature could see what he was doing and rapidly shifted focus. With a shrill cry it pivoted and began clawing away at the spider web. Emryc ignored it for now, rapidly climbing towards the blade. He didn’t expect the girl to help at all as he made a beeline for the blade.

At last, he grasped the hilt and felt a dark power surge through him. Emryc abruptly pressed off the dead man’s body and sprang back from the web. This was right as the claws tore through where he had just been. He flipped backwards clear over the slash, taking a big gamble to not be snatched from the air.

If everything went well, he would land in a crouch behind the creature, blade in hand.

 

[Renfry]

She didn't break his gaze as he stayed at her... through her. She felt exposed to him in all the wrong ways once again. She knew he could see her fear, but he would also glimpse something else inside of her. That same seed that seemed to sprout just by being in his presence. It was caustic and would feel almost familiar to him. And through it all, she didn't withdraw or retreat from him.

He left her to fend against the creature and she moved with the grace of a dancer as it rushed at her. She stepped to the side but it was distracted a moment later as it charged toward the Sith once again.

He didn't expect her to help, but perhaps she was more complicated than he expected. She reached out with the Shadow, her hands glowing green with the grip as it wrapped around the creature. The stone itself reached out to grip appendages of the creature as if it had been frozen in concrete. Its advance against the Sith was stopped dead and he was able to reposition without any danger.

As he hit the ground, she gripped the creature and ripped it toward the ground. The trapped appendages were torn completely free, still rooted in the concrete while its body accelerated down to slam violently into the ground. But more importantly, it was positioned for the Sith to make a perfect strike against the creature to finish it.

 

[Emryc Thorne]

Emryc was surprised to not be torn to shreds during the jump. He knew that jumps were always a gamble. The girl had actually stepped in, using curious methods to trap the appendages. With another move, she threw the creature bodily towards him. It was screeching in agony and rage, and he could see the tough shell of the beast. It hurled at him, taking up the length of the room.

Using the moment to his advantage, he sprang to attention from his crouched position. He had the ancient blade in hand, and it was imbued with the Force. Dark energies pulsated through it and drew from the nexus around them. He ran at the beast and climbed onto it, dragging the blade through the spine of it. Even without the limbs, it curled up and attempted to writhe and attack.

Emryc kept running along the length of it, releasing the blade. Even then it dragged behind it and cut through the creature in a neat line. He moved gingerly on his feet, lightly running along the beast while the blade obediently followed of its own accord. It sliced through like a hot knife through butter, brought to life with the thread of the Force that Emryc expertly puppeteered.

From her perspective, she would simply see the beast rearing up again and opening its jaws. Then she would see a blade abruptly poking through its body, cutting neatly in a line as if a surgeon methodically practicing on a cadaver. The creature shrilly screeched and shuddered before dropping with a massive thud to the ground.

At the top of its stood Emryc. The head of the beast collided with the ground right as he walked off, skidding directly to stand in front of her as if coming off his mount. He locked gazes with the woman then, extending his hand to call the blade to his hand after the job was done.

“I like this blade,” He said simply, pausing to marvel at it.