Ask Forrest Frolic

[Julius Drake]

A thin branch smacked into Julius' face as he flashed past on the speeder, slicing into cheek, a droplet of blood falling down onto his pale cream shirt. His teeth were clenched as he still seethed over the conversation with his pig headed father and stubbon as an ox mother, about his decision to stay within the Empire. They had always loved the Sith, ever since the long dead Wessex boy once gave them a glancing hello at a dinner. But this was stupid, the Sith had fled into the dark unknown reaches of the Galaxy, leaving the masses to their fate. At least the remenants of the Empire were trying to salvage some sense of order within the wild unknown. Damn fools.

Julius broke through the tree line, entering a small glade within the forrest near to his hometown. He had spent much of his childhood venturing through the woods with his siblings and cousins and it gave him at least some peace being here. He pulled the speederbike to a stop near the stream that ran through the middle, stepping off and slumping onto the damp grass next to it.

Pulling out his holo he booked the next flight off Serenno and back towards the Eastern Dominion of the Empire, he would need to make at least one change to leave tomorrow. Otherwise it was another three days before a direct flight would reach and Imperial HQ. With that booked and out of the way, he slipped the device back into his pocket and laid back. This was probably the last time Julius would be hear in the while, so he tried to soak some of the nostaliga in whilst he could.

@Sreeya

 

[The Storyteller]

The moonlight hanging above and the shadows of the trees gave the forest an eerie, almost sinister look. The air grew cooler as Julius ventured deeper in, almost unnaturally so. He would be able to see wisps of his breath as he followed that familiar path he knew. The water had frost over the surface, the flowers dewey and chilled. It was both familiar and not at the same time.

A few steps further and he would come across a gruesome discovery. There, in a ditch, was the shriveled up remains of what once used to be a person. This part of the forest was not usually traversed and no one would ever have found this body, but it was a known and secret place for Julis, so he happened to be the one stumbling across this.

A glance would reveal the human was a female, someone that had clearly dressed up nicely for whatever occasion led to this misfortune. The face was gaunt and the skin was stuck to bone as if every bit of her was sucked out from the inside. The woman’s eyes vacantly gazed up at the sky. She had all her clothing on her and there were no other signs of foul play other than the unnatural disfiguration of her corporeal form.

Unseen just yet, a pair of eyes calmly watched the Imperial from a distance.

@Braden

 

[Julius Drake]

That light soak of nostalgia sunk into a light slumber as Julius slept away the rest of the afternoon waking to the feeling of unease around him. Jolting awake, the Serreenian’s head swivelled around the clearing, searching at first for whatever caused that strange feeling, then for his speeder which had gone amiss. “Fuck.” He shouted, slamming his fist into the grass next to him. He was at least a two hour hike from the nearest town, he was never going to make that flight. Grumbling to himself Julius pulled himself to his feet, dusting off the dirt from his trousers before trudging off in the direction of the town, he knew a shortcut up and over the hill, known only to the locals that ventured out here to hunt for sport.

It was late spring, so the nights were still cold and he could see his breath as he walked through the trees keeping the steam to his right as he went. That is when he saw it, a glint in the corner of his eye. Julius instinctively reached for the pistol that wasn’t at his side, why would he need a weapon to burn off some frustration in the forest? He swore again under his breath as his eyes locked onto the corpse that sat before him.

What could do something like this? He thought, as panic began to grip Julius, his heart began to beat at frantic pace, his breath shortened and his senses heightened. He needed to get out of here, so without a second’s thought he ran, sprinting as fast as he could up the hill, towards the town.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

As Julius ran, he would find no hindrances. The town was visible far ahead in the distance, the lights tiny little dots over the horizon. He would glance down to catch his footing and when he looked up next, he would almost run right into another figure. If he wasn’t looking, he would collide with the man directly.

It was a gentleman dressed as if he had just left a noble gathering, adorned in traditional Serennian garb. He calmly studied the frightened man before him, his red eyes gleaming and in sharp contrast to the porcelain skin.

“Midnight stroll gone awry?” He asked, his voice velvety smooth and calm. There were no speeders or any other means of transportation around, just the finely dressed gentleman. Alone.

@Braden

 

[Julius Drake]

His breath was laboured as he crested the hill, some of the adrenaline from the panic was wearing off as he finally caught a glimpse of the town lights in the distance. Then it hit him, or more accurately he hit it. Like running into the side of a four ton steel speeder, Julius crashed into the man, who seemed to not move an inch as the red haired man clattered onto the floor.

The coarse forest floor ripped into his hands, elbows and knees, grazing his skin and ripping his clothes. The pain was dulled slightly by the last dredges of adrenaline from the body coursing through him, but as he turned over to view the man another dose began pumping through his body. He looked perfectly harmless, a gentleman, cleanly dressed and ever so polite. Julius had no need to fear the man, but something inside screamed at him to run and never look back.

But the Lieutenant froze, locked in by those crimson eyes. Scrambling to get his legs underneath him Julius pulled himself up, slowly backing away as he did from the man. “Er…” He replied, his mouth and brain seemingly disconnected from each other in the moment.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

The Anzat stared at the man that presented more like a lost little lamb standing before a wolf. He knew it too - he saw the fear in those emerald eyes, he could practically taste the anxiety. It was his favorite taste to savor, after all. He was supposed to be Alistair Winchester on Serenno, but he had taken a stroll with his companion for the night to feast. People went missing here and there, no one batted an eye. This little incident, however, could be irritating.

Crimson eyes flicked over to regard the man’s attire, gathering quick that he was a military man, though not of any Serennian royal militia. No, he recognized the emblems all too well as part of a regime he once spearheaded as the Dark Lord.

He took a few steps forward and Julius would find that his legs refused to obey the commands to run away. The gentleman walked closer, a hand reaching out. A graceful finger traced under the man’s chin, the touch cool against his skin, “Do I frighten you, little soldier?” Raze asked, thoroughly entertained. He liked this game. He liked playing with his food. He liked watching them tremble. He thought of all the ways he could play before feasting. Or whether he intended to feast at all. The girl, after all, had filled him quite recently.

@Braden

 

[Julius Drake]

Julius’s eyes darted all around him, trying to see if there was someone, anyone else around. His panic fueled brain completely forgetting they were in the forest, at night, far from town or any known path. His desperation for a passerby was just that cold useless desperation, Julius continued to stammer as he tried to back away from the advancing Raze.

His back cracked into the solid trunk of a tree as the man reached out his finger. Julius tried to look away, meet his death with eyes closed and scrunched up. But with only a sliver of pressure from his fingertip Raze was able to pull Julius’ head up and back towards him. He couldn’t help but open his eyes to gaze into the creature that he was sure, for some reason he still didn't know, was what caused that woman’s death.

Julius’ mouth opened to reply to Raze but nothing but a squeak came out. The sound of his heart pumping frantically filled his eyes as his eyes locked onto the glowing crimson orbs of the porcelain devil. He could see his death in those eyes, his own gaunt skeleton figure sat on the floor next to him. All substance and life drained from his body, then it happened.

Something deep inside, the primitive flight or fight response buried deep into his biology, kicked in. And he shot out a fist with all his might aimed squarely at the man’s jaw, he knew he would hit. He was too close and the ‘man’ too relaxed for it to do anything but take the blow, stagger, perhaps collapse and allow Julius to run away, get to the village, to safety.

But this wasn’t a man.

 

[Darth Raze]

To the soldier’s surprise, the punch connected. He was suddenly released and free to run in the opposite direction.

The wraith remained standing where he was, slowly turning his head back to face forward from where it lurched from the punch’s impact. Crimson eyes gazed ahead in stony silence. A hand reached up to brush a thumb against the corner of his lip. He raised his hand, his fingers brushing over his jaw that pulsed with ache.

A smile graced his lips as he considered what would happen next. The soldier had effectively sealed his fate. He would be begging for death at the end of this. He would cry for his mother. He would want to be put out of his misery. But it wouldn’t come. Not on his own terms. But Raze did so love the hunt, and this man was giving him a high. This man got his blood rushing.

He ran his tongue over the spot of blood that trickled down the corner of his lip. Without a word, the wraith started walking in the direction of his target.

Meanwhile, Julius knew these trails but likely seldom came here at night. Low branches and trees would make his progress slow and the cover of night grew darker. The moon disappeared beneath the canopy of trees. He wouldn’t hear the other man behind him, but that unnatural chill still hung in the air. He still had a distance to cover before reaching that village.

@Braden

 

[Julius Drake]

He didn’t even look to see if any damage had been done, ducking to his right feet slipping in the damp undergrowth he lurched into a run as fast as he could away from the creature behind him. Julius’ hand ached, it was like hitting solid iron, but it had worked, all that training in the academy had paid off for once.

His lungs laboured, adrenaline pumping through his limbs, as the cold night air stung at the back of his throat. Jumping over a dead tree, he looked back to see if the creature was chasing him. Julius couldn’t see anything, so he looked again, this time he spent too much time gazing to see if the porcelain devil was chasing him and once again collided with another object. Sending him crashing into the floor, more scrapes, scratches, blood and bruises. Pulling himself back up, fear coursing down his spine, he refused to look back this time feeling as if the creature was right there. Instead he continued to charge forward through the trees, this time however in his haste and desperation he had turned away from the town and was moving back towards the top of the hill.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

He took his time. He moved his jaw around, still feeling the pangs of pain shoot through it. The man had an arm on him, there was no doubt about that. The soldier stumbled and zig-zagged through the path, making enough noise to be heard from a mile away even without the Sephi ears Raze missed so much. The Anzat was unconcerned, ambling behind his prey, having picked up on that exquisite scent of fear and panic in the air. He was a hound that was tracking game, stepping right past broken branches, twigs and disturbed earth.

At some point, the fool was turned around and clamoring up a hill the opposite direction of the village. The hill led deeper into the woods, but it was impossible to tell which way was right. Julius would manage up the hill just fine. For a moment, there was nothing but silence around him, nothing but the sound of his own heavy, labored breathing.

Just when he thought he was in the clear, he would hear the faintest rustle of leaves in front of him. The figure from earlier emerged once more, moonlight illuminating the pristine, ivory features. And with it, the glinting red eyes that burned with bloodlust.

“That was really quite rude, Imperial,” The voice drawled calmly as the figure stepped closer again. Without warning, Julius would feel his ankle twist abruptly to make him collapse where he stood. Raze didn’t break anything. Not yet. It was just a sprain, but it was enough to put an end to this little foot race, “I asked you a question.”

@Braden

 

[Julius Drake]

Julius’ calves began to burn more than they should running down a hill, it was only then that some of the panic subsided, enough for the man to realise he had turned himself around in the fall and was now at the top of the hill. “Fuck.” He cursed to himself, hunched over hands on his knees taking deep gulps of air as he tried to think. That man was now definitely between him and the town, could he skirt around him? Perhaps just head deeper in try and make for another town? All these thoughts came crashing down as he heard the rustle of leaves.

His eyes snapped to the porcelain man stepping into the small shards of moonlight that lit the little clearing at the top of the hill. It spoke, then a lancing pain erupted from his ankle, forcing the man to collapse to the floor again. Gripping his sprained ankle he looked up at the man as he spoke. What was he on about? A question? Was this guy sick in the head? Julius wondered, the panic and adrenaline of the last few minutes completely erased the question from before. “What, what do you want from me?” He said exasperated, pain and exhaustion clear in his voice.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

Spoiler: Trigger warning: violence

There was no response to the question, only an unsettling smile gracing the Anzat’s lips.

Time seemed to slow down for the events that unfolded next. The soldier was far from home, far from civilization. It was just him and the monster in these woods, and he had just crossed the beast. There was no Emryc to reel Raze in, no one there to add a line of humanity to the depraved and terrible things the monster did unchained. This poor man’s only crime was being in the wrong place at the wrong time, to lash out in defense and hope he could run away in time. Raze dangled that hope for a time, enjoyed the chase, and in the end he took his prize.

The wraith exhaled as he adjusted his clothing, brushing off the grass and twigs that littered his jacket. He ran his fingers through his hair, settling the strands back into place. The other man was left a broken mess on the ground, his fancy uniform littered on the grass around him. He had Raze’s tie around his neck, the wraith using the Force to undo the vice grip and tug it back to himself. He fastened the tie back around his own neck to complete his attire, his gestures nonchalant and breezy as always.

At some point during Raze’s playing, the soldier’s arm, the one that had been used to punch Raze, had been torn clean off at the elbow. But he wasn’t allowed to bleed out and die, no, it was left a closed stump. The wraith had shown no mercy, and he had used the man however he pleased, breaking will and spirit for no reason other than because he showed disobedience.

After he was finished dressing and dusting off any debris, Raze turned to look at the man on the ground. The Anzat walked over to survey his handiwork, thin rays of moonlight illuminating the pale skin of his prey marred by the marks he left there. Raze’s face contorted slightly, the tentacles he used to feast slipping out from the sides of his nose. He could practically taste the soldier already, prepared to devour. However, he paused then, thinking back to his grand designs and plans. This man could prove useful in other ways.

Without a word, he looked at the man’s stump, calling upon the darkest sides of the Force. There would be searing pain and agony, actually worse than what the man had suffered already. The sound of bones crunching and flesh twisting erupting unnaturally. Something protruded from the stump, and it was black and tar-like. It began to take shape, starting as fleshy liquid but forming into something sturdier. The shape changed into a new arm with digits formed. It was the arm of an abomination, but it was an arm nonetheless. Within moments, the color changed until it more closely resembled the man’s own arm, but it had faint black streaks where his veins used to be. The sight pleased Raze. So the man would survive the transformation after all.

“Get up,” The Anzat commanded, “I have further use for you.”

@Braden

 

[Julius Drake]

Julius’ mind was blank, all sense of time and space gone. He tried to think back about what had happened to him, but something deep inside had locked away all recognition of what just happened to him for now. All he could remember and feel was pain, suffering, humiliation, desperation and fear. Julius knew this night would haunt him for the rest of his life, defining what would become of the man and the paths he would tread and that it would unpack overtime, resorting him to the shell he was now again and again forever.

Although his body rived in pain, his voice screamed out, its hoarse shattered vocals cords grated and spent. Inside that closed off part of his mind which had blocked out the last of what happened, he sat silent, just staring at the porcelain devil which stood before him. Julius didn’t even look down at the weird abomination that was his new arm, he just stared blankly at the man. He just stood, not saying a word, his face blank, devoid of all feeling, Julius was a broken man, Raze could see it, savour it as his will. But for now he had his puppet.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

Raze brought the soldier along into his ship, taking them both back to his icy fortress on Hoth. The journey consisted of the wraith tinkering with the soldier’s newly formed arm. The soldier was permitted to eat and freshen up, but he was subjected to Raze continuing to fidget with the arm. It was the first time he had crafted flesh that was still bound to a living being. Julius having survived the ordeal meant it didn’t poison him to death.

“You really are quite remarkable,” The cruel Anzat said, giving a smile as he gazed into those emerald eyes that lost their fire. The wraith ran a cold finger along the forged arm, “Do you feel it?” He asked as he surveyed the black veins. That still needed some fixing - he needed the limbs to pass as real ones, “Flex your fingers,” He commanded.

The soldier was seated on an operating table. It was a modified chamber in the ship, and it was immaculate. Raze had conducted many experiments here, but all the blood and bits were always cleaned up meticulously. After all, he despised messes. The soldier was shirtless with pants on, and the wraith was standing before him as he tested his handiwork.

@Braden

 

[Julius Drake]

Spoiler: Trigger Warning: Self Harm

His collection from the surface was a blur, one moment he was standing within the confines of Serenno’s forest, the next he was in the shower. Water bouncing off his void face, that was the first time Julius tried to end his life on Raze’s ship. The former Sith Lord would be alerted by the sound of shattered glass, to be met by the sight of Julius trying to cut open his wrists, the new demonic arm didn’t budge under the broken glass but his human one bled just fine. But Julius was stopped before too much harm could be done or blood loss. After that the Imperial was constantly watched over by the droids in Raze’s care.

Food came next and before anything could be done with the cutlery he had been given, a handsy protocol droid removed it from his hand. Julius hardly ate the food given, wondering if perhaps starvation could end his suffering, it would be long and hard, his stomach was already grumbling not eating in over a day, but hopefully it wouldn’t be spotted by the nanny droids around him.

Shortly after he was placed on the operating table for the demonic creature to fiddle with his handy work. As Raze went to work, Julius stared down at his human arm, the bandage still fresh from earlier. The Bacta had worked its miracles but the skin was still fresh and weak it wouldn’t take much to reopen the wound. He nodded at the first question and followed the command without a word, his mind running through the laundry list of items he could use to end his suffering on the ship.

“What is your name?” He asked out of the blue, only so Julius knew what name to curse as he sunk into his grave.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

He was aware of all the silly attempts the soldier made, of course, and he was unconcerned. While he would be displeased by the loss of such a useful test subject, he wouldn’t lose sleep over it. Nevertheless, his droids worked around the clock to ensure the subject remained healthy and available.

Raze looked pleased when the soldier was able to successfully flex the digits and use the limb and feel touch. The Anzat was silent briefly after the soldier asked his question, his focus still on the arm. His fingernail traced along the veins, the black slowly disappearing beneath the skin so the arm looked no different than the soldier’s own.

It was then that he finally glanced up to meet the soldier’s gaze, the red eyes gleaming, “I possess many names,” He replied, “But you may be familiar with one…the galaxy calls me Darth Raze,” He answered. He used the Force to roll over a dummy droid.

“Think about what I have done to you and grasp that droid,” Raze said coolly as he stepped back. He said nothing else. The man only needed to fuel his emotions and gingerly grasp the droid. If he did it correctly, there would be a pulse shooting through the new arm. There would be inhuman strength that was powerful enough to crush the sturdy droid to dust without much effort. If the man refused to revisit those memories, Raze would force them into his mind and make him relive them.

@Braden

 

[Julius Drake]

His eyes grew wide when the man revealed his true name, a thousand terrible deeds had been placed on the name of Darth Raze and after the last twenty four hours, Julius believed every single one of them. If Julius ever had any doubt or hesitance on the Empire kicking the Order from their government, it all evaporated in that moment. It made sense, only someone as truly corrupt morally and mentally as a Sith could do the things that Raze did to him. For the first time since he lost his arm, Raze would finally see some fire and fight in the Serreenian’s eyes. The Sith had done this to him, had he been targeted because he was a member of the Imperial military? It made sense, some payback for what Altair and his faction did to them all. The thought that this was not just a random attack, but planned, helped in a strange way.

Julius flicked his gaze over to the training dummy, as raze stepped back, what had the Sith Lord done to him? What vile test was he trying to conduct? What was this arm? Although the arm was a near perfect copy of the one left on the forest floor it still felt strange to move. Heavy, with a cold ache running through its core, the closest thing he could assign it to was a dead arm, but he still had all the feeling on the skin and muscle like normal.

His mind was still closed to the true trauma of what happened in the forest so as he thought back Julius’ emotions did not flare like the Darth wanted and nothing fired from the hand as he gripped the training dummy firmly. Looking up Julius’ eyes locked onto the glowing crimson orbs of Raze’s and a momentary flash of disgust and anger flashed through his mind, before he looked away, afraid. But within that flash a small pulse of energy coursed through his arm and the fingers dug in deep into the metal, an audible crunch like a soda can echoed around the room. He tried to let go, shocked at what just happened but the metal at curled around his fingers and the dummy was attached to his arm. Panic washed over him as he tried to shake it off his demonic arm, his half-broken mind quickly flipped from panic, to fear and that flight or fight mentality once again kicked in.

A wave of adrenaline and emotion washed over him, the arm triggering its chaotic gifts as he violently shook his hand free. The droid was less crushed to dust but thrown across the room with tremendous force, crashing into the wall crumpling the droid to scrap and almost piercing the wall into the corridor outside.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

The wraith was pleased by what he witnessed. The droid collapsed into nothing, a feat most trained Force users wouldn’t accomplish so easily. It was comparable to the strength of the legendary crushgaunts that were mentioned in folktales. It would also send through Julius a surge of power he had never known before. He felt more than human.

Raze walked closer to the man, placing a hand either side of him on the table. The vibrant, red eyes were much closer now, the porcelain face haunting. His very presence would line the soldier’s bare skin with goosebumps. The wraith gazed at him in silence before speaking.

“Because you have pleased me, I give you a choice,” He said calmly, “You may live and belong to me. You will know strength beyond anything you were capable of before…or I will grant you the mercy of a quick death like you have been seeking.”

The Anzat, as detached as he was, would endorse either choice.

@Braden

 

[Julius Drake]

Julius stared down at his arm, grasping the unnatural flesh with his human hand. What was that? What had Raze done to him? It felt good for the first time since last night he was filled with a positive emotion, but he almost wanted to retch at the thought of what the Dark Lord had done to him. It was a curse what Raze had done to him, that was the best description he could think of as the man in question approached.

As Raze lent in, Julius subconsciously shifted back retreating away from the porcelain devil, his body went cold as he felt Raze’s breath kiss his cheek. His hands at his side he gripped the table tightly, fearful of what was about to happen, unknowingly his right hand had once again begun digging into the metallic table beneath him.

Then he spoke, his voice calm, polite and civil, everything the man was not. How many people had he fooled with that voice? How many had suffered like he had to this honey tongued devil?

Live as a slave, or die? That was the question, thirty minutes ago Julius would have greeted the quick death with open arms. But this arm, its strength and the revelation of who this man was gave him pause and doubt. Death was the easy way out, with a quick moment of satisfaction knowing it was all over. But the thrill of what just happened, the adrenaline dump that coursed through his body as he turned the droid into a crumpled mess against the wall, teased at the edge of his mind.

A hundred other thoughts, desires and dreams flashed through his mind as he tried to figure out what being a slave to this creature would mean and was death just easier. Finally it came down to one thing.

“What would you want of me?” He asked.

@Sreeya

 

[Darth Raze]

Humans were always curious creatures. They had their fights for freedom, but when the promise of power dangled before them, they were so easily seduced. He couldn’t entirely blame the soldier in this case - what Raze had crafted was far beyond what any other Force user in the galaxy could provide. It came from decades of learning and from digging through the mind of Veles, who had dedicated his entire life to alchemy.

The fear the man displayed sent that familiar jolt through Raze again, but he tempered it for now. Julius would feel the table bend and twist under the pressure of his fingers as if it was clay. The Anzat didn’t draw back, the icy chill he exuded enveloping the man and lining his skin.

“I will use you to perfect my art. I will change you into a superior version of the weak human you are now,” He said matter of factly, but still with that polite and regal tone as if he were discussing going out for tea, “If you show promise, you may command entire worlds and bring them to heel. You may also, should you please, return to your Imperial duties and find yourself ascending faster than imagined because of your unique abilities to dispose of the Sith," It would be the first revelation that Darth Raze was acting in his own interests and had no ties to the Sith Order. He didn't care if it was decimated.

Raze finally stepped back then, a glint in his crimson gaze as he imagined it all. He had many worlds to conquer. Byblos was just the first. Julius could push that agenda or return to his own, but he would be compelled to answer Raze when called for Raze's ambitions.

“And you will please me whenever I desire you,” He added flatly. There was no room for negotiating on this. It would let Julius know that every bit of him - mind, body and soul- would belong to Raze. However, the life he lived could exalt him to the heights of kings and emperors and with the personal power to destroy anyone and anything that stood in his way. Except for his Master.

@Braden