Sianid Ascendant: Chapter 15
Sianid stood in front of Dianiss' body. Victory at last.
She leaned down to look Dianiss directly in the face, and with a smile, whisper, "It's time for you to die now."
Using the original artifact that she had retreived for Darth Zash those many years ago, she reached out in the Force to find it, and project a virtual bolt of lightning from herself to it, through it, to Dianiss. As the connection was made, she could feel the power of that connection growing.
The connection continued to grow and encompass the both of them into a giant ball of power that allowed her to feel the presence of Dianiss--and her power--begin to merge with her own self.
The feeling was intoxicating, like the original feeling of being inside Dianiss' body back on Tython, but a thousand times more pure and more natural. She felt that same consuming flame wash up over her and take its place within her. The feeling of heat washed up over her again, but this time it was hot without being stifling. She laughed out loud, uncontrollably. The overwhelming feeling of JOY was simply too much to resist.
There was another odd sensation developing, too: the odd feeling of being in two places at once. She could feel the cold stone of the altar against her back, and feel the downward pull of gravity from behind her as if she herself were lying on the altar. She guessed that just as Dianiss' power was being transferred to her, some of herself must be transferring to Dianiss.
And, like back on Ilum, she felt the tenuous connection to Dianiss from the possession ritual strengthen, and call out to her, inviting her in. She could feel that it strengthened her even as it pulled on her.
No matter, that connection would not be needed any longer. She enjoyed the strengthening sensation a few moments more before she started concentrating on severing the connection for good.
That connection, however, did not break. Instead, it drew power from the merger that was happening through the ancient relic. The more she pulled back from it, the stronger its pull became.
The sensation of being inside Dianiss' body began to fade, but with it, the sensation of being inside her OWN body as well. She started feeling light-headed, just as she had when she was possessing Dianiss and her ship was about to crash on Ilum. Slowly, but steadily, everything around her faded EXCEPT for the all-consuming flame, which grew to surround her and become . . . everything.
--
"All right, you, this had better work." Violet said to herself, as she took aim and fired the dart at Zarvell.
It was an easy shot, since both of them were stationary, so she was able to be precise enough to put the needle into the back of his neck . . . in a location that would inject the serum--whatever it was--directly into his spine for maximum effect.
--
Kari had her stealth generator turned up to its highest setting so that it would form a much larger stealth field--enough to encompass Galadina, Denevee, Zedemm and Talos Drellik--as they made their way down the curving hallway to the chamber entrance.
They all arrived just in time to see that Zarvell was lying on the ground unconscious, and Sianid was floating above the floor, screaming.
--
Zarvell woke up a bit disoriented, but knew the feeling of his own stimulant well, and quickly pieced together what had happened. He'd been hit by something, no doubt a neuro-toxin of some sort, and now was being woken up by the powerful stimulant. And even though he was now awake, his body still felt completely numb and he still could not move. It would have to be enough. The stimulant would only keep him awake temporarily, so he'd have to work fast.
The sound of Sianid's screaming, followed by the sound of Sianid's screaming CEASING, told him the essential thing he needed to know. The ritual had gone wrong . . . at least, from Sianid's point of view.
Unable to move or even open his eyes, Zarvell reached out with the Force to detect who all were present. Naturally, Sianid, Ashara, Khem, and Qyzen were still there--he had seen them all with his own eyes before he'd been shot.
Above, he could feel the presence of Violet'ence. She was nervous. Just behind him, he could sense the rest of his allies: Denevee, Drellik, Zedemm, Galadina, Kari'arra.
And of course, the presence of Dianiss--merging with Sianid--was unmistakable, the proverbial 'Mammoth Icetromper in the room'.
As he changed the focus of his search, he felt outward for the subtle 'sounds' of electricity and it's flow. Sure enough, beyond the roar of Sianid's ritual, he could just detect the presence of Sianid's assassin droid off to the side, the last thing he heard before succumbing. He cursed himself for allowing himself to be taken by surprise like that, over something as simple as being blind to the presence of a non-living being. Had he been aware, he probably could have deflected it with his lightsaber. He'd planned to have more time before needing to be hit with the stimulant, and now that precious time was running short.
No point in worrying, what's done is done. He reached out to Denevee to make contact in the Force, and gently whispered to her "Show me."
--
Denevee felt her old master's presence around her and was relieved to know he was still alive, if unmoving. She also heard his plea to see the world of the Force through her eyes. She quickly sat, closed her eyes, and reached out in the Force to view the world around her in its purest, truest form. She embraced Zarvell's presence so that he would be an active, rather than passive part of that world for her, just like back on Ilum.
--
By now, Sianid herself had already collapsed on the floor in front of the altar, and Ashara, Zash, and Khem were looking back and forth at each other, wondering what to do. In the chaos, they hardly noticed the appearance of five newcomers to the room. Ashara and Zash ran to check on Sianid, while Khem went immediately to Dianiss.
Dianiss' eyes were open. In them, there was an unworldly glow that pulsated a ghostly bright blood-red color, like a flame. As she began to stand, the Force presence she manifested was so strong that even Kari and Drellik could just barely sense it.
When she spoke, it was slow and deliberate.
"At long last, my power is in my possession. My destiny is fulfilled. Bow down before me, and I will make your deaths . . . quick."
She leaned down to look Dianiss directly in the face, and with a smile, whisper, "It's time for you to die now."
Using the original artifact that she had retreived for Darth Zash those many years ago, she reached out in the Force to find it, and project a virtual bolt of lightning from herself to it, through it, to Dianiss. As the connection was made, she could feel the power of that connection growing.
The connection continued to grow and encompass the both of them into a giant ball of power that allowed her to feel the presence of Dianiss--and her power--begin to merge with her own self.
The feeling was intoxicating, like the original feeling of being inside Dianiss' body back on Tython, but a thousand times more pure and more natural. She felt that same consuming flame wash up over her and take its place within her. The feeling of heat washed up over her again, but this time it was hot without being stifling. She laughed out loud, uncontrollably. The overwhelming feeling of JOY was simply too much to resist.
There was another odd sensation developing, too: the odd feeling of being in two places at once. She could feel the cold stone of the altar against her back, and feel the downward pull of gravity from behind her as if she herself were lying on the altar. She guessed that just as Dianiss' power was being transferred to her, some of herself must be transferring to Dianiss.
And, like back on Ilum, she felt the tenuous connection to Dianiss from the possession ritual strengthen, and call out to her, inviting her in. She could feel that it strengthened her even as it pulled on her.
No matter, that connection would not be needed any longer. She enjoyed the strengthening sensation a few moments more before she started concentrating on severing the connection for good.
That connection, however, did not break. Instead, it drew power from the merger that was happening through the ancient relic. The more she pulled back from it, the stronger its pull became.
The sensation of being inside Dianiss' body began to fade, but with it, the sensation of being inside her OWN body as well. She started feeling light-headed, just as she had when she was possessing Dianiss and her ship was about to crash on Ilum. Slowly, but steadily, everything around her faded EXCEPT for the all-consuming flame, which grew to surround her and become . . . everything.
--
"All right, you, this had better work." Violet said to herself, as she took aim and fired the dart at Zarvell.
It was an easy shot, since both of them were stationary, so she was able to be precise enough to put the needle into the back of his neck . . . in a location that would inject the serum--whatever it was--directly into his spine for maximum effect.
--
Kari had her stealth generator turned up to its highest setting so that it would form a much larger stealth field--enough to encompass Galadina, Denevee, Zedemm and Talos Drellik--as they made their way down the curving hallway to the chamber entrance.
They all arrived just in time to see that Zarvell was lying on the ground unconscious, and Sianid was floating above the floor, screaming.
--
Zarvell woke up a bit disoriented, but knew the feeling of his own stimulant well, and quickly pieced together what had happened. He'd been hit by something, no doubt a neuro-toxin of some sort, and now was being woken up by the powerful stimulant. And even though he was now awake, his body still felt completely numb and he still could not move. It would have to be enough. The stimulant would only keep him awake temporarily, so he'd have to work fast.
The sound of Sianid's screaming, followed by the sound of Sianid's screaming CEASING, told him the essential thing he needed to know. The ritual had gone wrong . . . at least, from Sianid's point of view.
Unable to move or even open his eyes, Zarvell reached out with the Force to detect who all were present. Naturally, Sianid, Ashara, Khem, and Qyzen were still there--he had seen them all with his own eyes before he'd been shot.
Above, he could feel the presence of Violet'ence. She was nervous. Just behind him, he could sense the rest of his allies: Denevee, Drellik, Zedemm, Galadina, Kari'arra.
And of course, the presence of Dianiss--merging with Sianid--was unmistakable, the proverbial 'Mammoth Icetromper in the room'.
As he changed the focus of his search, he felt outward for the subtle 'sounds' of electricity and it's flow. Sure enough, beyond the roar of Sianid's ritual, he could just detect the presence of Sianid's assassin droid off to the side, the last thing he heard before succumbing. He cursed himself for allowing himself to be taken by surprise like that, over something as simple as being blind to the presence of a non-living being. Had he been aware, he probably could have deflected it with his lightsaber. He'd planned to have more time before needing to be hit with the stimulant, and now that precious time was running short.
No point in worrying, what's done is done. He reached out to Denevee to make contact in the Force, and gently whispered to her "Show me."
--
Denevee felt her old master's presence around her and was relieved to know he was still alive, if unmoving. She also heard his plea to see the world of the Force through her eyes. She quickly sat, closed her eyes, and reached out in the Force to view the world around her in its purest, truest form. She embraced Zarvell's presence so that he would be an active, rather than passive part of that world for her, just like back on Ilum.
--
By now, Sianid herself had already collapsed on the floor in front of the altar, and Ashara, Zash, and Khem were looking back and forth at each other, wondering what to do. In the chaos, they hardly noticed the appearance of five newcomers to the room. Ashara and Zash ran to check on Sianid, while Khem went immediately to Dianiss.
Dianiss' eyes were open. In them, there was an unworldly glow that pulsated a ghostly bright blood-red color, like a flame. As she began to stand, the Force presence she manifested was so strong that even Kari and Drellik could just barely sense it.
When she spoke, it was slow and deliberate.
"At long last, my power is in my possession. My destiny is fulfilled. Bow down before me, and I will make your deaths . . . quick."
| Behind the Scenes: * I am, of course, making a lot of this up. But in spite of that, I do try to be true to the game mechanics as much as possible. This time, it takes the form of Kari (a Scoundrel) using Smuggle to hide the rest of the group temporarily. * Icetrompers are found on Hoth. It's the biggest in-game creature I could find that isn't a World Boss. Plus, it kind of looks like an elephant. Hey, I'm trying to make an in-universe idiom here! |
| Notes from the Future: * I originally referred to Zarvell's dart-delivered stim as a "Resolve Stim" which today is just pointless. |