Shadows Of Lehon - Chapter Four

 Chapter Four

Waking was…painful. It took several attempts - fading in and out of consciousness… one of her eyes was covered by a bacta patch, the overwhelming smell was evident to that. And she could feel the sticky, gel like substance in various places all over her body…ribs, shoulders, even one down on her thigh where heavy metal like boots had relentlessly kicked and bruised. That’s right, she was being ganged up on by a bunch of brutes a moment ago… this revelation sunk in and suddenly panic leapt down the back of her throat as she bolted up and cried out in terror! Reflexively she scurried back only to be halted by a wall of cold stone.

Heart racing, lungs pounding in panicked gulps…Triss looked around at her current surroundings. This wasn’t the loading bay….no ship, supply crates, droids, or violent thugs in sight. Instead what she saw was a rather dark and dreary room. Cabinets, tables, desks and drawers were all cluttered in an ‘organized mess’  parchments, books and old tomes laid in towering piles.  Not to mention all of the jars and vials…similar to the one’s she found on that freighter. 

Is this where those strange objects were being sent to? What exactly was this place? She was alive…right? A fresh jolting sting swiftly answered that question as she bent forward across her own knees, hands gripping her ribs that throbbed in pain. “Well…This is a disaster…” she groaned to herself.  

Reluctantly, Triss removed the blankets that covered her and achingly shifted herself off the bed. Her legs barely kept her upright as she gripped the wall. First things first, she needed to get out of here. Emerald eyes first glanced towards the door…but was quickly dismissed ‘No, there are probably guards out there, or those thugs…’

A breeze fluttered in, disturbing some of the parchments and kissed fresh against her exposed battered skin. It had a unique feel to it, muggy almost with the tast of salt in the air… yet something sweet carried with it…something a Taris native like herself wouldn’t be able to comprehend, something…alive.

Following the source, small hands pushed aside a tattered cloth that separated the room from the bay window that led out onto a tiny deck. Out here, the breeze was stronger, pulling and tugging at her as if it were a siren calling her to the deck's edge.

Her heart caught in her throat, a huge lump forming as she peered nervously down. The drop from the railing spiraled down several hundred feet before meeting with one of the landing platforms…and it only continued down from there.

“Woah...”

She gasped as she placed her fingers on the railing and leaned forward a bit to get a better look. Large jungles loomed off in the distance, creating an array of shadows swaying in the wind.  At the monstrous feet of the jungle lapped a vast ocean that stretched out as far as the eye could see. When she brought her sites in closer, her vision took in the large pillars and structures that created the beauty of the rakata temple. It was all so alien to her, so amazing and awe inspiring.

“What are you doing out of bed?”

A male’s voice questioned forcefully behind her. Triss jumped and spun around to behold the obscured face of a teenage boy, his hands gripping a tray of food and drink. So, there were other kids here her age? Setting the tray down on one of the desks he began to approach her, forcing her to back into the rail nervously. He was just a kid, like her. Well, maybe he was a few years older…he couldn’t be that scary though “S-so? What’s it to you?” she asked, glancing back at the drop behind her, separated only by the stone railing she leaned against. Whatever, she had to be brave if she planned to escape. Squaring off her shoulders and raising her chin in defiance she glared at the boy that approached.

“If my Master finds you snooping about and damaging yourself more” He answered sternly, reaching out to grab her wrist and pull her away from the rail - concerned she might try something stupid if he didn’t “He'll kill me for sure!”

“Ow! Hey!” Triss objected as she struggled weakly against his firm grip. Her feet tripped over themselves as he roughly dragged her back into the room and back towards the bed. Digging her heels in, Triss yanked back on the grip and since he wasn’t expecting resistance her wrist came free of his hold. Turning to chastise her resistance he instead found a hand slapping across his cheek as she shouted in demand “Don't. Ever… touch me again! You hear me?” Her finger was now jabbing into his chest in a show of some childish defiance. 

Emerald eyes however grew wide as the very air seemed to crackle and snap. The boy’s long fingers and strong grip suddenly clamped around her neck and squeezed tightly, cutting off her air supply as she quickly struggled to free herself - clawing at the wraps and gloves that covered his hands and arms, her feet slowly lifting off the ground as if she were a meer feather to him. Slowly, his face became level with hers, nose to nose as his menacing glare cut right into her terrified gaze  “While you are here, girl” he hissed slowly and clearly so that she would understand his words “You.  Will obey the wishes of your Master…” A smile appeared then.  A sly and wicked grin as he mocked her own words “Do you hear me?”

It was at this time that Lord Mainyu walked into the main bedroom near the summit of the Rakata temple, his room. He claimed it when he first arrived, no one challenged him for it and it is likely no one ever will. Exile afforded few luxuries.  

“I thought I told you not to damage her.” Mainyu growled as he reached out through the force and applied pressure to the teen’s neck. Keiji immediately let the girl go, causing her to fall to the floor gasping for air.

“Now.” He hissed and with a swipe of his hand sent the boy crashing into the doorway “You will leave her to me.”

“Y..Yes, Master!” He managed to cry out as he scrambled up onto his knees and quickly scurried out of the chambers and away from his Lord's rage.

Mainyu watched as the boy fled, sighing “Why Is it so hard to follow a simple set of directions?” Glancing back he watched as the girl cowered back into a corner, gasping and clutching her throat if terror. Who the heck was this guy!? All dark robed and terrifying looking!? Using some sort of magic to toss people about… and that thing at the docks, that was him too! No way… 

Turning his attention to the girl he looked down at his new apprentice and smiled “Ah, I must have forgotten my manners” placing a hand on his chest in introduction he continued “I am Darth Mainyu, Sith Lord. Welcome to your new home.”

Triss blinked in confusion, this sudden change in demeanor was off putting “H-home?” she rasped, what exactly did he mean by that? This wasn’t home… home was a place you stayed at, a place you entrusted your security and life with… where you could relax and let your guard down.  This was most certainly no ‘home.’  “Who says I’m s-staying here!?” she asked in a less than defiant tone that squeaked in betrayal of her own fear, the problem was, there was no way to escape from here.  This man turned thugs into dust and threw them about without even touching. 

Lord Mainyu however merely laughed as he watched her “You don’t get it do you child?” He chuckled with amusement “I saved your life.  That makes it mine.” Tisking silently he continued “We both know that you have nowhere to go. Why don’t you just accept your fate? It’s not like you have a whole lot of options.”

Well, he wasn’t wrong there. She doubted he would just let her slip back onto one of those freighters and scurry back to Taris, and from what she saw outside…this temple was the only place of residence. She had no clue how one would survive in a jungle or the ocean, she had never even seen one before! Not to mention the boy she met earlier, and those thugs, was everyone in this temple bullies and brutes? And if so, they were all fearful of this guy. Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad Idea to have him on her side…for now… but first, she needed to determine what exactly it was this guy wanted from her “What…fate, exactly?” she questioned cautiously.

“Why, to learn the ways of the Force, and become my apprentice.” Lord Mainyu smiled. 

“The…huh?” Triss blinked, she felt like he had just dropped some deadpan joke in the middle of such a serious situation. The Force? Surely he wasn’t being serious….The Force was just a fantastical story for old men and grizzled war veterans to entertain unruly children. “Are you mad? Th-e Force isn’t real...” Although, her voice didn’t quite match the resolve of her own thoughts. Afterall, how else could she explain the strange and terrible things she had witnessed of late?

“Oh no child, the Force is very real.” Lord Mainyu insisted as he stepped towards her. Triss gasped and retreated back into the corner she was cowering in. `Please don’t come closer!’ her terrified green eyes seemed to say.  To that he laughed as he continued to approach “The Dark Side of the Force, my child, can give you powers that even you can’t imagine.” He took another step closer, his crimson eyes looking directly at her “I can see it in your eyes, you are afraid. What if I told you that I can give you the power so you will never be afraid again?”

He took another step closer, his voice deepening, reverberating and penetrating… “You saw what I did out there. I used fear to my advantage. How did you feel when those men attacked you?” She didn’t answer, nor did he expect her to…right now she was watching him like a frozen rabbit being stalked by a predator “I can teach you to tap into a power that will make sure you never feel helpless again. That’s it, isn’t it? All your life, you’ve felt helpless, weak. That’s why you’re here, because you are running away. But you’re tired of running away aren’t you?” His words were slowly reaching her, he could feel it. To add a more personal touch, Mainyu placed his hand under the trembling girl's chin and raised her head up ever so slightly so that she was forced to face him, his thumb rubbing along her jawline in an almost affectionate manner. She was not yet keen to the Force and its influence, but at this moment it was incredibly dense… weaving into her heart, tempting, encouraging…. She felt, empowered almost, like something stood before her, wrapping her into a blanket of confidence and bravery.  “If you follow me, child. You will never have to run again.”

The Sith smiled, and slowly knelt in front of her, maintaining this connection and contact “I can promise you all of that, If you only bow to me and become my apprentice.” His smile was infectious and encouraged her to slowly let her guard down.

“I...don’t want to be afraid anymore.” she admitted her voice a breathy whisper as if it was almost unlike her own… emerald eyes locked with crimson as if both were under a spell….

It was as if an eternity hung between them…and then it slowly faded and the connection drifted apart. A breath of fresh air dragging into burning lungs from holding her breath for so long.  His hand lowered from its perch as he stood and backed away from her “You wont.” he promised. Allowing her a chance to regain her own center, a chance to recover that defiant individuality that made her…her - Not influenced by his presence. “While you are here, you will not leave the temple unattended. There are dangerous creatures here...dangerous people as well. We would not wish to see you harmed after only just arriving. Obey my wishes and do exactly what I ask of you….That is all that is expected, for now...”

As he spoke, he began to depart towards the door and Triss felt a new sense of insecurity bubble up inside of her. If he left, that boy might return! Or those thugs! She didn’t know where to she was and while this man was quite terrifying, he clearly wasn’t going to hurt her. “Ah!” she held out a hand, only to feel her cheeks suddenly flush hotly. What was the matter with her? So what if he left? She liked being left alone, being alone presented favorable opportunities, so, shey would she want this creepy old dude to stay?! “Um..err...It’s just that…” he green eyes quickly glanced about the place, searching for an excuse for her own behavior. Lowering her voice she muttered “...Th-this is your room, right? Umm..” she glanced at the bed, the only bed in the room…not that she wanted to share it with this guy!   “Where…should I sleep?”

Mainyu raised a brow as he paused by the door.  Reaching a hand out towards his large bed, an old spare blanket magically rose up from the post and fluttered across the room to fall atop her head where she was cowering between wall and desk.  It was far enough away from his bed to keep his privacy, but not so far that he wouldn't lose sight of her. 

Pulling the blanket off her head she gazed in confusion at the old thing and back up at him. It only took a moment to figure out what he was implying. Her face seemed to screw up with various thoughts and emotions. Wasn’t he just saying he wanted to teach her? And yet he wanted her to sleep on the cold stone floor in the corner of his chambers?! Ah, but… if he had asked her to use the bed she would have refused, and well… the floor was better than nothing…she supposed. Sighing, Triss pulled the blanket over her and slumped down against the wall in a little reluctant pout. For now, she was alive. So, she couldn’t exactly complain.

A smirk appeared at the corner of Mainyus lips as he nodded his approval and silently left without another word.