The One Armed Witch Part 2 Adapt

~\*{ THE ONE-ARMED WITCH }\*~

Part 2: Adapt

Location: Batorine

IC: Knight Bathori, Artifex Terrogate

~\*~

Blossom, by Kerli

https://youtu.be/Fhu2G-207Ko

~\*~

As the Iktotchi walked down the stairs she could hear the voices of her mate and the housecarl in the living area. “delete it Jovian, better not let her see it” she heard the Catharian say, his voice is calm and full of concern. “Yes sir, I will. I thought she might want to know..” the Echani replied. “I know, but it will probably upset her."  “what might upset me?” Mab asked as she entered the room. She held her hand up and at once the datapad that Jovian was holding was pulled from his hands and flown across the room into her golden claw. Her eyes pierced at Terrogate for a moment, showing her discontent “I don’t like it when you keep things from me.” She looked down at the datapad. ‘House Syn leadership tournament’ she read, at once she felt the fury inside of her ignite. With a growl she crushed the datapad in her Ultrachrome hand. “I was supposed to participate” she yelled and threw the crushed datapad at the wall, shattering it on impact. “It's ok, there will be other tournaments” the Catharian said, trying to calm her down. But her anger wasn’t just about the tournament, “look at me.. I can’t fight..  I’m useless” she responded in frustration. Terrogate stepped towards her, “you will find ways, you will Adapt.. I know you will” and he put his arms around her. Mab felt safe in his arm, her anger faded but it kept smouldering below the surface. Frustrated with her limitations...

\*

Later that day Knight Bathori had found her way to the stone circle a few clicks south of the house. The sun shone through the thick canopy of the forest, a gold beam of light caressed her face while she was sitting with her back against the tallest standing stone. Only a few months ago she visited the stone circle for the first time and had taken her apprentice there to practice her dueling skills. She felt proud then.

The anger inside her started to boil, Bathori’s apprentice had been executed for treason, something Ammit hadn’t seen coming. She doubted that anyone would want to be trained by her now, a one-armed failure. She took a deep breath trying to calm down, to find her focus to meditate. But the anger and frustrations kept flowing through her like a strong electric current.

As the witch closed her eyes she felt her connection with the force, with the dark side expanding, but that wasn’t the only thing that was growing. The ground beneath her started to tremble, the dirt was moving. Mab thought it was just the energy that resonated from her. Suddenly she heard something break through the earth and when she opened her eyes she saw brown vines shooting up

and in a perfect circle around her a wall was formed,  the vine leaves unfolding before her eyes. They stopped growing when she lost her focus, Bathori had seen this ability before she never knew that she had this ability inside her.

Again she focused on channelling her energy into the vines, at once they started to grow, bending and twisting until they formed a perfect green dome around her.

Pleased she looked at her work, realising this would be a useful skill for the one-armed witch. It would enable her to ensnare her opponents.

The following days she practiced her new ability until she mastered it

{Ability learned: Plant Surge, replacing precognition}

~\*~ ~\*~ ~\*~ ~\*~ ~\*~

“Higher" by GusGus ft Vök

https://youtu.be/8R3aQ-nRw9k

~\*~

After another day of mediation and training the Iktotchi witch stood before the large mirror in the bedroom. “Thank you for helping" she said softly to the Echani housecarl who was unclasping the belt buckles of her leather armour. “no problem Mistress, anything you need” he replied with a smile. Mab felt embarrassed and frustrated that she needed assistance with her clothes. It was so bad that she did not even want Terrogate to help her. She didn’t want him to see her undressed, even though she knew he had seen the damage when the wounds were still fresh.  Jovian removed the leather armour vest and placed it on the chair.

Mab looked at herself in the mirror as the housecarl started to unbuttoned her shirt. The right sleeve was folded inwards, they had to make adjustments to her armour because of the missing arm and shoulder. “You can go now” a voice said from the doorway, it was Terrogate “I will continue he added. Jovian looked at the Catharian and then back at Mab, “but.. ehm Mistress asked me.” “I know and I’m telling you otherwise.” He said as he approached them. “It’s ok.. I can manage the rest on my own" she said to both of them. “Mistress, are you sure?” the housecarl asked but before she could answer the Catharian warrior interrupted “you’re dismissed Jovian, please tend to you other responsibilities." His voice was sharp, it was clear he was unhappy with the Echani assisting her with her clothes. With a nod Jovian left the room, leaving the two of them alone.

Mab looked at him through the mirror “I can manage, it’s just the buckles that I have difficulty with" she said as she lifted her hand, using Telekinesis to untie the cords of her pants. “Why are you doing this?” he asked as he stood behind her, looking at her in the mirror. “I told you, the clasps are difficult to handle without hands" she replied as she avoided eye contact, feeling more and self-conscious. “You know what I’m talking about Mab.. You’re hiding yourself from me.” He paused, allowing her to respond but the Iktotchi remained silent as her face turned red. Standing closely behind her he reached around her and started to unbutton her shirt “I don’t care how you look.” She looked away as he opened the last button, revealing her scarred body. A tear rolled down her cheek as he gently removed her shirt. “To me you are beautiful” her eyes moved to the mirror, he smiled at her.  She looked at her disfigured body, the skin’s scar tissue was still darker than the rest of her pale skin. “I can still feel my arm you know... I sometimes forget it’s not there and I try to grab something or want to hold my children and.. ...” more tears started to pour from her eyes. Suddenly her face changed “just look at it” her voice was bitter as she looked at the scar “I look hideous.. like a failure.” Terrogate shook his head “don’t say that, you made one mistake, not many would be able to survive the punishment you had to endure for it.” As he spoke he turned her around and held her by her waist “you will adapt, and become stronger then you’ve ever been. I know you will” He pulled her close and held her in his embrace.

\*

When the Catharian left the room, Bathori was still standing before the mirror. She was wearing nightgown that showed her deformed figure. The tears where gone, but her anger was still there. The Iktotchi looked at her reflection, she remembered the words of the one who took her arm. “If you ever take steps to replace it, I will be back.”

Mab sighed and closed her eyes, imagining herself whole again. With her cold Ultrachrome hand she touched what was left of her shoulder, sliding down as if she was following the shape of her natural arm. In her mind the image was so clear, she could feel the skin as her smooth golden finger slid over it.

When the witch opened her eyes and looked at her reflection she could see what she’d look like if her arm was still there. She smiled at the vision, only softly, knowing that she will never get her arm back.

In her reflection her left hand was still caressing her arm when she saw her son, Kas’sparr entered the room. He froze when he saw her, a surprised expression on his face, “your arm.. how??” his jaw dropped. Mab looked at him, wondering what had surprised him “what’s wrong?” “Your arm.. it is back" he replied as the blue skinned boy approached her. The Iktotchi looked down at her arm, discovering that her right arm was back. “What??” she was in shock just like her boy but when she wanted to touch it the arm faded “no no no don’t go." Kas’sparr stood next to her “how did you do that?” “I don’t... I don’t know... I was imagining having my arm back" she replied feeling confused about what had just happened. “Try it again" the boy suggested.

She nodded, and took a deep breath, imagining having her arm back. Nothing happened at first, which frustrated the witch. Angry she clenched her jaw and focused harder on her desire.

A tingling sensation appeared in the right side of her body, she could feel her arm as of it was there. Like before she moved the shimmering Ultrachrome hand over her arm socket as if she brushed it over her actual arm. “it’s working” Kas’Spar's eyes widened. As her golden had moved over the space of her missing arm a new one started to appear. She could even feel the cold touch of the Ultrachrome as it slid down the arm. The blue Iktotchi reached out, curiously touching it with his index finger “I can feel it" he said and placed his hand on the arm. Mab smiled, “so can I" and turned towards him. She reached for his face, gently brushing his cheek “I can feel you.” Filled with happiness she laughed, it was the first time in two months that she was able to touch her son. She moved the hand through his hair and over his horn. “You have to show Terrogate, mom” the boy said and ran out of the room.

Moments later Kas’sparr returned with Terrogate. His eyes lit up when he saw the illusion. “How did you..?” he asked and grabbed the hand “it feels so real.” His eyes looked up at her, happy and confused. “My deep desire to have my arm back manifested itself into an Illusion.” She replied and she moved her golden hand over the illusion again, it looked the same but when she held her hand up sharp golden nails protracted from the tips of her fingers. Both her son and mate looked at it with awe. The Catharian touched the tip of the nails, he flinched as it stung “it feels so real.” She smiled, letting go of her focus the arm faded before their eyes.

The next weeks the Iktotchi witch practiced with her new skill in an attempt to master it.

{Ability learned: Sith Illusions, replacing Postcognition}

Art: unknown