Visiting the Past to Find A Future

**VISIT THE PAST TO FIND THE FUTURE**

Late 155ABY

(Terrogate feels stuck in his training, with no direction)

Terrogate walks through the jungle section of The Hand, the main planet-ship of House Feros. It is late in the evening, the central and largest section of the massive ship is home to the house Oberlutnant knight Meliae, but he needed to be here, amongst the familiar scent of the trees and the sounds of the insects and animals. He felt total calm, a rare moment in which to gather and to centre his thoughts. His mind had been worried as of late. Something in the back of his subconscious continually tugs at him, dragging him down, making him slow and doubtful in his abilities.

His training had stalled. His learnings which had at first been so rapid onboard the ship and out in the Empire itself, have now slowed to a painstaking crawl. Limited by the effects of external influences, the seduction of waxing the intellectual with Sith who claim to know much, yet share little other than the smothering, sickening clouds of their own vanity. Enveloping everyone who dares to engage, clouding the mind and the clarity he needed to be at his best for his master and himself have proven nothing but problematic for him. He should have known, his Master and Lord Solus had both warned him against it yet he did not heed their advice as he should have. He was a slow learner when it came to this it seemed. And he was paying the price.

But that was not his only problem, he no longer feels the force in him running freely as it once had like a wild predator in the night. The flame which once burned inside him as a white-hot rage behind his eyes and in the very fibers of his muscles, now only a candle's soft flicker in the vast darkness. He felt numb in his mind and his soul. He hated it. The utter and all-encompassing uncertainty, the crushing inner defeat despite his attempts to get ahead financially and personally. He did not feel himself, he felt less than that, he felt like a husk of the proud Catharian he once saw in the mirror and he needed a solution to this problem. He needed to find a route to his inner passion. To feel that fire once more burning inside him.

The Catharian fears that if he can not, and soon, that it will surely mean his death. Their was no place for weakness here, and what dared to be weak once identified was snuffed out of existence quickly by the more than willing Sith hordes.

He needed to find an answer, so he has decided to go to the place where he had once felt the power of the dark side surge inside him, be it all of just a few moments, but one that had a profound and lasting effect on him.

He walks quietly through the jungle brushing the flora with his hands softly as he passes by, the deep blue twinkling twilight of the canopy is soothing, the brightly illuminated plants seem to guide his way through the darkness. Not that he needed them with his feline eyes yet they were welcomed and lifted his spirits. He could see why Knight Meliae chose this as her home, there was much of her spirit engrained here too, whether or not she had purposfully projected any of herself onto the space he did not know.

Deeper into the jungle he travels until he sees his intended location peeking up through the thick trees. The temple of Typhojem the left-handed God he had visited in his first few days at Feros as a brand new Apprentice.

He approaches the temple that was built by Lord Feros during the construction of the Hand. He remembers the Oberlutnants words as he pushes open it's large heavy creaking doors.

”Typhojem Is one of the many celestials that the universe worships. He is harsh and ghastly and wreaks havoc all around him, for he is steeped in the dark side. I pray to him to strengthen my connection to the dark side of the force."

He was hoping that what it was he was looking for may be found inside, he needed it to be.

He lights a torch that sat at the foot of the enterece and holds it in front of him, the flames cause shadows to dance on the stone walls and floor, he takes a deep breath, and into the dark temple he walks.

It is cool inside, the air is slightly stale with the mixed aroma of old blood and the moss-covered walls, it is completely dark except for the light of his torch.

He moves through the rooms, his Catharian feet light on the stone floor barely making a sound. The amulet around his neck feels warm, he thinks he feels it vibrate slightly as he approaches the meditation room. He steps from the hallway and into the central chamber, the room opens up before him into a wide open space.

Large dark brown stains mark the stone floor indicating that much blood was spilled here. A great solid granite rectangular altar is prominent in it's centre. Above them is an enormous mural on the upper wall stretching onto the ceiling itself.

There were no torches in the room, only one opening in the rooms ceiling above the alter. As if the sacrifices could travel through the hollow towards Typhojem himself.

Mirrors could be seen spaced around the room which allowed the reflection of the sky light to set the whole room aglow. It was an ancient technique that was invented specifically for areas with limited access to light.

The chamber was vast, with black vines crawling up all of the walls. Their growth pattern followed the edges of the dark grey stones, as if the stones themselves guided their growth.

Terrogate raises his torch to better see the painting, the great God Typhojem standing proudly, in the raging sea. He places his torch in the holder at the entrance and moves to the altar, hands outstretched touching it's smooth surface. He lies down on the cool slab of granite, he is on his back looking up to the small opening above him, the night's stars visible and twinkling, he sees his breatha warm moisture against the cool night air as he breathes. He closes his eyes and lets his mind take him back to that day he was here last, the day of his very first kill. The chiss priestess.

~\*~

”Oberlutnant Meliae speaks to the Feros members….”

“Before you stand many priests willing to lay their life on the line for the great god. Today, you will take one of their lives in sacrifice to the great house of Feros and the Left handed god himself. There is a caveat, you cannot do it forcefully. With that being said, I will leave you to it.

She looked towards the priests right next to her, she had already spoken to him earlier. He nodded to her and raised his hands with an exclamation so loud one would think he wanted his proclamation to reach the left handed god himself.

With a moment, the priest was ensnared in vines and hoisted high into the air. Her thorns dug into his main arteries and blood began to pour into large ceremonial bowls. As his life force drained from his body, she snapped his neck. The body went limp but gravity continued to drain blood from the sacrifices body. The blood trickled down her vines and began to cover the Sylphes head, she let out a terrifying tribal yell as her flowers were bloodstained once more. The sound reverberated through the Chambers, as she recalled her first kill for this wasn't the first time her flowers has been drenched in ceremonial blood before this altar. She looked at her charges with glowing Amber eyes, “your turn,” she said with a devilish grin.

Terrrogate stepped forward and approached a Priestess, a Chiss... her glowing red eyes were twin beacons under her robes hood highlighting her smooth blue face. Between 20 and 25 years in age he guessed. Despite Terrogate’s size she did not seem afraid, she was void of emotion.. although Chiss were known to be able to hide emotions Terrogate could tell... she was ready to lay down her life for her God and Master. He addressed her directly.

“Priestess, from the force we are made, and to the force we shall return.. Are you ready to sacrifice yourself and become one with the Darkside in the name of Typhojem the Left handed God, here in this his Temple?”

The woman stood quietly as the Apprentice approached her. She had heard rumors of one of the leaders of the house taking a new apprentice, and this must have been him. Years she had worked to avoid emotion. To force it from her mind so that she may better serve her true God and serve him properly. 'Was now the time for her to join him? Was this the being to send her to him? Perhaps.' The woman lowered her head as the apprentice spoke. He spoke the truth in that we are all of the force, but was it truly a sacrifice to be sent to one's God? 'No. It's an honor and a dream.'

"Apprentice to the Knight Deleritas I assume? If it be the Lord Typhojem's will I will gladly join him today, however, if you are to do the deed and complete your task then I demand that it is done in a way that I choose. I wish for electricity to end my life. If you can do that then you have my permission."

Terrogate listened to the young Chiss priestess and answered. “Yes it is I, I trust you know why I have come.. And that our meeting is the will of the force...” She nodded, “I do..” she replied, the Chiss priestess laid bare her request Terrogate , although her words held weight she still showed no emotions at all, at least physically. He moved closer to her ever still, until he could see her breath among the chill of the temples cool air. His near 7 foot broad frame dwarfed her, he was smooth and calm in his movements, silent, patient.

Both intrigued at her willingness to die at a moment’s notice and impressed by her unquestionable dedication to her god and master Terrogate took the opportunity to try and understand more about her and the order before he took her life.

“Look here girl”, he said gesturing upwards to the enormous mural on the ceiling of the Temple. The picture showed the God Typhojem, massive, like a mountain in a raging sea. There was also a boat, with 2 humanoid sailors pointing at him, the sky blackened and thunderous..  Terrogate spoke again.. “Tell me what you see, do you invasion yourself on the boat…? do you think you can navigate your way to your God before the sea takes you..?”

“No”… she said, and looked up at Terrogate for the first time showing emotion in her eyes, focused, certain.. again she spoke, “I AM the boat.”  The sky and sea are the force and I am a vessel cast on its waves… it doesn’t matter if I am empty or full, if I am complete or broken the current of the force is all powerful and guides me to my Master, I will wash ashore the beach of the All Mighty Left Handed God and he will see me, whole or in a thousand pieces it matters not... and I will be one with him.”

She reaches out towards Terrogate with her left hand balled into a fist. She opens her hand and in her open palm is an amulet on a chain with the depiction of Typhojem’s symbol on it. “Here, I want you to have this and remember this day always, that there is a greater power, that he rules supreme and we are all his servants , vessels,  just waiting be set out to sea and find our way back to him..”

Terrogate reaches out and takes the amulet, it’s gold with black and green etchings, the chain is made from a metal he has not seen before, it is red like wild fire .. like the priestess eyes.... it’s beautiful..  “Thank you”, says Terrogate. I shall indeed remember this day, and I will wear this in honour of you dedication and your gift to your God and Maser. He turns the amulet over and on the back is a small etching in the bottom.. It says “Deyja”. Terrogate assumes this is the Chiss priestess name but he does not ask. He places the amulet around his neck asks “Are you ready to ascend.”

She says nothing but looks upwards, towards the roof, towards the mural of her god Typhojem and the raging sea… she raises her arms to it, unblinking she chants.. Softly at first but her voice slowly grows louder at each repeat of her words… “ I am the vessel, I am the vessel, I AM THE VESSEL!!”

Terrogate positions himself behind the Priestess, holds his hands just inches from each side of her head… still she chants, faster and faster… Terrogate closes his eyes and summons in the dark side of the force, he waits until he feels it in his muscles, filling his very fibers , everything and everyone in the temple has faded away , it’s just him and the Priestess’s chants in his mind.. And at once Terrogate unleashes a blast of lighting from his hands, into the Chiss Priestess and her body tenses and convulses with the electricity emanating from Terrogates hands now running through her system… after a few seconds Terrogate can no longer sustain the stress and he releases… The Priestesses body slumps to the cold stone floor of the temple.. steaming and burnt… dead. He tucks the amulet back into his robes, silently he turns back to the waiting Ferosians, his mind on her words…

~\*~

Terrogate opens his eyes, still lying flat on his back he grabs the amulet with his large clawed hand. It is hot to the touch, and it vibrates under his grip. He looks up to the mural, the shadows flickering across it. He understands in a moment of clarity that he is not lost that the force hasn't left him and that he was also the vessel. Only he, unlike the priestess, hadn't yet left the beach and taken to the waves. He'd been stranded, and had not dared to venture out into the raging surf. Lord Solus had cautioned him to be prepared to take challenges as they approached him and not to seek them out, but he had been too cautious. He had not been seeking out danger as he was told but nor was he preparing himself to face it, he had been hiding instead. Like a coward, trying to find approval and acceptance instead in places that ultimately served no purpose to him.