Coruscant.
On the planet of Coruscant, within the galactic city, senate district the Jedi Temple built by the founding Four Masters is an iconic point of interest. The Jedi's knowledge, history, and other facilities including the housing of the Jedi Masters, Knights, Padawan's and Younglings.
Within one of the many small rooms used for the Jedi, sparse in decoration with next to nothing at all distinctly lacking color but of high value in cleanliness, one would see a distinct diminutive, wrinkly and old green alien. The Grandmaster of the Jedi High Council and the Jedi overall, Yoda.
Floating above the ground in a meditative state, Jedi Master Yoda is practicing his use of the Force and trying to see into the future or at least feel the Force around himself. Despite the peace with the galactic republic a storm has been brewing for a long time now, and it doesn't help the senses of the Jedi are clouded.
Most, if not all of the Order had been coming across a problem, the lack of foresight reliable enough for their future and the future of the Galaxy. Troubled times have already begun to spread.
When the Jedi truly noticed their inability to see and peer into the Force, that could not identify the problem, the cause of such a disturbance. There was only one point in time with which they could feel a major event happen, and that was five years ago.
That strong presence in the Force that seemed to cut through the haze and enter the minds of those truly attuned. Yoda himself and other Masters, including all of those on the Jedi Council felt it, and probably other Force-sensitive individuals whom have a strong connection.
After that incident, a few Younglings and Padawan's who had high midi-chlorian counts had asked their Master's or teachers what the feeling was themselves. This event of even younglings being affected further increased the possibility of the event being real and not orchestrated by any Dark side powers.
It happened again. Just once more, right at this instance while Yoda meditated, but this time it was stronger, clearer and much more pronounced. Resounding with much more emphasis and power no doubt meaning more then just the most talented or powerful within the Force can feel this push.
Unfortunately, he has the feeling that not himself, or anyone would be able to locate the source just like the last time.
A reason to avoid the call this time is the different in the feeling, whereas this time if feels darker, and not inline with the ideals or teachings of the Jedi, but also in spite of this he would want to investigate simply because the Jedi are the natural enemies of the dark side of the Force and their users.
"Hmmmm." A small humming noise made in contemplation is made from Yoda.
'Whom, I wonder would be best in the investigation. Should I? Or should it be someone experienced in the identification of the dark powers, Master Windu, perhaps?' Yoda thought to himself.
While Yoda is in a meditative that had just been interrupted, various other Force-sensitive individuals within the temple also felt the pulse through the Force. All Masters, most Knights and many talented Padawan's and Younglings eager to question upon what they had felt.
The curiosity only grew within both the adults and children alike, especially in those who had felt the first pulse five years ago, and despite the passage of time it was a memorable event.
'I think Master Windu would do fine in the exploration of this presence. He is most experienced.' Yoda making his decision internally calls out and the preparation of the second meeting regarding the pulse would begin.
The discussion would have the Jedi Master tasked in finding the source, but in the end not being able to locate it.
[]
Frustration, anger, despair and many other emotions mixed together but mainly those emanate from the diplomatic Chancellor Palpatine.
The reason for the strong felt emotions fueling his dark side abilities was that pulse. The annoyingly powerful, irritating pulse through the Force. Punished, he was and punished more for his failure at being able to come up with any results for that pulse.
He believed he would be fine, unpunished by his Master, too busy looking for ways to gain eternal life, but it seems in spite of his Masters obsession he had time enough to teach him a lesson he had learnt long ago.
Now, it has come to attention and his Master that the same pulse that appeared five years ago has made a reappearance, stronger then before and greatly more in tune with the dark side of the Force.
Again he had been reminded of this failure that was not supposed to be of much significance. Hate. He has come to hate this presence, when, and he meant when he finds the source he would utterly destroy it. Vent his hatred towards it built over the years.
He never knew his hatred for something he knows next to nothing about would reach this far, but that is corruption of the dark side influencing him and his thoughts. Power like the power he has does come at a cost and unfortunately it does not only effect the body, it also affects the mind.
'When I get my hands on whatever it is causing me so much trouble...' Sidious in his thoughts brews in anger.
Sidious was not the only one to take some punishment, so too did his own apprentice he has been trying to cultivate, Darth Maul.
In the mind of Sidious his apprentice, Maul had failed him when it was meant to be his mission to succeed in, and by failing him there are consequences. Physical and mental torture continued on a daily basis is nothing new to Sidious some other forms of punishment are created.
Anyway, back to the point, Sidious was once again tasked with the same mission of finding the source. His Master, even though obsessed with the idea of eternal life has enough frame of mind to punish him and be even more increasingly interested with outside sources of interest.
Anything with some connection to the dark side of the Force is another potential source of information or pieces of the puzzle for his search. While Sidious himself is also interested in many things to do with the dark side of the Force, including eternal life, he right now is more focused on building himself up to a position where his plans may come to fruition.
Anything else could wait.
At least he would of had more time until the interest of his Master was peaked.
The new general direction he has been able to sense has given him the ability to locate the system the pulse originated from. The only way he was able to even find the general location for the source was because of the nature of the pulse.
'It seems to originate from the Outer Rims region. I should have my apprentice I have been grooming investigate again. His failure might have been forgiven the first time with only a light punishment, but this time he had better not fail me again.'
Sidious within his expensive and high class room on the planter of Coruscant, in the senate district mulls over many things and uses his extremely powerful foresight based abilities to plan around this disturbance.
'I can't be leaving because it is an interruption, but Maul would have to do for now.'
Reaching out to a communication device specifically used for his persona as the Sith Lord Sidious, he reaches and calls out to his apprentice Maul because his apprentice is currently out training at this time when he could be put to better use in search of the source.
To make up for his past failures not only to himself but for himself, he may reward him. Unfortunately again, no rewards would be had even if he completed the mission for his Master, the obsessed lunatic he is.
'That would be his downfall.' Sidious thought to himself in slight glee over the idea of usurping his Master.
The communication device beeps for a second and with no hesitation is immediately answered.
"Master, I was just finishing my training. Why have you called?" A blue holographic figure appears from the device and the figure is appears in Sidious' face.
Of course the features can been seen but the coloring of the individual, but Maul is a Dathomirian Zabrak with devilish features, spiked horns at the crown of his head, red and black patterned skin with the signature burning yellow-red eyes that signifies ones alignment to the dark side.
"Yes, my apprentice..." Letting the silence fall to create tension, as he is one for theatrics Sidious then continues.
"I have called to task you with a mission." Sidious again pauses but this time waits for an answer, to reinforce his dominance over the teenage Maul.
"Yes Master, I accept." Maul does not hesitate to reply within not a millisecond.
"Good... Good... My apprentice, your mission is the same as the one taken five years ago that I used to access your progress. You must find the pulse and its exact location discreetly. Do you understand your task?" Finishing off in a questioning tone in the end with slight undertones of what would happen if he failed, again.
"Yes Master." Another reply that was answered with haste.
"You are to start within the Outer Rim territories, for that was where it was generally sensed and do practice with some caution as currently we do not have any information on who or what it is. I wouldn't want my favorite apprentice to die." Again ominously Sidious speaks to the holographic form of the Zabrak.
"I will not fail you Master."
"Good... Good... You shall begin right away."
Before Maul could reply the communication was cut off.
'Now I just have to wait and see whether or not my apprentice can come up with anything. If Maul fails me I have more then enough options to explore for my future apprentice.'
[]
Back on Dathomir.
'Arrgh. My head kind of hurts.' Awakening to something akin to a morning hangover headache was the small form of Anakin Skywalker.
'Where am I... Wait I remember.' Slowly getting up and adjusting to his surroundings he is semi-surprised by the room he is in.
'Yes the ritual...'
The Darksisters magick ritual has been completed and Anakin has no idea of the casualties and has no idea of the exact changes he has gone through even with a general idea and other hypotheses made.
'Time to check myself.' Getting up Anakin spreads his senses within the Force to see if anyone can be detected around him through the Force.
'Nobody, at least no one is in a close vicinity to me.'
Looking around the room it is sparse and he is the only one within. Obviously the walls are made of bricked smooth stone which is the general architecture used in the caves of the Nightsisters fortress.
Getting up he approaches the door and is not so surprised he is a bit physically off balance.
'I guess I went through a mini growth spurt, which is perfect for me. I do not mind a kid again all too much, but it would be much better to be full size again.'
Exiting the door, he enters a hallway and at the end is another door probably leading to the outside. Upon exiting he is able to guess his general location is somewhere outside of the inner fortress.
'Wow. Such generous hosts.' Anakin approaches the water to see if he could see his reflection, but he could not.
'I doubt I look that much different, and it is much more possible I might have a brighter hair color and/or might more vibrant eyes, something like that. One thing for sure though is the height. It is enough to where I could feel a difference.'
There are other consequences to the completion and survival of the ritual. An example would be Savage Opress, their magick was used or will be used sometime in the future to enhance his features; longer horns, taller, and larger physique. These changes obviously came at the cost of turning him into an avatar of primal anger.
'I wonder how it would effect me if it would at all.'
Primary ingredients that are used for the ritual include their infamous 'Water of Life.' Somewhat similar to how the the legendary fountain of youth, it helps a person recuperate some sever damage.
The Water of Life was a liquid used by the Nightsisters of Dathomir to heal. Its ingredients included water, flesh extracted from the Sleeper, minerals, and tree sap.
Brewing the concoction was a rite of passage for a Nightsister.
A Nightsister would use her Force abilities to awaken the Sleeper, dominate it, and force it to remove a piece of its body. The body part would be boiled with water from the deep pools of the Nightsister fortress and the other ingredients would be added.
'Quite a gruesome process but I wouldn't expect any less from a magick based Force technique. Besides the benefits from the ritual, at least to me outweigh any disadvantages.'