Ancient Truths

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Athena Heron"]

"I have no idea what that is." Vrak said plainly.

He didn't mind admitting his ignorance upon the subject. Athiss was relatively isolated, for good reason, and thus he never had much chance to meet many other species within the galaxy. From time to time they took in slaves and wayward children, but most of those were human. Some were Nagai or more unique humanoids, but Vrak was hardly an expert when it came to who was what in the galaxy. It was only evident to Vrak that Athena wasn't entirely human because of her more...willowy form.

At least he had an answer through.

As they wandered through the darkened tunnel Vrak made sure to keep the flame of the torch just out of his eyeline, allowing the light from it to cast just ahead of himself. Eventually the shorn cavern walls became more unique and uniform. Rough cut rock walls turned into solid bricks, and piece by piece it became more and more clear that they had entered a tomb of some sort.

Vrak motioned to the left.

Stepping into place they would find themselves at a massive stone door.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

"Maybe I have something to teach you, sometime," pink lips gave that coy smile again, in the light of the torch. Fingers trailed lightly along the transition to brick. Tall, lithe form stopped by the the massive stone door.

"Hmm," she mused and wandered to the edge of the torch-light, stepping into the darkness for a moment, before coming back.

Palm pressed flat against the stone. "Wouldn't it be nice if it juuuuuust opened."

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Athena Heron"]

For a moment Vrak simply remained quiet. He had learned how to open this door days ago. It was a simple matter really, just an application of the darkside to the central stone within the door itself. Sith Lightning they called it. Vrak had learned the technique at an early day by nature. He had struck out against one of his fathers servants, killed her in the blink of an eye with a single spark.

The ability was one of the few in the force that came naturally to him.

"Perhaps." He said with a smile. "You should learn from me first."

He motioned for her to back away from the door.

"Come here." Lightning was not a subtle thing, and if she stood too close to the orb it was very likely that she'd be struck by an errant spark. Since he did not want this little game to end prematurely it was best that she stood by his side.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

Fingers twirled through dark strands of feathered-hair as she waltzed back to his side. The heat from his little lightning display made the skin on one arm go a little numb. "Didn't know you cared."

The scent of charged ion lingered in the air even as the lightning stopped coming from his fingers. The large stone door rumbled successfully to the side. "Well done," she cooed and strolled forward. The pureblood might notice two, deep scars running down her shoulder blades as the back of her dress shifted with her walk.

The room they entered was a semi-circle with several corridors jutting from the circumference. Sith runes were carved into the walls of stone and break. Tip-toeing closer, she studied them.

"Hmm. Most are warnings. One talks about life. One certain death." There were char marks on the floor in certain spots.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Athena Heron"]

"They have always loved their mysteries." Vrak said as he followed Athena into the tomb proper. The door rumbled for a second, and then slowly began to close behind him. He frowned for a moment, turning back for just half a second.

"Trapped." He pointed out the obvious. "Oh well."

The Pureblood didn't seem all that concerned, but then, unlike her he didn't really need food or water. He could sustain himself off of the darkside alone. He would whither away, sure, but he would live. A thing developed over eons and eons. He smiled slightly. "Let's hope there's another way out."

Of course, now they had a choise.

It seemed that there were many paths, three corridors in total, each one with a warning in front of them. A puzzle.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

"Trapped," she practically purred. "How exciting." It was clear she loved a challenge. Though, she did take one step closer to Vrak and the circle of light his torch offered. She paused before stepping away again, approaching the far left corridor cautiously.

She knew many written languages, including many forms of Sith runes. It wasn't hard at all to translate what was carved into the wall. Dark-brows lifted as she read, her back to the red Sith.

"This one is interesting. You must lose yourself to find yourself." There was a small circle with a star in the middle. She pressed it and out popped a small necklace with that same symbol.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Athena Heron"]

As a general rule Vrak did not like puzzles. He could solve them with enough time, but in truth they had never been something he enjoyed doing or even watching someone else do. To him they were little more than annoyances that had to be dealt with. Once, he'd spoken to a human who had told him she did puzzles for fun. Such a thing was utterly questionable to Vrak, if only because there were about three dozen things he'd rather do than a puzzle.

"Interesting." He said quietly.

Why the ancient Sith felt as though they needed to fill their tombs with puzzles and other nonsense Vrak had no idea. His own resting place would have no such things, no instead it would be something a little more simplistic, though that was a long way off. "Put it on."

He told her.

"It suits you." A small smile.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

She knelt daintily on the floor of the crypt. There was power emanating from the small little object that was the necklace. Dark and twisted, almost living. A blue finger hovered over it.

"What do the other passages say? Because," she paused, giving Vrak a look over her powdered blue shoulder, "if I put this on. I think I'll need your help to take it off."

If it was what she thought it was. She was about to be possessed.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Athena Heron"]

He smiled. "Perhaps."

In truth Vrak hadn't paid too much attention to the riddle, but as soon as she mentioned his own involvement he perked up slightly.

"Perhaps you won't be able to take it off at all." That would certainly make things interesting. "I suppose we'll just have to try."

Again that small smile. "Or we could check the other ways, but where would the fun be in that?"

He dared her, egging her on.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

Athena was not one to be so simply goaded. She was a thinker. Moves and counter-moves. She weighed and measured risks, constantly. In this case, there was huge risk to putting the amulet on. But there was an even greater risk in not. If it was what she thought it was.

A shard of a sith spirit.

If Vrak used the amulet, he might get too powerful and un-controllable. She of course, would rather that happen to her. And she doubted even a sith lord's spirit shard could outsmart her...forever. If she had to find a way back, she would.

"I suppose you should hope I don't kill you," she replied quietly, giving him one last calm and collected look before finally reaching down and slipping the bit of jewelry into her fingers and clasping it around her slender neck. The power was instant. Hawk-like eyes flecked a brilliant and sudden gold with red flecks floating in the fiery surface.

Voice sounded - not quite her own as she stood, magma eyes settling on Vrak. A burst of power left her body in a powerful radius, causing the other two passageways to crack and crumble. The wave of energy was also directed at Vrak - anything or anyone in her reach.

"Who dares enter this place?"

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Athena Heron"]

For a second Vrak didn't answer, if only because he was unsure if it was a trick.

There had been lies before. From her. From other tombs, Sith spirits tended to lie as often as they told the truth, more so really. There had been this one on Korriban once, dead as he was the little man enjoyed weaving tales as much as any spinster.

"Vrak." He said plainly. "Of house Nashar."

That name was old enough for even the most ancient Sith Lord to recognize.

His family had not been among the most powerful. Their lineage did not descend from Marka Ragnos or Naga Sadow, but they were well known as keepers of history and knowledge. It was why Vrak knew so much, and why he had a gift for politics. "I come to find what is hidden in this tomb."

His fingers played over this lightsaber.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

"Nashar. That is not a name I've heard in a long time. And what about you, girl?" Head cocked to the side and eyes turned inward. Pink lips curved but it wasn't her own smile. "Refusing to tell me? Strong little mind. But still new. Very well."

Eyes panned lazily to Vrak's movement to his weapon. "I wouldn't advise it. Follow quickly before I change my mind and kill you both."

Thought it was doubtful the Sith spirit would kill its host. Athena Kept her mental blocks raised, though it was becoming exhausting. They may not have been a wise idea, after all.

With a turn of her booted-heel, she swept down the one, open corridor.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Athena Heron"]

Vrak followed along.

This was the advantage of hailing from a line such as his. Even the ancient names knew him, a part of him anyway. His family had raised no great Lords, but all remembered who they were. Chroniclers, historians, respected enough to never offend anyone. That would change in the future of course, he would ensure it, but for now the reputation of his family would do well enough to see him through the ethos of this ancient tomb.

Slowly the pair walked down darkened halls, Vrak still holding the torch.

They looped to the left twice until they entered a grand hall of sorts, a massive chamber that stretched several hundred meters across. A huge crag existed in the middle of the room, a massive cliff that was bridged by a single construct of rock and stone.

Athena stopped, looking back for a few moments as if she expected something.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

Eyes still bright yellow turned to Vrak as she stepped aside. Arms crossed beneath her chest. "You must show you are worthy Vrak Nashar. And so will she. Cross and live and you will reach what you seek. Though many have perished at this place."

A twisted smile flickered briefly on Athena's lips. It was clear there were traps. And it was clear the possessed Athena wanted Vrak to go first. Ordered him to go first. And if he didn't? She would make him.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Athena Heron"]

Vrak considered for a few moments, eyes wandering towards the bridge. His lips thinned. There was no fear in him, not really. If he died here because of a few tricks left by an ancient Sith Lord then he probably deserved it.

He had spent his youth on Athiss exploring more than a few tombs, and this place was no different than them. A sigh escaped him as if the whole process was more exasperating than it was actually dangerous. He shook his head and slowly began to move towards the bridge, eyes flicking from place to place as he tried to spot trip wires, pads, or anything that would trigger some sort of trap. When he found nothing Vrak simply began to move forward.

When he passed over the center of the bridge and odd shimmer surrounded the air.

The air seemed to become hazy for a few seconds, a half red glow forming that seemed to linger. Vrak watched it for a moment, and then pressed through the fog. He could feel a distinctive trace of the darkside flowing through the mist, a powerful aura that was almost stifling.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

The possessed Omwatti followed with a bit of distance behind the pureblood. The fog seemed to dance around her lithe form before quickly retreating. It's 'attentions' remained on Vrak. Pretty soon, the most would form into a more solid shape, the shape of a swordsman with a blade that could cut through skin and armor, though somehow still fog-like.

It was time for Vrak's duel. If he survived, he would make it to the end of the bridge. If not, he'd be cut to pieces and dumped below. The Sith spirit in Athena would claim the prize for himself and go off into the galaxy once more. Maybe he'd dump this woman's form soon.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Athena Heron"]

Vrak took out his saber-staff.

The blade sprang to life with a loud snap-hiss and sizzle. The air around him seemed to tighten as the swordsman began his approach. The Pureblood blinked almost lazily, the one side of this saber-staff glowing brightly within the red mists.

He stepped into the swordsman.

The fight was a quick one, though not because of Vrak's own skill. The spirit that assaulted him was a ghost, a manifestation of this place. Real in every sense of the word, but also a figment of the darkside. Vrak knew this, and as soon as the swordsman's blade touched his lightsaber he lashed out. The force rushed from him like a tidal wave, a rolling powerful lash of the darkside itself. Lightning erupted from his palm, burning and singing through the swordsman.

A loud, almost hollow screech rushed out throughout the caverns.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

They made it to the other side without further incidence. A pity, really. It seemed these two were more adept than the normal fools who came here. "Well done," Athena cooed. Whether it was Athena or the spirit was hard to say.

At the other end was a massive, ornate door. "What you seek is on the other side. You must admit your greatest fears and your weaknesses to enter." Athena slowly circled Vrak, stopping just in front of him. A hand reached out, powdered-blue fingers lightly tracing the red bones along his face.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

[member="Athena Heron"]

He chuckled.

"No." His hand extended, a simple press of the force to throw her back away from him. He tired of these games, and now that they were at the door there was no more need to play along with whatever spirit was within her. The force would toss her back against the hard stone, and the moment she struck Vrak lurched forward.

His fingers clasped around the necklace, and in an instant he tore it free from around her neck.

As soon as the cord snapped and he pulled the small jewel away from her Vrak turned and tossed the amulet into the crag that they had just crossed over, not giving the piece of jewelry a second thought once it was gone and over in the abyss.

 

[Athena Heron]

[member="Vrak Nashar"]

With a snarl, her backside slammed against the rough stone. Dark tendrils of feathers and hairs snapped forward against her face. Yellow-eyes turned more red and pink lips parted to utter....

Just as quickly, the raw and raging power was gone. She felt something snap from her slender neck. The spirit was gone. Blood-eyes faded to yellow and began to fade back to that brown-black. She gasped and slid down the wall, long legs folding beneath her.

A hand went up and pressed against her head.

"That was certainly...a rush," she breathed, gulping in air. One sleeve of her dress ripped slightly. "But you've ruined my clothes."