A Tower's Time Without End [The Primeval]

[Boethiah]

[Theme]​

The tall grass danced so purely in the quiet breeze at the mercy of the world. Small animals moved through the grasslands where they made their homes, nurturing themselves by the river and hiding in the mangroves along swamp's end.

What is this feeling that overcomes me?


Anja's mind was elsewhere... Her head inside the mind of a beast which stalked its prey aside the meandering creek. Her chest ached and her neck cracked when she found herself hunching down, prepared to strike at a moment's notice. It was fear that she felt, at first she thought she was not in control but knew then in the depth of her subconscious that this very beast was her. Or at least a wicked incarnation that represented what she herself could not comprehend.

The monster she was launched itself at the small wild thing which was only minding its own business. The pleasure when her teeth sunk in was only the first exhilaration, then came the intoxication of warm flesh and running blood...

What was that?

The ground began to shake at the march of a thousand feet rumbling towards her rear.

"Aku, Aka, Matali!" The crooked nosed man chanted before pressing the trigger. Bang
The beast's eyes could only watch and when death came...

Anja awoke promptly; her chest raced -- contracting and lifting as air squeezed out as soon as it was sucked in. At first she couldn't even breath and her face grew pale, hands unable to move, feet numb and blue. Finally she let out a coarse cough that caught her breath in the form of a powerful gasp. Troubles went and new ones arose, blood trickled down her chin and pooled along the bottom lip. Her sweaty, cold hand went up slowly and shook as it touched her mouth. A finger went inside anxiously to touch the mangled piece of flesh that was her tongue.

Tears rolled down from her faded eyes and the sudden realization forced her stomach to regurgitate the last meal from the night before. Barely able to slither out of bed she stumbled to her feet and wriggled her stiff toes in an effort to get herself moving forward. It was a slow, shaky gate that propelled her towards the washroom in her private quarters. Reaching for what supplies were in an arm's length she found a small roll of medical cloth and proceeded to wrap the linen around her tongue, tying it tightly to constrict the flesh and stop the bleeding.

Then it struck her... Turning her head back when her torso wouldn't she saw folded under the sheets a book.

Thee book.

Drifting through the hollow of darkness a starship was en route to Rysil II. There a sect of The Primeval had gone rogue, and it was their intention to end them swiftly and without mercy.

[member="Venris Helion"] (PM me if you have any questions on how to write yourself into this!)

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

By this time there was another vessel orbiting Rysil II. It was a small starship, a frigate sized vessel classified as a Nova-One model which was suited more for quick travel rather than a heavy firefight. Onboard were barely twenty crew, a mix of human and aliens who had remained aboard when their captain had chosen to leave the company of their previous employers, remaining out of loyalty and the prospect of living on a relatively comfortable ship under a reasonably firm captain. They were analyzing the world below, taking precautions to avoid detection by those who they were seeking.

The crew of the Renegade Knight had become familiar with their captain's interest in the Force, particularly in artifacts with a powerful connection to the Foce. He had been through numerous temples, analyzing scripture and bringing back little souvenirs that he usually sold to keep the Renegde Knight in operating condition-and while it was no luxury liner the frigate was certainly better maintained than most independent vessels would be. The only significant thing that he had kept was from the very first temple he had 'raided' (for lack of a better term), a mask belonging to a long departed Sith Lord whose spirit remained anchored there.

As he stared at this metal mask, Venris could feel the cold gaze of the spectre boring into his skull all over again, just as it had a year ago when it had first entrapped him and a companion in its clutches. He remembered the ultimatum it issued, the warning that had been corroborated by the Witch who had marked him months later and the shadow that had been cast over his head ever since he had learned that his days were coming to an end in the near future.

Venris Helion set the mask back on its stand and glared at it. "My fate...is my own," He whispered, either to himself or to the being he had claimed the mask from, "My path is my own." He raised one hand and called his lightsaber to his grasp before departing his quarters. "And no prophecy will change that."

He strode to the bridge and settled into his seat as the first officer called announced his arrival: 'Captain on the deck!'

"This isn't a military ship, knock that off." Venris impatiently waved one hand dismissively. "What is our status?"

"As far as we are aware they haven't detected us yet." The helmsman responded. "Either that or they just don't care, either way we haven't picked up any noticeable activity aimed our way ever since we settled into orbit, boss."

Venris had come to this planet for another of his 'research trips', as he liked to call them. There had been rumours of a group calling this planet home, a group belonging to the mysterious Primeval faction. From what he did know of the Primeval they were mainly dark aligned and had no small amount of Force Sensitives in their ranks. This, and the prospect of perhaps obtaining some knowledge, had drawn Venris out here to conduct his investigation. The information had been faulty and not accurate enough for his liking, but he senses the taint of the darkness on this world, he had become greatly accustomed to it ever since his excursions into numerous temples related to the Sith.

The Primeval were supposedly different from the Sith, but as far as Venris was presently concerned that didn't matter at all; what did was the possibility of obtaining either something valuable in terms of credits, or more valuable in terms of knowledge. Knowledge was power, and Venris thought of himself as quite the eager learner.

"I don't need to remind you of how this will go," Venris said, rising to his feet.

The Helmsman knew, along with everybody else on board, what Venris meant. "You go down, we wait up here incase you need help, minimal risk to the ship." He nodded. "Got it memorized boss, we'll keep the engines hot and be ready for a quick escape if need be."

"Good," Venris pulled his hood up over his head as he turned to the doors. "I expect no more and no less."

 

[Dara Gola]

As her ship dropped from hyperspace she checked the coordinates to see if they were what she had plotted. Rysil II, she wasn't sure what she was supposed to find here, but the signal had been very specific about the location. She had wanted to confirm the location of the signal but it was gone almost as soon as she heard it. The chances of the signal being meant for her were slim, about as slim as it being on a random channel and accidently picked up by her. After years of being a troubled tortured soul she had lost the ability to believe that the force could randomly guide you towards your goal, but she couldn't explain how or why she had gotten the ping of a signal.

The small ship drifted towards the planet and she searched again for any sign of the phantom signal that brought her here. The com traffic was silent, she approached the planet carefully, checking to make sure that there wasn't anything in her sector of space. Sensors had detected another ship in the area, but she had dropped out of hyperspace on the other side of the planet. she could only hope that she was close enough to the planet to break the atmosphere before she was caught by whatever that other ship happened to be.

she was in Primeval space and the last thing she needed was to get caught by those religious zealots. She had no idea where to look for whatever had sent the signal, but she knew that she wouldn't find anything if she was caught. she would have a better idea of where to look once she was planetside.

[member="Venris Helion"] | [member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

As The Primeval's warship continued to drift through space a more alarming presence was growing on Rysil II.

The world had been forsaken since 6 years ago when trillions of souls suddenly vanished from this very galaxy. What would eventually be known as the "Netherworld Crisis" allowed The Primeval to grow rapidly, conquer many worlds, and purge entire peoples who are now forgotten. Yet Rysil II was found forgotten... Ruins of a long-since dead civilization are all that remains and the emptiness of a Sith Lord's past presence lingers only faintly as a dream to any who sleep there.

Far off in a barren valley there was life.

Zealots turned traitors, the blind followers of a heretical sect have established themselves. Their followers make home out there and although little is known about them there are whispers; rumors of a tower being built. Who these people are and what their goal is remains to be seen but their threat is real. Spies sent to discover what is going on have gone missing, envoys that travel through this sector of space have been attacked -- some murdered.

There are clear signs that something greater is afoot, for no loot was taken which suggests they were anything but pirates.

For now there was silence...

[member="Venris Helion"] [member="Dara Gola"]

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"] [member="Dara Gola"]

The shuttle ride down had been different from Venris' usual excursions. During these trips he would find himself bored, itching to get out and get to work and cursing the infernal metal box on wings for taking so long to fly down to the surface, but not this time.

This world reeked of death and loss, even as he passed over a mass of clouds Venris found that he could feel echoes of what had once been a grand and sprawling society down below. He shuddered as he dove down beneath the cloud cover, maintaining a sufficient distance from the region where his target location was nestled amidst the towering ruins of a once proud metropolis. Buildings were crumbling, dark, lacking any life or power and in a great state of disrepair from the cataclysm had struck this place years ago, and it was a tad scary to think about how this had supposedly been a heavily populated planet only a few short years ago.

Venris continued to glide across the landscape, seeking a suitable landing spot as he brought the shuttle down low to avoid being spotted. Soon he found a makeshift landing pad, an area of flat surface large enough for his ship to land and take off from and only a half hour walk from the valley where a large mass of lifeforms were concentrated. The co-pilot gave him a thumbs up, and settled in with his blaster rifle set across his lap while Venris unstrapped himself and moved to the aft compartment where he began to arm himself.

His lightsaber was the first and most obvious weapon, slipping into a custom holster attached to Venris's left thigh. A D-44 blaster pistol was set up opposite of the lightsaber on Venris' right thigh, and both weapons were sufficiently hidden by Venris' coat. Next was his bulkier ThunderGun tri-barrelled blaster, which Venris hung in plain view on his back, set in a holster arranged parallel to the ground on the small of his back where it would remain secure. Several knives were added to the usual hiding spots, but Venris decided to forgo any explosives this time, as stealth was the key to this mission.

Pulling his hood up, Venris opened the aft hatch and stepped down as a wave of fresh air hit him...air that was tainted by the scent of death. Grimacing, Venris began to make his way towards the valley, intent on seeing this personal mission through.

 

[Dara Gola]

Dara had flown wide circles around the valley, she had gone out almost 15 kilometers wide before circling back towards the valley. She had her scanners set as high as they would go and the only signs of life she had detected were in the valley. The landing spot was just north of the valley near a small outcrop of rocks. She sighed heavily before she popped the cockpit, the air that rushed in felt stale, like it had been dead as well. She pulled her jacket out of the small storage compartment next to her before she climbed down. Looking around she couldn't help but feel the wrongness of the entire place, something was going on that felt as if the order of nature was being thrown out of balance. She shrugged her old, well worn jacket on and adjusted the pistol belt on her hips. The lightsaber rode in a small pouch on her left hip across from the blaster on her right.

She didn't bother with her robes, they were too much of a give away of who she was, or who people thought she was, anyway. she had no idea what was out in the valley and she didn't want to garner unwanted attention. Setting out at a slow pace she made her way towards the unusual signal and the only people on the planet. There weren't even any animals or insects to bother her. She subtly reached out for the force and frowned, even the force felt wrong on this planet. She was intimate with both sides of the force and neither felt like this, there was a taint in the force that matched the one in the air. She had never been to a world like this before, felt anything that came close to what she felt here. Everything about the world just felt wrong, as if someone was purposefully forcing a tainted essence into it.

She hadn't ever figured out who owned the other ship that was in space, they could be connected to the life signs on the ground, but she didn't have a way to find out that didn't expose herself to unnecessary dangers. The only way to know for sure was to scout the valley, maybe she could find some answers without getting caught.

[member="Venris Helion"] | [member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

Two shaky feet wandered their way back to the bed. Right where she had been sleeping a crude impression outlined the position in which her body had been lying those few precious hours when all else in the world no longer mattered. Half covered by silky and thin sheets was an old, worn book. Such a sight was unusual, most 'books' were kept in digital form within archive databanks and accessible as documents on datapads. At first glance this archaic tome was nothing more than a crumbling relic of history now lost. To her--to the witch--it was a source of power; the source of her power.

The tome continued ancient secrets of Sith Magics and its study revealed the most dangerous of magickal illusions and allowed one to seep into the mind of another and steal or even implant knowledge. But like any great power there was a sacrifice. When one read the book they were cursed to a life of nightmares and self-inflicted harm. The worrisome part of all this is she didn't remember reading it at all the night before and couldn't help but feel that perhaps her memory is being affected too or even something else may be at play.

The worries and troubles were drowned out as her sliding door opened with a soft hiss.

Stepping inside was a young woman likely in her late teens, a human girl who by the way she was dressed could only be guessed as a servant -- a slave.

"I'm sorry, I should have asked." The girl's eyes wandered off to the side, refusing to look Anja directly in the eye as is custom when talking to the Host Lord.

Anja who was righteous, Anja who was fierce and mighty, she could strike down this slave at any moment but to anyone's surprise she was kind. "No... You came when you were needed." She wiped cold sweat from her brow before showing her hand, "Come and help me get ready." She asked of the girl. Anja's voice was somewhat muffled by her earlier injury, the bandage was clear to the girl's sight but she did not dare mention it.

The servant smiled and nodded, the two of them ventured into the dressing the room where the Host Lord was changed into her armour, hair groomed neatly so that it did not bother her in the event of conflict. When she was ready the girl bowed before leaving her chambers and Anja marched her way to the command deck and inside officers and staff were waiting. The warship had entered Rysil II's gravity well and to the luck of the unwanted guests their sensors did not detect their starships that landed on the surface below.

[member="Venris Helion"] | [member="Dara Gola"]

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"] [member="Dara Gola"]

With every step that took him through the wasteland that had been Rysil II Venris felt the weight of billions of lost souls bearing down on him from all directions, their confusion and fear, the despair that had washed over the planet, and most significantly the void that had formed in an instant. As he trudged through ruined streets and past crumbling structures he could begin to picture what it may have been like back when this world was home to many.

The approach to the valley took Venris through the outskirts of what used to be a city and through some patches of what could have been countryside, but he couldn't be sure what the terrain was through the overgrowth that had risen up through the ground. From time to time he heard the distant call of some animal, or even spotted movement in the shadows close by only to find nothing if he shined a light on the area. Everything about this place put him on edge, and Venris couldn't decide if he was more put off by the actual threats that lay in wait several miles ahead or the neurotic ones produced by his imagination.

If there was one highlight to this walk however, it was that it didn't end up being too boring. In the final stretch towards the valley Venris had come to a bridge that he wouldn't trust a feather on, based on its condition. Entire sections had crumbled away or been incredibly weakened by continued disrepair, the metal groaned in the simplest breeze and unfortunately this rickety death trap was his fastest way to the valley besides navigating the terrain below, which was a mess of ruined structures and crashed ships.

"Of course it wouldn't be that easy," Venris took a cautious step forward, moving across the bridge at a steady pace. He raised one arm to cover his face as a powerful gust blew dust across the bridge, and almost stumbled right into a hole in the structure before regaining his balance and cursing under his breath. "Just keep your eyes open and-"

The sudden vibrating of his wrist mounted communicator made Venris instinctively reach for it and almost fall down the very same hole he had just avoided in the same move. Cursing again, he took a breath and answered the transmission. "This had better be an encrypted frequency and the reason behind it had better be worth almost making me fall to my death."

"Apologies, boss. But a large warship has just entered the system. We're pulling back to stay out of their sensor range, but we can make a fly by to pick you up." The Renegade Knight's helmsman responded. "Also, a few of the crew recognize the design of the new ship. It's the Primeval, who might not appreciate our presence and needless to say we wouldn't stand a ghost of a chance against them if they discover us."

This complicated everything. A single base would have been like any other mission, but a warship cutting off the escape route threw a wrench into the plan...

But he would have to cross that bridge when he came to it, no pun intended.

"Understood," Venris continued across the bridge, reaching the middle where he had to nimbly move across metal beams that showed a several hundred foot drop. Thankfully Venris was used to such heights, and except for the odd gust of wind threatening to throw off his balance he was able to safely traverse the bare metal bones of the bridge. "Signal me when you're about to execute your flyby. We only have one chance, and even if I haven't gotten what I'm looking for we can't stick-"

The beam he stood on groaned and began to tilt, making him stumble before the pull of gravity set in...and he kicked off of the beam just before it snapped free and launched himself forward desperately, latching onto another. His pulse raced as Venris clung to the metal beam, but he took a calming breath before swinging his body back and forth, building up momentum and propelling himself up onto the beam where he landed on his feet.

Exhaling, Venris raised his communicator to his mouth. "Let's go silent now. Helion out." He navigated the rest of the bridge and found himself with a clear path to the valley entrance only a couple miles away, an easy distance to cover in a short time, but Venris took his time and remained out of sight with what cover he could find in case the Primeval base had sentries out this far.

 

[Dara Gola]

Dara had been taught early on in her time with the Jedi that life was always around her, that there would always be subtle things that she could pick up on if she was focusing enough on it. she focused on it now and found nothing. There was nothing except the husks of trees and the empty decrepit huts to even show that life had existed on Rysil II. Even the Trees, dead and brittle, seemed like a mockery of what a tree should be. Branches were brittle to the touch, no bacteria or plague could do effectively suck the life out of something as vibrant as a growing tree.

It was worse than anything she had ever seen. There was a collection of huts up ahead and she stopped to look around. The huts, made mostly out of whatever local mud and water combination that was available, were barren. there were bowls and mats and little children's toys scattered throughout the huts, all covered liberally in a dusty grime. She stopped at one hut and noticed a place setting next to what had once been a fire pit. On a small brittle earthenware plate sat the remains of some animal that had obviously been meant for a meal. The carcass was intact, but as she reached out to touch it, it deflated into a cloud of dust, even the bones crumbled.

She had seen the horrors that Sith alchemy could create, had seen Vong destroy everything in their path, yet it was nothing compared to the perfect destruction of life here. She stood carefully and returned to the task at hand. She began slowly picking her way along small game trails and footpaths towards the valley that was her target.

Dara stopped every few minutes to reach out with the force, just within a small area around herself, making sure that she was still alone. The planet had spooked her beyond rational thought and she began to wonder exactly what it was that the Primeval were doing on Rysil II. What power were they wielding that caused this kind of desolace, what kind of rituals they were performing to whatever gods they worshipped.

The valley wasn't far now, she had moved forward as far as she felt comfortable, she began to circle to the left, searching for a path, or an entrance or anything that would allow her access to the valley without being noticed. She found a large rock that would give her a better vantage on the area around her, she deftly climbed up on the rock and lay flat against it. Her silhouette became one with the rock, an extension of the rock's profile as her eyes scanned the area for anything that looked promising.

[member="Venris Helion"] | [member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

Thump, Thump, Thump.

Somewhere off in the distance on the world below a deep bellowing vibration could be heard; it could even be felt. Deep in the valley where the cultists make camp a towering construct protruded into the sky at nearly two thousand meters high. The purpose of this structure remained a mystery but it was indeed the source of this sound, somehow it was able to produce such deep tones and what purpose these tones had were more nefarious than one could even begin to imagine.

Thump.

The thumping sounds suddenly stopped much like the quiet before a storm but there was something in the distance... A flock of birds? What sounded somewhat like the fluttering of a thousand wings quickly turned into a shaking motion that loosened rocks and began to collapse some of the weakest structures.

Aboard the Divergent Anja was still rattled by her nightmares. They were getting worse and unless she found a way to heal herself soon she feared that the next time she awoke could be with a missing limb or worse. The warship was just in orbit, ready to deploy a shuttle with or without the Host Lord on it; depending on her orders. The sliding doors slid open and entered a middle-aged figure.

"We've prepped a shuttle for your descent, Your Worship." The battle-scarred Umbaran was one of Anja's personal bodyguards who accompanied her on such journeys. In this case it seemed logical that she would not go alone.

Standing up, the woman walked over to a table where her vibroblade laid out after it had been cleaned. "I'm going alone this time." She sheathed the blade at her side, all preparations completed as far as she was concerned. Anja did not like to carry too much equipment, traveling light and moving fast.

"Are you sure? I don't mean to question you, it's just that --"

"It's fine." She interrupted him, her eyes glanced into his and he held his tongue. Walking around him she left the room and made her way into the hangar bay.

[member="Venris Helion"] | [member="Dara Gola"]

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"] [member="Dara Gola"]

The vibrations made Venris pause in mid step and press himself firmly against the wall of a building he had been circling around. Each sound was like the beating of a heart-his own heart was thumping from the sudden shock, that was for sure. The young man remained fixed where he was even as the terrain began to tremble around him and nearby structures began to collapse entirely, the one he'd chosen only remaining standing by sheer chance and slightly sturdier design than the others that had fallen.

"What evil is at work here?" He whispered before darting out from cover.

While hasty to reach the valley entrance, he managed to move between objects and structures that could serve to provide cover and disrupt the aim of anybody who may be watching. Right now his concern was finding out what was causing these strange events, and his hunch involved the visible tower jutting out of the valley being the most likely source.

Soon Venris finally left behind the ruined remains of the city and countrywide for the valley itself, delving down through trails towards the Primeval compound. Dead trees dotted parts of the land ahead of him, and Venris could spot what seemed to be a patrol passing through. He wisely allowed them to move on unharassed, not concerning himself with thinning this religious sect's ranks unless necessary.

The deeper he went, however, the more patrols he would encounter and the fewer hiding places available.

 

[Dara Gola]

As Dara lay on the rock , she could feel the vibrations from the ground, it was faint but it was there. She wondered what it was that could cause that kind of constant feeling. It was a constant deep thumping that made her feel uncomfortable laying there on the rock.

She could see movement in the distance and she knew that patrols were out. Whatever was going on in that valley was important enough to hide in the valley on a dead planet. She slithered down off of the rock and began to creep forward again. She slipped the lightsaber off of her belt and gripped tightly in her left hand. She had no intention of using it if she could avoid it, she didn't plan on using it at all, but what she planned and what happened weren't always the same thing.

She pressed forward and had to stop more than once to allow patrols to pass her by. She thought she saw a faint outline in the distance, but she couldn't be sure, it looked like a tower but the distance kept her from getting a perfect look at it. The vibrations were becoming louder as she moved forward. The ground around her began to vibrate more and more as she got closer to the valley. It was unsettling and it made her more convinced of the evil of the world she was on. She could feel the deep thumping in her body now, it felt as if the ground was pushing the vibrations up into her body through her feet.

She still hadn't seen anyone outside of the patrols and she was beginning to think that the other ship in the sky was related to the patrols on the ground. She was beginning to think that she was the only sane being on the entire planet.

[member="Venris Helion"] | [member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

As one got closer and closer to the valley the colossal tower grew to be more and more menacing. Indeed the frequency of patrols continued to grow as expected but perhaps more alarming was that there seemed to be a lack of life from any of them. They were alive, that was science, but they weren't alive. It was as if all sense of emotion--anything warm--had been stripped from them; leaving husks instead of people. A good look and you might notice that their eyes seem fixated on the objective at hand and their posture was stiff with no body language to speak of.

If one were experienced enough they might have some perceptions as to why and eventually the truth would be revealed. For now there were too many other matters at hand that it left little luxury to wonderment.

Back on the Divergent, Anja boarded her shuttle and the small starship quietly left the hangar into the vacuum of space; destined for the world below. A contingent of starfighters followed soon after, escorting the shuttle towards its destination and always on the watch for any signs of enemy forces.

[member="Venris Helion"] | [member="Dara Gola"]

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"] [member="Dara Gola"]

As Venris got within a mile of the tower he came to realize that the patrols were becoming too thick for his liking. He could sneak through, but the chance of being discovered was too great; he needed an alternative...

And he stumbled upon it in the form of a patrol, several of whom wore tattered cloaks and scarfs which concealed their faces. They were walking a circuit around one of the ground approaches to the tower, marching in formation with rifles in a ready position. Venris waited until they passed the rocks where he was hiding before nimbly leaping down and following them while cloaking himself in the Force to cause his form to fade from view.

After trailing after behind them for several minutes, Venris found an opportunity as they reached a dead forest. The squad dispersed a bit, remaining in view of one another, but as they moved deeper into the woods he found his chance and appeared before one of these scouts with a single hand raised, praying he still at least had a mind to be manipulated.

"You are tired," He said, waving his hand slowly. "You have been walking for days and are starving. You should rest."

Now to wait and see what happened.

 

[Dara Gola]

Dara had gotten as close to the tower as she could without giving herself away. she wasn't sure how to continue next, there didn't seem to be many real hiding places left, and the patrols were frequent enough that slipping by them became something of a task. She had to stop and watch as they walked by, she began to study the patterns of the patrols. The beings themselves all seemed to be slogging along, their body movements and motions revealing that they seemed to be beaten down. as if all of the joy in their lives seemed to be sucked out of them.

She looked around, trying to find a different route to the now very visible tower in the distance. She was much closer to the tower than she wanted to be and the throbbing thumping seemed to fill the air completely, like she was standing too close to a live band. She needed a way past the patrols and she would have to reveal herself a bit to do it. As one of the patrols came closer to her, she reached out with the force, trying to get a sense of the beings that made ti up and all she felt was an emotional void, they were alive, but they felt just as wrong as everything else about this planet. She watched as they walked by and knew that she would have three minutes before the next patrol came by. She used the force to increase her speed to superhuman levels as she darted through an open area and into a cluster of dead trees and bushes that she had seen. The patrols all seemed to wander close to them but not close enough that they would notice her within it. She let out a soft sigh and waited, stretching out with the force so that she could carefully keep tabs on the patrols that got close to her position.

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"] | [member="Venris Helion"]

 

[Matreya]

Glancing back, towards his hardly seen TIE Fighter, Daemos paused. His breathing was deep, yet jagged and contorting his chest in massive heaves. Since his arrival into the Primeval's ranks, he had done little but sit and observe. Once the chance for a singular attempt at proving usefulness shown through, he had jumped on the opportunity. Now, he was on Rysil II, charging from his ship at the fastest of speeds his Anzati-Tera Vampir body could take him, crossing several miles in a few moments.

His mind was spread out, like a blanket, not attempting to control rather to seek. Feather soft touches would be so light, only trained minds would notice his presence for the barest of seconds. He sought allies, those here like him, to stop a sect that would likely be a problem in the near future.

With a flick of his wrist, his TK pulled Kallig's Scorching saber to his palm with a light tap. Dropping low to his haunches, Damien continued drawing the deepest breaths he could, hoping to relieve his burnt lungs. Sighing, he scanned again, relocating those he believed to be his Primeval allies, then once more barely touched the enemies he found to be patrols. One was nearby, close enough to pose a danger to the Ancient Sith.

Staying low to the ground, Damien watched as the team neared...then passed without incident. He bore zero doubt that his abilities could take them all, yet he did not wish to bring others to bear on himself as they sensed danger through lack of their friendlies.

[member="Dara Gola"] [member="Venris Helion"] [member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

Within the dead forest the patrolman encountered by the rogue knight would almost seem as if he didn't notice the person's presence at first. Then suddenly his demeanor changed, no words came from his lips but instead the man decided to sit down and close his eyes. In a few seconds his head slowly went lip, bowing down towards his crossed legs. The bizarre nature of these cultists were an oddity to be sure and their strangeness only continued to be revealed. Who knew what secrets they had or what nature was theirs.

Beyond the edge of the forest and far above, Anja's shuttle had entered the atmosphere and made its way to their destination -- a landing zone just outside the valley. As they approached above they managed to circle around the tower, from where they were the massive structure looked needle-like but as they descended its awe became more apparent. The shuttle's descent would look almost like a paper airplane circling in the skies above, slowing making its way towards the ground but in this case it cut through the wind rather than rode it.

"We're making our final descent." A voice came on over the intercom, the flight deck was closed off by a blast door to protect the pilots in case of sudden decompression within the cargo bay which was fitted to hold a squadron of twelve with a single--small--room for envoys and important persons. Under each seat was a standard issue ADX drop pack which provided a method for personnel to free fall and safely on the ground.

The twelve squad members were part of an elite team of specialists whose goal was to infiltrate locations, eliminate targets, and offer support where none could be found. What was unusual was that they were with Anja, normally this unit served with the Agents of the Bleeding Sun and although she lead the Bleeding Sun she was not an agent. Whatever reason she had for bringing them along it probably meant that there was a danger beyond calculation if the Host Lord herself was being cautious.

Their trip was quiet for the most part until a thunder came off in the distance followed by a whistling whir that grew louder and louder, like something coming closer at swift speeds. Bang.

A loud explosion bounced off of the shuttle's hull, shaking the craft violently for a moment.

"Our intel said that they had no defensive emplacements! Let alone anti-air." The co-pilot spoke with an alarming anxiety in his voice.

The senior pilot glared at the man, "We are carrying a Harbinger of the Gods! Don't disgrace yourself with fear." She on the other hand spoke with absolute zeal, maintaining composure as she realigned the shuttle on its flight path.

Anja herself remained unscathed and sat quietly in her seat, waiting for their shuttle to land. As unfortunate as fate sometimes was another projectile made its way to the shuttle and this time it hit its mark. The proton shell exploded against where the cockpit linked up with the rest of the ship, a large gaping hole was formed and shrapnel ricocheted within the hull. A large piece of metal struck one of the soldiers in an artery, quickly bleeding them out as the ship began to spin uncontrollably and descend rapidly. With trouble many of the soldiers attempted to grab their dropacks and as Anja was about to grab hers the entire shuttle tore apart, metal went everywhere as large portions of the ship began to breakaway from the frame.

It was an odd sensation that ran through her body, a sudden feeling of weightlessness and it took her a moment to process what was happening. She didn't have time to panic, to search and already things were getting worse. The drop ramp from the shuttle flung towards the witch and in an instinctive reaction she reached out with the force and tried to push it away. She wasn't fast enough, and the sudden telekinetic reaction caused her to slingshot off of the ramp's surface and sent her quickly in the opposite direction like a bullet. The amount g-force pressed against her body would be enough to kill most and if it wasn't for her mastery in the force she surely would be dead.

There was nothing she could do, none of her men were in sight and she had no drop pack.

No... No.

Her racing heart began to slow and she held her breath. Again she called upon the force, closing her eyes and perceiving the world around her in ways that few could. As her body drifted towards the dead forest at an alarming pace she finally was able to call upon her powers and slow her descent. At angle she went towards the forest where she would eventually land, slower and slower she fell but it was still considerably fast regardless of how much power she managed to compel.

Finally the world around her acted in its own way, dodging the branches by pure fate she smashed into the ground, rolling naturally and picking up a few scratches along the way before friction did the rest and her body halted. As she stopped her lungs gasped for air, if anyone was around they could clearly hear her and it almost sounded like a predator's plea to be let out of the hunter's trap.

Meanwhile those four of her troops to have survived managed to land--using their drop packs--somewhere near their original drop zone and made their way to the objective. They did not fear for her fate and would follow her orders regardless of her situation.

[member="Venris Helion"] | [member="Dara Gola"] | [member="Lord Daemos"]

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"] j [member="Lord Daemos"] [member="Dara Gola"]

Venris felt a surge of satisfaction as the scout slumped to the ground, evidence that even in whatever state these men were in they could still be influenced. As he knelt to remove the man's tattered cloak and scarf he heard distant explosions which became louder over time. Quickly pulling the garments on over his clothes and raising the scarf up to cover his lower face, Venris left the scout behind and made to catch up with the rest of the patrol.

Suddenly the sky above was lit on fire as what Venris assumed to be defensive artillery blasted a vessel, a shuttle-this is why he'd landed his own shuttle so far away. Venris glanced up, clutching the scout's stolen rifle as he analyzed the scene taking place not too far from his position, taking in the vessel's course as it broke apart.

A sudden and brief ripple in the Force distracted Venris, causing him to turn away from the destruction and scan the treeline as though he might see the cause of this even as he reached out with his own mind. If the Primeval had been made aware of his intrusion this mission was about to get very short very quickly. He reached out through and beyond this dead wood, feeling the voids in every scout and soldier patrolling the valley...and several minds possessing greater strength, but Venris made sure to withdraw his search almost as soon as he came upon these individuals.

This whole mission was becoming more complex by the minute, and it was becoming all the more tempting to simply return to his shuttle and depart this place, though his stubborn streak wouldn't allow him to leave without some sort of prize. Venris turned back to the smoke trail which was in the place of the damaged ship. It had fallen generally within the path he had been planning to take...and where there was a crash site there could be survivors, possibly ones not of the Primeval.

Venris broke into a steady jog, avoiding the other scouts as best he could as he darted around debris that had fallen from the shuttle when it was hit. He reached out through the Force once more, and found at least several beings different from the seemingly empty thralls that he had been avoiding all day. One of them was closer than the others and...different still.

As he came close to this being, Venris shouldered his rifle and kept one hand hidden beneath the fabric of his stolen cloak, grasping the handle of his own blaster pistol in case the person he was seeking to assist turned out to be violent.

 

[Dara Gola]

Dara had just figured out the new pattern of the guards patrols when the sky lit up with fire. There were ground based guns firing into the sky and Dara quickly ducked down out of reflex. She looked up into the sky and saw a large dropship evading the incoming fire. She say a stray snot hit the dropship directly from below and she saw the dropship rip wide open like a broken toy, spilling metal and people alike into the air.

She noticed that several troops had jump packs of some kind and they were guiding themselves down to the ground with deft skill, but she felt a strong force presence in the air as well. It was stronger than anything she had felt in a long time, whoever was up there was powerful and they obviously weren't with whoever was on the ground. She searched with the force and followed the being as they fell, she wasn't close enough to help with whatever landing they were going to make. She decided then that she was going to assist this new player in the game. If they were an enemy of the people on the ground, then they might be someone that could tell her what was going on.

She could feel another moving forward as well, she gripped her lightsaber tightly in her hand, she knew that once she ignited it there was no going back, she was forever linked to that iconic item, but she needed to know what was going on, and the only way to do that was to talk to someone that wasn't planning on killing her.


[member="Anja Aj'Rou"] | [member="Venris Helion"] | [member="Lord Daemos"] |

 

[Boethiah]

Anja managed to regain her composure and arose from the forest floor. Looking up she saw no sign of the shuttle and only just managed to piece together the swift sights she could recall; her ship was destroyed. The Host Lord did not bother to try and find any survivors, they were elite and capable of being on their own given when circumstances didn't favour them. Instead she gathered her bearings and began to ponder on her surroundings. The tower was so much larger from below than it was above, the monstrosity of the superstructure was too tall for her neck to pull back completely without making her head light.

The brief awe at what she witnessed was destroyed at sound of footsteps. Her senses were heightened thanks to the force's adrenaline-like instinctive nature to protect her, a fact she could not even comprehend. Reaching out with the force she began to get a sense of the ones around here -- two of them. Who they were she did not know but assuming they were with the cult she would not hesitate to kill them. Her hand reached for where her vibroblade would be only to find the weapon missing all together.

Damn. She cursed within her mine, it was the only weapon she had trained with and although she was a master in the force her powers were not necessarily suited for unplanned combat. Looking around for the weapon she found nothing and soon turned to witness whoever it was that managed to reach her first.

[member="Venris Helion"] | [member="Dara Gola"] | [member="Lord Daemos"]