Private Beyond

[Aeris]

[MUSIC]​

Chaos // Unknown​

Ryv ​

A resounding pop echoes out across a vast, dusty plane, and suddenly sound and sensation return. The armoured titan stands wearily on a patch of scorched earth, with dark smoke rising from his back. Parts of his heavy chitin plate appear visibly seared, presumably from the blast which had consumed Vuultin in the final moments of their battle. Despite this, his grasp on the throat of the young Jedi who had challenged him remains firm. Within only a few seconds of their arrival, however, the area around them quakes, prompting Abaddon to toss Ryv to the side and into the dry, ashen dirt.

He looks around cautiously, clearly concerned about something for the first time since Ryv had encountered him. Another rumble rocks his footing, this time more aggressive than the last. Finally, a splinter in the ground emerges from the darkness at the edge of their sight, rapidly snaking its way toward the Champion’s position. With no chance to react, the dirt beneath him buckles and throws off his balance. A guttural groan can be heard as he adjusts his footing to avoid toppling over, only to swell into a monstrous howl of pain when emerald flames burst from the cracks and engulf him. As Abaddon stands frozen in agony, the verdant blaze rises high above him, eventually taking the form of a towering and featureless being.

The entity's presence looms forward, casting a shadow over the Kiffar from no apparent source of light. It glares down at the boy as he lays in the dirt, eyes as black as pitch.

"Your presence is not welcome here, child," the voice that speaks is omnipresent, drowning out the fiendish shrieks of the warrior its crackling body envelops, "this outcome was not foreseen. A curious development."

 

[Ryv]

​

From struggling weakly against the titan's grip on Breental IV to struggling weakly against the titan's grip in the nether, Ryv couldn't catch a break. His hands closed around the armored forearm of Abaddon, though with what purchase the Kiffar found, he couldn't do much with it. It took everything Ryv had just to hold on and gasp for breath. Shadows crept in at the corners of his vision, threatening to claim and tug him down into the dark recesses of death. Unable to muster the strength any longer, Ryv's arms fell to his side and hung unmoving. He closed his eyes and accepted everything for what it was. Even though fear gnawed at his conscious mind, reminding him there'd be coming back if he stopped fighting, he just couldn't hold out any longer. When he attacked Pandemonium's Champion, the Jedi signed over his fate to whatever the force had in store for him.

The sudden quaking below them shook the Jedi from his quiet acceptance. Bloodshot eyes snapped open to scan their surrounding, expecting some horrible beast to explode from beneath them and swallow them whole. Instead, Ryv found himself tossed through the air, only to impact against the brittle earth immediately after. He groaned out in pain and rolled onto his back, suddenly uncomfortably aware of his dry mouth and scratchy throat. Seeing the towering warrior's growing concern, Ryv hastily searched for his lightsaber, shakily wrapping his fingers around the aged hilt as Abaddon roared out in agony. A hint of empathy shone through the Jedi, particularly when the planet-conquering entity froze in place, acting solely as a host for some horrific spirit now gazing over Ryv's downed body. That concern remained, though it fell to the wayside, his fear and confusion mentally prioritized as the burning energy spoke out.

"Uh," Ryv couldn't find his words as his mouth hung agape. Everything about the place sent his danger sense through the roof, leaving him locked in place and unsure of what to say or do. Slowly, the Jedi pushed himself into a seated position. "Yeah, man, I guess so."

Not the worst thing Ryv could've led with, it also happened to be far from the best. In the face of a brand new plane of existence, Abaddon's stricken form, and whatever the verdant power happened to be, you couldn't blame the Kiffar. Working his way up further, he managed to push himself up to his feet.

"Where, uh, where are we?" Ryv posed the question, holding out hope he wouldn't die given he wasn't dead yet.

A Aeris ​

 

[Aeris]

Ryv ​

​

"A place between life and death," it answers, the deepness of the voice shaking the top layer of blackened dust from the ground "long forgotten by those who carved its existence from the depths of the Mist." An immense hatred permeates the air, giving each breath a sulfuric taste. The next words curdle with disgust, "a prison."

A torrent of wind picks up, swirling in a wide circle around the scene and stirring loose dirt and rocks into a violent cyclone. "This is a place of nothing. Only we remain. Timeless," the whirlwind stretches higher and higher into the infinite darkness above them "but disconnected. Severed."

The being's fiery form reaches upward then leans into the vortex surrounding them, molding with it until the spiraling wall of dust is entirely ignited by its verdant blaze, leaving only Ryv and the wavering body of the Chaos warrior within. "But our resurgence dawns," the heat within the twister begins to steadily increase as the fire grows stronger "long had we forgotten of your Cosmic Force. But now, thanks to the Vessel, we remember."

Abaddon stumbles forward, collapsing to his knees with a heavy crash. He rests lifelessly, the sockets of his helmet completely devoid of the bursting energy that had been there during their fight. "Even the strongest and most stubborn minds break eventually. We control everything here. You could burn for eternity," Suddenly, Ryv's feet begin to sink into the ground as if standing on a patch of quicksand "or perhaps we could bury you deep beneath the surface, undying, and let you gasp in agony for a breath that will never come."

The slow descent stops at the Jedi's knees, "or, like the Vessel, we may yet find a mutual agreement. Your kind always have something they'd surrender everything for," the all-pervading voice distorts, rearranging itself until it matches a familiar tone -- that of the boy's father "what is it for you?"

"You could have anything here," it continues, this time taking the soft tone of Loske Treicolt .

Barely visible through the torrent of flames, the silhouettes of Ryv's father, Loske, Maynard, Cedric and other companions of the Kiffar stand silently, watching him from outside of the cyclone.

 

[Ryv]

​

The entity's words sank into Ryv's conscious mind, further instilling dread and confusion. Each syllable echoed eons of existence, knowledge, and some twisted wisdom. It left him sliding back, his left foot bracing the rest of his body as if the sound of the creature's voice added some unseen weight to the Kiffar's weakened form. With the "Vessel's" collapse, the Jedi Knight moved forward against his better judgment, the inherent goodness driving him to action. Something spoke out to Ryv at that moment, something deep within Abaddon's broken form. The empath understood more than he ever cared to admit, as playing the fool brought results when unbreaking stoicism did not. Yet, the Jedi couldn't clear the distance in time. His whole form froze in place as the ashen sand beneath his feet reached up and began to swallow the young warrior whole.

"No, no, no," Ryv grit his teeth and pulled with all his might, only succeeding in tiring himself out further. If not for the creature's twisted machinations, Ryv was confident he would've lost himself to the sands of the nether. His momentary relief disappeared as quickly as it came, snatched away by the familiar voice of his father. "There is nothing you can give me to turn me into tha-" he began, stopping his proclamation the moment Loske's voice sounded around them. A pain shot through his being, it traveled through his mind and centered itself in the center of his chest. He never wanted to admit to himself how much the plucky and optimistic pilot meant to him. It just didn't make sense to even consider, given the nature of his life. Now, in the face of some greater evil, those feelings were torn from the depths and dangled before him. It took everything Ryv had not to scream at the creature before him.

As others appeared within the flames hosting the entity, Ryv's hands closed into fists. He tried to center himself through the force, but his grip on the power was shaky at best. Raw emotion reverberated through him like a powerful storm, threatening to consume him in its inescapable power.

"I-" Ryv began, only to falter after the first word. While he had the resolve to throw it all away to stop Abaddon on the field of battle, this was something different entirely. The Jedi Knight could only imagine the horrors he'd commit for this monster. The thought of it all set his body in motion, shaking in both fear and anticipation.

"One last sacrifice," Ryv said softly. "If- ah man," he reached up and rubbed at his eyes, trying to beat back the emotion oozing forth with each word. "If I'm to help you, I don't want them here. I don't want them hurt. If I'm gonna be a weapon in this conquest, I want them safe. I want Loske and Maynard okay."

A Aeris ​

 

[Aeris]

Ryv

"They are safe here," the voice responds, "don't you see? Here, even death cannot bring pain."

From the torrent surrounding them a small crowd emerges, seemingly unfazed by the heavy winds. Among them, other faces dear to the kiffar; Allyson & Auteme. Each of them have an expression of deep concern as they watch, "Your world is a cruel one, Ryv. Cursed to die and fade to nothingness. Like all heroes before you, it is only a matter of time until your names, faces and legacies are forgotten entirely. Your actions merely delay what is an inevitability. But here, you can survive forever. They can survive forever, in peace."

Across the sand, where the armour of Abaddon still rests lifelessly on it's knees, Ryv would spot the semi-transparent image of a young man projecting from it. He can be seen embracing a slightly younger girl with tears in their eyes, though their words are unheard. A much older Cerean man in the traditional robes of the old Jedi Order stands at his side, resting a hand on his back to comfort him.

"You will have no memory of your actions. To you, this will be how life always was. Free. Eternal. I offer you peace from your suffering in exchange for your will, for a time."

 

[Ryv]

There wasn't much to be said in the face of an impossible challenge. Ryv considered every angle of attack he could take, the rage simmering within his core. Even with said anger in place, the Kiffar just couldn't fathom doing anything to defeat the beast. He didn't even know what the entity before him was, let alone what could be done to overcome it. His gaze dropped to the lightsaber a dozen paces away, the mythical Jedi weapon practically useless. While the Jedi could summon it to his hand, if not stopped by the god-like being before him, what would it matter? The ground had swallowed more than half of his body up, entrapping him in a prison of stone and dirt. Everything from his prison, the dusty dunes, distant screams, and exhausting wracking his body spoke of a deep and piercing helplessness. Ryv hated it, more than he hated anything else in his life. Shame in himself melted away, frustration with the Silver Jedi Order disappeared, and his longing for his father's embrace all but evaporated from his mind. Only helplessness shared this prison, nestled uncomfortably around his heart.

"I-" Ryv looked away from the flaming being, his eyes falling to Abaddon's unmoving form. It didn't take much to determine that's what awaited the Jedi once claimed by the creature. The armored being's pain from moments before wasn't forgotten. If anything, the idea of it only heightened in his mind. As Ryv prepared to accept it all for what it was, a glimmer of hope shined within his tired thoughts. Perhaps Abaddon's armor reminded the Jedi of Cedric Grayson, or maybe the unconscious and unmoving state brought him to mind, but an idea formed nonetheless. Ryv closed his eyes, emptying his consciousness of the concerns troubling him, probing beyond for whatever remained of Abaddon's broken and terrified psyche. The Jedi prodded at the being's spirit, feeling the pain and anguish clawing at whatever remained of his light. While it likely couldn't even be classified as a longshot, given the sheer impossibility of its success, Ryv retained hope.

"My will, huh?" Ryv looked back to the living flame, his mind made up. "You know what? I think we can make that happen, sure," a faint smile pulled at the corner of his lips. "I accept your deal. Keep them safe, and for a time, my will is you own."

A Aeris ​