Call of the Ancestors

[Zef Halo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arOc933683U​

Einarr studied the height of the falls from above, it was a long way down. How long ? It was unknown. Unnatural thick clouds kept moving but seemed to never end. The whole planet was a mystery. A cold, icy mystery that reminded him of home – Midvinter. No wonder why the two statues that stood were raised as high as the waterfall depicted the Valkyri. People of his blood that had actually found a way to travel through the stars, only to end up on a planet similar to theirs with seemingly nothing but unnatural causes.

This was at least what Einarr had found out about this group of ancestors that had ventured forth from Midvinter in the search of another planet whether to pillage and raid like he wanted his people to do, it remained a mystery. But whatever they had done here equaled to the construction of unbelievably tall and magnificent statues. The Sith Knight was mesmerised by these ancestors of his, by who were these Valkyri that currently took the shape of the statues on both sides of the falls.

Einarr touched the stone numerous times to feel it. It was unnecessary as the Force was easily felt all over this planet. It engulfed the whole planet‘s surface or at least to everywhere he had passed through to arrive here on the edge of the falls which seemed to have no end. Yet, despite its enigmatic nature, the Valkyr felt as if he had been here before. Perhaps in his past life, if such thing existed. His journey had led him here. His unending quest to find out more about his people, to enrich his knowledge had led him to this place.

The Sith Knight took his gaze from the statue back to the darkness below, the abyss that seemed to gaze back at him and then on his surroundings. The height of the falls made him feel as if flying over the clouds and over the surface of the planet. That was half true as he could see vast tundra that seemed to span forever. Even in such inhospitable lands, life ought to exist. The Valkyri’s existence was a proof of that. Yet, Einarr could feel no life forms anywhere. This lack of life both made him feel uneasy and more curious.

What had happened here?

It was obvious that life had existed here in the form of sentients at some points, even if those were only the Valkyri that had come here at some point. There was nothing. Nothing at all but the eerie and soothing at the same time feeling of the Force that covered the planet. It seemed as if something had consumed the essence of the whole place and left a trail large enough of the Force behind. The planet was fully engulfed by contrast. The feeling of life due to the Force but the lack of such was an oxymoron in itself. The calming yet uneasy aura was another oxymoron. The whole place was full of contradictions that seemed to coexist in some way.

“Nothing, yet everything.” Einarr spoke to the wind and he received a reply of silence.

The clouds below continued their movement but as far as the Sith Knight could see they had no end. He did not even expect them to end at all. The question that had stamped itself in his head was – what now?

Where was he to proceed to, his path had led him here to what seemed the edge of the world. Einarr wondered how such a powerful beacon of the Force had not been found by any Force User. Or if it had been, why no one had left a trail behind. Perhaps, someone, somewhere had, but the numerous scans the ship piloted by the droid he arrived with had done showed a planet void of life. Something, though, made him feel he was going the right way. Yet, it could also be the wrong way. The planet’s contradictions were endless.

Einarr’s watch over the neverending, moving clouds below had finally brought results to him. Something that finally halted, even for a moment, the monotonous, robotic mechanics of this planet. The cloud, for just the time one blinked, had created a hole between its thick layers to reveal the endless height of the falls. The Sith Knight had caught it, yet he rubbed his eyes to make sure he was not hallucinating. The Valkyr remained staring at the abyss below awaiting to see the phenomena happen again, yet nothing happened. Could it have been a trick with the mind? Or was it indeed a rupture in the cloud for just a moment? Did it even matter? There was only one way to find out.

Fortune favours the bold.

He jumped.

 

[Zef Halo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBXRig18t08​

Einarr‘s leap of faith from the top of the endlessly high filled him with adrenaline as he barely kept his eyes open. Entering the clouds that earlier covered the bottom of the falls, the Sith Knight engulfed himself with the Force in a protective bubble. He had to be cautious or he would end up dead as the planet itself seemed to be. It was a bold and a rash decision but he believed the Gods were with him. As always.

After passing through the thick layer of clouds, he finally could see the bottom of the waterfalls – a large pool of water. Yet, still so far away. The more he fell, the more he accelerated. Soon enough, the Sith Knight would hit the pool of water. The closer he got, the more he reinforced the Force bubble that engulfed him. There was no risking it at all. No matter how odd this planet was, he did not want to completely deny the laws of nature.

Splash!

Einarr hit the water with such power that even his Force bubble shattered, for a moment he seemed to blackout. Opening his eyes, the nothingness of the water was the only thing he could see. His vision seemed to blur as a light from its depths began glowing more and more. It glowed so much, the Sith Knight had to close his eyes as the light enveloped him. An outlandish feeling made him shudder and open his eyes.

Where was he?

The Sith Knight sat on a vantage point on a rock, very confused of what had happened. Had he died ? No. It did not seem like it but he definitely did not feel being at the right place. Einarr felt as if he was in a dream. No. Not even that. As if the Valkyr had gone to a completely different space and time. Another dimension. He slowly stood up and observed the place around him.

A place that looked so identical to Midvinter that for a moment he thought all his journey to that planet was a dream. Yet, it was not Midvinter. His eyes fell upon a large building of Valkyr architecture that seemed to float in the air. A bridge connected it to the land where Einarr was. From his vantage point the Sith Knight saw four figures. Even from his distance he could make out that the figures resembled his own Valkyri people.

For a second Einarr thought of venturing towards the figures but a dreadful explosive roar echoed through the sky. A screech followed and a shockwave tearing the wind around him, made him grab at his axe as a...dragon flew over him. A jet black dragon that circled around the four figures. The latter seemed to take a defensive position as the dragon circled around them. Were they planning to fight it? The Sith Knight was baffled and curious to see what would happen as the dragon seemed to move to attack the four figures.

Another roar.

This one did not seem to come from the dragon at all but from one of the figures. It halted the dragon right in its flight and the screeching beast began his descent on the ground. Something seemed very wrong with it. Flames lit from the hands of one of the figures and struck the dragon who began a rampage. The rest of the figures engaged the beast with their axes and swords. Even Einarr was in awe at their bravery.

Roar.

The dragon roared once again sending the combatants flying away but not one bit faltering as they stood up to dash at the jet black creature. Flames once again were hurled from one of the figure‘s hands and this time the dragon roared and went for a bite. Only to open itself to the athleticism of one of the figures. The one who had roared as a dragon before. The figure evaded the jaws of the dragon spectacularily and with a swift climb end on top of the creature‘s head. It immediately attempt to shake him off but the figure withstood it.

A painful, yet fearsome screech echoed and seemed as if it was to break matter itself followed after the man‘s furious slash at the dragon‘s neck.

The creature had been slain.

With the death of the mythical beast, the cloudy and unwelcome weather of the place was begining to be replaced by its antipode – a pleasant sunny noon. Yet, Einarr could not witness the events after as light from the sky began glowing strongly and engulfed him once again in blindness. When darkness fell, the Sith Knight opened his eyes once again.

The Valkyr lied on the coast of an underground cave, he was dry but felt as if he was back to where he had really been. Back to reality. The oddities seemed to never end. Getting back on his feet, Einarr shuddered at the malicious voice he heard in his head.

He is here.​