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"Good," was all Aldric said, determination in his voice. He watched her jump out onto the street, amused by how casually Valery could defy a several story descent, "Show-off," He muttered, letting it pick up on their comms. The agent then took his position, and waited.
It wasn't long before his Jedi partner picked up on something. And not just any something: a Sith. Aldric sighed, and steadied himself. He had never actually come face to face with a Sith before. Not in a battlefield like this anyway. A quick check of the street eventually revealed the figure in question, who soon emerged from behind a nearby block.
"Copy. Target in sight." Aldric relayed, resting the sniper against his shoulder, and taking aim. He couldn;'t help but still be concerned for Valery. She was a powerful Jedi master, and had taken part in countless battles before. But nobody was invincible. And with how close they were, it was insticitual, more than anything.
The crosshairs lined up with the Sith's head. He adjusted, to account for movement and drag. Then, "Engaging."
The bolt launched forth with a heavy recoil and a loud shriek, right towards their target.
He gave a face of confidence, but Jasper couldn't help but feel a little bit of dread. It didn't help that he had been shown a vision of the Sith's ultimate goal not to long ago, so anything ritualistic was bound to have him concerned. Nothing said that better then descending into a pit of bodies. The HellWell, for this reason, was very appropriately named. Master Tafo had brought him along for the assistance of Force Light, which would be useful in driving out some of the corruption that was no doubt taking hold in the depths of the pit. Jasper had seen the power of Force Light first hand when facing Ishani Dinn
on Panatha alongside his friend Silas Westgard
. He knew it would be needed.
"About my light," the padawan began as they descended. "I can keep it up for a longer period of time then before, but it still has it's limits. There's a certain radius where it no longer becomes as effective. I'm afraid I can only protect you guys when you're in close proximity to me."
He had also learned this on Panatha. There was a range in which his light no longer protected Silas, and the Sith they had slain attempted to drive them apart. It was a limitation he wanted to state upfront.
"Hey," he added, turning to Daisy. "I get to see your lightsaber now, though I guess this is a lot more intense then a sparing match."
Brotherhood of the Maw Staff Galactic Alliance Staff Darth Solipsis IVI The Mongrel Auteme Darth Mori Valery Noble Zachariel Steelblood Dracken Pryce Kyrel Ren Liedran Kathause Bernard of Arca Seto Du Couteau BROTHERHOOD OF THE MAW INVASION OF GALACTIC ALLIANCE HELD...
Brotherhood of the Maw Staff Galactic Alliance Staff Darth Solipsis IVI The Mongrel Auteme Darth Mori Valery Noble Zachariel Steelblood Dracken Pryce Kyrel Ren Liedran Kathause Bernard of Arca Seto Du Couteau BROTHERHOOD OF THE MAW INVASION OF GALACTIC ALLIANCE HELD...
www.starwarsrp.net
"Continue the ritual, my fellow brethren in blood!" she told them.
All this after she felt that countless new presences had appeared in the Force; a large number of Lightsider auras. To tell the truth, the Reverend Mother had hoped that they would have more time before the GA showed up, but this planet was located deep in the core world of the GA and close to Coruscant, or indeed Tython, so it was not surprising that very soon they learned of the about an attack. However, she hoped that they would have some time before that happened. It didn't seem to turn out that way after all.
Several left the ritual there to attend to those who came here to stop them. However, the priestess did not move for the time being. If the enemy succeeds in disrupting them at this level, then the Galactic Alliance will already have the upper hand. And this was something that could not be allowed. This was too important. It's more important than anything. Not because of Mori's plan, she didn't care about the Sith, she despised them. Rather, because based on the whispers, the voices, this was the will of the Dark Three.
"Keep going! Don't stop! Don't let Ashla's servants interfere with our sacred ritual. They cannot distract us from the will of the Avatars!" she told them.
She had no intention of stopping the ritual either. Y'sanne wasn't a warrior, she was a sorcerer, not particularly well versed in armed combat. She was dangerous in a magical duel, yes, but she was a religious leader as well; if she could, she avoided fights and dealt with what she was much better at. Help the forces from a distance, with battle meditation, or by controlling demons and the undead. These suited her much better. That's why she didn't intend to go near any fight or battle today either.
Getting in here, where the ritual was taking place, was a different matter, but up until that moment, she didn't want to bother with Jedi or such lowlifes.
Ziare Dyarron | Keilara Kala'myr | Mercy | Freedom Mongrel's Shadow and his widow; Matriarch of the Scar Hounds Tribe; Guardian of Mongrel's armour and sword
Objective: Survive || Try to escape with the twins Location: Secret Prison Facility, Exegol Equipment: N/A Writing With: Tu'teggacha
(and as Kallan) | Thomas Barran
| Closed
[ Come back… ] "Galactic Basic" | ~ Telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >>
Brotherhood of the Maw Staff Galactic Alliance Staff Darth Solipsis IVI The Mongrel Auteme Darth Mori Valery Noble Zachariel Steelblood Dracken Pryce Kyrel Ren Liedran Kathause Bernard of Arca Seto Du Couteau BROTHERHOOD OF THE MAW INVASION OF GALACTIC ALLIANCE HELD...
TROUBLE COMES KNOCKING Objective: Objective I - Depths of Hell - Post 1 Equipment: Under-Armor, Quiet Riot Armor With Gas Backpack, The Encoil, Zerek Stowaway Node, ICE/iBorg Clarion Personal Translator Weapons: Four Zenji Needles, Pair of Blue Lightsabers, 1 Hard Light Weapon, 2 Shock Whips...
TROUBLE COMES KNOCKING Objective: Objective I - Depths of Hell - Post 1 Equipment: Under-Armor, Quiet Riot Armor With Gas Backpack, The Encoil, Zerek Stowaway Node, ICE/iBorg Clarion Personal Translator Weapons: Four Zenji Needles, Pair of Blue Lightsabers, 1 Hard Light Weapon, 2 Shock Whips...
www.starwarsrp.net
~ Mercy ~
Slowly, even in the dream world, I started to realize that I don't have to be afraid of anyone waking me up because of torture. I was no longer a prisoner. With Kallan's help I was able to escape. But the other things were still there, there were no different drugs at the droids, just to keep me alive and not let me die. So I was no longer in a sterile environment and I think I also fainted several times because I had a fever. Food and water supplies must have been very limited, although I still had an infusion, I think. I didn't know, in reality everything was so blurred and scattered.
I didn't know if they would find us or not. Or where Thomas Barran
is. Exegol, now I knew where we were. I would so like to be home; not in my own apartment, but in Asher's sanctum. That place felt much more like my home than the apartment that was assigned to me. After all, we were in his sanctuary every night. I could sneak in there with my eyes closed so we could be together. Not only in our minds, but also in reality. Now that place can be so eerily empty.
My heart started to ache even more at the thought, and it didn't help that the dream image of Asher was hugging me and stroking my hair and back soothingly. This reminded me of not being able to finish the film we started before Tython, but never finished. This made me cry again because the pain was so strong again, even though it had never been so strong in the dreams. Maybe I was weak and really sick in reality?
I didn't know, but maybe the easiest thing would have been to fall asleep and never wake up. That is, when I wake up, I am really with him, in the Netherworld. A peaceful, quiet and calm death. In a dream, while we are here together. After all, I didn't know if Barran would find me first or Tu'teggacha. Maybe a 50-50% chance? Or worse for someone's benefit? I did not know.
But no, no matter how much I wanted to be dead, to be with my husband. The kids…the kids were still with Taskmaster. They had to be secured before that. First them, then my own desires and the long-desired death, or the Manifold… any of those would have suited me at this moment.
~ Thomas, Manifold, I wonder where you were at this minute?~ I asked in the dream, but I knew that none of them could hear this, even if they happened to be nearby…
~ Keilara ~ ~ I don't know if I'm doing it right, I have no experience in this. ~ I smiled at him for a moment.
My heart sank as I looked at Kallan, due to the fact that we shared a mind melded and Force-less dyad, I felt his pain and darkness as well. Everything he took from Mercy. It broke my heart that I had to see him like this and that he didn't even want to come out to the lake with us. And the children were already ready and waiting to leave, they were stumbling in the door and waiting for us to get there.
~ You can go to the lake without us, we'll join later! ~ I asked them.
It wasn't necessary to say much more, because they rushed out the door. Sometimes I felt that they had too much energy and I was too old for that. How old was I anyway? I don't know, except those twenty-seven years have passed since I was born. And by my birth I mean the birth of the body, but since my soul was split into Ziare and Mercy earlier, I didn't live nearly as long as I should have. I watched for a few more moments as the door slammed shut after the children. And I turned back to Kallan after that.
I reached up to his face and tried to turn it towards me so that he would look at me so that we could look into each other's eyes. My green eyes sparkled with concern and tender love. Here in our minds my eyes were still green, in reality Mercy had gold since her telepathy had awakened. True, there was not a single injury on my body here, not like in reality. I stroked his face gently, if he let me, I rested my forehead against his.
~ Please, my love, don't rule me out! ~ I beseech him. ~ I know what you are going through, I felt it too when I healed you, when I dealt with you while you were still in Asher's mind and you were just healing because you were just a fragment, a shard. It breaks my heart to have to see you like this, Kallan. ~
With my other hand, which was not on his face, I reached for one of his hands and squeezed it encouragingly.
~ I'm sorry, I had no right to ask you to help her during the birth. I never wanted to put you in this situation. I didn't want you to ever suffer or have the darkness take over you like that. ~
I stood on tiptoe a little and pressed a kiss on his cheek, I didn't kiss him properly, I didn't want to hurt him or make him feel like too much intrusion.
~ You are not alone, I am here for you. I'm always here, for better or for worse, because we swore to each other, and because I love you! Kallan, please! I want you to share the pain and darkness with me. Let me help you, I want you to feel better. And you know you can tell me anything, we can talk about anything. If you can't or don't want to with words, then thoughts are enough. ~ I breathed.
So that he could know and feel what I was thinking, I embraced him carefully with my empathic power, so that he could feel my care, my love, and most importantly he could feel, he is not alone.
~ Share with me the fatigue, pain, or take from me as much strength as you can overcome this. Anything, just let me help you, let me fight you, I don't want you to have to go through this alone. I don't want you to suffer! ~ at the end of my words, even a tear ran down my face.
Objective 1: Disrupt the Ritual and remove Sith Presence from Metellos. Inventory:Armistice Staff Lightsaber | Jedi Garments of Rebirth | Navi Virtual Assistant. Engaging: Open | Brotherhood of the Maw. Writing With:Jand Talo
| The Galactic Alliance. "Whatever happened here has nothing to do with Gods," Jand muttered, as he turned to regard Caedyn. "I find it difficult to believe such a... site would exist on a world the Galactic Alliance governed.".
"It truly is a horrific sight..." Caedyn agreed, speaking quietly as he looked at their surroundings. Whatever had once been the natural lay of the land, was now indistinguishable from the countless bodies slain and left to rot. Much of them had been left here long enough for the decay to already set in. Corpses with gaping holes, dried blood and visible bone formations...-Although gravely dishevelled.
Despite his many years of experience as a Jedi Knight, Caedyn Arenais had never laid eyes upon a nightmarish landscape such as this. It was difficult to quieten nausea, let alone his disgust for how these poor souls had been discarded in such a disrespectful manner.
"Even I can sense the darkness here... be careful, Caedyn." Jand bid Caedyn farewell before moving to accompany the Alliance troopers. Something that Caedyn was quietly relieved, as he had not long known the young Nagai and despite Jand's skill in martial combat, the company of trained soldiers bid the Jedi Knight's conscience some ease.
"Take care out there, Padawan. See you back home after this is done" Caedyn spoke up in farewell to the young lad, before turning to start his way deeper into the Hellscape. From the ground side, the skies overhead looked as if they were aflame, a red glow surrounding the hellscape as if the former blue ocean was now mirroring the sheer amount of blood that had been spilled.
Jand was right on point, how had this been allowed to happen on an Alliance World.
Caedyn proceeded all the same. His right hand had reached for the hilt of his lightsaber as a precaution, moving in stride as he pushed on taking care not to tread upon the bodies laid out for all to see. Even in their sorry state, he did his best to respect their passing. They deserved that much at least.
Suddenly Caedyn felt a familiar presence reach him. It wasn't one resembling the darkness that surrounded him but rather much brighter and youthful energy. Ariana Du Couteau
was out here somewhere? Caedyn frowned. Had he known she had planned to enter such a place, he'd have sought to accompany her himself. She was his Padawan after all.
Reaching out into the Force, Caedyn sought to connect with her through the application of telepathy. If his Padawan was receptive enough, she would feel his presence, his emotions, and his intention to find her amidst the blighted land they shared.
Nemris did not see the shooter, nor did he see the sniper bolt hurtling towards his head. The position in which he emerged from had hidden his view until the worst possible moment to evade the coming danger. While he could not fully see the threat, the raging inferno that flooded his mind from the Force, the danger sense that all Force Users experienced to one extent or another, kicked in. His mind raced as he analyzed the potential threats that he could have walked into. He had not sensed any other potential dangers until that moment, and other than the Jedi, no being had stood out to him in the Force. A sniper was the most likely danger, and even if he could have ignited and raised his lightsaber in time, the sheer power of most sniper rifles would have tore the weapon from his grasp.
His right hand shot out, and calling on the Force, he froze the incoming shot. Air around the blaster round seemed to distort and bend around the glowing beam of energy, and Nemris had to focus on stopping the initial momentum. The sheer power and velocity of the round, far greater than standard close range weapons, strained against the Force Freeze, and Nemris did not try and keep it still for long. He took a step to the side, and released his control on the Force. The shot sped back up, and slammed into the building behind where Nemris had just been standing.
He did not stay still for long. Not wanting to give the sniper another chance at an easy shot, Nemris shot his hand out once more, fingers curled into claws, and with the Force, pulled on a nearby building. The side of the building facing Nemris began to crumble, and then in a storm of debris, the front half of the building tore away from its supports. Stone and metal came falling down to the street, and Nemris took special care to curve several spars of metal towards the Jedi approaching him. It was Valery Noble, the Sword of the Jedi. He had suspected their encounter Crustai had not been the last time they would meet. But he had not been expecting the next encounter to be this soon.
The stone and metal not hurtling towards the Jedi Master slammed into the street, shattering it in many places, and sending up waves of dust. It hung heavily in the air, almost a physical barrier in of itself, and with a small exertion of the Force, Nemris kept the dust flowing around and up, rather than falling back to the ground. With his cover secured, at least temporarily, he turned his focus on tracking down the Jedi in the dust cloud with him.
"First Crustai, and now Metellos, Valery. Each time we meet you have to bring help. Are you so afraid to fight me alone...?"
Caraxes would watch his fellow Heathen Priest take part in the ritual, while Caraxes would look as an observer. His purpose was to make sure the ritual would go on. The millions of dead trapped within the Well would serve a purpose. The Priest would slowly start to wonder if the Avatars themselves would grant all the powers of Hell to the Maw. The priest while ancient was not foolish. When he felt several presences of Jedi start to slowly trickle down into the altar area of the ritual Caraxes was on full alert. “I hear you infidels and heretics. Bow down to the Avatars and I promise they will be merciful. Stand with the nonbelievers and I too promise the Avatars are just as well as merciful.” He would say the holy man’s words dripping with fanatical conviction.
Slowly he would start to go away from the ritual group of Sith, Heathen Priests, and Mawites as a whole. He slowly started to slip away like a shark in blood infested waters the priest was now on the hunt for fresh prey. Combat while never having been a strong suit of Caraxes he had shown in his advanced years he possessed knowledge and power that would rival any Sith. He could feel two signatures in the Light, and it made him hiss out towards it. He was repulsed by the burning light, even as he slipped into the darkest corners of the ritual. The horn headed priest spreading out to follow the scent that was being let off.
His movements were slow, as if he was leading one of his unholy processions through a newly converted world. Even the insects scurrying about had fled away in terror of the dark presence that had stalked the corners. His sternum filled with bled Kyber crystals mixed in with ancient writing that wasn’t like that of the Sith. His steps were covered in dark, flowing robes. He stepped closer into the darkness, and soon his aura was one of the darkest in the underbelly of the city. The chants that had deafened all sounds seemed to have been all but lowered with how far he was close.
He felt the signatures closer, and in the dark he clung tightly to his saber. The blade shined brightly while the priest would take a deep inhale. “I can smell you… Full of fear… Come out. Don’t be shy perhaps a few words of the Hidden Maw might show you the way… Come out or I will tear you apart.” His first few words were impassive. It seemed that he wouldn’t show any sense of danger. That was until his final words started to show the holy man’s true nature. His words oozed with deadly intent as he attempted to coax his enemies out of hiding.
It took a time to reach the distant 10th stratablock, as the Alliance soldiers kept pace with the Padawan, but they arrived ready.
As the more militaristic troops began to fan out and establish positions, Jand remained unobtrusive and to one side, largely present to support should a Force threat emerge. His lightsaber was held in hand, deactivated, but he also had the comforting weight of other weapons under his cloak. With steely gray eyes, the Nagai observed, keeping watch...
"Padawan Talo," A soldier called from across the way, which caused the Nagai to jog over several streets, and once closer the human continued. "We've got dead soldiers. Looks like they were crushed in their armor."
Jand peered around the corner, where he saw the bodies. The armor was crumpled in places, while another had a distinct charred circle through the chest. A lightsaber stab, through the heart, which meant there was a Maw combatant - or perhaps several - in the area. Whatever the threat, it was important that the Galactic Alliance remain in position at the stratablock, to head off potential enemy movement through the area, especially reinforcements to the hellwell.
"It appears the Maw have agents in this area," Jand said simply, as he looked toward the streets that connected and weaved through the area. "I will seek them out. Remain in position, establish your defensive lines, that remains your priority. Care for the dead when you have a moment."
"Understood," The soldier nodded, though his eyebrows were furrowed, perhaps at the lack of emotion toward the deaths. "You heard the Jedi, let's lock down this sector!"
The troopers got to work.
Meanwhile, Jand began to walk away from the activity of troopers, as he focused through the Force. He sought to feel where the sentients responsible might be, and after several moments felt a chill through his body, as he looked toward a darkened passage that descended into a tunnel beneath the stratablock.
"There."
The pale Padawan walked toward the opening, eyes narrowed, hand on his weapon. He moved without fear, as only one thing instilled that sensation for a Nagai, though remained cautious. As he got closer, there was the feeling skin prickling, the hairs on his neck stood up. The entryway was cast in shadow, the space within impossible to see, but the subtle tingle of dark side energy couldn't be denied...
The High Admiral had been, admittedly, doing a bit of drama for his deck officers, standing with arms clasped at the Momentous Triumph's main viewport. The view was incredible, but it was more a reminder to his crew of their preparation when he loudly announced the Maw's arrival. He turned and strode briskly back to the primary tacmap at the center of the bridge. The first alarms hummed dully.
The Elomin was already studying the enemy positions, like he was memorizing them for recitation to his teacher. Jacken spared a glance as he passed. Final Dawn, clustered together with all their heavy brawlers, alongside a formation of Maw destroyers. The ships that jumped even slightly off the central hyperlane exit were instead pulled far off by interdiction mines; the smallest vessels were then ripped to shreds by clusters of orbital mines. No shots had been fired yet, but already the space around Metellos was filling with debris.
"Lovely. Our timing should be good." Metellos's three moons had given them generous pickings for fleet placement -- hiding behind the third was the majority of a sector fleet, ready to strike once the Maw had fully engaged. Proper reinforcement of the system had been an arduous affair, but now that the Maw had taken the field, all that was left to do was to spring the trap.
"High Admiral," the Elomin's moderated voice caught his attention, "our defensive mines may be ineffective. The effective energy of the ion mines will not be enough to deactivate any of the primary battlecruisers." The alien moved the tacmap's perspective slightly, focusing on the large scattering of ion mines placed in the path of the Maw. "It's also likely they have the capabilities to detect the mines. Perhaps, even, deactivate them."
"Yeah, that's not really the point. I'd honestly rather cut down their support ships first. Those big ones -- we've talked about this," he said, waving his hand. "They're bricks. Cut down their options, make them come at us, encircle them. We could win even without the 5th."
"I think so as well. However -- the Maw and Final Dawn we have encountered are not keen on using their lighter vessels as a frontline." He moved the perspective again, shifting back to the whole battlefield. The Alliance's position seemed simple; an inward-curving front line comprised of MC140s and a mix of frigates and corvettes, backed up closely by battlecruisers and heavier vessels, and screened by squadrons of fighters. The Liberty Kai destroyers were clustered behind the Triumph, ready for a rapid and focused deployment once the Maw got closer. The whole formation kept close to the planet, their formation punctuated by Metellos's Golans and other defense platforms.
Jacken studied the map a moment, then sniffed. "Let's give them a reason to get moving, I suppose. Start firing the Watchtowers's hypervelocity cannons, our long-range weapons -- focus their heaviest ships. Keep that focus up once they're in range of our planetary guns. Once they're tied up in our mines, start moving up our front line and push in our bombers and strike craft. Keep formation. Knock 'em down. Let's get to it, folks, we've been waiting for this long enough."
The deck became a flurry of action, and the void filled with the first belches of laser fire.
She called him a contractor. He was with the SIA, but even to a friendly he wouldn't just say that when she had another thing to label him as. Sure, a contractor would do fine. When she gestured to the hole he nodded. "Affirmative. Technically I'm supposed to take as many of these freaks alive as I can. But I don't really like leaving these things breathing." He rolled his shoulders.
She gave them each callsigns, his was Blue Contractor. Too many syllables for his liking. Wouldn't be quick to say in combat. "Contractor works," She made a comm link without even reaching up to her helmet. That was neat. "but you could also call me 'Guns'. That's my normal callsign here."
She began walking with not much enthusiasm. He would have preferred the calm steel of professional battlers, but they were heading into a literal pit of monsters. He understood. "Go us." He stated boldly. "I got your back, Jedi."
Heading down into the well, it was impossible not to hear the chanting."War, Death, Rebirth."Over and over again. If what he had read in his reports were true, those were the names of so-called "Avatars" that the Maw revered. Supposed to be Gods of some kind. This was tied to them somehow, this pit of death of despair. Maybe it was a hot spot for Force activity, like some places on Degobah.
He stepped quietly, using his helmet's other sensors to help him see without the aid of light. The sky was covered and down here it got even darker. A light was simply a beacon that said 'shoot me now'.
“I hear you infidels and heretics. Bow down to the Avatars and I promise they will be merciful. Stand with the nonbelievers and I too promise the Avatars are just as well as merciful.” He would say the holy man’s words dripping with fanatical conviction.
The blade shined brightly while the priest would take a deep inhale. “I can smell you… Full of fear… Come out. Don’t be shy perhaps a few words of the Hidden Maw might show you the way… Come out or I will tear you apart.” His first few words were impassive. It seemed that he wouldn’t show any sense of danger. That was until his final words started to show the holy man’s true nature. His words oozed with deadly intent as he attempted to coax his enemies out of hiding.
Saber. Fanatic. His orders to take alive. Great. And full of fear? Maybe he hadn't killed a Sith as crazy as anyone in The Maw, but bullets and explosives would tear him apart the same it would anyone else. He was pretty sure anyway. But this wasn't an assassination. He had orders to arrest and detain as much as he could. He wanted to use the grenade launcher on his rifle and blow this joker to pieces, but if he caught it and threw it back, it'd be bad. If he didn't catch it or if he aimed for the ground infront of this guy, it'd be great. He shook his head. These orders were going to get more of their people killed than anything else, he just knew it.
"Jedi," He spoke over comms, "I'll open up on him, get his attention with big and loud." He was used to taking on Force Users alone, or with others who also weren't Force Sensitive and thus didn't make many pings on what he called 'Force Radars'. She was different. Unless she could hide in The Force, he'd need to distract him and his mind. "You go in, surprise him. My mark is when I open fire."
He walked forward slowly, his rifle trained on the man. The red light of his saber turned everything into shades of black and red. By the Force was his outfit insane. And smart, from a tactical standpoint. He figured it had more religious significance, but it greatly hid where his body was within all that fabric and swirls. "Not sure what you're smelling because I don't fear you. Maybe you need to wash the robes. What are these words the Hidden Maw have for someone like me?" He asked outloud. Any twitch in the wrong way, anything happening to his mind, he'd pull the trigger.
There were a swarm of Sith and darkness as Dreidi crept forward. She was lingering in the shadows, darting around enemies and avoiding the fight as best she could. While she would have loved to take down every Sith she passed, she knew she didn't have the stamina to do all that and reach the ritual site and bring it down. No, Dreidi would have to be smarter, sneakier and plan her resilience. Saving spells, the Force and fighting till she could see the ritual. It was hard going and she couldn't afford to waste much time being overly cautious so she often took riskier chances if she needed to move from lingering too long. It was keeping her heart racing and the adrenaline of the whole ordeal was ensuring that her mind was focused on the task at hand. Sliding around the tunnels and caverns, thankful that she wasn't cutting herself too much or injuring herself before the real fight began. No, she had to be in the best condition she could be for this.
By the time she could hear the chanting, she was feeling all kinds of nerves, butterflies and anxieties about the situation. She was here alone, facing several spellcasters by the sound of them and she wasn't even sure that she could end the ritual if it began. All she could hope for was to give it her best go. Steeling herself, feeling the Force and Magick flow through her, the ancestors of so many on Dathomir speaking to her. Dreidi inhaled and launched herself forward, it was now or never for the young Padawan. Jumping forward, she quickly teleported herself in a cloud of green mist past soldiers and stumbled onto the ritual, stumbling because she overshot and had to forward roll in order to save herself from tripping and looking the absolute fool.
Bouncing back to her feet after the roll, Dreidi ignited her dark orange Lightsaber, illuminating the cave in its glow. "Stop this ritual now! Helping the Sith will only force the Jedi to start attacking more of our sisters on Dathomir and other worlds if this becomes successful!" Dreidi called out, she might not be of Dathomir by blood but she was working hard that she saw the world as home as any other witch. "This is not the way!" Dreidi lifted a hand and attempted to blast the group with a solid Force Push to stumble them and prevent them from continuing to chant, fearing what the incantations they were already doing might have wrought.
SHRIVEN NO MORE: FIVE FALCHIONS, FIVE HUNTERS - PART 1
MIRKHEART VALLEY, CAIRN DISTRICT, NORTH OF THE BLACKSITE, EXEGOL (EARLY-WINTER OF 877 ABY)
~=Victory and defeat alike are easy, but the uncertainty of the inconclusive can leave quite the mess.=~
~=My hands are tied, but yours - are not.... Resume your search for the Matriarch.=~
The Bloodhound wasn't lying either, and to say his hands were tied was an understatement at that, as there was more than just the aftermath of Panatha to consider. Starting with the resurrected comrades who survived long enough to earn their way home, Barran would then need to administer domain-planets for all three of his newly-anointed Magnars before even thinking about what his next big play could be, understanding that all things consolidation would be wise in light of the Shadow War's initial breakout of hostilities; the Ebruchi was more than capable of utilising any and all of the Woad's weaknesses along the way, no matter how small and scant the perceived weaknesses were at the time, no matter how unpredictable his adversary was.
For none of Mawsworn loyalties could ever hope to be as unpredictable as the great Tu'teggacha.
Only one workable option for that one....
Even then - debatable.
There were no doubts within the Tri-Lunar Clique that the best option for the Scar Hounds would be to take the fight to the Taskmaster at the earliest possible opportunity, but with that out in the open, none could doubt the fact their Warlord would be busy for a while as he readied the hordes for their first major offensive play of the war between tribes. However, what complicated this was the fact Thomas was openly vocal in his intent to personally rescue the Matriarch, harping on about family, being a good sibling and a wary protector in times when everyone else just needed the one-eyed Warlord to focus on the task at hand. Though fortunately for all on Mar'Zambul, Barran saw reason in the pleas of his subordinates eventually, heeding the advice of his Magnars and returning to Fort Wrath so he could get back to supervising Vorco's recovery, and to plan for the uncertain future without interruption.
Making it easier for the Bloodhound was the fact his Darkhans were taking full responsibility for failing in their first rescue-attempt, with Rook and Dreamer specifically admitting they had particular scores to settle with two warriors from their wild fight on Panatha just weeks before. And on the merit of the hunger in their eyes alone, such of the likes the Woad had not seen in their gazes since Durace, the Warlord bade the Chiss and the Arkanian take whatever and whomever was needed for the rescue mission's second iteration, for none posed threats quite so much as those serving with Tu'teggacha, the Ebruchised and all the wicked folk who stood under the Taskmaster's banner.
'Do you even know what drives us now, Exegolian? Huh? Do you even know what makes us so wild now? ANY IDEAS?!?!'
Although the challenges were set against them in their time on Exegol's gravelly, sandy ground, the Five Falchions were performing well and working to keep their collective cover (and that of the resurrected ones they had brought along for the second hunt) well and truly uncompromised, even working well with their contacts from Caz's clan in Mineheel and working in coordination with them every step of the way. If it wasn't for that, then there was a high chance the hunting party would be trying to remain incognito for much longer in contrast, ultimately making matters much easier for the Darkhans and their resurrected comrades, especially in the good fortune of retaining enough resources to track down the right suspects without drawing attention.
'The Mongrel was still alive to lead us when the changes began to occur, quiet though they were at the time.... But like the Mongrel, we all dreamed the same prophetic vision as we slumbered the night away, dreaming of the Omen of Durace, awaiting the birth of a weapon like no other. And we found him, covered in his own blood and screaming to the stars above, writhing next to the very ground he clawed his way out from.... Rebirth sent us a sign, and that very Omen leads us now.'
Some of whom had been spilling secrets under severe duress and torment alike, though by that part of the Dreamer's meticulous torture-interrogation process on the latest of the talkers, the commander for the mission had finally noticed the arising need to break his victim psychologically instead. And in this, the Chiss instilled a strong sense of existential dread when mentioning the dark origins of their new Warlord, understanding the Maw's knowledge of the Mongrel's origins that seemed much easier for the other tribes to comprehend and familiarize with, contrasting in far more ways than just the spiritual. People like Tu'teggacha knew the Scar Hounds' first Warlord to be the archetypal cybernetic marauder in every aspect, but in the mysteries, theories and dark tales surrounding the successor, Dreamer knew to capitalise on the most horrifying truths on Thomas if he hoped to see genuine terror in the eyes of his captive.
'And you think you're fighting mere raiders these days? Not even the Sith Empire would be so stupid to assume this.... Might as well just tell us what you know now, gives us the chance to quickly end your suffering. Worse ways to go after all.'
~=Brothers.... The Matriarch has slipped her chains, Mercy is on the run.=~
'Oh.... Interesting development.'
~=BRING OUR MATRIARCH HOME!!!!=~
Excitement, written over the faces of all the Darkhans in sight, and not only on the faces of the Barran's closest friends, but also on the horrifyingly brutish grins of the resurrected ones who joined the hunt for the second time that month. The last of the talkers would see this in the eyes of the Chiss as he knelt down to look more properly into the eyes of the Zabrak captive, looking on in horror whilst the glowing red eyes rolled back under influence of narcotic and existential thrills of the most intense sort, shuddering as the torturer laughed through his sighing, ecstatic rushes of anticipation. The end was nigh for the surviving captives, proven in the slighting apathy over Dreamer's face as he slashed that of the bound Zabrak, daubing up blood as he turned to the other Scar Hounds and concluded,'Mark all of them with the Hâsk Jiaasen glyph.... I want to make an offering to the gods before we move.', turning his gaze back to the Zabrak one last time to savour the moment properly.
~=Consider it done. We're close now.... The gods are with us.=~
Valery blinked in surprise when she heard that over comms. To her, it wasn't strange to jump down from these heights and be fine, so she wasn't trying to show off at all. That didn't mean she wouldn't joke around a little in return though, "Next time I'll do a flip for you," she said with a smirk before the presence of a Sith forced her into an unbreakable focus. As easy as it was for her to mess around with Aldric, she cared too much about him to let anything distract her when it was time to get serious.
War was no joke and demanded that each combatant gave it their all if they had any desire to survive and be successful. It wasn't any different for Valery, so as the Sith made his way into their street, she made sure to track him with her eyes and senses to predict and respond to any move he'd make. But as planned, Aldric was fast enough on the trigger to make sure Darth Nemris
had no time to initiate anything and fired a powerful bolt straight for his head. It would have been incredibly convenient for this shot to have ended it all, but Valery knew Sith could not be underestimated and was rarely taken down so easily.
So the way he commanded the Force to his will to temporarily freeze the bolt was hardly surprising and allowed him to sidestep to evade its deadly impact.
Almost immediately, the familiar Sith turned his darkness outwards and brought down parts of an already damaged building to shower the street with dust and debris. Valery, wanting to stay cautious for now, raised her hands and projected a barrier around herself to shield her from whatever would fall on her, and against anything he specifically threw towards her. But when the collapse settled, she lowered it and hit the ignition switch on her double-bladed weapon, causing the two violet blades of plasma to ignite and illuminate her body.
"It's bold of you to assume that I'd be here just for someone like you," Valery finally said in reply. With the dust covering him, she knew he was trying to conceal himself against the sniper, but this only made her even happier about the recent gift she gave Aldric. With his special glasses, he'd likely be able to look through a different spectrum of light to find his target. "You're only a small cog in their war machine, insignificant to their goals and it's why you're here, fighting a battle you can't win just to try and prove yourself." She chuckled and raised her left hand, channeling the Force to manipulate the air and create a sudden rush of wind to blow away much of the dust that lingered in the air.
It hopefully helped Aldric find his target, but whether it did or not, Valery was fast to engage. After running up towards the Sith, she jumped up into the air and over him, making sure she positioned the Sith between her and Aldric, so he retained his ability to shoot when he saw an opportunity. Valery then made her landing and dashed across the final stretch to deliver the first sweeping strike of her rear blade, hoping to draw him into a blade lock that Aldric could capitalize on.
The overwhelming stench of death greeted them as their troop moved into the smoke-filled streets to get into their positions, charged with the defenses of the factories and the supplies contained within, while Briana and her Jedi compatriots picked their way to the front.
She edged carefully around the fallen bodies, moving like the Solleu River as she worked her way through the tangled mess of Alliance soldiers, Jedi, and Mawites, flies already crusting their bloody flanks. Her lightsaber was occasionally kept in hand as they weaved about, dismissing any stray blaster bolts that flew towards them.
An explosion went off from somewhere nearby, sending a debris filled gust rushing over them. Briana held up one hand to stop their movement, the other hand to cover her face, closing her eyes and waiting until the dust and flies began to settle once more.
She’d always thought death would be a peaceful sort of homecoming — a melancholy lullaby that would usher the deceased to rejoin the Force after a celebratory send off. Her booted foot caught against the pole of an Alliance standard bearer, crimson smearing across the path as it tumbled from lifeless hands.
Death was not a lullaby.
It was the droning of flies and the steady beating of war drums that dragged you into oblivion.
Briana sighed, doing her best to shake off the sobering thoughts while making their way through the streets, refocusing. The important thing in this moment was to try and secure the future of as many people as they possibly could, rather than letting her mind dwell on those whose fate was already set. On circumstances she could not change.
And then it struck her…
A dark wound in the Force that pressed against her mind, moving towards them. She grunted slightly, steeling her resolve. “Aiden, Luric, look alive! We’ve got company.”
The Sith greeted them coldly, casually… her feet moving on instinct as the body of one of their comrades was tossed in a languid manner at them. Briana recognized him as one of the many she'd flown in with, they'd talked briefly about their lives back home and other mundane topics, but she'd never caught his name - now it was too late to ask. The familiar emotion of guilt pricked at her conscious.
Darth Wallgof said:
"Briana Sal-Soren. I learned much of you from your brother. Such a fun conversation."
That he knew her name, or her brother for that matter, worked to momentarily throw Briana off balance, made her mental shields slip. With a low growl she grit her teeth, cerulean blade igniting. “Surrender your weapons and come peacefully as a prisoner of the Alliance,” she said sternly, pointing down her saber at him. “I suggest you accept this mercy, for it is the only one you'll be shown.”
The red glow of her lightsaber was like a dim streak against the smoke-filled air as her descent accelerated the more she pulled her limbs closer to her chest, arms straight and knees pulled up and tucked close to her chest. She landed with a dull thud atop a brick walling of sorts, a divider between property lots to be sure, but she seemed hardly fazed by the impact that she must have felt falling from such a height. Chaos had already taken Metellos before she had arrived, something she was certain would only ramp up the closer she managed to move towards the HellWell, but not everything seemed to go as she wanted - the two that pressed towards her, chasing her like a phantom in the night, were an unwelcome pair.
She had only just started to stand when the bricks beneath her were torn out from under her, the telekinetic urge to destabilize the Sith lord executed with such urgency that she had only managed to notice the intent behind it just as she lost her balance and slipped, catching herself with a single hand before she allowed herself to drop to the ground proper. Her lightsaber cut a deep gash through the wall that separated her from the two arrivals as she went, causing them to tumble down and away from the three without much fanfare.
"You shouldn't be here," The woman sneered, "you're surrounded - surrender."
Mori had no inkling as to whom it was that spoke to her, she was unfamiliar with the faces of those that filled the ranks of the Jedi from Coruscant and Ilum, but she had some strange sense of déjà vu in regards to the man the woman was traveling with. She couldn't place him, or at least not his name, but she recognized something about him and decided the pair were more worth concerning over than the honor guard of the late Quartermaster - the white saber, an irregularity on its own, only served to reinforce that judgment.
"And tell your followers to do the same."
The flat line of her lips curved into a smirk at that, she wondered how often such demands worked in situations such as these. "No." She answered simply, tilting her head to the side as she lifted up her saber to set it across her front. "You do not understand the situation you find yourselves in." The Sith said, her intonation implying perhaps a sense of warning despite being delivered matter-of-factly. She wouldn't afford the two the same zeal she had offered Valery Noble
in their short bout on Teta, neither of them had made themselves out to be an existential threat to her plan just yet, but she still shifted into a stance that implied at least general knowledge of how to wield the weapon she held in her hand. She couldn't risk bringing the attention of the full weight of the Alliance on her location - she was on their world, after all - through excessive use of the force or else she'd risk ruining the chance of harvesting the HellWell's latent darkness for her own ends.
"I suppose if you do yearn for death, I am here - you are more than welcome to take it from me."
Alex strode towards the pit, the stench of death and the aura of the Dark Side growing stronger by the second. So far, he hadn't made contact with any of the other Jedi, or disciples from the Brotherhood Of The Maw for that matter. All was quiet...a little too quiet when one stopped to think about it. His Danger Sense started tingling.
"War, Death, Rebirth!"
A flurry of tattered black fabric crossed Alex's field of vision, and the unmistakable hum of a lightsaber igniting reached his ears. He ducked, as a flash of red passed uncomfortably close to his head. Switching on his orange bladed sabers, Alex pivoted on his heels to keep his opponent in his line of sight.
"War, Death, Rebirth!"
"I heard you the first time," Alex shouted, bending his knees and assuming a defensive posture, his sabers held in a low ready position.
"THIS DAY I WILL GIVE YOUR CARCASS TO THE DARK THREE, JEDI!"
"Oh, I don't think so," Alex replied, a smirk slowly curling his lips as his eyes narrowed.
The dirt and stones around Alex's feet begins bouncing, as if an earthquake was about to occur, then swirled upwards around him like the funnel of a tornado.
"HA!YOUR JEDI TRICKS WON'T SAVE YOU!"
"I beg to differ."
Suddenly, the debris shot towards the Mawite like projectiles launched out of a rail cannon, pelting him from several directions at once. There was a fleshy sounding THWACK! as a stone struck him in the right temple. With a confused look in his eyes, the Mawite staggered forward and fell flat on his face, dead before he hit the ground.
"Looks to me like you skipped 'Telekinesis Day' at the Dark Side Academy," Alex quipped, turning away from the dead Mawite to resume his original objective of finding a path into the pit and stopping the ritual.
-------------------------------------
Allies- Open
Enemies-Open
Rather than waiting to give their opponent a chance to make a move, Miri struck first. She fired a volley of slugs at Nyaeli, shooting with both pistols simultaneously as if trying to fill her with holes.
Tegan had entered the tunnel according to her intel it would lead her to an opening that dropped down into the HellWell. As she descended the tunnel on a gradual decline. The tunnel was full of debris and chunks of duracrete that had fallen from the side walls and ceiling. The Ground's duracrete was cracked and small patches of dirt below it were exposed. Tegan being led by the glowing light of her eyes she could easily see several steps ahead of her. The tunnel smelled of stagnant water mixed with sewage that had come from leaking and broken pipes that also ran across the ceiling.
As she continued her venture forth one of the rune markers she had left near the beginning of the tunnel went off in her mind. A silent alarm to tell her others were joining the journey. Though the rune didn't tell her how many or even if they were friend or foe. Though friends were unlikely as Tegan didn't have many of those that were left alive or that would be on this world. She didn't consider the Maw her friend just an ally out of convenience these days. In the early days she saw something in the Maw but she felt that it's end was coming sooner rather then later another Empire that would join the ashes of so many before.
As she continued forward, she came across a small alcove it barely went ten feet deep, but she felt the presences of three with in it. She could feel the fear in them as she stopped just in front of the Alcove. The fear a mix of the battles forming above and fear that they could just make out her shadow a stranger joining them. Tegan raised her left hand and with out turning she blindly fired her wrist Lanvarok. Two metal discs went flying through the air guided by the force. The razor-sharp edges flew straight for two of the three targets. The flew right past their necks and crimson began pour forth. The clenched at there neck trying to stop the bleeding but it just gushed and gushed forth as they slumped to the ground at each side of the third individual. Pools of blood spilling out onto the broken duracrete floor seeping into the crack and quenching the thirst of the dead ground beneath.
The two discs returned to t Tegan and entered back into the lanvarok. Tegan then returned her arm to her side and turned towards the third induvial. She could feel the fear accelerate and just about the taste the sweat and tears in the air. Her orange sulfuric eyes peered at them in the darkness as she turned and began to walk towards them. They backed up as far as they could there back against the Alcove wall. Tegan's white boots turning crimson as she stepped through the pools of blood that were no mixing. As she approached, she knelt down in front of the young female child that remained of the three individuals. Tegans knees and right hand touching down in blood staining her white armor and glove.
Her orange eyes came with in inches of the girls eyes as she stared at the child who had tears forming in her eyes and pouring down her cheeks, Though no cries came forth from the girls lips petrified in fear. Tegans right hand raised the glove now covered in the blood of the mother. She reached up and wiped a tear from the child's cheek smearing blood on the girls face as she did so. "My mother to was killed by a horrible monster in the dark." As Tegan said that she pulled a round device from her jacket, as she put a thumb on it's trigger a red light came on the device. Tegan then forced the device forward into the girls hands and placed the girls thumb on the trigger. "You will want to hold that tightly and not let go."
Tegan then moved her right hand to the little girl's forehead baptizing it the blood of the mother's blood. Tegan's eyes closed as she imprinted a message and image on the young girl's mind. The image of unimaginable torture, death, destruction, and all the pain in Tegan's own heart sights no one would want to see let alone live through like Tegan had, showing just how broken she truly was inside. The message left for those that were following behind a warning to turn back and leave this place or suffer the same fate this child would. The Girls mind scarred and breaking at the memories the monster before her had imparted. "When they come give them the message to turn away and then give them the gift you hold in your hands." The gift was a thermal detonator that had been set to a dead man switch if the child let go the world would end for those in the blast radius.
With that Tegan stood up her pristine white armor, coat, and gloves now drenched with the blood of mother and father. "One day you will understand, you will hunt the monster that did this to you. Then you will become the monster. Maybe unlike me you might get the chance to slay your monster." Though Tegan was sure that wouldn't happen no one had ever truelly got there vengance on for all the things she did, she was always twenty steps ahead and they didn't know how to play the game. Tegan then turned and walked away back down the tunnel towards her destination.
THE PINK JEDI OF ATRISIA NEW JEDI ORDER THE HELLWELL - METELLOS Aaran Tafo
| Jasper Kai'el Nal'Khem Szat
1 x Songsteel Katana | 1 x Songsteel Wakizashi | 1 x Lightsaber
She knew from recent, first-hand experience, just how protective her master was. What had been a rescue mission had, for their part, turned into his fending off what could easily be boiled down to a couple things - a stalker. A pervert, perhaps. Thinking that day over had made her feel dis-ease and disgust. And at least one, if not both of those feelings could be derived from the atmosphere of this place, aptly termed the ‘HellWell’.
Her mouth was a line, her brow faintly knit together - she needed to manage how those feelings affected her. And anything else that might aim to overwhelm her keen perception of emotion. It was all too tempting to just close herself off. This was an altogether different kind of test from what she had faced on Ilum. At least there was no confusion about what the Sith were, in her mind.
She looked up at Aaran, from behind. “Yes, master,” she replied, if a bit mutedly - whereafter she followed him down into the pit alongside Jasper, while said friend was informing on his ability to emit the light of the Force. It was good to know. Maybe… maybe there was a way she could help, too. She was part-Zeltron, after all. Something to think about, but her thoughts were momentarily elsewhere, until they were interrupted.
She flicked a flat glance at him. “That depends,”she said in the same muted tone, looking back to the way ahead, “You would have no assistance in a spar.”
Take that as you will. She returned to her thoughts, which were still elsewhere, with someone else - after their experiences on Sedri, would she be able to perceive Jand Talo
, wherever he was in this place? She was more curious about whether it was possible, than concerned. The Nagai could handle himself rather well.
But that wasn’t to say she wasn’t at least a little bit concerned for his well-being - she certainly was, as this place was starkly different compared to what they had faced on those Maw ships - but the same could be said for a slowly growing number of others that had become her circle of acquaintances, and in some cases… friends. LIke Gabriel Pryce
. She sincerely hoped the younger padawan would come out of this in better shape than the last conflict.
Seeing the state of him in that bacta tank hadn’t been easy.
They had heeded his words, if only partially. Others had seen that simply holding onto the worlds they'd taken was futile, and agreed instead to strike out. Let Sularen hold onto worlds they wouldn't control for long. Zachariel would strike out with those who knew what the Maw was founded on, a history of raiding and growing their strength using others powers for their own gain. Metellos was perfect for that, a world of riches and resources, though all the better defended for it. It was good that they didn't seek to conquer it then, merely take everything of worth and then leave.
The best place for that was the Industrial Heartland. Home to countless resources, whether living or not, it could all be found here. To that end, the Bloodsworn followed their master into this heartland, eager to take everything they could and leave nothing behind. They descended with their allies, spreading out from landing gunships and other transports. Disgorging their troops out into the wild to hunt and kill as they wished, to sow chaos and take slaves and supplies. Their ships were left behind, holds open and waiting for goods to transport, with guards to keep them in line.
But Zachariel didn't remain there, instead he led his warriors from the front, running into the city to strike out and claim glory for the Bloodsworn. They weren't the only ones charging, other Mawites moved through the streets, looting, killing, and claiming in the name of the Avatars. As they attacked, Zachariel received a call for aid. It seemed someone nearby was cutting through Maw lines with ease. That garnered the warlords interest, as that indicated a Jedi most likely. And if not a Jedi, then someone of some skill.
Altering his course, Zachariel left behind the new slaves, letting them be hauled off as he set himself on new sights. Marching towards the cry for aid, the sounds of battle became louder. Cries of pain and joy were equally heard, with cries to the Avatars prevalent. But no cries from whoever this attacker was, interesting. Turning into a nearby building, Zachariel made his way to the roof. Let's see who this person was, and perhaps scare them a bit as well.
Allowing his warriors to disperse, a pair of Chosen were all that stayed by his side. Even they held back, but a pair of shadows standing just behind the warlord as he knelt on top of the rooftop, overlooking where Westenra battled a small horde of Mawites. She took damage, even as she dealt it out in spades. After a few moments of watching her dispatching them, Zachariel snorted. Deadly, yes, tough, maybe, but she was also being hurt by mere mortals. Rising to his feet, he unhooked his axe before stepping off the ledge.
The fall was short, resulting in a small crater and boom as the warlord landed with a crouch. Rising to his full height, the warlord flicked a hand, ordering the Mawites away. The horde fell back, suddenly overcome by a desire to be away from a warlord of the Maw. Aside from whatever poor saps Westenra may be battling and killing, the rest pulled back to watch or attack elsewhere. Even the two Chosen held themselves back, one remaining on the roof, the ranged of the pair, while the other had also jumped down, the melee one, setting himself up to watch and support as needed.
Zachariel himself simply advanced on Westenra. Looking at him, it would be blatantly obvious the gen'dai was bored and uninterested, while confident in his own supremacy. Idly twirling his axe, the warlord glanced Westenra over, not bothering to say anything for now.
