Private Edges of Prophecy

[Rharrk Zaltli]

Location: Auric Basin, Rishi

A black shape broke atmosphere, it's shields visible under the heavy bombardment of the stormflares lightning and sheering winds.

Inside the cockpit, warning runes flashed and external sensors flashed with distorted images of the landscape below. A thick canopy of knotted trees, their roots deep and ancient. Through the flashes of sustained lightning, the pilot could make out a lone ruin. A fortress of stone suffocated by unnaturally large roots and ivy at the storms eye.

Rharrk leaned across, keying in some coordinates. "We should find a clearing here."

The pilot nodded following his instruction.

Telene was the daughter of Jareth, his former comrade. Like her father before, Telene was a talented pilot and mechanic, managing to upgrade many of the Haulcrafts subsystems in Rharrk's absence. Most evidently her modifications to the shield harmonics had been successful, given they were not joining the graveyard of ships concealed beneath the thick Rishi canopies.

"You sure about heading out there, into the storm?" She asked, straining against the control stick as rogue winds pressed harder.

"No, but it is necessary." He answered, reaching for a cloak.

"Well, you best make it quick. The storm isn't getting any weaker." Telene noted

"I have no plans of a prolonged stay. Keep the bulkhead shut, we aren't likely to be alone down here." Rharrk added ducking into the ships heart.

Heading through the Haulcraft, weaving betwee the extra shield banks and hardwired server racks he reached the bulkhead.

It opened with a whine, Rharrk watched as a gale surged into the room. Hearing Telene curse from the cockpit he advanced with a comfortable stride, shutting the doors behind him.

The storm felt distinctly personal, as if the forces of nature were being levied against him. He knew Rishi's power well, and had come prepared.

His cloak was peculiar in it's design, fashioned from interlocking chainmail that had a charred appearance. Inspecting it more carefully, Rharrk could see the fragmented Kyber Crystals glistening as they radiated their energy outwards bolstering his protective barriers.

His protections assured, Rharrk turned to the abandoned structure. A spiralling spire that reached towards the clouds, surrounding it lay unmarked graves. Rishii bones shattered against the earth.

As he reached the archway, the spire flashed. Rharrk flinched feeling an elemental wave strike against him, reacting quickly his talons dug deep into the earth. His pupils narrowing.

No longer surprised he pressed forward, suddenly stopping as another defence activated. Harvesting lightning from the storm, two metal plates sparked sending a sustained energies at him.

Halted in his tracks, he pushed back channelling his energy into the protective barrier. Sensing his resistance,the mechanism output rapidly grew.

The barrier shattered and Rharrk hissed, before any serious damage could be done the stonework cracked and the mechanisms shattered throwing dust into the room beyond.

"You are stubborn." A voice called down to him.

Glancing up he stared at a female Rishii crouched on a statue of Eostre, she leveled a familiar looking spear against him. "State your name and business."

 

[Rharrk Zaltli]

"Rharrk Zaltli." He answered, giving the Rishii pause. He watched as she scanned his form, picking out his more distinctive features. Clues that might have proved his claim true.

Sensing an opportunity to avoid battle, he pressed forward, "I have come to reclaim our mother, Eostre's blessing. I presume, you are of the Zulirian Swordmaster I heard so much about? A descendant of Nazish perhaps?"

Her claws gripped the spear tighter, lowered and crossing over her thigh ready to defend herself.

"If you are who claim to be, you know well the storms intent. Eostre has given you her answer." She looked up to a opening in the stonework where the storm raged.

Rharrk threw a hand forward channelling the Dark Side into a condensed mass of energy. Like a spear it shot forward. His opponent narrowly evaded the attack, eyes tracking the dark shear up to the moment it passed her.

She spread her wings catching the air and folding them again to descend directly towards him. She led with the spear, carrying her momentum into a forceful blow.

Rharrk followed up with a second, but a blast of wind allowed her to evade. Once within striking distance, Rharrk confidentially side stepped. He was momentarily caught off guard when her spear sliced towards him forcing him to retreat beyond range of a counter strike.

"Trispzest." Rharrk mused aloud, watching her spear closely. As she recovered, she thrust for his shoulder. He dodged again, but with his attention focused on the weapon he was caught off guard when she pressed forward striking him with her shoulder and swinging the weapon around to cut across his beak.

Heightened reflexes counted for naught, she landed a hit and by the time he tried to counter she had used her wings and momentum to throw herself out of reach.

"Leave." She snapped the sound of her beak echoing through the hollowed monolith.

Rharrk rubbed his beak with a wing, feeling the shallow groove her weapon had made. If he moved half a second later, she might have caused serious injury.

He studied her more carefully, realising he had underestimated the lone Sword Mistress. It was clear she had received some degree of Jedi training, yet her stance was full of weaknesses.

He manifested another dark shear, gripping it like a weapon and pressed for an attack. Three strikes, and this would be done.

He bashed her weapon aside, and capitalised on his advantage by piercing her shoulder with his beak restricting her weapon hand. Suddenly, Rharrk felt a powerful force break into his gut, before he could deliver a killing blow she landed a hit with her free hand.

More than that, he felt the force behind it detonate into a explosion of condensed air. He felt as he been hit by an airburst round knocking him back. She dashed forward leaping up to kick him with her talons.

They shared through his padded armour digging into his flesh, and a quick follow up kick pushed him back further. Worse still, it tore away a chunk of flesh causing blood to stain through shredded fragments.

Hunched forward he stared at the bloodied claw.

"Last chance." She warned