Faction LOTS │ Trial of Sand (Open to All Acolytes/Knights)

[Dis]

Surur Pomi (Dis the Shadow(cat))
Shadowcat, explorer and wanderer; Owner of the Cat’s Paw; Member of the Greystone Mercantile​

Location: Korriban
Equipment: Chosen Host | Lightsaber
Tags: Val Drutin | Kal | Melydia Gold | Alina Tremiru | Darth Arkanus | Arcturus Dinn | Quintus Varro | Aspect of The Force

While following Mr. Hssiss, Dis found a lightsaber in the girl’s dress pocket *. How come it hasn't noticed that yet? It wasn’t that important, and it might come in handy later if they got into a situation where it had to use it. Meanwhile, also arrived in the great hall after Val; Mr. Hssiss joined the Shadowcat here and lay down at its feet. Looked around at what it was seeing, while also sensing the presence of the others as they approached; also including Kal.

Heard whispers in its mind; it was not so bothered by this because many times Dis listened to the open conversations of its other Shadow peers, the telepathic conversations, and it had a similar effect. Looked through the huge hall and the others arrived nicely in theory. Then all they had to do was get the holocron. Dis wasn’t happy that everyone was in one place because the Shadowcat didn’t want to fight.

~ What are we going to do if everyone attacks the other for the holocron? I don’t want to fight them, nor do I want them to fight. ~ send a telepathic message to Kal .

It could not seek advice from anyone else in this situation. Meanwhile, Val stated that he was here at the first time, to which the girl with a strange aura responded. Dis didn't know the answer to the question, it would have been nice if it could say something, but it doubted it could get the others to cooperate. The Sith love to betray each other. But the Shadowcat tries...

"Since we are a group… and a group is as strong as its weakest member… Why don’t we get the holocron together so everyone can learn from it? To become better together through it?" Asked cautiously, Dis tried to find out if the others were willing to do it or not.


* The user was an idiot and forgot that I wrote it in the first post.

 

[Melydia Gold]

Wearing: X, X
Wielding: X
Tags: Kal | Dis | Alina Tremiru | Darth Arkanus | Val Drutin | Arcturus Dinn | Quintus Varro | Aspect of The Force

With Kal slipping into the passageway first, Melydia was quick to follow, waiting a few moments to give him the chance to get through the makeshift tunnel in its entirety before she ran into him. As she dipped into the tunnel after him, she very quickly drew to a halt, blinded by the dark.

"Uh...nope," she answered Kal's question, blindly feeling around, a hand drifting along the walls in search of either the slug or Kal. Any friendly individual, really. She reached out with her senses, far from refined but certainly more practiced than when first they met. Details didn't come to her, only vague shapes, some bumbling with life and others just shells. Rocks, probably. "Why would someone just leave those there..." she wondered, blindly drawing closer to the war droid.

Before she could get too close to the inactive droid, the voices returned, ringing in her head. She straightened, wings giving a nervous flutter, as she contemplated the pull of the voices. A new flight pattern had revealed itself, it seemed. "Do you hear that, too, Kal-friend?" She wondered, head swiveling toward the vague direction she assumed Kal was in. "We think it best to follow."

 

[Kal]

Wearing: Devaronian Male; Early Twenties, Athletic, Curved Horns and Fitted Robes.
Equipment: One Standard Issue Survival Kit
Tags: Melydia Gold | The Rest*

Letting her examine the droids up close without complaint, he fumbled around with the survival kit for a while before producing a flashlight with a victorious "Aha!"; turning the thing on, he squinted as his body's senses readjusted, waving it around a bit before handing it over to his friend.​

"I imagine you need this more than I do, I have other senses in a pinch - and yes, I do. It's stronger than before, more compelling."​

Following its guidance seemed the best choice, given the circumstances, and so follow it they did.​

---​

Recognising some but hardly all of the beings gathered in the tomb, Kal was unsurprised to find Dis reaching out quite quickly.​

<Try not to get stabbed, I suppose,> came his telepathic reply, the Shadow looking meaningfully at some of the more violent-looking participants. Sith wrangling was not the easiest of tasks, but the Shadowcat seemed determined to try - its proposal seemed a bit of a stretch, given the nature of the Sith, but there were reasonable faces in their group and a free-for-all would benefit no one. Kal was certainly not inclined to start one.​

Silently reaching out to Melydia, he opted for telepathy once more for the sake of subtlety. <Hard to say whether the others will be positively inclined or not, but I feel like something is about to happen. There might be other threats present too, keep an eye open.>​

Perhaps her friends could come in useful. An unusual - and by extension difficult to anticipate - talent for a Sith.

*Learn to use the Watch function, scrubs; we're all together now.​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Having already been in that central chamber, it was hardly a walk at all for Thesh and Quintus to arrive among the others. His eyes kept drifting to the shadows, where that unseen fiend lay, and like the others he sensed that something was... off. Still they had all come to the same region, made it into the same tomb, so that had to speak volumes no?​

​

Almost everyone had something strange they'd brought with them. He glanced over the lizards and the klor's and the droids with a peeked brow of intrigue. Like the others he was waiting for something. Then some of them began to speak.​

​

"I would rather not fight for such," he offered with the loosest of shrugs. In truth his attention was still more drawn to the words on the floor than anything else. The ravings of a madman no doubt. Still he realized that none among them had actually found the holocron in question. They were simply arguing over who got to use it when they did.​

​

Well, some weren't. Some seemed more eager to share than the rest. Curious.​

 

[Aspect of The Force]

As the last of them joined the rest, and all converged, the room itself became oppressively silent. The whispers they'd heard and been drawn on by were now gone entirely, as though they had reached the eye of the storm. There should be no doubting it now, they were where they were supposed to be.​

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And yet there was nothing there at all.​

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Nothing save that lingering presence which lurked in the darkness.​

​

The flares began to wane, and further in that inky black seeped until those without superior vision were unable to see their own hands before their faces. With it came a somberness, a deep despair that sank deeper within them. Reaching for their very will, feasting upon it.​

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Which of you shall it be....​

​

A voice echoed throughout the chamber, or perhaps it was within their minds. Either way it reverberated from the vaulted ceilings, bouncing from the walls. At times it was made to seem as though they were not echoes at all, but further voices which joined in with the first and reiterated its rhetoric.​

​

One by one those gathered would feel a presence at their back, as though eyes were peering over their shoulders. Alina Tremiru was fast ignored, in fact whatever it was that was with them seemed particularly hasty in removing themselves from her presence. A hiss emanated and joined those echoes. The shadows too were passed over, Kal and Dis feeling a prying within the minds of the bodies they inhabited. Curious, but dismissive, it moved on.​

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Are there none among you strong enough?​

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The voice was more mocking in tone now, it gave Arcturus Dinn a wide berth, he barely sensed it at all, while Melydia Gold and Val Drutin and Quintus Varro and Darth Arkanus were apparently pondered on more so. Lingered upon...​

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You come here seeking a prize, yet your Masters have deceived you... They send mere children into my grasp. Children! What use have I for welps...​

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There was a certain rage which fizzled on the air at that, and at random spots around the room the flickering of lights began to call attention to regions of that lofty chamber. They were not alone, the eight who had ventured forth into this tomb, how many others had come before them was hard to tell but they lay there exposed for all to see now. Or what remained of them at least. ​

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One last light appeared at the center, not too far from the group, though it showed only a pedestal. An empty pedestal.​

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That which you seek is already gone... It left this tomb eons ago. You, however... You will not get away so easily.​

​

The lights faded then, as though extinguished with a breath of air, and all about the sounds of scraping bones arose...​

 

[Val Drutin]

“Heyo!” Val exclaimed as he heard the sound of bones scraping. “Zombies? Skeletons? Generally reanimated dead bodies? What'll it be?”

Val promptly ran to the center of the chamber and leaped on top of the empty pedestal, using it for leverage in a titanic danseur jump. The bound was all the more impressive in that it wasn’t the least bit Force enhanced; his leap had weight and gravity to it as he bounced off the surface and slammed feet-first into the first enemy he could spot in the dim tomb lighting. It crunched under his slippers, as dried out desert remains tend to do when you stomp on them.

“Mummies! Very classy, Amalgamous!” After mangling Malgus’ name, he decapitated the desiccated husk with a brilliant slash of violet plasma and turned toward the other opponents rapidly flooding the chamber. His saber tore through the horde in a series of unnecessarily flashy acrobatic stunts (a Drutin family staple) before a few of the mummies decided to roll out some old-fashioned Sith sorcery. Specifically, the dead man’s classic: Drain Life.

Val gasped as what little was left of the “episode” was promptly ripped out of him before he had a chance to resist. Panicked lightning sparked from his fingertips, scorching brittle bones, but the energy output was too much for him to keep up so soon. Another of the mummies ran up wielding a Sith sword, locking with Val’s saber, and a third came in with a red lightsaber of their own, slashing at Val’s right shoulder. Trying to evade them, Val backed away into a dark passage, where the sounds of battle continued.

Dis Alina Tremiru Darth Arkanus Arcturus Dinn Quintus Varro Darth Empyrean Kal Melydia Gold​

 

[Dis]

Surur Pomi (Dis the Shadow(cat))
Shadowcat, explorer and wanderer; Owner of the Cat’s Paw; Member of the Greystone Mercantile​

Location: Korriban
Equipment: Chosen Host | Lightsaber
Tags: Val Drutin | Kal | Melydia Gold | Alina Tremiru | Darth Arkanus | Arcturus Dinn | Quintus Varro | Aspect of The Force

The situation was very tense for now, and Dis watched curiously in all directions when something was going to happen that everyone would attack the other. They made a suggestion but have not yet received a response, their tail paced nervously. Maybe it really was; they weren't worried about themselves, they didn't want the host to get in trouble and die. In the meantime, fortunately, also received a response from Kal.

~ I'm trying! Take care of yourself too, Kal! ~ replied telepathically and conveyed encouraging feelings towards their Shadow' peer.

Fortunately, one of the young men did not want to fight; Dis knew Kal that he wasn't either, hoped the girl who was with Kal wasn't either. They didn't know about Val, maybe the man would do it just for fun. So Dis really had concerns. And they still didn't know anything about the others because they didn't answer. But for now, they seemed to have avoided trouble. At least that's what they thought until the moment there was silence.

Then the whisper started again, slowly everything became dark. Mr. Hssiss pulled closer to Dis and snuggled to their feet, almost overturning the host. Shadowcat really didn't like this situation. Holo horror movies tend to start like this, or have a situation like that. It's not like Dis has seen so many holofilms. That something that was watching them reached them and looked through them. Although not possible, but Dis shook by the cold. The host suddenly became uncomfortable and uncomfortable; had never felt this way before.

~ Kal?! ~ asked.

This perfect perfection seemed like a time to leave the host, but they hadn’t left yet. Dis did not do this for power and strength; the Shadowcat was just curious. They were not a Sith. Bones and the like were visible in the lights, and the voice just kept talking. Turns out the Holocron wasn't brought back here, though Dis hoped it was. Instead, the teachers sent them here to test their aptitude and then heard the sound of bones.

"Oh no!" whispered.

Val started to behave very strangely again, Dis didn't move yet; they didn't even take the lightsaber in their hand, and hoped the warriors would solve the situation. Preferred to study the skeletons if they were lucky and they would not be attacked either, while Mr. Hssiss positioned himself to protect the Shadowcat.

 

[Melydia Gold]

Wearing: X, X
Wielding: X
Tags: Kal | Dis | Alina Tremiru | Darth Arkanus | Val Drutin | Arcturus Dinn | Quintus Varro | Aspect of The Force

She happily accepted the flashlight with a grateful nod, moving it around in her hand, testing its weight before holding up to her chin, illuminating the face. "Yes yes, this is great. Let's go."

And go they did. Melydia's pace slowed ever so slightly as they drew closer to the others, keeping close to both Kal and the new slug-friend, to the point in which she could almost grasp Kal's arm if she got particularly spooked by something.

As they progressed forward and the whispering voice turned to more words than ambiance, she drew to a halt, head tilting to the side as the voice went on and on. She didn't answer its questions, not yet, for she doubted the voice was interested in conversing. So many Sith, especially the old ones, liked to hear themselves talk more than anything. And at Kal's telepathic mention of caution, she gave a quick nod.

Yet as it droned on, any nerves that might've been touchy before had faded into a general interest, or perhaps lack thereof. So the holocron was gone? Well, assuming there was truth to that, there was little to be done there. The scavenger hunt had turned to an early morning walk with an old friend, and a collection of new ones.

As the bones creaked to life, as other acolytes spurred into action, her head tilted once more in the other direction, the joints in her neck cracking with a sickening sound that Melydia paid no heed. "Hold this," she said to Kal, handing him the flashlight before proceeding further, nearing the pedestal. Her pace was slow, wandering yet oddly unperterbed by the waking dead, almost as if she herself were in the midst of a dream.

As she walked, her hands moved unlike any way she'd oriented them before, fingers moving as if casting an incantation known only to her, like whatever darkness that pervaded this chamber was welcomed into her being and, rather than taking over, was warped and melded into her own design. The bugs she'd collected since the start of the morning moved to accompany the movements, joined by other insects that were called to this twisted dance.

By the time she reached the pedestal, the other acolyte who'd jumped upon it had backed away into shadow. Her eyes remained open, unblinking and unseeing, as the energy that'd been gathered in the small trek was released, cast down upon the undead in a swarm of insects, til only Melydia stood at that pedestal. A voice, both lone and many at the same rang out from her throat in a twisted sing-song manner.

"These are our bones."

 

[Kal]

Wearing: Devaronian Male; Early Twenties, Athletic, Curved Horns and Fitted Robes.
Equipment: One Standard Issue Survival Kit and a Flashlight
Tags: Melydia Gold | The Rest

The Holocron was gone? Had been for the longest time? How disappointing.​

Had he not been interested in where this was going - and far more importantly concerned about his friend's safety - he might have left his host on the spot. That'd show that annoying Spirit, he imagined it would be much less pleased with itself over the death of a mindless clone.​

<They seem mindless, probably. Not a huge issue,> Kal telepathically informed Dis - opting to leave out the fact that it was too early to tell. There was no reason to concern it unnecessarily, after all. He did not anticipate that they could be harmed but by the resident Spirit(s) themselves and so his acute concerns were directed primarily towards Melydia, albeit not to the point that he did not take the flashlight and let her do her thing.​

What was the point of friends if you did not trust them?​

Eyes widening as she did something he had most certainly not seen her do before, Kal gave her a brief but enthusiastic applause, avoiding more direct means of communication out of fear of interfering with her concentration. Even so, a zombie turned towards the noise, lunged forward...​

... and promptly ended up eviscerated by her slug-friend. What was it with her animals and whacking the living dead?​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

"Undead." The disdain in her voice was all too clear. Between the voices and their apparent disdain and now the creaking of bodies, the young woman couldn't feel any more annoyed. Her yellow gaze turned to the first of these corpses to approach her. She glared as she reached out. The Force around her died all at once, cut off by her power and her anger. Like a puppet who's strings were cut the body dropped, once again lifeless. She ignited her own saber as she turned her gaze to the tomb.

"Hiding behind the corpses of the failed. How very cowardly." Yes, she was taunting the disembodied voice.

 

[Quintus Varro]

It had left this tomb long ago, and yet that was not as discouraging as perhaps the voice had thought it was. If there was a trail left to follow he would follow it. Taking a step forward he spoke just before the first attack occurred, "Who took it, when?" Embracing the darkness he stopped talking as the others started to step forwards as he considered the possible disaster in this creature's demise. It knew something he wanted.

There was another possibility though, at least when it came to dealing with the spirit. Looking over the runes all over the floor he began to search for anything that may have to do with binding. Something had bound this spirit here once, most likely as a guardian or in simple servitude and the markings for it might still be here. He just had to find the right ones.

Alina Tremiru Val Drutin Kal Melydia Gold Darth Arkanus Aspect of The Force

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Nothing more was said by that disembodied voice as the dead rose and the room was plummeted into darkness. No whispered words or thinly veiled threats. No answer came to the question posed by Quintus Varro or to the goading of Alina Tremiru and Thesh truly strained his ears to try and listen for it too. No, just the creaking of bones.​

​

He ignited his saber with a snap-hiss and made his way toward Melydia Gold as the girl began to speak in relative tongues, or at the very least with words not her own. Part of him wanted to stop whatever trance she was in, and he knew he could end it if he touched her, the ring would see to that, but she didn't seem in immediate danger. He would trust that she could handle it, and if there were any signs to the contrary he'd make sure to cut that connection.​

​

Instead he fended off any who came too close to the girl. He didn't know why he felt so protective, but he did. Despite her place among the Sith, she'd always seemed a little more innocent, a little more fragile, than the rest. But perhaps that was just her natural affinity to animals speaking.​

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"If there's nothing for us here, I say we take what we have already and get the heck out."​

​

Where that would lead them, when it came to returning to the Academy without the requested Holocron, he did not know. But there were only a couple of them who had come out the other side of this emptyhanded. Without droids or bestial companions.​

​

In truth Thesh didn't want to leave. He wanted to study the runes and the text upon the ground. Part of him wanted to hunt down the spirit itself, and he could tell that Quintus Varro had similar desires. Perhaps he'd suggest they return when all was said and done, there were ways to trap a spirit. To an entity, to an item. Perhaps they could find answers from it one of these days.​

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Thesh didn't care about the location of the holocron.​

​

He cared about the knowledge that unseen ghast might have at its disposal.​

 

[Val Drutin]

Pushed out by the horde of undead, Val continued to retreat down the passageway, fending them off with his saber. He felt a wriggling in his pockets - evidently the Hssiss eggs had decided now was the perfect time to hatch. Future Sith Lords and Ladies take note: having something to protect other than yourself is a marvelous motivator, even if it's just an animal. Val fought twice as hard, wanting to get out of there with his new pets.

"Take that! And that!" he cried, slicing and kicking at the mummies, which collapsed and shattered against his onslaught. But more kept coming, always more.

Eventually, he simply turned tail and took off running, his feet kicking up little puffs of sand with every step. The mummies slogged behind him, limping along on fragile bones, unable to really keep up. Hopefully the others would pick up on this and realize they could simply outrun the mummies.

He of course didn't know about Melydia Gold and her incantations to #own the bones, but that couldn't be helped. Val had never really cared about the holocron or the knowledge it contained. In fact, he was rethinking this whole joining a Sith faction thing... although he got a weird feeling whenever he gave it any thought. Almost like something big was about to happen to him, something that would push him away from everything that he knew and down a strange, unfamiliar path.

Ahead of him was the light of the desert sun. He raced toward it, the mummies far behind him now. As long as the floor didn't fall out beneath his feet before he got there, he should be home free...