Mudhole?! Slimy?! My home this is!...

[Darth Timoris]

Melori had tasted neek – quite literally. It was part of a very, very, very long and boring lesson on Ambria. A homage her sister had called it. A waste of time was what Melori thought. But she’d learned whilst she was there and had also gained a huge improvement in her level of patience – a character flaw that threatened to be her undoing at the time.

But at times like these, she wished she was alone and able to go at her own pace, get to the cave, grab her crystals and leave. But there were others to consider. And this conflicted her. There was no value in allowing any of them to die – but then, if they were unworthy, she was doing the Sith a favour in truth by not allowing them to dilute the Sith talent pool.

But the banter had at least been distracting to the point of allowing them to progress and before they knew it, they were at the cave her Master had mentioned. They’d got this far unmolested but Melori suspected that before they left, they’d be providing her Master with more trinkets to add to her collection. If they were Sith teeth or bones had yet to be determined.

So they settled down for the evening – the troopers taking turns at keeping watch – the narrow entrance providing a smaller area to protect. But Melori also considered the flip-side – it was a much narrower exit should they need to escape!

[member="Vengeance"] | [member="Viktor Noali"] | [member="Darth Venefica"] | [member="Darth Tauros"]

 

[Kenrath]

[member="Darth Venefica"] [member="Darth Tauros"] [member="Viktor Noali"] [member="Melori Raaf"]

Vengeance smiled as they walked reaching the caves before he even knew time had even passed. Then again it didn't hurt that the whole way he had right behind Melori enjoying the view. It was pleasant enough to even considering facing the Wrath of Venefica just to push his luck. Then again it could have been the pending fight just as much as her beauty that had his heart racing. As they stepped into the cave he looked at Melori with a wink.

"Don't worry I won't let the dark get you."

He chuckled doing a quick circle around looking for any surprises. He still could shake the uneasy feeling he felt. He was sure they wouldn't make it to the cave without something trying to take a bite out of him. Taking a breath he looked at Venefica for a moment wondering if she had something to do with keeping the beasts at bay. He headed back towards the entrance of the cave looking at the troops.

"I never could sleep before battle." "I'll take first watch." "May as well make myself useful if I am not going to get any rest."

He chuckled taking up position just to the left of the entrance facing out. He closed his eyes for a moment pushing out through the force seeing what if anything he felt before opening them again and nodding to the troops. Truth be told he had not been able to sleep very well at night since he was a child. The darkness made him hyper vigilant.

 

[Darth Atrox]

Click. ​

​

Tauros took the two blades off of his belt and held them firmly in his hands, starting to regret not bringing a cloak. As warm and humid as this swampy place was he hadn't factored in if the nights were... Opposite the daytime. He noticed Vengeance take up guard near the troops, the others laid down in a unpeaceful rest.​

​

The Zabrak crossed his legs at the back of the cave and began to mess with his lightsabers, paying exquisite attention to any of the noises from outside. He could sense the fear off Vengeance, wait, it wasn't fear... It was something stronger. ​

 

[Darth Timoris]

Luck, judgement, the Force? A balance of all three? It mattered little - the hours passed and morning came. Or at least what passed for morning in these parts. It was officially....less dark, which was probably dawn in the jungle swamps.

Melori reflected they'd been lucky so far and it was likely they'd find something disagreeable between here and the cave - or more likely on their way back, when their guard would be down. It was clear they were all still on edge and perhaps that had been in their favour? Or perhaps their numbers? Even bold predators liked the odds of catching one person alone as opposed to a group of a dozen or so.

But in a day or so, when they were tired and possibly overconfident. When they were more likely to be strung out in a line. That's when she'd attack if she were a native here. So it stood to reason that was the most likely prognosis.

But for now they ate ration bars and formed up into the same order as before and set out for the cave. For the crystals...and for whatever they took in there with them, if the legends were true. And Melori for one did not doubt they were.

[member="Darth Tauros"] | [member="Vengeance"] | [member="Viktor Noali"] | [member="Darth Venefica"]

 

[Kenrath]

[member="Darth Timoris"] [member="Darth Venefica"] [member="Darth Tauros"] [member="Viktor Noali"]

Vengeance stood up from his position near the entrance to the cave. He had gotten a little bit of rest but not very much. He had taken a total of three turns on watch with the "Tin Cans" during the night. The force only knew why he had taken the second and third one. Maybe it was because he rarely slept at night, maybe it was because of what was potentially at stake, or maybe it was just because it was the way he always was. Sure he was a jerk, sure he talked smack, but at the end of the day they were much like him doign what they had to do because it was what they needed to do for those they cared about.

He nibbled on the ration bar only eating half of it knowing trying to fight on a full stomach would make him sluggish when he least needed to be. Tucking the rest of it away he stretched out his joints and muscles stepping out of the cave with the rest of the group.

"Another day in the swamp." "Still smells like death though."

Vengeance chuckled

 

[Darth Timoris]

Spoiler

Pushing this along as I really want those crystals

I’ll assume you’re tying your laces or something if you can’t keep up LOL

And we can fight stuff on the way back if you'd like

They made good progress to the site of the cave. Or at least as good a progress as you can make given you’re walking through a swamp full of predators that even Sith should be wary of.

But even on this planet – with its heavy Dark-sided presence, there was something powerful up ahead – it stood out like a beacon of blackness in an unlit landscape. Evil was palpable and a sense of foreboding accompanied it.

Finally they reached the Dark-Side Cave – and Melori could feel the Dark-side energies emanating from it as she stood waiting. It was large enough that they could all enter and find their own crystals – and face whatever…in truth Melori had no idea what the ‘thing’ might be – but she was aware of the stories. You only find what you take in with you. Something lost, a part of yourself that you wish to seek – or perhaps something you needed to find even if you didn’t want to.

So Melori entered, her sabers still clipped to her belt. She brushed away the cobwebs that forced her to duck as she entered and closed her eyes. In her mind she had a feeling, a destination, a path. She opened her eyes again and simply started walking, trusting her intuition to be correct, to show her the path she must walk.

After fifteen minutes she was separated from the others. She was on her own now and up ahead as she turned a corner in the dimly lit cave that afforded only light from the phosphorescent lichen that lined the walls, she saw a red glow ahead. Excited she picked up her pace and saw a cluster of red crystals – and two in particular shone brighter than all the others.

But before she could step forwards, she was aware she was not alone. Spinning around, she saw a robed and hooded figure behind her.

[member="Vengeance"] | [member="Darth Tauros"] | [member="Viktor Noali"] | [member="Darth Venefica"]

 

[Kenrath]

[member="Darth Timoris"] [member="Darth Venefica"] [member="Darth Tauros"] [member="Viktor Noali"]

The cave stood before them the rest of the trip there uneventful. Vengeance could feel the dark side radiating through the cave. It was a feeling he could not get enough of. The hatred, the death, the darkness. It was if one could think of the brightest in the whole of the galaxy.............this cave was the furthest place from it.

The group split as they got into the cave taking different paths searching for the crystals. Vengeance himself was contemplating finding one for himself. One never knew when it would be needed to carry something with a little more kick than what he had been carrying since the very first day of his life in the ways of the Sith.

Vengeance turned a corner a glow up ahead. Vengeance never paused pushing forwards closer to the red glow. Almost as if it was calling to him. He smiled shaking his head......the smile disappearing as he saw two figures standing between him and his goal.

One was obvious it was his father looking the same way he had looked that fateful night. The other figure was unknown to him. Despite the second figure being unobstructed clothing wise the features seemed somehow blurred and indistinguishable to him. Vengeance looked at this unknown figure.

"Who are you?" "What are you?" "Answer me kark you."

A swirl of emotions flooded Vengeance. In his mind he knew it was the cave messing with him. His father had been dead for years so this could only be an illusion. So he focused on the figure he didn't know.

 

[Darth Timoris]

She’d been a Jedi long enough to recognise the weave of their robes – it was pretty distinctive. And in practice every Jedi’s robes were unique. Different shades, different materials, slightly different cuts.

But these were more than just familiar. She recognised them. She’d worn them. They were Corvus’ own – she’d run off with them when she stole her ship and had worn them a few times to work under-cover.

And sure enough, a snap-hiss illuminated the area of the cave they were in with a violet hue – her sister’s trademark saber. Without warning Corvus leaped. But she did not jump at Melori, but rather over her.

She rolled across a pile of stones, and came up standing to swing her lightsaber at oncoming energy bolts. Her blade became nothing more than a blur as she batted away, smacking the bolts back at the approaching Mandalorians, cutting them down with their own barrage.

The Jedi moved quickly. Darting away from her opening position, she ran fast, weaving back and forth across the cave, drawing the Mando’s fire. Lightsaber extended, she continued batting at the energy bolts as she ran, her clear intention was to keep the soldiers occupied and distract them from Melori.

Soon they were all dead and Melori stood there dumbfounded. “How dare you save my life? Who gives you the kriffin’ right to save my karkin’ ass?” She shook her head. This was all wrong. She hated her sister and the feeling was mutual wasn’t it? If Corvus would lay down her life for her, how would she kill her when the time came to end the Jedi’s life? Where was the fun, the sport if her older sister offered no challenge?

But before she could make sense of it all, she was aware the apparition was gone and the dead bodies had evaporated into the ether. Shaking her head, she closed her eyes and focused.

Turning around she saw the cluster of saber crystals there. Two stood out as brighter than all the others. Gently she took them from the cluster and looking around, found a suitable spot in the cave to sit.

As she sat down, she knew she had all of the elements she required to construct her sabers. She listed them in her head and checked them off from the components now laid out in front of her. Her two beam crystals, two synthetic focusing crystals, two blade-emitter matrices, various dials, two blade length adjusters, two lens assemblies, two newly designed hand grips, two activation studs, two power conduits, two belt rings, two safety switches, two recharge sockets, two casings, two sensor arrays, two blade locks, two beckon calls.

But first she had to imbue the crystals with the Force. She closed her eyes, held all four crystals in her open hands and focussed. On occasions she was so at one with the Force that she lost track of time.

Slowly, carefully and methodically she began to assemble the sabres. She closed her eyes and meditated. She used her Telekinetic powers to lift all of the components into the air. One at a time she performed the tasks. She detached one half of the hilt and attached the power conduit. Then she connected the recharge socket to the power conduit. Aware she was no longer breathing, she practiced Breath Control for a few moments before entering into a Moving Meditative state – allowing the Force to flow through her but still doing her bidding.

Once calmed and at one with the Force, she connected the emitter matrix to the power conduit and then attach an activation stud to the emitter matrix and slotted it under the casing. Next she added a blade length adjuster to the emitter matrix.

The schematics then called for her to place the lens assembly with both of the crystals in between the emitter matrix and power conduit before adding the safety switch and blade dial. Finally she added the sensor array and the remaining parts. She then sealed the lightsaber and attached the belt ring.

Then she repeated the process. And finally she had two sabers that, when connected, became one saber-staff. They would suit her chosen Form and the curve of the individual hilts meant they would also be perfectly workable for Makashi too.

 

[Darth Atrox]

The Sith Knight's light boots quietly trod over the muddy terrain, watching his 'allies' carefully. His shoto saber in his left and his main Lightsaber in his right, Darth Callidus entered the cave, around two minutes after Vengeance and Melori entered. ​

​

As soon as the Zabrak stepped his first foot in that cave, the Dark Side was mind-blowing. Never before had he been so blasted with his preferred side of the Force - excluding when he was in Coruscant, where a Sith Temple had been constructed underneath their current temple, but that will have to wait. With two clicks his sabers ignited with a buzz illuminating his face and partially the soggy walls around him. Snakes and other foul creatures were inhabiting this cave, and whenever they went to near his blade sliced through their bodies, like a knife through melting butter. ​

​

Eventually, he reached a new section of the cave, where further on in the distance he could see a group of Nightbrothers, and one small Zabrak child, being pushed and kicked. Another Zabrak who was there was bigger than the rest, and looked like this little child, but he merely pushed him over, ignoring his pleas and bruising welling up on his small, red raw body.​

​

"You need to toughen up, Mala! You're as much use as a dead Rancor. Stand up and fight back!" he snarled in his grizzly voice, as the child, Mala got up. ​

​

Darth Callidus recognized this, from about 15 years ago, his memory had always failed him, so it was probably less, if he could just remembered right... A smile played upon his tattooed lips.​

​

The little boy's eyes narrowed, for the first time a terrifying yellow, instead of the kind grey they once were. He took a pike off of the floor and... Well you get the picture. Then, the child vanished. ​

​

There before him was what he was looking for, his father. He wanted to punish him for what he did, more than he did when he was a child. But, then it extracted a lightsaber, blue in colour and pointed it out before him. They began to duel, mocking him, criticizing him on his name, criticizing him on how useless he used to be - which he definitely wasn't.​

​

In a few quick movements, the Zabrak out manoeuvred his opponent, stabbing him with both blades squarely in the back. The cave darkened, and he began to walk out, he would meditate on this later.​

 

[Kenrath]

[member="Darth Callidus"] [member="Darth Timoris"] [member="Darth Venefica"]

Even has Vengeance challenged the unknown figure it never responded. It never even flinched at the sound of his voice. Instead all it did was pull a blade awash in silvery light. Vengeance pulled his saber igniting as he saw the knife.

"Fine you don't want to speak I could care less." "You can die a mute."

Vengeance thrust out with his saber. In the time it took him to blink the figure wasn't there. Vengeance let out a quiet curse turning to the left seeing the figure still unknown to him plunge the knife into his father's back.

"What the Feth are you?"

It would be a lie if Vengeance was not feeling a mix of annoyance as a chill road up his spine the image of his father slumping to the ground. The figure looking down at his fresh kill looked towards Vengeance and spoke.

"Your weakness killed your father."

Only no sound was heard. It was almost as if it was echoing through his skull. Doubt creeping in maybe? Truthfully Vengeance didn't know what it was all he knew was it had begun to piss him off.