Private &nbsp; Remnants of the Forge

Vera Noble
Lady Xytheris

Aadihr Lidos · Jan 7, 2025

Outfit: Field Attire
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike | Legion Long Range Precision Rifle Mark I

The ancient fortifications loomed ahead, a jagged silhouette etched against the volcanic horizon. The Jedi's descent from the heavens had been turbulent, their ship buffeted by thermals rising from the planet's molten surface.

As Aadihr emerged from the vessel, the oppressive heat of the landscape hit them like a physical force, the air thick with sulfur and ash. His brow began immediately beading with sweat, though the armored synthweave blindfold gifted to him from

Azurine Varek blessedly breathable. His thoughts drifted to her, like she was in the back of his mind, despite the distance between them. Distance of both space and emotion. Accompanying him were

Aris Noble and

Vera Noble - their auras reflected knowledge beyond what Aadihr knew of the mission, but they both had displayed competence and virtue, and he trusted the Grandmaster and Shield of the Jedi in assigning him to accompany the two Padawan learners.

Rivers of molten lava wound through the craggy black basalt terrain, the fiery glow of each stream casting an eerie light on the fortress's obsidian walls. The distant sound of bubbling magma punctuated the silence, accompanied by the occasional groan of shifting rock as the volatile landscape shifted and cracked, sinking into the heat below

The fortress itself was a monolith of ancient Epicanthix architecture—towering spires and angular battlements carved from the volcanic rock itself. Faint red lights pulsed irregularly within, like the heartbeat of a slumbering giant, while intricate glyphs etched into the basalt hinted at ancient power and long-forgotten purpose. The air tasted acrid and metallic, and the faint tang of ozone suggested the presence of active energy fields, even after millennia of abandonment.

As they approached, the ground beneath their boots was hot, almost unbearably so, and the occasional fissure vented plumes of searing steam into the air. The narrow basalt bridges that spanned the lava flows were treacherous, some partially collapsed, others slick with glassy residue from the molten rock below. The path to the fortress’s main gate was lined with crumbling statues of giant warriors, their once-proud visages now eroded and broken, yet still radiating an aura of menace.

The closer they came, the more the fortress seemed to exude an oppressive presence, as though the very air grew heavier. A faint, rhythmic hum began to emerge from within the walls, almost imperceptible at first, but steadily growing in intensity—a mechanical sound, ancient yet unmistakably alive. The gateway yawned open before them like the maw of a beast, its intricate carvings now blackened with age. Beyond, darkness awaited, tinged with the faint crimson glow of unseen mechanisms stirring to life, as if the fortress itself sensed their approach and was awakening from a long, restless slumber.

Aris Noble · Jan 8, 2025

"Does this place look familiar?"

Aris looked to his sister, his expression oddly serious this time around. She'd seen it, something like this in a vision. It pulled them here, even. Usually the two of them would go by themselves, but- this wasn't something he wanted to keep just between him, Vera, and

Zaiya Ceti any more. Even Zaiya agreed in that. But to involve their parents with the continued growing war wasn't something he felt they should do. They might get distracted from what really mattered.

They might tell him to stop.

He glanced to Aadihr, giving him a nod. "Thank you, for being here." They still hadn't told him everything. He should. He absolutely should, but he hadn't. "If this is the place, we should find more information on the Forge."

Aadihr Lidos |

Vera Noble · Jan 8, 2025

Tag:

Vera stood at the edge of the bridge, her multicolored eyes locked onto the looming fortress ahead. The acrid tang of sulfur in the air made her nose wrinkle, and the oppressive heat pressed down on her like a living thing. But none of it compared to the weight of the place itself. It wasn't just the sights, the sounds, or even the eerie hum growing louder as they approached — it was the feeling.

This was the place. She knew it with every fiber of her being. The Force thrummed here, pulsing with both danger and purpose. It pulled at her, resonating deep within her core, but it wasn't comforting. It was heavy, full of echoes of the past and whispers of things best left forgotten.

She turned to her brother at his question, her expression unusually somber. "Yeah," she murmured, her voice quieter than usual. "This is it. I don't just see it — I feel it. It's like… like this place has been waiting for us."

Waiting for her.

Her gaze flicked toward Aadihr, and for a brief moment, she hesitated. She didn't like holding back, especially not from someone who had come here to help them. But this wasn't just about the mission — it was about family. Her voice lowered further as she glanced back at Aris. "I still don't like that Mom and Dad don't know everything. They'd want to help — they should know. But once we're done here, once we have the answers… I want to tell them everything."

She understood bringing others along to help, but she needed her parent's support.

Vera adjusted the straps of her gear and squared her shoulders, her gaze returning to the fortress. "Let's do this," she said, her voice steady and filled with quiet determination. "Together."

Aadihr Lidos · Jan 9, 2025

Outfit: Field Attire
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike | Legion Long Range Precision Rifle Mark I

Aris Noble said:
"Thank you, for being here." They still hadn't told him everything. He should. He absolutely should, but he hadn't. "If this is the place, we should find more information on the Forge."

"Of course. We'll find whatever it is you're looking for." The aura of the siblings hinted at a desire for secrecy.

While they may have played fast and loose to get Aadihr involved as the knight this outing, Aadihr would respect their wishes for privacy. Especially these children. From what he learned of their father, the least he could do is ensure their safety and privacy as they deal with the remnants of a past Aadihr had only an inkling of how complex and difficult their heritage truly was.

Vera Noble said:
. "Let's do this," she said, her voice steady and filled with quiet determination. "Together."

Aadihr only caught the last of their discussion, but nodded along, hoping to reinforce the siblings resolve.

On descent the Miraluka Clairvoyant had tried to scout ahead into the structure, but something in the molten fumes emerging shrouded the fortress like a smog - thin enough not to hinder his Sight or force capabilities entirely, but enough that he could only see hazily beyond his normal radius of perception. Aadihr didn't want to attempt to de-anchor his perception from himself for fear of being unable to locate himself after, recalling the intense motion sickness after being rattled by an explosion while his Sight was distant on Iridonia.

As they walked towards the looming structure ahead, the molten lake far below blasted oppressive heat from below. It didn't take a seer to see the crumbling condition of the bridge before them, already making for a precarious approach. As addihr led the way, he tapped the stones before him with his pike, checking for stability rather than for navigation.

The second threat that he could spot came from what appeared to be two black 'stone' gargoyles, fashioned like decorative statues atop pillars near their destination. Within the stone, he could see internal mechanics and wiring, but the haze blocked him from closely inspecting the internals from this distance. C

Suddenly, the length and exposure of the bridge seemed a threat - if those were disguised defensive measures, the three of them could find themselves making an approach into direct blaster fire. If they were lucky.

"Watch your step. Watch out for the statues ahead, they are more than mere decoration-"

His voice stopped abruptly as a stone shifted under his pike's touch.

Aris Noble · Jan 10, 2025

"Yeah, they would. I just- don't want them to take this on too." They were doing so much already. The thought of bringing their parents into this when they've already proven they could handle it, he didn't want to put that on their shoulders too. He didn't want any of their family to feel this weight. Even Vera, but she was already tied into it. It was something Aris felt he could carry on his own.

He would, if it'd keep them safe.

He turned his gaze to Aadihr. Again, there was some guilt in his mind. Everything that was happening, he hadn't told Vera, he hadn't told the Knight that had come with them, but he was here none the less. Didn't demand an answer, either. He turned his gaze ahead, watching out for threats. The turrets that could come to life could indeed be a greater threat, considering how out in the open they were just walking.

Though-

The sudden break of the bridge had Aris blink in surprise for only a moment before he jumped straight into the air. He couldn't predict the fall of more, only react, so his best bet was to get airborne, give himself a moment to think of his next action. Where was safe, where were the other two. How e could help. He need to know more.

Worse, he needed to hope those guns didn't turn on.

Vera Noble · Jan 10, 2025

Tag:

Vera turned her multicolored gaze to Aris, her lips pressing into a thin line as she listened to him. She understood what he meant — truly, she did. He didn't want their parents to bear the weight of this, to carry the burden they were shouldering now. It was the same reasoning he'd given before, and she could feel the protective instinct radiating from him. But even as she nodded faintly, signaling her silent acknowledgment, her mind was already set.

This was going too far. The danger, the darkness, the weight of the unknown — it was bigger than the two of them. Their parents deserved to know more.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Aadihr's voice warned of the statues, and her head snapped forward. The uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach deepened as her attention locked on the bridge ahead. She opened her mouth to speak, but the sharp shift in Aadihr's tone cut her off.

The sound of stone groaning under pressure was all the warning they had.

The bridge began to collapse, chunks of ancient stone plunging into the molten abyss below. Time seemed to slow as the gap widened, and for a brief moment, Vera froze, her heart leaping into her throat. But then the Force surged through her —a flicker of insight, a glimpse of the moments to come. She saw herself falling, the heat swallowing her whole, and she saw a way out.

"Jump!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.

She sprang into the air, the Force coiling around her muscles and propelling her upward. As she moved, she extended her hand, summoning the power within her. Purple runes ignited in the space ahead, each one glowing with an ethereal light. They hovered like stepping stones in the air, shimmering against the backdrop of the fiery chasm below.

Vera landed lightly on the first rune, her boots barely making a sound as she stabilized herself. "Use the runes!" she called to Aris and Aadihr, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins. "They'll hold—trust me!"

She pushed off again, leaping to the next glowing platform with practiced ease. The runes shimmered faintly underfoot, their stability as firm as the bridge had once been. She didn't look back immediately, trusting her brother and Aadihr to follow her lead. Her focus remained on creating more runes ahead, weaving a safe path across the broken expanse.

The oppressive heat from the molten lake below clawed at her, and the statues loomed ever closer, their dormant forms an ominous reminder of the danger yet to come. But Vera's determination burned brighter.

"Keep moving!" she shouted, her fiery resolve cutting through the tension.

Aadihr Lidos · Jan 11, 2025

Outfit: Field Attire
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike | Legion Long Range Precision Rifle Mark I

As Aadihr's staff poked down through the first of the crumbling stones, his Sight rapidly re-anchored to himself, precognition began flooding his mind, rapid iterations each milisecond of the next five seconds. It wasn't that time froze for Aadihr, but that his mind flashed through so many possibilities if almost felt like an eternity of looping moments.

Aris had kept high - incredibly so, the force within him surging into his already sizeable muscles, aura brightening with the concentration of the Force in the affected musculature. Aris was safe, even as the significant force of his jump cracked the stone underfoot.

Vera had produced more of the vibrant Runes similar to those she had produced at the dodgeball game. She used them like floating stepping stones, another clever use of the force - and one Aadihr will have to rely on if he's to survive.

The two Padawan were safe in each probability, the variable was himself. The iterations completed as the sinking stones began to drop, less than a half-second of hesitation.

Aadihr ran. Aris lept high overhead, passing ahead of him. Vera hopped from rune to rune, catching up to Aadihr. Aadihr's sprint grew more difficult as the falling wave of stones turned the bridge into a constant set of stairs to climb, leaping between gaps as Vera caught up and surpassed him.

As soon as Vera passed, there was a free rune - Aadihr's goal. Aadihr lept from a falling stone, planting his staff to polevault, lifting his legs higher than he could jump alone, using his upper body strength to continue his lift. He was almost completely upside down when he felt the rune pass his midsection.

Aadihr's slid his knees into the run, coming to a secure stop and lifting the staff alongside him. Aadihr caught his breath and began following behind Vera on the rune-steps she's created.

The section of the bridge collapsed into the bubbling molten lake below, kicking up acrid fumes in plumes. Where they once walked a gap in the bridge now existed, terminating in a slanted column of toppled stones leaning on a more structurally sound section of the bridge.

Between heaving breaths, Aadihr expressed his gratitude to Vera, "Quick thinking - thank you, if the fall didn't kill me your mother surely would have" Aadihr laughed between his gasps of air. Aadihr checked on

Aris Noble , making sure he landed securely.

They haven't even reached the facility itself, but the bridge was sturdier from here. The 'gargoyles' he spotted before were definitely decorative defence droids, made to blend with the stone as if purely decorative. While they were still inactive at this very moment, the closer 'view' through the haze allowed Aadihr to see the blaster barrels hidden within the maw of each 'creature' - as well as the sharp claws that were more than mere decoration.

Aadihr continued following Vera's runes, checking the aura's of each of the siblings for doubt or fear, instead finding himself impressed by their resolve.

"This, uh, Forge thing... It must be important to the two of you?" Aadihr probed, not wishing to intrude, but also curious as to what would drive the children to such peril willingly. Despite the early brush with death, Aadihr feared more for the security of the two Padawan than himself - both physical and emotional.

Aris Noble · Jan 13, 2025

Good. Okay.

With the freedom to observe and the mind to process the information quickly, Aris was able to tell the other two were fine enough for him to focus on himself. Which was really just taking the runes Vera made as stepping stones to land on one and leap forward to clear the remaining part of the bridge in that single bound. He half skidded in the process before coming to a halt, letting his gaze shift over the facility instead as the other two caught up.

He cleared his throat, though, as Aadihr spoke up about the Forge again. He glanced to Vera. They shouldn't keep it a secret from Aadihr, right?

"It's tied to our family. We don't really know what it does, but there's catalysts that open the door. I've got two so far. This bracer, which seems to mute the Force, and this-" He motioned to what seemed to be a sprawling tattoo up his arm. It shifted and moved. "I can make any shape with it. It's handy. Vera's seen a vision here, and hopefully, it'll give us more information on what the Forge actually does."

Vera Noble · Jan 14, 2025

Tag:

Vera landed softly on one of her glowing runes, her multicolored gaze darting between Aadihr and Aris as they caught up. The oppressive heat from the molten lake below clawed at her, and she could feel the faint vibrations of the droids that loomed ahead. Every instinct screamed at her that this place was far from dormant.

Aadihr's comment drew a brief smirk to her lips. "Mom would probably kill both of us," she quipped, though the faint tension in her voice betrayed her unease. Her eyes flicked toward the stone gargoyles — decorative in name only, as the concealed weapons glinting faintly in the light made abundantly clear. Her stomach twisted.

When Aris spoke, explaining the connection to their family and the catalysts he carried, Vera felt a pang of pride and apprehension. She then glanced at the shifting tattoo on his arm, the bracer, and the ancient structure ahead, all tied together in a puzzle she wasn't sure they were ready to solve.

Vera stepped onto the next rune, her tone sharpening slightly as she gestured forward. "We can talk more once we're out of this deathtrap," she said, her voice cutting through the oppressive atmosphere. "I don't trust this place."

Without waiting for a response, Vera leapt to the next rune she conjured, her focus already locked on the facility ahead. The sense of foreboding grew stronger with each step, but her determination burned brighter. Whatever lay ahead, they would face it together.

Aadihr Lidos · Jan 14, 2025

Outfit: Field Attire
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike | Legion Long Range Precision Rifle Mark I

Aris's explanation of catalysts acting almost as keys and the connection to the tattoo-constructs was as about as good as Aadihr needed, already feeling a bit out of his depth on the metaphysics of any of it.

Vera Noble said:
"We can talk more once we're out of this deathtrap," she said, her voice cutting through the oppressive atmosphere. "I don't trust this place."

"Agreed. At least inside and away from these fumes would be a relief."

Aadihr stepped from one of Vera's runes back onto the black basalt flagstones of the bridge, seemingly much more solid as the foundation of the structure was close enough.

"Keep an eye out for those 'decorative' droids, I don't know when they are set to activate, we should expect the start of their blaster fire at any moment as we get closer." Not to mention the inorganic nature of the threat made them harder to spot amongst the fumes.

Aadihr furrowed his brow in frustration. One of the pillars ahead was missing its gargoyle.

The Miraluka stopped immediately, frantically searching the vicinity to where the droid could be.

"One of them is missing. It moved"

Aadihr lit his pike, continuing towards the entrance. He was on edge, searching, finding nothing out of place, except the missing Droid.

A flash of precognition warned him, an image of black droid claws raking his back, pouncing from the ledge of the bridge. Aadihr spun with his saber to intercept-

The droid was not there. Only more heat and fumes. They were almost at the archway leading into the facility, almost between the pillars themselves.

"Anyone sense anything? Hear anything? Aadihr asked?"

Aadihr listened to their responses, feeling another flash of danger precognition spark his senses once more - the Droid's maw blasters firing rapidly upon them - this time confirmed by the sound of the blaster fire.

Aadihr spun back to deflect as the ancient defences were triggered.

Aris Noble · Jan 14, 2025

Talk more later. Aris was about to nod his agreement when Aadihr seemed to pick up on something. A problem, a threat. He looked around immediately, his senses trying to sort through the haze of heat that this planet had. It felt more like it was muted at this point, everything from his sense of hearing to his sense of touch and smell. This was something he was going to have to learn to deal with.

The sound of blasters was unmistakable though. He blinked before he spun, bringing the metal that had started to shift out, forming a blade that he used to defend, deflect.

"Death trap is accurate! Head inside!"

Vera Noble · Jan 16, 2025

Tag:

Vera's multicolored eyes widened as the first blaster bolts seared through the air, their sharp crack echoing through the oppressive heat of the cavern. Her instincts kicked in immediately, and with a flick of her wrist, a glowing purple rune materialized, hovering just above her palm. The symbol pulsed with energy before expanding outward, creating shimmering barriers that intercepted the incoming fire. The deflected bolts sizzled harmlessly against the barriers, but Vera could feel the strain of maintaining them.

"Move!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. "I'll cover us!"

She leapt forward, keeping the barriers shifting and rotating to shield Aadihr and Aris as they began their dash toward the facility's entrance. The purple light cast eerie shadows against the molten glow below, adding to the surreal danger of their situation.

As another barrage of blaster fire slammed into the barriers, Vera glanced toward Aris, her voice sharp but controlled. "Aris! Send Seszil after the attacker! Keep it distracted while we get inside!"

Her focus returned to the shimmering rune as it flickered faintly under the strain. They were close now — the towering archway of the facility loomed just ahead, and she knew they needed to make it there before the ancient defenses overwhelmed her efforts.

"Almost there!" she called, gritting her teeth as the barriers absorbed another volley of fire. The purple light flared brilliantly, holding steady against the relentless assault.

Aadihr Lidos · Jan 17, 2025

Outfit: Field Attire | Sigil Bead Earring
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike | Legion Long Range Precision Rifle Mark I

Vera Noble said:
"Move!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. "I'll cover us!"

Aadihr did not hesitate - Aris's call and Vera's shield came up immediately, protecting the group from the last few steps to cover within the massive manufactory. Perhaps triggered by the security Droid's activation, the entire factory began moving once more, durasteel chains pulling crucibles into the pool of magma and carried off to various other sections of the complex, likely for heating or to isolate some mineral in the molten mixture for production.

Conveyor belts with ancient pieces began rolling, and a dull thumping permeated the drone of industrial equipment reaching a steady-state operation.

The blaster fire was met by Vera's shield as Aadihr took cover just inside the doorway, gently dropping his pike and unslinging his rifle - he had lost track of the missing drone but the first continued spitting thick bolts of plasma which dissipated in flashes against the Noble sister's ward.

He could not risk assuming her shield was one-way, or that interference of a solid projectile wouldn't throw her off. He pleaded with the force as he aimed, predicting the trajectory as best he could alongside and relying on the Force's guidance for placement.

Aadihr dropped from cover to one knee, firing the rifle above and at an angle from Vera's shield, towards the black archway of the building's entrance.

The impact of the ricochet was louder than the discharge as the subsonic round struck the building and momentum carried at the pillartop droid from a sideways approach; the force was kind this day. The mass of the deformed bullet narrowly slipped through the armored teeth of the gargoyled Droid's visage and hit the blaster barrels within it's mouth at a perpendicular angle, bending and denting the barrel enough that when the next bolt fired, the barrel erupted withing the Droid's mouth.

The force of the small blast was enough to topple the droid backwards from the pillar and land heavily on the stone. With blaster disabled, the blackstone droid unfolded itself and scraped its claws against the flagstone flooring, standing on all fours like a Nexu, ready to pounce. The remains of it's blaster maw were burning, smoking, giving the impression of a fire breathing predator on the hunt.

Aadihr pulled the lever from the rifle, ejecting the spent slug casing, and reached for another from the small bandolier on his belt, but reloading would take much too long at a close distance such as this. His mind's eye turned to Aris.

Aris Noble · Jan 17, 2025

"Very well, Lady Vera."

The voice of the dormant blade now on Aris's hip soared forth in a flash of silver, cleaving through the air to act the barrier. Spinning at such a high speed they looked more like a ring than a sword. Deflecting blaster fire so the trio of Jedi could get inside. Enough to at least take the burden from Vera's shoulders, anyway. Right up until the blaster fire ended, anyway.

"Seszil, three!"

Aris couldn't connect with his sentient sword, but they had worked together to figure out different stances and strikes to make. Numbered. Three was shadowing. Aris leapt through Vera's shield, right for the crouched droid as the staff in his hands shifted to a blade. Seszil followed in suit as Aris struck. The first rend through steel while Seszil cleaved through electronics. Cutting head from shoulders.

Vera Noble · Jan 20, 2025

Tag:

Vera's multicolored eyes flared with focus as the droid crashed down from its perch, its clawed limbs scraping against the flagstones in a predatory display. The blast of heat and smoke from its damaged maw swirled around her, but she didn't falter. With Aadihr's shot disabling its weapon and Aris charging into the fray with Seszil, Vera knew the tide was shifting — but they weren't out of danger yet.

As Aris and Seszil engaged the lead droid, more activated units began to emerge from the shadowed recesses. Their mechanical joints groaned, and the red glow of their optics cut through the dim light. Vera's jaw tightened, her free hand rising as a shimmering rune formed above her palm, casting a faint purple hue around her.

"Enough of this," she muttered, her voice sharp with determination. She extended her hand toward the advancing droids, and the air around them seemed to ripple with invisible force. Manipulating gravity, Vera concentrated on the nearest cluster of droids, her fingers curling into a fist. The machines suddenly lurched as if an immense weight had slammed down onto them. Metal screeched against the stone as the droids were pinned to the ground, unable to rise under the crushing gravitational force.

"They're all yours!" Vera called, glancing at Aadihr and Aris. She shifted her stance, moving further into the facility while keeping her focus on maintaining the pressure. The pinned droids' servos whined as they struggled in vain, presenting perfect targets for the Jedi's blades and Seszil's whirling strikes.

"Let's keep moving!" she called to her companions, her tone urgent but steady. The barriers she had conjured flickered briefly before dissipating, her focus now shifting entirely to their forward progress. Vera's determination burned brightly in her gaze as she pushed deeper into the facility, fully committed to seeing this through.

Aadihr Lidos · Jan 20, 2025

Outfit: Casual Attire, Sigil Bead Earring
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

The missing 'gargoyle' still hadn't appeared. Perhaps it was stalking them, or setting up an ambush further in. Aris had dispatched it's twin and Vera had made the supporting wave of inorganics a trifle with an impressive display of the Force.

"Good thinking, Vera"

Aadihr wasted no time swapping from rifle to pike. The woosh of the piercing blue lightsaber blade accompanied Aadihr's dash to the grounded droids, cutting them to pieces in halfhazard, jagged cuts to disable as many as possible quickly, only afterwards would he circle back to slash through power and processing units if any still sem-functional - which took his focus away from what the Padawan were doing for a moment.

The droning industrial sounds echoed throughout the cavernous factory - though the architecture almost seemed religious in decoration. The haze of fumes obscured Aadihr's 'Sight' less here, but still prevented him from simply scouring the entire location for a Holocron. Overhead a conveyor carried massive crucibles of molten alloy, below magma like viscous waterfalls to a bottom Aadihr couldn't see, crisscrossing conveyor belts moving from either end of the massive, cylindrical entrance hall. Gangways and platforms adorned the various levels - it seemed labyrinthine from this massive room alone, but surely there was some method to the madness.

"So. . . Any idea which way the information desk is?" Aadihr asked, half joking, half overwhelmed and intimidated by the structure they found themselves in. A collapsed stairwell disheartened Aadihr further. He pointed towards it with his staff, sighing, "Maybe it will be next to a conveniently a functional lift?"

Aris Noble · Jan 20, 2025

"Eleven."

Aris spoke calm to Seszil once the droids were pinned, then they were gone. Both him and his trusted companion weaved through the pinned droids with Aadihr as a flurry of steel to make sure they weren't going to follow the group inside. It was over quick and Aris followed his way inside then and there as Seszil sheathed themselves on his hip.

"It could be, honestly. The path tends to be pretty easy once it's found with these things. Just, dangerously guarded."

Vera Noble · Jan 21, 2025

Tag:

Vera's multicolored eyes flicked toward her brother, her brow arching in amusement as his calm declaration reached her ears. "Eleven?" she asked, her tone laced with playful incredulity. "Are you keeping score now? Should I start keeping track too, or do you just want to brag later?"

She smirked, her teasing clearly good-natured, but her focus didn't waver as she moved further into the labyrinthine facility. The oppressive heat from the molten alloy below created a shimmering haze, making it difficult to fully gauge their surroundings, but Vera wasn't about to let that slow them down.

Aadihr's joking question about an information desk earned a chuckle, though her expression quickly turned wry as she scanned the area. "No lifts in sight," she said with a sigh, pointing toward a winding staircase that seemed intact enough to use. "Looks like we're walking."

She paused briefly at the base of the stairs, her senses stretching out through the Force. The ambient darkness of the factory seemed to press against her, but faint glimmers of something more significant tugged at her awareness — further ahead and higher up. "I think our path is going to take us up," she murmured, glancing at Aadihr and Aris.

She had no doubt the worst was yet to come.

Aadihr Lidos · Jan 22, 2025

Outfit: Field Attire | Sigil Bead Earring
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike | Legion Long Range Precision Rifle Mark I

Vera Noble said:
"No lifts in sight, Looks like we're walking."
"I think our path is going to take us up,"

Aadihr cast his Sight upward. The stairwell was definitely a risky path, but the crucibles being lifted from the magma below and diverted upwards could help - except they were likely to melt right through Aadihr's boots.

"Perhaps it's best if you lead, Vera. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't imagine your platform-trick from before is easy enough to maintain that you can get all three of us up to the higher floors, especially if you need to feel the path out."

Aris's impressive leap from before and heat resistance had Aadihr confident of the Padawan's capability to ascend the industrial equipment. Once more Aadihr found himself as a potential hindrance.

"I can probably manage the gaps in the staircase, but by the condition of it, I'm likely to cause some sections to collapse - can't realistically expect more than a one way passage up those. Any one have any better ideas?"

Considering the count-keeping banter, and the sibling's capabilities and plotting a course on the rickety stairs and conveyors, Aadihr continued "Or do you two want to race to the the top? I think I can keep up".

He definitely wouldn't win, but his confidence grew as his plotted course seemed more and more viable - and the conveyor belts below provided ample opportunities to break a fall if something did go wrong.