Dominion The Bleeding Force | Eternal Empire Dominion of Quethold

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud, Archon of the Primyn Group
Empress of Terraris, Supreme Commander of the Terraris Command, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Objective I.: Forbidden Knowledge
Location: Ancient Ruins, Quethold
Equipment: The Soulsabers (hidden) | Brynja coat and hat | Hersir Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Tags: Arturo Braga | Asaaj En Kelsani | Open

[ The Unforgiven ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

<"I feel like someone or something wants to penetrate my mind with violence."> she replied in an ice-cold voice to the Dathomirian's words.

The red-haired woman looked into the darkness again. Who was that? As for Ingrid, she had seen Arturo's men fight before, who had been loyal to the man until their death, at least she considered this. The Empress doubted that they would have turned against them all of a sudden. They were loyal, well-trained people. They did not deserve the fate they were given. When she felt the man's reaction, the woman didn't look at Braga intentionally. Even Ingrid used to mourn the lost soldiers after the battles. For her, they were never just collateral damages, they were people. It is another matter that sometimes they had to be sacrificed for something so that more could live, yet it did not bring her any joy.

<"I'm sorry for your loss, Arturo!"> she said sympathetically in such a way that only the man could hear her words. <"If we get out of here after we're done with for which we are come here, we'll talk about it, this applies to you, Captain!">

She had already said the second part of her words so that the woman could hear them too. The case needs to be investigated, as they were probably already citizens of the Eternal Empire; if not, still. For in the Eternal Empire no one was above the law, not even her. This was also one of the reasons why the woman did not hit her two subordinates to break the possible influence and did not use violence. Actually she hoped her presence and radiance would be enough for the duo to figure out where they were and in which situation.

She did not intervene in the interlude, although the unnecessary noise disturbed her somewhat, the corridor echoing the words in part, so it carried the sounds inward. True; it didn't matter much, whoever was here already knew they had visitors. The red-haired woman had no doubt what the sequel would be, how they would proceed. She listened to the other two people as well, then nodded and put her hand on the man's shoulder for a moment.

<"All right, Mr. Braga, you're going forward, I'm going to follow you, and the captain is covering us from behind!"> she said the order.

It was probably the best and most she could do to avoid any problems later on. She will probably be able to handle both people in the event that hell breaks loose. Ingrid hoped it wouldn’t be like that and now things would be relatively uneventful. At least until they meet the person who caused it all.

But… but she'll have to deal with it when they get to that person.

 

[Marimax Mortui]

Location: Echo Base Camp, 4 Kilometers North of The Village
Gear: MM Beskar'gam / Trauma and Blackout / Rapture / XX (Dagger) / Fire Breath / B.U.G. / INT-66 / MX-111 / M3-X
Tags: ?​

Echo Base Camp, constructed as both a refugee center and a staging ground, was flooded with scenes of activity. Medical tents swelled, threatening to burst at the seams, with so many people seeking medical assistance. Not everyone in and around the tent where physically wounded, some suffered from psychological trauma. Those that were taken, and for those spared, had been forced to endure horrors wrought by users of the Force.

Other erected tents, such as the supply tents that were manned by delegates of the Eternal Empire, dispersed supplies to the survivors in the form of food, water, clothing, blankets, and makeshift pup tents. The area around the camp was not entirely defensible, and inside the camp was less so. There was no time, and in fact turned away from the first proposition, to build structures to house the survivors. However, there weren't many survivors and the number of mortalities continued to rise. The village had been decimated. The Eternal Empire's military presence was doing all they could, but the were understaffed. Mercenaries flooded in, profiting off the tragedy. But not all Mercenaries came for credits, some came because the village where of a Mando-style culture.

Walking through the camp, eyes hidden behind his helmet, Marimax scanned the campsite. The scene laid out before him was tragic, but he was there on Mandalore in the aftermath of its near-destruction. Regardless if this was Mandalore or not, his people were once more made to suffer indecencies by the hands of others. The village, from his understanding, had very few 'true warriors'; but was a village of farmers and crafters trying their best to etch out a peaceful life. He heard the rumors, or possible truths, of Mandalorians trying to reunite once again; certain Clans bonding together for the sole purpose of protecting their culture. He had his doubts, he didn't trust the hidden political agendas, and he had no desire to chain himself to another false crusade. He was happy in his current situation of life.

As he continued to walk, trying to make sense why anyone would attack the village, he heard a few key words in passing. He kept no secret about his feelings toward any Force wielder. He hated them, he blamed them, and he hunted them with extreme prejudice. There were very few occasions he tolerated their presences. The galaxy, in his honest opinion, would profit far better without their wretched existence. He also heard there were two prisoners in custody from the attack on the village, and thus he changed his direction toward the holding pen.

The two prisoners, bound in stun cuffs, sat on their knees engaged in a shouting match with the guards. Marimax stood listening to the exchanges between both parties before having his fill, finally stepping into to interject himself.

"Answer me this," he began situating himself between the guards and the two prisoners, "Why attack a village that is no threat to you?" The answers he received only fueled his overgrowing, impatient anger. "Killing women and children makes you feel empowered? Strong? Dominant? Fearful? No, it makes you none of these things. It makes you nothing more than cowards!"

Acting quickly, he withdrew one of his pistols; placing to well precise shots between the eyes of the prisoners. His next stop would be the village itself. As he walked away, one of the guards called out to him. "You can't kill prisoners of war!" Marimax halted. "They were not prisoners of war. There is no war here. They murdered innocent Mandalorians, they are nothing but cowards and they deserved their judgement."

The other guard spoke up with a reply of, "You call them cowards for their actions! You just killed two unarmed men in cold blood. What does that make you then?" Marimax began to walk slowly away as he answered, "Satisfied."
​

 

[Asaaj En Kelsani]

Loadout

Tags:
Ingrid L'lerim
Arturo Braga

Asaaj relaxed as the immediate threat from the other man seemed to have passed, and she nodded in agreement with Ingrid's plan, she fell in place behind them and watched as the walked. This was a dangerous mission but she was confident that either of the others could handle themselves. She took a moment to still her mind and check herself for leaks after what the Empress had said.

She went silent, it was only for a few seconds but then she felt it, like little tendrils and claws reaching around and trying to find the cracks in her metaphysical shield, a darkness, much darker than her own that wished to take her. She tried to look back down the path that the tendrils were coming from but everything was in shadow, she could feel the tendrils and picture them in her mind, but the block on her force abilities prevented her following them to their source. She would have to take care, the people on her world were mentally rapacious so she had learned to steel herself, but relying too heavily on her passive defences could leave her vulnerable to attack from less familiar forces.

She returned her focus to the here and now and glanced ahead as the slender form of the Empress continued, she made sure to keep her eyes and ears ready, appreciating her enhanced senses as the continued into the ruin. "My Lord, I can hear something, it is in a very low frequency range, right at the bottom of what I can perceive, but there is a strange resonance here." She doubted the human could hear it unaided but hoped his tech would help him, who knew what Ingrid's capabilites were. To Asaaj is reminded her almost of the hum of a starship, but more melancholic, like a very long, slow and drawn out song.

They all moved forward, Asaaj's rib ached as it healed and she wondered whether there would be consequences for her actions, she knew she was justified and would submit to investigation as appropriate. She would be dissapointed if her first interaction with the Empress lead to legal ramifications, she had hoped to have a chance to Impress her. Maybe there was still a chance for that.

 

[Ro-Tahn Mashayekhi]

“Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with.”

Ro-Tahn Mashayekhi - Knight Warden
Lightsaber / Winter Ring of the Snow Moon

Location: Abandoned Temple
Tags: ?

​

Methodically I shifted my eyes across the dark, foreboding temple where several dying vines and other forms of flora crept across the structure in suffocating fashion. There was a strange feeling flowing from the temple, like an aura of uneasiness that made me shift uncomfortably. There was something possibly sinister stirring deep within, and it was my job to discover what it is. Like the other Wardens, I was dispatched to seek out and discover knowledge that could be potentially vital to our cause. The planet was odd to me, but no more than this temple that I felt was stealing peeks into my soul.

I loosened my cloak which would allow me easy access to my hilt, then strode upward to the entrance of the temple. The steps, weathered and cracked, moaned with each pressing step of my footfall; or I probably just imagined it. This temple was eerie enough to cause one's mind to fabricate mental illusions upon themselves. Before touching the slanted, stone doorway I hovered my hand over it, sensing a clear and present darkness inside. I despised the darkness, not the term associated with the absent of light; but the dark side of the Force. And it was here, challenging me before I even crossed through the ancient building's threshold.

Seconds within entering, I withdrew my hilt, ignited my weapon, and used the blade as a source of light to navigate through that darkness. The whole inside was blanketed in utter darkness. Even the light from my blade barely done enough to allow me to see safely. At this point, I needed to tread carefully less one slip could drastically change my lot in life. By first impressions, I was in a narrow, single-file corridor where the walls felt as if they were slowly closing in. Another mental illusion cast from the unknown temple. One thing was for sure, something was here. I could sense it, feel it, and found it difficult to pinpoint. Whatever it was, it was blinking in and out of the Force. Whatever or whomever it was, it was surrounded by the Force; possibly able to utilize the Force itself. And if this temple was shrouded in the dark side, then whomever was inside the deeper regions of the temple was an agent of the dark side. And it was my sworn duty, not as a Warden but a member of The Order of the Lotus Moon, to seek out and destroy this dark side blight.

 

[Arturo Braga]

Tags: Ingrid L'lerim Asaaj En Kelsani (Ro-Tahn Mashayekhi )
Kit: BR-212 'Jackal' ACR, KC-77N Hybrid Pistol, Black Sun Armor Mark. I

Leading the group deeper into the ruins, Arturo did his best to ignore the voice in his head. Distracted, disoriented, he led them down ancient corridors, past murals long since faded. The darkness swirled around him as they walked, dust motes dancing across the face of his visor as it adjusted to the low-light. His legs felt like lead weights; his arms felt even heavier. Whispers upon whispers upon whispers crackled in his earpiece. Something that sounded like the Empress but clearly wasn't kept telling him to turn around and shoot the two women following him.

Sometimes he was tempted to listen. Sometimes he thought it would be easier to pull his sidearm, tuck it to his chin, and pull the trigger.

The whisperer continued to harass him as he led the group through a wide, fathomless atrium that had long since succumbed to the ravages of time. Shadows pushed in from left and right, above and below. The rooms and corridors to either side were darker still, and Arturo found himself suddenly wishing he was someplace else. Somewhere that wasn't here.

The whisperer hushed his racing thoughts, ushered a return to calmness. And for a time, the mercenary was calm. But then the voice told him to turn around...

"No." Arturo said out loud, unaware he'd even done so until the echo of his voice pierced the crackling in his earpiece. Stunned, the mercenary cast a wary glance over his shoulder. The Empress was still following him, as was the captain. A wave of embarrassment washed over him as he turned back. The rational, conscious part of his mind told him there was nothing to be embarrassed about. In his ear, the Whisperer laughed. It didn't sound friendly.

The sound that followed was much sweeter.

"My Lord, I can hear something, it is in a very low frequency range, right at the bottom of what I can perceive, but there is a strange resonance here."

"I hear it, too." Arturo said as he drew to a halt at the top of a flight of stairs that led down. Into the abyss, most like. "Sounds like singing. Or humming." Nodding to himself, the mercenary looked at the two women expectantly. He pushed the feeling of wrongness aside; a part of him knew he was not right. Yet he was sure he could hear singing. Singing, yes, and whispers. And laughter. Someone was having a party, and they were all invited. Where was it being held again?

"I think it's coming from the archives three floors down." Arturo continued, gesturing to the stairs. "I sent one of my men down there to check it out about an hour ago. New guy that went by the name Daemon. Or was it Démon?" Probing the depths of his memory, the mercenary was surprised to find himself coming up short. That was odd. He was usually pretty good with this sort of thing. "I'm sure he told me his name." Arturo apologized, going through a quick list in his head, unaware that someone was fudging the details.

"Why can't I remember?"

 

[Ladybug]

Mikilanna Mihaly (Darth Kauhu) - Overseer of Science Development, Director of The Royal Institute of Science

Location: Quethold, Mountain Region (South of Red City)
Equipment: Dark Blessings of Kuolema (Twin Lightsabers), Feravvax XVI (Cybernetic Eyes), PITA CV1 (Cybernetic / Bionic Tail), Omni VI (Bionic Arm), Varjokävely (Battle Outfit)
Ship: Aries XIII
Tags: ?

Several reports flooded the Commander's desk from the Empire's spies working in the mountain region near Red City. The reports by the spies were disheartening and disturbing. There was a major cell operating in that area, a mixture of mercs and pirates and a few disgruntled citizens. For the past few weeks, they had attacked supply lines heading in and out of Red City; as well as other resources of the Eternal Empire. This cell didn't adopt the policy of taking prisoners, leaving death in their wake. The Commandeer knew the loss of the Empire's personnel could be replenished in short time, but the costs of the loss of supplies could not. The losses incurred where beginning to mount, that the sting was beginning to be felt in Red City. The Commandeer had a small military force at his command, but they were not prepared to hunt down an enemy cell in the mountains; he needed help. He needed a solution to this ever growing problem before his own superiors took notice, and acted in a way that would be against his best interests.

Commander Jesup entered his office on the western side of Red City, abruptly stopping upon seeing a white hair woman sitting in a chair with her back to the office's entrance. Clearing his throat first, he said, "Excuse me? But I believe you are trespassing. I would advise you leave before I have you arrested." The woman remained seated, never making a sign to address his words. Once again, he cleared his throat and began to speak; only to discover his trachea began to tighten slowly and painfully. In a swell of panic, he moved his fingers to his throat, attempting to tear away those invisible hands that were robbing him of oxygen. "Commander Jesup, I assume," the seated woman said, still not moving. "I hear you have a problem protecting the supply lines leading in and out of Red City. Please, have a seat." As quickly as the strangulation struck Commander Jesup, it was just as quick to disappear; forcing him to gasp intakes of small breaths. Cautiously he moved around the woman and his desk, sitting down in his chair, and finding himself taken back by the sight of the woman.

"Who are you," Commander Jesup said, never taking his eyes off the woman's facial features. He thought to himself, she was probably once beautiful and breath taking. She was far younger than himself, but held an aura about her; like she was dangerous and powerful, yet she was far shorter than him, untruly incapable of being a physical intimidation. And yet, she did something to him without moving. And her eyes, they were clearly not natural; yet imposing and spooky. "My name is no concern of yours, Commander. I've been sent here to settle your blunders. First, I will tell you I'm a busy woman. Secondly, I hate cleaning up after other people's messes. So I'm going to get right to the point. Tell me everything you know about these attacks according to the reports handed to you from the field operatives." Without wasting her time, the Commander went into great detail about the attacks. He explained to her this cell was potentially operating in the nearby mountain region, but the mountains were tightly bound making it hard to funnel in any type of military presence. Once he was done, she assured him she would handle it personally. "Wait. You're going to deal with this cell by yourself. Forgive me, but not only are you just one person but you're well, how can I say this without offending you, not properly equipped or trained to handle something like this. I believe whomever sent you must not understand the true nature of the situation."

Smirking as she rose from her chair, the folds of her cloak spreading apart to reveal the twin hilts on her hip, she reached out through the Force gripping the man once more by his throat; this time lifting him from his chair. Leaning in close, aligning her cybernetic eyes with his natural and fearful blue eyes she spat, "Do not make the mistake of assessing or offending me again, less you desire to forfeit your life."

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud, Archon of the Primyn Group
Empress of Terraris, Supreme Commander of the Terraris Command, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Objective I.: Forbidden Knowledge
Location: Ancient Ruins, Quethold
Equipment: The Soulsabers (hidden) | Brynja coat and hat | Hersir Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Tags: Arturo Braga | Asaaj En Kelsani | Ro-Tahn Mashayekhi | Open

[ The Unforgiven ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

With each step as they made their way in, she, too, felt the pressure in her mind, hearing the scraping of how someone or something wanted to get into the red-haired woman's mind anyway. So far unsuccessful. After a while the woman also heard the whispers, only they spoke in her mind. It was impossible to understand at first, only blurred sounds that made no sense. After a while, however, they became more and more understandable; the words had no meaning, but the sound was familiar.

Even though three hundred years have passed, this sound is such that it will never be forgotten. It felt like someone had hit her in the stomach. The pain ran through her soul in an instant; Adrian's voice. Out of the corner of her eye, she looked at the hallucination that had been present ever since Serenno, but the hallucination looked at her incomprehensibly and shook his head that no, he wasn't talking. It really wasn’t him, meaning Adrian was reading three books at a time at the moment.

<"No?"> she asked softly from the man.

A moment later, she realized that the man was probably hearing voices too. Ingrid just nodded that it was okay and moved on. Meanwhile, the captain also remarked that she could hear the voices. She sharpened her senses, so now she could hear the strange noise the duo was talking about. At first she would have thought it was some kind of generator-generated noise, but the more she heard, the more it seemed to her to be some kind of song or melody.

<"Démon or Daemon, doesn't really matter, both names are the same, just in different languages."> Ingrid told Arturo.

Why he doesn’t remember was a much better question. Maybe the voices were the answer, but she doesn’t know yet.

<"It seems like a song to me too, and we’re not alone, I feel one more consciousness close to us. But I think we have little choice but to go down to the archives. If you feel you can continue to lead us, go, Mr. Braga."> she said again.

Luckily, she had a telepathy that wasn’t dependent on the Force, so she was able to sense Ro-Tahn Mashayekhi's closeness as well. To whom she then sent a telepathic message. The Empress didn't know who he was yet, but to the best of her knowledge, they were only their own nearby, so she assumed that person was one of them.

~ Join us in the underground archive! ~ it was more of an order than a request.

As they move on, the murmur goes on, and with each step, the song became more and more audible, more and more audible. It still didn't make sense, because someone was singing in a language that had long since become extinct. Probably the original owners of this ruin may have been those who spoke the language. Nevertheless, due to the emphasis it seemed like a very emotional and sad song. These sad things caused the other voices the whispers that others could hear so it had a sufficiently hypnotic effect.

Eventually, however, the trio and hopefully Ro-Tahn will also arrive at the entrance to the archive.

 

[Ro-Tahn Mashayekhi]

“Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with.”

Ro-Tahn Mashayekhi - Knight Warden
Lightsaber / Winter Ring of the Snow Moon

Location: Abandoned Temple
Tags: Arturo Braga / Ingrid L'lerim

Slowly I crept down the corridor, my lightsaber blade out in front lighting the way. There were whispers echoing all around, the words where garbled and difficult to understand. I assume it was a warning or a threat to turn back. I tried to ignore the whispers but the more I moved through the temple the stronger and louder they became. At one point I felt them inside my head, trying to issue me mental commands, but my mind was shielded against such trickery; the perks of being a Epicanthix. Quickly I pushed them out of my mind, yet these voices remained with me like an unwanted guide. Then another voice entered my head, it was the voice of the Empress. I stopped to listen to the telepathic message, returning to her I was enroute.

My new destination was something called the archives. Something told me these archives could potentially hold the secrets the Wardens were seeking. But it was to early to believe in such assumptions. The corridor spilled out into a massive chamber, the walls decorated with fading murals, torn banners, and shredded pictures. I examined the ruined pictures only to be disappointed by the destruction laid on them. I love artwork, it's a hobby I try to juggle in my busy lifestyle. The murals where in poor condition, though I could make out some of the images. What these images where I could not determine, only they must be something held in high regard by the planet's natural citizens. The banners, torn and tattered, had odd shaped symbols. I'm no symbologist, but I could almost testify these symbols resembled a twisted form of the ancient symbol of the Sith Order. What made these symbols really stand out was they possessed geometric shapes not seen in the known galaxy; at least none I ever seen. I took one of the smaller banners down, folded it tight and neat, and placed it in a pocket on my waist belt. I'm sure some scholar could determine what these symbols were or meant.

Once again the whispers picked up, only this time they contained a harmonic tone, a lullaby-like sound. It was soothing and, to be honest, rather appealing. I found myself closing my eyes and being drawn into the peaceful melody. Unaware I was doing it at first, my head began to dance in time to the soft humming and rhythm of the music. It was music that was flowing around me, having evolved from the simple whispers. The more I listened, the more I began to understand this was song of sadness. I snapped open my eyes and looked at the murals and paintings again. A coldness crept inside me, followed by the feeling of pain and loss. Quickly I knelt down to the floor, looking at the color scheme. I didn't quite put much stock in at first, thinking the mismatched colors on the floor was a result of erosion or time. However, I realized what these darkened colors were against the gray slabs of stone. It was dried blood. A tragedy, be it by design or accident, had occurred here; and quite possible throughout this temple. These whispers, could they be the mournful woes of the dead; in spirit form?

I left the chamber behind, doubling my speed toward the archives; where the Empress was waiting for me. Whilst I walked in double time, many theories began manifesting in my mind. And once again, that darkness swelled powerfully. ​

 

[Asaaj En Kelsani]

Loadout

Tags:
Ingrid L'lerim Arturo Braga Ro-Tahn Mashayekhi

Asaaj cleared her head and continued on, she found herself humming along to the tune, it was like a very old dathomiri lullaby, it had a strange beauty to it, and it was almost soothing, wrapping her up and feeling like home. Her allies were acting strange ahead of her, as if seeing things. She tried to think of other things, maybe to strike up a conversation that would distract her. She turned her head as she walked to speak to Persephone Ambrosia the beautiful woman guarding her back, looking every inch the beauty she was. Asaaj felt a pining inside her that she didn't know she had felt, since their time together they hadn't spoken. "So Perse?" she plucked up the courage to ask, but also to help clear the miasma from her brain. "What even are we? Do I call you friend? Queen? Lover?" there was no response from her friend, as if she was just ignoring the question? "well? Answer me? I gave everything to you, I deserve that?" she was getting angry now, very angry.

Still no response? Asaaj lashed out with the sharp nails and raked at Persephone's immaculate skin, she but it didn't behave as normal, it bled, but it began to burn, she watched as the source of her love burned in front of her and it felt like a punch to the stomach. She was about to call out when one of the others called to her and told her they were at the archive entrance, snapping her back out of her dream. She looked down and where there was burning embers before, there was nothing.

Asaaj cursed in dathomiri before catching up to ingrid and arturo. This door looked old, old and heavy. She ran her hands gently across it, this was very interesting, she could see embossed lettering on the door, but they felt different in the had to what her eyes could see? A locking mechanism perhaps? Stroking her finger across the tops of one of the letters she could only feel, it glowed brightly for maybe thirty seconds before fading to darkness. She sat down on the floor and looked at the door, the words she could read looked like some kind of poem, but written entirely as one sentence, it's rhyming scheme was hard to make out but she could sort of get the tune in her head, and she could imagine where she might put punctuation in to break up the lines?

"So, I can see these words, I hope you can too. But they appear to be illusory, with real lettering behind them that I can only feel, the illusion seems almost flawless, but my force senses are very dulled. I feel like there might be some sort of code in either the poem or the hidden letters. Any thoughts?"

Asaaj took out a pipe and lit it, smoke emitted from it gently wafted around the room, it was a pleasant, floral smell, unlike tobacco, but asaaj smoked it in a similar way, it would help clear her mind further to allow her to focus.

 

[Arturo Braga]

Tags: Ingrid L'lerim Asaaj En Kelsani
Kit: BR-212 'Jackal' ACR, KC-77N Hybrid Pistol, Black Sun Armor Mark. I

Arturo took the stairs one at a time. As deep as the ruins went, as dark as they grew, it made sense to take things slow. Even with the voices in his head, it was no small comfort to know he still possessed some semblance of control over his faculties. He might be going mad, but he would do so in his own time. The thought made him smile. And as laughter began bubbling up from the archives a floor down, the contractor found himself laughing along, the sound quiet, wrong.

Reaching the archives, Arturo halted.

Asaaj fell in beside him. Again the voices told him to turn his weapon on the Captain. Again Arturo was having none of it. The creature who's words he was hearing had already caused enough chaos, enough deaths. Arturo was resolved to make sure there would only one more to death today: Daemon's own. The laughter from beyond the doors grew as the thought passed through his mind. Was it really that funny? Arturo didn't think so. Everyone dies. The brave, the cowardly. The strong and the weak. Why not you, too? Arturo thought.

Why not you, too? The voices replied in unison. Why not you, Arturo? Why not... Ingrid?

"So, I can see these words, I hope you can too. But they appear to be illusory, with real lettering behind them that I can only feel, the illusion seems almost flawless, but my force senses are very dulled. I feel like there might be some sort of code in either the poem or the hidden letters. Any thoughts?"

"What're you talking about? There's nothing here." Reaching out, Arturo brushed his hand against the iron-studded wood. "It's just a door. Nothing more." Just a door, Arturo Braga? How blind can one man be? Frowning, the mercenary stepped away. Looking around, he watched the dust motes drift lazily in the strange half-light of the corridor. Strangely, the air around the door felt stagnant, and cold. Very much unalike the humidity of the jungle above. "Maybe your connection to the Force allows you to see these... words. Maybe our minds have cracked and this is some sort of entrance to Hell."

Shaking his head, Arturo looked on in mild surprise as the captain sat, pulling out a pipe. "Getting high on the job. Tsk tsk tsk. What will your boss think?" Glancing at the Empress, Arturo waited patiently for her input. Regarding the door. Or the strange naval officer.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud, Archon of the Primyn Group
Empress of Terraris, Supreme Commander of the Terraris Command, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Objective I.: Forbidden Knowledge
Location: Ancient Ruins, Quethold
Equipment: The Soulsabers (hidden) | Brynja coat and hat | Hersir Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Tags: Arturo Braga | Asaaj En Kelsani | Ro-Tahn Mashayekhi | Open

[ The Unforgiven ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Although she had not received an answer from the third person, however she felt telepathically that she was approaching. Great! Down here, the Force behaved rather strangely; it was like in Netherworld. Unpredictable. There were moments when it worked, other times it didn’t. She found it really interesting what could be causing it all. Because the red-haired woman was sure it wasn’t ordinary or traditional. At least here in Realspace. For a moment, something came to her mind. Are they really still in Realspace at all?

Or they went through some rift. No! The Empress categorically rejected this idea. She should have felt it since the woman was part of the Netherworld. There she even felt the long-broken Force-bond in Adrian's direction; that’s why she knew where all his soulshards were. In the meantime, she walked over to her two companions. She wasn't happy with the drugs the captain wanted to use. But the question was great. Ingrid also looked at the door, she could see the inscriptions and symbols on it, while the sounds and the vocals were getting stronger.

<"I see it too. Probably only visible to Force users or Force sensitive. Old trick."> she said in a cool voice, but not accusingly.

It wasn't Braga's fault; in fact, she considered the man lucky because he was not a Force user.

<"I'm telling the captain to be glad no one wants to do a drug test with her at the moment."> she told Arturo.

She could feel the other person up close enough they were coming, but the archive door was locked. The captions were in a language she could not read, not even with the Force. There was no such Sith talisman with her which helped translate different languages. But it was a great question how they could get in. Ingrid didn't really see a panel or anything like that. However, she did not want to find a solution for long. Who knows how long they can last.

A red-haired woman doesn’t use her physical strength many times, but now she does. She stepped closer to the door and hit it with full force. The stone wall that framed the door surrendered with a huge crack as it tore apart. And the door fell into the inside of the archive, accompanied by a loud thud and click. The echo of the impact bounced off the walls. Even the whispers and singing ceased.

<"This was good now… and there's finally silence!"> said the assassin, somewhat amusedly, almost cheerfully, who is otherwise always working in complete silence and unnoticed.

 

[Asaaj En Kelsani]

Loadout

Tags:
Ingrid L'lerim Arturo Braga Ro-Tahn Mashayekhi

"Getting high on the job. Tsk tsk tsk. What will your boss think?"

Asaaj was about to retort with some comment for him to mind his karking business, these herbs were no different from some of the combat drugs that military units used or anti-toxins used to prevent chem attacks, but used differently, he was a caveman, blind to her culture. But then the Empress chimed in, that was more a cause for concern, a word from her and it could all be over.

"My Lord, I would be happy to provide said sample, these are herbs from my culture that will help clear the intrusion from my head and focus my spirit, my research suggests they are not included on the Imperial list of proscribed substances." The Empress was an intelligent and well travelled woman, that explanation would hopefully be enough.

She looked as the Empress tore through the door for the archive and the singing stopped, that will work too she thought to herself, woman remembered to bring brawn as well as brains it appeared. Asaaj stood and joined them and put her pipe away, her pupils were dilated but she seemed more focused. "That is much better, we should probably proceed further then."

There was a small flight of stairs leading into the atrium of the archive, with what looked like a service desk and reams of index files, and paper had long since rotten away. Asaaj imagined what it once would have looked like with people moving too and fro, maybe a jedi archivist sat at the desk instructing people on where to find the information the sought. She had been to an archive like this, hundreds of years ago when she was living as a jedi of all things. Her gifts made her well suited to studying dark holocrons.

She supposed, with the singing seeming to end with the door destroyed, maybe the protective charms were set by the invading force and not part of the original design. "My gut tells me that the door was only the first suprise the demon may have for us down her." without their force senses, traps were much more dangerous, it was only luck that none of the three of them relied entirely on the force in the way a Jedi might and all brought many other abilities to the table. She ran her fingers, almost lovingly along a series of book, knowledge was a beautiful thing that should be cherished. She picked a book, entirely at random, let the force decide what her reading material would be this evening.

 

[Ladybug]

Mikilanna Mihaly (Darth Kauhu) - Overseer of Science Development, Director of The Royal Institute of Science

Location: Location: Quethold, Mountain Region (South of Red City)
Equipment: Dark Blessings of Kuolema (Twin Lightsabers), Feravvax XVI (Cybernetic Eyes), PITA CV1 (Cybernetic / Bionic Tail), Omni VI (Bionic Arm), Varjokävely (Battle Outfit)
Ship: Aries XIII
Tags: N/A

The mass mountain region is an area steeped in treachery. The mountains are known to the locals to possess many stories of lore and hauntings. The sub-region known as Q'tha is believed to be inhabited by unrested spirits, whom according to legend would strike at anyone venturing through their landscape. The spirits are believed to be of those that died in violent settings by their own hand. The area became known in unofficial naming as The Weeping Souls of Despair. As for the travelers that gone missing in passing, it was assumed these spirits wished to share their grief with others. Q'tha didn't possess the required landscape to construct a hidden camp from which nefarious beings could utilize for their nefarious purposes. The entire region of Q'tha is a mass collection of mountain ranges, no caves or cavern systems in place. This was easily checked off for investigation.

Another sub-region, known as T'yo, was further south of Red City. T'yo would be an ideal setting for this criminal organization to operate. There are countless caves and underground caverns to work with. The area has several underground springs to provide a steady water supply, and according to the citizens of Red City, a lush underground with mineral enriched soil to grow crops. However, with all the ingredients available for a cell to operate, it was simply to far for this cell to successfully operate in the manner which they did. It would cost them to many resources like fuel to transport the spoils. Like Q'tha, this too was checked off.

With both Q'tha and T'yo removed as available investigation spots, that left only one other; the sub-region of V'yi. V'yi didn't contain what T'yo did in ample resources like the underground springs or potential lush environments; it did, however, is home to the thousands upon thousands of cavern systems known to the citizens of Red City. As Commander Jessup had said, it would require to much military resources to properly scan the area. Even for one person, it was impossible to thoroughly conduct a search in their lifetime. But for Mikilanna Mihaly, she didn't need to seek them out; she had a plan that would bring them to her.

Most successful plans were constructed with simplicity. To many moving parts and the risk for failure was high. Keep the moving parts to a minimal and the risk for success was high. And her plan wasn't just simple, it was a classic. First, she had the military outfit an outdated transport, one that was on the list of scrap anyway. Secondly, she had the engineers weld non-functional droids dressed in military unforms of the Empire onto the transports on specific areas to give the illusion of a security detail. Thirdly, a driver was required for the transport; and once more she called upon the services a droid driver. And finally, she needed bait. She would be that bait. The cell always took the supplies from these transport vehicles, so she would sit inside waiting for them to attack. Once they opened up the cargo door, she would spring upon them; killing all but one. She needed only one survivor.

 

[Arturo Braga]

Objective: Face the Demon
Tags: Ingrid L'lerim Asaaj En Kelsani
Kit: BR-212 'Jackal' ACR, KC-77N Hybrid Pistol, Black Sun Armor Mark. I

Nodding along to the Empress's words, Arturo put on a serious face. "Yes, the captain should consider herself fortunate. Any other day and we'd have to confiscate those... herbs?" Yes. Yes, they were. Smiling behind his faceplate, the contractor gestured at the door wordlessly as Asaaj did her best to justify getting high on the job. He was sure she had her reasons. He just didn't care to hear them. Maybe the Empress would?

Standing motionless by Ingrid's side, Arturo watched as the doors quite literally came crashing down in front of them.

Turning to the red-haired assassin, the contractor raised an eyebrow in mute appreciation as silence returned. "Got anymore tricks up your sleeve?" He asked, a slow smile breaking his features. Patting her on the shoulder in a not-so-proper gesture of camaraderie, Arturo nodded to Asaaj. Yes. Let's. Making his way inside the archives, Arturo did his best to secure the scene as his companions entered just a few steps behind him.

Even submerged in darkness, the archives appeared cavernous, with rows upon rows of shelves lining the sides of the room, sporting books and scrolls and gods-knew what else. A few ancient-looking terminals were interspersed here and there, though, the shadows had swallowed most of them. With the power out and not likely to return anytime soon, it was hard to tell how far back the archives stretched. A mile, maybe? More?

Arturo wondered how much forgotten knowledge dwelled here. Enough to keep Asaaj happy from the looks of it. A part of him was amazed by the whole thing. Another part was terrified.

Some things were forgotten for a reason. Digging them up felt wrong, foolish.

A sentiment that Daemon wasn't likely to share.

"My gut tells me that the door was only the first suprise the demon may have for us down her."

"I think you might be onto something there, captain." Gazing into the dark, Arturo tried to make out the room's details, flicking through a number of settings in his search for answers. With little in the way of ambient light, his night vision was next to useless. Thermals didn't pick up much either. That was... disquieting. "Can't shake the feeling we're being watched... Can't help but feel that something's lured us here on purpose."

Flicking his rifle's safety off, Arturo retreated a step towards Ingrid and the captain, not noticing as something moved off to his left. "You two see anything?"

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud, Archon of the Primyn Group
Empress of Terraris, Supreme Commander of the Terraris Command, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Objective I.: Forbidden Knowledge
Location: Ancient Ruins, Quethold
Equipment: The Soulsabers (hidden) | Brynja coat and hat | Hersir Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Tags: Arturo Braga | Asaaj En Kelsani | Ro-Tahn Mashayekhi | Open

[ The Unforgiven ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Ingrid nodded to Asaaj to accept the explanation. Although the woman was not a Dathomirian witch, she knew their customs. During her studies, she studied many different Force User cultures. Last but not least, she had time to do so while she spent nearly three hundred years at Netherworld. A special beauty of this is that in the real world, meanwhile, only half a year has passed and, of course, she wasn't far away from home for half a year, not at once.

About drug testing, by the way, was probably standard among soldiers and officers. People were just randomly selected at certain intervals.

<"Let a woman have secrets, Director!"> she said with a smile on her lips as she winked at the man.

She didn't pull away when the man patted her shoulder, Ingrid just reached out and ran her fingers very gently along the man's hand as Arturo took his hand off her shoulder. After that, she nodded, yes, to move on, inward. The red-haired woman also saw the dimly lit terminals inside. There was darkness inside, which was only partially natural. She, too, could feel them watching, from the darkness, the shadows. However, it was her natural habitat, the darkness, the shadows.

Now she reached for Arturo's shoulder and put her hand gently on the man's shoulder to stop him as Asaaj looked at the books. When the headmaster stopped, Ingrid concentrated very brief. Moments later, the Empress melted into the darkness, still standing there where before, but barely visible, as if it were part of the darkness and obscurity. And she really was. Expanded her consciousness and herself into the darkness, reaching into the vast and almost infinite library. She saw everything there was darkness, faced several pairs of red eyes, and there was someone else here, deep inside.

Eventually, she opened her eyes and her figure was fully visible again as she retreated from the darkness.

<"We really are not alone. There are at least a dozen smoke demons here. These demons are able to take the form of our biggest nightmares and can try to kill you. They are the most dangerous to you, Mr. Braga, because you are not a Force User. You don't have any real weapons against them. Stay with me, close to me. Respectively, I felt someone in the northwest, I saw their form. The one who probably summoned the demons as well."> she said in a low voice.

She looked at her companions for a few moments, then set off at a slow pace in the direction from which she saw and sensed the living person.

 

[Asaaj En Kelsani]

Loadout

Tags:
Ingrid L'lerim Arturo Braga Ro-Tahn Mashayekhi

Asaaj listened the Empress, smoke demons, foul creatures from beyond, her alchemical blades should theoretically harm them but there was no guarantee, and her force connection was still weak here.

"you are welcome to partake if you wish Arturo Braga and she gestured to him with the pipe, it might help ward away the dark spirits, it might make you vomit, it probably wont cause any lasting damage though." she grinned, it was a genuine offer, it was all she could offer him as protection, but the chances of him accepting were slim.

Asaaj walked quietly in a low crouch, the was a strange smell in the air, like fur, it appalled Asaaj and crawled her skin, the dark pattering of feet, the low growl. Then she spotted it, a shadow along the wall, what foul sorcery is this, why would they be here! She hissed and gripped her blades tightly as the monster stalked her and mocked her.

There was a wail as the creature attacked from the shadows, its terrifying form dark as the night with two orbs for eyes that reflected the light. It swiped at her arm as it went past, its supernatural claws tearing at her pulvisa suit and into the skin below. She wheeled around just in time for its second strike, and this time it had an ally, this one, light grey with darker grey stripes and a M for madness on its wretched forehead. The first creature lunched again, its teeth bared and she barely parried its blow, it was strong, but Asaaj was quick and she severed one of its limbs, sending it crashing to the floor. In a heap and hissing at her.

It's ally was more lucky and she felt its teeth sink into her arm, tying to force its soul into hers, her eyes went dark as she channeled every bit of darkness she had back into the creature until it let go and say wretching as if trying to expel something. "do I not taste good monster?" She snarled, nursing her wounds, still wary that these things may strike again. The first had gone, even its severed hind leg had vanished, had she destroyed it, or had it just withdrawn to regroup?

The second one, the one now retching on her tainted blood was now convulsing on the floor as her Vampiria essence overpowered its spirit and tore at its soul, most mortal creatures could not survive taking the blood kiss from a Sanquinus vampirica, how would it effect the demonic? It did not look pleasurable. Asaaj took the moment of opportunity to plundge her katar through the things throat, just as its eyed turned yellow and it snarled with a vampiric lust.

They must be close to their quarry by now.

 

[Arturo Braga]

Objective: Survive
Tags: Ingrid L'lerim Asaaj En Kelsani
Kit: BR-212 'Jackal' ACR, KC-77N Hybrid Pistol, Black Sun Armor Mark. I

Arturo kept backing up until he felt a hand touch his shoulder. He didn't have to look to know who it belonged to. Ingrid's touch was delicate, as if she feared a single touch would shatter him into a million pieces. Turning his head, he watched mutely as the Empress began to fade before his very eyes. Once upon a time, he would have thought such a feat impossible. Nowadays, it seemed commonplace. Perhaps it was. For the redhead, anyway. "What do you see?" He asked her, his gaze sweeping the room and finding nothing.

The answer, when it came, made his blood run cold.

Smoke demons? His eyes grew wide, his hands clammy. What manner of hellspawn are they s'posed to be? The question lingered in his mind as Ingrid's hand slipped from his shoulder, the only source of comfort in what had grown to be a cold, cold room. Switching from semi- to fully-automatic, Arturo took an involuntary step backwards. "Right," he said, taking in Ingrid's fading words even as his eyes bore into her back. The Director had been in many a messy situation over the years.

How the hell was he going to dig his way out of this one?

"you are welcome to partake if you wish

"Not interested, thanks." Arturo muttered, watching Ingrid's back as if his life depended on it. Which, funnily enough, it did. "Hope you know what you're doing, Lord. For both our sake's," he whispered, somehow managing to keep the fear from his voice as he finally diverted his gaze away. The shadows around him had grown a lot deeper since he'd last looked. Off to his right, a terminal flickered and died, giving up the ghost for good. In the last moments before the screen winked out, Arturo thought he saw a claw curl over the top edge. But that wasn't possible.

There were no Rakghouls on Quethold.

Crawling from the shadows surrounding the dead terminal, the smoke demons sought to undo Arturo as they took on the form of the thing he dreaded most. Three in total, the faux rakghouls seemed like the real article to Arturo, who found himself suddenly rooted in place. Meeting their sightless faces one by one, the contractor tried to call a warning to Ingrid as she advanced deeper into the archives. The words died on his tongue, though, his composure finally cracking as the beasts- no, demons, edged closer.

Taking a step backwards, Arturo tried to pick his resolve up off the floor. It was too heavy, alas.

"Ingrid?" He called, feeling so very much alone in this wide, dark tomb he had placed himself in. "Captain? I could... could use a hand- use a hand h-here!"

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud, Archon of the Primyn Group
Empress of Terraris, Supreme Commander of the Terraris Command, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Objective I.: Forbidden Knowledge
Location: Ancient Ruins, Quethold
Equipment: The Soulsabers (hidden) | Brynja coat and hat | Hersir Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Tags: Arturo Braga | Asaaj En Kelsani | Ro-Tahn Mashayekhi | Open

[ The Unforgiven ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Since there were Smoke Demons down here, that meant someone was able to summon them. In other words, the Force was already operating in this place. For Ingrid, the biggest fear was seeing those close to her die and failing to defend them. She grew up as death and intrigue was always around her. These have been with her all her life. Maybe that's why she could never get over Adrian's death either. To this day, she has blamed herself for her husband’s death. That she was unable to defend the Sith Lord.

It was her duty to take care of him. She saw the dead out of the corner of her eye, and heard their voices. The Smoke Demons were lurking around here. If they are paralyzed by fear, it is all over and the demons have won. This was not the first time she had encountered such creatures. These demons were the first ones she learned to summon. She hardly used them anymore because she only summoned more serious and stronger beings and creatures. It was at that moment that she felt Arturo's fear, which almost hit her in the stomach. Then his words. She has not tried to banish the demons, yet.

The man was infinitely lost. Based on the sounds, the captain was quite fine. After the request, she knew she had to push him out of this state. Since the Force was down here, Ingrid allowed all of her power to flow through the room to make the creatures feel and also that the woman was part of the Netherworld. The shadows and darkness receded a bit. The first step was there. The Empress knew this would not hold them back forever, they had to be instructed by the one who summoned and directed them. She looked at the captain.

<"Captain, head in the direction of the target! In a moment we'll go too!"> it was not a request but an order. <"And you, Mr. Braga, take off your helmet, now!">

Ingrid, meanwhile, turned to Arturo. If the man didn’t do what she said, she tried to reach for the man’s helmet and take it off his head. If Arturo did what she asked him to do, it was even better. After that, if the man let her, she stepped closer to him, leaning quite close, sliding her hand on the man's nape, and kissing him passionately.

She had no intention of seducing the man, she did it just to break out of fear and focus on something completely different. To her. If she has managed to kiss the man, she will only interrupt the kiss if she already feels that the fear has pretty much disappeared from the man.

<"Are you able to continue the quest? If so, I'll be here by your side. You don't have to be afraid anymore!">

 

[Asaaj En Kelsani]

Loadout

Tags:
Ingrid L'lerim Arturo Braga Ro-Tahn Mashayekhi

Watching as the Empress kissed Arturo Braga she muttered quietly to herself with a grin. Sure she was trying to snap him out of his trance, but of the million ways she could have done it, well, Asaaj couldn't fault the woman for taking what she wanted.

She reacted quickly from her momentary romantic distraction as she saw two more of the demons sat looking at her. Her skin crawled at their horrible visage, their creepily distended limbs twisted in a macabre mockery of anatomy, she pulled out her shuriken pistol and several glowing plasma edged projectile whistled across, slicing parts off of the monster, j likely to kill the demonic, but would give it something to think about whilst she advanced.

Her body prickled in barely suppressed fear as she ran in to follow up on the shots and dispatched the injured demon with her enchanted blades. "is this the best you can do? she shouted, she feared little, and as repellent as these animals were, they were small and they could be killed.

she approached a doorway and stopped, her blood running ice cold as before her was not the deeper library that she expected, but open ground, in the centre was a humanoid, wreathed in darkness with a glowing red blade in her hand. From his other hand tendrils wrapped across the ground into other humanoids, Nightsisters, devoid of their own power and enslaved to the whim of this Sith creature. They staggered toward her, their beautiful skin had been defiled as their tattoos were corrupted and twisted into Sith Icons and their arms reached for her. A tear rolled down her cheek for her ruined sisters.

Asaaj tightened her hand around the handle of her blades as she muttered prayers to their tortured souls. His could the Sith do this to her sister's again, did their persecution have no end. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to place her own fear to the back of her mind and the same smokey tendrils tried to penetrate her.

Screaming she attacked, she would engage them, "My Lord, I will release my sisters whilst you deal with the Sith!" she would not be aware that the visage was a trick by the smoke demons in an attempt to weaken her, others in her party may see something completely different.

The Vampiress charged and began to fight, she hoped that destroying the Sith would free her sisters, but should they need to be destroyed, it should be her that did it.

 

[Arturo Braga]

Objective: Get it together
Tags: Ingrid L'lerim Asaaj En Kelsani
Kit: BR-212 'Jackal' ACR, KC-77N Hybrid Pistol, Black Sun Armor Mark. I

The rakghoul-demons crept closer through the dark, hungry mouths opening and closing as Arturo stood rooted in place. The mercenary thought he heard laughter ripple through the archives, laughter only he could hear. Holding his rifle tight to his chest, Arturo's mind began to wander back to Qina -the mines- as the rakghouls closed. Fear ran rife through his body, freezing his limbs in place. He knew that what he was seeing couldn't be real, that they weren't really 'ghouls. But what he knew and what he felt were two entirely different things.

Right now he felt like being a long, long way from this place. A long way from Quethold and its crypts. Its archives.

<"Captain, head in the direction of the target! In a moment we'll go too!"> it was not a request but an order. <"And you, Mr. Braga, take off your helmet, now!">

Reaching up with one hand, Arturo undid the seals on his helm. Even paralyzed by fear, he still followed commands, especially those given by the Empress. She was his only means of escape from this place, after all. Clipping his helmet to his belt, Arturo blinked away the terror trapped in his gaze. The demons went with it. The Empress's doing, he figured. "W-what now-" He began to ask, only to be cut off by Ingrid as she stepped close, close enough to slide a blade between his ribs if she so wished. Apparently she didn't.

Instead, she kissed him. Passionately, deeply. Arturo stood his ground as the Empress's hand slid to the back of his neck. It wasn't fear keeping him in place, not anymore. It was surprise. And confusion. It got him thinking, not of demons and death, but of Ingrid. What in the seven hells was she doing?!

Returning the kiss, Arturo realized with a growing sense of calm that he didn't mind if he never received an answer.

Instinct battled instinct as they stood locked together. A part of him wanted to pull her closer. Another wished to push her away. Regret surged to the forefront of Arturo's mind as he finally made a decision. Breaking away, Arturo took a step back, surprise and confusion written across his face. Ingrid said something to him, told him not to be afraid. Death stood less than a dozen meters away, he knew. Death in the form of rakghouls. And demons.

Arturo found he no longer cared.

"Was that some Force ability of yours?" He asked, the fear burnt and purged from his system. "Gotta say that's some mighty potent magic." Looking around, Arturo watched as Asaaj battled the demons further on. A few were even heading their way, red eyes aglow. Smiling, Arturo shook his head. "Shit. Look at them! Do they look shaken to you?" Turning to confront the demons, Arturo raised his rifle. No doubt the weapon wouldn't do much to diminish their smoky forms.

Ingrid, on the other hand, most certainly could.