The Nine Muses: Gwrtheyrn and Kay. (Pm if you want to join)

[Gwrtheyrn]

The cafe was irrevocably bohemian.

Though its outer facade nestled as it was between strip joints and gambling dens displayed little of the size of the establishment those in the know understood that it was 'the' place to be. This was the epicenter of counterculture - a haven for the artistic visionary.

Here scions from noble houses slummed while rubbing shoulders with starving artists. The cafe was owned by an enigmatic Zeltron woman known only as Novum, and while there was technically no system in place to bar undesirables entry it seemed that word of the locale only spread to those who were chic enough in their own way.

Pungent smoke from hookahs wafted throughout the dim room. All manner of species sat together whispering to each other about the nights lineup. Equal parts anticipation, praise and slander for the performers who would for a brief time expose some facet of their soul to all present.

The theme for the evening was primal emotions. Visions of the urban primitive in the modern galaxy.

Kicking it all off was Sandra Xu a young and beautiful Echani whose interpretive dance embraced the entrancing fluidity and power of her species martial disciplines. The applause following the routine was heartfelt and there were even a few drunken offers of marriage from members of the audience of varying species and sexes. Following this was Vrrrkown a Wookie sculptor who had near supernatural control over shaping the thick wood of his home planet. As he revealed his works there were gasps at the power of the fearsome hunting creatures captured in time.

This continued with a number of others each displaying talents that were each in their own way brilliant. As the last performer stepped upon the stage though the onlooking crowd held its collective breath. Towering over even a Wookie like Vrrrkown the creature was truly prodigious in size. Great horns crested its head and a mane of alabaster hair flowed down its back. The giants body was covered in a carapace of gleaming gold which could be seen under the formal trousers and coat that it had donned for the evening.

Gwrtheyrn stood in the center of the stage , staring out into the smoky gloom of cafe eyes never settling upon a single person.
Then the poet began to speak and the world fell away.

His worlds transported the listeners to an age long past. In this time a Maelibi maiden unrivaled in both her beauty and malice had lived. Many young Maelibus warriors had desired her hand in marriage but as she was the daughter of a chieftain they had to prove their devotion through carrying out a test selected by the maiden herself.

In normal circumstances these would be difficult but not unreasonable requests designed to test a warriors resolve and courage. However the tasks the girl gave her suitors were of a distinctly fatal nature. Swim through one of the great lava pools in the caverns below, have your brother tear out your heart and present it to me as a sign of your dedication, Throw your self from the highest cliff and fly to me like a Diathim.

Fearing their own demise yet unable to bear the shame of failure in the eyes of their peers each of the young warriors met their tragic end.

This went on for many years the vicious cycle claiming more and more lives. However as more and more souls were sent to the underworld by the girls whim the Lord of the Dead became curious as to whom this murderous maiden was. As her heard more about her black deeds his cold necrotic heart began to stir with passion. And so it was that the Lord of the grave left his bleak domain in order to win himself a bride.

Arriving at the girls door the great specter whispered to the golden beauty through the cracks she would be his.

Hearing the voice the girl replied that she would only be his if he slit his veins and let all his blood trickle beneath the door.

In but a few seconds a cloud of dust that stank of ancient tombs swept in through the crack in the door.

Puzzled by this somewhat the maiden fell back on one of her old requests.

Tear out your heart and when I crack open the door give it to me.

So it was that when the maiden cracked open the door a black shriveled lump fell into her hand.

Growing angry as she suspected that the suitor was mocking her she told the caller to rip off his own head and she would fully open the door and wed him right there.

There was a terrible sound as of tendons and bone ripping and then a loud crack.

Throwing open the door in hopes of witnessing this ghoulish spectacle the maiden was instead confronted by a titanic skeletal apparition wreathed in shadow and holding in its left hand its own head. And then in a flash it had the maidens horns in its gargantuan right hand.
The echoes of the maiden's cries persisted in the tunnels long after she had disappeared from the world of the living.

Finishing his dirge Gwrtheyrn tried to pick out a particular member of the audience. The low light would normally make this an impossible task but subterranean living had given him an edge in such matters.

Hopefully Kay would be there somewhere. He had sent a letter to her the previous day.
Written in a neat but but archaic hand the invitation had read.

To the esteemed Lady Kay

It would be a great honor if you would attend my performance at the Nine Muses cafe at 8pm tomorrow night.
Your reputation as a both a healer and a philanthropist proceed you and there is a matter that I would ask for your assistance on after the nights entertainment is over. Payment can be arranged for services if necessary though I also wish to present a gift to you as I hear that you have a love for exotic teas.

Yours Sincerely

G

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Gwrtheyrn"]

And she was there, seated on the far left at a small table that was against the wall. Kay was dressed in her favourite attire, looking the part of a simple merchant. It might not be as exotic or artistic of a look as the other patrons, but it was what she was the most comfortable in. Her ever present satchel rested on her lap, her hands folded on top as she took in the night's entertainment.

As she listened and watched the performers bare their souls and expose their talents to tonight's theme, Kay's mind occassionally drifted to the events that led to her own husband's death. It was a turning point in her life, one of a few, but it was the one that left the biggest mark. For some, it would be enough to turn them to the Darkside. But not her. For Kay, it made her cling to the Lightside even more.

Only when Gwrtheyrn was finished with his tale and scanned the audience did she know who the writer of the letter she had recently received was. It was a curious letter and it came when she was at yet another turning point in her life. Perhaps it was all a part of whatever her destiny was to be. Who knows? One thing for sure was that she was there to find out.

Once her eyes met the horned giant's, she bowed her head to him out of respect and waited for him to approach.

 

[Gwrtheyrn]

And there sat Kay. Even had she not indicated her head he could feel the warmth of a light side practitioner emanating from her. He had not been a Jedi for long but there was something inexplicable about those who drew from Ashlas well of influence.

Walking over he could not dismiss how similar she was to his master Coci. Perhaps it was simply that he did not have much experience with Human women but he suspected that there were plenty that lacked the simple grace found in the two.

Reaching the table he too bowed indicating respect before reaching over and pulling himself up a sturdy divan that was used to seat Hutt patrons.

Looking to Kay with his two indigo orbs the poet began to speak.

"Lady I am pleased to make your acquaintance - my name is Gwrtheyrn of the Silver Jedi. You have many who have spoken highly to me of you and if even half this is true then I value this meeting."

A golden clawed hand reached into his shirt and brought out a intricately carved box of finely worked metal. Decorated with lapis it looked almost antique due to its hand made nature.

"The Diathim on my homeworld are avid consumers of tea. I was given this when assisting in negotiations between my people and their own. Being more partial to a flagon of mead myself I decided to save it. When I was inquiring the locals for where I might find assistance your name turned up along with the fact that you have a fondness for rare teas."

With a long arm Gwrtheyrn placed the box in front of her.

"I would much rather it go to someone who would relish it than to sit unused in my chambers."

The poet paused for a few seconds figuring out how best to explain the reason for their convergence.

" But you must be wondering why I arranged a meeting. The answer is both simple and complicated at the same time. I need a healer because I think some people in this district of town are very sick and need care that can only be administered through the force. If you don't feel up to the task then I will do my best to get someone else for the job. But from what I hear the desire to help others burns bright within ."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Gwrtheyrn"]

What a giant. She didn't fully comprehend his size until he had gotten close. And he was a major contradiction, for his appearance he looked like a menacing and powerful warrior, yet his behaviour and manner of speech showed that he was nothing but kind and gentle. Kay liked that very much.


As Gwrtheyn spoke of the Jedi, out of habit she stiffened a little. Ever since her exile from the Order she had steered clear of other Force users and just kept to herself. Until the past few months that is. She had run into one of her old friends and only just recently acquired a new Master. It was odd that another Jedi has come to her now. But if she was being spoken of highly again, then perhaps her reputation is no longer tarnished.


Kay slid the tea box in front of her and traced her fingers along it's decorative features as he spoke, her eyes never leaving his for more than a few seconds at a time. When he was finished, she smiled. "A pleasure to meet you, Gwrtheyn. You are the second Silver Jedi that I have come across in recent months. I find it a bit funny that they know more about me than I do of them."


There was no hint of malice or false intent about him at all, so she opened the box and smelled the tea leaves. Oh it was lovely, the fragrance instantly making her think of a crisp spring day with new foliage growing in the sun. "Thank you for this gift. I will savour every drop." She closed it and placed it safely in her satchel. "Yes, I often go out of my way to help others and given that I have recently left my job, I have plenty of time to do whatever I wish. So I will gladly help those that need it." She wondered what kind of sickness that they possessed, but knew that she was sure to find out soon enough.

 

[Gwrtheyrn]

The poet noticed the slight tensing in Kay's muscles when the silver jedi were mentioned. From what he had read the silver order had a somewhat of a shady past in the methods they used to deal with the darkside. However they had changed much in recent years and he could not imagine either Lord or Lady Heavenshield partaking in such skulduggery.

Then Kays expression cleared and she explained to him how she had encountered anther member of the order previously.

With a small laugh he replied.

"That does not surprise me at all. In my understanding the Silver Jedi make it their business to know as much as they can about everyone and everything. I don't think they mean any ill by it . Indeed quite the opposite, keeping people safe from lurking threats is how they try make the galaxy a better place."

Gwrtheyn stopped for a few seconds looking over his shoulder to one of the doors leading to the deeper recesses of the cafe.

" Regarding that help... to tell the truth I am not sure if it will even be necessary. In fact I am hoping that it's just a false alarm and we can perhaps spend an evening with filled with warm mugs and tall tales. But just in case it is I shall do my best to give you a run down of the situation so far.

Mistress Novum - the owner of this fine establishment rents quarters located beneath the cafe. These are places where artists can come to work in peace and comfort away from the rigors of day to day life. However one particular sculptor, a Zeltron man named Devos residing within one of these apartments began to act strangely several weeks ago.

He started receiving large packages in the mail that possessed strange odors and made those around them feel ill. Suspecting it to be some form of extremely potent spice Novum checked one of these packages and found instead of contraband an archaic and moldering book. The manuscript was in a language she had never encountered before and some of the diagrams inside were apparently highly disturbing. By this time Devos walked in on her and became angry that she was checking his private mail - the two quarreled and it appeared that the matter if not settled to Novum's satisfaction was at least over.

However in the weeks since then it seemed that Devos had had several courtesans come to visit him. This is not exactly unusual for a community of artists but no one in the building has seen any of the visitors leave. Devos has met all attempts to check his room with hostility and Novum suspecting something was not right about the situation sent message to the Silver Jedi to investigate."

Fixing his gaze back on Kay Gwrtheyn finished the explanation.

"Being an artist myself I offered to take up the mission. However this is my first assignment for the silver Jedi and I am woefully lacking in some areas. While I can probably deal with anything Devos has concocted It is just as if not more important that any lives can be saved. That's where you come in Lady. Intelligence reports state that you have both intimate experience with the darkside and the means of healing those who have been hurt. Maybe you can even talk the sculptor down from doing something foolish when it's time to investigate his chambers."

The poet looked to Kay. While he didn't think that the sculptor could do much harm to anyone with him around such an excursion could be unpleasant and should Kay wish to opt out then he wouldn't press the matter.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Gwrtheyrn"]

At the mention of the Silver Jedi making it their business to know everything about everyone, she chewed the inside of her cheek. Recently she had saved some slaves from one of the Hutts. But unfortunately it didn't all go as planned, for once the Hutt had found out, he had the family members of the escaped slaves slaughtered in front of her and there was nothing that she could do to stop it. The Hutt tried to teach her a lesson and put her in her place. So far it was working. But had the Jedi been spying on her enough to know about that too? It was hard to say, but she needed to make up for it.

Kay listened to his story about the goings on here. It was indeed a mystery and fortunately she loved them. What he spoke of sounded a bit familiar. She leaned back in her chair.

"The intimate knowledge that I have about the Darkside isn't so much that I had ever practiced it, but that I had married a Darksider. He wasn't evil, mind you. Nor was he a cruel man. He just handled things differently. We were a team, him and I, and we quelled many conflicts together.

Now these packages that you say make others feel ill, well that sounds to me like Sith magic. And if they are all books and ladies are disappearing....well that's equally troubling. It reminds me of a tale I read about long ago, a story of seven black books that each contained different dark magics, yet when all were together and a large spell spoken, it allowed for an ancient evil to be reborn.

I hope that that is nothing more than a tale and that what we have here is an artist that is trying to inspire his creativity with strange, old objects. We should talk with him, discover where these packages are coming from, what they are and if he's working for anyone that could be trying to use him for some ill gain. Sith sorcery is nothing to play games with."

Kay had run into Sith magic a few times and it did not always end well. People always died, no matter how hard she tried to prevent it.

 

[Gwrtheyrn]

Gwrtheyrn nodded agreement to Kay's assessment. He had come to much the same conclusions as she had. His home world though secluded compared to most planets had a rich linguistic tradition detailing the consequences that could befall those who dabbled in the black arts. The poet himself had only ever witnessed what he suspected to be darkside arcane phenomena once. This was during what would later be known as the Netherworld breach. The wraiths and corpses of his ancestors had been raised from the burial caverns and had caused all manner of havoc among the living.

The Silver Jedi had staged an intervention using the force to prevail where the brute strength of the Maelibi had failed. From there things progressed swiftly leading up to the events that brought him to be sitting here right now. That Kay had had such a similar reaction to him was in a strange fashion heartening. Sometimes during his more dour moods he suspected that his people would never be able to integrate into the larder galaxy and interact with his inhabitants. However moments like these suggested that they were not so fundamentally different. Maelibi were predators to be sure and in the past they had done some rather repellent things but so too had Humans , Twileks , Rodians and every other race. That they could also all appreciate beauty and the fine things in life inspired hope that a new and better order could be forged.

But now really wasn't the time to be carried away by these reveries. There was a chance that there was something dangerous going on and he had just secured Kay's support in investigating the matter.

Motioning to a rose colored Zeltron woman standing a little way from the table Gwrtheyrn spoke.

"Novum has offered to take us to the quarters. Apparently this place goes down underground quite a way and can get somewhat confusing to those who are here for the first time. Personally it reminds me of the tunnels of home though I can see how it might be a bit off putting to some people. In any case just give Novum a signal when you are ready and we can get this venture started in truth."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Gwrtheyrn"]

She glanced over to Novum and then back to her new ally. It seemed as though he was eager to start, which was great as she had nothing pressing at the moment. Being recently unemployed can do that to someone.

"Well there's no time like the present. The sooner that we can help him, the better. And if those ladies need us, I'm sure that they'd rather we not wait."

To give Novum the signal, Kay merely got to her feet and bowed her head to her after placing her satchel over her shoulder. It had everything that she needed; tea, cups, food and water rations, spare clothes, her lightsaber and a small blaster. And as she didn't have nocturnal sight, she decided to follow as opposed to leading the way. It was curious to discover just how far deep this building went under ground.

 

[Gwrtheyrn]

Though it was not common knowledge the Nine Muses had not always been the bastion of the arts that it was today. The building had in years past been the front for a covert and well organised slave den. However crime as with all things hidden has a habit of coming to light sooner or later and unfortunately for the slavers the authorities whose attention this caught were not the kind who could easily be brought with bribes or dissuaded by threats. There had been a reckoning resulting in the death of several officers of the law , half a dozen trafficked unfortunates and all the slavers involved. So it was that the property had found its way into government hands and was auctioned off dirt cheap to anyone with the stomach to take such a blighted property.

Novum being a sharp businesswoman saw the prospect and made the acquisition with haste. Now years later and following a rigorous public relations campaign little remained to remind anyone of the past save the maze of labyrinthine tunnels below the cafe. Novum didn't say much as she led the pair deep through the dimly lit corridors safe for a few mutterings about some of the more interesting statues and paintings that seemed to take up every inch of unused space.

Gwrtheyrn was beginning to second guess the comment he made about feeling at home earlier to Kay. No that was not entirely true. The corridors did remind him of home - home during the bad times when this world and the next had blurred and the tunnels had become deadly. Nothing overtly supernatural was manifesting itself but there were subtle signs that things were not as they should be. Every so often a shadow would move in ways suggesting autonomy from whatever cast it , a painting would seem to constrict as if the canvas itself was breathing and perhaps most disturbingly of all the statues expressions appeared to leer at Kay and Gwrtheyrn as if they wished to step off their plinths and do them harm.

Finally Novum stopped before a heavy oak door covered in bacchanal motifs. Knocking loudly she half yelled

"Devos , this is Novum. I want you to open the door please. There's something I need to talk to you about."

It was around thirty seconds before the reply came. The voice was hoarse , slurred and more than a little angry.

"Look Novum I paid my damn rent. I have a hell of a hangover right now so how about you piss off till morning and we can talk then."

Gwrtheyrn had begun to detect a sickly sweet stench in the air. His sense of smell was he believed slightly worse than that of a human so there was no chance that Kay could miss it. He had read something in the Silver Jedi archives during one of his vast catch up sessions on galactic lore that Zeltron produced pheromones that could alter ones mind but this didn't seem like it. More like the fragrance of corrupted plants that grew on the site of hangings.

While the poet mused on these odors Novum shot Kay a look pleading help in the negotiations.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Gwrtheyrn"]

Kay stuck with the two of them, glad that she wasn't claustrophobic, but even then, with all of the artwork along the walls, it made the tunnels look smaller than they should be. She did a couple of double-takes as some of the eyes within the portraits seemed to follow them. She told herself that it was all just an illusion created by the low flickering lights, their own forward momentum, as well as their imaginations.

Once at the door she caught that odd smell, not quite being able to put her finger on it. Whatever it was, it seemed to be coming from Devos' room. They needed to get in there. And if it was known that ladies were going in there and not returning, well...she could have a way to get him to open the door.

Kay quietly signalled for Gwrtheyrn to step back a few paces and stand behind one of the statues. She then cleared her throat and pictured her late husband as she spoke in a gentle and almost husky tone that always seemed to work in almost lulling her husband into a trance, "Mister Devos, sir, Miss Novum was just telling me of your amazing sculptures and I would be extremely grateful if you would create a sculpture of me? Your reputation to see the beauty in every Lady is well know. Please open the door for me? You will not regret it, I promise you..."

And now she waited to see if that worked. If it did, then she hoped that Gwrtheyrn would use his strength to barge in once the way was clear.

 

[Gwrtheyrn]

Gwrtheyrn did as he was bid stepping back into the corridor and behind one of the statues at Kays sign.

The voice behind the door seemed to hesitate taking several deep ragged breaths before responding to Kay. When it did the voice was filled with the sort of manic glee found in those whose mind has departed them completely.

"Many pardons my lady. I did not know that there was an appreciative connoisseur of my works outside. Novum tends to fill the place up with talent less hacks and sychophants with no true eye for beauty. I would be more than happy to show you my works and even add you to them..."

The heavy door swung open revealing the inside of the chambers. Opulent would perhaps be the best word to describe the furnishings. Thick rugs covered the floor and tapestries depicting all manner of deviant and carnal acts hung from the walls. However on closer inspection signs of decay laced the room. Putrefying food lay untouched and wine bottles were scattered haphazardly about. Devos was not in much better condition his normally bright fuchsia skin had become blotchy and patches of his long hair were beginning to fall out. His sculptors apron was spattered with all manner of sickly looking stains and the stench clung to his person with a vengeance.

All these details paled however when compared to the sculptures that stood about his room.

Each was roughly the height of a Human or Zeltron adult , they sprouted from their plinths like trees. One covered in pink chitin while another had a layer of golden yellow fur covering it. The number of limbs possessed by each was variable - some having none while another had no less than seven each coming off at strange angles. The closest of these was covered in eyes which looked straight in the direction of Kay and Novum. Each of the bizarre effigies radiated with darkside power.

Just beyond them lay one of the books its title visible to all bar Gwrtheyrn.

'Of matter and mutation - a scholarly treatise on the great and noble artes of Sith Alchemy by Darth Calidus'

The fate of the missing courtesans had been brought to light and Kay and Gwrtheyrn's suspicions confirmed.

There was a grunt to the side of Kay and Novum as Gwrtheyrn was grappled by the statue he was attempting to hide behind. While not a transfigured being like the unfortunates inside the sculptors room it was clear that several of the other statues had been animated by some darkside spell.

Slamming an elbow into the arm of his stone assailant the poet landed a heavy follow up punch shattering the walking statue. However it seemed that from the sound of heavy footsteps there was more coming up the hall.

Bracing himself Gwrtheyrn stood to fend off the attackers while calling to Kay.

"I'll keep these puppets off us. Hopefully you can get to the root of the problem."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Gwrtheyrn"]

Add her to his works...Yeah, not happening. The sights and smells from Devos' room was quite simply described as horrid. Zeltrons usually made humans feel happy, but this was not the case here. And those statues of his caused her to imagine the horrors that those ladies had faced.

Kay did her best to hide her disgust. She would've asked Novum to go back upstairs where it was safe, but the statues coming to life and running their way barred her safe exit. The Jedi was glad to have Gwrtheyrn on her side. "Be careful!" She called out to him as he fought. Of course that was a silly thing to say, but instinct caused her to say it.

She then turned her attention to Devos, speaking again in that soft tone as she stepped just inside the door. "Now that's not very polite Mister Devos, sir, in having my bodyguard attacked. You see he worries for my safety and I am not allowed to go anywhere without him." She took a peek at the book laying on the top of the pile, feeling a little sick to her stomach as the Evil flowed from it. "Tell me where you get your inspiration from?"

Kay gripped the strap of her satchel, glad that she had her blaster and lightsaber within if she had needed it. And she was more than thankful to have the poet's help. Hopefully those statues wouldn't be too much for him. But with how they crumbled, it looked as though the scales were in the Jedis' favour.

 

[Gwrtheyrn]

Devo's eyes flicked from Kay to the bag she carried. His hand started to move for the sharpened chisel nestled in the pocket of his apron before pulling up as if thinking better of it. For all the evil that he had wrought the Zeltron seemed to be a coward at heart.

Further down the corridor resounding impacts could be heard reverberating up the halls. Though the noise of the conflict was clear showers of stone dust made discerning exactly what was transpiring withing the melee.

With the fevered stare of the profoundly deranged Devos answered Kay's question.

"I... well there was a time... I just couldn't get anything right. So I took a journey - a pilgrimage. I had heard that the Sith made such wonderful art. Not just the Sith like we have today but the actual species. They had a civilization where millions of slaves were sacrificed to build great monuments and priceless works. Two of the greatest of these crafts were animating art so that it obeyed its creator and the second, the second was transforming living beings into masterworks of form. I had to learn these arts and a contact of mine in the Hutt cartels managed to secure the necessary reading material for me. With this knowledge I succeeded and as you see before you I have made statues that capture the true essence of life."

The sculptor may have gone on but his explanation was cut short by Gwrtheyrn emerging from the haze while rubbing one shoulder. The poets normally golden carapace was cracked into several places though it seemed he was not that much worse for wear.

"Thats the last of them I think."

Gwrtheyrn confirmed before scanning Kay over once to see if she was okay and continuing.

"Got any idea what we should do about this mess?"

The poet indicated to the cowering sculptor and his flock of transformed victims.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Gwrtheyrn"]

Kay had made no move, aggressive or otherwise as she listened to his story. And as Gwrtheryn approached, she quickly gave him a once over to be sure that he was okay. All seemed well with him, thankfully. An incredible being he was.

She looked past Devos to the poor victims of his artwork. It was amazing that he had even been able to master such techniques in Sith magic, as he seemed quite timid and lacked self esteem. It was sad really and in a way she had pitied what he had become.

"The Hutt Cartels, do you say? I know them quite well and have been a guest of Sempra before. He can be a....generous host. Now tell me, my good man, who might your contact be within them? And as I see you have mastered the works that book has taught you, I can return it to the Cartel for you as I need to go back to the White Palace with regards to slaves anyways. Who knows? I could even pass along your successes here to him. Now wouldn't that be something?"

Of course she was in no way on the Hutt's side, but has been the thorn in his on many occassions. Devos needed to be separated from that book. That was for sure and certain.

 

[Gwrtheyrn]

Devo's countenance had through his explanations slipped from hysteric to fearful. He glanced over Kay's shoulder as if in terror of what lurked behind. This behavior would be perfectly understandable given that Kay was flanked by a Maelibus but Devo's gaze was fixed firmly to the left while the poet stood off to the right.

Devo's croaked out a name his voice raising to a squeaking pitch.

" Thembul, his name - it was Thembul. He mostly sells spice but he sometimes gets me.."

Devo's body shuddered. Suddenly it was wracked with spasms and a gut churning crack echoed from his neck.

Gwrtheyrn sprung into motion putting himself in between Kay and the deranged sculptor while still leaving her enough room to watch the proceedings.

The corpse - and from the angle that Devos's head lolled at it was certainly a corpse began to rise from the floor as if held aloft by invisible strings.

A voice came from its mouth even as its lips trickled blood. However it was not the voice of the sculptor but the sultry tones of a woman. It spoke the ancient Sith tongue but somehow the meaning of the words was crystal clear.

"Kay , Gwrtheyrn I thank you both so very much for this little performance. A poor spirit like myself draws little pleasure from an eternity spent in the wastes of Chaos. The flames scorch my essence and the sand storms erode my sanity one fragment at a time. But every so often a wonderful blessed fool like Devo's here gets curious and starts playing with things he doesn't understand. My books as you have guessed teach one how to shape sithspawn along with some basic sorcery but they also contain the necessary rites to summon me hidden among the other spells. Now I am sure you will destroy those manuscripts over there before I am forced back into the beyond , but as I am so grateful to you both I shall impart some gifts to you."

The floating cadaver laughed the mad cackle of a hyena.

"My dear Lady Kay - The after-world is not a pleasant place for unfortunate Sith like myself. I suspect that your dear departed husband is probably languishing somewhere around. As I will soon be forced back I think I'll pay him a visit. As bad as things can be the can always be worse...
Ah and the poet Gwrtheyrn still playing at being civilized I see. Did you know that Zeltron taste fantastic? And since I won't be needing Devos body here any longer it would be a pity to let such delicious food go to waste. And if you get a taste for it well Novums still rather close by.

Finally because you have been such gracious hosts I will impart this to you both. Thembul has found other copies of my works. Go after him if you want , that way we can ensure another meeting."

The voice cut off and with an abrupt thud the floating body hit the ground.

If one could see through the golden carapace that covered Gwrtheyrn's hide they would notice the pallid hue beneath.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Gwrtheyrn"]

What a horrible spectacle. To see someone die in front of you in such a horrible way...only to be reanimated was....well disturbing. After Gwrtheyrn moved in between them she chose to remain just behind her friend. Kay placed her hand on his forearm in a bid to comfort the both of them as neither of them were alone.

She listened to the Sith spirit as she spoke. How did she know about Shaw? He may have been Sith for a time but there was goodness in him too and it remained until the end of his days. Surely he is safe for she saw him not long ago during a meditation. He had paid her a quick visit.

Sith, especially Sith spirits were known for lying. And although the voice remained calm and confident, there seemed to be an underlying sense of fear. But then she noticed the pale colour that Gwrtheyrn's skin had become. Was the fear that she was picking up on coming from him?

It didn't matter as that could be rectified. And what did she mean about Gwrtheyrn eating Devos? Surely he wouldn't do that. There were many other types of meat that he could have that weren't of the sentient kind.

Once it seemed as though the Sith spirit was gone, Kay gently turned Gwrtheryn to look at her. "Are you okay? Don't worry. We'll find Thembal and destroy those manuscripts. Or we can hide them in a place that no one will think to look." Like a black hole, perhaps?

Kay furrowed her brows as she studied him. "Try not to be bothered by what she said...."

 

[Gwrtheyrn]

At the touch of Kay's hand Gwrtheyrn slowly untensed , his posture returning to a semblance of normality once more. Rubbing his eyes with one golden hand he spoke to Kay.

" I apologize for you having to hear that Lady. Back where I come from on Iego my people had a tradition of some rather barbarous customs. One of which was the hunting of a sentient as part of a ritual passage into adulthood. I don't know where the custom sprang from originally but I suspect it had something to do with an odd mixture of pride and fear that my species hold. Individually you see we have physical capabilities far beyond most other species in the galaxy. However as a whole we have progressed very little compared to Humans and the other species that make up the republic. The idea that others could travel the stars on crafts made of metal and powered by cold fire terrified us especially so with the addition of the mechanical men that were built to replicate life.

So we instigated the hunt in order to make ourselves feel superior again or perhaps just to forget what we didn't manage to achieve. I always hated the custom yet I am ashamed to say that I too participated on two occasions. Firstly I was beaten and starved by my father and brothers till I was half mad with hunger. Secondly was when a Trandoshan attacked me in order to win glory in the eyes of his goddess The Scorekeeper. Both are sins that I carry with myself to this day. Joining the Silver Jedi was for me a way to atone for this by serving the galaxy as guardian instead of bogey beast.

The Sith spirit knew the guilt I carry within myself and it wanted to hurt me. Perhaps in some respects I deserve that much."

Gwrtheyrn bowed his head the white strands of his mane falling through his horns.

"If you wish to break ties with me Lady I will respect your wishes."

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Gwrtheyrn"]

Kay furrowed her brows and walked around so that she could face him. Because of his towering height, she couldn't physically get him to lift his chin. So instead she just spoke so that he'd look at her.

"We all carry guilt in one form or another for things. I should be dead right now, but my husband took my place. Our adopted children have fled and I've done little to search for them out of my grief.

But that seems to be her gift, isn't it? To pick up on what we hide deep inside and use it against us. Yet we can't let her break us. You are strong and not the monster that you think you are.

Now let us destroy the book and any other that we find in here that could be linked to it before we search for Thembal. We are a team and I don't think that I could do this all on my own."

Kay hoped to reassure him, make him feel better about himself. It was alright to have moments of guilt, but there were better times for that other than right now.

 

[Gwrtheyrn]

Kay was right. It was all very well to mourn ones actions but there were more appropriate circumstances for such rumination. Of course the wraith would want to cloud his mind, he would take cue from Kay and deal with the matter at hand. Looking through the filthy room five volumes in total were collected.

Asking Novum if she had a hearth within her complex the Zeltron woman seemingly in a state of shock replied that they an incinerator for the guests rubbish. The burning went about as well as could be expected under the circumstances with no spectral voices or poltergeist phenomenon. It was Gwrtheyrn's suspicion that the Spirit connected to the volumes had gathered whatever power of hers remained in the tomes when she departed knowing it to be a lost cause.

Even so the ashes sifted through after in order to make utterly sure no malignant energy remained. The overturning of Devo's room had also brought to light a digipad containing the holonet details of numerous contacts among the various echelons of the Hutt run crime families. Most were probably there simply for spice deals but no doubt nestled within the greater whole were those responsible for this sordid little tragedy.

The only thing left to on the scene was figure out what to do with the victims of Devos's art. Gwrtheyrn stood in front of the hypnotically swaying beings rubbing his chin with one clawed hand.

"Kay, I don't know if there's any hope for these poor unfortunates but I figure that if anything could alleviate them of their condition it would be a lightside healer such as yourself."

The poet turned his eyes from the sculpted spawn to Kay. It was her call as to what was done with them. If she thought that conventional medical treatment was a more prudent course of action he would take them to the medical authorities or if she wanted to try healing them herself then he would assist her in whatever way he could.

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

[member="Gwrtheyrn"]

Kay was glad that he decided to dwell on his guilt at a later time, and she helped him with everything from searching the room, to the book burning and a quick check of the digipad.

But now a bigger task lay out in front of them. The poor ladies disfigured and broken needed to be healed and fixed if possible. So much pain that they were in and in each of their eyes she saw a flicker of hope. This was going to take a lot of work.

Kay rolled up her sleeves and looked to Gwrtheyrn as she laid out her list. "I'm going to need them carefully set onto beds, some basic medical supplies like bandages, surgical knives and gauzes, food and tea to help keep up my strength. This might take a couple of days or more. I trust that we can spare the time? And if you know of any other healers that could help, that'd be wonderful. Otherwise I'll handle it all myself."

It was a huge operation of sorts to deal with. Limbs needed to be removed or added, their bodies needed to be brought back as close to normal as was possible. It was a serious undertaking, even for two people, let alone for just one.