First Reply Tomb Raider - Fallen Dynasty

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Adventure outfit
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

The jungle was suffocating.

Thick vines wrapped around towering ruins like skeletal fingers, their ancient stone faces worn smooth by time and half-swallowed by nature’s relentless crawl. The air was heavy — humid and dense with the scent of damp earth and decay — as Valery stepped through the overgrowth, the weight of the jungle pressing in from all sides.

She moved like a shadow through the trees, her vest clinging to her bronzed skin, the sleeveless design leaving her toned arms bare beneath the light filtering through the canopy. A thin sheen of sweat clung to her, but she barely noticed — her focus was sharp, her fiery gaze scanning the ruins ahead with the scrutiny of a seasoned explorer.

She’d heard the whispers.

A tomb long thought lost, recently uncovered by scavengers who never returned. Those who had ventured after them spoke of wraith-like figures in the darkness, whispers that wormed their way into the mind, and a creeping sickness that drained the will from the strongest of souls. A curse, they said. A place abandoned for a reason.

Which was exactly why she was here.

Valery wasn't here for credits or treasure — she was here for answers. If there was a dark presence in this tomb, if something unnatural lingered beyond the threshold, then it needed to be uncovered before it could spread beyond this desolate world. She had seen what darkness left unchecked could do. She had lived through its consequences.

A ruined stone archway loomed ahead, its entrance gaping like the maw of some ancient beast. Symbols lined the walls, old enough to predate even the Clone Wars. Faint traces of crimson paint still clung to the carvings, a remnant of long-forgotten rituals.

She reached the entrance and paused, glancing back once.

The jungle behind her felt unnaturally still. No distant creatures chirping, no leaves rustling in the wind. Just silence. The kind that pressed against her ears, thick and unnatural, as if the very world around her was holding its breath.

A warning.

Valery exhaled slowly, gripping the strap of her pack before stepping inside.

The temperature plummeted immediately. A chill seeped into her bones as she moved deeper into the tomb, boots barely making a sound against the stone. The flickering glow of her wrist-mounted glow rod barely touched the blackened corners of the chamber, but what little she saw made her stomach twist.

Bones. Dozens of them. Scattered, half-buried in the dust. Not just remains — they were twisted, malformed, as if whatever had claimed them had done more than just kill.

She crouched, running her fingers along the nearest skull, its surface smooth yet fractured, like something had melted into it. The Force stirred, a whisper at the edge of her senses, curling around her like smoke. Not just death. Suffering. Something unnatural had happened here.

Then—

A faint noise.

A whisper that wasn't her own, sliding against the edge of her consciousness like nails scraping against stone. It was barely audible, but she knew better than to ignore it. Slowly, she stood, muscles coiling like a predator ready to strike.

She wasn’t alone.

Valery lifted a hand, fingers brushing against the handle of her blaster. She took a step forward, her gaze narrowing. “Alright,” she murmured to the darkness, her voice smooth but tense, "Let's see what we got."

First reply
(Open to Light siders or NFU's. Not interested in Sith or Dark Siders)​

 

[Mak Manto]

The jungle's humidity practically clung to Mak's body as he slithered out from the dense undergrowth. Honestly, he'd always preferred the dry heat of Thisspias and Tatooine, but duty often led him to these rather… lush environments. As a Jedi Master, he was, admittedly, a little overdressed for a casual jungle stroll in his robes, but one did have to maintain some semblance of decorum, even when tracking down reports of potentially possessed tombs.

He had been aware of Valery's presence for quite some time, a familiar blip on his Force-radar, and now he saw her. "Ah, Valery," he mused to himself, his voice a low hiss punctuated by a wry chuckle. "Always the intrepid explorer, isn't she? And so dramatic."

He observed her, amusement dancing in his eyes as she meticulously investigated the ancient entrance. "And here I was thinking I was the only one fond of dusty old tombs."

Eying the blaster, Mak sighed, running a hand through his beard. "You're the Grandmaster of the Jedi, yet you're using a blaster. I have to ask why?"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Adventure outfit
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

The smirk tugged at the corner of her lips before she even turned to face him.

“Master Manto,” Valery greeted, her voice carrying a familiar warmth, despite the eerie stillness of the tomb. “Didn’t take you for the type to enjoy crawling through old ruins. Though, I suppose the promise of a dark mystery is enough to tempt even the wise.”

She leaned casually against the stone archway, her fiery eyes gleaming with unmistakable excitement. Even now, after all these years, she loved this part of the job — the adventure, the unknown, the feeling of standing on the edge of history. She might have been the Grandmaster now, but the wild, curious spirit of a young Lorekeeper still burned deep within her.

At his pointed comment about the blaster, Valery glanced down at the weapon holstered at her hip and let out a quiet chuckle. “I’m a Jedi, first and foremost. Lightsabers are still my preferred weapon, but…” She rolled a shoulder, her smirk deepening.

“I may have let my husband teach me how to shoot,” she admitted, voice full of mischief. “Took him years to convince me, but I finally gave in. I think he just wanted to gloat about being better at something, but now?” She lifted a hand, mimicking the shape of a blaster with her fingers before mock-shooting into the darkness. “I am a pretty decent shot.”

A playful wink followed before she returned her attention fully to Mak, tilting her head slightly. “I have to ask — how did you find me?” Her tone was light, but there was curiosity beneath it. This tomb had been buried in rumor and shadow. For them both to end up here at the same time? That was no coincidence.

And she had a feeling the real adventure was only just beginning.

Mak Manto ​

 

[Mak Manto]

As Valery explained her circumstances and the reason why she was using the blaster, Mak nodded. "Interesting," he muttered, his eyes never leaving hers. "Well, I find that admirable then, seeing I've always been the type that was harder to adapt to newer styles."

Mak laughed, a dry, humorless sound that was out of place in the midst of the jungle. However, as he looked down. he bowed his head, his expression turning grave. "I wasn't searching for you, Valery, but the truth is, I had a report on the tomb as well, and suspected it might be connected with Malic."

"I suspected that something was off about this tomb, and whispers in the darkness do nothing but reinforce that feeling." He went quiet, collecting his thoughts as he spoke once more. "I've been tracking this report for some time from sources that I am using outside of the Galactic Alliance, and I was expecting to run into a party of explorers or maybe a group of scavengers."

Mak pulled out his pipe, lighting it up and allowing for smoke to fill his mouth. "Wraith-like figures in the darkness? A voice that seems to speak inside of your mind? These are prime characteristics of Malic..."

Mak's eyes narrowed as he considered the ramifications. "This tomb and the darkness that is within it could be a part of his schemes, and if that's the case, then this is of the utmost priority." He glanced at Valery, his expression grim.

He slithered ahead, his eyes scanning the area surrounding them. "If this is Malic, he will stop at nothing to claim the secrets of this tomb for himself." Mak turned to Valery, his expression bleak. "We must tread carefully, Valery. We're not dealing with a simple tomb raid here. We're dealing with the very fabric of the galaxy, and whether it's Malic or not, I won't allow anyone to use whatever might be lying here against the Galaxy."

Mak nodded, his expression thoughtful. "But I can tell you're already on top of this, aren't you, Valery?" He smiled, a hint of admiration in his voice. "You're always the first to move when there's an emergency." He stopped, collecting his thoughts before continuing. "Together, we can discover the truth about this tomb. As I've told you before, I am at your disposal, Grandmaster."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Adventure outfit
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

Valery’s fiery gaze flickered with intrigue as she listened, arms crossing loosely over her chest. The jungle air was thick, but the weight of Mak’s words was heavier still. Malic. The name alone was enough to darken the mood, but Valery didn’t let the grim possibilities linger too long in her mind.

Instead, she glanced back toward the towering stone entrance, her expression sharpening. “From what I gathered, this tomb was once part of an ancient dynasty — one that ruled this system long before the rise and fall of the Republic. Their legacy has been buried for thousands of years, wiped from records, forgotten by time.” She exhaled, rolling her shoulders slightly before flashing Mak a small, knowing smirk. “But if Malic is involved, then maybe this place isn’t as dead as history would like us to believe.”

The possibility sent a familiar thrill down her spine. Secrets, mysteries, things long thought lost — this was why she had loved being a Lorekeeper. And now? She had the perfect excuse to indulge that passion again.

When Mak acknowledged her readiness, his tone laced with admiration, Valery’s smirk widened just a touch. “Of course I’m already on top of it,” she teased, her confidence radiating in the way she carried herself. “You should know by now — I never pass up a good adventure.”

Lifting a hand, she ran her fingers through her dark waves, pushing a few loose strands away from her face. The humid jungle air had already started to cling to her skin, and the sleeveless top she wore — form-fitting, practical, yet effortlessly striking — did little to hide the sheen of sweat gathering along her collarbone. But she didn’t mind. If anything, it just made this feel more real.

She turned back to the tomb, standing at its threshold, the stone entrance gaping like a maw eager to swallow them whole. The air beyond it was thick with something unnatural, something waiting.

Valery took a step forward, casting a glance over her shoulder at Mak. A slow grin curled at her lips, filled with both excitement and challenge.

“Well, Master Manto,” she mused, tilting her head slightly. “Time to see what we’re dealing with.”

And with that, she strode into the darkness.

Mak Manto ​

 

[Mak Manto]

Following Valery into the tomb, he brought out his cane again, the taps echoing off the walls as he slithered alongside her, his eyes scanning every crevice and nook, waiting for anything to jump out at them.

As they moved deeper into the tomb, he took in the surroundings, gazing at the scattered bones and the unnerving atmosphere. He felt the disturbance in the Force, a palpable darkness clinging to the very air.

He approached the bones, his gaze fixated on their twisted forms. "Unnatural indeed," Mak muttered, his voice low and serious. Bending his tail, he studied the skeletal structure for a few seconds before he looked off to the side of the wall, gazing at a crude drawing that caused him to narrow his eyes instantly.

"Any idea what that's supposed to mean...?"

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Adventure outfit
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

The air inside the tomb was heavier than before. It clung to her skin like damp cloth, thick with something unseen — something watching. Valery's boots made almost no sound as she moved, her fiery gaze flicking from the scattered bones to the unnatural carvings on the wall ahead.

She stepped closer, the glow from her wrist-mounted light casting eerie shadows over the rock face. The crude imagery was striking. A twisted figure, arms raised, long streaks of crimson trailing down from it like open wounds. It stood among symbols she didn't recognize — some almost tribal, others more refined, geometric, like they belonged to an ancient language long lost to time.

Mak's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

Valery frowned, stepping forward to get a better look. "No…" she admitted, her voice quieter now, laced with something thoughtful. She lifted a hand, fingertips grazing the rough, uneven grooves of the carvings. The stone was cool against her skin, but the moment she touched it—

A breath hitched in her throat. A pulse. Cold, unnatural. It slithered up her arm, curling around her like invisible tendrils, whispering of something wrong. The hairs along the back of her neck stood on end, her muscles tensing instinctively. She pulled her hand back sharply, exhaling as she turned to face Mak.

"Something's not—"

The words barely left her lips before the ground beneath her gave way.

A sharp gasp escaped her as the floor crumbled, stone breaking apart under her weight. For a split second, she was suspended in air, gravity waiting just long enough to mock her before yanking her downward.

She hit the incline of jagged rocks, momentum carrying her downward faster than she could react. Dust and debris tumbled alongside her as she twisted mid-slide, arms moving to brace herself. The rock beneath her angled down sharply, guiding her descent deeper and deeper into the tomb's unseen depths—

Until the ground disappeared completely.

Freefall.

Valery barely had time to brace before she plunged into water. The cold hit her like a shock, stealing her breath as she disappeared beneath the surface. The weight of her clothes dragged for a moment before she kicked off the bottom, propelling herself upward. She broke through with a sharp gasp, coughing as she clawed her way toward the nearest ledge. The dim glow from her light flickered against wet stone as she heaved herself onto solid ground, collapsing onto her hands and knees.

She was alone.

The cavern she had fallen into stretched outward, its walls lined with more carvings. Unlike the crude ones above, these were finer, intricate — preserved as if untouched by time. The air was even thicker here, buzzing with something ancient, something patient.

Valery's jaw clenched as she wiped her wet hair from her face, her breath still coming in short bursts.

Mak Manto ​

 

[Mak Manto]

Watching Valery touch the stone wall, Mak's beard twitched as he felt just a slight pressure in the Force. Pulling out one of his lightsabers, Mak slowly turned around in a circle, trying to find what was causing the disturbance in the Force. Slithering forward several feet, he looked further down the hallway and placed his thumb on the activation plate.

However, as Valery began to speak, all Mak heard was a gasp. Turning around immediately, he saw she was gone, a huge hole in the ground from where she had once been standing. Rushing forward, Mak peered down, seeing absolute darkness. Using the Force, his voice magnified as he shouted down, hoping against hope that whatever had caused for the floor to collapse hadn't done anything to hurt Valery with how far she had fallen.

"VALERY? CAN YOU HEAR ME? ARE YOU HURT?"

 

[Valery Noble]

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Outfit: Adventure outfit
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

A quiet groan slipped from Valery's lips as she pushed herself up, her muscles aching from the impact. Her arms burned where she'd scraped them against the rocks, and her shoulder throbbed from where she'd landed hard — but it was nothing she couldn't push through. Nothing she hadn't dealt with before.

She exhaled, rolling her shoulders, testing the pain. Not broken. Just sore.

Then — Mak's voice.

It echoed down into the cavern, laced with concern, amplified by the Force. Valery lifted her head, blinking against the dim glow of her light as she turned toward the gaping hole above. "Yeah!" she called, her voice bouncing off the ancient walls. "I'm here!" She coughed once, shaking off the lingering tightness in her chest. "Took a bit of a tumble, but I'm alright. A little banged up, but nothing serious."

Though, the wet clothing did suck.

Her amber gaze flicked around the chamber, taking in the intricate carvings that lined the walls, far more refined than the ones above. The air was heavier down here, thick with something old and waiting. "And Mak?" she added, shifting her stance. "There's a whole area down here. A chamber — bigger than I expected. I think this is where we were supposed to end up."

She reached for her glow rod, lifting it to illuminate more of the space around her, the eerie light casting long shadows over the carvings. "You think you can get down here?" she asked, glancing back up toward the opening. "Unless you're planning to make me explore this place alone." The teasing edge in her voice was there, but beneath it, there was something else — something sharper, something instinctual.

They weren't alone down here.

Mak Manto ​

 

[Mak Manto]

Relief flooded through Mak as he heard Valery's voice, even with the echo. He could sense her, a familiar presence in the Force, though somewhat distant now. He let out a relieved sigh.

He examined the hole, the rough edges of the broken floor still glistening with moisture. He could see the water reflecting from below, a faint glimmer in the darkness.

Looking down, he could discern a series of handholds and footholds carved into the stone wall, barely visible in the dim light. Using the Force, he carefully assessed their stability.

Putting his lightsaber back, he pulled out one of the two double-bladed lightsabers he had brought with him. Activating it, he began to spin it in his hand, using the Force to have it become a blur of green. Lifting it up in the air, Mak slithered to the edge of the hole before he used his tail to hop in, the blade and the Force allowing him to slowly descend down to the ground below.

As he made his way down, the weight of the tomb pressed in on him. This wasn't a tomb of history, he realized, it was a tomb of power. And a power that was very, very wrong. He needed to be careful to ensure neither he nor Valery would be caught in the middle of a disaster.

Landing on the ground, Mak immediately deactivated the lightsaber and slithered forward, checking her for any injuries. "I may be a master sorcerer in the Force, Valery, but I was always an extremely poor hand at Force Healing..." He couldn't feel any breaks, didn't sense any internal bleeding; nothing other than a few bruises and scrapes.

Looking back up, his eyes scanning the area for signs of any threats. The carvings were more ornate than the ones above, depicting scenes of something ancient, something… twisted.

If only you knew what was waiting for you, Makky...

Turning his head, Mak let out a low hiss and felt his breathing quicken for just a second.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Adventure outfit
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

Valery tilted her head slightly as she watched Mak descend, her smirk quirking at the sight of his double-bladed saber spinning in a controlled blur of green light. "Huh," she mused, arms crossing as she observed his method. "That's... certainly one way to do it." Her tone was laced with amusement, but there was no denying the skill it took to descend like that. Creative, if nothing else.

The moment he landed, he wasted no time, slithering forward to check for injuries. Valery huffed, smirking at the concern but allowing him his assessment. "I'm fine," she assured, lifting her arms a little for emphasis. "Just bruises, scrapes, and I'm wet and covered in dirt." She gestured to herself with a wry chuckle, as she pulled on her shirt. "So, you know. Standard tomb-diving hazards."

Then, when he admitted his lack of Force healing ability, she snorted, shaking her head. "That makes two of us," she mused. "I can speed up my own healing a little, but fixing other people? Not a chance." She glanced down at one of the scrapes along her forearm, flexing her fingers before shaking it off. Nothing worth worrying about.

With a sigh, she lifted her hands to her hair, pulling out the damp tie that barely held it together. Running her fingers through the dark waves, she shook it out, drops of water flicking off in small arcs before she quickly gathered it back and tied it up into a messy ponytail. The movement was automatic, muscle memory—

Until she noticed something was off.

Her fiery gaze flicked back to Mak, studying him carefully. His posture. The way his breathing had shifted, just slightly. A hesitation. A moment of tension. Her expression shifted, amusement dimming into something sharper. "You good?" she asked, voice low, but steady.

She didn't ask lightly.

Something was wrong.

Mak Manto ​

 

[Mak Manto]

Mak's hiss turned into a low growl as he scanned the chamber, his senses on high alert. The air prickled with an unnatural energy, a discordant hum that grated against his senses. He ignored Valery's question, his focus narrowed to a laser point. His eyes darted from the intricate carvings to the unsettling arrangement of the chamber, his tail twitching nervously. The atmosphere in the chamber was telling him they were in more danger than they believed.

He circled Valery slowly, his gaze never leaving the walls. The drawings, far more complex than those above, depicted scenes of sacrifice and rituals. He felt a growing sense of unease as he studied them, the Force swirling around him, warning him of an impending danger. His hands clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms.

He then stopped, his eyes fixated on a specific series of patterns, a sequence of symbols etched deep into the stone. These symbols resonated with something familiar, yet alien, within his mind.

He looked up before shouting out loud, his voice booming and reverberating off the walls. "I know you're down here!" he roared, his words laced with a challenge. "I can feel you! Show yourself!"

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Adventure outfit
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

Valery's frown deepened as she watched Mak move, his body coiling with tension, his tail twitching with restless energy. She had seen him serious before — focused, analytical — but this was something else. This was nervous. Her stance shifted slightly, her weight distributing in preparation for… something. The Force was thick down here, pressing against her skin like damp cloth, filled with something old and waiting. She felt it too. The unease. The warning. But she wasn't reacting the way Mak was.

Because he wasn't just sensing it.

He was responding to it.

Then — his voice thundered through the chamber. Valery stepped forward instinctively, a firm, grounding presence against his sudden outburst. Mak. The name was on the tip of her tongue, but she hesitated for just a fraction of a second, watching the way his muscles coiled tight, his fists clenched so hard his nails dug into his palms.

Something was wrong. Not just with this place, but with him.

"Mak." This time, she said it aloud, her voice steady, but pointed. Not demanding — just enough to break through the thick, charged air between them.

She took another step, placing herself just slightly within his line of sight. "I feel it too," she admitted, her voice lower now, quieter but no less strong. "The darkness here — it's real. It's watching us." Her amber eyes flicked toward the intricate carvings, the cruel depictions of rituals and sacrifice. The echoes of whatever had once happened here clung to the air, waiting to be stirred.

"But if we lose control," she continued, her gaze locking onto his, "We're giving it exactly what it wants." She let that settle, her stance unwavering. "We solve this together," she told him. "But first, you need to breathe." Her expression softened just a fraction, a flicker of reassurance beneath the battle-hardened fire in her eyes.

Mak Manto ​

 

[Mak Manto]

Valery doesn't know, does she? You never told her or the Council the full truth about us, did you? Imagine what they will think when it becomes evident what you've been hiding, you pathetic worm. You don't have control, Mak, and you never will, not when it comes to me.

Placing a hand on the side of his head, he groaned slightly, trying to make the voice stop. It had been so long since this had happened, but it was as if it was just like it had once been. He was about to reach for his lightsaber again when he heard Valery speaking to him. As he still continued to look around the cavern, Mak bent his tail, speaking in a hushed whisper.

"Do you hear it, Valery? I can hear him speaking to me..."

Trying to control his breathing, Mak wanted nothing more than to blast the whole cavern apart with the Force and allow the sunlight to come in and rid the place of the darkness.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Adventure outfit
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

Valery's brow furrowed as she watched Mak bring a hand to his head, his groan low and pained. His movements were erratic, his breathing sharp. She could feel his distress through the Force, crackling like static against her senses. But more than that, she could see the fear — the weight of something internal pressing down on him, something she couldn't see.

Then, his whisper.

"Do you hear it, Valery? I can hear him speaking to me..."

Her expression sharpened. Him?

Valery's fiery gaze flicked across the chamber, scanning every shadowed crevice, every cruel carving lining the walls, every silent echo of the past woven into the air. The darkness here was ancient, insidious — watching, as she had felt before. But there was no voice. No whisper clawing at the edges of her mind. Just Mak.

And he was unraveling.

Her stance remained steady, but her presence in the Force shifted — radiating outward in a slow, deliberate pulse. She didn't wield it like a weapon, didn't lash out against whatever specter loomed over him. Instead, she reached out with something stronger, something deeper.

She stepped closer, slow but sure, letting her presence wrap around him — not suffocating, not forceful, but anchoring. "Mak," she murmured, her voice even, unwavering. "I don't hear anything. But I feel you."

Her hands curled into fists at her sides, jaw tight as she pushed through the thick, oppressive air pressing against them. "You need to focus," she continued, her tone dipping into something more pointed now. "I know this place wants to pull us in. I know it's trying to drag you under. But you are not alone." The Force rippled outward from her, steady and warm — a silent defiance against the darkness.

Mak Manto ​

 

[Mak Manto]

The whisper faded, the pressure on Mak's mind easing, though the phantom voice still echoed in the furthest reaches of his awareness. He sucked in a ragged breath, forcing himself to meet Valery's gaze, his vision clearing as the panic began to recede. He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on her presence in the Force, letting her strength be his anchor. His skin was damp with a cold sweat, but slowly, painstakingly, he started to regain control.

He opened his eyes, his gaze locking with Valery's, her unwavering presence a lifeline. He took another deep breath, focusing on the feel of the air filling his lungs, on the faint scent of damp stone and something metallic.

"I… I'm alright," he rasped, his voice still rough, betraying the turmoil he'd just endured. He ran a hand through his beard, trying to smooth it, to regain some semblance of composure. "Just a… a sudden wave. The tomb… it stirred something." He didn't offer a full explanation, knowing that sharing the whole truth of his burdens would only add to the chaos, but he hoped that this was enough to at least keep her from being too worried.

He turned his head, his gaze scanning the cavern once more, trying to get himself under control. "I am better now," he said finally, his voice now steadier, though the underlying tension remained. "Let's focus on what is ahead."

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Adventure outfit
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

The tension in Valery's shoulders eased — just slightly — when she saw the shift in Mak's expression. The ragged edges of panic dulled, his breathing steadied, and the distant look in his eyes sharpened once more. Whatever had been clawing at him was still there, lurking in the depths of his mind, but at least for now… he was back.

She let out a quiet breath, a small, reassuring smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Good."

Her fiery gaze flickered over him once more, searching for any lingering signs that he might slip again. But when he ran a hand through his beard, when he steadied his voice, she gave a small nod. "If you feel it again, tell me," she said, her tone firm but warm. "I'll do what I can to help."

She meant it. And with that, she turned, stepping forward into the chamber ahead.

The path ahead was old — ancient — and long since forgotten by time. Large slabs of stone had crumbled from the walls and ceiling, debris scattering the uneven floor. The air was damp, thick with dust and the lingering scent of decay. If there had been a direct path once, it was gone now. Which meant they'd have to get creative.

Valery wasted no time.

Without hesitation, she leapt onto the nearest slab of fallen stone, her body moving effortlessly as she hopped from one unstable surface to the next. With each jump, her footfalls were impossibly light, her balance perfect — even when she took a step onto a jagged pillar that threatened to crumble beneath her weight.

Then, just to be a little extra, she launched herself into a controlled flip over a particularly large gap, landing smoothly on a flat rock ahead. She turned back to Mak with a smug grin, arms crossing over her chest. "You coming?"

But before she could tease him further, something caught her eye. A small, half-buried mechanism built into the stone beneath her feet. Frowning slightly, she crouched down, brushing away the layer of dirt and debris until her fingers found purchase on a rusted metal lever.

"Huh."

Her grip tightened, and with a strong pull, the ancient mechanism groaned in protest. Dust spilled from the walls, stone grinding against stone as a hidden door — tall, arched, carved with long-forgotten inscriptions — began to slide open.

A rush of stale air swept into the chamber.

Valery glanced back at Mak, a glint of excitement in her fiery gaze. "Looks like we just found our way in."

Mak Manto ​

 

[Mak Manto]

Mak watched Valery's graceful movements as she navigated the crumbling path. He was grateful for her resilience, for her ability to find joy even in the face of the encroaching darkness. He knew she was strong, but he also knew the shadows in this tomb were alive...

As she finished her display and beckoned him forward, he took his time, drawing another breath, trying to center himself after the recent surge of dread. He was more aware now of the tomb's influence, of the insidious whispers that seemed to brush against the edges of his awareness.

His movements were slower, more deliberate than usual, as he made his way across the debris. The Force was his guide, helping him gauge the stability of each surface, but even so, he tread carefully. He could sense the unseen pressure on the very fabric of the space, as if the tomb itself was watching and waiting.

He made his way onto the flat rock and looked to Valery as she pulled the lever. The sound of the door opening caused him to narrow his eyes again. That stale air, the darkness it revealed - it felt like an exhaled death rattle.

He approached her cautiously, his eyes scanning the newly revealed passage, trying to discern any immediate threats.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Adventure outfit
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

As the ancient door groaned fully open, Valery hopped down from the rock with practiced ease, landing with barely a sound. She straightened, adjusting the tie on her ponytail, before casting a smirk over her shoulder at Mak. "Now we're getting somewhere."

She was in her element — exploration, mystery, the thrill of discovery. Even the suffocating weight of the tomb, the lingering darkness clinging to its walls, couldn’t fully smother the flicker of excitement in her fiery gaze.

But then — she stopped.

A pulse rippled through the Force, a warning sharp enough to send a chill down her spine. It wasn’t the overwhelming, crushing presence of a living danger, but something more subtle. Something waiting.

Valery’s amber eyes flicked downward, scanning the stone floor ahead. Her smirk faded. "Hold up," she murmured, lifting a hand slightly. She crouched, fingers hovering just above the worn, dusty tiles, and exhaled slowly. "These—" she tapped the edge of a barely visible seam between two stones, "Are pressure plates."

She straightened, taking a careful step back before glancing over at Mak. "I don’t know what they trigger, but I don’t really feel like finding out the hard way." Her gaze flicked down to his tail. "That said… you might have a bit of a problem here. Not exactly easy to weave through these things with your size."

She pressed her lips together, considering.

Then, her smirk returned — this time, laced with something almost reckless. "I could try triggering them on purpose." She lifted a brow, shifting her weight slightly as she rolled one shoulder. "Set them off while moving fast enough to avoid whatever gets thrown at me?"

There was no cocky bravado in her tone — just a simple, measured confidence in her ability.

"Or," she continued, tilting her head, "You got another plan?"

Mak Manto ​

 

[Mak Manto]

Mak studied the pressure plates, his expression thoughtful. Valery's casual suggestion to trigger them had a certain appeal – a swift, decisive action – but he had a feeling this tomb was not so easily provoked.

He glanced down at his tail, then back at the narrow space. Valery was right; navigating the plates without triggering them would be a delicate dance, one that would severely limit his options.

"Perhaps," he said, his voice still measured, "there is another way."

He closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on the Force. He reached out, extending his senses into the chamber, probing for any clues, any subtle shift in the energies that might reveal the pattern of the plates. The pressure of the tomb intensified around him, the darkness pressing, but he pushed through it, focusing on the task at hand.

After a moment, he opened his eyes, his gaze fixed on the tiles. "I believe," he said, his voice low, "that they are arranged in a sequence, with the plates reacting in a predictable order."

He gestured with a hand towards the floor, indicating the general direction. "If we can determine the order, we might be able to bypass them."

He slithered forward slowly, his movements careful. "I will need you to observe the floor, Valery," he continued, his voice quiet. "I will attempt to isolate the pattern. Be ready to anticipate if you're able to identify the pattern. It will be a test for your keen eye." He paused, his expression turning grave. "And be prepared for anything."