Unstill Waters [Knights Obsidian]

[Kurenai Yumi]

The sudden onslaught of the worms was something even she was a bit caught off by, herself standing guard at the two wounded men as [member="Gerwald Lechner"], [member="Naedira Darcrath"] and the strange new arrival she had not seem before[[member="Shalita Vi'dreya"]] dealt with their own respective attackers. Grasping her saber hilt the heavy armored women began to duel wield her current arsenal of weapons keeping an ear, eye and nose out if any of the beasts made it past their hasty defense.

It did not take long for her first opponent to appeared, dropping down from above, having crawled up to a small ledge in hopes of ambushing the party while the rest attacked from the sides. She watched on in disinterest as the worm made a leap for her, it's maw open, ready to swallow it's prey, or take a huge chunk out of the fleshy being below, "here, have a taste of this".

Stretching out her arm the attacking animal was certainly going to get a mouth full, a dark ethereal like spear penetrating it's soft inside skin, ripping all the way through, it's body dropping to the side with a small force push. "Well they are certainly not dumb, but still way outclassed", the only reason for their initial success was the incompetence of [member="A'Runda"] and [member="Kyle Naktis"] more or less lack of tact. "This was the reasons why scouting should have been our first priority", she stated rhetorically as [member="Scherezade deWinter"] came rushing back, quickly injecting the antidote into the downed knights.

Still keeping her weapon in hand and ready to use Kurenai knelled down next to the tusken knight, placing his arm around her shoulder, hosting him up with ease. "I'd try and be a bit more compassionate but to be honest you don't have much choice, grit your teeth and walk it off, can't be leaving you behind or slowing us down, if need be I'll carry you the rest of the way". Having been bitten deeply it was no surprise that A'Runda was taking longer to recover then the Sith. "Madeline, have our objectives changed to extermination? or are we to continue with the current task at hand? Personally I would prefer to stay behind and deal with the remaining worms to ensure they do not bother us again, though the final decision is yours".

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Wearing: Armor | Leather Pants | Honey Boo Prototype Combat Boots | The Forgemaster's Ring | Ring of Stasis
Wielding: 10 Czerka knives, Fire and Smoke (lightsabers), 4 Glitter Bullets
Tags: [member="A'Runda"] [member="Kurenai Yumi"] [member="Kwelin Orlov"] [member="Kyle Naktis"] [member="Naedira Darcrath"] [member="Gerwald Lechner"] [member="Shalita Vi'dreya"]

Madalena looked at the Tuskan ([member="A'runda"]) as he gave the throaty sounds out, but all she could do was shake her head. "I'm sorry, Adjudicator," she apologized, "Huttesse is pretty much the only Tatooine language I can speak. If you want me to understand what you're saying, you're going to have to use Basic." She sighed as she realized, and somewhere understood, that the needles made him uncomfortable. But she was not going to apologize for administrating them. It beat having his internal organs go plheh.

Turning her head to [member="Kyle Naktis"], all she could do was nod. There was no real reason to thank her, but she appreciated it anyway.

Rising from the mud, Madalena was happy to see that [member="Kurenai Yumi"] was stepping in, offering help. Teamwork was going to either make them or break them. She had been sufficiently aware of the battles that had taken place but moments ago, knew that all the people gathered here could and would work together. No one wanted to be shut down on a mission like this which was, if she were to be completely honest, supposed to be easier than it was being so far.

"Madalena, not Madeline," she correct her as she proceeded to ignore the biting remarks that showed a less than pleasant attitude, "and you're not staying behind. We're not coming back from here and I'm not leaving anyone to fend for themselves against these worms or anything else that we might have to deal with. We went in as a group, we're coming out as a group."

With that, she flashed them all one of her charming smiles.

"Now, since we have about twelve hours, I suggest you all get up and start walking. You can see the tower from here and the sooner we finish this, the better."

The tower was indeed close by; they'd made it through about half way before the wormy attack happened, and the tower was now a mere few minutes away. It lay at the edge of the lake, where the dam was keeping the water from emptying into the fall below, and it hadn't been placed in the middle of Worm-Center, Jagomir, it would have looked way less creepy.

"Keep the Tuskan in the center this time," she ordered as they started moving again, "otherwise, same as earlier in terms of point and rear."

Was that how it was supposed to go? Madalena chewed on her lower lip as she walked, allowing herself to sink into the thoughts, but not too deeply so that she could still keep her attention on their surroundings. She had wanted to lead a mission like this for a few weeks now. And yet she felt so… Serious, to a degree that was unlike her. It was almost as if she was a different person. She wanted to smile, and be chaotic, and have some fun, but… But she also wanted to make sure everyone survived this mission. Was this what the weight of responsibility felt like? And more importantly, if the answer was yes, was it something she would still desire once this mission was over?

 

[Shalita Verd]

Armour: Armour Sethttps://image.ibb.co/jiNaaq/84f6a81dcabea5149a10f493c309e877.jpg​

Weapons: Throwing Daggershttps://image.ibb.co/kfgCMV/210233.jpg, Wrist Blade, Obsidian lightsaber, Katana​

Tags: [member="Scherezade deWinter"] | [member="Naedira Darcrath"] | [member="Gerwald Lechner"] | [member="[/SIZE]A'runda"] | [member="Kwelin Orlov"] | [member="Kurenai Yumi"] | [member="Kyle Naktis"]​

https://i.imgur.com/cN0dPwg.jpg​

Shalita finished off a younger worm and looked up to see [member="Scherezade deWinter"] finish off the nest and the woman deactivated her lightsaber while hooking the blade back onto her belt. Slowly the Shi’ido began to pull on plain black leather gloves as she made her way over to an adult worm that had been slain before the younger ones. The adults who were the first defense against any incoming attacks or passing by individuals. The woman knelt down beside the dead worm and dug into the pockets of her jacket to produce a couple of vials. One of the main reasons that the female tagged along was to encounter creatures much like this and expand upon her knowledge of certain creatures that could come in handy for later. Lucky for her the group had run into a nest of them, although had she gone alone, the female was confident that with some stealth, she would have been able to have picked off a stray one on her own without alerting the entire nest. However, what was done, was done and now most of the nest was wiped out, thanks to Madalena.

While the others worried about the two wounded, the Shi’ido uncorked a vial and rested the opening just under the jaw of the Evarrian. While it was dead, the venom that coated its fangs which had been excreted in preparation to kill one of the members of the group. However, this one had never gotten a chance to get in that lucky strike, so the venom was perfect to collect. Ice blue eyes watched the venom slowly drip into the vial while taking note of the consistency as the substance began to fill it. Shalita surmised that it was the adults who contained the most potent venom rather than the younger ones, it made more sense due to maturity and she hoped would also help her own cause. Venom like this would be useful in future [SIZE=10.5pt]endeavours. Upon corking the first vial and making sure that none of the venom dripped down the side of it, she glanced over her shoulder at the group and listened as the order to continue on with the two who had been wounded was issued.

While it made sense to continue on, the agent wasn’t convinced that the two wounded should really come along. However, that was the leader’s decision and the woman shrugged before uncorking the second vial. Quietly, she continued to fill the second vial and she corked it in quick succession once that vial was filled as well. Slowly she rose from her position while [member=[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]"Kyle Naktis"] rose from his own position from the ground. The venom, she had surmised would be useful in events like poisoning a blade or having someone ingest in unknowingly. Useful in the way to kill without leaving a trace that she had been there. That was the idea in any case, although as she pocketed the second vial, her gaze drifted over to [member="Kurenai Yumi"] for a brief second before having her attention return back to the rest of them. While her victims would be [SIZE=10.5pt]paralysed[/SIZE] she could enjoy the fact that they would die horribly in the end with their internal organs breaking down. It would be something that she would have to make a note of at a later date.

Or not. Observations were key when it came to anything documentary worthy and the woman definitely had to watch reaction times when it came to her potential prey’s death. If anyone around them had medical supplies like Mandalena, although it would make sense that she would be prepared due to the whole thing being a mission and all; an individual in a normal setting could respond in quite a different way. They could have many different people surrounding them with the ability to heal another, so poison had to be fast acting or administered when the individual themselves was alone.

Shalita continued to surmise potential plans and all the ways that poison could be administered as ice blue eyes watched the small group while Kurenai helped up one that had more serious injuries than the other. Although it was the words that were spoken between Kurenai and Mandalena that had her raising an eyebrow. Keeping straggling worms off their asses was a good idea, however, it didn’t mean that there was just the one nest, who knew how many nests were actually in these parts and Shalita figured that perhaps Kurenai had something to prove, an ego perhaps? Although it was the leader that shut down that idea and the Shi’ido shrugged off whatever thoughts that would have potentially given rise and shifted her position closer to the back while making sure to keep the two that had been wounded in front of her, she didn’t want another incident like before slowing them down even further.

 

[Davin Votan]

Post: 2
Location: Middle Right of formation
Tags: A'Runda Kurenai Yumi Kyle Naktis Naedira Darcrath Gerwald Lechner @Shalita Vi'dreya [member="Scherezade deWinter"]

Kwelin continued his scan of the group's right flank as the stragglers fell in and the CO gave a quick rehash of the mission objectives before giving the order to push out. The scout hadn't yet gotten to know any of his comrades and avoided participating in any of the small talk that some of the others were participating in. All his friends had died the day the militia line had fallen and humanoids with masks washed any semblance of humanity that had dared to sit so close to the badlands, washed into the sand like they'd never built anything in the first place. A cold knot formed in the pit of Kwelin's stomach as he remembered the turn his family had taken that day. A knot that periodically appeared whenever the man thought back over the past eight years, seeming to grow larger with every year. The knot always behaved in a similar fashion though, like clockwork it would begin to turn, cold to hot. Rage put on a slow burner. Kwelin snugged his rifle into his shoulder and focused outward as the group pressed on. Knight @Arunda 's presence had stoked the coals a bit, the being's mask reminding him of the force knew how many Tuskens he'd centered through his scope and steady hand before watching them crumple. A reminder of when he'd watched his uncle take a gafti through the sternum, or when Jed had popped his head over a dune with a naive, stupid grin that another being would never witness again.

He muttered "Thank the Force" when the galaxy seemed to oblige his feelings as a snaking movement in the underbrush twelve yards to his one o'clock caught the edge of his vision and the rifle was brought to bear on the hostile alien worms that had launched themselves at the strangers wandering through their swamp. The rifle spit out a few bolts, flinging the creature into a withering flailing mass as they impacted it's torso, just in time for another to take it's place. His thoughts switched gears and Kwelin let himself fall into the chaotic flow that developed around him. The Tusken fell and Kwelin contained the small thought that whispered from his subconscious. No matter how much he hated them he was determined to contain it within the confines of his mind if the Tusken in question happened to be a member of the same organization that had given him a new lease on life. A chance at a future that didn't end with him in prison or otherwise wasted on the bastard of a planet he'd once called home. Another Knight ate ground and Kwelin moved backward with a few shots, tightening closer to his fellows on the right flank as the situation changed. In his peripherals sabers flashed and the creatures seemed to dissipate as the CO shouted to his far left down the line. Kwelin kept a slight ear to the bickering about what to do with the wounded while keeping the majority of his focus to his flank.

The final say landed with the CO and they pushed onward, a bit slower and down a couple with protection of the wounded being thrown into the objectives. Kwelin wasn't sure about the call, but held his tongue and pressed on with the rest towards an uncertain fate. He'd been in the field with his fellows when "cakewalk" missions had came down from the Militia's Commanders back home and resistance hadn't matched up with expectations.

They were in for a long twelve.

 

[Brayden Antares]

Location: Jagomir
Equipment: Obsidian Strike Armor | Blood-red Sith Sword
Tags: [member="Scherezade deWinter"] | [member="Naedira Darcrath"] | [member="Gerwald Lechner"] | [member="Kurenai Yumi"] | [member="Kwelin Orlov"] | [member="Kyle Naktis"] | @A'runda

"We're approaching the staging zone, Your Highness."

Silver-green eyes and every other facial feature were completely obscured by the mask of his Obsidian Strike Armor. That, of course, did not matter to the black and silver-robed warriors piloting the vessel. Their knowledge of precisely who and what Brayden Antares was matched that of the other two crew members and six additional warriors that rounded out the compliment of the nondescript YT-2000. Unlike the two crimson-robed warriors that normally accompanied Brayden's uncle or cousin, the black and silver coloring was indicative of those pulled directly from the King's Own on Endelaan. While family bloodlines did have their place on Endelaan, the direct descendants of the last known King and Queen would invariably always be more readily recognized.

Brayden knew this intrinsically, but he had also learned as much from his sojourn to Phindara. What he did not yet know...was the reality that he had more siblings than simply his twin. For now, that was probably for the best. "We are late. They have already moved on," came the muffled reply from the jump-seat behind the pilot and co-pilot. Brayden could plainly sense the movement of presences and, more importantly, the emotion that flowed forth from his twin sister. Separated for centuries, ever since he'd returned to her side, Brayden had noted the return and exponential increase of their bond. During a mission elsewhere, he'd been able to engage and destroy enemies off of Madalena's own sight and emotions alone. Now...he could feel his danger senses prickling the back of his neck even though the danger was not his own.

"I do not believe they are presently overly concerned about stealth but... Just in case, climb above the clouds and give me a four hundred meter arc over..." Brayden lifted out of his seat and reached for the sensor controls. In a handful of seconds, he'd programmed a new navigation point into the system and departed the cockpit.

As Brayden walked, his mind was briefly taken back to Phindara. Xsayarsa's large frame filled his visions, dark blue mane tousling gently in the cool breeze of the cliffs overlooking the sea. It was just before Brayden found out about Scherezade's existence. Turning a corner, he stopped in his room and unwrapped an item he had yet to use since leaving Endelaan. Behind his mask, silver-green eyes fell on the blood-red blade and black, leather-wrapped hilt of the large sith sword. When Brayden touched the hilt, memories of a man he'd only known as an infant flooded his mind, coalescing the memories his mother had implanted into his mind prior to his escape from the Darkness. For moments, Brayden was motionless. His father had been a son, a ward, an enemy, an asset, a lover, a Jedi for a time, a Sith, a King, and finally...a father. It seemed nobody in his family was destined to have a normal life.

When Brayden opened his eyes, he noted that the blade seemed to be burning red hot, pulsing with energy and strength. With his free hand, he picked up the scabbard which was fitted with a back strap and sheathed the weapon. Affixing the scabbard over his back and adjusting the straps, Brayden adopted a brisk pace towards the cargo bay. Once there, he cycled open the loading ramp and walked to its edge. Below, he could see nothing other than clouds, but he could feel his sister deeper beneath the atmospheric soup. There was nothing to think about, and Brayden threw himself from the loading ramp. For a moment, his arms were bent above him to stabilize his body during the initial descent. Manipulating the positioning of his arms to control the direction and rate of descent of his body, Brayden eventually brought them along his sides in order to rocket towards the ground.

Passing beneath the cloud layer, Brayden reconciled what he was feeling with what he could see. Soon, the Sith began manipulating his descent rate with the Force, using his arms to reposition his body. No sooner had Madalena finished speaking than Brayden's cloaked body and masked facial features landed with an audible thump less than two feet away from her. Collapsing briefly down to a knee to help absorb the impact, Brayden also allowed a single hand to touch the ground as it erupted a final pulse of force energy to lessen the shock of impact on his limbs. It wouldn't have caught Madalena by surprise at all.

Standing to his full height, the large Sith merely nodded to his sister. Silently hoping she would restrain from her typical need to try and suffocate the life out of him with a hug.

 

[Naedira Darcrath]

​

Location: Jagomir [Camp Site]​

Equipment: Obsidian Lightsaber,Comet OSM-10, Bilari Electro-Chain Whip, Obsidian Strike Armor​

Standing Beside Tags: [member="Gerwald Lechner"]​

Standing Beside Tags: [member="[/FONT][FONT='courier new']A'Runda"] | [member="Kurenai Yumi"] | [member="Kwelin Orlov"] | [member="Kyle Naktis"] | [member="Scherezade deWinter"] | [member="Shalita Vi'dreya"] | [member="Brayden Antares"]​

​

---

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The Knight Obsidian remained focused on the task at hand while maintaining a Battle Meld with [member="Gerwald Lechner"] to maximize efficiency. The wolf had given her permission and she fully intended to utilize the connection to deal with the toxic creatures as quickly as possible. Another Knight, @Shalita Vi’dreya, made her way onto the scene and Naedira was secretly pleased with the added firepower. It wasn’t as if the current individuals weren’t capable… But there were only so many of them.

And so many, many carnivorous worms to deal with.

Nae didn’t recognize her. Electric blue eyes and hair the color of blackest pitch. Her appearance was striking enough that if the Darcrath woman would have seen her before she wouldn’t have forgotten. So. Either a new Obsidian, or, she’d just been released from some sort of deep cover assignment. “Welcome to the party.”, she spoke, distracted, but still surprisingly cordial.

There were teammates bleeding, poisoned, and potentially on deaths door but she still remembered vague manners. It was that stringent Nabooian upbringing coming into play.

She could feel caution emanating through the Battle Meld with her partner and did her best to reach out through the temporary connection to reassure him. She had performed and maintained such links before with zero detriment. ‘Relax…Your mind is still your own.’, Gerwald would hear her, like a ray of surety, before she pulled on his strength to rend yet another worm to pieces. He fell into place at her back and he would feel a silent approval. Good. He learned quickly.

He spoke of finding the nest and she agreed. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one, and Madalena [[member="Scherezade deWinter"]] found it not long afterward. Naedira could feel it in the ether when the Queen was good and dead. The air shifted, the pressure changed, and the remaining worms seemed to scatter. They were not as organized as they had once been. Her gaze flickered toward [member="Kurenai Yumi"] while she paused to breathe and she listened. It was true. Neither male should have been caught so easily.

She would have spoken up about several points but Madalena carried on seamlessly whilst providing an acceptable solution for their injured comrades. Naedira snapped her chain-whip back into its original form and burned the worm-guts off of the shining surface. Once cool, she placed it back into the harness on her back, before falling in line once more with the wolf. Ever so slowly, since it seemed the immediate danger had passed, she let the Battle Meld fade. Their strengths and weaknesses once again became isolated. “Never done that before?”

“You did well.”

Realizing that there were a handful of Knights [[member="Kwelin Orlov"] | [member="Shalita Vi'dreya"]] walking in the back of the group that she didn’t know well she briefly cleared her throat to get their attention. “I’m Knight Darcrath. Executor. And you?”, she questioned, over trying to look them up, while there was a potential of getting attacked from the local wildlife. She needed her eyes focused on the way ahead while her senses stretched far behind.

Another man arrived. Suddenly.

“How…Dramatic.”

Interesting, however, ultimately unimportant to their current mission objective. Protect, defend, and make it to the Tower.

Despite the appearance of newcomers they could not afford any undue delay. Lives literally depended on the swift completion of the operation—The clock was ticking.

“We should keep moving. Time is short.”

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Wearing: Armor | Leather Pants | Honey Boo Prototype Combat Boots | The Forgemaster's Ring | Ring of Stasis
Wielding: 10 Czerka knives, Fire and Smoke (lightsabers), 4 Glitter Bullets
Tags: [member="A'Runda"] [member="Kurenai Yumi"] [member="Kwelin Orlov"] [member="Kyle Naktis"] [member="Naedira Darcrath"] [member="Gerwald Lechner"] [member="Shalita Vi'dreya"] [member="Brayden Antares"]

They were just about to renew their walking when Madalena sensed him. Emerald eyes looked to the sky, seeing the figure free fall through it. She didn't need to check who he was. She would know his signature in the Force no matter how many protective layers of armor covered him; her twin brother, Brayden. Serious leader or not, the smile that spread over her features was big ad almost infectious. If there was something she would have not guessed would happen this day, it would be his appearance. Quickly, she scanned her datapad, eyebrows rising as she realized he… Had joined the Knights Obsidian? Every part of her wanted to throw her arms around him into a huge hug, but she held back. The hug would wait until they were done with the mission, and all she offered him instead was a returned nod.

Motioning for the others, the party moved forward, making their way towards the tower. Madalena could sense the presence of other worms in the vicinity, and she was more than certain that others could as well, but for ow it seemed the venomous creatures were keeping their distance, which was perfectly fine with her. Their remaining march to the tower went without a hitch, thank the Force.

The door creaked as Madalena carefully opened it, peering inside. She couldn't sense anything in there, but she knew they would not be able to sense the undead anyway, so it didn't necessarily mean that they were safe. The tower had been abandoned for years and the lever to open the stupid dam was more than likely to be extremely rusted. She just hoped that it would work. None of them had signed on for an underwater mission, and she herself sure as heck would be unable to perform it since she could not swim.

"Give me a sound and give me the night, let me see it all tonight," Madalena spoke the incantation that turned her vision into one that could see in pure darkness, the insides of the tower now turning into various shades of dark soft pinks and purples. Debris everywhere, dirt, dust… And thankfully, no undead. Not yet, anyway.

"Spread out in groups of at least three," she ordered, "let's find the damn lever and empty the lake."

 

[A'Runda]

Location: Tower​

Wielding: Gaffi Stick, and Curved Hilt Lightsaber​

Post: 3​

​

​

After being helped up, A'Runda's knees wobbled some to keep him standing with the aid of [member="Kurenai Yumi"] and her surprising strength. It was almost like he needed to make sure he knew how to stand and walk again after just loosing the ability. However, he'd keep himself from giving off any verbal signs of discomfort as not to feel even more pathetic. But then he listened to how Kurenai was willing to carry him if needed, and after hearing that, under his mask A'Runda became a little shocked. Then, acting to make sure that wouldn't need to be the case, A'Runda pulled himself and his arm away from her so that he could walk himself. This was really just so he didn't feel as embarrassed towards Kurenai and the rest of the group.

"Koroght- , I mean, thank you Kurenai. I'm sorry if my carelessness put you and the rest of the group in harms way." He spoke, while turning his head to face her. Once more peering at her through the lens of his mask. After that he heard a noise from above as they left the scene of their little skirmish with the worms. Looking back as they did, saw a [large winged creature Swoop down onto the path where they were and begin to feast on the remains of the worms. Despite the fact that they weren't a very aggressive creature in nature, A'Runda didn't know that, and wanted to pick up his pace as the creature helped itself to the remains of the skirmish.

Eventually they all made it to the tower, with [member="Scherezade deWinter"] opening the door to the structure. Seeing that it was pitch black in there A'Runda realized that maybe he should've brought something to help with that. Then the Tusken got an idea. Unwrapping a little bit of cloth from his garb, as much as it pained him to do so, he collected a small amount. Then laying it on the palm of his hand he used pyrokinesis, as skilled he learned from a witch in the time before joining the CIS. Then he had himself his own portable flame. to help him see inside the tower. Then was told that they'd be splitting up into groups, and although A'Runda wouldn't admit it he'd like to be in one with Kurenai, since she seemed more then capable at working in a group from what he has seen.

[member="Naedira Darcrath"]
[member="Brayden Antares"]
[member="Kwelin Orlov"]
[member="Shalita Vi'dreya"]
[member=Kyle Naktis]

 

[Brayden Antares]

Equipment: Obsidian Strike Armor | Blood-red Sith Sword
Tags: [member="Scherezade deWinter"] | [member="Naedira Darcrath"] | [member="Gerwald Lechner"] | [member="Kurenai Yumi"] | [member="Kwelin Orlov"] | [member="Kyle Naktis"] | [member="A'runda"]


Silver-green eyes watched Madalena from behind the mask of his Obsidian Strike Armor. His entrance had not been aimed at drama, it had been aimed at preventing an overly pronounced arrival in a landing area that was just used by a bunch of other Knights. A small tactical advantage, but a tactical one nonetheless. Though he'd noted the presence of several others, he hadn't really paid them any mind in the exact moment. This was not a social affair, and he didn't exactly have a need for any further friends. As the group advanced, Brayden allowed his presence to swell and roll over the landscape, groping through the Force for would be dangers or hazards.

With limited exception, silence seemed to settle comfortably over the collection of Knights like a warm blanket. For his part, Brayden elected to keep a tactical response distance from most of the others, preventing his own senses from being washed out by the sounds and movement of others. Reaching the tower, Brayden lowered his profile by quietly taking a knee perhaps ten feet away from Madalena and the door into the tower. While his not-sister went about her business, the Sith Lord's eyes and senses continued to scan the area, cognizant of what was happening on their flanks as well as to their rear.

It was the creaking of the door that ripped through Brayden's mind like nails on a chalk board. The sound, most likely, hadn't been very loud in terms of the general environment but with Brayden enhancing his senses it had been intrusive. Swiveling his head in Madalena's direction, he watched as she paused in the dark entryway to utter a brief spell. No sooner had the Sith Lord come to his feet than he saw a flame erupt inside the darkness. Brayden said nothing, but he judged the unknown Knight swiftly. Lingering near the rear of the group, Brayden had only one thought. He would not be teaming up with the brash Tusken. If he just wore the provided armor, he'd have the use of a HUD integrated into the system that had the capability for a variety of low and no-light aided vision modes. As it stood, the burning flame was whiting out the usefulness of those features.

"Knock it off," was the deep-voiced statement Brayden made in response to A'Runda's attempt to help the operation. "You're making things worse, not better." If the Tusken chose to persist, Brayden would put the flame out himself.

Allowing the Force to compliment the technology of the Obsidian Strike Armor, the Sith Lord slipped towards the edges of the room to maximize his field of view as he cycled through vision modes as necessary. The process was not tedious, but it would take a few moments before they were able to find what, specifically, they were looking for.

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

Kurenai looked at @A'Runda with a raised eye brow not fully convinced that he was dully over the whole venomous worm attack. True she was rather dismissive of wounds and being injured, half the time ignoring the imideite effects, but unlike the Tusken she had years of experience to determine if such wounds were of importance and her regeneration often taking care of them within a few minutes. “As you wish but do not push yourself, also you called be by my first name... odd”.

A’Runda probably didn’t think much about it but in Atrisan and Jin culture one only referring to another by the first name if welll aquatinted friends. Though probably not the most welll known aspect of her, the more or less casual way he said her name without any prefex of rank or title did seem rather strange. Did the force sesative Tusken consider her a friend? Or was it simply the aspect of having very different cultural backgrounds. Putting it to the side she continued with the main group as the natural light of the sun waned from existence, herself concentrating on the force slightly to activate shadow vision to maintains sight.

No sooner had Madalena issued the next series of orders a small altercation came from behind as the strange new arrival berated the Tusken warrior as he conjured a light source for himself. “Such is right, we must maintain a decent level of stealth from now on, but your shouting does not make any better, not everyone has access to such suits or have the power to see in the dark, I’d advise you to lay off”. She replied to the unknown newcomer [[member="Brayden Antares"]] as she walked on ahead, side arm draw as the water sloshed around her combat boots.

[member="Scherezade deWinter"][member="Naedira Darcrath"][member="Kwelin Orlov"][member="Shalita Vi'dreya"]

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

The battle meld was a new sensation to Gerwald, and he naturally felt cautious. To this point there were only three people that had been permitted to enter his mind, and none of them had been strangers when he had allowed it. This was the first time that Gerwald had found himself allowing someone he did not know enter his mind, and do something. What, he did not exactly understand, but the wolf knew there was a degree of caution that needed to be displayed.

Her words in his mind calmed him though. She emanated a peace that he could not explain. The moments which passed could not be explained either. How it was possible for them to move and behave as if they were one without knowing each other had to have been the result of her intrusion into his mind. They thought the same things, or at least seemed to know what the other would do just before it was done.

As soon as it started, it ended.

Gerwald was left feeling as though he had been on a high and had to quickly recover. His mind pressed into the brunettes with a simple request.

"When this is over, you will need to explain what just happened."

He had done well, but Gerwald still did not understand the thing that had occured. The force was always showing him something new, and for the first time since leaving Stewjon, Gerwald began to wonder what existed beyond the Knights Obsidian, the Confederacy, and the Lupines themselves. He was curious, but this was not the time for his curiosity.

Others joined them as they continued. Another man ([member="Brayden Antares"]) with eyes exactly like Scherezade's had joined them. He sighed as his eyes moved off from the man. It seemed he could not escape the deWinter no matter how hard he tried. The matter would have to be resolved for himself at some point, but the Lupine was desperate to simply move on. His past decisions continued to haunt him when all that he desired was to move past it all. He knew the truth, one he desperately did not want to admit.

Madalena gave her orders. His eyes fell to [member="Shalita Vi'dreya"] and [member="Naedira Darcrath"]. They were already a group of three and would continue forward, covering the flank of the rest of the group.

---

@A'Runda | [member="Kyle Naktis"] | [member="Scherezade deWinter"] | [member="Kurenai Yumi"] | [member="Kwelin Orlov"]​

 

[Shalita Verd]

Upon the arrival of a new stranger, a roll of her eyes was given at the showmanship that the male displayed. Why people decided that grand entrances were a great idea, she had no idea. It would only draw attention to them if something was around to notice it, she surmised as the group moved on with the mission and a female of the group asked for her name. An introduction? Shalita wasn’t aware that introductions were needed in the group, but what did she expect, it wasn’t as if everyone knew who she was. The Shi’ido was gone for months at a time, usually on her own volition to avoid moments where people actually wanted to get to know her. It wasn’t as if she usually interacted with the Confederacy members. What changed? She didn’t quite know yet.

While the chance to introduce herself to the questioning woman hadn’t quite opened itself up yet, she moved on, all the while keeping Kurenai and A’Runda in front of her. She didn’t want someone else who wasn’t paying any attention, getting injured again. The lack of attention had been astounding to say in the least. When told to split up in groups and search for a lever in the dark, the female smiled within. Stealth was everything that she was about and while a bickering group decided that they would bicker amongst themselves and create even more attention to be drawn towards them, Shalita rolled her eyes as she glanced at her two companions. Well perhaps now was as good as any to introduce herself, not that it would really matter, as after this quest and potentially in a few months, she would be buried deep into a cover that it probably wouldn't matter. They would potentially forget that she would exist, much like her current family and move on. Such as was life for the agent.

“The name is Shalita, the shadow of the Vi’dreya family.” She said finally to the two companions, while ice blue eyes watched them for a moment before she moved through the door and into the abandoned tower. Obviously, a lever to the lake would have to be in view of the actual lake itself, or at least near it. That was what she surmised in any case. The keys to her proverbial chains had to be in the owner’s purview. If the lake was so important to get across wouldn't a lever be somewhere close by it? Or nearby where they could literally see the lake draining? The female paused just before she walked off. She was supposed to be working as a team and although working as a team was a relatively new concept, the art of trying wasn’t completely out of the realm of possibility.

Slowly, she turned back to the other two as she pursed her lips in a brief pause. “If you wanted to keep a lake from being drained, wouldn’t you want the lever somewhere close by? Or at the very least guarded by something which would act as a deterrent from someone even trying to drain it?” The female posed the question to the other two in their group. Although she was used to working alone, it wouldn’t hurt to use the resources at hand. Three minds would surely answer the question in a more collective manner, rather than just willy-nilly trying to find a lever, why not find a lever while thinking in the original owner’s shoes? It was how she managed to adopt personalities as if they were her own. By thinking like them if she had their background, although this one would be a little more difficult. However, if they were trying to hide some kind of stone and putting a lake in between the seeker and the stone was an idea of a deterrent, then why not put some kind of creature or evil being in between the seeker and the lever that drained the lake?

​

​

[member="Scherezade deWinter"] | [member="Naedira Darcrath"] | [member="Gerwald Lechner"] | [member="[/FONT][FONT='lucida sans unicode']A'Runda[/FONT][FONT='lucida sans unicode']"] | [member="Kwelin Orlov"] | [member="Kurenai Yumi"] | [member="Brayden Antares"]​

 

[Naedira Darcrath]

​

Location: Jagomir [Tower]​

Equipment: Obsidian Lightsaber,Comet OSM-10, Bilari Electro-Chain Whip, Obsidian Strike Armor​

Standing Beside Tags: [member="Gerwald Lechner"]​

Standing Beside Tags: [member="A'Runda"] | [member="Kurenai Yumi"] | [member="Kwelin Orlov"] | [member="Scherezade deWinter"] | [member="Shalita Vi'dreya"] | [member="Brayden Antares"]​

​

---

​

---

‘It’s not what you’re thinking. Not a bond. Your inner-thoughts, memories, are your own. It’s…It’s like a handshake. Someone helping you up. Elevating you in a bi-directional line of communication. Until you let go.’

Naedira had wrongly assumed that the Knights on this venture were well-versed in the ways of the Force. Perhaps mentalism or advanced spatial awareness simply wasn’t a known technique. Her partner for the day, [member="Gerwald Lechner"], seemed entirely apprehensive. As if she had taken a grapefruit spoon to his brain so that she could have a taste of everything who he was. No, that was cruel. It was something she would do to an enemy. Not a colleague.

His telepathic response eventually made a slight smile tick at the corner of pale-rose lips before it faded. He would feel her brush back, a quiet, and unobtrusive whisper. Some people liked to kick down the door to the minds of others. Naedira, unless she wished harm preferred to knock. ‘It’s easier to show than to explain. Later, certainly.’

“Good to have you, Knight Vi’Dreya.”

Her voice broke the silence, simply, but it would let the onyx-haired woman know that she had been heard. At least she would know what to call her. And a little more than that. The name Vi’Dreya was associated with the bloodline of the Vicelord. Clearly, she was too pale to be a direct relation, but there was definitely a connection. Naedira couldn’t help but file away the information for later.

It was what Knights did.

The tower came upon them faster than Naedira had expected. Madalena Antares led the way with the rest of them in tow. Much like the newcomer [[member="Brayden Antares"]] she would rely on her armor to see in the dark. Or, at least, to let her sensors do the hard work for her. She pulled up her hood and tugged it over her head in one, smooth, and practiced movement and expected that Knight Lechner would do the same. It took a moment for the tech to start up but when it did there might as well have been glow rods illuminating the area.

That is, until a fire lit. At first, she didn’t say anything. Naedira could mostly see around it but it seemed that others had a little bit of trouble with it. Rather than participate in the squabbling her no-nonsense nature took her deeper into the dank area, walking a few paces behind [member="Shalita Vi’dreya"], and a few ahead of [member="Gerwald Lechner"]. When her voice came it was soft. So quiet, not even the mice ought to be disturbed. “It depends... If it’s here we’ll find it.”

Was it in the Tower? Sure, why not. Easily found? Maybe? There were a lot of mitigating factors, however, the only thing they could really do at the moment was to look with everything they had.

Eventually, in their search, she felt her gaze pull toward a point on a nondescript south-eastern wall. It was a blank space, full of mold, and copious spider webs. Naedira broke from her group slightly. When she looked with more than her eyes, she could feel a ripple, and see a weft in which the wall wasn’t actually…Solid. She kicked a small rock forward on purpose and watched it pass through. Not a repulsion field. Interesting.

Stepping through the illusory barrier she found herself staring at a lever that seemed remarkably well maintained. It wasn’t nearly the rusting, corroded, warped hunk of metal that she had expected to see. At most, it was covered in a fair layer of dust. Perhaps that was also part of the plan. Why hide a lever to drain a lake if eventually it would decay and oxidize with the water in the air?

At least, she thought this was it.

Naedira stepped forward and pulled down as hard as she could. At first, it did nothing. Applying a little bit of Force to momentarily strengthen her muscles did the trick and she was able to shove it all the way down. There was a solid click before the sound of rushing water met her ears a moment later.If anyone was near a window, or an opening, they would also begin to see a difference at the water began to churn.

“…Found it.”

 

[A'Runda]

Location: Tower​

Wielding: Gaffi Stick, and Curved Hilt Lightsaber​

Post: 4​

​

​

After [member="Kurenai Yumi"] brought up that it was odd that he used her first name, A'Runda felt a little displeased with himself. It didn't mean to be culturally insensitive or anything. The Tusken just wasn't aware of her background and the customs that came with it. Especially coming from a background where there were no real last name. One could say his last name was the name of his clan, Making his full name "A'Runda Rok'urkus" But he never really considered that. Nonetheless he keep quite, not wanting to dig a deeper hole for himself if he was in one.

Also A'Runda hadn't noticed the newcomer, [member="Brayden Antares"] until he let his opinion be know that the Tusken shouldn't be making fires. With a someone perplexed expression under his wraps, A'Runda looked over at them, fire still in his palm. Feeling like the newcomer had just rained on his parade, or more appropriately, his fire. Then Kurenai spoke and he listened. Seeing their point A'Runda got rid of the small flame much like how one would wave off a lit match after lighting a cigarette. Stealth... such is the way when working with Pathfinders.

The Tusken then remembered an old trick he managed once during his lonely times on Tatooine when he went into a dark cave to avoid a sand storm. Closing his eyes he tried to regress back to that moment all those years ago. When he submitted to the Force in exchange for sight. Soon, despite having his eyes closed, A'Runda was able to see. He couldn't really see colors, but he could see shapes, and into the dark tower. Even after he opened his eyes his vision hadn't changed. All in all the fire wasn't needed, but he still thought it was worth a try.

Now ready, he moved himself into the very wet dark tower with the rest of the group. Sloshing though the over flown tower, A'Runda was reminded that he didn't like to much water. It was wet, cold, and it got every where. Well, it felt like it was everywhere expect for his home world. Despite following Kurenai some he was once again off to the side some, similarly to how he was before getting attacked. However, this time he wasn't trying to act as careless. Since he was sure that a giant rod of plasma was far brighter then a small fire, A'Runda had his gaffi stick out. Ready to wack away anything that threatened him. Something that caught his attention that he could see under the murky water was a narrow, metal looking star case that then down. He didn't know this place had a basement.

Before he approached it he heard the voice [member="Naedira Darcrath"] echo through the tower to him. Looking back he didn't say anything, so he turned his attention back to the stair case. He didn't know why but he had a bad feeling about it.

[member="Naedira Darcrath"]
[member="Shalita Vi'dreya"]
[member="Gerwald Lechner"]
[member="Kurenai Yumi"]
[member="Brayden Antares"]
[member="Scherezade deWinter"]

 

[Brayden Antares]

Equipment: Obsidian Strike Armor | Blood-red Sith Sword
Tags: [member="Scherezade deWinter"] | [member="Naedira Darcrath"] | [member="Gerwald Lechner"] | [member="Kurenai Yumi"] | [member="Kwelin Orlov"] | [member="Kyle Naktis"] | [member="A'runda"]


Brayden didn't pay any mind to the thoughts or input of others. Similarly, he hadn't yelled at anyone. The Sith Lord's concern was not so much one of stealth as the ability to make the best use of their resources. After all, the entire group had, apparently, already gotten into a situation on approach to the Tower. Further more, they were here to start draining an entire lake. In summary, stealth was likely a very minimal reality. The group of Knights were the foreign entities here. The creatures that lived on the world had done so for far longer, adapted to every aspect of the forest's natural rhythm. A rhythm that none of the present members of the Confederacy fit within.

Suddenly, Brayden stopped moving. Allowing his senses to continue expanding across the lake, groping and feeling for their objective, the Endelaan native was perfectly capable of detecting the void inside the lake; a cave. Tilting his head slightly, Brayden reverted to a normal view, pulling back that which had covered his facial features up to this point. Silver-green eyes burned bright as he pushed his feelings just a touch farther, attempting to use the natural ebb and flow of the Force to map at least the opening of the lake.

The further his senses expanded, the more confused Brayden became by what he was feeling. Tilting his head slightly, Brayden narrowed his eyes just as one of the other Knights announced having found the lever. By the time she'd managed to engage the lever and start the drain of the lake, Brayden made a simple statement. "The water." Brayden paused only long enough to turn and proceed towards the same door they'd used to enter the Tower. "It was holding back that which dwells inside our destination."

Stepping back into the wilderness, Brayden proceeded around the Tower. Standing now on the edge of the lake, his bright gaze watched with interest as the waters continued to recede. For the time being, he did not bother to draw his weapon. Instead, the Sith Lord waited patiently. There was little reason to rush head-long into an unknown situation. As he waited for the draining of the lake to finish, Brayden siphoned off the energy of nearby animals and plants to bolster his own vitality. For the time being, the invisible strands of the Force strengthened around him, storing merely as a contingency.


Silently, he communicated with his warriors on his vessel far above the clouds, instructing them to be prepared for assist should it become necessary.

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Wearing: Armor | Leather Pants | Honey Boo Prototype Combat Boots | The Forgemaster's Ring | Ring of Stasis
Wielding: 10 Czerka knives, Fire and Smoke (lightsabers), 4 Glitter Bullets
Tags: [member="A'Runda"] [member="Kurenai Yumi"] [member="Kwelin Orlov"] [member="Kyle Naktis"] [member="Naedira Darcrath"] [member="Gerwald Lechner"] [member="Shalita Vi'dreya"] [member="Brayden Antares"]

If Madalena had permitted herself to shake her head, she would have probably been dizzy by now. Instead she did the grown up and responsible thing and began to compile a list in her head of things that would have to be addressed, both in private and in smaller groups, after this mission was concluded. They'd been lucky so far, but the low level of certain individual's ability to work common sense and the overall lack of ability to work together as an actual group was going to put everyone here in danger the next time, or when they faced harsher things than big and ugly venomous worms. Berating anyone, however, would not help.

And through it all, while her eyes worked on seeing everything in pinks and purples thanks to her Night Vision spell, her senses insisted on thudding the location of two men within the group; her brother, and the beacon-man. Madalena sighed, shoving the sensation of both of them to the back of her mind. It would not do to be distracted, not when they were all in danger while being there. A deep breath, and her focus returned. Find the lever. Empty the lake. Get to the stupid cave.

The voice of executioner Darcrath announcing she'd found the lever brought a smile to Madalena's face. She took the few steps needed to get to the woman, and nodded. "Good job," she grinned,

The sounds of water splooshing outside was louder than she had expected it to be, but then again, Madalena had never actually witnessed the emptying of a lake. Not that she could remember, anyway.

"Everyone out, we can wait outside while the lake drains," she ordered, "no point in remaining here, and if there are any undead in here that we haven't stirred, better to leave them dormant anyway."

She thought she was out first, but her brother was already standing by the receding waters of the lake. She came to a stop besides him, looking at the dark waters lowering down as the lake emptied. The ground that was left behind looked like a bunch of mud, and she didn't particularly like thinking about the walk they were about to go through it. There was no way to remain stealthy for that part, and the cave, the top of which was already coming into view, was going to be a slippery mess. Those who had the Bone Marches or boots like hers would manage to do it without slipping, but some people had their own gear.

"It feels too easy," she said quietly to her brother, "like there's something we've missed that's about this make the mission a hell."

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

The entire group seemed to have gone dead silent after the last small exchange of words, each moving fowards slightly as their goal still lay in sight. As of now she just silently sat at the edge of the lake as the water vacated its confined, only the hushed noises from the jungle nearby alerting to any form of sound. The ground was wet and dam stoking to he legs while in the kneeled position but she did not mind, nothing a little water wouldn't wash off, bedsides it was hardly worth attention to the Knight.

Already they had been ambushed and caught off guar, the lack of proper team work and cooperation between members being apparent to herself as well as [member="Scherezade deWinter"]. The moment they had landed it seemed that everyone broke off into secluded pairs, not really taking notice of the others around them. It was reasons like this that Kurenai had to question the 'first amount equals' and method of deference, as it was entirely reliant on individual perception and not merit or rank. It made for, in her mind, a flimsy command structure which relied on people knowing each other well to work properly.

'Perhaps I should talk to people about myself more... maybe host a small get together, at this rate all missions are destined to be chaotic or wide up in failure". She brought a hand to chin her chin, contemplating this while awaiting the draining of the lake.

[member="Brayden Antares"]@A'Runda

 

[Brayden Antares]

Equipment: Obsidian Strike Armor | Blood-red Sith Sword
Tags: [member="Scherezade deWinter"] | [member="Naedira Darcrath"] | [member="Gerwald Lechner"] | [member="Kurenai Yumi"] | [member="A'runda"]


Brayden's vibrant gaze, though concealed, did not move from the lake. His attention was focused intently on the location of their objective. The strength of the Force gathering around him began to weave and bend slowly. Brayden's first master though a powerful Sith Lord by the time Brayden had encountered him, had been an Adept of the White Current. That is...before the man had been cast out by the females of the group. The man's bitterness towards those of his upbringing had been his undoing in the end.

In secret, Brayden had continued to study the white current during his spare time, foregoing portions of sleep in order to practice. Failure had become a common mistress in his life, consistently reminding him the strength of his bloodline would mean nothing if he did not work to develop raw potential. In the end of the day, the Force existed around everything. When Brayden had managed to abandon his anger and pain, he began to know success. Coupled with the thoughts and memories of his mother, a powerful Sorceress in her own right, Brayden had managed to adapt to the manipulation of the White Current.

Though Brayden had never been inducted into any Fallanassi society, his skill level eventually reached that of mastery in immersion. A status that enabled him to set upon his own master in the Sith Arts without the man noticing until it had been too late. For sure, the techniques of the Fallanassi were immensely successful in the realms of stealth.

"We did miss something," Brayden began in response to his not-sister. "The water was their prison. Now we have released them." It may have seemed cryptic, but it would certainly be easy for Madalena to tell if she allowed herself to see. In the next moment, Brayden's entire form immersed itself into the white current. Rendered invisible to any form of detection, sound and the Force included, the Sith Lord and his equipment had become a ghost beside Madalena. If there had been another Fallanassi in the group, they would have potentially been able to use the white current to sense his presence if they had been so trained.


The drawback, he could have no more an effect on the environment around him than the environment could him in that state. Like the ripples of the Force itself, Brayden drifted forward, content to observe and evaluate before hostilities were required.

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

Standing Beside Tags: [member="Naedira Darcrath"]
Standing Beside Tags: @A'Runda| [member="Kurenai Yumi"] | [member="Kwelin Orlov"] | [member="Scherezade deWinter"] | [member="Shalita Vi'dreya"] | [member="Brayden Antares"]

---

Everything had been too easy to this point, aside from the nest of creatures they had to kill, and even that seemed as though it had been allowed to happen. Gerwald sniffed the air hoping for some clue as to what was happening or what was really going on. He turned to the woman that he stood with as the lake drained, but there was nothing he could sense. There had been nothing in the air to tell him either.

"This is too easy, the man is right, but why can't I sense them or smell them?"

It was a question to her that he hoped she could bring an answer to. His training should have allowed him to do so. The sensation to be blocked out like this was odd, and perhaps it was his wild nature that was getting in the way, the duality of who he was. They were one in the same, the man and the beast.

"What are their number, and would it better if we remain while others go after the artifact.

 

[Scherezade deWinter]

Wearing: Armor | Leather Pants | Honey Boo Prototype Combat Boots | The Forgemaster's Ring | Ring of Stasis
Wielding: 10 Czerka knives, Fire and Smoke (lightsabers), 4 Glitter Bullets
Tags: [member="A'Runda"] [member="Kurenai Yumi"] [member="Kwelin Orlov"] [member="Naedira Darcrath"] [member="Gerwald Lechner"] [member="Shalita Vi'dreya"] [member="Brayden Antares"]

The water was their prison? Madalena resisted the urge to look at Brayden, her gaze set on the muddy territory before them instead. If the water was their prison, why were they not-

Damn. They were.

Out of the mud they began to rise. Not one, not a few, not even the number of worms that had ambushed them earlier. Instead, the entire Knights Obsidian group was suddenly faced with a hoard of undead, rising from beneath the mud, as though losing the weight of the water on top of them had brought them back to life and reminded them what they wanted – the living.

Madalena looked over the little group that was gathered by the lake. They were all Knights Obsidian, chosen for their roles because they were great or because they had the potential to be great. Every person there had training. Every person there exercised control over the Force to varying degrees. They could deal with a bunch of undead.

The first undead that finished climbing out looked at the group with his (her? its?) empty sockets, and opened its mouth. He screamed, and it sounded like nails coming down a blackboard. Madalena winced, and joining the scream came-

"WATCH OUT!" she screamed as she ducked sideways, grabbing whoever she could with her to roll out of the way of an incoming ice ball.