Weekend Treasure Hunt 2: Diamond in the Rough

[Arage Bao]

I ran, ran, ran like the wind and then jumped to the left, feet first to the wall dodging the source of hatred and despair that was trying to off me, immediately followed by a stumble and me rolling out of the fall into yet again a run of the ages. Didn’t look behind me, didn’t try to fight that thing, because it was probably way outside my pay grade. Or maybe it wasn’t, but I ain’t gonna try and find out.

Besides all these explosions and the raging mass of Force Ghosting was starting to get on my nerves, something bad was happening and I ain’t sure I want to be part of that particular party just yet.

Honestly, I wasn’t even sure where I was running towards, I didn’t have any fancy technology on me, just the Force trying to guide me into whichever way. Which… truth to be told wasn’t the best of plans, with all those Force Ghosts hoping around, I ain’t even sure if the Force could guide me to where I needed to be, then again sometimes you just shouldn’t question certain things and take ‘em like they get served.

Kinda like now, when I jumped into the hangar bay and promptly slammed the button next to the door, hoping it would close it against the Ghost running right behind me. Looking around there didn’t seem to be anyone here right now, so I quickly sped towards the Blackwing, bet you twenty bucks the Ghost Girl is gonna appear out of nowhere trying to scare me.

[member="November Sinclair"]

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

Something had been found, something old, ancient and as Balaya stood there in her full armor she was looking to the small child and men on the ship. A single alchemist ship that was sailing towards the thing. "Elara be careful here, there are dangerous things and I don't want you ruining my plans for you by getting killed." The girl gave a nod of her head and Balaya was moving gathering one of the unseelie and peeling a crystal from its skin for her own use. The darkside aura going away while there wasn't anything for it to feed on and use. "I'll see about what we can do." Then she was moving towards the airlock and raising a coat over her mane of fiery hair. Her saber talking and lips mouthing spells to conceal herself.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Darth Odium"] soon found himself the center of a ring of spirits, with others behind. This vessel had held hundreds...thousands. And if Exar Kun was any indication, sufficient power and sufficient time allowed spirits to do...things. As if they were alive again.

You seek to bind us with a novice grasp of arts we perfected aeons ago. What new tradition is this that you wield, infant? Tell us everything or be stripped of all you hold dear.

 

[Laith Varad*]

Location: Portside; Corridor leading to the airlocks

​

...the force user had caught up with him in a relatively short time, running beside him, causing Laith to turn his head briefly while the man spoke in the mandalorian language, he had a bit of an accent but it was still easy to understand him, this didn't mean that the Mercenary was going to just hand over the source in the lihgtsaber that Tracyn was talking about though. No not at all. While they ran, together at the moment it appeared, Laith would raise his assault rifle...

...he squeezed the trigger sending a burst of fire into the head and chest of one of the undead, splattering the wall and floor behind it with the ichors still contained in its body, causing it to fall motionless of the floor of the corridor. Legs continued to pump quickly, Laith was not slowing down just so that he could negotiate with this man however his voice rang out via his comms..."Look friend..."...he did his best to sound amicable at the moment..."...this is no time to barter. This whole ship feels like it's coming apart so fighting will only end up with us both dead."...solid reasoning there considering the explosions and the almost palpable aura that had started to descend over the area..."You find me later with something good to trade and I'll let you have what's inside this lightsaber but now isn't the time."...that said he just kept running...

...moving a lot quicker than he had when he entered the Cathedral Ship it wouldn't be long now before Laith had reached the airlock where his own Light Freighter was docked with the vessel. With no intentions of slowing down he just kept running ahead down the corridor with Tracyn beside him unless the man broke off...​

​

@Tracyn Seren

 

[Romeo]

Corridors en route to the Bridge.

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

[member="Morgaine deWinter"]

The surpise attack had left him abit roughed up, one of his pirates were dead. Bashed his brains out incase he would turn into one of those monsters, and two were wounded. They would not want to keep going in this hell hole, so he would send them back to the shuttle to protect it. The other three would still follow him, as he crossed a few rooms until his eyes caught onto someone. Looking down at her, she was one of his own members of the Dark Raven society...yet, she was here and taking a nap. He wasn't against her methods of smoking one out, but this was some serious shit going on. So it was either to leave her for the zombies or just help her out.....damn his gentlemen honor.

Approaching the girl, he would walk into the room curiously as to not get attacked. He really didn't want to have anymore problems, ordering the pirates to cover the entrance way. He would approach the girl and kneel down to her side, looking at the death stick. He would snatch it from her mouth and throw it to the side, as he attempted to pick her up bridal style. Like this wasn't going to take any longer, rushing out of the engine room with his crew in tow. He was still searching for the bridge, as it would seem that everyone else in this ship was indeed taking care of the enemies and the dark powers were causing him to feel fear of what is on the ship. What the hell could be going on with this crap, it didn't matter now. His goal was important, hopefully it would work and plus.....he had to deal with a knocked out women in his arms.

Hopefully she would wake up soon, as he whispered loudly to her.

"Wake up, this isn't the time to be sleeping on a ship filled with monsters."

 

[Darth Odium]

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

Odium was strong and his grasp of the arts of binding had grown exponentially since his dark walk had begun but he was not so foolish to think he could overcome them all by force of will alone. No even his broken mind was not so blind as to see anything but death from this.

However, the urge to consume the myriad essences was strong but their words their knowledge of the art he now sought to be master of was a temptation that even his hunger could not overpower.

<<I follow the path of knowledge and power. They call me a Sith but they know nothing of what I am or what I plan to become.>> Odium said through the force, << My hunger drives me to consume the essence of lives, but that is the weakness not the goal. They call my Masters One Sith, but I am Odium and my plans are only begining.>>

Odium put the crystal back in his satchel and watched as the mass of manifested spirits bore holes in him with hate filled gazes. He listened to the deadly silence and heard the click as the doors around the giant chamber locked.

 

[Alan]

Location: Deep inner core of ship


Tracyn was about to offer a retort to the Mandalorian's comment, and was about to offer something, before he was yanked back violently. He stopped for a moment, the lightsaber fading back into it's casing before he was pulled back into the darkness. The Mandalorian was not a force sensitive, so he may not have even seen the black entity that took tracyn deep into the bowels of the ancient ship.

Tracyn was slammed on walls, and dragged on the ground before being released into an open area. Spirits swirled around him. The undead took little interest in him- he projected a deathly aura to them anyway. He was too much of a hassle for a kill. He looked around, before he found himself face to face with the entity.

"I desire a host body, Jedi." It sounded as if there were twenty of them talking at once through this single entity. Tracyn responded cooly."You shall
not have one."The spirits gritted in their minds, revolted by the Jedi's tenacity and his willingness to survive."You will die so much faster if you submit." It said again, moving closer to Tracyn.


"If." He replied, activating his lightsaber, and stabbing deep into the entity's chest. It wriggled and screamed and cursed at Tracyn, fading in a swirl of dark side energy as it descended into Chaos. Tracyn lit the darkness of the room with his green blade, twirling it around for a moment.


"I am Tracyn Seren, a Knight of the Republic. None of you shall take me." And so, the spirits started to swirl towards him.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Darth Odium"]

"Sith. The word means nothing to us. But we respect those who seek to transcend the outdated traditions of others, as we once did. Cease altering his amulet's bond, brother."

"There is a soul here of some power. Greater power than this Odium."

"But not greater than us. Well, Odium who is not a Sith. Tell us of the other bond you carry."

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

Moving towards Medical bay

Balaya was focused and as the airlock opened she could sense it. The undead of the sith as her eyes flicked around with her saber activating. The Dark'chyld humming and a snap hiss before the rainbow blade shifted colors. She was moving a tower of armor and muscle through them at a weak run to crush and slice. Her own chanting for concealment stopping while she sought whatever was causing this. To invoke the spirit and see who was around. Either a powerful sith lord or ghost were here to make these... She wasn't sure even Va'rysses meager lessons would empower her enough. She was wading as the cloak remained up to keep her hair in and her dtapad chirped keeping track of her directions. She wasn't going to get lost in a ship like this but wanted to find somewhere to look for a map.

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

 

[Darth Odium]

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

Odium blinked as he put together the events like a jigsaw puzzle in his mind.

<<A powerful Force wielder, Rach...no Rasho.>> Odium said to the beings, <<I drained him of life then bound him to the necklace to preserve him. My plans went astray slightly his death was unfortunate but necessary. The other life is my first bound spirit a Jedi of little power.>>

Odium put his hand on the necklace and could feel it noq like ice to the touch and tingling with electric like energy. The spirits were active.

 

[The End Narrator]

November jutted left and then right, hit a wall as she slid into it. She groaned as the wound around her shoulder and neck began to bleed slightly. The bandage must have been coming off..

"Damnit"

She could see the entrance to [member="Michael Sardun"]'s vessel, almost there! She sprinted faster, her vision suddenly going blurry. She felt nauseated as she approached the hatch to his vessel and quickly dove in.

"COME ON!!!!!!" She yelled through the comlink.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Darth Odium"]

"No, infant...the other bond. The distant one, the active one, the bond that pertains to you, not your possessions."

 

[Laith Varad*]

Location: Airlock/Light Freighter

​

...in a split second Laith was alone. One moment Tracyn had been running beside him and the next the man seems to have disappeared, jerked backwards violently until he faded into the darkness, leaving Laith to continue moving towards his ship. The Mandalorian had no inclination of the force meaning he saw nothing, felt nothing besides the dread aura of death descendant throughout the vessel, and so he had no reason to explore further like one aligned with the Jedi or Sith might have...

...up ahead was the corridor leading into the airlock where his vessel was docked but more undead had gathered to block the way, a horde of them, causing Laith to lift his Assault Rifle and take aim. Using the crevice of his shoulder to support the butt of the rifle Laith would squeeze the trigger. Bursts of gunfire erupted from the barrel of the assault rifle, chewing through the undead in the process, as the Mercenary waded towards the horde. Of the undead many dropped almost instantly, their ichors splattered everywhere while others continued their approach and then silence. As Laith squeezed the trigger of the assault rifle one more time he would hear the telltale sound of -clicking...

...the sound was an indication that Laith had run out of ammunition causing him to frown beneath his helm before lifting the assault rifle and sliding it back over his shoulder. Lifting his right arm afterwards he'd pass it back over his left shoulder, his fingers wrapping around the hilt of his vibrosword, before he drew his blade up and over his head at the ready before coming in to meet the undead onslaught...

...the undead didn't use anything but the most rudiment of tactics and activating his vibrosword a familiar hum would fill the area around Laith who began to hack his way through the dark side denizens. The Vibrosword came in like a butchers cleaver, ripping through the husk bodies, and sending dark ichor in all directions as the Mandalorain pushed his way through the undead. He caught one of the undead in the ribs, not a fatal blow, before ripping the vibrosword upwards and cutting it in half. Another of the undead was rendered incapacitated, or almost so when its leg was taken off. One more after that was actually decapitated leaving its headless body to fall, motionless, on to the floor of the corridor...

...and finally when Laith regained his focus, his Beskar'gam covered in the black ichor of the undead, he'd have discovered he'd waded into the room. Not all the undead were motionless but straight arming the nearest one to him and throwing it back against a wall Laith would have leapt through the airlock and into the Light Freighter aided by the repulsor lifts that his armor had been modified with. He was on the home stretch but not finished yet...

..."Detach!"...was shouted over his comms before the airlock began to close, the astrometric droid beeping in his ear, before the Light Freighter began to break away from the docking clamps where it could then makes its way further from the Cathedral Ship. Inside Laith could finally take a minute to enjoy his prizes...​

​

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

 

[Alan]

Tracyn landed, his green blade among a storm of red blades. He fought like a hurricane, and if anyone saw him, it was like watching a green cylinder become a flat line of dismemberment and death. Slicing forward, he engaged the spirits in combat. They came at him, trying to weaken him with their dark side nature. Some of them, were more vicious than others. They took on forms.


Cazer. Raiden. Asha. Cassus. Syn. Iella. Kiskla. Dragonsflame. But he knew they were illusions, and he emptied himself of emotional attachment. Such things were dangerous, especially here. Cazer taught him off of moving meditation, of the way to meditate while in the middle of something. He said to stand in the center of the hurricane, and feel it around it you, and see it, see it all. But do not let it touch you. He brought his blade onto a spirit's red blade, and then elbowed the entity. It stumbled back, before he swiped his green blade across its cloak. Spirits. That's what they were- and that's what they did not wanted to be. They wanted him. His power. His soul. His body. His mind.

And they would not take it. He fought, empowering himself with the force. Suddenly, they ceased. And scurried away. But he knew that it was not because he was fighting them off and sending them to Chaos, but because something much more appealing came to them- or...


He sensed a more powerful presence nearby.

 

[Darth Odium]

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

The bonds yes the mark. Odium pulled off his cloak and bone riddled breast plate then sheathed his sword. His lifted his grey tunic to show the twisting vine like black tattoos that had grown from thin lines to tangled vines enwraping his torso.

<<The dark mark binds us to the Dark Lord of the One Sith and mine also bind me to my master the Dark Oracle and Eye of the Dark Lord. The bond can give great power of the combined Darklings but it also makes it hard to hide ones actions unless great distance is between the lords and the bearer of the mark.>> Odium replied knowing his life was tied up in his answer, <<The mark grows as the power of the bearer grows and in time the Mark can be spread. I can spread this mark now.>>

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="November Sinclair"] [member="Ashin Varanin"]

She ran past me and pretended I wasn’t here whatsoever, instead just shouting randomly in her transmitter that she was there and that I should be here too… what the feth? Probably the Ghosts mingling with her mind, didn’t matter know though, only thing that mattered was to run the feth away from this place and never look back. Which seemed to become more and more of a good idea, especially as screams and high pitched whines started to cascade through the hangar bay.

I looked back and saw my old friend slide towards me, I started to turn back because let’s be honest here. I ain’t tackling that and still get out alive, when I was hit in the side by some durasteel container, bones broke as I crashed into the ship.

Feth, that thing was strong and getting closer, I cringed and forced myself through the agony. This ain’t the time to be a wuss, I thought to myself, and climbed into the cockpit. Again something slammed into the fighter, the thing was angry, but it ain’t getting me today.

Fighter engaged and started to fly out of the hangarbay, towards freedom.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Darth Odium"]

"Ahhhh..."

For a long minute, there was silence, the spirits either pondering or conferring.

"Would you say you function as a...conduit?"

 

[Darth Odium]

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

Odium thought about this for a moment but the answer was already well know to him.

<<Yes, the closer to them the more of a conduit I become.>>

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

Moving towards Medical bay

The feelings all around her had Balaya wading into more of them, pushing with the force to send ones down as hall while she continued chanting, continued pushing to try and find what was causing this. Her datapad marking her path but it wasn't the problem yet, she preferred this fight when a door opened and she slipped inside. Ducking and closing it. THe room was like anyother, dark with the chill of a tomb but it was quiet and she was moving towards the center. Setting her blade back on her hip while standing still and pushing the darkside out as she immersed herself in it. She was channeling more darkside energies while searching ignoring most of the room around her. "Come to me." The spell was better if you knew a name but she didn't have that just the feeling of the darkside around her. [member="Ashin Varanin"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Darth Odium"]

"Then you will serve as the lowest rung on our ladder to freedom. Endure if you may, learn what you can. Your life is spared."

Spirits began to attempt to pour into Odium, dozens upon dozens of them, disdaining his power at binding. Their goal was to siphon through him, use the bond's power to get away from their link with the ship, and swarm [member="Darth Isolda"] wherever she might be. Not to take over her body, but to use her as a springboard -- to spread out across the universe, or at least bind themselves to her location, wherever it might be at that very moment. Spirits largely immune to control, bitter and curious in equal measure. Spirits older than the Dark Lords of the Sith.