What Secrets Do You Hide?

[Natasi Fortan]

Where was the rain when one needed it?

Decima pulled herself to her feet and looked down at herself. It was as if she had been born to the mud, and in the mud she would die. Or only wish that she had. She wiped her eyes and then walked over to [member="Enyo Typhos"] and [member="Isla Ashen"], crouching down next to the ginger Ren. "All right?" she asked after spitting out a mouthful of mud. She waited to see if Isla needed a hand, and when everyone was upright and ambulatory again, she stayed close.

"I bet there are more of those things out there," she said quietly. "There's never just one of anything, is there? I mean, biologically speaking, or how would it mate?" She didn't quite like the idea of these critters mating; it sent a shiver through her. "Best not to think on it," she amended with a sidelong grin at Isla.

[member="Darth Veles"] | [member="Kriel Firin"]

 

[Isla Ashen]

Once the breath had found her lungs again, Isla sat up slowly, blinking away the stars in her eyes. Her saber had fallen from her grasp during her flight, and she was feeling thankful for having added the pressure grip – the hilt was lifeless now upon the ground. Isla looked up to the battle scene still raging on, and she saw Decima drop out of the way of the wampa’s claws... and into the mud. Isla’s palm shot out in the direction of her saber hilt, and it sprang to into her grip once more. But before she could re-join the fray, the beast turned tail and headed back into the jungle. It was favoring the arm that Decima had nearly separated from its body. Isla gritted her teeth, she did not want to leave the fight unfinished, and she had been looking forward to a wampa hide trophy to hang in her room.

The beast was gone now, Isla let her rage met away, and she looked up to see Enyo standing above. Green eyes blinked up at the brunette, and she wiped her hand of the side of her trousers before accepting the hand offered to her. “Thank you – I’m fine.” She said with a respectful nod to both Enyo and Decima. She rubbed her ribs for a moment; they were sore but did not feel broken. However, she knew that she would feel the bruising tomorrow, and it would not be fun. Isla admired Enyo’s quick thinking during their fight; it certainly seemed that she had seen battle before, she was very skilled. Her gaze then shifted to Kriel Firin, he had remained still, and she observed that his saber had not even left his belt.

“Don’t worry,” She started with a smile, “I’m covered in mud too.”

Isla turned to reveal that the back of her body, and her hair was covered. She had been impressed by Decima’s bravery and fighting skill as well. And she had appreciated the fact that Decima had attempted to warn her, even though she said nothing, she would not forget. She cracked a grin at Decima's remarks about the wampa. Now that was something she did not want to think about.

[member="Darth Veles"], [member="Enyo Typhos"], [member="Decima Fortan"], [member="Kriel Firin"]

 

[Caid Centurion]

A dark hand braced against the side of the nondescript shuttle even as the engines were still winding down. Caid's approach to the planet had been anything but smooth. Given the widespread electrical storms that covered the planet of Dromund Vatsu and the associated high winds, Caid had felt like he was riding a vomit comet all the way down to the surface. It took every ounce of his physical control not to hurl on the control panel.

Hoping that stepping onto stable ground would help, Caid quickly realized that was not exactly the case when he nearly fell down the loading ramp trying to walk on unsteady legs. To be honest...it was rather embarrassing for someone that had lived part of their life as a pirate and then a naval commander. He was certainly used to flying but...the experience he'd just had was more like jumping off a cliff, blindfolded, in the middle of a category five hurricane.

After several minutes, Caid's stomach began to settle as his breathing stabilized. Pushing off the warm hull of the spacecraft slightly, Caid stood to his full height. Dromund Vatsu was very warm, to be expected from the jungles of nearly any planet. However, the air was pleasantly dry. At least I won't have to choke down for more oxygen.

In the area upon which he'd landed, the rain had seemed to subside. At one point during the tumultuous descent, he'd managed to pick up a collection of lifeforms clustered on his scanner. There wasn't really time to evaluate further, so he pretty much just prayed he was zeroing in on the group of Ren he'd been informed of rather than a bunch of ravenous carnivores that wanted to rip his limbs off. That would have been an intriguing report to return to the Grand Master whom hated Caid but tolerated him because of his assistance in somewhat recent operation. At least, that was the sense Caid got from the rather dismissive communique. No doubt thanks to his father's short stint and subsequent abandonment of the Order of Ren in its earliest of days. Still, Caid had gotten a response, so maybe there was reason to be thankful. That reality only strengthened the young man's hatred for his elder.

After securing his vessel, Caid stepped off towards the edge of the clearing and into the thick vegetation of the jungle. In less than ten feet, the lower parts of his khaki pants were practically caked in mud. Sweat formed steadily along the dark-skinned Ren's forehead, but it had yet to seep through on his short-sleeve gray t-shirt. Having adopted the name of Ciardha Ren in a desire to bring honor and purpose to the name once utilized by his father, Caid had traveled to Dromund Vatsu at the casual mention of the Grand Master in order to seek out the most active, current nucleus of followers.

Thoughts of his past as a pirate and with the Republic drifted briefly through his mind. Caid had departed the life of both following extreme dissatisfaction and inability to really mesh with the ideals of either life. To him, the galaxy needed a more clearly defined purpose, order, and precision. In his journeys among the stars, word had touched his ears of the First Order. Following a couple months of research, Caid had come to realize that he was not the first Centurion to be drawn to their banner. He would, however, be the one to see that dedication through to whatever end awaited him.

Sounds of the jungle drifted in and out of Caid's ears, but it was the steadily increasing vibration of the ground that gave him pause. Expanding his senses, the young Neophyte reached out to get a clearer sense of his expanded surroundings. He could practically feel the heat of the still-stampeding-wampa's breath before the rapid shuffling of foliage ahead gave a visual indication of the beast's impending approach. Diving underneath the water, Caid held his breath as he relied on the Force to time two powerful strokes beneath the surface.

From years of living on Dathomir and, inevitably, interacting with Rancors be it either for training or tests of strength within the clan he had been born into, Caid had learned at least a couple helpful things. The most important...don't mess with it if you don't have to. Silver-green eyes watched from the watery confines as a large leg stamped into the swamp in front of him. Immediately, Caid coiled his body into a ball just in time to avoid his legs from being trampled by the retreating wampa's next step.

When the creature's footsteps no longer shook the earth, Caid slowly raised his head from the water enough for his eyes to scan the area. Confirming what the Force whispered to him, he stood back to his full height and initiated a light jog in the direction of the other presence's he'd briefly sensed when making attempts to counter the wampa's approach.

At least one of them, seemed all too familiar.

[member="Darth Veles"] | [member="Enyo Typhos"] | [member="Decima Fortan"] | [member="Kriel Firin"] | [member="Isla Ashen"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

"But you wear it so much better," Decima returned with a chuckle. She would have much preferred to go back-down into the mud, but life was a series of disappointments. She fell into step beside [member="Isla Ashen"] and followed [member="Darth Veles"] deeper into the jungle. If they were lucky, they'd come to a clearing and the rain would wash them clean. Well -- cleaner than this, at any rate. The young Fortan stripped off her outer layer, using the fabric to wipe the mud off her face and neck and leaving only a cropped tank top on her torso, for modesty.

She took a swig from her canteen and swished the tepid liquid around her mouth before spitting it out, with a healthy portion of mud made from dirt and Force knew what else. The young woman continued n in silence, motivated less by the thoughts of getting a leg-up on her fellow acolytes than by getting under a hot shower. She was uneasy, now, for surely the next test would be even more of a challenge.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

"You're talking about who looks more fashionable in mud?" Enyo asked aloud after [member="Decima Fortan"] had spoken, looking and sounding rather perplexed at this peculiar form of banter. The young clone had been very, very isolated. You see, growing up in a sterile laboratory with only emotionless HRDs to keep you company meant you were absurdly sheltered. The droids did not understand the meaning of the word irony. They'd also shielded their charge from potentially harmful holonet sites by erecting the Great Firewall. There also had been no sex-ed, but that's another matter entirely.


"Oh, right, it was a joke. I get it." She sounded just a bit embarrassed. The clone politely looked away when Decima stripped off slightly. After all, Enyo had manners, unlike her older sister. She glanced over briefly to [member="Isla Ashen"], but the flame-haired Ren seemed alright, beyond presumably being sore. So she fell into step alongside the other Ren, following [member="Darth Veles"] deeper into the vastness of the jungle.


The birds had long stopped chirping, the plants were corrupted and sickly and the Dark Side's siren call grew ever louder. The air itself seemed foul to her. Though she tried to clamp down on it, her sense of unease grew. So she kept a firm grip on her gun, her ears peeled and her senses alert, as much as this was possible with the omnipresent darkness clouding so much. The roar of thunder grew ever louder, lightning slashed down from the heavens.

 

[Caid Centurion]

((OOC: Just catching up to the group real quick))

Caid negotiated the maze of vegetation and much smaller wildlife that existed between him and the rest of the members of Ren without much issue. By the time he drew close enough to the group to make out figures through the dense brush of the jungle. Overhead, the young Centurion could hear the steady fall of rain that undoubtedly would not pentrate all the way to the jungle floor, not in this particular section. It really was extremely fortunate that Dromund Vatsu didn't happen to be an overly humid world. The thick triple canopy blocked out what little sun managed to make it past the thick cloud layer and powerful electrical storms, but it did nothing to limit the effect of high heat radiating down into the clouds above.

"Oh, right, it was a joke. I get it."

They were the only words that Caid was able to clearly make out as he casually slipped around the stem of a particularly large plant just at the edge of a thicker-than-usual section of vegetation. Once he'd finished ducking under overgrown leaves, Caid stood to his full height and allowed his silver-green gaze to drift over those assembled for several moments. Once he'd finished his own internal evaluation of everyone, Caid stepped forward but remained silent. It was partially out of respect for the already established concentration, but it had more to do with him not being particularly social when not necessary.

[member="Decima Fortan"] | [member="Isla Ashen"] | [member="Enyo Typhos"]| [member="Kriel Firin"] | [member="Darth Veles"]

 

[Darth Veles]

The corners of Darth Veles’ mouth curled into a smile when the outpost’s shape finally emerged from the endless sea of vegetation, more than welcome to put an end to the jungle. A truly blessed sight for sore eyes, the only speck of civilization in this forgotten region, protected from the dangers of the wilderness by high walls erected around its perimeter. Pausing, Veles noted another has joined the party, but paid little attention to it; stopping in his track, the Sith gazed off, spying on the outpost’s crew. Wielding the old E-11s and shrouded in black armour, these men strongly resembled Sidious’ shadow stromtroopers, perhaps a bit too much. Surprising, given Vyrassu’s fondness of the old Sith Empire and Dromund Kaas. Veles did not dare to predict how many soldiers were stationed there, standing between him and the dark secret hidden within. Carefully considering their next steps, the amphibious Sith eyed his companions, calculating their chances of survival. A direct assault was always an option, though more elegant solutions rested in the Mon Cal’s head.

“Stay close and do not speak a word.”

Focus and concentration were essential. He had to connect to the dark energies running through the jungle, call upon the Dark Side and feast on its power, let it course through his veins.

Taking control of light and sound, the amphibious Sith Lord slowly started to blend in with the green jungle and another figure took his place. For as long as it took, Veles assumed the role of Darth Vyrassu, wearing the god-emperor’s devilishly red appearance and speaking in his voice – both of which the amphibious Darth knew, having met the ‘deity’ in person. The infamous rambling of the man calling for the heads of all Republic personnel was also hard to forget.

One of the sentries gasped upon spotting the emperor himself gracing them with his visit. Before Vyrassu marched up to the entrance, the entire garrison has already gathered, dozens of men in dark armour standing at attention. Nobody dared to look at Vyrassu’s image directly, none questioned the immortal god’s presence. Their object of worship turned his head to the left and right, only then his gaze finally fell down upon a kneeling officer, a personification of loyalty and obedience taken to extremes. Very admirable, something that would undoubtedly be punished by charges of treason and never-ending torture once Vyrassu and his lackeys found out. Whatever fate awaited the men, it would be too cruel of a sentence for failure.

“Soldiers.”

Despite all of his ruthlessness, the amphibian was not without mercy.

“Forgive me.”

Following the regretful apology with a simple gesture of his webbed hand, the Sith Lord tore down the false identity he wore, his power focused solely on the helpless soldiers, denying them any chance of reaction to the sudden shift. All of them levitated above the ground, feet helplessly kicking empty air, hands clutching at their throats. Shock mixed with terror danced in the air, the terrifying realization of impending death radiating off their bodies sickened Veles to his core. Clenching his fist, the Sith snapped their necks and allowed the lifeless husks peacefully land on the ground.

With the path open and free to traverse, Veles' eyes found a gloomy entrance carved into the rock wall with a set of stone steps leading down into the unknown. Stepping through the corpses, Darth Veles confidently marched inside.


[member="Caid Centurion"] [member="Enyo Typhos"] [member="Decima Fortan"] [member="Isla Ashen"] [member="Kriel Firin"]

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel remained impassive. It was something he was rather good at - and let's face it, he had a lot of practise.

He took it all in. The brave ones. The Sith Lord that noted his lack of interaction with the creature. Clearly Kriel had been marked as a result, but it was not possible to tell what the Sith thought of him. A coward? A bystander? Time would tell.

And he shrugged off the sarcasm too. In many ways the Knights were closer to Jedi than to Sith. It was strange but true. Sith cared about themselves above all others, climbing the ranks to step on others on their way up. At least the ones Kriel read about and met fitted that bill. The Jedi, on the other hand, served. Typically. The Knights served the First Order. They did not seek personal glory per se. They carried out the will of the leadership of the Order and were never conflicted in their goals.

Kriel was merely weighing up who was a Knight of Ren, who was worthy - in his opinion - of the title. Who served and who sought to lead at all costs. This was not survival of the fittest, but an opportunity to see who deserved Kriel's respect and who did not. An ally is an ally - but you didn't have to like them. And you certainly didn't have to respect them.

So he held his tongue and followed the group into the jungle. Sooner or later he would break his silence. When it was necessary. Which, he decided, was not quite yet.

[member="Darth Veles"] [member="Caid Centurion"] [member="Enyo Typhos"] [member="Decima Fortan"] [member="Isla Ashen"]

 

[Isla Ashen]

Isla chuckled too; mud was probably the only thing she would ever be able to wear better than Decima. Unlike her companion, Isla did not bother to remove her muddied cloak or wipe herself off. A little mud never hurt anyone. She blinked a couple of times when Enyo spoke to them, seemingly confused about their jesting – but realization hit a moment later. Isla merely smiled to the brunette, before turning her gaze forward again. Her feet had only found a few steps forward, when there was a rustling in the jungle brush. She turned to see that [member="Caid Centurion"] had come to join them. Isla had met him on Hoth, but though there was an inkling of familiarity, she only offered a polite nod in greeting.

She continued after Darth Veles, until it seemed that the jungle began to grow thinner. There was an outline of the outpost ahead of them; it was nice to see something other than the vines and leaves. Isla let her emerald eyes take in the scene waiting for them; it was complete with towering walls and armed men.

Isla listened to the instructions that Darth Veles provided, and she did as she was told.

Her attention was focused on the Sith Lord, watching intently. It was as though his form began to meld with the jungle backdrop for a moment, and suddenly he stood before them as a new man. Isla had never seen anything like it, there was question that Veles was skilled. Before she knew it, there were dozens gathered around him. Simple words were spoken, and then she watched as the illusion faded.

As the bodies of the soldiers rose into the air, Isla watched with wonder. It wasn’t long before there was death in the air, and she mused that their bodies looked a bit like rag dolls. As Veles’ gaze shifted, Isla’s followed, spotting the dark entrance carved into the rock. Isla began to tread lightly through the dead, the hem of her cloak occasionally sliding over the bodies on the ground.

[member="Darth Veles"], [member="Enyo Typhos"], [member="Decima Fortan"], [member="Kriel Firin"]

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid caught the emerald gaze and associated nod of [member="Isla Ashen"], returning the gesture in kind. Casually, he maintained a pace that was not disruptive but placed him in a position to observe where they were going and what was happening. As something of a last minute addition to this expedition, Caid had precious little information about the intended purpose of their visit to Dromund Vatsu.

Silver-green eyes darted around Caid's surroundings as the group progressed into a thinner area of vegetation. When his eyes fell on the outpost ahead of them, Caid connected the lingering dots of their purpose here. He'd been given...maybe half the picture prior to departing Dosuun at the command of the Grand Master via the Council of Seneschal.

"Stay close and do not speak a word."

Caid's attention was immediately pulled in the direction of [member="Darth Veles"] just in time for the Neophyte to see the Mon Calamari camouflage into the background before appearing anew as another individual entirely. Arching a curious eyebrow, Caid watched with a mixture of intrigue and disbelief. He'd heard of talents like these, of course, but he'd only known them to be employed by very skilled individuals. He'd not previously been aware that Veles was one of those people. The information, however, was certainly filed away for another time.

The subsequent raising and abrupt killing of soldiers in the area did nothing to sate Caid's curiosity. If he'd tried to levitate that many people at once, he'd be sweating bullets and probably passed out near to exhaustion on the ground. As Isla and the others prepared to follow Darth Veles, Caid followed suit.

[member="Enyo Typhos"] | [member="Decima Fortan"] | [member="Kriel Firin"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

As awed by the display as anyone else -- Decima watched from beside [member="Isla Ashen"], her jaw dropping. "By the Force," she whispered under her breath. And before she knew it, it was all over; the soldiers were dead, laying in their mortal bodies but quite gone. Decima wondered idly as she stepped across the bodies of these masked soldiers -- did they have families? Were they good men, in the wrong place at the wrong time? Did they deserve what had been done to them? Or was it the case that good and evil were entirely social constructs -- that the only thing that existed was power and people who took it, or didn't? Golly, she thought, stopping short for a moment. Is the heat getting to you, or are you waxing poetic for a reason?

She darted along, following [member="Darth Veles"] obediently, but occasionally glancing at the redheaded Ren. She didn't want to speak and risk the wrath of Veles, if he meant their silence to continue indefinitely. She was hard to read, this Isla. She was dying to get her reaction to what they had just witnessed. There was something about absorbing new information with someone that gave Decima a little more context; she normally found it helpful. But it would have to keep for now...

[member="Kriel Firin"] | [member="Enyo Typhos"] | [member="Caid Centurion"]

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Caid Centurion"], [member="Kriel Firin"], [member="Decima Fortan"], [member="Darth Veles"], [member="Isla Ashen"]


Thusly, the amphibian Sith Lord seemed to blend into the jungle, before morphing into an entirely different being. For he bore the features of the pompous, deluded 'god-emperor' who'd been this planet's tin-pot dictator. The same devilish red appearance, glint of madness in his eyes and, presumably, his voice. Enyo had never seen anything like this before in practice, but though she was inexperienced, this gift was not unknown to her.


The reason was simple, one of the allies of the evil witch Siobhan was Coryth Elaris, a powerful illusionist...and the 'sister' of Phaedra. As Siobhan was Enyo's nemesis, Coryth was Phaedra's. One was a battering ram, the other used her illusions to warp reality. So she looked impressed by the display, but not awed.


She fell in line when the Ren approached the garrison, forming an escort for the 'God-Emperor'. Soon dozens of soldiers were gathered around them, all standing at attention and ready to make obeisance to their overlord. Their auras reeked of fear, terror, awe, reverence and submission. One officer knelt before his faux liege. He wore devotion like a cloak. It was such a grotesque personality cult. A pity his dedication was so misplaced.


Then they all died. They were levitated into the air before falling back to the ground like ragdolls when the Sith Lord, now revealed as his true self, put them out of their misery by crushing their throats. Presumably her sister, a telekinetic savant, would have approved. Enyo soaked up their shock and terror like a sponge. It felt invigorating. Her eyes darted towards Isla and Decima but no words left her lips, then she followed Veles towards the dark, gloomy entrance carved into the rock wall, stepping over corpses along the way.

 

[Darth Veles]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9VMfdG873E​

​

The old staircase descended into the very depths of Dromund Vatsu, lined by torches that burned with ethereal green flame and provided a dreary illumination to the surrounding walls, casting shadowy figures all around the slowly pacing expedition. Signs of decay could be seen everywhere, from the moist walls to the crumbling stones they treaded upon. Soft voices of people long dead spoke in disembodies whispers, their words garbled and making no sense. Worst of all, the frowsty air carried the deathly stench of Dark Side rituals, confirming the Sith’s suspicions. Everything about this place screamed wrong, unnatural, twisted and corrupt. Veles kept his hands close to the lightsabers furiously dangling on his belt, ready to draw the moment necessary. From somewhere even deeper, sounds of running water could be heard. So far no clue about this place’s creators or purpose, but both answers awaited the group at the very bottom of this dark pit. A soft gasp of anticipation escaped the Mon Cal’s lips once the last few steps entered the enhanced sight of his cybernetic eye.

A hardly noticeable draught washed over them, yet the temperature had dropped drastically as the downwards tunnel opened into a large chamber. Dominated by a sturdy statue of Darth Vyrassu in the middle, the hall looked just like those from the ancient Sith temples found on Korriban, exhibiting strong signs of ancient Sith architecture. Needless to say, the Sith Lord had to temper his excitement when his eyes darted from one wall covered in text to another, and so his gaze slowly shifted down, childish joy replaced by caution. Humanoid bones littered the marble ground, their even arrangement strongly pointed towards sacrifices to the sculpted Sith pureblood. Cultists! Religious fanatics worshipping their god in a foolish attempt to earn a tiny fracture of his power.

Veles’ bare feet flopped over the floor and carried the Sith to the statue in confident strides, if somewhat ruined by the limp. Taking a moment to evaluate the sculpture, particularly two items it held in its large hands, Avreet found it most surprising that the centuries have been surprisingly kind to this piece of art, a stark contrast with the damaged surrounds. Sith magic, alchemy? Truly, the menacing depiction of Vyrassu felt to have been bathed in the Dark Side itself… or blood. Intimately familiar with Force procedures of enchanting items, shivers ran down his spine at the mental image of how much crimson liquid had to have been be used for the statue to be fully submerged.

Easily identifying the weapon Vyrassu held as a lightsaber, Veles diverted his attention back to the other hand, extended and offering a strange object shaped like the famed and immensely rare holocrons. The grand prize for his most devoted followers? Judging by the whitened skeletal remains, the secret still awaited a worthy owner.

“What do you want from us?” Veles uttered and moved over to the walls covered in old scribbles, hoping to find a clue about unlocking this shrine’s power.

[member="Enyo Typhos"] [member="Decima Fortan"] [member="Caid Centurion"] [member="Isla Ashen"] [member="Kriel Firin"]

 

[Isla Ashen]

Isla followed along with the others, moving swiftly and silently in the wake of Darth Veles. She hesitated for a moment before taking the first step down into the darkness. The eerie green light cast a strange glow on their surroundings, and Isla’s fingertips slid gently along the stone walls – almost as though she wanted to make sure that they were not actually closing in on her. She steeled her nerves, but her unease was beginning to make the air feel thin in her lungs. As they descended, there was a noticeable drop in temperature, and whispers lingered next to Isla’s ears, but she couldn’t quite understand. Her green gaze shifted down towards her boots, carefully placing them as she continued down the ancient stairway.

She drew in a thankful breath when they came to a large chamber, her shoulders relaxed away from her ears. Isla squinted in the dim light, her gaze finding the large statue in the middle of the room. It appeared to be the same man that Darth Veles had transformed into before, at least from what she could tell. Her foot bumped against a skull, and there was the sound of bone sliding gently against the stone ground. Were these bones the last remnants of some kind of ritual?

Isla drew closer to Darth Veles, but remained at a respectful distance from him and the statue. She turned her eyes up towards the face of the statue as Veles posed a question to the darkness. It seemed that there was a secret here. Her gaze fell to the floor, there was a lone skull staring up at her. Isla knelt gently and lifted it from the floor, almost expecting it to tell them what to do next. But it remained silent. Though the skull only had empty spots where eyes had once been, she wondered exactly what it had seen in its last moments. Something terrifying?

She set the skull down again, and looked up towards Decima, offering her fellow Ren a slight shrug. Her eyes found the others too, watching their reactions intently.

[member="Darth Veles"], [member="Enyo Typhos"], [member="Decima Fortan"], [member="Caid Centurion"], [member="Kriel Firin"]

 

[Kriel Firin]

Kriel tagged along, not yet required to act — the others seemed to have dealt with everything they’d encountered so far. He was therefore an unknown quantity to them and for this he was not displeased. He did not trust many of them as yet and was still wary.

As they descended into the depths of Dromund Vatsu, he kept pace with the group, taking in every detail of their surroundings and he noted how some might find the situation oppressive. Scary even. The place was also saturated with the Dark Side. The exact reason was lost on him — he did not have the experience to understand why, but he could feel it none the less. Perhaps the aura was why the site was chosen. Or maybe the site became embodied with the Dark Side due to its use and purpose. It did not really matter to Kriel. Not now. He simply followed as they reached the bottom of the dark pit.

In addition to the aura, there was a noticeable drop in temperature. Kriel noted the large chamber and the statue and the Sith writing — something he’d learned in his apprenticeship. He was well versed in Sith and Jedi alike, as well as the Knights of Ren and various other Orders and Force using groups.

The evidence pointed to some cult worship. Kriel stifled a snort of derision and kept his focus on the task in hand.

He heard the Sith Lord speak and waited to hear if anyone would answer or the Mon-Cal would share what he thought was required now.

[member="Isla Ashen"] [member="Darth Veles"] [member="Enyo Typhos"] [member="Decima Fortan"] [member="Caid Centurion"]

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Isla Ashen"], [member="Darth Veles"], [member="Decima Fortan"], [member="Caid Centurion"]


Now it's really a deja vu. Almost like homecoming, Enyo thought to herself when she followed the Ren into the darkness. Ethereal green flames provided a little illumination when she descended down the staircase into the inner sanctum. The light shadowy figures and signs of decay were all too evident during their descent. Moist walls, crumbling stones. The deeper they descended, the colder it became. Enyo was strongly reminded of the caverns of Gehenna. The disembodied whispers were even more familiar to her.


She steeled her nerves and tried to fortify her mind, but did not waver in her step. The entire chamber was permeated with the Dark Side. The hall looked like a carbon copy of chambers in ancient Sith or Bando Gora temples. Humanoid bones lay across the marble gones, which hinted at human sacrifice. Enyo crinkled her nose in disgust at such senseless, primitive idolatry. The room's walls were covered in Sith sigils and it was dominated by the massive statue of Darth Vyrassu. Clearly he had an absurdly bloated ego if he needed to be fawned over and worshipped in such a manner. Doubtless the humanoids had been sacrificed here in his name. Partial human sacrifices decorated the statue's base. She stepped over bones and the skull of a Twi'lek.


Enyo was reminded of Bando Gora shrines on Gehenna. Bizarrely, she'd found one dedicated to Kerrigan because the Chaos worshippers elevated their destroyer to godhood, too. Did this make sense? Not really, but the cultists were not known for common sense. Her eyes darted towards the objects the statue held. One of them looked like a holocron. It radiated dark power. Would the Ren have to face a trial to prove that they were worthy of its secrets? She kept her senses alert and her hand close to her lightsabre. Part of her would probably enjoy a fight. The place looked like a tomb.

 

[Visser Chernykh]

[Spolier] Just coming in now, I hope that won't be an issue [/Spoiler]

Mael Ren had found everything about Dromund Vatsu rough-going. Entering atmosphere had been turbulent in his shuttle. Landing had come close to setting off a mudslide. Then there were the local predators.

But they now laid dead in the muck behind him. Whether to his blaster carbine or his double-bladed lightsaber, they'd fallen all the same. His boots squelched as he walked through the murky pools of the jungle. His clothes were sodden from the perpetual downpour.

None of that mattered. The Supreme Leader had spoken and he'd obeyed. It really was just that simple. Anyone who dared to question the wisdom of the Leader deserved their death.

He'd slung the carbine loosely over his shoulder. It bumped against his duraplast armored thigh. He ignored it just as he ignored the rain pelting him. He was focused on the Dark Side ruins ahead.

Mael Ren had felt them on landing. The comm's map had reinforced his senses. He'd traveled in almost straight line. The disciple of the Supreme Leader had only stopped to cut down those beasts who obstructed him.

Their deaths had been necessary. They stood in the way of the First Order. Such would be the fate of any who did so. He still took pleasure in the combat.

The sheer exhilaration of it reminded him that he was truly alive. Few things could even compare to such joy. His lips curled into a smile behind his inhuman mask. A smile like a wolf relishing the hunt.

He stepped through the threshold of the ruins a few moments later. Just ahead he sensed the others....

[member="Enyo Typhos"] [member="Kriel Firin"] [member="Darth Veles"] [member="Caid Centurion"] [member="Isla Ashen"] [member="Decima Fortan"]

 

[Caid Centurion]

Caid, on the other hand, found himself curiously drawn to the intense palpitations of the dark side in the depths of Dromund Vatsu. The lingering feelings of arcane rituals stroked the core of his soul, whispering a melody in his ear as sweet and seductive as any siren. Officially, all of Caid's training thus far had occurred largely without acknowledgment to any one particular side of the Force. He had, quite simply, learned how to manipulate the life energy that surrounded him. Philosophies and lifestyles could be adopted at any point in time, Master Miahr would say.

In the end...it is the choices you make that will define you. Concern yourself not with labels. Identify with a path, a role that speaks to your heart.

As the temperature dropped, Caid's skin briefly broke out in a series of minuscule bumps. Then his silver-green eyes fell on a large statue in the middle of a surprisingly cavernous room. His bright gaze roamed the walls, able to understand the vast majority of the ancient Sith writing. That had been a consequence of his birth and veritable insistence of his mother and grandmother. Eventually, his gaze returned to the statue of Vyrassu. There was something about the amphibian's movements that put Caid on edge. Caid was perfectly capable of deciphering his surroundings. The large amount of bodies that had all but rotted away to the bone. This was very much a tomb. A tomb that he would rather not become a part of.

[member="Enyo Typhos"] | [member="Kriel Firin"] | [member="Darth Veles"] | [member="Isla Ashen"] | [member="Decima Fortan"] | [member="Skjold Alexeyev"]

 

[Visser Chernykh]

With a step he was into the tombs.

It was eerily quiet. It was cold. It was dark. Most of all the Dark Side was everywhere.

The strangely colored torches gave off little light. Mael was forced to crack a glow-rod as he mounted the stairs down. Around him the air became more musty as he descended. But the Force now seemed to hum steadily.

He drew up behind the group moments later.

This chamber was larger. Some kind of altar had been set up within. Fools, the Disciple of Ren thought with disdain. Worshiping the bones of some long-dead Sith Lord.

[member="Caid Centurion"] [member="Darth Veles"] [member="Kriel Firin"] [member="Enyo Typhos"] [member="Isla Ashen"] [member="Decima Fortan"]

 

[Natasi Fortan]

"What in the world?" Decima whispered, her dark eyes traveling over the chamber. When Isla lifted the skull, she nearly recoiled. Why would anyone want to touch other people's bones? Decima was quite sure she wouldn't even want to touch her own bones. She followed the gaze of [member="Darth Veles"] over the statue, eyes widening as she took in what the sculpture held. She knew they were treasures beyond price because of the number of bodies scattered across the chamber's floor. At least they had all thought it was treasure beyond price. She certainly wasn't going to try for them -- not until she knew more about the dangers at play here. The young woman folded her hands behind her back, turning away from [member="Isla Ashen"] to begin taking a walk around the permieter of the room, so that she could determine whether this was the end of the story, or if there was more to see.

The young woman cast her glance around the room, her eyes traveling up and down the walls, over the ceilings, and even over the bones that littered the floor. What was this place? The more she looked, the more she wondered if her first impression was right. Was this some sort of death cult, where people let themselves die in tribute to their leader? Or was it some ghastly deathtrap, and these were the people who were trying to solve its riddles and claim its prizes?

[member="Darth Veles"] | [member="Caid Centurion"] | [member="Isla Ashen"] | [member="Kriel Firin"] | [member="Enyo Typhos"] | [member="Skjold Alexeyev"]