Ask Black Ruins

[Wodan]

Caerllion began spinning his spell, the Dark Side flowing towards him, Wodan could feel it and for a moment he thought the creature could too. It raised its head sniffing the air a moment before the great red chains from the Annfyn appeared from the ground. Locking onto the creatures arms and legs holding him down.

The Force pooled within him was let loose on his body, increasing his speed and dexterity. Wodan dashed forward past the left side of the creature, using the edge of the wall to bounce off the stonework and used it to propel himself upwards to grasp at the fragment around its neck.

As his outstretched hand neared the small piece of metal his eyes glanced up at the creature. That is when he saw it, a smile. Wodan knew in that moment that they had royally fucked up, it knew they were coming and was just waiting for them to attack. The red chains around his limbs snapped like twigs as its arm came up as quick as lightning slamming into the Firrerrian.

Wodan was flung back like a ragdoll smashing through the upper window of a nearby building, rubble and dust collapsing around him. The creature turned to look at the Magick flinging Annfyn a gleeful look in its eye.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

”Wodan!” Caerllion watched in horror as the creature slammed its arm against the Firrerreo, sending his friend flying. The thing had broken his spell as if it was nothing and not only through its strength. The Annfyn had felt the Dark Side being used to break the chain and it had been stronger than what he used to make his spell.

When he saw the creature staring directly at him, Caerllion knew that it wasn’t a mindless beast like the others. He could see in its eyes a working mind, which was full of malice. The Annfyn wondered what he could do now. He didn’t even know if Wodan had survived being hit and then falling to the floor.

Without any other choice, Caerllion opened his hands in front of the creature and released a blast of red energy toward it. The thing didn’t even try to avoid the attack, being hit directly by it. The Annfyn channeled all the Dark Side toward his body and used it to strengthen his magick, hoping that it would kill the creature.

Unfortunately, his efforts were fruitless. As soon as he stopped attacking, Caerllion saw that the creature had received no damage. It still remained at the same position, with the same malicious eyes. Suddenly, the thing opened its mouth and a blood curdling laugh came from it.

Before the Annfyn could have any other reaction, the creature opened his hand toward him and the Acolyte was sent flying against a nearby wall. While he tried to recover from this unexpected Force push, the thing continued laughing. “You two should stop, children. My power is beyond yours!”

@Braden

 

[Wodan]

“Who harmed my children, now I shall have my revenge.” It called out towards Caerllion. Nearby in the debris of shattered windows and walls Wodan lay almost motionless. Pain coursed through his body as his mind tried to decipher which limb to concentrate on first. His head had smashed into the side of the window causing his mind to cloud over as he tried to figure out what had happened. The last he could remember was standing in the window next to Caerllion looking down on the creature.

He raised his head to look around the room, was Caerllion there had they been attacked whilst watching? Clawing at the wall Wodan slowly stood up from the pile of rubble, small stones and dust cascading off his body as he did so. Two steps forward towards the hole his body made and he collapsed, his mind was spinning, up was down, left was right and he struggled to even raise his own hands to stop his head clattering into the floorboards.

Wodan let out a pained grunt as he smashed into the floor. “Fuck, not good.” He mumbled out as he realised he had at least a concussion if not worse. Rolling himself onto his back he stared up at the rotten ceiling, Wodan could hear something going on outside, Caerllion and the creature. “Shit.”

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

The creature's voice was full of malice. While he wanted to ask it several questions, Caerllion knew that he couldn’t afford doing it right now. The thing wanted to kill them and his magick had no effect against it. He needed to get up from the ground and find a safe place where he could make a plan.

He also needed to see if Wodan was fine. The Firrerreos were known for being strong and resistant, but he wasn’t sure if his friend would have survived the hit that he had received. Caerllion needed the other’s help. They were able to defeat the other creatures because they worked together. Now being alone, the Annfyn had no chance to survive.

When he got up, the creature continued to approach. “My revenge will be simple. By killing two of my children, the two of you shall pay the price with your lives.” it stretched a hand toward the Annfyn. After a year studying the Dark Side, Caerllion knew exactly what was going to come. Force Lightning.

Before the lightning could be sent toward him, Caerllion used the Force to increase his speed and jump out of the way. The attack collided against the place where the Annfyn had been, leaving a mark there. “You can’t hide from me.” the creature said, this time he sounded annoyed. “Your death is certain. There is no escape.”

Caerllion would move through the debris, trying to stay hidden from the creature’s sight. The Annfyn would do it to move toward where Wodan had been thrown. He hoped to find his friend without being noticed.

@Braden

 

[Wodan]

The small cuts and bruises throughout his body were already beginning to heal, the skin visibly closing before his eyes as he approached the whole his body had created. The crack and spark of Force Lightning cascaded across the street as he peered out towards the direction of the creature and Caerllion. A moment of fear leapt up inside him before he spotted a black figure retreat from the building.

The Annfyn was safe but only for now. The creature taunted Caerllion as it searched for the Magick weidler, perhaps confident he had dealt with Firrerrian. Pulling on the Dark Side, thick and heavy around the creature, Wodan grasped onto a large piece of stone about the side of himself and heaved it up into the air.

Drawing his blaster with his spare hand he let out a trio of shots into the back of the creature's head, forcing it to turn around just as the massive stone crashed into it. A loud ooph was heard through the street as it staggered back. “Caerllion, if you can hear me attack now.” He shouted across the city scape, as he dropped from the window. The creature was slowly getting to his feet as Wodan positioned himself in the middle of the street, about ten metres away, his lightsaber and blaster drawn.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

While the creature continued to search for him, Caerllion moved around the debris. Fearing that it could feel him if he used the Force, the Acolyte used his keen hearing to listen if it was approaching him. He was also fighting his emotions to not get furious with the constant taunts. Reacting to these would not be wise.

Then, he felt Wodan use the Force. Caerllion dared to peek from behind the broken pillar that he was using to hide and saw that the Firrerreo was attacking the creature. He saw his friend firing with his blaster at it, before a large stone fell over its head. When it collided against it, the stone cracked in half.

Wodan had barely finished screaming and Caerllion had already left his hiding place. Seeing that the creature was distracted, the Acolyte decided to attack it from behind. He used the Force to enhance his speed and ran toward the thing. His lightsaber was already activated and he was holding it tightly with his two hands.

When he was close enough, Caerllion jumped. The creature could even turn to see what was happening behind it, but it would be already too late. The Annfyn would be already moving his lightsaber horizontally, aiming directly at its neck. While his magick couldn’t have worked, he doubted a good cut of his blade would have no effect.

In the end he was right. Caerllion’s red blade cut off the creature’s head. The Annfyn ended up landing badly on the floor, with it being more of a fall. The thing’s head rolled next to him, while the body fell in its knees and started to spasm.

@Braden

 

[Wodan]

It seemed that lightsabers were rather overpowered when it came to flesh. Despite the creature's resistance to The Force and giant boulders a lightsaber easily dispatched the creature with a single blow. Wodan was a little disappointed as he stood there in the middle of the road, the creature's head tumbling to a stop near the collapsed body of his colleague.

It fell to its knees, as Wodan began to relax standing up straight from his fighting pose. Then it began to shake, it was unnatural, nothing moved like that after death. Wodan quickly dipped back into his fighting stance, as tendrils of black malice whipped out around the dying thing. Noticing Caerllion was within striking distance, Wodan reached out with The Force wrapping it around the Annfyn’s waist before tugging him violently to the side. It wasn’t gentle, he would be bumped and scraped along the floor before rolling to a stop but it was better than the alternative.

The black whips continued to lash out, in all directions from the headless corpse. A whirlpool of Dark Side energy converged on the creature, as if it was sucking every drop of hate, rage, anger, malice and pain from the planet into one single place. Then it came, that scream, the scream of anger, betrayal, hate, the scream that haunted his nightmare. “Run.” He shouted towards Caerllion, he wasn’t sure exactly what was going to happen next, but he knew it would be bad.

Wodan darted for the nearest side street, hoping to put some solid stone between him and the Darkness. Then it came, an explosion of energy unlike any weapon either of them had ever seen on the battlefield. It washed over the surrounding land like a tide of ill omens and horrid thoughts. Anything living within its direct wake crumbled to dust, as the Darkness ripped apart molecule from molecule.

Even out of the direct line of fire, Wodan felt it. Every negative emotion he had every experience or heard about, every bad thoughts, horrible memory or disturbed dream all at once came flashing back to his mind. The Firrerrian collapsed to the floor clutching his head as he tried to bat back the Darkness looking to consume his mind.

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

The Annfyn stared at the head next to him with a mixture of relief and surprise. When the creature resisted his magick blasts, Caerllion thought that it was going to be nearly impossible to kill. His attempt with the lightsaber was more an act of desperation than something well planned. He had heard Wodan saying for him to attack and he did exactly that, doing the first thing that came to his mind.

When he turned to see the now dead creature, Caerllion saw that the corpse was convulsing in a way that wasn’t normal. He had expected that it would make some spasms when the head had been cut, but not continue doing it for so long and with such violence. He stared in horror when the dark tendrils appeared around it.

Caerllion would let himself be moved by Wodan with the Force, groaning a bit when his body scraped on the floor. Under other conditions, the Annfyn would have complained about the Firrerreo’s lack of gentleness, but at the moment he only wanted to get away from whatever was happening with the dead creature.

While he tried to walk away, Caerllion could feel all the Darkness of the planet being sucked toward the creature. He suddenly gasped in pain, feeling how it seemed to pull his bond with Korriban off his body. If Wodan turned to look at the Annfyn, he would see the red energy flickering constantly around his body, with small sparks being dragged toward the vacuum that the thing had become.

He barely heard what Wodan had said, but he was capable of running toward a nearby street. When the explosion happened, Caerllion was able to avoid being hit by it. However, the red energy that had been removed from him was now trying to come back to him. The Annfyn screamed when it tried to return to his body, making him feel like he was burning.

The sensation was thousand times worse than when he was baptized in Korriban’s ichor, making him contemplate if he was going to die.

@Braden

 

[Wodan]

The endless cackle of a dead man echoed through his mind as he knelt in the dirt, trying to keep his last essence of life clinging to his body. It felt like it lasted an eternity but only a few seconds had passed by the time the Darkness subsided and he was one again in control of his mind.

Wodan was on all fours breathing heavy as he tried to contemplate what happened, he struggled to understand any of it. Only that it was a nightmare, one that he would never want to relive again. It took him around a minute to finally pull himself up from the ground, his heart was still pumping at a dramatic rate, adrenaline coursing through his entire bloodstream.

Holding himself up with the wall he made his way back towards the main street. “Caerllion, you alive?” He called out across the empty cityscape as he stumbled into the open. The body of the creature lay still upon its knees in the middle of the street, its head a short distance away. All signs of the black tendrils had disappeared, a black oozing puddle of blood forming around the creature.

A glint of light signalled his prize, a shattered piece of metal shining around his neck. Stepping forward he reached out, it hurt to pull upon The Force. It felt like trying to move a limb after tearing the muscle, it cried out in pain, resisting you at every turn but still through sheer will it moved. The Force clutched itself around the shard, lifting it up from the neck, the chain crumbled as it moved. The piece slowly drifted into his grasp.

It was cold as it rested on his palm. Wodan could sense something deep inside, locked behind barriers and bridges he could not yet fathom to cross. But something told him, if he did not cross those bridges soon, whatever was on the other side would come to take him instead. Perhaps that is what happened to this creature?

@LouJoVi

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

When the burning sensation started to disappear, Caerllion turned over. He looked at the sky, while every muscle of his body ached with pain. After all that happened, the Annfyn felt so tired. He only wanted to sleep. The Acolyte even forgot about Wodan.

He only remembered when he heard the Firrerreo calling for him. “I’m alive! Only a bit sore.” the Annfyn said, his voice being a bit shaken. He groaned while trying to sit, remaining seated for some time before getting up. He felt as if a speeder had passed over him three times and his muscles had been hit by several blaster shots.

Getting up was another sacrifice. His legs were shaking and he ended up needing to lean on a nearby wall before trying to walk. With each step, Caerllion felt as if his muscles were going to fall. He didn’t want to have such experience ever again.

After he reached the main street, Caerllion saw Wodan picking something from the creature’s corpse. While the thing was dead, the Annfyn still could feel the malicious presence from early. This time it was coming from the object that the Firrerreo was now holding. It didn’t take much time for the Acolyte to understand that it was the shard that they came after.

“Wodan, we need to get out here.” he said, while walking toward the Firrerreo. When he placed his hand over the other’s shoulder, Caerllion could feel the malicious presence inside the shard getting strong. “Perhaps you should try to take control of this thing or put it inside a box until you can do it.” he suggested, fearing what would happen with them if they remained exposed to it.

@Braden

 

[Wodan]

His hand closed around the object as Caerllion approached, concerned that whatever power was inside could harm his friend. Wodan looked down at his hand as Caerllion spoke about taking control of the item, something told him right now it would be impossible. “I agree.” He replied, before taking out a small bag inside his jacket, placing the shard inside before restoring the bag back under.

Once it was away a smile flickered back to Wodan’s face, as he looked over at the severed head. “So you want to take that back as your prize?” They had spoke about taking something back for the Annfryn to study, what’s better than the source and mind behind all the craziness. Whatever Caerllion replied with, it would be shortly broken by the scream and cry of other creatures somewhere in the city. Perhaps the other offspring of the creature.

“I think we should leave.”

____
Exit Thread.

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

Caerllion felt relieved when his friend answered him and proceeded to place the shard inside a bag. He had feared that the Firrerreo could have been starting to be consumed by the Darkness coming from it. While he believed that Wodan could control it, the Annfyn thought that it wasn’t going to happen that day.

“Good idea.” Caerllion said, before walking toward the severed head. He removed his cloak and carefully held it by the hair. “This thing is really ugly.” the Annfyn grimaced and put it inside his cloak. It would be ruined, but now he had a sample to start making experiences. The sacrifice was worth it.

“I’ll put it inside the fridge. It seems that we are going to make some stops to eat.” he joked, while shaking the cloak. Then, a blood curdling scream echoed across the ruined city. The creatures wanted revenge because of the death of their leader. “And fast.” he answered Wodan’s comment and followed him back to their ship. He couldn’t wait leave this dreadful place.

@Braden

/End Thread