Ask [Prakith] The Endless Cycle

[Oren Zapan]

​

Howling winds and clouds of dust swept across the open halls of the once ancient Jedi Temple, a temple lost to generations of Jedi throughout the ages. One that dwelled on the center of this conflict, the conflict that seemed to ravage each generation--the same conflict that would continue long after his own death. The once great halls of the temple had fallen into ruins, halls had been crushed, leaving navigation to be difficult within the ruins.

He had found many old locations like this, sprinkled across the galaxy--Wyck's holocron had aided tremendously in uncovering the old locations of bygone eras--though most sites were nothing but a marker pointing to what once existed, and this Jedi Fortress as it was labeled seemed no different than that. But, the ancient Grand Master had stated that there were secrets buried within this temple, ones that could possibly give him a better grasp or understanding on what exactly the galaxy was moving to--or perhaps it was a preview of their eventual fate, forgotten ruins dotted across the galaxy.

The Councilor pondered these thoughts, considering them for a moment, but they did not shake his resolution. He needed to complete this, he needed to become what the Jedi needed. Oren entered through the opening of the fortress--unaware that another ship had entered atmosphere behind him.

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[Asminys]

Asminys had picked up on the Jedi's trail a few systems back. He had enlisted the aid of an astromech droid to track the ships jump trajectories to follow him to this windswept and ruinous planet. Prakith, the droid had tweeted its name. His presence within the force was suppressed, the sickening coil of darkness that usually surrounded him pushed deep down within him as he followed the Jedi through the ruins.

He had little knowledge of what this world was or who had once dwelled here, clearly a once grand civilization that had since collapsed and been forgotten, as was the nature of all things that grew complacent, old and weak. He did note the lightsabers that some of the statues seemed to wield, their forms seemingly Jediesque in nature. Perhaps a city of the foolish wielders of the light had once flourished here.

He did not dwell on the questions that sprang forth to his mind, the whos and what's and why's. They mattered little in the now, this present day that had long ago abandoned whatever specter of the past dwelled on this abandoned world. It wasn't in the nature of one such as him, a predator of the darkness, to worry about the destruction of civilizations past. They had been weak, and were no longer here.

Besides, he had hunting to do.

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

​

The halls within the ruins were not in better shape. Dust and debris seemed to coat everything around the old fortress. It was dark, barely lit, and the sound of creatures lurking within the walls could be heard. Distant eyes scattered and darted from every crevice and hole.

Oren was the one intruding onto an untouched landscape that had been forgotten by the Republic and The Empires of bygone eras. Unclipping his lightsaber, the Jedi Master would ignite the white bladed saber--providing him with the needed light to be able to see. His eyes scanned across an open hall, as he held Wyck's old Holocron in another.

With it the memories of the ancient Jedi Master began to ring through, "An Old Fortress it is, one with many hidden secrets. The Jedi council failed to see the complete picture of this place--until it was too late." Oren would sigh as the image flickered away and the holocron closed once more.

There had to be a reason this was documented, perhaps there was something lingering in this place that could be of service--or perhaps the meaning would require one to expand their mind to find the true purpose for its inclusion into the system. Oren closed his eyes as he looked at an old platform system. It didn't seem to be powered by anything electronic--no it required the force.

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[Asminys]

His footsteps silent, his presence invisible, Asminys managed to keep himself at least within hearing distance of the Jedi who began his entrance to the fallen fortress. He watched from outside the entrance as the Jedi ignited his blade, a brilliant and dazzling white, not dissimilar from the blade of the Jedi who he had fought over Ryloth.

A voice echoed through the chamber, an old voice. Asminys listened, though the words seemed fairly irrelevant to the task at hand. An old fortress, one with many secrets. A Jedi council blind to its significance. Well maybe not so irrelevant. He knew the current Jedi Order also followed the will of a council. Perhaps if the Jedi of old did not recognize this places importance, then the new Jedi might.

That could be a problem.

He was tired of sneaking around in the shadows. He wasn't well suited to such work, preferred to confront his problems head on.

Problems like this Jedi.

He stepped into the entrance of the chamber, blocking the Jedi's exit should he try to flee. He let his presence within the force be known, the seeping darkness that he had held with in him uncoiling like a deadly venomous serpent.

"Hello Jedi. Is this to be your tomb?" His voice echoed through the dark chamber as he ignited the crimson of his lightsaber.

Snap-hiss.

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

​

Oren had calmed himself within the force, settling himself within the center of the oval room. Within four corners of the room sat various old relics of crystal like structure, an old light was cast down in the room, almost by design it seemed. Clearing his mind, the Jedi would begin to meditate, and would begin to shift the various crystals, allowing the light to reflect off them, connecting them, and eventually causing a loud groan begin to shift as the sound of the floor declining began.

Though, this was not the only sound that had caught the attention of the Jedi Master, no there was another--the sound of a snap and a hiss, the feeling of coldness sweeping into the room. Oren's eyes opened as he shifted his gaze towards a Sith who had boarded the elevator room with him. "All that time to think of something," Oren would say as he rose from his spot in the center of the room, "And that was the best line you could think of?" A soft chuckle escaped the Jedi's voice.

It was clear that the Master had faced off with several Sith in his life, there was no fear, hatred or anger. There was a strange calming sensation that could be felt--even by him. He'd reach for his saber, bringing it to hand as the elevator would begin the descent to the lower levels--but it would take some time for that to happen.

"This is no tomb, it was a fortress of the old wars, one of the first temples, a relic of the first Jedi Civil war, a war that predates your own Order." He'd bring the saber to a defensive position, "It seems even after all this time, nothing changes--wouldn't you say?"

Boxed in, and awaiting the descent to whatever waited below, they would be forced to fight or talk. Oren would allow the Sith to dictate the terms. A Jedi uses the Force for Knowledge and Defense, never to attack. He told himself as he looked to the other man, curious but expecting this to be a fight.

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[Asminys]

The Jedi had been meditating, and as Asminys had stepped onto what he now knew to be an elevator platform it shuddered and began to sink into the floor. The Jedi himself seemed calm, unworried about the Sith's sudden presence. At peace and serene. His aura betrayed no worry or anxiety, only the peace of acceptance. It sickened Asminys.

It seemed he was not so accepting of his death to go without defending himself however, a hand fishing his saber from his robes. He left it unlit however and seemed in no hurry to engage in combat. That was fine, Asminys was still curious about the Jedi, having been taught little of them and having fought only one.

"Fortress. Tomb. The difference only lays in who the victor is." He said, though through his mask of anger he considered the Jedi's words. A war that predated the Sith, a war between Jedi and Jedi. Clearly now it was nothing more than a tomb world, though it may have once been a fortress.

"You say it was a fortress of the Jedi, yet the world is quiet and dead. A tomb world, testament to the failures of the Jedi." He spat as he slowly started pacing on his end of the elevator platform. There would be plenty of time to fight, but Asminys would pull what words he could from the Jedi in the meantime. Some Sith viewed the Jedi as nothing but enemies, but others saw them as misguided brothers drawing on the weaker side of the Force. Asminys had yet to decide how he viewed them.

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

​

Oren held his blade firmly in his hand as the elevator slowly made its descent further below the earth. It was clear something had once existed here, deep below that had been built over top. This sith would be able to feel it too, a lingering darkness off in the distance, calling its name, quietly among the pair.

Oren took a simple breath, clearing his mind of the Sith's taunts, "The galaxy is a large place, there are many planets you and I have never heard of, yet they exist. This planet fell, like many before it, yet the galaxy continues, even with the constant battles between Sith and Jedi."

"You have anger, I can feel it, but still I can sense your mind thinking and considering. Were you given the choice for your path or had it been decided for you?" The Master's words were sharp and to the point, his blade gripping his hand, prepared. But something felt off, something felt as if it was awakening.

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[Asminys]

As the elevator descended lower into the fortress, an icy chill began to overtake them. Whatever light this planet had once held, that this fortress had once held, had been called to darkness. Perhaps it was the death and destruction or perhaps something more. Whatever it was, there was a lingering presence of darkness in the distance that called to him.

The Jedi spoke, his words irritatingly peaceful and empathetic. He seemed nothing like the Jedi that Asminys had fought over Ryloth. The one who fought like a Sith.

"There are many planets that do not matter." He said, shrugging off the Jedi's wisdom, "Yet here you are... Does this planet matter to you, a Jedi?"

The Jedi could feel his anger, not surprising. He had plenty of it. What the Jedi felt likely only scratched the surface of the rage that burned inside him. The rage and hatred at a galaxy that had taken everything and gave only what he could take in return. Of course he was angry.

"Does anyone choose their path? Paths are laid before everyone. I chose life over weakness." He huffed, his nose flaring as he fixed his eyes on the Jedi's grip tightening on his blade. Bringing his own sword up into a ready position as he stopped pacing, he chuckled. "Do you fear death Jedi? It is only natural."

@TWD26

 

[Oren Zapan]

​

The long delay of the elevator would slowly come to a halt, as the sound of locks clanking into place would echo across the cavernous opening of the temple. It was dark and barely visible, the only source of light was a clash of white and red from that of the lightsabers which moaned a soft hum.

"This planet does not matter, but it once did." He'd say as he shifted his saber in front of his body as he looked out to the great expanse, the feelings in the force seemed to swell through them. "It's a reminder of the battles that have happened, that are to come."

He'd step forward turning his back from the Sith as he walked off the platform and onto the small ramp that lead out into the cavernous expanse. The darkside was lingering here, but there was an underlying feeling of peace. Oren was not sure why, but he could deduce that something had happened here, something the Jedi had wished to hide away forever.

"We don't choose our path in the start," he'd say with a calm presence overcoming his words, "But, from that point on -- each action is our own, and you must learn to live with it. You make the choice to live with the force or to let it eat you alive."

The ground began to rumble beneath them, as the abyss below began to glow a soft green. The Holocron that the Jedi Master held shifted and a presence of light began to glow. A gentle roar came from the depths, "WYCKKKKK!"

Flashes of Jedi fighting against Sith danced around them, before settling in on the little green master facing off with an unknown Sith -- the darkside was certainly flowing throughout the cavern at this moment, painful memories resurging for both of them to see.

"Leviticus...good in you, there still is." The echoes of Wyck flowed through the room as the two long dead force users battled across the room. The rocks within the ancient cavern began shaking and breaking -- as if the room would eventually collapse.

Oren turned to the Sith his blade brought up in a defensive stance, "There is no death, only the force."

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[Asminys]

The elevator came to a shuddering halt, locks clicking into place loudly. The sound echoed through the large chamber that expanded in the darkness.

"You are right about one thing. This planet does not matter." Asminys growled out. He could feel the force here strongly. A strong clash between the Darkness and the light had occurred here. The dark presence felt cold. Ancient. The light held a sense of finality to it however, leaving little question to the outcome of what had transpired here many ages past.

"Do you seek to redeem me with your words Jedi? To make me fear that the Darkness will eat me alive if I do not... repent?" He asked, lingering on the final word as it brought forth the image of silver eyes and tattered scars in his mind. Shaking his head at the Jedi he chuckled menacingly.

"I do not understand you Jedi." He said finally. Would they ignore the suffering he had caused, the lives he had taken. The exaltation he felt as he took what many would consider their most precious possession again and again and again without mercy. The screams of torment and shadows of a fight battled long ago played out before them. What good may have still lingered in this Leviticus... Asminys had none of it in him.

Stepping to the edge of the elevator platform, Asminys held his blade aloft as the Jedi adopted his stance. One final question lingered in his mind however. "What say you... what do you feel... does goodness still linger in my heart, Jedi." His mouth curled and twisted as he spat the title of his foe as if it were a curse that tainted his tongue in its passing.

@TWD26