Ask Sith Field Trip: Lothal

[Iymril]

Lothal l Death Enabled​

In their new role at the Korriban Academy, Iymril had plenty of new responsibilities. Not only were they expected to continue shaping the minds of young Acolytes and molding them into Sith worthy of their Order. But they also now were required to continue research and advancement into the Dark Side of the Force. Uncovering new ways to utilize it, discovering long forgotten techniques, or finding other ways of advancing the Order’s understanding of the Dark Side.

That was part of the reason Iymril had decided to take a field trip to Lothal. The planet housed the ruins of a Jedi Temple, one that had been sacked by Mandalorian Warriors over a decade ago. The Mandalorians had raided the Temple and taken many artifacts for themselves, that was true. But the deepest vaults? Iymril doubted they had been touched.

And so they had offered this outing as Field Trip and learning opportunity, which it was. Under their guidance the pair of Acolytes who’d signed up would be taught much about the history of the two prevailing Force Orders in the galaxy. They’d be able to see and explore the ruins of a Jedi Temple first hand. And perhaps, if they were lucky, catch a glimpse of the secrets a temple like this one held in its bowels.

“Acolytes Serket, Carmine.” Iymril called, their voice as neutral and unreadable as their expression. “Welcome to Lothal.”

As if to accent their point, the landing legs of the starship touched down with the planet with a hollow, heavy, and resoundingly metallic thud. The Sephi Champion had dressed relatively practically for this trip, they understood the potential dangers they could be facing. Because of that, they wore something a little more simple for them. Their hair had been put up into a tight bun that rested on the back of their head. Their face was clear of make up and their nails had been given a simple clear coat.

There was no one here to impress and they certainly wouldn’t go all out for just their students.

“Gather your things, the Temple is a ways further into this mountain range. We landed as close as we safely could and have a short hike ahead of us.” Iym explained as they put on a heavy fur lined cloak.

Iymril would wait for their pupils before opening the door to head down the exit ramp. They’d pull their cloak tightly around themself and their hood up. The frigid wind whipped and howled around them as they turned to the two acolytes.

“Why is Lothal important to the history of the Sith?” Iymril asked, shouting above the wind. This was the first of many questions and tests the Professor would present them with.

@Mr. Teatime @René

 

[Kyssiara Serket]

Kyssiara's master was dead, unceremoniously and dishonorably assassinated in the midst of a party meant to honor the very slime who'd ordered it done. She'd been the one to inform Darth Arcanos himself, and nearly been crushed by his mere presence. Yet when the dust cleared, the Pureblood was still an acolyte; and the Sith Academy offered no time off, no counselors or therapists. Because Sith didn't whine, complain, or cry about their misfortune, they bundled up their hatred and used it as fuel. That meant continuing to attend classes, continuing to study, continuing to trail.

It meant attending a field trip led by the snake who'd dealt the killing blow.

With some time to think after the party's events, Kyssiara's respect for the Sephi professor remained intact. They were opportunistic and power hungry, constantly looking for any opportunity to slither their way into power; but was that not the way of the Sith? Not to mention they remained a powerful sorcerer, a knowledgeable academic, and an effective teacher. Yes, the girl's respect for Iymril remained; but her hatred for them raged just beneath the surface nonetheless.

Perhaps this field trip would teach them to harbor the same contempt for the Sith Order's ancient enemies, the Jedi. While Kyssiara thirsted for revenge against her new enemies within the Order, the Jedi remained as the true obstacle to all of the Sith's goals. To be an effective champion, if not more, would mean fighting against them; and winning those fights meant having an intimate understanding of their motives and tendencies.

Kyssiara wore her basic acolyte robes with only a fur-lined overcoat for extra warmth. The girl was from Ziost after all, and Lothal's cold could never truly compare. At Iymril's urging she threw a backpack with some extra supplies over her shoulder, clipped her lightsaber to her waist, and followed the Sephi and the other acolyte out into the snow.

"The planet's got a long history with the Jedi, right? So it's been a safe haven for our sworn enemies." the Pureblood called out in response to Iymril's question. "Darth Sidious' empire also suffered one of its first major defeats here."

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[Corwin Carmine]

No make up? Unfortunately, impossible for Corwin. It was subtler than usual, but it was there. And waterproof! The rest of the Tiefling's attire was a fairly standard winterized acolyte's tunic and faux-fur-lined poncho-cloak, plus some kind of fancy brand hiking backpack. They didn't look armed, but it was safe to assume they had knives on their person somewhere or other.

While privy to the drama between the Champion and other Acolyte, Corwin also seemed oblivious to any tension or seething hatred. "Is it like, a trick question, and it isn't? Jedi were here, but they were everywhere. Until they weren't." Their tail wrapped tightly around their waist beneath their cloak as the wind picked up.

"Orrr is it something about magic?" Wild shot in the dark owing to the stuff Professor Lymril tended to teach. Specific Sith history didn't appear to be their strong suit.

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[Iymril]

​

Iymril listened to both of the Acolytes. Their answers were passable, more-so Kyssiara’s than Carmine’s. They wouldn’t fault the Tiefling though, the point of education was to learn. Even a wrong answer was an answer, it signified interest which meant an eagerness to learn. They gave a simple nod to their pupils.

“Yes Kyssiara, the Jedi have an extensive history with the planet and this was the site that Sidious’ Empire suffered a significant defeat.” Iym replied, their ears perked slightly. “And you’re not far off Carmine.” They continued, their attention shifting to their other student. “In the past, Jedi had a tendency to build their temples on top of things they wanted to suppress or hide.” Iymril explained. “This was usually a Dark Side Nexus, potent artifact, or tomb of a fallen Sith Lord.” They continued. “No Sith from our Order has been able to explore the temple on Lothal, it has always been occupied by the Jedi.”

Iym paused at that, their gaze flicked between the two Acolytes before nodding their head towards the mountains behind them. It was a sign for them to start the trek. Iymril would set the pace, their long gait ensuring the travel would test the acolytes. While they moved they continued to speak.

“That is until the Mandalorians attacked Lothal in recent history.” Iymril shouted above the wind. “They killed many of the defenders, looted the temple, and raided many of its vaults.” The Sephi explained. “After the Mandalorian Clans fell apart, the temple was left as ruins. Which will allow us to explore its deepest vaults today.” They told the two Acolytes. “We will be seeing why these Jedi built a temple here and what they thought they could hide from us.”

“Any questions so far acolytes?”

 

[Ahriman]

Sometimes someone was adjusted to neither the cold nor the heat — Ahriman was one of those someones. Her ears were cold, and she was far from pleased dealing with cold weather. That being said, it wasn't that bad. She'd just come a bit underdressed (meaning she'd forgotten earmuffs, or a hood), but her actual clothing was warm enough. The sephi had forgone the sweatpants-sweatshirt combo as this trip, apparently, was going to be a bit more than just a historical lecture.

Having had a bit of a sudden emergency when the others were ready to leave, Ahriman had stayed behind and hurried to catch up after she was ready. The acolyte caught up with the others just as Imyril finished their brief contextual lecture on the history of this place. She didn't say anything when she arrived — instead simply affording Imyril a respectful nod — though she did have one question.

"Will it be warmer inside the temple?"

« Aw, are you cold? Will those little ears of yours break off, knife-ear? »

Ahriman ignored the white wolf and pretended he wasn't grinning at her from behind the other Sephi.

(Joining y'all w/ an invite from @Apollyon ! )

 

[Kyssiara Serket]

Kyssiara listened to Iymril's explanation with quiet contemplation, considering the possibilities of what they might find at the bottom of the temple ruins. An ancient Sith spirit? A powerful holocron? A convenient pool of acid for Iymril to accidentally slip into? As great as that would be, this wasn't the time to be killing champions from whom the Pureblood could still learn a lot from. The Sephi's time would come, same as traitorous Trael's; and she would be there to ensure it.

Kyssiara offered only a slight glance back at the acolyte who'd caught up with the group late, laughing to herself in response to the other girl's question. Acolytes complaining about being too cold? Sure she came from a cold homeworld, but a few weeks ago the Pureblood herself would've been complaining about the heat of a world like Korriban. What a trivial thing to be worried about amidst life as a Sith. The Dark Side required sacrifice and suffering as fuel for power, power which everyone could be mere moments away from losing at any time. Her master had been assassinated with no warning, and Kyssiara had felt the crushing aura of a Dark Lord's fury.

The reality of the Sith had hit her earlier than most acolytes, earlier than some champions even, and she pitied those who could afford to whine about uncomfortable temperatures or unfair teachers at the academy. How utterly naive and ill-equipped they were.

"I have a more constructive question, Professor." Kyssiara asserted. "What was the purpose of this fallen temple? Was it an outpost, a training center for spreading the Jedi's lies to younger generations, something else?" the girl asked. If Iymril was correct that the Jedi had strategically placed the temple to cover something up, then its use might give hints as to the strength or nature of what lay underneath.

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[Corwin Carmine]

Yeah, well, Palpatine's empire suffered so many significant defeats that one of them was used to mark the passage of time. It was hard to keep track of the "important" ones.

Carmine also wanted to know if it'd be warmer inside the castle and rolled her eyes at Kissassia or whatever's 'more constructive' question. "Professor Lymril like, just said we're here to find out," she commented while trudging after the tall Sephi. The Tiefling seemed well enough with all the walking, although their body language and expression indicated they weren't a fan of all the hiking around. Or the cold.

"I wonder why the Jedi never came back? Weren't they popular on Lothal?" Those helmet-obsessed gun fanatics weren't even around anymore. Not for years. Maybe they were just too poor to fix the old temple.

"Hey, aren't there supposed to be giant wolves around, too?" Corwin kinda wanted to see one.

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[Iymril]

​

Although Iymril would never admit it aloud, they loved these moments. Instructing acolytes, teaching them, shaping their initial journey into the Dark Side and lessons of the Sith brought them unimaginable joy. So their ears remained perked as they carefully listened to each question the acolytes presented.

The Sephi Acolyte, Ahriman queried if it would be warmer within the ruins. Acolyte Serket asked a more pointed question, what the temple had been used for by their Jedi rivals. Good. That was the line of thinking that would allow survival in their world. Acolyte Carmine asked her own important question, why hadn’t the Jedi returned?

“Deeper within the Temple should be warmer, yes Acolyte Ahriman.” Iymril told her.

As they said this, they passed the first set of corpses frozen to the mountain side approach of the temple. A pair of Mandalorian warriors, one had a deep slash carved into their breastplate. The other had her head carved diagonally in two. The third frozen body was that of a Klatooinian Jedi, a trio of blaster holes punched through his chest.

The bodies had been perfectly preserved by the frigid mountain temperature. As the group continued upwards, the signs of battle grew even more obvious with frozen bodies becoming more numerous. The death toll on the approach alone was staggering, this had clearly been the site of a final push for the Mandalorians and last stand for the Jedi.

“The Temple here was utilized in ancient times as a testing grounds for Jedi aspirants.” Iymril replied to Kyssiara as they gingerly stepped over the body of a Mandalorian warrior. “The Jedi Masters of the temple would see if a Jedi acolyte was prepared for knighthood.” They continued.

Iymril’s eyes scanned the field of bodies for abnormalities. It seemed as if they were searching for something that was out of place. Something barely perceptible. After a few seconds, their eyes turned to the temple before then and they began the final climb up the stairs into the ruins.

“Acolyte Carmine, that is a good question.” Iymril replied. “The Jedi over a decade ago had a habit of only defending their own installations.” They explained. “It made them very unpopular, even with their allies.” Iymril continued. “It’s likely the case the people here remember how their Jedi defenders abandoned them when the Mandalorians invaded. They might hold a grudge for that slight.”

Iymril would lead the class within the temple and down the interior steps into a massive antechamber. From this dark stone room, several hallways branched off into different sections of the temple. There were still deep grooves from lightsabers carving through walls and floors alongside blaster burns. However, there were no corpses found within the room. Here Iymril would turn to face their students.

“Class, before we continue you must become attuned with the unique force presence here.” They instructed. “As with many sites of war or genocide, there is an imprint left behind.” Iymril explained. “A sort of echo in the Force of what happened here.” They continued. “Allow yourselves to feel the misery and fear that stains this place. Immerse yourself into it.” Iym told them. “Hear the echoes of the past, see what you can discern.”

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[Ahriman]

Bloodstained, yellowed teeth bared out from under black gums and a wrinkled maw as Daeva's mocking smirk pulled back into a snarl. His eyes, empty of anything, still managed to bleed malice as he passed by Iymril toward Kyssiara. He passed by her side, then turned his gaze upon the Sephi. « Did you hear that, Ahriman? » The acolyte spared a glance toward him — and the pureblood — but said nothing, her face as icy as the wind that cut her skin. « It's all a competition. Always. »

Ahriman looked away, regarded Corwin briefly, then turned them back to Iymril. Daeva could try all he wanted to get under her skin, but she just didn't care about Kyssiara's little jab like he did. Her ear did twitch at the tiefling's retort to the pureblood.

She listened as Iymril explained a bit further. It was a bit difficult to hear them over the loud whistling of the wind muddying her ear, but not impossible. Once they stepped inside and were directly blocked by the wind, Ahriman could feel herself relax a bit. The air, now, sounded just as clear as it felt.

Sigh. She'd signed up for this field trip because it seemed interesting, but mostly because Daeva had pressured her into it. « You have to seek out sources of power whenever the opportunity arises, » he'd said. Ahri had her doubts, but, well, she was here now.

The Sephi straightened her back, rolled her shoulders, placed her right fist into her left palm, and closed her eyes to concentrate. She could practically feel the Wolf breathing down her neck, and her ears twitched twice to indicate her irritation with him.

« Can you smell it? The sweet, sickly scent of stale fear in the air? »

Ahriman took a deep breath, and opened her eyes once again. The temple, once in disrepair and dusted with snow, was now shed with an icy light that shone against polished floors. The sound of blaster fire and battle caught her ear, and she turned her head into a new perspective. An outstretched hand ushered a crowd of young Jedi children past, guiding them in the direction of a shuttle she spotted when she glanced that way. An explosive sound exploded behind her, and Ahriman snapped back to see. How many children were there? She felt concern grow in her chest, then fear when the number fell short of some unknown total. Some jumble of words were shouted from her mouth — she was going to find the missing initiate, she thought — and she began to run, fueled by the tight grip in her chest.

Suddenly, she was emerging from a different hallway. Blaster bolts rained down upon her, and she angled a bright blue saber left and right to deflect the barrage. One of the bolts flew past her and into her shoulder, but where there should have just been searing pain, there was instead Iymril, Corwin, and Kyssiara.

And Daeva, of course. He seemed to be enjoying himself.

"I saw a Jedi guiding a group of children to safety. She ran off to find a missing one and ended up facing down a group of Mandalorians," Ahriman said some time after.

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[Corwin Carmine]

It was certain such places of death always left their scars behind. Corwin had a certain attunement to emotional echoes, albeit much more strongly connected to the living rather than the dead. All the same, as they exhaled air and inhaled the Force, the intensity of death was nearly overwhelming.

She ran now, away from blasterfire and the smell of blood. Her heart hammers in her chest, fur rankled and matted in carbon, pointed ears back and down, legs burning with exertion. Her bare, padded feet slam across the once-fine marble floors as they flee. Shrilly her voice calls out for help, desperate and alone.

A bolt of pain, sharp and arctic-cold, shoots through her back. Then there is nothing.

From the perspective of the others, Corwin suddenly jerked as if awakened and reached a hand around to their back, patting part of their jacket as their tail-tip flicked back and forth. The feeling of death, even so muffled as that, was terrifying. And exhilarating. The Tiefling stuffed their shaking hands into their cloak pockets.

"Just some dead Jedi running for help," they said with an easy, impenetrable smile, tail wrapping back around their waist. They nodded toward a particular hallway, three down on the right. "Over there, I think."

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[Kyssiara Serket]

Kyssiara regarded the frozen bodies scattered along the route to the temple with some interest, noting both the increasing amount of dead the closer the group got to the temple and wondering if there were enough kyber crystals and beskar pieces buried among the snow to warrant the time and manpower required to dig them out. A suggestion to pose to Iymril later, perhaps. The Pureblood's golden eyes gazed at her reflection in the half-visible visor of a Mandalorian helmet sticking up out of the snow.

Would her body be laid to rest in a grand tomb like the Sith Lords of old, or would her life end on some barren planet, just another body among a multitude of casualties?

The girl shook the though from her mind, refocusing on why they were here: the temple. Kyssiara followed Iymril and the others through the entrance and into the ruined interior, one devoid of bodies but not of the signs of war. Following the Sephi's instructions to attune to the energy of the massacre that had taken place, she took a few steps away from the others and settled down onto the stone floor with her legs crossed and hands on her knees.

Kyssiara took a deep breath, closing her eyes and allowing her mind to reach out through the Force. The Darkness built up by the actions taken there became immidiately palpable, but it was only a surface-level taste of the echoes that rang out through the Force. The sounds of blaster fire and the humming of lightsabers grew louder and louder in the Pureblood's ears, until an image clearer than even a holomovie solidified in her mind's eye. This was no simple vision; Kyssiara felt as if she was there amongst the battle, she could feel the heat of blaster bolts wizing by and the cold kiss of a harsh breeze rushing against her face.

Mandalorians stormed through the entrance the acolyte had walked through only moments before, gunning down Jedi and continuing on through a corridor to the right as modulated voices shouted orders to cut of the Jedi retreat. Yet the Pureblood felt her attention drawn away from them, focusing on a woman leading a more select squad of Mandalorian warriors. Kyssiara could sense the woman's anger, her sense of purpose radiating through the Force as she diverted her squad away from the main force and headed in the other direction, down a long spiral staircase.

"I see a woman, a Mandalorian." the acolyte spoke aloud, dictating what she was seeing. "She's taking a team away from the main assault, searching for something. Something she believes she is owed. She's going deeper... the staircase in the second hallway on the left." she continued. Kyssiara's eyes fluttered open as the sounds of battle faded, her gaze fixed on the same hallway she'd seen in her vision as she stood.

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[Iymril]

​

All three acolytes had attuned to this place. Their minds attached themselves to individual beings, echoed that were more potent than others. Good. That meant that uncovering the secrets of these ruins might be slightly easier.

The Sephi listened to each brief explanation as the Acolytes gave them. An eyebrow slightly lifted in a micro-expression of interest. Iymril’s ruby eyes followed each direction the Acolytes pointed to. They each led to potentially important places. The first thing of note was the lack of bodies within the room, particularly of the Jedi Acolyte Carmine described. That would be the first path to explore.

“We will explore what each of these echoes offered fully.” Iymril stated. “Hang onto the threads of the past, you will all guide us as we go forward.” The Sephi explained. “Acolyte Carmine, tap back into the Force, see through the eyes of the Jedi and guide us to where they crawled.” Iymril instructed.

The Sephi would follow the Tiefling as she led them. Their eyes would flick down to Kyssiara and then over to Ahriman before returning to Carmine.

“Remember to embrace the suffering of this place.” They told the Acolytes. “Through it you will find clarity and power.” Iymril continued. “And do not hesitate to ask, if need be.”

Iymril knew that likely wouldn’t happen. One of the Acolytes admitting they were incapable was admission of weakness to rivals. It would be a foolish move that any experienced Acolyte would hide instead of admit.

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[Ahriman]

Jedis and Mandalorians — it seemed that all three acolytes were successful in attuning to the temple's memories, and that they'd all managed to latch onto different experiences. Useful, Ahriman supposed. The tiefling and the pureblood seemed to get locations out of their visions, but they were to explore the tiefling's first. She didn't remember which hallway they'd gestured to though (or rather, they hadn't bothered to look), so the Sephi would have to wait until he did as Iymril asked and guided them toward whatever hallway had shown itself in her vision.

« Anyone who makes their weaknesses known is a fool, » said the Wolf who walked alongside Ahriman, following her as she followed the others. His empty eyes searched the others with dark severity, and Ahriman found herself following his gaze. The Sephi was taking up the rear of the group, but should any of them glance behind, they would meet an intense silver stare much unlike the apathetic acolyte. « And you should punish them for it, if they do. »

She did not follow Daeva's eyes for long. Once she regarded each of the three in front of her, the Sephi returned her attention back to herself and the temple around her. 'Embrace the suffering?' Once again, the girl took a deep breath, her lips parted ever so slightly. The temple had little physical scent — it smelled of dust mostly, but also sharp, cold air — but the action helped to attune her more clearly with the lingering despair. As the four approached the hallway that the tiefling led them to, she could almost smell the panic and the desperation of this dying woman.

"Those look like old medbay doors," Ahriman commented once the hallway came into view. Further down there was a set of double doors — the kind designed to allow wheeled stretchers through — before the hallway turned ninety degrees and continued to the right. She approached and opened them, and was hit with the stench of death. Not literally, it should be noted, but a figurative sort; she could feel it in the Force.

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[Corwin Carmine]

And lead they did, off down the hallway. It seemed to take a little while to reorient themselves but they figured it out. The Tiefling was also getting significant impressions of the past's suffering from everyone else around her. Echoes of echoes, as it were, and had to tune most of it out. The despair was otherwise almost physically palpable.

As they reached the particular hallway- and another acolyte mentioned it looking like a medbay- Corwin surreptitiously glanced at the other acolytes before siddling closer to Lymril. Admitting to a personal weakness was, most assuredly, a mistake.

"Professor Iymril, is there a good way to attune to this kind of place?" they asked. Quietly, vaguely sheepish, and definitely audible to anyone listening. Corwin's eyes returned to the newly-opened room. Desiccated corpses were scattered around, long dead and long rotted away. More than one had been beheaded from the look of things.

The Tiefling stepped inside and started looking around, poking at the various enrobed skeletons for loot or clues.

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[Kyssiara Serket]

It seemed the other acolytes had latched onto different echoes of the past as well, with both the Sephi and the Tiefling identifying separate points of interest from Kyssiara's own vision. Iymril instructed them all to follow the trail Corwin had picked up on, which admittedly sounded intriguing. If they'd seen a Jedi die, where was the body? The interior of the temple had less exposure to the elements than the corpse-riddled path leading up to it, but in its ruined state there was no total insulation.

Kyssiara followed the Tiefling as they led the group towards a hallway on the right, extending her senses to the charged energies within the temple in case there was something more to pick up on. The Pureblood could feel it all; the death, the suffering, the long past scent of fear as Jedi hopelessly fled for their lives. It was, in a word, intoxicating. A potent source of power from which to draw from, echoes of a terror she planned to one day unleash upon her own enemies. Golden eyes briefly glanced at Iymril as two particular enemies came to mind.

As the group came upon a room filled with bodies, presumably a medbay if Ahriman's assertion was correct, Kyssiara had to avoid stepping on a skull while the dark ripples through the Force only grew stronger. Sensitive Pureblood ears listened for more echoes of screams of blaster fire, but instead revealed only Corwin's inability to focus on the energy as they asked the professor for help. Was the Tiefling inept? The gravity of what had happened here was so palpable Kyssiara could practically taste it like electricity on her tongue.

"Can you not feel the mark left upon this place?" the girl questioned out loud, continuing to search through the medbay but clearly pointing their inquiry at Corwin. "Perhaps if you're not skilled enough to do so on your own, focusing on one of these bodies as a conduit might help your cause." Kyssiara suggested, rolling her eyes. For all the grief she'd given Trodai early in their relationship, at least he'd trained her to be better equipped than more average acolytes.

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[Iymril]

Iymril followed at the rear of the group, they watched as the Acolytes began their cursory explorations. Acolyte Ahriman opened a pair of med bay doors. The sensation of death rippled through the Force. It attracted the Sephi’s attention and they extended their senses deeper into the room. There was the faintest flicker of something close to alive within the chamber. Iymril said nothing to the Acolytes, it was their own duties to sense impending danger and determine how to overcome it.

Their attention shifted to Carmine who had come alongside them. He asked how to better tap into the dark side within this place. How she could anchor themself to the energies found here. Iymril was about to answer the question when Kyssiara spoke up first. She gave the Tiefling an answer, the wrong answer.

“Think back to a moment of personal despair.” Iymril told the Tiefling. “Where you felt hopeless and cling to that memory, draw from it and align yourself with the echoes.” They instructed. “As an example, Acolyte Serket likely draws from the memory of a personal failure.” Iymril began, their eyes dispassionate, their voice calm, their face expressionless. However, their next words were pointed and intend to remind the Acolyte of her role. “When she left her weakened Master alone in a medbay not too dissimilar from this one. All to gallivant at some party.”

Their eyes bore down on her. The Acolyte could hate them, she could even plot their murder, all of this was understandable and acceptable, even if a bit illogical. But to try and claim the authority over an instructor? To disrespect them so openly? That wasn’t something Iymril was about to tolerate. So they exposed a weakness for the other Acolytes to exploit however they saw fit.

“Come Acolytes, let us continue the exploration.” They said, nodding towards the door and the dangers within.

——————

The creature within clung to the shadows. This had been its home once. The Jedi here had been its friends. But it couldn’t protect them. It couldn’t save them. The metal-men had killed many Jedi. They hadn’t even spared the pups. How many nights had they howled to the moon in morning? How many days had they begged the Sun for a chance at vengeance?

It seemed their prayers were answered. The canine predator sensed the entry of four dark beings. It knew they were coming. It would set its ambush and pick them off one by one.

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[Ahriman]

And there it was. It seemed it didn't even have to be a revelation of weakness, it just had to be something perceived as one. The pureblood picked up on it immediately. Ahriman had nothing to say.

Instead, she idly studied the bodies on the floor, taking more interest in the color and cut of the clothing than whatever it was Iymril was talking about. Many of them were lying in broken positions, frozen solid in odd poses caused by whatever terrible fate had become them. Were they abandoned to die, or were they killed by the invading forces? Most of them were nothing but sparse skeletal remains, which made it impossible to discern much.

Once Daeva became interested in them, the Sephi turned away, unwilling to cooperate with the spirit.

Let us continue. When the words reached her sensitive ears, Ahriman let out a long breath and headed for the indicated door. With a gloved hand, she reached out and shoved it open. revealing a dark room ahead.

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[Kyssiara Serket]

Kyssiara really needed to figure out the right time to say something. The Pureblood's attempt to assert herself over Corwin had clearly antagonized professor Iymril, even if it didn't show through their tone or expressions. Coming from them of all people, the Sephi's words hit like a knife twisting in Kyssiara's gut. She tried to meet Iymril's gaze, but their comment had dredged up feelings of guilt the acolyte had tried to bury under anger towards both the professor and Trael.

Her master had told her to go, yes, but she should've known better. If only she'd foreseen the possibility for danger, if she'd been less interested in making friends at some stupid party, if she'd cared more about Trodai like he'd cared about her. She was the one who'd betrayed her master, it was her inaction that had killed him...

Kyssiara shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut, screaming internally for the voice to GO AWAY, it was Iymril's fault, it was Trael's fault. Their leering faces loomed large in her mind's eye, taunting the girl, reminding her how small and powerless she was — STOP. The faces erupted in flame as the Pureblood focused the Dark Side through herself, pushing the thoughts away and focusing only on her rage towards the champion and the master. On her thirst for vengeance.

Kyssiara's eyes snapped back open with only a few seconds having passed, continuing on deeper into the medbay were Ahriman was as she attempted to reassert her connection to the Force echoes in the temple. Unlike before, the girl could only pick up on the overwhelming sense of death that permeated the place; she found herself unable to focus, her emotions still roiling and turbulent.

No matter. Kyssiara had let Iymril's comment get to her in a moment of weakness, nothing more and nothing less. This irritating imbalance would pass like it did when she woke up sweating in the middle of the night, when she forced it away. Following behind Ahriman, the Pureblood wove the hand sign for pyrokinesis and conjured a small fireball, holding it up to illuminate the dark room the other acolyte had revealed.

@Apollyon @Mr. Teatime @lizziie

 

[Corwin Carmine]

The Tiefling nodded along to Iymril's explanation, with a briefly bemused expression as if Corwin had no idea what personal failures the professor was alluding to.

"I'll try that, then," they responded with a look of concentration, drawing up some old memory of... Well, there'd been a lot of blood at the time. Abit of instruction meshed well with Corwin's empathic sensory skills. The dead weren't that different from the living after all, just... muffled, older, dusty. Their attunement to this place wasn't so difficult as they'd alluded.

Her senses expanded outward and accurately into the surrounding rooms. In particular, the medbay the other two led the way into. Corwin followed at a reasonable distance behind the other acolytes, leaning a hand against his left hip. As the spark of fire lit up the dark, the Tiefling Acolyte said nothing.

He only focused his senses more sharply on the living flame of vengeance so brightly lit ahead.

@Apollyon @René @lizziie

 

[Iymril]

Iymril watched as Acolyte Ahriman and Acolyte Kyssiara moved into the room without any hesitation. Their eyebrow quirked slightly, it was an interesting choice to make. Perhaps they had overestimated the skill of the Pureblood Acolyte? Perhaps she was too blinded by uncontrolled emotion to walk down the path of true Sith. It wouldn't have been the first time the Sephi had misjudged another and they knew it wouldn't be the last either.

However, Acolyte Carmine showed promise.

She slipped back behind the other Acolytes, they allowed their colleagues to take the first risk. It was subtle enough that the other two likely didn't notice. But the Professor did. Their lips tugged upwards in a micro expression that showed how impressed they truly were of Acolyte Carmine's ploy. He had the makings of a Sith within her and the Sephi was pleased to see it.

Iymril wouldn't say a word to the other Acolytes, they'd allow them to take point and press forward. They gently drew upon the Force and lightly tugged Carmine shoulder with it. The only reward for their success and his willingness to sacrifice the foolhardy for her own survival. The Sephi would press a finger to their lips, a instruction for the Tiefling to remain silent and observe. So what if the Sephi and Pureblood Acolytes couldn't solve this problem and deal with whatever they had blundered into? This was a valuable lesson to all of them, if they weren't vigilant, they'd die and be proven as unworthy to be Sith.

Typically this was the way the chaff was separated from the wheat. This was the way of the Sith. It was the way of the Dark Side.

But the Sephi wouldn't allow their charges to be mauled to death. Instead, they'd allow the other two Acolytes to be the bait while they and hopefully Acolyte Carmine were blanketed in the Dark Side. The Professor would wrap them up in the misery of this place, blending their presences in with the background of the echoes of this place. It would allow the pair of them to be prepared for whatever was to come.

------------

Fear. Pain. Hate. Rage. Suffering. Malice. Bloodlust.

All traits that were abhorrent to the lupine creature as it crouched down on it's haunches. The shadows had been wrapped tightly around it, the Force itself was an ally to it. It would avenge the fallen Jedi here. It would bring justice to these interlopers. It's muscular body was tensed, like a tightly coiled spring. As the two wandered deeper into the medbay, it would wait until the perfect moment to strike.

Golden eyes focused on it's prey. The red-skinned demon, it felt the Dark Side rolling from her. It added to the atmosphere of suffering here and couldn't be tolerated. She had to be the first to die and then the taller woman could be liberated from the spirit that oppressed her after.

When the pair were within striking range, the trap would be sprung. The massive Loth-wolf would lunge from the shadows, mouth open and teeth bared in a snarl. It sought to rip Kyssiara's throat, to end the corruption she added to this place. To kill her.

The only question was, could the Acolytes react fast enough to avoid a sudden death?

@Mr. Teatime @René @lizziie