The Darkest Nights

[Horus Tempest]

-Music-​

"Look out!"

Horus was getting tired of this. Of course it was a trap, of course, the shield was actually a sword, and magick could always be redirected in such a manner. The Vahla mentally berated himself for not realizing it sooner, even as the lightning coursed towards him and his hands extended. Releasing the energy he had pooled earlier, he sent a jolt of force energy directly into the Witch's lightning. Since she had diverted her power between all of them, he should have enough power in his push to blast the lightning back into the bubble of his foe, unless she somehow countered in time. He immediately began to pool the Force around his hands again as he closed the distance between himself and his allies, descending into the chamber and closing towards the altar. Whatever this Dathomiri Witch was playing at, he was certain the altar held some importance, as she seemed to be protecting it. Even if they were wrong, then at least he might be able to gather her attention by attacking the bubble directly.

"Come on, you overgrown mynock, surely that's not all you've got!"

He did not swing his sword or close on the witch herself, but instead continued to focus from a short distance away, wary and prepared for the inevitable attack that would come his way. If he had learned anything fighting this apparition thus far, is that the offensive maneuvers were just as dangerous as her defensive force powers. Now that he was aware the orb was also a weapon of sorts, it would not leave his sight, and he would be ready to dodge another blast if necessary. He could feel the power of the Force surge up and surround him, intent on drawing yet another gust from the energy field and send it forth. He couldn't do so, not just yet, but focusing for yet another time would allow him the ability to double up on his previous attack, or blast yet another attack aside should the opportunity present itself. This fight went from interesting to quite concerning very quickly, and the Witch continued to taunt as though she was some Sith Spirit. It was annoying, the sooner they could end her the better.

Need to get that shield out of commission...

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[Crix Dolan (TL8)]

As Crix spun to his left, the flash of green caught his eye. Muscle memory took over as he dropped his elevated saber into a central defensive stance scrambling to pull the force into him for assistance. The lancing energy arced into his blade with enough force to knock him back several steps. The raw power of the blast plowed into him and he struggled to regain his footing, then just as he was starting to gain his balance, his foot found a loose stone.

The tip of his pale blade faltered as his back leg failed to find purchase. A splinter of the vile lightening slipped past the blade and struck him in the chest. Torment ripped through him as he was thrown backward. He landed hard, writhing with agony at the lingering energy. Crix stubbornly pushed himself up, grimacing at Sycorax as the witch taunted them with twisted versions of intimate knowledge.

Apparently, Leah knew... awkward. The Nightsister's words cut deep. He'd always assumed she was out of his league, but seeing it come from her lips with the echo of her voice... hurt. But, that's not why he was here. He wasn't just fighting to save his friend, he was fighting to liberate this holy city from the clutches of the dark side.

A wry grin split Crix's lips as he got up to a knee. His current plan of attack wasn't working out and he wasn't eager to be hit by another blast of raw dark side energy. The air around him still smelled of burnt ozone, as he began to gather the force to him. His muscles were slowly regaining feeling as he got to his feet returning Lightsaber to its defensive position.

Crix chanced a glance toward Castor to see if he was alright, thankfully he seemed to have survived the attack as well. Castor got the snark train rolling and Crix jumped aboard with enthusiasm. After all, snark was a required class in Leah Reach's Jedi curriculum. To Castor he said, "I could have sworn we were fighting a Nightsister Mother, where did this drama queen come from?"

"Really?" He chuckled sardonically adding, "You're a disgustingly powerful Nightsister Mother, and the best you've got are Jedi tabloid headlines?" He laughed.

"You know you're going to lose, right?" He asked as he began to circle to the left intent on discretely closing in on the altar while gathering the force to him as he moved. Horus joined the fray and the trio of Jedi were finally united in their attack, each positioned on a different side of Sycorax.

Spoiler: Tags

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[Ner Giza]

Speed of lightning? Speed of blaster fire? She didn’t know these things, but having already fired 6 bolts at the altar while the witch was playing rock volley ball with Castor there was no taking that back. There wasn’t much she could do about it save dive to the ground in the hopes of getting beneath the lightning as it sped toward her elevated position at the top of the stairs. Hitting the ground with her left shoulder she rolled through toward the left and come to rest on her stomach, arms outstretched before her and saw just mere scorch marks on the altar where her prior shots had struck true. Nera pulled the triggers, two more twitches of her fingers, and sent her bolts flying for the shield. If nothing else it would tax that witch’s energy just soaking up those six bolts. Sooner or later it would have to fail.

Spoiler

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[Tycho Draykon]

As Tycho fired the four bolts at the alter, he will not be able to see if they hit their mark. For as the bolts were squeezed off towards their target, the criminal had to dodge the witches lightning. Which he did by dropping to the ground and rolling.

Getting up onto a single knee the man saw that all the four bolts did was scorch the rocks. None actually hit the alter. That was disappointing. But on another note the witch's shield has to be weakening by now. So the soldier got back to his feet, continuing his sprint towards the alter. He is a stubborn man, so he will continue to head towards the target he and Ner have been trying to get to. Perhaps if the witch focused on him it will give the three jedi some sort of opening. But with the jedi taunting her, well drawing her attention might not happen.

As he moved the man aimed his weapon at the evil being's shield, firing off five bolts. Sooner or later the witch will not be able to maintain her shield since absorbing the barrages takes energy.

Spoiler: tags

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[Castor Chumeda Volante]

Whether it was due to the combination of attacks or what, Castor didn't know but the shield that the witch had set up cracked and broke away into nothingness again. This was a gift horse and you didn't look them in the mouth - or so he was told at least. He had never actually received a gift horse.

And he honestly wasn't even sure what a horse was, come to think of it.

Not the time or the place to think about it though.

Instead he pushed himself up and forwards, holding his lightsaber up in front of himself defensively as he pushed through the remainder of the lightning and closed the distance between himself and the witch. Truth be told, he was a distraction once again and he knew that he was. Grinning, he put on a brave face as he charged down at his Master and the witch controlling her.

He hoped he would live through this but he was prepared in case he did not.

"Hey mum!" he called out to Leah, "If you could wake up before I get stabbed, that would be great!"

He slashed at the blade the witch held, looking to lock the blade and distract her further. If she didn't, he would lock the blade between his main blade and it's crossguard blades before twisting the blade out of her hands.

Spoiler: OOC

Autohit/posting due to timeout - arguing that attacks on the shield take it out since no defense stating otherwise :D

Spoiler: Tags

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[Horus Tempest]

Horus nodded with satisfaction as the shield broke beneath the combined efforts of his allies attacks. Whether it was the two and their blaster fire, or his own lighting reflection, the shield was no more, and now they could press the attack. Horus watched as Castor and Crix made a move to attack. But Horus was interested in taking a different approach. This witch, whatever her name may be, was obviously faster and more skilled than any one of them. So, he would do his best to throw her off. Using the natural mist of the room to his advantage, he cast an illusion over Castor even as he closed towards the witch himself. It would shift Castor to the right of the Nightsister, but in reality, he would stay where he was. It should be enough to momentarily confuse the witch and allow his fellow Jedi to engage up close and take the witch out once and for all. He didn't speak, not this time, this time he stayed silent and concentrated.

The mist enveloped the pair and cast a pale glow into the room, and everywhere it drifted his illusion gently carried. He focused the illusion around Castor alone, that way it didn't drain him too much. Since it was mainly an optical illusion rather than a mind trick or something similar, he would not be entering a battle of wills. It wouldn't take a terrible amount of effort to break the illusion, all it would take was a swing from an arm to knock the mist aside. But hopefully, the sudden change of position in the middle of a battle would give the Nightsister cause to think and perhaps even hesitate. He stood there, arms gently outstretched and then replaced to his sides, focusing his own Force Presence around the room. Hopefully, it would work for longer than it had last time. It was true, Horus was more powerful now, and he could hold out using the illusion for a few moments longer. The natural mist of the cave actually made the illusion rather easy to sell, as it was thick at the entrance and into the main chamber. His own force power only increased the mist's hectic spell. Castor would be covered from view for the next little bit, at a minimum.

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[Leah Reach]

What was said could never be unsaid. Leah knew that, but still, she fought. For her friends, family. Rebels and Jedi. The Jedi Master loved them and she could not bear to lose them. She could not give in so easily. The witch was powerful, almost too much, but Leah was neither weak or alone. With whatever shreds of her strength remained, she pushed against Mother Sycorax and her possession. Her shield was already down. The Nightsister was being overwhelmed. If she could hardly manage the many attacks around her, Leah doubted the witch could handle one from within.

Leah asked for much. She prayed to the Force. But most of all, she hoped, and that alone might lead her to breaking the spell and freeing herself from the dark void she now wandered. If not, no matter. She would keep fighting. She would do it until she drew her last breath. Until her mind was broken and will torn asunder. Leah was determined. She had to be, for them. For the Rebellion.

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[Tycho Draykon]

The bolts were right on target. And thanks to luck or the force, the bolts this time took down the Witch's shield. With the shield down there is a better chance that the group will take her down. Though the evil being is not the soldier's target, he is not gifted with the force. Going up against the Witch will be suicide. No his target is the alter. He had no idea if it will work. But of they can destroy the alter, then it might just be enough to weaken the witch even more. Making the Witch's defeat a reality.

Dodging around a few more boulders as he sprinted, closing the distance as quickly as he could. The criminal was finally at the alter. Of course he couldn't say anything for it will attract the evil being's attention, and tarnish any chances they have at destroying the damn thing. Not to mention that the other rebels had seen Tycho approach the alter.

Now that he is at the Alter the criminal examined the item quickly. He remembered that the bolts had no affect on it. So the rebel officer quickly shouldered his rifle. Unsheathing his echani vibroblade, Tycho slashed at the Alter to see that it had done some damage, "Great! I always wanted to do this." He said as the man continued to slash at the alter hoping that it will be enough to free Leah from the Witch's control.

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[Crix Dolan (TL8)]

Crix could feel the end drawing near. Whether it would be for them of the vile witch was up to the force. He was no longer a smuggler, a gunslinger, or a rebel. He was a Jedi. The force called him to the altar, carefully he glanced at it out of his eye feeling his body already moving toward it.

The tip of his pale blade hung languidly in anticipation of the Witch's next attack. The Jedi's jaw was set, determination tantamount in his demeanor as he continued to circle toward the altar. As he closed in on the monolith there was a sudden burst of blaster fire that slammed into Sycorax's shield. With the reaction time of a practiced gunslinger, Crix moved. The force he'd been pooling was embraced and he shot toward the altar with supernatural speed.

Crix drew his lightsaber back aiming to cleave the vial catalyst in two. As Tycho drew back on his own attack, Crix struck. He swung with all his might slamming into the stone obelisk. His lightsaber met some resistance, but his momentum carried him through his strike, twisting away from the destroyed altar. All his repressed emotion brimming on the edge of his psyche as he completed his swing, leveling the tip of his blade in a defensive position prepared for the Witches rebuttal. Anticipation stretched the moment out for an eternity as he begged the force to intervene. The Witch's shield was gone and Leah's possessed form remained.

He shot Tycho an apologetic expression, "Sorry for cutting in, nice shot by the way."


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[Sycorax]

The attacks found their mark and, with the woman resisting, Sycorax lost her grip. The witch was expelled, her spirit without an anchor, and hung in the air for a moment. She let out a loud, screeching, violent scream and tried to lurch for Leah again; but she had killed her cultists and expended too much of her power during the battle. There was nothing left to anchor her to the world, so her spirit became a green mist and, once again, Sycorax, the Mother of the Nightsisters, vanished into the void... this time, for good. @Nommie @Deviant @Nefieslab @Kayenta Moenkopi @TheMorrigan @Zay

 

[Castor Chumeda Volante]

"Whoa!"

Dropping his lightsaber to the ground, it automatically extinguished itself as he jumped forwards. The Nightsister was expelled from Leah and the Jedi Master was weakened by the sudden change. Castor managed to get there in time, catching her in his arms before she could fall to the ground.

Hardly befitting of a Master to fall to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

He examined Leah with the Force for a moment before determining that she was alright, exhausted, but alright. Castor chuckled a little bit as he gave her a little squeeze.

"You're alright... gave us a bit of a scare there, Master."

He rose from his crouch, letting Leah stand at least only semi-assisted, and turned to the rest of the group.

"... Well that happened."

Spoiler: Tags

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[Tycho Draykon]

Tycho watched after he and Crix hacked the alter to pieces the green mist lift from Leah before disappating. Well it was a relief to see the whole thing was now over. Sheathing his vibroblade the officer unshouldered his rifle and put a good number of bolts into whatever was left of the alter to make sure nothing like this will happen again.

Satisfied with his work Lieutenant Draykon's focus turned to Master Leah. Shouldering his rifle Tycho shook his head as Castor asked what happened, "Don't ask me. I have no idea. Maybe she was able to expel the witch somehow." He admitted. The bloke shrugged, "But for sure this whole thing with the witch is over. Good job guys." He said. As he praised everyone he clapped Castor's shoulder, having no idea that the shoulder he clapped was the injured one.

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[Crix Dolan (TL8)]

In disbelief, Crix watched as the vile aetherial power of the Nightsister Mother separated from Leah. The fading projection of the defeated entity roared in defiance as she dissipated in the void. His attention drifted to Leah and he watched as Castor caught her. He couldn't move. He lowered his lightsaber and deactivated it, suddenly realizing he was still in a defensive position. The realization of their victory suddenly slammed into him. He felt... different. Any reservations he'd had about the force was gone, but even with this new understanding he still hurt.

His emerald eyes fell on Leah and the words of Sycorax whispered tendrils of doubt into his mind as he watched her from afar. He pushed the emotions to the side and joined the group.

They'd actually won. Crix breathed a sigh of relief as he joked, congratulated, and high-fived his fellow rebels. This was what he'd always missed as a kid. He'd found his purpose and at that moment, surrounded by his comrades, he made a personal vow to do whatever he could to help the rebellion and the Jedi Order. The only way they'd be able to take on The Sith and The Empire would be to remain united. With his hope restored, Crix and the rest rejoiced in their hard-won respite before making their way out of the temple. There was still much to do. The battle had been won, but the war was far from over.

End.​

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