Ask Ahch-To The Shadows Of The First

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

As the Governor's personal ship broke through the cloud line of the Oceanic world that the Force had drawn her, and consequently the captive Jedi master who was pretty much in tow for the venture, whether the Zeltron was willing or not - the occupants of the Bakuran ship could see the reveal of a large swelling sea that encompassed the entirety of the oceanic world, bar one rocky outcropping that sat ahead of them, seemingly the only significant landmass that could be seen for miles. To make matters worse perhaps, or more to the point whether things couldn't get any wetter, heavy rain was clearly on the cards. Looking out of the viewscreen watching as the small bead like droplets crashed into the transparisteel screen before running off to the sides, forced along by the currents of the air as the ship made its approach to the island - the blonde narrowed her eyes as she regarded and scrutinised the rocky island, looking for the faintest sight of any structures or what would be more pressing any inhabitants.

Yet for all that she could see, was what looked to be just a collection of stone structures in various states of ruin and collapse. It seemed that this world would have either been long abandoned, or even long forgotten - though if it wasn't for the Force guiding the two, leading them to the island - it would be unlikely that it would be found in the first place, all that would be visible would nothing but an endless sea. As the ship made its final approach, all that could be seen on the ancient island was the local native fauna, small birds scattering in response to the sound of the ship's engines. Looking off to her side, the blonde regarded the Jedi for a silent moment, thinking back on their earlier conversations, and more precisely the quip about requiring a swim suit. A light grin curling on her lips, as the thought that a swim suit should perhaps be changed to a wet suit, or some other form of environment suit - least it would offer more protection from the rain and the crashing waves than their attire and cloaks.

As the ship started to level out and lowered itself to land, the blonde rose from her seat, stepping away from her passenger seat and headed towards the adjoining compartment, that served as her personal quarters. making her way towards a sealed case sitting at the side of her bunk, opening it and retrieving her lightsaber. Much like the core of their discussions on the journey to the planet, the Sith was not going to leave the ship without a means of defending either herself or the Jedi from whatever threats inhabited the island - as barren and desolate as it was, they were brought here by the Force in the blonde's search for clarity towards the dark threat that was growing within the unknown regions.

Clipping the lightsaber to her belt, the blonde turned and headed back for the door, grabbing her cloak off of the rack in the corridor, throwing it over her shoulders and fastening it into place before reaching for the bulkhead wall as the ship suddenly shuddered as it touched down on the surface. Once the ship had settled, the blonde lifted the second cloak that hung from the rack and hung it over her fore arm as she made her way back to the cockpit, setting it down over the back of one of the chairs for the Jedi to use - should she of course wish to, though she doubted given the driving rain the Jedi would refuse the offer.

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

Nykoria spent the final approach in silence and contemplated the view in front of her. Somehow, the Sith's hunch had proven accurate so far, and the ship was darting between the gloomy sky and even gloomier waters towards the rocky island. Kori could sense that the planet was teeming with life, even though most of it was unseen so far.

For all her experience with the Force, the Zeltron Jedi Master still couldn't say for sure what exactly the unlikely duo were looking for. But as she herself had said hours earlier, the Force had a way of not being clear about things. When the governor turned to her briefly and offered a light grin, Nykoria responded in kind, but for reasons of her own. Although she didn't hear the "friendly nudge" about her earlier words, nor did she consider the rain a problem, the Zeltron could sense the sentiment and share it.

Kori would stand up together with Alyse and accept the cloak with a grateful nod and put it over her shoulders. With Alyse armed and ready, there was little to nothing for them to grab on the ship, so Kori walked towards the ramp. A few steps outside, and she would be standing on the sloppy wet ground, inhaling the fresh moist air and enjoying the sound of the heavy rain thumping on the ship hull above her and the ground nearby.

As much as the Zeltron didn't mind the rain, she also did't cherish the idea of changing into something else on such short notice. So, Kori closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and... stepped from under the ship into the rain. Before long, she was hidden behind the streams of water falling from the skies and down the side of the ship. But then they moved to the sides like a curtain, creating a passage tall and wide enough for Alyse to fit through.

At the end of the passage stood the Zeltron Jedi stood, unaffected by the rain. The streams circled around her, falling onto the ground and creating the image of an open cocoon protected from the rain. Some Jedi, especially those of the old Order, could probably call it a childish, inefficient application of the Force. But for the moment, it seemed like the right thing to do. "I handle the rain, you handle the way?" the question contained just enough friendly cheekiness not to be considered inappropriate.

@Topher

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

Nodding to the Jedi's offer, and pointing out of their respective delegated tasks. The Blonde, smiled lightly biting on her lip a little for a moment, before taking a step forward out of the cover of the ship. "So the Jedi, focus their training on using the Force to fashion an umbrella" Alyse summised, with a light teasing tone, her words carrying with the intended jest, in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere amidst the torrential downpour that surrounded them. A brief flash of a grin could be seen from the Sith before she started to lead the two along the path that had been fashioned into the mountainous terrain, comprising of stone like slabs that had been partially sunk into the sodden ground beneath them.

As the two progressed, the wind seem to pick up, sweeping in over the peaks and troughs of the rugged mountainside terrain - turbulent eddies and gusts of wind coming in from all directions and whipping at the fabric of the cloaks, whilst the Jedi master had managed to prevent the pair from being drenched, the wind seemed to decide that it would take up the slack on harassing the two visitors - though given the present bias to the Lightside that this world resonated with, it would likely be the Sith that was being targeted by the elements. Yet despite the wind picking up the Sith Lord pressed on, reaching out for the faint strands of the Force that she had been following since they had navigated through the corridor of hyperspace anomalies that separated the unknown regions from the rest of the known galaxy.

The pair approached and started to pass through what seemed like an abandoned village, almost primitive in nature comprised of circular huts constructed out of stone. Though their path didn't take them further into the village, but rather run along the outskirts, moving towards the jutting rock like spire of the island's peak - but the path looked as if it wasn't going to snake its way around towards the tip of the mountainous island, but rather towards an en-shadowed opening ahead of them

With a thunderous howl a raging gust swept across the rugged terrain, barrelling towards the pair, threatening to sweep them off of their feet and loose vital purchase of their footings. The Sith's breath slowing down as she narrowed her eyes before reaching a hand for the Jedi Master, whilst the other snatching her lightsaber from her belt. With a focused effort, the Sith pulled the Jedi low to the ground before igniting her lightsaber and plunging the blade into the stone floor, anchoring herself in place to weather the violent gust.

Once the gale had subsided and passed over the two, the blonde rose from her crouched position before turning to face the Jedi. "I Suspect one of us is not welcome here" Alyse spoke with a resigned sigh, as she deactivated her lightsaber and clipped it back onto her belt, before briskly leading the pairing into the cover of the cave like entrance. Little sooner after they had crossed the threshold of the cave, their eyes were met with what looked to be a large hollowed out chamber, decorated only with the bare rock face. The only sign or form of decoration being a solitary circular stone plinth in the centre of the chamber decorated with a mosaic of a figure in a knelt meditative position holding what would be assumed to be a lightsaber -the figure half formed of small black stones surrounded by white, and on the other half formed of white stones surrounded by black.

Loosening the clasp of her cloak, allowing for it to sit loosely over her shoulders rather than around her neck. Alyse took a few steps closer to examine the mosaic, her eyes narrowing as she studied the imagery.

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

As far as Zeltrons were concerned, emotion begot emotion. A smile, a bitten lip, some uncertainty, and a teasing remark worked wonders. With such a mood, who cared about the rain? It was circling over and around the duo anyway, touching ground around them; not a drop landed on the Jedi and the Sith so far. "A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense... In our case, defense from the elements," Kori responded with a grin of her own. "It's also great for setting the table," the grin relaxed a little, as Nykoria reminisced the time with her friends and family back on Coruscant. The people she might never see again due to her decisions. Despite the thoughts darkening a little, the Jedi Master retained her focus.

Keeping the duo from getting soaked became a challenge; especially as they progressed towards their destination, whatever it was. Single droplets were already making it through the invisible bubble. But it took the strongest gust yet, combined with Alyse's sudden grab and pull to momentarily break the Jedi Master's concentration. For a mere moment, the shield flickered, letting the torrent through and drawing an expletive from the Zeltron. Their "protection from the elements" was back up moments after, but it was too late to prevent the consequences entirely. Their clothes would end up as if the duo had just run a few meters through the rain.

With her efforts focused on maintaining the newly re-established bubble, the Zeltron missed the opportunity to reply. In silence, they would finally reach the chamber, where Kori would finally abandon her concentration. Not a perfect execution, but still better than nothing. Curiously, she followed the Sith whose attention had been caught by the strange mosaic. It must have depicted a Jedi and a Sith—no, the adepts of the Light and the Dark, surrounded their opposite element.

Alyse's earlier remark came to Kori's mind. "I don't know. Judging by what I see here, the place must've been pretty inclusive."

@Topher

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

The Sith Pursed her lips as the Jedi offered her opinion on their current surroundings, her eyes narrowing as she intently studied the mosaic, a curled hand rising up to her chin in thought. "Perhaps it once was" Alyse offered, before looking away from the plinth , her gaze running along the stone cavern walls that surrounded them before looking through the cave opening and staring out to the lashing storm that sat lying in wait for them. "But what of its most recent tenants" she continued, her words trailing off in thought before taking a deep breath, sensing beyond the air around them but the currents of the Force. "This world is biased towards the light side" she added, figuring that whilst she was likely just re-iterating the known fact it would still be prudent to raise - after all it would be more obvious to the Jedi.

Stepping away from the plinth, her attention moving away from the caves entrance and back to the rest of the chamber, her eyes intently panning up and down the stone surface of the cavern walls. Narrowing as each sweeping glance offered little to no exploration or clarity to the island's past - there were no engravings, markings or any symbology beyond the mosaic depicting the duality of the Force. With a sigh the Sith turned her back on the walls and returned to the centre of the cavern. Whilst visual clues yielded little then perhaps the Force would, pulling up her sleeve Alyse stepped towards the centre plinth, kneeling down and placing a hand on the cold wet stone surface - closing her eyes and reaching into the Force.

The chamber resonated with the Force, a dull ringing reverberating from the centre of the cavern - before faint whispered of the voices started to echo throughout the chamber. "Life, Death. And, Decay that feeds new life" a soft feminine voice whispered, her words being echoed within the chamber. The Sith's brow furrowed as she concentrated on channelling the Force, focusing on the Dark side and pulling on its strength to see beyond the light that resonated throughout the planet. "The Jedi are romanticised, deified. But if you strip away the myth and look at their deeds, the legacy of the Jedi is failure! Hypocrisy, Hubris.... "a second voice echoed out, this one a rather gruff and weathered male voice. "Thats not True!" the first voice suddenly interjected. "At the height of their powers, they allowed Darth Sidious to rise, create the Empire, and wipe them out......"

Unperturbed or even more precisely unaware of the echoes of the past that was surrounding the two, the blonde Sith's expression was contorted with a look of intense concentration, focusing in on a shadow that was close by. "There's some thing else, beneath the Island, A Place, A dark place" the feminine voice echoed out, before a thunderous roar shook the interior of the cavern moments before the blonde raised her hand off from the wet mosaic's surface, opening her eyes.

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

For a while, silence settled in as the Sith and the Jedi split up, examining the long abandoned place. The fading echoes of voices long gone permeated it, making it hard for the Zeltron to truly concentrate. It wasn't aided by the Sith's meddling with the Dark, that still remained on the Light-aligned world. But one distraction stood apart, prevailing even over the Darkness. Slipping out of reality and into the days past came easy to the Zeltron, who simply walked around the chamber while Alyse was doing her own thing.

The disembodied voices sounded vaguely familiar, even though Nykoria couldn't place where she might have heard them, if at all. But it was the subject of the discussion that caught the Jedi's attention. As far as Kori was concerned, hypocrisy and hubris still existed in the new Order to a point. One couldn't change the nature of the sentients, after all. The failures were also plenty, be it Coruscant, Sullust, Ajan Kloss, or Denon. Whoever that guy was, he sure had a point.

But then the discussion changed topic, and both Alyse and Kori would be back in the there and then. Somehow, the Zeltron knew that the world they had run across had more secrets that her or Ti'Varnus could ever hope to unravel. And yet she was also compelled to give it a try. "I take it you'd prefer the dark place to anything biased towards the light?" Nykoria asked with calm curiosity.

@Topher

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

Looking up to meet the Jedi’s gaze, the blonde nodded briefly for a moment before rising to her feet. "Yes" she commented with a grunt, as she came to her full height. "There is a well of the Dark side beneath us, I think it will offer clarity" Alyse explained as she unfastened the clasps of her hooded cloak, folded it and placed it on the edge of the plinth followed by her outer attire. Her gaze looking up, half expecting an inquisitive look from the Jedi as to why she was disrobing herself down to a base tunic. "The source of the Dark side presence here it sits within a sunken cave" she elaborated, whether it was required or not - after all the Jedi was bound to have seen it all before.

Stripped down to her base layers, clutching the hilt of her lightsaber in her hand, the Sith took one last look at her possessions before returning her gaze to the Zeltron. "You are more than welcome " she offered before a thoughtful expression crossed her features. "Though if not, perhaps there maybe something of interest within the abandoned village" she continued, her words tentative at the understanding that the Jedi perhaps would be reluctant to join her, diving deep into the pit of Darkness that was buried beneath the island.

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

The corners of the Zeltron's lips curled up as she heard what Ti'Varnus relied. I guess you can't keep a Sith from the Dark Side. But what followed did make the Jedi raise an eyebrow. Alyse undressed, leaving seemingly only the base tunic on her body, and a lightsaber in her hands. She even offered the Zeltron to accompany her; an offer that Nykoria actually did give some thought, at least for a few seconds. After all, it was more important to get to know the person, rather than her rank and affiliation.

On the other hand, the planet didn't strike Nykoria as the warmest of places. Add that to a swim in the heavy rain, and you'll have a recipe for catching a cold. Add that to the Dark Side, and you might catch something worse than cold. "Maybe later," she confessed, seemingly reluctant to reject the offer. "Someone has to keep an eye on your stuff after all," she added with a smirk. "Or else you might not find the clothes or the ship by the time you come back." And you'll probably need a campfire after you drench yourself in the sunken cave.

The idea of Alyse finding nothing by the time she came back was actually rather amusing. If the blonde went through with her plan, it would signify a certain level of trust. After all, that would give Nykoria the free reign to wreck the comms and throw the ship off a cliff. That would ensure make that she'd rid the galaxy of one Sith... and one Jedi. Yes, Kori would be stuck on the world as well. And given Alyse's lightsaber, it probably wouldn't be too long a stay.

Not that Nykoria was going to go through with it... Well, probably. "I'll check out the ruins in the meantime. Won't be too far," she explained, adjusting her own cloak. "No swimming for me until the job is done and a campfire is lit."

@Topher

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

An inquisitive eyebrow arched on the Sith's features as the Jedi commented about keeping an eye on her clothing, it seemed a bit of an odd point to raise, particularly with the mention of her returning from the cave to find the ship of all things gone. A sigh escaping her lips as she studied the Jedi, gauging whether it was another one of the Zeltron's quips or whether she was being serious - after all it would be an extreme exercise of trust that would need to be displayed between the captor and the captive, as there realistically would be little that the Sith could do to prevent the Jedi from ransacking and crippling the ship whilst she was left unattended, with the blonde down in the cave below.

But the question would remain, of what it would effectively achieve - stranding the pair on a remote world, isolated from the known galaxy, leaving the galaxy behind and turning their backs on it all. The inquisitive look softened, as the Sith listened to the Jedi continued, indicating that she would look to survey the rest of the ruins as well as setting up a camp fire. Nodding the Sith took the Jedi master at her word, if anything over their exposure to one another, the Sith had remained truthful in her words and would atleast like to believe that the Jedi had been as well - especially given that lies and deceit was a trait that Jedi were generally not known for.

"Hopefully you may find something of interest or use" Alyse spoke with a light smile, as she walked over towards the Jedi, so that the pair of them could leave the cavern through it's sole entrance - tentatively stopping in her tracks as the haze of the torrential rain washed over her exposed skin, before taking a deep breath and stepping out from the cover. Visibly flinching a little as the bitterly cold droplets pelted her, stinging like cold pin pricks at each point the rain impacted on her skin.

It wasn't perhaps little more than ten or so meters that the two's path's would diverge, and the blonde would come to a standstill at the edge of the cliff. Turning to face the Jedi once again. "Definitely should have brought a swim suit" she spoke in jest with a slight grin, calling back to the Jedi Master's comment whilst they were making their approach to the oceanic planet. "I'll see you on the other side" she added before turning round to face the crashing waves that surrounded the island, and with a single unhesitant step dived over the edge of the cliff face, plunging into the swirling sea beneath - disappearing from view with a splash of water.

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

Seeing the Sith sigh and doubt her decisions was a reward in itself. It was a nice little payback for Nykoria's own "undetermined status". In the end, after a visible struggle, Alyse either decided to trust Kori... Or simply took a gamble that trust existed. The Zeltron's own grin grew a little wider as Alyse made that call.

This time, Nykoria no longer bothered with her "umbrella" when stepping into the rain. If Alyse was going as far as to jump off a cliff and into water, then protecting the cloak from the rain felt too nitpicky. As the blonde bid her farewell and darted towards her destination, all that the Zeltron could come up with was a nod. Puns were building up in her head, of course. Like "Sorry, no Dark Side for me", "If you keep making reckless moves like that, you sure will", and whatnot. But there was little time for that, and even fewer reasons.

So, left to her own devices, Nykoria simply... walked. Through the rain, towards the derelict buildings ahead of her. Despite minor inconveniences, Kori felt at ease. Simply hearing the droplets of rain splashing against the grass, dirt, and old stones made her feel better than she had ever felt in the last year. Her family was as safe from the Sith as they could be, hidden on a world that Nykoria herself didn't even know. There wasn't anything to worry about: no Sith, no war, no plagues. Even the looming threat that Alyse had warned her of seemed pretty distant.

Throughout her walk, the Zeltron was left undisturbed by the locals and fauna alike. Kori sensed the presence of life, but only "right around the corner". It seemed that the rain had made everyone but the Jedi scurry off. And the Jedi paid no mind to anyone or anything as she walked on: past the hutts, down the steps, past a burnt tree, and up a cliff. There was no clear destination; Kori traveled seemingly aimlessly, wherever her feet would take her.

That is, until she felt an elusive high-pitched tingle. Not with her ears, but with her very self...

@Topher

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

Fighting her initial reaction to scream at the sudden shock of the ice cold water enveloping her flesh, the blonde narrowed her eyes as she kicked her legs about, whist her arms circled back and forth - fighting against the current and stabilising herself the ebb and tow of the water. Allowing herself a moment to take note of her darkened submerged surroundings, the Sith locked her sight on a dark pool beneath her. Even among the darkness of being under water, the pit beneath her was almost like night and day.

With a weightless twist of her body, and a kick of her legs, the blond dove deeper into the sea's depths, swimming closer and closer to the opening below. Her mind focused on controlling the flow of the Force through her body, sustaining and feeding it in the absence of being able to fill her lungs sith fresh air. Whilst she was by now means as proficient a swimmer as perhaps a Mon Cal native, the blonde was capable enough to get where she wanted to go, albeit not as swiftly.

The light around her gradually faded, the deeper and further down the submerged cave she progressed. But it was not only the shift in the light that was noticeable, the temperature was dropping. Where there was just the icy sting of the bitterly cold water on her flesh, there was now a sinking numbness that permeated through to the bone - making her limbs feel heavy and sluggish with each kick of her legs and sweep of her arms. But despite the bitterness of the cold that threatened to force its way through to her Core the blonde pushed on.

With a sound of crashing water and a sudden gasp for air, the blonde broke through the surface of the water. Looking around, somewhat perplexed Alyse surveyed the interior of the Cave, uncertain as to how the roof above her was dry and filled with air - when she had been certain that she was swimming downwards with no change of direction. Figuring that it would be best to get out of the water, than to continue to tread water worrying over semantics the Sith lord swam towards the nearest surface that sat above the water line.

Pulling herself out of the water and onto the cold stone surface with a grunt, droplets of water cascading off from the Siths alabaster skin and falling onto the ground below as Alyse stood up rising to her full height. Her arms moving upwards and wrapping around her chest, in an attempt to keep and trap her bodily warmth. A slight haze of steam passed through the blondes lips as she exhaled, though her eyes and gaze was looking beyond it, instead focusing in on a shimmering wall ahead of her. The surface looking as it were either formed of sheet ice or glass, highly reflective and also extremely cold to the initial tentative touch.

Taking a deep breath, the blonde centered herself, focusing on the Force and clearing her mind of distractions and the numbing cold that was wrapping around her body and soaked clothes. Before her eyes opened moments before she placed her hand fully upon the surface, and stepping forwards.

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

It was unmistakable. There was something on the island. Something that drew Nykoria towards the edge of the cliff, and to the opposite site of a narrow strait. Treading carefully towards the edge of the cliff, the Zeltron looked down... And immediately wished that she hadn't. The rocks all the way down made surviving the fall very unlikely. Yet whatever it was that drew the Jedi Master forward, it was across the chasm.

Kori stared at the almost flat cliff on the opposite side, with just a few ledges and cavities to grab at. Jumping across, like she had done in the wilderness of Ajan Kloss, was a gamble. One that the Jedi Master wasn't willing to take. Yet she knew that the path had been crossed before. Perhaps, if there was a log long enough, she'd be able to use it as a lever to jump over. But alas, there wasn't. That didn't leave Kori with many options.

With a sigh, she took a step back. Then another step. And one more. Actually, as dozen of steps would do. Calling on the Force like she used to do before capture, the Zeltron ran forward, towards the chasm. Despite the recent lack of practice, what Kori was about to do was like riding a bike: it never truly faded away. As her legs propelled her off the edge of the cliff into a jump much longer than a non-Force-sensitive athlete could hope for, the Jedi Master extended her hands backwards for and additional telekinetic push.

An expletive flashed across her mind as the Zeltron realized that she was barely reaching her destination. For a moment, she thought that she wouldn't even reach the opposite side of a cliff. Preparing for the worst, she reached out with her hands, hopping to grab or pull herself onto something. That helped, but still wasn't enough for Kori to stick the landing.

The cloaked Jedi ended up plopping onto the grass and dirt on the other side of the chasm. A loud grunt expressed all that she thought about the almost failed attempt, the dirt, the weather, the planet, and more importantly, whomever who decided it was a good idea to leave something behind in a place so hard to reach.

Now that it didn't matter whether her clothes were dirty or not, Kori allowed herself a brief respite: lying on the side, looking at the grass, the rainfall, and the gloomy skies. She was getting close to her destination...

@Topher

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

Stepping through the cold reflective surface, the blonde Sith lord came to an abrupt halt as her sight was greeted with that of herself! Her brow furrowing as she regarded the visage in front of her, eyes almost similar in nature to those of her own when she was actively channelling the Dark Side through her - though rather than it's corrupting effects phasing her eyes to a deathly white, the eyes of the visage in front of her were as if replaced with glossy black orbs. But it was not the difference in how her eyes in their phased state were appearing, but the troubled look that was present on her mirror self, the quivering of her lip, the thick black tar like streaks running down her face in place of tears.

Raising a hand, the Sith lord observed with interest the reaction of the mirror visage, eyes narrowing as she watched intently as the mirror self infront of her raised the same hand, and holding it in the very position as the Sith Lord's own. Alyse's gaze moved away from the hand, and back up towards the visage's lips, eyes twitching a little as she noticed that they were moving, silently speaking.

The Sith Lord's brow arched inquisitively, as she cocked her head to the side, seeking to hear the silent words that was being spilled from the mirrored form of herself. Her lips pursed for a moment before she simply nodded in understanding, without hesitation Alyse stretched her held hand further towards her other self -reaching for it and making contact with the cold flesh. "You Hate me, you think me not worthy. I am part of you I am part of all that lives" the visage spoke, it's tone soft and simpering, carrying sorrow to its words.

Alyse simply for the moment remained silent, electing not to attempt to try and counter the visage's accusations. Her eyes narrowing as she simply regarded the form infront of her. But the visage remained silent, expecting and waiting for a response. A sigh escaped the Sith Lord's lips, foreseeing that there would be no further progression if she chose to remain silent. But as she was about to speak out, the Mirrored form of her self lurched her head forwards, its teeth seemingly bending and corrupted into a fanged maw. "WHY DO YOU HATE THAT, WHICH GIVES YOU POWER" The visage screamed as it lunged forward with a sudden snap hiss the chamber was filled with a crimson glow.

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

As it turned out, the downpour was good for something. Nykoria could wipe the mud off her cloak, and even wash her hands. The indigo hair was still a soaking mess; but that was something she'd have to fix later. For the moment, the Jedi still had to track down what had been calling to her. With a deep breath, she stood up from a nearby stone and carried on.

A narrow winding path led Nykoria to the top of a tall cliff, which was probably the highest point at the entire island. Now that the rain was dying down a little, the Zeltron could even enjoy the view. Of course, there was mainly the same dull sky and the ocean as far as she could see. But the peak also provided the view on the rest of the island. The path that had brought Kori there. The remnants of the settlement, lights in some of the stony huts. The burnt tree. And Alyse's ship down below.

But the place was more than just an overlook. The Zeltron could feel the pain associated with it. Something that occurred decades ago... Maybe centuries even. In front of her was simple monument. Made of a few stones put on each other, it was the thing that had been calling to her. Or rather, something beneath it. It took the Zeltron a few moments to make the decision.

Extending her hand, Kori let the rocks float gently, landing them next to where the monument. Underneath it was a small alcove that housed a metal box. The call became even stronger as the Zeltron knelt to touch the lid with an almost uncharacteristic reverence. The reverence and pain that weren't entirely her own.

These feelings did resonate with Kori's though. For some reason, she remembered Ajan Kloss; the things she heard about the Sith attack; how countless initiates and Padawans were murdered for just being themselves; some hadn't even had a chance to build their first lightsaber. Perhaps that shared sorrow was why Nykoria could even sense that call in the Force in the first place. Perhaps that is why it was her place to pull the lid open...

What the Jedi Master saw inside were kyber crystals. Lying in the side compartments of the box, they glinted in various shades. As the Zeltron laid eyes on them, a familiar voice rang in her head, this time much less gruff. I'll keep them safe until the time comes. Something told Nykoria that the time never came back in the day. You'll know the time has come when you don't need them. A mystery for another day. However, there was more to the box than just the crystals.

The central compartment housed something bigger, wrapped by a canvas. Moving it aside, Kori revealed an ornate cube: made of a noble metal, with circular shapes of blue glassy material on every side. Nykoria might not have been an archaeologist or a librarian, but she had seen enough holocrons to recognize one. As the purple fingers landed on it, words flashed across Kori's mind. This time it was kind, inviting, reassuring even: It isn't a laser sword that makes the Jedi. Come, see for yourself.

And just like that, the vision was over. Leaving only the Zeltron kneeling over the relics of the past. The relics that had somehow brought her there. With a sigh, she closed the box and picked it up. She would solve that mystery later; not on top of a cliff and under a heavy rain. Making sure to place the impromptu monument to the place where it had rested before, the Zeltron turned around. She had a long way back, and hopefully even some time to set up that campfire she mentioned. Maybe it would give her the time to study the contents of the box more thoroughly.

@Topher

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

The ignition of the Crimson blade, was also met in kind as a vibrant purple hued blade erupted into life from the end of the Sith Lord's hilt. Moving with a practiced precision to intercept and deflect the rushing attack from the mirrored version of the blonde. "My Hatred is what fuels your growth" the Sith lord stated, her tone short, sharp and as a matter of fact. Her grip around the hilt shifting so that it was biased towards the front of its centre of gravity, granting additional force behind her countering swing to drive 'herself' back off of the offensive and onto defence. "You are but the manifestation of all my sacrifices and the pain & suffering that i have had to endure" she added before pushing her blade forwards with both hands to drive the mirror version of herself back.

A sudden smirk wrapped around the mirrored form, as seemingly realisation set in. After all the entity was born of the Sith Lord's baser instincts and emotion - lacking the calculating mindset that Alyse possessed. "You're right! Power demands sacrifice so why don't I sacrifice you so I can be free of the worst parts of us" the entity snarled as it's grip visibly tightened around the hilt of it's weapon. With a guttural growl the mirror self pushed forward. Her swings and strikes more primal, more savage than the Sith Lord. The manifestation of the uncontrollable dark side within her not weighed down with the constraints of finesse and etiquette that Alsye had developed over the years.

The attacks were a reflection of a state of mind that existed, buried deep within the Darth's subconscious. While some motions made by Alyse, would be with purpose and a calculated precision, seeking to deal with the obstacle in the most clean and effective manner. Those made by the rejected side of the Sith lord were the opposite, reliant on little but fury and brute force. It was with this mind set that the doppelganger came at Alyse bringing her weapon down with both hands vertically, seeking to split the blonde from head to toe in one fell swing. "You can't beat me with my power. That is mine, it belongs to me!"

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

Getting back wouldn't take Nykoria nearly as long. The cliff that she was on stood taller than the one she had jumped through. All the Zeltron had to do was levitate the her newly-found possessions to the other side, and make another jump. This time, the Jedi Master managed to stick the landing, even though all the jumping and levitating was starting to take its toll. And yet, Nykoria was mostly at peace: certain that she had visited the place for a reason, but also feeling that something was off.

She proceeded with the plan: return to the chamber to fetch Alyse's belongings and take them back to the ship. Making the blonde go all the way up to the chamber after taking a swim in the planet's cold ocean seemed like a bad idea. If Alyse didn't know that and went all the way up... Well, then she'd spend a few unpleasant minutes wondering if Kori had actually carried out the threat that she had made jokingly.

Either way, the box was left near Kori's bed aboard the ship; Alyse's own room was off limits, so her possessions were left near the door, folded carefully. The Zeltron herself would be found underneath the hull of the ship: sitting on a large log in front of a few smaller ones. The fire burned bright, shielded from the dropping, but still unpleasant rain.

The Jedi Master was eager to examine the holocron that she had found. But something stopped her just yet. That very same feeling of something being off. A sign of coming trouble, I bet. Whether that trouble was out there to get her or her Sith companion remained to be seen. Perhaps going with Alyse to that hub of darkness would've been a better choice...

@Topher

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

Narrowing her eyes as the base instinctual and Dark Side driven version of herself, swung the crimson blade down towards her head. The Sith lord moved her blade in an upward diagonal motion to intercept and deflect the attack. As the two lightsabers crashing hard into each other, Alyse scowled at the mocking remark, citing that there would be no way in which she could best the mirrored form of herself by using the power of the Dark Side. A power that they both shared, but ultimately one that the corrupted version of herself had the reigning dominance over. As much as she was loathed to admit it there was a point, she her alternate self held the power that Alyse drew upon. Whilst the Sith lord had nurtured and feed the darkness within her through the years, the only strength that came as a result was from the darkness that had seeped throughout her entire self, mind body and soul.

Backing off from her doppelganger to buy some distance and time, the Darth's mind was in a state of calculated thought. If she drew upon the Force she would ultimately increase the power of her counterpart. But how could she beat the very source of her strength without relying upon the force? Alyse knew and had to accept that for the time being the use of the Force was off limits, she would have to fight reliant on her own skill and experience.

Taking a deep breath Alyse tightened her grip on the hilt of her saber readying herself, before lunging forwards the blonde drove her blade upwards projecting it level with her elbow and thrusting the tip of the blade forwards. The savage half of the Sith lord did not move to meet Alyse, instead she waited and with the blade of her lightsaber coming at her she moved to block it with a swipe, intent on sending the purple blade to the left and away from her own body. She followed this motion continuing on with the momentum to spin and bring the back of her right heel across Alyses head.

The force behind the deflecting counter attack was enough to throw the Sith off balance, and left her open to the savage entity' rebuttal, the swinging kick connecting with the side of her jaw. The momentum carried by the kick working with her lost balance resulting in the blonde bring sent barrelling onto the floor. Pain was cascading across the side of her face as Alyse swiftly brought herself back to her feet. Her eyes catching sight of a flare of Crimson over the onyx like irises of her shadow self. The throbbing pain that was washing over her jawline was feeding her counterpart, all that she could do was but to try and mentally dull and block out the pain.

The apparition smiled both seeing and feeling the pain fill her form. "Everything that I do only strengthens my power. You cannot overcome your own darkness to control it. It will crash and over you and drag you under. You can't control the currents of your true self" the entity declared, before a wild vindictive cackle escaped it's lips. It's power was growing stronger with each heart beat, each pent up frustration, each throb of the cracked jaw. To the entity it's victory over the Sith lord was assured, as nothing can stop raw primal power.

It seemed like there was no longer any point of controlling it now, the logical and calculated thought processes of the Sith Lord had no longer a place of purpose. All that remained within the Darth was the searing white hot rage burning from deep within, the same rage that would raze temples to ash. "You're right!" Alyse snarled through gritted teeth, the pain and rage was building within her and subsequently her shadowed self. "I cannot control the currents of my true self, but unlike you I can temper it" she added as her eyes started to phase into their deathly milky white state, her body flooding with the darkened energies of the corrupted Force throughout, a satisfied gasp escaping her lips as she felt her body become reinvigorated with the surging energy that was now resonating loudly within the submerged cave and seeping outwards.

This time it was the Sith lord that moved first, coming hard and fast at her mirror image, before swiftly side stepping from her intended path. Even though her body was not completely out of striking range from the doppelgangers crimson saber, Alyse raised her saber so that the hilt was higher than the tip of the blade. The point of her saber was aimed down towards the ground and would deflect the blow and slide down and away from her body guarding her exposed flank. before swiftly following up with a half spin and plunged her blade in a backwards stab behind her towards the entity's chest.

The sound of metal clattering on the stone floor resonated throughout the cave. Followed by the hiss of the remaining lightsabre being extinguished. Without even looking behind her, the Sith lord took a few steps forward coming to a stop as the sound of the doppelgangers slumping body reached her ears. "You forget there is one thing you will forever lack" Alyse spoke as she lowered her hands to the side, her free hand stretching out to the side and summoning the Entity's hilt to it.

"Purpose" the Darth stated simply. "Without it all power is meaningless and without control, focus and direction" she added before looking over her shoulder to look at the fading visage of her corrupted self one last time, her eyes coldly staring into the dancing black orbs. ”Your sole purpose is to serve me, remember that!" The Sith Lord stated with an air of finality, before turning her gaze away from the fading visage as the last wisps dissipated into thin air and turning her attention back towards the large reflective sheet that she had originally passed through

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

While Alyse was exploring the Dark Side nexus—and causing some concern by her long absence—Kori remained at the landing site. Partly because she has exhausted her options, and partly because she enjoyed that little time to herself. No thoughts, no worries, just her and the Light of this world. Waiting was the name of the game. The fire burned invitingly, making the underneath of the Bakuran ship the best place to stay for the moment.

Kori had mentioned taking a swim in the rain; and now that the campfire was lit, it was an option. But ironically, the same campfire also kept the Zeltron from doing it. She thought about bringing the holocron back from the ship and tinkering with it, but couldn't focus on it just yet; not while Alyse was still out there. An attempt of finding Alyse would lead to the risk of them missing each other. The rain also made that a bad idea.

In the end, she settled for a pastime that didn't require leaving the ship and the fire unattended. A few slices of meat borrowed from the ship's supplies were floating over the fire, with the Zeltron staring at them intently. She had brought a plate and a fork from the ship; but without the pot, Kori decided to just levitate the meat and the vegetables over fire for a while.

Back on Ajan Kloss, they'd have deemed it a misuse of the Force, I reckon. However, the warm fat dripping onto the fire and sizzling, as well as a majestic appetizing savour made the extra effort totally worth it. Just a few more seconds, and it'll be perfect.

@Topher

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

The plunge and traversing of the water seemed to be less of a chore than it had been on the first time round. Whether it was because she had been expecting the bitter cold waters, or that the effects of her bout with her baser self were yet to wear off. Regardless of the reason as to why, the Sith lord made easier work on her ascent through the water of the sunken cave, soon finding herself surfacing and coming ashore on a beach head close by to the cliff that she had originally dived off.

As Alyse stepped out of the water, with careful step to resist the tide and currents of the crashing waves that threatened to pull the feet out from under her. She lamented over the hard fact that however long she had been down within the cave, it had not clearly been long enough for the storm to have passed. If anything the Sith lord's return to the surface had heralded the winds and rain picking up. With a groan the Sith simply shook her head, before making the trek back up to the plateau level of the rocky island.

As she traversed her way through the rain, pausing briefly on occasion to pull her hair out of her eyes and face. The blonde mused in silence before looking down to her hands, looking at the black hilt of the lightsaber that her alternate form had wielded, studying it and even for a brief moment reaching out with the force to probe and sense the darkened energies that resonated within it, before comparing it to sensations that her own native saber resonated with.

Unlike the almost focused and perhaps if it were even possible for a Sith, a calm and balanced sensation that resided within her original weapon, the kyber within the second saber was; wilder, violent and laced with hatred, but yet it felt unwieldy within her hand. Pursing her lips in thought, the Sith shifted her gaze away from her weapons and onto the path ahead of her, the pelting rain against her wet and exposed flesh, and even the throbbing of her cracked jaw bone seemed to fade into the background, drowned out by her thoughts.

As she reached the crest of the pathway, the blonde paused as she looked both towards the temple where she had left the Jedi and then towards the ship, eyes squinting as they made out the sight of a slight haze of smoke that was rising from above the ship. Figuring that the Jedi had decided to make good on the campfire, Alyse decided to forgo returning to the Temple and elected to head towards the ship.

Eventually after several long minutes of being pelted and harassed by the elements, Alyse would come into the Jedi's view - looking perhaps the literal definition of being soaked to the bone, with her under tunic clinging tightly to the contours of her body, hair slick and running tightly against her head and face. "I hope your explorations were more fruitful?" Alyse spoke as she emerged into the cover of the ship's underside, before sitting down on a stone beside the fire, and placing her two sabers onto the floor beside her feet - then proceeding to raise a hand towards her swollen jaw line and applying pressure against it to ascertain just how badly she had been kicked in her face.

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

Just as Kori was about to take the first forkful of her well-deserved meal, a now-familiar presence tugged at her. There was something different about it this time. So much so, that the Zeltron forgot about the plate and the fork in her hands for a moment; brown eyes looking in the distance. She wouldn't have to wait long.

Lo and behold, the Governor of Bakura stood before her: drenched to the skin, "dressed" for anything but the current weather, and probably frozen stiff after a swim in the ocean. On a not too warm planet. During the storm. To top it off, it seemed like the blonde had taken a beating, as evidenced by a swollen jawline. Definitely not how she usually appears to the media. "You could say that," the purple-skinned Jedi replied thoughtfully, some remnants of her own slip-ups in the dirt still leaving their mark on her clothes.

Realizing that she had already stared longer than appropriate, the Zeltron shifted the gaze towards the hot meal in her plate. Alyse's unusually rugged and unkempt appearance wasn't the only reason why Kori's gaze had lingered on her. There was something else going on, something felt off. The explanation presented itself when the Sith put not one, but two lightsabers next to her feet. One was familiar, and had the estranged feeling about it... But the other reeked of the depths of the Dark. Didn't she only have one saber?

Seeing the other woman assess the damage to her face—a tough thing to do without a pocket mirror—the Zeltron put aside her meal, leaving it on the tree trunk she had been sitting on. Without a word or any rush, she circled the fire, eventually ending up by the stone Alyse was sitting on. For a couple of seconds, her gaze lingered on the two lightsabers at her feet, before shifting towards the weathered blonde.

"Let me take a look," Kori's voice sounded quiet and devoid of emotions, befitting the title of the Jedi Master. If allowed, one of her knees would land on the stone Alyse was sitting on. A purple hand would remove a stray strand of blonde hair to give Kori a better view at the damage. A deep breath, and she'd close her brown eyes, leaving only three fingers on Alyse's cheek. It wouldn't be long before the touch would grow warmer: numbing down the pain for a while, spreading as a soft wave of warmth throughout Alyse, should she accept it.

@Topher