Ask Event Vengeance of the Sith: Whispers of Prakith

[Cremek "Krayt" Candorus]

Cremeks gave a cackle, happy, no ELATED that SOMEONE had balls nowadays, he nodded.

"I accept! Haha, next time im in town I'll call ya, if you survive."

With that, he turned back as they made their way forward, damn the pull was getting stronger, he was loving it, whatever was down here sure as hell -

HUH!? the attack was sudden, but his precog allowed him to sense the danger just in time, he rolls to the side, to evade the blow, reactivating his saber, readying for a fight, if he was abandoned now, he sure as hell was going to make them pay for it later down the line, but for now, time to focus, he got to work, he didn't give a solid to God fuck about j'av, but tael was a comrade who worked with him on Verona, someone who makes themselves useful at least, so his focus was freeing him, he would make an attempt to slice at tue creatures arm to free him.

 

[Anai Skhess]

The Kaleesh didn't add anything else, the choice had been made even if it wasn't exactly what the Rattataki wanted to happen, the inquisitor understood the risks and the task that was up ahead, but she had dealt with worse in the past. For now, she simply let the others lead the way as she watched over the acolytes and the sith alike.

Once they reached the guards, the first thing she did was push all the acolytes (save for the one chosen by the fellow sith) forward, putting them further inbetween the champions and them. After all, they were the meatshields, the ones at the front, and the ones that would probably take the brunt of the attack as they stood inbetween her companions and the guards. After that, the choice would be simple: Splitting their forces any further was not a good idea, so they had to take care of the monsters at once. Anai gestured the Rattataki to help Tael and Cremek before moving around in order to get a good angle to use against the other one, blasting it with a potent torrent of force lightning to give J'aver a good opening. She would begin to approach afterwards, making sure to flank the creature so they could take advantage of their flanks

 

[Trael Osso]

Trael had been making mental notes of the numerous sith artifacts and such dotting their path to the "Grand Overseer". The fact that he sat on a form of dark council stirred within him. From his knowledge there wasn't a sith council kicking around after the coup that divided the sith and empire.

He was pulled from his inner thoughts when they came across the two guards. Brutish beings he'd never seen before. As soon as he saw them they attacked. They were much faster than one would expect almost catching the sith off guard. Dashing to the side using the force causing one of the acolytes was grasped in his place. Grabbing and igniting his sabers he would do x slash with his saber attempting to prevent the beast from swinging the acolyte by severing its arm.

 

[J’aver Shi’eth]

Cremek accepted. That was all that mattered to J'aver. The strife between them would be put to an end, any other jeers by the man could be passively remembered and drawn upon on that day. The Rattataki informed the group that the Overseer of the redoubt sat on the Council of "their Lord", it was the phrasing that caught J'aver's attention. However, they wouldn't have time to ask about this peculiar phrasing, at least not yet. For the sound of a lumbering charge echoed drew J'aver's attention the attack was sudden but not calculated or subtle in the least.

J'av was able to watch as the abomination of what used to be a man closed the distance between it and the group. The Kaleesh shoved the pathetic acolytes forward, they would serve as an extremely minor speed bump in J'av's opinion but it was better than nothing. J'av would duck beneath the behemoth's strike and take a few steps forward. Their hand would once again call his lightsaber to it's grip and the burning crimson plasma would spark to life with a dull hiss. As Anai allowed potent volts of Sith Lightning to course through the lumbering oaf, J'av would slash out with their lightsaber. The blade would carve down the length of creatures arm until it hit their shoulder and then J'av would turn their wrist and continue the slash across the creature's chest and abdomen. It was design to be a quick and efficient killing blow.

Only then would J'aver bother to glance back and see if his chosen Acolyte had opted to involve itself and if it was even alive still. If it had failed to avoid the initial attack from this brute and died, then it was never worthy of J'av's attention or any lessons they could offer it. However, if it evaded the assault and survived than it would at least show a baseline of perception and awareness. If it chose to evade and involve itself in the fight, than it would gain even more favor in it's protectors eyes.

 

[The Storyteller]

Betrayal was commonplace amongst the Sith - especially when it furthered one’s own objectives. Fortunately, the group that wandered through the Cathedral seemed none-too-likely to abandon their own. The abomination brutes were a challenge for any single individual to handle, but the combined efforts of multiple Champions was more than enough to dispatch them quickly.

Unfortunately for the Acolytes, Anai’s plan to use them as meatshields was entirely effective. The brute that swung at J’aver was blocked by the face of a teenager - their skull concaving from the impact of alchemy-enhanced fists. The corpse was sent flying across the room, and it left the brute with its meaty arm extended outward. Open for the Sith Champion to slice right through the limb and continue through its body.

The additional lightning from Anai serves to hamper any solid defense from the creature, giving Anai the opportunity she needed.

Things proceeded equally well for Cremek and Trael - in large part due to the actions of Anai. The Acolyte served as an adequate substitute for a cudgel, and momentarily distracted the brute until both Champion’s descended with sabers in hand. It took little effort to remove both of the brutes arms, giving Timera the opportunity to intervene. The vibroblade on her waist was yanked forth with a flick of the Force - sending the weapon spinning to embed itself deep into the brute’s neck.

The whimpers and cries of dying Acolytes - and the fear of those remaining - was audible through the stone-carved halls. But both of the brutes were dead and silent on the floor, and it didn’t take Timera more than a few moments to turn her attention to the long hallway ahead of them. She knew what was waiting. She knew the longer they delayed, the harder things would be.

Once her ‘allies’ had collected themselves, Timera quickly began to advance down the hallway - using the Force to pry open the doors that sealed the inner chamber. Stone scrapped across the ground as the slabs parted in opposite directions, revealing the circular altar where the High Overseer Velkoz had cloistered himself. Built directly above one of the underground seas of Prakith, the chamber was lined with statues and Sith iconography. Chalices burned with Korribani incense, sending wisps of smoke that curled through the air. But it wasn’t the decorations - nor the Sith Lord himself - that would command their attention.

But rather, it was the entity that floated above and just behind the Kel’dor.

Smoke and shadows seemed to roughly coalesce into a wraith-like form, sprouting four arms tipped with razor claws. Ink seemed to drip beneath the space where it floated, its featureless face illuminated only by the blueish light that illuminated the region where eyes should have been. Whether it was a spirit or something else entirely, the Entity had been released by Zorya’s failures - and it had taken captive the strongest Force User it would latch itself onto.

Tendrils of smoke sprouted from the body of the wraith and pierced the body of the Kel’dor - a physical representation of the parasitic bond that had been formed. Mind and soul had been dominated by the superior will of the entity, reducing Velkoz to little more than a puppet. A vessel to be piloted.

Slowly, the entity turned to face the new arrivals - the body of Velkoz instinctively drawing the ornate saber hilt from its belt. Curiously, neither made any attempt to initiate combat. As the seconds ticked by, smoke from the entity’s physical form continued to pour into its host. To complete the possession that would grant it permanent flesh and bone.

@Javier esschoolbus @Versok @Aberforth @Apollyon @theaveragejedishadow

 

[Cremek "Krayt" Candorus]

"oh."

Cremeks sighed, he was unsurprised, well, not unsurprised, but the natural suspicion of something ... supernatural being here was a pretty obvious thing to expect, to him anyways, where others would show discomfort or fear, Cremek merely watched, tilting his head like a cat studying a scurrying mouse.

Ever studying, ever learning.

"And you are?"

 

[Anai Skhess]

And just like that, another couple enhanced monstrosities went down. The Kaleesh had taken part in taking so many of these things out she may as well be an expert, yet, she knew there was something bigger, something more dangerous ahead, be it the overseer or...Something else. Anai kept quiet, gesturing the acolytes to move forward and then the rest, vigilant and guarded as she prepared herself for the next conflict.

However, it would not be the overseer who they were up against, but instead something else. The kind of monster that would have had them run away back at the space station. However, they could not afford to simply run away right now "The one imprisoned here before our arrival" She said, wondering just what the hell had happened while Zorya was away. Regardless, it was clear they had to exercise caution, no spawn of the dark side could be trusted, even if they had made it a favour. For now, she would observe, see what it did, the acolytes were still in front, so they had them as a barrier inbetween should the creature attack, but it didn't seem like it was aggressive as of right now. Cremek had asked, so Anai would simply wait for an answer

 

[Trael Osso]

Trael looked up at the apparition sighing and throwing his hands up. “Is there nothing in this temple that’s normal?” Though annoyed he wasn’t surprised to find another abomination of the dark side. Ready to defend himself as he waits for the answer to cremeks question.

 

[J’aver Shi’eth]

Hesitation is weakness, weakness was never to be accepted, and so J’av didn’t allow hesitation in them.

While the Sith around them paused and gazed at the creature, J’av would not. Everything they had encountered thus far was hostile, J’av had no reason to believe this this creature was any different. J’av hadn’t used any of their potent force energies until this moment, and now they poured themself into quickly building their power. Those around them would feel the dark side suddenly swell before the outpouring of welled emotion was manifested into reality. J’av wouldn’t roughly push past their allies to ensure a clear line of fire, they hoped in part Cremek would taste their fury. The sensation of building power would be their only warning to get out of the way.

Pyrokinesis

Then they would extend an open palm towards the apparition, a small orange flicker would begin to form at the center of their hand. The manifestation of their hate would be birthed in flame. A gout of flame empowered by the dark side would roar to life and pour towards the strange smoke demon and the partially possessed Sith. J’av would track the creature and its host should they attempt to dodge away from the attack. There would be no furious battle cry that escape their lips as J’av did this, just cold fury and spite to contrast the heat of the fire they had summoned. In addition, J’av didn’t care about the traitor or the acolytes, they would burn with force entity the hollowed out Master had summoned. Cinders would be the only thing that remained.

 

[The Storyteller]

Silence was the only answer that Cremek received to his question. The possessed body of Lord Velkoz slowly turned to address the Sith Champion - the Dark Side flowing vibrantly through the Kel’Dor’s puppeteered body. The Sith Champion clearly didn’t understand the severity of the situation at hand, and would be repaid with swift response.

With a flick of his wrist, Lord Velkoz unleashed a mental spike through the Force - aiming to slam directly into the psyche of Cremek. It would feel like a thousand knives slicing through his cerebrum, slamming through memories and the consciousness that made the Sith Champion who he was. It would be absolutely debilitating, and would only worsen the hallucinations that the man was already prone to.

He would see enemies all around him - closing in for attack. He would see them in place of his comrades, while the Sith Lord and Entity vanished from his sight.

It was power unleashed within a fraction of a second - but that was all the distraction necessary for the flames unleashed by J’aver to incinerate the Kel’dor. Screams erupted from the man’s mouth, twisted and echo-y with the voice of the entity that attempted to possess him. It was agony both physical and mental, the pain of the inferno meddling with having his own mind and body overtaken.

Flesh crackled and burned from the flames, but they barely seemed to touch the wraith. Instead, the creature outstretched its spectral hands - streaks of violet and blue dancing between its talon-like fingers.

Within a moment, streams of lightning poured from the Entity’s clawtips - a wide nova of electricity that arched through the room. It would strike the Acolyte’s first, killing them upon impact and crisping their bodies beyond recognition. The rest of the Sith would need to quickly defend themselves, stray ribbons of lightning bouncing to hit them next.

@Javier esschoolbus @Versok @Aberforth @Apollyon @theaveragejedishadow

 

[Cremek "Krayt" Candorus]

Cremek roared in anger, first memories of her, and now his enemies!? Given the fact Cremek had only a select few said enemies left alive prooves even more jarring for the sith sorcerer.

Saybella, The only person he considered a rival. cyu, the pure blood who stole his mask, the assassin, who nearly killed him, loomed, Cremek first instinct was to lash out, shockwave to the ground, escape! He was outnumbered, it was time to cut his losses!

But he steadies himself.. they were closing in yes, but silent, why?

why wasn't saybella giving off that feeling of judgement that drove him crazy with rage, why wasn't cyu gloating about his old mask? Why wasn't the assassin doing his speal of refusing to join him?

Why the fuck were they just standing there!? Cremek breathed fast, level.. out.. cremek was a sorcerer, a scion of the mind, of the force. Knowledge was his weapon just as much as a juggernaut and their rage! but the panic, the fear! Fear was the first tenant of the sith, so Cremek acted on fear.

"GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT!!!"

In a move both clever and thoughtless, as he has no given way of telling what was real and what was not, he focused his usage of cryokinesis and slammed his fist to the ground, sending a freezing blast in every direction.

 

[Anai Skhess]

The other sith had chosen to fight after all, so the Kaleesh champion would try to follow suit. They would need to keep the Rattataki alive now, however, given how their other source of answers had been dealt with by both the abomination standing before them and J'aver. Not only that, but it seemed like she would need to play caretaker as it did a number on Cremek, feeling something in the force focusing on him just before he started to ramble incoherently, the entity's doing no doubt.

So, the moment Cremek started to use cryokinesis, the Kaleesh was ready to respond to it: He was not focusing it in any one direction, so the freezing would take longer for it to reach anyone of the group. So, the Kaleesh used the force to push him off the ground and away from both the team and the monster, getting his hand off the floor in order to stop the cryokinesis attack. This maneouver would protect both the manipulated sith from the abomination and the others from him at the same time.

However, since Anai needed to do this, she would have no time to strike at the entity, instead using the rest of her focus on her own blade in order to stop the lightning that would come her way, having enough time to react thanks to the fact that it would kill the acolytes that were being used as shields first, it would be up to the others to attack, she at least had made it easier for them to do so.

 

[J’aver Shi’eth]

Even through the filtration of their helmet J’av could smell it, the scent of ruin and devastation. The husk that was a Sith Master screamed as he was immolated, the Entity was denied its host. However even as this occurred, Cremek began at something to get out of his head. It would have been a simple annoyance to J’av, further evidence of the man’s weakness and ineptitude. However, the sudden and reckless release of power in the form of Cyrokinesis instantly turned Cremek from a liability and into a threat.

A threat that was swiftly neutralized by the Kaleesh warrior. This warrior had proven to be nothing but an asset for their team, a supporting pillar that held the group together, rather than allowing for infighting to tear them apart. Her timely intervention in the form of a Telekinetic shove allowed for J’av attention to snap back to the Entity itself.

A icy sensation of fear rippled up J’av spine as the Entity howled, enraged. Lightning leapt from its gaseous claws and arched through the remaining Acolytes, unmaking them in malice given form. J’av forced long suppressed memories back into the recesses of their mind and reacted to the threat that was before them. They dove in the opposite direction of where the Kaleesh had sent Cremek flying and away. They tucked and rolled as they collided with the ground, which enabled them to quickly regain their footing.

J’av once against reached out with Dark Side, this time they attempted to grip the Entity on both sides of its form with the Dark Side. It was a creature born of the Force, only the could unmake it. They would let out a pained scream of effort as they attempted to tear the being asunder. Their head would snap the the Sith Master who had betrayed her kind and bark at her through their pained effort.

“BE USEFUL! HELP ME!” J’av screamed at them as they strained to tear the gaseous form apart.

 

[Trael Osso]

Trael blinked as a spout of fire flew past him. Attacking first was a bold yet expected outcome. As the host began to scream so did the other masked sith. He seemed to be having a crisis amongst himself. He slammed his fist down ice forming outward yet before Trael could react the kaleesh had dealt with him.

The screams of the acolytes made the sith shift as the lightning arced his way. Holding up his hands he would use tutaminis to gather the lightning before launching it back at the entity followed by his own sith lightning. Hoping the pyrotechnic of the bunch would hold the entity long enough for him to capitalize on it.

 

[The Storyteller]

There was not a single word that echoed from the ‘mouth’ of the Entity. But those assembled would be able to sense the rage and agony that coursed through its gaseous form without a shred of ambiguity.

Lightning poured from the clawed tips of its fingers, arcing through the air and finding purchase into the bodies of every Acolyte that had been unwittingly commanded by the Sith. Even the child selected by J’aver wasn’t spared, as lethal tendrils of lightning found purchase within their bodies. There was enough time to scream out in agony, but little else - their bodies reduced to little more than blackened bones. There was no defense or time to protect those who were struck. Such was the way of the Sith. Such was necessary for them all to survive.

And it left the Entity open to attack itself. The rival streams of electricity sprang forth to strike its gaseous form, halted only as the Entity extended out a clawed hand - allowing the Lightning to be absorbed through the clawed tips of its fingers. It was tutaminis in its most advanced form, and eluded to the power wielded by the creature.

Rather, it was the attack from J’aver - tearing and ripping at the very fiber of its being - that sent agony through the creature. With its free hand, the Entity seized hold of Temira - hoisting the Marauder into the air above them. Pyrokinesis erupted across her clothes and body, her hair crisping and adding to the inferno. Anything flammable was consumed by the blaze, as her body was hurled to slam into J’aver and the other Sith.

Just as she was thrown, the Entity began to retreat backwards - its gaseous form beginning to slink back through the labyrinth corridors and hallways of the Cathedral.

The group would very quickly have choices to make. Attempting to save Temira would almost certainly give the creature an opportunity to escape, while protecting the sole source of information that remained - now that Velkoz was dead. But could any of them justify allowing the Entity to flee? Could they ever be secure in the knowledge it might come back to haunt them?

@Javier esschoolbus @Versok @Aberforth @Apollyon @theaveragejedishadow

 

[Cremek "Krayt" Candorus]

Cremek went yeet as his Ally pushed him, something he would keenly remember, after all, one that did him a kindness, received one from him in turn, he returns to a lucid state, and ignites his saber and charges after the spirit, the woman was expendable in Cremeks eyes.

there was a problem here, and now, no more waiting, no more studying, it was time to act, the sith sorcerer gave a shout, and marched forth.

"OYA, A HUNT IT BE!"

 

[Trael Osso]

As the burning sith was hurled towards him he lept over her. While in the air he lightly forced pushed the burning sith mostly intending to put out the flames. Doing this would stop her from making it to j'aver but slow trael.

Landing he would look up to the sith that was messed with mentally rushing after the entity. Igniting both of his sabers he would rush after them. Using to force to feel ahead of him incase of a trap or the entity making an attack.

 

[J’aver Shi’eth]

J’aver felt the creature scream in response to their might. They had torn at its seams, pulling the fabric that held the Entity apart with the Dark Side. However, the creature refused to allow itself to be undone so easily. It lifted the group’s ally up and immolated her.

“Tch. Worthless.” J’aver thought moments before her burning form was hurled towards them.

J’av wouldn’t have had time to the flaming body of the woman. Her immolated still-living form would have been sent screaming their way and slammed into them. However, the timely intervention from Trael’s Force Shove gave them the moment they needed to dive away from certain doom.

J’aver would allow the crispy Sith Master’s body to unceremoniously crack against any wall or object that might have been behind them. She would find no mercy, no respite, and no pity in J’aver. If she couldn’t save herself, then they certainly wouldn’t help them, this was the way of the Dark Side.

Instead, they dove beneath her charred form, an action that momentarily broke their concentration, but only momentarily. Their eyes wouldn’t leave where the Entity was and tracked where it was headed to. Once clear J’av would resume their grip on the gaseous creature and do their best to prevent its escape. They would tear it asunder with the Force, unwilling to let their prey go and thirsting to feel its final doomed shudders through the Force. To them, nothing but this mattered, all their allies could burn, so long as J’av was able to feel this thing’s death rattle.

The Sith Master would die but so too would the Entity.

@Javier esschoolbus @Versok @Hastur @Altaris

 

[Anai Skhess]

The Kaleesh turned her attention back to the entity, exhaling sharply as she saw their main source of information be engulfed into flame, being unable to do anything except dodge her body before it hit the ground. "Damn it..." She would mutter under her breath, knowing that they were running out of options...And yet her partners had decided to give into their bloodlust instead of saving it. Well, it was too late to tell them to do something else, so the Kaleesh decided to follow suit, her hand stretching forward as she applied pressure where J'aver was attacking it: With their combined strength, it would be easier to hold it in place and rip it apart, or at least give the other two sith some time to finish the job, but they didn't have much time to waste.

 

[The Storyteller]

And so it was done.

Screams of agony and rage echoed through the chamber - reverberating off the walls, assaulting the ears of every sentient individual within the immediate area. It was the screams of the Entity, as its tangible form was ripped asunder by the combined efforts of J’aver and the others. It clawed and lashed out - desperate to pull itself to safety. Clinging to the freedom it had only just secured for itself.

But it wasn’t enough.

Slowly but surely, the Sith would witness as the Entity began to pull apart in multiple directions. Its smoky form dripped like ink onto the stone, sizzling and wisping away as it was separated. It’s presence within the Force retreating and growing faint.

Until there was nothing left at all.

Across the chamber, the Sith would find only the withered husk of what Timera had become. Her once beautiful face had been burnt and crisped beyond recognition, the saberhilt still clasped tightly between her fingers. The Sith had chosen to sacrifice her and pursue the Entity, and the gravity of that choice laid out before them.

Elsewhere within the Cathedral, abominations began to retreat or collapse - the unifying presence of the Entity no longer binding them. Acolytes fought to hold what ground they could against the dissipating monstrosities, the tide suddenly turned within their favor. But the Sith would find the altar chamber devoid of commotion. Silence rapidly filling the space between them.

They would be free to leave the Cathedral and all of its inhabitants - or attempt to seize it for the Order to control. Regardless of their decision, the Sith would be left with more questions than answers, as their only source of information had been willingly sacrificed to destroy the entity.

Perhaps the only thing of note was the Wayfinder that rolled from the fingers of Master Velkoz - the ancient device covered in runic script. Where it led wasn’t clear - and it only left the Sith with yet another question without clear answer.

The future ahead of them was theirs to make - but it was their choices alone that brought them to their current destination.

@Javier esschoolbus @Versok @Aberforth @Apollyon @theaveragejedishadow