Private A Dark Descent

[Bright4]

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THE FORBIDDEN ZONE​

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Location: Tirahnn

Training wasn't something Kadan cared for, not in the traditional sense. He preferred something involving effort, strain, like working a muscle or trying to exercise something. Not the pointless sitting around and meditate that his master had tried to drill into him. Far as the Mandalorian cared, the meditation was great if you were into that sort of thing, nut it never helped address the problems that were looming before ones eyes. If a Rancor was looking to swallow you whole, a meditative trace would only assure your death. It was for that reason alone he had requested isolated training, however, he should have known it would come with a caveat; he had to bring another padawan along. Or at least he thought she was a padawan? This Aayla woman one gave him odd readings. Frankly he wasn't sure which way to process her.

Regardless, he had found the planet he desired, and a fine location for training; some sorta distant trading outpost far from the city; which meant it was the perfect place to set up without prying locals getting in the way of training. He had landed his ship on the planes below, the stony and decrepit ruins on the hill above felt off to him however, as when the padawan sought to focus himself, he felt the most peculiar thing; cold. It felt as if the ground itself was turned into ice, sweeping up his legs and freezing him in place, coiling up his spine and making him feel as if he was being placed in carbonate. It wasn't a good feeling. He stared at the structure for a long moment, feeling a sense of curiosity as to what could be the source.

After several moments, he managed to put the thought away, looking to unload the training droid he had brought for his own purposes. Kadan's saber skills had always been good, better than most padawans in his own mind, though his master had been informing him that he needed to expand how he applied his force powers. So, like working a muscle, that was the main exercise that Kadan looked to do. Opening the cargo pod of his ship, Kadan reached out a hand towards the powered down block of metal that was his sparring droid, and willed it to move. Immediately, he felt it's weight drop on his shoulders, a bit of strain, but nothing he wasn't used to. The cold feeling of metal warped around his hands, dug into his palms, but it moved as if carried via crane all by his will alone. For a long moment, he said nothing, merely moving the droid into place, setting it down as he shifted it away from his ship, letting out a sigh of relief as he dropped it, and the machine made a 'thud' as it made contact with the ground.

He needed to work on his telekinetic abilities more often. Catching his breath, Kadan cast a glance around, looking to see where his companion might be, or if she had found a better location to set herself up at. If nothing else, this would be a good opportunity to get insight from a fellow padawan. Hopefully Aayla was different from the rest of his fellows, otherwise this was going to be a long training session.

Aayla Shan​

 

[Aayla Shan]

The breeze blew her lengthening hair around a bit, including the padawan braid that hung at the side of her head. Sitting aboard her starfighter, she was leaning back against the craft. Feeling out in the Force as he did what he would, this was after all probably more for him than her. She was asked by him specifically out of a group of padawan, for what reason she had no idea. Chewing on the root of a dried piece of long grass, and for some reason savoring the taste, she peered over at the thud of metal on earth, frowning at the cumbersome training droid he had brought.

What the hell was she? Chopped Liver?

She smirked, moving to crouch, then jumped down into the field, heading in his direction. She couldn't deny she felt similar to him regarding training... At one point anyway, she had learned the hard way that meditation was a powerful weapon for a Jedi. A way for them to sharpen the skills they had for use when they needed them. Oddly Aayla had felt the same way about him in regards to being like other padawan. She had after all been to war several times in the name of the Jedi, and the overall betterment of the galaxy. Some of the little details were lost on her.

As she neared him, her eyes flashed up to that monument atop the hill, the wind seemed to come from it... Cold, and Ominous...

It looked like nothing, maybe an odd assortment of rocks and brush, but she felt different from it; she felt something particularly unnatural from that direction, and would look over to catch Kadan looking with interest.

"That's how you get into trouble..."

Aayla said, folding her arms, and resting her back again the cargo pod for his ship.

"Didn't think I'd ever run into a Padawan older than me... I guess every record is meant to be broken" she noted, peering at him curiously.

 

[Bright4]

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CURIOUS?​

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The wind blew, causing his robes to flutter as the padawan made a quick recovery. Aayla was moving towards him now, There was an energy to her step, a refined confidence, rather than a bound and strained focus. She was a more experience padawan than he had taken her for. Perhaps she was like him, someone who by every right should have been a knight, but the ideals of the council kept him chained in his current standing. There was truly no way of telling, not this early on. One lapse of focus however, and he found she had taken up a pose leaning against the hull of his ship. An annoyed expression worked across his features, though he quickly let it go. "Trouble is all around us, it's not that hard to wind up in it." He responded, his hand sliding over his lightsaber, squeezing the weapon into his palm. The thought of the building behind him however still loomed at the back of his mind, though he put it aside for the time being. He'd give her credit for initiating conversation, perhaps they'd get along after all.

Aayla eyed him, remarking about his age, something that caused the Mandalorian's brow to furrow. His clashing ideologies were to blame for his promotion being withheld from him, and little else. Though, he had to recognize that perhaps the mindset he held now was not fully developed enough to make that final leap to knighthood. His true failing was grasping his sense of self, feeling at one with who he was. He had spent nearly a decade wrestling with this dilemma, and had yet to resolve it. Was he Mandalorian, or jedi? The two seemed incompatible, yet both were part of him. It was a problem that he truly had no way of resolving, at least not at current. The fires of war had tempered him, but the question still simmered within his soul. Who was he? Where did he belong in this place? There was no answer to be obtained in this moment, so he focused on responding to Aayla's inquiry. "If it's a record then they've neglected to inform me. Would that make me the senior padawan in this situation?" He inquired, his attention moving back towards the training droid, making a hand motion as it deployed itself, rising to take up a battle pose. A blue blade ignited, held upwards, as the droid seemingly chose to rely on Shi-Cho in combat against the padawan this day. It would matter little. Kadan took no hostilities towards the droid however, merely flicking his wrist, as the machine powered down as quickly as it had booted up. The droids' saber shut off, reverting back into the fetal position as if he had never turned it on. Nice to know it hadn't been damaged during the move. He returned his attention to Aayla, arms crossed as he was curious if she had any suggestion for starting this training session. "I'm not entirely familiar with your skill-set, anything in particular you'd like to warm up with?" He asked, sliding away his robe, as he moved towards her, aiming to place the garment inside the cockpit of his ship, before sitting crossed legged on the nose of the X-Wing.​

Aayla Shan

 

[Aayla Shan]

Was that annoyance she just saw on his face? She shifted her weight a little, still leaning on his ship. When he tugged that saber, she instinctively pooled Force energies amongst herself; not like she expected an attack, but she also was on a very distant planet with a man she didn't know, and by herself. The action he took, small as it was, bore a reaction. She leaned off, hands falling to rest on her waist, as she began a slow counter-clockwise walk around him. She could tell he was thinking about it, and had to stifle a laugh. He took to it pretty well, and she felt a little relaxed, but still maintained Force Valor about her form.

She reached out in the form, trying to search his feeling, and therein unless he resisted, she could sense the conflict. Like grasping shadows that bore just the slightest amount of mass, they squished as she grasped at them, but therein imparted just bits of information. He wasn't sure who he was... Sure of himself, as far as being a warrior went, but something else; a sense of self was what he struggled with. Was he a Mandalorian, or was he a Jedi. She shuddered, gasping out a bit from her invasion of his self, hoping he hadn't noticed this...

In return, if he was open, he would know that Aayla felt undervalued to the Jedi; she never told anyone. It stemmed from a missing Master, feelings of abandonment, therein intertwined with feelings of rage. Images of her alone, training with tears of anger streaming her features. Beyond that, a glimpse at her heart, a glimpse at a hidden lust for power... She recoiled, as quickly as those visions came, she broke any connection with him in the Force, turning away and breathing somewhat heavily.

"I'll just focus on my Alchaka for now, perhaps later we could spar... And by all means, take the reigns; I'm used to following"

she said, rolling her shoulders from her impromptu telepathic sharing of information. Moving to step away from him, and making an odd bee-line towards the area she had just mentioned was probably trouble. She had no intent on going there, but had chosen that direction to walk, slowly crunching through the field and looking out at the beautiful landscape.
Bright4

 

[Bright4]

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SHIPS PASSING IN THE NIGHT​

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He appreciated that she took note of his annoyance at her treatment of his ship. Truthfully, he could have let it go, but the casual act always came off to him as a lack of respect. Something he had gotten rather tired of dealing with after his many years in the order. She was more free with her force abilities however, she walked with confidence, wearing the force like a mantle. While he kept it concealed and hidden like a sheathed sword. If only he had the same confidence as her, but familiarity with the force had been met harshly during childhood, in some ways he still hadn't come to peace with it. He was about to remark on her seeming ability, but halted as he felt something at work. Just as she wore the force as a mantle, it's threads had stretched out ever so subtly, attempting to reach him now.

He felt her action as she went to withdraw, like feeling the dampness of a wave moments after it retreats from shore. She reached him, and in retaliation, he attempted to halt her surface probe. In his haste however, he hadn't steeled himself properly, as the two minds clashed, scenes from both pairs life's collided with one another. The boys father beat him, the pair seemingly sparring rather brutally out in the open, when Kadan made the mistake of throwing dirt in his father's eye via the force, and soon paid the price as he was savagely pummeled. Aayla would see the you boy standing in the ruins of his home, the world on fire, his clan rescuers to little more than glowing husks of beskar fragments, their bodies atomized by the Sith invasion. Isolation followed, his Mandalorian upbringing putting him at odds with many in the order, and his ability to speak basic was less than perfect thanks to his parents. It was a lonely life, one that Aayla might have an understanding of.

As the flashes ended, Kadan's gaze fixed on her. For a moment, the jedi padawan was not there, only the form of the young child who had lost so much, his eyes laced with concern, unsure as to how much she might have gleamed. There was no anger, no outcry, only what one might see as a plea of silence for his behalf. He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding, his gaze fixated on the ground now, moving to his saber stance as he wanted to put the event out of his mind; less he lose himself to self reflection. He heard what she had to say, though said nothing at first, the only response being this snapping hiss of his saber, the blue blade flareing to life. He didn't turn the droid on, only began taking the opening motions for Juyo, waiting patiently as the presence of Aayla began to move away. He didn't know what to say truthfully, what words could he utter after that?

He was intent on letting her go on her way, perhaps it would be best if they avoided one another after that awkward encounter. But as he turned to repeat his movements, he could see that she was wandering towards the structure she had listed as 'trouble', the cold came howling back for him once more, causing Kadan to halt in his tracks. What was she planning on doing there? It wouldn't be wise to explore such a place on one's own.

He stood for a several moments, the saber in his hand cutting off as he clipped it to his belt. He took a moment to place his droid back in storage, and began the trek to follow Aayla, unsure as to how this adventure would unfold.


Aayla Shan

 

[Aayla Shan]

War and strife touched each of them, didn't it? She remembered being a young girl, unable to fend for herself and simply running away from one slaughter, and mistakenly into the next. Looking back on what she did remember of her childhood, it was hard to understand how she had gotten out of some of those situations....

No, actually it wasn't..

Aayla heard that snap-hiss of his saber, but didn't turn. Simply ignoring it... She didn't feel like training after seeing that, it felt wrong. She was going to apologize, but she just needed to get her thoughts together. She was the type to like thinking 'at least your had your parents', and yet, his Father was... So unbearably cruel to him. It almost made her want to cry, but she steeled herself of those emotions; folding her arms over her chest. The two red pieces of fabric at her back blew gently in the wind, giving off the impression that she herself was some fleeting; her soul itself dancing along those planes as she tried to re-center.

She had to purge his memories from her head, but she was finding it incredibly difficult... Indeed along with what he had already seen, he would know now how long she spent as a girl being taken care of by random people, murdered by the Sith they were, and she would be kidnapped; moved, rescued, and it would start again. He would know that from a young age she knew how powerful in the Force she was, killing out of anger as nothing but a youngling. It reminded her why she had such an issue with her Master at the time.

To give yourself so openly to another, to truly be naked in a sense... She shuddered, arms falling at her sides as her pace quickened. To hell with it, you could consider her interest piqued... They were going to check this place out. Or at least she was, though she felt as though he would follow; beyond a sliver of a doubt, something deep within her told her that he would want to follow her, just as much as she hoped he did.

Bright4

 

[Bright4]

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CHASING GHOSTS​

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Mandalorians were considered the greatest warriors in the galaxy, every tool they had in hand was a weapon, even their legendary will. Nothing was allowed to go to waste, save for those touched with the force. Those tools were deemed cursed, and those who wielded them, little more than forsaken souls. His parents had been very insistant on reminding him of that during his 'punishments'. It was his responsibility to deny that aspect of himself, to tear it off like a sickly limb, and ignore it.​

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That's how they seemed to think of it as, not realizing that wasn't how the power worked. He reflected on this cruel lesson, and how it mirrored Aayla's own pain. He felt shame for having pried, even unintentionally, he had glipsed into her soul. It was something intimate, a level of trust few master and apprentices even achieved, usually shared for the closest of companions. An apology was in order, but force help him, it was awkward and uncomfortable even considering how to approach that topic.​

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Regardless, their hardships were mirrored in a way. Distant people, a life of hardships, and all guided in some manner by the Sith. Orphans of war they were, yet they had taken up the light for their path in spite of the pain life had inflicted upon them. This had evolved beyond a mere training session,not was a practice of self now, the sort of meditation stuff that Kadan disliked; though the padawan didn't know it yet.​

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He followed Aayla up the hillside, nearing the ruins, feeling as if he was wading through an icy fog. Two lights glowed brighter than one after all, and he had no intention of letting one face the mysteries of this strange place alone. Not when he too wondered at what awaited inside.​

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Aayla Shan​

 

[Aayla Shan]

Her pace was kept, bounding lightly as the landscape changed. She hadn't turned yet, not even glancing back at him, and yet she could sense him in proximity through the Force. She noted a sign, seeming to suggest this landmark was condemned, only depicting a skull and crossbones, and a clear warning to not enter. She swallowed once, pressing forward. Aayla adopted a crawl against the sheer knoll, using the vines, and what remained of steps to elevate herself quickly to the entrance. It was then, once she had worked herself up a bit that she hung her head, and turned back, waiting for him to get close and let her fists find her own waist again.

"Listen..."

Aayla then shook her head once, eyes lowering to the old stone at their feet, patchworked with dirt and debris.

"I shouldn't have pried, and I didn't know... I didn't know it was that tough for you... I wish I ha-.. Hadn't seen" She offered, feeling it so much stronger now, that ebb from within; and what was on it... Death, its signature in the Force clear, and vivid. This place was resonating with a dull evil. Again, common-sense suggested they call this in, but instead she would keep an ear open for what he had to say, unclipping her saber from the magnetic lock at her waist and letting it screech to life; the vibrant blue blade emanated that doorway, and she pressed forward.

It was noteworthy to her that as soon as they passed the threshold she couldn't hear anything outside. Just the dull sound of emptiness, it reminded her of walking the empty halls of a Star Destroyer at port, though, it was more solemn... More ominous.

The path lead down, a constant curve, at a near forty-five degree angle causing her to keep her saber forward, and lean back as she stepped, letting her left hand find the ground under her, and using either foot as a prod before actually committing to the step. Once they finished going through this area, she could hear outside again briefly, a larger auditorium hidden underneath. Ahead, some sunlight peeked through the overgrowth, and illuminated a path, along with what laid among that path...

Scattered human remains... She cleared her throat lightly, deactivating the saber and slowly walking forward.

 

[Bright4]

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FEET FIRST INTO DARKNESS​

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She was quick, something that Kadan should have made note of earlier. He quickened his pace as he saw she was gaining on him, the force powering his steps, as he went from a slow jog, to long strides, the terrain rendered trivial by his movements. That didn't mean it was easy however, as it took much of Kadan's focus to not miss a step, falling at the rate he moved would have been not only a blow to his ego, but an embarrassment from what didn't even want to think about. The ground here hadn't been touched by living hands for a great deal of time, having been overgrown and shrouded by vegetation to a level that Kadan could only wonder at how long this site had been abandoned. That wasn't the focus now, he was more intent on ensuring he didn't lose Aayla to whatever laid in wait, at least, not without him there to assist.

His feet struck the hard ground, his advance slowed as he pulled back from the force enhancements; his body having exerted too much of itself for so early in the day. His footfalls sounded against an old stone, which nearly broke away and threatened to send him tumble down in the process; though he managed to avoid such a fate. He see her waiting above him, her presence having halted, perhaps knowing that he was following her; it shouldn't have been hard to notice, he wasn't exactly subtle. He could feel the wrongness of this place, and it sent all manner of warnings to his mind. They were standing on an ice bed, death and a crushing cold just beneath their feet. They were risking much just standing here. and yet, the mystery loomed before them. Maybe it was to distract from the encounter from earlier, or perhaps they sought to entertain the darkness that they had fought so hard against for most of their life. It was too early to tell.

Finding the wall of green as his way forward, Kadan took it, his feet finding holds within the weathered stone, as he began his climb. He was thankful for his upbringing, as the physical effort wasn't as tedious as it could have been. He reached her after a moment, barely having gotten a breath out before she spoke, something he hadn't entirely expected. He listened as she requested, his own mind fumbling to form a counter point, wanting to address what she had said; but then it happened. The sense of frozen death he had felt earlier extended, as if the ice bed they had tempted to swallow them had finally broken, as these unseen forces now made themselves clear. Kadan hadn't realized his weapon was drawn until he felt his thumb pressing against the ignition, having unknowingly followed Aayla's lead it seemed. He frowned at that, finding that his discipline had to be failing him. He centered himself, weapon still unclipped, though Aayla seemed to be inspecting the route forward.

He had walked among the dead before, several times in fact. Though he hadn't been as attuned to the force back then, there were signs of deaths' touch he had become used to, but none of the signs felt like this. It was unnatural, and yet, made him want to inquire as to where it crept from. Seeing Aayla moving forward, Kadan strode towards her. He had spent a long time thinking of something to say, and he wasn't about to let it go to waste. "Hey", he started, extending a hand to lightly clasp her shoulder, and just as quickly releasing her. "I think we both regret what we did, but that was the past. We learn from it, and move on. It's given us understanding, and from that, we should know one thing is certain, we don't go in there alone." With that, he would join her, saber slowly being clipped to his belt, as they walked into the passage before them, not knowing what awaited.

Aayla Shan​

 

[Aayla Shan]

As he had spoken those words, she gave him a cold stare in return. Stoic, and hard to decipher; eyes briefly scanning to that hand as he had pulled it away. Offering a single nod, she turned and continued, periodically hearing the sounds of something scuttling around amongst teh debris. Keeping her mind open in the force, she would walk and pay attention to her surroundings. So much so, and to a point that she would step off to one of the pillars, a dull rattle, then crunch sounded as she stepped on some old bones. There were quite literally dozens of them that had died in this room, though it was hard to discern how it was they had died.

Taking her attention away from the wall, she noted the remains she had stepped on, she picked up a skull without hesitation, and turned it... Humanoid, although not all that were there belonged to their own species. There were remains from several. The skull she held had a large blotched indenture on the back, and she was sure it didn't come from her. Not yet able to very well, she would offer the bashed skull to him, innocently perking an eyebrow.

"Old bones aren't something I'm good at scrying information from... Yet, but maybe they'll show you something." she said, waiting until he took it, or dropping it if he refused (understandably). After that, she would turn back, picking up a femur bone and rolling it about her fingers. This one was burned in half, it gave her the immediate impression that it was by lightsaber, but again, the remains had fully decomposed to the point there was no meat left. No doubt the critters had gotten to it already...

"FETH!"

She blurted out suddenly, flicking the remains away from her. Getting up, and pattering at her hands, and sleeves rapidly.

"Karking Spiders!" She said, visibly distressed as one of the creatures had apparently started walking on her hand out of nowhere. If there was any true weakness the girl had, he had just figured it out. She was still shaking as she backed up to stand by him, hands searching everywhere on her form to make sure there... She would calm down in a second, but her skin was still crawling, even though she knew it was ridiculous the fact it had touched her left her with a lingering sense that they were all over her.

There was what seemed to be a light, rasping chuckle on the wind; barely audible, but it caused the hair on her neck to rise, snapping her head in the direction to see there was nothing there... Nothing but more scattered bones, and the next area of what was amounting to be a mass grave site.

 

[Bright4]

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VALLEY OF SHADOW​

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He had always thought himself good at reading people, only now as he looked into her eyes, he realize he had no idea what her state of being was. Perhaps he had overstepped in his method of approach, but there would be time to apologize later. They had this ruin to explore, and nothing would stop them; well save death, but one had to remain optimistic during these things. He focused his senses, trying to feel out the icy sensations that seemed to be working as a fog against him. Feeling the rough stone work against his feet, he couldn't help but be reminded of the old temples that once stood on Mandalore, ancient sites that his people had built by hand, a very similar feeling applied to this place as well; save that the sinister feeling that festered like a poison here. His senses shifted, feeling something calling to him, his footsteps stopping behind Aayla for a moment, as he gazed at a faded etching on a fractured stone wall. His hand reached for it it, his palm brushing against the stone, and was rewarded with a whisper in his ear: 'This trial is not for the faint of heart, many of you will die.' Startled, Kadan whirled around, finding no one behind him, only himself, and the form of Aayla up ahead. Confusion and worry washed over Kadan's features, though he put it aside. It was just the wind, surely that's all that was. He reasoned, sighing to himself, before moving towards Aayla, as the woman had find a pair of bones to investigate.

She handed him a skull, to which he merely looked at the fractured bone, then her, chuckling half amused to himself at what she was suggesting. Still, they had come here for answers, and the least he could do was try. He opened his hand, taking the fragile and weathered skull in his palm. "I'm not one for waking the dead, but I'll see what I can do." He closed his eyes, trying to find something of which he could grasp with the force, finding something that he cou-

The ground trembled, terror seized his heart, as the flickering red saber was the only weapon he had to battle against the flickering lights lashing out from the darkness. Kadan had a front row view for the carnage that had made corpses of these men, though he had so very little to go off of. There was quiet muttering, the man was speaking to himself, and Kadan strained to listen over the sounds of the mans thundering heart beat. Something had gone wrong, the man muttered, and it had all gone terrible and horrible wrong. Something had been miscalculated, something the man hadn't planned for, but he didn't stand alone in this fight. The stranger had an assortment of compatriots with him, all of whom were backed together, as if they were trying to form something akin to a defensive line, though from their faces alone they were ripe with fear. Twelve of them stood, trembling, backing away, the lighting at the center of the room grew, the source of it unseen, though the bolts seemed to be alive. The strangers were not untrained, they moved coordinated, together in unison, but terror had slowed them, they were not entirely certain as they tried to hold position. Twelve red sabers stood against the storm. Crack. Now, there were only ten, and as two smoldering corpses hit the floor. A streak of red lashed out of the darkness, slicing through the leg of his observor, the man falling to the ground, as his companions broke. The remaining survivors fled, terror smashing into them like a tidal wave. The man from whom Kadan witnessed the event cowered, his leg gone, his friends disappearing into the darkness of the temple, their sabers like dying lights that shifted away from him. The man tried to crawl, his pain was excruciating, dragging himself over a smoldering corpse, whimpering all the while. A monstrous roar shaking the temple, and the man's body was hoisted upwards, a scream was pulled from his lungs-then he saw no more.

Kadan released the skull, nearly dropping it, before gently setting it back to the floor. Something had killed these men, these...Sith. Or at least he believed that's what they were. He was distracted from his musings by the plight of Aayla, the bones clattered across the floor, as she was frantically wiping away at her clothes and hands. He was concerned as to what had happened, only to give pause as she mentioned spiders, prompting a chuckle from the lips from the padawan. He wouldn't take a jab at her here, after all, he had his own fears that would prompt a similar reaction. He nearly made a comment, before noticing a small spider clung to Aayla's shoulder, and decided to spare both the insect and the padawan the trouble, lightly collecting the bug via the force, and cradling it softly in his hand. He could feel it softy tickle his palm, before he briskly cast it next to the skull on the ground.

Thoughts of his sister came to mind, how some seemingly trivial things prompted such a potent reaction from otherwise stoic folk. He was very much amused, though that amusement died as once again, he could have sworn he heard a deep chuckle, as if someone were standing over his shoulder. If he wasn't unsettled before, he certainly was now, his body feeling as if someone had dumped ice water onto him. Aayla snapped her head back, clearly she had heard it as well, which made Kadan start to ponder if the pair had made a poor decision in coming here. "I hate to say this, but I'm afraid there are fouler things than spiders down here." He remarked, his hand moving forward in a sweeping motion, his saber unclipping itself, coiling neatly into his open hand. It wouldn't do much against whatever dwelt in here, but it was the idea that he wasn't unarmed that gave him the ability to even faint courage. "This place was Sith in origin, I think. These bodies were of their followers, and I can't tell what, but something slaughtered them. Whatever it was, it didn't seem human." His eyes looked down, seeing several small spiders skittering away from the pair, perhaps knowing it would be in their best interests to do so, his eyes catching the faint glimmer of a rusted saber hilt among the bodies. Perhaps one of the acolytes he had seen die in the vision. Looking back to Aayla, he motioned to the item of interest. "We best take care, least we end up like this. Whatever happened here, this place is stained by the Dark Side. So toss me whatever you find, I'll try and make sense of it all." With that, he snapped on his saber, the blue light embracing the pair, as if cradling a candle in the face of a rainstorm would somehow keep one dry. Kadan moved forward, the room opening up, seemingly to be a sort of auditorium, though what appeared to be a stone alter at the front of the room sat split in two, burn marks indicating that an energy blast had done so, and not merely a lightsaber. Clearly, he was going to have to touch more than one skull to get the whole story. Hopefully that wouldn't be the death of him.

Within the confines of this place, something moved in the shadows, a fragment perhaps, maybe even a phantom of the past inhabitants. Whatever it was, it's curiosity was piqued, and it did not bode well for the two padawans within this place.

Aayla Shan
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[Aayla Shan]

His voice snapped her from her reverie, yet again offering a nod of understanding, her finger moving to clip her own saber from her waist yet again. The action itself signifying a silent agreement to his assertation. She turned and continued, not one to decide it was time to turn back now; instead, she would just be prepared... It was then, now that the specter had learned of at least one of her fears, and what seemed to be their relationship, that it would begin its work.

"I hate to say this, but I'm afraid there are fouler things than spiders down here."

Was what her ally had said, and yet... What she heard was...

"I hate to say this, but I'm afraid there are fouler things than spiders down here. Now isn't the time to be over-reacting... Pull yourself together, I won't be getting killed by your silly fear of bugs..."

She was an Adult, and would just look over to him with a sense of disappointment, nodding her understanding to him..

"Sorry... It wont happen again." She said, gray hues staying on him for a moment, before moving back to what lay ahead. That poison hadn't gone yet, no it was still here in this building, hoping to work the same Dark tricks it had used years ago to bring ruin to this place. It sensed Aayla had the propensity to go off the rails, and only had but to bring division in them first... If at any point they weren't making eye contact when they spoke, it would poison those words, seeking to turn them against each other; desperately so, it wanted to see which of these Jedi would embrace the darkness first...

Desperately so, it wanted to see one strike down the other.

She pressed forward into the next area, noting the auditorium, and turning in place to look all around. Quickly she had pushed his harsh words from memory, and moved on; it made no sense to linger on them, and in a sense she could understand where he was coming from. There was sudden ebb of sadness from within her in the Force, quieted as soon as it would be felt. She could manage her own emotions.

Though, that poison was quick to seep in again, seeking to exploit her feelings. Both of theirs...

As they walked, Aayla would say... "This craftsmanship is beautiful, evil as this place may be..." she turned her back then, walking a little away from him to observe that throne, saber still in hand... A voice very similar to her own emanating from her direction, though not audible to her was heard by Bright4 .

"Guess your Father would've been more interested in beating you into the fetal position again though, than the craftsmanship..."

"Don't you think?" Aayla said, turning and offering him a smile... Though, if she knew what he had heard from her she would've had a look of horror.

The only discerning factor between their voices, was a sharp lisping addition at the end, as if the shadows themselves were talking, and not the pair.

 

[Bright4]

.​

SAY THAT AGAIN​

​

Aayla's apology was indeed warped, as the Sith Lord worked over time to ensure the pair would have as many communication mishaps as possible. As Kadan spoke his warning, he heard Aayla's remark. "Maybe it'll happen again." Was what Kadan heard, bewildered as to why she would respond to his warning in such a way. He shrugged it off, unsure as to what she was on about, but not feeling like risking an argument. As the pair looked about the next area, Kadan couldn't help but notice bone fragments lounged into the ground, though Aayla herself seemed to be picking up on something that he couldn't see or feel. Seeing little reason to keep his saber ignited, Kadan powered it down, stowing it as he knelt down tot the ground. He placed his hand upon the broken stone, and once more, he was treated to another vision:

He was tired, couldn't breath, yet he had to keep fighting had to keep working, or the master wouldn't be satisfied, wouldn't allow them to rest. "Again." A voice demanded, the figure clad in crimson robes, face concealed by shadows, though an armored gauntlet was directed towards the acolyte, motioning for him to come forth. The man from whom Kadan was watching from looked to his right, finding one of his companions laying in a pool of his own blood, then to his left, finding one of his companions was favoring a broken arm. Two against one, it seemed an unfair fight never-the-less. The pair looked to one another and leapt, only to swiftly be caught in a force grip, the air being squeezed from their lungs, before being slammed into the stone floor. Once more, the vision faded.

The vision having ended, he left the ghosts to their rest, wondering just who this man was, and how powerful he must have been. He turned towards Aayla, who seemed to be thrilled as she looked about the room, it was nice to see her smiling, much less intimidating than the stoic look she wore earlier. He gave a cursory glance to the place, trying to find something to comment on, or perhaps investigate. Then Aayla opened her mouth and spoke.

"Guess your Father would've been more interested in beating you into the fetal position again though, than the craftsmanship..."

His face dropped, a look of blatant disgust plastered on his face, as he directed his gaze at Aayla. He felt wounded, emotionally, as if someone had just stabbed him in the soul. She had glimpsed into his soul, and now made a mockery of the punishment his father had placed upon him. If he wasn't so emotionally shot by those words, he might have realized the wording made no sense. But no, she had just weaved an insult out of no where and hurled it at him. It...didn't seem, or feel right. Yet he had heard it. His hand began to ache, as he was gripping his saber so tightly. He had no idea how to respond to that, who would even know how to respond. "Yea. I guess so." He said coldly, moving past her with little more than a scowl, and investigating the alter now. He had to think about something else, the comment she had made struck something within him, something that wanted him to lash out and do harm. Something he didn't want to entertain, though violent thoughts were trying to force their way to the front of his mind.

Honestly, he was more disappointed than anything. But it just felt...wrong, even beyond being a nice person, it just didn't seem okay.

Investigating the alter, Kadan was stunned by what he saw. No lightsaber had done this, rather it was as if something had atomized the stone here, splitting it in two, and burning through an additional several feet of stone, going all the way into the ground. What nature of power was needed to do this? He hadn't a clue. Placing his hand over the alter, and he was struck but a brief but painful flash, Kadan flew backwards, smacking into the ground, feeling as if his hand had briefly lite aflame. The only thing he was able to glimpse was one thing, a blinding purple flash, and a dark black and red holocron at the center of it. He was dazed for a moment, his vision slowly coming into focus, as well as a dull pain at the back of his head. He sat up slowly, grimacing, as he struggled to relay what he saw. "There was a master here, and he held a holocron. Whatever it was, it gave him great power, or perhaps turned him into power itself..." He muttered, unwilling to take any help from Aayla, as he was still fuming from her previous comment.

The sooner they could get out of this place the better. He would have words with Aayla once this was done, but right now, he was more concerned about getting both of them out alive.

Aayla Shan

 

[Aayla Shan]

She noted his answer was... Delayed, her smile dissipating as he responded; she thought him and her had a bit of understanding to be honest, but so quickly he felt distant... She just tried to ignore it. But it was hard, how cold he was being to her all of a sudden. More than that, she was becoming a little more guarded, almost regretting coming to this Force forsaken place with him. In any case, she followed; almost a second away from warning him not to get too touch happy with the things in here, after all. And then he was suddenly catapulted back in the Force.

On instinct she called out to him

"Kadan!!"

Hurried footsteps moved to his location, almost dropping to a knee and holding her hand out over his chest lightly. And then shifting to his shoulder, lightly caressing him as he seemed to shrug her off.

"There was a master here, and he held a holocron. Whatever it was, it gave him great power, or perhaps turned him into power itself..,"

"Certainly your kinda' place, as desperate as YOU are for power..."

And that was her final straw, she inhaled slowly, and deeply, then folded her arms tightly over her chest. Turning as he walked away from her, and noting at that point he didn't seem to like facing her when he spoke his 'true' mind.

"I don't know what the hell your problem is with me guy, but you better get your head on straight. You don't know me well enough t-... You don't know a karking thing, and I'm not gonna stand around all day with you in here and let you hurl these idiotic insults all day... You have no idea what it was like for me being a Masterless Jedi for all that time. Watching people I know I was better than become knighted while here I stand still a padawan!"

She yelled behind him, completely forgetting what they were there for. Kadan was indeed a better padawan, whereas Aayla was known for having a temper. She had been working on it, but this guy was working her karking nerves at this point. And that was something he WASN'T going to do.

"Keep your damn insults to yourself, and I'm not going to warn you about it again... At least have the courage to look me in my damn face if you have something to say yeah?"

In that moment of heat, she added something else she probably shouldn't have...

"Got it? Mando?" she canted her head then, all to aware he felt at least some form of confusion as to what he was really. A Jedi, or a Mandalorian. Beyond that, if he wanted to take it there, she was ready to fight him, so much so she didn't hear that raspy chuckle from the shadows again...

 

[Bright4]

.​

IT COMES TUMBLING DOWN​

​

He wasn't sure what had come over her. One moment, she seemed concerned with him, he almost felt bad rejecting her help, but he was still fuming from the early comment about his father. Perhaps it wasn't very dignified, but that was such a low blow, he didn't even know how to classify it. He pushed by her, thinking she would just produce another flippant comment. Then, all of the sudden, Aayla snapped, her body and posture changing, a shift in how she sensed to him, as if a barely reigned in fury was seeped from her now. It took him by surprise, as Kadan looked to her, and was utterly at a lose for what she was going on about. It concerned him, though he was just as irritated by her actions as well. Now she began to berate him, his own furry was mounting. 'You mock my pride, ignore my own warnings, and now you seek to play the victim? What sort of game are you playing woman?' He bared her insults, her anger soaked words, and in spite of everything, he felt her words mirrored his own struggles, his own pain. He was a masterless padawan, he had no one, he struggled to even stand here, and yet....why were they fighting? Why was this happening?​

​

He knew from his experiences with his mother that it was best to let a woman finish when she was angry, even if she was in the wrong, it was best to just weather the storm rather than try and push through it; that's when they started to cry, and as fuming as he was, Kadan had no defense against crying women. He had to turn away, just looking at her was making it worse. He took in steady breaths, venting out the anger, the frustration, trying to keep his head leveled, knowing that if he lost his cool, it wouldn't end well for either of them.​

​

​

"Keep your damn insults to yourself, and don't make me warn you again, because it won't end well for you... If you had any you'd look me in the face when you talked to me. Or did your dad beat that out of you too?"​

​

What insults? She had started this, she had continued it, and for what?​

​

He couldn't take it any further, his tone harsh and sharp, as he spoke aloud, turning to face her now. "You need to stop bef-"​

​

"Got it? Mando?"​

​

Mando? Hm. Mando? Really? That vibro-knife from early was turned, and with it, Kadan felt that connection towards the woman strain to the breaking point. What in the hells was wrong with her. Kadan's tensed, feeling a wave of red hot...something washing over him. She shouldn't have said that. What was he even thinking, believing that she understood him, that he understood her. No, in spite of that, people would chose to weaponize his past rather than see what he had lost to get here. "You shouldn't have said that." He said coldly, turning to face Aayla, as his body was nearly trembling. The saber shook in his hand, his thumb going for the ignition switch, but some part of him stopped. He didn't need a lightsaber for this, nor did he want to kill her. No, if she wanted to call him Mando, then he would show her just what a Mandalorian could do. His saber went flying, clattering against the stone floor, rolling far past where he could have retrieved it without using the force. "I thought we had an understanding, I thought you might be the first person who could relate to my struggle, to get how I-" An image flashed in his head, him grabbing Aayla and violently slamming her into the floor, his fist pummeling into her, his training taking over as rage powered his blows, and she could-No. No, no, no. He wouldn't. He couldn't. 'You're no better than the Sith, you can't keep yourself in line.' His father had always made a point of saying that about his powers, about why it was wrong to have them. Would he really prove his father right here and now? Kadan stopped. The very tenants of his people were about keeping your head on straight, jedi and Mandalorian culture called for this. These thoughts couldn't be his, wouldn't be his, he wouldn't-.​

​

Kadan stopped in his tracks, dropping to his knees as he raised both hands, and slammed them hard into the stone floor. "ARGH!" He bellowed, anger and frustration seeping out, months of these pent up feelings came undone, as he hit the stone tiles, and the result startled the hell out of him. The stones shattered, a brief display of the force erupted from him, several stones buckled, shattering from the blow, though Kadan didn't come out unscathed, white hot pain flooded in from his hands, as three of his fingers had broken as well, the padawan hissing, as the rage bubbled like a pot of water that had been left to boil for too long. He remained on his knees, fed up with how this day had gone, how he felt emotionally played, he was just done. He looked up to Aayla, his eyes swelling with a mix of pain and sadness, as he did just as Aayla wanted. He was looking her right in the eyes. "You saw everything I went through, and to mock me for my father, my heritage, my suffering. I have no one, I haven't had anyone to support me here, then you play these damn head games and now-" He stopped, his teeth clenching, letting out a loud groan as he rose, his pinky, ring, and middle finger on the left hand were beat awkwardly; clearly broken. Kadan seemed shorter now, as if he was shrinking away. In truth, he just didn't care anymore. "I'm disappointed. Disappointed that I thought I could fething-that I thought I could trust you. That yo-" He stopped himself, and stood. With arms open, he walked closer to her as he stared dead at her. "Come on then, cut me down then, if I'm just a Mando. It's what jedi do best isn't it?" He asked, unsure what he even wanted her to say.​

​

Aayla Shan​

 

[Aayla Shan]

She watched him, eyes widening with surprise as he tossed his saber, and informed her she shouldn't have said that... Hell she knew she shouldn't have said that, but those kinds of things happened in the heat of the moment. That being said, she unclipped her own saber, ready to tangle with him if that's what he wanted. Her own anger starting to boil, and yet... He was playing with her emotions again. After all that crap, here he was playing the victim. She had tried to understand him, and ever since they had come into this damn place h-...

Ever since they had come into this place. Her eyes flickered away from him briefly, intuition scratching her lightly... Oh so lightly...

She winced as he slammed that floor, and noted how much restraint it took... She knew who those fists were meant for, but didn't understand what gave him the righ to want to hurt her. Hell she was just rubbing his shoulder, and they would take fine when they looked at each other...

The jigsaw puzzle started to become a little clearer to her, to the point she had stopped focusing on him entirely.

"Kadan.." she mumbled..

You saw everything I went through, and to mock me for my father, my heritage, my suffering. I have no one, I haven't had anyone to support me here, then you play these damn head games and now-"

"I didn't... she whispered, shaking her head in a no-no manner, and fighting back the tears that swelled behind her eyes. She hadn't said anything like that, but at the very least her suspicions were confirmed then.

"I'm disappointed. Disappointed that I thought I could fething think I could trust you. That yo-"

"Kadan..." she said a little louder, trying to coax him back out of his rage.. Even as he approached him, she took a defensive posture, clipping her saber back to he waist, and raising her palms out towards him, keeping them under chest level to signify she was trying to calm him...

"Come on then, cut me down then, if I'm just a Mando. It's what jedi do best isn't it?"

"KADAN!" She yelled, releasing a shaky breath... She stepped forward, and hugged him then.. Not like she wanted to give the wrong impression, but she felt that was just what he needed. In that moment, she tried to engage with him mentally again; the bond at this distance more difficult for the malicious lurking figure to intercede in.

She showed him her true feelings, how terrible she felt about what his Father had done; how bad she felt about calling him a Mandalorian when she knew how personally it would've affected him... In the moment, she managed to express these thoughts through the Force to him with clarity, and unless her rejected her, she would lean away from him, hands moving to grasp at his shoulders.

"You said it yourself... We probably aren't alone down here... You are an ally, we're allies... All of this started the second we came in here."

With that said, she nodded to him, then held out her left hand, recalling his saber to hand and in one smooth motion would use her right hand to lift his left, pressing his saber back into it; hopefully that wasn't the one he'd broken fingers on.

"If you don't see my lips move... Listen to nothing, and I'll listen to nothing... Trust in the Force." she said, the very words seemed to cause the next partition of the tomb to emanate with a sudden surge of Dark-Side energies... Anger, and Malice gripping them both as it almost felt like they had entered a well of Darkness. Aayla unclipped, and activated her saber, eyes locking on that solemn doorway. Her left hand gripped at his left bicep yet again, feeling it would be useful to use not just words, but touch to signify how she felt.

Of course she related to him, and she wouldn't purposely want to hurt him, except for calling him a Mando, but the truth was she had been tricked; both of them had...

And now she was rightfully pissed of. It was time to go confront the coward pulling strings from the shadows. She steeled herself, letting herself slip back into the grasp of Force Valor, and stepped with purpose in that direction.

~~

Holding her saber in front of her, she passed through the doorway, holding her wrist in front of her nose as the putrid scent of...

Hell, she didn't even want to try to describe it, but it made her want to gag, and retch on instinct. Inside, there was what was probably once on ornate bedroom, the lightsaber illuminating a single bed in the middle, against a wall. therein, and now audible, was a faint raspy breathing.

'She has told you what she really thinks you know... Mandalorian..." There was a raspy cackle behind it, and the sound of a bile filled cough...

'And you... Young Padawan, will forever be that.. I could give you power... Strike him downnnnn, and let me show you how to truly become a Mast-'another sickening cough heard. 'Masteeeer, of the Foorce' he rasped...

The voice belonged to a disembodied individual. His form quite literally rotting away, missing his legs; and one arm, they had finally found the one survivor of the slaughter all those years ago. A forgotten Lord of the Sith, still desperately clinging to life by hatred alone. Even in his state, still desperate to turn the young Padawan to the Dark Side of the Force.

Aayla desperately wanted to insult him, but feared to open her mouth; there was a strange feeling if she did the scent that rolled from the living corpse would enter her, and get stuck... She would just peer at his form in horror, glancing over to Kadan to gauge his reaction, and see what he wanted to do.

 

[Bright4]

.​

UNITED FRONT​

​

He took no action against her, merely standing there, too fed up to pose a real threat. He wouldn't kill, he refused to do that, yet she approached him. She was stuttering, had he been too harsh? No, he only spoke what he felt. But why was she on the verge of tears, why had her anger diminished so? Again, it made no sense. Confusion worked it's way across his expression, trying to process the emotional whiplash he had felt. Her shout breached through the cold steel of rage that had begun to encompass him, Aayla's presence working against the strong feelings of anger that were screaming at him to attack.

But he so wanted this connection, to have her understanding. Even if it didn't make sense to him, he allowed himself to trust her in this moment, seeing how distraught she seemed. It was then that he remember what he had said earlier, that they were not alone, this whatever power seeped into this place was at work and-. His thoughts ceased, feeling Aayla's form slam into him, arms encompassing him. It was an alien sensation truth be told, but in spite of what this place was trying to do, it put him at ease. His gaze lowered, set on the top of Aayla's head, as she could feel him reaching for him within the force once more, a hand puncturing through the dark in an attempt to reach him. He closed his eyes, heading bowing, as the cold fiery rage began to diminish, understanding, and compassion fighting to reign him in. He took the bond as it was extended towards him. Using his good hand, he placed an arm around her upper shoulder, feeling that whatever this place was doing, it hard sparked this conflict within themselves. It was the most sincere form of apology he could express, returning the hug in kind.

As she opened her feelings to him he did the same to her. He thought her courageous, bold, defiant, in spite of her pain, she had come out tougher than many Mandalorians he had grown up with. Even stronger than he perhaps. There was respect, admiration, and-. He stopped his line of thought, knowing that the important parts had been shared, but they had best find the source of their pain. The connection dimmed, but his state of mind was greatly restored, though his anger now shifted towards whatever had caused this division between the pair. The understanding was there, and though he had broken most of his fingers in the process, he felt it was worth it keeping this bond alive. She spoke, her words putting into thought what he imagined was unfolding here. "As one orphan to another, we need to stay together. United, and see this evil vanquished." Her hands were on his shoulder, as he looked upon her, seeing her recall his saber, he smiled faintly. That smile faltered as she had inadvertently placed the weapon into his bad hand, his expression probably being seen as goofy, as he endured the pain, his good hand releasing it's hold on Aayla, as he placed the weapon into the correct hand, forcing a smile as he did so. He took the weapon regardless, pushing out the flair up of pain that had erupted from his hand, as he turned to face where Aayla indicated, her hand squeezing his bicep in a manner to show her support. He gingerly tapped the back of her hand with his good hand, nodding in agreement. He was with her, and her, him. They would not let this foe mess with their heads again.

They had spoken their minds to one another, there was no more room for misunderstanding. All cards were on the table, and as long as they held tight to that trust, they would not be turned against the other. Kadan's blade snapped to life, his broken digits being kept behind his back as he and Aayla moved towards the doorway, and were assaulted by a foul odor as they breached the threshold of the archway. Aayla's saber revealed the contents first, though the addition of Kadan's weapon burned away any trace of darkness that might have lingered in the room. He almost wished he hadn't. The sight was revolting, and combined with the stench, it made Kadan want to empty his stomach contents. He had seen war veterans with grizzly wounds, stood in truly revolting conditions in his life, but even this...this creature was hardly living anymore. Burn marks crisscrossed the body of the man, his missing limbs burnt off at awkward angles, the living corpse twitched, muttering it's madness, and Kadan only looked on in sheer horror. He couldn't form words, couldn't fathom what to even say to this cretin, his only desire was to put an end to this monster, not out of anger, but out of pity. Was this what a master of the dark side looked like? Kadan's lip trembled, his eyes watering from the smell, though he resumed his guard as he felt the Sith might lash out if Aayla ignored his deranged command. "She showed me more than words could convey. If this is the fate of a master of the dark, I'd endeavor to remain in the light." He spoke his gaze locked on Aayla, and the blue glow that encompassed his face. Whatever this monster wished to have with them, it wouldn't go his way this day. He looked for Aayla's eyes now, his mind speaking to her via their connection, wanting to put an end to this mans suffering.​

​

'What do we do now?'

Aayla Shan​

 

[Aayla Shan]

The Sith grumbled at his words, gargling on his own bile again. It made Aayla dizzy, and she would literally lean into Kadan lightly to right herself.

'Strike me dooown... That is what must be do-Gaaah, that is WHAT WILL make you.... POWERFUL" he loosed a weakened cackle then, arcing his head so his orange hues could peer at them.

She stared back into those eyes, and straightened herself, shuddering and tugging at Kadan's clothing.

"Leave him... This isn't a tomb... It's a prison... A prison of his failures!" she called out, to which there was a spark of electricity almost immediately from his hand. He had tried to attack them, but simply didn't have the power to fully commit to the move. Aayla was snappy on it though, and continued to tug on Kadan's shoulder. They had seen enough, and she wasn't going to give that monster the mercy of death. She intended a worse fate for him. She would seal this tomb shut. She would make it so that he would never, ever be able to poison another mind again.



In the end, his punishment would be his own madness. His own solitude. She had decided to let him live... Walking back out where the air was, she dropped into a crouch immediately. She breathed in deeply, feeling as if that stench had settled on her very clothes. Once she got her wind back, she would deactivate the saber and look around them at the eerie black tomb.

'Maybe not him, but you Padawan Shan... Your destiny is in the Dark... You've felt it.. It sits on your soul, even nooow... Did it feel good?"

A slow cackle would emanate from behind them, causing her to close her eyes and shiver again. With that, she stood, and started a steady walk back to the entrance. Though they both heard it clear, she seemed to not have an answer for that, or perhaps didn't feel like dignifying it with one.

"Seal him in here, I wont hear any more of his poison... We can use the fighters. Level the damn place around him... In the end, he can survive of his hatred in solitude, or relinquish it and do the galaxy a favor... "

She finished, gulping and continuing... Though, it was clear that something about his final sentence to her was troubling... It hit her deeply.

 

[Bright4]

.​

KEEP YOUR SECRETS​

​

There was a tug on his tunic, and a quick glance revealed that Aayla was becoming increasingly unnerved by this creature. Kadan merely shook his head at what was left of the man. The cackle of lightning caught Kadan's ear, as he raised the blade to defend himself and Aayla, only to see the power itself had snuffled out. He couldn't attack them without endangering himself. Aayla argued that they should leave him, let the man fester in this mess, but Kadan wasn't sure he agreed. This place would continue to be here, the Sith could very much keep existing. Yet, he felt that the longer the pair stayed, the more frantic Aayla seemed to become. The cold here scared her. He looked to her for a moment, before glancing back to the twitching body. Aayla began to leave the room, tugging for Kadan to follow her, which he would. His saber deactivated, having no need for it now. It was nice to be free of the stench, though the musky air of the tomb was no supplement for the outside world. He knelt beside Aayla, his hand placed lightly on her shoulder. Then the cretin spoke, and Kadan could feel his fellow padawan grow cold.

Just as he wrestled with an inner turmoil, so too did she. Though what that could possibly be, he didn't know. Maybe in time, force willing, he would. But not now. Aayla moved away from him, walking towards the entrance as if she was on a mission, leaving Kadan to stand there in the dark for several moments.

He would never have a chance like this again, to stand in a site like this without the prattling of masters or eyes of knights. This was his one chance to experiment, and he would not miss it. He was not scared of the darkness, though he sought to confront it, understand it, and eventually, overcome it. How could he do that if he didn't know what he was fighting?

He took in a deep breath, his hand raising, as he forced himself open to the force, open to the cold, letting the chill sweep over him. It wasn't power like he thought it might be, rather, it was like a poison. Staining and encompassing all it touched. He couldn't help but feel disappointed. Letting your passions fuel you was so short sighted, it couldn't be the answer to the questions he bore. So, he would endeavor to join Aayla, pulling himself back into the force, letting the icy grasp of this place wash off him. He had felt a surge of power when he snapped at Aayla, a brief rush that fueled his strength, yet it carried a terrible price along with it. There had to be a way for both, to use emotion, and not lose oneself to it. There had to be a middle path.

"There's more strength than you know..." The voice chuckled, causing Kadan to halt for a moment. "You only...need....lose yourself to it, and then, you will see it...your type always do..." Kadan humored the Sith for a long moment, considering the Siths words. He had to ask himself now, would he walk this path if it lead to his sense of identity being uncovered? It wasn't a comfortable line of thought, but one he mulled over all the same. "Perhaps, but you have nothing I want. Nor need." With that, he left the room behind, finding a shaky and trembling Aayla outside. This encounter had gotten to her, and Kadan felt powerless to aid her here and now. He glanced back towards the site, the dark tunnel from which they had entered from, and extended his hands, pain flaring up from his injured hand. There was a flash of bitterness, resentment, disgust for all that this place held, for what it had done to them, and those who would forever be victims of this places corruption. Aayla asked him to seal the way, and so he would. But he needed her help to do so, given one hand was unusable.

The padawan moved before her, locking eyes as he wished to comfort her, try and remove some doubt from her mind. "Aayla, whatever you battle within yourself, you make a choice in the end to ignore or embrace it. And from what I've seen, you are far too strong of a person to fall to that level. Trust in yourself, trust in your friends. Do not forget who you are, or what makes you into a jedi. We write our own destiny, not some haggard corpse that can't even crawl out of bed." He smiled slightly, offering his hand to her. "I'm not strong enough to seal this place on my own, I'll need your help, if you'll lend it to me." Kadan opened himself up to the force once more, seeking to add his own strength with Aayla, as he set his sights on the temple. "You won't battle these things alone. I promise you that."

Kadan would have to find the answers he needed elsewhere, as they certainly weren't here. Though he did gain something from this whole ordeal, someone who understood him. He put forth his influence on the stones, targeting the supports of the entrance as he began to pull, the temple shaking, trembling, as it was being weakened.

Just a little more, and they would spare others from whatever fate this place wished to set upon them.

Aayla Shan​

 

[Aayla Shan]

Kadan had stopped her, and told her that he needed her help with collapsing the entrance to the room, and she turned on a dime at the request. She allowed him to initiate it, then would follow suit. Were it once trembled, now it groaned and gave way; The both of them doing it together made it all to easy. He could influence himself all he wanted in there. It was good that no one else would have to hear his crap though. She noted what Kadan had done, but after what the Sith had tried to guilt her with, she didn't feel as though she had a right to say anything. He was trying to make her feel bad for using the Force offensively, with an intent to kill in the middle of a damn warzone. What the hell did he know anyway? If he was so great and wise, then how had he failed against two Padawan?

How had he lost all of his disciples, and lay in ruin, wallowing in his own filth; she wondered... The Dark Side wasn't the path, and it certainly wouldn't have been hers. In any case, his words had an affect on her, reaffirming her stance on becoming stronger in the light, so she would never visit that Dark place again. Once those stones crumbled, she backpedaled, taking a good amount of steps before turning completely and getting away from this room. She wanted to go outside like nobody's business, and wasn't interested in stopping again. In retrospect, in any case, his voice seemed quieted. Perhaps he had even died when it all came down.

Secretly she had hoped so, and continued on to the exit; within moments, stepping out into the fresh air and placing her hands on her knees as she bent over slightly. The sooner she forgot all of this the better. Though she would probably never, ever, ever forget that smell. As she knelt, suddenly she would giggle a bit, breaking out into a hearty laugh. She didn't say anything, but just shook her head as she laughed until tears found her eyes. Letting her feet move, and carry her even further away from that place. Before they left, she was gonna blast the hell outta' this entrance with her Starfighter, and she couldn't help but feel a certain satisfaction that he would be trapped down there.

It was what he deserved. She wasn't supposed to seek vengeance as a Jedi, but to hell with that. She could've also delivered a coup de grace when she had the chance. She was positive her compatriot had considered it... She knew she had, but he lost that privilege when he asked for it... When he asked for it, it signified that it would've given him release. At that point, she no interest in giving him that. She wouldn't do a damn thing for him, but lock him away to rot in solitude.

Another chuckle left her as she navigated her way back down, jumping the last bit and landing solidly on both feet. Once there, she would stop, and turn back allowing Kadan to join her.

"For the first time hanging out with you man.... That was an experience." she said, simply letting her form loosen, and taking a seat right there in the grass. From there, she leaned back, putting both hands behind her head and staring at the mid afternoon sky.

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