Private A Strange Encounter of the Cultist Variety

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Yavin IV
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Darth Carnifex

Rumours surrounding the moon of Yavin were circulating and Lily had taken measures to ensure that she wasn't jumping into a situation without using a moment of caution. Especially given the seriousness of the rumours and risks that it posed her life if she was rash surrounding the problem. Lily had informed her Master, Briana Sal-Soren and Master Valery Noble of the cultist activity that she had learned of that was occurring on Yavin IV and had requested to take the mission on to investigate and if able, dismantle the cult gathering there. She had also made sure to be certain that there was not chance of her encountering the leader of the cult since she knew that her chances of survival were dire if he turned up. She refused to make an error by heading into danger without alerting anyone else, she wasn't going to make a mistake like she had with the Mandalorian Enclave.

Kainites and Carnifex were a dangerous bunch, the cultists were parading ideals and beliefs in a Sith god and Carnifex was just a dangerous person all together. Lily had seen the records of the fights he had been in as well as the fighting styles he used. There was much he could do that she had not even thought about nor did she think she would achieve such feats till much older.

However, Yavin IV was not a large cult operation, it was not Sith Order territory either so the cultists there were going to be lower in number than if she had tried taking down operations on Korriban or any other Sith world. Lily was also hoping to use this mission as a way to demonstrate she was on the path of her Knighthood, many of her fellow Padawans who joined around the same time as her were being promoted and while she did not wish to rush the training with Briana. Lily did want to prove she was heading in that direction and that her chances of being promoted were pretty close. At least, she hoped they would be, with the recent invasion of the Sith Order, things were going to be getting dangerous and there was going to be a lot of fighting happening. Lily wanted to be ready for it and she wanted to demonstrate she could handle challenges that she needed to face in order to keep those she cared about safe.

As her ship came out of Hyperspace, she sent a final message to her Master, stating she was arriving at her destination and that if Briana didn't hear back within a day or so, that she was either captured again or worse. The worse was something Lily didn't even wish to think about, it made her shudder but she thought back to her meditation and used it to centre herself once again. She had to be in control of her emotions here, she couldn't go floundering around recklessly without any forethought or being in a blind panic, especially around the Kainites.

Lowering the ship to the surface of the moon, she thought about the fact that Yavin IV was a moon that had strong history connected to both the Light and the Dark Side. With temples constructed by Sith and those devoted to the Sith, however, it had also been the base of operation for the Rebel Alliance to strike down the First Galactic Empire. It was definitely a place that Lily should have considered visiting before today to learn more about and attempt to understand the history of. However, she had just allowed herself to be caught up in her Jedi training that adventures and visiting other worlds hadn't really been at the forefront of her mind. Stepping onto the moon's surface, she could feel the darkness, the tension of Sith activity and decided to head in the direction of the cult, or at least the direction that the Force was guiding her towards.

"So, Lily, what's the plan here? Storm in, Lightsaber swinging and cutting down all the cultists? Attempt to talk them down?" Lily thought aloud to herself, not too sure that she could figure out how she was going to be the best approach for this mission. "Perhaps scout the place, figure out the surrounding and numbers I could be facing then go in and give them a chance to stand down... Yeah, sure." She nodded her head since she knew it was important to assess the situation before any attacks were down.

Which was what led Lily, crouched and sneaking into the main hall where the cultists were gathered. Listening to what they were saying and what was potentially being plotted here.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The camp had been erected over a large ravine, one that had up until recently been hidden beneath dirt and rock. Lift shafts dove down into the darkness, where beams of light only barely illuminated the remains of ancient structures long since abandoned to the entropy of time. Above ground, the camp was arranged not too dissimilar from typical military encampments found across the galaxy. The perimeter was electrified with a large twenty foot wall of scintillating energy, maintained by a series of generators and their requisite redundancies equally placed throughout the main camp. Large watchtowers cornered the camp, well-defended and patrolled by cybernetically augmented snipers.

Most of the structures within the camp's walls were prefabricated, although there were some existing structures that had been converted by the Kainites for their own use. It was the largest of these structures that Lily Decoria found herself infiltrating, it's spaceous chambers and ancient design facilitating an easier path than what would be afforded by the more modern structures around it. Below were a myriad of technicians and officers, ostensibly Imperial officials but clearly members of the pervasive cult that surrounded Carnifex and all His endeavors.

From what Lily could overhear, the Kainate had been hard at work excavating the ancient ruins following the Alliance's withdrawal during the battle that had taken place here. What they were searching for was still a mystery to her, for the cultists spoke in riddles and archaic verbose. All that mattered to her was that it was considered of paramount importance to the Dark Lord, whatever it was. Enough that He'd dedicated a large portion of resources into finding it, putting some of His most cunning minds to work at this site. Holograms of the elusive Saryn Zambrano could be seen relaying cryptic orders to his subordinates, the Lord of Shadow Mind showing just as much interest in the dig-site as his Lord and Master.

At the far end of the great hall was another lift shaft, one that was exclusive to the higher ranking officers of the dig-site project. A pair of these officers, flanked by the Dark Lord's very own Blackblade Guards, entered the lift and began their long descent into the abyss. Although it was evident that clearance codes and special access rods were required to use the lift, the shaft through which it traveled could be accessed once the lift had departed. The shaft dug straight through the rock for several hundred meters before opening up to the air, continuing along a lattice-work of steel struts and anchor points before reaching another camp nestled within the ruins itself.

The atmosphere of the cultists down here was different from those on the service, for in the intervening minutes it took to traverse the upper reaches of the shaft down to the subterranean ruins, they'd received a coded transmission from off-world. Though the exact contents were not discussed, one phrase freely passed from one cultists to another.

He was coming.

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Yavin IV
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Darth Carnifex

It was both impressive and terrifying seeing the modern structures that had been built on Yavin IV. Impressive since they had built a lot and very detailed structures in a short time span, terrifying since it was hinting towards the dedication of these cultists and the unawareness that the Galactic Alliance had that this was not caught sooner. Or at least they were getting too lax, Lily feared that allow something like this to continue and expand would cause the Sith to become too big of a threat to manage. If people were worshipping someone they saw in a similar light to a god, how were the Jedi meant to end the Sith threat?

Suppressing her Force presence, Lily was able to sneak around carefully without being detected. She had spent years suppressing her abilities in the Force since she had initially been terrified of it, she knew how to hide her presence in a more controlled and positive manner. Using the ability to only sneak around undetected in case any of the cultists were attuned to the Force. She wasn't sure what the make up of the cultists were, if they were purely non-Force Users, if there was a mix or if it was exclusively Force Users.

Hearing that the cultists were digging around the location in search for something, while she had no clue on what it was exactly, she knew that it was likely some sort of Sith artefact. Something powerful and could even be a weapon long forgotten. It was what tended to be the thing that Sith hunted for from what she heard. Whatever it was, she knew one thing for certain, she couldn't let them succeed in finding it since it could not reach the hands of Carnifex. Either she would need to steal it and bring it back to the Galactic Alliance or she would need to destroy it before she left. Whichever was more practical, that was her mission now.

Following a high ranking officer as she snuck around the base, she noted the powerful Blackblade Guards. This presence made her more concerned since it was clear that whatever this excavation was, it was a priority of Carnifex's and she was starting to worry that she would need to report back to her ship to request for more support in case Carnifex turned up himself. While Lily prided herself on being an excellent fighter, especially with a Lightsaber and considered herself on par with many Knights, her abilities in the Force and even her combat prowess was not high enough to keep up with the Sith Lord's.

Seeing the shaft was open for her to go deeper into the base, Lily hesitated for a moment then cursed under her breath, leaping forward and gracefully sliding down. Ensuring that her landing was softened as she used the Force to cushion the fall and rolled to avoid any damage to her joints. Lily then swiftly moved into a new hiding spot. Hoping that she had not been caught.

As she strained her ears to make out conversational points about the ongoing excavation, there was not much she could make out besides one thing. Carnifex was on his way. "Chit," Lily cursed in a whisper to herself, she needed to get out of area and get back to her ship. However, the climb up the shaft was going to be a lot tougher than the descent. Additionally, this was her best shot at taking out whatever was here. Weighing her options, there had been no timeframe on when the Sith Lord would be arriving, so Lily decided to move forward and take the risk that she could obtain whatever was being hunted for and get out in time.

Moving deep into the underground operation, Lily kept her eyes and ears strained to perceive anything that could indicate where the dig was being done. Still sneaking as carefully as she could and making her presence as small as possible while moving around the base.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The nominal head of the dig-site was a Lord-Artificer, their name and origins stripped from any discoverable record. In their service to the Sith, they had become more machine than flesh, discarding all of the trappings of their prior life to become more closely entwined with the machinery they controlled. There were over a dozen rumors as to the origin of their existence, but none of them could be confirmed. It could not even be said whether they had been a man or a woman before their transformation into a cybernetic fiend.

Stalking forward on mechanical digitigrade legs, a multitude of prehensile arms clutching the ground for stabilization, the Lord-Artificer led a solemn procession of lesser artificers and their half-mechanized soldiers towards the main lift. Other officials and technicians had assembled themselves in neat rows and columns, banners flustering calmly from atop their towering standards. Cultists in priestly vestments moved about the assembled rows, swinging thuribles of sickly incense while chanting words in their heathen dialect, blasphemous to the ear.

A shudder, like distant rumbling thunder, vibrated through the ground. The lift was descending, and with it came the falling shroud of doom. As it came to a rest, a tense silence hung heavy in the air. It was as if all the breath had been stolen, each of the assembled holding it in as their eyes remained transfixed upon the lift door. It opened slowly, the faint light spilling upon the icon of their maddened devotion, causing all present to fall to their knees in total obeisance.

Darth Carnifex, Dark Lord of the Sith, strode forward from the lift with the dark regality characteristic of one feared galaxy-wide as the Butcher King. Two red-robed guards shadowed His every step, their faces concealed behind faceless masks etched with geometric shapes, crackling energy-voluges clutched in their armored hands. Though they said not a word, they exuded such a viciousness that intuitively warded those of weaker will from even approaching them; let alone their Lord.

"It has been found?" The Dark Lord's voice rung out through the chasm, powerfully authoritative and crackling with the Dark Side.

"Yes it has, Eternal Father." Squawked the Lord-Artificer, their voice mechanically modulated. "The lost treasure of Naga Sadow has been identified, it awaits you below."

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Yavin IV
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Darth Carnifex

Seeing what was basically a droid powered by humanoid organs and brain was something Lily found horrifying, to sacrifice so much of your body and replace it with inhuman mechanic parts, it seemed beyond comprehension. While her aunt had robotic legs, she still looked and moved like a normal person, this being was far from humanoid in their movements and that was the most disturbing part for Lily. She was unnerved by the appearance when she saw the creature moving towards the lift. As soon as the doors opened, she felt it.

A coldness. The coldness. She was trapped.

Carnifex wasn't just coming to this location, he was here. She had inadvertently doomed herself by coming down the shaft. She didn't realise that the Sith Lord was so close by and she was likely to run into him no matter what. However, she was stuck several miles deep into the earth and there was no swift exit for her. For now, she just had to keep stealthy and pray that he would be here to learn of their progress and then leave. Keeping a low crouch behind crates and listening in, Lily could hear a language she did not recognise initially, something harsh to the voice and cursed herself for not being a linguistic.

However, when Basic was being spoken by Carnifex, Lily felt a shiver trail down her spine. There was such darkness and foreboding in his voice that Lily was petrified. Furthermore, the voice of the mechanical replied something disastrous, the item that he was seeking. Some lost treasure of Naga Sadow had been located and recovered. She needed to find it and she needed to destroy it. Something related to the ancient Sith was never a good sign. She began moving carefully, sneaking around clinging to the shadows of the cave.

Biggest problem on Lily's list of bad stuff, was that she had no clue what the lost treasure looked like. However, she couldn't wait for Carnifex to be touching it or in contact with it since that could lead straight into disaster, especially if he disappeared with a Force power she had no idea on. No, she had to locate it first and she had to destroy it before it touched his hands. Searching around, her eyes scanned furiously for where this treasure was as she slipped her hand to her cross guard Lightsaber, ready to use it to destroy the treasure.

She couldn't hesitate and she needed to be quick. She just hoped that she wasn't caught while hunting for this treasure, there was no chance of her talking her way out of the situation and fighting was not good odds either. It really clawed at her how dangerous this mission had drastically become and she was filled with regret about not contacting either her Master or Master Valery for support earlier on. There was just a lot of hindsight involved, but for now, she needed to focus. She hadn't been caught yet and she needed to complete the mission. If she was caught, then she adjusted. She kept being fluid and adapting to the situation as it progressed.

For now, her focus was on destroying the treasure, little else mattered.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

When Darth Carnifex passed by where Lily was concealed, she would finally catch a full glimpse of the Dark Lord. He cut every inch the conqueror, tall and muscularly built. A long mane of black hair cascaded down from His scalp, tied in an elaborate braid pierced through with jewels and metallic ornamentation. A circlet of hammered silver adorned His brow, runic symbols etched into the metal that seemed to glow with a foreboding presence. He was unarmed, but the Dark Side radiated out from His body so potently that He clearly required none to be viciously lethal.

The Lord-Artificer preceded the Dark Lord as they made their way through the ancient temple. Glow-torches had been anchored into the walls of the temple, illuminating the path through a warped and twisting labyrinth. The bodies of nameless horrors were left upon the wayside, their innards surgically harvested, while the remnants of stone guardians had been swept away sometime prior. Dried blood and soot marked much of the pathway, the echoes of a long and arduous struggle against the temple's defenses, one in which the servants of Carnifex clearly triumphed.

All the while, the Lord-Artificer spoke at length as to the harrowing exploits of the excavation and retrieval of the artifact. They called it the Heart's Desire, a spherical crystalline construct roughly three meters in diameter. It's surface was utterly black, black to the point where it no longer reflected light and appeared to be its total absence instead. The Artificer spoke of experiments involving sacrifices, alluding that the artifact's power was sustained on using organic matter as fuel. The finer details of these sacrifices wasn't mentioned, but to Lily it was obvious enough.

They were feeding people to it.

If she were expedient enough, she could reach the containment chamber before the procession. It was lightly guarded by a handful of soldiers, which were little more than technicians armed with blaster rifles. Down here in the depths of the Yavin moon, the cultists clearly didn't expect to maintain an extensive guard retinue. The sphere itself was locked behind a cage of shimmering opaque glass, which was reinforced against a wide variety of energy sources. A control console near by controlled the entire array, but it was programmed with Kainate coding and encryption -- utterly foreign to any other programming found throughout the galaxy.

It was possible to overload the camp's power generation, which could theoretically knock down the protective barrier. But it was a risky gamble, and the Dark Lord grew ever closer.

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Yavin IV
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Darth Carnifex

As the Sith Lord passed her by, she noticed a lot about him. The most foremost was the intimidating aura and presence that he held, he was a looming muscular demon of a man. It was understandable why so many revered him that were also Sith or leaned into the Dark Side. He was someone who looked physically strong just as much as he felt intimidatingly strong in the Force. Lily knew that Epicanthix were large humanoids, she had met Kahlil who was taller than most and a decent size. He was adorned with jewellery that Lily suspected were as practical as they were appeared to be with the glowing and the careful craftmanship put into them.

Hearing that this Heart's Desire was being fed people, that actual sacrifices were being made to it already, it was a clear message that she had to destroy as quickly as possible. Lily had noted that during all this, Carnifex had remained silent. She was curious as to his thoughts, mostly because she knew that he was planning something with this device and she needed to figure it out. That could be some information that could assist the GA and the Jedi in preventing the Sith from growing and even collapse the Sith Order.

She had been able to get ahead and using minor distractions to draw attention of the guards away from her direction, she was able to sneak into the room where the Heart's Desire was. She was quick with the technicians that were in the room, knocking them out with firm, swift strikes to pressure points. Lily moved them out of the way as she stared at the console. It was all in a foreign language and coding, it was similar throughout the dig site and Lily knew that she was not her aunt who might have been able to use Mechu Deru to talk to the machine into doing her bidding. However, she needed to get through the barrier and destroy this device.

Feeling the presence of the Sith Lord looming in the background, time was not on her side in this situation. She ripped open a panel on the console, while the coding and encryption was all foreign and impossible for her to decipher, she knew there was a quick way in order to overload and get her moving forward. She pulled wires from their place and organised it to send a feedback into the barrier and destroy it. There was a risk that this would destroy the whole system, she wasn't sure how things were organised.

Next step was to destroy the artefact. She ignited her Lightsaber and breathed in deeply, the lives this thing took and she wasn't sure what to expect when she destroyed. Nor did she know what this thing was. All she knew was it was too dangerous and she needed to destroy it.

Holding her Lightsaber up, she stepped towards the Heart's Desire and slashed at it with her Lightsaber, hoping to cut it in half.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

From the shadow beneath the floating artifact, a hand shot out to catch Lily's blade before it could complete it's swing. Initially, the hand was all shadow, amorphous and inky black, but after a few seconds it rapidly took on shape and form. A face emerged as well, distinctly feminine but disturbingly simplistic in features. It's smile widened from ear to ear, the rest of it's shadowy body rising up from the artifact's own.

"Now, now," emanated a voice from within the shadow, "That wasn't very courteous of you, coming into another's house and wrecking what doesn't belong to you."

The shadow pushed against Lily's blade, to try and force her back. The strength behind it, despite being shadow, was immensely powerful. What was even more evidently powerful was the presence that Lily felt at her back, rolling waves of darkness that struck likes waves cresting the rocky shore. It was Darth Carnifex, His powerful frame filling up the doorway as He entered; none of His entourage followed behind Him, it was only He.

When He spoke, it struck like daggers at the Jedi's resolve. "You should not have come here, Padawan. Your masters would be very cross if they truly knew all that you have subjected yourself to." He studied her, and even at this distance it felt as though she were being subjected to a harsh, burning light; shorn of clothing and left naked before it. It was a terrible sensation, as if no secret could remain safeguarded against it, and it only grew more intense the more the Dark Lord's eyes trained on her.

"Your face is familiar, it conjures forth a name from within a memory. Decoria, I believe they called you. Lily Decoria." A faint smile finally graced the Dark Lord's lips, though it was far more grotesque than any expression of disdain she'd experienced thus far. "The Jedi I have procured over my long life have whispered and moaned many names, Jedi Decoria. It is when they are at their most vulnerable do you discover those whom they consider the most precious above all others. Masters, colleagues, lovers, I have heard their names uttered through cracked and broken lips. Your name has been whispered several times in the last few months, Jedi Decoria. I wonder what these young Jedi saw in you that their final moments were spent expending the energy to whisper your name."

The shadow chortled behind her, clearly deriving pleasure from the Dark Lord's barbarous words. With slow, deliberate action, the Dark Lord withdrew His lightsaber and activated it's long, blood-red energy beam. He held it low-guard, the blade's tip nearly touching the ground at His feet. Even though the beam illuminated their surroundings with a pale red glow, wherever it's light touched seemed to slightly desaturate in color; as though it was being leached away.

"Shall we find out, Jedi?"

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Yavin IV
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Darth Carnifex

As soon as a hand gripped her Lightsaber, Lily knew she was in trouble, that he had gotten here too quickly. She hesitated too much up until this point. If she had been firmer in her decisions, if she had been faster in her movements. If she had been more experienced... There were a lot of ifs surrounding the Padawan but she fell into acceptance of the situation that she was in. Lily was here, facing Carnifex, a Sith Lord with decades of renowned combat prowess.

Even as she fought to press her Lightsaber down, the strength of the shadowy hand was as strong as the real thing. Her feet skidded against the ground as she was forced backwards. Her own strength on display as she was unsettled by the force she faced physically, she was fully aware that the man was going to be stronger brute force to brute force, but Lily held some tricks for that. She spent most of her life fighting people bigger and stronger, she had to adapt to defeating that strength as much as she could.

Feeling the daggers striking at her, attempting to shatter her resolve, her mental fortitude, Lily remained silent as she refused to allow her words, her voice betray her. She was terrified that was impossible not to feel in this moment. She was far from ready for this fight, however, she held her ground and simply twirled her Lightsaber in her hand. Swallowing hard, Lily stared straight at the Sith Lord, her steel gaze betraying nothing of her inner mind. Her inner thoughts were locked away as the combat meditation eclipsed everything. Chanting move by move, her mind was already focusing on the fight that she knew was inevitable.

There was a moment that her eyes flickered surprised. She had not thought herself that popular or familiar among other Jedi, she did not realise that people had taken that much notice of her that their thoughts had informed Carnifex of her name. It was surprising and there was some curiosity she held about who had been thinking of her when they faced the Sith Lord. Having her name, especially her surname known, to the Sith Lord was terrifying. Her family were nobles on Eshan, all she could hope for was that the Alliance would ensure the safety of her mother and grandmother, her aunt was a Jedi and could look after herself, as far as Lily saw.

Taking a defensive stance, Lily needed a way to get her chance to destroy the relic but to do that she needed Carnifex's attention on herself. She could not beat him in a fight, she could not outmatch him in the Force, but she could try destroying the relic and turn this from a fight into a chase. As long as the relic was destroyed, she did not need to linger here. That was her priority now. Destroy the relic, escape best she could. All she could hope for was a chance, all she could do was create an opportunity.

"Fine," was all Lily could allow herself to say in response to the monologue. She was not able to trust her voice, she was not someone who was witty or ready to retort with barbed words. Instead, she focused on the way Carnifex held himself, the way his body moved and understanding the physiology of Epicanthix to know what she needed to prepare herself for.

She was fighting for her life right now but Lily was going to ensure it was not a fight that would end swiftly.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The Dark Lord wasted little time.

His blade struck out, the Sith crossing the distance between them in the span of a heartbeat. The blade crackled and hissed as it sung through the air, as if the very energy bound within was forged from hate made manifest. When their weapons first collided, the resulting impact burst with the detonation of raw, primal power; light and dark slamming together and breaking away in a shower of biting sparks. The Dark Side surged in concert with it's chosen avatar, the powers of darkness flowing freely through the Dark Lord like a torrential flood.

Each movement the Dark Lord took was done so with purpose, nothing about His form or His technique was superfluous or unnecessary. He was a skilled warrior, trained in the crucible of war, and He made that fact known. Had this not been a life or death struggle, perhaps the young Decoria would have found beauty in the vicious grace of His actions, but all she could do now was withstand and survive. Any one of His blows could have spelt her doom, and it would take all that she had learned to keep His blade from her throat, her chest, her limbs, anywhere it sought to bite deep and draw blood.

"You fight well, Jedi," rumbled the tyrannical voice of the Dark Lord, "I see the distinct markings of the Sal-Soren woman in your technique. If you believe her instruction will save you, then you will be sorely mistaken." He struck again, His lightsaber cutting deep into the stone floor. When He pulled it free, slag and flame rushed up to fill the void. Curiously, the Shadow that had stopped her attack on the relic hadn't moved, she could still be seen lurking in the darkness beneath it.

It was clear the Dark Lord's Shadow was running interference, remaining on the sidelines to protect the relic at all costs. But if both the Dark Lord and His Shadow could be waylaid, then perhaps the young Jedi could achieve her mission and escape with her life.

Else she may find this ancient ruin her tomb.

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Yavin IV
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Darth Carnifex

The speed from the Sith Lord was intense. Lily could only have the ability to block and protect her life due to the precognitive ability from the Force. Her blade shifted and collided with the intensity of the Dark Side exuding from Carnifex. It was intense and completely different from simple, casual spars that Lily had been training with. This from the start was very much a duel that was going to be life or death for Lily, she was not leaving here alive unless she was smart enough to cause the Sith to hesitate or provide a moment for her to flee.

Reading the language of combat coming from the Epicanthix was interesting, it was brutal, it was oppressive and it was precise. If Lily wanted to be generous and capable of doing it in the moment, how she could read the combative form from Carnifex, there was a beauty to it, there was a level of impressiveness to it. However, Lily was so focused on her own defences, using Soresu to keep a high defence and letting Carnifex reveal his attacking forms and strategy as she formulated her plan.

Her crossguard Lightsaber was not the weapon she had on her person and Lily needed to use her second blade to destroy the artefact. "To know my Master's style means you have fought her, and given she is still very much alive. I think you overestimate your chances." Lily stated with a stoic tone, as she utilised her Echani martial arts to push back against the aggressive movements of Darth Carnifex. Using her natural strength and flexibility to move fluidly in order to create space.

Back flipping to create space, Lily noted that the Sith Lord's shadow was not something tied to him like it should be and was clearly ready to defend the relic if she attempted to strike it. She hoped the gift from Lucia Naberrie would help in the ways she needed it to. Flipping the skirt of her Jedi clothing, she grabbed the Lightsaber strapped to her thigh and ignited the two blades, causing the Lightsaber to start spinning. Lily threw it towards relic, hoping that the second weapon would be enough surprise to give her a chance to damage the relic.

Holding her main Lightsaber in both hands, Lily charged forward and slashed towards Carnifex. Forcing him to focus on her and not the spinning Lightsaber.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

What the young Lily might have found most interesting was that as the Dark Lord fought and maneuvered about, His eyes were completely shut. Even when reacting to her movements He did not open His eyes, He kept them closed. This did not seem to diminish His speed and ferocity in the slightest, rather He actions seemed more fluid and natural even as His sight was completely cut out of the picture. He seemed to entirely forsake His own senses, coasting through the power of the Dark Side above all else to guide His actions.

"You're burdened, Jedi." His voice rang out like a hammer striking metal. "You've yet to overcome your own limitations, you still rely on the seen world. Have your masters not taught you the power of the Force?" Without lifting a finger or gesturing in any meaningful way, pieces of the cavern around them were ripped free of their moorings and flew like missiles towards the young Jedi. Rock, pieces of metal and machinery, anything that the Dark Lord could send her way He did.

Larger pieces fell on her from above, while small rocks -- some no larger than pebbles -- struck at her from beneath. Many came simultaneously, the Dark Lord advancing His own assault at the same time. He swung at her legs, but she back-flipped away out of His blade's reach. She flung her secondary weapon towards the relic's containment field, the spinning blade soaring towards it. Again, the Shadow moved to intercept the weapon, but found it strangely resistant to the Shadow's own power. Rather than deflecting it, the blade cut partly through the Shadow's own form and then continued on to damage the containment field.

Falling backwards with a shriek, the Shadow gained some semblance of solidity as their features became more apparent as they clutched their wounded side in pain. The glass around the relic had been cut through, as well as some of the mechanical applicators keeping the relic suspended. A surge of energy detonated at several points along the apparatus, spraying debris and flame in all directions. An alarm began to sound as a chain-reaction danced across the various compartments and generators holding the relic in place. Without them, the relic thunked down onto the dais beneath it.

Meanwhile, the Dark Lord's blade met Lily's in a shower of plasma sparks. "You know not what you meddle with, Jedi. For your own good, and that of the galaxy, you should not interfere. If you could comprehend the horror of the Worm, you would fall upon your own blade before standing in my way."

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Yavin IV
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade (concealed)
Tag: Darth Carnifex

Lily had realised that the Sith Lord was blind fighting her and doing so with the ease of a man who had never needed to see his whole life. It was an ability she knew Force Users could adopt since attuning to the Force allowed them to sense the movements and basically see even more than one's eyes could see. It was a power that Lily knew would be great use in combat but she was Echani. Seeing with her own eyes would give her benefits that the Force would prevent her from seeing. Lily could see the muscles twitching in Carnifex and reading the body language as it flowed in the combat. He was a novel that was vast and Lily knew she was barely scratching the surface but the more she read, the more she could learn for any future encounters.

However, he began to implement a combat style that Lily could not combat as well. The more dangerous objects launched at her, she sliced and dodged out of the way of. However, she was pelted by a barrage of pebbles, cut by metal and sharp rocks, and knocked off balance as heavier objects slammed into her. Lily knew she was in danger since this had caused her to bleed, she was battered, going to bruise heavily tomorrow and her body was panting heavily.

The only benefit she had was that the Lightsaber constructed by her friend had worked. It sliced through the shadow and did the damage that she wanted it to do. The job wasn't finished, not yet, but she was a step closer to achieving what she needed to here. Though this seemed to infuriate the Sith Lord who charged an attack at Lily who could only block. The power from Carnifex was terrifying and any attempts to recall her second Lightsaber was lost in that moment. She was barely able to hold the Lightsabers in lock, watching as the red Lightsaber blade sinking very slowly closer to her shoulder. Gritting her teeth, she growled in pain as the sparks hit against her skin more and more as Carnifex's Lightsaber shifted closer to her. Hovering just above her shoulder the heat from the Lightsaber burned her flesh and she could barely contain her cries of anguish.

Clutching her Lightsaber with both hands, she poured all her raw strength into pushing Carnifex's blade back. Giving herself the needed room to slide back and out of the way. Panting hard, she could feel the sweat pouring all over her body. The levels of pain she could feel, it was nothing like the training simulations she had been in. This was a very different beast all together.

Reaching back, she pulled the second Lightsaber into her hand, switching it to the single blade style. Lily shifted into Jar'kai, steadying her breathing as she looked over to Carnifex. "All I would being allowing to happen is making you a stronger enemy to fight. The Worm can be defeated, and so will you." Lily stated, she did not hold onto a lot of confidence in doing it herself, but Lily held strong to her beliefs in the Jedi Order.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"You know so little. Your arrogance will not just be your undoing, Jedi, but that of your entire Order."

Blades swung, clashing repeatedly in rapid succession as the struggle renewed. The Dark Lord was ferocious, switching from a one-handed stance to a two-handed stance and back again repeatedly as the flow of their duel traveled around the chamber. Even with Lily's two blades, the Dark Lord had no difficulty in keeping up with only His single blade. Each movement was fluid and seamless, the trajectory of His blade accounting for where hers would be at any given time.

Lily Decoria was in the presence of a master, a savant of the blade, and she was seeing just how wide the gulf was between them. She could see the black tattoos along His arms shimmering with dark potential, shapes writhing against His toned skin. They were similar in concept to the ones Kahlil Noble employed, angular and geometric. This was the old runic magic of the Sith, the precursor to what Kahlil had taken and revised to conform with the Light. It was older, darker, more primeval; when the Dark Side was fed with butchery and ritual sacrifice.

"I would bring order to the galaxy, reshape it with might and progress. Your kind seeks only to preserve what once was, not to bring about what could be. Those that I oppose would see the galaxy destroyed, it's very foundation uprooted and broken. If you are any ally of the Force, then you would not stand against me. You would stand with me."

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Yavin IV
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade
Tag: Darth Carnifex

The Sith Lord was far more dangerous than she had thought, the training simulations that she had done when fighting skilled warriors were nothing compared to this. Even the Echani Masters that she trained against were not on the same level. However, Lily was demonstrating herself as someone who while clearly outmatched massively, would someday demonstrate potential to match or potentially even overtake Carnifex in terms of skills with a blade. Even with her limited training, she was demonstrating skills and determination that few could match at her age and ability. A battle mastery that came from years of intense training from the moment she could walk.

Lily was honed to be a fighter with few that could match her. She just hadn't reached her full potential yet.

She had to maintain a defensive stance to survive the skilled attacks, but her body was struggling to maintain the necessary strength to ensure the attacks could not harm her. Each strike Carnifex had was now leaving a burn or minor cut on her body. Nothing deadly but enough harm that Lily was sweating profusely and on the backfoot massively. She couldn't keep the fight going like this since at some point, likely very soon, she was going to suffer a wound that would be too severe.

"You are a fascist dictator who will kill those who disagree with your beliefs. You demand worship and to be seen as a god. What you would do is enslave the galaxy and force them to kneel before you or die." Lily growled, the pain was shortening her patience and she knew there was nothing good that would come from what Carnifex wanted. "The Jedi Order is not seeking to maintain the status quo, you are blinded by hatred of an enemy you don't even truly understand."

Breathing in deeply, Lily disengaged from the fight and clipped both her Lightsabers, jumping high with the Force, she faced the artefact that Carnifex's cultists had dug out. With all the energy that she could muster, Lily blasted the artefact back down deep into the ground. Burying it away once again and keeping it out of reach for a long time to come. Once she landed, she panted hard and realised she needed to get out of there quickly since all she had left physically was the adrenaline that was pumping through her.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"You think too little, Jedi, swept up in illusion. Life is only worth what is deemed by those with power. You would not think twice about crushing the ant underfoot, would you not? What matters if one dies? A dozen? Hundreds, thousands, millions? It makes no difference. Death would be a mercy to the wretched of this galaxy, who do not deserve the breath of life they insipidly waste." The Dark Lord's words were murderous, barbarous, genocidal. The full cruelty of His beliefs laid bare, no veil to conceal the depths of depravity that lay therein. This was what sought to govern all life, with cruelty and malice: horrors unending.

But if there was something out there, beyond the margins of the Jedi Order's knowledge, that drove the Butcher King to feverishly seek a means to end it.

Then what was it that could make someone like Him offer parlay to the Jedi?

But, in this instance, it seemed as though the Dark Lord had accepted the loss of the artifact. He displayed little reaction to it's burial, other than a deep exhalation through His nostrils. "A pity, Jedi. Much could have been learned. But it does not matter, when one iron is drawn from the fire, another is put in it's place. There will be others, too numerous for all your kind to track down. The Jedi cannot be in every corner of the galaxy at once. I, however, am not bound by such constrictions."

He twirled His lightsaber idly, stalking around the young Jedi Knight. "But now what is to be done with you? Killing you would only sate momentary spite, as tempting though it may be to indulge. Perhaps I will send you back to your masters, a portent of doom carved into every inch of your flesh." He suddenly shot forward, lightsaber arcing down to cleave her from shoulder to groin. It was heavily telegraphed, something the Jedi would see and could easily avoid even in her beleaguered state.

The lightning that unspooled from His fingertips, however, would be much more threatening.

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Yavin IV
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade
Tag: Darth Carnifex

"I think too little?... You just proved my point in the same breath..." Lily panted hard, she was incredulous about his statement that killing millions was meaningless and worth it if it ensured the man could rule as he saw fit. For Lily, killing a single person for a goal or ambition was unforgiveable. She would never sacrifice others for her own goals. Lily only fought and killed others if they refused to surrender or were risking the lives of others. "Sacrificing even a single life, even an ant's life, to achieve your goals is horrendous and I would never do such a thing. There are always other ways, other methods to achieve successful without having to murder someone to do so."

The idea that there might be other artefacts of similar value to Carnifex sent shivers down her spine. It was terrifying in concept and she needed to escape to warn the Jedi Council that Carnifex was on the hunt for valuable artefacts of great danger to the Jedi Order and millions, if not billions, of other lives.

She saw the obvious attack and blocked the attack, having to use both Lightsabers to deflecting the attack. She didn't see the Force Lightning coming her way due to tiredness draining her ability to read the language of the body. Feeling the lightning against her body, her limbs convulsed and her Lightsabers switched off as she instantly fell to the ground. Twitching and crying out in pain, her body spasming in pain in a way she had never felt before.

Lily had never dealt with the levels of pain that she had never felt before in her life. She couldn't control the way her body contorted with the pain that wracked through her.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The Dark Lord continued to strike Lily Decoria with lightning, pouring further agony atop of agony -- not enough to kill or serious maim her, but enough to set her body alight with unfathomable pain. What felt like an eternity to Lily was only the passing of a few seconds, so terrible was the Dark Lord's power. As the powerful arcs of electricity shrank away from Lily's body, the Dark Lord quickly moved to deprive her of her weapons with quick telekinetic manipulation.

"That is why you fail, Jedi. Never committed to doing what is necessary, what is required." Her lightsaber flew into His outstretched hand, the Dark Lord inspecting it idly as it's owner writhed at His feet. "Your idealism is going to get you killed one day, Lily Decoria, by someone far less restrained as I. Fortunately for you, your death will not come today." With a twist, the Dark Lord quickly dismantled Lily's lightsaber, letting the crystal fall down to the floor by her side.

Crouching down next to Lily, Carnifex reached out and cupped her chin with His left hand; forcing her to look at Him. "When you go back to your Jedi, make sure they receive this message of mine. I'll make sure you don't forget it." With His right hand, He placed the tip of His index finger against her bare skin and began to trace lines. As His finger passed over, the flesh smoldered and burned as He literally branded runes right into her skin. He did not stop until He found His work satisfactory, letting Lily fall back to the floor.

Two servants approached cautiously, falling to their knees in worship. "Take her back to her ship, let her leave. She'll pass on what I wish."

Lily Decoria ​

 

[Lily Decoria]

Location: Yavin IV
Outfit: Jedi Attire
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber, Hydrangea Moonblade
Tag: Darth Carnifex

The lightning was agonizing and the continued strikes to her body forced it to contort in wild and random ways as it attempted to stop the constant pain that it was feeling. She was barely hanging onto consciousness throughout the pain, only to have the lightning being the only reason she could continue to stay away. She thought her mind would break and she would go mad with the amount of pain that was continuously striking at her.

"Arghhh... Chit... I.... arghhhh..." Her brain wouldn't work, the words couldn't form when all she felt was pain. Lancing pain that stopped when he got in close. Her eyes barely able to stay open as she panted hard. Nothing had nor could it, prepare her for the intense levels of pain that she felt just moments ago. It was like her body had been set afire with how intense it had all felt in that moment. Lily wanted to react, she wanted to spit in the face of the Dark Lord and tell him that it was nothing.

But she couldn't. Her strength had faded from her body.

Instead she felt the finger press against her stomach as she felt the marks burning into her flesh. Lily let out one final scream of anguished pain before she passed out. The pain had been too much and she couldn't stay conscious anymore. Her unconscious body was dragged by the servants to her ship and they dumped her in her ship.

The coordinates already locked in the navicomputer, Lily's autopilot on the ship guided her home to the Jedi. It was once she was in hyperspace that her mind came back to consciousness. Looking down, she studied what runes had been carved into her flesh and panted hard as she felt the fear of an opponent far too strong for her hit her mind once again.