All which is Forgotten not necessarily has to be Dead

[Darth Abyss]

Axxila, Near the Planets Surface

Heritage, a chaotic force that resists any attempt to be controlled by those that suffered from it.

There was little light so far below the towers of the city world, only spend by the few derelict machines that had not given up despite their age. Right below, at the edge it was possible to see the even more broken and dead world left by a time no one could remember anymore, shrouded in almost absolute darkness.

Abyss could only barely remember the last time that he had come to Axxila, the world that held the closest resemblance to the man he had once been. It wasn't the world he had been born on, that was a place he didn't even knew himself. Instead it was here that his father came to be, and it was here that the only true remains of his past were still standing.

It was quite ironic that Abyss, a creature highly obsessed with the past and the relics and wisdom that remained of it, knew so little of his own history. His father never told him, and he never even meet his mother. He also never cared, he left behind any interest in his former life when he began to obscure his face with a mask, shroud his body in a black robe and call himself Abyss, and removed himself even further when he burned his flesh apart in favour for existing as nothing more then arcane steel and deranged magic.

That had changed recently. The Mindeater, the broken and empty husk that he had grown to be, couldn't sleep, couldn't dream and yet he was haunted by visions beyond his control. Whenever he embraced the void in silent meditation, a state that normally brought him nothing but a feeling of calm emptiness, they rose. Images of horror and decay, echoes of a past that wasn't his own. He had tried to focus on them, tried to envision the strings of time to follow them back to their origin, but they were hidden, deliberately obscured by a darkness not even he could remove.

There was only one option left to him to uncover their mystery, by walking back the path of his ancestors and find what the force meant to show him in person. The trip to his old homestead had been uneventful, his father never had been one to carefully record the path of his life. What little he could find of his past generations were a few notions about his grandfather, the man from which his father inherited his trade, his gift of the force and his wealth. The records lacked in detail, but they at least revealed that he vanished on a expedition down to the core of his homeworld. It wasn't much, but at least a clue where he could begin to search for more.

Axxila was often referred to a twisted mirror of Coruscant, and Abyss could see why. There was little of the wealth of the core worlds to be found so far in the other rim, the planet wide city was riddled by corruption and decay, not only on the lowest levels, but right down from the the highest towers. His path lead even further, right at the edges where the current civilization ended, and the old one began. He had seen it countless times, on Coruscant, on Manea and on Nar Shaddaa. Levels so far below the surface that they had become forgotten, lost to the passing of ages.

At first he had considered going alone, making sure that not even his closet allies would be able to know who he had been in his past. In the end he settled for another solution, a outsider he had never heard of, and that had hopefully never heard of him. He had offered her a quite lucrative contract through one of his many agents, and even went as far as to pay a part upfront. The only condition was that there would be no question, neither about what and who he was, nor what he was searching for.

[member="Alba Talatheen"]

 

[Madison M. Maxwell IV]

Axxila, Public Forum, Unknown Time

---

"What a pisshole."

The loudmouthed girl had an impish grin on her face as she drawled out the words, looking around the crowded square she'd been instructed to meet at. A few passer-bys glanced in her direction at the comment, but it wasn't like she was spouting heresy. Nobody here was glad to be on Axxila, and if they were, they were probably drugged out of their minds.

Unfortunately, today wasn't a day to indulge. Alba blew a strand of black hair out of her face, tossing the rest over her shoulder. Her eyes glanced at her lowered datapad once more, doublechecking the details of this first meet-up with her new patron that had been forwarded to her by a proxy.

Pay up front. Find something probably-freaky. That's easy.

Just ask no questions, silly girl.

Not like that'd be hard. More often than not those she worked for were boring anyways, old aristocrats smelling of expensive wine who wanted fancy knickknacks for their third wife's baby shower or what-not. And if she was lucky, this'd be no different. Besides, upfront pay? She could get behind business dealt like that. A vacation to somewhere warm and sunny beckoned to her already... After this job.

"Who am I even supposed to be looking for?" She finally exclaimed in a tone of frustration, turning in a circle for a moment among the sea of people going about their business around her. None called her by title, name, or even met her searching gazes. You'll know him when you see him, something hummed inside of her skull, you'll know. And he'll address you. That's how it works.

Dread grew inside. Like an invasive, poisonous plant, taking root inside of her ribcage and locking sharp thorns around her heart, it was a sudden onset that made her hackles rise. Standing there in the plaza, surrounded by thousands but seeking only one. Must have been the nerves making her feel off. Or perhaps that oh-so-helpful gut of hers was trying to tell her to stay away from anything having to even remotely do with this new job. Not an option, Alba.

So instead she told herself to suck it up, and continued to wait ever-so-patiently. It wouldn't be much longer. And if it was, she'd just have to endure as always.

 

[Darth Abyss]

Like a cold wind [member="Alba Talatheen"] would suddenly feel something touch her shoulder, but there was no one around her close enough to be linked to the impression. The crowed simply continued to pass by, with not a single pair of visibel eyes placed upon the relic hunter. Then a voice would slowly begin to take hold in hear ears, and going by the complete indifference of those around it became clear that she was the only one that even knew it was there.

"Follow me."

The voice was not human in nature, but instead a strange, distorted and entirely inhuman whisper that continued to echo outside the physical realm long after the words had been spoken.

Despite the fact that there was not a physical sign of her contractor, nor a hint of the origin of the disembodied voice, it would be easy to instinctively follow behind it. It weren't just mere words, but a complex collection of thoughts and ideas in which a path to walk was embedded into. The voice would lead her away from the crowed square, through back alleys and dirty streets, with less and less people filling them with every turn she took.

In the end the small, narrow corridor framed by the sky high towers was completely abandoned, the steel of the city slightly rusted and broken. At the edge of it waited a way down, a long derelict maintenance hatch that was unused, yet all but forgotten. In front of the hatch the remnants of light, and the shadows spend by the towers began to twist and deform, suddenly revealing the husk that had been hidden below them.

"Miss Talatheen."

It was little more then a nod that Abyss offered to the woman he had employed, before stepping to the hatch and opening it. When he meant no questions, he had been more then serious, and he had no interest in sharing even the slightest glimpses of information with the relic hunter for the sake of his own anonymity.

The husk himself was a odd sight, almost as much of a relic as the ones they would go to seek today. Rusted metal marked by countless battles and the passing of time, kept obscured by a ragged black robe. Below the hood it was possible to peek at the strange mask below, the empty eye sockets with an unmoving, fixed grin composed from sharp metal teeth below. As a relic hunter she would probably also notice the countless rings, trinkets and amulets that were scattered over his whole physical body, as well as the hilt of his saber and the rune adorned book hanging from his belt.

 

[Madison M. Maxwell IV]

Axxila, Public Forum, Unknown Time

---

As those words rolled over her in the crowded plaza, Alba shivered. Kriff.

What had she gotten into? This was insanity.

Well, if it was, then madness was persuasive and lucrative. Absorbing the information that this almost primordial, esoteric force provided far too eagerly to her, following the offered guidance, the treasure hunter came to a stop in front of the shade. Hesitation was in her posture, but her eyes were shining with determination to see it through. All of it.

If she was honest, she was glad to be out of centralized Axxila and in the barrens. And for once, Alba’s wit had been dulled by the ghoulish appearance of her boss. Any clever comment died in infancy as she stared for a moment, eyes gliding over the attire, the saber, and the book before they met his.

She pulled her gaze away from the ‘face’ she had been drawn to, looking to the hatch with a visibly uneasy expression.

“Down there, huh?” She muttered though it was mostly for her own benefit rather than a direct question posed. After a pause, she shrugged finally and moved to the maintenance entrance, easily able to make her down into the depths of this unfathomable job.

Her mind was going wild. A thousand tiny Albas ran around her brain, screaming in warning. Your body knows when you walk into the den of a predator. It was the dread that pricked at the back of your neck; the resignation to die.

Not in the books today.

Still so much to do.

Another chill. She scowled briefly at it, looking upwards at where she’d scaled from to the empty eye sockets of her employer above, “You're coming… Right...?” Focusing back down to her waist, she produced a green-tinted glow stick from her belt that served as illumination for the tunnel.


[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

The husk made no attempt to answer the question asked by the woman he hired. Instead the strange construct silently followed behind her, his hollow form carried by soundless steps that further added to his ghostly appearance. Most people expected a creature composed almost entirely from metal to make considerable noise, without considering that a set of hollow armor was far lighter than any human who could wear it.

Dim green illuminated the path in front of them, obscuring most of the dirt and the decay they passed for anyone bound by human eyes. For once Abyss lacked any sort of insight what they had to expect when they reached the heart in the depths of the world. His mediation had revealed nothing, and none of his contacts knew, or even heard of someone, who ever made an attempt to scout and plunder the remains of the last civilization.

From Nar Shaddaa he knew that it was likely that deformed beasts populated the levels below the lowest levels, twisted and mutated by pollution and lack of sunlight. With a few quick steps the husk walked past the relic hunter, stretching out his right arm to block her path.

"Wait."

The darkness that had shrouded his prophetic sight had begun to affect his senses with every inch they moved deeper inside, and now there was uncertainty. It was like the shadows of the edge of the light had begun to move, but upon a closer look there was only the rusted steel that had paved their way so far.

"Do you hear that?"

Normally there was something eery to Abyss' voice, a physical representation of the one she had heard in her mind. This time it was filled with confusion, and even a hint of fear. Despite not truly hearing anything, he could've sworn that there had been a voice, a whisper that grew into a chorus only to fade away to quickly to catch it.

[member="Alba Talatheen"]

 

[Madison M. Maxwell IV]

Axxila, Underground Tunnel, Unknown Time

---

This place reeked.

Alba cringed as the duo started to move, briefly covering her face with the sleeve of her jacket to act as a makeshift filter. Eventually, she got used to the terrible smell of decay and age, letting her hand fall to the side as they walked with reluctance. When Abyss had stretched his limb out to stop her, she actually ran into it; pushed back a step or two by the sudden immovable force across her front.

Looking at their immediate surroundings, she couldn't spot anything except what they'd mistaken for a forming creature, "I can't hear a thing except the ambience." Her voice was a low whisper, enough for him to hear, but clearly, his lack of confidence had made her jilted. But the feeling of deep unease had only begun to swell inside her. She raised her glowstick, hoping to illuminate a little further down the hallway, "...Do you hear something?"

She was wholly disregarding the whole no questions deal now, looking over to her phantom employer with anxiety visible on her face. After a few rapid heartbeats of silence, she turned her eyes back to the hallway, not waiting for him to either reply or not to her previous question, voice still low, "You feel that too, right... The unease in the air." It didn't sound like a question. More like a statement of fact.



[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"Yes. It means that we are on the right path."

The husk lowered his arm, and his strange body twitched slightly, almost like a human taking a deep breath. His voice had regained its confidence, even if dread and uncertainty still lingered upon them. The unease, the blinding energy of the darkness, was an obstacle placed too deliberately to be the product of an confidence. It was the same oppressing force that kept his sight from breaking through the shadows, a feat not easily accomplished. Whatever his grandfather had done down here, it certainly was part of something greater.

"We should move."

Finally Abyss was able to figure out what the feeling of this place reminded him of. It wasn't just dread, it was the clear impression of being watched from a distance, the feeling of countless eyes following his every move.

Slowly his right wandered to his belt, the claw wrapping around the hilt of his saber. Just a moment later the crimson blade came to life, the red light mixing with the dim green. Taking the lead the husk moved forward, making sure to place every step carefully. This time he was certain that he had noticed more then just a moving shadow, he could feel a myriad of little minds to go along with the eyes aimed at them.

They weren't the source of the darkness, rather they merely followed its command. Abyss and the relic hunter were surrounded by puppets, but there was no noticeable of the puppeteer that was pulling their strings.

Before he had time to inform Alba about the incoming threat, he already heard the noises made by an endless amount of legs, framed by a chorus of alien clicking sounds. The creatures that emerged from the shadows reminded him of Silooths, only smaller and with an uncommon black shell. Without hesitation the crimson blade pierced into the body of the nearest creature, but as the weapon brought light to the area behind the dead beast, he was finally able to see what waited for them. Hundreds of deformed insectoids, quickly crawling towards them, with even more moving at the edge of the light. His gazed turned back, only to see that the creatures had already occupied their path back.

"Hold them off."

His left pushed forward, releasing a weak telekinetic push towards the incoming horde, buying him just enough time to push his blade in the wall besides him. With a swift movement the weapon cut through the brittle steel, creating an opening just large enough to pas through it. He had no idea how far it was to the surface, but it was either that, or being taken apart by an endless swarm enthralled by something even worse.

[member="Alba Talatheen"]

 

[Madison M. Maxwell IV]

Axxila, Underground Tunnel, Unknown Time

---

"What the hell are those."


Alba couldn't obscure the flickering panic in her voice, producing a small blaster from her side holster. Normally not one to carry arms, she was thanking every star she had this time, even if the tiny weapon couldn't do much more than incapacitate their foes. She sent a bright shot into the rapidly approaching line of cockroach-like enemies, not even taking the time to contemplate on her boss' blood-colored blade, and what it implied. She was much more focused on giving him as much as time as she could to carve out their exit, every shot illuminating the hole they had crawled in. It was practically lined with the freakish bugs.

As soon as Abyss had made the opening Alba was backing up into it, knowing soon she would be out of rounds to fire, "Are we running, then?" She glanced up to him and then to the lightsaber, swallowing any comment she was planning concerning it. Better to listen, and get out in one piece. Then figure out where to go from here.


[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

Running.

It was far more likely that falling was their way out of this situation. Abyss had no intention to tell the relic hunter about that, because they clearly didn't had the time to discuss the possible outcomes and risk of that course of action. Without any sort of plan or blueprint of the maintenance tunnel there was no way to tell where exactly the other side of the opening lead to, but considering Axxila's overall structure it was plausible that they were still far above the actual surface. Their only chance was the possibility of hitting on of the many long derelict levels on the way down.

Instead of wasting time on answering her, the husk climbed through the opening, his gaze fixed on the utter darkness below. What followed was little more then a leap of faith. Turning his back towards the gaping chasm, Abyss moved his weight and allowed his body to drop. In his fall he raised his left, trying to use the force to pull the relic hunter through the opening and into a descend like his own. Telling her to jump would've been a bit more polite, but considering the high chance of being eaten, or in his case disassembled, by a swarm of unknown sithspawn he decided that politeness wasn't among their top priorities right now.

Abyss fall came to a stop only a few meters after it had begun. His metal feet twisted and deformed slightly as the full force of his descend was pushed onto them. Despite the darkness working against them, the force had still decided to be with them. Instead of long way down followed by a quick death, they had been meet by a fragile platform kept in the air by repulsors dating back more then a few generations.

Lastly the sith raised his left once again, his fingers arching as force was channeled through them meant to absorb some of the momentum of the relic hunter.

[member="Alba Talatheen"]

 

[Madison M. Maxwell IV]

Axxila, Underground Tunnel, Unknown Time

---

Alba hardly had time to scream as she was pulled through into the abyss. How fitting.

The wind had certainly been knocked out of her as she landed on the platform, groaning a little. At least it hadn't broken her back, which was certainly a plus. She suspected her ghastly companion had something to do with that, and she looked up at him from her prone position, "Thanks... For that. I think. Ask next time..."

She didn't wait for his reply before sitting up, groaning a little from her pains -- "Hell. What were those?" It wasn't necessarily directed at Abyss, more a question to the galaxy itself. What had gone wrong in the universe to cause the creation of those fething nightmarespawn?

Setting her elbow on her knee, she let herself catch her breath briefly. Hopefully they'd get a chance to regroup before things got worse.



[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"Sithspawn. Creatures born from dark magic and alchemy."

For a moment the hollow eyes of the husk remained fixed upwards, waiting if any of the beasts had decided to follow them. Only when he noticed the total absence of sound, and the lack of their presence, his head returned into a more natural position.

Then his right arm lowered, offering the relic hunter a hand to stand up again. While the threat was silent for now, it wouldn't stay that way for long. Whatever told the insect like aliens what to do clearly had some reservations against them finding out what had happened here.

"This is no place to rest. We need to find a new path down."

Like before the red blade jumped back into the hand of the husk, this time merely as source of light. Slow, careful steps carried him forward, keeping close watch for a sign of another ambush. He came to stop after his foot almost stepped into the endless nothingness below. They had reached another abyss, with no trace of a way down.

"We should split up. Take this to stay in contact."

His left wrapped around his right, pulling of a small, rune engraved ring which he offered to her. To someone trained in the arts of the force it was an easy feat to converse through it, for anyone else it was a test of willpower.

[member="Alba Talatheen"]

 

[Madison M. Maxwell IV]

Axxila, Underground Tunnel, Unknown Time

---

"Split up?" Alba muttered after being helped up, having gratefully taken the offered assistance -- Though internally something wiggled at the feeling of cold metal fingers holding hers, pulling her to her feet -- and took the offered ring as well, looking at it resting in her palm. It didn't seem suspicious, but it sure did not sit right with the treasure hunter, "How will this help us keep in contact?"

She really wasn't good at the whole no questions thing.

Occasionally her gaze wandered to the lightsaber, and there was clearly a plethora of inquiries brewing that concerning it alone, but she has the wisdom to suppress them for now. And Sithspawn? What did that mean? Dark magic and alchemy didn't sound pleasant either. Shaking her head, she slid the ring onto her index finger of her left hand, briefly twisting it around in a nervous habit mannerism before simply leaving it alone, letting the hand fall to her side, "Well, if we have to... How are we going to get down? Another jump?"


[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

Abyss could've went on to explain how exactly the ring worked, how the complex spell had been designed to connect two minds through the force by channeling thoughts into a network of fine crystal particles altered by blood and alchemy. What he actually did was a far more pragmatic solution. Wordlessly the husk turned to the right, but despite his physical form growing smaller in the distance, his voice still reached into ears of the woman.

"I would avoid that if possible. This place is ancient, far more then most temples and tombs that can be found. We walk upon the remains of a civilization born before the creation of the hyperdrive. They most likely left a path behind for us to take."

He had spend many years of his life in a similar fashion to [member="Alba Talatheen"]. Temples, tombs and ruins, and the forgotten wisdom hidden within them, had been a vital part of his rise to power. In regards to that he made a point to call himself a historian, one rivaled in his extensive knowledge of the past only by few.

As he continued his path he passed by countless structures that had ages ago already fallen to ruin. Broken shops and establishments, homes of people that could've never even imagine what their world would once become. It was a common sight in a city below a city build upon another city. In their time they had the need to move through the levels as well, it was only a matter of time and care to find one still intact.

 

[Madison M. Maxwell IV]

Axxila, City Ruins, Unknown Time

---

Well, if he went right, I'll go left.

That was Alba's logic anyway. She couldn't even begin to question about the ring -- Wouldn't comlinks be easier? -- but at this point, it was better to shut up and stop asking those damn questions. As Abyss moved down one way, she went the other, blaster in hand and the glowstick still providing relative light for her untrodden path. The sickly green colour threw monstrous shadows as Alba walked past forgotten places, ones that once held such importance; now they were left to rot. She couldn't help but feel a little bad. Poor ruins.

Which was ridiculous. They weren't living things, they were old structures that held no meaning to anyone anymore. They were destined to be buried right to the core of this hellhole.

Shaking her head, she raised her hand to inspect the ring, a frown crossing her face, "How... Does this work?" Her question was asked, but the collapsing city had no reply.

Something pulled at Alba, right at the base of her neck. A wince left her, but she could feel it. Feel him, as though his haunting presence was still right next to him.

"Woah, this is weird. Have you found anything?" Somehow she knew those words would reach him.



[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"Derelict elevators. I lack the technical knowledge to be certain, but I assume they could be reactivated with some ingenuity."

The husk stood inside a former transit center, the broken rails of countless connections that once traversed these levels all aimlessly reaching into the dark depths below. His claws had fiddled with the electronics of the elevators, but so far to no effect. Despite his wide, near endless knowledge on certain aspects of the galaxy, he never had been much of a technician. Under normal circumstances he had someone else to do such work for him.

"Depending on your ability to climb I have an alternative solution."

Inhumanly strong hands departed a heavy metal door, revealing the elevator shaft behind it. Looking down into the darkness Abyss tried to determine if it lead down deep enough to finally reach the surface. One of the claws reached for a piece of nearby debris, and the allowed it to fall down, awaiting the sound of the impact. When none followed at all, it became clear that the shaft indeed ended as deep down as he could hope for.

"I am open for other solutions here. In case you find something more reliable I will come find you, if not then meet me here. The lights are on."

The only thing his limited electronic knowledge had been able to accomplish was kicking up the emergency lights of the transit station, offering a signal to the relic hunter should she need one.

[member="Alba Talatheen"]

 

[Madison M. Maxwell IV]

Axxila, City Ruins, Unknown Time

---

Silently, Alba thanked all her lucky stars for those countless instances she had to scale canyon walls back home. The technique's the same, right?

"Climbing shouldn't be an issue. I guess I'll just follow the lights."

It still felt strange to speak like that, aloud knowing he would hear. Shaking her head, Alba continued down the buried street, the illumination of the transportation hub easily seen over the crest of a collapsed building. The building's emergency lighting glowed like a dying campfire, just enough to lead her way like a beacon. While it was undoubtedly helpful, the light only intensified the almost sentient shadows of the dilapidated city, making it look as though creatures danced in every old storefront and home even moreso than before. That just made her double her pace.

A few more minutes of quick walking and Alba passed under the threshold of the old building, raising a hand once she spotted the ghastly form of her companion, "Got us a way out, I see."



[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"Rather a way in."

What followed the words was a ghostly laugh, a sound even more unsettling then his appearance. Layers upon layers of formless noise building upon each other until the suddenly faded to complete silence. Still it was a sign that he was slowly warming up to his hired companion, even if it wasn't a conscious reaction. Like before he walked to the gaping chasm reaching down into the darkness, and released a random piece of debris into its depths with no sound of its impact.

Other then her the fall wouldn't kill him, but ending as a hungering spirit chained to a unmoving pile of scrap was probably an even worse fate then death. Extending his left the husk reached into the elevator shaft with the force, until a thick metal cord jumped into his hand. It once held the weight of an entire elevator full of people, but considering the state of the world around them it was better to not put to much trust in it.

"You should go first. I know my appearance can be misleading, but be assured that my form is far lighter then an average human."

Besides that it was also an easy way to ensure his own survival. He might was slowly gaining some sympathy for the relic hunter, but that didn't meant that he valued her enough to risk his own life for hers. Besides that he had paid her already, and would pay her even more should she make it through the day, so it was more then fair if she did some of the metaphorical heavy lifting.

[member="Alba Talatheen"]

 

[Madison M. Maxwell IV]

Axxila, City Ruins, Unknown Time

---

Something inside cringed at the phantom's laughter. Remind me to never, ever, joke again. Normally she'd have been pleased somewhat with the reaction, it was more than she got out of others, but that uncomfortable sound had struck a deep, primordial cord within Alba. A brief shiver made her shoulders rattle briefly before she nodded, looking down the elevator shaft, "Right... Right." It was clear there was a bit of tension in the hunter as she reached for the elevator cord, sighing heavily. Her fingers curled around it, looping it around her gloved hand tightly to give herself something to grip onto for their travels.

"Well, I always wanted to die in an elevator shaft." She muttered that last part, seemingly expecting to go first anyhow. This was definitely not like back home. No safety line meant that if this rope went, they would go right along with it, unless Abyss pulled another cushion to break their fall. That didn't seem very likely this time.

Swallowing a lump in her throat, Alba started to climb, her feet planted on the wall of the elevator to give herself some tension, helping with the difficult task ahead them. The shaft was old, certainly decaying, and she had to be careful where she placed with her feet, lest she knock a section of paneling out of place or disturb the fragile integrity of the entire shaft.



[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

Abyss carefully observed [member="Alba Talatheen"]'s descend, waiting if the rope would reveal any signs of old age and drop the relic hunter into the endless darkness below. Only when the woman was almost obscured by the darkness of the elevator shaft the husk found enough certainty to follow her. Once again his hand stretched out, pulling for another metal rope dangling from a place above that was equally shrouded in darkness like that below.

Then began his descend. His feet that had been shaped to resemble claws offered him a clear advantage, as each individual part could wrap around the fine irregularities in the wall to offer addtional stability. Still he kept his climb down slow and steady, knowing full well that arrogance was a silent, but effective killer. The further he want, the more a presence forced itself into his mind. Not that of a living, thinking being, but that of a place so utterly infected with the taint of the dark side that even his mind grew numb from it.

After a considerable amount of time had passed by nothing more then climbing, one of his feet touched solid ground. Careful to not step into another hole, the husk released one hand from the robe and called his saber into it. The crimson glow revealed what he had expected. The two had reached then end of their path down. All that departed them now was another heavy, metal door.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWAQT_wCoHQ

The smell of decay was all-encompassing, once Abyss hands torn the gate open. He had no nose left, but the echo in the force told the same story. The light of saber revealed countless corpses that hadn't yet rotted completely, despite the fact that their clothes reveled that they ended up here multiple generations ago. Their blood was spilled, and what at first seemed to be the random sight of a massacre soon began to grow into an deliberate pattern that was revealed more with every step he took.

 

[Madison M. Maxwell IV]

Axxila, City Ruins, Unknown Time

---

"What is t-- Good Lord."

Their descent hadn't exactly been what Alba would call fun -- That hollow sensation of raw darkness just kept toying with the fringes of her sanity, as if taunting, and it took a lot of effort to focus on where to put her feet rather than give it the attention it desperately called for. Far too grateful to be back on what could be considered 'sold ground', the treasure hunter eagerly turned and stepped up. Almost immediately, she looked ill upon setting eyes at the macabre scene.

Covering her nose with her sleeve, she cringed and forced back an unpleasant hacking noise from deep in her throat as Abyss moved forward, providing the grim lighting. Following in his footsteps after a moment of collection, she kept her eyes firmly on his back, refusing to let her gaze slip and wander towards the almost ritualistic spectacle of death surrounding them on all sides. Any more staring might make her vomit, which would not be good.

"Did... Did someone do this on purpose? For some sort of mystical karkin'-- Whatever?" Alba managed to growl out, breathing almost exclusively through her mouth now. However, that offered it's own disadvantages, as it was like she could taste the pungent odour of rot in the air. A strong spasm was sent through her body at the mere idea of that, and she swallowed dryly in an effort to press on without yaking all over some old dead guy.


[member="Darth Abyss"]