Fragments of the Past

[Venris Helion]

[member="Serena Bouie"]

Venris had stopped in place upon seeing the hooded entity, keeping his eyes on it while it's head continued to turn and follow Serena's progress.

"Somehow I don't think we have the option of doing that if we get out of here." He muttered under his breath while reaching for one of his knives. "Tell me if you have trouble moving anything else, in the meantime just try reaching the door while I keep an eye on our audience here." He kept the knife hidden behind his back, but somehow he doubted that it would matter either way, whether or not this thing was real or imagined he had every reason to believe it could bring them harm while they would be hard pressed to even hold it off.

The figure slowly rose up, standing at an intimidating height nearly a head higher than Venris. Every step it took echoed throughout the chamber, sounding like a heavy armoured pair of boots were crossing the floor towards the door, and Serena.

"Make it fast." Venris advised before flinging his knife at the figure...which held up one hand and caught it between two fingers, showing an armoured gauntlet with claw tips on each finger. It dropped the knife to the floor and continued on its course without stopping. "I think this one's real!"

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

[member="Venris Helion"]

Well maybe they wouldn't but maybe they would she was an optimist for certain. "So far no" she inched across it was safe durable "ok we are almost across" She did not turn around to look she just knew to look she'd panic, or worse.

She took another step, "keep up Venris, I'm going to do something stupid" He's coming she heard it, making sure her one hand had hold of Venris' sleeve Serena let her instincts and the force guide her, she stepped right, left, right straight, she was counting for some reason but still didn't look back.

She had heard the knife drop, this had to be one heck of an illusion.

Left, left, left....finally they reached the other side.

Now she turned to look, the dark figure was nearly upon them "OH Sithspawn, LIGHT" Serena called for the light to drown out the darkness within the shadows it would have to fall, but if man or beast nothing would stop it but at least they'd see it for what it was.

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Serena Bouie"]

Venris couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief as Serena effortlessly guided them across the room. "Serena if we weren't in mortal danger I could kiss you right-" He paused as he turned and saw the figure reaching out just before Serena shouted something...and a blinding light filled the room.

Venris briefly had a very clear look at what lay beneath the cowl as the figure stumbled back and raised one arm to shield its eyes. He saw a metallic mask covering it's lower face and a set of eyes that were glowing a combination of yellow and green and some strange green tinted ichor began to drift out from beneath the being's hood. Beyond that, some pale skin and locks of dark hair Venris couldn't make out anything further before the entity vanished as the flash of light faded.

"...let's get that door open before it comes back for round two," Venris advised after several moments of silence, "Somehow I think that didn't hurt it so much as startle it." He examined the door, seeking a way to open it from this side and reaching out through the stone to detect a mechanism within the door. "Think we have to push this one open like the last-"

Click. He accidentally pushed a hidden panel inwards

...

Venris groaned. "Oh COME ON-" The floor parted beneath him, but rather than a steep fall it lead to a stair case leading about twenty steps down below. And Venris was the fool who ended up tumbling down the first few before he managed to get his feet under his body and regain his balance while only earning a few bruises.

"I...hate...this....temple." He said after taking a deep breath. "It's only taking us deeper, and every time I so much as mention turning back it-" He heard the sound of the door to the previous chamber, the one they had fallen into earlier, close. "That happens! Whatever it wants us to see, it had better be at the bottom of these stairs."

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

"You an kiss me later right now we need to keep moving" she looked around for their pursuer, "I hope you're wrong I hope it's gone" Serena turned and was ready to place her hands on the panel.

She turned and looked at Venris, "damn" the floor opened he disappeared she tried to grab him she bent but he was sliding down the stair thank God he stopped. The look in his eyes the tone of his voice she couldn't help her reaction try as hard as she could she laughed.

"Have courage Venris" she was able to put her hand on his shoulder, "we can do this " he sounded so frustrated she could sympathize but when she was uncertain she laughed.

"Lets go see what's there since we can't go back" she came down a few steps, "I will buy you a drink after. Ok. Small consolation but it's something" Serena tried to calm her own fears, but he had a point. They came further in, and each time the way back blocked.

She squeezed his shoulder, "ready?"

[member="Venris Helion"]

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Serena Bouie"]

"Ready," Venris replied after exhaling softly and chuckling a bit, "...I know I shouldn't be laughing but somehow I think I had that tumble coming to me." He shook his head and began to step down to nthe base of the stairs where he entered a circular chamber with a crypt at the center.

The walls were lined with the same mural, but these ones appeared to be more...realistic than before. They seemed to move, eyes seemed to follow the two explorers as they stepped inside, whispering voices called out to them from the darkened parts of the room where one might briefly see a silhouette.

Venris...Serena...

Venris reached for the hilt of his sword. "Crypt, creepy voices, creepier decorations, general sense of dread...if this isn't a Dark Side Nexus I'll eat my boots." He muttered while approaching the crypt, noting how the tendril carvings on the wall seemed to all converge on the stone coffin. "I think this might be what this spirit wants us to see."

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

[member="Venris Helion"]

"I can get you salt while you eat" Serena now could hear the whispers the soft sound seemed to caress her ears. The hair on her arm stood up she looked down, "yes something is here"

In her mind she could see someone jump out of the crypt hello surprise and scare them to pieces. That would be great. She walked over to the crypt the markings were fascinating the way the beams came from the mural across the floor to lead into the crypt. What did it mean?

Power either radiated from the crypt or to the crypt. The women could they have been draining the others?

"I'm not so sure those were witches they could be followers of whoever is in the crypt and they served him by" she felt it again a brush to her mind a bit of soft laughter.

The disembodied voice asked what do you want? What power? Or is it personal. You want someone. Speak. Choose.

Serena looked to Venris was this a test?

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Serena Bouie"]

Venris cautiously approached the coffin, every step creating an unnaturally loud echo as he reached the edge of the waist high structure. He set one hand on the lid and recoiled as coils of mental energy seemed to reach out to grasp his hand. Whatever was causing these anomalous visions and spectres to appear was within this coffin, no doubt. And Venris doubted that they would have reached this place unless it had wanted them to.

"Well," He said while unsheathing his vibro sword, "I suppose there is only one way to find that out, along with just what exactl we were herded down this deep for." He jammed the edge into the gap between the lid and the coffin itself, and used that to help slowly pry the lid up enough for him to begin shifting it aside with his bare hands. The thing was much heavier than it looked, and a cool surface of metal on the underside gave explanation for that little tidbit. This stone coffin was really a covering for a metal container of similar but smaller shape within. After nearly a minute of struggling Venris shoved the lid off with one final shove from his foot, letting the stone shatter against the floor and leaving him with a view of a metallic hatch that was certainly out of place.

"It looks more like the doors on a ship of some kind." He muttered, brushing one hand over the smooth surface. "Is this some kind of extra precaution against grave robbers? Or..." His eyes travelled down to what appeared to be a key hole of sorts, "a way of keeping something in?"

Regardless, they weren't leaving without the permission of this thing...and he could see the key cut into two neat little halves on the hatch itself. He fitted them together and then let them float in mid air, encased within a telekinetic field as. He slowly lowered them into the key hole and turned it...and then a flash of light consumed the two explorers' visions.

When it cleared, they were no longer in the dark tomb but stood in what seemed to be the bridge of some vessel. It was vast in design, far different from the more conservative and practical shapes that most ships had. It had a massive canopy covering the front end along with some of the top overhead to give a clear view of the cosmos beyond. They could see stars and a planet within visual range...

"Dathomir," Venris didn't know how he realized this, perhaps as a hunch based off of what he'd been shown in the temple. "What is it about this planet that this temple is trying to tell us? Are we even in that temple anymore?"

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

She was calming down and in doing so the sarcasm and witty remarks would fade. She watched Venris anticipating what could happen, but never had she thought about movement. Her arms spread to keep her balance then the bright light faded and they stood where?

She felt nauseous as the room shifted she looked out and around of their new situation. She took a step the sensations were all off was this the tomb or had it crypt been a trigger, "Is there a way to transport in this manner? In a blink?" Serena looked out was this Dathomir.

Serena suddenly remembered history, "Dathomir has an Infinity Gate it was able to project or transport across the galaxy" Serena looked from the view to the ship, "they were constructed by....damn who was it...a species on Dathomir I can't remember the name" If that is what they had been doing this whole time.

She bit her lip when thinking, "there could be no one in the crypt it's just the entry point." She half laughed now a cross between disbelief and awe.

"What do you think [member="Venris Helion"] is it possible that we came across one of the gates, that brought us to a ship in shadows over Dathomir?" oh she wished she could study the Infinity gate on Dathomir. But what if her hypothesis was all wrong?

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Serena Bouie"]

"I don't know a whole lot about Infinity Gates," Venris admitted as he began to examine the consoles of the ship, finding that every system appeared to be shut down, and yet if this ship had been powerless for a long time it would be drifting and lacking any heat on the interior. "But I'm certain that whoever built such a device would not hide it in something so small as a coffin."

He turned his gaze again towards the mist shrouded world in the distance. Venris walked up to the canopy and rested a hand against the material, seeing his own reflection against the starry void...

And then he saw the face of his older brother Sedita, a cruel laugh escaping his mouth as his face was illuminated by the blue light of Force Lightning and his red saber in hand-

Venris backed away from the glass, the vision ending as quickly as it came to him. He stared at Dathomir again as the stars slowly began to vanish, going out one by one like many little candles being extinguished.

"Serena...I think we're still in that temple." Venris grasped the hilt of his vibro sword. "And I think something is here with us."

"Quite astute," It was Venris' voice, but it was so easy to tell that it wasn't Venris speaking this time from now...wrong it sounded. "But the Infinity Gate theory was most interesting. I see the galaxy hasn't gotten dull in my time away afterall."

"Sithspit." Venris growled as he moved back towards Serena and looked around, the stars now almost completely gone. "Show yourself!"

"Oh my...is the Jedi showing fear now?" The speaker chuckled coldly as the star which Dathomir circled became the only remaining light source illuminating the bridge, the light reaching all the way to a throne of sorts that appeared to be the captain's chair...which had something sitting in it. "Oh...my mistake. You aren't a Jedi, it anymore."

The figure rose to its feet and began to step into view, holding out one familiar armoured gauntlet similar to the one worn by the entity that had appeared before them earlier. It pointed to Serena.

"But she is." The being stepped into full view, revealing an older man with his hair tied back tightly, a short and neatly trimmed beard lining his jaw. "So tell me, Jedi...your inductive reasoning lead you to believe that you were sent here by way of Infinity Gate. What does it tell you about me?" It was obviously a rhetorical question.

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

[member="Venris Helion"]


Ohhh she let science get in the way again, instinctively she took a step backwards. Though it was not inconceivable that a gate could have been built and the crypt built around it and once they stepped near the crypt provided the trigger to vault them. Serena quickly admonished herself she was multitasking again and rather than it giving her an edge it had placed her and Venris here.

Still in the temple. Ok. Breathe Serena she thought to herself, bring your focus to this room, bring it to the now. She exhaled softly. "Venris my life sense says it is only us, so if there is something it is not living as we define living"

The voice though she was hearing it was it so powerful that it could hide from her senses? She saw Venris backing up, positioning himself ready to defend himself. Serena the quieter one did not go to draw her weapon. She was not yet prepared to use it and that was the only time she would draw.

If you go to use your light saber you must be prepared for two things, to kill or to be killed

She took in the details how the light reflected off the gauntlets, the way the hair was pulled back severe opening up the field of vision. When the single finger of the entity before them pointed to her and reminding them all she was a Jedi.

Venris was not she looked to him he had never really said he was. What did she think now that her other theory was busted, she moved to the side looking up at this entity.

"I think that the murals were placed there to lure us in that they've nothing to do with the temple here at all. Especially since they are so new. The crypt maybe old but you weren't its occupant." She thought a bit more as she addressed the creature before her, "You are some dark side entity that needs to feed on the living, Jedi preferably but in truth anything with life will do" She exhaled slowly, very slowly.

"You knew that I couldn't resist, and that Venris would be sent because who he works for couldn't resist - two for one." Serena looked at the darkness, all of this for someone in tune with the force would not be hard. So a force sensitive entity.

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Serena Bouie"]

The man, thing, whatever it was clapped with a smile. "Bravo, my dear. The epitome of a true archaeologist. You're right about me...but wrong about the murals." He sat back down on his throne. "Tell me Serena...why didn't you notice the first mural until Venris arrived to intrude on your expedition? He noticed the mural, he was drawn to it. What you saw wasn't an additional wing to the temple, but rather my calling card. It was there because Venris arrived, and after this it will be gone as though it never existed until someday somebody like Venris appears in another temple anywhere across the galaxy."

This thing did not seem to bea mere spirit if it was able to do a s it claimed and form passages to its crypt from multiple points in the universe. Venris' blade suddenly felt a lot less...useful.

"Why would I care about some mural?" Venris demanded.

"It should be the only thing you care about, boy." The thing chuckled softly. "It was all that I cared about in life, and what you saw Cou,d be described as a very abridged version of my final days as a man of flesh and blood."

Venris levelled his sword at the thing. "If you're thinking of returning to those days, you won't find us so easily taken."

The thing stood back up and walked towards the , resting one hand on the tip of Venris' blade....which shattered into a cloud of dust. "There is no room for such....crude implements here." It said. "Despite you being absolutely correct about just what I am, you are not fully aware of why I brought you to my crypt, my function and purpose. The crypt was not mine, not originally, but I was a young Sith warrior who stumbled upon it one day just as you have...my companions foolishly triggered a number of traps you two managed to almost casually avoid without trouble, and as a result I was the only one to reach the coffin alive. And when I opened it the previous occupant confronted me in a very similar manner to how we stand here now."

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

[member="Venris Helion"]

His words though filled with hints of extreme darkness she hoped she was beginning to understand especially when he stepped forward touched Venris' blade and it became dust. Destroyed just like that she had never seen anything like it or read about anything like it. Her eyes immediately went from the blade to the gauntlet, maybe there was something in the gauntlet.

Sithspawn.

She hadn't noticed the mural because that wasn't her focus the alter was her focus she would never had looked at the mural until much later but..Venris came in. Venris was a key in this.

"Venris I think he wants you to take his place like he took the others' place" Ohh she had to be wrong about that but she had this feeling growing in the core of her being that when he said his last days as flesh and blood. A chill ran down her spine just then, so then what was she...

Remembering everything on the murals all the details, Oh frell she couldn't say it outloud, she was the Jedi she was likely to be the sacrifice. So.

"You mean to leave this place don't you?" How do you stop a spirit? Her studies so far had not gone that far, but surely something she read would help. It was either kill him, or they needed to escape and seal this place for all time.

Maybe there was something on him or part of the crypt that could be destroyed to get rid of him, and prevent this from happening to anyone else. Serena began looking around knowing also that he could create enough illusion that she could look right past it.

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Serena Bouie"]

The spirit chuckled. "In a way, yes. But not in the way you think. I cannot blame you for what you accuse me of in your mind, child. Were I in a more...typical situation you would be one hundred percent correct, and many other Sith throughout history have retained their individuality as wandering spirits seeking to live again." He examined Venris. "And what I would give to live in a real body again...to wander as flesh and blood, and in a vessel so youthful and with so much potential."

The spirit sighed, "Unfortunately that is beyond me. The only way I may leave is by means of true and final death. And yes, I wish for Venris to take my place here, but it is a choice that must be made of his own volition just as mine was. The spirit before me was a wise jedi master, and the one before him a lord of the Sith from the era of the old republic, dating back to before the days of Darth Bane himself." He leaned his head on one metallic gauntlet. "This throne I sit upon is a prison that has been passed down between a line of individuals who have one thing in common."

"Dathomir," Venris spoke aloud.

"Yes, their fate was tied to that world and the witches who work their horrid magicks in the mist and shadows." The spirit nodded. "My position prevents me from going into detail...but I will tell you this, Venris Helion...if you choose to leave this plane of existence to return to the world you know, and to leave the temple...I shall not stop you. But know that the alternative to remaining here will be a fate far crueller than a few centuries in solitude."

Venris huffed. "I doubt that. You claim that you cannot tell me why I should remain here, you make warnings of some horrible destiny that is written in stone for me, but you lack any proof and I lack any reason to believe you."

"If I am a liar then I would be able to take your body and kill your lovely friend, while you would be help,ess to stop me." The spirit said, a glint in his eye. "And believe me...if I could do that I would have done it the moment you both entered my clutches. I would have made it fast and painless, making sure you never knew what you had allowed yourselves to be ensnared by." He shrugged his shoulders. "But, alas, I speak only the truth and the truth is that if you wish it I shall return you both to the temple so that you may go about your lives...well, you can." He nodded to Serena. "Venris' days are fortunately numbered, a sad truth...but then again the truth is rarely something well received. If you truly do wish for verification however...simply do as I did when I, standing where you are now, refused this very same merciful offer and stormed out, thinking that all would be right in the galaxy."

"Go to Dathomir...and see for yourself just what your final damnation shall be." The Spirit reclined on his throne. "I shall be here, waiting for you or another who is a lot more trusting. It matters not, I have until the final stars flicker out of existence and the universe itself goes dark and lifeless to wait."

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

[member="Venris Helion"]

Serena smiled uneasily as she listened to all that was being divulged now. Answers to questions that on one level made sense and on another were too miraculous to believe. Thie creature before them engineered this whole thing for Venris.

What as it about him that would draw such attention? And what was it about Dathomir? She was gathering more questions than answers. She looked to Venris then to the creature, "What was your name before you became this creature? And could not Venris change his path no future is ever set. Time being fluid anything can change an outcome" Venris was still a stranger to her but she would not want to see his life end.

Eternity in this place looking out into the vast stars and not be part of life, what kind of existence was this that he offered.

All of this was for Venris to react to she just happen to be here for whatever reason it was.

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Serena Bouie"]

"My name...it has been so long since I even began muttering it to myself at night to remember it." The spirit mused, "As for changing his fate...you will find that fate is rarely so accommodating. This place was constructed as an imperfect loop hole to it, meant for people such as myself and Venris."

"You've mentioned that others have sat here before, and that others could come here after today." Venris said. "Is the one thing they have in common this so called 'final damnation' they are doomed to suffer?"

"Yes." The spirit nodded, but for once did not elaborate, perhaps due to how he was supposedly unable to do so. "I have issued my ultimatum, Venris...and if you wish to leave now you may do so an return at your own leisure...and believe me you might just do so. I did."

Venris shook his head. "My fate is my own to decide, and I won't let some vague prophecy sway it. We're leaving...and if you are as truthful as you claim to be then you will send us back right-" The bridge of the vessel vanished in the blink of an eye, replaced by the room with the stone coffin. "-now."

Venris looked around, and then glanced down at the coffin to see the shrivelled corpse lying within, clad in the same robes as the spirit who had conversed with them. He noticed one thing laying on its chest...a mask, a metallic face plate of sorts.

http://www.deviantart.com/art/sith-mask-323720709

Venris picked it up, turning the object over in his hands. It seemed to be so out of place, seeming brand new and devoid of dust or the scent of decay that emanated from the corpse.

A stone door suddenly began to slid open, allowing light to seep into the room and revealing a stairway which lead up.

"Remember," The voice of the spirit whispered from all corners, "When you find the cruel truth of your destiny staring back at you...this prison will become your refuge." With that, the overwhelming presence of the dark side slowly retreated, and the room seemed to become further brighter for the two explorers.

Venris shuddered. "...I never did much like fortune tellers anyways." He muttered, examining the mask again. "Serena...I think we've done enough exploring in this part of the temple, more than enough actually." Despite how at ease and dismissive he sounded of the dreaded prophecies being preached by the Sith spirit, Venris couldn't de y that his thoughts were now focused on Dathomir.

What awaited him there? What could be so horrible that a Sith would supposedly reach out from beyond the veil of death to 'save' him from it and replace it with an unknown span of time as some stagnant specter prowling forgotten corridors and empty rooms? He may have to do some investigating...but Venris simply couldn't accept that he had some pre-determined fate, that his days could now be counted down depending on when this revolting end came rushing to greet him

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

[member="Venris Helion"]

The mask devoid of Featherstone eyes but it reminded her of something but what. She looked from it to the corpse to Venris

She was in agreement with many things. And when the light once again showed the way out Serena with heavy heart knew it was time to leave "I'm ready to be out of here." She looked at Venris and prayed that he did not think that his life his path was already laid out.

She had to make arrangements for the two chests to get them to the Silver's. They'd look good in the hall once cases large enough to protect them were built.

Serena started the climb out , "what will you do now?"

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Serena Bouie"]

Venris found himself staring at the mask for longer than he should have before Serena snapped him out of it. He shook his head and slid the mask into his pack before answering her question. "For now? Finish analyzing the parts of this temple that aren't making me see and hear things. I don't know if all of that was real or genuine, and I'm not going to let some supposed spirit of a Sith dictate my life for me." He shouldered his pack again. "But...I will be looking into historical records later on to see if there is anything relating to this phenomenon, something that could tell me if there is anything to worry about."

It was best to cover all of his bases.

"Beyond that...I intend to keep living my life like this whole mess never occured." Venris decided. "Thank you for sticking by me through all of that madness, Serena. I can only apologize for getting you dragged into it with me."

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

"Not a problem Venris I don't often have anyone who can or will go through temple ruins with me. Even though this was quite the adventure I would do it again. If you need help in the future call me. I will give you a hand. "

They were once again back in the temple of course easier to get out than to get in. She stood there a few moments, "I guess this is goodbye. Force be with you Venris"

[member="Venris Helion"]

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Serena Bouie"]

Venris smiled and drew his hood back so she could see his whole face. "Force be with you, Serena. And supposing I don't meet my supposedly horrifying end, I'll give you that kiss I promised." He adjusted his pack and turned, walking back towards the temple entrance.