Arcana Panathum
Elani stepped up to Dark Force Temple, embracing the uneasy aura that poured from it's walls. The air was still and cold, but it did not bother Elani. To her, it was normal. It was home. She stepped inside where her guardian, Koren Merr, awaited her.
"Koren, take me to him."
The brute nodded. His inability to speak did not bar him from understanding and replying. At least, when the reply was as simple as yes or no. He led her into the deeper reaches of the temple and, eventually, to a cell where an old, decrepit man lay, restrained to the wall by chains. He appeared to have not eaten in days and his skin was flaky. Elani removed her hood from her head and knelt down to get a better look at the man.
"My name is Elani Zambrano. I come to you in the name of the Emperor to ask you some questions. And you will answer me. If you choose to be difficult, my guardian will be forced to act. Is that understood?"
The old man replied with just a nod of his head. His mouth reeked of rot. He did not want to offend Elani by opening it.
"Very good. Now, what is your name?"
"Eli. Eli Whistner."
"Mr. Whistner, where are you from?"
"I am from Corellia. Born and raised there."
"Interesting. Tell me, how did you get to Dromund Kaas?"
"I was travelling with a group of merchants. They had heard of reconstruction here and were looking to set up shop. I needed money so I offered my help with whatever they needed. And what they needed was a pack mule."
"Mhm. And why were you brought here, into my temple, and placed in chains?"
"I was snooping where I had no business, Lady Zambrano. I swear I meant no disresp-ack."
Elani cut him off by grabbing hold of his throat. "Well, the disrespect was certainly done. You bring your foul stench near these halls. You lesser beings must learn your place." And, like that, she snapped his neck, killing him instantly.
Koren stood by the door, holding what appeared to be an old parchment. Koren pointed to the dead old man and handed Elani the paper. "He had this on him?" She unrolled the paper and looked closely and realized what it was. "This..it's a map of one of the corridors here in the temple. And...it leads to..ohh yes." Elani rolled the paper back up and left the cell for the main foyer.
"Koren, grab a torch and stay close. That old man definitely had a reason for coming here. This map shows a secret passage here in the temple that is hiding a great treasure: the armor of Exar Kun. I must claim it for father."
Elani looked over the map once more and began walked deeper into the temple. Koren followed close behind her, holding the torch above her for light. It was simple considering he was at least 3 feet taller than her. She stopped at a bare wall. "No indication of a door. Perfect spot. Koren, push that wall. There should be a panel of some sort somewhere..."
Elani and Koren felt the all, pushing against it to get some kind of reaction. Then, Koren took a step on a panel near the base of the wall, opening the door. "Well done, Koren. Let's move." Elani walked into the revealed corridor with Koren. As they walked, torches hanging from the walls illuminated all on their own, bringing light to the dark, enclosed path down a seemingly endless flight of stairs.
Eventually, Elani reached the bottom of the stairs and, once she did, an enormous room was blessed with light from torches strewn about. "There.." Elani pointed towards the middle of the room where the armor of Exar Kun stood, suspended in a artificial gravity field inside of a glass case. "Koren, fetch." Koren moved swiftly to the glass case to retrieve the armor. He, carefully, opened the case and pulled the armor from it's suspension. "Bring it to me.."
Low hissing could be heard echoing throughout the room. Koren looked around for the source, as did Elani. "We are not alone, Koren. Ready yourself!" Koren placed the armor on the ground and pulled his power hammer from his back. Elani reached beneath her cloak and grabbed her lightsaber hilt. Her fingers rested on the activator, ready to press down once the fighting began.
Holes in the ground opened up across the room. From them, dozens of laigreks climbed out from the darkness, angry and bloodthirsty. Koren swung his hammer wildly, smashing the beasts left and right. Elani's lightsaber cut through the laigreks with ease. The bodies of the monsters were piling up until it was quiet once more. "We either scared them enough to keep them down there or they're all dead. Either way, let's get out of here.."
Koren retrieved the armor once more and led Elani back up to the surface. "Let's get this to my father. He would appreciate it."
"Koren, take me to him."
The brute nodded. His inability to speak did not bar him from understanding and replying. At least, when the reply was as simple as yes or no. He led her into the deeper reaches of the temple and, eventually, to a cell where an old, decrepit man lay, restrained to the wall by chains. He appeared to have not eaten in days and his skin was flaky. Elani removed her hood from her head and knelt down to get a better look at the man.
"My name is Elani Zambrano. I come to you in the name of the Emperor to ask you some questions. And you will answer me. If you choose to be difficult, my guardian will be forced to act. Is that understood?"
The old man replied with just a nod of his head. His mouth reeked of rot. He did not want to offend Elani by opening it.
"Very good. Now, what is your name?"
"Eli. Eli Whistner."
"Mr. Whistner, where are you from?"
"I am from Corellia. Born and raised there."
"Interesting. Tell me, how did you get to Dromund Kaas?"
"I was travelling with a group of merchants. They had heard of reconstruction here and were looking to set up shop. I needed money so I offered my help with whatever they needed. And what they needed was a pack mule."
"Mhm. And why were you brought here, into my temple, and placed in chains?"
"I was snooping where I had no business, Lady Zambrano. I swear I meant no disresp-ack."
Elani cut him off by grabbing hold of his throat. "Well, the disrespect was certainly done. You bring your foul stench near these halls. You lesser beings must learn your place." And, like that, she snapped his neck, killing him instantly.
Koren stood by the door, holding what appeared to be an old parchment. Koren pointed to the dead old man and handed Elani the paper. "He had this on him?" She unrolled the paper and looked closely and realized what it was. "This..it's a map of one of the corridors here in the temple. And...it leads to..ohh yes." Elani rolled the paper back up and left the cell for the main foyer.
"Koren, grab a torch and stay close. That old man definitely had a reason for coming here. This map shows a secret passage here in the temple that is hiding a great treasure: the armor of Exar Kun. I must claim it for father."
Elani looked over the map once more and began walked deeper into the temple. Koren followed close behind her, holding the torch above her for light. It was simple considering he was at least 3 feet taller than her. She stopped at a bare wall. "No indication of a door. Perfect spot. Koren, push that wall. There should be a panel of some sort somewhere..."
Elani and Koren felt the all, pushing against it to get some kind of reaction. Then, Koren took a step on a panel near the base of the wall, opening the door. "Well done, Koren. Let's move." Elani walked into the revealed corridor with Koren. As they walked, torches hanging from the walls illuminated all on their own, bringing light to the dark, enclosed path down a seemingly endless flight of stairs.
Eventually, Elani reached the bottom of the stairs and, once she did, an enormous room was blessed with light from torches strewn about. "There.." Elani pointed towards the middle of the room where the armor of Exar Kun stood, suspended in a artificial gravity field inside of a glass case. "Koren, fetch." Koren moved swiftly to the glass case to retrieve the armor. He, carefully, opened the case and pulled the armor from it's suspension. "Bring it to me.."
Low hissing could be heard echoing throughout the room. Koren looked around for the source, as did Elani. "We are not alone, Koren. Ready yourself!" Koren placed the armor on the ground and pulled his power hammer from his back. Elani reached beneath her cloak and grabbed her lightsaber hilt. Her fingers rested on the activator, ready to press down once the fighting began.
Holes in the ground opened up across the room. From them, dozens of laigreks climbed out from the darkness, angry and bloodthirsty. Koren swung his hammer wildly, smashing the beasts left and right. Elani's lightsaber cut through the laigreks with ease. The bodies of the monsters were piling up until it was quiet once more. "We either scared them enough to keep them down there or they're all dead. Either way, let's get out of here.."
Koren retrieved the armor once more and led Elani back up to the surface. "Let's get this to my father. He would appreciate it."