Private Honour Among Knights

[Imperius Indomitus]

W A R M A S T E R
LORD INDOMITUS
Through war, we bring order.
Through strength, we bring unity.

Paladin of Order
We are the Sword of the Empire.

Thurion Heavenshield

C R U S A D E R S​

Tash-Taral | Gathrad Hold | Castle Gathrad Approaches

Imperius came to this Sith wasteland not for the first time. It stood for many things that his vows and laws seek to destroy, for the corruption and decay that Sith wreck upon this Galaxy since their beginnings at the hands of the narrow-minded Jedi. Their eternal enemy, birthed by ignorance and stupidity from within their own ranks. Now perpetually bound to be engaged in a fight that knew no true victory, lead by councils of fools and demented tyrants. They never asked why in regards to their existence and only took there mere existence and that of their predecessors as reason to think or contemplate their shortcomings, they were blind fools, following the path of destruction that was laid out before them.

On Tash Taral those of the Sith were buried that were not worthy of Korriban, that did not have the prestige and renown to acquire a place on the crowded tombworld. Or those that thought themselves above the traditions and just succumbed to the arrogance in their own perceived difference and uniqueness - forgotten in the sands of just another world. Hoarded treasures, technology and inventions were the only reasons this world was not gone from any records.

The Warmaster was here for a mixture of the first and second of those reasons. He believed to have found a deposit of rare kyber crystals in the deep vaults on Bastion, an archive that survived the purges of the New Imperial Order and was from Sith times - mostly because it was a private collection. It mattered not. He needed the kyber but would not risk a crew yet to be swallowed by the sands and its creatures, so he went to discover it on his own. He had landed the Vehemence a few klicks out and walked the rest across rough dark rock, evading the dunes.

He was a large figure against the horizon, black armored with a red cape and tabard that flowed wildly in the winds, with his head covered by the laurel-crested helmet. At his side hung Valoris, sheathed, while on the other side was mag-clipped his heavy blaster.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

T A S H — T A R A L
A N C I E N T | B U R I A L | G R O U N D S​

An impossibility.

Solitary flakes of snow whirled in a circular motion upon the desert dunes of Tash-Taral — tomb world of the Sith. More and more, until out of the localised maelstrom strode a midnight-clad knight, as if plucked from a romantic fairytale of ancient days. His lion-headed pauldron gleamed like gold in the midday sun as each armoured stride sunk into the red sand, leaving deep footprints in his wake. His quest was one not of conquest, or rescue, or destruction.

He was here on pilgrimage.

Every world they'd set foot on together was to be revisited; not in hopes of finding her, but in remembrance of their adventures. Having found some semblance of peace since the restoration of Ashla, Thurion embarked on this pilgrimage in memory of her. Midvinter was in good hands, after all; his eldest son Théodred had waited in the wings long enough. In the Lion's absence, he would rule well as regent.

Traversing the ancient burial grounds of the Arch-Enemy, with its dilapidated monuments and ruined tombs, the old knight was taken back to younger days when adventure called him and his beloved at every turn; beckoning plucky heroes towards danger and fame in equal measure. Such wanderlust was lost on him these days, burdened with laurels and duties as he found himself. He smiled from behind his helmeted visage, hearing her voice comment on his every thought.

Whereas before every reminder of her would have elicited feelings of grief and depression, now he was glad of her company. He prayed her ghost would haunt him 'til the day the two are reunited.

A vast canyon stretched out below the red cliffs he stood atop. The Lion stepped out into nothingness, dropping well over a hundred feet before a short blast of his jump pack broke his fall, kicking up a wave of sand as he made his landing and proceeded ahead, the fine grains filtered out by the grill of his winged war crown. These monuments were more intact than the previous ones, indicating the tombs would likewise remain relatively untouched — by war, if not raiders and treasure-seekers.

Ahead loomed an old Sith fortress he neither recalled nor recognised. He forged ahead into the unknown, curiosity driving him onwards. Sanguine gaze scanned the horizon, blurred by the haze of the beating sun. Even so, Thurion felt he was not alone in walking these once-hallowed grounds. There was another.

"We are not alone," he addressed the ghost of his wife.

Imperius Indomitus ​

 

[Imperius Indomitus]

W A R M A S T E R
LORD INDOMITUS
Through war, we bring order.
Through strength, we bring unity.

Paladin of Order
We are the Sword of the Empire.

Thurion Heavenshield

C R U S A D E R S​

Tash-Taral | Gathrad Hold | Castle Gathrad Approaches

A . . . snowflake? Imperius armored hand reached out, the snowflake settling on it, its shape almost perfect before it melted. How by the Throne could a snowflake be here? The thoughts were rapidly replaced by the feeling in the Force that something had come and gone, carrying a cold - not biting, but clear, even fresh, that was no more. What was that? Did it come from inside the castle ahead?

Imperius left hand rested on the top his swords scabbard, his thumb slightly pushing to make sure the blade was loose in it and could be drawn as he moved further. The path led up the sharp rocks, his heavy steps striding with precision, breaking small stones beneath his sabatons. He never cared about subtlety or secrecy, especially not lately. Not since his body ruptured on Tython.

It was a remarkable irony that he had prepared a body to better accommodate the Force, especially the Dark Side, and now was more or less avoiding it. The essence transfer had given his mind a clarity and purpose that he had thought long lost. A strange feeling - a sort of - youth, rejuvenating thoughts, clearing, maybe even cleansing his spirit.

The thoughts trailed further until they suddenly focused on the here and now. He spotted a figure in a dark suit of armor, he could see the lion's pauldron from here and did not recognise it. A tomb raider? Looter? It did not feel that way, it certainly did not look like one. He sensed the same sensation of clarity he had felt when the snowflake landed on his gauntlet, though something more melancholic this time. He did not contemplate the impressions further as he sensed something else. The Light side.

Imperius' hand unclipped the heavy blaster in a swift but smooth motion and held it up, pointing at the other warrior. His HUD turned from silver to red, showing targeting solutions, information on wind, humidity and elevation. His sensors and scanners working on analysing the armor of the other one to figure out the best weakspot and where his blaster could pierce it.

"I will not repeat this: leave now and you shall not be harmed." His words were accompanied his finger pressing the activation button on the blaster, the energy cell awakening with a hum.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

T A S H — T A R A L
F O R T R E S S | A P P R O A C H

Imperius Indomitus ​

Sure enough, appearing out of the haze of the desert sun did a similarly titanic knight, clad in what was surely the finest warplate credits could buy. The polished finish glittered like diamonds from so far away, with fabrics of most splendid nature dancing on the wind. It was enough to blind a lesser man to the threat he posed, even as the blaster hummed alive and its wielder shouting warnings.

How fortunate, then, that the intended prey was no lesser man.

He didn't stop immediately, but kept pushing forward another handful of metres so he might better see his would-be opposition, the glint of his pristine armour no longer a beacon from afar. He could even make out the laurels of his T-visored helmet. Thurion's war crown signalled the incoming scan, however he made an effort not to return the favour but rather make certain there wasn't more lurking on the horizon.

The Lion then proceeded to remove his winged helmet, letting his golden mane flow freely behind him as he beheld his opponent with naked eyes. He kept the helmet at his side, under his sword arm.

"I'm not looking to start trouble, friend," Heavenshield calmly replied. "I am but a humble pilgrim and a stranger to these lands. Are you the guardian of this stronghold? I pray you let me pass; that you see reason and lower thine weapon! I regret the consequences should you dismiss my request."

He had not come as a conqueror; as a destroyer. It was entirely up to the armour-clad stranger whether this remained thus. Behind the cover of his shield, Thurion's off-hand squeezed the pommel of the Sunlight Blade. Behind his disarming smile did the Lion coldly calculate various outcomes, letting the predator peek out its cage.

 

[Imperius Indomitus]

W A R M A S T E R
LORD INDOMITUS
Through war, we bring order.
Through strength, we bring unity.

Paladin of Order
We are the Sword of the Empire.

Thurion Heavenshield

C R U S A D E R S​

Tash-Taral | Gathrad Hold | Castle Gathrad Approaches

The figure removed his helmet, revealing an elderly human face, weathered and stern, with blonde hair tied back, not dissimilar to how he was wearing his own in fact. The realisation did nothing to change Imperius' stance or disposition, even if the words of the man echoed strangely towards him. The assumption of him being connected to the Sith place did not help though and his blaster remained stalwartly pointed.

"I do not hold regret nor guardianship, only the warning that you heard. Should you not heed it, the blades will be our judge."

Imperius was not moving and would not make an effort to reveal his face either. He understood that this would not be handled by his blaster and that he would come to blows with this stranger. Yet he could not help but feel some faintest of familiar aura with the man he did not know or recognise. Was it an effect of the essence transfer? Was there a partial amnesia he simply did not know about because he could not and his subconscious was now making a fool out of him?

It was a sobering thought but yet again, something which did not put his nature at ease. There was no comfort or appreciation in company other than to lead, command or destroy. He did not know any other anymore.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

T A S H — T A R A L
F O R T R E S S | A P P R O A C H​

Imperius Indomitus ​

Thurion's face turned grave at the refusal of his offer, for he could already tell where things were headed. The stranger had not lowered his weapon, nor did he step aside, leaving them at an impasse. One that would only be solved by cold steel. The Lion drew in a long, deep breath not only in preparation for what was to come, but also doubling as a sigh at the needless clash.

"Then you leave me no choice," he stated coldly whilst donning his War Crown, sanguine lenses flickering back to life. He pulled back his shield, revealing the sword at his side, resting in its scabbard. He did so to signal to the man opposing him that this was to be a contest of steel versus steel as was befitting warriors of their calibre. He would not dishonour their bout with the use of firearms.

Thurion reached for the hilt in a deliberate fashion using his right, wresting the Sunlight Blade from its resting place in one clean motion, holding it at his side. Anarion sang as it was awakened from its slumber, aglow with the warmth of the sun. Then, the Lion began to advance towards the other duellist, one stride at a time. Only once stood face to face with his opponent did he stop and raise his sword, not to strike but in salute, the crossguard aligned with where his mouth would be.

The Lion bowed, then with a flourish of his sword did he assume a duelling stance, shield thrust forward with blade pointed towards his foe. He observed the similarly graceful movements of the opposing knight, already having concluded he was a worthy enemy. There was an unspoken honour to be found between equal opponents; an unspoken bond, and the shared knowledge that either could perish at the slightest mistake or hesitation.

Anyone who does not live and die by the sword could never understand. Even Darth Carnifex with all his foul sorceries and blackened heart recognised the honour of swordplay when met with a worthy foe. In this, they were the same.

"May the Force be with you, Sir Knight."

The Dark Angel lunged forward, striking out from behind the comfort of his shield. The contest of arms was begun.

 

[Imperius Indomitus]

W A R M A S T E R
LORD INDOMITUS
Through war, we bring order.
Through strength, we bring unity.

Paladin of Order
We are the Sword of the Empire.

Thurion Heavenshield

C R U S A D E R S​

Tash-Taral | Gathrad Hold | Castle Gathrad Approaches

Pride. The bane of those who reveled in self-importance and higher morality, an ideal so corrupting that it clouded the brightest minds. It was what this man had, pride in his morality, pride in his ability and pride in his cause. A sweet irony that probably entirely escaped the figure in front of Imperius. He could have turned around and walked away if he regretted to fight, but he did not. He chose to fight because stubbornness kept him on his path.

Imperius did not for a single heartbeat consider himself in the same position. He acted without pride, he just had knowledge of what he could do and what not, a precise and clear understanding of anything that involved his personal being and the situation he was in. There was no guessing or boasting, only precision and calculation. But there was a matter he took personally and that he adhered to outside of his stoically pragmatic mindset.

With a click the blaster was mag-locked to his thigh plate again and he drew Valoris. Blade on blade it shall be. Honour the warrior that is worth honouring. And the one in front was an opponent that was deserving of this. He did not know why but neither did the blonde man, yet both knew they would not resort to shooting at each other here and now.

The long blade came free in a calm gesture, gliding out of the sheath in a smooth motion and sound. Imperius returned the gesture, the blades crossguard came to his face in salute, but then moved to his heart has well before being lowered in a flourish. An extended greeting, resembling that of Makashi users.

"Strength and honour."

He assumed a middle guard, both hands on the grip of his sword, standing sideways as his blade extended above his right arm. Despite the uneven ground, his feet were placed precisely and accurately where they needed to be, an echo of his skillful technique.

Imperius' sword came to block the initiating strike. It was now to get a measure of this adversary. A beginning from faceplate to faceplate, one behind a shield, the other behind a two handed grip.

With a push to clear and a swing that started high but then went low the duel started in earnest.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

T A S H — T A R A L
F O R T R E S S | A P P R O A C H

Imperius Indomitus ​

The Lion side-stepped the counter by the rival knight, circling his opponent in a predatory manner as each attempted to size each other up. The initial stage of any duel involved lots of poking and prodding to get a sense of the other's skill and defensive capabilities. Thurion would thrust from relative safety, before suddenly step into his enemy's reach for a combination of strikes to further test his skill. Few and far between were these opportunities of martial performance for one such as he, whose battlefield experience was second to none with more foes vanquished than he cared to admit.

Thurion Heavenshield was a man of three hearts; one was reserved for his family and loved ones, where he allows himself to show vulnerability. The second was that of the Jedi; the path and philosophy instilled in him from childhood, and the compassionate persona he would present to the world in general. But the third heart was that of a warrior; where the Valkyri in him wished to test himself against the mightiest of foes — where the Lion was in his element as the apex predator.

The Jedi in him knew he ought to find the need for violence abhorrent, and yet he excelled at it like no other. Whether deemed hypocritical or no, at least he knew to be honest with himself. He was a man capable of tremendous kindness and generosity, but also tempestuous fire and fury. He had yet to reach his limit on the latter of the two.

Following an impressive succession of steel versus steel in the way of the blade, the Lion thrust his shield into his opponent to once more add distance between them. He rolled back his shoulders, the massive pauldrons bobbing up and down as he did.

"You fight well, friend. Your swordplay, discipline, and footwork — all excellent. You have my respects," said the Lion before detaching the Celestial Aegis from his forearm and planting it in the sand, ridding himself of an unfair advantage whilst placing all his focus on the way of the sword, grasping Anarion with both hands.

"Again," he goaded his opponent. He was starting to enjoy himself.

All whilst a storm had begun to brew on the horizon...

 

[Imperius Indomitus]

W A R M A S T E R
LORD INDOMITUS
Through war, we bring order.
Through strength, we bring unity.

Paladin of Order
We are the Sword of the Empire.

Thurion Heavenshield

C R U S A D E R S​

Tash-Taral | Gathrad Hold | Castle Gathrad Approaches

If he once had multiple hearts, they were now gone, diminished, shrunken and collapsed from betrayal, loss and time. Eroded and compressed until only a dense matter remained that guarded his most inner workings and emotions. No fear, no love, no despair, no joy - stripped of these and only clarity, only purpose remained. Purpose and wrath. Not wild or dominating, but weaponised, focused and directed, a lethal coldness that made him overcome obstacles placed in his way, no matter the odds and no matter the cost.

The other Knight was capable, quite so, even to a degree that Imperius would say he has not met anyone else yet that would offer this amount of potency with the blade. Mayhaps one of the Kainites could match this proficiency, but their aloof arrogance and ignorance of common affairs made them neither a threat nor a consideration to plans. This man however, was formidable.

Imperius bladework was meticulous, precise and yet powerful, he usually chose the his Shroudsaber for duels, not considering a foe worthy of meeting his blade - but that was different here. His speed, usually enough to overcome an enemy, was matched by experience, his experience was matched by technique, his skill was matched by talent. Strikes were exchanged, many a second, feints and parries, cuts and thrusts, it was as elegant as it was deadly. An outsider would barely see or understand what was happening as the two clashed.

The shield was not an obstacles for Imperius, it was one of the first two weapons he learned to fight with. Use the shield more to survive - use the sword more to win. His opponent knew that he would not triumph while relying on survival here, it was when he discarded the aegis and matched Lord Indomitus' two-handed with his own.

A rune on his HUD flickered, a meteorological warning that he blinked away.

Imperius fought with the determination to bring victory, every strike was placed with lethal intent in mind, there was no playing around, no fancy flourishes or elegance in motion. Only pure pragmatism. His armor was flamboyant - his fighting was not. Even though he did not know the man in front, he knew that it was not only a worthy foe but more than that, even if he could not place his finger on what it was. An emotion, a thought that would be entirely ignored.

For Imperius there was no respite, no second guessing, only the march forward. Dun Möch was a technique that he usually ignored, there was no use in it if one had the overwhelming and unrelenting force to obliterate what stood in front. And even know he did not consider effective, it was more of a game added. It felt strange. Unfamiliar.

"What name do I engrave on your tomb, Knight?"

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

T A S H — T A R A L
F O R T R E S S | A P P R O A C H

Imperius Indomitus
​

It seemed the stranger was not as excitable when presented with a worthy challenge. A shame, he thought to himself. He did not resent his opponent — how do you resent someone you do not even know the name of? Since there was no resentment involved, the Lion saw their duel as a means to improve himself. To him, this was but a friendly contest of arms to determine who was the greater swordsman.

In other words, the High King was holding back. He did not resort to Force powers, nor did he unleash the full might of the Sunlight Blade clutched in both hands; he did not rely on the tech of his armour to give him an edge, nor reach for Heaven's Wrath for a cheap point-blank shot. They might as well have fought bare-skinned and it would not have mattered. They duelled like men had for milennia before the first gunpowder weapon was invented, when all a man had was his wits and his proficiency with the blade. There was a purity in that — one the aged knight had yet to recognise in another.

Regardless of this stranger's point-of-view on such things, to the Lion it was something to be celebrated.

It was during a clinch that they were brought face-plate to face-plate, staring unflinchingly into each other's eyes. The imperial knight issued a threat in the form of a question, causing a soft chuckle from the Dark Angel. "Idle threats are beneath the likes of you, Ser Knight. Perhaps if you asked nicely—"

A warning similar to that of his opponent popped up on his HUD, distracting him for but a moment.

"Did your scanners also issue a meteorological warning just now?"

Thurion cast his helmeted visage to the right, snap-zooming towards the horizon. A great cloud of dust had formed, blown straight in their direction. Through his audio-receivers did he hear a faint roar, growing in strength by the second. He looked back at his opponent and broke off the clinch, pushing away from the crossed blades and summoning the Aegis back to his forearm.

"What say we call this off for the time being and find some shelter," he requested of the stranger, even going so far as to sheath his sword. Already the winds were picking up. "That sandstorm will bury us both if we do not act fast! Step aside — I'm breaking down the gate!"

 

[Imperius Indomitus]

W A R M A S T E R
LORD INDOMITUS
Through war, we bring order.
Through strength, we bring unity.

Paladin of Order
We are the Sword of the Empire.

Thurion Heavenshield

C R U S A D E R S​

Tash-Taral | Gathrad Hold | Castle Gathrad Approaches

"I do not threaten." He responded dryly, almost without any personality involved. Imperius did not consider it a threat, it was a fact to him. A fact that could be utilised to intimidate or throw one off balance, but as suspected, it was not worth it.

The Knight apparently had an alert in his systems, which distracted him, even moved his gaze from the fight. For Imperius that was a clear opportunity, foolishness. His sword was moving, readjusting its angle ever so slightly as he was fully intending to exploit the opening that the man presented to him. But he created distance - almost unintentionally and the strike would now expose the Warmaster himself.

He remained ready, his mind working through the information his scanners and sensors offered, not letting his eyes off of the man. The storm was indeed coming and could potentially cause harm, it was ridiculous, his armor could weather the void, so it would be able to resist sand - yet if this stranger was familiar with this place and maintained his code of honour, the warning and advice might be sound. It was a far cry from trust, but it was reasonable for the time being.

Imperius did not respond verbally, his form turned towards the gate, encrusted by erosion, rust and sand for decades or centuries and with his right hand coming up, he reached out with the Force and pushed the massive door inwards for several meters. The surge of power was sudden and cold, an underlying rage covered by layers of cold pragmatism and stalwart resolve.

There was no reason to suspect the Knight would harm him now, after he had dropped his guard already, so Imperius just marched on and into the darkness of the castle, his cape almost tearing in the ever increasing gale that now whipped outside. The sword remained in his hand though and his caution did not falter after entering, moving several meters to the side and letting the other man come in under his watchful gaze, black lenses of his vizor staring.

"Your care for my well-being is extremely unorthodox and perplexing."

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

T A S H — T A R A L
C A S T L E | E N T R A N C E

Imperius Indomitus ​

Before Thurion could bring the doors down, the stranger had simply turned around and forced it open himself. A point of pride, perhaps, that he felt compelled to exert his strength so brazenly? Nevertheless, the Lion followed inside the dark fortress — a place untouched by light for what seemed like milennia. Though his helmet afforded him all the vision he could ever require, still Thurion held out his hand and produced an glowing orb in his palm. Taking off on its own, it illuminated the ruined entrance like a miniature sun.

Once the doors were put back in their place to keep the duststorm out, the Lion found a seat on a fallen pillar where he placed the Aegis against its crumbled base and removed his war crown, resting it atop said base. He clumsily ran a gauntleted hand through his beard, scratching away an itch that had begun to take hold during the duel.

"Well, now... That's an interesting way to interrupt a contest of arms, wouldn't you say? Perhaps the esteemed Sith Lords buried here thought we were taking too long, eh?" He reached into one of his leather pouches to pull out something so mundane as a wet wipe, with which to rid his face of sweat and cool his skin. "Phew, can't say I much fancy exerting myself in such heat! I'm more suited to cooler climates, personally."

Not letting the paper go to waste, he finished by blowing his nose into the tissue before simply willing it gone; whished away into the waste bin of his home on Midvinter. Likewise, the elder seemed to pull out a long, lovingly-carved wooden pipe out of whin air, which he prepared to indulge in whilst waiting out the storm. He stuck the mouthpiece between his lips and huffed as the glowing orb hovered over to light it for him. The scent of pipeweed began combating the stuffy air as the old knight looked across to his counterpart.

"Sho," he began, pipe held between his teeth. "Are we shimply gonna shit and shtare at each other while we wait, or are you open to shome friendly convershation?" Thurion let out a chuckle, greatly amused by their predicament. Having indulged in his sole vice, he plucked it from his lips and motioned at Imperius.

"You once asked me my name, so let's start there. My name is Thurion Heavenshield. There — now you."

 

[Imperius Indomitus]

W A R M A S T E R
LORD INDOMITUS
Through war, we bring order.
Through strength, we bring unity.

Paladin of Order
We are the Sword of the Empire.

Thurion Heavenshield

C R U S A D E R S​

Tash-Taral | Gathrad Hold | Castle Gathrad Gate Hall

Imperius did just that. He silently stood and stared. The flicker of light the Knight produced was unnecessary, both with or without his armor, but illuminated the dusty and webbed interior nevertheless. His black plate shining as much as the almost black armor, its green hues visible, of the other Knight did. He strongly disliked casual situations, it was not his type of interaction. He would never say it was because he did not actually understand social constructs such as friendship or love, but because it was a waste of time.

The golden maned warrior then lighting a pipe and continuing to talk with it in his mouth, trying to get it running was peaking it. Imperius had not moved so far and had said nothing beyond his last remark. Now his eyes narrowed in his helmet - the helmet he did not take off, not out of fear, but practicality - at the oddity of what was happening here.

"Sith tombs are seldomly not guarded or protected by organic or unorganic means. I advise to return into the protection of your suit, if not for necessity but for practicality."

Heavenshield. He fought alongside Thirdas on Sev Tok against the Bryn'adûl, that is where the familiarity came from. This one, Thurion, his briefest of searches resulted in quite a lot, but High King of Midvinter stood out as well as Jedi. Curious, what did he do here? And was he the one who brought the snow? If anything, the realisation and understanding that this man was a follower of the Light side made Imperius more wary.

"I am Imperius." He returned the basic honour before his gaze wandered beyond the small circle of light and further into the tomb. "We should make sure that this place is not holding any dangers while we are forced to utilise it." He seemed to be not entirely comfortable with the word 'we'.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

T A S H — T A R A L
C A S T L E | E N T R A N C E

Imperius Indomitus ​

Aha, progress! Something to build off of, at least.

"Well, Imperius," he resumed huffing on his pipe, teeth glistening as he cracked a cheeky grin. "Your care for my well-being is extremely unorthodox and perplexing." Throwing the mysterious knight's choice of words back at him, Thurion hopped off the pillar and with a flourish of his hand the smoking pipe was gone, returned to its resting place on his office desk entire systems away. One final exhale expelled the last remnants of smoke from his lungs as he gathered his things. Since it appeared this Imperius was readying to go off exploring, he'd rather join the adventure than just sit out the storm.

The Aegis snapped to his vambrace and he held his helmet under his arm as he approached Imperius.

"You needn't worry about me. I've had more than my share of oppressive darkness looking for easy prey," he stated before placing the War Crown back on his head, regarding Imperius with that sanguine stare as the eye lenses lit back up. "I assure you, I am not prey."

As the two set out to conquer this dark dungeon together, the sunlight orb followed its master through the halls and corridors, dispelling the everlasting night with its brilliant aura. Following a narrow path, the pair of knights entered a massive hall that must have been a truly awesome sight in its glory days. Its ancient Sith architecture mimicked that of the tombs strewn about the region, however broken and torn it had become with time.

"So, what brings an Imperial Knight to this desolate place," the Lion asked whilst admiring the high ceiling and mighty pillars still keeping the bones of the castle intact. "Hunting for some lost artifact belonging to your ancestors?"

 

[Imperius Indomitus]

W A R M A S T E R
LORD INDOMITUS
Through war, we bring order.
Through strength, we bring unity.

Paladin of Order
We are the Sword of the Empire.

Thurion Heavenshield

C R U S A D E R S​

Tash-Taral | Gathrad Hold | Castle Gathrad Gate Hall

This man was irritating. Extremely irritating. Twisting ideas and concepts, trivialising matters to a breaking point. Imperius was not interested in the man's well being, but in his own. He did not desire to fight on two sides, against this knight and potentially against whatever the tomb held. He rather would choose the storm then, giving him more to work with in terms of predictability but the man followed his own ideas and interpretations, either to deliberately annoy Imperius or because he did not know any better.

"I do not worry about your well being nor your capabilities." He simply stated as he set out into the dark. He still held Valoris in his grasp, low but firm, ready to move it if it should become necessary. Especially against his unexpected companion. Trust was non-existent for this Jedi King.

"Artifacts are of no interest, nor do I have ancestors of consequence. The tomb is recorded to hold a vault of kyber." Came it as dry as the sand from the ancient, with his helmet moving to take in the scenery. It was wasteful, boasting and very typical of Sith ideas of tomb. The dead did not care for their housing. And if the owner was worshipped to a degree that it manifested in this, it was a futile effort in reverence towards one who would never reward their loyal minions.

"Does the High King of Midvinter often travel to random places?"

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

T A S H — T A R A L
C A S T L E | I N T E R I O R

Imperius Indomitus ​

So it is a treasure hunt, thought the Lion when it was revealed what Imperius had come for. It was starting to make sense. Kyber crystals were an invaluable resource for an aspiring order of Force-users, and though he suspected this Imperius to be of the darker persuasion, he did not take him for a Sith — which leaves him with the conclusion that the crystals are for him and whatever fledgling order he's working for, or looking to get off the ground in the first place, as they would lack a steady supply.

His suspicions were kept to himself for now, as he wished to learn more about the character of his fellow knight before confronting him about it.

There was a pause as Thurion considered his reply, unsurprised by the use of his royal title. He just thought it more courteous to ask.

"More and more in recent years," he offered a vague response whilst ducking beneath a leaning pillar. He stopped and sighed. "But my visit to Tash-Taral was not by chance, as you suggest. I told you earlier I was a pilgrim; that was no lie. My pilgrimage is one of remembrance. My wife and I once visited this world in our youth; I am simply retracing our steps."

At the end of the dilapidated hall was carved a massive mural into the wall, still intact after all these years. The floating orb that had accompanied them was suddenly snuffed out as it drew near the mural shrouding itself in perpetual shadow. Indecipherable whispers could be heard on the wind, though with the storm raging outside it was difficult to tell whether these were but a natural phenomenon, or something far more sinister. Only now did Thurion draw Anarion.

"There is great evil here, Imperius. What ruinous fortress is this, exactly?"

 

[Imperius Indomitus]

W A R M A S T E R
LORD INDOMITUS
Through war, we bring order.
Through strength, we bring unity.

Paladin of Order
We are the Sword of the Empire.

Thurion Heavenshield

C R U S A D E R S​

Tash-Taral | Gathrad Hold | Castle Gathrad Gate Hall

Pilgrimage. Was his wife dead? Was he remembering her that way, clinging to past happenings and wasting his time with petty memories? Should he not know that meditation offers a more substantial connection to your own conscience and probably a slight better solace than running across wild places in the Galaxy just to find a shred of remembrance? It was an awfully emotional action, not having any roots in pragmatism or structure. He could almost describe it as Sith-like behaviour.

But he did not give it further active thought. The Knight-King was right. This place was not of the welcoming nature. Something Dark lurked here, lived here, rather existed as Imperius was hesitant to call it life just yet. The Sith were known for the abominations. He himself was one, created by himself to better work the Force, to outlast it.

His HUD vision switched through several modes, thermal, night and more esoteric ones, looking around, all done by mere mind-impulse, by a thought, not even a blink was necessary with his fully integrated armor and senses.

"Lord Gathrad was an alchemist during the New Sith Wars, trying to recreate the abominations of the Exile Syn. He died here, killed by his own work. Though his ghost appeared later in a different place, before the Gulag Plague and guided willing students here until the ghost was banished to Chaos by some of your order. He used kyber crystals as conduit for melting Force, flesh and metal."

Imperius spoke without passion, rehearsing a history lesson more or less, simply giving information to the man he was with. There was no need to not share what they might be up against, afterall there was potentially something alive here that could threaten them.

The Warmaster's attention was moving elsewhere though. The whispers in the air were not wind. They were belonging to something that came closer, more than one thing. In the darkness something stirred, something moved. A cold menace that sent its welcoming party to the two knights.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

T A S H — T A R A L
G A T H R A N | H O L D
Imperius Indomitus
​

The Lion did not expect the other knight to understand; indeed, the concept of giving yourself so utterly to another that the pair of you become one was, to their great misfortune, lost on so many souls. His pilgrimage was to honour the woman whose love he'd been lucky enough to prove worthy of, and the lifetime they've shared together. Now, she was gone, and he had to come to terms with her absence.

Still, a lecture about love would have to wait, for the malice of the deserted castle seemed to stir evermore with each step they took. The whispers on the wind became louder, even deafening, until exploding into a banshee's howl as the very shadows spilled forth to assault them. Thurion flexed his sword arm.

"You should have stayed dead," the Lion spoke before smiting the first spectre, Anarion igniting to banish the foul spirit outright. Once the battle was joined, the High King deftly deflected several shadowy blades at a time before bashing them aside with the Aegis, sending them reeling back in pain. But more yet appeared, scaling the walls and crawling the dilapidated ceiling like an infestation of blackness.

Thurion's every movement was carefully chosen, his sword never in one place as it danced and swirled like rays of gold, each landed strike casting another shadow back to the hell it spawned from. He dodged and side-stepped, all whilst his shield demonstrated its imperviousness by reflecting any damage back at the attacker. The Wings of Glory carried him forth, activating briefly to bring him to Imperius' side.

There the pair fought back to back; a true display of swordsmanship as per the ancient ways of martial might. Were they not so dissimilar in appearance, one might mistake them for one and the same judging by their flawless coordination and spatial awareness, even down to their footwork.

"Enough of this," said the Lion as he bashed aside another wave of foes before raising his sword above his head. "The Dawn take thee!" Anarion shone forth the blinding light of the sun itself, tearing the closest spectres apart whilst leaving countless others stunned. Those farthest away that remained unaffected fled back into their crevices.

Whilst many still remained, their assault had been blunted. Now for the counterattack.