In umbris potestas est

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus was still finding it odd to be allocated her own office – but such was the Academy on Ossus that it afforded all Masters a refectory and a place to study. So she was catching up on memos and timetables, trying to balance her time as ever, when there came a knock at the door.

Corvus called out for the visitor to enter and a Youngling – a Twi’lek – entered, carrying a small box. he bowed politely and offered a package with his outstretched hands.

“I was asked to bring this to you Master Raaf.”

She still hadn’t got used to that form of address but it felt very, very good. She dismissed this thought as most un-Jedi-like and so she bowed in return. “Thank you Padawan Tott. Astrophysics after lunch, yes?”

He nodded and smiled. He was a bright pupil but a little lacking in confidence and being recognised would probably do him the world of good.

As he left, she contemplated the box in front of her. Open it now or wait until after the lesson? No contest. She flipped it open and pulled out a holocron. Initially she didn’t recognise it but once she gazed at it for a few seconds her memories came flooding back. She’d found it on Abeloth – and although able to access it – at the time it deemed she was not ready to hear its secrets. She looked at the note that came with it.

‘Tested and confirmed as safe and lacking any Sith or Dark-side traces. We are unable to access the Gatekeeper and would appreciate your help.’

So she looked at the emerald structure in her hands. Recalling her first encounter with it she closed her eyes and reached out with the Force. ‘Just letting you know I’m friendly.’

The Force-imbued artificial intelligence felt it. It could feel the probing of her mind, and recognised it. Other than Parmi Miemant, former apprentice of Hasjo Hallu before his death, she was the only living being to access the holocron. The Gatekeeper took a few moments to re-judge the pureness of her heart. That had unchanged but she had grown in the Force. Perhaps now she was ready for the wealth of knowledge he held. It was primarily of warcraft, but some of his secrets could yet be revealed.

In the background, a list of notable incidents was looping. Corvus liked to keep up on galactic affairs and any unusual activity. Oddly, one news item piqued the interest of both her and the holocron simultaneously.

‘In One Sith territory, an unusually strong Force presence was noted on the planet of Prakith.’

“Darth Andeddu’s keep.” Both Corvus and the holocron spoke in unison. Corvus looked at the small figure that now shimmered above the cube cupped in her left hand. “Is there something I should know?”

The heavily-armoured Nautolan looked thoughtful and rubbed his chin. “There is only one reason to go to that tomb. Many have tried and every one has failed save one. And you know of that one.”

Corvus nodded. Indeed she did. The only Sith to ever uncover the secrets of the Holocron of Heresies. “But his kind died out years ago. I mean, the current Sith – there is no way Darth Andeddu's spirit would ever give up that knowledge to them. They are so far removed from what he believed in.”

The Gatekeeper nodded slowly - as if reflecting on her words. “But only a Sith deals in absolutes. There is always a chance and if they do gain access, what a terrible price to pay if you dismiss this warning for what is little more than hope on your part.”

Corvus nodded absent-mindedly. “I think I’d better cancel that class.”

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

A world similar to Mustafar, Prakith was volcanic and ripe for expeditions to unearth ancient ruins, tombs and secrets of those who had walked the surface before. Canyons and mountainous ranges housed footsteps of the past from the Sith, to the Jedi, to the Imperials and the Republic.

Now however, with the One Sith ever present in the Deep Core, Silver Jedi Connor Harrison was on an expedition of his own. Fresh from the encounter with Sith Lord Matsu Xiangu, and fully reinstated back with his Order – albeit treading carefully amongst those he was working to earn back their trust – this was an expedition simply classed as “intelligence gathering”.

In reality, as could be expected for a rogue, there was more to it than just that. It was intelligence gathering, destroying and eradicating. Touching upon the power of what a Sith relic could do after discovering the amulet of exiled Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma on Rhen Var, Connor had tasked himself to find other relics as when the opportunity arose to hopefully remove them once and for all; the protect others gifted with the Force from falling to a fate similar to his own.

While he had touched upon the Dark Side, he had also survived it’s lure at great expense (the pockets of scars along his torso and wrist reminded him daily, but the Sith Magic had yet to make its presence known to him).

His faithful E-wing, while bearing no markings or weaponry, had broken the atmosphere of the planet and the surface was coated with snow, brown specks of rock breaking up the white surface. Not a sight he had expected. With a quiet reception, he was unsure if his presence to the planet had been noted – hopefully, for now, he would have gone un-noticed.

The Dark Lord Darth Andeddu on Prakith had a tomb that housed many secrets, and secrets that spoke of a great many dark acts that were ripe to fall into the wrong hands. Starting from the source of the Sith plague at the Core of the galaxy, Connor took intel from the Silver Jedi to locate what he could from the planet and remove it – the defining sword of light, cutting away darkness one strike at a time.

Feeling the wave of Force energy around canyons and crevices, Connor brought his craft down into a large outcrop of rock to read up more on his intelligence and decide where to go from here. Faint wisps of snow patted gently on the cockpit hatch above him falling in from the caves above. The sky was a dark grey, brewing with storms and savage weather, and the planet before him was nothing but natural rock, snow-crested highs and lows that dipped into the skies and down into the surface. It was a naturally formed nightmare of a planet.


[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus pondered taking the holocron to Prakith with her but the risk of losing it outweighed the potential benefit it might afford. If she was right, its knowledge was primarily about warfare and such a prize would be foolish to hand over to the Sith.

So she’d put it back in the box and had it returned to the vaults until her return. She’d also downloaded everything she’d read about Darth Bane, the holocron and the location. The more she thought about it, the more information came back to her. In fact, she could thank Darth Bane himself for alerting the Jedi to the existence of the holocron and the tomb. Her predecessors had eradicated all mention from the archives. It was a Jedi trait she’d never fully understood as one who cared passionately about knowledge.

In fact she’d shared this thought with another Jedi not so long ago. The last she’d heard of him, he was off to Rhen Var. She’d only just returned from there herself with her Padawan and she’d thought of him – wondering how his pilgrimage had fared. But now was not the time for reminiscing.

As she exited hyperspace, the oddity of her position hit her. Here she was, tracing the steps of a former Lord of the Sith. The same journey, the same goal. Except she was here to destroy what he came to learn from.

She touched down safely for once – although the snow didn’t help any. Prakith’s long isolation from the rest of the galaxy had some benefits as there were no sprawling metropolises to avoid. And this was a volcanic planet, despite the snow, so she made sure she landed somewhere that meant she wouldn't return to her ship only to find it had disappeared beneath a slow-flowing river of magma. Yet oddly, near the tomb, there was no lava. It was as if the Dark-side of the Force was keeping the volcanic activity here at bay.

Aware that the cult that had thwarted so many visitors to the tomb may still be in existence, she exited her ship warily and using Force Sense, looked for any sign of company.

What she found was unexpected. Most unexpected. A signature she recognised well. Clearly he had some affinity for cold planets. Either that or he didn’t trust her to land all by herself. So she set off on a course to intercept him – as it was clear where he was heading.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Rubbing his hand over his mouth as his blue eyes scanned the read-outs on the ship’s control panel, a sense of peace washed over Connor, as if everything he once feared was no longer around. It was calming, and he expected that the peaceful surroundings and isolation of the planet had something to do with it.

He wasn’t here to prove a point or risk his life to make a stand; he was here as a Silver Jedi, agent of the Light to battle the Dark.

Exhaling softly and chewing his bottom lip, he reached up after killing the power and pulled back the hatch, letting in random flakes of snow fall in on him, melting almost at once. He raised himself up, looked around at his surroundings, which seemed to blend into oneness, and leaped out to land on the rocky terrain.

Pulling up his cowl over his head, now fixed to a more manoeuvrable greatcoat that would help keep him warm but not impede him in combat, he pulled the coat around his side to cover the lightsaber on his left hip and started up out of the outcrop he was on. Crunching over shale and frosting, his boots dug in and his arms balanced out over a wide ledge, with a fatal drop below, to cross over to the other side of the cavern he had landed in and up to the planet surface. The cool wind blasted him, refreshingly soothing to the skin after hours in a humid cockpit.

Although he was on the surface, he took in the volcanic planet below, a pretty picture with a dangerous core that could erupt in any place, at any time. Nodding to himself, the largest mountain range he had seen seemed to look ominous, as if it were housing something impenetrable, something dangerous.

Working down the side of the incline he had only just come up on the other side of, Connor slowed down and twisted his head slightly, as if listening for something, or feeling a presence near in the Force. A presence he hadn’t felt since…

A small smirk crossed his lips and his hands rested on his hips as he stopped; a dark figure on the backdrop of the snowy white path behind him leading outwards to the mountains.

Eyes glanced up to the sky and then back around the area where he stood. She was close, and her aura in the Force so near was something more than just a coincidence to be on the same planet at the same time, most likely looking for the same thing.


[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus made good progress across the landscape. It was odd walking on a planet that was prone to volcanic eruptions yet the greatest obstacle to walking was the snow underfoot. And after the incident on Rhen Var when she fell down that ravine, she was a little slower in traversing the terrain.

In her robes she stood out against the back-drop like some sort of beacon. She hoped all eyes were facing forwards towards the prize rather than cast in her direction. But she regularly checked her surroundings for signs of life - as well as his presence. He appeared to have stopped - no doubt waiting for her - she had made no effort to cloak her aura.

Finally she saw him, hands on hips as if waiting for her and about to chide her for being late. Well as long as he had a mug of hot chocolate to hand, she'd accept the rebuke. She absolutely hated the cold.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Pushing down with his boots on the incline to maintain balance, Connor saw the cloaked figure crest a mound of rock and ice, and he had the same feeling he had on Voss only a couple of weeks ago. Corvus Raaf, Republic Jedi. Just why was she here, or rather “they”, the Republic.

Not needing to make himself known, as he would be easily identifiable to her already, he stood and waited for her to get nearer. Turning his head slightly against the bitter breeze, there was no direct warmth from the sun as it was blotted out by cloudy skies. It wasn’t freezing, not yet, but it was cold. Just like Rhen Var.

Stumbling forward, the recognisable face of Corvus was clear to see, and she once more proved difficult to read from her expression; but her discomfort was clear.

”Master Raaf. What a pleasure to see you here!” Connor shouted over the breeze. ”I take it you landed in one piece this time?”

He gave a small nod of the head.

”I would ask what brings you to the Deep Core - but I suspect it’s the same reason for my being here too. That or you just can’t help but check up on me.”

They were two figures standing out on the virginal white snow around them, marked only by their separate footprints. Connor smiled as he felt a strange notion that the Force was never really responsible for the fate of an individual. Or was it?


[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus was pleased she didn’t neglect physical training as part of her daily regime. Walking on snow and ice, in mountainous conditions and in the cold was never easy. She stopped and breathed hard, looking like some out of shape death-stick user as the plumes of vapour poured from her mouth.

Standing again from her hunched position she kicked on and finally he spoke. ‘Master Raaf?’ News travelled fast around the galaxy it seemed.

“The pleasure is all yours!” She smiled to show the taunt was good-natured and then spread her arms wide. “As you can see – I am indeed in one piece, as is my ship. At least it was when I left it. Honestly.”

“And as for me being here? I could say I’m doing a piece for the Jedi Travel Channel – Hiking on sub-zero planets, the very, very rough guide.” She grinned again. “But no, you are correct. We are here for, I suspect, the very same reason.”

“And I’d ask if you managed to get back from Rhen Var OK, but that seems a trifle redundant. But seriously,” her face straightened to reflect her words and a slight wrinkle formed on her brow, “How are you?”

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

It seemed Corvus hadn’t lost her sense of humour, or snappy wit. This was refreshing to hear, in Jedi of their position, that their humanity still hadn’t been extinguished in their ongoing battle against evil.

With a slight roll of his eyes at every other joke, Connor was attentive and held his arms tight before him, hands rubbing slightly to keep the circulation going. But with the sudden change in tone of Corvus, peering out from under her hood, Connor too felt an invisible cloud move over them.

”I’m ok, thank you.”

A feeble response, but one that would suffice until the topic it came up again, somewhere warmer and more comfortable than out on the icy plains.

”I found the answers I was looking for, and picked up few scars along the way.”

As if on cue, his core went icy cold and it wasn’t down to the weather; the Sith Magic nestled in his brain stem was constantly there, a constant reminder. It had only surfaced once, in a vision on Voss that made him realise just what the Sith Lord had done to him and he would have to live with. Hopefully it wouldn’t surface anytime soon, but he couldn’t be sure. Hopefully he could explain before it happened.

”We Silver Jedi like to take trips to planets infected by the Sith. Root out those little problems and just make them…disappear.”

He returned his gaze to Corvus with sincerity in his voice.

”I trust the one thing we have in common is the want to destroy the darkness that threatens the light.”

Connor turned and swept his hand out to the mountain range way ahead of them.

”Shall we move on before we become permanent residents here, Jedi Raaf? I do hope you brought some hot chocolate, or at least some Blue Milk. I neglect to have remembered the important things for such an expedition.”


[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus padded her robes in an exaggerated fashion. "I came to kick ass and drink blue milk - and I'm all out of blue milk." What was it about this Jedi that made her so flippant?

Shrugging the thought aside, she focused on the solemnity of his questions. "We have but one goal. Despite my love for knowledge and my dislike for its destruction, I think we can agree that the only possible course of action is to destroy the holocron - assuming it lets us of course. If the journals are to be believed, it has less of a gatekeeper and more of a fully-blown Sith spirit inhabiting it."

"A betting man would suggest none of the Sith I've encountered would get it to give up its secrets. But if the right, or rather wrong Sith came along - who knows? But even then, records show it wanted to play games with the one who did meet its expectations. Tests if you like. Are you familiar with the life of Darth Bane?" It sounded a throwaway comment, as if everyone researched Sith Lords that died thousands of years ago. But then Connor was here for the holocron and no doubt did his homework and the man she was referring to was the founder of the Rule of Two.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

With a little nod of approval, Connor placed his hand gently out and on Corvus’ arm, guiding her forward with him as he started to carefully walk sideways down the mild incline, working on following the rocky terrain and avoiding the ice.

”Bane? The one who favoured, or rather instigated, the rule of two if I’m not mistaken. Destroyed one Sith following to create his own and dedicate his life to the Dark Side.”

Connor turned to face her.

”Left rather a big legacy that proved too much for the Jedi and Republic eons ago. If only he’d have met you, he wouldn’t have known what him him.”

Stepping over a few small black ice patches, Connor reached out to offer his hand to Corvus if she needed it. Their path wasn’t overtly dangerous, but if not careful one could easily end up splayed out on the floor with a nasty bruise. A safer haven, surprisingly, would be the mountains, with less snowy terrain at the base to manoeuvre.

”Do you know where we are actually going, Jedi Raaf? I have a feeling the highest range I could find would house a tomb of such importance; what better place for a Sith to rest than in the mightiest of fortifications rather than hiding away in a small one.”

With Corvus talking about the intensity of the Dark Side and the holocron itself, Connor felt this would be another small test – but hoped nothing bad would happen, to either of them, in the process of attempting to pry a relic away from it’s natural resting place.

”But then I have been wrong before.”


[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus appreciated Connor’s efforts to help her. It was chivalrous bordering on the sexist – but perhaps in parallel to what he had told her of himself, he stayed just on the right side. For now.

Avoiding black ice and talking at the same time was proving oddly taxing. That fall on Rhen Var had sapped a little of her confidence on the slippery stuff. “The records were clear. Firstly to expect the unmistakable power of the Dark side emanating from the tomb. I feel it and I’m sure you do too.”

“A more visual sign was that it was located among the tall black peaks.” She waved her hand. “Check. And the stronghold was built on a flat plain of a valley hidden deep within the heart of the range.” She pointed at the flat ground ahead of them.

As she did so, the winds ebbed and with the snow less of a hindrance to their sight, they now could see in the distance a four-sided, flat-topped pyramid chiselled from black obsidian.

“It is said the two-hundred-meter tall building was part fortress and part monument to a self-proclaimed god. Andeddu had been worshipped as a deity during his long, long life before being overthrown. Yet even after his betrayal and death, a small cult of devoted followers believed his spirit still existed. They had continued their loyal service, preparing themselves for the day their Master would return.”

“Only time will tell if they’re still waiting.” She shot Connor a glance that said she was fully expecting it.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor shot Corvus a glance as they stepped along the ground, keeping their heads twisted against the biting wind and keeping their skin away from the cold. He could sense her hesitation to him helping her, and he chuckled to himself.

”Relax…you’ll thank me later when you avoid a nice big bruise on your behind.”

Jumping a few spots down off the incline, Connor stopped and followed where Corvus was pointing, listening to her with great interest, and coming to realise how much lore of the past was much alive today.

”So I guess we may have a welcoming committee then. Dwellers, fanatics, delusional Acolytes out to prove themselves.”

He nodded to himself, sucking in his lips and tensing his muscles as they had stopped moving.

”Come on – let’s move in and try to stay as high as possible and hug the mountains to get out of this weather before we freeze.”

The terrain before them was easier to traverse, and the mountains seemed to expand before their eyes, looming up ahead in a dark brown/grey rock formation, sprinkled with white frosting and snow-capped peaks.

It took a while to move up some of the lower crevices of the mountains, the highest peaks spanning far higher above and stretching out for who knew how far. Connor made sure not to patronise Corvus anymore – besides, they still didn’t really know each other and the last thing he wanted was a grumpy tag-along with a chip on her shoulder trying to prove which Order was best.

Connor knew the answer to that anyway. His gloves hands gripped chunks of rock as he walked around above the snowy ground below.

”Don’t fall down, Corvus. I shan’t be able to look out for you all the time y’know.”

He couldn’t help himself around her.


[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

The banter was good. It made light of the situation which would get serious soon enough. Plus she was good at giving it out so she had learned to take it.

“I’ll thank you to keep your eyes above shoulder level,” she said, smiling to show she’d taken no offense.

“And yes, if there’s one thing you can be sure of it’s that dead Sith tend to attract the less conventional kind of followers. No orderly fan club with an annual convention and big button badges saying, ‘Better Sith than Sorry.’”

She followed his lead. He seemed far more experienced in this type of terrain and as she had zero vanity, she allowed him to take charge. It may have been good fortune but the route he chose was much easier to traverse. He seemed keen to take in the view. She just kept her eyes on her footing.

As she copied his approach and grabbed chunks of rock to help her balance, she endured his next jibe.

Putting on a mock voice of fear she said. “Please don’t say there are any nasty horrible spiders there. You’ll have to go in alone if there are.” If her footing was more secure she would have aimed a well-placed kick at his posterior. As it was she’d just have to settle for a playful scowl.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

He didn't have time to protest his innocence to Corvus before she began speaking again; the last thing he had on mind right now was...

Connor shook his head slightly, letting the Jedi get under his skin slightly as he climbed up and over a ledge of frosty rock, similar to ones he had done weeks before on Rhen Var. When he pushed himself up, he turned and looked back down at Prakith, noting the picturesque scene below and off into the distance where they had come from...or so he thought...

Their tracks were already becoming harder to see in the diminishing light, and that wasn't good. Corvus let out a few grunts, and she was up beside him looking out the opposite way, across to the impressive structure that dwarfed them. Connor turned to see her gaze at the Sith construction.

"Wow...I don't think spiders will be your biggest concern in here."

Looking over at the Republic Jedi, Connor nudged her with his elbow.

"I've got your back, ok? I know you can take care of yourself, but don't be stubborn if it gets hot in there. Silver and Republic we may be, both sides of the border, but we both want the same thing at the end of the day."

He held out his hand, bowing slightly for Corvus to lead the way.

"And my eyes are firmly above shoulder height. You have my word."


[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus reflected that she knew little about her companion. They were from different Orders and despite the common ground of being a Jedi, she still didn’t truly understand their differences. How they’d differ when under pressure – and that’s exactly the situation they were about to walk in to.

She was aware he was kind, and chivalrous. He was courteous and gentle. He seemed honourable and there was definitely an easy rapport between them. But his comment about her being stubborn showed how little they truly understood each other.

Ignoring the magnificent landscape, she stared straight into his eyes. “This is me being serious now.” Her mouth was slightly upturned but her tone suggested she was being honest. “I know you have my back and it goes without saying I have yours. But I’ve said it anyway. We are both Jedi and I for one live by the Code. And that’s not a slight that suggests you don’t – it’s just a reference point for you.”

“I suspect at times we’ll be challenged in there and if we don’t work as a team we’re doomed. If you know nothing else about me, know I am a Jedi. Sometimes I feel like that proverbial candle in the dark, but my flame will never go out. You can rely on me and through the Code and its pillars, you will know instinctively what I will do.”

“I love knowledge and I shared my views on that subject the last time we met. But this holocron needs to be destroyed. I will not willingly take life to achieve that end but the goal is the goal. I will not endanger this mission – and if that means killing Sith, then my heart will remain true to the Force.”

“And you can lead the way. I didn’t make a promise about where I’d keep my eyes.” She flashed him a wink but the steely determination in her jaw was unwavering.

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Connor’s eyes looked up and saw piercing spires of what looked like a tall tower reaching above the other side of the mountain range, and it made him think this was, effectively, a back door to the tomb, or fortress – whatever it was.

He looked at Corvus to allow her to speak after him, and she did so with poignant and heartfelt words that struck a chord with the Silver Jedi. It empowered him to be alongside another so righteous and honourable in fighting for the side of good; hope and justice.

The fact he was a Silver Jedi allowed him the escape guard of having greater flaws, more apparent to others, than what Corvus had. On the surface she seemed perfect, too good to be true, but Connor knew he couldn’t have someone better beside him, not aligned to his Order, for this task.

”I understand. And you know I have touched the Dark Side – I have felt it, had it twist my mind and scar me physically at the hands of the Sith. However, I am a Jedi, a defender of the light and protector of the weak, as you are.”

He gave a small nod.

”Through my struggles I have become someone different from the man you met on Voss, and if you put your life in my hands when the time comes, you can trust me. I want to understand the Dark Side in order to destroy it, not become a servant of it.”

Connor leapt down from the rocky outcrop to the base of the pyramid, a boyish grin on his face as a result of her playful wink.

”Discipline, Knight Harrison. Discipline,” he muttered to himself.

Hearing Corvus land behind him, he moved quickly forward to the opening on one side of the structure; looking all too easy and inviting. Connor hated places that seemed to be unguarded and open for anyone to wander in, although if this was the tomb hiding the holocron of a Dark Lord, why would the Sith fear the likes of treasure hunters or Padawans trying to infiltrate such a place? Those not worthy and not knowledgeable would perish within moments, and so their own arrogance in their power was their security.

The passage way swallowed them up, allowing Connor to pull back his hood on his greatcoat, damp black hair swept back to avoid falling into his eyes. Fingers hung by his side, ready to take action at the first sign of danger. Boots carefully stepped one before the other along the frosty ground, crunching over ice and small stone. The light was dimmer than outside, but there was enough to see ahead…for now.

Connor gazed up and around as the wind howled down the makeshift wind tunnel the Jedi walked in, surrounded by the cavernous building etched with small carvings of phrases he didn’t understand.

”Don’t you hate it when things seem so easy?” he whispered to Corvus.

The floor beneath them began to slope down, into the bowels of the pyramid and what would be a route where once followed, would only give one way out. Connor rested his hand on the cold wall and leant forward, reaching out with his senses to feel what was ahead – nothing.

Well, not totally nothing. There was a small Force aura inside, but it signified nothing – it could be the remains of the Sith relics, it could be the holocron itself or it could be others waiting inside for the resurrection of a dead Lord. Great.

Connor turned his head.

”You feel it too? I feel we should have left breadcrumbs because I sense it’s not going to be as simple getting out. And I hope the view is good back there.”

Their shared toying with each other seemed to arise with the underlying concern of the danger they were in; a mild diffuser to keep fear of the unknown at bay, unknown of the situation and each other.


[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus followed Connor’s gaze and for the first time saw the tomb for what it truly was – a fortress. And she also saw what she expected had caught his attention – a back-door.

But before she spoke of it, she listened to his words. “I too have felt the Dark-side. My mention before was brief but I was subjected to Sith alchemy. I resisted then and I’ll resist again. And as for you, I have no doubt. Only the weak fall to the Dark-side. You are strong enough for both of us.” Her words were not ones of blind faith but instead were no more than what she felt through the Force. And that never failed her. And she was heartened by his choice of phrase, striking as it did similarities to words she’d said back on Voss. ’You don’t need to become a killer to catch a killer.’

“I know there’s an entrance on the roof – but I discounted it. Too inaccessible and if you landed there any remaining cultists would be alerted to your presence immediately – and it’s too easy for them to defend.”

“But fortresses are designed to keep armies out, not a couple of Jedi.”

She followed him down from the rocky outcrop to the base of the pyramid, aware of his charm but also of the task ahead. Thus far she’d avoided using the Force for fear of overtaxing herself. The journey would have been quicker had she used it – but discretion was by far in a way the better part now.

So she sensed their surroundings as he moved quickly forward to the opening on one side of the structure. No doubt the thought had occurred to him – it was all too easy and inviting. Alas the records said little of the specific guards put in place to protect the building.

As they entered the passageway, Corvus closed her eyes. Using Force Sight she reached out to create a mental map of their surroundings. The walls turning transparent to the Force. She saw no traps or guards. For now. But she sensed the Dark-side. Nothing specific but as she opened her eyes, she saw what she’d previously felt. The writing on the walls was clearly Sith in origin. And she hadn’t packed her phrasebook. As the noise of their boots echoed along the corridor, masked slightly by the howl of the wind, she whispered to him, “Can you read these?”

She nodded inadvertently when he mentioned things being too easy but refrained from mentioning she had a bad feeling about this. She could save that one for later!

As the floor beneath them began to slope down, she was aware of the Dark-sided aura growing stronger. It was oddly familiar. Enough to stir a memory but not enough to be able to place it. But in conjunction with the darkness of the tunnel, she felt she should know it. But she dismissed this thought for the present and pulled her head back to the here and now.

“Yes…I feel it. And yes, you have wonderful hair. You’ll have to tell me which products you use when we get out of this.”

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Pulling the black gloves from his hand, gently rubbing the tender scar tissue on his right wrist which was reacting to the cold, Connor traced lightly over some of the ancient markings.

”I…I don’t think so…”

And without warning, as his heart started to beat a little faster, the Sith Magic struck again.

Thin, black tendrils started to break through the Sith carvings, snaking out along the far reaching wall. Rock fell to the floor, and Connor was rooted the ground with a thick, oil-like substance bubbling form the floor.

Connor tensed all muscles in his body, fighting the illusion and grinding his teeth.

With a bloodcurdling scream, Corvus Raaf was enveloped in the tendrils, poisonous thorns wrapping themselves around her body, arms and legs, pulling her back into the walls of the fortress – all the while she laughed in Connor’s face, her features blurring into that of the Sith Lord Matsu Xiangu.

”Corvus…!?”

”Your lust for the Dark Side will cost you her life.”

His vision came back, and he was met with nothing but confusion from Corvus Raff, standing on the edge of the inclined path. Connor rubbed his hand over his jaw, controlling his breathing quickly.

”Did you feel that…be careful, let’s move.”

Ignoring what had just happened, he quickly moved forward and began side-stepping down the incline, allowing his Force Sight to help paint a picture of the walls and floor around him. His disregard for safety was apparent as he moved away quickly.

”Watch your footing.”

After a moment he came to the lip of the incline and could see orange illumination below, large vials of what seemed to be fire in a circular chamber made from cobbled stone and breaking out into 4 paths – 4 archways leading into the pyramid and into the mountains; into the fortress.

Dropping down over the edge, absorbing the small fall with bended knee, Connor stared at the cobbled floor as he waited for the sound of Corvus behind him.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Corvus had been around enough Sith to recognise their magic. No sooner had Connor touched the markings than his body went rigid. He was staring at her in a most peculiar way and then he called out her name.

Yet Corvus could neither see nor sense any real threat. But no sooner had he been affected than it was over. His breathing slowed and he dismissed the problem.

”Did I feel what precisely?” She glanced around again, in case she missed something. “I’m all for moving but you need to tell me what happened back there. What if it happens again? I need to be ready!”

”Watch your footing.” His warning seemed to be only for her as he seemed to press on without care. “Watch your footing!” she responded.

He gave her a choice – take care or keep up, so she opted for the latter. Reaching the point where she could finally see the source of the orange glow she stared at the four vials of fire and the choice of pathway. And so jumping down behind him, she uttered the immortal words…“Keep left?”

[member="Connor Harrison"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Blue eyes took in the 4 archways – one to their west, north-west, north-east and east.

”Don’t worry about back there, just a bit of a bad headache – Rhen Var took it out of me a little, and that amulet.”

Now wasn’t the time to discuss the Sith Lord, and he wasn’t sure how she’d react anyway.

Connor nodded. ”I was going to say right, but left is good. Right. Left it is then.”

He grinned at her, prying at normality – but he didn’t know what he was doing, trying to keep his defences up around this pristine Republic Jedi and refrain from showing weakness. He’d done enough of that around people, he had to maintain who he was and not let it slip. He couldn’t afford to.

Stepping forward, Connor took hold of one of the vials, a coppery-gold colour with burning flame inside – one, he assumed, burned from the magic of the Force around them, since it was encapsulated in an air-tight glass chamber with no fuel or oxygen.

”Shall we?”

Walking through the western arch, holding the vial up before his body, the fire cast an orange illumination over his body, his face and the stone around them.

”Do you even know where about we should be going, or are you simply following me, because I have no idea.”

Corvus was right beside him, confident and steady steps matching his, eyes scanning the passage.

Up above them, a soft clicking sound could be heard.

click-click-clickclickclick-click

Connor didn’t acknowledge the strange noise; it was either some insect or mechanics up above creating some –

DHUMMMMMM!

The second after the clicks, a pillar of stone fell down behind them, blocking the archway with a loud thump, spitting up dust and dirt from the cobbles beneath it. They were sealed in. Connor turned slowly, letting out a sigh.

”Great.”

He looked at Corvus.

”I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”


[member="Corvus Raaf"]