Into the Furnace

[Vaylin]

Dantooine​

​

After the events on Athiss, Vaylin needed a break. She had met up with [member="Aria Vale"] shortly after it, but the comforting words and actions of her master could only do so much. The Zabrak desired some peace, a place to go to just remain in isolation and silence. Which in itself was ironic given Vaylin had that being stuck on Dxun, but then those years weren't exactly 'silent' any meaning of the word.

It was why she had come to Dantooine, remembering being on the planet once before with the Primeval. They had performed a ritual, and the Zabrak had recalled how dreadfully bored she had been for the majority of the time. The whole process hadn't been something that had interested the Zabrak, well until it got to the burning the prisoners part; that got her interest. But it was ultimately how peaceful the planet's forests that brought her back.

But as luck would have it, Vaylin was not going to get her moment of quiet any time soon. As not long after she had landed, the Zabrak had overhead rumours that cloaked individuals had been spotted in the forests that neighboured the settlement. It didn't pass her mind that it was same location the Primeval had gone about their ritual. And given she was rather tied to the group, Vaylin felt it was pertinent to investigate.

So under the cover of night, Vaylin stalked through the woods quietly. She used skills developed on Dxun to move swiftly around the trees, eventually climbing up one to get a better vantage point.

Cultists. A ragtag group that were presently sniffing around the clearing the Primeval had occupied not that long ago. The Zabrak was just close enough to pick up on some of the discussion, namely the fact they wanted to try and 'siphon' the left over energy from what they had done that night. Vaylin was still not well versed in the Primeval as she ought to be, but what she heard sounded bad nonetheless.

Unbeknownst to her however, was the fact there was another soul lingering within the area. They to were skulking about in search of the Primeval, only they had a different reason to.

[member="Vereshin"]​

 

[Vereshin]

The forest waited beneath a sequestered calm. A gathering chanted before the looming gaze of a wayward figure who caught on their psalms. Travelling home to Imperial space, Vereshin heard rumors of a rising Dark Side group who called themselves the Primeval. They practiced sorcery as their art and promised a home away from the lightsaber wielding Sith. Cigarette smoke hovered on the darkening hues of the forest as afternoon turned to night. Rimless glasses sat on his hooked nose and he huddled underneath a thick coat with a standing collar. Socks and lace-up shoes covered his tiny legs over loose pants which tightened at his knee. Leaning against a tree, Vereshin smoked and took on the identity of an unassuming traveler.

A rustle sounded from the branches of the tree. Strands of hair fell over his brow as he cocked his head in the direction of the noise. The chants of the cult piqued his curiosity and drew him closer. A soft bag carrying various necessities slung over his shoulder and he gripped the strap to stride further towards the voices. The cultists preyed to a deity and began a ritual preparation. Vereshin did not condone any religious beliefs, their endeavors in the arcane intrigued him still.

The presence of Force energy grew thick towards the area and the sorcerer detected the remnants of a previous ritual. The cult seemed to prey off the remaining energy. Vereshin wondered to himself whether or not they held any ties to the Primeval while the movements in the tree grew louder. He raised a hand to shield the rays of the setting sun while he looked into the branches. A woman dressed for combat scrambled above and he silently marveled at her capable physique. Vereshin lowered his voice and spoke.

"Madam, you look uncomfortable, why don't you join me?" He turned back around to face her. "I seek the group known as the Primeval, are you involved with them?" Cigarette still in hand, he brought his fingers to his lips and inhaled, blowing smoke into the air. The woman revealed herself to be a Zabrack and climbed down the tree to stand at Vereshin's full height. Swallowing a gulp, he took a step backwards. Listening to the chatter of the gathering cult, he turned around and walked in the opposite direction.

"I'm curious." Motioning to the woman, Vereshin moved further towards the cultists and crouched behind thick bushes. "Are you here to attack them?" He whispered and discarded his cigarette on the ground. Holding his breath, the Zabrack intimidated him only slightly. He assumed the woman demanded he aid her in removing the presence of the cultists before she welcomed him into the Primeval.

[member="Vaylin"]

 

[Vaylin]

There was an eerie silence to the wind as it blew through the forest, trees swaying in response. The Force was billowing like a hurricane, lurching back and forth like a beast trying to form a storm. The chanting broke through nature's reverie, a sharp contrast with their voices echoing across the clearing they stood within. It was ultimately reminiscent of the ritual the Primeval had done, although the words and language were completely different. That, and there was a distinct lack of power behind it in comparison. Whereas the initiat ritual had been done to sate their gods, this one was more like a starved mutt trying to eat up the scraps.

Vaylin was betwixt between wondering if this would've been of any worth to the Primeval. This group would likely be considered simple charlatans, and yet at the same time she imagined it would be taken as a offence that they were stealing from something that had been dedicated to the gods.

She was still not that much of a firm believer, but understood the reverence the Primeval had for those they worshipped.

The Zabrak inhaled sharply, intaking the sudden appearance of smoke. Vaylin coughed, and her eyes instantly snapped down from the tree to the source. She recognized it to be the foul stench, having had to get use to it after transitioning from living in a jungle to traversing cities. What struck her the most though, was the fact she didn't even realize someone was here before her. As in, literally standing near to the tree she had stopped at. The Zabrak looked down at the stranger from her high advantage, crouched on a hanging branch with little trouble. She didn't answer initially, nor make a move to join him. Though the mention of the Primeval did get her attention, enough for her leave her perch and land down onto the forest floor.

"Why are you interested in the group?" She asked, making no acknowledgement that she was in fact part of the Primeval.

There was a glimmer of satisfaction in Vaylin's mind, seeing the stranger gulp in her presence. It was a momentarily empowering thing, but was quickly gone as her curiosity took point. She followed him a bit, crouched beside him as he gazed into the clearing where the cultists were.

"I'm here the kill them." Vaylin corrected quietly, attacking was obvious but what was to come as going to be a massacre. Her eyes fell on the man, eyeing him up and noting he was not suited for combat. Unlike her, the clothing he wore hung loosely on him; making it clear his body was rather thin, if the sickly pale colour wasn't already evident of that fact. "Is that why you are here, to stop them as well?"

[member="Vereshin"]​

 

[Vereshin]

Feeling the presence of the woman creep up behind him, Vereshin rose to his feet and brushed down the front of his favorite coat. The air grew cold and he huddled beneath his scarf while cocking his head to listen to the chants of the cultists preparing their ritual. He felt the Zabrack's disapproving gaze. They stood as antipodes, one a fierce warrior, the other a timid seeker of knowledge.

"I come from the Sith." Vereshin looked down at the laces of his shoes and half expected the woman to laugh at his answer. He did not appear Sith while travelling and appreciated the safety of looking unassuming. "Though I suppose you can already guess that I do not belong there." Pushing his glasses up his nose, he moved away from the bushes with uneasy expectation that this warrior expected him to fight. "I now seek a place within the ranks of the Primeval."

"My name is Vereshin, though I go by Vi if you like." Vereshin offered his name and parted his lips in a smile which revealed his black teeth. The corruption of the Dark Side shone plainly evident in his emaciated figure and sickly white skin. "Who, may I ask, are you?" Swallowing a gulp, he realized how much he had been speaking and repressed his nerves. The woman stated her intentions

"Well begging your pardon miss, but I'd rather not." Vereshin stated in response. The desire to flee crept into his mind, though he would be left with nobody to welcome him into the ranks of the Primeval, if his Zabrack companion knew of their whereabouts. Her hesitation to answer him directly already aroused suspicion and Vereshin assumed she harbored some sort of affiliation. Arching his head around, he caught a view of the size of the group. There were too many for Vaylin to attack on her own. He began to conjure a solution in his head to subdue the mass of them and allow her an opening for her assault.

"If I may offer, I can entrance the group as a whole and allow you to eliminate them swiftly." Reaching into his coat pocket, Vereshin procured a little black notebook and pen. He strode over near the bushes for a closer look and began to estimate the numbers and mass of group. Having never been trained to use his powers in combat, he relied on concentration and preparation to conduct a feat of the arcane. "Though I would rely on you shielding your mind, or else you may be caught within the vicinity of the magic." Jotting down numbers, Vereshin looked over his glasses and raised an arched eyebrow in a gesture of warning.

[member="Vaylin"]

 

[Vaylin]

At this words, Vaylin gave the man an appraised look. Her eyes moving from head to toe as Vereshin looked down at his shoes. The Zabrak noted the expression and her eyes narrowed slightly. The Zabrak was not exactly the most trusting, and was currently trying to assess if the stranger was being genuine or if it was all an act.

"Appearances can be deceiving." She did not laugh, instead her suspicions increased. The corruption of his skin, the thin frame, even the blackened teeth screamed Dark Side. And yet his demeanour and clothing didn't, she was looking at walking 'n' talking juxtaposition.

"Vaylin." Was the simple answer she gave to his question, her tone irritated at the conversation. The cultusts with proceeding with their ritual, and she was just standing here talking to some stranger. Vaylin's eyes danced between watching her intended targets, and Vereshin who had taken a step back away from the bushes. "If you're not going to attack, then stay out of the way. You won't want to get in the middle of this." She fixed him a glare as he backed away from the fight, gritting her teeth slightly as the bloodlust began to boil in her veins. The Zabrak was ready to strike. And as such, she moved. But before she could get far, Vereshin spoke up once more.

Her eyes snapped to him, this time she didn't bother to hide the sheer annoyance in her expression. She was primed and ready to just charge into the fray, but certain teachings from Aria rang in her ears.

I cannot always be impulsive.

"Fine, do whatever you need to." Vaylin stepped away from the bushes, allowing Vereshin to jot down his notes unimpeded. She folded her arms, waiting to see what the stranger was capable of if he wasn't here as a fighter. "I can shield my mind, don't worry."

Sumiko's lessons had done well in teaching her how to do so, even though the more rougher memories of that time still lingered in her mind.

[member="Vereshin"]​

 

[Vereshin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYJ145vHEQ8​

The angry woman shoved past Vereshin in her battle fueled intent and he coiled by the brush of her armour. He gripped his notebook fiercely and held it to his face, clenching his teeth while he hid. Vaylin stormed towards the cultists and he backed away, glancing over the book once more as he wrote down numbers.

"There's no need to be rude." He muttered while writing. Biting his lip, Vereshin revised his calculations and came to the conclusion that entrancing all of the cultists at once might just prove too difficult a feat for an Acolyte to pull off. He said nothing to Vaylin and tapped his pen on the page in racing contemplation. "Oh dear..." He looked away and paused for the moment, not daring to display weakness in front of the Zabrack. Curiosity gripped him and every fiber of his being desired to see the end result. He only knew the effects could be dire.

The sorcerer watched Vaylin spring into her combative stance and he retreated to find a safer place to cast. A rising hill moved upward and away from the trees where a stone altar rose from the mossy top. Slabs and wooden poles sprung sparsely around the grass, remnants of a ceremonial gathering long ago. He took his perch before the rising slab and breathed deeply while he conjured an idea. Extending an arm, he closed his eyes and focused on the surrounding energy the mages siphoned and began to absorb it for himself.

Teal energy blanketed the grass as the ritual began and Vereshin diverted the power into his own grasp. The alien force felt exotic and unnerving, a tingle exaggerated through his spine and caused him to jolt with a chill. Once he gathered all the power he could muster, he reversed the direction of his casting and speared it into the minds of the cultists raising their hands to the sky. He closed his eyes and began to recite his calculations in the form of verbal incantations. Indiscernible syllables rolled off his tongue and echoed through the spawning power.

Images of indescribable horror plagued the minds of the targets and they grasped their heads in Vereshin's view, their screams travelling to his casting point and through the forest. Fever rose into his forehead and he felt the wet surface of blood form in his nose and run over his lips. Pain gripped his abdomen in a vice and he could no longer contain the ritual. With an audible gasp, he released his hold and flung down his arm. The energy he controlled erupted in a display of violet light and alerted the cultists to his location.

Two of them approached him from behind and lunged forward with staffs, throwing him from his perch and onto his backside. Cursing, he shot a hand and released a rapid burst of involuntary energy which singed the skin on one of their faces. He rolled over and found his feet, before running down the side of the hill and into the trees. Blood fell from his nose and he grasped his stomach in pain. The glow of a lightsaber quickly pierced the diaphragm of the man chasing him and the form of Vaylin stood behind him. He only hoped he gave her the time she needed to wipe out the gathering.

[member="Vaylin"]

 

[Vaylin]

Vaylin remained silent as kept her eyes fixed on the cultists ahead, while also listening as Vereshin mumbled to himself as he scribbled onto his notebook. The Zabrak's turned her head slightly, eyes glaring towards the man as his words reached her ears. She slipped down into the bushes, hidden amongst them as she lowered her entire body close to the ground. It was almost reminiscent of an animal, shifting into a position ready to pounce at a moments notice.

Her attention shifted back again, hearing the sounds of shoes kicking up dirt. For a moment she thought Vereshin had decided to run away, but that idea was swiftly put to rest when she realized the man was merely moving to higher ground. Vaylin noticed the stone altar was his destination, and figured it was his intention to make use of any lingering power to fuel whatever he had in store for the cultists. After her time with [member="Sumiko Tanaka"], the Zabrak had delved into research, discovering just what exactly was involved in the sorcery side of the Dark Side.

With her temporarily partner moved away, Vaylin decided to focus and fortify her mental defences. Closing her eyes, the Zabrak breathed deeply and concentrated. She called upon the memories and experiences from Athiss to bolster her mind against what Vereshin had planned. Even were that to fail, she still had the Oculus at hand if came down to it.

As Vereshin pulled the energies into his body, Vaylin felt her skin crawl, even more so when he eventually unleashed it not longer after.

It was like a wave that washed through the air, passing through the Zabrak and forcing her shiver as she felt a cold chill settle around her form. Her efforts to defend her mind proved enough to keep it from effecting her, and once Vaylin was confident the cultists were under its thrall; she moved.

The Zabrak darted out of her hiding place and into the clearing, lightsaber snapping to life with a blood red blade. Vaylin moved around the cultists as if it were a dance, one that involved severing the limbs of a group that were steadily growing more crazed. The Zabrak bobbed and weaved, dodging their weak attempts to try and strike her. Vereshin's ritual was doing splendid work in keeping them distracted. That was until it suddenly collapsed.

Vaylin's attention snapped back towards the altar, just in time to see the violet light erupt from there. She cursed as she saw two of the cultists run towards it, likely thinking and intending to stop him from performing the ritual again. However, there were still more of them to deal with - although they were now running away after regaining some clarity and seeing their fellows bodies littering the ground. There was a moment's decision of who to pursue, but Vaylin gritted her teeth and went after the two.

As she passed by, Vaylin quickly decapitated the one Vereshin had managed burn the face of. But she was swiftly following down the hill, and before the second cultist could strike at Vereshin, she plunged her lightsaber through his chest.

There was a moment of silence as Vaylin pulled the blade out, letting the body fall to the ground. The Zabrak's eyes were fixed to Vereshin's, glaring. It was clear as day she wasn't happy, but there was no snappy retort, no anger. Instead her eyes focused on the fact the man was gripping his stomach.

"You need medical attention." She said, deactivating her lightsaber and stepping past Vereshin. "Come, my ship isn't too far and it has supplie-" Vaylin cut herself off when she realized the man wasn't following, and had in fact collapsed onto the ground.

[member="Vereshin"]​

 

[Vereshin]

The dead cultist fell onto the teal grass before Vereshin's fluttering eyes. Pain surged through his abdomen as he watched the veins in his hands turn black. Gripping his stomach, he held another hand to his nose as blood poured through his fingers. His vision began to fail and the imagery surrounding him morphed into unfamiliar shapes. Incoherent static plagued his thoughts as the spell began to turn on him. His inexperienced fortitude was no match for the feat he attempted to pull. Resting up against a tree, Vereshin breathed in the smell of his own blood.

"I... I can't stand up." Chest heaving in racing tension, he gasped before the stance of Vaylin and struggled to speak. Sweat gathered on his forehead and fell to grass in large drops. He felt her presence close in and the stride of her feet, but she sounded very far away. She picked him up like a little woman and carried him through the forest. Tiny legs dangling over the warrior's strong arms, the meek sorcerer drifted in and out of consciousness as his head hung limply by Vaylin's shoulder.

[member="Vaylin"]

 

[Vaylin]

The Zabrak turned around at Vereshin's words, a frown on her face; whether out of concern or annoyance it wasn't clear. Vaylin clipped the lightsaber to her belt and walked up to the prone young man, his eyes blinking rapidly as he tried to keep conscious. There were thoughts of leaving him, just let him die on the ground and be done with it. What purpose would it serve the Zabrak to help him? Someone she barely knew.

But she was reminded of a lesson [member="Aria Vale"] had taught early on.

"Vaylin, you can't just dismiss or make enemies out of everyone."

"Why not? What's the point of making friends?"

"Because you'll need them, friends and allies. Especially following the path of the Dark Side; of the Sith."

Vaylin grumbled something under her breath, leaning down and pulling Vereshin into her arms. One arm wrapped under his legs and the other against his back, leaving his head to rest against her shoulder. She could feel how thin and frail is body really was, to a point she wondered if his bones would snap if she increased her grip any more. Nonetheless she pressed on, moving through bushes and around trees with ease. Her experiences on Dxun always proving invaluable in navigating another planet's forests. Even carrying Vereshin wasn't an issue, which in comparison was equivalent to carrying her day's meal back then.

It had only taken minutes and Vaylin was back at her ship, it was fairly new, an upgrade from the dinky one she had picked up shortly after Dxun. It still held that certain smell, as if it had just been freshly plucked off the factory line. That, and Vaylin hadn't the time to make it her own just yet. The most important improvement, especially in terms of her current situation, was the inclusion of a ship droid, one that greeted her upon her arrival.

"Ah, welcome Mistr- Oh. Oh dear, is the young man injured?"

"What do you think?" She glared at the droid. "He needs tending to, mending - whatever." Vaylin pushed on deeper into the ship, carrying Vereshin to the medbay. It was relatively sizable, enough to comfortably hold two patients at a time. The Zabrak gently placed the young man on one of the beds, and assisted the droid. She helped move machines over to scan him; diagnose what was wrong.

More machines were shifted around, some kept to continue monitoring Vereshin's condition. A couple directly hooked up to the man in question, pumping a steady stream of needed medicine.

Vaylin remained, despite her minor grevances and annoyances with the young man. She pulled up a seat and simply kept watch, slowly drifting off into a light sleep.

[member="Vereshin"]​