Private Journeyman to Flame

[Syd Celsius]

As Starlin Rand worked his Atmokinesis, Syd couldn't help but be immensely proud of her apprentice. Though he had a long ways to go, whether he knew it or not, this was a turning point. A few weeks prior he would have struggled with just the minions. He was learning to combine her lessons into new and different strategies.

As he powered the machine and produced rain effects in the sphere, Syd began to wonder whether it would ever truly be a good idea to tell him the full story of what she had once been. Syd didn't like to think of herself as vain, but having someone believe in and trust her...did she really want to ruin that by telling her student she had been one of the most sadistic killers of the Gulag Plague?

He was pretty much her only, solid friend other than Laertia. She didn't fully understand how limited her understanding of people had been until she started to interact with them.

As the rain in the machine formed, a crack on the other side appeared. Another of the portals they had been using to traverse large distances.

"That's more than enough. You've done very well today so far, Starlin." Syd said, heading for the crack in the wall. Not taking chances, Syd sensed for danger, any sort of danger, before heading into the portal...and was surprised when it exited out through the portal that had led to the first machine back into the first chamber where all this started. The third door, this one summer themed.

"On your toes, Padawan..." Syd said after contacting the enclave with her comlink and telling them where the mercs who had self-owned could be found. She then scouted for the third door, sensing danger, and gestured for Starlin to wait as she scouted this one too, slipping into the portal and coming into an extremely foggy part of the Shadowlands. The fog steamed against her as she moved through it, causing her face to bubble at she moved through it. There 'was' danger, but not immediate. Syd could see the Light of the third weather machine in the far distance

"Starlin!" She called out through the portal. "Its safe! For the moment...keep your blade ready, because its highly probable we'll run into something horrible." She finished, face resetting as she heated the air to burn away mild steam.

Once he had shown, Syd briefed him.

"I think we are in the Shadowlands, where the forest is deepest on Kashyyyk. Also, I know who sent the mercs. A deadly Sorceress known as the Assembly. No way she's on Kashyyyk, but if she is involved, we need to be on guard nore than ever. The Machine awaits, but we must be extremely careful...attacks in forests are among the worst sorts of ambushes."

 

[Starlin Rand]

Starlin sat down and took a breather while Syd scouted ahead, standing up and passing through the portal once she returned with the all-clear. Instead of another tomb chamber, they found themselves in the forest, specifically the Shadowlands, the deepest, darkest part of Kashyyyk. The section they had arrived in was obscured by a dense fog, making it even more difficult for them to see. He noticed that it evaporated into steam as Syd walked through it, causing her skin to bubble. Did that mean the fog was magical in nature?

Probably, given that she had said they were likely to encounter something horrible up ahead. Starlin reactivated his blades, casting a blue and orange glow on the immediate area around him. He followed Syd through the woods.

“So the Sorceress herself is the Assembly?” he asked, keeping his voice down just in case. “I figured it had to be an organization of some kind, but I guess not… How do you know the Assembly, Syd?”

He figured either the Assembly was on a “Most Wanted” list of evil Force Users that Syd had familiarized herself with, or she had deduced the sorceress’ identity through other channels. Maybe the Force had told her.

Syd Celsius​

 

[Syd Celsius]

"We're...old enemies..." Syd explained quietly to Starlin Rand "When I was first hunting down The Cult of The Brain Demon after I was...created...The Assembly was the Matriarch of the Cult at one point. Like all members of the Cult...she was a vicious, unrepentant sadist and murderer...with the ability to duplicate herself. I thought I had slain her during the Plague, but literal months before I met you she ambushed me at Katarr, and again at Golbah City. All copies of course. The Prime Assembly is still out there." Syd explained. "She's no pushover, Rand. I mean that. She's capable of killing me. The only reason she hasn't succeeded is that I'm very good at what I do. But I don't think she has any standing in the Cult any longer. Because if she did, it would be full on Witches we would be facing, not mercs and assassin droids. The Assembly despises the latter two."

Syd crept through the darkness of the woods, the fog noticeably making her flesh bubble until she dispersed it by raising the air temperature slightly. She watched for booby traps, warning hm to do the same.

She took the opportunity to advise him more about Pyrokinesis as they walked.

"Now that you know Pyrokinesis, you should remember its for more than just outright conjuring flame. It can raise air temperature. It can superheat the surface of your skin to make your blows do incendiary damage, or conversely make it painful for someone if they attempt to touch you. With enough skill, you'll be able to make shapes, even constructs. But it requires dedicated practice. Conjuring it in large amounts, for extended periods can be extremely taxing spiritually for novices, though I imagine this will lessen as you grow more skilled. Never conjure more than you think you can control, or you could be destroyed by it. Of all offensive Force Powers, Pyrokinesis is among the most deadly, for it is among the very hardest to defend against. Its more deadly than lightning in many cases, as it can so easily rage out of control. Only the most iron discipline can control it fluidly. Be careful with it. Extremely careful. Because if you aren't in control of the flame, there is a very good chance it won't just be you that pays the price."

Syd finally stopped at what looked to an ancient, moss ridden stone shrine of two faceless Jedi in robes, holding torches. The Fog stayed far away from it. The danger sense grew more severe the closer they got to the machine. But there was something odd about the pedestals the statues rested on.

"Lets stop here for a moment. If whatever is ahead is about to spring an ambush, we shouldn't make it easy. This is the perfect place to play Crazy Survivalist on people...and there is something about these statues."

Syd sensed a trace of Force Energy from the statues and immediately began inspecting it.

Finally, Syd began pressing the hidden buttons on each. A slot in each statue pedestal slid open.

Syd retrieved a strange parchment containing knowledge in magical runes. Her flesh rippled heavily for a split second as she 'metabolized' the knowledge, the parchment disintegrating.

(Plasmid Acquisition Theme Plays)

(Syd has learned a new power!)

Power: HEAVY JUDGEMENT

Spoiler

Heavy but slow traveling torpedo of light side lightning emitted from the mouth, capable of heavily stunning, but not killing either Dark Infused, Light Infused, or even Beings lacking any Force Sensitivity. Draw backs include cooldown, range, and travel speed of projectile

Syd tested the new knowledge on a nearby rock, and launched a heavy green lightning projectile from her mouth. It imoacted with a great shower of sparks like a Plasma Caster trying to hit Arnold, but otherwise did nothing to it.

"Hmmm...well, at least I got something for all this exercise...Let's see what's in this other one..."

Syd searched the second statue, smiled, and retrieved special weapons...

"Hey, Starlin!" Syd asked with a smile, "Ready to play Crazy Survivalist!)

(Zelda Acquisition Theme Plays)

(Starlin and Syd got new weapons and items!)

Weapon: QUICKSHOT (X2)

Spoiler

Wrist mounted, silent Bolt Launcher, tipped with tranquilizer poison

Weapon: NIGHTSISTER ENERGY BOW (X2)

Spoiler

Plasma based energy bow with much quieter firing sound, firing quarrels of pure energy

Item: GHOSTFIRE CRYSTAL (X2)

Spoiler

Lightsaber Crystal that renders a Lightsaber blade nearly invisible and completely silent when installed

Item: HILT KIT

Spoiler

A kit containing parts to make a Lightsaber...

"This must be some sort of ancient testing ground for the Jedi...but what the test is...we shall see..." Syd continued. "I know all about bow weapons, if you have questions..."

Syd drew her bow, plucked the energy string and let loose an energy arrow into a rock, blasting it apart.

"...feel free to ask..."

 

[Starlin Rand]

“Huh.” So the Assembly was something out of his worst nightmares. Great. “Well… let’s hope we don’t encounter her here.”

While Syd talked about Pyrokinesis, Starlin went ahead and tried to imitate what she was doing, raising the temperature of the air around him. Had there been a thermometer there, it would’ve wobbled between two separate digits, but other than that he couldn’t quite pull it off.

They stopped in front of a statue, and before Starlin knew it Syd was pressing hidden buttons and revealing hidden caches. His eyebrows rose as he watched her test out her new power, and climbed still higher when she handed him a QuickShot, energy bow, Ghostfire crystal and hilt kit. The crystal in particular made him muffle a squeal of delight. Force, he loved Syd's loot.

“I didn’t even know a weapon like this could exist,” he said, examining the energy bow. He was careful not to touch the plasma parts. “I took a two-week archery class in middle school. I remember that you’re supposed to hold your arm straight out, pull the string back to your cheek, and then let go almost like you’re plucking the strings of a guitar…”

He demonstrated as he spoke, though he was incredibly nervous about accidentally maiming himself. Aiming for the same rock Syd had blasted earlier, he loosed the arrow. It went a little wide of its mark. He glanced sheepishly at Syd. “I, uh, didn’t do very well in that class.”

Syd Celsius​

 

[Syd Celsius]

"I'll admit, my first reaction to an energy bow was to call bullchit..." Syd chuckled, plucking another energy arrow, drawing it back and letting it fly free on the same rock Starlin Rand had missed.

"...but they are very good, accurate weapons...Better than most solid arrows because the arrow isn't pulled down as it flies. Some models use solid projectiles but honestly? That's what bowcasters are for. Don't think about it. Don't hesitate. Let the Force guide your actions with the weapon..."

Syd unleashed another few arrows in the course of 007 seconds, hitting three different rocks.

"The quickshot is more of a close range weapon, she said, eyeballing a fallen, dead branch, making sure it was dead with the Force before actually firing at it. The bolt impacted on the branch.

"Range is crap, normally speaking but telekinesis can compensate, even guide it better. Remember, focus on what the Force says and what your instincts say...and let your hands and the weapon do the rest."

Syd then took parts from the kit they found, along with the crystal.

"Given how you nearly squee'd in delight I'm assuming you know what these do..." Syd spoke, taking the time to telekinetically assemble a small, shoto-sized hilt to insert her crystal into, and the short blade erupted with no sound, barely visible save for the faint pink aura marking the blade's existence.

"Excellent for stealth attacks. Let me know when you've fully prepared and then we move on..."

 

[Starlin Rand]

After observing Syd demonstrating the bow, Starlin imitated her and followed her advice, opening himself up to the Force and letting it guide him. That seemed to be the solution to most things in life; trust in the Force.

Sure enough, he struck the rocks and branch with the arrows. Exhaling a breath he didn’t know he had been holding, Starlin turned to Syd, watching her assemble her shoto. He did the same with his kit, creating a similar Ghostfire shoto. In many ways, it was even stranger than the energy bow. He found it difficult to track a nearly transparent blade, doubly so since he couldn’t really hear where it was coming from either. Wielding it would definitely take some practice, but it was, without a doubt, awesome.

“I’m ready to get going,” he said.

Syd Celsius​

 

[Syd Celsius]

Syd nodded and then began moving forward into the Shadowlands. The darkness and dampness were almost oppressive, very faint light coming from the kilometer high tree canopy.

It was strange. She had never done this with Starlin before...

(Cutaway of Starlin Rand and Cidd Cinndurr being hunted by Ancient Republic Special Forces within a vast chamber of ancient ceremonial pillars lit with the Kolda-Bratha Calculus while wielding energy bows)

Syd stopped, shaking her head slightly. What the hell was that flash?

She ignored it. She had heen greatly weakened by previous exertions. Her mind was probably playing tricks on her...

"Keep alert. The Shadowlands are the most dangerous parts of Kashyyyk..." Syd whispered. She stopped, her Force Senses tingling.

She saw the faint shimmer of a stealth field in one of the bushes. She whispered the Spell of Stealth Fire and crept forward, activating her Ghostfire Shoto, creeping up on the stealthed target, and then choking her target, holding the blade to his neck.

"You can either tell me who you are and why you are here or you can tell the Blade..." Syd growled.

The figure de-cloaked. It was a mercenary...

"We're here...for the machine..." he answered...

"How many?!" Syd hissed.

"Twenty-One..."

"Why haven't you just destroyed the Machine?" Syd demanded.

"A Terentatek is stalking us. It can cloak. And its quiet..."

Syd grew alarmed.

"Just fething great..." Syd muttered. "All stealthed like you, I take it?"

He nodded.

Syd punched his lights out, and proceeded to stretch out her senses as far as possible for threats, ending the stealth spell. She pointed out 007 places in both bushes and trees where the snipers were hiding. There was a horrible roar in the distance as she saw a man get pulled out of the bushes by something invisible then brutally ripped apart by nothing.

(Cutaway of Willard rising out of the water in Apocalypse Now)

She hand signalled him to stay quiet and nuetralize the enemies in the area...meanwhile another was ripped from the bushes and devoured horribly by the Terentatek...

 

[Starlin Rand]

Since he had been ordered to stay quiet, Starlin was forced to keep his questions to himself. A Terentatek? What’s a Terentatek?—

He soon found out, witnessing the gory death of a mercenary in the bushes. Starlin deactivated his sabers and hooked them to his belt, pulling out the energy bow. He nocked an arrow, pulled back the string, and let the Force guide his aim.

A roar from empty air, followed by thundering footfalls, prompted him to leap out of the way. Leaves and branches were whipped by the invisible beast as it passed, kicking up dirt and other debris. Starlin flew out of the Terentatek’s reach, only for his telekinetic flight to end with him stuck up in a tree like the world’s most incompetent Jedi cat. The Terentatek roared up at him, then lost interest, chasing after yet another mercenary instead.

Grumbling, Starlin fell out of the tree, barely managed to catch himself, and floated the rest of the way down, hiding in the underbrush. At least he had hit the thing. Notching another arrow, he took aim again...

Syd Celsius​

 

[Syd Celsius]

Syd moved methodically, using her quickshot to silently nuetralize the opponents, drawing the stealth spell over herself...

As she made her way, she noticed Starlin Rand had begun to engage the Invisible Tatentatek, huge and nearly silent except when it thought it had you. She wanted to help him as he was literally chased up a tree, though she admired his use of Force Flight to make his situation easier. She aided him by firing the arrow from her own energy bow to enrage the monster, and fired another to make it pay attention to her and give Starlin a chance to refocus. But this also gave away her position and she was suddenly forced to move as dozens of Sniper Bolts rained down on her position...with the Monster barreling on her position. She flew upward, letting loose more arrows from her energy bow, hitting three of the shooters in the face before they could target Starlin. Both of them were being shot at, though.

As Riddick would put it: There are bad days, and then there are legendary bad days...

Syd shot another two snipers, these with her quickshot, narrowly flying away from the swipe of the Invisible Terentatek.

Syd breathed flames on it, setting the screaming monster ablaze...and visible. Hulkin with two beastly wide arms and legs and a large head with tusks on its face and a large mouth of teeth. These beasts had an inborn resistance to the Force. But it wasn't going down. Being set on fire had actually made it angrier...

Syd spotted another sniper taking aim at Starlin and tossed her ghostfire shoto, silently killing Starlin's would be killer instantly.

"Keep hitting that beast. I'll keep the shooters off you." she called out, firing off arrows in the mercenaries direction to keep their attention on her. A forest fire would solve this easily, but she didn't need to explain to the Silver Jedi why she had burned down part of the Shadowlands...

 

[Starlin Rand]

“Okay!” Starlin whispered back to Syd, ducking out of the way of stray sniper fire as she commenced taking care of the mercenaries.

Starlin spammed attacks on the Terentatek—or tried to. He fired arrows at it whenever possible. The beast bellowed in anger, having been harried by energy arrows and set on fire by Syd, but didn’t retreat. Starlin flew out of the way as it charged at him, only to lose control and start spinning end over end in aerial cartwheels. But at least he hadn’t been hit yet.

Dizzy and a little queasy, Starlin finally managed to right himself. “Peter Pan and Superman made it look so easy…” he muttered, clutching his head. Feeling a little like Cupid, he nocked another arrow and fired at the stunned Terentatek, which had crashed into a tree trunk after he escaped it.

Syd Celsius​

 

[Syd Celsius]

Syd methodically took care of each sniper, knocking them out for the most part or quickshotting them as Starlin Rand battled the now visible and quite burning Tarentatek.

She had to duck after a sniper shot grazed her thigh in all the chaos, immediately retaliating by sniping her attacker in the head with her energy bow, her suit already starting to heal the wound, glowing green blood leaking out.

"Starlin! Its ablaze! You control flames! One plus one equals two! Season Eight blew! " Syd called out as she skillfully unleased two energy arrows into the heads of the remaining shooters. Others had fled by this point, and Syd wasn't interested in pursuing them with a raging Tarentatek still on fire. She suppressed the flames on its body from spreading and it looked pissed.

"Focus, Padawan. Burn this monster to ash." Syd said, speaking the words she so often wished to say to her old self, Darth Phyre.

If she had only known what was in store down the road at Dantooine, she would have wanted to tear her eyes out. Laertia had not yet disappointed the Jedi. But she would, irrevocably, after that day at the temple. All because of Nar Kreeta. All because of her complete loss of faith in the Jedi Leadership.

Loss of faith can be a davastating thing. Syd had to battle the sensation before, especially after learning she had been Phyre. But Laertia didn't have Syd's patience.

Syd was not fully aware of any of this yet, and the witches were still guaging Laertia themselves...

For now, these were the halcyon days of Starlin's apprenticeship, when all those dark clouds were still a ways off...

 

[Starlin Rand]

While Starlin kept firing arrows, Syd picked off the remaining snipers, downing them like flies. From his perch high above, the boy looked on in wonder at his master’s handiwork. She moved like a torch through the shadows, the flames of the burning Terentatek flickering over her form as she incapacitated the mercenaries. The others wised up to the blazing tornado of a woman among them and fled. Only her voice shouting up at him to use his pyrokinesis against the beast snapped him out of it.

Starlin floated down for a better shot at the Terentatek. For once, his flight seemed less jerky and unwieldy. He kept his distance, hovering just beyond reach as heat gathered in his throat, then darted in for the kill, unleashing flames upon the monster.

It roared and shook itself, but then shuddered and collapsed. He sensed the life leaving its body as it died, leaving a bonfire in its wake as the beast’s remains burned. Starlin descended to earth, his blood still singing with an adrenaline high.

“Syd!” he called to her, grinning. “That was incredible! You got all those scumbag mercenaries—or almost all, the rest ran off with their tails between their legs—and I killed this… this thing!” He remembered what it was called a second or so later. “... I just killed a Terentatek! I breathed fire while flying through the air, like a dragon!”

Syd Celsius​

 

[Syd Celsius]

Syd was positively beaming when she saw Starlin Rand fly and breath fire as she did. She felt a sense of accomplishment she had never experienced before.

All her achievements, if you could call them that, had always felt empty. It was only with Starlin she seemed to visually noticeably achieve something.

She felt a sting of guilt at her maternal sentiments towards him. Starlin wasn't her son. He had a mother who cared. But he was the closest she would ever get. She got more insight into what 'normal' was just talking to him than she ever had listening to insufferably stuffy Jedi Masters pontificating about the Balance of The Force.

Training Starlin was the only time Syd felt truly like a Jedi. Perhaps that was why it would be so easy for her to side with Laertia at Dantooine. Inevitably, past that, a choice would be made.

"I saw. You did very well, Padawan." Syd congratulated. "The third machine should be home free now. After that, only one remains..."

Syd then gestured for him to follow her through the forest to where the machine was. Some of the mercs appeared to have died trying to breach the Magical barrier around it. Syd took one of the knives on the dead mercs, cut open her palm, dripping glowing green blood on the runes encircling it.

The barrier instantly disabled.

"I think I know what these machines are for." Syd mentioned, striding past the disabled runes.

"I think they are some type of experimental defense system." Syd surmised, the Inscriptions on the machines having at last filtered all the way through to her brain after the crazy past few hours they had.

"They're designed to cover a vast portion of Kashyyyk, controlling the weather to do so. Harmless to defenders...but very dangerous to attackers." She said out loud, circling the machine as she studied it.

"This requires more sunlight. Starlin, use what you've learned so far. Try and use Force Light on it. The sun will never reach so far down to the shadowlands. If you need something to laugh it, remember the time I tried a fighting game against you and it took me five minutes to figure out how to block?" Syd asked. Starlin had wracked up 007 flawless victories that way. Syd still got red in the face from embarrassment whenever he brought it up. Like she had just now. She would never live that down...

 

[Starlin Rand]

Starlin was insufferably pleased with himself, beaming and basking in Syd’s praise. He walked behind her with a spring in his step, feeling as though the world belonged to him and he to it.

At last, the nature of the machines was revealed. It was a defense system which controlled the weather. “Cool,” he muttered, peering at the machinery. It certainly explained why atmokinesis had triggered the spheres.

Starlin immediately strode forward to do as ordered. He cracked a huge grin as soon as Syd brought up the incident with her not being able to figure out how to block. As mean as it was for him to take advantage of her ignorance, it had been hilarious. “Bit of a learning curve, that game had,” Starlin said, imitating Yoda’s voice. “Though not very intuitive, you were. Hold down the triangle button, you should have.”

Thrusting out his arms as if to hug the machine, he started to glow at once. His memory of the look on Syd’s face after he beat her seven times, all flawless victories, brought forth a peal of laughter from him. His Light brightened rapidly to beacon strength, filling the immediate radius with a warm white glow, dispelling the shadows around him.

Syd Celsius​

 

[Syd Celsius]

As Starlin Rand lit the machine, the area around it glowed softly. Syd spotted a slab of rock with one of the Portal Cracks in it.

She grew red in the face again as Starlin teased her about the string of fighting game losses.

"Oh, Gods, your Yoda voice..." she said with roll of her eyes. "It makes me wanna go deaf every time I hear it. I swear I held down that triangle button..."

Syd began to scoot through the crack in the wall. It led her back into the chamber via the first portal crack. She soon went to the fourth chamber door, now open, revealing another portal crack.

Waiting for Starlin to climb through, Syd went to investigate it. She sensed no danger from the other side. But she still had Starlin wait a bit while she scouted, going through it.

She exited out through what seemed to be a boulder carved in the likeness of a tree and was greeted by the sight of four artificial lakes on a great plain of grass, surrounding a small step pyramid. At the top rested the final machine.

But as Syd approached she stopped, sensing a terrible, rotting darkness the closer she got. She went back to the Portal Crack.

"Come one through. But stay sharp, we're not alone. I sense...I sense a familiar evil..."

 

[Starlin Rand]

Success! Not that Starlin had any doubt in his ability to use Force Light. It was the first power he ever manifested, after all.

He clambered through behind Syd, though he did let her scout ahead of him, making sure all was well. Wouldn’t want to get caught in any traps.

Once she gave him the signal, he entered the chamber with the final machine… and instantly felt a chill. “The Dark Side is definitely strong here,” he remarked. "A familiar evil? Is it that witch you mentioned earlier? The, uh... the Assembly?" Raising his blades, he didn’t activate them yet, looking around cautiously for the source of the miasma...

Syd Celsius​

 

[Syd Celsius]

"It could be..." Syd confessed. "I'm not certain...it's been a while..."

Syd made sure to check for especially magical traps as she approached the Step Pyramid. Nothing. Strange. She supposed it might be dangerous to lay Dark Side traps on a planet like Kashyyyk in such an open area...there was nothing to stop it being detected by Jedi. But if you got close enough, you could pick up traces still.

The interior of the Step Pyramid were covered in reliefs of ancient Sorceresses setting up the machines they had encountered so far.

Syd went over to an enscription on the wall.

"A long time ago...a number of powerful Light Side Witches foresaw a terrible threat coming to Kashyyyk...one that would rain fire and blood, and threaten the very existence of the Wookiees..." Syd trailed, examining the relief. "So they constructed these machines. Machines to turn the very weather against the destroyers, impossible for them to manipulate with their own heretical magics...but the experiment was ended by the Jedi, who feared the machines might unbalance the planet if activated. The Witches fought the Jedi and were slain by...by..."

Syd trailed, reading the name. It struck a chord in her she didn't understand.

"By the great Jedi Swordsman Morris Crownwraithe..." She finished, unknowingly speaking of Laertia's father. Syd didn't remember killing him personally as Darth Phyre.

A shimmer to her right caught her attention, and spotted The Assembly.

She was tall with very dark skin and hair tied in a top knot. Curves covered by a white gown that partly exposed her legs."

"You are a cockroach that refuses to die from bug spray..." The Assembly hissed, beauty marred by the hate filled malice in her eyes.

"And you are a fly that refuses to stay smashed from the swatter..." Syd retorted, not bothering to attack the illusion.

"You should have stayed out of the way Flame Geist. But it's just as good. Not only do I get to corrupt this wonderful machine to give the Jedi the nastiest rainy day ever, I get to feast on your mind and add it to my collection."

"Rot in Hell, Assembly..."

"Been there. Done that. And if I'm honest? I like what I saw." (What, no Spirit Animal?: 20 XP)

"I'm sure you'll like another stay, then." Syd replied.

The Illusion of The Assembly vanished, and horrible spidery abominations conjured from her flesh began crawling out of various crevices, slinking and hissing towards them...then sprinting with inhuman speed and leaping at her and Starlin Rand ...

 

[Starlin Rand]

Light Side Witches, huh? And the Jedi killed them? Seemed pretty odd.

But before Starlin could ask any questions, a woman appeared, radiating hatred and evil. “The Assembly, I presume?” Starlin asked with a cocky smirk.

The woman proceeded to turn into a bunch of monstrous spiders, and combat began.

Starlin put his shoto to use here, figuring the spiders wouldn’t much care for fire, let alone globs of lava being flicked at them. He swung his lightsaber at the legs of any creature that got too close for comfort, hoping to dismember and immobilize them. Would wounding or killing them weaken the Assembly? Were they a part of her? He didn’t know, but either way he had to deal with them, hacking, slashing, and burning his way through the arachnid horde.

Syd Celsius​

 

[Syd Celsius]

Syd hissed in disgust as she cut up more of these disgusting flesh spiders with her student, Starlin Rand , the orange blades in her hand ripping through the monsters generated from The Assembly's flesh.

"This isn't her true body. It's almost definitely an expendable copy..." Syd called out, slashing apart the monstrosity that leapt for her face. She slowed some that were trying to flank Starlin with Telekinesis, hopefully giving him more time to react.

Yet again they ran into the cult. Yet again her past reared its ugly Xenomorph-esque face. Syd was tempted yet again to tell Starlin the full story. But she had such an intense need to maintain his trust, that she feared shattering it.

Starlin deserved people he could trust. Why complicate him? Syd wanted him to go on and be better than she ever had. She couldn't ruin that. He was too important to her. Laertia was also too important.

She dared not ignite any flames in the priceless temple, though that may have been the Archeologist in her talking loudly.

Soon the first batch of spiders on her end were dead, and she went to assist Starlin, whispering a spell to help increase his speed, but otherwise letting him work the solution to such a deadly foe out on his own, only willing to intervene if he could not get a handle on it...

 

[Starlin Rand]

Starlin was fighting hard against the spider creatures when suddenly he felt a burst of energy suffuse his limbs. He sensed it had come from Syd, but he wasn’t sure what was happening until his movements became superhumanly fast. He cut through the spiders rapidly, his eyes wide and mouth hanging open in shock. Then a grin crossed his face, and he let out a whoop of excitement before leaping directly into the fray.

His slaughter of the beasts was frenetic, almost enthusiastic. The smile didn’t go away even as blood splattered his youthful face. In fact, he was almost laughing, enjoying the spell-inflicted speed he now possessed. The fight had become fun, the sight of the spiders being quickly eviscerated and then flung away like ragdolls rather comical.

Soon enough, the first batch of spiders were all dead. “If this isn’t her actual body, where’s the real one?” he asked—although the words came out in a fast-talking jumble, as if he had drunk three cups of espresso. “Let’s kill this witch!”

Syd Celsius​