[member=Gabriel Vestex] [member=Dianna LaCroix]
It was snowing. The flakes cascaded down fast, soft and as silent as a memory - it was heavy and it would accumulate and lay. Blanketing the grass, dusting the shrubs and statues with white and weighing down the branches of the trees. Towering colossal skyscrapers twisted and stretched to the skies above, looming almost darkly in the distance. Ahead through the dark twist on the winter wonderland, long winding trails lead Lara towards a network of subterranean caves within the large glaciers above. When she dared to patter across the snow to peak down the cavern entrance, her green eyes could only see so far until the darkness seemed to swallow her whole.
Despite the cold and falling snow she was clad in a sleeveless green dress, roses of matching color dotted her hair among melting snowflakes. Her hair itself contrasted greatly with the green, the colour of a burning sun beating above the frozen wasteland. Her feet tore ankle-deep holes into the snow but made no sound as she kept walking. The snow drifted down and down, all in ghostly silence, and lay thick and unbroken on the ground. All colours had fled the world. It was a place of whites and blacks and greys. White towers and white snow and white statues, black shadows and black trees, the dark grey sky above, all color muted save for the green and blonde maiden.
It felt to Lara that she had been walking forever, the cold bit and nipped at her skin but for some reason she persisted forwards on her adventure. The wind blew and made her dress and golden locks billow behind her as she approached the large open space deep within the caves. Thirteen burial chambers lay at the end of the tunnel system, each containing a mummified corpse with weapons, armor, and trophies. Each item was pristine, to the surprise of Lara. No dust, or cobwebs from spiders that lingered deep within the darkness surrounding her plagued the relics of old.
She paused.
Lara knew where she had seen this sight before, and a rush of nostalgia struck her like the freezing winds whispering and chilling her bones. The Ice Crypts upon Coruscant. She had spent many nights reading the old worn binded book titled ‘Twenty Wonders of the Galaxy.’ She had struck lucky on one of her stealing missions to strike 10 credit chips, credits like that were a miracle to children like her and Gabriel. Earlier that week, they had both done well with gathering food and supplies. Gabriel let Lara buy something of her choice from the market kiosks, she had plucked this book from an old elderly woman, whose rosy cheeks and bright wide blue eyes made Lara feel safe enough to approach over the other aliens that overwhelmed the market, looking to make a quick sale.
She had sold the book to Lara for 5 credit chips, leaving her another five to get a gift for Gabriel. She had decided to buy another item from her stall, and purchased a warm fluffy navy blue scarf to keep him warm. Just as he had purchased the coat because it reminded him of her eyes, so she had returned the favour in kind.
The Ice crypts were an awe-inspiring vision for those lucky enough to get to see it. In the book she had read how Archaeologists believed them to be the remains of the chiefs of the thirteen nations of Zhell, who presumably had fled there after their defeat at the hands of the Taungs in Pre-Republic times. While the crypts were open to the public in the time of the Galactic Republic, the Empire long ago restricted them in an effort to suppress information on Pre-Imperial civilizations. The temperature was maintained to keep the tunnels from melting, and tourists were prevented from entering the chambers themselves. Some curators claimed to have heard ghostly voices at night reciting the chant "korah mahtah." The very thought of civillians daring to get so far, but then run away out of fear to such chants made her giggle.
“Lara” a voice echoed, it rippled with pain and anguish, and it brought her back to reality. Lara paused suddenly, and turned. Her blonde locks bounced with life, and her green eyes were as wide and sharp as a wilk’s, from the forest moon of Endor in an attempt to see who called her. The darkness fell like a blanket around the area but a light strangely illuminated above to show a shape below the snow. She fled then, leaving the urge to follow. She drifts through the snow with her blonde hair and green garb billowing behind her, the snow caresses her face and lands on her lashes as light as lovers kisses - just as fast as the chase ensues, it stops. The lost princess falls to her knees, before a shape concealed by snow. She stares at the shape wistfully with her skirts pooling around her.
Gabriel...
Lara Straife stood again, and after what seems like an eternity of pause, she sweeps the snow from the shape and reveals it's a tomb. With writing of old carved deeply within the crypt before her.
Gabriel..
And suddenly they're everywhere. It's an infestation, tombs coated in snow. They start to move, the snow breaks and falls assunder.
Gabriel...
Chiefs of the thirteen nations of Zhell burst free from the tombs, the oldest were grey-faced and gaunt, dead. The newer ones retain color, red of blood pouring out their eyes and mouths like a horror holo-drama.
Gabriel! Help me!
And there ahead of her, a tall Cathar walked forwards from the shadows, stumbling and groaning with incoherent words. Matted fur befell his once beautiful mane, and his once bright blue eyes were dead and frozen. Just like the Chiefs surrounding him. Blood dripped from his throat, a dagger had been swift and able to bring him to a long and agonizing death. Tears fell down her cheeks, when realising exactly who was infront of her.
Gabriel!
Her surroundings began to seep away, like water colours upon a page. Everything from the frozen waste land, to the Zhell chiefs, and then finally Gabriel. She tried to shout out to him again, desperately for him not to leave her but no sound could be heard. A pain built up within her throat, and spread across her entire body like a burst of flames. She screamed from the excruciating pain. But still no sound could be heard. Everything went black.
"LARA!" She heard his voice again, and for a moment..Lara wondered if she had died. No..colour was beginning to return in her vision, it was blurry..but it was there. She could make out Gabriel infront of her, and warily she extended her hand to try and reach out to her comrade, wanting nothing more than to be held within his arms. Make the bad dreams go away, Gabriel. However the nightmare was not over, and Lara felt the freezing metal pressed against her throat, threatening to end her there.
"Don't move, pretty little thing." the Rodians lips pressed tightly against Lara's ear, he sounded satisfied..and confident. Too confident. "We wouldn't want there to be a terrible accident now..eh?" The rodian licked his lips disgustingly, and it sent shivers down her spine. She didn't try to move, her entire body ached and her head was burning with agony. All she could do was be held in his arms, a bargaining chip to be used against Gabriel Vestex infront of her.
"This is what is going to happen, fluff ball!" The rodian shouted, the jeering from the crowd fell to a halt, giving the criminal a chance to state his terms. Her green eyes desperately searched the civilian's faces, in hope that anyone would help..but she could see nothing but excitement. This was nothing but a game for them. "You're going to give me all of yer' kriffin' belongings to make up for the damage you've done!" He removed the knife only briefly from Lara's throat, to gesture to his ruined kiosk and merchandise. "And you're goin' to work for me from now on. A pathetic, useless, scrawny, slave. And if you don't..well.." The rodian giggled excitedly, and Lara clenched her eyes tightly together when noticing the alien lean his head closer to hers intimidatingly. "If you don't..then this pretty little thing will be sent to the Hutts. Yer' know like I do how much they like their gifts.." Lara tried to struggle, she tried to do anything to get away from the alien holding her tightly within his grasp but it was futile. She was an animal trapped, waiting to be slaughtered. Tears brimmed the corner of her eyes, and she set her gaze upon Gabriel infront of her. She tried to shout at him, to warn him to not let him do such a thing. But the damage from the nautolan to her throat hurt far to much for nothing but a croak to escape her lips.