Private Sorry to Bug You

[Melydia Gold]

Her brow furrowed with Kal's description. Old was...good right? Or bad? She wasn't entirely certain. Maybe it was bad, old often meant grumpy. Grumpy people often weren't fun people. Still, there was always room for surprises, especially if this day itself was proof of anything.

As Kal glided forward, she was eager to follow. Wings fluttered here and there as she went, her feet occasionally leaving the ground for a few steps at a time. As they came across the corpse, however, her feet came to a halt, looking upon the body with wide eyes. No bugs, no fungi, nothing. A small field of death.

"This is..." she wasn't quite certain how to finish that sentence. Her head cocked to the side, curiosity encouraging her to get closer to examine, instincts suggesting that she move her self far away from the corpse and further obscure the cave entrance. Very carefully, she pulled the satchel off her shoulders, setting it aside just out of the field before she dared move closer.

"Who are you?"

Kal ​

 

[Kal]

Fascinated by the strange presence of the corpse, Kal stopped paying attention to Melydia, assuming her equally busy; it was old, beyond old, yet still so well preserved. It was no surprise that the usual carrion-eaters had stayed clear, given the aura it sported, but to more or less stave off decay as a whole was a testament to something more than a mere warning. Did it kill on such a level that even bacteria could not-

Form swivelling to face his insectoid friend, his warning came... <Don't...> ... just a little too late. <... go in there.>

His concern faded somewhat when she seemed more or less fine, but spiked again when the presence in the mummified thing stirred somewhat, as if in recognition of her words or perhaps simply that someone had entered its presence and survived; large enough not to perish yet bold enough to ignore the unnatural sense of foreboding that surrounded it. More than a mere animal, in other words.

<We may not want to wake it, Melydia.> If they had a choice, that is. Hard to say just yet.

Melydia Gold​

 

[Melydia Gold]

Kal's warning didn't quite fall on deaf ears. Rather, by the time it processed, she was already locked into the motions. Pausing for a moment, if only to acknowledge that she heard him, only to move a couple steps further, entranced by the creature on the ground.

As she drew closer, her eyes squeezed shut, as if expecting to be hit by some great pain any moment now. A few seconds later, however, and nothing seemed to have happened. She released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

The corpse moved. She jumped, stumbling backwards with a hardly contained "Woah!" as she went. That could've been bad. Still could be bad, too, that was a bit of a toss-up.

"Then what might we want to do?" She asked Kal in a medium whisper. "Forward to carpet-man or back from where we came seem to be our only options."

Kal ​

 

[Kal]

Equally startled by the sudden movement and Melydia's subsequent stumble, Kal slid a bit backwards on instinct alone before catching himself. Dead or not, there was something decidedly uncanny about this thing - much more so than one would expect from a slab of dead meat.

<Observe first, perhaps? I often watch unknown phenomena for quite some time before announcing myself.>

That did not seem to be an option with his new friend present, however. Though certainly good company and undeniably skilled at manipulating life, at least by his standards, she did not seem to be gifted with much in the way of patience. Driven by emotion and instinct both, it seemed. Busy thinking of a new approach, he did not immediately notice the energy shifting, growing denser and perhaps a bit more expansive.

Relaying his uncertainty, he glided a bit further back. <Oh. I think it might be doing... something. Perhaps we should...>

Melydia Gold​

 

[Melydia Gold]

Of course. Waiting. Her favorite pastime. It certainly wasn't ideal, but Kal had the right idea, whether she liked it or not. And while he thought on a different approach, Melydia mentally settled herself in for a long waiting time.

That didn't appear to be the case, however, with the energy around the creature shifting. A mixture of concern and interest made up most of Melydia's being as she watched, taking a few steps back as Kal did the same.

<Oh. I think it might be doing... something. Perhaps we should...>​

"Hi! Our name's Melydia. Please don't hurt us carpet-friend!" she blurted out, friendly smile shifting to that of absolute horror when she realized the words were actually said out loud. She cast a quick glance at Kal, as if to say 'Whoops, did not mean to do that', before moving a step or two forward to place herself in between Kal and the corpse. If it lashed out due to her outburst, she wasn't about to let it hurt her new friend, too.

Kal ​

 

[Kal]

The very last thing they needed was their presence loudly and enthusiastically announced to the stirring corpse and yet that was exactly what Melydia saw fit to do. Had it been anyone else he would likely have chastised them, mocked them, or at the very least glared at them, but he had quickly come to realise that the insectoid was a rather unique creature. One with a strange perspective and mannerisms, but not in a bad way.

It certainly did not hurt that her first instinct was to protect him, though that made him nervous more than it comforted him.

Surging forward with remarkable speed, his shadowy form lost its humanoid features, transitioning into more of a cloud as it shrouded her from the creature's view. Or rather, formed a tenebrous blanket that did little to obscure her from mortal eyes.

<Please be still and try to keep your presence to yourself. I have experience hiding from the unseeing eyes of the dead, though rarely in realspace.> It was different in the Netherworld. Fewer variables, for his kind anyway. It came less naturally here, though it was still within his area of expertise.

Stirring further, the corpse-creature pushed itself to its feet... empty sockets turning towards the nearby satchel.

Melydia Gold​

 

[Melydia Gold]

There was both a relief and a growing concern that shifted in Melydia as Kal shifted from being to shadow. The misty visions were a new experience, no doubt. And if it saved her from any maliciousness that otherwise would've been directed at her, even better.

She continued to watch the moving corpse with a curious glance . This would've been the time to run, she vacantly noted as the corpse rose to its feet. Still, her own boots remained unmoved, still utterly entranced with the creature before her. They were a curious sight, truly. Something she wouldn't mind trying to fix. Another friend for the collection, another fixer-upper for the talley.

When it set its sights on the bag, however, a gasp caught in her throat. Kal had told her to remain still, she knew that, but the fact that the creatures inside were now at a threat encouraged her into action.

"But I need to protect my friends," she reasoned, at least aiming for the conversation to be telepathic over soken, just in case the sound is what captured the creature's attention. Still, her soft words fell on deaf ears, at least for the corpse in mind.

Reaching out into the Force, she started willing the bag to do a number of things. To move closer to her, to move it further away. The opportunities were far from limited. Yet in the moment, she was at a bit of a loss, eventually opting to just move the bag further into the cave entrace. Away from the corpse, yet neither so close to her and Kal-friend as to give away their attempt at hiding.

Kal ​

 

[Kal]

The fondness she held for her beetles significantly less charming when it involved her protecting them over avoiding the attention of the corpse-thing they had awakened, Kal struggle to come up with an argument she would find persuasive - and in that time, she had already acted.

Mummified corpse going deadly still for a long while in response to the sudden movement, he almost dared hope that it would fail to understand the action, but no such luck. Empty sockets now drilling into the empty air with malevolent intent, Kal continued to hide them, but it was only a matter of time before there was a slip-up. He had to succeed continuously - the creature, only once.

<Move back. Slowly. I will attempt to distract it.>

True to his word, Kal sent a sliver of power outward, manifesting as a sudden shower of sparks from the other side of the room. Harmless illusions, but quite loud both on the spiritual plane, he was sure. Utterly inelegant in its lack of refinement, but that was exactly what he needed.

Melydia Gold​

 

[Melydia Gold]

She screwed up. She knew this even as she did it, the physical manifestation of an 'oops' building up in the back of her throat. But her friends were safe and that was good. Now, to ensure her other friend would also be safe.

Or, she noted as the corpse's demeanor changed, she should let Kal call the shots now. She never really thought of if a corpse could look angry, yet somehow this one managed the look just fine. Melydia was suddenly even more grateful (as she was absolutely grateful to begin with) for Kal's shroud keeping her out of the anger-corpse's view.

<Move back. Slowly. I will attempt to distract it.>

She nodded, unaware of whether or not Kal could perceive the movement in this form. The insectoid found herself nearly jumping at the sudden sparks, momentarily forgetting she was supposed to be doing something in the meantime. Soon enough, however, she remembered herself again and began backing up, keeping her eyes glued on the anger-corpse.

As she drew closer to the bag she paused, waiting to see if she'd get away with picking it up while the creature was distracted. "Is it running time?" she asked, mouthing more so than speaking allowed.

Kal ​

 

[Kal]

His display had caught the corpse-thing's attention, that much was clear, but it had also agitated it further. Empty sockets now glared menacingly at its seemingly empty surroundings, his shroud holding for now. It was only a matter of time, however. Good thing his friend was finally backing away.

Paying close attention to the creature's mannerisms, he would have stiffened if he had a body. It was noticing. As it was, his concern made itself known at around the same time as Melydia asked her question. <Yes. Run.> Abandoning his efforts to hide her once she started moving - there was no way he could hide anything that major, so he didn't even try - he made himself visible, shadowy form skirting to the side.

For a moment, it seemed as if the undead Sith might be content to leave them be, but then it drew its hand back, pure dark side energy gathering around shrivelled fingers, which turned to aim at Melydia. The living one. Of course, he should have expected that.

Moving quickly, Kal conjured a shattergun-like hail of shadowy darts, the much less potent display striking the zombie-thing and dispersing the forces it was gathering. It might even have made the flesh it struck seem even more shrivelled and lifeless, but it was hard to tell.

Melydia Gold​

 

[Melydia Gold]

At Kal-friend's encouragement, she scrambled to pick up the bag, slinging it over her shoulder with just a bit too much vigor, sending one of the larger creatures tumbling out. With a short yell of surprise, she cradled the being in her hands as she started to run.

It was a haphazard sprint, sometimes shifting into short bursts of flight as her boots nearly tripped over themselves. the beetle she'd used for light quickly became useless in the flurry to get out before the angry carpet man could catch up. She didn't know where Kal was, couldn't make out his shadow among other shadows without stopping to think on it.

She turned to look back every so often, both worried and encouraged that she couldn't make anything out. Yet as she turned back to continue running that final time, she faltered, losing her footing in the dark.

That wasn't good. Not good at all, very berry bad. Blinded in the dark, unsure if Kal was in front of or behind her by this point, nor exactly where the anger man was, her eyes widened reminiscent of a cornered animal. An arm lifted to shield her face from whatever might come her way, her own energy channeling to lash out at an attacker.

Kal ​

 

[Kal]

His little distraction had been sufficient to disperse the undead's own blow and good thing. He doubted Melydia - or for that matter he himself - had the mystical endurance to take that and keep going. Especially since the former was tripping over herself in the dark.​

Leaping at the opportunity created by his friend's sudden decision to lash out with her own Force abilities, he focused his will, gathered his thoughts, drew upon the death the creature radiated, and peeled back the veil between world just long enough for a pair of Shrouds to slither through. Tired by the exertion and all-too-aware they would only distract the thing for so long, he paused only briefly before rushing over to Melydia.​

<We need to go, now,> He urged, relaying his own "visual" impressions alongside the message. He could help her see, but she needed to move herself and quickly. They could lose it in the jungle, he was sure, there was so much life to blend in with there.​

Who knew, perhaps some of the insectoid's larger "friends" might be able to help.​

Melydia Gold​

 

[Melydia Gold]

Unable to see the Shrouds as they entered the field, but nevertheless still sensing more presences make their appearance, another jolt of panic ran down her spine. Yet there was no time to succumb to panic, not now. ​

<We need to go, now,>​

The urgency in the projected voice was not lost on Melydia as she scrambled to her feet. The vision of sorts Kal granted was strange, something to get used to if they weren't very possibly running for their lives in the given moment. She gave a quick nod in Kal's general direction (at least what she thought to be his general direction) as she continued her sprint toward the cave entrance. ​

With his aid, she approached the vined barrier in good time. With one hand still cradling a creature and bag slung over her shoulder, her other hand made a jerking motion ahead of her, ripping the vines aside. Whatever gentleness she'd displayed towards the plants previously was lost in the urgency of getting out. ​

"This way!" she said through clenched teeth, feet fully leaving the ground as her wings buzzed into action to propel her through the opening that'd been created. There was a beast resting nearby if her mental map was correct, one that was very clear that he was not a friend. And while she'd been saddened by the rejection before, perhaps she could make use of it now. "Watch out for the hungry one!"​

Kal ​

 

[Kal]

Following nervously along as his friend made her escape, he was very aware that the corpse-thing was ripping through the Shrouds he had conjured in much the same manner as Melydia clearer a path through the vines, only much more viscerally, its clawed fingers rending spirit as surely as flesh.​

Slithering through the hole in the wall of vines after her, he followed the motion of gaze towards a resting giant of a beast, reddish-brown form more than sufficient to ensure prey and lesser predators kept their distance. A fully-grown Zakkeg, if he was not mistaken. Fearsome indeed.​

<Do you think you can...> Behind them, the vines began to wilt, heralding the coming of the being chasing them. <... antagonise it?>​

The corpse-that-walked had been surrounded by death made manifest, its very existence the bane of lesser lifeforms - that had largely been bugs and plants and minor scavengers, however. Nothing even close to this great beast bursting with life had been present in the enclosed cave.​

Melydia Gold​

 

[Melydia Gold]

"We can try," Melydia answered with short breath as they rushed through the forest. She hated inflicting such violence that was the carpet-man upon the unsuspecting creatures, both friends and would-be future friends. Yet there was also something to be said about self-preservation, even if it was more centered around protecting other friends than herself.

She ran up to the resting creature, wings fluttering to launch her from danger if the beast should charge. "Hey there, sleepy-one," she started, a hand reaching out to poke the creature as her influence poured into the being. Normally, she wouldn't dream of forcing friendship upon an entity, not at this rate at least. But adrenaline spurred her into action, amber eyes glowing gold to match the beasts' as they were roused from sleep.

"Yeah, that's it," she coaxed further, casting a nervous glance over her shoulder, trying to get an idea of just how close the waking monster was now. "We need you up now," with that she took to the air, grasping a tree branch for support. "Protect the hive."

Kal ​

 

[Kal]

It was fascinating seeing Melydia in action, truly. She had yet to display the raw power many Force Users, especially ones of a Dark disposition, seemed to favour, and yet that did not invalidate her potential in the slightest. Her ability to influence the living world was quite remarkable; directing this great beast towards a foe seemed minor in comparison to her ability to alter creatures, but its situational usefulness was undisputable.​

One could hardly expect to have the time to drastically alter a lifeform in the midst of a dangerous situation.​

<Stay hidden, please,> came his telepathic followup to her actions, but that was hardly meant to imply that Kal was in a self-sacrificing mood. As the undead Sith entered his line of sight, he made himself especially visible, the lights in his eyes glowing brighter as if in open challenge, the act doubly visible to more mystical senses. Bringing to bear his (highly limited) knowledge of sorcery, he managed to annoy it, at least.​

In response, it clawed its withered hands as lightning rippling between its fingers, reached out as if to lash out at him...​

... and suddenly took the equivalent of a small freight train to the torso, an impact announced by the loud shattering of numerous brittle bones. Its fury evident, it attempted to reach out once more, lightning rippling, only to find its head pulverised under a massive, clawed foot.​

<That was... huh. I can see why the warriors of this world and its neighbour so fear and respect these beasts.>​

Melydia Gold​

 

[Melydia Gold]

She didn't need to be told to stay hidden twice. She climbed to a more secure position in the tree, wings fluttering for added support though they weren't meant to work for extended periods of time. Part of her wasn't particularly fond of hiding, especially when her friends, both willingly made and otherwise, were still in harms' way.

Melydia watched with worried expression as Kal became more visible. Up til recently, she hadn't had a super clear vision of the shadow-friend, only a vague outline. And as the corpse man lifted a hand to attack her friend, she nearly considered jumping down from her perch.

She didn't need to, however, as the Zakkreg was already moving. Spurred into action by her influence (so arguably she was helping) and general annoyance at being woken up, it thundered toward the creature with a ferocious noise. Promptly cutting off the corpse's attack before the lightning would bring about its destructive wrath, it was only moments until the corpse was all but crushed.

Melydia waited several long seconds, waiting to see if the corpse had truly returned to its un-life before emitting a sigh of relief. "Yes, yes they're quite powerful." She agreed, climbing down from the tree and approaching the Zakkreg, placing a hand on its' hide. "Thanks for your help, buddy boy, you can go back to sleep now." Her head swiveled back to address Kal, as if she had forgotten something. "We are done with him, right?"

Kal ​

 

[Kal]

It was remarkable how quickly the beast had finished off a creature far beyond Kal's capabilities, but then even the living dead had a hard time arguing with the laws of physics. Assuming they were of corporeal form, of course. Weight and momentum would achieve little against the average spirit. It made Melydia's ability to influence it so well all the more impressive, but then he supposed its mind was likely simple enough.​

<I think so.> Gliding forward hesitantly, he extended a single shadowy hand far beyond the limits of a similarily-sized organic appendage only to prod the dead flesh in some way. Pausing for a while, he did so again, and again, and then moved to examine it more closely.​

<Yes. Yes it is very dead - again, I suppose,> he said, a clear sense of relief transmitted alongside it. Good riddance.​

<I wonder how long it's been there. How it got there. How it died.> Another mystery to add to these vast and at times uncharted jungles. Had the one whose unnatural existence they had just ended come here in pursuit of ancient Sith or had he been among said ancients?​

Melydia Gold​

 

[Melydia Gold]

Emitting her own sigh of relief, once Kal confirmed the waking carpet was no more, she reached back into the mind of the beastie, urging it back to sleep before she relinquished her hold on it. She didn't like doing such things, taking control of the creature by force rather than by friendship. It made the connection hollow, corroded, disingenuous.

"All good questions," she mumbled in agreement, slipping away from the tree branch she'd clung to, wings fluttering to aid her from a disastrous fall. She kept her distance from the body at first, slow to approach for fear that it would awaken once more. "Should we...go back? See if this one had more to them?" Eventually, though, curiosity got the best of her, beckoning that she examine up close as well.

"Did you summon friends back there?" she asked, referring to the brief exchange in the cave. Her eyes, while unattuned to the dark, still caught glimpses of something every now and then. Just as her other senses caught on to the momentary presences summoned and then destroyed. "That was wild, how didja do it?"

Kal ​

 

[Kal]

More of them? Quirking his head to the side, Kal remained silent but obviously focused for a long while before projecting something that could only be described as relief outwards. <I don't think there are more. If there are they are either of a lesser variety or hidden from my senses, somehow.>​

As loathe as he was to admit it, the latter was entirely possible. His senses and mind alike were sharp, but he was still inexperienced. Flawed.​

<We should probably return, yes. See if there is anything more of note. First, however, I would like the chance to examine this one...> Words drifting off as his attention shifted, the Shadow leaned closer, almost seeming to dance around the mangled corpse as part of his anything-but-medical analysis. There was a sense of profound age, the deathly presence from before, something more... ambitions foiled, a quest cursed to end in failure?​

What was it with the Sith and seeking immortality in the worst ways possible?​

<Hmm. I would not call them friends, exactly - they were Shrouds, predators of the world of the dead. They prey upon the life of the living and the very essence of the dead. Vicious, but quite unintelligent. Guided by malevolent hunger.> Much like a rabid dog on a tight leash, really.​

Melydia Gold​