Private Stunted Regrowth

[Kaiah Nihl]

​

Location: Telos IV | Restoration Zone | Restored Sacred Pool
Objective: Find the Ancient Agricorps Artefact
Status: Falling
Equipment: Hiking/Climbing Gear | Lightsaber
Nearby: Dagos Terrek

​

Present

Kaiah's peaceful calm was quickly ruined as the cliff edge crumbled beneath her. The beautiful landscape stretching before her spun into a blur of colour as the sickening sensation of falling took hold. Her hands shot out left and right, desperately clawing at a handhold, but found no purchase on the loose gravel. Soon she could feel nothing but open air as she plunged down toward the water.

She could feel the spray of droplets as the nearby waterfall bounced off rocks barely a foot away from her. Instinct kicked in, and she splayed her hands downwards – willing the force to slow her decent. Her powers blunted her decent, but she was still falling fast. She fought back a wave of panic, her final action to brace as she hit the water.

The surface of the Sacred Pool hit her like a tonne of bricks, and darkness enveloped her.

- - - - -​

One day earlier

The shuttle was cold, too cold for her liking. The delicate hum of the engines and the clink of the lightsaber at her belt were the only sounds as she reclined in her seat. She swiped through the information on her datapad, browsing the history of Telos IV. She was almost free. She'd burned all her bridges – no more enemies. No more friends. All she needed was this artefact and she could finally let go.

The page she was reading detailed the Restoration Project for the planet. Telos IV had suffered many a catastrophe, from planetwide devastation millennia ago - to extensive pollution in the last few centuries. The result was an unusual mix of industrial urban and verdant green zones. It was the latter that had piqued her interest.

Kaiah let out a big yawn and navigated to the second article. It was an old Jedi document she'd dredged up from one of their abandoned temples. It was written by a scholar belonging to the Agricultural Corps, an ancient subset of the Jedi Order that used their power to aid in farming and plant growth. She skimmed the document until she reached the part about the use of force artefacts on Telos IV. 'Use of these orbs is progressing well' she read silently. 'Their healing properties are greatly boosting the rate of regrowth on the surface of the planet. However, corps members have found that-'

Her reading was interrupted by a large shudder as the shuttle landed. She quickly powered down the datapad, stowing it safely in her pack as rose from her seat. She waited patiently until the old Ugnaught opened the large steel door for her, the only passenger. She breathed in fresh air; the sunlight warm on her grey skin as she stepped out of the shuttle. She nearly gasped at the beauty before her. Lush green rolling plains stretched out to the horizon, occasionally broken by towering rocks or deep ravines. To her left was the start of the trail down to the sacred pool, an ancient path that winded along the cliffside.

She paid the Ugnaught enough credits for both passage and as incentive to stay while she searched. She once again took a deep breath and stepped out onto the path.

 

[Dagos Terrek]

The day had started as everyday for the last few weeks had. He was trapped. Closed steel pressing into his back, red warmth flowing from the back of his head. He would try to move and cry out in pain. Every inch he moved and a terrible red gash would appear on his chest more red flowing from each wound. There was something above him though he could not see. He was blind. If he opened his eyes all he saw was red. He tried to escape again and was met with searing pain. He cried out and tried to yell for help but he could not. He choked on the red. And then he saw for just a moment he saw a flash of hungry jaws as they closed around him. There was no more red, just black.


It was only after the jaws closed and he was swallowed by the black that he could wake up.

Jedi padawan Dagos Terrek rolled to his side, the ground beneath him no longer cold durasteel but earthen and alive. He took a deep breath as he tried and failed to stifle a yawn, the smell of dirt and grass a welcome start to his day. He pushed himself up to his knees and stayed kneeling on top of the cloak he’d used as a bed. The fog of sleep was still sticking to him as he looked around the campsite. Another yawn. The young man brushed his hands through his hair and bristled. He looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers. He could not help but think about how strange they felt.

‘You’ll get used to it’ said the voice in his mind.

After a long grueling morning stretch, Dagos stood and walked a few meters to the edge of the Sacred Pool. In the water’s reflection he could see the stars that littered the sky, yet to be chased off by the rising sun. There they sat, a crown over the mountain's peak as it overlooked them all as ruler of this valley. He knelt and dunked his head into the pool sitting for a moment enjoying the coolness. He stood once again water dripping down head and onto his bare chest, goosebumps chasing after the droplets as they rolled dark muscled skin and over the scars that covered the front of his body. Brutal angry marks that covered him from chest to to the bottom of his naval a horrid sight to be sure. He tried counting them once and there were sixteen jagged marks, souvenirs from Roche.

He walked back to his cloak and knelt once more facing toward the mountain and the water that was rushing from the ridge overhead. That same ridge that had the path he had taken to get down here. He’d nearly fell off three times! He would have to find a safer way back out of this little oasis but he had other priorities.

He closed his eyes and reached out, first just listening to the sound of the water as it crashed into the still water of the pool. He let the sound of the waterfall take him deeper, until he could practically feel the sharp coolness of the water around him. He took a sharp intake of breath as he plunged deeper mentally, his mind flowed as the stream above did, but with a little effort he went further. He could feel the fish that rode the current, practically see them. They were vibrant colors, silver with hints of blues and greens. Their minds were of singular purpose, instinct drove them now. Their only concern was mating or feeding.

He reached out further with his mind, back to the jungle that surrounded him. He felt things he never saw as they walked through the grass and climbed the tall branches of the trees. Bugs, rodents and birds, all breathing, eating, playing, living. It brought a smile to his face as he focused on a group of three young rabbit-like creatures, who were chasing each other through the tall grass, relishing in their relative safety. The sounds of birds drew his mind to them. They were all color and song. Every shade of color he could imagine blue, purple, yellow, green and they all seemed to get brighter or even change color as their songs flowed through the force and his spirit. He pushed his connection further, wanting to find more. The bright color of the birds, the joy of the playing younglings, even the tranquil feeling of the fish, it all gave way now to the heart of the jungle. To darkness.

True darkness. Places on this world that had not seen the sun for decades, centuries even. Places where the grass was a dark shade of blue and was covered by gnarled twisting plants that struggled to find any light. Places where hunger lived, where hate ruled and the desperate went to seek salvation.

He was no longer looking at the jungle he realized but The Force itself. He should pull his spirit back he knew, away from The Dark but he could not help but stare. There were answers there he could feel it. No. He could not go there. But why? A voice asked. Why should he fear that place? The Dark. It was as natural as the light, the jungle proved as much. No.

His eyes opened again. The stars had gone and the sun was now high overhead. How long had he been meditating? Something beeped at him from his left.

“No. Bee-Dee, I did not find what we were looking for.” He turned his head and looked at the small black-gold bipedal droid that had become his constant companion over these last few weeks. It chirped at him again.

“I know we got to find the orb soon.” he told the droid, still a little shaken from his mind walk.

Dagos and BD-NRG had come to Telos to find an old Jedi artifact. A healer’s tool. They had also come in secret and only had a couple more days before the freighter that dropped them off would be back to collect them, artifact or no.

“Why don’t you try another scan or some chit?” He asked the droid while rummaging through his pack. His hand brushed over the cylinder hilt of his borrowed lightsaber as he looked for a protein bar to eat for breakfast. BD responded with a set of incredulous chirps and wurrs. Dagos opened his mouth to argue with the droid when suddenly from overhead a cascade of rocks came tumbling into the pool followed by a shape that looked a little too familiar.

Was that? He reached out with The Force once more looking into the depths of the water. Oh chit it was. Someone had fallen from the ridge and landed hard in the water and it did not look like they were coming out on their own. Holding out his hands Dagos felt for the person through The Force, finally finding them he lifted them from the pool and set them on the relative safety of the golden sand which surrounded the pool then he and BD ran down to check on them.

Them turned out to be a pretty grey-skinned girl with as far as he could tell was still breathing. He himself had no way of knowing how hurt she was, if at all, until she woke up to find him and BD kneeling beside her.

Kaiah Nihl

 

[Kaiah Nihl]

Location: Telos IV | Restoration Zone | Restored Sacred Pool
Objective: Find the Ancient Agricorps Artefact
Status: Once Again Conscious
Equipment: Hiking/Climbing Gear (waterlogged) | Lightsaber
Nearby: Dagos Terrek

​

She didn't dream. That was more unnerving than a nightmare. Endless void. Nothing…until…

Kaiah's orange eyes burst open as she regained consciousness - immediately rolling over to cough up water. She was vaguely aware of someone next to her, but it took all her attention to try and get some air back into her lungs. The grey skinned woman lay there panting on the sand until she eventually felt well enough to try and sit up, groaning as she bent from the waist and pulled herself upright. Squinting against the bright sun, she examined her surroundings.

She was at the bottom of the cliffs now, having landed in the pool she was travelling to. Not the route she had in mind, though she was grateful she wouldn't have to walk anywhere after the near drowning. The water was beautiful and still, nearly crystal clear under the sun. The air was cool, with a gentle breeze. She shivered under her wet clothing.

Frowning at her soaked garments, Kaiah took a moment to breath in and reach out for the force. A heat, starting at her heart, spread throughout her body. The droplets of water on her skin evaporated as her clothes started rapidly drying. Her eyes flashed a bright orange, obvious even in the midday sun, and her hair lifted as if carried by an invisible breeze. Eventually, faint spectral red flames began to dance on her skin, causing no harm to her clothes yet boiling any remaining drops of water. She pushed the power back down until they disappeared. Letting out a sigh, she turned and-

"Ahhhhhh" she exclaimed, scrambling backward as she once again noticed the stranger. In her efforts to dry herself she'd totally forgotten about the man by her side. She fell back onto the sand as she looked him up and down. He was young and short, much shorter than she was. He had dark black her and brown skin; emerald-green eyes peering out from a concerned face.

"I-I-I…uhhhh" she spluttered, totally off guard. Just as she though she was about to regain some composure a small droid scooted around her side and made her jump. "Stay back" she said, her hand instinctively going for her saber. She laid her palm on the weapon but didn't draw it.

Who was this stranger? Had her rescued her? She frowned – the man was completely dry. How had he fished her out with diving in as well? And he had seen her use the force. She'd done so well to hide it for so long, it embarrassed her to be found out just through drying herself.

She remained sitting on the sand, still wary as the stranger spoke.

 

[Dagos Terrek]

“Be cool.” Dagos said, more of a plea than a command with his hands out and palms up in a gesture meant to convey that he meant no harm. Panic rolled off of her in waves and Dagos had to make a bit of effort to not let it run over him and put his own body into fight or flight.

“You fell.” He ignored the hand that she brought to rest on the thing on her hip that looked suspiciously like a lightsaber handle as he stated the very obvious. Maybe he should’ve been more concerned that this very fearful person was reaching for a killing tool but no one ever got anywhere from cowering. He was fifteen now. A man, it would’ve been silly for him to be afraid.

“I’m Dagos.” he put a palm flat on his chest. “That is BeeDee” He nodded toward the droid.

There was something about this woman that Dagos found intriguing. Her looks to be sure, her eyes especially but that wasn’t it, not all of it anyway. Her essence was unlike anyone else’s he’d been around. It was as alluring as the heart of the jungle had been from his meditations earlier.

“You're Safe.” He told the frightened woman.

Kaiah Nihl

 

[Kaiah Nihl]

Location: Telos IV | Restoration Zone | Restored Sacred Pool
Objective: Find the Ancient Agricorps Artefact
Status: Lucid and Suspicious
Equipment: Lightsaber
Nearby: Dagos Terrek

​

He was younger than she first thought. She'd been on the run for so long she couldn't help but see every little shadow as a threat, every person looking down on her an oppressive beast. But this one was neither of these things. She could sense no aggression from him, at least outwardly, and he seemed sincere.

She sighed, releasing her grip on her saber and letting it fall back into its hiding place – beneath the jacket she'd wrapped around her waist. She ran her hand through her hair, smoothing out the frizzy mess caused by the rapid drying. She was getting better at that little trick. Her clothes were still a little damp, but at least they weren't singed like last time.

"My apologies" Kaiah began, her voice calm now. "My near drowning made me panic". The thought of the crushing depths of the water filled her with a chill, though there was a subtle irony of drowning in a pool devoted to healing. She lamented the loss of her gear: climbing equipment, rations and the datapad with all her research. Searching for the artefact would be that much harder without her notes.

"You may call me Kaiah, if that is what you wish". Her speech was stiff and formal, a byproduct of a long span of isolation. She gazed out across the pool, toward the ancient pillars on the other shore. She had reached her destination. Faster than she wanted, true, but nevertheless her goal was near. She couldn't remember exactly where the orb was, except that it was in some sort of building near the pool. That was nearly 5000 years ago, however. She couldn't much of a standing structure through the foliage. Where would ancient Jedi build their temple?

Her thoughts turned back to Dagos. What was he doing here? He was very young to be wandering alone, but she reminded herself that she had been about his age when she left Nagi. Still, she hadn't expected anyone else to take interest in these ruins. Perhaps he was a tourist, but Kaiah's common sense told her there was something more. She'd best approach with caution.

"You are a curious one, Dagos" Kaiah said with an inquisitive tone. "I was carrying much when I fell, I must a have been a significant burden to pull out of the water". How had he done it? He seemed strong for his age, but she doubted he could pull her from the water alone. He was also completely dry. The droid then? It seemed far too small, but she never quite understood the capabilities of some automations. She didn't like or trust them enough to ever gain the requisite knowledge.

There was a piece of the puzzle she was missing, something her addled mind couldn't quite piece together. "And what brings you out here?" Kaiah continued. "I didn't expect to find another walking the wilds of Telo IV".

 

[Dagos Terrek]

She was calmer now and that was a good thing. Her hand left her weapon and that was an even better thing. The last thing he would have needed was to get into a fight with her. Here. So close to the dark. There was part of him, a small part of him, that was almost disappointed.

Kaiah. He liked it. He took a second to commit it to memory so he wouldn’t forget. He watched her look out over the pool and his gaze followed hers. More than likely she was just getting a look at the place she had fallen looking to see how close she had come to dying. A natural inclination, but maybe there was more. Maybe. What were the chances she had come searching for the same thing as him? He mentally shook the thought from his head. She was probably just here to see the pools(Job well done then). He had seen a group doing just that his first day here. Dunking their heads or filling canteens hoping the mystic waters could do them some good.

“You didn’t.” He reminded her. “I found you. Sinking in that pool over there” He gestured with his head toward the waters. “You weren’t no burden at all. Easy. “ He said almost dismissively but it was pretty obvious he was proud of himself for saving her.

“I like trees and chit.” He told her as an answer to why he was out there. His mission was after all, a secret.

“You?” He asked her back.

Kaiah Nihl

 

[Kaiah Nihl]

Location: Telos IV | Restoration Zone | Restored Sacred Pool
Objective: Find the Ancient Agricorps Artefact
Status: Refreshed and Ready to Start Searching
Equipment: Purple Lightsaber
Nearby: Dagos Terrek

​

Dagos was hiding something. Most tourists didn't come alone when they were exploring, especially to an isolated spot in the restoration zone. She didn't press him however. She couldn't sense any ill-will from him, and she understood the necessity to keep secrets.

Which brought her to her next conundrum. Dagos looked pretty settled in, and she didn't want to delay her search - especially now that she would be investigating without her notes. Not every one was comfortable or trusting of force users either. She would have to choose her words carefully.

"I'm an archeologist of sorts" Kaiah said. "Nearly 5000 years ago there was a huge initiative to regrow the planet after it was devastated from an ancient war. Part of the team were a group of Jedi, who used their power to help restore the balance of nature. They built many temples, usually by sacred pools like these". She gestured toward pool and the mossy ruins that poked just out of the surface of the water. "The history of the Jedi Order has always been a curiosity of mine" Kaiah continued, her eyes growing a brighter orange. "You might have notice I can perform a few tricks". Wisps of smoke escaped from her mouth as she spoke. "The truth is that I'm a Jedi historian on a pilgrimage, I hope that doesn't make you uncomfortable". A lie, but delivered confidently.

"You seem like the capable sort Dagos, despite your youth" Kaiah said warmly. She tried to adopt the tone of a master speaking to apprentice. "And you are clearly more acquainted with the area. Perhaps you like to join me in searching the ruins?" Keeping him in sight seemed like a better idea than any alternative. Plus, she would feel more comfortable having another person around should she have another accident. "I can see two likely spots from here" Kaiah pointed to the opposite shore. "Those loose rocks over there look manufactured, that might be a lead". She moved her hand until she was pointing to the pool's depths. "I also vaguely recall seeing a structure deep below the surface of the water, though that may have been the delirium". She also wasn't entirely certain how she'd reach the bottom, but she could only deal with one problem at a time

"So, what do you say? Keen for an adventure?"

 

[Dagos Terrek]

He searched for the lie with the force. He knew there was a lie but either he was losing it or she was comfortable lying or and he wasn’t sure about this…she was telling the truth. Something about the smoke coming from her mouth made him feel that she may not exactly be Jedi. It made him feel some other things too but he tried to ignore that.

She kept talking. Trying to convince him of something, explaining things she didn’t know he already knew. As she pointed toward the rock formation he had somehow not seen himself he walked over to his pack, reached inside pulled out a shirt and his datapad.

"So, what do you say? Keen for an adventure?"

He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed the datapad with all his research to her. It was unlikely that he’d have anything she hadn’t had before but couldn’t hurt to have her look.

“Fa sho.” He answered her with a wide grin.

Kaiah Nihl

 

[Kaiah Nihl]

Location: Telos IV | Restoration Zone | Restored Sacred Pool
Objective: Find the Ancient Agricorps Artefact
Status: Looking for an Entrance
Equipment: Purple Lightsaber
Nearby: Dagos Terrek

​

"Excellent" Kaiah said, a grin on her face despite her earlier misgivings. It was good to have a goal again, rather than just aimlessly drifting from place to place. She perused through Dagos' datapad, grateful to be able to double check some details. It seemed like the boy was interested in the same topics that she had been pursuing. Curious. "No time to waste then" Kaiah said, passing back the datapad. She gathered up the remains of her kit and began walking around the sacred pool.

It didn't take long to circle around the water and reach the rocks. Her suspicions were confirmed as she approached, there were remains of what was undoubtably a stone pillar – toppled over by a huge tree that had sprouted out from beneath the earth. The stones were old and worn from thousands of years of neglect, yet still bore the faint marks of carving tools that made them.

Buoyed and eager, Kaiah flitted around the area – looking for signs of an entrance down. She searched for a while, skirting around the massive tree, but ultimately returned to Dagos frustrated and empty-handed. "There is a way in nearby" she said, a tinge of desperation in her voice. "I can feel it". She desperately flitted through the datapad, looking for anything that might help her.

She paused suddenly, struck by a thought. She dropped the datapad and moved toward the tree. Grabbing the nearest branch, she pulled herself up with a grunt and started ascending. She climbed up until she was sure she was high enough (about halfway up the tree) and gazed at the ground below. The flora spread out below her in a curious pattern, almost if it was centered on the tree. The adjacent pool was throwing her off, but after a while she almost imagine all the plant life pushing out from this spot thousands of years ago.

She climbed quickly down the tree, taking care not to slip and fall (and further embarrass herself in front of Dagos). She dropped the last few metres and landed with a thud next to Dagos. "The entrance to the temple" she said, out of breath. "Is beneath this tree". She pointed downward, toward the large roots. "Any ideas?"

 

[Dagos Terrek]

Dagos watched her as she climbed up the tree for no other reason than to make sure she was okay. No…other…reason. She didn’t seem like her earlier fall was giving her any trouble as she made her way up the branches. Stopping mid way she looked downward and Dag quickly looked away before she would think he was staring.

He watched again as she made her way down the tree. This time it was almost entirely to make sure he was close by if she took another unplanned flight. She made it down without any trouble and announced that the entrance they were both looking for was beneath their feet. Under the roots of the tree.

"Any ideas?" she asked him.

“Yeah. we ask.” He said walking over and putting his hand on the rough bark of the ancient tree. He let himself fall deep into The Force once again but instead of wandering like last time he kept his focus on the wooden behemoth in front of him. If she was paying attention she would surely feel him using the force. He wasn’t hiding it any more. He wasn’t sure she was truly a Jedi but at this point she was his partner and so he would trust her. With this any way.

His connection to the tree was strong. He tasted dozens of different metallic hints from the soil, felt it being washed away by millenia of rain water, hoped endlessly to grow and reach the sun that sat high above them day and night even when it could not be seen. He was a tree, sturdy and implacable, but he was also a boy, fragile and searching. Searching for a way past gnarled roots that had long claimed this place. He was a Jedi, steeped in the light, the same light that had fed this tree and turned it into something more. The same light that named it guardian. The boy was its friend, he too was a defender of the light and he had come to better serve that end. He spoke to the tree, to its heart, touched it with the light, and showed that he meant no harm. It understood.

A miracle happened then. The roots which had stood hard as stone and thicker than duracrete shifted themselves. Massive clumps of dirt fell into the hole that opened at their feet. No. not a hole. A path. Stairs made of root and dirt had presented themselves leading down several meters to the open entrance to long sought after Jedi temple.

What other secrets would they find?

Kaiah Nihl

 

[Kaiah Nihl]

Location: Telos IV | Restoration Zone | Restored Sacred Pool
Objective: Find the Ancient Agricorps Artefact
Status: Resisting the Call of the Dark
Equipment: Purple Lightsaber
Nearby: Dagos Terrek

​

She watched the young man place a hand on the tree and close his eyes. Kaiah frowned as Dagos stood perfectly still, and she circled around him get a better look at his face. His expression at first was furrowed with determination, before eventually smoothing out into a peaceful countenance. She was about to speak up when she felt it.

It was like a whisper on the edge of hearing. Like she was hearing Dagos from far away. Her head pounded. She pushed through the darkness. She could see him now, a bright light pushing at the abyss. It hurt to look at him. The tree spread before him, a network of life and energy that pushed out around and eventually became stars. She watched them both – coexistent, symbiotic.

She reached out to one of the branches, feeling the life inside. But she did not have hands – instead she had claws. Flaming talons that burnt and withered the tree's connections. She felt it pull back from her. The darkness pressed in closer. She looked again at Dagos, envious of the peace he felt. She turned her attention to something smaller, lesser. She reached out to the foliage at her feet, the weeds and tangled undergrowth. She felt it quiver. She seized at the meagre connections, bound them to her. She drew upon its energy, demanding that it served her. She felt a surge of strength, felt the fire build inside. It swirled and eddied, begging to be released. She raised her arms toward the tree, poised to unleash its destructive power. She looked once more toward Dagos and-

She stepped away, gasping. The plants beneath her feet had all died and turned ashen. Crushing into to dust as her boots tread on them. Her eyes were bright orange, the brightest they had been in years. Her hands ached and burned as the power coursed through them. She felt feverish. She felt sick. She felt… powerful.

She took a deep breath as she let the power slowly dispel. The air rippled and became warm, a shimmering heat wave surrounded her for a moment. Then, all was the same as it had been. She kept breathing slowly, doing her best to repel shivers that shook her body.

She looked up, finally seeing the extent of what Dagos had achieved. "Very impressive" Kaiah said, barely just keeping the shakiness out of her voice. "You are strong in the force for one so young". In the end, she wasn't particularly surprised he was a force user. It seemed that something in the back of her mind had already reached that conclusion.

But it had been a long time since she had connected with anyone through the force. Not since she was very young, when she still lived on Nagi. She shuddered. The academy had taught her to build up barriers, to break or avoid such connections. 'An entrance into another's consciousness is also an entrance to your own' Sieger had said. They encouraged other students to invade each other's mind. To try and break down such barriers.

She moved past Dagos and started down the stairs. That feeling of power had fled, but the sickness remained.

- - - - -
​

Deep below the tree something stirred. It felt the ripples in the force above and slowly began to uncurl from around the orb in its next. The giant lizard extended its forked tongue, tasting new smells in the stale air. Prey.

 

[Dagos Terrek]

"Very impressive" Kaiah said, barely just keeping the shakiness out of her voice. "You are strong in the force for one so young".


He managed a soft smile as he tried to keep his breathing steady. He was delighted with her appreciation of his prowess. He honestly hadn’t been sure that was going to work. His forehead was wet with sweat and his shirt had begun to stick and cling to his body. It was hard work to be so connected with another living thing, especially one that was so ingrained in The Force, even if that thing was a tree.

There was more though. He had been a tree that much was certain. He had been himself as well. He had stood in the sun, bathed in the warmth, and drew power from its light but on the horizon there had been darkness. A swirling torrent of black clouds full of screaming unbridled power. A darkness so complete that it swallowed the light around it. it moved closer sure to take his light as well but it brought with it a gift. Power. It crackled with the thunderous promise of a storm. It was a promise and a warning all at once. The promise of life giving rain, of power harnessed from wind and crackling electricity. The dark clouds would flash with a clap, and would show they had a light of their own.

He had wanted the darkness. He, the tree and him the boy. He wished for it to block out the light to refuel him with the gift the jet colored clouds held inside. The tree was weary of the danger but the boy…the boy wanted the danger most of all. Lightning struck and the forest floor had burnt, and reminded the tree that clouds that dark were not safe.

When his breathing had slowed some, he opened his eyes toward the storm and saw her. Only her, he was unable or unwilling to see the death that lay at her feet.

She moved past him down the newly formed earthen stairs. She passed so close he could smell her.

She smelled like water

from the pool or the rain

she smelled like fire

From when she dried herself or the lightning

He reached a hand out for her as she walked by, there was a crack of static energy as his fingers brushed against her arm. He did not pull his hand away but he could not bring himself to wholly grab her to hold on to her.

He could feel that she was troubled. That she was trouble. Could feel that around her was darkness. That she was darkness. He could not hold her, he knew it, and yet she called to him. The Force called to him through her but he was not strong enough to have her, to take her, to hold her. So he settled for the brushing of skin on hers. He settled for the shallow hope that she would allow him to touch her. That wasn’t how power worked.

He followed her down to the temple. Right behind and yet further still away. Connected to her in a way he could hope to understand.


—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The entrance to the temple was narrow. Not large enough for them to go through together so they would have to go one at a time. Once they had squeezed their way through the opening they would find themselves in a vast open courtyard.

A wide cobblestone path had been overrun with moss, grass, and thin vine like roots from The Guardian above. Along either side of the path stone benches and the occasional statue. Many were toppled and some had wasted away in the milenia since they had been laid here. Their faces were all worn past being able to discern who or what they were though it made sense that these were of ancient Jedi.

At the center of the walkway was a large circular structure that had once maybe been a fountain but had become overrun with vines. As they got closer Dagos saw there was something in the center of the vines, something pale and ovular. He took a step closer to get a better look.

A terrible animal screech rang out bouncing off the walls of the empty corridor making it impossible to know where it had come from.

“What the frell?” He asked out loud to no one in particular.

The creature appeared from nowhere its tail wrapping around Dag’s leg pulling him down to the ground hard and dragging him away from its nest. The creature turned and rounded on the pair letting loose another guttural roar as it stood on its hind legs, making it nearly eight meters tall, before throwing its weight down trying to crush Dagos with its weight or impale him with sick curled claws.

He had no time to think. He reached at his side and realized he left his pack and his lightsaber back with BD-NRG. Back outside the temple.

Kaiah Nihl

 

[Kaiah Nihl]

Location: Telos IV | Restoration Zone | Restored Sacred Pool
Objective: Find the Ancient Agricorps Artefact
Status: Fighting the Hssiss
Equipment: Purple Lightsaber
Nearby: Dagos Terrek

​

Her feet crunched into the packed soil as she descended. The passage was a little low for her, so she had to stoop, creating an awkward gait as she moved down. Just as she was considering throwing caution to the wind, and sliding down, the passage came to an end and she stepped out into a large chamber.

The air was stale and earthen. There was no noise except for the sound of breathing from her and Dagos. She summoned a flame – cupping her hands together and slowing pulling it apart as the fire grew betwixt her fingers. The small ball of fire rested on her hand as she held it aloft – the light creating flickering shadows on the wall. She moved over to a few of the statues still standing, putting a ball of flame in each of their hands. Soon four statues cast light and illuminated the chamber.

She gazed around the chamber, taking notes of a few corridors that branched off from this room. They likely led to sleeping quarters or amenities – created for the ancient Jedi that served here. Worth investigating perhaps, but she was confident that they arrived at the exact chamber she wanted. The artefact she sought was a small sphere, around a foot in diameter, that was said to channel the force. Her manual had said that it promoted growth by forming connections and that, although rare, the Jedi had thought it important enough to use in the Telos Restoration Project.

'It is certainly doing it's job' she thought, gazing up at the massive root system above. But where did the Jedi keep such an artefact? She moved to turn to Dagos but froze mid-action. What would she say? She doubted the young Jedi would approve of her taking the artefact from its resting place. This was her last hope, so she didn't really have any other option. Would she have to fight him? He was young, so full of hope and potential. Was she really so selfish, that she would kill the boy for her own ends?

She didn't get to answer her question, as her musings were interrupted by a thunderous screech. Her hand went to her belt, for the lightsaber she kept by her side, as she scanned the wall. She frowned, unable to see the creature.

"What the frell?"

She whirled around to find Dagos knocked prone and a massive lizard creature towering over him. The creature pounced down, intending to crush the young man. In desperation, Kaiah pushed out with the force, knocking Dagos out of the way before the lizard left him a stain on the cobbled stone. The creature, annoyed that it had lost its prey, turned its attention to Kaiah. She ignited her lightsaber, the light from the purple blade chasing away the flickering shadows on the wall. She felt a wave of fear wash over her as she recognized the beast.

The Hssiss disappeared, now invisible to the naked eye. She reached out with the force, only to feel it charging at her with incredible speed. She threw herself to the right, barely missing the claw that materialized in front of her. She swung her lightsaber low, and then upwards, to be rewarded with a squeal of pain as she cut off the creature's back right foot.

She backed up, lightsaber between her and the monster.

 

[Ragos Terrek]

oops wrong account

 

[Dagos Terrek]

The creature loomed above him, armored in thick mossy green scales and armed with terrible black daggers for claws, it was trying to crush him, or some chit. Dagos, a little tired from his time as a tree, had to concentrate to focus The Force in his hand. He waited for just the right moment, the creature was nearly on him and…and…he was no longer looking at the lizard. He was looking at the roots of the guardian as they spiraled in a blur of spinning movement.

No, he was the one moving and spinning wildly across the floor of the chamber away from the beast. The Force push he had intended for the creature had been flung off in Force knows which direction and Dagos was karking dizzy. He stood on unsteady feet, his back covered in dirt and fallen leaves.

He was facing the back of the monster which was now missing a foot. He was so focused on what was happening with the beast and his new partner, he didn’t see that his Force push had knocked the orb out of its perch in the nest.

Dagos ran forward, lightsaber or no he had to do something. He jumped and the monster roared with rage as Dag landed on its back,stomping its remaining limbs and swinging its great tail around, all the while screaming with anger and pain.

Dagos’ eyes met Kaiah’s for just a second as the beast tried to throw him, he smiled.

He closed his eyes and focused on nothing but the feeling of the lizard's rough scales under his hands, it was like touching stone..

The Force flowed from the tips of his fingers and into the lizard. He wanted to tell it they meant no harm. He wanted to calm the hate in its heart, to dull its pain.


His eyes opened and he was in the chamber alone, no monster, no Kaiah. It was pitch black. He raised his hands waving them in front of his face and he still couldn’t see them even as he brushed his fingers against his face. He could see nothing but the nest-like thing from just before the monster had shown up. It was not a nest now, it was a pedestal made of slick smooth marble, illuminated by the glowing red orb sitting atop it.

Dagos approached the orb. It was not the pearlescent fragile looking thing that had been there before, this was alive. Bloodsoaked energy spherical in shape with bursts of energy that snaked out like solar flares. There was a blackness at the core of the sphere, a Darkness. Blacker even than the chamber that surrounded him. The chamber had grown dark from a lack of light, the core was dark Dark because it hated the light, it killed the light.

Dagos stared at the glowing energy, the red light reflecting in his green eyes, a fire burning in the jungle.

The lizard was a creature of The Darkside. This was its soul. It frightened the boy but he had come this far, if he did nothing now, this creature who had lived peacefully for who knows how long would have to be killed by him and…or it would kill him. No, he had to try to save it.


He placed a hand on the orb and his screams filled the chamber. Bouncing off the walls, tearing through the dark and back into the real world where Kaiah would have heard them even with Dagos mouth having not opened at all.

She would hear the screams and would see a torrent of bloodless energy fly from the end of his fingers into the creature, frying its nervous system and boiling its blood in its body. The darkness he had touched flowed back out of him in the form of lightning, taking the life of the monster that had attacked them.

The beast fell to the ground in a smoking heap, throwing Dagos from its back.

He stooped, slowly standing at his full height. When his eyes opened they were the same ember shade as hers for just a moment before becoming green again. The boy fell to a knee, not sure where exactly he was anymore. He looked at her confused as his memories came back.

He opened his mouth to say…something, but just closed it and got back to his feet.

He looked away from her and from the dead lizard. Ashamed.

Kaiah Nihl

 

[Kaiah Nihl]

Location: Telos IV | Restoration Zone | Beneath the Sacred Pool
Objective: Find the Ancient Agricorps Artefact
Status: Finally Understanding
Equipment: Purple Lightsaber | Corrupted Healing/Growth Artefact
Nearby: Dagos Terrek

​

Dagos jumped on the back of the Hssiss, prompting an enraged roar from the creature. Kaiah backed up in surprise, almost slipping over in the process. She watched the padawan ride the creature, clinging to the spines on its back as it thrashed about. With the creature distracted she carefully approached, wary of its swinging tail. Once she was in striking range, she raised her saber - ready to stab downwards. She was about to impale its head when a screaming cacophony filled the room. She dropped her saber and clutched at her ears as the keening grew louder.

She pushed through the pain and scooped up her lightsaber, looking up to see Dago convulsing on the back of the beast. He flung out his hands as a cascade of lightning shot out of his fingertips. The lightning arced through the Hssiss, killing it instantly, and was absorbed by the stone flooring. She could feel the crackle of energy in the air; the hair on the back of her neck stood on its end. Dagos stumbled off the dead lizard, confusion in his bright orange eyes. As the colour bled out, she started to see comprehension return, alongside pain. A shock passed through the woman, though it nothing to do with the power Dagos used.

Spoiler: Kaiah's Vision

She looked down at a young Nagian, 16 years old, standing over a dead body. She wept, tears turning to steam as they rolled down her cheek. The ground smouldered around her – the flames still greedily feeding off the corpse. "Cursed…" her brother whispers in horror, backing away. Kaiah reached out, pleading that it was an accident, but her twin ran off screaming. No one stayed to help her.

She watched a Knight of Ren stalk the battlefield, her black coat smouldering as she walked across the beach. She clutched an orb, blackened and cracked, in her left hand. She raised her right arm and swept it across the battlefield. "Cursed…?" she whispered gleefully. "No… I am finally cured!". Galactic Alliance and First Order soldiers alike screamed and ran as waves of fire pushed from her. But there was nowhere to run.

She watched a traitor stumble through the snow, her grey face peering out beneath her thick hood. She pushes through the drifts, right up to the edge of a massive cliff. She fumbles with her pack, emptying almost all the contents onto the ground. She clutches a burned robe in one hand and lightsaber in the other before tossing them both off the cliff. Next is the orb, clutched in both hands. She hesitates, as if struggling with an invisible force, before letting the artefact slip from her hands and plummet into the abyss. She pauses for a moment before scrabbling for the last item in her pack – a small mirror. Her breath catches in her throat as she raises it her face and examines her eyes – still bright orange. "Cursed" she whispered in despair. "Forever. Doomed to destroy everything I touch". Her legs give out and she collapses into the snow.

The vision happened in just a moment, though it felt like she had re-lived an entire lifetime. Perhaps she had. Regardless, for the first time in a long time, she knew what she needed to do.

She put away her saber and moved away from the Hssiss corpse, toward the nest. She peered over the edge to see two broken eggs, destroyed by Dago's force push, and a small orb. She picked it up, marvelling at how light it was - despite being made of stone. She traced a crack down the middle of the sphere, one that split the artefact into roughly two halves: one blackened and one unmarred white stone.

She walked over to Dagos, orb in her left hand, and stood six feet away. "I'm not a Jedi" she confessed calmly. "Though neither are you, not entirely". She put her other hand on the orb, so her left hand clutched the ashen side while her right held the clean side.

"I know the Dark Side well. And I know what those who are tempted by it look like. Is that something you desire, Dagos? To learn the secrets of the Dark?" Red flames sprung out from the sphere, wrapping up her arm. Soon her whole body pulsed with the spectral flames – her eyes turning a blood red colour. "As a Knight of Ren, in the restored First Order, I was powerful beyond belief" her voice came out grated and hoarse, as if she had burned her windpipe. "No longer was I scared little girl on Nagi, isolated and ostracised. The force set me free. Free to return to my village - to make them bow, or make them burn. And when I needed more I sought out others, learned from them. I seeked holocrons and artefacts, anything that would aid me. My prowess grew, and soon it was as if I was an unstoppable inferno – capable of consuming anything in my path". She held out the orb in her left hand. "If that is the path you choose, then repair this orb. Draw the life from the tree above to fix the cracks, and it will lead you to the power you seek".

She flipped the orb over to her right hand, clutching the clean side. The flames suddenly went out, and the light dimmed from Kaiah's eyes. Though still orange, there was less intensity there – more like a subtle glow. "The problem with an unstoppable inferno-" Kaiah said with a weary sigh. "Is that it must constantly consume in order to sustain itself. A constant cycle of destruction and death for a few more moments of blazing glory. But when there is no more fuel, then it will consume itself". Her voice had returned to normal. She held out the orb with her right hand. "I'm a burned out, Dagos. A husk of a person. This is the true future of the dark side. If you truly wish to avoid this fate, then destroy this orb. It was corrupted from its true purpose long ago, like I was. Destroy it, and the life here will begin to flourish once again".

She placed both hands on the orb before dropping it at the padawan's feet. She turned away and moved toward the exit.

 

[Dagos Terrek]

"I'm not a Jedi" she confessed calmly. "Though neither are you, not entirely". She put her other hand on the orb, so her left hand clutched the ashen side while her right held the clean side.

He did not look at her. He could not look at her. He stared at the orb in her hands transfixed, one half of his face reflected in the purity of the undamaged stone, the other lost in the darkness. Her voice was far off, he could hear her but did not listen.

"I know the Dark Side well. And I know what those who are tempted by it look like. Is that something you desire, Dagos? To learn the secrets of the Dark?"

No. The thought was a whisper. A hope. A prayer. He thought of the darkness in the jungle and the answers it promised, he thought of the storm and the power it held, he saw her eyes…eyes that had matched his own. Until a year ago there was no Light or Dark. Until the Jedi there was only Pelekotan, just his soul. He had become a Jedi and was forced to choose a side, to split himself in half, maybe it wasn’t him being tempted by The Dark but finding that half of himself that he’d been forced to forget.

Above them a low rumble of thunder was drowned out by the woman’s speech and rain began to fall softly kissing the face of the sacred pool.

"As a Knight of Ren, in the restored First Order, I was powerful beyond belief" her voice came out grated and hoarse, as if she had burned her windpipe. "No longer was I scared little girl on Nagi, isolated and ostracised. The force set me free. Free to return to my village - to make them bow, or make them burn. And when I needed more I sought out others, learned from them. I seeked holocrons and artefacts, anything that would aid me. My prowess grew, and soon it was as if I was an unstoppable inferno – capable of consuming anything in my path". She held out the orb in her left hand. "If that is the path you choose, then repair this orb. Draw the life from the tree above to fix the cracks, and it will lead you to the power you seek".

The rain continued to fall ceaselessly, buoyed by her words it came down so hard he would have to strain to hear her last few words.

"The problem with an unstoppable inferno-" Kaiah said with a weary sigh. "Is that it must constantly consume in order to sustain itself. A constant cycle of destruction and death for a few more moments of blazing glory. But when there is no more fuel, then it will consume itself". Her voice had returned to normal. She held out the orb with her right hand. "I'm a burned out, Dagos. A husk of a person. This is the true future of the dark side.”

She turned to leave him. He bent down and picked up the orb, unnerved by the dichotomy of the two sides. The pool flowed over swallowing the small island that he’d made as his camp rising higher and higher until it flowed under the roots of The Guardian falling down into the chamber and onto his face mixing with tears he hadn’t even known were there

“If you truly wish to avoid this fate, then destroy this orb. It was corrupted from its true purpose long ago, like I was. Destroy it, and the life here will begin to flourish once again".


He raised the orb high above his head ready to fling it to the ground but couldn’t. He looked up at the roots of The Guardian at the life it held, at the promise it provided. Sacrificing it would mean…would mean what? That she would stay? That he could go with her? Icy water continued to wash away his tears. He lowered his arm once again taking the broken globe in both of his hands but his eyes never left The Guardian.

“We ask.” He said to himself quietly. The Force this time did not flow from him but to him. Interspersed with the falling water was ropes of soft blue energy with a bright yellow hue. It flowed softly into his face and down his arms into the orb itself. A bright light shone from the orb in his hands and from his eyes turning the droplets of water around him to shining stars. In a flash the orb was no longer cracked, no longer torn asunder. It had been bathed in light and born anew.

Just as she reached the exit of the chamber, he reached out and grabbed her hand, unafraid this time to hold her. When she turned he would hand her the newly reclaimed orb.

“Here.”

He had come a long way and dealt with more than he’d intended but he thought maybe she needed this artifact more than he did. Proof that you did not destroy a thing to save it and that maybe she was not as far gone as she thought.

Kaiah Nihl