The darkness within (complete)

[Darth Ren Malgus]

[member="Venris Helion"]​

[SIZE=12pt]Serena had never heard of someone ‘marking’ another. “Is it like a force bond?” that was the only thing she could think of that might come close to what he described. Her heart sank when he said she find his struggles amusing.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]“So is she a creature that no longer enjoys life and lives vicariously through others.” Serena looked at Venris, “Is that what she is?” Serena knew there were some that lived in just that manner. They could only find joy and pleasure in tormenting others, in seeing how their lives twisted and turned.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]But she had offered hope, so perhaps there really was hope.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]She gave him a little laugh when he put his arm around her, “I don’t mind Venris I find listening to people to be a great comfort. The way voices change, how someone says a word compared to how another would say the same word.” She shrugged some, “Yes, let’s find this relic and see if it packs the punch that is so concerning”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]He was concerned, “I took some resistance training with a Master when I was on Voss to well protect my mind. I think I have gotten the hang of it” She looked up at him she reached over and put her hand on top of his, “thank you Venris for everything.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=12pt]The Sulphur felt thick in the air around them Serena glanced about, “There in the side of the rock, is that the shape of a door?” The temple of the Blackguard was hidden inside hewn rock much like the last temple they walked through.[/SIZE]

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Wren"]

With the topic of the temple, Venris was able to put all thoughts of the witch out of his head and step towards the outline that Serena had spotted in the rock. "I suppose there is only one way to find out." He held out one hand and closed his eyes, reaching out through the Force and into the rock itself, seeking anything that as out of place,

He felt something, the sour touch of the darkness that he often felt on Tortug, deep within the Phrik mines that the Expeditionary Fleet had claimed from the Hutt Cartels. He focused on that, using it as a beacon to find his way through the layers and to the interior of the door...

With a heavy groan of rock against rock, something began to shift behind the doorway as Venris rotated his hand and then held out his other arm. He began to push an invisible set of doors apart....and the surface parted with a hiss of compressed air, unveiling the passage beneath.

Venris lowered his arms and exhaled softly before glancing towards Serena. "...if that isn't the temple we're looking for, I'll eat my shoes." He said, cracking a smile.

He could feel the Force within the sanctum he had just unlocked. It permeated the very air that flowed free of the stronghold for the first time in many years, flowed through the ground as if reaching for them both in reaction to their presence, inviting them into the forgotten home f the Blakguard. With it, Venris could hear the whispers of the long departed men and women who came and went here, feel the great fear that overshadowed this place...and sense the violent conflict that had taken place.

This had to be the correct location.

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

[member="Venris Helion"]​

​

Serena smiled, "You know you offered to eat your boots last time, and I do remember offering you salt." She tilted her head as she teased him slightly, She felt the cool air first and then the smell hit her. Musty and old this door must not have been opened in a very long time.

"I know that there are some blackguard around, it would seem they have not been here in sometime though" Serena looked at the door and then to Venris, "Ok..you went in first the last time, I'll go first this time." She took a deep breath building her courage and then stepped inside, into the pitch black of the corridor. She took only a few steps was raising her hand to call for light when as if triggered by her thoughts the torches lit one by one down the hall. "Well that's interesting"

She looked back at Venris, the soft whispers did not echo Serena wondered if they were in her head, was she the only one to hear them, "Do you hear voices?" He could help her to validate reality from illusion.

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Wren"]

"Huh...if you're hearing them then I guess I'm not going totally insane yet," Venris replied as he followed her in. "And I'm willing to bet not one of them are from a person who has lived for the past few centuries." He didn't reach for his weapons yet, but he kept on guard as they delved into the depths of the temple.

The whispers were clearer to hear now that they were within the temple. They were a mix of man and woman, human and alien, many voices mixed together.

"So...think there are any living Blackguard here to make this entire scenario slightly less creepy than the first temple we explored?" He asked after a few moments.

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

[member="Venris Helion"]​

​

"Maybe they are just waiting for us like the last occupant. A live person would alleviate many of the questions I've got." They walked down the corridor the walls were smooth polished each time Serena looked to her left or her right she saw her own reflection.

"The voices, I don't know if they lived a good life or a bad life. The whispers are undistinguishable to my hears. But." She blew out as if she needed to deflate and think, "Maybe if there isn't someone live, there is an interactive, maybe a holocron that we can ask questions to."

Serena hoped for someone to ask questions, simply because if they found the stone, what else would she do look at it and try to determine properties. They needed someone who could provide answers.

"Nervous?" She asked.

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Wren"]

Venris was trying to decipher the messages being whispered by a thousand being's at once when Serena spoke to him. He looked down at her and shrugged. "Nah, this isn't as scary as the first temple yet."

Examining his reflection in one wall, Venris began to ponder ways to find the information they needed. "Perhaps if there is no Holocron here, and I think there would be, given who these people were, we could attempt a more direct and...risky approach. Some force sensitives may, in an area where the force is strong and significant events have occured, gleam visions from what occured or contact spirits of departed who are one with the Force itself...or so the rumours state. If all else fails, maybe we could see if any of the previous occupants have left some piece of themselves behind."

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

[member="Venris Helion"]​

​

The first time she hadn't found scary until he opened the door, but she had to admit being in here knowing what could or had dwelled within the polished walls unnerved her. for once her empathy wasn't running rampant all over her was it because of the building, or its possible occupants. Serena did not know she moved with caution making sure Venris was always just a few steps away.

"I practice psychometry I'm just learning it, do you mean something like that?" she asked softly waiting for something, or someone to jump out of them as the hall twisted around. The hall moved like a corkscrew they were slowly descending to the center of the structure, what waited for them down there? A holocron? A member of the blackguard? Or nothing.

Each step she took she felt something inside of herself begin to move without her being in a high emotional state something crept up her spine, was it her fear? Or was it something more.

There was an echo suddenly as if someone had dropped something.

"oh" Serena stopped her breath caught in her throat, shaking her head she decided to push forward.

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Wren"]

Venris stiffened as he heard the distant noise. He set a hand on Serena's shoulder to stop her from proceeding further and shut his eyes, attempting to seek out the cause of the noise or listen for anything else.

They were not alone...something else was in the temple, he was sure of it, and he also would bet it was not friendly. Venris grasped the hilt of his lightsaber and slipped it from his belt before releasing Serena's shoulder and stepping forward. Each footstep he made began to send out an echo that only grew louder, even when he tried to silence his movements and tread as softly as possible. It was like this place intentionally was doing everything in its power to set them on edge, to make them jump at every sound and perceived movement in their periphery.

"Is this place just one big hall?" He whispered before the corridor seemed to come to an end not far up ahead. "...nevermind."

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

[member="Venris Helion"]​

​

She felt his hand on her shoulder and stopped so much for something easy right, she turned her head to look at him standing there with his eyes closed reaching out with the force. she could feel the ripples of it as he touched it his face seemed so serene at that moment a handsome face for certain. She smiled grateful again that he was here.

She followed behind as he stepped out he was certainly the one ready for battle in the blink of an eye. Perhaps he should consider joining the Silver Jedi they could always use someone of his character, and skill. He seemed a little frustrated that the corkscrew kept winding until it finally stopped and they were once again at the bottom of something old but beautiful.

Here in the dim light where shadows crouched in every corner across the room from them a single object.

Serena could not identify the object from where she stood, "Look there Venris, isn't that beautiful" Whatever it was once again Serena could feel the tremors of something moving slowly crawling making its way to where it could look.

She took a few steps and stopped. She remembered the last temple. She looked to the walls shiny, black at night and yet nothing seemed odd except the sensation she was having.

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Wren"]

(I see what you did there. XD Im guessing you saw my thread about leaving the Expeditionary Fleet.)

Venris beheld the object before them, trying to discern from his memory any recollection of such an object in the volumes he had viewed over his life. It did look oddly appealing, yet the setting suggested that such beauty concealed something malicious, or that so,ething malicious might be guarding it. He glanced at Serena, who was admiring the object and also seemingly on alert like he was, detecting the presence that resonated in the chamber, or at least close by.

It was Venris' exact luck to be stuck in not one but two temples with a gorgeous woman with actual brains, a great personality and as big a thrill for adventure as him and be stalked by some dark entity BOTH times.

Venris stepped forward with Serena while igniting his lightsaber, the blade generating a cooling feeling instead of heat due to the Pontite Crystal as he used it to shed light on the corners of the room. "Whatever it is, let's find out what it is and if it's carrying any baggage, mainly another spirit that's going to spit riddles and urinate hallucinations at us."

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

Spoiler

I can see it in your future woooo woooo lol. yes I saw it.

She tried very hard not to laugh but couldn't help herself, "Well would you rather have it spew rainbows and del-ya at us? What fun would that be?" Serena did not know if Venris knew del-ya were talking horses found on Shri-Tal but she'd throw it out there for him to contemplate.

She smiled as she made the step forward and then something happened as she took each step, the walls appeared to become slick the polished look gave way to a dark wet fluid vision. It seemed to run down the walls and then there was the smell, as if something rotten with sulphur had walked out of a doorway. Serena held her breath for a moment, her back was hurting her face contorted for a moment as she dealt with the pain.

She turned her head one way then the other then the whisper

What have you brought us little Wren hmmm....

The walls shifted and the faces of the long dead appeared, their lifeless faces staring as if waiting for something.

"Venris, they want something..." her back hurt again, the pain was increasing. She couldn't move now she waited as she pulled her strength from the force blocking out all sensations of fear and pain.

A dark mist began to swirl over their heads..

[member="Venris Helion"]​

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Wren"]

(Unfortunately I've already joined Primeval, however the leader was cool with Venris joining out of convenience rather than loyalty. If he ever ends up facing Wren or another friend on the battlefield he'd sooner defect from the Primeval.)

"Del-ya?" Venris murmured under his breath before spotting Serena stepping towards the object. "Wait-"

Venris' Witch Marks suddenly began to burn, glowing bright green through his clothing as ichor ascended from his shoulders like smoke from a fire. He collapsed to his knees, suddenly feeling like a thousand tons were pressing down against him. His lightsaber rolled from his grasp, and when he tried to call it back to his waiting hand the weight increased and pressed him flat against the floor.

Serena's words reached him, and he cracked one eye open while struggling to raise so much as a finger. "Something...what do they-"

The marks burned again, and Venris was drawn up on his feet like a marionette held up by strings. The Witch was using him to survey the situation, but he knew her intent was not to save them, she was merely curious and investigating his sudden proximity to such potent influence of the Dark Side. He could hear her amused laughter in his mind.

-Oh my Venris...what have you stepped into?- She cooed.

"Shut...up..." He whispered, shutting his eyes. He began to softly recite the code of the Je'daii under his breath, emptying his head of all distracting thoughts and focusing solely on erecting mental barriers against the Witch's intrusion.

-Oh spoilsport...very well, I'll let you have your fun...- She chuckled, withdrawing.

The strings were severed, and Venris' entire body briefly relaxed before he stood upright.

"What do they want? A physical object?" He asked Serena, eyeing the figures of the long departedwhile calling his lightsaber back into his grip, igniting the blade yet again.

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

Serena watched what was happening to [member="Venris Helion"] she attempted to move towards him to help but found her own feet fixed firmly in place. She looked around to the walls, to the floor, and then to the object before them.

She contemplated it as she listened to the whispers about what she had brought, did they mean Venris, or something else? She took a small breath to find her own balance to keep out the words, to remember what [member="Connor Harrison"] had taught her.

How had they recreated that effect? She had only read about it that one time, but then why would she read more this was assumed to be a Sith technique not a Jedi technique.

What do they want? The words echoed in her mind as she reached for the answer.

Only what you bring such a cryptic answer which she thought had been answered many times before in many different times, but perhaps that was one of the purposes of being a Jedi, the continual testing to find growth. A journey that never ends.

Brought. She brought herself, her doubt, her friend Venris, and an uncertainty that something had happened that day in her father's office. She felt herself being pulled forward towards the altar.

The faces showed no emotion no sign of life, or understanding. Serena braced herself as she felt herselt lifted and thrown face down onto the altar an invisible hand held her in place. She laid with her eyes cast down, she was afraid.

She trembled but remembered it was ok.

"It's ok Venris. I don't think it wants to hurt me:"

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Wren"]

Venris at first moved to assist Serena when she was thrown onto the altar, but stopped as she spoke. If this entity did not mean them harm then it sure had a unique way of showing its intent. Venris extinguished his blade and strode towards the altar, eyeing the walls warily.

This entire situation made Venris uncomfortable, mainly because this entity had taken an interest in a person who Venris considered to be a dear friend. Whatever it desired from her or both of them, he prayed that it was a simple demand that could easily be met, a paltry offering for safe passage in and out of this place.

Somehow Venris doubted it would be so convenient that way however.

"If it does not want to kill us," He wondered while clipping his lightsaber to his belt. "Then what does it want from us?"

Venris could hear the whispers, but to him they were more jumbled and messy than they were for Serena. He could make out a few words, but full sentences were beyond him by this point and the lack of i for action served to be more than a little...frustrating, though he pushed back any thoughts of anger or fear, reciting the Je'daii Code in his head to help calm himself in the face of this strange force that had fixated itself upon Serena.

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

[member="Venris Helion"]​

​

She laid there her cheek against the cold black marble of the altar and then she felt it, a sharp stabbing pain to her back. She let out a scream that echoed through the halls.

It is there, can you not feel it??

Serena tried not to whimper, "is it really there? What is it?"

For a moment it felt as if everything in the room had gone completely dark and when the dim light returned Serena still lay upon the stone.

What you seek may yet be found here.

A doorway where none had been opened behind them the low light came up igniting several cases that may have one at time housed a great many relics but what remained was yet to be seen. Serena saw the room, she nodded. She had no answers, no supposition, just the same feeling she had when she walked in.

Slowly she pushed herself up. "I think we go inside" She did not want to she wanted to go home.

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Wren"]

Venris sensed Serena's fear as he helped her off of the altar. Her agonized cry had almost made him jump into action, but he had restrained himself so as not to agitate the entity and cause further harm to Serena. He gently set both hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye, giving her a comforting smile. "Serena, if you want to go back now then I will gladly abandon this venture to take you away from here. We owe neither this place nor whatever controls it any obedience, we could simply force our way back out."

Though he said it with confidence, Venris doubted that the being would allow them to leave without following its instructions.

"But if you also think we should finish what we have started, you will still have my support." He promised, gently grasping both of her hands in his own.

Personally he wanted to leave, but this mission was Serena's to lead and hers to see through if she desired so.

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

Serena leaned forward putting her arms around his neck and laying her head on his shoulder. "I have to go in Venris I need the answer whatever it is." She buried her face into his shoulder then feeling just how warm he was, what a great comfort at this moment he was to her. "Don't forget we're accumulating kisses for later" She teased him this time, She nodded and then let him go as she inched forward to come off the altar.

She did not know what lay ahead and if she had at this moment she might have turned back. She took a deep breath gathering her strength. On her feet slightly wobbly but still standing her hand rested on Venri's forearm for a moment as she smiled.

She walked slowly towards the doorway, "Once more into the darkness we go" Serena stepped through into the pitch black that waited. All around her there was nothing it was as if she had stepped into a void, no sound, no light, no nothing.

Only what you bring with you..................

[member="Venris Helion"]​

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Wren"]

"I'd never forget my debt to you," Venris chuckled before following Serena to the doorway. "Let's add another one to the tally, that makes...two that I owe you so far." He joked, but the light atmosphere faded as they came to the threshold leading to the darkness.

He gently squeezed Serena's hand, supporting her as they stepped through and moved beyond the boundaries of the room that had already been their prison. He kept closed to Serena, assured by her continued presence as the whispers began again.

"Only...what we bring with us...?" He whispered. "What does this mean, precisely?"

 

[Darth Ren Malgus]

[member="Venris Helion"]​

​

Serena looked to Venris, "I think it is a test, what we bring with us, our fears, our strengths' all that is within" goosebumps ran down her arm there was a chill in the air at least to her it felt like cold Serena as a child had gotten lost on Ilum while her family searched the caves for her, she had wandered outside. A storm rose up quickly covering her tracks, they found her curled up in a small crevasse shivering and near death. If it had not been for the team of explorers there she would have died. She was cold now.

Was it in her mind? Most likely if she thought it was cold, what did Venris feel?

The test started with their senses, and memory. Serena felt alone and frightened but she had to remember this wasn't real, she wasn't alone, here in the dark Venris was with her. She turned her head "Venris" she whispered, he was till here...right?

 

[Venris Helion]

[member="Wren"]

Venris didn't feel cold...he felt the damp heat of a jungle, the crunch of branches and leaves beneath his feet. He had been in a jungle when Sedita had found him and his master, when the fallen Helion had murdered the man who had raised Venris and butchered his left arm (also leaving him blind in the left eye). When he closed his eyes Venris could picture himself kneeling over his dead master, his left arm burnt up to the shoulder and blood leaking from his eye socket while Sedita's cruel laughter echoed in the distance...

And then Serena spoke and snapped him out of it, yet he could not even see her by his side nor feel her hand anymore. "Serena!" He looked around the void. "Serena, we have to keep close, keep talking, make a noise, anything!"

"Oh my..." A familiar voice drawled, audible to both of them. "Is that fear you reek of, little brother? It looks to me like somebody isn't ready to become a Jedi." They could hear the voice of Sedita Helion as clearly as if he was right next to them.

It was what Sedita had said to Venris on that day a decade ago, calling out as he stalked him and his master through the darkest depths of the jungle, hunting them down and making a game of it.