The Dead City

[The Nameless One]

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MIRAL​

THE DEAD CITY​

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Sometimes, amidst the destruction and chaos, life can thrive.

Miral was no exception, even with the affliction that ran through the planet's veins. The Dark Side had not been kind in most cases but to Miral? They had been downright evil. Recovery was a slow process, some areas finding a new lease of life from relief efforts and communities getting back on their feet after being swept away by the wave of darkness-- Even as those once dead roamed, seeking out their next victim, most reaches of the once treasured planet of the Jedi had returned at least some semblance of order, hope, community; the core concepts of which the Jedi thrived upon and wished to spread in order to combat the teachings of their rivals, the Sith. Yet as the galactic struggles and conflicts raged like a roaring bonfire, there was one city in particular in which all sense of humanity had long since been absent.

The Dead City, it had been come to be aptly named; a desolate ruin of what had once been a prosperous center of population yet now found itself as a mere footnote in the pages of history. Yet, despite this, rumors circulate about the supposedly lifeless urban center; tales of long lost treasures, left among the titanic graveyard, guarded by the hordes of shambling corpses that inhabit the derelict streets and buildings. Rumors that would scare most away, drew the desperate, the foolhardy and the insane; and so rumors became legends, told by those that had ventured to a place of damnation and lived to tell the tale.

Yet hidden beneath the sea of darkness and death lay a living soul-- Someone had called the Dead City their home, living and thriving off the lifeless carcass of former civilization. Whoever they were, their force presence was raw, untamed but there-- It took only someone to find them.

And that's why you're here.

[member="Dorin Arkx"] | [member="Kaalia Pavanos"]

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

Darth Avacyn had seen many monumental feats of the Dark side in the relatively short amount of time she had walked the galaxy. It had wiped out the life of entire planets and turned otherwise unremarkable beings into warriors that were unrivalled in their prowess, and through the strength that she was able to tap from it she had been able to build her life in the way she wished it to be. Yet, it was still able to intrigue her with its endless power and today it had done so again.

This was not the first time the woman had been on the ravaged planet of Mirial. Alongside the Valkyries she was providing aid to its citizens on the day the Silver Jedi launched their attack, but throughout that and the armed conflict that followed she had not stepped out of the city walls that kept the undead hordes from entering the city. Today was a different story, however. Instead of staying inside the safety of the living city, she roamed the ruined streets of the Dead City, a scene that felt nothing but surreal. Ravenous creatures given life by the Dark side were all around her as she walked, but it was like they didn't even know she was there. Avacyn knew before even setting foot on Mirial the first time that the undead would not attack those strong in the Dark side, but although she heard the stones crunch under her boots and felt the breeze across her face, she had the feeling she wasn't truly here. It was like she merely watched through the lens of a camera.

Avacyn had come here for a reason. Whispers of a living soul who had made the city of the dead their home had reached the ears of the Valkyries and after the unsuccessful attempts of various knights to track them down, she had decided to head down there herself instead. Her new duties as triumvir and the developments in her personal life caused her to have little time left to do much else than direct the other Valkyries, but for this an exception was made. Whoever the one she was tracking down was, whether they were strong in the Force or not, was able to survive in the harshest of conditions. Someone with the skills they had to possess to survive here was invaluable to the Sith Empire.

The undead wouldn't make it any easier to find them, however. As Avacyn walked down the debris-littered street, looking for any signs of the previous presence of a living being, her eyes were drawn to further down the road. A massive horde, aimlessly wandering amongst each other created a blockade between her and where one of the Valkyrie knights who had navigated the city before had found an abandoned camp. For a moment she contemplated earth shaping to quickly deal with the problem but elected against it, concluding it would be a disturbance at such a scale that it could drive the survivor into hiding. She was going to cut her way through instead. Her hands reached for the matching hilts hanging from her hips and unclipped them while she made her approach. Then, they ignited.

The first of the undead horde lost his head.

[member="The Nameless One"] | [member="Dorin Arkx"]

 

[Kyyrk]

Dorin knelt in a third story window, gazing out at the surrounding city. It had been some time since he had been to a location like this. His camp sat behind him, packed and ready to go. But for now, he kept watch. Someone was here. And not the person he'd come looking for. The source of the untamed force energy. This one...was controlled. Dark.

Dorin pulled his wrist up to his mouth, and pressed a button on the side. "Operations Log, Miral, 852 ABY. I came to this place, called the Dead City, to assess the state of the wildlife. Looks like there's a survivor here. I can sense him. Her. It. I'm not alone, though. There's another presence somewhere in the city. And if I can sense it, it can sense me... I'll have to be careful. Might not be friendly."

Dorin fell quiet, and paused the recording. Below, another horde was amassing. He watched them quietly for a moment, milling about as they did, before continuing his observations. "These creatures are unlike any I've seen before. The closest analogue I've been able to find is the Rakghoul Virus, but this doesn't seem to be as...fast acting. The creatures move much slower, and a metamorphosis does not occur. The bearer retains its original form. Until a time comes that I find a better name for them, I shall refer to them as Nekro's."

Dorin stopped the recording, and stood, turning to gather his small camp. He descended the stairs shortly there after, sword drawn and at the ready. At the bottom, a few dead creatures. He knelt beside one, and used an elbow spur to slice its belly open, causing blood to spurt out. Soon, he was covered in the foul smelling liquid. Smelt horrible, especially to his keener senses, but he had already learned that it allowed him to move undetected by the creatures. He stepped out into the street, and set a course for the city center. That was perhaps the best place to begin his search...

[member="Kaalia Pavanos"] | [member="The Nameless One"]

 

[The Nameless One]

*SNAP!*

The survivor's attention was drawn to one of their many near snares as the sound echoed through the general vicinity. Shooting up from their position and taking the crouched walk; near hunched over like a feral animal over to where the noise had originated from, it soon became apparent that they had caught its first meal of the day. Within one of the many snares established around where the survivor had last taken to sleep, a lifeless rodent sat motionless in the space that had originally been empty. A prize, it appeared, that presented the first of many boons of the day for the Nameless One. It did not take long for the rodent to be clutched and taken to a spot for consumption, the mask that the survivor wore sat beside them as they began to sink their teeth into the meat hidden behind a veil of dirty fur-- Watching over the streets below from their bastion in the apocalypse; a ruined building sat within the center of the city.

Truth be told, the city was dangerous to all, even the undead that roamed the very same streets that they did-- For their traps were numerous; some reusable but many not, the various tripwires akin to a spider's web littered the various streets simply waiting for their prey to misplace their step and be rewarded with a shower of shrapnel or the collision of rubble. How long the survivor had existed within the Dead City could have been anyone's guess, the records of their existence were long since gone within the medical records stored within the hospital that once acted as a symbol of hope to the sickly and the wounded which now acted only as a center-point for the cycle of madness-- That was, after all, where most of the bodies that hadn't been laid to rest had been stored; though with the Sith meddling, soon it became apparent that it mattered not where the dead once where; their spread was equal to wildfire, sweeping any sort of resistance aside as the hordes of the living dead ripped through flesh and barricade alike until there was nothing left... All aside from one, the last remnant of life that they simply couldn't catch; the scavenger that flew among the corpses and picked at that which was still viable. The survivor pondered upon this as it savaged the rodent in between sharp, devolved teeth.

Off in the distance, an explosion erupted, the first of many, no doubt.

[member="Dorin Arkx"] | [member="Kaalia Pavanos"]

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

Like lambs to the slaughter.

As though they were fully oblivious to the butcher in their midst, a somewhat unsettling grin on her face from the satisfaction she felt, the members of the horde were effortlessly cut down one by one without any retaliation. Corpses dropped to the floor to create a path through the mass of rotting flesh for Avacyn to walk, stepping over some of them while she did. With every sweeping flash of red another fell and the Dark side surged up a little more, but the woman did not feed off of it. It was unnecessary and she would not needlessly indulge in its power, for she knew the price one had to pay to step into the Darkness. To draw from it as much as the situation required of her and not any more than that- it was a delicate balance that had to be found through a slow process.

And while Avacyn did so, the presence of another was firmly kept in the back of her mind. It was not the one of the survivor she was tracking down, no, but one who was quite clearly powerful in the Force. Whoever they were, however, they were no Sith. Perhaps they were here for the same reason, which if true would make things more difficult than expected. Still, they stood on Sith Empire soil. Would they pose a threat in any way, there would be little stopping her from doing what was necessary to eliminate it.

The presence was close, leaving the woman with a decision to make. Either she would follow down the lead she had come in with beforehand, or she would track down the mysterious presence. With one final sweep the last of the undead blocking her path was cut down and with various splatters of blood covering her armor she stepped out on the other side of the horde, taking a quick look backwards as the lightsaber's blades retreated back into their hilts before leaving it behind her. A few steps later the choice was made, her destination now the city center.

[member="The Nameless One"] | [member="Dorin Arkx"]

 

[Kyyrk]

Dorin moved between buildings furtively. He was getting closer to the other force user. That or it was getting closer to him. Did it matter? Perhaps not. Dorin stuck to the shadows, preferring to lay eyes on the other before they laid eyes on him. The other being was, in all likelihood, a Sith after all. And they did tend to be rather unreasonable about things.

That's when Dorin spotted them. Well, signs they had been there. Bodies. Lots of them. They were up in the street ahead of him. As he moved closer, he noticed the fallen creatures were covered in cuts, many with decapitated limbs. And every single cut was seared shut. Lightsaber. Nothing else it could be. Given the foul odor of burnt flesh, it had happened recently. Dorin knelt beside one of the corpses, and placed a hand on its head, palm resting over the left eye socket. He sat immobile for a moment, before standing and resuming his journey. He saw another cluster of buildings ahead that he guessed the Sith had gone towards. So, he picked up his pace.

As he neared the cluster, he drew his blaster pistol. A simple thing, won in a card game while he waited for his shuttle to this planet. It was his now, though. He wormed his way through the rubble towards the interior of a building. He climbed the stairs up to a higher level, and crossed over to the next building at the third story. It was then that he noticed her. Dark clad, unsurprising. With...He couldn't tell from here if there was a single blade, or if she carried two. Her red hair was striking, however. Dorin pulled his pistol up, aiming it at her. He'd wanted this pistol because it had a scope on it. Rudimentary, but it saved packing space. His finger sat beside the trigger, not intending to shoot the female. The closer look afforded by the scope confirmed that she did, in fact, carry twin blades. Wonderful. Nothing good ever followed a Sith like that. Dorin dropped the pistol to his side, watching the Sith woman quietly from his kneeling position in the window of a ruined building.

He didn't expect to stay hidden for long, but...Then again that was the plan. Worst case scenario, she'd jump him immediately, and they have a knock down drag out in the streets. But, he was gambling on two things. The first was that she was a somewhat reasonable sort. He didn't expect this entirely, but the second thing went hand in hand: Any combat would likely scare off what Dorin assumed to be their mutual target. And so, he held his position, watching the woman silently. Her reaction to realizing she was being watched would tell Dorin quite a bit about her, or so he hoped. Sith were always so difficult to reason with...

[member="Kaalia Pavanos"] | [member="The Nameless One"]

 

[The Nameless One]

With the first meal of the day consumed, the itinerary of the day was fully underway.

The Nameless One, admittedly during the first days of their remembered existence, did not enjoy staying in one area for too long-- The inclined approach to survival came in the way of nomadic camp sites dotted across the Dead City-- Places where the undead had no chance of reaching for one reason or another, giving the survivor the distinct edge that they required to even stand a chance to seeing the dying of the light or the rising of the sun. Yet now, as basic commodities had all but run dry and basic functions like remembering what day it was or social interaction seemed like a distant memory, the integration into this new way of life have been complete, with the discarding of sanity or any sense of humanity part of the bargain. If one were to look down upon the ruins and compare the Nameless One to the hordes of countless undead roaming the streets; would they see a difference? Sure, one was living, the other wasn't-- However the mannerisms and motivations were entirely the same; to eat was to survive, eat that which desires to eat you first-- Hunger fueled the flames of survival and the dead that walked the lifeless earth beneath their feet. Diplomacy too had all but fallen from the options of approach to situations-- This was a kingdom vied for control by that of the living and that of the dead; the Nameless One would rule over the ashes, if it needed to; proven by the frequent detonations of traps that echoed across the desolate streets, smoke bellowing into the sky after the raging fireballs illuminated the bleak atmosphere for no more than a few moments; bringing what was once dead to life, even just for a few choice seconds.

Yet today was different.

A tingle on the back of their neck, a pair of presences that felt distinct and gave a different taste to the higher plane that was the Force-- Even if they had no intelligible understanding of the concept. Perhaps to the survivor, it was simply magic, a force that was so unrefined yet powerful that allowed them to direct the world about them as they saw fit, impaling and crushing as they so desired; all they simply had to do was think of it and it was to be done. Nevertheless, the presence of fresh meat deserved utmost attention-- Flesh pure from the corruptions of death was certainly a delicacy that the Nameless One couldn't afford to pass up, especially if it was of the same size as them, if eaten carefully, could last for a very long time-- With how much they flared across the desolate city, the survivor had every reason to believe that these two would be a much lusted change of variety over the rats or crisped meat of the undead in the most dire of circumstances. It was this that sought them to gather their equipment, armor up and begin their journey across the mangled ruins of civilization-- The echoes of explosions and the twanging of tripped wires and primed mines creating an eerie ambiance across the city, enhanced only by the moans and wordless cries of those that were once living. It was enough to drive anybody mad, if they stayed in this place for too long-- An animal kingdom, where the singular feral shell of a person ruled above the shambling hordes; prey for them to swoop down upon and claim as their kill. Years of familiarity of the routes meant that movement over the rubble and obstacles was nothing short of a breeze for the Nameless One-- Soon they found themselves in the cover of the shadows, watching down over the streets of corpses upon the ground and a singular woman stood among them all.

Unlike those that hunted them, however, they did not seek companionship-- Only their next meal. A singular grenade was prepared; more akin to a can filled with powder and nails-- Improvisation down to its most simple, tribal form. What the Nameless One didn't know, however, was that the prey it sought had a hand with the very same magic they used. As the ambush was prepared, unknowing that it was in their sights, the undead began to stir-- The first source of fresh flesh in what must have seemed eternity; the whole city seemed to shamble towards the epicenter of what was to become a four-way battle.

[member="Dorin Arkx"] | [member="Kaalia Pavanos"]

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

It did not take long for Avacyn to get in close proximity to the presence she had been tracking. Her sight that did not cast into the material world but rather that of the Force could see him clearly, but despite the fact it oozed with power it did not carry hostility with it. Perhaps there was deception involved with that, but considering the fact she had been out in the open for some time now and no move had been made towards her yet, there was reason to believe dialogue was a likely option. If necessary the room it gave her would be turned around on them, but until she had found them in the physical realm and knew why they had come here in the first place every option would be kept open.

After having concluded the presence was tangibly close and even watching her, the woman simply came to a standstill and as though she knew exactly where they were turned towards the building from where they followed her. Her head slowly tilted upwards from the ground floor to the third- she had found him. No weapon could be seen from where she stood, which meant he either had no intent on using ranged weaponry to take her out, or he was hiding that fact. She wasn't certain quite yet on the right approach to the situation, but no matter how she would do it, there was something that had to be taken care of first and foremost, for it was much more time-sensitive.

Avacyn's target was here and not only were they filled with murderous intentions, the dead were not far behind. The latter did not bother her in regards to her own situation, but she was here to bring the survivor back to civilization alive. The more direct threat however was the projectile that was now being hurled towards her, and had to be answered immediately. Her left arm shot upwards in its direction and the obeying Force's invisible tendrils wrapped around it, halting its momentum in mid-air. Then, as though the grenade was in her hand, she motioned to throw it into one of the many empty buildings and in response it changed course to do exactly that.

Perhaps her target would have to be subdued before they could be reasoned with.

[member="The Nameless One"] | [member="Dorin Arkx"]

 

[Kyyrk]

Dorin's gaze shot up, looking for the source of the projectile. He couldn't find it. That was the problem with untrained people like this individual. They didn't register as a person, so much as a space. With a hiss, his sword was in his hand, and he joined the woman on the ground, brandishing his sword at the ready. He chanted something under his breath, and drew his hand across the blade as he strode towards the woman. Sparks flew, and electricity crackled down the edge of the sword. When he spoke, it was quickly and quietly. "We should move. Don't wanna give him a second shot. We're on his ground, so he's got the advantage. I can clear the dead easy enough, you focus on subduing our newfound friend."

Dorin's visor locked on to the woman's face. His tone wasn't hostile, per-say. But he spoke with a matter-of-factness that carried a certain amount of blunt. Danger was close, and there wasn't any point in observing social niceties out in the open. For a second, he considered pointing out that it would be in their best interests to keep in-fighting to a minimum. The odds were stacked against them as it was. But, instead he decided to take the slightly more diplomatic route, and give her the benefit of the doubt. "If you see him, do NOT pursue. He's going to run back to his hole. Always his most defensible position, make him come to you."

Dorin looked down the street at the horde making its way towards them. He drew his pistol again, and said over his shoulder, "You get him cornered and need my help, signal. I'll know what you mean." He then began to walk towards the horde, pistol firing off at various targets dropping a corpse with each shot. He fully intended to do most of the fighting with his sword, but then again, his strategy was to get the horde focused on him, not on the Sith. It would be much easier to find their target if he was focused on Dorin. Much easier to capture...

[member="Kaalia Pavanos"] | [member="The Nameless One"]

 

[The Nameless One]

And so the grenade was thrown and tossed aside, smashing through a cracked window and caused an almighty bang as the improvise explosive made its volatile entrance.

A primal screech erupted from the rooftops, followed by snarls. The survivor had expecting the two signatures to be at ends as they arrived but seeing them conspire only made the feral hollow of a civilized member of society furious. To have a perfect plan foiled so easily, a demonstration of power so strong yet familiar-- The Nameless One took this at the greatest of offenses, the defiance of the meat that it sought suggested it would not struggle, no, it would fight. Yet as this realization began to sink in, survival instincts honed in upon those blades that radiated majesty and death, unknown weapons that soon were linked to the decimation of the undead that lay around the fresh's feet and yet more were coming still. As the survivor's prey devised their plan, the distant explosions began to echo across the Dead City as the converging hordes found themselves victim to the traps laid across the streets, alleyways and buildings-- Improvised explosives wired to leaking gas and other sources of fuel soon roared to life with the orchestra of destruction drawing closer as the minutes went by. The survivor was not one to be idle either, allowing the undead to fall upon these targets of opportunity and have their prize of fresh meat for a considerable amount of time lost to the teeth and claws of the shambling dead-- They would not allow themselves to be idle when their livelihood was threatened. Yet more grenades were prepared and thrown, one after the other until five or so found themselves lobbed as a cluster towards the two living things on the planet other than the survivor; the quality of the bodies mattered little at this point, they simply wanted their catch of a lifetime dead and ready to be transported before the horde arrived.

Yet the strange forces of today had brought a shift that was most unfortunate. The horde had shuffled in faster than anticipated, the countless bodies that shambled through the dark shortcuts, through open doors and cracks of the buildings that surrounded them; a growing crowd that seemed adamant on one thing and one thing only-- Their rotted bodies and minds craving the consumption of flesh, to rip and devour without restraint and whilst many bodies of the shambling corpses already stood at the feet of the Sith and her associate, the pile would be a mountain by the end-- if those still living were even still standing. The survivor watched this from their rooftop, noticing that the window for flesh was closing before their very eyes and such brought on a seething hatred; a raging inferno of anger that channeled itself through forces dark, mystical, perhaps even witchcraft, at least from the eyes of the tribal who had lived among the ruins for as long as they could remember. A screech louder than anything roared to the very sky like thunder was followed by the scrambling of the lone figure reaching ground level and drawing their machete, pounding the flat surface of the blade against their chestplate, snarling and leering at the horde that slowly encroached upon the trio.

Like an alpha, they would fight to assert dominance-- This was no act of kindness, only the law of predators; that which survived would feast upon these unfortunate souls-- Unbeknownst to them, the Nameless One had put themselves right where the trio no doubt wanted them.

[member="Dorin Arkx"] | [member="Kaalia Pavanos"]

 

[Kaalia Pavanos]

The seemingly endless numbers of those who were once alive had already picked up on the rumblings around the city center, causing them to draw closer, but the grenade's explosion was the perfect beacon to pinpoint where they were almost exactly. Nearly immediately the shambling corpses began seeping through the proverbial cracks, making Avacyn's mission just that much more difficult. Although to her they posed no direct threat, it was imperative to keep her target from falling into their clutches for the risk of leaving with empty hands was still very much present.

The woman's gaze was fixed on the stranger that strode towards her, eyes ignited with the red and amber corruption of the Dark side that signified it was not Kaalia but Darth Avacyn who was here now. None of his actions were shows of hostility, but that it took more than that to remove the doubts she had in regard to his trustworthiness, but for now there was no direct threat that came from him. Ensuring the target would remain unharmed took priority, if necessary he could be dealt with later. He did seem to be under the impression they were working together a bit too quickly, but his plan worked in her own favor. Without a real answer, her head shot towards where the sound of metal hitting metal originated from to reveal the survivor she had been tracking down. At last she could begin with getting them out of the city, and whether it was voluntarily or by force made little difference.

Avacyn drew the Force towards her and as if it was her second nature, poured it into the very air around her before jumping upwards. Carefully controlled yet powerful gusts of wind propelled her upwards and forwards and when she began coming back down towards the ground she landed inbetween the encroaching horde and the survivor who faced them down. She wasn't looking to make this a drawn out battle, but instead to in one way or another get her target out of the Dead City and do this as quickly as possible. For that she would have to cut another swath through the horde, perhaps torch them, but in the moment she had her back turned towards them to stand face to face with the survivor. Her lightsabers, although they were both held in a tight grip, remained dormant to show no direct hostility. Her readiness to answer any and all moves towards her, however, was very clearly stated through not only her body language, but the Force as well. She wasn't sure if the message would be understood, but the redhead then decided to see if they could be talked to.

"I'm here to bring you back to society. You can follow me, or I can find another way to get you there."

[member="The Nameless One"] | [member="Dorin Arkx"]