Campaign The Forge

[Aris Noble]

Aris idly palmed the orb between his hands. All this time it had been the guiding light, literally, pointing him in the direction of the artifacts that now adorned his body. The living tattoo that could create any weaponry his mind thought of, the bracer on his wrist that could eliminate the influence of the Force on him. They'd proven to be incredibly useful, but the meaning behind them was still looming far over his head like a guillotine waiting to drop.

What exactly were they keys for within this Forge?

The orb now only lead to one place. Where it all had began on Nakbe, in the ancient ruins that had already crumbled further from his last trip with Zaiya Ceti . Would the serpent golem still reside, waiting? Or was there a new path to explore to find the way down to the frozen door that seemed to lead to nowhere? He needed to know, needed to finish the quest burning in the back of his mind, if only to be free of the pull it seemed to have.

"We'll continue down till we find it. Shouldn't be too difficult, I think. This seems to be pointing the way, as ever." He lifted the orb, and sure enough a glowing line seemed to point the direction they needed to walk. A line Aris wasn't looking away from. The feeling had gotten stronger now. This needed to be solved. He would solve it.

"Let's go."

Zaiya Ceti | Azurine Varek | Aadihr Lidos | Darth Carnifex | Braze | Acier Moonbound | Everest Vale

I'll leave it to ya'll on the why and how you're here! I'll be pushing along the narrative, but feel free to add your own stuff if you'd like.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

The weight of the orb's glow painted a line ahead of them, but it was the set of Aris's shoulders that cast the shadow for the rest to follow. Aadihr’s steps trailed in quiet rhythm behind his student’s, staff tapping against stone, rythmic and steady, concealing anxious anticipation.

The Force felt... watchful. Other things were observing from afar. Things unwelcoming – or perhaps selectively welcoming. A hush had fallen over the crumbling path as if the ruins themselves had held their breath for the boy's return, waiting to see if the boy would still flinch at what awaited beneath.

There would be no warnings from Aadihr. No riddles. No reassurances. This was Aris's trial, through and through – no practice runs, no do-overs, Aris was more prepared than Aadihr himself for whatever lay ahead. The student already set to outpace the menti.

Aris had reached the part of his tale where he led from the front. And Aadihr was exactly where he needed to be – A silent support through the gloom. A hand, if it was needed. A light, if it was asked for.

But not the answer.

"I'm with you," he said at last—only when the steps began to descend.

And then, something curious–

A familiar presence, one Aadihr had last seen on Denon, a prior meeting of pure happenstance and painful recollection.
Once is a coincidence. Twice is the will of the Force. "As is Acier Moonbound , it seems," the Miraluka continued gently, in a voice that wasn't quite warm but still far from unwelcoming. Unknown variables and fluctuations of the force had Aadihr on edge, but he could not precisely identify why.

"A friendly presence, I assure you all."

Aris Noble Zaiya Ceti Azurine Varek Darth Carnifex Braze Acier Moonbound Everest Vale​

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Robes
Equipment: Lightsaber, Bracelet, Earrings, Seer Stone, Wayfinder's Flare, Engagement Ring
Tag: Aris Noble Aadihr Lidos Azurine Varek Braze Zaiya Ceti Acier Moonbound Darth Carnifex

Eve remained quiet. She stepped quietly into the edge of their path, boots whispering against old stone. Dust clung to the hem of her cloak, stirred by the breath of ruins too long undisturbed.

She didn’t know what to expect here. Aris hadn’t really known either, only that it was important in ways she wasn't privy to, but when he came to her with that look in his eyes, there had never been a question.

Of course she would come.

They’d spent months together under her mother’s watch — training, healing, learning. She’d grown to love him like a brother. A quiet, strong and stable presence in her life. She would follow him into the dark without hesitation, even if she didn’t understand where it led.

Her gaze flicked over the others. No words. None needed.

She stayed a little apart, not leading, not speaking, just near. Close enough for her presence to anchor and soften. If anyone glanced back, she’d be there — steady, silent, still, and ready.

She only hoped it would be enough.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Nakbe

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27

Landing on Nakbe was not the plan. One second he was cutting through quiet airspace, and the next, every system on his ship shorted like it'd flown through a solar storm. It wasn't from lack of maintenance, Ace was almost obsessive when it came to that. No, this was something else.​

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So, with the forced landing, the white-haired nomad figured he'd investigate what was causing... whatever this disturbance was. The surrounding area would eventually thin into ruin before he saw anyone. But he felt something first - a presence brushed faintly against his awareness. A familiar one at that.​

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Ace slowed his pace, boots crunching lightly over cracked stone. His hand dropped to his belt, not out of fear, just caution. Better safe than sorry.​

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Aadihr Lidos​

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Of course it was him. Ace exhaled through his nose. Okay, this was definitely a Force thing. The company, Aadihr kept was proof of it - each of them having their own unique flairs within the Force. Ace stepped forward into the open edge of the path just before the group began their descent into wherever.​

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His gaze caught the orb in Aris's hand, glowing like some exposed vein. Something old stirred behind his ribs at the sight of it, sharp and quiet like the warning before a migraine.​

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"Didn't think I'd find a family of Jedi." he said dryly "Let alone you, Aadihr."​

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His words weren't hostile, just a tone that conveyed "I'm over this already.". He gave Aadihr a look, then flicked a glance toward Aris, then Eve, and some others. Each person noted and stored like pieces in a puzzle he didn't ask to solve.​

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"Was flying over. Ship glitched the second I got near this place. Instruments went dead. Had to land nearby and figure out why. Thought maybe an old relay tower. Guess not." Ace shrugged.​

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Ace placed his hands on his hips, glancing at the orb once again, then to Aris and then Aadihr. A faint smirk formed.​

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"You guys need a hand?"​

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Aris Noble Aadihr Lidos Everest Vale Azurine Varek Braze Zaiya Ceti Darth Carnifex ​

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x x | Weapons: x x x | Companion: Domxite
Interacting with: Aris Noble Aadihr Lidos Everest Vale Azurine Varek Braze Darth Carnifex @Acir

So all those planets, all that searching, all those adventures and treasure hunts they had traveled across the galaxy led them to this point.

Here.

Zaiya knew that this had been a difficult journey for Aris, for Vera too, and the complex rush of emotions that filled him in the wake of the journey from excitement, curiosity, guilt, and the like had been tempering him all the while.

There were a few friendly faces that Zaiya waved at, like Everest Vale . Some that she didn't know yet, but the Lovalla Padawawn knew what it meant to have people come with him to this final piece. He was still concerned that others might get hurt, but that he had extended his hand and asked meant everything.

Without a word, she crossed the last few steps between them and came to stand at his side. Her bioluminescent stripes flickered a soft bronze and amber in comforting pulses of thoughtful, steady warmth. Reaching up, she slipped her hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze. Comfort. Encouragement.

"I'm here," she murmured, just loud enough for him to hear over the quiet echoes of the chamber.

No matter what waited in the fire, he didn't have to face it alone.

Her opal blue eyes turned towards Aris's Master, Aadhir, and she gave a faint smile towards him, letting the pair talk. At that same time, her curious, friendly gaze turned towards the other person who had come with the Miraluka Knight.

"Oh, hello," She introduced herself, going, "I'm Zaiya."

 

[Vera Noble]

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Tag: Aris Noble Zaiya Ceti Acier Moonbound Aadihr Lidos Everest Vale

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Vera dropped down from a higher ledge with a soft thud, dust kicking up around her boots as she landed a few paces behind the others. She gave her coat a quick shake, then brushed her hands off on the thighs of her pants before straightening up and stepping forward into view.

"Took me a while to catch up," she said, raising an eyebrow at Aris with a smirk. "Figured I should let you feel important for a few minutes before I showed up."

Her gaze drifted to the orb in his hand, then to the ruins ahead, and back to him again. She tilted her head slightly, a crooked grin tugging at her lips, "You know you'd get lost without me, right?" she added. "I'll help you guide the others and use my visions to predict trouble."

But despite the teasing, there was a familiar warmth in her voice, and her stance shifted just enough to put herself at his side. With him, like always.

​

 

[Aris Noble]

For a moment, Aris smiled. He wasn't doing this alone. That's what mattered to him now, to be able to lean on others, to let them help him rather than trying to protect them all on his own. They didn't need his protection. He did raise a brow as he glanced to his master to the stranger. Aadihr vouching for him was enough though for Aris to nod.

"Any help is welcome. I'm not sure what the Forge is exactly or what it does, but I get the feeling it'll probably be better destroyed." Especially if it meant keeping Carnifex from getting his hands on it. He flashed a smirk towards Vera, giving a nod of thanks. Then glanced to Zaiya. Oddly, he didn't feel worried about her.

He simply trusted her.

"We'll find our way down to the door, then see where it leads. C'mon." His eyes fell to Eve, as he gave her a brief, smaller smile. None of these people had questioned his ask, only offered their assistance. That's what made Jedi strong, after all.

He'd lead the way, heading down towards where Zaiya and he had fallen through before. It was the easiest path to head through for now, but already he could see things had changed. What were rock caverns and walls were slowly giving way to properly carved out walls. The deeper they went, the more they transitioned into smooth, ornately carved hallways instead of deep, rough caves.

It was unsettling.

"I didn't think it'd change this much. Or at all. Do you sense anything?"

The beam, as ever, pointed forward. But they weren't alone in these new halls.

Zaiya Ceti | Aadihr Lidos | Acier Moonbound | Everest Vale | Vera Noble

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

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Outfit: Clothes, Earring, Bangle
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

As welcoming as the day he met the Padawan, Aris had easily welcomed the aid of Acier.

Small comfort from the lingering tension Aadihr saw. Like a tea-stain across a canvas, it seeped into the hues of their surroundings, almost like fog curling from under the door.

He could not place it. The color, the shape of it, the patterns – they were familiar yet foreign. Aadihr thought he smelled burning meat for but a moment, instinctively flinching his healed left arm - the pocked scar the only remnant of what once tormented him.

"I didn't think it'd change this much. Or at all. Do you sense anything?"

The memory of thin black strands, connecting to a figure. Of a loved one in danger. One moment, they flashed mechanical, connected to a shrieking, distorted figure.

The next, a puppet controlled by darkness itself.

It was vague, yet grew thicker within, distorting the force enough that to see through it was like the sighted attempted to peer through a blizzard.

Similar. Not necessarily the same.

After a longer than comfortable pause, Aadihr replied:

"I can't... can't be certain of what it is, but this is certainly it. That's about all I can sense. The Force is dense in there."

For a brief moment, he recalled the fume-choked chamber, the heat of magma, and the sight of Aris's aura as he destroyed in fury while Aadihr struggled to keep Vera's light from fading.

Everyone here... Each was important to Aadihr in their own way.

Whatever lay ahead, Aadihr would have to steel himself from these intrusive memories.

"Your attachments undo you, boy. The tighter you cling, the further you venture into my grasp."

Aadihr remained silent, face unmoving. Projecting his tension to the others would serve none except... him.

Aris Noble Acier Moonbound Zaiya Ceti Everest Vale Vera Noble Darth Carnifex (Oopsie)​

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Robes
Equipment: Lightsaber, Bracelet, Earrings, Seer Stone, Wayfinder's Flare, Engagement Ring
Tag: Aris Noble Aadihr Lidos Acier Moonbound Zaiya Ceti Vera Noble

Eve walked quietly among them, her steps light on the stone, silver eye tracing the carved walls as the cavern slowly gave way to something older and... deliberate. Her hand brushed against the wall once, fingertips tracing patterns she didn’t quite understand.

At Aris’s glance, she gave him a small, steady nod, a wordless reminder that he wasn’t alone.

"I feel it too," she murmured, gaze narrowing slightly. "It's like it's... waiting."

She didn't profess to really know what this was all about, but she knew enough to be prepared. Even in the strange, oppressive atmosphere, her presence was calm, a quiet anchor for those around her. Her attention flickered between Aadihr’s tense silence and Acier’s sharp-eyed caution before softening toward Zaiya and Vera’s familiar warmth. Together, they see this through. For Aris.

She turned back to him, offering him a small but firm smile. Her hand brushed lightly against her lightsaber hilt, her thumb grazing the wooden grip. A quiet reassurance. A quiet priming for whatever was waiting for them.

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Nakbe

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27

It was hard not to feel like the odd one out here. Everyone had history, and there was clearly bonds that threaded between all of them. In some way. It didn't take much for Ace to feel it through the Force. The trust, the comradery, the love. It all touched at his senses.

Lucky. He thought to himself, scoffing almost.

In addition, everyone seemed to have some sort of idea of what was going on right now. Meanwhile, he was just walking into this, through this cavern blindly. Hindsight, it was probably pretty stupid but, he knew Aadihr. At least a little. If he was here, this must be serious.

"Yeah..." He added "Something feels... wrong."

There were echoes here, dark ones. Ace's fingers brushed against the surface of the carved wall. Something answered. Brief images flashed in his mind of a towering figure draped in tattered black robes, walking down the same corridor but more ancient. Aris? No, it couldn't be. This individual was older, much older. He was pure darkness, like a void.

Then there was another flash. It was... Aris? Zaiya too. Ace felt a rush of cold and... tension, between the pair. Weird. Another flash of crystals igniting all at once, cavern erupting into a pale blue light.

"Hell was that?" He muttered as he was pulled out of the vision.

Ace was no closer to understanding what this place was, or what was going on from what he'd just seen. Didn't matter, there was still something wrong about this place and everyone could sense it. The dark taint, and... that watching feeling Everest had mentioned.

Aris Noble Aadihr Lidos Everest Vale Zaiya Ceti Vera Noble​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The eyes watching them never wavered, never deviated. Cloaked in darkest midnight, it followed their every step. creeping along the floors and across walls; seeming as natural as any cast shadow. But for the faintest glimmer of irregularity; a twinkle of a yellow predator glare, a distortion of light that didn't bend quite naturally, and the faint creeping sensation of fingers tracing the curvature of their spine. It was evident that they were being watched, but whether it was by the ruin they descended into or something beyond wasn't fully understood.

Above it all, He waited.

He'd been patient, He'd been cautious. He'd never needed to do more than give the right nudge in the proper direction, guiding these events towards their inevitable conclusion. Now all the webs wound tightly, overlapping threads of destinies compounding into a knot; His blade poised just above it. His boots crushed the stone beneath Him as He began to make His initial descent, well behind the progress of the group as was His intention. The shadow would keep Him well appraised.

And so that very same shadow continued to watch, quiet and still.

Eyes in the dark.

Aris Noble | Vera Noble | Zaiya Ceti
Aadihr Lidos | Everest Vale | Acier Moonbound
Braze | Azurine Varek ​

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x x | Weapons: x x x | Companion: Domxite
Interacting with: Aris Noble Everest Vale Darth Carnifex Aadihr Lidos Vera Noble Braze Acier Moonbound

Zaiya gave a nod as instructions were provided, the Lovalla Padawan checking up on the tech on her bracelets and cuffs before they headed out.

She did a quick tap and deployed the three mapping drones from a gunmetal grey cuff, sending them flying.

"Well, I can at least start mapping it." She told them, intending to be useful with that, even if her senses were also being tested with the ancient, almost heavy weight of everything around them.

She had to make sure her mental blocks were in place so she wouldn't get overwhelmed, and that affected the vibrancy of her color-shifting as she focused on sending the drones out into the temple.

At least until another flash of energy seemed to ignite the crystals around them in a pale blue light.

Not unlike what had happened in several locations during this treasure hunt.

 

[Vera Noble]

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Tag: Aris Noble Zaiya Ceti Acier Moonbound Aadihr Lidos Everest Vale

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Vera stepped in closer to Zaiya, boots scuffing softly across the floor as her eyes swept the hallway ahead. The glowing crystals still pulsed faintly, but her attention shifted to the young Padawan beside her, and to the drones now darting ahead in measured paths.

"Hey," Vera said, her voice steady and low, "Those mapping drones are a good idea. Might help keep us one step ahead." She paused, letting her hand drift to the hilt of her lightsaber as her gaze swept the corridor again.

"I don't have tech like that, but I see things sometimes. In flashes. Places, danger, paths we're meant to follow. The Force doesn't always give me answers, but it gives me just enough to help guide people."

She glanced at Zaiya with a faint smile.

"Maybe between your sensors and my visions, we can figure out what's waiting for us in here before it tries to surprise us. What do you think?"

​

 

[Aris Noble]

Zaiya and Vera both would be able to handle guiding the path deeper below, keep an eye out for the dangers he was certain still resided. A place like this wasn't unguarded, and while the serpent from before wasn't hostile to them, who knew if others would do the same? "The hell was.. What?" He turned his gaze to Acier, brow raised. Unlike the others, he couldn't feel what was going on around them. The Force was as ever disconnected from him, despite it being very much part of who he was.

"Did you see something coming or..?"

Acier Moonbound | Zaiya Ceti | Vera Noble | Everest Vale | Aadihr Lidos

 

[Acier Moonbound]

Location: Nakbe

Equipment:
Training Jumpsuit | Lightsaber | Modified DL-27

Ace carefully listened to Zaiya and Vera, talking about drones and visions. He didn't say anything nor did he plan to until Aris addressed him directly. He'd heard him muttering to himself apparently.

Ace's bronze eyes shifted, lingering on Aris. What he saw? Well... he didn't know. Not really. But it wouldn't hurt to share the information, maybe they'd all be able to put something together.

"Dunno. It was an echo of the past." he answered, letting the words hang "I saw someone walk through here. He was tall, had torn up black robes, and... he kinda lookedl ike you. But older."

He waited to see if Aris would react, if that meant anything to him before continuing on.

"Then I actually saw you. And you." he added, pointing to Zaiya "Guess you've been here before. I saw some crystals lighting up a cavern. Mean anything to either of you?"

Ace then shrugged, like he was ridding himself of the echo he'd seen - symbolically handing it to them to do what they pleased with it. Then he shook his head, there was something bothering him internally.

It felt like a tingle creeping the back of his neck. Ace's pace slowed for half a step, eyes narrowing as he glanced subtly toward the curve of the hall behind them. But it was nothing. Something had changed in the air though. He was sure they all felt it too.

Aris Noble Aadihr Lidos Everest Vale Zaiya Ceti Vera Noble Darth Carnifex​

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x x | Weapons: x x x | Companion: Domxite
Interacting with: Aris Noble Acier Moonbound Vera Noble Aadihr Lidos Darth Carnifex Everest Vale

Zaiya gave Vera a quick smile and nodded, grateful even that she was appreciative of her technology, especially with how they could each pitch in and help each other.

Honestly, after Aris told her that Vera had died and had to be brought back, she was equally happy to see her as much as she wanted to make sure she was okay and alive -- that and give her a big hug.

"Yeah, that would really help out. I can map out the tunnels and how it looks on the inside....but you'll have a better grasp of what is there my drones can't see."

Then she looked to Ace, nodding at his words.

"Well... if you saw us all there then... the Force has a path for us. Come on, let's stick close together."

Her fingers tapped lightly on the datapad at her wrist, cueing the drones to continue their slow advance down the corridor, glowing softly like fireflies against the dark. Something had changed in the air, and she felt it too.

But for now, she kept walking, the small hover drowns slowly building the holographic map she held over her wrist of what was ahead.

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Robes
Equipment: Lightsaber, Bracelet, Earrings, Seer Stone, Wayfinder's Flare, Engagement Ring
Tag: Aris Noble Zaiya Ceti Aadihr Lidos Darth Carnifex Vera Noble Acier Moonbound

The pale blue pulse rippled out along the walls. Eve slowed her steps. Her brow furrowed, not from fear exactly, but a sense of strange recognition. Something within the hum of the Force felt… fractured?

She said nothing at first. Instead, she stopped walking altogether and let her eye drift closed, reaching out through the quiet. Her breath was steady and shallow. Her senses fanned outward, through the stone, the dust, the runes, the very bones of the ruin.

What met her was not clarity.

Instead, a scramble, threads of emotion twisted together. Anger, grief, anticipation. Footsteps echoing where no one stood. Whispers beneath the sound of their own boots. She tried to focus, sift meaning from noise.

And then... a flicker.

A flash of static. Cold, black eyes staring through her, not at her. Unblinking. Hollow. It vanished in an instant, but the sharpness of its presence left something cold in her chest.

Her eyes opened. She didn't flinch, didn't gasp, but her breath caught in the back of her throat for a moment too long. Her hand, without thinking, lowered to her lightsaber hilt. A gesture of quiet readiness. At last, she broke her stoic silence.

"Something's here. Something... else," she said softly, barely above a whisper. Her voice carried just enough to reach those ahead and behind. "Stay alert."

 

[Darth Carnifex]

He ran His bare fingers along the wall, the glove that once concealed them clenched in His other hand. Echoes of genetic memory danced on the periphery of His perception. Something deep within His very genetic code, something ancient and dark, rumbled with recognition at the sensation of the rough stone. In another life He'd walked these halls, a life that only spoke to Him through the blood that pumped through His veins.

The wretched ichor of Solomon the Black.

Wiping the dust from His hand, the Dark Lord of the Sith allowed a scowl to break the placidity of His face. He affixed the glove with certain, but noticeably hurried, movements. It was time to make His presence to the Jedi known, they'd progressed far enough for His taste.

Breathing out in a slow, meaningful exhalation, the Dark Lord allowed His power, His presence, to filter out through the underground like the tendrils of a grasping cephalopod. It would creep upon them in time, akin to the recession of a shore's tide before the coming roaring tsunami.

An eerie quiet before the deep plunge.

And the darkness that was to envelop them.

Aris Noble | Zaiya Ceti | Everest Vale
Aadihr Lidos | Vera Noble | Acier Moonbound ​

 

[Azurine Varek]

In All But Blood

Outfit: Clothing/Armor | Glove | Right Arm | Talisman | Purple Bracelet
Weapons: Lightsaber 1 [x] | Lightsaber 2 [x] | Hook Swords

The chill of the ruins met her like an unspoken challenge, seeping past armor plates and fabric to coil against her skin. The air here was thick. Weighty in a way that wasn't just temperature or humidity. It pressed in on Azzie's lungs, carrying a scent of mineral dust and something older that tasted faintly of memory and dread.

Her breathing hadn't quite settled yet. She had been running since the surface, boots striking stone and ancient dust in hurried rhythm, every stride pushing her deeper into the ruin's oppressive quiet. She'd been later than she meant to be, but when the trail was clear, she'd closed the distance with the urgency of someone unwilling to let a promise go unkept.

Shit shit shit!

Her eyes traced him briefly before scanning the surroundings. The walls here bore a strange blend of artistry and decay. A craftsman's hand had shaped this place with purpose, though what that purpose had been was as lost as the dust swirling underfoot. The corridor's dim light finally revealed them ahead. Shapes moved like a living chain, Aris among them, his size unmistakable even in half-silhouette. He practically towered over everyone at this point, even more so than when they first met (and he was practically two feet taller than her then). Azzie slowed as she drew near, letting her pace fall in line with the group's.

"I know, I'm late. I had to fix the karking nav system halfway here." She said quickly, trying to brush it off with a teasing tone as she added, "If I missed all the fun already, I might actually riot." She wasn't here to lead or question; she was here to watch Aris's back. Still, her mind worked quietly over the pieces she could sense: the way the air seemed heavier the deeper they went, the faint hum beneath the silence, and the occasional flicker in her peripheral vision that dissolved when she turned her head.

Aris Noble | Zaiya Ceti | Everest Vale | Aadihr Lidos | Vera Noble | Acier Moonbound | Darth Carnifex​

 

[Vera Noble]

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Tag: Aris Noble Zaiya Ceti Acier Moonbound Aadihr Lidos Everest Vale

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Vera shifted her stance and took a step closer to Zaiya, her eyes flicking briefly toward the glowing readout on the other Padawan's wrist. She was about to speak, already forming the words in her mind, when the air seemed to change. A deep, suffocating cold slipped into her awareness, cutting through every layer of focus she had.

It was him.

The vision came fast and without mercy. She saw his shape taking form out of the dark ahead, the depthless weight of his gaze locking on each of them. The ruin twisted under his presence, light fading from its walls as if it had never been there. She saw her friends fall in flashes, heard the echo of their voices turn to pain, felt the crushing inevitability of his hand closing around them all.

She even saw Mom again, dying the way she had seen in earlier visions.

Her breath hitched hard. She staggered a step back, catching herself with one palm against the wall, but it still felt like the floor was moving under her boots. The image of him burned behind her eyes, and her chest tightened as if the darkness had followed her out of the vision.

Her voice was thin when she found it, barely more than a squeak.

"Aris…"

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