Private The Resonance Below

[Vaelith Rhaen]

Vaelith watched quietly as Vex moved toward the newly exposed section of wall, allowing him the freedom to examine the carvings without immediately crowding his discovery. His earlier question remained with her, however, and after a moment she followed at an easy pace, her expression thoughtful as she considered how best to answer. "I have encountered echoes before," she explained, her voice carrying easily through the quiet despite its softness. "Places remember what happens within them, particularly when powerful emotions or magick leave an impression deep enough to endure. Sometimes those memories can be witnessed, but what we saw was different. It did not simply repeat something that happened long ago. It reacted to us, and I have never experienced anything quite like that before." There was something reassuring in admitting the limits of her own experience to him. Whatever waited below was unknown to them both, even if she understood the language of this world better than he did.

When she reached his side, her attention settled upon the carvings he had been studying. Vaelith recognized enough to understand their general purpose, though several symbols belonged to forms of ritual notation so old that even she could interpret them only by comparison with traditions that had survived into later generations. Rather than touch the wall, she raised her hand near its surface and allowed several delicate threads of her magick to gather between her fingers. Pale silver, muted crimson, and spectral cyan flowed carefully into several of the weathered grooves, illuminating portions of the carvings without awakening the larger network beneath the ruins. "These were not written to tell a story," she said, watching the illuminated lines spread far enough to reveal relationships that erosion had concealed. "They describe purpose. Passage. Preparation. A separation between what existed above and what waited below." Her explanation stopped deliberately short of translating individual symbols. Some knowledge belonged to the Sisters, and companionship, however promising, did not erase boundaries that had existed for generations.

The faint light revealed something else as it traveled through the carvings. Several lines angled downward rather than continuing horizontally across the wall, repeating at measured intervals farther along the passage. Vaelith followed them with her eyes before looking toward the trail ahead, finally noticing something that had been difficult to perceive from any single point. What had initially appeared to be a relatively level path through the ruins was gradually descending. The change was subtle, disguised by uneven terrain and centuries of accumulated debris, but the trail curved around the ancient complex in a broad, gentle spiral, each turn carrying them slightly deeper into the earth. "There," she murmured, a small note of satisfaction warming her voice as understanding settled into place. "I don't think we need to search for an entrance after all. I think we've been walking toward it since we passed beneath the archway."

Vaelith allowed the illuminated carvings to fade before continuing alongside him, their path bending gradually around another wall of dark stone as the ruins rose higher on one side and the ground climbed above them on the other. With each curve, the open sky became less visible through the fog, replaced by overhanging rock and remnants of ancient construction that appeared to have been built directly into the natural formations. The temperature cooled noticeably, carrying the damp mineral scent of deep earth, while somewhere far beneath them came the faint suggestion of moving water. "Whoever used this place understood the caves beneath it," she continued, her interest becoming increasingly difficult to hide. "The structures above may have served as a gathering place or a threshold before descending. The markings suggest preparation before passage, though I won't pretend to know precisely what kind. Some of what is written here belongs to traditions I will not translate outside my Sisters, and some of it is simply too old for me to interpret with certainty."

Another gentle turn carried them farther downward, and Vaelith glanced toward Vex with a faint warmth in her expression before returning her attention to the increasingly enclosed path ahead. Whatever impatience she had sensed in him earlier, she hoped the discovery offered at least the beginning of the answers he had crossed the galaxy seeking. "You wanted to know what lies beyond the ruins," she reminded him, a subtle thread of amusement entering her voice. "It appears I owe you a correction. We aren't going beyond them at all." Her pale gaze followed the descending spiral toward the darkness slowly opening beneath the ancient stone. "We're going underneath."

Vex Drakkon

 

[Vex Drakkon]

Vex listened to every word Vaelith was saying about force echoes, which was something that the Jedi Master experienced several times, but never anything like that. She was right, it even reacted, which caught Vex off guard, causing him to look over his shoulder towards the woman. "I agree, this was something much different than a force echo. It almost feels like this place is haunted to some degree." He replied, then continued to browse the wall slowly with each step he took.

As they continued along together, Vael began to point out what some of the carvings meant. If preparation was one of them, then maybe they could decipher what was below. But that suggestion was shut down before it became a thing, because Vael couldn’t understand the markings with certainty. "Then we go in as prepared as we are." He said with a hint of confidence in their voice. Vex may have been a Jedi Master, but some things are still new to those who trained their whole lives.

Once it was obvious that the path they chose from the start was the same path that would descend into a spiral along the red terrain around them. Vex sighed lightly, pushing forward to remain at the side of Vael, as they continued their way downward. "An adventure under Dathomir. Exactly what I had planned for the day." He let out a sarcastic laugh, before moving forward once more. There was nothing else for them to do besides continue on to see exactly what the apparition wanted to show them.

Vex looked into the darkness that began to spiral in front of him, then looked over at Vael, and smiled warmly. "Well, together, right?" He asked hesitantly, while glancing back to the darkness in front of them both. Whatever it was that was beyond the darkness, it felt like Vex was more prepared because of the presence of Vael alone. It was like she was the guiding light on this mission, helping him find the answers that burned in their mind so deeply.

Vaelith Rhaen​

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[Vaelith Rhaen]

Vaelith's smile grew by the smallest degree at his dry remark, the sound of his sarcasm echoing gently through the descending corridor before being swallowed by the stone around them. It was an unexpectedly welcome reminder that, despite the weight of ancient mysteries pressing in from every side, they were still two people walking into the unknown together. There was something grounding about that. The deeper they traveled, the more the air changed around them. The cool breath of the underground replaced the damp warmth of the surface, carrying with it the scent of mineral-rich stone and water that had flowed unseen for untold centuries. Above them, the broken sky narrowed with each gradual turn of the spiral until only a pale ribbon of gray remained visible between the overhanging rock.

"No," she answered quietly, the hint of warmth still present in her voice. "I doubt either of us expected our day to end beneath Dathomir." Her pale eyes wandered over the walls as they walked, taking in carvings that appeared less ceremonial now and more deliberate, almost architectural in their placement. "Though I have learned not to argue with where curiosity chooses to lead me."

When he looked toward her again and asked, almost hesitantly, whether they would continue together, Vaelith met his smile without reservation. Whatever uncertainty had existed between them when they first met among the ruins had been worn away by shared discovery. Neither of them understood what awaited below, but neither had attempted to impose certainty where none existed. She found that strangely reassuring.

"Together," she replied simply. "If this place chose to call to both of us, then I suspect it expects both of us to answer."

They continued deeper into the spiral, the path broad enough for them to walk side by side while the ancient walls slowly closed around them. Here and there, fractured pillars emerged naturally from the bedrock before disappearing once more into carefully worked stone, until it became increasingly difficult to tell where nature ended and craftsmanship began. Small veins of pale crystal caught what little light filtered down from above, scattering it across the passage in muted reflections. Every so often, Vaelith paused briefly to study another weathered carving, illuminating only enough of it with a gentle thread of silver, crimson, and spectral cyan to reveal its shape before allowing the light to fade again.

"Someone devoted an extraordinary amount of effort to guiding people downward," she observed thoughtfully. "Most sanctuaries seek elevation. They climb mountains, build towers, reach toward the sky. Whoever built this place believed the answers they sought lay beneath their feet instead." Her fingertips brushed lightly across one particularly worn section of stone before she withdrew them again. "I'm beginning to wonder whether these ruins were ever the destination at all. They may simply have been the doorway."

As though the ancient complex itself approved of the thought, a faint current of cool air drifted upward from somewhere ahead. It carried with it the unmistakable sound of distant water echoing through vast, unseen chambers below. Vaelith slowed just enough to listen, her expression softening into quiet fascination before she glanced toward Vex once more.

"I think," she said almost to herself, "we're only now arriving at the place the apparition was trying to show us."

Vex Drakkon

 

[Vex Drakkon]

Vex simply nodded to the statement from Vaelith, which had the Jedi Master wondering exactly what may be calling to them. "I have a bad feeling about this, but I do agree with you. Whatever it is, it wants us to do this as a unit." His words were calm yet carried weight for the unknown that was to come. Vex felt a strong connection to this strange woman, but he was not going to act on that until he got what he came for. Answers to the vision that haunted his dreams for almost a week. It’s what brought the Jedi Master to Dathomir in the first place.

The spiral staircase seemed to descend for hundreds of meters, allowing the duo to slowly make their way downward. Every so often, Vex noticed Vaelith stopping and using their power to lighten the carvings on the wall. It was such an elegant scene, causing him to slow his pace, and watch in amazement at what she was capable of doing. "That is such a rare thing to see, at least it is something I have only witnessed here. Not even in some archives, this is remarkable." He spoke calmly, feeling the essence of the force surrounding them both enormously.

Once Vex Drakkon and Vaelith Rhaen continued down the spiral staircase made of stone, the woman mentioned something about sanctuaries and how most of them aspired for higher ground, while this place was the complete opposite. It made the Jedi Master think of what they were truly getting into. Then it hit him out of nowhere, so he looked over at Vaelith and spoke with a bit of concern in their voice. "Maybe it’s not a sanctuary. Have you thought that maybe this apparition is showing us something that was hidden away? Most likely kept that way for centuries." He said softly, yet it felt like a warning.

There were so many questions and concerns that popped into the Jedi Master’s mind, yet he still felt as if Meri was not going to be asleep when he returned. Whether that was true or not, he would explain everything on their way to another planet. As for now, Vex’s focus switched to the darkness that bellowed below them. "Whatever we are up against here, there is no turning back now." Vex spoke calmly once more, while placing his hand upon the lightsaber hilt attached to their hip, then he started to walk downward once again.

Vex had no idea what was to come, yet he felt more prepared now than in any situation before. He wasn’t sure why, but it felt like Vaelith may have been the cause of it. There was no need to question it further because that was something that would reveal itself in the end. For now, it was the darkness that attracted his focus. It was weighing down on him, making the Jedi Master feel a sense of fatigue set in, while a cold chill was sent down their spine. A warning, yes. But what was it telling Vex?

Vaelith Rhaen​

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[Vaelith Rhaen]

Vaelith caught the uncertainty beneath Vex's words even if he delivered them calmly, and she could hardly fault him for it. Dathomir was unfamiliar to him, the magick surrounding them belonged to traditions he had never encountered, and now an apparition had seemingly chosen the two of them before guiding them beneath ruins neither fully understood. His admission of a bad feeling earned a faint smile from her as she continued beside him, matching his pace naturally rather than taking the lead simply because this was her world. "A bad feeling is not always a warning to turn away," she replied, her voice carrying a little more warmth than before. "Sometimes it simply means we have finally reached something worth treating carefully. And yes, Master Jedi. Together." The word no longer felt like an agreement made out of necessity. Somewhere during their descent, the distinction between two strangers following the same mystery and two people deliberately choosing to face it alongside one another had begun to blur.

His fascination with her magick drew another quiet glance from Vaelith, and this time she made no effort to conceal the small smile it prompted. She was accustomed to outsiders regarding Nightsister practices with suspicion, fear, or an eagerness to reduce them to some exotic branch of the Force they could neatly categorize. Vex's reaction was different. He watched because he genuinely wanted to understand, and she found herself appreciating that distinction. "There are things my Sisters would consider far more remarkable than illuminating old carvings," she told him with a trace of amusement. "But perhaps I have the advantage of familiarity. What seems ordinary when you grow up surrounded by it can appear extraordinary through someone else's eyes." Her gaze lingered on him briefly before returning to the path. "I imagine there are things you consider perfectly mundane that I would find equally fascinating."

His suggestion that the place might never have been a sanctuary at all caused her expression to become more contemplative. "I have," she admitted. "Preparation does not necessarily mean worship, and a threshold does not necessarily lead somewhere people wished to go." That possibility had been growing increasingly difficult to ignore. The builders had devoted enormous effort to creating a controlled descent into the earth, marking each stage along the way as though those who passed through were expected to understand precisely where they were going and what was required of them before they arrived. "It could have been a place of concealment. A prison. Somewhere something dangerous was studied or guarded. Or perhaps something was placed below because those who came before us believed the surface was not enough to keep it hidden." She glanced toward him, acknowledging his concern rather than dismissing it. "Until we know, I think caution serves us better than assuming either purpose."

The descending spiral finally began to change around them. Ancient masonry gradually surrendered to natural rock, though signs of deliberate alteration remained everywhere Vaelith looked. The walls widened first, drawing away from the narrow path until the sound of their footsteps developed a deeper echo, and the distant rush of water became clearer with every turn. Then the last of the open sky disappeared behind them as the passage curved beneath an immense stone shelf. Ahead, the darkness opened rather than closed, revealing the edge of a cavern so vast that its opposite wall remained hidden. Mineral formations descended from the ceiling like enormous teeth, while thin veins of faintly luminous crystal traced irregular paths through the rock. Far below the ledge, unseen water moved through the cavern with a constant roar. More striking than any of it were the worked structures incorporated into the natural stone. Narrow bridges, platforms, and remnants of carved pillars descended through the cavern at different elevations, suggesting that whatever civilization had occupied this place had not merely discovered the caves. They had lived or worked within them.

Vaelith slowed near the edge of the first broad platform, and the warmth in her expression faded as she felt the change Vex seemed to be experiencing for herself. The resonance had returned, but it no longer moved around them as it had above. Here it seemed to rise directly from the depths, pressing against her awareness in slow, measured waves. She lifted one hand and allowed several fine threads of silver, crimson, and spectral cyan to curl around her fingers, casting enough light across the platform to reveal a broad circular marking carved into its center. Two symbols occupied opposite sides of the circle. One resembled the ancient notation she associated with the Mothers who had preceded the modern Nightsister traditions. The other was unmistakably foreign to Dathomir, yet its symmetry immediately reminded her of the robed figure in the apparition. Whatever had happened here, the two traditions had not merely crossed paths somewhere above. They had descended into this place together.

For several heartbeats, Vaelith simply studied the markings before turning her pale gaze toward Vex. The sight did not answer the questions that had brought either of them here, but it did confirm something she was beginning to suspect. Whatever bond had once existed between the two figures in the apparition had mattered enough to be carved permanently into the threshold below, and now, centuries later, a Nightsister and a Jedi had been brought to the same place. She found it increasingly difficult to dismiss that symmetry as coincidence. "I think you were right about something being hidden," she said quietly, the currents of her magick continuing to illuminate the ancient circle between them. "But I don't think either of us was meant to find it alone." Her gaze shifted toward the deeper structures descending into the cavern before returning to him, carrying a calm certainty that had not been there when they first met beneath the archway. "Whatever those two came here to do, Master Jedi, I think we're following in their footsteps."

Vex Drakkon

 

[Vex Drakkon]

The darkness of the planet seemed to settle for the time being, giving the Master Jedi time to relax on their little adventure on planet Dathomir. He did know of the planet, but knowing of the planet and physically being on it are two separate things entirely. But Vex never let the darkness, or the unknown get to him. Instead, he went with the flow of things, following alongside with Vaelith in the process of it all. There is absolutely no reason for him to rush into the unknown. Instead, he wanted to face it with Vaelith by his side, someone with experience of the planet itself.

Once the woman responded, Vex Drakkon nodded a couple times, before finally speaking up on his own thoughts of the matter. "This place is a lot to take in, especially when a vision brought me here. Yet, you are correct. Whatever this is, we must be careful no matter what." He added, before continuing forward with the woman by his side. Vex did not know what was to come, yet he continued to stride forward with no hesitation in their step. It was as if the Jedi Master was now free of whatever was trying to break his focus.

After Vaelith suggested they stay cautious of what was to come, Vex agreed with a slight nod, while glancing over at her in the process of the nod. "I agree, there is too much at stake to just jump in without knowing what to expect." He replied in a soft voice, now keeping his focus on each step he made forward. Dathomir was not only a very dangerous planet, it was also extremely easy for those who didn’t understand the landscape to get lost within. Lucky for the Jedi Master, Vex was with someone who knew this place much more than he did, and Vaelith would turn out to be so much more than just someone helping him.

Vex watched on as Vaelith moved ahead slightly to the broad platform in front of them both. The Jedi looked around, examining the masonry work that was done. It was remarkable, to say the least, and it felt like Vex could spend ages where they are, researching everything that was seen before him. But the darkness returned, it flooded him, like a submarine imploding from too much pressure around it. Unlike any submarine, Vex was not going to implode from the feeling. Instead, he let it settle, ignoring it for the time being because of the excitement of the unknown before him.

Before the Jedi Master could even open their mouth, he noticed the cyan light illuminate the area around Vaelith, causing a slight glimmer to appear in their eyes from the color of the energy conjured close by. Vex turned his attention to Vaelith, moving closer to the woman and the platform in order to get a better look at what she was doing. It was incredible every single time he witnessed the woman use their power. "That is really amazing." He spoke quietly, watching the woman work their magic to ensure his words did not break Vael’s focus.

But his attention broke from the energy when Vaelith spoke of how the Jedi may have been right about something being hidden. For a moment, Vex thought of what could have possibly brought others to such a dark, cold place. "Makes you wonder what they were up to. Hopefully, it wasn’t some sort of trap to their death." He added, while looking over at Vaelith to see their reaction to his assumption. He didn’t want to be led to die, yet he knew this was more than that, it felt like they were trying to show them something, instead of trying to kill them.

Vaelith Rhaen​

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[Vaelith Rhaen]

Vaelith's attention remained on the paired markings as Vex drew nearer, though his remark about the possibility of the ancient pair being led to their deaths earned a faint narrowing of her eyes. It was not an unreasonable concern. If anything, the deeper they traveled, the more deliberate everything around them appeared. This place had not been forgotten accidentally. Someone had wanted the path preserved, yet equally wanted whatever waited at its end kept far beneath the surface. "If it was a trap, they went to extraordinary lengths to ensure two very different people walked into it together," she replied quietly. "That doesn't make the possibility comforting, but it does make me wonder whether danger was something they expected rather than something intended for them."

She lowered her hand slightly, allowing the woven strands of silver, muted crimson, and spectral cyan to spread farther through the ancient channels carved into the platform. Her magick behaved differently here. Instead of merely illuminating the stone, it seemed almost eager to follow the old grooves, slipping outward through lines Vaelith had not initially noticed until they connected the two opposing symbols at the center. Her expression sharpened immediately. She had not commanded it to do that. "Vex," she said, abandoning the formality of his title without consciously deciding to do so. "Look." The constant roar of the underground river suddenly receded, as though the cavern had stretched impossibly far away from them, while the pale crystals embedded throughout the walls dimmed. A low vibration passed beneath Vaelith's feet, and the illuminated circle expanded outward in concentric rings before rising from the stone like threads drawn upward by unseen hands.

Two figures formed several paces ahead, and Vaelith recognized them immediately. The ancient woman stood where the first descending bridge met the platform, no longer the distant and fragmented apparition they had witnessed above. Her translucent form revealed clothing and markings belonging to traditions that predated much of what modern Nightsisters practiced. Beside her stood the robed outsider whose bearing had reminded Vaelith so strongly of a Jedi. Here there was no suggestion that they had arrived as adversaries. They stood shoulder to shoulder at the edge of the platform, staring into the cavern below with the quiet familiarity of two people who had stood in that place many times before. The ancient Sister lifted her hands and magick gathered around them, different from Vaelith's own yet unmistakable in its origin. At the same moment, the Jedi extended one hand toward the darkness, calling upon the Force. Their powers flowed downward separately at first before intertwining around something too deep within the cavern for the vision to reveal.

The effect was immediate. Lines of light spread through structures far below, racing across bridges, pillars, and enormous carved rings embedded within the cavern walls. Vaelith realized with a sudden chill that she was not looking at a settlement or sanctuary. The entire complex was part of something far larger, an immense lattice built around the depths themselves. Magick and the Force moved through it together, each occupying patterns the other could not complete alone. Then something beneath them struck back. A single pulse rolled upward through the cavern with the weight of an enormous heartbeat, making the spectral structures shudder. The ancient pair strained against it, and Vaelith understood at last that they were not attempting to reach whatever waited below. They were holding it there.

Then both apparitions turned, the ancient Jedi looking directly toward Vex while the Sister fixed her gaze upon Vaelith.

For the first time, Vaelith had no doubt that the figures were seeing across the gulf separating past from present. The Sister's eyes fixed upon hers with such clarity that the cavern around Vaelith seemed to disappear, leaving only the two women and centuries between them. The Jedi's attention remained upon Vex, his expression carrying the same grave urgency. Neither apparition spoke aloud, yet something moved through the resonance connecting the chamber. It was not language in any conventional sense. Thought, memory, emotion and intent pressed together until meaning crossed where words could not.

Two paths. One binding. Neither alone.

The message struck Vaelith's awareness with enough force to steal her breath, followed immediately by fractured impressions. Hands joined over the ancient circle. The Force woven through magick. Something immense moving beneath black water. A seal breaking and being restored. Generations passing above while the thing below remained. Then came the final impression, sharper than everything preceding it.

What was bound together must be held together.

The vision fractured before anything more could cross the distance between them. Sound rushed back into the cavern, the underground river thundering through the depths once more as the apparitions dissolved and the distant crystals regained their pale glow. Vaelith remained motionless for several moments, her magick still tracing the paired symbols beneath their feet while she stared toward the place where the ancient Sister had stood. There was no satisfaction in having been proven correct, only the dawning understanding that whatever had brought Vex to Dathomir had never been asking them merely to uncover an ancient secret.

"They weren't opening something," Vaelith said at last, her voice quieter than before. Her gaze traveled across the cavern, following the remnants of those enormous structures as they descended toward the unseen water. Now that she knew what she was looking for, their arrangement seemed disturbingly clear. They surrounded the depths rather than leading toward them. "I think they were containing it. Whatever is beneath us required both of them to maintain the binding, and I'm pretty sure what we just saw was a warning that something has changed." She did not claim to know what had been imprisoned or why. The vision had withheld too much for that, but its central message had been unmistakable.

Vaelith finally turned toward Vex, and there was a new gravity in the way she regarded him. When they met among the ruins, he had been an unfamiliar Jedi following a vision while she had been a Nightsister pursuing an unexplained disturbance on her own world. Somewhere along the descent, those separate purposes had converged. Now two people from centuries past had looked directly at their counterparts and told them, as clearly as time permitted, that neither tradition had been sufficient alone. "I don't think your vision brought you here simply to discover what happened," she told him. "And I don't think my being here when you arrived was chance." Her eyes dropped briefly to the joined symbols before returning to him. "A Jedi and a Sister built this binding together. If it is failing, then whatever brought us here may expect us to do what they did."

She moved toward the beginning of the ancient bridge, but stopped before crossing, leaving the decision to continue something they would make together. Beyond it, tier after tier of ruined structures descended through the immense cavern, their outlines disappearing into darkness around the distant water below. Vaelith could feel the resonance pulsing there now, faint but unmistakable, like pressure testing an ancient barrier for weaknesses. Her expression remained composed as she looked toward Vex once more. "You were worried they might have been walking into a trap," she reminded him softly. "I think they were walking toward something they had already chosen to stand against." A moment passed before she turned her gaze toward the bridge and whatever waited beyond it. "And now, apparently, so are we."

Vex Drakkon

 

[Vex Drakkon]

Master Vex Drakkon listened to Vaelith respond to his assumption that this could very well be a trap for them, then he nodded softly to the words she said. The master Jedi hummed softly before finally replying to her words. "I believe there is much more to this than we realize, but we must continue on with caution." He said in a firm tone of voice, trying not to get sidetracked from what laid ahead for them both. It was the unknown, yet that was something that Vex felt a thrill in exploring what was potentially a secret that was hidden away centuries ago.

As they ventured forth some more, Vex couldn’t help but to stop when his name was called. When he looked back at Vaelith, the lights caught his eyes right away, nearly causing him to place his hand just above his own eyes to shade himself from just how bright it was compared to the darkness that surrounded them. "T-that is incredible.." Escaped the Jedi Master’s lips, while watching the light finally dim around them both. But that wasn’t it, there were the glowing circles on the ground in front of Vaelith that managed to stretch upwards from the pillar. Vex couldn’t believe what he was seeing, but he also kept quiet because of so many questions that flew through his mind all at once.

Just when the Jedi master regained their focus, he noticed two figures merely feet in front of him and Vaelith both. It was the same people they saw earlier, except they weren’t apparitions like before. These two seemed as if they were actually standing in front of them. "Uh, I think you triggered something. Is this normal?" He spoke, looking over his shoulder at Vaelith with concern for what was happening. To Vex, this was not normal. The nightsister, the darkness, it almost seemed like too much, yet it kept him there, wondering what would come next, what kind of power was hidden below? He was curious, and for a Jedi that was not a very good thing.

When things seemed to be going bad, Vex could feel the force around them both, pulsating slowly, like a heartbeat. It wasn’t necessarily bad, yet it did feel like a warning of sorts. Whatever was going on, Vex could see that Vaelith was caught up in the vision they were both seeing with their own eyes. Before he could speak to get the woman’s attention, something drew his eyes back to the vision. Both of the figures stood shoulder to shoulder, while the woman’s eyes fixated on Vaelith’s and the male’s on Vex. It was undeniable that this was not only a message to them, but a warning that something was hidden deeper within the ruins. Whatever it was, Master Drakkon was not prepared, but he was willing to keep going because of the vision he first had before traveling to Dathomir.

There was so much to take in and so much going on around them that Vex continued to feel the force surrounding them with something else. The Jedi Master didn’t know what it was, but he could sense that it acted in a way that the force could as well. With a nod, the man stepped forward a few feet before stopping once more and turning to face Vaelith once more. Just as he looked at Vaelith, that was when something spoke to him. It wasn't a voice, it was something more, and it was speaking to him in short sentences. For a second, Vex looked over his shoulder to see if the two figures were there, but the only ones within the ruins were Vaelith and himself. "They vanished again." He said softly. It wasn’t a question, only a statement of what he was seeing.

Vaelith spoke, revealing what she thought this vision was saying to them. For a moment, Vex stood quietly, brushing his hand through his beard, thinking of the dangers that lay ahead if they were to continue forward. "A binding, huh? Something to keep things locked away for a damn good reason, too. But we can’t just let this thing break free. Whatever it is, I know that the vision brought wanted me here to help, so that is exactly what I will do." He spoke calmly, while placing his hand on the lightsaber hilt attached to his waist just for preparation for what was to come for them both.

The ancient bridge before them stretched on for what seemed like forever, and the thought of falling from such heights had the Jedi Master on edge. He then lined himself up beside Vaelith and began to smile for the first time in a while. "Then we do this together." He stated firmly, while stepping forward once again. The black waters below roared, as they rushed downward, then met a fork in the distance. Vex tried not to look down, but their instincts made him do just that. It felt like his thighs were vibrating from trying so hard to step slowly and softly to ensure the ancient bridge would hold their weight evenly.

Vaelith Rhaen​

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[Vaelith Rhaen]

Vaelith shared Vex's conclusion even if she was considerably less certain about what answering the call would ultimately require of them. The message had been clear about the necessity of two, but frustratingly vague about nearly everything else. It had shown them a binding, the ancient Sister and Jedi working in concert, and something beneath the black water that had required both traditions to contain. It had not shown them what that something was, why it had been imprisoned, or whether repeating what their predecessors had done would be enough after so many centuries. "Caution I can agree with," she replied as he came alongside her. "Particularly since whatever sent those visions seems rather selective about which answers it intends to give us."

His smile drew a smaller one from her when he declared that they would do this together. "Together," Vaelith agreed, the word coming more naturally now than it had above. She stepped onto the bridge beside him rather than ahead, keeping enough space between them to move freely while maintaining the same measured pace. It was difficult not to recognize the resemblance. The figures in the vision had stood shoulder to shoulder before the depths, neither leading nor following, and Vaelith found herself wondering whether that had been intentional too. Perhaps the message was not simply that their powers had been necessary. Perhaps neither had been expected to carry the burden alone.

The bridge itself quickly demanded more of her attention. Centuries had left their marks across its surface, with narrow fractures threading between fitted sections of stone and portions of the outer edge worn away into the darkness. Vaelith extended one hand slightly as they moved, coaxing several thin strands of magick into existence around her fingers. Pale silver intertwined with muted crimson and faint spectral cyan before slipping downward into the nearest cracks. She did not attempt to lift the bridge or impose her will upon the entire span. Too much stone and too much distance made that approach senseless. Instead, the threads spread through weakened seams close to where they walked, binding loose fragments together and lending support where age had compromised the original construction.

Her magick offered another advantage she had not anticipated. Each thread carried some awareness back to her, enough that shifts in the stone reached Vaelith through the woven ichor before they became visible beneath their feet. She adjusted their path accordingly, favoring sections that still felt firmly joined while avoiding fractures that descended too deeply through the bridge. Even so, her attention periodically wandered toward the black water far below. The pulse from the vision remained difficult to forget. Looking down now, knowing the ancient complex had been constructed to contain rather than simply surround whatever lay beneath, made the darkness between those distant structures feel different.

"The Sister and Jedi didn't seem to be fighting whatever is below directly," Vaelith observed after they had made some progress across the span. Her gaze followed the faint remnants of carved structures descending along the cavern walls. "They used this place. The bridges, the rings, those structures beneath us. I think the entire complex may be part of the binding." If that interpretation was correct, the deteriorating bridge beneath their feet was no longer merely inconvenient. Centuries of erosion might represent something far more consequential than a dangerous path.

Vaelith slowed slightly when her magick encountered a fracture extending farther into the bridge than the others, allowing the silver, crimson, and cyan threads to gather more densely through the weakened stone before continuing. She remained beside Vex as the distant platform gradually emerged more clearly from the darkness ahead. "Which means we should probably assume anything broken down here matters until we learn otherwise." Her eyes moved toward the ancient architecture beyond their destination, where another series of structures descended closer to the black water. "I suspect crossing this bridge may turn out to be the easy part."

Vex Drakkon

 

[Vex Drakkon]

Vex nodded confidently when Vaelith responded with a single word. Together. It was exactly how these two would go about this vision because it only made sense that they followed the footsteps of those who wandered these lands centuries ago. "Let’s hope this bridge can hold us both at the same time." He spoke calmly, but Vaelith was already one whole step ahead of the Jedi Master, using their colorful magic to strengthen the loose stone that looked like it would cause one of them to slip and fall to their death. Thankfully Vaelith caught it because Vex was too caught up in everything that was going on around him.

The duo stepped forward at the same time, taking it slow at first to ensure their safety in the end. The loose stone was the least of their worries because just like Vaelith, Vex looked over the edge to see the black water below with a curious expression stapled on their face. "This place makes me wonder what else is out here and how it ended up here in the first place. The vision only showed us a small piece. I am afraid it left out the most important part. What resides here." He added with curiosity running through his mind. There were still so many questions that Vex wanted to ask, but he had a feeling this adventure would answer them all when it was finished.

As Vaelith mentioned that crossing the bridge would be the easiest part of this journey, the Master Jedi had an eerie feeling that she was telling the truth. This place was haunted by the dark side of the force and Vex was going to keep moving forward no matter what the force would throw his way. "I hate to agree to that comment, but you are absolutely right. This place would give grown adults nightmares for years." He replied, looking upward to see the structure form through the darkness, along with several more that would lead down towards the black water below them. It was a scene straight from a nightmare, one that Vex was hoping to make it out of alive.

With the bridge extending on for hundreds of meters, Vex kept his focus on the different colors that Vaelith conjured up to help strengthen the stone under their feet, with both eyes on where to step next without having to worry about falling to their death. "I am very grateful that you and I have met. Without your help, this place would have chewed me up and spat me out like I was nothing." He added, while they continued forward on the bridge. The creepy feeling that settled over the Jedi made him worry for what was to come. It felt like this was only just the beginning of their journey.

Vaelith Rhaen​

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[Vaelith Rhaen]

Vaelith could not disagree with Vex about the vision withholding its most important answer. The thought had bothered her since the apparitions disappeared, growing heavier with every glimpse she stole toward the black water below. They had been shown the binding, the two people responsible for maintaining it, and even the immense pulse of something pushing back against their combined power. Yet whatever had required such extraordinary measures remained hidden. The cavern seemed almost complicit in that secrecy. Water thundered somewhere in the depths, its echoes rolling through spaces too vast for their faint illumination to reach, while moisture clung to the ancient stone and caught the silver, muted crimson, and spectral cyan of Vaelith's magick as it threaded through the bridge beneath their feet. "I'm starting to think that omission was deliberate," she said, her gaze lingering downward before returning to the path ahead. "We've been shown everything except what they were containing. Either whoever is guiding us thinks we aren't ready for that answer yet, or knowing too soon would somehow be a problem." Neither possibility particularly pleased her. "I admit, I dislike both options."

His admission that he was grateful they had met caught her more unexpectedly than anything lurking beneath the water. Vaelith looked toward him, and for a few steps her attention remained there longer than was strictly necessary for conversation. When they had encountered one another among the ruins, she had expected little beyond wary cooperation with a Jedi trespassing through an ancient place belonging to her people. Instead, somewhere during their descent, keeping pace beside him had stopped feeling like an accommodation. His curiosity had never turned to judgment, nor had caution hardened into suspicion when he faced magick he did not understand. The realization brought an unguarded warmth to her expression that remained even after she turned her eyes toward the bridge again. "I'm grateful we met too," she admitted, and the words carried less reserve than she might ordinarily allow to someone she had known so little. "Though I think you're underestimating yourself. You probably would have survived without me." Her magick tightened instinctively through a fractured section just ahead of his next step, holding the stone firmly beneath them. A small smile touched her lips. "The bridge, however, appears less convinced."

They continued shoulder to shoulder, Vaelith maintaining the delicate web beneath them while the far platform slowly emerged from the darkness. The effort was beginning to make itself known as a dull ache through her fingers and forearm, but she refused to withdraw the support while they remained suspended above that impossible drop. Something in Vex's presence beside her felt strangely comforting, despite everything surrounding them. Perhaps it was simply knowing that, if the vision was right, neither of them had been expected to face this alone. Whatever the reason, she found herself increasingly aware of the rhythm of his steps beside hers, adjusting her own without conscious thought until they crossed the remaining distance almost in unison.

Relief came quietly when solid stone finally replaced the fractured bridge. Vaelith stepped onto the platform and only then allowed her magick to retreat, the multihued threads peeling from cracks behind them and briefly winding around her fingers before fading. Ahead, the cavern wall had been shaped into an immense worked chamber, its pillars and surfaces covered in carvings that immediately drew her closer. Nightsister markings flowed through patterns unmistakably foreign to Dathomir, neither separated nor competing for space. They intersected repeatedly, one structure passing into another until following either tradition inevitably led into the other. Vaelith slowed before them, wonder overtaking some of the unease that had accompanied her across the bridge.

"Vex..." His name escaped more softly than she intended as she studied the wall. "Look at how they're joined." The vision had shown the ancient pair combining their powers, but this was different. This was permanence. Someone had designed the place around cooperation between two traditions that most histories would have distrusted one another profoundly. Vaelith moved closer without touching the carvings, following their intersections until she noticed several channels fractured beneath centuries of erosion. Her fascination slowly gave way to concern. "This wasn't simply something they did once. Their work is built into the entire structure."

Her gaze followed one damaged channel until it vanished beneath fallen stone, then drifted toward the darkness beyond the chamber. Perhaps the visions had begun because something below had awakened. Or perhaps the explanation was less dramatic and considerably more troubling. "If the binding depends upon all of this remaining intact, it may not have suddenly started failing," she said, quieter now. "It may simply have been failing for a very long time." Vaelith looked back toward Vex, the strange warmth from moments earlier still lingering beneath the gravity of their discovery. Whatever waited deeper below, she was increasingly certain that meeting him among those ruins had been no accident. For reasons she was not yet prepared to examine too closely, she found that thought considerably less unsettling than it probably should have been.

Vex Drakkon

 

[Vex Drakkon]

Vex had no idea what to expect on this adventure through the darkest ruins on planet Dathomir. The only thing that continued to cross his mind was the fact that Meri Vale was left alone on the ship, while Vex was searching for answers to something he knew absolutely nothing about. It was a risk he had to take because of the vision he continued to have over the last several days. Something had to be done, even if that meant risking his own life in the process of it all. Meri would eventually understand that Master Drakkon did this to protect them both.

The weathered bridge was their only way across and with the help of Vaelith’s magic to strengthen the stone beneath their feet, Vex felt relieved that he was not doing this alone because this would have been much harder without the help that Vaelith offered. The fact that she was able to spot the loose stones so quickly had Vex thinking of what was to come next, but the thoughts stopped as Vaelith spoke. The Jedi Master looked over at her, listening to how she thought whoever was guiding them didn’t think they were ready, or that they did not need to know the truth right away. For a moment, Vex was in a deep thought, wondering what the apparitions wanted them to know and see. "I feel it is too early to tell what is going on. Moving forward is our best bet to finding out, though." He said in a calm tone, while continuing forward on the bridge by Vaelith’s side.

As they continued side-by-side, Vex spotted the platform in the distance up ahead. He simply pointed without saying anything, but he already knew that Vaelith saw it before pointing it out. Without saying anything, Vex and Vaelith both continued forward, and it was obvious that the woman was straining from the use of their powers. Vex could sense it, yet he had a feeling Vaelith had more than enough willpower to push on to ensure their safety across the bridge. "You’re doing great." He finally spoke, giving Vaelith some confidence to keep going. It wasn’t every day that Vex found himself helping someone from such a dark place, but there was something about Vaelith that felt familiar to him, and he wasn’t afraid of finding out what that was.

Once Vex stepped up to the platform at the end of the bridge, he quickly turned to help Vaelith up with an outstretched hand. The stone bridge was now behind them and the only way to go from here was towards the cavern wall that was shaped into some sort of chamber. Vex looked at the structure confused, wondering exactly how everything here was created, along with the possibility of finding out who created it all as well. With the apparitions leading them to this location, it was also very possible that they created everything here to help keep out whatever was hidden within. The Master Jedi stood still, examining the pillars from a distance, while Vaelith felt the sudden urge to move closer.

The Jedi Master stood back and watched carefully, then his attention snapped to Vaelith when she said his name. The woman spotted something important, which caused the man to step forward to see with his own eyes at what Vaelith was explaining. "Good eye, Vael. You may have pointed out something that will help us in the future. It’s a good thing you have such a connection to this planet. It has helped us greatly so far." The Jedi Master admitted happily, while standing slightly behind the woman for the time being. There was concern in Vael’s voice that stuck with Vex, only because for the first time since meeting the woman, he could sense the emotions within the woman. It wasn’t a bad thing, it only meant that she wasn’t invincible, which was said about nearly every being in the galaxy.

When Vaelith mentioned the fact that the binding may have been failing for a long time, the Jedi within Vex instantly came out, causing him to step beside Vaelith with his eyes on the chamber. "Then we make our way in and fix this. I believe that is what the apparition wants. It wants peace, not the chaos that was trapped within. Together we will make this right." He stated confidently, while taking a step towards the chamber. The dark side dwelled deeply around the chamber, almost as if it was a warning to not go any further. Vex ignored it because he knew that whatever was trapped inside needed to stay that way no matter the cost.

Vaelith Rhaen​

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[Vaelith Rhaen]

Vaelith had noticed Vex's occasional distraction during their crossing, though she had attributed most of it to the considerable distance from solid ground. She could hardly blame him. Even with her magick reinforcing the ancient stone, the bridge offered plenty of opportunities to imagine unpleasant outcomes, and the darkness beneath them did little to encourage confidence. Yet at times his attention seemed to drift beyond the cavern, accompanied by a faint undercurrent of concern she could not quite place. She had no intention of prying into thoughts he hadn't chosen to share, especially when their surroundings offered more than enough reasons for unease. His encouragement, however, had earned a grateful glance and a small smile. Maintaining the delicate network of ichor had taken more concentration than she cared to admit, and his confidence in her had been unexpectedly welcome.

When they reached the platform, Vaelith accepted his outstretched hand without hesitation. Her fingers settled into his, and she allowed him to help her over the final uneven rise of stone, the last remnants of silver, muted crimson, and spectral cyan fading from around her free hand. She expected to release his hand as soon as she found secure footing, but the contact lingered a moment longer than necessity required. Perhaps it was relief after their precarious crossing, or perhaps their earlier conversation had left her less guarded than usual. Whatever the explanation, she found herself looking at him with a warmth that had become increasingly difficult to attribute solely to their shared circumstances. "Thank you," she said softly before letting go, her attention eventually returning to the chamber waiting ahead.

She appreciated his praise of her connection to Dathomir, though it also reminded her how much of her own world's history remained unknown to her. Ancient carvings stretched across the chamber walls in elaborate patterns, some recognizable as precursors to Nightsister practices she had studied, while others belonged to a tradition she never expected to find so intimately intertwined with her own. Moisture gathered in the deeper grooves, reflecting the pale mineral light filtering down from the cavern ceiling. The air was colder here, carrying the scent of wet stone and something older she couldn't identify. Vaelith studied the damaged channels with growing concern, wondering how many generations had passed while this extraordinary place deteriorated in silence. "Dathomir has been my home for all my life, and yet I had no idea any of this existed," she admitted. "I wonder how much our ancestors understood that we've since forgotten. Perhaps more than either of us would be comfortable discovering."

Vex's determination to repair the binding drew her gaze back to him, and she found herself admiring the conviction behind his words even as she questioned whether their task would prove so straightforward. His willingness to act despite the uncertainty was reassuring, especially when her own instincts urged her to examine every fragment of information before committing to a course. Neither approach was entirely sufficient on its own, she supposed, which made their unlikely partnership feel increasingly appropriate. "I hope you're right," she answered, watching him move toward the chamber. "Although I'd prefer to understand what we're repairing before we start making changes. These markings are part of something much larger, and I would hate to discover that we've strengthened one portion only to weaken another." Her tone carried caution rather than disagreement, and she moved to accompany him, unwilling to let the differences in their methods become a reason to separate.

For a few moments, Vaelith's attention stayed on the ancient stone ahead, but the cavern's weight and forgotten history eventually prompted a different thought. They had spent so long contemplating what might happen if they failed that she had scarcely considered what they might do if they succeeded. The realization brought a faint smile to her lips, and she glanced toward Vex with an expression considerably lighter than the circumstances warranted. "If we manage to restore this binding and make it back to the surface, I'll make dinner for us," she offered, almost casually. "Something properly cooked, somewhere considerably warmer, and preferably without an ancient horror beneath our feet." Her smile deepened slightly as she considered the invitation she had just extended. "I think we've earned at least that much."

It was an unexpectedly pleasant prospect, imagining an evening spent in his company without the threat of collapsing bridges or forgotten prisons demanding their attention. Vaelith allowed herself to enjoy it briefly before returning her focus to the chamber. She extended her senses toward the interwoven carvings, searching for any trace of the resonance they had encountered earlier, but resisted the temptation to send her magick into the channels before understanding their purpose. The darkness pressing against her awareness had not diminished, and she still could not determine whether it came from the binding itself or from whatever lay beyond it. "For now, though, I suggest we find out whether any part of this structure is still functioning," she continued, her gaze moving across the ancient markings. "If it is, perhaps it can show us where the damage is worst."

Vex Drakkon