Adonias Altari
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Post by Adonias Altari on Mar 19, 2022 14:37:28 GMT -8
*Adonias laughed rambunctiously as he ran deeper and deeper into the thick brush. He heard Crystal's panicked shouting and decided to slow down. He laughed as Crystal caught up, panting for breath.*
"Ah-ha-ha! Guess we win, eh Crystal? Father gets to clean his own ship!"
*He froze when he heard a twig snap nearby. His eyes soon landed on a hooded, robed figure up ahead near a pile of ancient looking, mossy rocks.*
MASTER SELVEK:
*The man cursed his own stupidity when he stepped on a twig. He eyeballed both of the children, sensing that they were powerful with the force. The teenage girl had an aura of loss, pain, and hatred. The boy however, was muddled...yet he still exuded a light and innocence that had not yet been stripped away. At last he spoke with a hint of amusement.*
"What are a couple of children doing out in the jungle, all alone?"
*Adonias glared and put his hands on his hips, as if that would make him appear more intimidating.*
"Who says we're alone?" *The child snarked.*
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Post by Crystal Spire on Mar 19, 2022 15:09:40 GMT -8
Crystal:
She finally pulled even with Adonias and took deep breaths to calm her racing heart. "Don't take off next time, Adi!" She glared at him for a second before smiling ruefully. "Guess you are right though, Strife gets to clean the ship. He is too old to keep up with us." She laughed for a moment until the twig snapped, silencing her instantly. She had been too caught up with her worry over Adonias to really pay attention to her surroundings and she cursed herself mentally. Dropping down into a protective stance, she circled in front the kid. She didn't know who this stranger was but experience taught her that surprises were rarely positive.
"Who are you?" She didn't really expect an answer. There were only a few things he could be and judging from his presence in the force, he was a force user of some sort. She wasn't sure why he was here though and hoped desperately that it wasn't for the same reason they were here for. She tried to probe surreptitiously while trying to appear calm. "We were just going for a hike with our... father. I didn't realize anyone else would be out exploring the jungle today?"
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Adonias Altari
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Post by Adonias Altari on Mar 19, 2022 15:16:08 GMT -8
MASTER SELVEK:
*Sensing no real threat from the children, he relaxed his posture. He swept his robe back to reveal a lightsaber hilt clipped to his belt, wearing traditional Jedi attire beneath.*
"My name is Kup Selvek, Jedi master. I don't see your...father...here with you? And you are?"
*Within his robe pocket, the weight of the relic left him feeling a sense of satisfaction. He got here first, so finders keepers. If they had a problem with it, he wasn't above negotiating.*
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Post by Crystal Spire on Mar 19, 2022 15:27:55 GMT -8
Crystal:
She straightened slightly as the jedi master relaxed. He didn't seem like he was about to attack. She hated light siders though, all smug arrogance wrapped in stupidity. She frowned at Selvek. "We aren't babies, we don't have to hold his hand while walking. You obviously don't have a family or you would know that." She scanned the area, noting the pile of rocks nearby. There were dark impressions clinging to the rocks, was this the ruined temple? She glared at the Jedi. "My name is Crystal. what are you doing here anyway?" She mentally called to the relic, looking for a similar signature to that of the last one.
Darth Strife:
He was slowly picking his way through the jungle, following the path of the children, when he felt the first echo of a Jedi through the force. His anger exploded, hot and overwhelming. Not again, there would be no death today. Unless it was the Jedi's death. Calling on the force, he quickened his pace, running through the jungle now.
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Adonias Altari
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Post by Adonias Altari on Mar 19, 2022 15:33:24 GMT -8
MASTER SELVEK
*Selvek raised an eyebrow at her statement but said nothing. When it came to her question, he opened his mouth as though about to answer when he sensed a the nearby presence of a Sith, heading his way. Who could that be? Their 'father'? He looked at Crystal sternly before responding.*
"I was just leaving. I'd say your Master is in an uncivilized mood. But answer me this...why does your Master have one apprentice too many? Why does he shamelessly ignore the rule of Two?"
*He placed a hand on his lightsaber defensively as the Sith Master drew ever closer. He eyed the youngest of the two as the boy stepped from out of the shadow of the elder. No, the boy was not yet corrupted. There was still hope! Perhaps he could solve their master's mysterious dilemma by taking one of the children off of his hands...*
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Post by Crystal Spire on Mar 19, 2022 16:01:55 GMT -8
Crystal:
She froze, sensing the danger ahead as Strife's anger pulsed in her mind. They had been together far too long for her to not sense his rage. He was coming. And so help this Jedi if he got in Strife's way. Selvek's words thawed her bones slightly. "I have no master, I make my own way through the world." Suddenly she sensed what she was looking for. The Jedi had the relic. She snarled, all civility dropping away as she crouched and her lightsaber flew from her pack to her hands with a snap. "Give it to me, you have no right to that Sith artifact."
Darth Strife:
Feet pounding on the vine covered floor, he pulled his saber from his belt. Right before he burst from the jungle into the clearing occupied by the Jedi and the children, he thumbed it on and the burst of red lit up the darkening area. He took in the scene quickly. Crystal protected Adonias and looked like she was ready to attack the Jedi. The Jedi stood much to close to the two children though. He sought to draw his attention. "Jedi scum, defend yourself!" He flew at the Jedi, lightsaber raised over head, more than ready to attack.
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Adonias Altari
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Post by Adonias Altari on Mar 19, 2022 16:09:55 GMT -8
MASTER SELVEK:
*The Jedi Master knew the girl was lying. He could sense it. He had more pressing concerns however, when the Sith Master made himself known. Igniting his own green lightsaber with a snap-hiss, the Jedi quickly moved with reflexes that could only have been force aided. He grabbed Adonias and pulled the boy against him, holding his lightsaber near his throat in silent warning.*
"There is no need to be uncivilized here. I have a proposition for you! I give you the relic...if you let me keep the boy."
ADONIAS:
*Adonias's eyes widened in fear when the Jedi grabbed him. He remained absolutely still as the lightsaber hovered near his neckline. He turned pleading eyes on his father, silently begging to be rescued.*
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Post by Crystal Spire on Mar 19, 2022 16:27:46 GMT -8
Crystal:
Her eyes widened as the Jedi grabbed Adonias. He had been so quick, she hadn't even had time to ignite her saber. She hissed in frustration and thumbed the lightsaber on, too late to attack with Adonias in danger. Guilt swirled in her gut. She couldn't protect her parents and brother either. She was weak, too weak. She crept closer to the Jedi, trying to keep the doubts at bay and waited for an opening.
Darth Strife:
He stopped short as the Jedi grabbed his son. "NO!" His bellow was choked short only by years of practice at control. He would destroy this being, this piece of garage who dared to touch one of his own. He made eye contact with the Jedi and lowered his saber, collaring his anger. "I don't know who you are but the only uncivilized creature I see is the one threatening children and treating a little boy as nothing more than a commodity. I won't stand for more Jedi savagery. How about you leave now without the relic or boy and I will spare your life?" He made the offer half heartedly, unsure if he would allow the man to leave at this point or not. He made eye contact with Crystal, making sure she was prepared for his next move.
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Adonias Altari
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Post by Adonias Altari on Mar 19, 2022 16:36:47 GMT -8
MASTER SELVEK:
"Tell me...Sith... why do you betray your kind by breaking the rule of two? This boy---"
*His sentence abruptly cut off when he finally recognized something crucial. The way the Sith shouted, the girl's protective stance, the reason why this sith was so damn possessive of the child. With an incredulous expression he commented on the matter.*
"He's your son. The girl however is your apprentice. How very interesting..."
*The artifact, being of Sith origin, weighed heavily in his robe pocket. He had no real plans to keep it. He found it odd that it felt warmer with each passing second.*
"What is this relic to you? Why do you seek it? Tell me...and I will let you have it."
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Post by Crystal Spire on Mar 19, 2022 17:25:22 GMT -8
Darth Strife:
He stiffled a grimace as the Jedi figured out what he had been trying to hide. No matter though, at this point he had decided to destroy the man. The longer the Jedi stood with his saber to his son's throat, the higher the flames of fury built inside of Strife. He grit his teeth together, trying to hold it all together in order to keep the children safe. He wasn't worried for his own sake but this situation could go wrong in seconds. "The relic is needed to reverse a spell. It is important to us, immensely important for the children's sake." He only explained in order to prey upon the Jedi's conscience. Hopefully the lightsider had one.
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Adonias Altari
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Post by Adonias Altari on Mar 19, 2022 17:32:28 GMT -8
*The Jedi Master nodded silently in consent, sensing no dishonesty from the Sith before him. He kept a firm grip on the child and used the force to pull the hidden relic out of his robes. He levitated it over to Strife, being a man of his word.*
"The artifact is yours. But the boy will come with me."
*The artifact began to glow with angry sith writing on it.*
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Post by Crystal Spire on Mar 19, 2022 17:55:17 GMT -8
Darth Strife:
His eyes widened at the Jedi's actions. Using the force, he snagged the artifact from midair and it snapped safely into his waiting empty hand. Without even thinking about it, his lightsaber deactivated as the artifact lit up like a glowstone. Strife felt the pressure inside of his mind as the artifact seemed to read his memories or perhaps saw the past of them all and then with a pop and rush of wind, the power of the thing exploded outward and created an almost whirlwind around Strife, Crystal, Adonias, and the Jedi. Pain wracked Strife's frame and he fell to his knees. The artifact took what it needed to power itself, and he could feel his strength draining away. This wasn't how the books described the reversal process, but then, the information had been fragmented and very minimal. All rational thought fled his mind as the agony increased and he screamed as the forms of the children seemingly flickered before him. The wind intensified and a howling sound filled his ears. This had better work, there would be no second chance for him.
Crystal:
It all happened so fast. She was ready to act as backup to Strife, to save Adonias, to strike down the Jedi. And then, the artifact sent a jolt of awareness through her and her brain felt scrambled right before the whirlwind of power surrounded her. Pain like nothing she had felt before coursed through her. This was worse than the last time. She screamed wordlessly and felt everything within her start to shift. Bones shuddered and cracked, muscles and tendons stretched, and her body strained against her newly resized clothing. She stood frozen, at the mercy of the spell surrounding them all. The saber in her hand dropped from her twitching hand to the cushioned floor but she barely noticed. As the pain paralyzed her, visions floated through her mind once more. A kind smile, blond hair, and a whisper of velvet words wound through her mind. It again seemed so familiar, as if someone was calling to her from a great distance, just like in her dream from before. But the wind distracted her and the voice drifted away once more. At the end of the spell, she stood reformed, once again her twenty five year old self in slightly torn clothing, emotions and knowledge in check. Her eyes glinted like steal as she shuddered, swallowing down the pain.
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Adonias Altari
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Post by Adonias Altari on Mar 19, 2022 18:17:52 GMT -8
*Adonias screamed as the relic transformed him back to his original size and age. His shirt tore off of his body and his pants ripped and stretched until he was clothed in something akin to shorts only. His boots no longer fit his feet and sometime in the middle of the transformation spell, he managed to rip his boots off just in the nick of time as his feet grew. His screaming stopped as his voice went hoarse. He was vaguely aware that both Crystal and Strife were undergoing similar changes. When it stopped, his head was spinning, his vision was clouded, and he had a horrible ache in his temple. He groaned, allowing the friendly hands that reached down to help him up, not realizing who it was until it was too late.*
JEDI MASTER SELVEK:
*The Jedi watched the three forms fall to the ground and scoffed humorlessly.*
"So that's what it does..."
*Selvek reached down and helped the young man up to his feet. Sensing that his mind had been considerably weakened, he used a strong force suggestion combined with a Jedi mind trick to willingly get the boy to follow him.*
"Come with me, we must leave now!"
*Adonias fell victim to the Jedi and responded in a monotone voice as though in a trance.*
"We must leave now. I'm coming with you."
*Before the Sith and his apprentice could fully recover, Adonias and the Jedi Master Selvek left the forest. They went on a speederbike to the nearby spaceport where the Jedi kept his ship. They boarded and left, shooting up into the atmosphere and away from Rishi.*
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Post by Crystal Spire on Mar 20, 2022 9:58:55 GMT -8
Darth Strife:
Blinking blurrily, he tried to focus. As if from a great distance he heard the Jedi speaking but couldn't make out the words. There was something important he needed to do, someone he needed to save. But the pain was too much and almost gratefully he slid into an unconscious state.
Crystal:
Despite the pain that still wracked her, she saw clearly as Adonias left with the Jedi. What was he doing? Confused, she shouted after him but it was as if the man was in a trance. Frustrated and angry now, she focused on recovering. Once able to move, she ran to Strife's side. "Get up, old man! We need to go. Adonias left with the Jedi and I don't think he wanted to." When Strife didn't move, she knelt by his crumpled form. She panicked for a moment, wondering if he was dead but then her shaking hands felt his pulse. Though it was thready, he was still alive. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment. It was all up to her. She opened her eyes and pocketed her saber and the relic which lay abandoned on the ground. She grumbled as she did so, this thing had caused nothing but trouble. But she wouldn't just leave it to cause more.
Crystal then hefted her old master's form. Her muscles shook but she was able to get him into position across her shoulders. She then began the long trek back to the ship. First thing she needed to do was get Strife into the bacta tank. She was no good at healing and with Adonias gone, this would be his only chance at survival. She grudgingly allowed herself to mentally thank Strife for his sacrifice. Being young again had sucked. It was like a veil had lifted now and things were much clearer and she was stronger in her mature body. For awhile, she continued soundlessly, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other and on not collapsing. Night fell and she just kept moving. Finally she staggered into the clearing where the ship loomed, ominous in the dim light. Legs shaking and almost out of breath, she slapped a palm on the activation panel outside of the ramp. With a hiss of air, the ramp leading into the ship opened and she staggered up it before collapsing bonelessly in the cargo area. She was able to cushion Strife's fall for the most part and then rolled him onto his back. After closing the hatch behind them, she readied the bacta tank and slipped her master into it. Those actions drained her of the last of her strength and she barely had time to fall onto her bed before her body shut down and she slid into a dreamless sleep.
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Post by Crystal Spire on Mar 20, 2022 22:25:30 GMT -8
Crystal:
It was nearly a full 24 hours later before she stirred. With a groan, she sat up and looked around herself in confusion. For a moment she couldn't remember where she was and then the memories pushed rudely to the forefront of her brain. Grimacing, she stood up and stripped out of her torn clothing. Thankfully she hadn't grown much from fifteen to twenty five, mostly just filled out in the chest so her clothing could be salvaged. Right now, she just wanted to put something clean on and it was a relief to find herself soon in form fitting black canvas pants, a black tank, and combat boots. Walking out of her room, she pushed back her unruly hair as she went to the bacta tank. Nothing had changed though Strife's vitals seemed a little bitter. He hung motionless in the tank, face fitted with a breathing apparatus and eyes closed.
Crystal sighed. Her sleep had left her feeling much better physically but she was drained emotionally still. What was she supposed to do now? She had no idea where Adonias was and didn't want to move the ship with Strife still out of it. She decided to train and try to remember her past since she had nothing else to do. She filled the next day and night with important if uninteresting tasks. Finally on the end of the second day, Strife's eyes fluttered opened and he regained consciousness. He pressed a hand to the glass of the tank, looking at her through the liquid. Crystal shrugged and stared back, more than a little awkward. She wasn't used to it being only the two of them again, there had been Adonias as well at the least this entire time. She wasn't sure what to say so she ignored the undercurrent of emotions and went over their status. "Adonias is gone. He went with the Jedi, I don't know why though I think the Jedi may have made him? You skipped over force persuade a little when training me so I couldn't get a good read on what was going on." She rolled her eyes at her former master when he scowled at her. "Keep your tunic on, you know you like my sarcasm. It's why you didn't kick me out when I found you when I was a child." She crossed her arms over her chest and tapped a foot impatiently. "Anyways, it's been nearly three days since the relic exploded around us and from what I can tell, both myself and Adonias are our former ages. That's the only good news I can see." She waited for Strife to respond.
Darth Strife:
He motioned for Crystal to release him from the bacta tank and she belatedly pushed the necessary buttons to start the draining of bacta infused water. He remained motionless as it drained and when the door opened, he stepped smoothly out. He felt better than he had felt in a long time. His joints and muscles felt less stiff, stronger even. Confusion bloomed in him. He felt decades younger and it wasn't until he caught sight of his blurry reflection in the glass of the tank door that he slightly understood what had happened. He felt decades younger because he was decades younger. He studied his reflection longer until Crystal cleared her throat. Turning to her, he saw the same realization dawning on her face and she took a surprised step back. "Yes, it looks like the relic did more than just change you two. I seem to have benefitted finally from it's power as well." Crystal blushed slightly and offered him a towel. "I didn't notice when I put you in the tank, it must have been a slow change. Sorry I couldn't get your robes off, I'm not as in shape as I thought I was." Strife looked at her considering. "You did fine. No need for apologies. A Sith does not need the blessing of others." But he still nodded in thanks to her offering and took the towel. He quickly dried his hair and took a deep breath. "We may have much still to discuss but right now, we both need to focus on going after Adonias. He means a lot to both of us I think." He gave her a questioning look and she nodded slightly. "Let me change and meditate and then we can regroup and plan our next step." Crystal nodded though he could still feel her impatience bleeding through the force.
Strife walking to his quarters, bare feet sticky on the floor. At least Crystal had pulled his boots off before getting him in the tank and he was grateful for that. Once in his room, he changed quickly and sat cross legged on his bed. He sat motionless for what seemed like hours, deep in meditation when suddenly he felt the words of his son wind through his mind. He replied back, heart surging with relief. "Son? Thank the force you are okay!! Why are you sorry?"
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Post by Crystal Spire on Mar 22, 2022 21:14:26 GMT -8
Crystal:
Strife walked away from her and she watched as he entered his room and his door closed behind him. He seemed so different. And she couldn't get over how he looked now. He looked to be somewhere between thirty five or fourty years old. Silver barely touched the hair at his temples and his face was almost unwrinkled. She hadn't realized how old he truly was until he lost half of his age. She nervously tapped her foot again, swaying slightly as she thought. How long would it take him to meditate? He used to closet himself for days at a time sometimes in the early days of her apprenticeship. She desperately hoped it wouldn't be the case this time. She wanted to rescue Adonias now that Strife was finally awake. Ashamed, she frowned, she hadn't been the nicest to him in the days leading up to his capture and the discovery of the second relic but she really did care for him. He was such a bright spot at times, oddly light in a surrounding darkness. And at times she swore she could feel what he felt.
Crystal shook her head at her nonsensical rumination. Setting about cleaning up the bacta tank after being used, she focused on the hard work to focus herself and push away any fear she felt over the future of their little band. For who was she truly without Adonias to round things out? She was just a girl, a forgotten apprentice to a former master who both made and broke her world when she was but a child. Once the tank was clean and readied for use again, she went to her room and laid down on her bed. It was early morning at this point, hours past midnight. For a moment, she almost fell asleep but then jerked awake at a slight sound. "What? Strife, is that you?" She looked around still laying down, trying to see if someone was in her room with her. She thought she had heard a whisper but the room was definitely empty. Curious and alert now, she reached out to the force to see if it warned her of danger.
When she did, the faint whisper became audible words. "Come back to us, daughter of the light. Come back." Crystal frowned. Who was talking? "Hello? Who are you?" The words became a rushing wind that filled her ears and then a faint image of a woman in white robes with brilliant blue eyes appeared before her at the foot of her bed. The image shimmered, not solid but still definitely present. Crystal sat up abruptly and gasped, her heartbeat loud in her ears even as the rushing wind died down. "Get out! My master will hurt you if you threaten me." The woman smiled pleasantly and softly shook her head. "I mean you no harm, nor have I ever. Remember. Come back to us. We are waiting." The image slowly began to fade out of sight. Crystal leapt up, frantic though she didn't know why. "No! Come back! What do you mean, remember?" Her door slid open abruptly and Strife stood in the doorway, panic in his eyes and his clothing rumpled. For a moment, she thought he had heard her shouting and come to her aid. Then he spoke. "Adonias. We need to get to him before it's too late. I am starting the ship up!" He whirled around and was gone to the cockpit before she could reply.
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Post by Crystal Spire on Mar 23, 2022 21:45:00 GMT -8
Crystal:
She stared after Strife, torn between wanting to figure out the mystery that had just exploded before her or get her butt in gear and help ready the ship. A moment later, she was following his form into the cockpit, decision made. Between the two of them, the ship quickly took off from the surface of Rishi and she looked at Strife. "Where are we going? how do you know something is wrong?" She had taken everything in stride up till this point but doubt was crowding in now. Why did Strife always seem to have the answer to the problem. This was the second time now within a matter of weeks that he had been 'meditating' and then instantly knew where to go. She eyed him suspiciously.
Darth Strife:
Going from deep in meditation, to Crystal's quarters, to the cockpit all passed in a blur of time and even though it took mere moments, it felt like a lifetime. As if it was happening right next to him, he knew Adonias was fighting for his life. He didn't know how, he just knew. They needed to get to Crait before something happened that he couldn't fix. He didn't know if he could recover from tragedy again. He was jerked from his panicked musings by Crystal's words. He met her eyes, noticing the suspicion but not answering it. He wasn't sure why she was suspicious or what she believed he was up to. It actually hurt a little to see that emotion in her eyes. There was a time where she looked up to him and followed his every move. And maybe that is why he had been so crushingly hard on her. He couldn't bare to see the adoration.
"Crait. We need to go to Crait. I was meditating when I was able to connect to Adonias and we had a disturbing conversation. The Jedi seems to be twisting his mind and Adonias is in danger now as well. We lost contact too abruptly." He input the flight pattern and directed the ship into the planet's atmosphere. "Ready yourself, my protégé." He looked at Crystal wryly. "It's time we fought as one in battle. We have too much to lose if we can't figure out a way to connect again."
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Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
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Post by Dragus on Apr 14, 2022 6:35:21 GMT -8
Descending from the cold vacuum into the frigid reaches of the upper atmosphere, the gunship's hull began to warm as it was resisted by air, its acceleration causing the heat to rise against its surface. Inside the small hold where the life support systems struggled from lack of proper maintenance, the temperature began to climb to a sweltering level. Heavy panting elicited from the shepherd's flock, as they had no sweat ducts with which to moderate their body temperature. Dragus, being a cold blooded beast, remained entirely unafflicted. In fact, the pace of his often swishing tail seemed to increase with the rising warmth. Carnally enticing as the protruding tongues were, he noticed the plight of his favourite followers and scowled, pricking his black gums with his mouthful of yellow daggers. Cruel and monstrous to most though he was, the Hungering One dotted on the members of his flock in a most paternal way. Perhaps even jealous of the forces of nature, he simply did not wish to see them suffer unless he was the one inflicting it upon them. Hissing with a ragged exhalation of putrid steam, he stalked towards the door controls of the gunship as they continued further down towards the mountainous region below. "Perhapz sssome fresh air iz called for." He rasped with a flicker of his forked tongue, before resting a talon on the door controls and flipping the switch from secure to open. As the starboard door retracted and the high altitude winds buffeted those inside and washed the stink with a frigid gale, the tormented hell-scape being inflicted upon the planet was revealed to them.Multi-coloured beams of blinding light and searing heat rained down from orbit above, cleaving mountains in twain and boiling lakes to acidic steam. The sky was full of streaking fire blackened iron pods that raced towards the surface like comets hurled from a vengeful god, which was perhaps an appropriate description for the Covenant of Blood. Smaller more precise beams of coalesced blaster gas were returned from the surface, rising from the deep valleys where the non-avian and more technologically sophisticated species lived. These crimson bolts annihilated descending pods with every strike, scattering the charred remains of Dragus dark side maddened children across the sky. Ranat laden gunships veered to avoid defensive fire, smashing into one another as their pilots frantically attempted to see above the dashboard in front of them. Rising like locusts from nests high in the mountains, the Rishii filled the air and obscured the land below, so thick they dragged down many of the descending transports with the bulk of their mass. In most cases the LAATs simply plowed through, crushing hollow bones and shredding feathered bodies. Gunship doors spread open and the verminous host poured from the holds as a plague of rats, arms spread wide with crudely fixed wings of leathery hide and pliable yellow bone. These 'Banats' as they were called, wore wind resistant goggles and nothing else, falling on the rising avian defenders and attacking with nothing other then large bucked fangs and scabrous gnarled claws.Their own gunship jerked as Lil'Havok piloted them away from colliding with another of the descending transport, his skills with a flight yoke far surpassing that of the rat-kin. The floor angled to a drop as the LAAT spun up on its side, causing all inside to desperately seek purchase on anything that would stop them from spilling out to such a great drop. Lil'Mort and Lil'Bacca leapt up and hung from the poles of the hang-glider strapped to the ceiling, while Lil'Kaan dug his jagged edges knives of stone into the rusty deck. Dragus spike tail pierced the corroded ground while his toe talons scrapped thick furrows in the floor. A powerful clawed hand gripped the sand child's rags by the scruff and held her over the opening, until their blind pilot evened the craft out and they were able to gain their footing once more. Dragus released his tusken underling back to the floor and let out a maddening laugh that could have been interpreted as joyous or insane."Oh what great fun!" Roared the reptile. "Look, my child! Here they come!" As he pointed a clawed finger out the door and to the clouds below, a sea of feathered bodies carrying spears and slings rapidly rose to meet them. The gunship dived into the swarm and the light of the sun was obscured by a mass of angry Rishi.
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Kr'Naan'Kar
The Sith Eternal
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Post by Kr'Naan'Kar on Apr 15, 2022 18:02:54 GMT -8
As the heat inside the transport raised, the Tusken Kr'Naan was thankfully protected by her existing predilection and natural affinity for scorching heat while still being heavily clothed. However as the life support systems strained and the air inside of the miniscule gunship began to stagnate and be overcome by the exhalation of its passengers, the lack of of fresh air to breath gave the youngling much discomfort. Each breath became a struggle, to the point where Kr'Naan began to feel light headed. She was extremely thankful that her master seemed to notice the discomfort of his underlings; opening the doors so that not only could the riders of the gunship could breathe in comfort but also have a view of the destruction wrought upon the world they were descending upon.Kr'Naan felt herself drawn dangerously close to the edge of the gunship's deck with widened eyes as she gazed upon the breathtaking and awe-inspiring sight of the invasion. Not equipped with macrobinoculars she had strain her young eyes slightly to make out the farther away visceral carnage of masses of bird-like creatures being run through midair by similar gunships to the ones she was in. The avians even managed to overrun and over encumber several ships, latching onto and attacking the ships with primitive weaponry. In some cases they even managed to overtake the smaller vessels. Were these the native species of this world? Or perhaps a pest that simply saw them as a threat? Perhaps she should have asked Dragus earlier who exactly they were facing, and if these creatures should be paid any mind.Kr'Naan began to turn to face her master to ask just that when the gunship jerked to avoid a collision. Kr'Naan felt her stomach do flips as she lost her balance and fell outside the gunship, only caught by the quick reflexes of the swift serpent, who clung to her by the nape of her thick garb. Held over the edge momentarily, Kr'Naan made the mistake of looking down. Vertigo set in almost immediately as the inexperienced passenger's eyes focused on the ground which was still extremely far down, much too far than she was used to despite her recent encounters with space travel. It was one of those things that you did not think about until actually confronted with it. Too terrified to even let out a scream, Kr'Naan froze as she hung extremely close to death before being pulled back in by the sinister saurian. In truth the experience had only been less than a few seconds, but fright makes even the shortest happenings feel like an eternity. Kr'Naan struggled to steady her breathing as the shock of the incident quickly set in. The laughter of her master did somewhat calm her, surprisingly. His confidence gave her reassurance that the Tusken child had not been in any true danger. After all, she was special.Her hands in a death-grip of the crude metal sword she possessed, Kr'Naan slowly edged her watch back to the brink of the transport's deck. Still very shaken and able to feel her heartbeat in every part of her body, she again hazarded a look outside to where Dragus was pointing. More masses of the same avian creatures rose from the ground, moving on a collision course with them. It was at this point the Tusken wished she had been given a ranged weapon. While not the most proficient shot, a melee weapon was practically useless in air combat.Just after this thought Kr'Naan felt herself lifted up by the scruff of her clothing once more, as the saurian Sith moved the youngling to a small side-hatch of the LAAT. Slamming a button on the wall, the hatch slid upward, revealing the innards of one of the ball turrets located on the sides. The barabel then proceeded to toss Kr'Naan inside, half-leaning in himself and pointing at several of the control. The putrid stench of his breath began to foul the small enclosure as he spoke."No time for the tutorial, this is a crash courssse!" The saurian Sith rasped harshly in ewokese as he began pointing at several of the controls. "Ssstick to aim. Trigger to fire the blaster. Red button for the ssskewerz." Kr'Naan stared blankly at the array of controls before her, confused. Letting out an agitated roar to motivate the Tusken child more. "Fire!" Dragus commanded. Kr'Naan shrunk for a moment before setting her new sword down at her side and gripping the control stick, squeezing the trigger and letting loose blaster bolts from the ball turret's main weapon, cutting a path with the assistance of it's twin on the opposite side manned by one of the saurian Sith's ewok flock. As the flock of the Rishii shadowed the sky and the small gunship began to cut a path through the endless swarm. The bipedal bird-folk that managed to get through the twin turrets boarded and a vicious fight not to be overtaken by the feathered masses.Kr'Naan decided to try the skewer Dragus had pointed out, pressing the red button on the top of the joystick. Nothing happened. Kr'Naan pressed down on the button again. Still nothing, but the Tusken thought she smelled something burning? Kr'Naan pressed down once more.From the ball turret's second barrel shot out a red hot metal spike, superheated by the same mechanisms that made the main blaster cannon's gas into a bolt of plasma, it shot out, impaling through many of the flying foes at once as if they weren't even there. It was a very primitive weaponry, akin to an unguided missile; but when there were this many targets it had little trouble finding many victims. The smell of burning flesh filled the air even more as the first several Rishii struck by the metal bolt had their feather burst into flames from the heat alone. Even a glancing blow was a death sentence as the loss of their feathers, which were on fire, caused them to plummet to their deaths all as they burned alive.
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Dragus
The Sith Eternal
In front of the Empire, to all you Vader haters out there. We'll blow your planet up.
Posts: 1,190
Affiliation: Sith Eternal
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Post by Dragus on Apr 16, 2022 7:23:47 GMT -8
Fire, death, and feathers...
Explosions ripped and roared across the sky as gunships overwhelmed by the mass of feathered forms erupted in great growing balls of orange flame and black smoke. Iron plate padded drop pods glowed white hot from their rapid descent, causing flying Rishii to burst into flames as the yellow flesh beneath their feathery coating sizzled and cracked. Goggled vermin manipulated membranous winged contraptions to intercept these falling corpses and feast upon the succulent crisped skin and charred meat before it dropped to the rocks below as the refuse it had now become. As return blasts from surface cannons below shrieked upwards to intercept them, shattering pods and immolating their feral passengers, not all were instantaneously boiled in their scales. Some of the twisted terrorsaur's alchemically altered children rained down on the defenders, claws and teeth smoking as burnt scales peeled and blistered, but their hunger just as sharp and all consuming as ever. Avian warriors were torn apart as the maddened barabels descended upon them, unconcerned with the ground growing oh-so near, far too fixated on the meal in front of them.
Say what you would about the reckless nature of the assault, the cabal under the command of the dreaded Famine Lord knew how to make an entrance. Despite the staggering loses that would demoralize most experienced naval officers, the utter chaos was proving effective, assuming one wasn't keeping count of the growing tally of the dead. The Hungering One's approach to conquest was the same as his approach to life, in that everyone was considered expendable and nothing more than a plaything to provide him with continuous entertainment. The ranats were obviously beyond consideration, they bred like...well, rats, in the bowels of the Covenant or wherever else they were able to nest. Like an unending plague of vermin, for every rat-man boiled in the cauldron of warfare, another litter of dozens was spewed from the fat bellies of constantly breeding broodmares. His precious children? Not so precious to the self-concerned serpent. They were just another experiment to tinker with an exploit. His professed love for them not a true expression of the heart, but rather another desperate attempt to fill a vacancy in him that would always be hollow. Brilliant though he was, love was not a thing his warped mind was capable of comprehending. And the cultists? Their ranks could always be filled with the tortured captives collected from any assaulted world, after they underwent the appropriate crushing of spirit and fierce violation of their very minds. He had Major to thank for that lesson. Under her tutelage, he had learned that even the sanest of souls could be transformed into depraved wretches once the appropriate mind-rape was applied.
As for our villain? Dragus hummed a twisted tune as the gunship plowed ever further downwards, pulping those in the way while Kr'Naan and Lil'Kaan unleashed hot death from the ball-turrets. A few of the more courage-possessed Rishii dove at the open door. Three spear wielding warriors landed at the edge, clutching the deck with long talons that raked the rusted floor. Flanked on either side by the tooth mallet wielding cyclops and the dark furred wielder of the assumed mystical spear, the saurian in his cloak of skin grinned wide, revealing his toothy maw to the brave bird folk. The chickens had entered the hen house to find the fox already there. Snarling like the savage beast he was, the black scaled barabel lunged at the center most bird, just as the avian thrust the stone edge of its spear towards the center of his chest. The sharpened edge bit into the scales of his breast, but faltered as the weight behind it was enough to snap the wooden pole the spear tip was attached to but not enough to drive it through his thick hide. Within moments his claws were carving great clumps of feathers from the shrieking bird until his powerful jaws snapped shut on its head and sawed their way through its neck, silencing it forever. The members of his flock found equal success. Lil'Bacca battered aside a spear thrust with his wooden club and smashed his Rishii foe in the jaw, shattering its beak in a spray of blood, bone, and teeth. Lil'Mort chuckled cruelly, playing more with his own opponent as they exchanged spear thrusts. The emaciated bear's tune quickly changed after a thrust nearly gutted him, causing him to quit toying with his enemy. Leaping and thrusting at the same time, he pierced the bird's throat and showered the deck with the resulting spray of bird blood. Dragus turned to acknowledge his flock, feathers still stuck between his teeth after grinding his foe's severed head to a meaty paste and swallowing it down.
"The brainz have a pleasssant aftertassste." He acknowledged with a smack of his lips. "But I'll wager the thigh meat iz where the real flavour iz." Sinisterly stalking around the trio of corpses they had created, he prepared to sample and see for himself which was best, when the gunship suffered a violent shake. The port side engine erupted in flames as a Rishii was sucked into the air intake and sprayed out the back. The LAAT began to teeter to the left, barely held stable as Lil'Havok fought with the controls. Despite his best efforts, nothing was going to keep them aloft for long. The damaged transport began to enter a spiral as the nose dipped downwards and the ground began to race towards them. "I believe it iz time to take flight, my sweetz." Growled the Hungering One as his stomach began to churn with their dizzying descent. He reached up and grabbed the folded hang-glider, removing it from the rack it was mounted on and lowering it to the deck. Lil'Mort expertly unfolded the wings of the glider and began to strap the double harness to himself and Lil'Bacca. Lifting the glider with the strength of his furry shoulders, the cycloptic wok carried them both to the open door and gave his master one last look before leaping out into the open air and gliding the two of them away. Dragus went to the edge of the opening and blew them a departing kiss. "Fare thee well, my preciouz petz! Good hunting!"
Given that the ground was accelerating towards them and time was of the essence, Dragus' next course of action was to slam a scaled fist on the button that retracted the ball turrets. Without so much as a word he plucked both Kr'Naan and Lil'Kaan, both who seemed to have been enjoying themselves as they visited death upon the planet's defenders, and dropped them back on the deck. He looked out the opening and searched the sky, looking for something among the chaos that surrounded them. After a moment he spotted what he was looking for. A drop pod in the distance tumbled towards the ground, its sides slowly rent by the talons of some massively monstrous beast. Metal peeled back until it was torn away by the force of the wind and something large and purple exploded with primal power from the pod, unfolding giant leathery wings that stretched a whopping thirty meters across. "There she iz!" He hissed excitedly, turning his snout to face the sand child before pointing a clawed digit towards the sithspawned repto-avian that flashed repeatedly before their eyes as the ship continued to spiral. "Ssspite, my darling drexl. Let'z hope she seez uz, otherwissse we'll make quite a messs on thossse rockz down below." Rather then waiting for their consent, Dragus lifted Lil'Kaan with a single claw and hurled him out the open door, before wrapping his tail around the tusken girl and flinging her out as well. He looked back towards the cockpit where Lil'Havok still fought with the controls, scowled, then jumped out after them.
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