Ask A Forgotten Relic

[Aadya Rasheer]

The cockpit of the ship was quiet, the long streaking lines of hyperspace the only thing filling the void. The destination was a planet in the Outer Rim known as Zoph, a relatively unimportant world that once played host to the CIS back during the Clone Wars. The only thing that Aadya knew about the world was that at one time it was a known home of kyber crystals, but due to the hostility Jedi would find there during the war, it had been a long time since anyone had gone there in search for them.

The crystals themselves were not what Aadya and her partner were after, though. No, they were looking for something much more powerful and equally priceless: an ancient relic known as the first saber. A lightsaber that once belonged to a prolific Jedi, Aadya hoped to find it and bleed its crystal, turning the weapon into a tool of the Sith, and replacing her own. She thought it was time to shed all remnants of her Jedi past, and at the same time was looking to raise her prestige within the Sith Order.

A few days prior Aadya had put out a request for anyone interested in joining her on this endeavor, but had received little to no response. That was until she'd gotten a message from someone that came as an incredible, and intimidating, surprise: Darth Stolas.

Aadya knew little of the Darth, but his title alone hinted at his prowess and importance. Though she wouldn't bring it up unprompted, a part of Aadya hoped that she'd be able to impress the Darth and even maybe he'd be interested in taking her as an apprentice.

As the ship dropped out of hyperspace and dipped into the atmosphere of Zoph, Aadya sighed for a moment and leaned back into her chair. Truthfully, she didn't really know where they should even start looking, but she didn't want to look like a moron in front of Darth Stalos, so spotting a cave opening in the side of a large mountain, Aadya thought that it looked like a good enough spot.

Landing the ship on a flat stretch of rock near the cave entrance, Aadya shut down the ship's main systems and made her way towards the ramp and outside. She wasn't sure where Stalos had been during their travel, but she figured he'd find his way outside shortly after her.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

The young Sith had spent most of the travel time in what had quickly become his own little section of the fairly generic freighter the two of them had traveled on. He'd put on the black ops suit he'd taken to wearing lately, appreciating the flexibility and more military lines compared to more traditional robes. This wasn't a task that required blending in, per say, so he wasn't terribly inclined to bother.

Morgan's eyes opened where he'd made his space when the ship dropped from hyperspace, coming out of his meditation. He stood and retrieved his helm from a nearby crate and sealed it into place, brushed a bit of something from a surcoat shoulder, and headed out to the common area to wait. Black boots took him down the ramp behind Aadya, eyes behind the helmet visor regarding her in silence. They'd met briefly on Sullust, of course, but he didn't believe she knew that.

Likely didn't help that Darth Stolas hadn't revealed his face just yet. This could be a very fun little game.

Stolas looked around the landscape, visor eventually settling on the cave the ship had landed by. By all accounts it looked like a random cave, but the young Sith was in no real rush to find this artifact.

"It's a start," he commented, voice distorted through the helmet's modulator, both hands neatly folded behind him. He turned slightly to look at the young woman, helmet tilting slightly for a moment and then nodding toward the entrance.

"Shall we?" With little hesitation he walked toward the cave, with all the gravity of a man on a calming night-time stroll.

@Logan

 

[Aadya Rasheer]

As the two walked towards the entrance to the cavern, Aadya remained quiet despite the thoughts bouncing around her head like spiced up gizka. She was doing her best to remember the things she'd read about the first blade back when she was with the Jedi. There wasn't much to remember honestly, but she figured it would be better to have some sort of answer if Darth Stolas asked her anything rather than saying Uhhh.. I dunno.

As they approached the large, gaping mouth of the cavern, Aadya could feel the air around them change just slightly. There was an energy subtly emanating from the cave - one Aadya recognized.

During her time with the Jedi, Aadya had gone on a search for her own kyber crystal, though she did not use that one anymore. She remembered the feeling of the place, and it was the same feeling this one had. The force flowed freely here, though the source still seemed far away.

It's been a long time since Zoph has been sought out by any Jedi, She said, deciding suddenly to speak. The silence that had existed between her and Stolas was starting to seem a little weird. Old Jedi texts talked about the crystals here being different - unstable, yet producing powerful blades.

As they crossed the threshold and moved into the cavern, the ample opening quickly gave way to tighter pathways, the one the two now walked on being barely five meters across with the ceiling maybe a little higher than that. The light from the outside faded as they moved deeper until only inky blackness remained. Taking out her lightsaber, Aadya ignited its blade to provide some light, even if it wasn't all that helpful having everything bathed in crimson.

So what made you come? Aadya asked abruptly. It was a question that had been rattling around her mind since she had left. Figured no better time now than to finally ask it. Figured there'd be more interesting stuff out there for someone.. well, someone like you.

The air suddenly became cooler and Aadya could see a faintly glowing light ahead of them in the tunnel. There were shadows moving in the glow, and the sound of skittering feet along the stone floor. What it was, Aadya couldn't be sure. But she had read that one creature liked to make kyber crystal caves their home: kinrath.

By the force how she hoped it wasn't kinrath.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

It was quickly quite clear to Stolas that the acolyte had done some degree of research on Zoph. She'd also decided to end the quiet between them, which as far as he was concerned spoke well of her character. After putting on the mask of a Sith Lord, acolytes had often tended toward kowtowing cowardice. An immensely boring situation to the young Sith, but it did make for some amusing responses to requests. He wondered quietly if that especially nervous one was still searching for the breastplate stretcher, then turned his helmet slightly in Aadya's direction.

The addition of red light was similarly amusing, though neither he nor his mask gave away any obvious expression. Ultraviolet and infrared from the blade provided more illumination than it's 'standard' hue, at least. Saved the effort of fishing out a glow rod, he supposed.

"I felt like it," he answered vaguely, visor sweeping over the inside of the dim cave. "Do you not believe yourself interesting?" The helmet turned away then and faced farther into the cave from where the scuttling and skittering resounded, echoing unhelpfully off the stone walls and tunnels. Luckily the source was near, flittering in the black at the edge of sight. Behind the helmet Stolas' eyes narrowed slightly.

On the plus side, the creatures weren't kinrath. As the shapes strode forward and revealed themselves it became clear they were actually a particularly large species of centipede, mouth parts clicking and squeaking to protest the two Sith's intrusion. Many legs clitter-clacked against the stone as they breached the light, front legs and curved fangs snapping sharply, snipping snicker-snack in warning.

So really, it wasn't much better than kinrath.

Stolas remained where he was for a few moments, though his head did tilt slightly to observe the three creatures. One interrupted to dash forward, the sound of its limbs resembling the falling of many sharp pebbles, before its course was suddenly diverted. Stolas waved a hand and the Force coiled, shoving it off to the side to crack against the cave wall.

"Oh, very well," he sighed, and began to step toward them.

@Logan

 

[Aadya Rasheer]

It became extremely and uncomfortably evident that as far as random creepy crawlies you could stumble across in the damp darkness of a random cave, kinrath were actually somewhat preferable. The nasty insect creatures that loomed menacingly in front of Aadya and Darth Stolas sent shivers down the young acolyte's spine.

Unwilling to showcase a lack of resolve in front of the Darth, however, Aadya steeled herself against her instinct to turn tail and run in the opposite direction. Seeing how easily one of the creatures was dispatched helped a little bit, if she were being honest.

As one of the centipedes lunged in her direction, its mandibles clacking hungrily, Aadya reached out with the force to push the beast's head to the side. With a quick stroke she slashed her lightsaber through the whole of its thick body, cleaving it into two pieces. The two chunks of insect squirmed and writhed unnaturally as they fell to the ground, the head portion still snicker-snacking in direct defiance of its death. A swift push of the force sent the head smashing into the cave wall.

Letting out a sigh of relief that the two were alone once again, Aadya turned to look at Darth Stolas and flashed him a quick grin because she wasn't quite sure what else to do with her face. Talking to a helmet was like that, sometimes.

I think I would have rather found a mess of cave wampas than that shit, She said jokingly before pushing further into the cave. The path became steeper and the air grew noticeably more chill as they walked.

After awhile, Aadya pipped up again. You know much about the saber we're looking for?

She was a little curious if the Darth had ever heard of the relic, or if it was just a tale spun in Jedi circles. She also wondered if Stolas had ever been a Jedi, but for now she was too scared to ask something like that.

Well, scared might not have been the best word to describe it, but it was the first word that came to mind.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

Stolas lost interest in the second arthropod when it went for Aadya and instead directed his footsteps toward the one he'd thrown into a cave wall. Expecting the acolyte to be able to an oversized bug he approached the stunned centipede, its carapace cracked from the impact and seeming stunned. It's head turned sharply toward the approaching Sith, weaving slowly side to side.

It lunged toward Stolas and a hand by the young Sith's belt drew his lightsaber, stepping diagonally to the side and swinging his weapon up in a tight arc that carried it through the centipede's head. The body wriggled violently on the floor, death throes scraping over the stone in vain. Half a head lay still and the body followed shortly after, by which time Stolas had left it behind to check on Aadya.

She seemed to have done just fine seeing as the second centipede was bisected on the ground. Stolas deactivated his weapon and returned it to his belt, the young woman's grin met with the impassive stoicism of your average helmet visor. Then it tilted slightly to the left.

"It would have been more interesting," he agreed, though that probably wasn't what Aadya had meant, and turned back to move farther into the cave. The chill air didn't bother the young Lord too much since he'd grown used to space travel, but he wouldn't call it comfortable.

"Possibly the first lightsaber." Morgan was no Jedi, but the Sith, and importantly the Drast family, had once began as Jedi. Some tidbits got passed down over time. "Not much more." The helmet turned slightly toward Aadya as they walked, silent for a few seconds.

"Where were you trained?"

@Logan

 

[Aadya Rasheer]

It was a simple question but Aadya couldn't help but wonder if it warranted a simple answer. She knew of course that many Sith were once Jedi, but her past wasn't something she had revealed to anyone in the Sith Order since joining them several years ago. For some reason, despite holding onto her past for so long, Aadya decided to let it go and answer Stolas' question truthfully.

Turning to meet the faceless gaze of Stolas' helmet, her eyes hovering where she thought his would be. It was only for a moment, and with a smirk she looked away, her eyes returning to the path forward. I was a Jedi, once. She said simply with a small shrug. A lot of time spent in temples. I found the teachings... Aadya paused for a moment, searching for the right word. Inadequate.

The fear to ask Stolas questions that Aadya had before seemed to be gone now as she turned her eyes back to him. What about you? As she looked at the mask again, Aadya couldn't help but find the whole thing a little pretentious. She just didn't understand the Sith and their armor. So impersonal, so.. unnecessary.

Do you ever take that off? She asked, clearly talking about the helmet. Who are you hiding from in this place?

It may have been a little forward to insinuate that a Sith Lord was hiding from anything, but Aadya wouldn't be Aadya if she didn't press to see just where the boundaries lay... and then take a bold step over the line.The Jedi never understood that.

Maybe Stolas would.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

There was no visible indication through the mask, but the young woman had certainly been heard. Aadya certainly hadn't given Stolas the impression of someone raised Sith, and certainly not in the ways of the Eternal's death cult. The zealots tended be a little over enthusiastic about the death and destruction and were generally rather creepy besides. No tact or subtlety to be found.

Aadya on the other hand was clearly her own person with her own ambitions, of a sort, and her bravery in addressing the Sith Lord did not go unappreciated. He liked a Sith with a strong spine who didn't capitulate and kowtow to others, doubtless a result of the culture and family in which he was raised. Cowards never got anywhere in the end.

"I was taught by a demon," the voice from the mask said, the typical answer when someone asked after his training. "Inadequate how?" They continued their walk forward, finding the caverns otherwise fairly unoccupied. Stolas kept his senses alert in case there were more bugs, assuming they had a nest somewhere within the tunnels, but so far it was mostly just cold and dark.

The visor turned more toward Aadya after she asked about the helmet, red light from her weapon reflecting off of it. It looked at her quietly for a moment.

"One needs to eat, no?" he asked with a tone of amusement. "Do you believe I am hiding?"

@Logan

 

[Aadya Rasheer]

A demon, huh? Not quite the answer Aadya was expecting but she still found it oh-so typically Sith, so it elicited a small smirk from her. Answering a question without actually giving any real information seemed like a common thing among those in the Order. Aadya found it both intriguing and incredibly annoying.

The Jedi teachings lack conviction. She said simply with a small shrug of her shoulder. I found their lessons to be quite hollow when so many of them do not even adhere to the codes they hold so dearly. Aadya paused for a moment, reflecting on the myriad of reasons she left the Jedi before deciding to sum up her thoughts. People might find the Sith.. unsavory, but at least we aren't all hypocrites and liars.

It was Stolas' last question that gave the young acolyte a slight moment of pause, finding herself unsure of how to answer. Yes. She said finally, turning to meet Stolas' eyeless gaze. If from from nothing else, you are from me.

As they continued to walk, the faint glowing that had seemed so far away a little while ago now came into full sight, but it wasn't much more than a couple of clusters of kyber crystals growing from the ground. Kneeling down, Aadya ran her finger down one of the formations, feeling the force reverberating from it, its hum somewhat soothing but foreign. It sung with the feeling of the lightside of the force, and Aadya hadn't felt that in quite some time.

I think this is a sign we are at least heading in the right direction, She said, staring further into the cave. There was no telling how deep this path would wind into the earth, nor if they would simply meet a dead-end at some point and realize the path had been a complete waste of time.

How do you feel about the Jedi? She asked suddenly. Feeling the lightside of the force after so long made her curious. Most Sith gave the kind of answers you'd suspect, but Aadya was curious what Stolas might say about it. It wasn't every day you had free access to the insight of a Darth, after all.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

Aadya's explanation was listened to with some interest, even if it didn't exactly show up on the mask. There was even a small chuckle when she mentioned hypocrites and liars. Sith weren't generally known for their steely morals but the young woman still had a point. Jedi limited themselves by their code and, as is sentient nature, struggled within those self-wrought chains that bound and weighed them down.

"There are as many Sith philosophies as there are Sith," the Darth answered back. "The useless examples simply die with their adherents."

His visor turned slightly more toward Aadya once more, regarding her features for a quiet few seconds while they continued to walk. This close she might even catch a reflection of her own face in the dark and angled transparisteel.

"Why would I hide from you?"

Then it turned away again to look around at the walls of the cave. His eyes also caught on to the sight of the glowing crystals and he observed them with mild curiosity when they came closer, helmet tilting slightly during his examination. Morgan had seen such a formation before but it was quite a long time ago. Sith tended to take crystals from others as often as find them on their own. In fact the young Lord's matched pair of hilts contained crystals from Sith acolytes when he was still among their number while the pearl within his more ornate lightsaber was of unusual origin.

"Potentially," was all he really said about the right path. What they were after was lost, after all, so it might just lead them to a funny looking rock formation or something.

"I'm not terribly fond of Jedi," he answered breezily, looking down the length of the cave. "Self-righteous and bloviating insects, for the most part, with a tendency toward interference."

@Logan

 

[Aadya Rasheer]

Stolas' description of the Jedi seemed particularly apt to Aadya. She had been on the receiving end of many long-winded Jedi speeches, the masters often proselytizing from their high-horsed thrones of moral superiority. Thinking about it, Aadya didn't understand how the Jedi weren't hemorrhaging members constantly. It takes a special kind to find solace in that kind of bullshit.

Why you would hide is a better question to ask yourself than to ask me, don't you think? Aadya asked, regarding Stolas' question a little bit ago. She figured the Darth was just being coy, and she did admit the air of mystery of who was under the mask was rather intriguing. Maybe I'm reading too much into it and you just have really bad acne or something, Aadya said with a playful smirk. Which I totally get, but you know they make creams for that kind of thing. I'm sure even a Darth has time to order stuff off the holonet.

Aadya couldn't help but wonder if she had met the Darth before, at some point. But most of the Sith Aadya had met had been rather unimpressive. She doubted any of them had what it took to attain such a lofty title. Then again, what did she know, Aadya was only a mere acolyte.

Which Sith philosophies do you believe in? Aadya figured if Stolas wanted to take off his mask he would have done it by this point, and perhaps berating someone who could kill you in an instant wasn't the best idea. She'd give the guy a break.. at least for now. I know the Code, but not much else. Sith training seems like little more than throwing one to the kath hounds. Much different than the Jedi approach.

As they continued to tread further and further into the cave system, the thought that they were on nothing more than a wild goose chase crept back up in the back of Aadya's head. She hoped that they would find something convincing soon.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

There was a flat chuckle from Stolas' helmet, amusement clear in the sound after Aadya's lengthy reply that also somehow failed to actually answer his own question. The young woman was doing quite a lot of pondering out loud in the process and even admitted as much as part of a teasing joke. Morgan so far was finding he didn't regret joining a random acolyte on a treasure hunt.

She also seemed not to have a solid idea as to why, exactly, Stolas was bothering to wear the helmet. He could tell her, but where was the fun in that?

"Perhaps you'll find out if you're good," the masked man said in an intentionally flat tone without actually looking at her, keeping in vague whether he was referring to the mask or his philosophy. "Hoping to learn something from me, are you?" Morgan paused a moment, head tilting slightly down the saber-lit cave.

"Mine is a method with older roots than one might generally find amongst the Eternal." True, but probably not terribly helpful. The death cult angle was a newer thing derived from Palpatine's ambitions and the Eternal themself, but even in the modern Sith it was far from universally agreed upon.

"What matters more is your philosophy, is this not so?"

Stolas stopped walking forward. They'd found the end of this particular tunnel which was, most unhelpfully, a massive pit lined at the edges with shining kyber crystals. He looked down into it and found that even his sharp eyes couldn't spot the bottom.

"How apt are you at controlled descent?"

@Logan

 

[Aadya Rasheer]

Of course, Aadya replied bluntly to Stolas' first question. Seems like a massively wasted opportunity not to learn some things from someone like you. Aadya paused for a moment before smirking slightly at Stolas. That's assuming you know anything worth teaching, of course.

Aadya was enjoying the conversation with Stolas immensely. Even if it turned out he had nothing tangible to teach her in these caves, she was sure that some sort of lesson could be gleaned just from the cryptic and often unhelpful way the Darth answered her questions. Divulging information as freely as Aadya did could easily be seen as a weakness, and perhaps it would be prudent for her to figure out how to learn just as much from silence.

I'm not sure I have any philosophy, She said frankly. Most of what I have been taught about the force came from the minds of Jedi, which means I probably know even less than I think I do. Aadya wasn't sure if admitting something that made her so vulnerable was a correct choice, but she hadn't gotten this far in life by questioning everything she did.

As they approached the end of the tunnel and the pit that blocked their path, Aadya peered over its ledge and noted how the kyber formations on its sides were essentially colorful spikes ready to impale anyone attempting to traverse their way down by normal means.

Now that, I do know. She peered over the edge again, wondering just how far they'd fall until they hit the bottom. Aadya also considered what in the kriff they were going to do to actually get back up. Oh well, that was future Aadya's problem. No need to worry about that now.

After you, Aadya said with a chuckle. She wasn't going to be the one to dive headfirst into the dark abyss. Not to mention, the one bit of Sith philosophy Aadya did hold in her heart, was that you should never trust someone unconditionally. And that definitely included stolid Darths.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

Did Stolas have anything worth teaching? Or more specifically, did he have anything worth teaching Aadya? Other Darths had taken at least one student by this point whereas this one had yet to even so much as look for an apprentice. In a sense he was teaching the young acolyte and had been doing so since they began speaking, but he wasn't going to say as much. Most didn't catch on very quickly but her straightforward answers were a fun bonus.

"A wise philosophy," he said with a hint of amusement.

Then there was the pit. Stolas shrugged when Aadya suggested he drop down first.

"I might catch you if you ask nicely."

And with that he hopped down into the abyss with all the energy of a man going out for a morning stroll. He quickly disappeared into the darkness, where he focused the Force around himself to slow and control his descent. Stolas kept his senses alert and his eyes downward, able to see well enough in the dark. His boots eventually hit stone again and he bent his knees to take the extra impact. Then he looked upwards through the poor light from the crystals to see how Aadya was doing.

@Logan

 

[Aadya Rasheer]

Aadya smirked slightly at Stolas' comment before he slipped from the edge and was swallowed by the inky blackness of what unknown laid below. Falling into the Darth's waiting arms was a fantasy Aadya held for sure, but those were different thoughts for another time.

Summoning up the courage, Aadya too stepped over the edge and followed Stolas' descent. Her mind clear and focused, Aadya enveloped herself with the force so that the fall turned more into a casual floating downward. Eventually she neared the bottom, her Firrerreoian eyes granting her vision where lesser species would have none, and she'd land gracefully near the Darth.

Turning around, Aadya looked back up at where they had come from and clicked her tongue. Looks like the real lesson will be how we go back up.

As far as Aadya was aware, real life wasn't like the video games. There wasn't an easy secret exit at the end of the dungeon after you got what you came for. Eventually, the two of them would need to be able to find their way back out.

Are you looking for someone to teach? Aadya asked eventually, her curiosity about Stolas' potential motivations for joining this expedition finally getting the better of her. I know I've been looking for a teacher since I joined the Order. She admitted with a shrug. It did make her feel a little vulnerable, but always feeling safe usually didn't lead to much progress.

At this point, Aadya didn't want to beat around the bush with the Darth anymore. If she was rejected, that was fine.

And if not? Well, that would be fine too.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

Stolas was quite still as the young Acolyte fell through the pit, watching her descent slow and eventually stop at the very bottom. His visor moved lazily back up the pit at her comment and he shrugged a little before turning to look around elsewhere in the dark space the two Sith had now found themselves in.

"Then we will learn, no?"

The Darth decided to head along, the new area more of a wide, long chamber than a proper hallway, the only real light from the crystals or whatever the two of them could provide. Fortuitously their eyes allowed them to see well enough in such conditions to keep moving forward through the underground whatever they'd entered. Stolas moved forward in relative silence and with a preeminently casual air as before, his visor looking around at the different stone and crystal formations.

"I am not," he answered, pausing a moment, "May accept a student, however." It wasn't as if he was entirely disinterested in teaching, he literally just hadn't be looking to do it. The methods of his family were meant to be kept within it in some way or other, after all, but he hadn't really expected someone to specifically ask.

"Suppose I am a fitting teacher for you, all things considered," Stolas commented with an obvious tone of amusement. Aadya was still not aware they had met previously and were even of the same species. It was a bit of information waiting to be discovered and serving as a fun game in the meantime.

Eventually they came to an end portion of the chamber they were in, a winding juncture off to the left and a more straight path to the right that appeared to angle slightly downwards before hitting a sharp left turn.

"Choose a path."

@Logan

 

[Aadya Rasheer]

Well so long as you may, consider my application submitted, Aadya said jokingly, although the seriousness of the glance she shot at the Darth's helmet face betrayed her tone severely. I'm a little embarrassed though, I don't have a proper cover letter.

When they approached the proverbial fork in the road and Stolas proposed his question, Aadya glanced at one and then the other, then made a snap decision. There was no sense in agonizing on which direction they go. All roads lead to ryll, as they say. This one, She said simply, taking the straight path to the right.

The path they were following angled downward, as as the two continued to walk Aadya noticed.. differences in the air that did not exist before. Earlier, the air was alive with the low thrum of the kybers, the their natural tendencies towards the lightside of the force evident.

But here, on this path, that song faded and was replaced by something.. opposite. A cloying darkness hung in the air like morning fog. It clutched at Aadya with invisible fingers, like it somehow wanted both for her to leave where she did not belong, and beckoned her to keep going.

You aren't going to make me call you master, are you? Aadya asked eventually, trying to push the strange feelings that she was getting in her gut out of her mind. She wondered if Stolas felt anything, of if the depth and the darkness of the caverns were just starting to play tricks on her. I always thought that shit was kind of weird.

Eventually, the path they were following started to open up into a wide cavern. Luminescent fungi as sporadic kyber formations provided some illumination, and a few dozen meters in front of where they came in Aadya could see.. something. It looked like some sort of creature, but she couldn't be sure.

As they neared, Aadya could make out the visage of something that nearly made her let out a gasp of fright. Standing in the near-darkness, the looming figure looked like it was a couple meters tall. Arms jutted from places where arms should not have been, and it was covered in faces roiling in agony. Before Aadya could make a noise, the creature turned to look at them.

Run! screamed its living mouths. Come! cried its dead ones.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

Even though it had come in the form of a joke Aadya had clearly just asked Morgan to be her teacher. Stolas was well aware of the reputation he'd fostered by this point and the fact an ex-Jedi acolyte had just up and asked after he'd up and decided to wander around some caves with her was rather refreshing. There wasn't even any begging or anything. Honestly if she had it would have just made it weird. Morgan hadn't known her long at all but that would have been far from expected behaviour.

"Then you may consider this escapade of yours an interview," the Sith Lord replied in an even tone. "No pressure."

The two of them took the chosen rightward path, the man's dark visor idly observing the different kinds of crystal formations that decorated the cavern walls. As the air grew heavier and the sense of atmosphere darker his head turned forward again. Once or twice Aadya would get the sensation of being closely watched despite Stolas' helmet not moving from its new position during their trek. Something else existed in this space they were entering and a frown formed on Morgan's concealed face, finding the strange black fog difficult for his paranormal perception to properly penetrate.

A song of agony, denial, and desire. How strange.

"Teacher, not master." Morgan didn't need to think much on that. Aadya was willful in a way that so far seemed more compatible with proper teaching rather than being another fawning acolyte ready to throw themselves at the feet of their overlords. It was only reason they were even having this discussion at all, really. "So long as you are a good student, of course."

Golden eyes squinted behind the visor, the mix of poor lighting proving to be trouble even for his eyes and the HUD that was designed to work with them. Only a shape was visible at first, one that didn't make much sense as to be a person.

It was an amalgamate pile of corpses, all flailing limbs, screeching mouths, and gnashing teeth. They screamed disparately and gave some voice to the strange push-pull sensation on the two Sith as they neared this chamber. Limbs that were bent, fused, and broken at unnatural angles cricked and cracked with every movement and the smell of rot was thick and abundant in the stale air.

Morgan scowled at it.

"How tacky," he commented aloud, thinking to the works of great Sith alchemists and flesh-warpers. "Kill it, would-?," Stolas was interrupted by another bout of screaming as the thing ambled toward them, his tongue clicking in irritation.

"Stop talking." A burst of lightning erupted from his right hand toward the being's many heads, crackling through the stagnant air and flashing illumination around the chamber.

@Logan

 

[Aadya Rasheer]

The lightning that erupted from Stolas' hand did bring some measure of reassurance to Aadya as she watched it arc violently and slam into the creature's body. There were very few things out there that could stand up to an irritated Darth slinging the darkside straight into their face, she thought. Surely the thing would just keel over and die and they could move on.

Although it became quickly apparent that was not going to be the case. As the lightning slammed into the creature, it almost seemed to... dissipate inside of it, like the creature simply absorbed the dark side energies. The creature roared with renewed vigor, a spark of lightning forming in its largest maw and firing at Stolas and Aadya like a beam from a turbo laser.

Diving hard to the side, Aadya pulled up her lightsaber and saw that the beast was closing in on her. Not unsurprising, she was the clearly smaller and therefore likely weaker one between the two Sith that had invaded the things lair. With a quick slash, Aadya lopped off one of the beasts legs and sent it sprawling, its howls of pain echoing harshly off of the cavern walls.

Before Aadya could do much more, she noticed the creature's leg was.. already starting to go back as it clawed voraciously at the cauterized wound. The more seared flesh it removed, the faster its leg started to grow back.

Looking to Stolas, Aadya's facial expression was clearly concerned, but she did her utmost to hide the kernel of fear blossoming in her gut.

Uh.. got any ideas, mast- uh, teach? Aadya was usually pretty resourceful, but she found her mind blanking on this one. Scary zombie dark side monsters were a bit outside of her purview.

@Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Stolas]

Stolas made a mask-distorted sound of annoyance and twisted to the side opposite Aadya's direction, electricity firing back at them and terminating with a loud pop-crackle against a stone wall. The acolyte also seemed to have avoided the returned attack. But now she'd been targeted by the amalgamated walking corpses.

She handled the charge handily and left the creature on the floor and clawing at its leg, the limb clearly already regenerating. Impressive.

Morgan's combat form was aggressive and it showed in his response. He was already moving toward the writhing abomination with his lightsaber in his left hand when she asked her question, blade swinging to meet the hands going at its leg and taking two and some spare fingers off before he stepped back again.The creature's many mouths howled and cried in cacophonous chorus that Morgan was already tired of hearing.

He looked around a moment at the cave.

"Cut it to pieces," he said, "Avoid its reach."

It could absorb and reflect at least once kind of Force attack and it couldn't be buried without the two Sith joining it. Luckily it also seemed to be made of otherwise ordinary flesh. Perhaps its regeneration had a limit? The hands seemed to be also be working their way back into existence and the creature flailed itself briefly after Stolas and then, tried to drag itself to Aadya, spare arms reaching for her legs.

@Logan