Ask Rishi A Heart in the Dark

[Armaj Branthom]

As the Silverwing burst from hyperspace there was a sort of calm and pleasant glow that came through the bridge viewport windows. It was a temperate green color that washed throughout and struck many of the Imperials. Most worlds of the Empire were not like this one, as they were converted for industrial uses that served the people of the Empire. That was the way of progress, as few worlds had no use. They could be harvested or mined to provide for the trillions of beings that needed the resources.

No one on the corvette stopped their work for a moment. Instead the bridge crew just gave out readings of the world, the ships captain following through keeping them in close order as was essential. That strict and militant adherence was what allowed them to arrive at the planet so quickly, with the ships precious cargo.

Today the ship that was typically used for diplomatic work was now here on a matter of deep religious and archeological discovery. It carried a lady of the Sith, a dark side champion, and an envoy with expertise in ancient things. Aboard as well as an archeological team... and one hundred Imperial Troopers to deal with anyone that got in their way.

They were here looking for an ancient Jedi Temple, a forgotten dreary place that was to be repurposed for the use of the Imperial Masters. That was their mission set out by the new Empress, and all three were eager to accomplish this mission.

"Run a subterranean scan." Armaj mentioned to one of the bridge crew. "Here in this sector. Find deposits of cartelos stone and vesithin smelting." Armaj had been studying ruins for sometime. These signs tending to have old ruins of the Jedi stick out where ever they hid.

The bridge crewmen found a large deposit of both in a singular location, and notified Armaj. "Send a probe droid to that location."

It was an hour until the first images came back. And Armaj had them put on screen for all to see. Once this was found he notified his Sith masters that were aboard the vessel.

"My lady Stythani. Champion Antilles" Armaj greeted, with a half bow from the waist. "I have found the entry to the temple you seek." The use of "I" proclaimed an almost typical vanity. "Our subterranean scans suggest that the temple could be quite large. To add to this, we have sign of primitive natives in the vicinity. How would you like to proceed?"

​

@Faded @LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

After the grand ball of Serenno Celeste have had her hands full with work on Rattatak. Things were still forcing from perfect, but she could say at least say that things were better than expected. It was still a way to go, but since Serenno she had also officially started working for the Empire again.

She had assigned herself to the mission voluntarily and she was quite excited about it even. Not only would she throw herself into a different sort of action after some time, she would also meet an yet unknown champion and get to work on the front lines again. She had thoroughly studied their mission's exact order and all the details that had already been gathered about Rishi and the incident with the Jedi in the past. It was definitely an interesting mission, that was why she had joined the endeavor in the first place.

She had spent most time in her private cabin, communicating with Rattatak and her uncle on Kalist IV, but when they sent for her, she was already done with all the business and could fully concentrate on the mission ahead. The reattached her crimson bladed lightsaber to her black belt before she let herself be let towards the Imperial Envoy who was supposed to support their potentially dangerous mission. Today, she wasn't dressed in her usual attire. Instead, she was wearing her new, black Sith uniform.

She approached the bridge and the assigned Envoy Branthom with her usual, charming smile. They hadn't officially met either and so she was curious about his reports. She politely nodded as he greeted her before she quickly shifted her gaze onto Champion Antilles. "I believe we haven't officially met yet. Celeste Stythani", she shortly introduced herself before directing her action towards the projected images. They were already close, so it was a good thing that the entry was already found."Primitive nanatives you say? Do you have estimated numbers?", she asked curiously, hoping that the scans were a little more precise.

@Morse @Faded

 

[Roman Antilles]

.

Roman sat in the Imperial Transport until it fully landed, airship platforms locking into the terrain with a splash like "thud", vibration felt through the entirety of the cabin. Rising to his full height, he kept his helmet off momentarily, a smile coming to his lips as he was greeted by the other Champion. He nodded in return, "Roman Antilles, the pleasure is mine love.." He said, before shifting attention towards the Imperial soldiers gathering outside. He would only reveal his true face to his fellow Sith, for before he showed himself towards the Imperial Envoy, he had the terror inspiring helm back on to conceal his visage.

To say the surrounding atmosphere was unwelcoming would have been an understatement; he preferred the civility of Dromund Kaas instead of this overly temperate and humid wasteland they had found themselves in. As Armaj debriefed them on the current situation, Roman listened momentarily for Celeste to inquire about the overall numbers of hostile beings before shifting his gaze towards the envoy troopers. "Split the squadrons into two, one led by myself and other by Champion Stythani. Those with me can place heavy pressure on the natives near the entrance, while she can lead an expedition into the Temple.."

Roman turned to look at his fellow Sith, "That sound fair?" He asked.

@Morse @LadyRen

 

[Armaj Branthom]

As pleasantries were exchanged between the two Sith, Armaj took notice of their differences. They were both quite capable by appearance, though the battle armor of the Champion Antilles struck a much more combative image than the striking black and gray worn by the lady. He appeared as though he was ready to storm a castle with laser sword in hand, where she seemed placed towards more civil pursuits.

At the moment Armaj was not sure which would be more useful, and knowing only their stations he knew that neither was to be trifled with. A ruler of a planet matched with a seeker of ancient things could be a deadly mix.

"The primitives number rest comfortably in the hundreds." Armaj looked at the temple. "It is my suspicion that many of them are children and those that won't put up a fight. Their warriors are not equipped to deal with our technology."

Having answered the Lady's question he looked at the Champion.

"I support this show of force and propose to augment it." Armaj looked at the temple and panned away to see the area. "We have no shuttles, so perhaps we send the pair of fighters to scatter the resistance while we land in this clearing, which is some distance from the temple." Armaj looked back to the two Sith. "As you scatter the remaining resistance Champion Antilles, and the lady takes twenty of the troopers to the begin the excavation, I can oversee establishment of our excavation camp outside of the temple doors."

Armaj looked to the two. "A three trooper split to ensure that we can support each other throughout this expedition?"

The ship was now making its way through atmosphere and into the fading light of afternoon. They would have several hours with whatever they chose to commence before it became dark.

@Faded @LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Interestingly enough, the first thing champion Antilles suggested was splitting the group. Celeste couldn't help but to smirk and slightly raise an eyebrow at him, but she could at least keep herself from scoffing. The way her fellow Sith put it, his intentions could derive from chauvinistic motifs. Perhaps he underestimated her from the very first moment because she hadn't be the one wearing actual heavy armour, but time would probably tell everything she needed to know all about the unknown champion's true nature. She was not in the mood for a discussion right now and for their endeavor the splitting of forces seemed to be strategically intelligent anyway, so she shortly nodded.

The estimated numbers of the foes were definitely manageable and that was why her optimism was still untainted. "I agree with your assumptions, Branthom. I expect some resistance, but we don't have to fear any significant losses" she replied, taking a few steps around the holomap to catch a better glimpse of the excavation site. " I also agree with the overall plan. Splitting the teams and working on the three locations shouldn't be a problem. As soon as the issues are dealt with, we can meet up at the established camp to decide on further proceedings", she continued, shifting her gaze away from the map and onto the two men. They seemingly had a few more hours of daylight, so if they would hurry, they could even use the night for at least a few hours of restful sleep before they would continue in the morning.

@Morse @Faded

 

[Roman Antilles]

.

Roman definitely held chauvinistic beliefs though they were not at play here; simply put, the armored champion always volunteered for combat heavy missions due to his inherent bloodlust. It was an addiction he had derived from his origins and earlier days of the Sith Eternal when the cultists organized into the Knights of Ren. It remained a well guarded secret, and one he hoped not to reveal to either of his comrades just yet.

"Very well...For the Empire.." He said calmly, pressing forwards into the landing after they had made their approach. The pair of aerial fighters stormed above head, unleashing a battery of laser fire into the unsuspecting tribal natives. As expected, their resistance grew restless and scattered into various directions, notably towards them while other natives moved closer towards the Temple. Igniting his crimson blade, left hand gestured as a volley of force energies wrapped around his armored figure. Roman advanced towards the fray, his platoon of troopers following close behind.

"Minimize casualties if possible, and spare those unable to retaliate.." Roman instructed. Perhaps it was shards of his humanity still remaining or maybe he just didn't wish the Empire to gain poor public image by slaughtering children. The Troopers placed their weapons into stun mode, and hurled several cannisters of smoke grenades outwards. Roman's left hand clenched tightly in a gestured force attack, spiraling the smoke towards enemy combatants. Women and children caught in crossfire were largely stunned by the troopers, though some unfortunate deaths did occur. He pressed further into the assault with his saber in hand, male natives coming to attack were swiftly cut down by the crimson weapon. Roman shifted momentarily to his side, trying to get a gauge of how Celeste was faring. The momentary distraction however, opened his vulnerability, as a large native smacked him in the the head with what appeared to be a large wooden and stone club. Roman's armored figure hurled several meters in the air, landing to the ground with an unwelcoming thud. Dazed, he attempted to regain his footing with an loud and sinister snarl.

The Tribal warlord was nearly seven feet tall, and while he wore no armor and had no saber, he had an imminent look of determination cast over his face. The will to fight....Roman thought to himself, and in an unexpected moment almost gave sympathy towards his opponent's cause. In either case, the Sith was willing to accept a more worthy adversary.

Roman disengaged his lightsaber and instead exchanged it for the Vibrosword across his back. He taunted the native with his left hand, challenging him to what appeared as a martial contest...without the Force as the Sith allowed his gathered energies to disperse. The tribal warlord roared as he charged forwards, bringing the club in a horizontal bash....and so it began.

@Morse @LadyRen

 

[Armaj Branthom]

The Silverwing released its fighters once the corvette was within the atmosphere and the commenced their assault on the location of the scans. While the laser cannons were devastating on the ground, their inability to do any serious damage to the temple was a bonus. They would be crippling to the primitive structures the natives built, and it would likely leave them wondering why their gods had sent such a thing down upon them.

As the Silverwing landed the three teams set about their work. Champion Antilles marched forward with two full squads of troopers, ready to lend death upon their enemy. The other teams got to work as well.

Armaj could hear the blasts further away and smell the smoke from impact fires. He was unconcerned however. He had very little experience or interest in battle. His part was to establish the base camp for their excavation. Armaj in this role did very little to assist those that were at his command.

"Be careful with those!" He would dictate to clumsy troopers that struggled with the weight of some of their equipment. "Bring proper rationing. I'll not linger in the woods with quarter portions!" And finally such comments as. "Hurry your efforts, or it won't be natives that you have to worry about."

His troopers did very little to secure their area, rather the two squads with Armaj were being utilized almost exclusively for labor. Armaj was counting on the natives to have scattered so that they could begin their civil work. Armaj and his troopers moved forward towards the temple in time to see a battle being waged between Champion Antilles and a large brutish creature.

Armaj did nothing to assist, simply watched and waited for what would happen with the rest of his laboring troopers.

@Faded @LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Celeste signaled her agreement with Champion Antilles' statement with a nod, while a smirk had crossed her lips. His words could have either been interpreted as a hollow phrase or an actual affirmation. She wasn't sure which interpretation applied in his case, but she would soon find out. For now she was curious to see how he would handle the crowds and whether he was as skilled as he claimed through his confidence.

Once they had landed, she immediately commanded her troopers to follow her. They wouldn't engage the foes Roman and his troopers dealt with, but they would advance towards the excavation side as discussed. However, their path was far from clear and so she ignited her crimson bladed lightsaber while her first foot touched the ground.

The men that came at them were determined to strike back, but before before the first blasters were fired, Celeste knew that they wouldn't even stand a chance. The enemies were lacking advanced technology and armor both, so they weren't an actual match for the forces that came at them. Even though she was usually against meaningless bloodshed, those foes were too eager to kill, so they hadn't had much of a chance to spare their lives, not even if they would decide to stun the majorities is this would only lead to too many prisoners. The first wave they encountered was relatively small in size and their attacks seemed rather uncontrolled and uncoordinated, so it was easy to either parry their blows and plant a deft counterattack, or she simply caught her opponents in a stasis before stabbing them.

As they advanced, Celeste kept using a combination of Force attacks and her lightsaber. This had always been her preferred combat style and it was also what she could do best. From time to time, she would glance back to her fellow champion, but he seemed to do fine until he was starting to encounter a relatively large opponent. She questioned the reasons behind his change of weapons, but figured that he knew what he was doing, so she didn't interfere from the distance yet and she had to shift her attention back to her own surroundings. In no time, she was busy deflecting a bunch of incoming blasters bolts with her lightsaber and she wondered how the Natives came into the possession of those anyway, but soon they were disarmed and their blood flooded the ground.

They pressed on, closing in on the actual excavation side and the further they got, the less resistance they met. She wasn't sure whether there were still Natives hiding inside, but she this question would soon get answered. She took a moment to look back, oberserving not only the numbers of her own squad, but also checking on the other groups. So far, it seemed like they were all making progress fast, but the real mission would begin once they would find the artifact. Since she had done some research on her fellow champion, she knew that he was versed in the ancient studies of artifacts, so she assumed that his knowledge would prove very useful in their endeavor.

@Morse @Faded

 

[Roman Antilles]

.

No one really understood why Roman would change his weaponry to that of his sword or engage with this brute without using the force. Predating to the times of the first Sith, some of the ancient lords fought Mandalorians without the use of their force powers; it was said to be a statement of true strength, one cloud in bravado and ego alone. Though for the Sith, perhaps it was just a chance to feel like a normal human again.

Roman brought his own blade downwards into a counterclockwise arc to deflect the club as it soared towards him. The sound of metal against wood echoed with burst splinters flying into multiple angles. The brute roared once more and bashed his shoulder against the armored champion. Staggering backwards, Roman stepped straight into his opponent and brought the helm against the native's own face. Unfortunately, the brute countered by dodging to his left and grabbing a hold of the Sith before flinging him onto the ground several meters away.

Ground was unwelcoming to say the last, his body rolling a few times in the dirt and stone until it came to a final halt. He grunted, hoisting himself to one knee before bracing for another attack by the Brute. This time, the native came with a downward blow from the club, but was effectively blocked by the Sith's blade. Both men pressed with their strengths, none seeming to gain an advantage until Roman swept at the man's leg, and sprang to his full height to capture him in a powerful choke hold.

Both men struggled for several minutes, with finally the Champion gaining an upper hand as he bashed his foot into the backside of his adversary's knee and pinned him onto the ground. Choke hold tightened grip around the man's neck until a series of gurgles and gasps could be heard. Finally, as his corpse went lifeless, Roman allowed it to cater into his arms, slowly setting in onto the ground with a gentle motion. He sighed for a moment, eyes shifting their attention to Celeste to see how his fellow companion was faring.

"Soldiers, towards Champion Stythani's position.."! Roman commanded, before springing to his own feet and darting towards the larger group. Hand flew open as his crimson lightsaber ignited back to life.

@Morse @LadyRen

 

[Armaj Branthom]

There was not so much a battle taking place. It was more of a massacre. The natives had hardly even had the capacity to fight back. Troopers destroyed them at will while the fighters flew over head making their retreat an uneasy proposition.

Alas there was little for them to do to fight back. The inhabitants began to flee for their lives. Fighting had won no victory and served no purpose. They made for trees and rocks to find a new way. Maybe they had shelter further away. Maybe they had other settlements to go to. Whatever the case they had altogether lost their home at the temple which was now firmly in the hand if the Empire.

"Start establishing a parameter. And get the survey equipment ready! The Sith will not be kept waiting." Armaj directed firmly to his troopers. They followed the order and the small clearing before the temple began to resemble an active camp as boxes of equipment were unloaded.

Armaj spoke to the undaunted Sith who had battled through. "We are losing the days light. Shall we push through the night or begin the excavation in the morning?"

@LadyRen @Faded

 

[Celeste Stythani]

It took some more time until the situation was fully under control, but it all went rather well for now. After she was engaged in a few more melees, she managed to glance back at Champion Antilles, who had just managed to overthrow his opponent as well. Why did he put away his lightsaber in the first place? She was still wondering why he did that, but maybe he just felt like showing off, but the only thing essential was that he won.

She directed her focus back at her own fights and was engaged in some minor combats soon. When Roman caught up with her, she was holding an opponent caught in a stasis while she was stabbing another one right in the chest. She glaced over to him with a little smirk crossing her face before she hurled the one that was still caught inside her invisible grip through the air. The battle noises around slowly died down and the remaining Natives seemed to flee in larger numbers, which was definitely good. Celeste would let those go that wanted to leave and surrender, as long as they would stay away from the excavation side.

"For a moment you had me thinking that you were in desperate need of help" she said to the champion, her voice accusingly, but in a slightly over-dramatic, playful manner, before they made their way back to the Envoy. "I would vote for proceeding at first light in the morning. I feel like we could all use some rest, as our actual mission is just about to begin. The Natives are dealt with and it is pretty unlikely that they will decide to come back". She glaced back to her fellow champion, curious on his opinion.

@Morse @Faded

 

[Roman Antilles]

.

Roman smirked at her comment, teasing actions becoming rather playful banter between the two. It was comforting to be honest, he didn't expect that he would get along with Celeste so well. And now, it was almost that he always preferred her company on missions. "And yet, you offered no help. You would have let the brute defeat me?" He jokingly responded, expecting her to reply with an equally sassy remark.

As nightfall arrived, Roman was prepared to venture further at dark though perhaps her decision to wait until the morning was more practical. The imperial troopers prepared to set up camp, several pots of fire scattered through the opening at the Temple base as the legion took its much needed rest. Rations were handed out to those hungry, Roman removing his helmet and entered the Commander's quarters where the other officers were already gathered. The temple outlines enlarged onto a holoprojector, "I trust that the survey equipment is all set to go in the morning?" He asked.

Moving towards the projection, he pointed at the primary entry point. "The dead will need to be brought through this doorway, our mages have already prepared the artifacts for the ritual. Should we bring a majority of the forces with us inside or keep them out in the established parameter?"

@LadyRen @Morse

 

[Armaj Branthom]

Preparations for their mission were well underway once the battle concluded. Troopers set up covered positions, downloaded equipment, set up shelters, and established the meal plan. All the priorities of work of an Imperial unit were followed to the letter. The battle itself had not been much to leave any of them daunted. The ship was returned to orbit, along with their fighter cover, in order to keep it safe and provide them warning of any unwelcome visitors.

Armaj had spent little time assisting with the work, more he worked with the plotting of chambers on the excavation holomap. The Empire had a lot of muscle, but it needed the right application of a mind in order to accomplish anything. Here Armaj acted as the mind in service of those Sith that were the true masters at work.

"Preparations for the excavation are in fact complete. Our scans suggest that the locals have fled for many miles. They are not likely to return, but some may be in the area to exact revenge. We should keep a platoon to defend the camp and exterior, and warn us of trouble. The others may be useful should we require any labor or experience dangers within."

Armaj knew that the value of a trooper was less than those that commanded them, and the last thing he needed was this units reputation being tarnished by one of their Sith masters receiving even a scratch.

@Faded @LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

At first she simply smirked, amused by his playful accusation, wanting to shrug it off like she didn't care, but she had a better idea to tease him back yet another time: " Well, I would have stepped in if you had faced your own demise, but you seemed to get along rather well in the end. If the brute defeated you, we would all have to reconsidering your rank, don't you think?. Her smile was sweet and innocent, even if she had replied with a sassy remark, but she knew that he could take it.

Now, that they were back at the Envoy, she reestablished her more serious fassade. They could joke around later on, but they had to discuss further plans now. She observed the area of the doorway on the holomap, nodding when Roman outlined the process. She waited for Envoy Branthom to give his opinion on the decision of how many men they would take inside and nodded again to signal her agreement. "One platoon should be enough, yes. We will pay attention to the communication channels, so that if the Natives decide to return, we can relocate the troops quickly. Champion Antilles, do you have any idea how long does this ritual take?" she asked her fellow Sith curiously, as she was not exactly versed in artifacts and rituals like he was. The longer they stayed inside the excavation side, the more time the Natives would have to plan their counter strike. It was unlikely that they would dare to attempt something like this, but you could never tell for sure.

@Faded @Morse

 

[Roman Antilles]

.

Roman chuckled softly at her remark, "I suppose so. Though I wonder, would you be as kind to me if I was a mere acolyte?" He questioned, with a teasing overtone of course. As the trio moved closer into the excavation site, several Sith Troopers followed closely behind with what appeared to be wooden caskets. They had spent several past hours gathering the fallen bodies from their earlier skirmish, placing them into entombs in preparation for the ritual. Two Sith alchemists, courtesy of their master also followed closely behind, their hands already filled with greenish tar like fluid and one of them held what appeared as an unknown stone artifact.

Roman disengaged his lightsaber as he stepped with the envoy through the first temple stairwells and down into the lobby area. There they would be met with a series of elevated pillars as well as a central altar where once stood a sacrificial chamber. The soldiers began removing the corpses from the caskets, lining them perpendicular to the altar as the alchemists began to cut into their chests with steel daggers. One of the alchemists approached Celeste, handing her the stone artifact.
"M'Lady, would you like to do the honors?"

Roman smirked, removing his helmet and stepping closer to the altar. "Not too long, perhaps 15 minutes..." He said. Kneeling before the chamber, his eyes flickered into a dark crimson as the force began to wrap around him. It was clear that he was preparing the meditations required to channel enough energy into awakening this temple.

@Morse @LadyRen

 

[Armaj Branthom]

The nature of walking into ancient and legendary places was never lost on Armaj. Every time he looked upon one he recognized the great power that flowed within them that he could hardly feel himself. Their ancient mystique carried many secrets, not only in their construction, but deep within the very stone that bound them together. He had heard the stories that there was the energy of the force that rang out within them, and every time he wondered if he would find something that would leave him absolutely in aw.

But that power was something that he sought not only for himself, but also for the Empire. When he was graced with these expeditions, he recognized that one day he could stumble across something that would lead him to a great new destiny. He could bear witness to an alteration of the natural course of events, which could propel the Empire forward, and he with it.

Armaj entered the temple with some four attending Troopers. Should any additional labor be required he would not do it himself. It would be for they who were of the station to do such things. It was only for him to tell them what to do.

"Hasten your work." Armaj demanded of the Troopers. "We haven't a moment to spare. The Champion is waiting." They moved the corpses as directed by the Champion Antilles.

Armaj watched then as the troopers moved away and he himself stood back witnessing the ritual, as a strange feeling like a warm wind came through the temple and surrounded them with a low rumbling sound.

This was it.

@Faded @LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

She had rolled her eyes and had given him a self-evident nod after that. "Of course. I would have stepped in from the very beginning then. An acolyte wouldn't have handled the situation so well" she replied with a slight wink until the pressing matters ahead required her to regain her focus and lay the teasing aside for a moment.

They moved inside and the mages and alchemists were already preparing the ritual. Celeste had never participated in something like this before, but the atmosphere was already growing thick with dark tension, which was admittedly quite a thrilling experience. When one of the alchemists approached her, she immediately took the stone artifact from him, bot quite sure on what to expect though. She approached Roman and went on her knees besides him, carefully holding the artifact.

She then closed her eyes, finally letting the darkness in after quite some time and she was immediately wrapped inside it. As always, it felt rather cold, but she didn't flinch, even when a slight sudden went down her spine. She kept her eyes closed and focused on the darkness and the sinister energies around her. The Force was immensely strong in this room and it didn't take long until the blood from the dead bodies was starting to stir. Her eyes were suddenly wide open and even though she tried to stay focused, the experience was very intense. The artifact in her hands was starting to vibrate with all the power it was harnessing and she had truly never experienced something this powerful. She quick

@Faded @Morse

 

[Roman Antilles]

.

Roman felt the artifact find purchase as its power dug harness into the force and also into Celeste as she channeled it. A vibrant green hue erupted from the relic, sapping into Celeste's torso as well as connecting into his own chestpiece. The impact sprang his body upwards into an uncomfortable and unnatural arch. He roared out in pain but perseverance kicked in quickly, fists clenching tightly to nullify the tremendous discomfort.

Walls and ceilings began to rattle, rubble dissipating from cracks that lay dormant for centuries. The altar of the Nexus began to shine with a ghastly glow, increasing in radiance and intensity with each passing second. "It...It's working... Hold on longer my Champions!" Commanded the Sith Sorcerer, he himself adding his own force powers into the mix along with the several other alchemists that had joined them on this mission. Restoring the faith to such a palace could never be a single person's sole ability, unless of course if the Dark Lord himself was present.

The corpses began to decay exponentially, flesh flying off in bits to be consumed by the growing rage swelling inside the central lobby region. Light fixtures began to twinkle then explode into awakenings through the entire compound, arrays lighting up one by one as the Sith poured their might to the task at hand.

@Morse @LadyRen

 

[Armaj Branthom]

Such spectacles were precisely why Armaj had grown a fanatical fascination for the Sith. What majesty and power were being conjured here he had witnessed in those finite moments, and he had an immeasurable respect and fear of it. He knew that he could never hold it in his hands, but he thought that maybe he could help understand it all the better and uncovered it, and bring its glory to the rest of the Empire.

While it may have been an emboldening experience for the two Champions however, it had a strange vibrating feeling to those that were without sensitivity. The air almost went from warm to cold in an instant, but not such that it could be felt on the skin. Rather it felt under the skin as though the air was draining of its warmth and being left in a sort of harsh and unyielding voice. Like ice penetrating the blood, but the heart was somehow pumping faster with each beat.

That feeling gave Armaj a sort of excitement, but his own fear was palpable. Like a small animal staring a piece of advanced and dangerously exposed machinery, he walked along stones behind some of his troopers... in case anything should go wrong.

@Faded @LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

She was still not fully sure what was about to happen, but as she was befallen by the green, channeled hue, she was slightly caught off guard. She knew that they had started an ancient, powerful ritual, but even if she was involved in the chanelling the magic, she had not expected that it would hurt so much. With clenched teeth she tried to endure the pain, but a painful groan was escaping her mouth.

The rattling walls didn't help with that intense, uncanny aura and sinister tension in the room. Quite the country: It was still growing. However, it felt like the climax was approaching while the dead bodies were literally decaying in front of their eyes. She added her own powers towards the mixture of energy, her body still fully tensed while her strength was harnessed. She had never experienced anything like that and it was definitely the most intense thing she had ever witnessed. She held on, just like the Sorcerer instructed, barely being able to turn her head in Roman's direction but the exact same procedure was happening to him anyway. She began to start feeling as though she was loosing her consciousness and yet she forced herself to hold on just a little while longer. One thing was sure: They would all sleep well that night.

@Morse @Faded