Ask Moraband Endless Hunger

[Renfry]

Renfry looked into the tunnel ahead and paused a moment when Malicia said she wasn't welcome here. There was a darkness within that had nothing to do with lighting. It crawled up her back and she heard faint whispers around her head in a language she didn't recognize. It caused her to jerk quickly and look behind her to see nothing but air.

She took a deep breath to calm herself and let it out slowly.

I don't think I am either, she said. She took the plunge and crossed the threshold before she could talk herself out of it. She needed to do this, and she wasn't going to turn back.

They headed deeper until they came to a split in the path and Malicia asked if there was a map. Renfry shook her head.

We're the first people to cross the threshold, she said. Even the tome had been written well after the death of Darth Pelagus, and so the internals of the tomb remained a mystery to everyone.

She rifled through her mind's list of spells to try to find something to help before settling on an option. Not a good option, mind you, but an option.

She cupped her hands to her mouth and spoke quietly into them, almost like nursing a spark into a fire. A ball of green ichor swelled in her hands and she cast it upward, hoping it would lead them toward a source of power if it were there.

Unfortunately, the ball split in two, taking two separate paths deeper into the mountain. Two paths, to their right. She sighed slightly.

Well it's probably one of those directions, she said, but it meant it was also still a 50/50.

She picked the one on the far right that was lit while the path of the other orb was still dark.

Might as well pick the lit one first, she said, heading down the way. There was no way to know if this was correct or not, but the answer became evident shortly. A heavy door slammed shut behind them, runes preventing it from being cut through and a dead end was just around the next corner. They appeared to be stuck. @Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Knowing that they were the first added another layer onto this outing. It meant this was much more dangerous than Malicia thought, though she obviously wasn't going to turn back.

The Darth's yellow eyes were tinted by Renfry's magic; a little glowing ball that raced to the doorways. Malicia found herself following the ball until it split into two. She wasn't sure exactly what these balls of magic were honed on but she trusted Renfry enough not to ask.

She simply nodded when the lit path was suggested. Malicia stepped with Renfry past the threshold. Only a few steps took them to a corner, and behind that corner... a wall. The Darth suddenly heard the sound of a door sliding closed and she didn't need to turn around to know which one.

A switch suddenly flipped in Malicia's mind. Her arms fell to her side and her head lowered. The walls, floor and ceiling around them shook as the Force violently stirred around the Darth. A spike of anger and fear in the Force flared. "I don't like small enclosed spaces," Malicia said. Her voice was controlled to a point that it was clear she was very close to snapping.

Memories of of her past flashed before her eyes. A dark cloaked figure, a Cadre-Master, stepped back and closed a panel in front of her, blocking out the last bit of light and leaving her to suffer in her misery. The Force around her stirred more violently, continuing to gather, increasing in its volatility at a dangerous speed. A small crack appeared on the ceiling. Dusts and small bits trickled to the floor.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry felt the enclosed space was more of a nuisance than anything until Malicia started... whatever she was doing. Renfry suddenly felt that the real danger wasn't being trapped in here with a woman who was beginning to lose her mind. The small room began to shake, dust and sand falling down on them, and Renfry was alarmed that things might simply cave in atop them and kill them.

There was a spike of anger in Andruil that surprised her. A sense of danger and threat triggered something within her not unlike on Felucia after she'd been punched.

Hey! Snap out of it! she yelled at the other woman, mostly not expecting it to work, but perhaps she'd get lucky.

Rather than focus on the other Sith, Andruil focused on the Shadow, trying to force herself to focus on both herself and the other woman. She let ichor consume them both, transporting them both only a handful of meters, but it was far enough to be on the other side of the door. The sensation of teleportation would likely make Malicia quite sick, but it was better than being dead.

As for Andruil, it was the first time she'd done such a maneuver in some time, and she was surprised that it was not as exhausting. Granted, it was a much shorter distance and she'd grown in power considerably since the last time, but it was still a nice testament to how she'd advanced.

Unfortunately, she was angry.

Her gaze swept over to Malicia, yellow eyes practically glowing in rage and totally not caring if the other woman was vomiting, dizzy, nauseous, or anything else.

What the kriff was that?! she demanded angrily. She typically tried to be respectful of those with a higher rank than her, but with her life in danger, that shed away a bit.

You need to get yourself together and get off this world, she snapped angrily. You're going to get us both killed. Is that what you want? The extra power this gives you doesn't help you if you're dead, she said. She braced herself for a potentially violent confrontation, but hopefully it wouldn't come to that.

 

[Darth Malicia]

All the noises around her were distant. All she saw was black until she felt herself suddenly feeling nauseous and in another room. This one wasn't so enclosed though Malicia still turned, placing both hands on the sides of a corner before vomiting. Nothing came out but stomach fluid, a reminder she hadn't eaten in several days.

She stayed leaning in her corner as Andruil spoke. Even if the woman wasn't speaking in an angry tone—and, oh boy, she was— her anger in the Force was "loud" enough.

In most circumstances Malicia in all her short temper would've lash back, but her mind was mulling over everything. At first it seemed Andruil mistook her... distaste for enclosed spaces as something the planet did to her, but maybe Malicia's reaction was partly, if not mostly, due to her lack of sleep over the many days she'd been here. The realization felt sobering.

After she was able to compose herself, her frame came to its full height. Malicia turned to Andruil, raising her chin to match the woman's gaze. "No, I do not desire to harm you," she sad. Was it the most un-Sith thing she'd said? Yes. If saying it bothered her, Andruil wouldn't see it on the Darth's face. It was simply the truth to do with what Andruil willed.

"I'll be off the planet in a few days," she said plainly, in a tone that contrasted Andruil's anger. Her voice was more distant and it made it clear she wasn't really interested in opening up to the other woman right now.

Malicia walked past Andruil, whether she was speaking to her or not, though she stopped a few steps ahead. "I'm sorry I scared you..." she said, though nearly in a whisper. She wasn't sure she wanted to say it, but it had just come out. She continued forward after.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry didn't really understand what had just happened, but she wagered it had to do with the issues that Malicia had been having. At least that was the assumption she was working under, but the other woman didn't lash out or yell back.

In fact, what she did say gave Renfry pause. Her whole body was still tense and angry, preparing for a fight that wasn't going to come even though Malicia had never really done anything to indicate she wanted to harm Renfry intentionally. In fact, quite the opposite.

She stood there for several moments, almost stuck in a weird limbo of how to respond. She said she'd be off the planet in a few days, and that was a good start, but Renfry wondered how long before she returned and it drove her so mad that she wouldn't even recognize herself.

She was starting to sigh, letting out the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and letting her muscles react when she heard... an apology? It was definitely not anything she'd been anticipating, and on some level, the Nightsister felt bad for lashing out.

Malicia... she said, her voice much softer this time. But what was she supposed to say? That she was sorry? Was her outburst justified? That was what always made her angry or perhaps simply act upon instinct, but Renfry wasn't really the one being threatened.

Don't harm yourself either, she said. Renfry had a knack for not giving up on things she should have and pressing too far. The statement that she'd only wished not to hurt Renfry had not been lost on her. Perhaps she shouldn't have cared if the other woman hurt herself, but they were... were they actually friends? It wasn't just about an alliance, was it? @Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

There was a quiet moment between them. Something broken by Renfry's voice echoing softly through the hall. Malicia's chin rose at it. It carried a tone that the Darth never had directed at her before. A softer, gentle one that was... caring?

Her eyes opened more when she heard the woman's following words. She tried to hold back a sad laugh. A sad frown formed on her face instead.

"You should know by now," the Darth said. "I'll do whatever it takes."

Whatever it took to rule, to keep feeding. Even if it meant hurting herself.

She was already hurting herself. Most of her life was misery, a constant inner battle and an insatiable hunger that drove her.. not near mad, no. Actually mad at times. At the back of her mind she feared her hunger in a small way. Not because of her fate with it... she feared what it might do to Renfry once given the chance. It saw the woman as a liability and threat, but Malicia tucked that fear deep away in her mind.

She was selfish. Selfish enough that she'd keep Renfry around anyway... right? She knew the woman was no push over either. Malicia turned her head slightly, glancing at Renfry from over her shoulder after the short pause. "With some exceptions," she added, taking a step forward before another. She continued around a winding corner, and the hall got darker and darker as she went on. It almost became pitch black until an odd glow appeared at the end of the hallway.

Malicia's pace slowed and she stopped before passing the doors threshold this time. "What is it?" she asked, tipping her head slightly at it.

A round room. The walls glowed oddly with an eerie red scattering light. There was several... power cells, perhaps? All lit up too. In the middle was a larger one, something that looked like it might be a console of some sort. Malicia did not step in because she wasn't sure what it was or if it was safe.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry couldn't say she was overly surprised by the answer. It was sad but it was the way of the Sith. Look at what she had done just to gain power: waged a war on her world against her people in conquest. But it was also the way of the Nightsisters. It was the way of the hunters.

And she knew neither of them would change it. She wouldn't argue with her about it, but reminded herself of the danger she was in with the other Darth. But no more than any other area of her life, no?

Always sobering.

They headed on until they came to a room that cast light of its own. She reached out, feeling everything here and noting its song in her mind. It vibrated with an energy that felt... very similar to Dathomir.

I'm not sure, she said, eyes sweeping across the room before settling on the central console area.

She stepped forward carefully looking for traps or anything of the like, but nothing responded. There was no trap that was sprung and she made her way over to the console, poking it to life. It lit up and she frowned down, looking at it.

I think these are sustaining something, she said, looking up at the tower in front of them. A stasis tank?

I think there might be someone in there, she said, and as if it had responded to her, it began to whirr and glow.

I didn't do it, she said, pulling her hands back and razing them to indicate that whatever was happening wasn't because of her. Had they actually still sprung a trap? Were they waking some ancient guardian of this place? Wonderful...

@Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Because Renfry entered, Malicia followed. The door was open and the room was at least five times bigger than the narrow hallway they'd been stuck in earlier. There was all sorts of humming coming from the panel and room. While Renfry was poking the console, Malicia's eyes were elsewhere.

Until she heard a noise. Her whole body turned towards where she heard it. Renfry's following "I didn't do it" caught her attention, and she knew that the woman had sprung something. Not that that really mattered, right? Well, okay, Renfry was the tomb expert between the two and now she'd sprung a trap, or something. That probably wasn't the best of signs, though the small Darth had not explored a tomb before so she wasn't the best to gauge these things.

This was probably not the best "starter" tomb.

The stasis tank's door began hissing open, and Malicia took a few steps forward, placing herself closer to the tank than Renfry. That was when she heard more noise. More hissing. She didn't turn towards the sound because she was convinced the door had closed and she didn't want to look at it. And something was stepping out of the tank.

Whatever it was that stepped out of the stasis tank was not entirely human. It looked like some sort of twisted abomination between man, beast and machine. It didn't seem all there. Possibly because it just came out of stasis, or it was simply a monster.

At first it staggered oddly, then it's eyes peered upwards and it began charging at Malicia since she was closet to it. The first thing she did was hold up her hand. A bolt jumped from the tips of her fingers towards it to disable; she didn't want to destroy it in case they needed it for some reason, or in case it was sentient and had information.

But it dodged the bolt with unusual speed and Malicia braced herself for it to attack, but felt the wind pass by her as it went for Renfry instead. The small Darth felt a jolt of anger, turning and reaching out to catch the creature with the Force before it made it to Renfry.

The room jerked suddenly during the chaos and began to move. Downwards, like an elevator.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry's head twisted to the side as she looked at the creature that began to move to life. She knew she didn't have time to sit around and ponder it for a long time, and began to move as soon as the creature did.

And it was quick. Renfry prided herself on being quick from her years hunting, but this thing felt like it was even a step beyond that. It moved like the wind itself and had closed in on the Nightsister in short order.

It was all she could do to avoid the hand that shot out in an attempt to grab her throat, but she wasn't quick enough to avoid the follow up punch to the kidney as she ducked under the grab. It shot pain through her whole side and made her stumble forward and to the side, nearly losing her balance altogether as the elevator began to move as well.

What had they gotten themselves into?

Whatever it was, there was no time to think about it now. She needed to move and quickly. Were it not for Malicia's grip on the creature now, it likely would have made a much worse impact on her.

She didn't know how long Malicia would hold the thing in place, but she didn't waste time. Her hands came together in front of her as if they were going to hold a large ball and green energy crackled between them. She thrust them forward and the energy slammed out, hitting the abomination with enough force to send it across the entire room, burning it at the same time.

She hoped it would keep the creature down long enough for Malicia to finish it off. Surely if they beat this creature the prize would be theirs, right? @Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

A burst of Renfy's magic sent the creature flying back. Malicia channelled her annoyance with the creature into a stream of lightning. A stream that lasted until the thing was finally dead. She was displeased that the created had gotten to Renfry, but it was down now so the thought passed.

The elevator jerked to a stop with a suddenness that caused Malicia to grunt. Yellow eyes turned to the entrance, expecting the door to open. It did, though only to reveal rock. That sight was enough for the small lord to lose it. "I refuse to teleport again," she growled. Quick steps brought her to the rock. Without another word she placed her hand on the rock and released a violent wave of Force into it. A whining sound followed by rock shattering deafened the room.

What moving the rock revealed caused Malicia to blink a few times. Her steps brought her into a large chamber. The chamber was huge for something underground. Much bigger than the odd elevator. A row of those creatures in stasis chambers lined around the entirety of the room. In the centre laid three things. A sarcophagus with what looked like square, locked, tome-sized extension on the top of it, a statue and a console.

"Perhaps we should be careful with the console," Malicia said, her eyes drifting past the small army of stasis chambers and back to Renfry.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Crackles of lightning tore through the room, mixing blue with the green of Renfry's magick in a dazzling display. A dazzling display that was lethal to the creature they were fighting. She let out a sigh as it finished.

They descended and Renfry stifled a chuckle, turning it into a throat clear as Malicia angrily stated that she refused to teleport again. Yes, it took some getting used to.

She stepped back as Malicia unleashed upon the door, opening it up to reveal. Oh, not more of these people... Things...

I barely touched it! she objected, eyes still scanning over the stasis.

Let's just find his teachings and get out, she said. Each of her steps was made carefully as she looked to the sarcophagus and its items inside and on top of it. Then she looked around the room.

We should find a way to kill them before they wake up. Have any poison to put in their tanks? she asked, not really expecting the answer to be "yes." There was always the old fashioned way. @Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Malicia let out a "Mmm" at Renfry's protest. Outside that the small Lord's expression didn't change. Wary a moment, she watched Renfry pass her and approach the items in the centre.

Poison? "No," she answered, though she drifted off a moment in thought. Her mind went back to the one thing it usually went to. "But they're alive," she added. She didn't explain further.

A few more steps brought Malicia into the centre of the room. Her head turned to Renfry. "Stay close," she said in a quiet voice, but there was an edge of firmness to it. Maybe staying close to her while her hunger was out made less sense to some people, but Malicia felt like she had more control over what she could see around her. Weakness, perhaps, to openly worry for the woman but maybe it was too late to fight against that. Maybe she could allow herself at least one friend in this cold Galaxy.

Both her arms extended. Darkness filled the centre of her eyes. Voids again. Someone once told her that the eyes were the windows into the soul. In this case, they were the windows for the souls. The air shifted. The coldness that followed Malicia turned bitterly icy, a side effect of her growing power and the entities growing power within her.

Though nothing came from her hands, not at first.

Malicia's possessed body remained motionless. Her void-likes eyes fixed on Renfry, and then in the icy cool air her curled fingers opened like maws and black, ethereal tendrils oozed out. Pouring around around her, writhing as they spread out and sought the life around them.

Soft whispers that accompanied her hungers tendrils echoed in the quietness of the tomb. They clawed at every stasis tank, finding every nook, every weakness and exploring it until they found their way in. The tendrils wrapped around each creature, draining their lives until nothing was left.

As the tendrils vanished and she regained control, the world moved around funny in her eyes and she felt as if her head was floating. She stood there quietly, staring forward.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry frowned when the woman told her to stay close. Did she think she couldn't handle herself? Clearly she'd shown that... oh it clicked in her mind a split second later why Malicia had said that and what was about to happen.

She didn't question it and took a step closer as the tendrils of energy began to extend. The air grew unnaturally cold with the same feeling she recognized from Ajan Kloss. It was a leeching death that drew life and soul free from the living. The Darth couldn't help but brace herself in case control was lost, but Malicia... didn't seem to want to hurt her. Perhaps even in her more primal state that was true as well, though Renfry couldn't quite say she was willing to bet her life on it. Nevertheless, there was a bond of sorts that had formed between the pair.

When it ended, Renfry was still very much alive and untouched while the things in the stasis tubes were very much husks of their former selves. It was a useful "trick" though Renfry knew that it was far from a simple trick. And it cost a great deal to use that energy.

Malicia stared ahead absently when she finished, and Renfry didn't make an immediately move toward their prize. As much as she wanted those things, she was still concerned for the other woman who had yet to fully snap out of her... trance?

Are you okay? she asked after a long moment of silence hung in the air. It had to have been nearly a full minute before she said the words, letting the... darkness subside once again. @dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

A voice cut through Malicia's foggy, drifting mind. Was she okay? She brought her hand to her head in a fruitless attempt to 'stabilize' it and make everything go back to normal. Luckily, most things did after a few more moments. The dizziness past, though her body felt heavy and her focus was not at its best. She hadn't realized how tired she was up until using all that energy.

It took her a couple more seconds for her to fully process the question. "Maybe I should sleep off planet tonight," she mumbled her half-answer.

Without saying anything further she continued slowly to the sarcophagus, statue and console. Her yellows eyes stared down at the top of the sarcophagus, narrowing to keep herself focused. The small square extension on top was clear and locked shut. Inside the extension she could clearly see a holocron and tome among the trinkets.

They probably needed to use the console to unlock it, but Malicia turned back to Renfry, "Smash it open and take the items?" she asked. They didn't need to fear triggering the stasis chambers anymore, though she wasn't sure. She trusted the Nightsisters judgment of these things more than her own. Especially right now.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry knew the "answer" wasn't an answer, but she decided not to press on it further. It was probably as good as she was going to get right now.

That's probably wise, she said. This world wasn't doing any favors for Malicia's mental stability, and the Nightsister didn't want to see her succumb to the voices in her head any time soon.

She waited several beats more before heading over to the prize. Her eyes swept over the structure and the carvings that were placed into it. It was spectacular, and she decided it would be a shame to simply smash it to pieces.

Her hand ran inches above the coffin and she could feel energy radiating out of it. Perhaps a piece of its creator still remained here even after all this time. And yet that wasn't enough to stop her.

She pulled the knife from her belt and wedge it into the tiny crack of the lid, using her other hand to pour energy into the space to wedge it open with the Shadow.

It shifted and moved ever so slightly before sending out a pulse that would have normally awoken the "defenders" if they weren't dead.

The lid slid away and Renfry stood again, looking down at the prize before reaching down and picking up the holocron, looking at it and the intricacies of the carving within it as well. The dead Sith Lord seemed like quite the artist.

Amazing, she said, knowing that beyond its outward beauty, it held the secrets she'd been searching for.

@Dread

 

[Darth Malicia]

Malicia watched Renfry pry open the container, preventing herself from flinching since it was possible something else could be triggered. Nothing was however, allowing the Sith councillor to relax some. She watched Renfry take the holocron, staring at it briefly. "So you're pleased," Malicia said. "Good."

The small Sith Lord went back to look at the assorted items. While she understood that significant information came from holocrons, she simply didn't draw the same amount of excitement over them. The various trinkets interested her more than the holocron or tome. Two items caught her attention, a leather bag and a necklace. She wasn't sure what the bag could have, and the bulky necklace sported a curious red gem.

"A step closer to another title," she said after a moment, referring to the Nightsisters own pursuit of power. Something currently beneficial to both women. Malicia's own voice helped keep her alert because the quietness of the tomb did not. The council member doubted she'd pass out, but if she got comfortable enough she worried she might fall "asleep". What might happen then was unknown and potentially dangerous for both Sith.

While she fought to stay alert her fingers brushed over the red gem on the necklace. It sparkled oddly against her touch. A thought occurred to take it, but she did not. Perhaps these trinkets were helpful in some way to the Nightsisters pursuit of knowledge. Perhaps not, but Malicia did not need them. Still, the various items peaked her interest and she enjoyed looking at them. They provided her a distraction to remain conscious.

Out of curiosity she grabbed the leather bag and... her eyebrow rose. This time she did pick the item up, turning to the Nightsister and holding it towards her. "Another relic for your new collection?" she asked. While she wasn't entirely certain, it felt like a lightsaber hilt in the bag. If Renfry reached out, Malicia would drop the bag in the woman's hand.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Renfry had a genuine, if slightly unnerving smile as she lowered the holocron again and nodded.

Quite, she replied. She was quite thrilled with the find, and knew she would put it to a great deal of use for herself. Her people had many powers and skills, but the Sith had opened new doors to her that she hadn't known before.

Renfry laughed quietly as the Councilor mentioned another step closer to her next title. High Arcanist wasn't the worst title, though she still wasn't sold on the name. But she was probably getting ahead of herself. There was still a great deal to learn before anything else happened.

She watched Malicia look at the other two items, curious about what exactly they were. She noticed the faint look in the Darth's eyes though, as if she were on the verge of fading away. Her head tilted slightly to the side.

You want them? she asked. Though she offered the bag to Renfry - and she would certainly take it if pressed - her true prize had been the information stored here. Besides, would she be in the other woman's debt if the Councilor left here empty handed? No, she didn't think so, but still. She wasn't unwilling to share the spoils. @Dread