Exploring the dark

[Ekaj]

Jakku wilderness
Day break

​

Ekaj looked at the forest around, the trees grew strong and close here and a flowing river could be heard nearby along with there target. A cave that rumor had it was used by some kind of force sensitive religion long before the Jedi where a thing. Ekaj wondered what teaching and philosophies they had followed and if any thing could even be found. Even so Ekaj had felt rhe force emanating from the cave. Though if that was because of the old sect or why the sect called the cave home Ekaj did not know. But he would find out.


checking he belt and bag Ekaj made sure he was ready before finally speaking. "Sure is pretty here, i could easily live out here. All most like there is still peace and the galaxy did not suffer 100 years of darkness and destruction. Any case the cave should be on or near water according to what was said. so i guess we head that way" pointing towards the sound of water.

@Bran

​

 

[Vera Matiwan]

Vera stretched out her arms in relaxation. She relished the fresh air and natural setting of her surroundings. Having been on Jedha for far too long, she had almost forgotten what warm truly felt like. She had forsaken her usual robes for a more comfortable hiking attire. She extended her senses into the wilderness and took in everything, the quiet utterings of the animals, the sweet breeze on her skin and there it was. The soft trickling of water. She looked towards her partner, he had heard it too.

"I think that's a good start, yes."

She looked the young man over, he was much younger than Vera, more an adolescent than a fully grown man but what he lacked in age he more than made up for in spirit. She wished that she had been this adventurous when she was younger but seeing his enthusiasm brought about a wonderful energy in herself.

"You go on ahead, I'll try and keep up."

She gave him a warm smile, she did not know what to expect from this mission but it was bound to be exciting.

 

[Ekaj]

Ekaj nodded his head at the older knight as he took off. Though he probably could of sprinted through the trees and undergrowth, with speed few other humans could match, he did not. There was no need, there was no rush and Ekaj wanted to conserve his strength. Still he did move fast, he carried little and his footing was all ways stable guided by the force.


"I wonder what type of people used the cave. I mean what was the force like before the Jedi"


Moving through to trees the ground gave wave to a rocky cliff with a 3m drop in to the river. Jumping down Ekaj used the force to slow his fall but was taken of guard by the strength of the current and how slippery the smooth rocks of the river bed where as he slipped. With a splash his pants where wet as he stabilized him self with his hands. Standing back up now prepared for the current and river beds surface.


"hhhaa be careful it is slippery"

 

[Vera Matiwan]

Vera matched the young Jedi's pace with relative ease, she may be older than him but by no means slower. Her feet stepped lightly on the ground, she enjoyed every step with the rhythmic crunch of the leaves beneath her. Her lightsabers jostled against her waist uncomfortably but Vera was enjoying herself too much to even notice them.

Ekaj brought up the question about the force before the Jedi, this was something that Vera too had often caught herself wondering. She did not know the answer to such questions but like him, she was very intrigued over the subject.

"The Force is always present, whether there are those to practise its teachings or not."

That was about all she could say on the matter, it's good to see young interest in the history of the Force. She smiled, here she was talking when she was barely older than him. To her surprise, Ekaj slipped on his stride and ended up drenched in the river. Vera could not help but concede a light giggle.

"Please, be more careful. We don't want to return to Jedha in a medbay."

She gave him a light pat on the back, turned and continued on with the same invigorated pace.

"We can't be too far now."

 

[Ekaj]

"i will try, hope fully i don't get sick or some thing"

Walking up along the river Ekaj the cool water coming up to just below his knees though since he was all ready wet it did not bother him. Get closer to there destination could feel the presence of the cave through the force


"Do you feel that?"


Slowing his pace down Ekaj could see where the river formed a natural pond where the banks winded and there in the other side covered by the growth of the Forrest was a entrance to a cave.


"I think the cave is calling to us?"

 

[Vera Matiwan]

Vera's lovely forest stroll ended as soon as Ekaj mentioned the cave. So the information was correct. She reached out with her mind and she too felt the emanations from it. They were faint and indiscernable yet very much there. Her warm smile faded into a solemn frown, she knew that even though this was extremely intruiging, anything emanating the Force must be taken seriously.

"I think we should take this slowly, what we find down there may not be all too pleasant."

Her mind raced with possibilities, perhaps it could be a latent deposit of kyber crystals or some ancient artifact from a force-sensitive race. On the other hand it could serve as shelter from an exile or perhaps a corrupted shrine for dark side energies. Either way it must be investigated, Vera decided.

"When we go down there, keep your senses on high alert."

Her hands instinctively rested on the hilts of her lightsabers. She dearly hoped that she would not have to use then.

 

[Ekaj]

Ekaj was young, but he knew danger's lurked every where and the rumors of this cave never said if those that called the cave home all those years ago had fallen to the dark side. The cave could hold great danger.


"I under stand Knight Vera, i will be careful"


walking to the entrance Ekaj peered in. The cave was not as dark as it looked from the out side. there was a pale blue gliw put of by some kind of planet that grew out the water. It made the water it self glow. Looking around Ekaj could make out figures of what looked like humanoid status and farther back dry land where the cave moved deeper.


"I don't think we where the first to find this cave, i guess the rumors where true"

​

 

[Vera Matiwan]

Vera took one look inside the mysterious cave and her jaw dropped. The fluorescent plant-life gave off a magnificent blue glow that coupled with the water's reflections gave way to a beautiful lighting within the cave. Her eyes were spread wide in awe and she was about to squeal in excitement when her eyes caught the figures silhoetted against the blue light. She squatted down next to the young Jedi and he made a comment about them.

"We should introduce ourselves peacefully. Keep your wits about you but we have to go in there with the best of intentions althought it wouldn't hurt to survey the situation to see what their motives are."

She stood back up and quietly surveyed the inside of the cave, there were multiple figures but she could not make out what they were or what they were doing. She waiting for Ekaj to give some indication that he understood.

 

[Ekaj]

Ekaj nodded his head as he took his first steps in to the cave.

"I understand peaceful but keep an eye out"


The light was enough that there was no need for any form of artificial light and each step in the water created a ripel that glowed Brightly.


"hello"


The greeting echoed through the cave as the figures turned. There faces hidden by the hoods of there robes they pulled over there heads

 

[Vera Matiwan]

The two Jedi agreed upon their plan of a peaceful approach to the situation. Vera followed Ekaj as he made the first attempt with a hello. She thought it best to follow up with her own greeting so as to further bring across their message.

"We come in search of insight and new knowledge."

She raised her hands from her holstered lightsabers, keeping her palms open as a sign of peaceful resolution. The figures turned quickly and pulled their cloaks further over their heads, masking their appearance even more. Something here is not right. She took a step forward and the figures began to mutter between themselves. Incoherent sounds that she could not understand, they do not look to be very hospitable.

"Can you tell us who you are and what this place is?"

More mutterings and mysterious whispers. To Vera, it seemed almost as if they had no intention of conversing with the two Jedi at all. Vera looked back at Ekaj, lowering her hands.

"Be ready for anything."

 

[The Storyteller]

Turning to face the two Jedi the figures stood up and walked forward as they stopped one stood in front of them. As he spoke his voice seemed to echo across the cave.

"We are servants of the thorn, why are you here, Jedi"

The word Jedi rolled of with his tong harshly

 

[Ekaj]

Ekaj stood close the the older knight as he watched the three figures stand his hands where close to his waist ready to draw his lightsabre


"How did they know we jedi? I don't trust them this place seems not normal"


The figure once again called out the two Jedi as figures drew long swords from there cloaks. They where not Vibro blades, they where far older in there looks.


"We don't need no Jedi here"

The voice was low but still echoed across the cave and seemed to be straight in there mind.




"I dont think they like Jedi"

 

[Vera Matiwan]

Vera had never heard of a group called the Servants of the Thorn. Where they cultists? If so, who or what do they worship? They seemed to harbour some kind of animosity towards Jedi by their aggressive stance and distate shown in their words. Vera was hoping that at least some sort of conversing could have taken place but before she could even speak again they had drawn some ancient swords. Ekaj looked ready for a fight to break out but Vera was not.

"We have no wish to cause trouble, if you'll just lay down your weapons and we can settle this in other ways."

She attempted to weave her words with the force in order to better persuade the cultists however she did not know to what degree it would work. Are these people attuned with the force themselves?

"If you will not accept our truce keep you will give us no choice but to detain you."

Perhaps those were not the most pacifying of words but they must know we are not pushovers.

 

[Ekaj]

"Detain, we all here together we can not leave we are part of the thorn"


The figures vanished not it a magic trick puff of smoke but simply vanished as they where never there along with them the blue glow as the cave was plunged in to darkness and silence.


Ekaj could feel a strange feeling in the force as they vanished. As he fumbled in his dark he pulled out a torch lighting up the cave. There was no other than to jedi. As Ekaj shown the torch it light up the back of the cave showing where it descended deeper in to the earth.


"There is some thing really strange about this cave, i don't think those people where normal either. Are we really going to go deeper?"

 

[Vera Matiwan]

As the figures of the cultists dissapeared Vera's eyes widened in surprise. Her mind was so befuddled by the recent occurrence that she just stood there completely frozen. Were they apparitions of the Force channeled through this cave's attunement? Or perhaps some visual trick performed with holo-projectors. Her brain tried desperately to rationalise what had happened but she knew that the answers she sought would lie deeper in the cave.

"We have to learn more about this, despite the dangers this may hold some grave importance."

She too pulled out a flashlight and flicked the switch, the pale yellow beam of light pierced the now pitch black cave. The fantastic glow that had once illuminated the place had faded and the Force emanations that it gave off were more foreboding than before. She started her walk further into the cave, her feet now submerged in the shallow pool of water.

"We must make haste."

She tried to cover over her nervous thoughts with a voice of confidence to preserve morale between the two Jedi.

 

[Ekaj]

Ekaj may not of heard the older knights worried thought in her voice but he was attuned to the force and it was clear that even she was off put by the developments of the cave. It was all ways known that if the rumors where true that the cave would be strong in the force.


"I I understand but I still don't like this cave any more"


Walking farther along the cave surface moved up above the water though the ground was not fully dry. As it narrowed the cave all so descended. The cave seemed to sweat as little streams of water seeped through cracks giving the rocky surface a gleam to it as the torch lights shown on them and making the surface slippery.

Though after only 100m the at shallow descent the cave both leveled out and seemed to become all most carved with the floor being flat and the walls moving up forming a arched roof. A shot 20m distance away was a dead end guarded by a cloaked figure a ancient sword raised in defensive guard. A blue glow seemed to fill the cave as strange drawing on the cave walls lit up.



"to make your way to heaven you must go through the gates of hell"


The words seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. Both a whisper but loud and clear as if it was a thought in your own head.