Ghosts Aren’t Real

[Austin Wolfe]

theme​

”Knights Asher Nezza and Leto Antilles,” Austin began, his face flickering on the blue holoscreen. ”As you know, our Order is disliked here on Jakku due to events that transpired several years ago. Our focus is to change those beliefs and bring back their goodwill towards the Jedi.” The Master paused, looking as though he was skimming over details on another screen. ”The locals say that one of the numerous ruins that populate Jakku’s jungles is haunted. However, taking a closer look revealed that this is no simple superstition. This catacomb is in fact home to a powerful Dark Side artifact. Not only this, but it has drawn a cult to worship it, doing terrible things in the name of this “god”. They are the ones spreading this lie that the place is haunted, keeping most away from troubling them. Your assignment is to find this artifact, destroy it, and disband the cult.”

This was one of the several missions that the Order embarked on as a result of the Conclave that took place not so long ago on Tython. While many believed that it was a waste of time and words, it had certainly sparked a renewed strength of purpose within the Order. With the influence of the Jedi reaching out to Jakku, it would allow them to make use of the resources and trading hub of Feresse’s Point. ”May the Force be with you, Jedi Knights,” Austin stated as the holoprojector’s image fizzled out.

@Wit @Relent​

 

[Leto Antilles]

Leto hadn't seen that many forest in his life. Sure, he'd lived almost all his life on lush green planets teeming with life, but most of his time had been spent in the midst of civilization. He liked the comforts of life, a warm meal, a cold drink, air-conditioning. So it was only now, with over two decades of his life gone past that he was finally exploring the great wilderness. And he wondered if all forests felt like, or if it was the fact that this one was haunted that was throwing him off. He couldn't deny that there was a certain beauty to the place. But it was the kind of beauty that made you shit your pants.

As the holoprojector went out, Leto flicked two fingers to summon the tiny device to him and pocketed it. Most Jedi would not approve of such a mundane use of the Force, but Leto had never understood what all the fuss was about. What good was having access to the Force if they didn't use it when needed. Sure, maybe he was being a little lazy, but in his opinion that should be the extent of the moral dilemma around the way he used the Force.

Hopefully his companion on the mission would not be one of those super religious Jedi who loved to berate him on not showing the Force more respect. "I always liked horror holos, as long as we don't enter any rooms alone we should be okay."
@Relent @Nefieslab

 

[Asher Nezza]

Asher was never one to complain when assignments sent him into the thick of the wilderness. After all, it was there where he felt the most at home. The smell of nature, of decomposing leaves, the sounds of animals doing what animals did - it all gave him a tremendous sense of calm, of tranquility. But after taking the time to absorb his surroundings while Master Wolfe spoke to him and Leto, Asher wasn't quite convinced this particular wilderness was going to offer him the levels of solace that he expected.

"Never was one for horror vids," Asher said with a weak smile and shrug. Truthfully Asher never really saw the appeal of things like horror holos. Why would anyone choose to be terrified? There were such better ways to get the adrenaline rush.. at least in his opinion. "But maybe your expertise in the matter will help us out here."

Setting off towards the direction of the "haunted" ruin in question, Asher started to get an uneasy feeling in his stomach. It wasn't fear, per se, but perhaps just... trepidation. Despite being a Jedi for several years Asher had never really dabbled with dark side artifacts or really, dark side users at all. Most of his missions had been exploratory, diplomatic, easy. Today was obviously different, and he would carry the weight of the expectations of Master Wolfe on his shoulders throughout. Asher would not disappoint him.

"Ever destroyed a dark side artifact before?" Asher asked Leto as they walked. Despite Asher's casual demeanor, his senses were on high alert. There was a cult on Jakku, a dangerous one, and he was willing to bet they would do whatever it took to protect their interests.

Unfortunately for them, though, so was he.

@Wit @Nefieslab

 

[The Storyteller]

The Jungles of Jakku - a fearsome place without the Dark Side of the Force and with the Dark Side? Perhaps one of the most naturally ominous locations throughout the entire Galaxy. Just entering the jungle was enough for most people to feel bad but the two Jedi were approaching the ruins and they were approaching the heart of the Darkness that held sway in these parts.

Shadows would begin to stretch and the heat would seemingly leave the area as they advanced, finding the ruins ahead of them.

Exposed stone jutted out from the undergrowth like jagged teeth - the remains of an outer wall, quickly stepped through with little effort by the Jedi. The Jedi would be free to roam the outer area of the ruins, seeing more intact buildings of various designs and purposes.

The Darkness could clearly be felt from the top of the stairs, which lead to the alter room, but there was something else the Jedi would need to deal with first.

Rather, someone.

"You are Jedi."

The man, holding his sword carefully as he sharpened it's edge with a whetstone, glanced at them for a second before returning to his work. He did, however, continue to speak to them.

"That's good - you'll die otherwise." he noted bluntly before looking at them with his shining golden eyes, showing that he was a man tainted by the Dark Side, as his blade was a Sith War Blade as well, "There is a creature here of terrible power and it has taken the artefact that gives this stretch of jungle it's sinister edge. We of the cult within these Jungles call it the Crown of Transformation and it's effects are..."

He searched for the word before shrugging.

"Varied." he finally settled on before standing, "We stand a better chance fighting the beast together... will you stand beside me, Jedi?"

@Relent @Wit

 

[Leto Antilles]

"Dark Side artifacts? No, not really my area of expertise." Not much media coverage in hunting down lost treasures and tomb raiding, despite what all those Spaceflix movies with that pretty Twi'lek archeologist in short clothes would make you believe. Not a glamorous task, and as such not something Leto was particularly interested in. Unless he was roped into it, as was the case this time.

He was about to say more when they broke through the foliage into a small clearing, where they were greeted by a powerful looking man working away on a sword. Leto had seen people do that on Alderaan, had even been trained to properly maintain a sword's edge. But it had been a ceremonial thing, he was sure no one had ever actually expected him to use any of the old blades lying around the various family estates. But he had always been drawn by the beauty of the blades, so he could appreciate the weapon the man held in his.

Leto hadn't missed the man's eyes, or what they signified. And truth be told, it didn't really matter much to him. And after hearing the man's words, it mattered even less. He wasn't a fanatic who wanted to cut down a dark sider on sight, though he wasn't a fool either and knew not to entirely trust them, given their recent reputation. But they did need the man's help, if what he said was true and he really was who he claimed to be. An expert was always handy to have.

"Yes," he replied before Asher could interject or the two Jedi could confer in any way, a side effect of not being used to working in teams unless with his now dead protege, "we will stand beside you. I am Leto, this is Asher, do you have a name?[/b]
@Relent @Nefieslab

 

[Asher Nezza]

The sudden appearance of the golden-eyed man came as somewhat of a surprise to Asher although he did his best stone-faced impression as to not appear completely thrown for a loop. He remained silent as the man spoke, taking cue from his more experienced partner. Asher may have been a completely capable Jedi in his own right but he knew when to follow experience and when to forge ahead on his own ideas.

The man's words caused a small tinge of worry to bubble deep in Asher's gut, though the idea of backing down or leaving Jakku never occurred to him. Despite his own personal reservations he could never leave Leto here alone to fend off whatever abomination was skulking through the Jakkuian jungle, especially accompanied by someone who clearly had been tainted by the evil despite seeming amicable and trustworthy on the surface.

When Leto gave his words of affirmation the man, Asher bowed his head slightly in agreement. He would be willing to trust this man so long as he was given reason to do so. "Why do you want to kill the beast?" Asher asked suddenly, the peculiarity of the man's crusade dawning on him. Tilting his head, Asher stared at the nameless man inquisitively. "What do you gain from aiding us?"

Not that Asher was one to turn down help, especially from someone who appeared so capable. He just couldn't help but wonder, though.

@Wit @Nefieslab

 

[The Storyteller]

The Jedi didn't seem to be hostile towards the man but they were not without caution. This was good as the man was clearly a Dark Side user, even if he did seem to carry himself with a strong degree of honour and pride. It seemed that the human Jedi was quick to trust him to some degree but the Ma'alkerrite seemed to want some more reassurances.

How curiously different these Jedi were.

One asked for his name and declared his intent to fight alongside him almost immediately - and the other questioned his motives for wanting to assist them in the first place.

"My name is Kraven."

A mockery of a name, derived from a way to call him a coward. And something that he had risen above time and time again. He turned his attention to the top of the stairs as loud footsteps began to ring out throughout the area.

"I seek to end the creature the crown has transformed." he replied to Asher, "The crown upon it's brow gave it the strength to kill the entire cult. My... my friends died at the hands of this creature before of that twisted crown. I don't care what becomes of the crown or Jakku - I only seek my vengeance."

There, at the top of the stairs, a 'monstrous' figure positioned herself. Raising her claws up and her tail up, she began to manipulate fire around herself as she roared down at them like a beast.

A crown rested atop her head.

@Relent @Wit

 

[Leto Antilles]

Leto let his gaze wonder as Asher spoke with their new guide, trying to get a feel for where they were. He was still listening to the conversation with one ear, and the mention of the stairs drew his attention towards them. Having glanced by them in his first scanning look of the area, Kraven's words now drew his attention towards the stairs and his gaze ascended up the steps.

Without even realizing it, he was slowly moving towards the stairs, and found himself at their base, one foot on the lowest step, as Kraven stopped speaking. His eyes were on the being waiting for them at the top, crown atop her head identifying her as their target.

Leto didn't wait for more as he sucked the Force in, prepared for the coming fight. "Hey," he shouted out with a wave of his hand to get the girl's attention, flashing a smile when she glanced down towards him, "how you doin?
@Relent @Nefieslab

 

[The Storyteller]

Kraven stared at the Jedi as if they were mad.

Did they honestly think that this was it? Did he inspire so little confidence that they were convinced that this lizard woman was such a threat that he needed their aid to deal with her? It was insulting to the warrior's sense of honour and, defintitely, a blow to his pride as well.

Even a diminutive man who worked with pipes all day could slay such a beast!

"That is not the beast." he declared with a scowl as he levelled his blade to point at the lizard woman, "That is a creature that should not exist but it is not an abomination. Not the kind that we must now find ourselves facing."

The beast with the tail and the curves attempted to sound intimidating when it answered Leto but there was, as the saying went, always a bigger fish.

The lizard woman screamed as a long arm reached out from the building atop the stairs and began dragging her bodily backwards as the true monster revealed itself. It stood so tall that it needed simply broke through the wall rather than using the doorway, rising to stand at it's full height of almost twenty feet.

It's body was seemingly made out of black and white woods but a closer inspection would reveal that the black wood was tough hide and the white were bones. Each had been twisted and deformed and reforged stronger and more durable than they had any right to be naturally.

Atop the monstrous creature's head was the true crown, which had fused with the creature's hide and bone to become an extension of it's skull.

Flames danced within it's chest, between the ribs, and flared up through the back of the creature's torso, which was a mass of tortured spikes and the aforementioned flames. The true monster looked down at them with cruel contempt.

One of it's clawed feet came to rest on the back of the lizard girl and it slowly began to sink it's claws into her body, causing her to scream and thrash in utter futility. The creature rumbled an unrecognisable challenge to the Jedi and their ally as it slowly began to pierce and crush the lizard woman to death beneath it's foot.

Kraven scowled.

"That is the beast."

The beast in question accepted this as an adequate introduction and roared as it's claw pierced the skull of the lizard woman, finally killing her but also meaning the beast had it's entire attention focused on the Jedi and their ally.

@Relent @Wit