Ask Shadows Unchecked

[Ferrin Sipal]

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As the Jedi shuttle began to punch below the clouds of Devaron, Ferrin couldn’t deny the swell of nervousness that began to rise in his chest - his mind once again going over the mission brief. Despite the official ban against the Jedi Order, the Governor of Devaron - an elderly man, and one known for being sympathetic to their kind - had covertly requested their presence to deal with a series of issues taking place on the planet. For years, the jungles of Devaron had grown progressively unsafe - plagued by some myriad of nightmarish creatures, attacking travelers and merchants alike. Their modest security forces had proven unable to flush out the infestation, and pleas to the Republic Senate had largely gone unanswered.

It was only now - as the problem had escalated beyond control - that pleas had been made to the Jedi Order.

Of course, as they approached the surface of the planet, Ferrin could feel the Darkness that seemed to permeate through the Force all around them. It was a palpable sense of dread, the kind that pierced down to the Padawan’s core and left him significantly more on edge than usual. He glanced through the viewport, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

Little did the Pantoran understand the context of the dark presence. He was oblivious to events from years past when the Former Empress(@Phoenix) and Dark Lord(@Sreeya) had worked to corrupt the natural Force Nexus. Their corruption had gone unchecked for years, and had finally begun drawing creatures of the Dark Side like moths to the flame.

The Pantoran was dressed in his usual tunic, tugging a pack full of supplies and with a newly-forged lightsaber clipped to his belt. “What’re we even suppose to be looking for?” Ferrin asked after a moment, tugging the backpack a little higher onto his shoulder. He knew they’re journey into the jungles hadn’t even begun, and Ferrin would’ve been lying if he claimed he was looking forward to it whatsoever.

@Black Noise

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

Hera sat in complete silence, legs folded, as the shuttle brought the pair through the atmosphere. Her mind constructed walls to block out the influence of the vergence below them. Truth be told, Hera did not feel as though she was the best Knight for this mission. Her anger and rage had recently grown to a degree that she did not like, she had struck down Pyke on Maltha Obex, lost her cool on Tython, and raged at two Jedi in an inappropriate relationship.

However, her current fieldwork and her background made her look, on paper, like the perfect Knight. Her paperwork recorded a wise Jedi, always seeking non-violence solutions. A Justicar, dedicated to the Light side. A mentor, renowned for her teaching of Padawans. Hera knew her in head that she perhaps filled some of these roles, but there was always room for improvement, always room to shut out the Darkness that grew every day.

“What’re we even supposed to be looking for?” Came the voice of the Padawan accompanying her, and for a moment Hera seemed almost startled out of her trance. Recovering and smiling, she adjusted the dark goggles that rested around her neck before responding calmly. "A Vergence, or as some might call it, a Force Nexus, is a place or person around which the Force flows freely and more powerfully than other places in the galaxy. Though I suppose you weren't asking what it was, but what it is exactly."

The ship shuddered, the landing gear making contact with the earth of Devaron. Their landing spot was set in the jungle itself, couldn't be seen on the planet just yet. Standing, Hera continued speaking. "Truthfully, I do not know exactly what it is. But i have a strong feeling we will know when we encounter it."

The shuttle bay door opened with a hiss, and the dark side energy hit Hera like a wave. It was a stench most foul, a corpse left rotting in a basement for far too long. Her eyes adjusted to the jungle and the light, Hera's green and grey flecks saw differently than most other sentients. But her eyes would not assist her here, it was the Force that would be their guide today. Gesturing, Hera beckoned Ferrin to follow and began her trek into the forest.

Hera's green armor clacked as she walked, the Jedi wore nothing more than her armor, underlay, and Jedi cloak, as was her want. She brought her lightsaber and a small pack of provisions, believing that anything else she might need would be brought by the Padawan or foraged from the land. Eyes front, keeping watch for the beasts they had been warned about, Hera decided to probe the Padawan. "Tell me more about yourself, Ferrin. Why do you want to be a Jedi?"

@Altaris

 

[Ferrin Sipal]

Ferrin exhaled a prolonged breath through his nostrils - as if attempting to dispel some of the lingering anxiety that swirled within him. Though he couldn’t put his finger on it, there was something about the planet that seemed to put the Pantoran on edge - a presence that lingered on the edge of his consciousness and just out of sight, but left the sensation of being watched as they progressed deeper into the jungle.

“Place gives me the fuckin’ creeps,” He said after long moment, glancing around his surroundings. Despite the thick and lush vegetation, the jungle was.. Quiet - blanketed in eerie silence that seemed to defy the natural order of things.

Even Hera wouldn’t be able to shake the feeling that something was just.. Off. A chill down her spine - and the feeling that something sentient was watching them just beyond the treeline, waiting for the moment their guard was down. Waiting for an opportunity to strike with malicious intent.

“Why?” Ferrin repeated, blinking a few times. The Padawan considered the question for a long moment - not entirely sure where to begin with his answer. It was one of those philosophical questions that prompted the Pantoran to look deep within himself, and yet seemed so simple on the surface.

“The Jedi took me in when I was little - rescued me from the Hutts when no one else could, and when I couldn’t defend myself.” He began, watching the path ahead as they walked. “I guess that is the example I want to live up to.” Ferrin finally glanced over to meet Hera’s gaze. “To use the gifts I have - my training - to defend those who can’t fight for themselves. Regardless of who I'm defending them against.” It could've been the Sith or any other force threatening life in the Galaxy. It was a simple enough answer, and the Pantoran followed it up a small smile towards Hera.

Straight ahead, the pair would be able to make out the mouth of a cave - barely visible amongst the foliage, and with hanging ivy that draped over the entrance. While it didn’t look like much, both Jedi would be able to feel the Darkness that pulsed from within - beckoning them forward as the source of whatever they were looking for.

 

[Hera "The Joyful" Albion]

"Yes," Hera responded to Ferrin's statement about their surroundings, "This place is, unnaturally still." The longer the pair walked, the stronger the unease grew in the air. There was this feeling, of course, that something was watching them. But Hera knew better, there was something watching them. It was the energies of the Dark Side, coursing through the jungle and surrounding their every footstep.

Looking around as Ferrin spoke, answering the same question Hera asked of every Padawan, Hera's typical smile slowly faded from her face. She could see easily through the foliage around them, the silhouettes of animals and insects alike uncovered to her infrared eyes. Darkness meant nothing to someone like Hera, and that's exactly why their surroundings began to set in a deep unease in her.

There was no life. Everything seemed properly illuminated in this jungle space, and the feeling of a thousand living eyes observing you was certainly there. But Hera couldn't see anything, no stalking beasts waiting to pounce, no small animals swinging along treetops or hiding in branches, there were not even insects. Something was terribly wrong.

Shaking the feeling for a moment, she forced herself to smile and responded to Ferrin's description of his life, "I understand what you mean. I too came to the Jedi at a very young age. You have an admirable goal, don't lose sight of it." His ambition, to save others, was not an uncommon one. A thousand years ago, a Padawan expressing such an opinion might be admonished or discouraged, but they were in a different time now.

Then, at the same time Ferring felt it, Hera laid eyes upon the cave. "There." She remarked before adding, "Stay close to me-" Drawing her lightsaber, but not igniting it, Hera moved slowly towards the cave. The Darkness coming from inside was immense, almost crushing in its power, and Hera could see nothing alive within. Stepping into the cave, her eyes began to adjust slowly, seeing the walls and floors littered with the bones and fur of previous creatures. Victims of the cave and whatever lurked within it.

"Whatever you do, stay right beside me." Hera told Ferrin, looking back to see he wasn't there.

@Altaris

 

[Ferrin Sipal]

“I’ll try not to,” Ferrin offered Hera the faintest smile. He certainly didn’t mind the praise he received from the senior Jedi, and allowed the wisdom of keeping sight of his goals to take root deep within his psyche. The Pantoran had joined the Jedi Order with certain motivations, and he wanted to pursue those goals to the best of his ability. Perhaps there were other Jedi Masters who would’ve tempered his ambitions, but Hera clearly didn’t intend to.

Of course, Ferrin didn’t have an opportunity to linger on the thought for very long. Instead, his golden eyes fixated onto the dark cavern ahead of them - clearly noting the mist that seemed to cling to the ground in unnatural ways. For reasons he couldn’t explain, Ferrin began to veer off into a different tunnel entirely - though didn’t even seem to notice where his feet were taking him. There was a sensation of dread that clouded his every sense.

He didn’t realize that Hera was gone for minutes - only when he glanced over to his right and found himself completely alone.

“Master Albion?” He called out, narrowing his eyes ever-so-slightly. The Padawan was far more jumpy than usual, but otherwise kept his cool. His fingers curled around the hilt of his freshly-forged Lightsaber, exhaling a single breath. Before he could turn around, however, Ferrin caught a glimpse light coming just up ahead.. And through the other side, a place he hasn’t seen in years.

For the first time since he was a boy, Ferrin recognized his home on Pantora - and the sounds of a family he hadn’t seen since the Hutts tore them apart. He smelt food cooking on the stove, heard the laughter of his siblings, and voice that nearly took his breath away.

“Ferrin? Dinner is almost ready,”

---

Elsewhere in the cave, Hera would find no trace of Ferrin. His presence within the Force - while palpable.. Was muted in a way that wasn’t entirely natural. The Jedi Knight would have a difficult time attempting to find the Padawan within the cavern, even if she knew that he hadn’t left it. Instead, she was entirely alone in her own section - guided only by the mists that grew thicker, and the sensations of movement just up ahead - seemingly around every corner.

“Hera?” A feminine voice called out to Hera, belonging to a figure that stood at the end of the tunnel. Hera would immediately recognize the saberhilt in the woman’s hand, and the shock of long red hair that tumbled across her shoulder. It was a familiar presence, somehow, and one that Hera would immediately feel as if she’d known her entire life.

As if it belonged to family.

“Is that my beautiful girl?”

@Black Noise