Event Something Wicked

[Laeonas Tannaras]

Crumbling Ruin
The Altar



He'd intended for the blow to be simple. Even as angry and hostile as he'd been, there'd been intent behind his actions-- to get the Mandalorian as far away from the candle as possible. It had been hasty, sloppy, and motivated by both his frustration, and his fear of what could come next.

At worst, the Mandalorian would be injured. At worst, the attack would've turned the group against him. These things could be made up for-- helping the man with his injuries and explaining his actions could go a long way.

But none of that happened.

Instead, as he'd yelled, he'd felt this place's intrusions into his mind. The wild frustration that had turned to rage became incoherent, frothing hatred. His half measured, half furious rant turned into a mixture of half words and guttural noises. The already shoddy grip on the mandalorian was only further unfocused, and coupled with the surge of hate that burned through him, it was uncontrollable. Waves of kinetic energy sprang from him, slamming into everyone and everything. He'd completely lost control over both himself, and the situation.

Than came the whispering in his ears, the laughing cackles of long dead evils. They laughed, even in the milliseconds that he had before the candle went flying at him. His entire body had tensed up, muscles cramping in place out of nowhere. In his current mental state, it was hard to focus on any one thing. As the door opened and a horde of wasps poured out, fear clashed against the overwhelming, near animalistic fury within him. All of it was so... overwhelmingly horrible.

All he'd wanted to do was get fuel. Just a simple desire to leave this planet. Yet he'd foolishly walked into a trap in spite of his better judgement. Now, when he'd tried doing something as basic as defending himself, he'd inadvertently put himself, and everyone else, in complete danger. The moments cycled, and he stood there, face still twisted in rage. Aquamarines bulged, amber rings circling round his irises and throbbing red veins cutting through a sea of white, which had turned a sickly pink.

It was all so much. Fear, anger, hatred, all of it poured from him. Would he have been able to command this power if it weren't for this place? If it weren't for the cackling in his ears, the pain that shot through him as his body tried to shift position. These thoughts would burn through all the turmoil that raged within him. But none of it mattered as the candle whizzed past him, and as the wasps flew forward.

Flight from this place was what he wished to do. But these things weren't going to let him. The monsters in his mind and flying right towards him wouldn't allow it. They were enemies; enemies that could only be destroyed, or ran from. Going back into the previous room wouldn't save him, going through the hall that the wasps had come from was a beyond foolish proposition, and diving into the water could wreak untold horrors. None of his options had improved, and he had to consider this as the wasps flew towards him.

It was the anger that drove him to do more than just flee.

With an ear shattering roar, Laeonas summoned his powers again. He had no control, but he could still do his work. In spite of the pain that radiated from him when joints moved, like a rusty hinge scraping, the man let his arms flail, swatting the massive insects. In spite of the pain in his hand, he'd clap in the air, smashing the insects. But more than that, he'd lash out with the force again. There was no precision this time, not even an attempt to focus through the fog. Just a screaming man letting the concussive blasts pop the little monsters as they flew.

Their stings sent waves of pain through his body. Even in such an incoherent rage, he knew fighting these things was pointless. Scooping up his vibrosword once again, he'd sheathe the blade as he ran towards the water. Agony rippled throughout his entire body, but pain was something he was familiar with. He wouldn't let this ruin be his tomb. He wouldn't be reduced to a bag of flesh and hanging skin. He would survive, escape from this place, and do as he pleased with a galaxy that was all for his taking. The knowledge of the force, riches of his own, all of it would grow. The scarring on his hand would be like all the others that covered his body.

He'd ignored every one of them; the force wielding woman's laughter, the harlequin's screams, even the albino's impotent yelling. None of it mattered as he took in a breath and dove in. The force would fill his lungs as much as the air, and he would try desperately to focus through the pain and the evil of this place to keep them full for as long as possible.

​

@Mr. Teatime @llamallove @Tulos @Versok @LouJoVi

 

[The Gatekeeper]

Abandoned Building​

The doctor was now yelling and squirming in an attempt to get free from the grip of the rangers. Let me go! Someone help me! he shouted.

Charlotte and Arctus would hear that for what it was: a cry from a man in need of assistance. The poor man had a bit of a bad time, slammed one way by Charlotte's blast and pulled the other by Arctus, he just kind of scrambled along the ground shifting between belly crawling and crawling on all fours to try to get past Charlotte and Arctus. Pain, difficulty breathing, and bruising began to wrack his body: serious injuries now taking hold.

In the hallway, those coming from the closet would find their path largely unobstructed as they tried to make it back to where the fray was now unfolding. Of course to the duo from the chapel, these, too, would appear like horrid undead.

It was now up to the sane group members to realize what had happened and convince their “partners” to snap back to their senses or subdue them. Neither of those were easy actions.

@Sreeya @Altaris @christhebetrayer @Forsythe Crowholde @SlagathorTheUnknown @Nefieslab @LilyNion @Valen Pelora

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

Following Felix down the hallway, Ruzaan felt his feet carry him at a pace that was slightly faster than walking; a little hop-skip every few steps indicating his nervousness and desire to meet up with the rest of the group. Togruta traveled in packs for safety, and all of his instincts were telling him to form the biggest pack he could in this environment. Even the heavily-sedated patient in the wheelchair was fair game, so the Togruta steered the wheelchair ahead of him as the Padawans approached the next room. Maybe this one would have more locked doors!

Soon he burst into the room with Lorcan, Darius, Livi, and the doctor in it; there were doors here, but Ruzaan couldn't focus on those yet; something was wrong. Livi and Darius were horizontal on the ground and the doctor nearly so. Only Lorcan was standing so Ruzaan, still pushing the wheelchair, directed his question to the Sith Trooper. "What happened here?"

@Sreeya @Phoenix @LilyNion @christhebetrayer @Nefieslab @Valen Pelora @Forsythe Crowholde @Altaris

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Abandoned Building
​

Clove was more than happy that Felix guided them out of the infirmary and into the company of the others. Ruz, judging by his little hop-and-skip and the fact that he dragged the sedated man in the wheelchair along like he was hauling him to a rollercoaster ride, was also relieved to be out of there.

By the sounds of it, they finally arrived with the rest of the group, and Ruz was confused about what had happened.

And so was the half-Sephi.

Because there was only one problem to all of this. To Felix taking the lead and Ruz carrying the wheelchaired man. Clove couldn't see. She was too short to look over their shoulders. Even if Ruz wasn't that tall, he sure as hell had some tall montrals blocking even more view. And the wheelchair obscured any view she might have had from the ground.

She huffed and waited, somewhat patiently, to be told what was going on or to be let through into the open area.

---

Tag @Valen Pelora @Sreeya @Phoenix @Forsythe Crowholde @Altaris @SlagathorTheUnknown @Nefieslab @christhebetrayer @ ​

 

[Erialex]

HUMBLE TOWN
​

It wasn't suprising that the portal just sent them to some other creepy ass building. Eri eyed the Jedi and took his hand, distrustful. The cell door swinging open randomly was lots of fun, and the glowing red light on the other side of the door was just as exciting. Eri didn't know nor did she care what was on the other side; she had been sent there for a reason and meant to find the girl. She stared blankly at the jedi and shrugged, allowing him to open the door if he so desired.

Regardless of what happened when they opened the door, whatever was controlling this place needed her...it would keep her safe. If not, what more mattered than the dark side? Death was not necessarily a beginning, but it was something one could take pleasure in...She would wipe the slightly possessed grin from her face that had snuck into her countenance with relative ease. This was a Jedi...she'd have to be more careful.

@Logan @Nefieslab @Eccles

 

[Lorcan]

Abandoned Building​

Lorcan blinked once as he had chance to duck to the side of the corridor as the Sith flung the Force out in a Push attack, mainly aimed at the Rangers messing with the Doctor.

The time it took for him to blink and move was all the time it took for things to go to shit in a monumental way and all he could think to himself was that he was going to have to explain to Stolas why he had killed a Sith. Because he didn't think much more on the "why" so much as he focused on the "what the fuck". Especially when the answer to that second question was that a Jedi and a Sith were attacking the Rangers for no fucking reason.

Considering he was behind said rangers, Lorcan took exception to that.

"Sith Bitch and your old man have gone mad - getting their asses shot now!"

Simple answer to the Jedi Padawan who asked and a good reason why he raised his pistol and opened fire, shooting a stun blast at each of the opponents with his right hand even as he reached for a blade with his left. Moving forward, he held his gun up and attempted to use some of his old Ranger training to de-escalate the situation.

"Stop flinging the Force around or I will step over that cursed fucking threshold and skullfuck you with a knife!"

He had never been good at it.

@SlagathorTheUnknown @Valen Pelora @Forsythe Crowholde @Sreeya @Altaris @LilyNion

 

[Livi Cross]

Abandoned Building
​

Livi couldn’t have predicted what happened in a million years. One moment she was staring at the two people from before down the hall, the next she was thrown down the hallway by some unnatural force. She screamed as she harshly slammed against the wall, dropping to the ground in a heap. Though the armor protected her from breaking bones, she knew she would have significant bruises.

The worst part was that she had no idea what happened. She didn’t know about the Force or Jedi or Sith. She experienced a phenomenon that made no sense to her, and it terrified her. Something in the hallway was haunted and had pushed her out of the way. Her eyes flicked to the doctor that was yanked away and towards the others. What was happening?!

“Stay back! This hallway is fucked up!” She shouted, staring at Charlotte and Arctus as she shakily rose to her feet. She didn’t move to retaliate simply because she hadn’t figured out that they had attacked her.

Livi was next shocked when Birdshit promptly moved to fire off a few shots at the two down the hall. The Ranger in training quickly leveled her stun blaster at Birdshit, but she didn’t pull the trigger, “Why did you shoot them?!” She shouted, glancing back and forth between the two, “What the fuck just happened?!” The fear in her tone was unmistakable.

@Phoenix @Nefieslab @Altaris @Valen Pelora @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[The Gatekeeper]

CRUMBLING RUINS
DARK CHAMBER
​

Water splashing joined the chaotic chorus as Senin rushed to the water, leaping headlong into the vaguely unnatural-looking pool. The armoured man who'd been Drak relied on his trusty flamethrower- a weapon he'd put his faith in for years, standard option for handling problems too big or small for simple blasters. It sparked, a tiny jet emitted, then did nothing further as if defying the man's will. The swarm of wasps buzzed unabated toward their prey. Each insect moved like props on stage moved by unseen string, halting and staggered.

Laeonas called again on the Force, mistakes upon mistakes. More than simple loss of control. Wasps burst from the power he flung, stone cracking from stray power, and something new sunk into the space left behind. The Force was powered by intent, by will, by the efforts of a being's soul. In letting it out, Laeonas let something other inside. A seed was planted, a weight in the man's chest that hadn't been there before.

He felt every tiny death like it was himself blown to pieces and splattered against stones. For him, the water he fled to was freezing cold. Ryun meanwhile fled directly for the water's safety. She too called on the Force. It sustained her when her lungs could not, a certainty of her skilled usage. Now it wasn't air she was breathing but the essence of existence around her. It worked. But it felt like the woman was drowning, as if frigid water had immediately begun to fill her chest.

For those who darted for chill waters a new hallway was visible. The end, however, was not. Swimming forward was the only real choice, and in truth, the hall was short. Without warning the water abruptly ended, held in suspension by an unknown force. Abruptly any swimming desperately for safety down the flooded would find themselves dropping from a wall of water into a dark chamber with only the vague blue-white light of the water itself illuminating it.

Emerald flames sparked in spots all around, making things more or less visible. Droplets fell freely from the ceiling, sounding almost like the rain that'd driven them all inside. On the left was a pitch-black doorway, symbols poorly lit above it granting an ominous air. Straight ahead the chamber opened up with a small curtain water concealing another hall. On the right, stairs lead upward to a well-lit staircase that seemed to head back upward.

@Versok @llamallove @LouJoVi @Tulos @Tom

 

[The Gatekeeper]

Spoiler: Humble Town

Humble Town​

His lightsaber didn’t do anything to the bars or the lock of the cell they found themselves in – it was like his lightsaber just kind of flowed around them rather than through them and that? That was mildly terrifying in a situation where even the mildly terrifying was exacerbated by the sheer amount of fuckery that was going on within this humble little town.

Hearing movement, Crix gripped his lightsaber tighter despite the recent evidence that it was less of a trump card than he had expected. It was still one of his main weapons to get the hell out of this place. Spotting someone falling out of a portal into a nearby cell, Crix noted that it was the human man he had followed into the town before they broke away from each other.

“Hey, you alright?”

Last thing he wanted was for someone to have broken their neck falling out of a portal.

When the doors to the cells opened without warning, Crix immediately felt a shiver run down his spine. The locks had survived his lightsaber without issue but now they opened? The only answer he had was that they had opened at the command of someone else… which meant that they were being watched by someone or something.

He grimaced as he inched his way forward, up the stairs toward the heavy wooden doors. Seeing the red glow around the edges of the door, he turned to his fellows.

“Doesn’t take the brains of a Moff to know ominous glowing is bad, especially when it reminds me of those runes but…” he eyed the door, “I don’t think we have a better option. If either of you two do? Please talk me out of this.”

If he was not talked out of it, Crix would attempt to open the doors in the most novel way for a Jedi in a hostile environment – he just used the handle.

@Logan @DarkSaber @Eccles

HUMBLE TOWN.

As Trini, Allery and Ashla made their way down the hallway, rounding a corner and seeing the door at the far end, Trini felt her sense of unease and dread about her surroundings growing with every step. The hallways made no sense either; not only was it strange that there was only the one door along their entire length, but as with the stairs, their dimensions didn't match with what Trini had seen from the outside. The Amaran gritted her teeth; this was all very unsettling.

Trini refused to let it make her panic, however.

"Alright, spill." She said, whirling to shine her light directly in Allery's face. "Where in the seven hells are we, because if we're still in that mansion on the hill, I'll-"

Abruptly, something brushed the Amaran's leg, and she jumped, looking down as shadows stretched out to reach for her like so many hands. She cursed loudly in Old Tionese, and stamped on a shadowy appendage with her foot; she automatically aimed her stingbeam at the others she could see swirling around her and Ashla.

"Oh what now!!"

@Logan @Eccles @Nor'baal @Nefieslab @Wit @DarkSaber

HUMBLE TOWN

DM post

• Mik would hear the horrified wailing of his wife as he broke for the portal. He would hit it and fall right through, the portal itself sealing up tightly behind him almost instantly. He would feel like he was falling down a chasm with no end, darkness and the sound of wind whipping past his ears the only thing his senses could perceive.
  
  It would feel like he was falling for days, but eventually he would wake up, and when his eyes adjusted to the change in light, he would find himself in a cell. Should he get up and take a look through the barred door, he would see two others in a cell opposite him. A Zabrak and a Twi'lek.
  
  As Crix attempted to slice the bars in an attempt to escape, he would find that his weapon did not produce the effect he desired. In fact, the blade of the lightsaber didn't seem to harm the lock at all.
  
  After what seemed like hours, seemingly out of nowhere, the doors to the cells would swing open. Should the newly formed trio venture out, they would find a a long room that contained numerous cells identical to the ones they had just found themselves in.
  
  At the far end of the room opposite them, they would see a set of stairs that headed up - the only path out as far as they could gather. At the top of the stairs was a large wooden door on heavy hinges and it stood slightly ajar. Beyond it, they could see a faint glow of deep red, and it would remind Crix of the light the runes he had seen before entering the portal.

Mik had plenty of time to reflect and regret his decision as he fell through a dark void that seemed to be even worse than the white room with his late beloved, yet for some reason he couldn't explain, it didn't feel worse to him at all. When he finally managed to open his eyes to find himself in a cell, with other living things, the corporate exec felt grateful. It was weird. He had been given the chance to live an eternity with his late wife and yet.. would he go back there if he died? He didn't like the prospect of that and that certainly made him think..

.. maybe Systech Corporation can develop something -an adrenal- to make him live longer..

The young Zabrak's words only barely managed to come through before the door of his cell opened and Mik finally managed to sit up straight, "Any of you seen Julia?" he asked, referencing the fellow corporate exec he had been travelling with when he got stranded in this weird situation. "Whatever you do," he grunted as he pushed himself off the floor and rose to his feet, "don't try the Chandrilitini. Worst drink I've ever had," well, that wasn't true. The drink itself had been the best he'd ever had, but the side-effects were.. well, heartbreaking.

As they reached the stairs the young Zabrak said something about glowing runes, but all Mik saw as "Oh you mean the red neon?" he asked the kid, "Let me tell you. Red neon is usually a good sign." and he walked up the stairs, letting the Zabrak try the handle.

@Logan

HUMBLE TOWN

The further they got, the more Ashla's unease grew. Despite what had happened earlier, despite whatever that thing might have said to her, things were getting creepier and creepier by the second. And now that she thought about it, when had she received any sort of assurance that the answers she sought wouldn't come at a price. For all she knew she'd get them in the afterlife.

Shaking her head to brush away those thoughts, wondering if this place was somehow making her get all these morbid thoughts, she continued moving, till Trini rounded on Allery and began questioning her. Ashla stopped as well, only to notice something brush against her foot. She looked down to notice the tendrils of darkness trying to grab at her.

Moving instinctively, she swung her blade to swat them away, and looking from Trini to the door, made a snap decision.

"Run," she shouted as she started running towards the door at the far end of the hallway, "the door!"

@Logan @AutoFox

HUMBLE TOWN
​

It wasn't suprising that the portal just sent them to some other creepy ass building. Eri eyed the Jedi and took his hand, distrustful. The cell door swinging open randomly was lots of fun, and the glowing red light on the other side of the door was just as exciting. Eri didn't know nor did she care what was on the other side; she had been sent there for a reason and meant to find the girl. She stared blankly at the jedi and shrugged, allowing him to open the door if he so desired.

Regardless of what happened when they opened the door, whatever was controlling this place needed her...it would keep her safe. If not, what more mattered than the dark side? Death was not necessarily a beginning, but it was something one could take pleasure in...She would wipe the slightly possessed grin from her face that had snuck into her countenance with relative ease. This was a Jedi...she'd have to be more careful.

@Logan @Nefieslab @Eccles

The door swung open freely when Crix touched its handle. It moved forcibly, as if he'd shoved it or kicked it open, despite him doing no such thing. Runes just like the ones on the surface pulsated in the room the three adventurers now found themselves in. Along the walls, the floor, the ceiling - the entire room was covered with them.

The room itself was large and rectangular and made primarily of durasteel. Massive vats lined the walls all the way to the other end of the rectangle, where the group would notice another door. This door was different than the one they had just passed through. IT was not ancient or made of wood, but sleek and modern like you'd see on a capital ship.

What was in the vats, though, would likely draw the entirety of their attention. They were about the size of bacta tanks, though inside of the healing liquid they were filled with something thick and dark, like old blood but more translucent. Floating in each vat was a woman's body, each the same. They would recognize it as the woman they had met outside when they had first come to this place - they would recognize Allery.

As they moved through the room, the floating bodies in the tanks seemed to be sleeping, or maybe dead. It wasn't until they were about halfway down that they would see each and every one of them - maybe thirty in total - open their eyes. Instead of what one would expect, they would see only glowing orbs of crimson. The eyes of each Allery would follow them as they continued to move, or would rest upon them if they chose to stop.

In the back of each of their minds, Crix, Erialex and Mik would hear the faintest of whispers, just loud enough to be an itch in a place they could never scratch.

---

Ashla had made a choice, and it would prove to be a smart one. As the two of them ran away from the shadowy hands that clawed at every part of them, they eventually fell through the door and into the room on the other side.

It appears to be some sort of study or an office of some sort. There was a long wooden desk scattered with paperwork at the far end of the room, and full bookshelves lined the entirety of the walls.

When the two of them would turn around, they would notice that the door they had entered through was shut, and looked entirely smooth on this side. No clear way to open it back up and go back they way they had come.

They would also notice that it was only them, their companion Allery was nowhere to be found.

The mark on Ashla's chest would begin to burn, a pain not excruciating but she would struggle to keep it from showing on her face.

@Nefieslab @Eccles @Wit @DarkSaber @AutoFox

 

[Charlotte Le'Anna]

OOC: Not-So-Abandoned Building

Everything was spiraling out of control. The doctor was groaning painfully on the ground, more of those horrific creatures seemed to appear at every turn. Charlotte did not much care if the moaning doctor lived or died. She wanted to live. Maybe the man could give them some answers, maybe not. The only thing that mattered to her was getting the fuck out of this house. Fear fully gripped her heart. Rational thought having left her mind behind.

Charlotte heard the pop of blaster fire. Her head whipped around as one of the undead fired. They were all screaming. So much noise. Her saber blade flicked to life to send the bolt heading back towards the creature. It simply hit her blade and dispersed. Why had the undead fired a stun bolt? A calmer Charlotte Le'Anna would have asked that question but she was too far gone.

A panic look filled her eyes. There were too many of them…too many. Charlotte took a step backward, the Force gathering in her left hand. She worked frantically. Darkness poured from the Sith as she reached for the room’s ceiling. She yanked downward with all her strength. Bury them. Kill them. Save yourself. She screamed. "STAY BACK!" Her mind slowly overcome by her primal terror.

@Phoenix @Nefieslab @Sreeya @Forsythe Crowholde @Altaris @LilyNion @SlagathorTheUnknown

 

[Trini Halrixien]

HUMBLE TOWN.

Trini had no hesitation in bolting after Ashla to the door ahead of them, sparing a look over her shoulder at the swirling shadows before the door slammed behind them. She caught her breath for a moment, before looking around at the strange office.

"Allery. What is this place?"

There was no reply.

"Hey! Don't clam up-"

Trini turned around, and saw the featureless interior surface of the door. She looked around frantically; no Allery, indeed, no other way out of the room.

The Amaran edged closer to Ashla, still clutching her stingbeam.

"Well kriff. Now what?"

@Logan @Eccles @Nor'baal @Nefieslab @Wit @DarkSaber

 

[Ruzaan Kai]

Abandoned Building​

Ruzaan was about to push the wheelchair-bound patient away and to safety before trying to reason with Arctus (he didn't have high hopes for talking the Sith down,) when the Sith woman grasped at the air and pulled downward. Ruzaan's sensitive montrals could make out the creaking and popping above him as the ceiling began to strain under the Sith's telekinetic assault. Suddenly all that mattered was getting out of there alive. With a quick push of his wrist, he used the Force to Push at Charlotte's chest in hopes of knocking her off of her feet and disrupting her concentration as she tried to bring the room down on top of them.

Then, conscious of the fact that the roof could cave in at any second, he took off; still pushing the sedated patient in front of him. He'd entered the room enough that he had his choice of doors, and tried to open the Western one- the door furthest away from Arctus and Charlotte. As he ran, he hollered to anyone who would listen. "The roof is going to collapse! Grab the doctor and follow me!"

@Phoenix @Sreeya @Valen Pelora @christhebetrayer @LilyNion @Forsythe Crowholde @Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

Humble Town​

The doors opened and Crix was kind of unhappy that they actually did but... he didn't really have much of a choice did he? He needed to keep on going forward if he wanted to escape this place. If he wanted to help the people trapped within this place then he needed to keep going forward. Every time he went forward he faced more and more in the way of opposition and that? That just meant that he was on the right track.

Finding themselves in a room that appeared far more modern was not what he had expected but the moment he saw the vats and the symbols everywhere, he knew that this wasn't about technology. This wasn't about things going well, this was about a darkness within the town and things getting much worse before they had any hope of getting better. He swallowed thickly as he walked onward, doing his best to appear undaunted.

Of course that was when the bodies within the vats, row upon row of copies of the woman (Allery) from before, decided that Crix and his allies were worth watching.

While they just floated there, suspended in their disgusting embryonic-like fluids.

"Fuck."

Summed it up rather nicely he thought.

"Alright they're awake and they're aware... we just need to make sure we don't make them awake, aware and angry."

There was a flurry of ghostly whispers at the back of his mind, indistinct and infinitesimally small when he tried to lock them down. It was an itch within his mind, one he was aware of and one he had enough training to recognize as probably being a very bad thing. He moved on ahead to the doors at the other side of the room. As he did so, he looked around for any sign of a control panel, access panel or computer. The door showed all the signs of being technologically advanced for this backwater planet and that meant they might need a tech solution to get out.

@Eccles @Logan @DarkSaber

 

[Felix]

Abandoned Building​

Felix stared at the two rangers on the ground and back to Arctus and the other woman, confused at the situation, he stared at Arctus' eyes, there was no recognition in them, just fear, something was wrong here but that Idea wasn't new when it came to this place.

he was snapped back to reality when he heard the trooper fire shot from his blaster pistol, it was a stun bolt but still, it wouldn't deescalate the situation. Felix also heard the creaking and crack of the ceiling as the woman began to try to pull it down. he would help pick up the ranger Livi offering the ground offering his hand to pull her up to her feet, "we need to go, I'll explain later" he would say to her, he would explain what just happed to her but once they were safe.

He barked out an order at Clove, "Go pick up the other ranger, we can't stay here" she probably wanted to go after Arctus, he did too but they couldn't do that right now not when other people were in danger.

@Phoenix
@LilyNion @SlagathorTheUnknown @Sreeya @Nefieslab[/COLOR]

 

[Laeonas Tannaras]

Crumbling Ruin
Dark Chamber



Power rippled from the rage addled man. Though only possessing the absolute basics in training, what he lacked for in teaching, he made up for in pure, savage aggression. Focus and skill had it's place, but it was times of absolute desperation that raw power was used at it's best. This was one of those times; yet it was absolutely not the place to do it.

The exploding bugs covered him and the walls in sticky, vile goo. Amber and Aquamarine flared simultaneously, nostrils burning with the scent of charred insect flesh and roasting venom. He so desperately wanted to empty the contents of his stomach, yet the fire burning in him demanded more to the flame. Never in his life had he been this angry, and it was difficult for his mind to even process it. So, he defaulted to what he usually did in situations like this: fight.

Ofcourse, location, location, location was key to the situation. It was the location that had driven him to this point. Perhaps it was the only place in the galaxy that ever could. Whatever the case, despite all the power that his intensified emotions gave him, he was left vulnerable. He barely registered the foreign intrusion, and he didn't react until he was caught by the pain.

In an instant, Laeonas fell to his knees, nearly going into shock as a reaction to what had happened. He couldn't even scream as the agony reduced him to a heap. It felt as if every fiber of his body was being burst from the inside out. No singular blaster shot, no burn wound, no stab or scratch or bite had ever come close to the total combined suffering that he endured right now. It was a miracle that he hadn't actually slipped into shock or unconsciousness; even if the meant suffering through unimaginable pain.

Instead of blacking out and being left to be consumed by the endless swarm of insects, the man managed to will himself to stand. Even as some of the insects had begun to attack him, he would smack them with his hands. The pain rippled through him, like he was being crushed between two stone slabs, with each squashed bug nearly bringing him to his knees again. He'd nearly throw up at least half a dozen times, but he'd swallow it back down. His throat burned, his muscles felt like they would burst, his bones felt like they'd shatter.

And when he dove into the water, it got so, so much worse.

It hit him harder than a pod racer going twice it's maximum speed limit. Cold water was something he was used to; a heated shower on his homeworld was a luxury that he only ever saved for especially dire situations. Warm water meant a failed robbery, or that he'd done something so unsavory even he felt disgusted by it. The cold usually meant normalcy, cleanliness, safety. Water wasn't usually something to fear, and it certainly didn't leave him uncomfortable. Even if he'd grown up on a world whose bodies of water literally evaporated every few years, he usually felt fine like this.

But the cold was unlike anything he'd experienced before. It felt like it was below freezing. If he could actually form thoughts as he incoherently swam forward, he would've wondered as to how the temperature could be so low, and yet not turn to ice. Ofcourse, he wasn't thinking that; he wasn't thinking of anything. Thought had been driven from his mind, replaced by the desperate desire to survive.

In spite of all the pain he felt, in spite of how the water was absolutely terrible, he tore through it like a fish. Desperation outweighed any suffering that he was enduring. The lack of air in his lungs be damned, he would escape. He would survive this place.

And he would still kill the fucking witch that had trapped them here.

Bursting out of the water, Laeonas hit the stone floor with a thud. Gasping for air, the man drink it in with massive gulps. This time, he didn’t stop himself from vomiting, coughing as tears ran down his face. His entire frame shook as chills ran through him. The pain he’d experienced still radiated off of him, and tears flowed freely.

Eventually, he mustered the strength to stand. He undid his scabbard from his belt, letting the weapon clang to the ground; immediately following came his blaster. He hadn’t paid attention to a single one of the others since diving in, and he wasn’t about to. Nevertheless, he began t audibly curse himself out.

“Ya fuckin’ fool… nearly got the rest of em keeled over with th’at blast, and than ya kept usin’ tha force after ya figured tha whole place was screwin’ with ya? Tha albino’s right, yer a trogged street rat.” He hissed, still trembling as he stood there. “Where tha fuck is this anyway?”

​

@Mr. Teatime @llamallove @Tulos @Versok @LouJoVi

 

[Senin Ravelo]

Crumbling Ruins


The Acolyte would remain in the water, even while the Mandalorian tried to burn the wasps. The water was cold, to the point of being uncomfortable for him to stay on it. However, he refused to leave it. Senin prefered to freeze to death there rather than face these monstrous insects outside.

Then the water started to become crowded when the others started to jump on it. Apparently everyone had decided that it was a good idea to escape these creatures by being underwater.

While still underwater, Senin opened his eyes. When the cold water hit them, the Acolyte's eyes started to sting. Due to it, he could only see the shadow of someone swimming toward the bottom of the pool. The young man concluded that it was the best thing that he could do.

Following the other person, Senin would cross the wall of water and fall into a stone floor. He looked around wide eyed. He hated this crazy place and wanted to go away. Then he heard Laeonas' familiar voice. Looking toward it, the Acolyte grimaced behind his mask. The poor man was terrible, with several marks from where the wasps stung him. He also seemed to have vomited.

Approaching the Brentaalan, the Acolyte would sit next to him. "Do you need some help?" he would ask, concern present in his muffled voice. It was a bit painful to see his "friend" this way. He knew that his question was stupid, Laeonas obviously needed help. But what could he do? All of them needed help to escape this damned place.

@Mr. Teatime @Tom @llamallove @Tulos @Versok

 

[Drak Vúlfur]

Crumbling Ruins​

The flame, both his protector and also what was tugging from his hearstrings as they remembered him of his dark dees of the past, had suddenly abandoned him without any warning. The only reason the Mandalorian had not been taken out by the bugs was because he had been making his way towards the water and because the force wielding maniac had used his sorcery once more to hold them at bay.

At first, his instincts told him to get into the water like everyone else did, but as he looked back, he saw the face of a struggling man as Laeonas fell to his knees, the bugs attacking him without relenting, more and more coming all the time as if to swallow them whole as a river of death.

This was a sorcerer, a witch that used the force, a man whose abilities made Drak angry, even if he didn't understand why, he had screamed like a madman, he had ragdolled him and the others with those abilities...Yet he was fighting, he was fighting after saving him from the green flame...And he couldn't ignore that.

As Laeonas smacked the insects with his hands, Drak would sprint towards him and attack the insects with his beskad, a weapon not suited to deal with such a horde of creatures that would, too, bite at the Mandalorian as he let out grunts out of pain, the severity of the insect's bites being less noteworthy as they had trouble getting past his heavy armor and beskar.

Drak would help Laeonas all the way, even if the man with a strange accent didn't notice it. Whatever Drak was in the past...He knew he didn't leave allies behind, that's for sure. So he helped Laeonas stand and made sure he didn't fall down, he jumped into the water after Laeonas did so and Drak made sure the man guarded Laeonas and made sure he made it to the other side, the cold water not hitting him as hard thanks to the thermal undersuit of his armor.

Once they reached the other side, Drak let out a tired sigh, looking around him as he steadied his breathing. The Mandalorian would eventually approach Laeonas as he chastised himself "...This place has been playing with our minds since the moment we entered, try to not dwell on your strange choices, they were probably made for you." Drak's eyes focused on the emerald flames now, reminding him of the one he almost grasped before "All of you, keep an eye on each other, if anyone does anything strange, stop them...They're probably under some sort of witch incantation." Drak muttered before deciding to take the lead, his memories still shattered, heart still aching, but will still unshaken.

@Mr. Teatime @Tulos @Tom @LouJoVi @llamallove

 

[Ripley Virago]

Crumbling Ruin: Dark Chamber
~~~​

Try as he might, the Mandalorian's flamethrower did little to put an end to the swarming wasps, their glowing red eyes indicative of their murderous intent and mysterious vitality. The magic of this place had taken hold of each of them in some way or another, and it had rendered the lifesaving flamethrower useless for the time.

As the swarm of angry wasps flew toward the rest of the group, the choice that laid before each of the five wanderers was clear. There was nothing left to be done but to run. Or, in this case, swim. It was their only chance of survival. Taking a deep breath and filling her lungs with oxygen, Ripley dove back into the water. She swam below the surface, toward the hallway that she had spotted only a few minutes ago.

Other figures swam alongside her, each as desperate as she for survival, but the Arkanian's focus never strayed from the goal: the end of the hallway. Only the color that rippled through the water caught her attention briefly. She had no intention of drowning here alone, surrounded by strangers and corpses. Just when she felt as if she could no longer hold her breath, the hallway came to an end.

Gliding toward the surface, Ripley scrambled out of the water onto the cold, hard stone flooring. Coughing once or twice as she caught her breath, she pushed her wet hair out of her face and looked around. The others were climbing out of the water too, but her gaze did not linger on them, instead drifting toward their surroundings.

They were in some kind of dark chamber, lit only by emerald flames and somehow, the water itself. It was darker and colder than the altar room. Quieter, stiller... There was no laughing corpses and no Gamal to greet them. Only the pitter patter of the rain and the sloshing of the pool.

Slowly, the Arkanian rose to her feet, her wet hands massaging her arms for warmth. She glanced at her companions, all of them still alive by some miracle. All five were sopping wet and more than a little peeved, but at least they were all alive. This place had not claimed their lives yet.

Taking a step forward, the Arkanian recoiled the next second. She had almost stepped in vomit. "Disgusting..." she muttered to herself, side stepping the abomination.

Many possible paths laid ahead of the group— the well-lit stairway or the mysterious curtain, but of course Ripley was only drawn toward one. Wet boots squelching with every step, the Arkanian approached the pitch-black doorway to examine the symbols above it.

@Mr. Teatime @Tulos @Mr. Teatime @LouJoVi @Versok​

 

[Sah'ra Ryun]

Crumbling Ruin​

The water, frigid as it was, seemed like the logical path for Sah’ra to take as the wasps flooded into the chamber above. Or rather, the only path. It certainly offered her better odds of survival rather than facing off with the insect horde when the wild mannered male of the group had proven that offensive options were poorly received in this trick house. Yet as she remained submerged, unwilling to poke her head above the water line, she soon grew to doubt her decision.

Her chest burned, desperate for air that was not forthcoming. The Force was sustaining her, this much she knew, but every passing moment she remained in the pool caused her increasing alarm as her lungs began to feel heavy. Despite her best efforts, she could not shake the sensation of drowning even though her lungs had truly remained liquid free. It was as though each of the organs were expanding beyond their capacity and were preparing to burst like overfilled water balloons.

So she began to panic.

Thrashing this way and that, first looking down the seemingly endless hallway that was filled from floor to ceiling with the same water that enveloped her and then back to the surface, her choices were poor. It was either down through the hall the others had begun to depart through and risk falling unconscious or back into the altar room to be devoured by demonic insects. Her eyes shot open as the craving for oxygen became too difficult to ignore; she needed to make a choice. Glancing back to the submerged passage where her companions had once been, she saw it eerily empty. It was impossible for them to have swam to the other end at such a speed and she certainly had not seen anyone return to the surface. Perhaps there was a secret path that she had not noticed? Perhaps this was all just another illusion? Regardless of what it was or what her fate would be, the Sith hurried to swim after the others in desperation.

What was seemingly a long swim through the passage resulted to be rather short as Sah’ra fell to the floor of yet another underground chamber. As she laid there, sprawled on her back staring to the ceiling as she pulled air into her lungs with long draws, she watched as the water she had just emerged from glimmered above her, held in place by some sort of unknown magic. Whatever this place was, whatever was playing them like children with toys, she had had enough. Every decision they made thus far, her own included as she was not vain enough to ignore that it was her own curiosity that had led them here, had proven to be disastrous.

”Perhaps,” Sah’ra responded to the Mandalorian, rolling to lean on her elbow as she began to recover. Water dripped from everything she wore, black strands of hair plastered to her forehead and cheeks, droplets of the pool above spraying forth as she attempted to blow the hair from her peripherals. She stayed there, wondering if perhaps that they truly had no control over what they had done. What they would likely do going forward. ”Or perhaps we’re all fools and have simply been playing into the hands of whoever or whatever has us trapped here,” Pushing herself to her feet and ensuring she still had all her weaponry, the Sith began to look around the new chamber they had arrived in.

The group was presented with three choices, the least alluring to her being the staircase that seemingly led back to the surface. Everything she had experienced since arriving here had proven that the obvious choice was likely the one to lead to more disaster. The staircase seemed too good to be true and as such, it likely was. That left the cascading water at the far end of the chamber or the shadow-consumed passage on the left.

”Perhaps escape will not come in the way we expect,” she continued, staring blankly ahead at the two choices that remained. ”These hordes.... These illusions… They must come from somewhere. Something. I’m beginning to suspect we will all remain trapped here unless we find the source and…” And what? Who knew what was causing all their troubles. Could it even be ‘defeated’ in a sense? There was only one way to find out. ”Against all better judgement, I propose we divide. Search out what taints this place,”

Was it a suggestion based out of common sense? Certainly not, but if she was to die down here then Sah’ra could only hope it was by her own decision making rather than being struck down by the choices of another. As her eyes were pulled to the dark passage to the left, she cautiously began to approach.

@Mr. Teatime @Tom @LouJoVi @Versok @llamallove​

 

[Clove Vanhoop]

---

Abandoned Building
​

Wait. Hold up.

What?

Before Clove realized what was going on, the hallway was collapsing and Felix was ordering her to grab a man twice her size.

Well. That sucks.

If the half-Sephi had understood why the hallway was about to collapse, why she wasn't allowed to rush after Arctus, and why the ranger refused to stand up on his very healthy legs, her reaction would have been more intense. B ut now she was left with nothing but confusion and a voice screaming in her head 'I gotta pull the ranger's legs!'

And that's what she ended up doing.

It took only a few steps for her to reach the vegetable ranger in question, and when she did, her small hands wrapped around his ankles. With a better view of the open area, she could see what had happened and why she needed to get him to safety. As quickly as possible.

Clove channeled the Force as quickly as she could through her body, her recent lessons helping her greatly in her Force control, before sinking the Force into the muscles in her arms to strengthen them. It didn't completely minimize her weakness, but it did help enough to allow her to drag Darius across the floor.

Clove started to follow Felix as they began to run to safety now that Darius' body was in motion. Running backward while holding someone's legs was difficult to say the least, and it made for a bumpy ride for the ranger, whose head kept bouncing off every new bump on the floor. "I'm sorry," another bump. "I'm sorry," and another "Sorry! When we get back to safety, I swear I'll look at your head."

---

Tag @Valen Pelora @Sreeya @Phoenix @Forsythe Crowholde @Altaris @SlagathorTheUnknown @Nefieslab @christhebetrayer @ ​