Open Dathomir Tome of the Eyeless One: The Horror

[Eckaaso Shyn]

The Kaleesh looked around. Man if that feeling felt familiar. It was the same kind of feeling he figured a hunted prey felt when it was stalked by a predator or hunter. He felt that... thrill for the hunt in the presence that observed them... and then it lunged towards them, and specifically towards him!

The Kaleesh attempted to block the beast, but his lightsaber went through its body, and then he tried to dodge, but he was slow. Too slow. The pain didn't register initially, but a thump could be heard, Eckaaso's weapon arm falling on the ground, cut at the elbow, still holding the weapon. The Kaleesh looked down at the arm, and only at that point he screamed in pain, clutching on the stub, trying to stop the bleeding.

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Time moved strangely on Dathomir. Alex felt like she had been standing still for an aeon when the group finally began to move. She bit off any sharp retorts towards the Sith. The Jedi Knight was far too old to keep bickering. She was not going to simply pretend the man was not a huge risk. Her fellow Jedi seemed far less concerned about potential betrayal. Strange. She simply shook her head while they walked forward. Alex’s grip on her lightsaber hilt tightened. The Darkness felt ever encroaching, it was not just their newest friend.

Her mind spread out in the Force. A frown plastered her face. There was more here than they could possibly understand. A shiver rode up her spine again. Alex fought to ignite her saber. That would serve no purpose. As the party moved deeper into the cavern she flanked out to the right, opposite the Indy. The group formed a small semicircle as they advanced. Another shiver raced up her back. The Force began to hammer in her mind. She waited no longer. The saber in her hand sprung to life, casting an indigo glow around the group. A terrible feeling encroached on her mind. Focus.

A scream spread through the chamber. Her eyes darted but they were too late. Something struck out and drilled one of her companions. It moved impossible quickly. Alex’s feet spread as she brough her saber up. “Circle up.” The pooled Force in her right hand began to move. She pushed light into the Force. The Force in her left hand began to glow softly. Alex pushed greater light into the Force. They would not fight this battle in the Dark. The Light began to grow outward.

@samdragon @Killa Ree @Aurius @Reyn

 

[Indy Sati]

The Darkness rushed forward before she could react, drawing a keening cry from their Kaleesh companion. Lunging forward with the Fallen Blade, the Thing skittered away, brushing over air instead. Grinding her jaw in frustration, she moved to their injured compatriot. The glow of the healing Force wrapped from her fingertips around the stump to stop the bleeding long enough to field-dress it. "If you can find a way, go for the exit," she told him sternly. She wasn't going to lose any more Jedi to this darkness; like the Knight Alexandria, she was prepared.

The Light pooled to answer her call, a warm, gentle light that flowed from her palms outwards; a hissing screech, felt more than seen, tremored through the Force as a Thing began scraping against the walls. With the sound, she was given the impression of barbs, of claws and... scales?

It skittered out of reach of eyes, but she could feel it like the prickle of awareness at the nape of her neck, and she ducked, feeling wind whistle barely over her ducked head.

"Incoming!"

@Reyn @Aurius @samdragon @Valen Pelora

 

[Izel Thral]

That terrible scream continued echoing throughout the halls nonstop, but after overcoming the initial shock Izel was able to put up a barrier around herself to protect from the sonic attack and get back to her feet. Looking around to gauge the situation things were already bad. Eckaasso, probably the most martially focused Jedi among them, had already suffered a grievous injury and their fight had just barely begun. Master Sati was attempting to heal him, and so Izel followed Alexandria's lead, covering the Pantoran's other side as she used the Force to call her pike back to her hands.

Even with Alexandria and Master Sati using the light side to try and give them visibility, the hallway was still incredibly dark. And with such a fast moving opponent it was very difficult to pin them down. The Vratix elected to lower her head, antennae twitching as she reached out with her Force sense to try and locate their assailant. Whatever it was it was no regular predator. She doubted it was even native to Dathomir. The creature was a mixture of organic appendages and pure Force energy, dark and malicious. But it was that overbearing hatred it had for the Jedi that allowed Izel to finally get a read on it.

"Incoming!" Master Sati shouted as the creature swooped towards them again. Izel wheeled around quickly, catching a glimpse of the monster as it flew past the Pantoran and directly towards her. In the light that her comrades had created it was much easier to see. A mesmerizing yet horrific being, both a spirit and something corporeal at once. As the image fixed in her gaze a scrap of memory from her hours of study jumped to the forefront of her mind. A Starweird. Her lightsaber would be useless then.

As the monster swiped at her with it's vicious claws, suddenly becoming solid as they closed in on their target, Izel focused her Force barrier directly in front of her. The claws bounced off the barrier harmlessly, halting the creature's forward momentum. The Starweird reeled back from the barrier and shrieked again in fury. Unfortunately by focusing her barrier on stopping the attack Izel had left herself vulnerable to the scream yet again, and as the piercing sound played hell with her tympanal organs the Vratix was unable to perform a counterattack, instead collapsing to the ground again and vomiting from the nausea induced by the sonic assault. With her head spinning and vision becoming blurred she had to hope one of her allies would take advantage of the opening she had created.

Dice
@samdragon @Valen Pelora @Killa Ree

 

[Eckaaso Shyn]

The Kaleesh panted and groaned softly as Indy healed his wound, at least temporarily, and nodded at her order. He quickly fetched his lightsaber from his cut limb, and headed towards the room's exit, trying to get out as quick as possible while still keeping an eye onto the Starweird to avoid being surprised by the being. "You can do it!" he yelled back at them, trying to sound encouraging between his pained groans.

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Darkness hammered the edges of her mind. A sinking feeling forming in the pit of her stomach. Unnatural. Indy’s strength in the Force outmatched Alex, the Jedi Master was far better suited to healing their Kaleesh companion. She could protect the blindside while Indy worked. Another horrifying screech ripped through the case. Alex watched as wraith from the stories appeared to swipe at Izel. Oh…now she understood. She had walked the galaxy for nearly 100 years, she knew the secrets of the Darkness. The shiver that ran up her spine was uncontrollable. Starweird. She quickly raised her voice.

“It’s a creature born of the Darkness…it can only be banished with the Light.” Alex knew she was not strong enough on her own. Starweirds were ancient creatures and even one could turn back the power of a lone Jedi Knight. Luckily, she was not alone. The Light building in her hand grew stronger. She poured the Force into growing luminescence. Hope…perseverance…Light…shone from her left hand. The Light poured out, striking against the Starweird. Another shriek roared through the cave. “Together!” Alex sought her fellow Jedi out in the Force.

She could feel her own strength draining. This was beyond her. Her knees began to weaken, and her arms dropped slightly. She could not do this alone. They had to link their mind to banish the Darkness reaching for them.

Dice
@samdragon @Reyn @Killa Ree

 

[Indy Sati]

Similar to the others' deductions, she knew this being simply from text alone. Uttering out a string of low curses, she sprinted back to her compatriots. At Alex's words, she nodded once grimly. As the woman would begin to weaken and falter, she would feel Indy's own gentle warmth and support in the Force, the Light that would answer the call, driving back the creature that once again lurched forwards, mouth parting in preparation for another sonic scream.

"Duck!" she shouted, and flung her hand forward, gritting her jaw in focus as the Force brutally battered back the creature, and its' jaw snapped shut with an audible click. "Don't stop, keep going!" she encouraged to the two knights with her, advancing herself. Golden eyes blazed as she faced down the creature, lips set into a thin line.

The Light would prevail this time.

@samdragon @Reyn @Valen Pelora

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Alex nearly breathed a sigh of relief as Indy added her strength to the Light. She was not strong enough to hold the mythical beast back alone. Her strength was waning even now. They needed to finish. The Starweird had to be banished from the cavern. Alex poured what strength remained in the Force. Her hand glowed brightly for a moment before fizzling out. Kriff. She had pushed her limits. The Morellian Jedi Knight groped for the Force again and found nothing. Her body screamed with exhaustion.

The momentary confusion was all the Starweird needed. A horrific screech resounded in the Force. A horrible concussive blast hit Alex as her mind reeled. She braced herself with what little strength remained, her body sent tumbling down the path. Her eyes opened to see the light of Dathomir. She had been tossed entirely outside the cavern. Alex tried to stand but her knees were buckled. She quickly sent a prayer for her companions. Force give them strength.

@samdragon @Reyn @Killa Ree

Mild Fail Dice

 

[Izel Thral]

As she fought to regain her senses Izel could feel the battle between light and dark happening right before her. Master Sati and Alexandria were hitting the starweird with everything they had, but the monster was putting up a powerful fight. Just as Alexandria was knocked back the Vratix finally managed to struggle to her feet. She was still woozy and was having trouble seeing straight, but her Force sense helped guide her forward.

Taking up a position beside the Pantoran Izel raised her hands and added her power to the master's. Through their combined efforts they were beginning to push the starweird back. The monster hissed with anger and tried to push back, but was slowly being overwhelmed. The unnatural darkness pervading the catacombs began to fade away, indicating the Jedi's progress.

"We've almost got it!" Izel said breathlessly as she strained to maintain the stream of light side energy. "Just a little more!" She continued marching forward besides Master Sati. Meanwhile the starweird wailed as it retreated further and further into the tomb, it's hatred slowly being replaced with fear of the invaders.

Dice
@samdragon @Valen Pelora @Killa Ree

 

[Eckaaso Shyn]

By now, the Kaleesh had reached the room's exit, but he stood there, keeping an eye for eventual other dangers while still observing the happenings in the room, not wanting to abandon the group entirely, even though the pain had begun to give him quite the headache, forcing him to sit down while hastily taking the first aid kit from the satchel he had brought with him, pulling out some bandages and wrapping them tightly around his cut arm. True that the arm had been healed with the Force, but the thing was only temporary.

 

[Alexandria Voran]

Her eyes fluttered closed. Alex’s mind floated from her body, the warm embrace of the Force waiting for her. The Light enveloped Alex while her strength failed. She felt Izel, Indy, and Eckaaso continuing to fight. The injured Kaleesh pushed himself to aid his friends. What was she doing? Her brother and sisters poured their hearts into the battle while she sunk towards unconsciousness. Yet, she was terribly tired. The Starweird wielded tremendously dark power. Even now it pushed at her mind. Sleep…you have done enough. Alex had tried to banish the dark creature. She had failed, but the Jedi fought on. She was not alone. They were not alone.

Alex pushed through the haze. Her eyes opened slowly. The Jedi Knight stood on wobbly legs, her mind reached for the Force. One last blessing. The Light poured into Alex. She dove deeply into the pool or the Force. Her body shook as her strength waned. It did not matter. The Force gave her strength. Alex’s mind reached out to join with her fellow Jedi. The Light bound them all together. Her hands reached out, reached towards the Darkness. Light poured forth from the Morellian Jedi. Her mind touched the other Jedi. "Together."

Pure, bright, white light rocketed into the cavern. She poured ever last ounce of strength she had into the Force. Light hummed from all the Jedi…illuminating the cavern. Alex felt the dark presence of the Starweird. That horrible corner of darkness. She pushed. The Light burned into the creature. She could no longer see the beast, but she could feel as the Light punctured through the dark. There was no going back. She focused all her efforts on the tormented spirit. A horrible scream ripped through the cavern as the Starweird broke apart. Darkness gave way to Light. The Starweird evaporated into nothingness. The Light faded, and Alex fell backward.

Her eyes closed as she fell. Her body utterly spent. The cavern was cleansed…their mission complete. She needed rest. The Force gave her one last gift as it wrapped her body before she hit the cold ground. Alex would wake up days later in the Temple…her body finally restored from the events on Dathomir.

Great Success
@samdragon @Reyn @Killa Ree

End Thread of Alex

 

[Indy Sati]

She would give as much power as she could to her fellow Jedi; when Alex collapsed, she was already moving, catching the Morellian before she hit the ground, and looking at the Vratix Izel. It was done. Sweat beaded at her neck, and she grunted at the weight, lifting the other woman with a gritted grin.

"It is done... well done, Jedi. Let's get back to Eckaaso; the sooner we can return to the Temple, the sooner we can recover." Combatting the Darkness was always a difficult thing to process; she would work hard to make sure those in her charge were tended to properly, and would have everything they needed for a swift recovery. They had done so much in such a short amount of time. And now, with the presence of the Starweird gone, the lure of historic evidence called. But not today.

Now was a time for rest.

//Exit thread