Ask Wasn’t

[Xim Zhan]

Spoiler: ((Mood))

Set Music

. . . Metellos . . . Late Afternoon . . . Ektra City . . . On The Roadway Just Outside Collins Landing Station


Xim Zhan stepped out of the front doors onto the sidewalk and simply stopped. He was jostled by the sparse crowd of people as they hurried home, their cloaks drawn about their heads and their faces downcast. There was no light chatter, no air of excitement at the end of another workday. Instead, the black-clad Mandalorian could almost feel it in the air, tension, fear, forebodings of the apocalypse. Those who had the means to flee the city had done so. Some had grown desperate enough that they had forgone their seemingly self-imposed position of stature in the sky and taken shelter in the world below, in the stratablocks and slums of the surface. Otherwise, they whonremained were rich enough to think that the security they had hired, that their money, would shield them from the demons that now prowled within.

It was one such rich benefactor that had brought the Mandalorian to this world. His envoy had been dispatched all the way to Xim’s farm on Concord Dawn to fetch him, a monster hunter, a slayer of beasts and myths. Demons. That was the story at least, nobody really knew what it was that lurked in the darkness, what made people scream and rain from the city to the world below, their faces twisted in horror even upon their death.

And so Xim arrived, first to the planet where he overheard whispers about the Curse of Ektra in cantinas and on public transport, and now, at last, here in the floating city of Ektra itself, floating overhead of the city-wide worlsmabd polluted sea of the planet itself. The transport had been uncharacteristically silent. The few hushed whispers he overheard spoke of ‘The End’ of ‘The Great Cataclysm’ and Xim knew, whatever he had been hired to hunt was a monster of the highest calibre; one that no one had seen and lived to tell of, but one who many claimed to be a ghost, a wraith, a shadow that played in the dark.

Normally a man armed as heavily as the Mandalorian would be met with scrutiny and a police presence. Today, however, the sole attendant at that station waved the man through with hardly a second glance; intent on clearing the station and locking up so he could go home. The entire city seemed to shut down before sunset, fear gripping the entire place at being caught by the demon harbinger of the end.

As Xim stood pondering where to go next, he could not shake the feeling that he was being watched, stalked. Something, somewhere was salivating at the mere thought of devouring him and it unnerved him, more than he wanted to admit. He was not sure what to do, where to go.

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by a gregarious bearded man at the end of the block set up a makeshift platform of boxes and crates. Within moments, the man was atop the precarious stack shouting at every passerby. “REPENT! THE END IS NIGH! THE TRIBULATION OF PROPHECY IS UPON YOU! NONE SHALL SURVIVE! FIRST EKTRA, THEN ALL OF METELLOS, THE CORE, AND THE UNIVERSE! ALL WILL BE DEVOURED AND DESTROYED BY THE MADNESS!”

@Narzen

 

[Alhazred]

"The mind...fragile, like a robin's egg" Alhazred whispered quietly to himself as he bore witness to the man screaming about the end times. Such a sight was relatively rare in the modern day. Most people turned to more 'euphoric' means to deal with the unending terror. Perhaps it would be with drugs, perhaps overconsumption, perhaps reproduction, perhaps even meditation. But screaming on the block about the end times was a rare sight, even in ecumenopolis' like corescant.

Still, others turned to help from the outside. That was part of the reason Alhazred had came. A relative of his reached out, saying that his 'skills as a speaker of the Dead God' would come in use here. Whether that referenced his skills in the Force or not was unclear.

The other reason though was the alignments of this paticular solar system. Very few times in one's life was witnessed such a peculiar placement of celestial objects. The cosmic axes were aligned in such a way to signal something was off. An ascension of the 'darkened house' planet. A grand trine of 3 Moons. A stsr perfectly at ease. This, combined with his relative's message, practically ordered alhazred to come, with permission to take time off from training from the jedi of course.

Alhazred adjusted his turban and turned away from the ranting man who had now begun to spit with each word. He needed to find someone to who howbto get to his relative's apartment. There weren't many people around unfortunately, and it looked like outside there wasn't any cabs.

"Excuse me..." Alhazred whispered as he tried to get the attention of the much taller armored human. Even if there was a crowd, he would've stood out.

"Parden me sir, but are these your domestic grounds ? I'm trying to locate a family's residence and haven't been acclimated to the area yet. "

@The Mad Hammer

 

[Xim Zhan]

A chill ran down Xim’s back as he listened to the roadside caller. Another clue, obviously whatever he was here to hunt was more than met the eye. He knew better than to dismiss such mythical prophecies outright. There was always some truth buried within. Still, he could not help but feel like he was being watched, hunted; that even as he had come here, a hunter, he was, in fact, the prey. It was as if a force greater than his own had drawn him here with the intent of killing him.

Xim did not like such premonitions of dread as they settled like an icy pit in his stomach. As he turned away from the preacher, intent on finding out what he could, he checked the blaster pack on his rifle. It was almost an act of second nature, but deliberate nonetheless; an act to calm his unsettled nerves and assure himself that he was prepared for whatever was to come.

As he turned, the black clad Mandalorian almost crashed into a shorter squid-faced being who had managed to approach him unnoticed. Even as the being whispered, Xim’s arms jerked in instinct pulling his blaster halfway up before he caught himself and slowly lowered it back down. His nerves were especially on edge and Xim was still not entirely sure why.

“Huh? What now?” He responded as his brain processed the soft words of the green-skinned being before him. As the question sank in, Xim shook his head. “Me neither.” He retorted in agreeande with the last bit of @Alhazred ‘s statement before looking around at the rapidly thinning crowd. “But if I were you, I’d find someplace to get indoors.” He gestured vaguely toward the sidewalk doomsayer. “Maybe we find us a cantina or inn somewhere close by. Secure lodging for the night and they can point us both in the direction of those we’re looking for?” There was no point in asking the shrouded creature if he knew where Xim needed to go; he was clearly as new here as the Mandalorian. There was no reason to not be polite though, save as many lives as possible from the shadows that went bump in the night.

Gesturing down the roadway, Xim beckoned the turbaned trader (for he did not know Alhazred was a Jedi) to fall in step with him, shooting a worried glance over his shoulder as he and his heads up display scanned the almost empty street behind them. “This cannot be the end,” he whispered aloud to himself, the preacher’s words taking hold as he shook his head and turned to face where they were walking. He was convinced, even more so now, he was being stalked, a meal for whatever beast lurked in the darkness. As they walked, Xim steeled himself with the thought that whatever preyed upon him did not know what kind of spikes this particular porcupine was packing.

@Narzen

 

[Alhazred]

"Oh!" Alhazred exclaimed at the offer. "Very much appreciated. Though if we can locate my family member, I'm sure they will provide temporary residence to a friend of mine. And I always appreciate company. "

Alhazred troddled alongside the mandalorian, trying to keep up with the larger man's strides. As part of habit when meeting someone new, Alhazred began to open his mind to the force. The music of this place was slightly foreboding. Everyone's chords were minor and slow, no matter the instruments that accompanied them. Even the insects underfoot made odd tones.

The mandalorian's song was unique, as everyone's was. A slow and steady rhythm with a subtle texture of maturity and strong forms of honor. But the expression of the song was tense. Sensing that tension, alhazred began to speak again, hoping his whisper voice wasn't too hard to understand.

"Name is Alhazred. A...mathematician by trade..." Alhazred started, remembering the general galactic sense towards jedi was not the most positive. "Pardon my questioning, but that armor is mandalorian, is it n-"

Alhazred cut himself off and slowly turned around. Squinting into the shadows, Alhazred tried to find the source of the incursion.

It was a subtle thing. Several harps and flutes drifted through the air and seemed to graze alhazred's brain like fingernails scraping along the doorframe.

Something was trying to get into his head.

But before alhazred could focus on it, the song was gone. The thing either hid itself or moved on.

"Oh um..." alhazred began to stammer, realizing he had stayed still for a few moments too long to be considered normal.

"Sorry I thought I heard something... erm, what was your name friend?"

@The Mad Hammer

 

[Xim Zhan]

Xim listened as they walked. If this man did not know where to find his family, Xim was sure that such an endeavor would be a waste of time. For now, they needed to get indoors, somewhere to safety; then they could plan out what the next course of action would be to be. And so they continued on until the creature questioned Xim’s armor. The creature spun though, his thoughts cut short by what Xim could only assume was the same presence he felt as well.

“You sense it too. The hunter.” Xim spoke softly, the creak of his armor accentuating his slow draw of his blaster. “Whatever it is, it is watching us. New toys to play with perhaps?”

And then, just as suddenly as it had come, it was gone; as if the day was any other, except the palpable fear still hung heavy in the air and clawed at the Mandalorian’s heart. Not that he would admit such a thing of course. After all, he was a Mandalorian, feared and respected the galaxy over. If he showed fear, what hope would their be for the lost souls of this world?

Xim had stopped a half dozen steps ahead of the alien. He stood waiting and watching the being, his eyes scanning the windows of dull steel and duracrete and the skylines of the adjacent rooftops. He did not know this strange traveler, but they were both here, alone in this moment and if he too could sense whatever dreadful apocolyptic end the street preacher had cried of, he would be a worthy companion for the time.

As they reached the doors of a rather prestigious looking establishment, Xim went to open the door for the shorter being. “I am a descendent of the Death Watch, they who saw no sacrifice too great for the cause they believed in. My name is,” he paused as he found the door locked even though the lights were lit within. Rapping his knuckles on the doorway, Xim tried to get the attention of someone inside. He turned to look down at @Alhazred, “You can call me Watchman,” for in a sense that was what he had come to serve as, a watchman set to protect the people from the demon that even now lurked in their mist.

Inside, could be heard the scraping of a lock as the door was opened a crack and a fearful man peered out. “By jove! Don’t you know the hour? Come in. Quickly! Lest the demon feed you to the skies!” He stammered as he pulled open the door and urged them in.

Xim gestured for the Jedi to take the lead, “After you Red,” he said as he turned to once again surveil the world outside. The icy grip on his heart remained, but somehow it felt as if the hunter had moved on; but Xim knew better. Whatever it was he had come to hunt was still out there, biding it’s time, setting a snare. Whatever it was had come for him and their meeting was a matter of destiny and he would meet that destiny with all the zeal of a Mandalorian. Cautiously, Xim holstered his pistol and stepped inside. Behind him, the frail old man pushed the door shut and locked the door.

Inside, the eatery was finely adorned and lit by an array of soft twinkling lights, even if the private booths were sparsely populated. “Not too many dare venture out these days,” the man whispered behind the two as if he could read Xim’s mind before he gestured to an empty table. “Please, come in. Rest. We have no beds but we are open to those who need a place to stay; all I ask is you purchase food to help support us in these times.” The man hurried off to fill two mus of deep purple ale before returning them to the table.

@Narzen

 

[Alhazred]

"No, I'm sure it was nothing." Alhazred countered. Shaking his head and turning back towards the mandalorian. "The only hunting that is occurring is two travelors for a warm sentry from the night"

Alhazred still felt some chills through his body, but refused to show it willingly to the mandalorian. Not that it mattered. His entire stature had shifted towards one of wariness.

When the two found what alhazred could only describe as mix between diner and hotel, alhazred was more then happy to wait here and meet his family in the morning. When he entered, he thanked his host by offering a few credits for some tea and pieces of bread for both he and his friend.

"Ive been told that warm food and warm company..." alhazred commented as he settled at the table, himself facing the window "...can inure the most injured of souls to the harshness of world"

As the two waited, alhazred was silent, hisbthoughts dwelling on his family. It had been a very long time since he met another Nu-Vaal, and with how the city was behaving, he half wondered if his summons had been a cry for help instead of a scholarly pursuit that he first believed it to be. When the tea eventually came, as well as whatever else the stranger ordered, alhazred quietly stirred and sipped at his drink as he studied the man further, wanting to get his thoughts on a less worrysome subject.

"Death watch hmmm? " Alhazred raised an eyebrow as he stirred his drink, the spoon clinging against the glass. "Must be an exhilarating life then for you. Full of dangers and adventures. Many chances to, eh, live the life, as the young ones say?"

@The Mad Hammer

 

[Xim Zhan]

As they sat, Xim reached up and with a pneumatic hiss removed his helmet, setting it on the chair beside him, and regealing a nicely trimmed beard and almost shoulder length blonde hair pulled back tightly behind his head. He curled his fingers around the warm mug of steaming purple ale; nodding his thanks to the barkeep and ordering whatever the local special was.

Sipping on his ale, Xim’s piercing sea blue eyes surveilled the area. Even here, people cowered in their corners and spoke in hushed whispers. Clearly they were less than confident that locked doors and windows would keep out the demons that lurked in the night.

As their food arrived, Xim noted the stark rations his newfound companion had requested with a raised eyebrow while he received a steaming plate full of meat and unidentified veggies bathed in a rich cream sauce. Picking up his cutlery, Xim began to carve off a bite as @Alhazred spoke of ‘the life’ as he called it. He shrugged, “I’m nothing but a simple nerf herder trying to make my way in the universe. I just happen to have a knack for hunting dragons.” He spoke as if such things were as normal as discussing the weather.

Popping a piece of meat into his mouth, Xim chewed thoughtfully. The warmth, flavor and juices helping to take the edge off the icy grip of fear that prowled in the dark outside. “What of you Master ‘Red? I have encountered many a squid-faced being in my day, but none such as yourself. What does a math-man do to make a living?”

@Narzen

 

[Alhazred]

Alhazred chortled slightly at the man's comment about herding nerfs and slaying dragons in the same sentence. THAT was an introduction that he would remember. A shepered and a hunter. He began to wonder what star sign this man was born under.

"Mostly scholarly pursuits " alhazred stated as he slipped a piece of bread between his face tendrils into his toothless mouth. "My people and the Givin have a respect for each other's bodies of work. Most of my work was at Yag'Dhul until I chose to dissect and discern other aspects of myself"

This wasn't a lie. When the jedi found him, he had grown slightly bored with his life among the givin, and the possibility of exploring the force and how that affected himself excited him.

"My oddessey of enlightenment has proven fruitful. But simultaneously, I perceive, in myself, a longing for the birthplace of my own people. Hopefully my relative will provide me knowledge of the mecca for my kind. He believes he has something to teach me about our religion"

Outside, the weather became more ominous, if that was possible. The darkened skies of stars became blotted out as a thick, roiling haze began to set in. The temperature outside the building dropped several degrees, as if an indication at whatever was out there.

Alhazred shuddered and sipped his tea again as he lost sight of the last stars in the sky.

The owner came by to check on the two. Alhazred said the tea was amazing but requested a comm device to contact his relative, not wanting him to worry about Alhazreds whereabouts. The man seemed to understand and said he would return with one.

"Are you here because of the so called, demons Watchman?" Alhazred asked as he waited for the comm device. "Or is there a dragon I have not heard about? "

@The Mad Hammer

 

[Xim Zhan]

Xim slowly nodded as he listenedc chewing on his meal. So this creature was like the Given, a nearly monastic adherent of the religion of logic. If anything, perhaps he could decipher the web of fearful emotion that seemed to wash through this floating city of apocalyptic prophecy.

The peal of a low lying thunderclap suddenly drew Xim’s attention to the window. His eyes opened in shock; for a moment, it was as if he could see the face of a twisted and powerful demonic dragon in the clouds. Lightning rippled through it’s burning coal eyes and illuminated a maw of jagged teeth. Then it disappeared along the windswept streets. Xim shuddered as he returned his focus to those within.

The bar keep seemed to materialize at their table and Xim nearly shot him as he jumped with a start. “The angel of death. You sense him too.” He said knowingly. “The storms come in close this high in the atmosphere; but anymore they seem to carry on them the breath of the Devil. Best stay indoors. Let it pass and pray we survive the night without any . . . events.” He slowly faded back toward the bar, a fearfully knowing look in his eyes.

Xim slowly popped another piece of succulent meat into his mouth as he regarded @Alhazred ’s inquiry. “Perhaps,” he said between chewing, “the demon and the dragon are one and the same. Did you not see the great beast in the clouds?” He asked concerning the illusion only he had seen in the skies a moment before. “In your scholarly pursuits have you ever heard about such things as are going on here? And how one may be able to stop it, myth, legend, or otherwise?”

@Narzen

 

[Alhazred]

Alhazred's black eyes flickered to the window when Xim's demeaner shifted towards shock. Whatever the man had seen, only he had seen. But Alhazred could feel the Mandalorian's emotions rippling around him like an underwater orchestra.

Alhazred also noticed where the man's hand went when the bar keep appeared. Even if he wasn't a Jedi in training, Alhazred would've noticed the man's emotional state just as easily. The Nu-Vaal had the feeling that this man wasn't used to wearing his emotions on his sleeve.

"I confess, I perceived nothing like that..." Alhazred responded. As he spoke he grabbed the comm device the bar keep left and began to punch in the numbers for his family member. As he did so, he continued. "As for such things occurring...nay, not really. But this place is a center for planetary unrest according to my studies. The stars are aligned in an uncalming negative state, and the cosmic axis of the planet are minacious at best. Perhaps these...demons, are a manifestation of those negative alignments..."

Having finished talking, Alhazred punched the comm device to call, and left it at the center of the table for his friend to hear. As the device rang and rang, the fog outside thickened and churned as droplets of rain fell against the window.

The comm device clicked. Thick static snarled through. But even through the static, Alhazred believed he could hear someone speaking. Though for the Mandalorian, all he heard was static.

"Hello? Hello, can you hear me?" Alhazred said into the device, a look of worry forming on his brow.

Through the static, it sounded like something lumbering was being dragged across stone floors. Heavy panting and deep gasps for air could be discerned through the static, if barely. A snarl. A growl. A cut of something sharp across a gut. A whimper and a sob.

"Hello?!?" Alhazred whispered as loudly as he could into the comm, his voice becoming more desperate. "Khalid, can you hear me? Hello?!?"

A pause in the static. Then another growl, deep and hideous.

"He...help me!" a voice whimpered. Then a scream.

Alhazred looked up and gasped. There, through the fog, in the alley, he could see the vague outline of a bleeding body being dragged. And the thing that dragged it, was looking right at him. A mass of tendrils and bubbling flesh, each limb pulsating with unnatural life. Its teeth, coated in blood from its gums and its victim, snarled as its eyes glowed with infused maliciousness.

"Khalid!" Alhazred exclaimed. His mind overtook his body, and he stumbled out of the table and began to move towards the door. Stupified and clumsy, he tripped only a few steps forward, but even on the floor, he desperately tried to pull himself up and towards the door to go help his family member, unaware of the feeling that something was scratching his brain.

@The Mad Hammer

 

[Xim Zhan]

Xim thought little that the being before him had not seen the beast. It had come and seemingly gone so quickly he would have doubted it himself, except he could feel it. Its hungering eyes burned into his soul and filled him with an unnatural fear. If the alien felt it too . . . well, a lesser being may be overcome by it; and he was a mathematician, so precise, so analytical, and yet able to miss the greater picture unfolding before his very eyes.

Then; however, @Alhazred made his phone call and Xim tried to direct his own focus to the food before him. He could not shake the icy grip of fear that seemed to snake about his heart. Whatever it was was hunting him; he knew it. Perhaps he ought to warn off the amalgamation of scientist and wizard who joined him, to encourage him to safe himself. Normally Xim was confident whatever he faced he would beat; but here? This time, he was not so sure. This time, he truly wondered if he was in over his head. Maybe there was something to the alignment of the planets, to lines of power in the soil. Maybe, something more than credits had brought him here. Maybe it was fate; his fate, to die in this place far from home and alone.

Xim looked up at the man across from him; well, not completely alone. Not yet.

The man’s phone call seemed to suddenly be taking a turn for the worse. True, all Xim could hear was static. The storm perhaps? But then again, perhaps this squid-being could hear on a different frequency. It was not too far fetched. That was not what concerned him though, quite suddenly, Xim watched as the robe-swathed creature before him seemed to transform, as if the very icy fingers of death that still clasped his soul were reaching down with their opposite free hand and playing with his heart as well.

‘Am I cursed?’ Xim pondered silently.

As the man gasped at what he saw, Xim swiveled in his seat, his blaster rifle finding his hands as if an extension of his body. He looked out the window, but he saw nothing. He looked back at the horror on Alhazred’s face and saw genuine fear, desperation. He looked back to the window and saw naught but the swirl of the storm. “Where is it Red? What is it Red?” he hissed as his companion lurched from the table overturning it in his panic and scurried for the door.

“No!” came the cry of the barman as several fearful expressions popped out from their respective booths. “He has been touched by the harbinger. He must not go outside!” His voice was full of determiniation and abject horror and several patrons leapt up to try and stop the Jedi from escaping into the storm.

At least they would have had there not been a Mandalorian present. Outside there was a terrible beast, Alhazred was right to fear it; but what he did was more than this. Something had happened on that call and the man was willing to face the breath of the Devil, the angel of death, to see and rescue his own. One did not get much more Mandalorian than that. So even with the icy tendrils of fear about his own heart, Xim fired a half dozen stun bolts, dropping the barman and patrons who sought to stop Alhazred from escaping into the night. Then he spun, his finger flipping the switch on his rifle from stun to kill and a trio of bolts blew the door wide open; and in that instant, the storm seemed to swirl into the building to a cacophony of screams from the patrons. Xim felt as if he was wrenched by the winds themselves, the invisible claws of the dragon tearing him out into the open street where the storm slammed him to the ground. The icy grip of fear seemed to clench Xim’s heart even tighter and he felt all but frozen in fear as burning ember coal eyes materialized in the storm, first here, then there, then elsewhere. It was as if the beast that was hunting him had been lying in wait. He was right. He had known it. The pack had come and now, together, they would disembowel him to leave not a trace of he nor his soul for the life hereafter.

And in that fear there was one glimmer amidst the terror of destruction and that was that this beast, this dragon, this demon angel of death knew it could not defeat the Mandalorian alone in single combat. Like the Mandalorian trickster god of old, he had laid in wait for a pack of minions spawn to do his bidding. This was no Mandalorian god though, for if it had been, it would have known its folly. Xim swallowed hard, assuring himself of his death. Then, as a matter of overpowering will against his frozen limbs, he wrenched his rifle barrel skyward and let loose a deluge of blasterfire into the storm with an animalistic cry of defiance.

And as his vision began to fade to black, the tension of it all overcame him. The fear squeezed tighter still around his heart and the Mandalorian gave himself up to his end. As his head rolled back against the duracrete roadway, the demons seemed to pass, as if it had faded from sight leaving nothing but the soft deluge of the storm, the rolling thunder, it’s ferocity met by the man of mettle retreating to regroup. The next time would be different, the prey had been probed and now the demons knew where to strike.

In that moment of relief, the Mandalorian passed out, lying in the street.

@Narzen

 

[Alhazred]

The moments blurred together. In one moment he was on the floor of the diner/bar, the next he was going through a door that was blown open with blaster fire. In one moment, Alhazred was moving towards the alleyway where the beast and the body were last seen, the next Alhazred was stumbling in pure fog, with no signs of civilation in any direction. It was as if Alhazred had stumbled off world into a realm unknown.

"Hello?!?" Alhazred called out, spinning around, trying to gather his senses. Where was he? What was going on? With the thick, heavy fog, it was impossible to tell where he was. The skies were missing. The ground was slick and wet. And all around him, Alhazred swore he could hear clicking noises of something skittering.

Alhazred turned around. In the fog, he saw the vague shape of a shadow. It was large and insectoid. Chitinous legs and a hairy carapace. But before Alhazred could even focus on it, it skittered away. Alhazred stumbled towards it several paces, only to hear the skitterring from the side. Turning, Alhazred stumbled in the following direction, trying to find the source of the noise. It was his only clue in this foggy land. Another noise. Alhazred turned and finally saw the thing again. He had a better view. It was no natural thing. Its eyes glowed with fiery hatred, its stinger dripping with blood, its lips, chapped and cracked, opened up in a grin. And between its incisors, it held a severed head.

"Help me..." the skull of Khalid begged as the monster slowly slipped the skull into its mouth.

"Let him go!" Alhazred shouted as he rushed forward.

Gunfire.

Alhazred stopped, the vision suddenly broken. Inches from his eye, a rusty piece of rebar of sticking out of the broken wall of a aged building.

"What in the Force?!?" Alhazred exclaimed as he stumbled back. He tumbled backwards into a pile of trash, sending a small primate screeching and fleeing into the night.

Alhazred shook himself. The scratching on his brain was gone. Although it wasn't noticeable at the time, the fact that it was now gone was obvious. Something had attacked his brain directly. Something had merged with his own thoughts, and resonated in such a way to create visions. Visions of terrible vistas of emptiness.

Alhazred rubbed his head. Suddenly those talks of demons made more sense than before.

"Watchman!" Alhazred exclaimed. Pulling himself out of the trash, he turned and ran down the alleyway, unsure if this was the way he came or not. Finding himself in an unknown street, Alhazred began to search franticly for the diner, or anything that would help him figure out his location. The sun was rising. The storm has passed. There! The station! From here it would be a simple matter of retracing his steps towards the diner/bar.

Alhazred found the Mandalorian unconcious in the street. Going to his side, Alhazred placed a webbed hand on the man's forehead. He was clammy but breathing. Closing his eyes, Alhazred turned his attention to the music of the Force, specificly that around the man. It was calm. There was no sign of the demons affecting his mind at the moment.

The man began to stir.

"Watchmen, can you hear me?" Alhazred asked as he waited to see if the Mandalorian fully awoken or not.

@The Mad Hammer

 

[Xim Zhan]

Xim’s head swam before his vision faded to black. Was this the end? Perhaps the telltale icy grip on his heart rang true. Perhaps there was more truth to the street side preacher’s words than he had considered.

————————————

When he finally came to, a blurry vision swam before his eyes as he called out for a watchman.

Oh. Oh yes, Watchman was the name he had given the squid-like alien he had met. Xim wondered what had happened to him. Surely the mathematician had been destroyed by the great beast. If he had been knocked unconcious, armored and armed as he was, a trained warrior from his youth; there was little hope for the scholar, and anyone else in the restaurant for that matter.

Still, someone was speaking to him in all too loud a voice to be appropriate for, for wherever they were. Why did they have to yell? Xim swung a wild arm over his head in an attempt to ward off whoever was shouting at him.

Quickly, he tried to sit up. He inly made it halfway before he collapsed back onto his back, scrambling madly for the release on his helmet. He rolled to his shoulder as he shoved his T-visored bucket helm up to reveal his sweat-caked face; simultaneously letting lose a torrent of bile, half digested foods, and acid from his gut all over the roadway before him. His helmet clattered to the ground overhead.

And as soon as Xim had finished puking, he lay back on his back, staring up at a hazy blue sky. @Alhazred ’s turbaned visage swam overhead and Xim blinked rapidly. “R-red-d?” He stammered in shock, exaustion carrying in his voice, “but h-how?”

@Narzen

 

[Alhazred]

Alhazred was happy to see the man come back to his senses, though his wild swinging at him was less appreciated. As the Mandalorian swung out, Alhazred was forced to stumble backwards to avoid a blow that would no doubt result in unconsciousness for the soft skulled being.

Alhazred took the Mandalorians helmet aside, partly to keep it from getting in the man's vomit, and partly because he figured it would be safer to be in someone's hands rather just lying on the street.

"A stray gunfire broke me from the demon's shackles." Alhazred explained. He eyes the Mandalorian's weapons, and wondered if in fact it was his that broke the vision "There's dark things going on here, my lurid companion. The cosmic axes of this planet are aligned with malevolent intentions. The Outer spheres are not kind to this place, and I fear that the legends of demons contain far more fact than I gave credence to."

Alhazred had to take a moment to think. While there was something off about the planet, and given his own experience, possibly force related, he had no clue whether this was a Jedi matter or not. The planet itself was not aligned with the Jedi at the moment, and without further proof of the dark side being involved, Alhazred wasn't sure if it would be proper to request aid from his fellow Jedi.

Alhazred looked at Watchman. He was not in the best condition. He needed some aid, and Alhazred needed answers. Thankfully, he believed he knew one being on this planet who might be able to provide both.

"Arise Watchman" Alhazred said, placing the helmet on the man's chest. "We must find my relative Khalid. I believe he may know more about these demons, or perhaps have clues about their insidious intentions. "

@The Mad Hammer

 

[Xim Zhan]

“O-oh.” Xim leaned back in realization as @Alhazred mentioned the gunfire. “That was me,” he groaned as he stared up into the sly and closed his eyes as his world began to right itself. It made him nauseous.

Cupping his hands about his helmet, Xim exhaled deeply as he focused his mind and slowly sat up at the being’s bidding. Feeling about, Xim picked up his rifle before rolling to his knees. “Is Khalid the person you tried to run out of the diner after in the storm?” He asked before slowly standing and planting his helmet on his head with a pneumatic hiss.

Xim’s HUD purred to life as it began to take in the city about them. Aside from things seeming scarce, the city looked normal. Those who could flee had fled, the rest had made their peace with the end of times or refused to believe the truth that seemed to be unfolding all around them.

“Do you have any weapons Red? Whatever these demons are, they seem to require a stronger hand.” Xim paused to loom the turbaned alien up and down. It was possible the man had a weapon hidden somewhere within his robes, but Xim doubted it. “Or maybe your brother has some? An arsenal of some sort?” Whatever this monster was, Xim was determined to not let it best him again. It had made him fear for his life, fear his own adequacy in a way that he had not felt since his parents’ death and he hated that; he hated the monstrous demon that lurked in the shadow and storm.

Spotting an enclosed speeder parked haphazardly half on the sidewalkna block and a half down, Xim waved his companion after him. “Whats your brother’s address? Perhaps we can find a GPS unit that’ll take us to his house.” The door to the battered craft was standing open. With any luck, there would be no dead body ravaged by the monster within. A speeder would be a faster way across the city, a way to outrun the beast that Xim knew even now lurked in pursuit.

Making their way toward the craft, Xim breathed a sigh of relief when the craft was standing empty; even if the front end was wrinkled from where it had collided with a light pole. Xim’s eyes scanned the streets to the horizon. Of the two people he saw on the street, neither seemed to have any interest in the crashed vessel.

Climbing in, Xim depressed the starter. The speeder’s engine sputtered and ground before finally choking to life, ending in a grating purr. “Thank the gods! She runs. Where to?”

@Narzen

 

[Alhazred]

Alhazred nodded at Watchman's question. "I saw him dragged by something. Combined with the fact that he was calling for help, I did what had to do. But it seems I was decieved. This 'demon' as it is called, is clever."

Alhazred seemed to not know that the Mandalorian did not hear what he had heard over the comm earlier.

"My weapon is of the mind..." Alhazred commented, shaking his head as he did and not wanting to reveal his use of the Force as a substitute for a lightsaber. "I find that such physical equipment do not suit myself. And I believe such weapons would not have saved me last night, save for your blaster fire awaking me. As for my cousin... I'm uncertain. He is more of the occult to say the least like many of my kind, but the fact that he has lived here several years would give us more insight than anything. Lead on Watcher of Iron. I follow. "

Alhazred gave directions to the Mandalorian when requested. The address was deeper in the city, and not in the most pleasent parts of it. Not that it differentiated too much from the rest of the city. With the fear and stress that gripped the city, less effort was being done about appearences. The only major difference was there were more and more people visible. Vagrants, scoundrels, and anyone who couldn't afford passage offworld were stuck here, and made use of the run down shacks and bothys and the occassional bar that still managed to service people drinks in the end times.

Eventually the two came upon their destination. The small alleyway between two buildings had a neon pink and green sign that flickered with barely running life. Amongst the streets, trash, vermin, pools of water and mud, as well as various piles of what could've been excrement litterred about. Further in the alley, the outline of a door could be made, as well as graffiti all around, showing images of various monsters and symbols.

"Celestial Star Seer..." Alhazred read the sign outloud, shaking his head slightly. Of all the things he expected to find his cousin doing, this was not it. By the looks of it, he was also responsible for the graffitti, as a way to draw attention. He recognised some of the images and writings on the walls as his native Aklo in nature.

Knocking at the door, Alhazred glanced at Watchman and reassured him. "Don't be fooled. I know he's more than just some kind of credit clenching charlatan"

The door opened up slowly, revealing a darkened hallway, barely lit by small candles on the floor. Dusty drapes covered part of the walls, and a thin white gas whisked out along the floor outward. The faded drapes, poorly maintained as they were, were covered with crude patterns of star charts, symbols of varying iconography from across the galaxy, and pictures of eyes. Alhazred shuddered at seeing so many pictures of eyes.

"Intrude" A voice called out, barely more than a whisper.

Alhazred obeyed, stepping first. Down the narrow hallway, he led the way until the two found themselves in what looked like a large antechamber. Like the hall, candles were along the floors, and more rug-like drapes covered the walls. Around the room, small pedestals and tables held icons and idols from varying cultures, each one looking crude in their design, and some more risque than the others. In the ceiling, two small pipes on opposing sides of the room released the thin white gas to the floor. At the back of the room, a small device projected an thin green image of the galaxy and all its planets across the room.

At the center of the room, a large stone table, surrounded by 3 chairs. In the chair away from the two, a figure sat, hunched over slightly. The figure was draped over with thick green robes and silver sashes, heavy by appearances alone. Even hunched over, the figure was large, easily 10 feet tall. Clawed hands rubbed their palms quietly as the being, who's mouth tendrils drooped far down his chest, much longer than Alhazred's. The face seemed almost stretched, as if the baggy green skin was too big for the being.

Despite the obvious differences between the two, several aspects seemed similar, even if they weren't able to be described. Much in the same way the mind knows the uncanny valley despite it not being described, so too here the mind could easily identify some kind of close relation between Alhazred and Khalid. .

Upon seeing each other, the two Nu-Vaal took off their head coverings, each revealing their hair like head tendrils. The two remained still save their tendrils, which began to wave, flap, snap and flail wildly in patterns almost too fast for the eye to catch. After a few moments, Alhazred stopped and turned to Watchman.

"My cousin welcomes you and is pleased to meet you. He also thanks you for rescuing me."

Khalid gestered towards the chairs. Once they sat, Khallid looked at Watchman curiously.

"I must request, remove your mask, and reveal your day of birth and where. It will allow me to help you better"

@The Mad Hammer

 

[Xim Zhan]

It was a good thing that @Alhazred could not see Xim’s face behind his visor. He rolled his eyes, hard, when the man spoke of his mind being a weapon and not carrying one of his own. Xim chose to not press the plain issue that his blaster had been the thing to save the squid-head from the draconic beast in the storm. Instead, he set off with the man as they began to try and find their way through the flying city. Up here it got a little seedy, but still not as seedy as the housing developments in the shadowy realm below. Regardless, Xim was glad to have his weapons close at hand and visible. It deterred more than one ill-intentioned thug.

He had not taken much heed to the warning that Alhazred’s cousin was more . . . eccentric. As they neared the flickering neon sign though, he recalled it with suspicion. Keeping his rifle close at hand, Xim glanced warily at his traveling companion.

Inside was nothing if more suspicious. The Mandalorian had been in enough spice dens and so-called temples to recognize each of them. This place smelled, literally like both of them. The incense-laden smoke hung heavy in the air as the lights of the star-map played off it.

Xim regarded the alien communication with a combination of disgust and interest. It was not the strangest or most disgusting way of conversing he had seen, but the tentacles. Xim was not a fan of tentacles. Still, as Alhazred offered the Mandalorian greeting, Xim nodded in return and moved toward the chairs. The chair creaked as the armored being took his seat. “The dragons are not tamed by the mind. Only steel does such a thing.”

As the taller Nu-vaal sat, he spoke, his voice low and gargled; nevertheless, it was ominous in tone as the white smoke seemed to envelope him like the mystic he was acclaimed to be. His request was not strange given the circumstances and yet, Xim was a Mandalorian. Just lime these strange semi-aquatic animals probably laid eggs and had their own culture; so too did Xim. Well, not the egg part.

Still, he did his best to answer the request. He was not one of those fanatic Mandalorians who never took his helmet off; although perhaps in his own way he was a fanatic too. With a pneumatic hiss, he gently pulled his helm from his close cur beard and pony-tailed hair. He set the helmet on the table before him as he spoke, “I was born on Concord Dawn, baptized in water and blood a true son of the Mandalore, of the Taung of yore. It was a rainy Zhellday if I recall correctly.” He spoke of the day, of the times, he was initiated into the Mandalorian Culture, into the Death Watch, of the rebirth of his soul.

@Narzen

 

[Alhazred]

Khalid nodded at the Mandalorians summery and snapped his clawed fingers twice. Behind him, the device that emitted the image of the galaxy flickered several times, the stars on the map vanishing or enlarging as it zoomed in on a sector of the galaxy. Finally, their was only one star left, floating above the group, as well as tiny flickering pieces of light all around the room.

Alhazred had to admire the theatrics. Khalid was showing off a showmanship that would've been the envy of many beings across the galaxy. The image above shudderred as the orbits, or in this case, orbit of the Concord Dawn system were revealed, as well as the planet's moons and various asteroids. The image began rapidly spin and turn as the record found an approx time of the Mandalorian's birth.

"Born under the sign of the Howlrunner..." Khallid stated, studying the chart and raising a clawed hand as if to touch the holographic star. "A sign of dedication and unrest. An interesting sign for a warrior. You do not give up easily, and while you may deny it at times, the thrills of life will always draw you in. It is both your joy and your bane. You are..."

Khallid adjusted the hologram, focusing further on the planet and the reference to the stars nearby. "Influenced by the felled Zilla. Interesting. Your pack may have been your family, but justice will be your final reward. It is often associated with both lawmen and lawbreakers."

Khallid threw his hand back, and the hologram reverted back to when the entire room was a star chart.

"It is good you met this one cousin. I trust his alignments."

Alhazred nodded and coughed. "Khallid, what do you know of the demons?"

Khallid's eyes glazed over slightly at the question, but he closed his eyes and nodded.

"Vile trickery is afoot. The signs of shadow and wraiths are strong, and many are discovering the tenants of our religion. It is a pity they have lost the flames of hope though to light them through the times. But change is coming, and the sign of the Mynock will be soon. When the light gains purchase again, spirits will be lifted, and purposes will become clear. Have you witnessed the demons?"

Alhazred felt a lump in his throat but nodded. "Yes, or at least, we were attacked by it. I nearly ran my own head through a pipe under its influence, and Watchman here faced them as well."

Khallid turned towards the Mandalorian again.

"Do they still linger with you Howlrunner?"

@The Mad Hammer

 

[Xim Zhan]

Xim sat perfectly still as the charlatan pronounced a variety of noncommittal descriptors coupled with observations of the obvious; until finally word turned to the scourge on this city that the Mandalorian had come to rid them of. Xim sat up hopeful that @Alhazred ‘s question would turn to conversation to more fruitful discussion.

Xim sat back with an audible sigh as the being delved into yet another sign and a prophecy of victory. As the supposed psychic turned his question to Xim, Xim’s mind thought back. Thinking about it, he could almost feel the icy tendrils of fear that had clasped his soul. It was gone now, for the moment. He thought of what he had seen, what he had heard and he leaned back onto the table, his hands settling about his helm. “Demons, dragons, what is the difference? Are they not both beasts of legend, mystical and magical, and beyond comprehension? I witnessed the monster and connected with it. As a hunter, one cannot help but form a bond with that which you must destroy. Their tale becomes my own and their blood flows a baptism.”

”So yes, they still linger and they shall until I depart,” he knew the monster had come for him, it was fate. He would leave the victor or on death’s midnight war steed and when he left, so too would the dragon; having feasted its fill on steel or true warrior‘s steel. “If you know something that would help us find the mighty beast just spit it out. He,” he gestured to Alhazred, “is your brother and I am not one to be taken in by a streetwise magician.”

@Narzen

 

[Alhazred]

"Cousin" Khallid corrected the mandalorian's comment. He fished beneath the table and pulled out a narrow ornate container. While it looked as if it was made out of wood, the box's walls seemed to push easily as if they were made of something much softer like wet clay. All over the small box, designs of shackles and latches could be seen.

"You are correct in that you are connected to the demons now Howlrunner" Khallid continued as he placed the box before the two. "I have seen their ways. Their actions. Those who face them once face them again and again, until they surrender to the actions. The demons, like you, are tenacious and virile in their methods. But they can be lured. They can be tricked."

Khallid opened the box, and a large whiff of sweet smelling incense emerged. Khallid pulled out a small stick and, after producing a lighter, lit the incense stick.

"Inhale deeply" Khallid ordered the two as he held the stick before the two. "Uneti blossoms ground and molded with the resins of dead baffor trees. Jedi of old used these to open themselves to the energies of the galaxy. Our people call it the æther of the Dead God. It is what you call the Force, Alhazred."

Alhazred nodded as he inhaled. The sweet stuff was intoxicating to say the least. Even if it did or didn't have any special properties, he would make sure to get some of these to the current Jedi to begin using with meditation practices. However, Alhazred sensed their was something special about the incense. Already, the music of the Force became much more pronounced, as the soft flutes and the dialethic chords of harps began to drift in.

"You will become a beacon to the demons Howlrunner" Khallid explained after a few moments. "The demons will feel you wherever you are, and will hunt you from their lair. And when they begin to torment and destroy you, Alhazred will decipher their point of origin."

Khallid produced a small vial full of thick green liquid and shoved it into the Mandalorian's hands. "Ichor secreted from the scared cochlera of Genarius. Once Alhazred has found the location; once you are trammeled and trapped and held captive by fear, ingest it and you will see clearly again. "

Alhazred looked at Watchman, unsure how he would react to being suddenly placed at the position of 'bait' as Khallid so described it. But if he truly inhaled the incense, it was probably too late. Indeed, the music of the Force was shifting around Watchman. There was a wicked dissonance beginning to form in the room, and the Mandalorian was at the center.

"Watchman, did you hear that?" Alhazred asked, hoping he had heard what he needed to hear.

@The Mad Hammer