Ask Wherever The Trail Leads

[Darth Tempest]

True to her own words, Vahliri’s mind was lightyears away from that stupid movie. Instead, the half-Annfyn’s gaze lingered intensely upon the Tiefling in that moment - amber eyes burning with a renewed fire that glinted against the low light. They had been here multiple times before, and that fact never seemed to lessen the sense of exhilaration or the heat that rose across her body each and every time. It was all-too-easy to get lost in those familiar eyes - to sink into those vivid oceans of violet until everything else simply slipped away. She didn’t miss the way that Altair glanced back towards the door with wide eyes, his whispered words only bringing a playful smile to her lips. The half-Annfyn leaned forth ever-so-slightly, her lips brushing dangerously close to the edge of his jaw as she closed in on his ear. “Here,” She muttered simply, leaning back just enough to smirk at him. Even at that moment, the half-Annfyn was keenly aware of just how risky it was, even more so due to the circumstances of them even being on that shuttle. And yet, that fact only acted as fuel to the desires that burned within her.

Vahliri couldn’t help but smirk a bit wider when Altair teased, a bit of heat immediately rushing to her face and painting her cheeks a new shade of burgundy. Her fluted ears swiveled as they so often did, and the smaller hum rolled up the half-Annfyn’s throat when the Tiefling gripped into the back of her hair. It was a sound almost primal in nature, and it served as a clear indicator of approval to him at that moment. Her own hand slid across his cheek a bit further - rounding to grip the back of his neck and pull him close - capturing his lips.

At once, Vahliri sank deep against the Tiefling’s lips - all of the passion and desire manifesting in the way she held him tightly and kissed him - savoring the familiar taste of metal and his lips against hers. She had been here before - dozens of memories of this exact moment to draw from - and the sensation nevertheless sent those same goosebumps across her skin. It was intoxicating and addictive at once, and the half-Annfyn relished it far more than she’d ever hope to vocalize.

“I guess I’ll have to be extra quiet then,” She finally broke away from that kiss, muttering against the Tiefling’s lips. Her other hand didn’t linger on his bicep for long - manicured nails drawing across the muscular flesh and traveling across his torso downward. It didn’t take her long to reach Altair’s waist, her hand snaking further down to glide across his front and grasp. Vahliri met the Tiefling’s eyes once more, lingering in place for only a moment longer before leaning in once more - beginning to plant small kisses across his neck and collarbone. Slowly but surely, the half-Annfyn sank lower in that small space - her destination clear.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

—​

They were in the most absurd situation he could fathom. Altair could practically feel Vahliri drilling holes into him with her eyes, and he purposely didn’t look at her. He hastily pulled his own clothes back on, staring at ‘Dave’ that was now out cold near the doorway. The two had to be completely silent as the other workers called out their comrade’s name. Altair heard the vague speculation about Dave's bathroom routine before they finally turned the corner and left the area. He was still covered in sweat and actually tired from their earlier activities.

The tiefling exhaled and glanced over at Dave who was now slowly beginning to stir a bit. Altair used the Force to pull him from the wall and then slam his head again, knocking him back out cold. He looked at Vahl, rubbing his temples briefly.

“Aight, well..” He began, “Ain’t no one’s gonna believe him if he tries to talk. Like come on, dude’s gonna sound like he’s on shrooms if he starts babbling about spotting you and my demon lookin’ ass…doing stuff in a damn broom closet. I think we’re good, let’s just bust outta here,” Altair said as he navigated around her to crack the door open slightly. His horns were far too massive to justify a quick glance so he gestured for Vahliri to stand in front of him to look. Between her taking a look and her hearing, he had more confidence in her doing this.

“Spot anywhere else we can duck into?” Altair asked, “We just gotta hunker down somewhere else for the rest of the way..”

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Not in a million years could Vahliri have predicted the bizzare circumstances that they found themselves in now. It was only after quickly putting on the rest of her clothes - far messier than she would’ve liked - that Vahliri took a break from sending daggers at Altair to glance down at ‘Dave’ still slumped in the corner. The half-Annfyn’s skin sheened with sweat, and her normally immaculate hair was tousled and matted down to her forehead.

Just as she was still catching her breath from before, Vahliri leaned a bit closer to the door - listening carefully for the sound of footsteps and talking further down the corridor. The half-Annfyn could pick up as they began to get more distant - that bit of concern dying down within her.

Vahliri glanced back when Altair began to speak - her mouth opening and closing a few times as they Tiefling went on to explain the story that Dave would tell. She immediately looked as if she was going to argue with the Tiefling, though the longer she considered it, the half-Annfyn could only blink a few times. “That.…. Okay good point.” She shook her head a bit before maneuvering towards the door. She comically peaked her head around the corner at a horizontal angle, attempting to subtly scope out the hallway with both hearing and vision.

“Coast is clear. Uhhhh..” She muttered, rapidly glancing around the hallway for somewhere to sneak off to. Her sensitive hearing could easily pick up on the sounds of a Holo playing from the lounge, and she didn’t doubt for a moment that was where the rest of the crew was hiding out. She continued to look around - only for her eyes to be drawn further down the hallway and towards the ‘Engineering Room’ sign posted on one of the doors. “Engineering room. No reason for anyone to go looking in there.” Without another word, Vahliri promptly grabbed Altair by the wrist and tugged the Tiefling out of the closet and towards their new hideout.

“…Leave that door open a bit,” She whispered back at Altair, giving the Tiefling a knowing look. After their previous activities, it was.. Probably a good idea to let it air out a bit.

Sneakily sneaking through the hallways, Vahliri opened the door to the Engineering Room and slipped inside - pulling Altair in with her. There was an immediate drop in temperature as they came into the room - coolant systems working in proper order to keep engines and hyperdrive from overheating. While normally adverse to the cold, Vahliri couldn’t deny it actually felt rather pleasant against her sweat-lined skin. Only once they were inside did Vahliri lean back against a pipe jutting up from the ground, tilting her head back against it.

“We’ll be fine in here, I think.” She muttered, glancing down at the Tiefling with a small smile. The half-Annfyn scooted a bit, gesturing for him to sit down. “That was close,” She grinned a bit wider, unable to help a few giggles as the half-Annfyn shook her head. After a few moments, Vahliri shifted a bit for no particular reason - casting the Tiefling a glance out of the corner of her eye as she did so.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

The remaining time passed uneventfully, though Altair could feel Vahl side eyeing him the entire time. His jokes about ‘round 2’ didn’t succeed and they instead sat largely in silence with the occasional bickering that was borderline comical. There was a sudden lurch as the ship jumped out of hyperspace and came to a slow landing. Vahliri would be able to hear the crew and workers leaving the ship, the entire vessel beginning to power down.

“Come on,” Altair whispered as he slowly crept out of the room to prevent being locked in. Only Vahliri would be able to hear the others and when they were fully off and he relied on her senses to tell him when it was safe to keep going.

Instead of the main exit, he made his way back toward the cargo hold. He could tell the ship had been emptied of the crystal crates and he could hear voices in the distance. He grimaced at Vahliri, “How do we keep a low profile? I’m pretty easy to pick out with my horns..” He grumbled to himself.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Hours passed, and Vahliri largely didn’t move from where she originally plopped down in the engine room - passing the time with a combination of nodding off against Altair and then proceeding bickering back and forth with the Tiefling and missing no opportunity to remind him that this was entirely his idea. The half-Annfyn was admittedly tired after their previous activities, and without a shower in sight to wash off, round two was - for the moment - out of the question. Perhaps the most entertaining segment from their remaining flight was the overheard conversation between ‘Dave’ and his fellow crewmates, once they finally located the poor bastard in the broom closet. This was of course, line-by-line, relayed to Altair who lacked her sensitive hearing.

Between the man’s vehement assertions of what he saw, questions about the funk in that closet and the crewmembers accusations of what ‘Dave’ was actually doing in there… It took a concerted effort to keep the half-Annfyn from cracking up.

It wasn’t until the ship lurched out of hyperspace that Vahliri finally rose up from where she was sitting - feeling as the ship came to a landing in.. Well, wherever the hell they were after six-and-a-half–hours of hyperspace travel. She kept out of the room with Altair, moving slightly ahead and utilizing her sensitive hearing to ensure that all of the crewmembers either further down the ship or completely disembarked. The half-Annfyn couldn’t mask the grimace as they reached the door leading back into the cargo-hold - able to hear the voices in the distance followed by Altair’s own question.

Vahliri stopped short of entering the back of the ship for a long moment, pondering their conundrum in her mind before turning on a heel - heading deeper into the empty ship. With only minutes to spare, the half-Annfyn opened a few doors before finally stumbling upon the crew quarters - still filled with a multitude of personal belongings. She turned her attention to the hamper of clothing that was still left in the room - silencing her internal screaming as she proceeded to rummage amongst the clothes until finally stumbling upon two pairs of robes - each bearing similar symbols the ones seen back at the M’haeli camp. The dark-tinted robes were simple enough - albeit fitted with baggy, oversized hoods and sleeves.

They were also half-buried in a laundry hamper and smelled like it.

Vahliri exhaled through her nostrils, unable to help the faintest twitch in her eye as she looked back to Altair. “As long as we look the part, maybe they won’t pay us much attention..” She said, tossing the Tiefling a pair of robes. She had hopes that the official clothing would make even Altair’s more exotic features not something to bat an eye at - and if they were, the oversized hood would at least serve as some level of protection. Proceeding to toss on her own sweaty robes, Vahliri turned on a heel and proceeded into the cargo-hold, quickly advancing down the still-extended ramp of the ship.

Just as Altair had predicted, the ship had been emptied of the crystals and dozens of cultists milled about the open-air hanger - many of them garbed in similar clothing as they were, hauling carts and repulsor-lifted truck-loads of cargo deeper into the facility up ahead. At least initially, however, Vahliri couldn’t help but stop and stare at the world around them. It was a far-cry from the desolate, dry wastelands that most Sith worlds were - filled with life and with a presence in the Force that both of them could feel palpably as they stepped outside. Rolling hills and valleys surrounded the plateau where the hanger was situated, while bioluminescent organisms and flora painted the landscape in exotic shades of blue and light orange. Manta ray-like creatures could be seen lazily drifting across the air in the distance, weaving amongst entire chunks of earth that seemed to defy gravity and hover in place.

It was a world no one outside of the cult had visited in centuries, and it was an environment that would undoubtedly by completely alien to them both. Vahliri couldn’t mask her astonishment in that moment, blinking a few times before muttering under her breath. “..Woah.”

@Sreeya

[/abox3]

 

[Altair Din]

“This smells,” Altair complained as he took the robes, narrowing his eyes. For a moment, he actually looked as if he was weighing the options of not wearing a disguise at all, but one look from Vahliri quelled that. With a sigh, he donned the robes and propped the hood up over his horns. The entire getup made him look particularly eerie, but it worked for making him appear as a creepy cultist.

As soon as they stepped out, he had to stop and gawk at the world as well. He had never seen anything like it - the closest was probably out in space itself. He watched the manta-ray like creatures lazily coasting through the air and he was vaguely reminded of the spacewhales that languidly floating through the stars.

“Damn…” He whispered. He glanced over at Vahliri, suddenly remembering more human limitations, “You can breathe okay, right?” Altair asked abruptly, concern flashing clearly on his face. Everything about this planet was very alien and he knew tieflings were more resilient than most. Humans or part humans were largely worthless on many planets that didn’t have compositions similar to their own.

The other cultists were moving the crystals down a trail towards what appeared to be a temple of sorts, a tall spire projecting ominously towards the sky. The temple was nested atop a hill lined with the same bioluminescent flora. As someone well versed in the outdoors, Altair was immediately suspicious of all the different plants - most of them met the characteristics of being poisonous. He half expected Vahliri to start going around picking some flowers and inhaling deeply before promptly passing out..

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

For just those few moments, Vahliri could only gawk stupidly at their vibrant surroundings - her amber eyes drifting across the sheer abundance of exotic and alien life. For all of the natural beauty of her homeworld, the half-Annfyn simply hadn’t experienced anything quite like this place before, and that fact was obvious from the awe-struck expression she wore. It was abundantly clear this world - wherever it was and whatever it was named - was far removed from the conventional Galaxy.

“Just.. Wow,” She finally muttered. Her gaze lingered on the twilight-lit sky - dominated by a gas giant and a multitude of moons - for only a moment or two longer, proceeding to flick back to Altair. It wasn’t until the Tiefling mentioned her breathing that Vahliri went wide-eyed for a moment, the potential hostility of the environment just then dawning on her. Sure enough, the half-Annfyn took in another breath - filling her lungs and exhaling with just as much ease as had they still been on M’haeli. “Yeah, I think I’m okay.” She smiled almost sheepishly, her fluted ears swiveling at once as she looked up at the Tiefling. There was a clear concern in his voice, and it caused the half-Annfyn to smile in ways she couldn't quite explain.

The air was remarkably crisp and clean - tinged with the scent of recently fallen rain. If there were any unknown toxins that filled the atmosphere, they certainly hadn’t begun to take effect quite yet.

“There is no way this place is on any Star-map.. Has to be out in the middle of nowhere.” She said, watching as one of the manta-ray like creatures dipped low in the sky, drifting towards the ground with an almost weightless grace. The creature lingered on the ground only long enough to feed off one of the strange, star-lit flowers that littered the field before ascending once more. A few minutes of observation would quickly reveal others doing the same, clearly attracted to the flora as a food source.

“Guess that’s our destination..” Vahliri muttered, gesturing towards the spire in the distance. Dozens of cultists could be seen taking the long trek towards the structure, their haul of crystals carried in large, repulsor-lifted crates that were pushed up the hill. “If they have long-range communication systems, we may be able figure out where the hell we are. Maybe even signal for reinforcements,” She muttered.

Just up ahead, the pair would be able to see a senior figure amongst the cultists - his crimson attire and sunken features, clear evidence of the Dark Side’s corruption in its purest form - evident immediately. Even from a distance, the pair could see the man barking orders to get people moving along. If they continued to linger in place, the pair would likely get swept up towards the facility with the other cultists. While they were likely to blend in seamlessly, any chance to explore the planet around them or any alternative routes would almost certainly become unfeasible.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

“This is a real fuckin’ stupid idea,” Altair mumbled as they kept walking, falling into step behind the line of cultists that led the way to the spire. He nudged Vahliri slightly, “Quit lookin’ like you ain’t ever been on this planet before,” He whispered under his breath, knowing she would hear. They had to blend in and couldn’t exactly look like tourists here.

The tiefling spotted the senior cultist and grimaced, “Damn that dude be lookin’ like overcured bantha jerky,” He muttered to himself as he kept walking. Before long, they were led to the interior of the temple. Altair had to admit the architecture was impressive and it vaguely reminded him of some of the huge, palatial designs on Serenno, specifically Andraste’s palace. He made a point not to gawk and look around himself.

Up ahead, he could see that the women and the men were splitting off to go different directions. Altair grimaced, “Shit,” He hissed, “Any ideas on how we can stay together?” He wondered if he could be passable for a chick….maybe enough people here hadn’t come across tieflings to be able to tell?

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

It took the nudging from the Tiefling in order for Vahliri to look back ahead - amber eyes turning back to the cultists and Altair verus gazing out over the landscape. The place looked like something straight out of a HoloNet flick, but she knew that he had a point about looking out of place. For now she ruled out the possibility of snapping pictures or inspecting what were probably very poisonous flowers and walked straight ahead - towards the looming spire in the distance. She lingered on his earlier statement for a moment before finally glancing over. “Altair I don’t think we had a good idea thus far.” She whispered back at him.

Passing the senior cultist, Vahliri resisted the urge to grimace at the man’s appearance and promptly kept her attention ahead -following the Tiefling and string of cultists into the palatial-esqe interior of the spire - far larger than it appeared from the outside. It was testament that whoever the cultists were, they had seen in operation for quite some time - clear signs of age and generations of residents clear upon closer inspection. It didn’t take long for her gaze to flick towards the twin sets of spiral stairways - scores of cultists breaking off either left or right to ascend their designated side of the Spire. “Uh..” She blinked a few times. “Fuck,” Vahliri knew that there was practically no way that she would pass going up the male stairwell, devoid of anything to mask her face. As a result, her mind - like Altair’s, went to the alternative. “...Keep your hood up and keep a low profile. Maybe they won’t ask any questions..” She muttered towards the Tiefling.

Quite frankly, this entire idea was fucking stupid. The half-Annfyn personally couldn’t fathom how anyone could mistake the Altair for a chick.. But perhaps the isolated and remote cultists would be momentarily tripped up by Tieflings as a species?

Taking in a breath, Vahliri began to walk in that direction - moving just ahead of Altair as they climbed the spiral stairwell. Paintings lined the walls as they curved, men and women of similar, cult-like garb staring down upon the initiates. At least initially, no one seemed to pay either of them too much attention - going about their own business without giving Altair a second glance. “This is so not going to fucking work.” She muttered. Upon reaching the top of the stairwell, the pair would be greeted by the sight of an impossible large common room - many of the other cultists seen going about their daily business. Convinced that was a horrible idea, Vahliri veered away - instead making her way down one of the network of hallways so they both had an opportunity to talk. “If we can find a map of this place, we should be able to–”

“What do you two think you’re doing?” A voice called out, cutting off Vahliri’s whispers and causing her blood to momentarily run cold. Mere moments later, an elderly cultist approached from further down the call - the crochet old woman coming to a halt mere inches from where they were standing.

“Uh,” Vahliri blinked, “Nothing at all.. Ma’am,” She said, deciding on the most neutral possible form of address. “Just chatting is all,” The half-Annfyn smiled, already feeling the beads of sweat start to appear as the woman turned her attention to Altair - beady eyes narrowing to look at the Tiefling for a long moment, ”The sermon will be starting shortly. You ladies best get moving,” The woman said, glancing between them both before starting to walk away.

“..Of course, ma’am,” Vahliri said with a smile, giving the woman a nod as she passed. “Hail Sarvis,” She added, giving another very convincing nod.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair scowled at Vahliri as she suggested keeping a low profile, “Easy for your midget ass to say,” He hissed under his breath. He stood out like a sore thumb first because he towered over the women and second because the hood draped over his four horns looked absurd. The tiefling moodily followed behind Vahliri, wondering how he was going to play this role. The common room area was massive and there was a roaring fire in the corner. He almost ran into Vahl’s back as she stopped, glancing over her shoulder at the woman that stopped them.

He remained silent during the exchange, catching the woman staring at him. He managed an awkward smile that made him accidentally look vaguely like a serial killer. However, the woman moved right on and strode away. As she passed and Vahliri said the little cultist term, there was no response.

“Hail Sarvis,” Altair said in a high pitched voice. That was when the woman stopped mid-step, slowly doing a half turn. The tiefling began to sweat. Seconds ticked by and felt like hours. In the end, the woman shrugged and kept walking. Altair exhaled the breath he didn’t even know he was holding.

“Too much?” He asked in a low whisper, “Maybe I’ll go a couple octaves higher next time..” He muttered quietly as they ventured into the room.

Further in the room, there was a massive crystal. The girls in the common room began to chant some language he couldn’t understand. They began to circle around it and he could sense Force use, though it wasn’t in a way he recognized. At a certain point, the girls began to shed their robes, circling around the crystal fully in the nude. Altair’s eyes went wide and almost fell out and he had to mask a cough. The women all looked as if they were in a trance and the crystal in the middle began to glow an angry red.

“Okay so..” Altair muttered as he blinked at the scene and slowly began to step away, “It looks like I’m suddenly stricken with a bad case of diarrhea. Good luck shakin' your boobies out there and summoning Kthulhu,” Without other explanation, the tiefling quickly shuffled away in search of a refresher or any place to duck into to avoid being pulled into whatever creepy ass ritual was going on. He half expected someone to be sacrificed.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri had to consciously bite back the urge to grimace at that moment, amber eyes briefly flicking over to Altair when the Tiefling added his own, ‘girly’ voice to repeat the cultist term. She already thought that her utterance was pushing things, and was almost positive they were about to be caught with his addition. She could feel the beads of sweat that began to form, and it wasn’t until the decrepit cultist walked away that the half-Annfyn exhaled.

She squinted at Altair’s idea of going up a few octaves, “Yes that was too much - Altair you sounded like you just got kicked in the nuts..” Vahliri whispered back at him, following closely as they wandered into the next room. Her eyes went wide upon spotting the crystal in the center of the room - a few seconds of inspection revealing that it was very clearly a massive Kyber. As if that wasn’t weird enough, the half-Annfyn began to watch the ritual unfold - feeling the Force begin to swell all around them. It was an almost primal application of the Force, and yet no less potent than anything she had trained. The moment ladies started stripping, though, Vahliri had enough.

“Oh hell no,” Vahliri whispered back at him, squinting at the scene before them - not at all amused and with every survival instinct kicking in at once. It was exactly moments like this where some ditzy Core-worlder chick was sacrificed on the altar or eaten by some weird-ass tentacle demon. “There ain’t no way we’re sticking around for this bootleg Nightsister shi—Altair where do you think your going?!” She called back quietly, watching as the Tiefling began to rapidly shuffle away from the scene and literally abandon her in a room of naked witches, “Don’t you dare—Altair if you don’t bring your ass back I swear by the Force I’m going to shove my heel so far—“

Before she could proceed with her string of colorful profanities, Altair was already almost out of sight - and two additional women entered the room - breaking the line of sight and causing Vahliri to shift her attention to them. Before she could protest, the two ladies tenderly grabbed her hands - smiling as they urged her towards the crystal.

“Come, sister.” They spoke in unison, not really giving the half-Annfyn a choice in the matter as she was pulled into the ritual. She couldn’t exactly dip out like Altair, and refusal to participate would only draw suspicion. With no lack of reluctance, Vahliri shed her own robes - mouthing along to the chanting as she moved around the crystal. The entire room began to thrum with the Darkness of the Force, smaller kybers decorating the walls starting to glow red. The half-Annfyn could feel the fog that began to hang over her mind, and it took a concerted effort to keep herself from slipping into that same trance the others embraced, all while looking for an opportunity to slip out.

Before too long, two of the women stepped forth - one of them carrying a dagger of carved kyber, while the other knelt down at the center of the room.

—​

Meanwhile, Altair would be treated to an entirely different problem. The Tiefling would quickly find that the majority of the common room doors - including the one leading into the refresher - were sealed prior to the ritual. The only unlocked door would lead the Tiefling into a dimly lit hallway deeper into the castle - the narrow passage ending with an elaborate door at the end. Given the ornate carvings and decoration on the surrounding frame, it was clear it was the dwelling of a senior member of the cult - almost certainly the chief witch leading the ritual in the other room. Any information they sought about the place was likely to be stashed within that chamber. The only obstacle in Altair’s path, of course, was the creature standing dead center in the hallway.

Illuminated by the flickering torchlight, Altair would have a clear view of the twisted monstrosity that stood like a statue ahead - the once feminine figure twisted and contorted in ways not at all natural, limbs elongated and spindly, with flesh that had been shaped to see seamlessly transition from skin and bone to sharp metal and wires. It was a rudamentary amalgamation of flesh and technology, and it took as the single line of defense to the Witch’s chamber.

The moment Altair stepped into the room, the creature shifted. It was a Force signature that the monster clearly didn’t recognize and was now on high alert if the Tiefling chose to delve deeper, though it was also clear that it did not possess eyes to see the Sith. Instead, the metal monster stood entirely still - poised and listening for any movement.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

“We gather on this bountiful evening to serve our Lord Sarvis!” The woman with the dagger proclaimed as the other knelt down, “Our obedience and devotion is a show of our gratitude for the joys and luxuries we are offered today. The cult has had another fruitful yield and we will once again be able to contribute to our ever expanding numbers,” She looked around at all the women, smiling, “All of you will be part of a cause so much bigger than what you are today. For you will be one with Sarvis and there is no higher honor.”

With that, she sliced the dagger across the knelt woman’s throat. The woman that had been kneeling was smiling as she was cut, her head lolling to the side as her blood cascaded down. The crystals all glowed around them as the women began to chant. The woman with the dagger chanted something else and Vahliri would sense Force use. There were snaps and pops as the dead woman’s bones began to contort and change.

One of the other girls brought over a crystal that was pulsing and glowing, the woman with the dagger taking it. The knife was used to slice down the dead woman’s chest, cutting it open where the crystal was pushed inside.

“In only moments, the first part of her transformation will be completed,” The dagger woman said, “She will then be taken to the lab to shed her organic and earthly limitations to fully ascend.”

The rest of the women stared in fascination and wonder, clearly itching to be next in line.

---​

There was a pang of guilt as Altair shuffled away and left Vahliri behind. However, she wasn’t exactly a damsel in distress and could certainly handle herself in a crisis. He was at greater risk of exposure on account of being a dude. The tiefling quickly walked over to the chambers to the side, spotting an ornate door that likely had the clues they needed. Unfortunately it was also a dead end and he couldn’t exactly backtrack while the ritual was happening.

Altair grimaced at the sight of the horrific creature, noting the feminine features at once that were twisted and molded into mechanized components. He had never seen anything like this before and his mind briefly went back to what Veles had taught him about abominations. Altair was rooted in place as the beast began to stir and move.

The tiefling took a few quiet steps forward, thinking he was silent enough. However, at some point he accidentally stumbled over the robes that dragged the ground, the creature jumping up to fully stand and tower over him. Altair panicked and knew he couldn’t exactly start a huge commotion here. So he did something very unusual.

He started singing.

Altair gently began to sing one of the lullabies his mother sang to them as kids, knowing the beast was asleep not too long ago. There was also the fact that there was something still humanoid about this thing and he wondered if singing could perhaps pierce through the rabid layers and find purchase. He tried to ensure his voice didn’t break as he sang, keeping his anxiety in check. His singing would also mask the sound of his steps as he gingerly began to step towards the door and past the beast.


Dice: Rolled a freakin 19/20 for singing to this thing.. lmao
@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Through both dark Magicks and mechanical alterations, the Creature standing before Altair was only vaguely recognizable to what it had once been in the beginning. It’s body was twisted and shaped into something new entirely - and it was entirely unclear how much of its original psyche still remained at this point. Only it’s assigned role - guardian over the chamber ahead - was something easily gleaned. The moment that movement was heard, the creature poised for its attack - mechanical eyes shifting a deeper red light, while its sharp, elongated talons rose in order to inhale the source of the noise.

Things fundamentally changed, however, the moment that Altair started to sing. Almost at once, the Creature lowered its razor arm ever-so-slightly, looking as if it was taken aback by the sound.

It was melodic and beautiful - a reality of the Tiefling’s own voice - but most of all, it was familiar. Familiar in ways that pierced right through the feral and twisted corridors of its mind - right down to what little remained of the Humanity within. In a single moment, the Creature was transported backwards in time and through its own psyche - before its transformation or even years spent with the cult before that. The Creature was transported back to a time when it was nothing more than a little girl - cradled within the warmth and comfort of her mother’s arms. Rocked to sleep by those same, sweet and soothing lyrics - drifting into blissful slumber beneath the light of a binary sunset. It was a lifetime ago - life that had long been destroyed and forgotten except for in the deepest recesses of the Creature’s mind. And for just that moment, whether Altair realized it or not, the Creature felt entirely at peace. On the surface, the Tiefling would see the Creature’s eyes begin to dim - its body slumping over to the left as it drifted off into slumber. It curled into a vaguely fetal position, entirely vulnerable for the Tiefling to dispatch as he pleased or to simply leave where it rested - thus providing no evidence of where he’d gone.

Whatever he chose, the Tiefling would have full access to the Witch’s chamber up ahead. With the Creature for security, the doors were left entirely unlocked for him to push open - revealing the sprawling, open office within. A massive stained glass window took up the wall on the far end of the room, alongside a deck and holo-terminal positioned just in front. To trespass within the higher offices of the cult was tantamount to heresy, and it meant that those in charge were particularly lack in their security protocols. Simply put, the Tiefling would have access to whatever information he wished.

--​

Meanwhile, Vahliri was having just the time of her life within the ritual chamber - resisting the urge to book it at full speed down the opposite hallway. During her time as a Sith, the half-Annfyn had seen some fucked up shit - but this almost certainly took the cake, successful in causing the color to all but drain entirely from her expression.

She watched as the sacrificed woman’s body began to twist and contort according to the strange spellwork at play - bones shattering within their fleshy confines, only to be pieced back together in ways not at all natural. The woman’s limbs began to elongate and sharpen into bony, talon-like points - her jaw dislocating and stretching into a narrow, vertical point. Within only moments, the beautiful, youthful woman was gone - leaving only a fleshy monstrosity in her place - blood ooozing from the open rips and tears across her body.

“Behold,” She gestured a hand to the Creature, an entirely genuine and happy smile gracing her features. “The first step in her transformation is complete - and our beloved sister had begun the process to join Our Lord beyond this earthly confine. Let us all give thanks to Him and hope that we may all follow in her righteous path,”

“Hail Sarvis.” The entire room - save for Vahliri - uttered in unison.

“Come forth, my daughter,” The elder witch gestured to one of the girls right beside Vahliri, urging her forth to repeat the process all over again. It became abundantly clear what was going on - and the half-Annfyn knew it was time to get the hell out of dodge - before they were all progressively sacrificed and she really had no window to slip away. While the entire group was knelt down and the elder’s attention was fixed onto the next supplicant, Vahliri slowly rose up to her feet - slinking backwards while plucking her robes up from the ground. She was not about to get wrapped up any further in this ritual or risk getting twisted into that.. Thing.

What she didn’t account for, however, was the fact they her robes were made for good Ol’ Dave back on the ship - and were thus roughly three sizes too large for her small frame. As she walked backwards, the half-Annfyn let out a yelp as she stumbled on the oversize robes - falling backwards and into one of the crystalline pedestals positioned at various points within the chamber. The glowing pedestal fell backwards, striking the ground and shattering into a thousand small pieces upon impact.

Within a split second, a bit of the power in the room began to fizzle - stored energies within the Kyber crystals suddenly escaping as one conduit was snatched from the loop. As expected, all eyes in the room turned to Vahliri - confusion suddenly turning to anger as her status as an imposter was made obvious.

“..Fuck.” Vahliri muttered, scrambling up to her feet.

“SEIZE HER!” The elder witch screeched. Without another word, the half-Annfyn sprang up to her feet - the Force flowing from her fingertips into a concussion wave - managing to knock over the first wave of witches that started to rush towards her. Without any other options in mind, the half-Annfyn turned on a heel and began to book it towards the door that Altair had vanished into - running at full speeds towards the monster, Tiefling and office where he was likely still rummaging around.

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair saw the slight shift in the creature’s face and even the eyes. It was almost unnerving how human it looked for a moment as he sang. There was a hint of pity that he felt for this thing and it was obvious it was a person once. What the hell happened to her? How could someone go from being a person to this twisted wreck? Altair had no time to ponder ethics as he watched the beast curl up and peacefully nap. He didn’t even exhale in relief, gingerly stepping past it to open the door. To his delight, even that didn’t rouse the creature.

The room was filled with tons of ancient tomes and texts, many of them filled with formulas and rituals. It was a gold mine of information and he knew the Empire would be thrilled at all of this. This seemed the kind of stuff that would make even Raze giddy with joy. Altair scooped most of it up into a bag he spotted nearby that likely belonged to whatever higher up cultist bitch stayed here.

For good measure, he also nabbed a few bejeweled trinkets here and there to sell on the black market. The tiefling was thoroughly happy with his loot and cracked the door open to find a way back. That was when he saw the most bizarre sight before him - Vahliri running down the hall towards him sans clothing and a herd of naked women behind her and some lady with a bloody dagger way in the back.

“What….the…” Altair mouthed, half considering just closing the door and pretending he was hallucinating.

The problem was amplified because the creature was now awake again from all the commotion and it was doubly furious. The beast roared at the women charging into the hallway, not recognizing friend from foe as it lashed out with its long claws. The bladed digits tore through bare skin and flesh, the hallway filled with screaming women. The others were hellbent on trying to catch Vahliri. The dagger woman in the back attempted to coil the Force around Vahliri but was interrupted when one of the other ladies bumped into her.

“We are your own, Blessed of Sarvis!” The woman shouted at the beast, attempting to pacify it. The beast simply growled and slammed into another girl, pinning her to the ground. The beast leaned down and tore away at her chest, chewing up flesh and guts.

Altair paid attention to none of this, ducking down to a knee and coiling the Force around Vahliri’s legs to make her topple clear on her back on the floor. She would skid across the floor, across blood and right beneath the beast that was hunched over and still feasting. She slid right under its legs and towards him where he grabbed her and yanked her into the room, slamming the door behind them.

“Gods damn it Vahl!” He shouted as he hoisted her up and looked around frantically. The chaos continued outside and he knew it was only a matter of time before they burst into this room as well. Altair looked at Vahliri and wrapped an arm around her waist, tugging her close, “Duck your head and close your eyes,” He said without any explanation.

Without warning, he lowered his head and charged across the room. His massive horns and his head completely had the Force lacing through them as he had been taught part of his Matukai training. He had effectively turned himself into a battering ram, charging ahead. His head collided harshly with the window, shattering through the thick pane as he bodily crashed through it. His arms were tightly wrapped around Vahliri to protect her from the impact, the Force bubbling around them.

For a few seconds, they were in freefall, but Altair kept his focus. It wasn’t long before they fell into a heap into a pile of bioluminescent bed of flowers and plants. Altair had largely cushioned Vahliri’s fall and she was atop him. The tiefling blinked slowly past her, staring up at the tower above. He could hear a distant bell ringing there and he knew things were thrown into complete chaos. Altair groaned in pain and looked up at Vahliri, still clutching her tightly. The bag of loot was lying next to them.

“Are you okay?” He asked her urgently.

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Vahliri couldn’t help but marvel at just how quickly and fantastically shit completely hit the fan - especially after surviving Altair’s girly voice incident. Any aspect of stealth was eviscerated in that moment, with the entire chamber and surrounding common too suddenly filled with shrieks of anger from the Coven and curses in a language the half-Annfyn didn’t understand. It had to have been centuries since an outsider last trespassed the inner sanctum, and their rage was only amplified by the fact it had been during a holy and sacred ritual. Thus, Vahliri abandoned any preconceived strategy and did what any sane person being chased by a coven of naked witches would do - booking it the hell in the opposite direction. Ditching the robes entirely, Vahliri narrowly cut around the corner - Force pushing a small statuette into the torso of one witch who nearly latched into her hair - and proceeded to burst through the door and into the hallway.

The moment she spotted the Tiefling, Vahliri immediately started hauling it towards him, “ALTAI—WHAT THE FUCK?!” Her calls out to the him were entirely cut off as the Creature rose to a stand - towering over both the half-Annfyn and the witches that chased her. It was strikingly familiar to the monstrosity she had been back in the ritual chamber, sans the mechanical enhancements and cybernetics. She narrowed dodges as the Creature began to tear apart one of the witches - and before she could be targeted herself, the half-Annfyn let out a yelp as she was pulled across the ground, sliding through the gore and towards Altair’s arms. “That thing out there - It’s one of them,” She shouted back at Altair the moment the door was closed. She had seen enough of the ritual to connect the dots.

The half-Annfyn merely looked up at Altair when the Tiefling shouted out a command - tightly wrapping her arms around the Tiefling’s shoulders rather than argue with whatever he had planned. Her grip grew painfully tight as the Tiefling charged and burst through the window - burying her face against him during those brief moments of freefall. It wasn’t until they crashed into the bed of flowers and came to a stop that Vahliri finally blinked her eyes open, lifting her head from Altair’s chest in order to meet his eyes. She made no attempt to peel away from him at first, wrapping around him tightly and keeping him close. The fact that he has cushioned her fall - risked himself to get them both of our there - wasn’t lost on her, and for just a moment there was a daziness behind her gaze.

Her eyes widened when Altair groaned in pain, immediately lifting her head to look at him - half expecting to see a limb broken out of place or a shard of glass jutting from his body. “I’m fine, Altair are you alright?!” In that moment, the half-Annfyn completely blanked on the situation they were in - the distant bells, the cries of anger from the cultists or even the minimal amount of clothing. Seconds passed, and that concern in her eyes remained center stage.

It was only after Altair answered that the concern faded from her expression a bit, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “Thank you..” With her sensitive hearing, the half-Annfyn could hear additional alarms deeper in the tower - commands being screamed out in rapid succession. Only then did she finally lift her weight off Altair, extending a hand to help the Tiefling back to his feet. “We need to go - now,” It would only be a matter of minutes before cultist began to swarm out of the Spire, intent upon capturing the pair of trespassers.

“What did you find?” She asked back at the Tiefling, not yet releasing his hand as she proceeded to continue booking it away from the Tower. The landscape around them was entirely bioluminescent - rolling hills that shifted in color as flora was brushed gently by the breeze. They were dangerously exposed to being seen from the tower, due to the impressive vantage that the facility commanded. Regardless of his answer, Vahliri’s gaze continued to frantically search the horizon - attempting to pick apart a direction to hide or a route to get away from the cultists not far behind.

After a few moments, her gaze fixed onto one of the gentle manta-ray creatures that drifted across the dark sky. “..I have an idea,” She said back at him, breaking the contact of their hands in order to pluck one of the bioluminescent flowers from the field - drawing upon her first memory upon landing on the planet. “Gather as many of these as you see,” The half-Annfyn continued to frantically gather the flora while moving away from the tower until her hands were completely filled. She proceeded to toss the harvest into a single pile in the middle of the field - gesturing for Altair to do the same, save for a single specimen she kept for herself. Piled in a single location, the bioluminsence of the flowers was only amplified - glittering brightly against the nightly terrain. Within only a few moments, the Manta-ray creatures began to swarm overhead - circling the surplus of food and starting to dip low in the sky.

Only then did Vahliri glance back at Altair. “As soon as they land, be ready to jump on.”

@Sreeya

 

[Altair Din]

Altair groaned but gave a half grin as she asked if he was okay, “I’m gonna die playing your hero one of these days,” He said before coughing a few times. His entire body was sore. He had used the Force to cushion their fall, but it was still tough to be precise with impacts. Altair protested a bit when she rolled off and tugged him up, and he was noticeably slower to get up. It was obvious he was downplaying how much the impact hurt him.

“Slow down, will you?” He tugged her back. He took a moment to take off his robes and threw it over her so she wasn’t completely nude anymore. Altair reached down to snag a shiny pin from his bag of goodies, expertly fixing up the robes so they didn’t drag on the ground and were clasped and pinned up higher, “I swear, Vahl..” He grumbled as he finally fixed up the robes and stepped back with a slight limp. He looked over at the bag and hoisted it up over his shoulder with a pained grunt, “Just St. Altair and his Life Day goodies,” He gave her a shit eating grin.

Altair blinked at her in confusion as she began to gather up the flowers but he shrugged and helped anyway. He walked slowly behind her, trying to cover up the slight limp, as he laid out the flowers. Within moments the rays began to descend down and his eyes widened. It was then that her ridiculous plan was revealed.

“What?” Altair hissed, “This ain’t no movie, Vahl! We ain’t about to go on a magic carpet ride like Daladin and Yasmine!” He looked up in slight panic as the things began to descend, “Look at their fucking mouths. They can swallow at least your ass whole,” He remarked as he began to step back slowly. He almost fell over from the large gust of wind as the massive beasts finally landed. To his surprise, they were only interested in munching on the ‘food’.

By now he could hear more commotion and could see a line of armed cultists flooding out of the temple, “Fuck,” Altair said as he awkwardly grabbed a hold of a ‘fin’ and climbed up. He almost slipped a few times on the rubbery skin but managed to plop himself on its back. Altair scowled at Vahliri as the creature began to stir and prepared to ascend as it saw the cultists approaching.

“How do you intend to steer this thing?” Altair asked quizzically, "Maybe I'll start belting that song?"

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Despite his best attempts to hide it, Vahliri saw right through Altair’s facade and just how much the Tiefling was hurting after their fall. “Altair..” She muttered as she helped the Tiefling back to his feet. There was a wave of guilt that hit her at once, her face scrunching up a bit with every limp and pained grunt the Tiefling made. With the alarms blaring against her sensitive hearing, the half-Annfyn was prepared to continue booking it through the field of glowing flowers sans clothing - up until Altair grabbed her back. A look of confusion briefly flashed across her features, vanishing the moment he threw his own robes around her. There was something undeniably affectionate about the way he went out of his way to expertly pin up the garment, and it immediately caused heat to rise up into her cheeks. “I..” The half-Annfyn blinked a few times as a smile tugged wide on her lips, for once left without anything flirtatious or witty to come back in response with. Her fluted ears proceeded to swivel and flick around wildly on the sides of her skull, except this time she was entirely aware of the involuntary response.

“Are you about to start singing Life Day carols?” She asked in response, arching a brow and smirking ever-so-slightly as the Tiefling flashed his shit-eating grin. Even still, the Tiefling wouldn’t get more than a few steps with that sack before the half-Annfyn stepped in close - reaching over and gesturing for Altair to allow her to carry the thing for a while. She said nothing about it - only giving the Tiefling a certain look if he started to protest to what she was doing.

Just as the Manta-ray’s began to land, Vahliri glanced back over her shoulder - listening for a moment as Altair reminded her how bad this idea was. “We don’t have much of a choice!” She hissed back, a bit of panic flashing across her features as she glanced back at the tower. “They have a vantage and can see us for miles in whatever direction we run. We won’t lose them,” The half-Annfyn glanced back to the rays, “This is our best option.” It certainly wasn’t a good plan.. But had they had a single good plan thus far? Taking in a deep breath, the half-Annfyn stepped forward and began to climb on top of the creature - similarly slipping a few times on its rubbery skin before perching herself on the upper portion of its back. Much to her surprise, they didn’t seem at all bothered by the sudden appearance of two riders - far more gentle and interested in their food. Without reins, her hands curled around two of the ray’s back ‘fins’ to hang on, sitting up ever-so-slightly in place.

“Keep your posture straight and aligned with your hips,” The half-Annfyn said, readjusting on the creature’s back and similarly gesturing for Altair to do the same - while swinging her legs around to lay in other side of the creature’s back. “Use your legs and hands to steer by applying pressure onto one side of the body, they'll feel it and instinctively turn in the opposite direction.” The half-Annfyn was surprisingly confident in her answers, drawing from a life-time of bougie equestrian knowledge to go off of. The fact that these creatures were entirely alien and were capable of flight was a small deviation she didn’t really want to think about quite yet.

“Okay.. Now or never..” Without another word, Vahliri gently tapped her hand on the ray’s back - which coupled with the approaching cultists - was enough for the entire flock to abruptly lift off from the ground - ascending back into the sky with a sudden flapping its wings. Naturally, Vahliri winced at the sudden rise in elevation - gripping on tighter to the creature as they began to sail high above the ground - gently drifting just below some low-hanging clouds.

“This.. This isn’t so bad!” She called out to Altair, the entire flock still moving in relative formation. From their aerial position, Vahliri couldn’t help but marvel at just how strange and beautiful the planet was - verdant hills, forests and grasslands that were lit with all manner of blues, violents and fiery orange bioluminescence, rather than dominant hues of green seen on multiple other worlds. The sky was incredibly bright even for being at night, light seeming to reflect off the surface of multiple moons and the gas giant locked into the sky. After a few moments of straight flying, Vahliri tested her own theory - and to her own surprise - found that the Manta ray obeyed her commands without fault - gently banking to the right and cutting across the open sky. The anxiety and fear began to melt away, and she couldn’t help finding herself rather enjoying the impromptu flight.

“I can see a cave up ahead!” The half-Annfyn shouted back to Altair, pointing ahead. Nestled between the rolling hills was the hollowed mouth of a cave, surrounded by giant flora and mushrooms that glew with the same starlight as the rest of the planet. Curiously, the Manta ray’s seemed incredibly drawn to the location, with multiple other flocks and their young drifting in proximity to the location. Even with their steering, the pair would undoubtedly feel their mounts start tugging in that direction.

@Sreeya

Roll: 19/20 (Apparently Vahl is a fuckin' champ at flying these things..)

 

[Altair Din]

This was probably the worst time to discover that Altair was actually quite terrified of any kind of open flight. He looked over the side at the drop below and gulped audibly before looking ahead again. Altair heard Vahl rattle off some instructions about what to do with legs and arms, “Fuck that,” He quipped back, “I’m just gonna hold onto you and you sound like you ain’t about to fall,” With that he fiercely clutched onto her a few steps away from giving her an accidental heimlich. It took him a while to finally get comfortable with the flight but Vahl would feel both his arms and, hilariously, his tail tightly coiled around her waist. He kept glancing over the side to look at the brilliant views below.

“Okay this ain’t so bad..” He agreed as he began to smile and loosened his grip a bit. For a brief moment he forgot about the aches and pains in his body, the gentle breeze and the feeling of weightlessness bringing him a sense of comfort. After a while, Altair sighed and leaned forward to gently rest his head against the back of Vahliri’s shoulder, closing his eyes as he simply held her. He leaned into the familiarity which anchored him amidst all the chaos that surrounded them now. The height, the cultists, the sense of dread around not knowing how to leave all melted away just for that moment.

Altair bolted upright again when she mentioned a cave, realizing he had almost dozed off right there against her. He only grunted a vague response, drawing a breath sharply as the beast began to descend, “Holy shiiiiiit!” He called out in terror as he clutched Vahl fiercely again on the drop down. After it touched down, Altair gingerly eased himself off and promptly slipped and rolled and slid down the ‘wing’ of the ray. He landed in a lump on the ground, groaning as he peeled himself up and grabbed the bag.

A glance over the cliff’s edge suggested they were quite high up which drew out a grimace. Altair looked deeper into the cave, seeing nothing but black initially but some brilliant natural lighting further in, “We gotta find a way down to a ship or some way off the planet,” He said, not immediately spotting any obvious ways down. He looked at Vahliri and then at the cave, “What’s a Sith mission if it ain’t got a creepy ass cave involved?”

@Altaris

 

[Darth Tempest]

Even as they began to ascend miles above the ground, Vahliri was entirely convinced that Altair was going to start dramatically singing to the entire flock of manta-ray creatures. As a result, the half-Annfyn wasn’t at all expecting for Altair to make his quip - or for the Tiefling to tightly coil arms, legs and tail around her body. She didn’t recoil away from him and continued to keep her upright posture, even as he threatened to practically squeeze the life out of her.

“Neither of us are going to fall,” She said confidently, glancing back over her shoulder to flash Altair a smile.

The half-Annfyn allowed the Ray to gradually drift to the right - gentle and slow as it sailed across the sky - and began to bank towards the caves in the distance. “It’s beautiful,” She muttered, glancing over to the brilliant views all around them - growing gradually more confident and comfortable throughout their flight. High above the ground and away from that tower, it was so easy to let the entire Galaxy slip into the background - irrelevant and easily forgotten when lined up beside the moment that unfolded before them now.

The moment that Altair leaned forth to rest his head against her shoulder, Vahliri could feel her entire body relax against his grasp - her fluted ears swiveling wildly as she tilted back and and leaned against him. It was a wave of emotions that hit her all at once, and above it all was that sense of comfort beyond words. There was a warmth and sense of familiarity there - one that had been cultivated throughout years and with every moment spent - that seemed to cut through her every hardship and ailment thus far. It was a sense of belonging and security, and it left the half-Annfyn feeling untouchable even miles above the ground.

Even as she kept one hand on the ray’s fin, Vahliri brought her other hand to rest gingerly over her torso and the arm that Altair wrapped around her. Any thought of where they were going or what came next vanished - every want and desire to simply linger in that hold, drifting amongst the clouds and the gentle song of the rays. She could’ve been up there for hours, and would’ve been lying if she claimed she didn’t want to stay exactly there.

It wasn’t until they began to dive downward that Vahliri snapped out of it, and there was little time to be sentimental as they began drastically slicing towards the sheer cliff. “Altairrrrr!” She cried out, gripping onto the ray before it abruptly flapped its wings a few feet from the ground, coming to a sudden stop before drifting the last bit of distance with all the grace in the world - as if it hadn’t just nosedived like a downed fighter pilot.

Vahliri slid down the side of the ray just behind Altair, tumbling a bit but managing to somehow stay on her feet. Once Altair got up from the ground, Vahliri turned her attention to the cave up ahead - eyes immediately narrowing into sharp points as she stared at the cave. “Of course there is,” She said, not looking the least bit amused. The half-Annfyn took a few steps closer to the mouth of the cave, pitch darkness swallowing the first few meters into the tunnel.

“I can’t see shit..” She muttered. As if on que, however, one of the ray creatures flew directly overhead - diving into the black depths of the cave. As it soared past, the flora along the cave walls reacted to its passage - glowing briefly with the same bioluminescence and lighting up the entire mouth of the cave. Only then - briefly - did Vahliri spot a few ledges and gradually steps that led deeper inside. “…Forget what I said.” The half-Annfyn glanced around for a few moments before spotting a large stone a few feet away from the cave entrance. Reaching out with the Force, Vahliri coiled her grip around it and began levitating the rock in front of her and into the cave - using the movement to trigger the same reaction out of the plant-life - thus lighting the was for them to begin gradually stepping deeper. The half-Annfyn deliberately took the lead while also keeping her back close to Altair - entirely aware of his injury and keeping herself within reach in the event that he ate shit.

It would take them several minutes, but as they rounded a winding corner of the tunnel, the pair were finally greeted by the source of the natural lighting deeper within. The narrow cave widened onto an almost impossibly wide and tall chamber within the mountain - fungi and glowing ivies lining the walls and painting the entire chamber in deep shades of aquamarine and violet. Underground springs of shimmering water bubbles up from underground, forming several pools and subsequent streams that networked throughout.

Most notable, however, was the absolute swarm of Manta ray creatures that lingered within the cave - perching themselves lazily on the ground and rocks, others flying around the domed cave roof, while others more submerged almost entirely in the pools - the water seeming to soothe their tired bodies. A multitude of young versions of the ray’s could be seen clinging close behind their mothers - those in the air seeming to float just a bit more clumsily around, lacking the same grace and elegance as the elders.

“Woah..” Vahliri muttered, stepping into the chamber. The ray’s barely seemed to acknowledge their presence, and weren’t the least bit perturbed. The pair hadn’t shown themselves to be threatening, and the gentle natured creatures didn’t seem to mind them because of it.

While expansive, the chamber narrowed towards the end into yet another tunnel - clearly leading further through the mountain and likely down to its base.

The only problem, of course, was the absolutely colossal Manta ray - likely a brood mother or elder amongst them - that lazily slept in front of the tunnel, blocking the pathway and effectively keeping the pair completely trapped within the nest of rays. Attempting to move it physically would get them nowhere, and acts of aggression were likely to only scare the otherwise trusting creatures.

 

[Altair Din]

Altair noticed Vahliri purposely slowed down as they ventured deeper into the cave. In truth, he felt nothing short of exhaustion and soreness throughout his entire body. It had been a long journey since they first arrived at their snowy rendezvous point. He had to gather the Force to prepare for whatever inevitable monstrosity waited for them next. To his surprise, the sight before him was absolutely breathtaking. The immediate path out was blocked by a large ray, but the rest of the cavern was clearly a massive nest of some sort. To his surprise, the rays appeared largely unconcerned by the appearance of the Sith. It was obvious the locals largely left them alone and they had no real predators.

He didn’t bother with the massive roadblock in their way, but he began to descend down towards where he saw the water and the various rays lazily circling. The sight was breathtaking and the water appeared to shimmer of its own accord. He had to glance very carefully to spot that there were bioluminescent plants languidly swaying beneath the crystal clear water. The tielfing set his bag down and took the time to just take it all in, knowing this was a corner of the galaxy that was entirely unexplored. He doubted even the cultists knew about all this.

Altair turned and extended a hand to help Vahliri descend down the path, knowing she was far more clumsy than him even with any injuries he sported. He eyed some of the younger rays lazily floating around them, one of them dipping into the water every now and then.

“I ain’t in no hurry..” He muttered quietly as he gazed ahead. It was a shift from even moments prior where he was entirely concerned about leaving the planet as soon as possible, “It’s like a place locked in time,” Altair said after a moment, “No one knows it’s here. These things ain’t afraid of us.”

It was then that he realized he never released her hand from helping her descend the path. His gaze briefly lingered where he held her hand, and he still made no move to release it. Slowly, his eyes dragged up to meet hers. It was impossible to tell what was going through his mind. He stood there in silence for a few seconds before he finally spoke.

“You really fuck with me sometimes, you know that?” He said with an exhale. It never made sense to him and it only twisted him up as often as it elated him. Altair didn’t even know what he meant by the words. He had been putting up layers upon layers of barriers since the day he had met her. He gingerly and carefully skirted around it all and it left him with a sense of security. He did that with everyone, because to do anything else always shattered him. It always left him to pick up each shard and put himself back together. It was so simple to hide behind the confidence, the swagger and being the center of attention. But a part of him would always be that vulnerable boy from Bandomeer, the one that unraveled easily and was destroyed for it each time.

Altair took a step towards her, meeting her gaze. There was no confident smirk on his face, no flirty grin or casual quip. He kept his gaze locked with hers as he released her hand at last, bringing up both of his hands to tug away at the robes and letting them slide easily off her shoulders like silk. The shimmering lights reflected against her bronze skin, and still his eyes remained on hers, not an ounce of regret or explanation for his actions manifesting. His hands next undid his own clothing, letting them fall easily on the ground. His broad shoulders and charcoal skin were revealed, along with the clear bruises here and there on his body from the fall. And still his gaze never lowered. His violet eyes were more piercing than ever, illuminated especially by their surroundings and sharply vivid against his dark skin.

Without a word, one of his hands reached up to brush her hair away from her shoulder, his face still impossible to read. There was no smile there, no explanation, no clarification. All he knew was that he wanted to see her like this - with the lights reflecting against her, wanted to gaze into those vibrant eyes that he looked into on that rooftop atop Indupar, taste what he had for the first time when he was at the lowest point in his life while withdrawing from Wildfire.

“Don’t ask me questions, Vahliri,” Altair said flatly as his fingers traveled up and curled into her locks. He tugged her close and tilted his head to close the distance and kiss her. It wasn’t anything like the kiss back on the ship and it wasn’t a whimsical thing. He sank into this, he melted into it, and he was in freefall. His other arm snaked around her bare waist, his calloused fingers gliding along her smooth, warm skin. The mantas lazily circled above them and the gentle lapping of water resounded behind them and Altair was oblivious to all of it.

@Altaris