Ask Ziost: The Final Push

[Cerberus]

It was refreshing when he sensed that Serene was motivated by his presence, although the young Sith did not drop his defences even for a moment despite it. Just like his and Serenes last adventure into another reality, there was still a lot of unknown that he did not want to underestimate.

On the other hand, the inky darkness that crept along the ground around Serene was something that Cerberus knew about. He was aware that gathering it and powering it up took time, and so he decided on a different approach.

The young Sith began to move, walking carefully with purpose while observing the entity for a few heartbeats. Once observed he sent out another blast of psychic energy towards it, as the entity's focus had shifted to the Sith Master.

If he was not attacked by anything or needed to adjust, he'd send another blast towards the entity to keep hurting and putting pressure on it, perhaps even aiding in its demise. He'd continue this method for awhile; sending out short blasts toward the entity with pauses between each for observation. He did not want to trap himself into anything that didn't give him flexibility in the situation he was in. He also did not want to use up too much energy at once unnecessarily. So far, Cerberus had been able to be mindful of his resources and he planned to keep it that way.

Spoiler: OOC

-began to walk and observe the entity

-Sends out another blast of psychic energy when he sees the entity’s focus switch wholly to the Sith master, pauses to observe for a few moments in case he needs to adjust his approach, then sends out another blast if he doesn't need to adjust. He plans to continue this pattern (blast, short observe, blast) for flexibility and to keep hurting/putting pressure on the entity, perhaps even aiding in its demise.

@Darasuum @Apollyon

 

[Trael Osso-Drast]

Trael turned around to follow Ilyan’s motioning. His gaze catching the undead that followed him. He was hoping utilizing the break in the horde would’ve allowed him a clean escape but it seems that didn’t work out. The handful of undead could’ve easily been dispatched by Trael alone, but Ilyan lunged at them.

Trael ignited both of his sabers, moving forward methodically. He took a calculated approach to the undead, needing to conserve as much of his reserves as he could. Trael kept an eye on Ilyan’s location as she moved through the group, he’d like to avoid risking getting in each others way.

Trael attacked through the undead methodically. He ensured to remove any limbs to prevent being grabbed and quickly finished them off. Once they eventually got through the group of undead he would aid Ilyan in ordering the main army.

Spoiler: tldr

Trael carefully fights the horde working to ensure he takes as little damage as possible. He then works with Ilyan to get the army coordinating and moving properly.

@Apollyon

 

[The Storyteller]

Group Razar
@Sreeya @Phoenix @Javier esschoolbus​

Darth Raze, an undisputed master of mental manipulation and domination would find little resistance as he pierced into the mind of the Queen. Not that she didn’t fight back, she did of course, but it was a weakened and pathetic protest rather than a genuine struggle. The transcended Sith Spirit easily tore through her primal instincts and memories until he found what he was looking for.

The synapsis tendrils that connected her to her countless brood.

Raze would become aware of how vast her subterranean empire was. How much suffering her little slice of hell caused. How she fit perfectly into an ecosystem that fed and empowered the Dark Side.

And then his mental command would flay her mind into ribbons. Whatever existed of her vanished into a single shriek that pulsed through the Force. Her soul was consumed as it passed beyond the veil, but her body didn’t die. Instead, it persisted as a marionette on strings, guided by Raze’s hand. For a time at least.

The Massassi that formed around Azar’s body watched in awe as the scorpions stopped. Truly this was the power of a god. This was the power of Darth Arcanos. Wasn’t it?

The adult males froze for a moment as Raze’s commands reached them. Their minds processed the order that was given to them. Chaos would break out as they followed the command. Nymphs were ripped apart by brood guardians, soldiers stung themselves or other warriors, they murdered one another without hesitation. Through Raze, Arcanos would feel the upending of this ecosystem. The destruction of an ancient hive. A piece of what brought Ziost so close to the Dark Side, fading forever.

All to feed a hungering god of death.

Ilyan and Trael would turn to face the undead that rushed their position only to be met with the oddest of circumstances. The dozen zombies stopped their charge and stood straight. A strange calmness overtook their faces before they spoke with a single voice.

“Your king is dead now.” The masculine voice chimed. “In his place sits the death of the Galaxy made manifest.” It continued. “Even from my distant home I can feel His return.” One of the undead collapsed, whatever animating it burning out. “Destroy him or there will be no Galaxy left for the Sith to rule.”

With those final words, the undead word collapse under the weight of whatever had taken control of them. Their bodies smoking from the inability to contain such power. But what was that? More importantly, who was that? And what would Trael and Ilyan do with this information?

Group Caer & Co
@LouJoVi @Dread @Darasuum​

Drawing power from a being created from the Force itself was always a risk. It never came without cost. Something Serene found out very quickly. Her body was rejuvenated, her wounds healed, scar mending themselves to flawless flesh once more. She was pristine. But even as she drew the amalgamation of souls into her, a faint itch was born into the back of her mind.

A quiet voice whispered to her.

At first, it seemed like it might be her own inner voice, a part of her that she had long forgotten. It sounded like herself but as a child. It spoke in the same cadence as she did back then. Everything aligned save for what it told her to do.

“Yes, drink deeper. We must grow stronger you and I.”

A new passenger now rode within her flesh. It invigorated her and she felt new power birthed within her. But what did it want? Could she tame it? Did she even want to?

Master Caerillion’s shield held against the potent onslaught. Through his mind’s eye he watched as Serene’s tendril’s of shadow wrapped themself around the Entity. The psychic flames he wrought, spread across the creature it’s form began to come apart in a scream comprised of countless dead.

Beside him, Cerberus blinked into the realm of the Force itself. The Sith Champion seemed to study the beast for a moment before launching into his own assault. The twin attacks from Cerberus and Serene broke the mental assault on Caer’s mind long enough for the Sith Master to make the final assault.

Flame burned from within the creature as it howled in outrage. And then it simply ceased to be. No grand explosion, now final attack, it just vanished into the ether. Leaving the Sith to contemplate what had occurred.

Stand Against the Horde
@Akheron @Cainhurst Crow @Mr. Teatime @Sicadorito @Jake​

While the Horde had been thinned, it was still measured in the hundreds instead of thousand. The scrabbling dead crashed into Sith defenders and their droids in the dozens. The decision made to defend the comatose forms of Caer, Serene, and Cerberus was the correct one.

Lightsabers flicked out and blaster fire roared as the Horde was thinned further. But the undead did reach their position and chaos finally broke out. Worse, the defenders would find that the avalanche hadn’t destroyed all it had buried.

Undead claws grasped at feet and legs to hold the Sith in place. To allow their kindred to fall upon them easier. To give them an opportunity to consume.

How would the deal with the threat from below?

 

[Corwin Carmine]

Corwin's string of swears continued in earnest- a stark contrast to their fighting style. Tail swaying behind them for balance, the Tiefling's blade lacked the speed of seasoned Champions, but the acolyte was a cunning killer. The undead weren't saber-proof and had to rush past the plasma blade to get to them. A short cut to the offending limbs, then the head. Again and again, cut-slash, cut-slash, patient and focused. But there sure were a lot of them...

A poncy, fluffy boot planted on the growing pile of re-dead undead, her tail whipped behind her in purest irritation, and her eyes swept the crowd. No orders or communication. Again. Typical. As her tail shook behind her it rattled ominously as a serpent-like hiss escaping from between the tiefling's pointed teeth.

Fine.

"Enough defense! We are not losing to corpses! Everyone Force pushes at once! (@Akheron @Cainhurst Crow @Sicadorito @Jake) If all of them pushed together, they could at press back against the zombies and squash them against one another, a ripple effect to blunt the charge. It would help Carmine's plan if they did what she said, but it wouldn't stop her from doing it.

Carmine's left hand hit the quick-release button on their backpack and grabbed it by the strap. They cut down a zombie, stepped back, took a second to calculate their throw, and then absolutely chucked the backpack aided by the Force. It would sail, end-over-end, toward the approximate center of the horde, a safe distance from the Sith line owing to the zombie deathblob number in the hundreds.

Then Carmine would press a button on their belt, detonating the demolition charge. Not only was it a 10-meter explosion in the middle of a dense blob of zombies, the zombies in question were also standing atop recently-melted and refrozen ice. The ice would crack and bury survivors dead in the frozen depths where they belonged. Spraying them with ice flak in the process was just a bonus.

The best part? Between distance from the Sith line and the hundreds of bodies, the Sith defenders would be safe from the resulting blast—except, maybe, their ears.

@Apollyon @Akheron @Cainhurst Crow @Sicadorito @Jake

Spoiler: Corwin Activities

1) Corwin is slashing undead
2) Corwin (attempts to) give an order for a group Force Push to the defending Sith, with the goal of blunting the Zombie charge and bunching them up further.
3) Corwin throws their backpack (containing a demolition charge) into the center of the giant zombie blob, then detonates it.

 

[Qû’jara Jinyeva]

Spoiler: Situation

The strike team is huddled in a shield wall where they've cut into the horde, believing they could corral the remainders forward but underestimating how many were left. Their position is critical, both in presenting a flanking opportunity and because they could easily be overrun.

Qû capitalizes on Carmine's timely distraction. Sorry this post is long, but I'm sort of replying to two rounds of Storyteller posts.

Spoiler: Theme

· · ── •⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅• ── · ·
GROUP CAER​

After cutting in to a point halfway through the unceasing horde, the strike team and their contingent of battle-droids were in a critical but precarious position. They huddled into a circular phalanx formation, Sith warriors alternating as the outer shell exposed to the undead while particle beams lanced out between them from the droid contingent's covering fire.0​ The horde crumbled like their own brittle and frozen bones around the Sith, but as soon as they exhausted themselves their shield wall would be overrun.

Qû overheard Corwin (@Mr. Teatime) as they barked a command and lobbed their backpack into the rotting throng before detonating an explosive charge, spattering the Sith with bones and blood from a massive crater of gore. Many warriors complied, coordinating their telekinesis to toss the horde back in a screaming arc of flailing frozen bodies. A shudder went through every living creature around them as the great shadow in the dark side simply ceased to be.

War was water: innumerable streams of moments flowing into one almighty river. Qû saw the fields of rotting flesh rising towards the outcropping-- 1​

Pushing her awareness to dissociative extremes beyond the limit of her body, Qû let feedback wash across her mind as she bent every sense to finding a moment she could seize in the flow of battle! Carmine's distraction revealed it.

"A few must hold the tide. The others will push through the gap. Break the chains of your weakness right now and take your glory or join the rotting slaves beside us!" the crusader grunted. These would be her only orders and her only reaffirmation. 2​

Qû’jara gathered more of the Force into herself than she ever had before, throwing all of her reserves into the fire and then more, giving herself to the dark side with fanatical fervor. For an instant she gleamed nova bright in the Force, a guiding star so that all the Sith would know where their brethren needed them to focus their attention.

All that awareness collapsed into a point within her, leaving only two thoughts: spear and shield.

She sprang like a javelin from their formation, her lightsaber cutting along superhuman arcs and sweeping through the undead. For a few seconds she moved towards the rocky outcropping, opening more space for the strike team to move through. She swept out with one arm and telekinetically battered more of the undead aside. Turning towards the Sith, Qû didn't even acknowledge the droids marching past her, thrusting both palms out to throw a last wave of telekinesis at the horde. 3​

<< Wonoksh Qyâsik nun! >> she cried in the First Language, citing the Sith Code: the Force shall free me! Letting instinct take over, Qû counted on the rest of the Sith to shift the flow of battle further in their favor before she collapsed.

Spoiler: Actions

0. The Sith are huddling in a phalanx or shield wall type formation in the middle of the horde.
1. Corwin's demolition charge and coordinated Force Push create a distraction in the horde. A shadow lifts from the battlefield as the Force entity vanishes.
2. Qû senses all these things and tells the strike team to push forward and reunite with the others while a few stay back to hold the horde while all of the Sith work together to capitalize on the situation.
3. Qû goes Super Saiyan and smashes a bunch of zombies to help facilitate all of this.

She's burning through her Force reserves very quickly and will be unable to sustain this activity past my next post.

@Sicadorito @Cainhurst Crow @LouJoVi @Apollyon @Mr. Teatime

 

[Trael Osso-Drast]

Trael was fully prepared to fight, readying himself to began cutting down the undead. That’s when they all stopped. Trael watched them curiously his lightsabers halfway between a guard and rest. His gaze was scanning the group for any movements when something completely unexpected happened.

Trael blinked in surprise as one of the undead begun to speak. His sabers ignited at his sides as he listened. The king was dead? That had to be a lie. Trael would’ve felt it if Azar had died. He felt the emotions as he conquered Korriban originally, and Trael was light years away, but something gnawed at him.

“Take the army and information to the other Sith. Don’t wait for me or Azar, continue the attack.” He said to Ilyan (@Phoenix) , “I will see how true the undead’s words were. If it was a lie me and Azar will catch up, if not..” He added, trailing off as a tear fell, “You will have to finish the conquest.” He said his voice slightly breaking as he turned towards her, his expression showing his underlying sadness.

He turned away looking back towards Azar’s location. He began walking forwards, reaching out through the Force, searching for Azar, desperately he called out in the metaphysical plane, AZAR! He hoped the undead was lying, he needed it to be lying. His mind scrambled as he waited for a response, if one didn’t come he’d call out again, this time focusing in on where he last felt Azar.

@Sreeya @Apollyon

 

[Darth Arcanos]

The collapse and destruction were beautiful to Raze, and it was exactly what fueled him. He drew from it, he feasted upon it, and he let it empower him. The entity breathed it all in, blinking his eyes open and feeling the brisk air on his face. He was powerful enough now to look through Azar’s eyes into the world, hints of red clouding the normally yellow hues. The Sith Lord stood taller, and more confident, with the demeanor of a god among mortals.

He blinked a few times, surveying his surroundings. He raised his hands and flexed the fingers, eyes tracing over the various tattoos and old scars from slicing skin open to summon blood magic. He looked across all the Massassi and Kissai who looked at him expectantly. Who revered and worshipped him. He relished in that feeling, a smirk gracing his lips. A smirk that was nothing like what Azar had ever expressed.

The Sith Lord started to walk, stepping past the corpses of the nymphs and male scorpions. He knew the Brood Mother’s body was close to collapse, but he stopped short of letting it completely shatter. Using the Force, he floated the massive beast back towards himself, using alchemy to fuse new ice legs to the body. The scorpion stood upright again, its deadly pincers clicking as Raze controlled it as its puppeteer.

That was when he heard an anguished wail call out for Azar. The Sith lord calmly turned to look at the Sith Master Trael (@Javier esschoolbus ). Initially, the Purbelood looked elated and concerned, “Trael!” He cried out, “Oh thank goodness you’re okay! I’m just soooooo worried!” Trael would notice right away that his tone was exaggerated, “I’m just so frustrated that you constantly hold yourself back and fail to be a man worthy of my..affections,” He had to search for the term. He couldn’t put on the charade any longer, bursting out into a cruel laugh as he toyed with Azar's deepest fears. His gaze then flicked to Ilyan (@Phoenix )a short distance behind Trael, “And you, my little devoted wife who I tire of fucking because you can’t seem to conjure me an heir,” He cackled mirthlessly, “Two pathetic beings holding back a King,” He spat, his voice changing to something darker and more gravely.

“Your little princess is not here right now,” He growled as he looked back at Trael, “Make yourself useful before I burn through him,” The Force would coil around Ilyan’s neck and yank her back from wherever she was going to follow the initial orders, “You will come as well, little whore,” He growled.

With that, Razar hopped atop the back of the Queen Scorpion, “Rally everyone and march on the castle,” He commanded, “Any Sith that can’t get past the undead or entity will be left behind,” Razar said coldly.

Without further words, he silently willed the Queen Scorpion to march forth, charging ahead with the Sith Lord perched atop her back. He towered above the battlefield like a dark god, carrying himself with a demeanor none had seen before.

–​

You can’t keep me trapped in here, Azar growled.

Oh I am an expert at mental traps, Raze sneered, You see, I experienced it myself for decades.

You will only burn through me and return to being an entity, Azar scoffed, I was witness to when you attempted last time on Ajan Kloss.

That gave Raze pause. It was the first time there was hesitation in the entity. There was no denying that anytime Raze had attempted to possess someone fully before, their bodies developed lesions and threatened to tear apart. The rituals to allow him a full possession hadn't been done yet.

So you will play nice, Azar hissed, And you will help me complete this conquest or I will reopen all of my old blood magic wounds and rob you of a body.

Silence.

Azar smiled. He may have been trapped in his own psyche. Raze may have rifled through all his thoughts, memories, fears. But Azar still held the cards.

For now.

@Apollyon

 

[Karai Hekk-iv-Adas]

━─━────༺༻────━─━


THEME


​

Karai listened as Krakira spoke to him, giving a nod of acknowledgement as he proceeded to remove any undead near his position within the 3 point defence. And yet as he did he noted still the dead kept coming like a unending wave, this only increased his rage and anger at being how they just did not stop. He hoped those reinforcements he called arrived soon. He allowed a smirk though as he felt the entity at least for now fade in the Force, which meant the others would rejoin the fight very soon.

As the Acolyte, Carmine called out Karai obliged, agreeing. It was time too press the assault. He acted after chopping at any undead near his feet, seeking to end them and stepping back a few steps while he did it to make more room to fight and dodge them. He attempted to solidify the ground near him with his affinity for Terrakinesis and try to squash, trap or crush the horde in the ground.

Once the initial threat was dealt with he would stand stoic and unmoving just like the others at the spot, like a shield wall of crimson plasma as his lightsaber cut away at the damned. From here he attempted to use the Force in tandem with the others and send a mighty Push outwards towards the gathered horde. Seeing the explosive being tossed, he briefly covered his ears, not that it would do much. And then he heard it.

A almighty boom, followed by a shockwaves of sorts, vibrations reverberating the ground underneath them was the result. Limbs and gore rained down from above and around them like red rain, marking his already red skin and his armour in blood. Taking his place again in the defensive formation, he held position allowing Champion Qu to go forwards as the tip of the assault. A sword or spear at the tip while. He noted how the twi'lek warrior was in some kind of berserker rage, and he found it fascinating even as he fought.

As Qu continued her rampage, he followed the others to press forwards, Karai aided the assault in his own way. He turned to the droids remaining issuing an order.

"Follow me and concentrate fire at the horde, blast them into dust!"

With this he cut at the horde, attempting to continue to push the advance for now, they needed to bide time for the others to recover enough to be of any help and use the advantage the bomb may have given them. Driven the words of the Champion Qu, and further motivated he used his rage and anger, Karai attempted to cut a swathe through the flank where he stood. Once he had punched a hole he would use Telekinesis to attempt to launch a barrage upon the horde using whatever bodies and ice he could grip.[/abox3]

Spoiler: Summary of Actions

1.Karai remains in position in the 3 point defence and chops at the undead near his feet, taking a step back to create space. From there he attempts to use his affinity for Terrakinesis to trap, squash and crush any of the horde beneath him.

2.Karai assists with the combined Force Push before covering his ears in preparation for the bomb going off.

3.He advances after the the bomb blast and attempts to push forwards with Qu and any others through the gap with the droids. Orders the droids to concentrate fire at the horde mass that remains.

5.Continues the advance and attempts to gain ground and cut at the flank where he is stood currently, motivated by Champion Qu to press forwards.

6.Once he has punched a hole he will attempt to use Telekinesis and launch a barrage of bodies and ice at the horde.

@Apollyon @Darasuum @LouJoVi @Sicadorito @Jake @Dread @Mr. Teatime @Cainhurst Crow

 

[Serene]

The Witch felt better than ever as she syphoned energy away from the Entity. She fired off the empowered dark shear at her foe before it completely disappeared. Even if it was overkill, the woman wanted to burn off the ramped up excess of energy. But she did not celebrate the Entity's apparent defeat or her rejuvenated body.

The voice that came through her head caused unease even as she felt a kinship with it, wanting to give in and agree. The woman had researched and even had contact with sentient presences. Serene was nothing if not cautious. One such artifact was close at hand, possessed by Cerbereus. The red eyed man was with Serene presently in this parallel space and in contact with her physically in the corporeal world. He might sense this transfer of energy and what Serene said next.

I decide when we feed. In the ether Serene's telepathy was muffled but it still had the potential to reach Cerberus's ears. The Vade Maecum Infernal was averse to having more than one presence connecting to it which Serene had personally learned first hand as she had meditated on it with Cerberus. It too might have the innate ability to notice the subtle change in Serene.

Who or whatever you are... With an absolute determination Serene spoke to herself, or whatever had spoken to her. She was not sure if this thing even had a sentients but it would hear her regardless. Know this, I am not stuck with you, you are stuck with me. She accepted this presence but demanded command over it. Serene guarded her mind, body and soul against the new presence. Her awareness turned inward, surrounding it in an attempt to dominate it. You are mine!

Serene had consumed the Entity, or at least a portion of its power. Whether that was what resided in her now or was something else she did not know. Serene was not letting her guard down. Empowered from her vampiric ability Serene was not foolish enough to think herself invulnerable. There was a still a battle happening and many threats. She would need to survive this before fully exploring the length and breadth of her new power. Then again, there was no time like the present.

Spoiler: Summary

Serene focuses on this new presence inside her to make sure she dominates it and has control of its power.

Cerberus possibly notices this because he's physically touching Serene, they've previously meditated before, his tome of sith alchemy is semi-sentient and have been in an "alternate space" together.

@Dread @Apollyon

 

[Cerberus]

It went without saying that the Vade Maecum did not enjoy being connected to Serene. It had tolerated her before, but barely. It was this knowledge that set alarm bells off in Cerberus' mind when the Vade Maecum began to whisper incessantly again, just as it had before when Serene had connected to him and the tome. Was it reacting even more poorly to Serene now? Why? Something was happening.

He could not possibly know what was happening exactly, but he was now tipped off to danger. Then he heard it; broken words echoed through the Force and his mind, coming from Serene because of their connection both in the physical world and spiritually. Though muffled and broke, he could hear: Decide. Feed. You're stuck... Mine, from Serene.

He had to act. Something was wrong with her. It was more than obvious, and if she died that was one less Sith to fight whatever this was.

"SERENE?!" Cerberus shouted towards her. "HELLO?!" She didn't answer, only more broken words echoed from her telepathically through his mind, so he added. "KEEP IT TOGETHER!"

He hoped his words got through her thick skull at least, even if he wasn't fond about being so closely connected to another person. Either way, he no longer needed to attack the entity, not at the moment, because it had vanished. Now, he could stay on guard, wait, observe, and had access to the reserves of Force he'd been very carefully monitoring. If anything attacked, he'd be waiting.

Ready? Maybe. Waiting? Yes.

Spoiler: OOC

-Cerberus figures out something (but not what that something is) is wrong with Serene due to his physical and spiritual connection to her, and both their experiences with the Vade Maecum.
-He shouts at Serene to keep it together
-Stays on guard in case anything further happens

@Darasuum @Apollyon

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

While he defended from the entity’s attack, Caerllion’s mind was still aware of what was happening in this metaphysical realm. The Annfyn saw the Serene immobilize the creature with a tendril of shadow. Then Cerberus also attacked it, causing the thing to scream.

This sound came like the best music that he had ever heard. It was strange, because he never felt too much pleasure from the suffering of others. This fight had awoken something new in him. It was like an internal fire, one that had laid dormant for a long time. However, he would need to deal with it later, because an opening had appeared.

The attacks made by Serene and Cerberus had made the entity stop its attack against him. Caerllion immediately unleashed another psionic blast in the shape of flaming claws that collided against the creature. It burned some more, howling in the process.

The Annfyn was prepared to deliver another blow, but the entity vanished. Did they destroy it? This had been so sudden that it even seemed suspicious. After having fought so long, Caerllion thought that its demise would have been more impressive. Somehow, he even felt a bit disappointed for not being able to hear more of its agony.

Suddenly, he felt another presence here. It was distant, but he could recognize them even on the other side of the Galaxy.

It was Azar.

The presence of the Pureblood made Caerllion return to reality, with the burning aura that had surrounded him during this entire fight diminish. There was a whisper inside his mind when it happened, like an annoyed grumbling for being cast aside. He ignored it, because now he had to deal with some new feelings, especially guilty for not having alerted the others about the entity early. Even if he didn’t know the details, the Annfyn was sure that if he did, Azar would not have felt the pressure of allowing Raze to surface. Because now he could clearly see through the Force how the monster was subjugating the Pureblood and would kill his psyqué if he remained too long in control of his body.

He had to find a way to free Azar. Caerllion wouldn’t survive if he couldn’t see the Pureblood’s smile ever again. However, the Annfyn couldn’t face Raze directly, at least not alone. Yet, he had to do something.

Gathering energy, Caerllion released it in the form of a red bird construct. It was imbued with a piece of the Annfyn’s thought and would seek Trael. Only the human could help him connect with the Pureblood now.

If the human man allowed it to reach him, he would feel the Annfyn’s presence briefly, surrounded by peaceful intentions. There was also guilt because of the events with the entity. Then, it would be followed by a whisper. “We need to remove Raze from control, but for now Azar is using him to help in the invasion. However, I fear that it'll not last forever. I know a spell that can bind him long enough for Azar to subdue the monster, but you need to channel it. Your bond with him will give the binding more power. It'll be more powerful than if I did it. When the time comes, call for me.”

While he hoped that his message reached the Pureblood, Caerllion lingered a bit longer in the metaphysical realm. He waited to see if the entity would resurface anytime soon. His shields would remain up, just in case.

@Apollyon @Sreeya @Javier esschoolbus

Spoiler: Summary

Due to my roll (18/20) Caerllion is able to see that Raze is subjugating Azar. Then, he sent a telepathic message to Trael, saying that he know a spell that can bind Raze long enough for the Pureblood to subdue him. While he waits for an answer, the Annfyn will linger a bit long in the metaphysical realm just in case of the entity coming back. His shields remain up.

 

[Krakira Dresmorlin]

Krakira had readied himself, tensing his legs like a sprinter as the horde approached. His breathing slowed, taking in deep and deliberate breaths as his heart began to slow, beat by beat. It was almost tranquil, the calm he exuded as he heard the thumping of feet from both battle droid and frozen corpse alike.

This is what he'd been eager for, what he'd come here for. No more needing to split his attention between definding his mind and body. No straining to follow the orders of others to bend the force to their will in unnatural ways. Just his heartbeat, his breathing, and the force that flowed all around him. He closed his eyes a moment as he let the force in, to pulse through the sacred liquid of his blood like a gentle breeze blowing upon the field.

Then, without warning, the breeze exploded with power into a roaring tempest within him.

His eye snapped open and he was moving, lungging forward in a massive leap just as one of the undead had jumped for him. He swung his saber, cutting down the enemy with a one handed sweeping stroke before him. This was how it started, a simple attack to get the dance started. Quickly, Krakira spun on his heel, both hands clasping on the saberstaff as he used the momentum of that strike to build his speed. He swung all the way around to cut down a second with his other blade. Another fell to his blade, then another, as krakira began to chuckle, the thrill of battle making his blood pump in his ears as the force guided his path. He moved and swayed, drifting from enemy to enemy as he began to cleave through the hordes with spinning orbits of death, blaster fire of the droids and crimson blades of his fellow defenders felling more and more of the foes.

Spoiler: Gratuitous Lightsaber Combat

All the while, Krakira smiled and laughed as he let his blade fall in an unpredictable flurry, appearing more like a mad man than a trained warrior. He slashed at one undead, only to suddenly swing his body around and slam the opposite blade into a different target all the way to the hilt. He held that impalement for a moment before orbiting his blades to slice his foe apart, keeping it spinning as he threw his body into a downward arc, bending forward as his blade spun behind his back, perpendicular to the ground to slice through multiple midsections of his foes surronding him.

Juyo's unpredictability made these moves seem completely disconnected, strikes starting only to aburtly end, pivoting to entirely different attacks all together. Yet every move built upon the last, something Krakira showed when he twisted his body to the right, the umbarran shooting back up and delivering a force embued kick to one of the undead he'd missed. Its head launched off its body to land in the snow with a thud. The momentum carried him up into the air, so he simply brought the hilt of his saber up to his chest before bringing it in a downward slash to bisect another foe as he landed on his feet.

The moment he touched down, he sprung back rather than pressing the attack further, seemingly abandoning his offense all together. A small portion of the horde pursued him, trampling over the corpses of their brethern to give chase as he weaved backwards past the line of the battle droids. Once he was behind the line he began to twirl his lightsaber in a two handed grip, turning his body in a 360 degree pirouette as the droids began to shoot at the charging undead, lightsabers spinning faster and faster until finally he threw his sabers forward. The spinning blades threaded the needle between the droids and cleaved through the number of undead as it flew forward with a screech, the unstable kyber crystals leaving a burning arc as Krakira held out his hand, reaching with the force as he recalled his saberstaff back to him, spiraling in a orbit to return and cutting down a swath of undead before the hilt was once more in his grasp.

Despite this however, the enemy showed no sign of slowing. In fact, more seemed to be coming up from the frozen ground below. Krakira felt a clawed hand grasp his foot as he snapped from his dance of death, quickly stabbing into the ground with his saber as he leaped backwards, covering a great distance with the force as the buried enemy began to emerge.

It was then he heard the suggestion to make an opening come from one of the younger sith present. He looked to the horde now coming forward, and threw his hands in time with the others, sending his energy with the others to make a combined force push to shove them down. They clattered away from the defensive line before the younger purple sith threw her back and detonated it within the enemies ranks. The explosion thumped in his chest as he laughed, enjoying the carnage.

"Now that's more like it!" Krakira announced with a laugh, he felt it then upon the force. The presence weighing in the force previously from the entity faded. Yet, the other disturbance seemed to remain, the cold chill of it still hung in the air, seemingly on the move as their comrades remained asleep. He looked to Karai with a twinge of annoyance in his voice, "Those three better be alive and awake soon. We need to start gaining ground in this realm!" He called back as Qû’jara called her charge.

"The force will decide who lives an dies..." He said as he ran forward, seeing an opening to break the horde that fell upon them as he dashed towards their ranks, spinning his saberstaff as he dashed forward towards the foes as a swarm of deadly strikes, roaring out his own rallying call "Send these corpses screaming back to the abyss!"

Spoiler: Action Summary

Krakira helped to cut down the enemy and used a massive force push to make an opening, pressing the advance alongside his fellow sith to cut a path to break this tide.

@Jake @Akheron @Mr. Teatime @Caerllion of Cyfnos @Darasuum @Dread @Sreeya

 

[Cheriss Ktrame]

As the undead marched closer, Cheriss relaxed her grip on her saber, falling into a defensive stance. Channeling the Force around her, she let it fuel her every move when the first few zombies of the horde began to slam into the protective line of the Sith.

Cutting down a few stragglers toward the front of the horde, Cheriss heard one of the younger Sith calling for a combined push. She did what she could to help with that, concentrating the Force around her hands before pushing them forward, sending a blast into the incoming undead. As she saw the backpack fly into the zombies and explode, she couldn’t help a faint smile. Good move.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much time before more of them were coming. As Qû and Krakira led the charge and Karai commanded his droids to fire, Cheriss decided to stay near the three still figures. With most of the others charging into the horde, it was inevitable that some would slip through, and even one could interrupt their meditating forms. She wouldn’t let that happen.

Then, suddenly, she felt a pressure at her ankle as the bony hand of a zombie closed around it. Looking down, Cheriss arced her blade toward the ground to sever the arm before then doing the same to the zombie’s neck. Aided by the Force, she sprung to the side as another arm reached up to grab her before cutting that one too.

As more of the undead emerged from the ground, she went into her dance of dodging and slashing. The zombies could try, but she would not allow them to get anywhere close to the three Sith behind her.

@Apollyon @Mr. Teatime @Cainhurst Crow @Akheron @Jake

 

[Ilyan]

Ilyan had lived in the desert for generations, but even she had heard of Raze. Of course, her knowledge of him was far skewed compared to the rest of the galaxy. Whatever she knew about the conqueror of Korriban from decades ago before she was born, there was no connection in her mind to this being in front of her.

The fact that he had so easily carved through what remained of the enemy terrified her. What terrified her even more, though, was the undead. Not fighting them or slashing down the first two she reached, but because they stopped fighting in a "plea" to convince the Sith to stop this horror that had been unleashed. It was a testament to the destruction that now walked in their midst.

As Azar approached, she eyed him carefully, turning that same eye that had studied him for days and weeks when they had first met to try to discern if he would beat her and worse behind closed doors. The changes were subtle but there.

Her gut dropped the longer he spoke, and as he turned to face her, his words cut deep. A reminder that the proud, desert warrior princess had become a bed warmer to the conquerer. She had finally begun to put those thoughts behind her, thinking that she and Azar had found at least an understanding that could perhaps turn into something even warmer.

These words reopened all of those wounds. She didn't know who or what this was speaking through Azar. Did it reflect his actual feelings he kept buried down?

Anger, pain, and fear. She found her mind reverting back to that same state of survival that she had lived in for the first several weeks. A desire to survive and be unnoticed. To simply endure like a dog that had been beaten time and again.

He began to walk away and she felt the tightness around her throat, grabbing her and yanking her forward, still all-but-stunned by what was happening. How could they even... do this? What could remove this beast from Azar's mind?

And what if nothing could? Living with this thing would be everything she feared from moving in with Azar. But he had been gentle and shockingly kind. She would find no such pleasant surprise with this one. She'd be fortunate to survive... or maybe she would be fortunate if she didn't survive.

Her mind spun, but this was well-tread ground. Her mind - for the moment - reverted back to tis survival state. Silent and compliant.

But her mind began to turn.

 

[The Storyteller]

Village Horde
@Mr. Teatime @Akheron @Cainhurst Crow @LouJoVi @Dread @Darasuum (@Sicadorito @Jake)​

It was a magnificent show when the detonator was triggered. Body parts, smoke and flame erupted into the air and then meeting the snow and ice with wet plops as pieces, large and small, littered the ground around the sith and the remaining horde. The explosion didn't seem to bother those who were not in the blast radius, their focus still on the invaders who walked their ground. Though the push would move its target, rippling through flesh and bone, possibly critically wounding a living creature, but the undead, it at least slowed them enough to give the others an upper hand. Though, the force push also seemed to move the entire masses of undead that populated the battlefield.

The team would notice how they would fall with the telekinetic wave until all of them laid, unmoving, perhaps dead once more. Even the hands and clawed fingers of the zombies returning from beneath the ice to greet the protectors of Caer, Serene and Cerberus released their grip, stopping mid-reach as though they were droids with their batteries drained. Silence except for the winds blew through the battlefield. They had an opportunity to move forward; their radios would crackle with orders they were to move onto the castle. These were their King's orders and his soldiers would feel a renewed vigor of their leader's command.

In the realm of the Force remained silent, no remnants of the entity that had tried to take command could be felt. The weaves of the darkside rippled as Serene, Cerberus and Caer remained present. As the others pressed onward through the bodies and the parts of bodies, something was unsettling in the physical silence, but in the Force there were whispers and they were even louder in the Realm of the Force as suddenly thousands of purple eyes opened at once around the trio. They would feel themselves ejected from the Realm and return to the physical and brutal reality of Ziost.

The snow itself seemed to bleed, red veins linking the dead as many begun to rise again, however, the most unsettling were the mutations that seemed to expel: extra limbs, arms, fingers, legs, eyes and that was just the very obvious as some even grew unnaturally long. Their skin begun to pus and excrete black bile and they now seemed to be extra ravenous as they set themselves back on the Sith invaders.

The horde continue to overwhelm them, despair felt near and one would have to question their own strength if they were to fall here in battle. Would they be able to accept their weakness and they would not see victory?

Or would the call for aid reach them in time? (@Fine Dining Set )

Razar Team
@Sreeya @Javier esschoolbus @Phoenix​

Either they were really impressed or a bit nervous as the castle's defenses swiftly regrouped and prepared for the oncoming invaders. Those who had survived and fallen back were conflicted in the awe of power shown by Arcanos, despite wanting to defend their sadow king, there was a nervousness that spilled through the air as they knew what type of end they were going to face. The desperation was nearly palatable for Razar, but Darth Occidius seemed to also sense it and twisted the dark side to his commands.

As Razar and the others neared the fighting continued, there was an acceptance and certainty that death had arrived and therefore were going to make this as painful and bloody as possible. Whether or not this had its intended effect on the Sith King, death still held its place, scarring the snow with more than just the blood of fallen. It would warp and tear the weaves of life within the Force, replenishing the darkness that had once been the brood-queens' pivotal creation. With the opposition set on destroying Razar and the others without discrimination, it made their technique sloppy and impulsive, giving the group the upper hand for the time being.

 

[Vossari Kressh]

Walk on music

Cold winds swept across the corpse filled battlefield. Undead monstrosities and sith spawn beasts clouded the already dark Force powers that lurked on Ziost. To be on the planet at all was to feel the cold, unstoppable touch of the grave - the frigidity of death and the fragility of life itself.

With the veil so vastly clouded by competing uses of the Dark Side, Voss could not clearly distinguish soldiers, battle, and the roar of life and death from the psychic struggle that raged deep within the planet. Voss was lost on the battlefield. Vossari was not a commander of armies, so he knew little about where they would go and fight the enemy on King Arcanos's behalf. That had always been more of Karys's role.

Karys. He thought once more of his former master, testing his patience from beyond the grave. If he had bothered to actually finish the job on his homeworld before he became consumed by bloodthirst, there would be no need for Vossari to even be on the frozen rock at all.

The dark leather boots of his Suit of Sorcery broke the stillness of the snow. Beneath his tinted helm, Acridia sat nestled on his on his ear. His long flowing locks were tied tightly into a ponytail behind his head. And beneath his beskar shielded gauntlets, a frozen band of ice sat upon his ring finger. The true reason he was here, no matter how late, was ever reminded to him on his chilly ring finger.

His environmental suit kept him warm as he trudged through ice and blood. By his side, a token force of sorcerers loyal to King Arcanos joined him. One, a short Manaan hydromancer from the Order of Shasa. The other, a Sanguine Sister and sorceress loyal to the Sith king. Arcanos's alliances would, too, serve him in this pivotal campaign.

In the distance, Vossari felt it - the surge of undeath and the slinging of spells as Sith fought against zombie forces. The hydromancer and sorceress already knew Vossari's plan: Sigils were drawn into the frozen earth, as the Sith around the horde would see dramatic storm clouds form above their heads. Heavy petals of rain would fall upon all their heads. Sith and Undead alike were coated in the slick sleet, which would cause the least dextrous of the zombies to slip and fall into the wet, icy ground. Hopefully, the Sith would be competent enough to not slip and fall on ice. But one could never guarantee that.

Vossari's power flared as he approached the battlefield himself, skating atop the ice like Poseidon riding a wave. His lightsaber ignited, red glow more a signal to his fellow Sith than rearing for actual battle. His true power already rained down from the sky. As the storm rumbled, Vossari's free hand stretched out before the horde itself. Now a master of Hydro and Cryomancy, Vossari transmuted the water on the horde of Zombies to freeze into place, locking them and restricting their movements further. With a snap of his fingers, the ice turned to acid, locking them in a freezing prison of acid that would melt away at them from the inside.

It would be too arrogant to assume the battle was solved simply by his appearance. The haggard appearance of the Sith before him did give him some sense of satisfaction, though, as a smirk clawed to his face beneath his helm. It felt good to be needed. "Your savior has come!"

What Vossari did not see, however, was his king and lover. He needed to cut to through the darkness of the Force and find him. Within the recesses of his body and his mind Raze-Azar would feel a surge of new energy within the roaring, draconic tattoo that sat upon his shoulder, as Vossari sought to reassure his lover that he was now here.

Spoiler: actions

The undead horde ( (@Mr. Teatime @Akheron @Cainhurst Crow @LouJoVi @Dread @Darasuum @Sicadorito @Jake)
-Vossari joins the battlefield
- Vossari and NPCs create a giant rainstorm. When the zombies get wet, Vossari freezes/acids them.

Razar (@Sreeya)
-Voss sends energy as a message to Azar.

 

[Karai Hekk-iv-Adas]

━─━────༺༻────━─━




THEME




​

Karai allowed a smirk as it appeared the tactics being employed seemed to be having some kind of affect up in the seemingly endless horde. As he flung bodies and ice, hitting some of the dead and crushing others he wondered how much longer they had to keep this up and when would the others arise to assist. It was almost becoming tempting to leave them there if the remained much longer.

However the Dark Side it seemed answered, as the three arose he noted at last.

And just in time it appeared, as he gave out a sigh when he saw those they had slaughtered now rising with mutations. Multiple arms or eyes. It was not looking good. However even despite it, he thought if this was to be his end he was taking this horde with him. And so he prepared for a final stand only for the unexpected to happen. Vossari Khaldun. A Sith Master and the most unpredictable force of nature the Dark Side had ever conjured up from Wrean.

Or so he thought, he had worked with him once on Drexel. And to see him actually brought a smile, as the game was changed and odds were apparently slowly tipping back into their favour.

He felt the rain. Normally he would have moaned, he hated rain..but he did not this time. It was a welcome change from the snow and with what it brang with it. As the storm formed he was impressed especially by what happened when the undead were frozen solid. As the undead melted unable to resist encased in an acid ice cube, he allowed a smirk, using the moment provided. He heard the command, the king wanted them at the castle.

He would oblige but first they needed to push past the horde remaining to make way towards it.

A task that was seemingly becoming more difficult. Karai observed not trusting the black bile, he would attempt to not have them touch him. There was no telling what the bile did. He used the Force to momentarily keep himself steady, and as he found momentum and his pace on the ice. Attempting to move forwards towards the direction of the castle. As he ice skated like a brutal, savage ice hockey player and his lightsaber was the stick hitting any undead pucks in his way by any means, seeking to decapitate them or lessen the limbs.

He noted as Vossari arrived his timing could not have been more perfect, for as he did the droids he had requested arrived at the same time.

He gave orders to the newly arrived droids.

"Form up with the rest and push towards the castle! Bring any of the horde in the way down! Pick her up as well."

He looked to Cheriss, who apparently suffered something. Yet he would not leave his ally, unlike others may have. They needed everyone for this planet. He just knew it. Ziost was changing him just as much as others. He could feel it inside of him.

Those of the horde not frozen or melting he attempted to use Terrakinesis and bring the ground down around them, sending the undead into a more permanent death below. Crushed or buried deep while he cut limbs off others keeping at arms length.

Spoiler: Summary of Actions

1.Karai observes the others getting up, the arrival of Vossari and the new mutated horde with multiple arms etc. Will attempt to avoid being touched by black bile if he can.

2.Karai uses the advantage afforded by Vossari to push forwards towards the castle through the horde, making himself more sturdy with the Force temporarily until he gains his footing. He then attempts to ice skate like a ice hockey player and plow through any undead around him using his lightsaber any way he can at arms length.

3.Orders the droids he previously requested, that arrived to form up with the other droids and with the other Sith push towards the castle. Orders one to pick up Cheriss.

4.Attempts to use his affinity for Terrakinesis to collapse the ground around the horde not trapped by ice or melting. Either to crush them or send them into any abyss below if any.

@GABA @Darasuum @Cainhurst Crow @Dread @Mr. Teatime @Fine Dining Set @Jake @LouJoVi

 

[Krakira Dresmorlin]

~~THEME~~​

Krakira had charged forward with some of the follows to cut down the horde, saber swinging wildly as he expected to push through the charge. Yet instead, the line had not just broken, it had completely fallen apart. He skidded to a halt as his boots dug into the snow and ice, coming to a stop as he glanced around the red tinged battlefield.

The horde had fallen completely still, krakira holding the hilt of his sabers as he took a few cautious steps forward. Had the shambling army finally ceased? Perhaps whatever or whoever had been animating them had died. Or, perhaps it had decided to focus its attention elsewhere, towards Azar. Regardless, he let out a sigh as his shoulders slumped, happy for an end as he began to walk to regroup with the others when he felt it.

The force was squirming all around him. The ground bleed, the air crackled, and suddenly they were surrounded once more, and this time by corpses that barely seemed to retain their humanoid shape. His eye widened in surprise as he returned his two hands to his hilt in immediate panic, "Regroup! Fall back and Regroup!" He barked out, realizing that they had over-extended as a long claw wracked against his crow shaped mask, metal sparks flying as it protected his face from the gouging limbs attack. The left side of the mask now bore raking scars, and purple blood seeped from near the lower part of his face.

"Aghhh!" He swung his saber and severed the 2 arms of his attacker, seeing almost insect like talons as the undead charged, it's smile wide, too wide, as it opened a mouth far too large and filled with far too many sharpened teeth. He backed away, bringing his sabers forward in a slash to cut off its head.

The undead rose around them with deadlier and stranger mutations, the dark side roiled here and the very ground began to bleed as Krakira was forced on the defensive, each slash a swing to keep himself alive just a few seconds longer. Each foe had something new and terrifying, and each kill was pyrrhic. A cut on his arm, a tear at his leg, a glancing blow to scar his chest armor, a thousand cuts built one at a time in a battle that seemed without end. The little light around began to darken as a veritable storm had gathered around them, rain now falling to drench the battle field of the already exhausted umbaran. Was this the final trick the pretender of Ziost had all along? An undead horde that could outlast all foes, to dangle hope before snatching it away, and a final storm to freeze them all?

"Heh...well played..." Was all Krakira could say between his burning lungs, white mist pouring from his now opened mask from heavy breaths. He had really hoped that the force had more purpose for him yet, but if this was the end it had decided he'd have, he wasn't going to go whimpering into death. "I die as I was meant to live...killing all before me!" Krakira said just as the undead charging him fell upon the sleeted ground. Krakira felt his own footsteps unsteadied by the rain, but slid forward to stab into the fallen undead. He deactivated his second blade, now using his saber as a long handled lightsaber lest he stab himself navigating this terrain. It was then that he felt it, the presence of someone else arriving, someone strong in the force.

He turned around in time to see them. They were gliding, no...they were skating upon the ice with a grace that caught Krakira off guard. The man was not one he had initially recognized, but to Krakira that might as well not have even mattered. Vossari had arrived like a avatar of the force itself in their most dire hour, red saber like a beacon in the night and the tide quite literally turning with his arrival.

The reinforcements had finally arrived, and they were powerful indeed. The undead were frozen in place, and then the ice itself seeming to turn a sickly hue about them, Krakira felt reinvigorated. The pain and hope mixed within him, and he decided to take advantage of the situation by firing off a bolt of force lightning at those undead floundering in the water and ice who had not quite been frozen yet. He poured everything into the lightning and watched it roil and burn its way through some of the corpses like angry coiling snakes. Once he had finished, he regripped his saber in two hands and worked to keep his balanced as he swung at the survivors, taking a que to hunt down those who had not fallen to Vossari's poisonous ice tombs.

Spoiler: Action Summary

Took a hit from the enemy. Shot force lightning at the ones not yet frozen. Began hunting down straggling survivors with his lightsaber

@Apollyon @Darasuum @Akheron @Dread @Mr. Teatime @Fine Dining Set @Jake @LouJoVi

 

[Cerberus]

With little warning, the realm filled with whispers and purple eyes. A chill ran through Cerberus’ body; it felt like the eyes all but stared through the young Sith's soul. It was then that the realm vanished and Cerberus' eyes snapped open in the physical world. For a handful of seconds his mouth curved into a deep frown and he reached up to rub his forehead, nursing the tiny bit of a headache that the whole experience resulted in.

He could feel droplets on his face oddly enough, which led his eyes upwards to the field where the zombies were beginning to freeze in ice. Whoever did this was smart, but Cerberus’ focus was elsewhere.

Before the zombies fully froze the halfbreed Sith turned to Serene as he pushed himself up to his feet. "You're to stay alive, you hear me!?" he said to Serene with a growl. It wasn't said in a caring way, she'd be able to see the typical aggressive glint in his eyes and a tightened jaw. "We still have a lot of research to do, and I don't want to have to waste time bringing anyone else up to speed."

Whatever Serene reacted with, Cerberus didn't bother to observe since his eyes returned to the battle field right after. He probably wouldn't even answer her if she spoke. She already knew his personality and seemed not to mind as long as their "friendship" was beneficial to her.

Now that there was an opening in the horde, Cerberus watched Karai take advantage of it. Cerberus also took advantage, but not exactly of the horde’s frozen poses. Instead Cerberus followed some distance behind the large Sith, Karai, avoiding the ooze and allowing the man to do the work of clearing the path. Despite Cerberus basically doing nothing, this still benefitted Karai, considering the half zeltron could defend the larger Sith against something that he might miss.

If they made it across the battlefield, Cerberus wouldn't rejoin the army or large group of Sith exactly. He'd continued towards the castle but distance himself from most of the others save for the ten men under his command who followed him. They’d use the terrain and any structures whenever they could to conceal themselves. He’d still flick his gaze back to the army and others as he moved but he also looked out for anything suspicious. The other reason he broke off from the army was to take a separate path into the castle, if everything seemed right to do so.

Spoiler: OOC

-No longer in the force realm
-Notices the frozen zombies and follows (some distance) behind Karai, avoding the ooze while Karai clears a path towards the castle
-if they make it past the horde, Cerberus and the 10 still alive (light-footed/sneaky) men under his command will put distance between themselves and the main army, using the terrain/any structures to conceal themselves. Their goal is to enter the castle separate from most of the group in a clandestine way.

@Darasuum @Akheron

 

[Caerllion of Cyfnos]

When he had remained in the Realm of the Force, Caerllion had expected that the entity would return. That it would stubbornly drag itself back from the gates of limbo. However, the silence that followed showed that it wasn’t the case. The thing was really gone.

And was replaced by something else. There was a whisper growing around them, filling what was once empty. Caerllion felt that newfound internal fire stir once again, prepared to come up and face this next threat. Suddenly, he was staring at thousands of eyes and his presence was thrown out of the metaphysical realm.

Caerllion woke up back in Ziost, his body had been lying on the snow during this whole time. He rose up fast, remembering that last time that he had been awake there was a horde of zombies coming out of the snow. The Annfyn didn’t know how long he had been out, but the others must have dealt with these things already.

When his eyes fell over the other Sith, Caerllion felt one of his eyebrows twitch. The zombies were still coming and they looked even worse than before. Damn it, how things in this piece of rock could be so annoying to not know when they should stay dead? Now he had to deal with these things, rather than go find Trael and prepare to bind Raze. He couldn’t even delegate action there to someone because everyone was busy.

Without much time to reflect about his options, Caerllion went to join forces with the other Sith that were now regrouping. He would use his pyromancy to burn any zombie that tried to approach him, while cutting them down with his lightsaber, just in case that they forget how to stay dead. He also avoided stepping and getting hit by the black ooze that came out of the dead, not only because it would be a pain to remove from his armor but also because it could have some type of corruptive property.

At least the situation got better with Vossari’s arrival. The Sith Master and his reinforcements not only were able to deal with the zombies, but Caerllion was sure that his presence would be an incentive for Azar to wrestle control from Raze. Perhaps the Annfyn’s spell would not be even necessary.

After holding himself to not fall due to frozen ground, Caerllion would turn his attention to his surroundings. If any zombie had resisted the freezing and subsequent acid attack, the Annfyn would burn them until only ashes remained. He would still be using his lightsaber for physical defense, while walking behind Karai and his droids while they tried to walk toward the castle.

@Apollyon @Akheron

Spoiler: Summary

Caerllion woke up and joined the Sith that were regrouping, he was prepared to attack the zombies with pyromancy and slash their burning bodies with his lightsaber when Vossari and the reinforcements arrived. He would avoid touching the zombies black ooze.
After holding himself to not fall due to the frozen ground, the Annfyn would watch out for zombies that had escaped Vossari's attack. He would set them in fire with his pyromancy and slash them with his lightsaber, while walking behind Karai and his droids in their path toward the castle.