An Inferno Turned to Flesh

[Nemeseia]

Dathomir
- Three Months Ago

The black lacquered Sentinel-Class landing craft broke silently through a bank of clouds, that seemed to be in a state of constant flux around an ancient volcano; referred to by the natives of Dathomir simply as L'Maelthra. The pilot of the ship thumbed the intercom button and calmly announced to his passengers that they'd be touching down at the Lacura Basin in less than five. Those that lingered within the cabin were already prepared for the event, garbed in heat resistant armor that had been painted a dull red. There was a bit of turbulence as the wind shear from the mountain spine cut across the sturdy hull, which rotated in place and then finally settled into the rocky clearing at the mouth of the shallow gorge.


Steam hissed out above the landing ramp as it extended from beneath the cockpit, crunching noisily upon the sizzling basalt that had rolled its way down from the maw of the volcano. A line of booted feet emerged with militant precision; a total of ten individuals, which didn't include the pilot who would be staying behind to keep the ship ready for departure. Helmets hid their assorted features but their varying builds spoke volumes for the many species concealed beneath the protective coverings. The Devout attracted many kinds and appealed to those with skill sets that the Old Ones would find useful upon Their return.


One such individual was Dornek Thursk, the leader of this particular operation and veteran of the order for some thirty-years. He'd been raised by his parents to heed the Old Ones if they awakened in his life time, never dreaming that one day he would be the one to lead the ritual for Her return. His heart hammered beneath the chestplate he wore but he ushered the carefully selected team onward with a brusque gesture. There was no telling what traps lay in wait for them, placed by enemies of the Old Ones who sought to make Their slumber an eternal one. There were so many more to awaken after this. But, with Her on their side, it would be significantly easier.


It was a long trek up the steep mountainous slope, the winding path prone to slippage as the rocks were small and unsettled; carelessly spit there from the crater of L'Maelthra. Those that he had selected were not without merit and handled themselves well enough, reaching the crumpled entryway without incident. He halted the team by holding up a fist, proceeding forward alone and peering down into the lava rich chasm many feet below. A set of eroded stone steps circled the pyramid shaped chamber, splattered with magma that had been belched from the gurgling pit below. Just above the chasm, in an alcove lined with duravlex, was their destination; the stasis chamber that She had been sealed within.


Dornek turned and motioned the team forward. "One at a time. Eyes open for traps. One misstep and you'll burn a slow, painful death in the lava below."

[Alastair Kade]

Loose gravel gave way beneath his steps, dug heavily to gain purchase points in the rock and feel out those spots that would sag and not support his weight. The steep incline forced him, and most of their company, to use their hands to reach out and grasp for points of leverage. The armoring they wore was cumbersome, but served it’s purpose. He knew the stone they clutched was hot, but it was not felt through the heat resistant layers.


The climb finally gave way to a cave that brought them into the interior. For a moment, Alastair stood at the lip just before the descending internal staircase and stared with the others at the structure that housed their goal. While many reflected on a lifetime of devotion, Alastair reflected to how much his life had changed. Years ago he had been merely what the galaxy would regard as a scoundrel, getting by on whatever he had at his disposal with a dash of luck. He had regarded it was luck, but Dornek Thursk had aided him in unlocking his true potential.


While most of their party carried a wide array of melee and ranged weaponry, Alastair was one of the only to carry a lightsaber at his right hip. Not forgetting where he came from, he also had a Blaster Rifle slung across his back. Thursk had introduced him to the Force, and the purpose of their group. The ideals of religious fanatics had never appealed to him really, but something about this cause spoke to him. He surprisingly trusted in it, knew that this rag tag gathering of like minded individuals would see their aims fulfilled.


They began to file into line to move down the spiraling walkway, Thursk having warned of the dangers that would linger ahead. The walkway was slippery at times, the magma having dried and solidified into molten rock, near glass like but scorched black. Their armor held up well now within the volcano, even with the heat contained and swirling around in a vortex to intensify it. While he was undamaged, it was still felt within. He switched over to the self contained breathing apparatus, which bled cool air into his mask and helped to alleviate the strain of the heat.


The procession went on, and the click of the trap being triggered by the human male three ahead in their line went unheard over the roar of winds. Spikes emerged from the wall suddenly, skewering the wee quay just ahead of him. He narrowly avoided the same fate, but was pushed off the ledge. The spike slipped through the strap of his rifle, helping to suspend him while his hands grasped for one of the five spikes spaced across. He pushed the impaled body from the spike to let it be taken into the lava below, which he shimmied to the side to free the strap of his rifle then use the spikes to climb back towards the wall and back onto the path. Travel the galaxy, see knew and exciting places. Left the deathtrap portion out of the pitch. He thought to himself, falling into line with the others, those behind him forced to crawl above and blow those spikes to bypass the obstacle that had claimed one of their party.

[Sianna]

Stories had abounded about the ancient that followed the Force in unique and forgotten ways, though on occasion a true seeker of knowledge and power could be lucky enough to discover some dusty tome in some backwater. A keepsake that few could translate anymore and collecting dust on a shelf or buried in a box, long bereft of light. She had been one of those that dedicated themselves to the ways of the old ones. Masters who gave all to achieve all and had become legends because of it. As the Echani priestess followed along, climbing the slippery rise to them see the prize of years of research and sleepless hours in out of the way archives. Silver eyes misted with the thought that she had been chosen to witness history on this world whose witches had already gained notoriety with their own magic and style of assassination. She had come to admire anyone that held to a belief that allowed them inroads to the Force that few offworld believed actually existed. Her own people had their moment in the galactic sun, but that day had long passed.

Sianna was here to establish herself as one among them. But, right now she had to help free this master from the prison that she had been encased in so long ago. Another event that would only help thrust the Sith master farther into legacy status.

Moving purposely down the stair which had been weathered and coated in thick layers of lava at one point or another, she witnessed the first casualty and knew had he been fully invested in the Force that wouldn't have happened. The second that nearly lost his life was more aware and achieved a small victory, though now she had to bypass this temporary obstacle. As others climbed or maneuvered around the protrusion, one who's armor weighted him a bit too much , fell and grabbed on desperately to the stone stair, shifting his weight then to the steps beyond. Helped up to his feet, Sianna then evaluated the apparent strength of the spear-like barrier. Empowering her body, she vaulted up to the topmost, pulling with her arms and rolled over the spear. Dropping down to the steps, she continued on with the rest. Now more aware of the dangers, most slowed their pace as the gurgling of lava continued far below, the heat reacting to rock walls hissing its displeasure.

Soon, the main entrance to the pyramidal shaped crypt came into view as Sianna felt a warning in the Force, prompting her to stop and glance down to see another deftly hidden plate whose seam in the stone was more exposed due to weathering. Stepping over it, she didn't bother telling the one behind. If he wasn't paying attention, that was his fault, she mused and continued keeping herself open to the Force while pushing with the others to the arched bridge that conjoined the stair with the central, rocky isle.

[Nemeseia]

Despite his warning, their progression was marred with casualties.

With each step down the precarious lava well, the weight of the artifact he carried grew more and more noticeable at his side. All the armor he wore could not negate the heat of their surroundings, his body pouring sweat beneath the plating; the frigid air filtered into his helmet serving as a small and vital reprieve. By the time they reached the bridge leading to the chamber where She was held, Dornek performed a hasty hand sign to the Old Ones; index and middle finger to his forehead, his heart, and then a full sweeping gesture outward from there. His parents had told him it was a symbol of devotion, attributing his successes to his intellect, his resolve, and Those that moved unseen to shape his destiny; the conclusion of which awaited its revelation for another day.

He moved to take another step forward but hastily halted the placement of his foot, turning it aside just in time to avoid a trigger plate the mysterious female of their party failed to mention in her passing. His eyes narrowed beneath his helmet and he took another route to the immense door beyond, making sure to let those behind him know of the plate's existence; only to have another of their number trigger something elsewhere, causing square shaped panels beneath their feet to drop. His steps hastened, narrowly avoiding a plunge to the certain death that waited below. In his hurry, however, he stepped on something else and great geysers of lava spewed up from the indentations in the ground and rained burning slag down upon them. He rolled forward, pressing his backside against the triangular door and watching as three more of them were felled by the combination of traps. He cursed beneath his breath. Whoever had planted these traps obviously hadn't anticipated their armor but they were also intelligent enough to set ones that meant certain death despite it.

Dornek reached down to his side, stroking his thumb across the lightsaber hilt at his side; a relic passed down through the Thursk family for many generations; irrefutable proof of what lingered behind this last obstacle. He backed away from the door and then turned toward it, his head tilting as it inspected the runic patterns carved into the archaic metal. He then turned his eyes toward the woman. "It is sealed with the power of an entire Council. But, it has certainly weakened over time. You may siphon our energies if it is required." He told her resolutely.

Another one of those parts he'd failed to mention in his pitch. Ah well, they'd get over it. Or, they'd die. Whichever they'd prefer.

The roar of the environment was enough that Dornek had to shout when he spoke. However, the whispers of the Force could be heard even above the cacophonous chaos. Her words were not meant for all of them however. No, there was a specific target to her projection...

Long have I waited for you, Alastair. It was my sister who promised you would come to me, for she is Fate and her visions are the only certainty in this universe.

[Alastair Kade]

After the first trap, he was more focused on the path they tread. He was certain it was a combination of luck, and a warning of the Force that had saved him before, and he would have preferred to rely on his own perceptions for the future. He recognized the plate when it was pointed out, easily understanding how the first had been missed because of how the heat had a way of playing with the mind. He could feel it. He was cooking within his armor, he was certain. It was times like this he wished he was clean shaven, and that his hair was shorter, and maybe that he wasn’t inside of a volcano.


His mind almost lapsed to the monotony of the stairs when one of their entourage triggered another trap. The floor began to drop out, and he rushed forward with the others. Care was tossed out the window for survival, and another trap threw a geyser of lava skyward. He ducked, like it would do any good, and weaved away from the descending bits of lava that showered down on them. Fortunately, their leader had prepared them well with grade A materials.


There numbers were dwindled quickly, and it became evident why Dornek had brought so many with them. Many had been lost, and it seemed their life essence would be necessary to fuel the power that would bid the door open. He and Dornek, two Force Sensitives, would surely provide the bulk of the fuel outside the Priestess that had become a part of their entourage. “I think I am going turbo-skiing after this. Somewhere cold.” He remarked, not having much a part to play aside from being a body to draw power from for the moment.


He expected to hear a reply, and he was certain someone had, but instead he heard only the beckoning to his mind. The voice was feminine, alluring, and he wondered if it was the woman they had come to release. She may be in stasis, but if she were as powerful as had been let on, it wouldn’t be beyond her to be able to reach out to him. But why him? Even more he felt that inexplicable draw, that he was in the exact place he needed to be, and the woman’s statements concerning fate made him even wonder if he’d ever had a choice. “Let’s get this over with. I bet she’s eager to stretch her legs, and I’m eager to get out of this chicken shit outfit.”

[Sianna]

Glancing to the guide for this mission, Sianna nodded as the priestess already assumed that much for these that traveled with them. She would sacrifice all of them if it came to it. Returning her attention to the weathered, metal barrier now before them. Also perusing the etched glyphs created to keep this gate closed, Sianna grinned to herself as she then knelt, lowering her head and setting both hands upon her thighs. Opening herself to the Force, the master drew in all that she could muster from this ancient site as well as those that had ventured down here with them, now gathered behind her on the land bridge and near the entrance to the crypt.

As she soaked in the universal power, drawing from all these sources, the Echani allowed herself to drift spiritually into the darkness that had been concealed within this large, stone and lava structure.
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As sweat beaded upon her forehead, even with the internal cooling system working overtime, Sianna could suddenly begin to feel the ground rumble. The quake seemingly subtle initially until the door's frame began to crack. Being the conduit, the power now flowing from the ground, air and from those gathered with her, Sianna's body exuded a bluish, cloudy flow whose tendrils ensnared the door itself. Gripped to the frame, the fingers soaking into the stone and around to the other side, the cracking in the stone soon intensified, bits of rust colored pebbles and rocks dropping to the floor and rolling away until soon, the door came free, falling into the blackness beyond with a resounding, thunderous echo.

Drawing back to her body, Sianna took in a deep breath as her spirit and body became one again and relaxed for a moment. Pushing herself up, Sianna opened her eyes, silvery orbs now a darker grey as she held on to the power that she had used to open the gate as the biggest test was still yet to come.



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[Nemeseia]

Thursk angled his head toward the man who spoke, his voice crackling through the communicator of his helmet. The older man found himself smiling despite their rather intense surroundings. While his plan had an appealing ring to it, Alastair was already submersed deep beneath the turbulent waters of Fate; he had been ever since he was born into this world, always unknowing. It was the same for Dornek except he had been fortunate enough to have parents to guide him along his path, shaping him into what he was today. He had expected resistance from him but only found sarcastic resignation. Good. There was no time to convince him otherwise, particularly since their mysterious Priestess was already kneeling before the door; her repose a familiar imitation of the reverent monuments he'd observed on various planets scattered throughout the Stygian Caldera. He braced himself, physically and mentally, for what was to come; giving the woman a wide berth but also his focus.

The first sign of their connection that he noticed was a numbness in his legs, her power seeming to grow up from the ground and sap his vivacity through his splayed feet. Pins and needles raced across his flesh beneath the armor as the ground began to tremor, his eyes darting to the woman when an azure energy emerged from her dormant frame. Such power, he thought. His gaze darted toward the immense door as a fracture appeared at its center, beckoning the blue tendrils of energy that seeped from the Sith woman. Debris was shaken loose, pebbles rolling toward his position and convulsing wildly upon the ground as she expended more effort to remove the obstacle. The thunderous echo of the door's dismantling shook him to the core and he felt a quickening in his already racing pulse. Icy steam blasted outward from the innards of the stasis chamber, causing frost to gather at the fringes of his HUD. They had put her on ice, he thought. It was all beginning to make sense now...

You have come so far. You have done much in our name. Come closer...

This was murmured to all of them, her voice assertive but irresistibly feminine; smoldering like much of their environment. Crystalline vapor continued to roll out in waves from the now accessible chamber. The darkness which had held dominion over her prison for so long was banished in effulgent luminescence, white flames scouring the ashen permafrost from ancient candelabras and then consuming the encircling, black-tinted braziers until they ignited fully. The pyramidal chamber slowly brightened; lights refracted from the glacial shards that emerged from the ground and surrounded the structure of her confinement with lambent motes.

Dornek Thursk was in the center of the chamber without even recalling the steps that had ushered him forward. His head tilted and his eyes drank in the sight of the suspended, opaque cryo-orb containing Her. He reached down to his side and removed the relic that was clipped to his armor. The blood-red blade sprung forward with a snarl, accentuating the dull red of his armor in that aggressive glow. The Qixoni crystal within had belonged to Her eons ago and had been passed among the strongest of his lineage since the fall of the Stygian Empire. The blade was deactivated and then rested with the utmost care at the foot of the ancient altar where the Jedi Council of old had once amassed to seal Her.

"It is fortunate that three more survived. I had my doubts about dispelling the ward without their life force as fuel." He told the Priestess but he did not bother quieting his voice. His helmet cocked to one side, his eyes moving behind the visor to take in the three mercenaries-turned-devout who had filed dubiously into the room.

"What the hell are you on about, old man?" One of them asked in an angered, gravelly voice.

"He means to sacrifice us!" Another shouted.

"This isn't what we agreed upon!" Said the third, turning toward the aperture they had passed through.

Insatiate flames upsurged violently then, devouring the platform connected to the land bridge and thus cutting off their route of escape.

May Vegaudan guide you eternal in the realm of the hereafter.

Dornek formed the hand sign with his gloved fingers as Her voice echoed all around them.

"Alastair. Your test has begun. Kill them so the Priestess can use them to release Her." He ordered curtly, his eyes falling upon the man.

[Alastair Kade]

Alastair paced uncomfortably for the moment behind their Priestess, letting her gather her focus, even feeling as she gathered her focus. He took in the giant structure that housed their aims, anticipation of all that he had invested into for so long brimming up within him. His eyes passed to Thursk, so immediately ready to sacrifice anything for this. It was the man's life. He felt the first vestiges of Sianna drawing on his strength, and those around him, and he halted his pacing lest he grow weak and find himself stumbling into the lava. Instead he sat himself down, bending his torso forward over his crossed legs. He breathed slowly and evenly, keeping himself focused and relaxing. Not all sat, but some wished they had. He felt a similar numbness, but one that was replenished nearly as quickly as it was drained due to his brief meditation


The door toppled inward, the tremor being what shook him from his state. He warily rose to a stand, gathering himself to his feet as unsteadily as if he had just spent a month on a trip at sea. The others showed their own ways of coping with the drain, but he steadied himself far more quickly. He was in the door just behind Thursk, climbing over the structure. His armor controlled temperature well, but he never felt more revitalized then when the heat abated to the cold, and he felt himself at the end of the journey. Thursk was much the same, a devout man on a mission that stood and began talking about what was to come already.


He was the only one, besides their leader and the priestess, to be spared. He didn't stop to question why, because that fight or flight instinct would kick into gear for the others quickly. No matter how he felt, or would side, they would view all as their enemy. He acted. The rifle was slung out, strap wrapped around his left arm and weapon discharged into the first man that had tried to flee to no avail. The scarlet bolts light refracted off the many facets of crystals within the chamber, illuminating it in crimson which was then echoed by the lightsaber brandished in his second hand. He spun and swept the blade around, slicing the back of another man. That individual turned, and the blade rose back up to finish the cross cut against his chest, leaving him with two mortal wounds.


The last of their party turned to aim on the only one that had taken the aggression, and the one that had been remarked to be put to the test. Alastair deftly blocked his shots, hauled up the rifle in that single arm and discharged a shot past his own guard to the not so defended man. A crater of black sparked and burned at his chest, casting his body to the floor right at the base of Her stasis. The weapons were lowered together, sensing the immediate danger and task complete. He let the rifle dangling against his shoulder by the strap, and clipped the lightsaber into place, removing the helmet that was no longer needed in their new chamber to let his own eyes take in what was to come. In the time since he departed his former life, he'd let his hair and facial hair grow out a more grizzled appearance truly reflecting the change in lifestyle he had undergone. Either way he felt comfortable now, his vision no longer obstructed behind a polarized lens.

[Sianna]

Stepping within the crypt, Sianna's Force empowered eyes noted the spirit of the one slumbering within, her fiery gaze now affixed on them and though the others couldn't see her crimson, ghostly form standing behind the ice encrusted container, the priestess could. Watching as the energy seeping from the rough walls of the tomb and to the host of lights, she then heard the voice of their guide now speaking to her. Turning to him, her movements slow as if in a dream, Sianna grinned darkly through the lightly fogged visor. Her voice ghostly as if from the beyond, "The energy that those fools expended to seal her still lies in the very stone, but," she turned further to the remaining supplicants, their fear and anger over what had been just announced only fueled her further. "Their sacrifice will not be in vain."

Death given to the others by their remaining faithful, his own loyalty to the one interred in question, but she would allow the queen to decide his fate later. As the last of them faded from life, Sianna slipped her left arm from the protected backpack, sliding it around and then opened it. Taking out five thick, blue-black candles, she handed one each to the two men. "Place these equidistant from those two corners," she instructed, pointing to the points of the two corners that made up the foot of the roughly made sarcophagus. Having the last three, she quickly moved and set them upon the icy floor in precise locations, the last a few feet from the head of the queen's resting place. Kneeling once more, Sianna drew first upon the souls now fading from the mundane to the Force, then combined those with the energy now flowing freely through her lithe body.

Drifting back into the ethereal, Sianna's precarious hold to the mundane was known which was enough for the Sith master as she now bound the spirits of the fallen. Their souls crying for vengeance, Sianna commanded them to be silent, though kept their emotions roiling around them as if their bodies were on fire. Drawing on that focused emotion, she recalled all that had been learned while studying Sith Sorcery and employed the rites which would be needed to help the queen arise from her tomb.



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Nym'uer (fpe@po.cwru.edu)uns'aa (jesusbane@hotmail.com)! Valuk d'Nauxuznir (falohuil@gmail.com)Jyzumar (dragon_flami@hotmail.com)! Planetmover (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Planetmover)! L'I'sav (anakin_noquar@hotmail.com) d'Fastness (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Fastness)! Kult'ressin (HiFaluton@aol.com) d'Earthquakes (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Earthquakes)! L'Vanquisher (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Vanquisher) d'Ter'rol (The_Black_Arch_Angel@hotmail.com)! L'Beldroin (arlekinj@yahoo.co.jp) d'Panic (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Panic)! Elggs (isabels_funny@hotmail.com)! L'Tealcin (falohuil@gmail.com)Victor (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Victor)! Dalharuk d'Vhid (trizixeter@aol.com) lu'l'Neantak (uncletas@eudoramail.com)! L'S'argt (elven_heart@hotmail.com) d'l'Rendan (deavek@hotmail.com)! Yah (AWP81@hotmail.com) d'l'Outermost (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Outermost) Oloth! Senger (fpe@po.cwru.edu) d'Dimensions (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Dimensions)! Vilchi-knower (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=knower)! S'argt (elven_heart@hotmail.com)d'L'Szeoussen (Julienne_Noquar@hotmail.com)! Senger (fpe@po.cwru.edu) d'l'Labyrinth (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Labyrinth)! Jabbuk d'l'Angles (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Angles)! Yah (AWP81@hotmail.com) d'l'Whiporwills (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Whiporwills)! Omegapoint (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Omegapoint)! Senger (fpe@po.cwru.edu) d'l'Videnn (fpe@po.cwru.edu)! Pahntarer (falohuil@gmail.com) d'l'I'dol (azazel357@aol.com)! L'Oldest (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Oldest)! Jal-wun-Uss! L'Uss a Dro Prolonged (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Prolonged)! Umr (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Umr) A-Tawil (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Tawil)! Iak (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Iak)-Sathath (http://www.eilistraee.com/chosen/language.php?page=add&common=Sathath)! NEMESIA!!! Dosst wanre lar (jessadriel@hotmail.com) pholor dos!

Pushing all she had into the demand, Sianna's voice echoed through the ethereal and as the priestess channeled all the energy that she contained as well as had gathered from the fallen, she focused all into her extended hands, risking all to allow Nemesia to take from her and fight for her freedom from within. Pale, splayed fingers pointed at the slumbering queen exuded now a marbleized crimson and deep blue energy, racing to the sarcophagus and seeking a way inside to the awaiting hostess. Feeling her own life force ebb with each passing moment, Sianna also knew her possible sacrifice meant finding that purity in the Force that she had craved for so long. Finding purchase in the icy tomb, the energy soon began to find slivers and tiny cracks within the veneer of what the Jedi of old had tried to construct. Seeping through one, then two tiny openings, slender fingers raced through the thick walls, pushing past warming chunks of ice and lava to eventually feel the openings now within.

From the innermost facade, all that Sianna was now exuding shot to Nemesia's body, entering her pores, nose and mouth as well as her ears, penetrating the cold frame that held the spirit yearning to be free....



</tbody>

The rest was now up to the imprisoned.
<still in="" progress="">
<in progress=""></in></still>

[Nemeseia]

"You're sure it is wise to imprison her so close to the Prime Gate, Master?" A young, human male asked of his venerable mentor, his gaze flitting away from the reassuring expression the old man wore, watching as a veteran force of Jedi transported the cryo-stasis pod into the pyramidal monolith at the center of the volcano. Flecks of ash fell like snow around them, generated as the gurgling magma abound splattered against the barrier; one that was projected by a team of council chosen Knights who had arrived several weeks prior to prepare the site.

"While you may consider the council's will risky, my young apprentice, I assure you it is a strategic move on their part. The Star Temple is not easily traversed and the power it harbors is a double edged sword. Certainly, it would be devastating for the Gate's power to fall into her hands. But, it is also a means of keeping her in check, should she ever manage to escape the wards of this place. Come, let us see this done. She is only the first."

And with those words, the old Jedi led his apprentice into the chamber where the one known as Nemeseia would be contained. In stark contrast to the molten environment outside, the inner sanctum of the vault was frigid; unwittingly decorated by immense, macabre, twisted crystals that had formed when the coolant systems contacted the conflagrant stone within. The apprentice's eyes darted this way and that, rapidly taking in the Wardens that had been called upon for the event and finally settling upon the frost obscured form contained in a cylindrical construct suspended above what appeared to be an altar of some kind.

"It is time." An authoritative voice said from somewhere in the wings, one of the masked wardens stepping forward to lead them through the sealing ritual. There was a collective murmur of agreement and then...

Laughter. Brimming with the promise of seduction, laden with dark purpose, and echoing without aim against the smooth, glassy surfaces of the crystals. Immediately, every soul in the room became weighty with unease. En masse, they turned toward her and a moment of reverent silence ensued before...

"Seal the door, quickly!" The apprentice's master shouted desperately, just as the sturdy, solidly frozen glass of the containment tube shattered outward. Shards of glass rained down upon them, the darkest incarnations of the Force guiding them into the exposed throats and vulnerable centers of those closest to the altar. There was great hesitation and horror as the Sith Master broke free; the apprentice could only stare up at those hellfire eyes, so eerie in their incandescence, as they swept with feral intensity across her adversaries.

Heat flooded into the chamber from outside and he dare not consider what had happened to those projecting the barrier in a mere matter of seconds.

Finally, the awe seemed to wear off and the Wardens rushed forward to do as they were charged; energy flying conjointly from their outstretched hands to form a Force sustained barrier around the woman specifically.

I WILL NOT BE TAMED! She snarled and her voice seemed to come from every direction, an arresting shock wave pulsating outward from her terrifyingly beautiful form. The apprentice was instantly knocked off of his feet and winded, his arms weakly pushing at the ground. It was his Master who wrenched him to his feet again, shouting in his face.

"Adarus Tess, it is not your fate to die here. Go! See that the chamber is sealed! Go now!"

His eyes widened, meeting that of his mentor's just briefly before he turned and ran. He stumbled out of the pyramidal chamber and into the cloying heat of the volcano. "We have to close it now!" He shouted to the dwindling numbers that remained on the dais beyond, at once afraid that the redirection of power might mean certain death for those that were not previously charged with seal the chamber. Death screams, amplified in the minds of those that scrambled to do as he said, clawed their way from the sanctum. It was not without heavy losses that they managed to finally seal the door...

The power of the Wardens was no match for the test of time, however.

Yes...

It was as if unrelenting, serrated jaws had sunken into that power the priestess proffered. The energy of those sacrificed, the will of those desperate to release her, and the fearful objections of those that had sealed her into this tomb in the first place; it all battered at the icy sphere that contained her. The energy fractured audibly, sounding like the slow splintering of glass. Then, the crystalline orb exploded outward just as the stasis pod had, the threat of death carefully navigated away from the loyal, those who remained at the foot of the altar.

Her bare feet touched down on the narrow steps, now scattered with bits of melting hailstone. Eyes moved across those present, no less smoldering than they had been in the presence of the Wardens. Steam billowed from her unclad frame, which could run hotter than the inferno that raged beyond if she so willed it. Her hair hung at waist length and was an alluring combination of straight strands and those that curled rebelliously; the hue was multi-faceted, browns upon reds upon ebony, and changed continuously with the light. She was not a petite woman, five feet ten inches, and her body was comprised of both taut muscle and beguiling curves that further contributed to her undeniably feminine body. Tribal markings ringed her forearms, calves, and spanned her back; the black ink standing out in stark contrast against her caramel colored skin. No scars, no wrinkles to give definition to the woman's age.

The saber hilt that had been laid at the altar snapped up, falling into her outstretched palm as she stepped down. Now, she stood beside the knelt frame of the priestess. She did not look at her at first, seeming to stare forward at ghosts that danced beyond the natural realm of sight.

When she finally did turn her burning gaze down to Sianna, there was no telling what she was thinking. Her unoccupied hand outstretched, falling upon the woman's shoulder and squeezing it almost affectionately.

"Do the others rest still?" She asked, her voice dulcet and coaxing.

"They do. But, I have sent other teams to their locations. Your reunion is eminent." This from Dornek Thursk, who had taken the time to dismantle one of their dead and now held aloft one of the body suits that served as a base for their armor. She accepted it with a smirk, pulling it onto herself leisurely. While she was quite present, her mind reached far beyond the constrains of their environment, the planet, the sector; it tapped into the intricate web that inevitability bound them all to the same fate. She felt those from before and she felt something new; Khar Delba, Yavin IV, Begeren....

"Krayiss Two." She said aloud, her heated gaze sliding over to Alastair. She smiled at him, as one might at someone that hadn't been seen in a great many years.

"Yes, my lady. Teth is there and I suspect, many others soon will be."

[Alastair Kade]

Directions came from the Priestess that escorted their entourage. Alastair swept a hand back to bring errant hair away from his face, where it had previously matted to his forehead from the sweat on his brow. He bundled the candles into his right arm against his chest, and walked as directed to scatter the candles in their locations. Every time he bent, he cast a glance towards the others to ensure he placed it in a proper location with relation to theirs. When all of his were set, he backtracked to fix the placement of a couple, before moving off the dais. As he passed, he spared a glance within the stasis chamber, espying the first glances at the woman that lay beneath.


He could hear the first cracks in her prison, running deep into the core straight to the woman bound within. He could feel her awaken, before she was released, though Alastair supposed their was always some part of her that was cognizant to her surroundings and able to communicate with those that came to release her. His mind lapsed away from the small details of her freedom, and the chanting of the Priestess who put all of her efforts into her task. It lapsed towards contemplating how long she had been asleep for, and all the small details concerning it. Would she have the strength to stand? Would her lungs accept air? What would it be like to be cognizant, but imprisoned and unable to even move. Such a fate he hope would never befall him, but her patience would pay off.


The shards exploded outward, and his head ducked with his left arm and elbow raising to shield him from the explosion. He emerged unscathed, and his arm lowered to turn his visage overtop it and take in the sight of the woman they had been tasked with freeing. Her form was at first obscured in steam and mist, ethereal because of the effect of the cold and hot blending together. He straightened up taking in her impressive figure, unabashed to do such. Dornek instead busied himself with providing her garments to obscure her nude frame.


Nemeseia fell quickly into the moment, a question regarding the others he had heard of, and a single mention of a location. She didn’t miss a beat, falling into the world as it was and asking the questions necessary to rebuild the Empire they had once lost. She looked right at him with the location she had last spoken, and he had to wonder to what end her stare was meant for him. “Is that where you are headed?” He wasn’t sure what came next really. Everything had seemed to make sense in what they would do until this point, where the guiding hand changed to another’s.

[Sianna]

Her body ignoring the explosion of shards, though high and to either side of her, Sianna focused more on the rise of this one that had been slumbering for so long, her physical frame now enjoying what she had long dreamed of once more. Satisfied that she had done well, the touch on her shoulder returned the priestess' spirit back to her body and the drain from the ritual began to tell on her. Taking in a deep breath as she relaxed, pale hands now on her thighs, Sianna appreciated the nearness of the queen of flame as all that she had heard about from their guide as well as other sparse texts had given her more than enough to go on before their arrival.

Voice soon came into audible focus as Sianna raised her head, the candle before her now smoking lightly, tendrils of smoke rising and mixing with the low, faint fog hugging the dais and rubble strewn about the floor around her. Picking up the candle, she knew these were going to come in handy again soon and pushed herself up as Nemesia dressed. Moving to the other candles, she reclaimed each, letting Alastair and Nemesia get reacquainted. Her fire resistant pack now full, she swung it back around to her back and slipped her left arm within. Silver eyes fixed on the woman, taking in her features as they prepared to leave once more. "Welcome back, milady," Sianna finally spoke, then curtsied, arms wide as she bowed her head. "May the Force serve you well."

[Nemeseia]

Teth. Keeper of Knowledge. He would be able to fill in all of the gaps, replacing what ignorance lingered concerning the wider galaxy from her long slumber with facts and victor accurate history; that was what he had been made for, after all.

She nodded solemnly toward Dornek and then moved her molten hued eyes toward the curtsying priestess who had managed to free her from her prison. Such power, such worthiness. She required this woman to stay close by but it was not the time, nor the place, to coax her to remain as such. Fate promised that they would tread the same path, for the time being, and she had little doubt that she'd able to plead her very convincing case to the woman somewhere along the way.

"May it serve us both." She replied smoothly to Sianna, her head bowing in a show of respect for what the woman had accomplished.

Afterward, Nemeseia strode forward and snagged a belt from one of the mercenary's bodies and slung it around her shapely hips, clipping her lightsaber hilt to one of the empty loops. Next, the dull-crimson plated boots were strapped to her feet and behind her knees. She stood tall afterward and then redirected her stare toward Alastair, a slender brow arching skyward at his question.

"That is where we are headed." She corrected with a vague smile, approaching him in a slow, seductive stride. Her right hand lifted, coming to cup his cheek. Her eyes insisted upon contact with his own and once that connection was made, she offered him another slow smile. "Let's put this dull place behind us." She told all three of them, dropping her hand away from his face and pivoting toward the opening of the sealing chamber. Beyond, the magma became frenzied; lapping past the previous meniscus and climbing with growing tenacity along the funneled walls of L'Maelthra.

[Alastair Kade]

Entering into the volcano, Alastair had identified two of their party as important figures, the Priestess and Dornek. Now three remained, two of those he had held in a higher regard then the others, and himself. He tried to recount the events that had brought him to his point, and why so many he had died and he remained. The audible clip of the belt in the otherwise still chamber set his focus. He’d had his question, but still trailed off mentally. In truth he felt swept up in a river overflowing the banks, a great rising flood that would carry or consume all.


Nemeseia corrected his question with an obvious questioning of her own, reflecting a confusion at perhaps his ignorance of what came next. The we of her statement felt very personal, for him and her, while her second statement felt as if it was directed to the whole. Before he could hear those follow up words though, she approached and touched her hand to his cheek in a very personal exchange. Their eyes locked, her gaze burning with a familiarity he couldn’t quite place and his own slowly shifting from that confused perplexity that saw his gaze a touch wider, to a focused determination made evident by that slight tightening at the corners that narrowed his visage.


Their gaze’s lingered locked only a few more moments, when she dismissed them from the sealing chamber, and his helmet came up to hide his visage once again. His helmet clicked and hissed, air forced to circulate back through as the connection was reestablished. In spite of the closed air circuit, he felt warm. He realized his face remained flushed even beneath, not from the heat but the intensity of such an intimate moment.


The mistress they were sent to release now free, it appeared as if the volcano either celebrated or rebelled against the events that had just unfolded. Nemeseia moved out with no fear though, welcoming the heat, not needing anywhere near the same degree of protection they did. What is she? He questioned himself. It was around that time that the intensifying heat within the volcano consumed the narrow walkway they had taken down towards the sealing chamber in the first place. The rock crumbled away, leaving no traversable path back out while the inferno raged on.


Dornek cursed, something unheard over the sound of crumbling rock and erupting geysers of lava. “We’ll need to call the shuttle in.” Alastair turned back to Dornek, voicing the concern the man was likely already aware of. “It won’t be able to weather the heat for long.” And their pilot would need to be damn good. Dornek paused a moment, considering their lack of options. “Call it in.” Alastair nodded, turning away from the group to call the shuttle down for pick up.

[Sianna]

Following the trio out and onto the landing, Sianna's silver gaze scanned the magma now hissing and seething as if in celebration of the queen's freedom. The very ground now glad of the retribution that was to come; one last spit on the graves of those Jedi that had thought their work would never be undone. A seal and ward bypassed by a practitioner of the pure side of the Force. Slowing as the two males in their presence now hailed the shuttle, the priestess grinned knowing at least two of them could have leapt the magma's celebration as the land bridge was now overlapped and seemingly a barrier to those weaker in the universal gift which both females enjoyed.

Glancing to Dornek as he yelled over the undulating flame and superheated rock, she ensured that the man had no intentions of a double-cross as she touched on his surface thoughts mindlessly. Her longevity had only been assured with a little mistrust in servants to the cause, many examples of that over the years proving her need for it. Family included.

Heat waves rose, creating condensation on her helmet's mask as it conflicted with the interior cooling unit, though as she glanced up the shuttle's vague form emerged in the rising smoke as the volcano seemed to be waiting for them to leave before it burst forth it's glee in Nemesia's initial victory. Angling down, the vessel banked slightly as it turned it's starboard side to them, opening the access door and lowering just over the bubbling magma. Waiting for the others to climb aboard first, the Echani leaped onto the ramp as it rose into the air, climbing into the vessel's cooler interior and touched the button to close the ramp behind her. Inside as the shuttle rose into the air, Sianna removed her helmet and moved to the bank of lockers, opening the door. Stripping off the suit, she set each piece into the shelves and hangers, then backed as she turned, leaning over and grabbing her pack, then moved to an empty seat. Plopping into it, the priestess then set the pack on the seat next to her.

"Milady, where to next," she inquired, knowing the awakened queen was also going to need something to eat soon.

[Nemeseia]

There was a flurry of activity as Dornek, Alastair, and Sianna prepared to put the rousing danger of the volcano behind them. They emerged from the chamber that had long been her prison and she did not look back, tendrils of anger peeling from her skin to lash maliciously at the gurgling magma below. She would see to it that no one would be imprisoned in this place again. Geysers of lava spewed up from the depths, clawing at the collapsing inner walls of L'Maelthra and pulling great hunks of the funnel downward. She stayed centered among her rescuers, simultaneously guarding them from the deadly splashes of lava and allowing years of pent up fury to filter into her surroundings. Not even a single bead of sweat marred her brow and one would never guess from looking at her that a great, hatred fueled tumult pounded through her veins; echoing out into the Force for every sensitive in the vicinity to experience.

Eventually, the shuttle they had brought with them swept through the smoke clouded top of the volcano and not without difficulty did it manage to suspend above their precarious position. Nemeseia's molten eyes raked over Sianna as she passed her, her booted feet stomping along the ribbed edges of the ramp once a graceful leap had brought her atop it. The ship shuddered noticeably as the door closed up behind them, fighting against the dense heat of the environment and finally pulling free mere moments before the initial explosion of the volcano took place. The Sith Master moved to a narrow, rectangular window on the starboard side and she watched as destructive lava rivers pierced the funnel and began devouring all in its path. A sadistic smile curved her lips.

She had long heard the tribal chants of those born to this world, her spirit having danced through their dark side rituals in a pale imitation of living. This trial by fire would make them stronger or they would merely die, ridding the universe of their unworthy essences. One day soon, she would return here and rake their battered forms from the ashes of their former existences. She had much to accomplish before that time, however.

"We should not delay. Set a course for Krayiss Two. I am eager to reunite with my sister." She ordered fluently, as if the gap of some thousand years hadn't bothered to blunt her imperious demeanor.

Dornek was tellingly silent, drawing her gaze to him. He looked away immediately, moving toward the cockpit. "I will update the pilot. The master quarters are yours, my lady, as are any paltry accommodations my ship has to offer." And then he was gone, her gaze following his back as it disappeared through the door frame.

"It is strange that I have spent so much time in stasis and yet... I feel so very tired." She admitted in a rare outward display of her feelings. Her gaze flicked back to the two individuals she was left with. It was easiest for her to fall into the age old routine of commanding troops. That was hardly what these two could be considered, however. "You have my thanks, for the part you played in my release. I think I will eat and then... catch up on what was missed in all this time."

[Alastair Kade]

Alastair boarded the shuttle with a small leap, even as the ground they stood upon began to fracture with the impending promise of fading off into the elevating levels of lava. Whatever chemical and natural chain reaction had stirred L’Maelthra out of it’s dormant state, would not be satisfied until it had wrought it’s own anger upon the land. Deep down, Alastair knew it was all the doing of Nemeseia, he just wasn’t entirely certain how. Just as he wasn’t certain how she could stand to be in that intense heat that would have blistered the skin away from a normal human being. He imagined the legends were true, that she was as powerful as promised.


The moment he boarded the craft, he hurried up towards the cockpit to serve as copilot in getting them out of the volcano safely. He redirected shields as necessary, and assumed controls of acceleration, as well as activation of repulsors when necessary. All of that culminated in only a couple minutes and a great amount of effort. When it was done he left the pilot to the easy part, while he rose and shed his helmet once again. It was discarded into a cubby, just as he passed Dornek back to join Nemeseia and Sianna. He arrived just on time for Nemeseia to address them both, and while his timing could have had him feel as if he were not intended for the conversation, he felt a certain acceptance from the woman that welcomed him to join the pair of powerful females.


While she spoke, he began to divest himself of his gear into a crate. His rifle was nestled into place first, followed by the unclasping of armor segments that resulted in him removing the chest plate into the crate. He stretched his arms up overhead, feeling the freedom of movement return to him without the added weight. For the first time he saw her as a person, beyond the legends told. He smiled, playfully commenting to make her feel a bit more like she belonged with them, in this new time. “What does an ancient Goddess of the Sith eat?” He glanced to Sianna, as if he expected an answer from her, then back to Nemeseia. She would hopefully gather his humor, which was further emphasized by the statement to follow. “I always figured it was the flesh of one’s enemies, or some such thing. We’re a bit shy of adversarial flanks though.” His hands swept up to remove the ponytail portion of his hair, then cycle the banding back through it once it was put into a non helmet matted state.

[Sianna]

Silver orbs took in the queen as she finally relaxed a bit and relayed what Sianna had been thinking already. "No doubt it's just from the long sleep that your body's still recovering from what they consigned you to," she mused aloud, then glanced to Alastair as he commented on the master's appetite and possible chosen preference in cuisine. Smiling darkly, the Sith priestess realized this man had no idea of what was possible, should his theory be correct. "I can fly," she stated dryly, the insinuation no doubt caught by Nemesia.

There had been few things that the Echani had missed while on her own private excavations and pursuit of knowledge of the ancient ways of the Sith. Her passion being seeking out the little forgotten corners of the galaxy that Sorzus Syn and the original founders of their belief haunted at one point or another. Turning her attention back to the dark haired beauty, "It was my pleasure, milady. It's an honor to meet someone that seen the past firsthand instead of hearing it through someone else's theories or biased journals." She motioned to the small kitchenette and rose, "Perhaps we should see what's on the menu and hopefully there's something here that sounds familiar." Though she knew that Dornek had done his best to ensure that at least some of the menu on the list were dishes that Nemesia would enjoy, though not made freshly from an oven like she may have been used to.

Scrolling down the list, Sianna then began reading off several meals that had been earmarked by Dornek, glancing to Nemesia occasionally to see if there was anything that she wished to dine on.