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29-04-2023, 11:15 PM
((originally posted by Acolyte Cathryn Valorin))
THE REMNANTS OF RHINNAL
(Non-guild related story of me and Jyudai)
PROLOGUE
A Jedi Chapter House has been built up to the West of the capital city Rhire back when the large city has been no more but a small supply outpost for hyperspace explorers. Over the years, the academy on the frigid world Rhinnal grew just as Rhire expanded into a vast city. Next to the H’ratth praxeum, the Rhinnal Enclave was considered to be the academy bringing forth renowned Jedi Healers. The simple, spired structure of the Academy held almost hundred patients from all over the galaxy that were tended to by doctors and Jedi Healers.
When Darth Ikoral returned back to the galaxy, he embarked on a series of attacks against the Empire and the Republic and almost destroyed the enclave of the Jedi Order on Rhinnal entirely with his flagship the Red Reaper. Even though Grand Master Satele Shan felt the Enclave’s destruction through the Force, the Republic patrol frigate Toron Vog that was sent to investigate Rhinnal had been destroyed.
With the Eternal Fleet ravaging through the Republic, the survivors of Rhinnal soon were forgotten. Traumatised and devastated, the Remnants are fighting for their survival on the havocked world for 5 years already. With their academy in ruins, a majority of the escapees hid in the solitude of the mountains.
Day by day their beliefs in the Order, the Republic and the Force were challenged, their spirits broken by the relentless nature…yet their hopes for a brighter future are unbalked.
THE REMNANTS OF RHINNAL
(Non-guild related story of me and Jyudai)
PROLOGUE
A Jedi Chapter House has been built up to the West of the capital city Rhire back when the large city has been no more but a small supply outpost for hyperspace explorers. Over the years, the academy on the frigid world Rhinnal grew just as Rhire expanded into a vast city. Next to the H’ratth praxeum, the Rhinnal Enclave was considered to be the academy bringing forth renowned Jedi Healers. The simple, spired structure of the Academy held almost hundred patients from all over the galaxy that were tended to by doctors and Jedi Healers.
When Darth Ikoral returned back to the galaxy, he embarked on a series of attacks against the Empire and the Republic and almost destroyed the enclave of the Jedi Order on Rhinnal entirely with his flagship the Red Reaper. Even though Grand Master Satele Shan felt the Enclave’s destruction through the Force, the Republic patrol frigate Toron Vog that was sent to investigate Rhinnal had been destroyed.
With the Eternal Fleet ravaging through the Republic, the survivors of Rhinnal soon were forgotten. Traumatised and devastated, the Remnants are fighting for their survival on the havocked world for 5 years already. With their academy in ruins, a majority of the escapees hid in the solitude of the mountains.
Day by day their beliefs in the Order, the Republic and the Force were challenged, their spirits broken by the relentless nature…yet their hopes for a brighter future are unbalked.
Spoiler: CHAPTER 1 - THE ARRIVAL
THE ARRIVAL
The entire cockpit of the Imperial starfighter was ablaze with a redish light and the emergency claxons were tormenting the young Sith's ears. His left wing left a trail of smoke and fire behind while dashing uncontrollably through the Ringalli Shell. Only with vast difficulty, the brown-haired Sith managed to stay on course as he made his way through the violet nebulae permeating the black canvas of space. Zain Trebault grimaced as the alarm still tormented his inner ears in warning, making him even more nervous than he already was. A forced landing appeared to be inevitable at this point - and the green-blue mottled orb closing in appeared to be the ideal place. Rhinnal would strike any possible onlooker as beautiful with its light green patches of grassy fields and blue streaks of water patching the landscape. Once the cockpit submerged into the inhabited planet's natural daylight, the sun at noon dazzled him for a moment in the horizon. It took his light-blue eyes to get accustomed to the bright luminescence while his ship still made the descent to the equatorial region. The soil apperead to be permeated with forests, mossy slopes and several glades. The young Sith did find the scenery to be...not ghastly. It was certainly better than the other sceneries he had to be exposed to during his training. Zain contemplated apace. He could use the catapult seat and try to make his luck in the forests? "I do not want to permanently damage my ship." Zain thought while shielding his eyes with the leathery-gloved hand. It had cost him enough to be granted his own personal ship, he would not lose it at this mission.
Deciding for a splashdown at the next crystal-clear lake, the young man steered his ship towards the blue spot and tried to have the metallic hull glide over the water. Zain braced himself for impact. The moment the starfighter connected with the watery surface, the clear waters got splashed up and sent a faint wave over the sea which split at the sharp basalt-gray rocks. The liquid had successfully quenched the fire his ship's left turbine had been affected with but the hull now gave off a ghastly screeching noise as it dragged through the lake's shallow waters and its rocky bottom. Finally, with the starfighter coming to a halt, the glassy overhead-roof of the cockpit slid open and exposed him to the breathable atmosphere of Rhinnal. The air surrounding Zain held an icy but fresh chill to it. He took a moment to observe his landing site and the rich and very pristine nature surrounding him.
Only a decade ago, Rhinnal has thawed up from an ice-age that left behind several high-peaked mountains, glaciers and lakes like this one who were spanning the horizon from his viewpoint. The absence of sounds increases the impression of an idyllic planet radiating a tranquil and peaceful feeling. The mere silence got interrupted by the fizzling noise of the starfighter's wires. The lights started to flicker and eventually got short-circuited by the water and shut down like the rest of the ship. Zain sighed while cursing under his breath before he decided that waiting here at the glacier's waters and its presumed wildlife within would not be the best course of action. His dark clothes were already soaked wet with water as he harnessed the Force and leapt ashore.
Standing on the rocky shore, he was able to make out a bridge closeby that lead over the river. He spot a visibly-labelled medical transport compossed out of a few people that were carrying the injured towards a lazaret camp. Equipped with repulsorlift technology, the gurneys were hovering next to medical employees who made their way by foot to the camp, not leaving the side of the injured while being guarded by two soldiers. The guard's white armor's bore the emblem of the Galactic Republic at the pauldron. One of the medic suddenly speaks in an urgent tone: "Tell them to prepare the micro-sonic vibration injectors. Being trampled by a Gabal is nothing to treat lightly!" One of the Republic troopers had seemingly fallen behind as he scanned the area with his binoculars. "Private, are you coming?" the other patrolling trooper barked over. "I could swear that I saw a ship fall down close to this area. We should contact Rhire just in case." he said and reluctantly walked backwards after the group while he still tried to spot something in the thicket or the nearby lake. Discreetly, Zain had made his way around and hid behind a large tree-trunk now. He was making a mental note of the Republic soldier and was starting to think of a well-designed plan how to get off this planet and resume his initial mission. Being at a numberal disadvantage, he stayed put for now, eavesdropping to see if he could pick up on any crucial information. The other trooper emitted a dry laughter and pat his compatriot's shoulder. "Must have been one of Ayelixe's cargo-transports again. It wouldn't be the first time afterall." The other Private kept his helmet under the arm and finally lowered his binoculars. "No need to remind me. Ever since that scandal at Ayelixe Fabrico, my brother and my father are unemployed. But this one did not look like one of their vessels." The first patrolling soldier beckoned him with a brush of his hand. "If it wrecked against the rocks, we'll fetch out a searchparty later. But for now, the victims of the Gabal stampede have precedence." Zain bit his underlip. By now he hoped that the small lake had devoured his small vessel in its depths but he knew the waters were too shallow. Hoping to spy any speeders he could hijack, Zain followed after the medical transport. From his position, he had yet no luck with spotting any vessels close by the river-bench. However, his light-blue eyes noticed several gray tents that had been erected on the flat grassland.
The young Sith decided to make his luck there but tried his best to avoid being seen. Instead of following over the bridge, he quickly dashed towards the small river and Force leapt to the other side. "Did they figure out what caused the stampede?" Casually, the two walked off the bridge without noticing the little spy to their left. "The natives whisper it was the myth-enshrouded Tenticulon....But that may be just rural superstition again."
The entire cockpit of the Imperial starfighter was ablaze with a redish light and the emergency claxons were tormenting the young Sith's ears. His left wing left a trail of smoke and fire behind while dashing uncontrollably through the Ringalli Shell. Only with vast difficulty, the brown-haired Sith managed to stay on course as he made his way through the violet nebulae permeating the black canvas of space. Zain Trebault grimaced as the alarm still tormented his inner ears in warning, making him even more nervous than he already was. A forced landing appeared to be inevitable at this point - and the green-blue mottled orb closing in appeared to be the ideal place. Rhinnal would strike any possible onlooker as beautiful with its light green patches of grassy fields and blue streaks of water patching the landscape. Once the cockpit submerged into the inhabited planet's natural daylight, the sun at noon dazzled him for a moment in the horizon. It took his light-blue eyes to get accustomed to the bright luminescence while his ship still made the descent to the equatorial region. The soil apperead to be permeated with forests, mossy slopes and several glades. The young Sith did find the scenery to be...not ghastly. It was certainly better than the other sceneries he had to be exposed to during his training. Zain contemplated apace. He could use the catapult seat and try to make his luck in the forests? "I do not want to permanently damage my ship." Zain thought while shielding his eyes with the leathery-gloved hand. It had cost him enough to be granted his own personal ship, he would not lose it at this mission.
Deciding for a splashdown at the next crystal-clear lake, the young man steered his ship towards the blue spot and tried to have the metallic hull glide over the water. Zain braced himself for impact. The moment the starfighter connected with the watery surface, the clear waters got splashed up and sent a faint wave over the sea which split at the sharp basalt-gray rocks. The liquid had successfully quenched the fire his ship's left turbine had been affected with but the hull now gave off a ghastly screeching noise as it dragged through the lake's shallow waters and its rocky bottom. Finally, with the starfighter coming to a halt, the glassy overhead-roof of the cockpit slid open and exposed him to the breathable atmosphere of Rhinnal. The air surrounding Zain held an icy but fresh chill to it. He took a moment to observe his landing site and the rich and very pristine nature surrounding him.
Only a decade ago, Rhinnal has thawed up from an ice-age that left behind several high-peaked mountains, glaciers and lakes like this one who were spanning the horizon from his viewpoint. The absence of sounds increases the impression of an idyllic planet radiating a tranquil and peaceful feeling. The mere silence got interrupted by the fizzling noise of the starfighter's wires. The lights started to flicker and eventually got short-circuited by the water and shut down like the rest of the ship. Zain sighed while cursing under his breath before he decided that waiting here at the glacier's waters and its presumed wildlife within would not be the best course of action. His dark clothes were already soaked wet with water as he harnessed the Force and leapt ashore.
Standing on the rocky shore, he was able to make out a bridge closeby that lead over the river. He spot a visibly-labelled medical transport compossed out of a few people that were carrying the injured towards a lazaret camp. Equipped with repulsorlift technology, the gurneys were hovering next to medical employees who made their way by foot to the camp, not leaving the side of the injured while being guarded by two soldiers. The guard's white armor's bore the emblem of the Galactic Republic at the pauldron. One of the medic suddenly speaks in an urgent tone: "Tell them to prepare the micro-sonic vibration injectors. Being trampled by a Gabal is nothing to treat lightly!" One of the Republic troopers had seemingly fallen behind as he scanned the area with his binoculars. "Private, are you coming?" the other patrolling trooper barked over. "I could swear that I saw a ship fall down close to this area. We should contact Rhire just in case." he said and reluctantly walked backwards after the group while he still tried to spot something in the thicket or the nearby lake. Discreetly, Zain had made his way around and hid behind a large tree-trunk now. He was making a mental note of the Republic soldier and was starting to think of a well-designed plan how to get off this planet and resume his initial mission. Being at a numberal disadvantage, he stayed put for now, eavesdropping to see if he could pick up on any crucial information. The other trooper emitted a dry laughter and pat his compatriot's shoulder. "Must have been one of Ayelixe's cargo-transports again. It wouldn't be the first time afterall." The other Private kept his helmet under the arm and finally lowered his binoculars. "No need to remind me. Ever since that scandal at Ayelixe Fabrico, my brother and my father are unemployed. But this one did not look like one of their vessels." The first patrolling soldier beckoned him with a brush of his hand. "If it wrecked against the rocks, we'll fetch out a searchparty later. But for now, the victims of the Gabal stampede have precedence." Zain bit his underlip. By now he hoped that the small lake had devoured his small vessel in its depths but he knew the waters were too shallow. Hoping to spy any speeders he could hijack, Zain followed after the medical transport. From his position, he had yet no luck with spotting any vessels close by the river-bench. However, his light-blue eyes noticed several gray tents that had been erected on the flat grassland.
The young Sith decided to make his luck there but tried his best to avoid being seen. Instead of following over the bridge, he quickly dashed towards the small river and Force leapt to the other side. "Did they figure out what caused the stampede?" Casually, the two walked off the bridge without noticing the little spy to their left. "The natives whisper it was the myth-enshrouded Tenticulon....But that may be just rural superstition again."
Spoiler: CHAPTER 2 - THE MEDICAL ENCAMPMENT
THE MEDICAL ENCAMPMENT
The medical camp bustled with activity. Surprisingly, there would have been only Humans occupying the tents and despite being a sporadic encampment, they all appeared to be well-organised and well-attuned with one another. The medics roaming the place wore professional garb while using modern and advanced technological utensils for tending to the patients. The area's landscape was covered by trodden-down paths that connected the tents with one another and several crates of the Republic stood around the grassland. The camp itself did not make an impression of being-well defended. A dozen of Republic guards were spread out over the entire area, casually patrolling and scanning. At this point, Zain started to feel the cold clutch towards his body. The water that had soaked his dark-clad attire only increased the undercooling of his body. He hissed sharply as the frost started to overcome him with a cold shivver running down his spine and naturally, he was now forced to act quickly to not suffer of hypothermia. And time was not a luxury he had.
Still searching for a vessel, he decided to make one last scouting. He moved to a rock formation towering over the camp by swiftly sprinting off and using his shadows as cover in addition with his dark garments. That little sprint seemed to provide him at least with an ounce of warmth even though the clothes cling uncomfortably to his pale skin. He lay down flat on his stomach and peered straight down into the encampment. Just in this moment, another medic has left the tent beneath him. She sighed and wiped off the sweat trickling down her forehead with a napkin. Her white coat appeared to be covered with blood splatters, indicating that she had to deal with a critical operation out in the forest. "More victims of the stampede?" she asks her co-surgeon, adding: "What has scared them so much that they'd panic? Usually they live rather peaceful in the north banks of the Frieste River." Zain nodded to himself and surpressed the shaking off his body which suffered under the low temperature. He decided to venture on, but just as he was about to get back to his feet and walk off, the rock supporting his left boot yielded. What started with only a few pebbles rolling down eventually sent Zain tumbling down the rock entirely. Woe was him that the nature of this planet seemed to plot against him! Having lost his balance, he slid on the rocks and toppled over. Thud after thud after thud before landing in the grass with a grunt. "Nnngh!" he hissed.
The conversing medics got scared witless as the eavesdropper suddenly came crashing down. "Where did this one come from?! Is it raining people now?" the other surgeon queried cynically. The main doctor instead rushed instantly over towards Zain. "Hey! It is alright, do not panic. Can you look at me?" Despite being hurt, Zain was not a fool. He used the snow piles scattering the grasslands to hide his lightsaber in but made sure to memorize the spot mentally. The doctor already brandished a pocket-flashlight along his eyes while talking insistently with him.
Zain quickly changed his accent to a neutral one and replied: "Gah! I-I was caught in the stampede...need...help!" Looking at the medic, he put on a pained expression. She in return gave a knowing nod, seemingly not questioning his story. "It is okay, save your breath. You will be alright again." Another wave of the hand is given towards the co-surgeon. "We'll need another gurney!" A moment later, Zain already got heaved on top of the newly-arrived gurney and carried over towards a nearby tent that was not occupied by a patient yet. Carefully, he got lead down on a matress. Zain put on the show of his lifetime - He clutched at his head and moaned a bit, keeping his dazed expression up as good as possible. "Oh, my dear boy. You're completely undercooled." the female doctor states in a worried tone. "We need to raise your temperature first." The assistant fetched out a thermal blanket that had hundreds of tiny injectors. The weight of the blanket was really heavy due to several electronic diodes woven into the cloth. The electronic blanket got connected with the doctor's datapad as she used it to remotely inject him with painkillers while simultaneously stabilizing his body temperature. The assistant meanwhile made a medical scan of Zain, writing down the displayed data. "What is your name, by the way?" the woman asked. Internally, Zain already grinned wickedly with relief. This was just too easy. On the outside, he was just letting a fragile boy be at display. "Thank you! Thank you for saving my life...Oh ~ my name...m-my name...is..." He pretended to try and remember. "Ah! My head hurts..." A calming gesture was given by the medic. "That is okay. You are still in a state of shock." Her gaze wanders over towards the assistant. "Write down that the patient is potentially suffering of a cerebral concussion. We may need to request a brain mapper hood from Rhire to see if his long-term memory or other neural areas are impaired." The assistant gives a heavy nod of approval, retorting: "Yes, Doctor."
From his position, Zain was able to see how a few Republic troopers were speaking outside the tent with casually-clad Rhinnalians from the nearby city who wildly gestured with their arms, seemingly speaking overanxiously about the topic. Whether they just spoke about the stampede or Zain's ship was something he was not able to hear. "Are you having a family member in Rhire that we can contact?" the doctor asks, returning the Sith-patient's attention back to her. "Or do you recall a com-code that we can call to reach a trusted person of yours?" Her brown eyes were fixated onto Zain, full with anticipation for his response.
"I ~ my headache is really killing me." Zain remarks. "Can we shut out the noise outside and may I speak to you alone...then I will feel more comfortable, please..." He said and tried his best to keep up the act of a shocked young man.
The doctor gave a firm nod of understanding his situation. The assistant took leave to organise the special medical device and after that, the doctor drew the curtains of the tent close. "The analgesics that we have injected into your body are there to relieve the pain of damaged bones." the doctor explained and turned around again. "Do you still feel pain?" Zain had waited until the tent was sealed shut. This time, the cautious boy took a huge gamble. "Well..d-doctor, you see..." His whimpering voice suddenly became morphed into a monotone, commanding one: "- You find yourself confident enough to diagnose me with a concussion. There is no need for a brain mapping device." His hand faintly swayed in front of her face as he said so. However, the doctor appeared to be one of the strong-willed kind and gave Zain a stern glance in return. "I do not do any remote diagnostics that is why we will wait for the brain mapper." she calmly placed her hand at his shoulder. "I know you are concerned for the costs. But surely your insurance will provide in cases like these." The Sith snarled disappointed and laid his head back onto the pillow. "Yes...You're right. I'm sorry...Can I get some rest please?" - "Of course. If you feel the pain returning, feel free to call one of the doctors." she says and gestures towards one of the remote controls build-into the edge of the beds. "I will keep that in mind. Thank you, Doctor." Zain replied with a smile gracing his lips. As the doctor took her leave and swayed the curtain open for just a moment, Zain was able to pick up on a snippet of conversation from outside: "- perhaps the Jedi hermit startling the Gabals."
Zain did not waste any time pondering about what caused the stampede. Instead, he was trying to use the few minutes he got to delve into a bit of meditation to regain his strength and the warmth to his body. He was hoping that no one would return so swiftly while still keeping an ear open.
The medical camp bustled with activity. Surprisingly, there would have been only Humans occupying the tents and despite being a sporadic encampment, they all appeared to be well-organised and well-attuned with one another. The medics roaming the place wore professional garb while using modern and advanced technological utensils for tending to the patients. The area's landscape was covered by trodden-down paths that connected the tents with one another and several crates of the Republic stood around the grassland. The camp itself did not make an impression of being-well defended. A dozen of Republic guards were spread out over the entire area, casually patrolling and scanning. At this point, Zain started to feel the cold clutch towards his body. The water that had soaked his dark-clad attire only increased the undercooling of his body. He hissed sharply as the frost started to overcome him with a cold shivver running down his spine and naturally, he was now forced to act quickly to not suffer of hypothermia. And time was not a luxury he had.
Still searching for a vessel, he decided to make one last scouting. He moved to a rock formation towering over the camp by swiftly sprinting off and using his shadows as cover in addition with his dark garments. That little sprint seemed to provide him at least with an ounce of warmth even though the clothes cling uncomfortably to his pale skin. He lay down flat on his stomach and peered straight down into the encampment. Just in this moment, another medic has left the tent beneath him. She sighed and wiped off the sweat trickling down her forehead with a napkin. Her white coat appeared to be covered with blood splatters, indicating that she had to deal with a critical operation out in the forest. "More victims of the stampede?" she asks her co-surgeon, adding: "What has scared them so much that they'd panic? Usually they live rather peaceful in the north banks of the Frieste River." Zain nodded to himself and surpressed the shaking off his body which suffered under the low temperature. He decided to venture on, but just as he was about to get back to his feet and walk off, the rock supporting his left boot yielded. What started with only a few pebbles rolling down eventually sent Zain tumbling down the rock entirely. Woe was him that the nature of this planet seemed to plot against him! Having lost his balance, he slid on the rocks and toppled over. Thud after thud after thud before landing in the grass with a grunt. "Nnngh!" he hissed.
The conversing medics got scared witless as the eavesdropper suddenly came crashing down. "Where did this one come from?! Is it raining people now?" the other surgeon queried cynically. The main doctor instead rushed instantly over towards Zain. "Hey! It is alright, do not panic. Can you look at me?" Despite being hurt, Zain was not a fool. He used the snow piles scattering the grasslands to hide his lightsaber in but made sure to memorize the spot mentally. The doctor already brandished a pocket-flashlight along his eyes while talking insistently with him.
Zain quickly changed his accent to a neutral one and replied: "Gah! I-I was caught in the stampede...need...help!" Looking at the medic, he put on a pained expression. She in return gave a knowing nod, seemingly not questioning his story. "It is okay, save your breath. You will be alright again." Another wave of the hand is given towards the co-surgeon. "We'll need another gurney!" A moment later, Zain already got heaved on top of the newly-arrived gurney and carried over towards a nearby tent that was not occupied by a patient yet. Carefully, he got lead down on a matress. Zain put on the show of his lifetime - He clutched at his head and moaned a bit, keeping his dazed expression up as good as possible. "Oh, my dear boy. You're completely undercooled." the female doctor states in a worried tone. "We need to raise your temperature first." The assistant fetched out a thermal blanket that had hundreds of tiny injectors. The weight of the blanket was really heavy due to several electronic diodes woven into the cloth. The electronic blanket got connected with the doctor's datapad as she used it to remotely inject him with painkillers while simultaneously stabilizing his body temperature. The assistant meanwhile made a medical scan of Zain, writing down the displayed data. "What is your name, by the way?" the woman asked. Internally, Zain already grinned wickedly with relief. This was just too easy. On the outside, he was just letting a fragile boy be at display. "Thank you! Thank you for saving my life...Oh ~ my name...m-my name...is..." He pretended to try and remember. "Ah! My head hurts..." A calming gesture was given by the medic. "That is okay. You are still in a state of shock." Her gaze wanders over towards the assistant. "Write down that the patient is potentially suffering of a cerebral concussion. We may need to request a brain mapper hood from Rhire to see if his long-term memory or other neural areas are impaired." The assistant gives a heavy nod of approval, retorting: "Yes, Doctor."
From his position, Zain was able to see how a few Republic troopers were speaking outside the tent with casually-clad Rhinnalians from the nearby city who wildly gestured with their arms, seemingly speaking overanxiously about the topic. Whether they just spoke about the stampede or Zain's ship was something he was not able to hear. "Are you having a family member in Rhire that we can contact?" the doctor asks, returning the Sith-patient's attention back to her. "Or do you recall a com-code that we can call to reach a trusted person of yours?" Her brown eyes were fixated onto Zain, full with anticipation for his response.
"I ~ my headache is really killing me." Zain remarks. "Can we shut out the noise outside and may I speak to you alone...then I will feel more comfortable, please..." He said and tried his best to keep up the act of a shocked young man.
The doctor gave a firm nod of understanding his situation. The assistant took leave to organise the special medical device and after that, the doctor drew the curtains of the tent close. "The analgesics that we have injected into your body are there to relieve the pain of damaged bones." the doctor explained and turned around again. "Do you still feel pain?" Zain had waited until the tent was sealed shut. This time, the cautious boy took a huge gamble. "Well..d-doctor, you see..." His whimpering voice suddenly became morphed into a monotone, commanding one: "- You find yourself confident enough to diagnose me with a concussion. There is no need for a brain mapping device." His hand faintly swayed in front of her face as he said so. However, the doctor appeared to be one of the strong-willed kind and gave Zain a stern glance in return. "I do not do any remote diagnostics that is why we will wait for the brain mapper." she calmly placed her hand at his shoulder. "I know you are concerned for the costs. But surely your insurance will provide in cases like these." The Sith snarled disappointed and laid his head back onto the pillow. "Yes...You're right. I'm sorry...Can I get some rest please?" - "Of course. If you feel the pain returning, feel free to call one of the doctors." she says and gestures towards one of the remote controls build-into the edge of the beds. "I will keep that in mind. Thank you, Doctor." Zain replied with a smile gracing his lips. As the doctor took her leave and swayed the curtain open for just a moment, Zain was able to pick up on a snippet of conversation from outside: "- perhaps the Jedi hermit startling the Gabals."
Zain did not waste any time pondering about what caused the stampede. Instead, he was trying to use the few minutes he got to delve into a bit of meditation to regain his strength and the warmth to his body. He was hoping that no one would return so swiftly while still keeping an ear open.
Spoiler: CHAPTER 3 - ON THE RUN
ON THE RUN
It took quite a while before multiple footsteps closed in again. "- the patient needs rest, you cannot simply burst into the tent!" the doctor from before argued. "Ma'am, we need to pursue each lead. The ship that was found jutting out of the lake is of Imperial design." - "There are several Imperial ship-wrecks on Rhinnal from the invasion!" the doctor retorted before she got shut down by the Republic trooper again. "We need to question all patients, no excuses." The curtain of the gray tent swayed open once more...but the patient was nowhere to be found. Baffled, the doctor looked around as she saw the empty thermal blanket coating the matress. "I swear, just a moment before, there had been a boy!" None of the trio appeared to notice how Zain dropped from the tent's ceiling which he was holding onto the skeletal tent railing and tried to escape as their backs were turned to him. He hoped that the grass softened his fall to not make too much sound while the chattering was going on. "How did he look like? Can you describe him?" The trooper asked sternly as Zain pounced from the ceiling. Pursued by bad luck, the other trooper meanwhile peered around and eventually upon glancing over the shoulder, he noticed Zain. "Hey! You there! Freeze!" he shouted over. Zain narrowed his eyes as he was verbally called out. Trying to gain time, he hurled a minor Force Push towards all three of them. The trio got tossed against the tent's wall by the telekinetic wave and were only able to witness the Sith dash off and pick up the lightsaber he had burried in the snow heap. Some of the other medical employees looked surprised after Zain as he ran around but none intercepted him. The other Republic soldiers seemed to be still scattered enough in the camp to not be in his direct way but it would certainly not take long until they reach an alarm on their comlinks. Due to the absence of speeders, he was once again forced to flee by foot with amplified speed.
He had made his way towards the north banks. Walking by foot gave him the benefit of staying warm despite the planet's cool climate. His boots were already stained with mud and dirt as he reached another bridge leading over the prominent Frieste River. The river would not be frozen despite permeating the frigid world but the strong undertow and stream pushes the ice floes down the river. Upon crossing the bridge, Zain had distanced himself quite a lot from the medical encampment. He was so far alone, there were only a few Rhinnalian villagers to his left and fishing at the river undisturbed by the fugitive Sith. With each step, Zain got closer to the snow-covered Sennes Mountains whose high peaks soared up into the sky and are clouded by mist and fog. It would take Zain twice before he eventually noticed a vast monument made out of the same local stone which has been shaped into the effigy of an imposing Jedi towering above derelict pedestals. Zain kept a steady and determinded pace. At first, he did not notice the stature lurking around the corner of his eyes. He simply scoffed at it and shook his head. However, his path was long and the sight of it took its sweet time to be out of range. Another glance was made at it, causing him to narrow his eyes. After the third time, he decided to head for it. The stature itself appeared to be of very old and ancient times. The creator must have lived eons ago. Inscriptions at the stone pedestal were already too weathered to be read and the ornaments and flourishes at the ground are covered by piles of snow. Despite having been destroyed, Zain sensed that this place was once a powerful locus of the Light Side of the Force. Its aura is unmistaken, but faint. He outstared the stature, experiencing the Light Side of the Force for the first time in his life. Especially not alone where he was able to judge.
Upon growing closer, the young man spot something moving...It spread its glistening cerulean wings and waved them so that a gust of cold wind hit Zains face. The avian creature with cerulean plummage would not be very large but nimble. Curiously, the snow falcon observed Zain and occassionally emitted a melodic croaking noise. The sudden gust of wind briefly forced Zain to shield his eyes from the snow that got revved up. He then frowned lightly at the bird, simply starring back though his guard was up and ready to react. To his surprise however, the snow falcon was anything but aggressive and merely outstared the Sith intrusively out of ice-blue eyes. The feathered head is tilting towards each side while its clawed are curled around the cold stone. Zain kept his focus fixated on the falcon and took slow and careful steps towards the stature as if trying to see if he could provoke it. The snow falcon appeared to be incredibly tame, neither feeling provoked nor appearing to be scared-away by Zain. Another croak was given towards Zain but apart of that, it simply rest unbothered on top of the stone.
From afar, the swooshing noise of landspeeders reached Zain's ears. The fishers at the riverbed curiously peered over their shoulders as the vessels drove in a quick pace over the grassy subsoil. They would have been piloted by the Republic soldiers that were seemingly searching the area for the Sith on the run. The brown-haired man threw a glance over his shoulder. "They caught up pretty fast." he thought and dashed around the stature for visible cover. The speeders slowed down and came to a halt at the monument. Zain heard the troopers disembark and close in on the Jedi stature with heavy steps trudging through half-snowy-half-grassy terrain. "No sign of him here." one of the soldiers stated in a muffled voice due to the helmet covering his head. "The footsteps are clearly leading to the old Jedi Chapter House." his companion chimed in.
Even though the place offered no value to him, Zain did a quick surrounding check. His gaze falls upon several little pebbles that have been stacked up over one another and scatter the landscape in regular distances. It started to dawn on Zain Trebault that this place no longer served as what it once had been intended. Now, it was a graveyard.
The male leapt over a ruin-wall and got around to check if any further soldiers were guarding the speeders. "Let us swarm out. You got to the right side - I to the left. He cannot be this far away. Not by foot." the trooper stated and made his way along the wall. In unison, the other trooper went along the other side, scanning the area while replying: "I would not know why the Empire would come here for a second time. They razed all to the ground five years ago already." Sneakily, Zain managed to get around without being spotted by the patrolling soldiers. The two speeders made the impression of being unguarded but there was someone watching him nonetheless. The snow falcon circled above his head, crying from time to time while peering down at him. Zain glared up at the falcon making a fuzz around him. "Killing it will draw too much attention." he thought to himself. Simply forced to take the opportunity, Zain left his hiding spot and charged towards the unmanned speeders. The engine sprung to life again and the faces of the Republic soldiers grew pale. Instantly, they ran back to their speeders but got only left behind by a cloud of smoke that makes them cough and blinds their sight temporarily. Zain was once again on the run but aware that they would follow him soon with the other speeder. Eventually, he reaches a point where the pathway divides. One way lead over another bridge and deeper into the forest, the other however would have taken him higher up into the mountain area. Without wasting too much time contemplating, Zain rushed off towards the forest region.
It took quite a while before multiple footsteps closed in again. "- the patient needs rest, you cannot simply burst into the tent!" the doctor from before argued. "Ma'am, we need to pursue each lead. The ship that was found jutting out of the lake is of Imperial design." - "There are several Imperial ship-wrecks on Rhinnal from the invasion!" the doctor retorted before she got shut down by the Republic trooper again. "We need to question all patients, no excuses." The curtain of the gray tent swayed open once more...but the patient was nowhere to be found. Baffled, the doctor looked around as she saw the empty thermal blanket coating the matress. "I swear, just a moment before, there had been a boy!" None of the trio appeared to notice how Zain dropped from the tent's ceiling which he was holding onto the skeletal tent railing and tried to escape as their backs were turned to him. He hoped that the grass softened his fall to not make too much sound while the chattering was going on. "How did he look like? Can you describe him?" The trooper asked sternly as Zain pounced from the ceiling. Pursued by bad luck, the other trooper meanwhile peered around and eventually upon glancing over the shoulder, he noticed Zain. "Hey! You there! Freeze!" he shouted over. Zain narrowed his eyes as he was verbally called out. Trying to gain time, he hurled a minor Force Push towards all three of them. The trio got tossed against the tent's wall by the telekinetic wave and were only able to witness the Sith dash off and pick up the lightsaber he had burried in the snow heap. Some of the other medical employees looked surprised after Zain as he ran around but none intercepted him. The other Republic soldiers seemed to be still scattered enough in the camp to not be in his direct way but it would certainly not take long until they reach an alarm on their comlinks. Due to the absence of speeders, he was once again forced to flee by foot with amplified speed.
He had made his way towards the north banks. Walking by foot gave him the benefit of staying warm despite the planet's cool climate. His boots were already stained with mud and dirt as he reached another bridge leading over the prominent Frieste River. The river would not be frozen despite permeating the frigid world but the strong undertow and stream pushes the ice floes down the river. Upon crossing the bridge, Zain had distanced himself quite a lot from the medical encampment. He was so far alone, there were only a few Rhinnalian villagers to his left and fishing at the river undisturbed by the fugitive Sith. With each step, Zain got closer to the snow-covered Sennes Mountains whose high peaks soared up into the sky and are clouded by mist and fog. It would take Zain twice before he eventually noticed a vast monument made out of the same local stone which has been shaped into the effigy of an imposing Jedi towering above derelict pedestals. Zain kept a steady and determinded pace. At first, he did not notice the stature lurking around the corner of his eyes. He simply scoffed at it and shook his head. However, his path was long and the sight of it took its sweet time to be out of range. Another glance was made at it, causing him to narrow his eyes. After the third time, he decided to head for it. The stature itself appeared to be of very old and ancient times. The creator must have lived eons ago. Inscriptions at the stone pedestal were already too weathered to be read and the ornaments and flourishes at the ground are covered by piles of snow. Despite having been destroyed, Zain sensed that this place was once a powerful locus of the Light Side of the Force. Its aura is unmistaken, but faint. He outstared the stature, experiencing the Light Side of the Force for the first time in his life. Especially not alone where he was able to judge.
Upon growing closer, the young man spot something moving...It spread its glistening cerulean wings and waved them so that a gust of cold wind hit Zains face. The avian creature with cerulean plummage would not be very large but nimble. Curiously, the snow falcon observed Zain and occassionally emitted a melodic croaking noise. The sudden gust of wind briefly forced Zain to shield his eyes from the snow that got revved up. He then frowned lightly at the bird, simply starring back though his guard was up and ready to react. To his surprise however, the snow falcon was anything but aggressive and merely outstared the Sith intrusively out of ice-blue eyes. The feathered head is tilting towards each side while its clawed are curled around the cold stone. Zain kept his focus fixated on the falcon and took slow and careful steps towards the stature as if trying to see if he could provoke it. The snow falcon appeared to be incredibly tame, neither feeling provoked nor appearing to be scared-away by Zain. Another croak was given towards Zain but apart of that, it simply rest unbothered on top of the stone.
From afar, the swooshing noise of landspeeders reached Zain's ears. The fishers at the riverbed curiously peered over their shoulders as the vessels drove in a quick pace over the grassy subsoil. They would have been piloted by the Republic soldiers that were seemingly searching the area for the Sith on the run. The brown-haired man threw a glance over his shoulder. "They caught up pretty fast." he thought and dashed around the stature for visible cover. The speeders slowed down and came to a halt at the monument. Zain heard the troopers disembark and close in on the Jedi stature with heavy steps trudging through half-snowy-half-grassy terrain. "No sign of him here." one of the soldiers stated in a muffled voice due to the helmet covering his head. "The footsteps are clearly leading to the old Jedi Chapter House." his companion chimed in.
Even though the place offered no value to him, Zain did a quick surrounding check. His gaze falls upon several little pebbles that have been stacked up over one another and scatter the landscape in regular distances. It started to dawn on Zain Trebault that this place no longer served as what it once had been intended. Now, it was a graveyard.
The male leapt over a ruin-wall and got around to check if any further soldiers were guarding the speeders. "Let us swarm out. You got to the right side - I to the left. He cannot be this far away. Not by foot." the trooper stated and made his way along the wall. In unison, the other trooper went along the other side, scanning the area while replying: "I would not know why the Empire would come here for a second time. They razed all to the ground five years ago already." Sneakily, Zain managed to get around without being spotted by the patrolling soldiers. The two speeders made the impression of being unguarded but there was someone watching him nonetheless. The snow falcon circled above his head, crying from time to time while peering down at him. Zain glared up at the falcon making a fuzz around him. "Killing it will draw too much attention." he thought to himself. Simply forced to take the opportunity, Zain left his hiding spot and charged towards the unmanned speeders. The engine sprung to life again and the faces of the Republic soldiers grew pale. Instantly, they ran back to their speeders but got only left behind by a cloud of smoke that makes them cough and blinds their sight temporarily. Zain was once again on the run but aware that they would follow him soon with the other speeder. Eventually, he reaches a point where the pathway divides. One way lead over another bridge and deeper into the forest, the other however would have taken him higher up into the mountain area. Without wasting too much time contemplating, Zain rushed off towards the forest region.
A NIGHTMARE OF DROMUND KAAS
The two Republic soldiers following after Zain Trebault came across the same divided pathway as him. They argued for a moment which would grant the Sith more time to escape but eventually, they agreed Zain would probably not have taken the mountain pass. Still unable to shake off his pursuers, Zain kept on driving through the dense forest. Suddenly, the engine made sputtering noises. The monitor displayed that the speeder ran out of fuel and only a few meters further, the speeder barely hovered over the ground anymore. The airflow during the drive had increased the cold clutching at him yet again. The fugitive decided to abandon the hijacked speeder through leaping off it and rolling over the forest ground while the speeder hovered to its doom. At low altitude, the speeder crashed against the tree trunk. Now, Zain was stranded within the forest while the sun at the horizon started to set. The two soldiers are pointed into his direction due to the audible crash of their stolen vehicle. Zain laid low in the bushes near the wreckage, waiting for their arrival. As the two eventually reached the place, their own speeder suffered the same sputtering as the other vessel. "Fuel's gone!" one of them hisses in frustration. "We need to abandon the search now. It's already getting dark. Call the base for an emergency pick-up. He won't survive till tomorrow anyway. Not out here." The Sith frowned at the news and shuffled a bit within the thicket, hoping that his noise got covered by the sizzling fire of the speeder. Climbing up one of the trees, he tried to spot a nearby city. Though there were no buildings so far in his view. Instead, he is merely presented with the astonishing view at the Sennes Mountains by night as the entire sky got covered by a faint purple tinge from the nebulae. Shortly afterwards, a Republic shuttle flew overhead to pick-up the lost scouts at an arranged meeting-point. "That's my only chance." Zain thought and as a last hope, he dashed after the shuttle with his gaze directed to the sky. He hoped to catch up with it and find it just in time without tripping over branches that are laying in his way.
The meeting point was a vacated place where the shuttle touched down at half throttle and with extended landing gears. The place would be yet another ruin of the Jedi Enclave. Nothing more but an ornamented wall was still standing but the staircase leading up was covered by dirt from a landslide. Just as Zain reached the vacated inner courtyard, he witnessed how the lowered ramp rescinded back into the chassis of the Republic vessel. Completely out of breath, Zain saw his last opportunity of a fast and cold-free travelling slip through his fingers. "Blast!" he muttered panting heavily and took a time to recover stamina. The ship lifted itself into the air once again, swirling up cold wind and snow before it flies off into the distance. Zain found himself standing alone in the courtyard. The sun has set entirely now but the two moons engulfing Rhinnal illuminated the landscape brightly enough. White flakes of snow were softly starting to lower down onto his shoulders and got entangled with the brown strands of his dishevled hair. Zain watched the ship disappear in the dark of the night with a cold stare in defeat before his gaze wandered across the ruins. The inscriptions at the marble walls were just as weathered as the one from the monument at the Frieste River. He made out only a few lines that went: "...there is peace...no passion there...chaos there is harmony...no death...Force." The lost Sith did not recognize the Code from the Jedi or Sith teachings. And for now, he only had his own survival in mind, searching for a roof or a shelter he could spend the night in. Once again, he climbed up to a higher position and finally, the luck was with him for probably the first time ever since he set foot on Rhinnal. From his elevated position, Zain spot an old tower that used to be in still good condition and at least has a roof on top. Without reluctance, the brown-haired Sith slid down the snowey hill.
The entrance to the tower was barricaded by a large pile of snow but this would not be enough to keep him out. With a Force pull, he blasted the snow away, splattering the snow into all directions. Having taken care off the obstacle, Zain ushers into the tower. The ground used to be lightly covered with a bit of snow and absent of any furniture or rugs. There was just a slippery slope made out of solid stone leading in spiral shape upwards. Seeking shelter from the looming snowstorm outside, he hurried into the back of the empty room. He saw a few riddled banners of the Jedi Order that have fallen from the walls and hung loosely over the slope. The torches attached to the walls were too wet to be lightened up with fire. Thus, the Sith had to curl up in the cold and dark room to a ball by tugging his knees to his body.
Time went by...and hours later...there was a faint and distanced:
"...Zain..."
Abruptly, the Sith jolted awake with his hand already on the metallic lightsaber-hilt.
He was alone in the tower just like he had remembered. The entrance has almost snowed closed again. Scratching his head, Zain wondered if it was just hypothermia illusions and tried to close his eye-lids again.
"...Zain!"
Again, all out of sudden, Zain sat up and peered along the empty room. With a squint of his eyes, he got up and threw his head back to peer upwards. The door was by now fully covered with snow but one detail had indeed changed - this time, the room was brightly illuminated as the torches got lit up and gave off a warm light. Was he still alone here?
The fear crept up on Zain and raised the hackles at the nape of his neck. He put up a brave face, hoping that his courage does not desert him. After a deep inhale, he unclipped the hilt from the hook of his belt and kept the handle in hand. With deliberate but careful steps, he walked up the spiral pathway. He was able to see how his pitch-black shadow made the same movements, mirroring his walk at the wall as the slippery way went upwards. The last few steps lead the Sith to another empty room. While Zain remained standing at the threshold, his shadow appeared to keep on wandering...Just like the lower area, this room was torch-lit aswell. His shadow independently made a full arc to the center of the room...
Zain jumped slightly. The eerie atmosphere and the shadow play bode ill. His guard was still raised but he was notably creeped out by whatever sorcery was at play here. Once again, his shadow mirrored the same posture as Zain Trebault. For a moment, there was this gloomy silence until suddenly a pitch-black hand is reaching forward and groping for Zain's collar. A cold shivver trickled down Zain's spine and he felt the Dark Side of the Force probing him. The warm and comfortable fire provided by the torches changed and turned into the cold fire within Dromund Kaas' temple. The shadow's form changed yet again, coming 'forward' as if materializing from a two-dimensional form into a three-dimensional being. The Shadow grew larger in height...larger...and larger...towering over Zain and throwing a large darkness over him that appeared to devour him. The Shadow's frame got bulkier and the black colorness was replaced with actual colors. He still felt a realistic grip at his clothes but the hand turned from pitch-black to crimson-red flesh. "You failed me for the last time, Zain." the Sith-Apprentice heard the deep gravelly voice of his Master and peered straight into this ones fiery orbs that outstared him.
Zain was taken aback by the surreal situation that unfolded around him. As he watched the shadow manifest, his crimson blade shot out of his hilt with a snap hiss giving the cold room a redish tint. However, his eyes had widened and the pupils dilated as the figure adopted the outer appearance of his Pureblood-Master. The hate he felt for that individual started to build up within him. Whatever this was, there was no way that he was on Dromund Kaas in front of his Master. He had a slight feeling that this was not real but he did not really comprehend the situation. What exactly was he seeing? A blast of the past? A glimpse into the future? An illusion? A test of fear the tricky Jedi Temples are renowned for?
"You do not scare me." Zain said courageously and assumed his stance. The Master's gaze was aflame as he emitted a dry chuckle. "Amusing. Most amusing. Pretending to embrace the Dark Side, are we, boy? You do not even comprehend a portion of what I know about the Dark Side of the Force. And you certainly do not have what it takes to be Sith. Not yet." The bulky Pureblood clasped his hands behind the back as he watched the young Sith protegée. "Such a waste." Suddenly, Zain heard a freightening growl behind himself. He was surrounded by two Tuk'ata; the Sith hounds already bared their sharp teeth at him.
The Master's words stung in Zain which fueled his hate even further. Slowly loosing his challenged and indifferent attitude, he replied: "I will find anything that will be at my disposal to destroy you." As he heard the growls however, his instincts took over. He threw his red blade in a spiraling arc towards the hounds, having used telekinesis to guide the Saber Throw.
In an instant, both hounds were slashed through by the red-hot blade. In the same moment, Zain's danger sense spiked violently. A glance behind himself revealed another hissing noise followed by a long crimson blade swooping down diagonally towards him. In the nick of time, Zain's blade returned back in his palm as he assumed a back-guard by redirecting the plasma beam over his shoulder to parry. As both blades connected with one another, they gave off a fizzling noise. Once more, the Pureblood went into the offense with a renewed assault. He lunched out on Zain, intentionally striking against his blade again. A blow not intended to harm but posture the mere strength behind it. "Foolish boy, did you learn nothing that I taught you?" he said in a mocking tone and raised the other unarmed hand. Sparks of electricity started to leap between his fingertips before the purple-colored Lightning tendrils got unleashed on Zain, electrocutting him.
The barrage of lightning hit Zain right across the chest. And the power of his Master was unparalleled. It sent him flying into the wall, the lightsaber hilt falling out of his hand and retracting the blade. The young Sith grunted in agony.
Suddenly, he found himself back at the same spot where he had fell asleep. The torches got blown out but one still managed to see a faint shimmer of embers. The night had passed by as he reawokened and the fresh snow off the night melted away. Zain gasped as he was jolted awake and still peered around himself in high alert. His heart was racing in a slight panic attack but it took several minutes for him to calm down and assess the current state. He took a curt glimpse at the sunlight and then got up, leaning himself against the doorframe to survey the area outside.
A faint noise of wing beating was heard in the air and upon looking above himself again, Zain saw a snow falcon circling at the tower's ceiling.
The two Republic soldiers following after Zain Trebault came across the same divided pathway as him. They argued for a moment which would grant the Sith more time to escape but eventually, they agreed Zain would probably not have taken the mountain pass. Still unable to shake off his pursuers, Zain kept on driving through the dense forest. Suddenly, the engine made sputtering noises. The monitor displayed that the speeder ran out of fuel and only a few meters further, the speeder barely hovered over the ground anymore. The airflow during the drive had increased the cold clutching at him yet again. The fugitive decided to abandon the hijacked speeder through leaping off it and rolling over the forest ground while the speeder hovered to its doom. At low altitude, the speeder crashed against the tree trunk. Now, Zain was stranded within the forest while the sun at the horizon started to set. The two soldiers are pointed into his direction due to the audible crash of their stolen vehicle. Zain laid low in the bushes near the wreckage, waiting for their arrival. As the two eventually reached the place, their own speeder suffered the same sputtering as the other vessel. "Fuel's gone!" one of them hisses in frustration. "We need to abandon the search now. It's already getting dark. Call the base for an emergency pick-up. He won't survive till tomorrow anyway. Not out here." The Sith frowned at the news and shuffled a bit within the thicket, hoping that his noise got covered by the sizzling fire of the speeder. Climbing up one of the trees, he tried to spot a nearby city. Though there were no buildings so far in his view. Instead, he is merely presented with the astonishing view at the Sennes Mountains by night as the entire sky got covered by a faint purple tinge from the nebulae. Shortly afterwards, a Republic shuttle flew overhead to pick-up the lost scouts at an arranged meeting-point. "That's my only chance." Zain thought and as a last hope, he dashed after the shuttle with his gaze directed to the sky. He hoped to catch up with it and find it just in time without tripping over branches that are laying in his way.
The meeting point was a vacated place where the shuttle touched down at half throttle and with extended landing gears. The place would be yet another ruin of the Jedi Enclave. Nothing more but an ornamented wall was still standing but the staircase leading up was covered by dirt from a landslide. Just as Zain reached the vacated inner courtyard, he witnessed how the lowered ramp rescinded back into the chassis of the Republic vessel. Completely out of breath, Zain saw his last opportunity of a fast and cold-free travelling slip through his fingers. "Blast!" he muttered panting heavily and took a time to recover stamina. The ship lifted itself into the air once again, swirling up cold wind and snow before it flies off into the distance. Zain found himself standing alone in the courtyard. The sun has set entirely now but the two moons engulfing Rhinnal illuminated the landscape brightly enough. White flakes of snow were softly starting to lower down onto his shoulders and got entangled with the brown strands of his dishevled hair. Zain watched the ship disappear in the dark of the night with a cold stare in defeat before his gaze wandered across the ruins. The inscriptions at the marble walls were just as weathered as the one from the monument at the Frieste River. He made out only a few lines that went: "...there is peace...no passion there...chaos there is harmony...no death...Force." The lost Sith did not recognize the Code from the Jedi or Sith teachings. And for now, he only had his own survival in mind, searching for a roof or a shelter he could spend the night in. Once again, he climbed up to a higher position and finally, the luck was with him for probably the first time ever since he set foot on Rhinnal. From his elevated position, Zain spot an old tower that used to be in still good condition and at least has a roof on top. Without reluctance, the brown-haired Sith slid down the snowey hill.
The entrance to the tower was barricaded by a large pile of snow but this would not be enough to keep him out. With a Force pull, he blasted the snow away, splattering the snow into all directions. Having taken care off the obstacle, Zain ushers into the tower. The ground used to be lightly covered with a bit of snow and absent of any furniture or rugs. There was just a slippery slope made out of solid stone leading in spiral shape upwards. Seeking shelter from the looming snowstorm outside, he hurried into the back of the empty room. He saw a few riddled banners of the Jedi Order that have fallen from the walls and hung loosely over the slope. The torches attached to the walls were too wet to be lightened up with fire. Thus, the Sith had to curl up in the cold and dark room to a ball by tugging his knees to his body.
Time went by...and hours later...there was a faint and distanced:
"...Zain..."
Abruptly, the Sith jolted awake with his hand already on the metallic lightsaber-hilt.
He was alone in the tower just like he had remembered. The entrance has almost snowed closed again. Scratching his head, Zain wondered if it was just hypothermia illusions and tried to close his eye-lids again.
"...Zain!"
Again, all out of sudden, Zain sat up and peered along the empty room. With a squint of his eyes, he got up and threw his head back to peer upwards. The door was by now fully covered with snow but one detail had indeed changed - this time, the room was brightly illuminated as the torches got lit up and gave off a warm light. Was he still alone here?
The fear crept up on Zain and raised the hackles at the nape of his neck. He put up a brave face, hoping that his courage does not desert him. After a deep inhale, he unclipped the hilt from the hook of his belt and kept the handle in hand. With deliberate but careful steps, he walked up the spiral pathway. He was able to see how his pitch-black shadow made the same movements, mirroring his walk at the wall as the slippery way went upwards. The last few steps lead the Sith to another empty room. While Zain remained standing at the threshold, his shadow appeared to keep on wandering...Just like the lower area, this room was torch-lit aswell. His shadow independently made a full arc to the center of the room...
Zain jumped slightly. The eerie atmosphere and the shadow play bode ill. His guard was still raised but he was notably creeped out by whatever sorcery was at play here. Once again, his shadow mirrored the same posture as Zain Trebault. For a moment, there was this gloomy silence until suddenly a pitch-black hand is reaching forward and groping for Zain's collar. A cold shivver trickled down Zain's spine and he felt the Dark Side of the Force probing him. The warm and comfortable fire provided by the torches changed and turned into the cold fire within Dromund Kaas' temple. The shadow's form changed yet again, coming 'forward' as if materializing from a two-dimensional form into a three-dimensional being. The Shadow grew larger in height...larger...and larger...towering over Zain and throwing a large darkness over him that appeared to devour him. The Shadow's frame got bulkier and the black colorness was replaced with actual colors. He still felt a realistic grip at his clothes but the hand turned from pitch-black to crimson-red flesh. "You failed me for the last time, Zain." the Sith-Apprentice heard the deep gravelly voice of his Master and peered straight into this ones fiery orbs that outstared him.
Zain was taken aback by the surreal situation that unfolded around him. As he watched the shadow manifest, his crimson blade shot out of his hilt with a snap hiss giving the cold room a redish tint. However, his eyes had widened and the pupils dilated as the figure adopted the outer appearance of his Pureblood-Master. The hate he felt for that individual started to build up within him. Whatever this was, there was no way that he was on Dromund Kaas in front of his Master. He had a slight feeling that this was not real but he did not really comprehend the situation. What exactly was he seeing? A blast of the past? A glimpse into the future? An illusion? A test of fear the tricky Jedi Temples are renowned for?
"You do not scare me." Zain said courageously and assumed his stance. The Master's gaze was aflame as he emitted a dry chuckle. "Amusing. Most amusing. Pretending to embrace the Dark Side, are we, boy? You do not even comprehend a portion of what I know about the Dark Side of the Force. And you certainly do not have what it takes to be Sith. Not yet." The bulky Pureblood clasped his hands behind the back as he watched the young Sith protegée. "Such a waste." Suddenly, Zain heard a freightening growl behind himself. He was surrounded by two Tuk'ata; the Sith hounds already bared their sharp teeth at him.
The Master's words stung in Zain which fueled his hate even further. Slowly loosing his challenged and indifferent attitude, he replied: "I will find anything that will be at my disposal to destroy you." As he heard the growls however, his instincts took over. He threw his red blade in a spiraling arc towards the hounds, having used telekinesis to guide the Saber Throw.
In an instant, both hounds were slashed through by the red-hot blade. In the same moment, Zain's danger sense spiked violently. A glance behind himself revealed another hissing noise followed by a long crimson blade swooping down diagonally towards him. In the nick of time, Zain's blade returned back in his palm as he assumed a back-guard by redirecting the plasma beam over his shoulder to parry. As both blades connected with one another, they gave off a fizzling noise. Once more, the Pureblood went into the offense with a renewed assault. He lunched out on Zain, intentionally striking against his blade again. A blow not intended to harm but posture the mere strength behind it. "Foolish boy, did you learn nothing that I taught you?" he said in a mocking tone and raised the other unarmed hand. Sparks of electricity started to leap between his fingertips before the purple-colored Lightning tendrils got unleashed on Zain, electrocutting him.
The barrage of lightning hit Zain right across the chest. And the power of his Master was unparalleled. It sent him flying into the wall, the lightsaber hilt falling out of his hand and retracting the blade. The young Sith grunted in agony.
Suddenly, he found himself back at the same spot where he had fell asleep. The torches got blown out but one still managed to see a faint shimmer of embers. The night had passed by as he reawokened and the fresh snow off the night melted away. Zain gasped as he was jolted awake and still peered around himself in high alert. His heart was racing in a slight panic attack but it took several minutes for him to calm down and assess the current state. He took a curt glimpse at the sunlight and then got up, leaning himself against the doorframe to survey the area outside.
A faint noise of wing beating was heard in the air and upon looking above himself again, Zain saw a snow falcon circling at the tower's ceiling.
Spoiler: CHAPTER 5 - ON A FALCON'S WINGS
ON A FALCON'S WINGS
Zain took notice of the familiar bird. "How did the little fellow make it in here so quick?" he wondered and rushed to the top once again. He remembered that the snow falcon used to be tame and not aggressive. "What do you want from me?" the Sith asked and quirked his thick brown eyebrow. The bird gave off another croak before it swirled around the dark-clad male, eventually remaining in front of his face as if starring straight into his eyes. "Do you want me to follow you?" Zain questioned the animal. Without hesitation, the avian creature flew downstairs once more in rapid speed like an arrow being shot down to its target. Understanding, Zain dashed after the swift animal. "Well then lead the way." he said and made his way outside.
The rare snow falcon carried Zain into the direction of the Sennes Mountains. He found it rather difficult to catch up with the bird since he did not have the advantage of possessing wings. The Force granted him a greater span of stamina and spead beyond the capabilities of a human that was not gifted, but he was still struggling. Zain and his flying companion came across the same dividing pathway as before but this time, the bird lead Zain onto the mountain pass. "This spot definitely looks familiar." Zain said towards himself and started to hike upwards. The higher he got the more palpable the cold climate got once more. It dawned on him that the bird probably expected of him to climb all the way up to the peak of the dangerously high mountains where it would get difficult to breathe...but to his surprise, the snow falcon disappered straight around the next rocky corner. Zain was by now questioning if the chase after such a bird made sense or if he had lost his mind entirely by now...He frowned as the falcon had disappeared. With a quick sprint, he rushed forward only to be presented with a view at a cave tugged in deeply into the wall of the mountain.
The chirping and croaking of the snow falcon echoed along the walls, hinting that the bird had made its way inside as Zain reached the entrance. He threw a reluctant glance over his shoulder before he amassed enough courage to follow his avian tourguide into the natural vault. His fingers slid along the rocky walls with each step he took further into the cave, trying to avoid the puddles of water that had formed on the ground. Wherever the snow falcon lead him...He had a feeling that this meeting was not a coincidence.
Zain took notice of the familiar bird. "How did the little fellow make it in here so quick?" he wondered and rushed to the top once again. He remembered that the snow falcon used to be tame and not aggressive. "What do you want from me?" the Sith asked and quirked his thick brown eyebrow. The bird gave off another croak before it swirled around the dark-clad male, eventually remaining in front of his face as if starring straight into his eyes. "Do you want me to follow you?" Zain questioned the animal. Without hesitation, the avian creature flew downstairs once more in rapid speed like an arrow being shot down to its target. Understanding, Zain dashed after the swift animal. "Well then lead the way." he said and made his way outside.
The rare snow falcon carried Zain into the direction of the Sennes Mountains. He found it rather difficult to catch up with the bird since he did not have the advantage of possessing wings. The Force granted him a greater span of stamina and spead beyond the capabilities of a human that was not gifted, but he was still struggling. Zain and his flying companion came across the same dividing pathway as before but this time, the bird lead Zain onto the mountain pass. "This spot definitely looks familiar." Zain said towards himself and started to hike upwards. The higher he got the more palpable the cold climate got once more. It dawned on him that the bird probably expected of him to climb all the way up to the peak of the dangerously high mountains where it would get difficult to breathe...but to his surprise, the snow falcon disappered straight around the next rocky corner. Zain was by now questioning if the chase after such a bird made sense or if he had lost his mind entirely by now...He frowned as the falcon had disappeared. With a quick sprint, he rushed forward only to be presented with a view at a cave tugged in deeply into the wall of the mountain.
The chirping and croaking of the snow falcon echoed along the walls, hinting that the bird had made its way inside as Zain reached the entrance. He threw a reluctant glance over his shoulder before he amassed enough courage to follow his avian tourguide into the natural vault. His fingers slid along the rocky walls with each step he took further into the cave, trying to avoid the puddles of water that had formed on the ground. Wherever the snow falcon lead him...He had a feeling that this meeting was not a coincidence.
