Rebirth

Etah

08-04-2007 10:07:28

Rebirth
By: Etah

The Temple of Kjah

Etah stood atop the legendary Mount Kjah. Having left Korriban after his adventures there, he traveled to the planet Kiffex in the Azurbani system. His original mission in traveling to the homeworld of Quinlan Vos was to finish his study of the five masters. However, Psyko d’Tana, his Master in the Brotherhood, had ordered him on an additional mission. This mission was to obtain a purple lightsaber crystal that had belonged to the former Dark Acolyte, Sogr Kjah. After studying the holocron of Quinlan Vos there on Kiffex and thereby completing his study of the five masters, he set out on his Master’s mission.

The cold wind blew hard on the Jedi hunter as the sky exploded into an array of orange, yellow and golden rays over the last bastion of the would-be conqueror of Kiffex. This mountain housed the remains of the temple Sogr’s followers built to house his spirit. The spirit that had been eradicated at the hands of Darth Vader, Executor of the Imperial Throne, who would go onto become the Sith’ari of legend.

Sogr Kjah had been associated with some of the most prolific names in history but managed to remain relatively obscure himself. From the planet Kiffex, he was originally a Jedi Apprentice, studying under Jedi Master Quinlan Vos. But while he had the reflexes of a Jedi and he was a very skilled swordsman, his connection to the Force was unbelievably weak and he seemed to draw from the Dark Side of the Force too often for the likes of the Jedi Council.

Long story short, Sogr never achieved the status of Jedi Knight and one evening simply disappeared. He surfaced again sometime later as a low ranking field commander in the Army of the Confederacy during the clone wars, and during that time it is said that he became an Apprentice to Count Dooku. As a Dark Acolyte his skill in the saber grew further, becoming a Master of form II. Dooku had said that while his connection to the force remained weak, Sogr’s prowess with the saber equaled that of any Jedi Master.

Defeated by his former Master Quinlan Vos, Kjah was captured and ironically imprisoned on his homeworld, the prison world of Kiffex. But that was not where his story ended. Put into stasis, he would go on to escape stasis around 5 BBY. Having become much stronger in the Force by this time he was able to direct if not control the feral Anzat. With this command he led a campaign to dominate the mountainous prison region of Kiffex. The uprising was halted by an Imperial Task Force led by none other than Darth Vader himself, who slew Sogr Kjah and destroyed his spirit using ancient Sith techniques.

The opening to the forgotten temple lay just ahead of him. Embedded within the rock of the mountain, the temple was said to contain traps and monsters, such that no tomb raiders had ever returned alive. Thus Etah was not the first to seek the Temple’s possible treasures, but he was probably the first wielder of the Force and he planned on not dying. How he was going to go about this, he had no clue. But therein lay the challenge and the fun.

Approaching the opening to the temple, which looked to be a crack in the cliff side rather than an intended entrance, the young Sakiyan spotted a rickety rope ladder that had probably led someone to their demise. Choosing to take his own way, he decided to jump about thirty feet to the floor of the temple. Taking a step into the opening he moved his arms straight out as he began to fall, as if he were trying to form wings. The second his toes touched the ground he performed a skilled somersault.

As he rolled across the hard rock floor Etah’s overly sensitive Sakiyan ears picked up a faint clicking from somewhere under the floor. He quickly perceived it to be a trap and somersaulted half a dozen more times as the ground behind him opened up to pits of molten lava. Like something out of a holo-drama he flipped up and into the air as high as he could.

Landing on a wooden floor, he immediately crouched down to his knees stabilizing himself before he realized that he was falling. He had landed on the ground on his back, freaking out he was swallowed by a pile of some kind of bony reptile. Only after he made it back to his feet, screaming in blind terror did he realize that they were skeletons of long dead snakes.

Climbing out of the poorly thought out snake pit, Etah was finally able to take in his surroundings. The temple was grand, befitting a king rather than a failed revolutionary. The floor was covered in plush rug where it was not beautifully tiled; there were awesome decorations all around the temple made of precious minerals and stones, magnificent tapestries speaking of Kjah’s greatness adorned the walls and many of his words were elaborately carved into the bare parts of the wall.

Aware that dawdling would probably be adverse to his health, Etah looked about for his mission objective and possible threats in a Z pattern just as he had learned in the Saki Army. The Sakiyan saw in the distance what seemed to be some kind of display and thought to himself that was probably his mark. Cautiously approaching the display the Royal Guard identified the purple crystal that was his target and what seemed to be some kind of Holocron. As he reached out to grab them both the ground began to rumble and then seemed to roar.

The display was a large slab of chiseled rock, adorned with esoteric symbols and wooden display shelves, all designed around what seemed to be some kind of altar. Also made of rock, the surface was stained dark and the young Sakiyan didn’t want to know what poor creature had met its fate there at the hands of Kjah’s fanatical followers.

As the Jedi Hunter moved into a comfortable but low defensive position and grabbing onto the Krath War Blade that had been resting on his back, the first monster that came into view was a small but vicious dinosaur-like creature with a face full of sharp teeth. The second creature that came into view was large and strong, like a wooly mammoth, but with feathers instead of fur.

The small creature advanced on Etah very quickly and was rewarded by a strong thumping from the flat side of the Sakiyan’s Krath War blade. Spinning around the Obelisk warrior skillfully dodged a strike from the large creature’s mighty tusks. Reacting quickly he struck, shattering one tusk in half and then spun around once again, suddenly decapitating the smaller creature.

Enraged, the feathery mammoth attacked wildly. Etah easily dodged the attempts and stunned the creature with a tap of the flat side of his blade, square on the creature’s forehead. While the large creature was stunned, the quick Sakiyan maneuvered back toward the display, pocketing the crystal and the Holocron. The creature that had come to, rushed toward the Obelisk warrior. With a downward motion the Royal Guard cleaved the creature’s head in two.

The floor was rumbling and some pebbles were shaking loose from the ceiling and something just didn’t feel right. Then the floor started rumbling louder and rocks began falling from the ceiling. Something was really not right. His original plan had been to find a ground level exit, but now it seemed that he only had minutes, possibly seconds in which to find one.

In the darkness of the forgotten temple there was a ray of daylight. By now entire sections of the floor were crumbling and entire portions of the ceiling were collapsing and crashing down onto the floor below. Etah headed for this ray of sunlight, avoiding falling objects from above and pitfalls from below. Reaching the ray’s origin, the hole in the rock was simply too small to get through, but as the Sakiyan contemplated what else to do the entire area began to crumble.

Diving through the crumbling rock face Etah skidded down the mountain several hundred feet, as the temple collapsed in on itself. Coming to stop safely away from the fallen temple he felt for his new items, his crystal and his Holocron, noting they were still in his possession. He carefully made his way down the remainder of the cliff toward his pickup point.

With his quest spanning seven worlds strewn across the galaxy coming to a successful completion, Etah stepped toward his designated pick up coordinates ready to activate the beacon. But as he pressed the button, nothing happened. Upon further examination he realized the casing was damaged which probably meant that the internal electronics had been damaged as well. He determined the best course of action was to stay put and hope his ride grew impatient.


Plans change and another adventure begins

This plan changed when Etah heard a scream, of in the distance. The scream sounded humanoid, feminine and not natural. What could cause such intense pain? Etah asked himself. Every part of his body, which had just begun to relax, came alive and he soon found himself sprinting in the direction of the scream. Some would be confused at the notion of a heroic or gallant Dark Jedi, but those people were still misled by the lies of the Jedi, the moral relativity of the Force was simply beyond their grasp.

As Etah sprinted toward the sounds he approached what appeared to be a small village. Then the young Sakiyan heard another high-pitched scream, this time from a child. Running even faster he saw a group of half a dozen women and twice as many children encircled by about fifteen feral Anzati. It was a slaughter in the making.

The group here looked like groups he would encounter his entire stay on the planet Kiffex. The Kiffar were dressed in sandals or boots, with basic trousers, basic shirts, over shirts and some had coats or robes. All the colors were very earthy; all browns, tans and greens. The warriors Etah would come to know wore very light pieces of armor that almost looked like they came from scrap metal; their main weapon was a very balanced, curved blade about three feet long.

The Anzati were typical only in that they were atypical as all the feral Anzati he would go on to encounter would be. Most of them wore some kind of trousers or boots, some wore shirts and all their cloths were faded, ripped and tattered. Every now and again one of the Anzati wore the remnants of an Imperial uniform. Etah would later learn that they wore the clothes of people they killed, like a smart monkey might figure out how to put on a coat in extreme weather.

Entering the fray Etah cleaved the head of the closest Anzat in twain, splitting it clean in half like a juicy watermelon and sheathed the blade of his sword in another Anzat’s guts. Now committed to violence the Obelisk warrior struck out at the Anzati, slitting the throat of another creature as the group began to surround him.

Like an animal in its natural habitat, Etah’s movements were fluid, hypnotic and inhuman. In the furious minutes that followed, the Anzati combatants came to fear his fists, his knees and his forehead as much as they feared his blade. The Kiffar women and children looked on in fear and fascination as another and then another and then another Anzati fell. Soon the bodies of the wild creatures that had murdered their loved ones and destroyed everything they cared about were scattered across the ground, defeated by a single coal skinned warrior.

“Does anyone speak basic?” Etah called out to the Kiffar as the last of the Anzat fell to his Krath War Blade. All he got was silence and stares in return. “Larger village! Somewhere safe!” the Sakiyan called out in broken Kiffar, which he taught himself when preparing for this mission. A few of the children pointed north, down a canyon road. “Sun is setting, soon more will return” the Royal Guard said in equally broken Kiffar. As the light was replaced with darkness and the cackles of feral Anzat could be heard of in the distance the Kiffar realized that the black skinned alien was probably right.

Looking around Etah saw that all they had, all they loved and valued had been destroyed. There was nothing to collect, there was nothing to bring with them. “Stay together! Follow me!” he ordered in somewhat authoritative if heavily accented Kiffar. Grabbing two fallen Kiffar weapons he handed one to each of the two oldest boys of the group who were in their young teens.

Wordlessly he positioned one who had pointed down the canyon road in front, hoping he knew the way and the other in the rear. With the boys more or less acting like front and rear pickets, Etah covered both flanks by moving in a zigzag pattern. In practice it was almost like bounding over-watch, only, he was the only one bounding and he was the only one over-watching.

Luckily for Etah and his less than marry band of travelers the kid he put on point did know the way to the town. The kid he put in the rear and one of the women would not survive the frantic five-hour trip. The people of Kiffex had been very insular and somewhat xenophobic since the rebellion of Sogr, when the Empire leveled part of the planet. They cautiously observed the Sakiyan warrior as he moved to and fro, his obsidian muscles shining under the moonlight. He was their savior and his presence was as frightening as it was reassuring.

The air was cold; the sweat covering all their bodies was sticky and damp, everybody including Etah was hungry, dehydrated and exhausted. The Obelisk Royal Guard had to rise in defense of the group nearly constantly. By the time the group reached safety Etah had several open wounds, was on the verge of hypovolemic shock and had slain approximately a hundred Anzat.


Tau village and old man Akil

The Dark Jedi awoke sometime later, exactly how long he did not know. Aware that he was clad in only under shorts he quickly sprang up to his feet, only to drop straight to his knees and then to crash into the ground, bouncing off it with a distinct thud. His mind was working overtime to try and figure out his predicament as he was again overcome by darkness.

He awoke again, in the same room. Etah could smell strong incense and freshly brewed tea. Light was beaming through a medium sized window into his room, covering him in unwelcome warmth. He was sticky with sweat and his head ached. His muscles were sore and there were small pains from wounds and sores across his body, par for the course as far as he was concerned.

Still clad in his under shorts he sat up on the cot. His Brotherhood robes were not far away, neatly folded and stacked and his backpack sat close by with its contents neatly placed beside it. His lightsaber materials, his map, compass, protractor, water canteen and smaller items like matches and water purification tablets were all accounted for.

Sitting on the edge of the bed he finally got the courage to stand. Painfully rising he stepped over to where his belongings lay. Holding his trousers up he noticed the many rips and cuts had been skillfully, if primitively, mended. Donning his trousers carefully one leg at a time, Etah was hyper aware of the dull ache in his muscles.

Moving over to his boots he noticed that they had been resoled and one strap on his assault pack that had torn off had been replaced. Donning his boots and then the belt along with his shirt and then the Brotherhood outer robe he began to pack his carefully laid out belongings. Looking down at his scarred but mostly healed arms; he reflected that he had been well cared for.

Walking out of the bedroom carefully, with blade in hand and his rucksack on his back, he stepped into what looked like an empty hallway. The hallway led to an equally Spartan living space. There were more hallways that presumably lead to other rooms; there was also what looked like a kitchen and dining area off to the side and the main exit in the center of the building. The entire expanse had tan hardwood floors and walls to match.

Etah involuntarily closed his eyes as he walked into the brightness of a blazing noon sky. As he opened his eyes he saw the Kiffar villagers openly staring at him in both fear and apprehension. Unsure of his next move he had been hoping to find whoever had been taking care of him or at least someone who spoke basic, but he found nothing like that.

Hearing an unidentifiable scream and some commotion Etah jogged toward the sound almost fifty feet away. As he turned the corner he saw an Anzat who broke through the lines assaulting a Kiffar woman with some kind of blunt object. As the Royal Guard closed within seven feet of the beast Etah disarmed him with one quick moment of his right arm.

Closing to within arm’s reach, the Obelisk warrior thrusted his sword into the creatures gut and through his back. Pulling the blade out of the Anzat and swinging the blade in a large arc he sliced the monster’s head down, all the way to the base of the neck. The assembled Kiffar went about their business as the creature’s blood and gray matter coated the ground. Many became aware that they were in the presence of a powerful warrior.

As the crowd dispersed he was still unsure about what to do. In the face of indecision he chose to return to the room where he awoke. Feeling devoid of the Force he sat in a comfortable position and focused on a point in front of his nose. Gathering his senses and his energies he directed the Force through his capillaries info his veins, from his veins into his arteries, from his arteries into his organs and throughout his entire body.

As the Force flowed feely through his body Etah lost himself in the depths of his own mind. Suddenly he was in the middle of a vast desert. He walked through the desert for some time, sun blazing, and sweat dripping from his brow. At some point he just stopped. As he did the ground began to rumble and then shake. Four tan brick walls thirty feet tall rose from the ground one by one. Giving himself over to the Force he let out a visceral cry and struck one of the walls, which exploded.

As small bits of the wall rained down from above, Etah faced a jungle of dense foliage. Stepping into the forest, it was just as bright as the desert. But with every step it became a shade darker. Darkening with every step, the darkness began to bleed into the forest until there was complete and utter darkness. Still walking he saw what looked like the silhouette of a man off in the distance.

“Hello” A voice said off in the distance as he starred at the figure in the darkness. “Didn’t mean to startle you” the voice repeated. What had been the floor before disappeared and Etah began falling, falling straight down into his body as if he had jumped from the heavens. Opening his eyes slowly he replied “Hello” the confused Sakiyan respectfully stammered.

“I heard you scream out, I wanted to make sure you were alright,” the man said genuinely. An older Kiffar male what little hair he had was gray and his stomach was paunch, but under his flab rippled muscles from ages past and his skin bore scars from many battles. This man had been a great warrior, and if forced to, probably still was. Like most Kiffar, he wore drab brown garb like on would expect to see on a poor desert world.

“I am the only the only speaker of Basic in Tau village, Master Jedi, my name is Akil and I will be your guide here.” The old wardog said extending his hand in a friendly manner “Its Etah” the Sakiyan replied standing and moving to meet Akil’s handshake. “Would you have any food to spare Akil?” the Obelisk asked his guide. “Why yes, Etah. Follow me to the dinning facility”.

Grabbing his belongings Etah headed toward the chow hall. The old man followed his Sakiyan charge “You are not a prisoner of any sort; you are free to go any time you would like. However I caution you that the Tau village and most Kiffar villages are under siege by the feral Anzat. They are attacking us in legions and they control most of the countryside. The attacks increase every day and every day more of us die. Soon we may fall to these creatures” Akil stated matter-of-factly.

“You can stay with us as long as you need, provided you play well with others. I don’t know why you came here or when you planned to leave but twice already you have saved Kiffar lives and our people see you as a great warrior. Even your presence boosts their morale” the elder finished. Etah nodded as he stepped into the dining facility.

The aroma entered his nostrils and the rumblings in his stomach became even louder. Etah generally ate a kind of broth brewed from animal blood or military meal replacement bars. But today the hearty stew smelled good. They gave him twice his fair share and he attacked it ferociously.

Etah still could not figure out his next move. He knew returning to the pickup site would be suicide and he hoped his Clanmates in the Brotherhood would eventually locate him, but he figured it would probably be awhile. Until then, the Sakiyan decided, he would stick with Akin and Tau village and help them withstand the Anzati Hordes.

Akil would go onto become Etah’s mentor and guide in the Kiffar world, teaching him the language and the culture. It was from Akil that the young Sakiyan learned that the rebellion of Sogr and the resulting Imperial bombardment and invasion was only the beginning of their problems. After Sogr was snuffed out the wild Anzat went on a rampage and demolished what passed for the Kiffar infrastructure. Technology quickly became lost, villages became isolated and then the villages seemed to be under siege. Tau village bore the worst scars.


Path of the becoming and the Shrine of Karkko

From that day on Etah joined the Kiffar warriors in defense of Tau village. Day after day more Kiffar warriors fell to the Anzat, their brain soup feeding the killers murdering their family the very next day. The young Sakiyan quickly became a hero of the village though he refused to acknowledge it. He began instructing the warriors in combat and tactical movement and leading highly dangerous recon missions in the areas surrounding Tau village to try and locate Anzati control points and specific areas of operation.

From the recon patrols Etah determined the Anzat seemed operating under some kind of group think or hive mind and he came to understand that the hordes had a very strict organizational hierarchy. The smallest element was groups of fifteen Anzat, the next largest was overgroups of sixty Anzat and the highest Etah had witnessed was regional groups with two hundred and fifty Anzat. There could be larger entities but Etah had not encountered them.

One day about two months into his stay in Tau village, Etah was leading a ten man recon team farther out than they ever had been. The sun was beginning to set and it was becoming dangerous but Etah thought that he could detect a discernable pattern in the Anzati movements. He also thought from a high vantage point atop a cliff he could discover their point of origin. So they weathered frequent attacks while remaining undetected by the main body of the Anzati Hordes.

Following the Anzati movement to a cave opening in a canyon the recon team decided to infiltrate the cave just a ways hoping to come up with a means of destroying or slowing the Anzati group think. Sneaking down the hill they avoided contact with the Anzat as they slipped into the mouth of the cave.

They entered the gigantic cavern dominated by gigantic pillars of stalagmites and stalactites that long ago ceased to be separate geological structures. It was dark, it was musty, and it was unbelievably cold. It had an overwhelming dark side aura. The hate so palatable it manifested visually even to non-Force users. Etah instantly knew that they had found the prison cell and last Shrine of Volfe Karkko.

The opposite of the temple of Sogr, the shrine of Karkko was barren. The remnants of Volfe’s prison cell and the display, which at one time held his lightsaber dominated the middle of the gigantic cavern. There were signs of battle long past all around. Great scars obviously made by lightsabers and gigantic ruts made by those utilizing the Force.

Jogging through the thankfully empty cavern toward the cell, he figured if there were answers they would be there. Approaching the cell, Etah looked over to the case and spied Karkko’s rotting lightsaber. The hilt was completely eaten away by time and moisture and the electronics had been non-operational since the clone wars, but Etah could see two crystals that appeared to be lightsaber crystals. He grabbed the crystals and stowed them in his assault pack as several Anzati began to make their way toward the Recon team.

There was a mighty roar and it seemed like the planet spun on its axis really quickly several times, like a child twirling a ball in his hand. Something was alive and taking shape. His presence was nothing short of malevolent and what must be his eyes spoke of an all-consuming hate. Etah knew what everyone would know soon, the spirit of Volfe Karkko had been awakened and his control over the Anzati hordes would be made complete. No longer feral they were thralls of a bitter underachieving Dark Jedi. The young Obelisk knew it would only get worse from here.

At least an overgroup (sixty Anzati) approached the recon team from the lip of the cave. Etah rushed out to meet them. Anxious to fight them rather than a powerful spirit, Etah slashed and cut and cleaved a path through for the other nine warriors, moving quickly, fluidly and flawlessly as he had so many times before as the Kiffar warriors dutifully defended his flanks. Responding subconsciously the Royal Guard was immersed in the perfection of non-doing.

Just as he believed he would single handedly best this overgroup, another overgroup made their way toward them. It had been much too easy to enter the cavern; Etah realized that he might have been led into some kind of primitive ambush. Knowing he was probably in the middle of a regional group Etah called for the recon team to rally up and make an expeditious and strategic withdrawal. Moving together and moving quickly they all fought straight through the vast hordes, single mindedly seeking their death for the ten miles back to the village.

Approaching the village defensive perimeter, the defense of Tau village was in full swing. Crushing the Anzati between them in a meat grinder of death the recon team, now down to only five men including Etah passed through the village defensive perimeter and then reinforced it, making a weaker portion of the defense perimeter, one of the strongest for the time being.

The fighting would continue through the evening, into the next morning and on late into the next day. The Anzat legions seemed endless and relentless in their pursuit of the village’s destruction. No longer mindless they were purposeful and focused. Death was in their eyes, hate was in their heart and what passed for their souls exuded the darkness of Volfe Karkko. At one point it was Etah only who held them back, defending an entire sector all by his lonesome.


Fortress City Vos and the blood soil

Two weeks after the fateful recon patrol and frantic village defense, Kiffar elders from all over Kiffex made a long and dangerous journey to a well defended city known simply as Vos to meet and debate and discuss. Etah had been invited by Akil on the trip in order to help defend the elders (including Akil) of the Tau village as they made the three-day journey. The travel reminded Etah of that fateful night months ago, though this time he didn’t have to protect both flanks.

As they traveled down the path to Vos, village entourages from other villages joined them for mutual defense. They all became very impressed with Etah’s strength, skill and courage and many were honored to have a Force wielder in their presence, though many still gave him the disdainful look a man gives a stray dog. They took only short breaks and slept in shifts, only half of the entire group sleeping at any one time. They all made it there safely, though not for the Anzat not trying.

A little while later Etah entered the government tent. It was round with an open area in the middle and had more than enough seats for all the delegates and guests. But in it, the council roared as none could agree. Tau village was bearing the brunt of the attacks, some villages had agreed to reinforce Tau village but others seemed to think any involvement in the larger conflict would put their villages at greater risk. Several villagers were worried about what they saw as a marked escalation in the conflict.

Etah looked toward Akil, across a crowd. The elder looked tired and frustrated Locking eyes both men knew that Etah was about to do something. Standing and walking into the middle of the great circle moving his arms quickly, two unoccupied chairs from opposite sides of the room flew thirty feet in the air and loudly crashed into one another mid-air, the sound cracking and echoing about the room, the wooden debris falling straight down and clanking on the floor. Those elders not silenced by the sound were silenced by the act itself.

“Honored Elders” Etah began in ever improving Kiffar. “You may not know me, but I’m sure you’ve heard of me” the young Sakiyan stated. “What I am not sure of is your grasp of the situation” the Dark Jedi’s accusation was met with furious protest. The Tau village delegates who had only brought Etah to defend them on the way to the assembly were visibly confused.

“The entity that has empowered the feral Anzat is none other than the spirit of Volfe Karkko” Etah said pausing dramatically, letting the statement sink into the crowd all of whom were familiar with Karkko, Volfe was a villain who would have been the tyrant of Kiffex, but was instead slain by the very namesake that this safe haven was named after, an additional source of animosity was that Karkko was an Anzat and was solely responsible for the hordes of feral Anzat wagging war against them.

“How can we trust the word of an alien!” one elder shouted. “I bet you’re in on it!” shouted another. “His black magic is evil!” screamed a third, “His skin shows his tainted heart!” a fourth called out. “I am a Kiffar! Like you” a defiant Etah shouted in response, his words echoing about the chamber. All debate and protest silenced amidst utter confusion. “I am a Kiffar warrior, my blood mixing with your soil made it so!” The pointy-eared Sakiyan said as he bent down and grasped a fistful of mud created on the dirt floor from an open wound on his leg.

The Sakiyan contemplated briefly before continuing. “I say this only because I need you to trust me. I need your warriors to fight beside me, I need your sons to die for me, for the Kiffar and for Tau village,” Etah paused. “Sith spirits are often tethered by their remains or a very significant object. I know that object is going to be in the Shrine of Karkko. But it is very well defended by the Anzati Hordes. I know because I lead an expedition into the shrine. If you give me the Kiffar soldiers and we raid the shrine we can find this tether and destroy it, and send his dark soul into the nothingness of forever,” the young Sakiyan said resolutely.

Some of the delegates appeared convinced by his argument as the bloody, muddy concoction rolled out of the sides of Etah’s fist. Other delegates appeared sympathetic but not swayed. Akil stepped into the middle of the room. “His argument is good! He has bled for our people. Let him dance, sweat and journey and then let him lead our warriors in destroying this vile source that besieges our cities and is killing us even now,” the respected elder stated authoritatively.

“If he kills the Demurgima I will support him” one elder shouted from across the room, followed by many shouts of agreement, “Only by killing the Demurgima will he show the Kiffar people his true prowess and his loyalty” the elder continued “only then will Kiffar warriors die for him”. “This is fair,” responded Akil. Leaving Etah to wonder what the Demurgima was and what he was getting himself into.


The Demurgima explained

Akil walked beside Etah as they exited the counsel tent. Looking over at him the Kiffar elder saw worry on the young Sakiyans face. “Our people believe the Demurgima was once a man who became consumed by greed, wealth and power. So twisted did he become that his mortal form became as perverted as his heart and now he dines only on the flesh of Kiffar and claims the souls of his victims” the old man relayed to the young warrior.

“This is the legend, but the truth is that on the northwest frontier there is a creature which has claimed the lives of everyone who enters the region or who seeks it out. The Demurgima is a creature so powerful that not even the Anzat travel into the northwest frontier. In all likelihood it is a natural creature twisted unrecognizable by the Dark Side of the Force and is imbued by that same power” the elder continued. “The light has failed to extinguish this creature of the shadows. I believe only true darkness can claim him. I believe you are that darkness Etah” the old man slapped him on the back as they headed toward the celebration.

All the people gathered at the city Vos celebrated, many thinking this would be Etah’s last night. All manner of juicy steak, treats and exotic drink were available. There was singing, dancing and merry making and children laughing and playing. All lighted by a huge fire. It was the first solid bout of levity that the Obelisk warrior had experienced since his whole ordeal had begun all those months ago back on Vjun.

What Etah ended up really getting into was fire dancing. The dancing was first around the fire and then over the fire. The dark Jedi awed the assembled Kiffar with his force-assisted acrobatics. First completely clearing the fire and then flipping straight over it. He fell asleep exhausted and for the first time in months, genuinely happy. But it was not to last, for tomorrow his journey began.

Etah

08-04-2007 10:14:56

Delete this thread >.<