Bhaal Chronicles: Summoning Spirits

1-Shot for Ghosts of the Past writing task

IC: Bhaal the Necromancer

// 156 ABY \_ Korriban //

Part 1- Touchdown

The faded red and white paint of the descending dropship blended near seamlessly into the barren wastes of the Korriban Valley of Golg.

Unlike the famed Valley of the Dark Lords which was located in a sheer rock valley on the planet's surface, the much older Valley of Golg was instead a kilometer deep canyon nestled close to the planet's equator, a natural wound in the red lifeless earth that ran as far as the eye could see.

Proximity alerts beeped inside the small troop transport as it made its way downwards into the canyon, the light of strobing beacons flooding the inside of the troop carrier in repetitive crimson waves. Bhaal the Necromancer, the Gatekeeper of the underworld had responded without hesitation to a rare chance at obtaining wisdom and advancement. His mission to find his missing master kept him from teaching an apprentice of his own, but then… The Sephi girl had already been learning from him had she not? Perhaps he had found the one who may one day prove worthy of his arcane secrets in a strange twist of fate? No matter, all would reveal itself in time but for now, he needed to gain more knowledge for himself. More power, enough to allow him to achieve his goals no matter the obstacle, to better learn the secrets of the ancient arcane Sith magics. Magics that his Master had been teaching him before his sudden disappearance into the unknown regions. The necromantic teachings of Sith King Dathka Graush himself.

“Master… sensors indicate we are closing in on the only flat section of ground large enough to land for nearly thirty kilometres.” said a scratchy but high pitched voice from the front of the small vessel, instantly pulling the undying Echani hybrid from his thoughts.

“Set us down Saravok, we shall have to travel the remaining way on foot”. Said Bhaal, looking around the passenger hold at the dozen robed Demirian worshipers he had brought with him. Although none dared to look back at him. “But I want you to remain on the dropship until I return, keep the engine running and the lights on. I trust you understand my meaning.” requested Bhaal to which Saravok replied only his standard acceptance of a direct order “Of course Master.. I live and die at your will.”

The dark shadow of the high canyon walls soon replaced the bright light of Horuset as the small dropship finally settled onto the rocky surface deep within the planet's sacred creavas. Within moments Bhaal, followed by the dozen loyal worshipers exited the lowered boarding ramp and stepped foot for the first-time down into the planet's depths.

The air was stale down here, but cool compared to the planet's surface that was now a full 1200 meters above them. The dropship's lights shone brightly, illuminating the canyon ahead and something, somewhere moved in the deep. Firstly a fast, manic scratching noise of something desperate to exit the gaze of the dropship's light beams, it was then followed soon after by the echoed rumble of several rocks falling from a section of high wall off into the distance.

Bhaal opened his right hand and instantly one of the Kronus sabres flew from its belted holster and into his open palm before he gripped it tight. The dark green energy blade ignited with the familiar crackling hiss and the Necromancer then held it out in front of him and turned a slow full 360 degrees, trying his best to get a look at the space around them that wasn’t already lit up by the small dropship.

The walls down here were covered in ancient sith runes and spells, although many had faded or began to crumble from eons of the planet's harsh conditions.

“Come, this way.” he commanded after taking a moment to read some of the ancient Sith markings along the wall, leading the group further down into the darkness of the canyon. The only sound now was the sound of a dozen sets of boots echoing throughout the vast expanse of the Golg Valley, although by reaching out with the force he could sense that they were certainly not alone down here. Danger lurked in the deep dark, and he was glad that the bright lights of the starship for now at least was keeping whatever it was at bay.

(Force Sense 3)

~\*~\*~

It took nearly an hour for the group to navigate their way along the rocky canyon floor of the Valley of Golg until they finally found what Bhaal was searching for. Evidence of K'lor'slugs marked the dark corners of the canyon, piles of egg sacks thick with the translucent ooze that bunched them together in large groups covered the eggs, holding them up against the rocky walls. Although it did look like something had also been eating them recently as many were seemingly opened and had been raided. Far ahead, in the eerie darkness something suddenly let out a high pitched and deathly squeal. The shriek faded as quickly as it had started, only to be replaced soon after by the soft smacking sound of something feeding. Hairs stood on the back of Bhaal's neck, he was no stranger to being in the darkness of the underground but this place… this place simply breathed the darkside of the force. It’s incredible power born from hundreds of dead sith spirits that lingered here. And it was here also where Bhaal was to find the Sith he now sought.

Bhaal pressed on, amidst the damaged and crumbling plethora of several millennia old sith sculptures, collapsed tomb entrances and spell runes, a dark cavernous opening finally appeared in the wall of the canyon itself. Although if it wasn't for the still barely faint glow of the drop ship's lights in the far off distance behind them but still highlighting the cavern's entrance, Bhaal quite possibly would have missed seeing it all together.

The Necromancer raised his ignited lightsaber to the entrance, its dark green glow better illuminating the Sith markings surrounding it, instantly a small section of the runes surrounding the opening looked very familiar to him. Bhaal pauses for a moment before entering, reaching down he takes the handle of his sith sacrificial dagger and pulls it from its sheath. Lifting it up to the space before him he could see the purple markings etched along the blade were now glowing bright. It was a luminescent and unnatural glow, it’s brightness more so even than the lumen output of his ignited energy blade.

This was the way, there was no doubt in his mind now. “Inside.” he said coldly as he stepped into the dark opening of the cavern, his voice echoing off the walls and disappearing into the endless dark. It only took a few steps for him to notice only a half of the worshipers had actually followed him inside. Bhaal turned to see the forms of the others silhouetted still by the distant artificial light of the dropship as they stood together outside the cavern's threshold.

They looked scared to leave the light of the dropship, but before Bhaal even had the chance to threaten them a loud noise began to emerge from the deepest depths of the cavern behind him. It was a fluttering noise, and one that was growing steadily louder by the second. “Shyracks” he whispered, his voice was panicked as he suddenly realised the threat..

Bhaal instinctively moved aside as far as he could and placed his back firmly to the cavern wall, as did some of the other worshippers in response to the noise. Within seconds the fluttering became a chorus of heavy flapping, seemingly hundreds of wings now coupled with an intense animalistic screeching that was heading straight for them. Bhaal braced himself as a near tsunami of large, leathery, bat-like creatures roared past him, crashing into the several worshipers who had failed to move aside before then exploding out of the cavern's entrance and up into the dark canyon of Golg Valley.

Bhaal could not even hear the panicked shrieks of the Demierian worshipers as they were lifted high into the air, the roaring black cloud of Shyracks twisted and writhed, fighting itself furiously in the air for a taste of fresh meat as it tore apart its meal. Warm crimson blood rained down on the canyon floor below and for a brief moment Bhaal could hear an sinister, evil laugh forcing itself into his subconscious mind.

As the sound of wings finally disappeared into the distance Bhaal moved off the cavern wall once more, adrenaline coursing through his veins. This time he did not speak, but simply turned, raised his still ignited lightsaber and then began to walk deeper into the darkness. Without hesitation, the now remaining seven worshipers all followed quickly behind him.

( end of part 1 )