The Dark Academy on Korriban

She held it up to her light, and tried to feel the way the Force flowed around it. "I know it'z an ilum crystal, a focus for the Force. It gives it great rigidity and strength. I'm sure you already know zhat zhey are uzed for sabers, but zhis....I have newer zeen a crystal like zhis, in zhis patterning."

She tried to think of her lessons, and to the texts in the library that she had read when she was preparing to forge her own saber. She had read a great deal on the various pearls, crystals, and gems that were known to channel the force.

OOC: Lore (Intellect) roll?

Jun-Tsu can see nothing terribly different other than the rare color scheme. It is almost certain it was never used in a lightsaber at least not by the ancient King.

"I....am at a loss. It iz an ilum crystal, but Nudas Min comes from a time when zhe Sith blade was zhe greatest veapon. It iz possible zhe crystal vas uzed for zome other purpose. Zome sort of ceremony, perhaps uzed as a focus of zhe Dark Side."

She gave it back to Rem, "I zhink thiz iz zomething you vill have to discover on your own. Zo, I vill help. I'll bring more books from zhe library tonight."

Remmington nods and puts the crystal away. "I will be sure to find a proper place for this. While it is good to know and honour the old traditions I will create something new."

"I think we found everything that we are going to for today. Did you wish to explore some more or do you want to head over to the altar now?" He asks.

"This venture is for you, Rem. I'm merely here to help. If you wish to explore, then we can do so, but if you wish to return to the altar, then I am prepared. We have purified ourselves in the ways of my family, as much as we can so far from home. Now ve need only seal our pact vith zhe Dark Side to create zhe life vithin me."

Remmington nods. "While exploring does indeed sound fun. It is best not to get too greedy. I have gotten enough from the Sith King to be satisfied."

He smiles affectionately at her. "Plus I think creating an heir is a better insurance for the future and much more enjoyable. Don't you agree Jun-Tsu?"

She only nodded and turned back to the stairwell to begin their ascent. "Perhapz zhiz boon of zhe King reaches ewen deeper zhan ve beliewe. Perhaps I can use zhe crystal to focus zhe powver of zhe altar ewen more fully. Or perhaps...." she thought. "Perhaps it must be you who may uze it to better focus zhe powver of zhe Force."

Remmington takes out the crystal again and looks at it as they walk. "Perhaps, if Nundas Min never used it in a saber then there must have been some use for it if he kept it around hidden like that." He tries to reach out into the Force and connect with the crystal.

"It vill reqvire research. I only hope ve have time before leawing for Yavin IV." She walked at his side up the stairs, far harder going up than it was going down.

"I don't think so. I believe we are leaving tomorrow for Yavin IV and I have no idea when or if we will be returning to Korriban anytime soon." Remmington comments.

"Do you think the Void Engine will know something?"

"Zhe Woid Engine knows all, but like an infinite library, it takes time to zeek knowledge in itz depths. Perhapz in time I can unravel zhe path ve valk zhrough time, und tell you more, but for now zhe best I can do iz return to zhe library, collect zome tombs on my datapad before we get to Yavin. Maybe zhere ve can look it ower and find zhe answer."

Remmington nods. "Then I guess we will have to peruse the library after this." They continue walking towards the sacrificial altar room.

It was a good several minutes of mounting the seemingly endless staircase that brought them above ground, and even once they had reached the top the same darkness greeted them. She made quick work to reach the center of the tomb where the altar rested. There she disrobed once more and prepared herself for their ceremony. You have been drinking the concoction I have been making and sending you right?

OOC: Just assume it's part of the ritual and that Rem more likely than not has.

Remmington starts to take off his clothes as well and he nods affirmation. "Yeah I have. Just like you said though that stuff is nasty. What is in it?" Then thinking better of that question. "Actually never mind. I probably don't want to know."

He goes to stand by the altar and waits for Jun-Tsu to do her ceremony.

"It's nothing terribly untoward, but it might be best zhat you not know. Zhe important zhing iz it iz laced vith zhe powver of zhe Dark Side, und it has permeated your zyztem. It means ve have zhe powver fueling our bodies ewen az ve speak. Ve are crucibles of transformation, turning our blood and humors into conduitz of zhe Force."

Laying upon the altar she closed her eyes and almost in that same instant her body was bathed in the manifest essence of the Dark Side. Rem knew it well from all the time he had spent with her. The emerald contrails of Force poured over her and around her, cycling in and out of her body, rising from the stone and then returning to deep within zhe temple.

It was much like the first time they had enacted this ritual, but the effect was far more potent. It seemed she was right, and something about their purification made them better channelers of the Dark Side.

"Impressive. I cannot wait to meet our child Jun-Tsu." Remmington marvels for a moment. Then he once again mounts her on top of the altar and lets the Dark Side flow his body and into hers to intertwine and combine. His mind feels almost at a loss from the massive influx of power mixed in with pleasure.

/ ftb

/fade in

There was a dull ache throughout Jun-Tsu's body, a stiffness or soreness that came from such lengthy channeling of the Dark-light. Lifting her hand to her forehead felt like a laborious task, the limb feeling heavy, her joins giving off a wave of dull pain. She let out an involuntary moan at the sensation and tried to roll over onto her side, but that too brought too much sensation to her body, so she stopped and remained on her back.

She let out a sigh as her body laid in stillness.

"It is done," she said in a weak voice.

Remmington looks over at her a bit concerned. "Are you okay Jun-Tsu? Do you need healing or anything?" He offers her some assistance to get up.

Truth be told, he is very tired as well but nowhere near the state of incapacity that she is in.

Something that surprised her greatly. She must have borne the brunt of their exertions for him to be in such a healthy state. At the mention of healing, however, she glanced to him with feigned irritation, "I am more zhan capable of healing myzelf."

She took a deep breath, "I am merely zuffering zhe after-effectz of zhe altar. It iz old majik, und a lot of it. It takes a great toll on zhe body"

Remmington nods in understanding. "Then rest and take your time. You need not push yourself. Especially since you now carry our heir." He smiles affectionately as he looks at Jun-Tsu. He holds her hand firmly but warmly.

"A faint flicker of life, a mere spark of zhe Dark Side vhich must now be nourished," she heaved a sigh that seemed a combination of content relaxation and exasperation at the task that lay ahead. "You are lucky zhat it iz not you zhat muzt zee to itz needs. Zhere vill be a great deal of meditation und ritual in my future if zhis child iz to be a true heir of eizher zhe Balmung or Farro lines. Vhether zhey take up zheir birthright or no."

Remmington gently kisses her on the forehead. "Well whatever the future holds I am sure that we will be able to face it together." He holds her hand gently.

"I can't wait to be able to teach our child how to use a lightsaber."

"Ve zhall zee vhat zhe future holdz. It may be zhat she vill be beyond zuch trinkets of powver." Slowly she tried to get up again. This time it was less painful but the dull ache shot through her body sapping her strength. It was a strangely pleasurable experience, that made her want to laugh, but she restrained the desire, instead laying back down to ride out the waves of sensation.

"Perhaps, though even if she doesn't I may find an use for it, I think it wouldn't hurt to have one. One can never have too many weapons." Remmington comments. He offers to help her up and then just helps her gently back down.

"Be careful there Jun-Tsu. No need to rush."

"I am not rushing, beleiwe me," she took in another breath and finally, with a sharp exhale, she raised herself from the alter. There was a wave of sensation but it passed, and what was more, she was upright. Thin trails of dark energy flowed between the stone and Jun-Tsu, trailing into her as she was finally able to break contact with the altar.

That elicited a deep sigh and she closed her eyes to focus her mind. She had absorbed all she could. "Ve vill zee. If nothing elze, it may teach her focus, zhough, like uz all, it vill be to her to fashion her saber. In zhe meantime, she can bear mein Sith sword. It iz a relic from House Farro, wery old."