We ran ourselves into ruin [D2, LM]

[Quinn Largo]

"This place is touched by the dark side," she said, stepping out from behind Kor. "What was kept here?"

[Ender]

Pantoran | Cannot be Sensed | Savage Witch

"This place isn't touched. It is bathed in it!" She hissed, though she began to lower the energt bow. Her eyes narrowed. "Why are you here, then? This is a gate, to a place of real darkness. Though now the book is gone."

She stepped closer, the energy bolt in the bow dissipating for now. "This place is waking up, you've felt it. Haven't you?" She looked to Quinn, breathing in deeply.

[Quinn Largo]

She sounded crazy... but that could just be this place getting to the woman. Or this theft.

"Well... yes."

Despite the woman beginning to lower her weapon, Quinn raised her hands in a disarming gesture.

"...and I was hoping I might find a crystal here... I didn't know anything about a book."

[Ender]

"A crystal?" A manicured eyebrow quirked, and then she shook her head. "This place is too manufactured for crystals. You ask about Jedi things. The Jedi have not been in some time." The bow moved again, sliding into a slot on her pack.

"This was a home to my people. Different than the Jedi, but students of the Force." She indicated over her shoulder. "Come. We shall have tea."

[Quinn Largo]

She looked at Kor for a moment, then back to the woman.

"Okay, lead the way and we'll follow."

[Korvalus Dunbri]

Kor dropped his guard as the woman seemed to not be aggressive anymore. He returned Quinn's look and gave a small nod and also followed the strange woman.

[Ender]

She led then out of the ruins, making their way several meters down the chilled, windswept path. The walk wasn't arduous, but it did take some time.

Eventually, winding their way up another mountain pass, to a nicely constructed shelter on a cliff. Overlooking the door to the ruins.

Inviting them inside, the Pantoran entered first.

Inside, the air was warm. The scent of herbs and a hot brew filled the nostrils. Quiet, atmospheric music played in the background. The woman's energy bow hung by the door.

In the center of the room, an open circular couch surrounded a table. The Witch was humming with the music, bringing the tray with tea to the table.

"Please, sit."

[Quinn Largo]

She took a seat at the table. Quinn had been taking in everything, forming theories in her head about it all.

"You've been protecting the book, haven't you?"

[Ender]

"It has been the duty of my coven for ages." The witch spoke softly, pouring out the tea into cups, starting with her guests, and then herself. "It holds a map to a great and ancient darkness."

There was sadness in her voice. "But with the feelings in the Force, I was distracted, and it has slipped away. On my watch..."

[Quinn Largo]

"Well, I'm not really interested in darkness myself. Maybe whoever took it wasn't either. They could've been like me, just looking for crystals or something similar, thinking these ruins didn't belong to anyone. You didn't exactly put up a 'stay out' sign."

She took a sip of the tea, and listened to the music for a moment.

"No, they can't have been looking for it specifically, could they? Otherwise the Empire would've come here ages ago, if that sort of knowledge was out there."

[Ender]

Her lips curled slightly. "We have ways of masking signs. But the Empire had been here. We made it... less than worth the effort to come here. But it cost us even more."

Her smile disappeared. "I don't know why they came, but something... or someone, is trying to reach out."

[Quinn Largo]

"I don't understand," she said.

This was the sort of conversation where bluffing wasn't useful. Her own understanding of the Force and everything to do with it just wasn't up to snuff.

[Korvalus Dunbri]

If Quinn felt out of her depth, Kor was drowning. He understood the gist of what the pantoran was saying but he had no idea how all the pieces fit together, his knowledge of the force was relegated to myth and a few classified files he had read.

The big man just sat there hold his tea cup and trying his best to just keep up. The tea cup looking as if it were made for a child in his massive hands he sipped from it delicately.

[Ender]

There was a moment. And then it happened. Raw, untamed power emanated from the woman. Her strength in the Force was overwhelming.

"My coven has passed down, generation to generation, how to hide from those who could sense us in the Force. With our magicks, we could pass that onto the system itself." She then pursed her lips.

"But with the Empire... they sent their fiercest warrior. Darth Vader. He brought his Inquisitors..." she choked back tears, thinking to the slaughter.

"I am all that is left..."

[Quinn Largo]

Briefly, Quinn flinched before regaining her composure.

"I think, maybe... they were the ones who came for my teacher and me too. At least, those inquisitor types. I got separated from her before I could finish my training and make my own lightsaber. I'm not even sure if she's still alive."

[Ender]

The Witch slowly nodded, finding there was understanding with the youth, something in common.

"If he wakes up... it will spell doom for the system. For the galaxy as a whole... the book has a map, to the Tomb of the Bogan."

[Quinn Largo]

"I'm not... familiar with that name. But it sounds like this is all pretty bad. I've got my own problems to deal with, but... maybe we can help each other?"

[Ender]

"I... possibly." The Witch looked to Quinn, and her burly companion. She picked up her tea, taking it to her lips. And then...

Darkness. Pure unadulterated fear as an Earthquake struck the home, a deep rumbling breaking things off of shelves.

The Witch's eyes went wide, as she breathed in heavily.

"Oh... oh no... He is awake..."

[Quinn Largo]

Quinn, presumably, felt it too. Through the force and not just through the earthquake.

"What..."

This was so much worse than what she'd come here for. All she wanted was a lightsaber so she could fight off what she assumed would just be another bounty hunter coming for her. Now she had some ancient horror to deal with too. Something she wasn't even fully sure was real yet... except it felt real...

She braced herself, trying to catch a few things off the shelves to keep them from breaking.

[Korvalus Dunbri]

Kor was keeping track of the conversation even if he only understood about half of what was being said. Then the earthquake hit and Kor was on his feet "what the hell is happening? Who is awake?"