Kronan: Prelude

Snow Evangel stepped down the metal ramp leading from the shuttle. The sand crunched beneath her boots as she surveyed the valley before him. It was mostly sand as far as she could see, occasionally broken by eroded rocks jutting out from beneath the desert surface.

The wind whipped her ivory hair to the side of her thin frame. The young acolyte watched the sand below her blow around with the gust. As it died, her hair fell back to her waist and the sand to the valley below. 

"This planet is a dump." She thought. "No wonder they all left."

A heavier set of footsteps echoed off the metal ramp behind her, announcing the arrival of her master.

"Don't be fooled" Lord Erra warned, "Korriban is full of energy. And most of it will gladly harm you."

"And the artifact?" Snow inquired.

"That I don't know. No one really does. But that's why we're here." She said.

Snow looked back over the desert, wondering where in this desolate landscape there could be any substantial source of power, present or former.

As if in answer to her thoughts, Erra continued, "The entrance will be somewhere in that crevice of the valley." She said, indicating to their left. "Then its a matter of getting past the antechamber, then through the Hall, and finally to the artifact."

As the two made their way down the embankment to said crevice, she continued, "The antechamber will be a puzzle. One that can only be solved by a strong enough mind. Next, the Hall will test your affinity to the dark side. Only a true wielder can make it to the other end. And lastly, the artifact."

"And you can't share any of your experience, right?" Snow interjected.

"That's right. Every acolyte must use their own skills."

She left her student to ponder this information while the two walked in silence.

After walking for about 20 minutes, they reached their destination. The entrance to the temple was unassuming; two rectangular rock pillars supporting a low ceiling which extended into and up the side of the cliff. On top of the pillars was elaborate writing carved into the rock -- ancient Sith no doubt. Without her asking, Erra translated: "The resting place of the beginning of the end of balance."

"This is it." Snow thought to herself. She knew her chances were slim, but she burned with determination. Despite her ignorance of the secrets of the artifact, Snow was nonetheless willing to give everything to have it.

The two women walked past the pillars and were greeted by a set of stairs leading downward into the darkness below. At the bottom of the stairs she could see the red light of arcane crystals illuminating a stone floor. As they made their way down, she saw that the floor was actually a tiled mosaic. The red crystals grew at regular intervals along the octagonal walls, and threw the room into an ominous mood. The antechamber. 

Her attention was drawn to a figure on the floor or, rather, the remains of one. An ancient and not-quite-human skeleton lay on the floor, anchored to the center of the mosaic by a thick chain wrapped tightly around the deceased's left wrist.

As Snow stared at it, something stirred inside her memory. "Peace is a lie." The words echoed through her mind. "There is only passion." She now whispered. Erra stood watching, silent. "Through passion, I gain strength." Her voice intensified as she spoke. "Through strength, victory. Through victory, my chains are broken!" She emphasized the last word by sending a bolt of lightning from her hand into the center of the chain. The links burst and smoked slightly from the blast.

"The Force shall set me free."

As soon as the last syllable had slipped past her lips, the chamber rumbled with the sound of stone grinding against stone. The far wall of the chamber began to split and pull apart before them to create a small entrance to a hidden room.

Erra was smiling. "Congratulations" she said.

Snow moved into the next room. Unlike the one before, this one had a bluish-gray color to it -- though the source of it was nowhere to be found. She scanned the new room; it had blocks of different sizes and shades protruding from the walls, ceiling, and floor. As far as was visible, the only exit was the way she had come.

 Snow touched her hand to the wall on her right. The very air around her seemed to be imbued with Force energy. Placing both hands on the wall, she closed her eyes and reached out to it. She allowed it to reach into her as well, the two entities becoming one. Extending her will, the fabric of the room shivered and threatened to shift. One by one, the blocks began to move. Slowly at first, then picking up speed as they shifted and slid into each other; the room itself seemed to be alive.

Snow opened her eyes and looked back to see a set of crystalline stairs leading down to a bordered opening, and what she could only assume was another chamber. She looked back at her instructor, who only nodded encouragingly. Snow took a breath to steady herself, and descended the staircase.

The hallway she stepped into was much like the first room; uniform stone walls with red crystals casting an eerie light over everything. Only here, the light was much more intense. The crystals hung from several arches stretching down the hall. The light they gave off seemed a physical entity, as though an increasingly dense wall separated her from the barely visible archway at the end.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Erra take a step backward, indicating for her to go on alone.

The acolyte took a step forward and immediately encountered resistance. It was slight, but noticeable. She took another step. And another. The force against her increased. She continued moving forward and passed the first archway. A sudden flash caught her off guard, but she kept from being pushed backwards. She continued onward, the current getting stronger with each step. No sooner had she reached the second archway when the flash came again, but with faint outlines this time. Another step, and the flash returned. This continued onto the third arch, when the hall unexpectedly dissolved around her, replaced with pure white. Smooth, pure white pillars slowly came into focus on either side. Another flask hit her. She was back in the hallway, nearly blinded by the intense light all around her. Taking a deep breath to steel herself, she stepped again.

Flash.

The pillars were back. There was now a faint glow emanating from between the pillars ahead of her. She stepped towards it.

Flash.

The world became red again. By now she could see the outline of a doorway in front of her. She was close. She stepped again.

Flash.

The glow in front of her was brighter now. She reached out to it, feeling a pull.

Flash.

Now there was a shadow inside the doorway. She knew this was it, what she had worked for. The force grew stronger against her.

Flash.

A silhouette lay against the light, though its details were indistinguishable.

Flash.

She could see the shadow clearer now. She could feel power radiating from it, unimaginably deep.

Flash.

The silhouette slowly took form. Its power was overwhelming.

Flash.

Snow reached the doorway, the font of power nearly burning her. The current was now so strong that she was all but immobilized.

Flash.

So close...she could almost touch it. Her fingers were mere centimeters...millimeters...

Flash.

End of Prelude