Encroaching Darkness

Eshin Temple

  The drive to the temple was a short and thankfully warm one. Getting out of the speeders they knocked the doors down and rushed in to confront the absentee inquisitors. "I thought there'd be more inquisitors here." Kanan said mostly to the room "I was thinking it'd be colder here. Considering its and ice temple." Ashoka commented. Kyle, Ezra, Mira, and Emilia kept quiet as the group stalked the halls. "When do you think the inquisitors will show up?" Kanan asked through jittering teeth. "That's a good question, Kanan." Ashoka said as they walked deeper into the temple.

  Stopping in the middle of the great hall Ezra addresses the group. "Okay, the plans changed. We're not splitting up, its what they want. First, we hit the library then we all go to the forbidden areas and see what's left. After that, if they haven't shown themselves we either leave or go hunting, well vote on it later."

  They all made their way to the library without incident. "This is getting eerie, isn't it?" Kanan asked the room. Ahsoka nodded, Kyle surveyed the room and Mira and Emilia started the data transfer to their holocrons. "This shouldn't take too long. Five minutes per shelf." Mira told them.

  Before anyone could respond nearly all the tables in the room, along with the chairs and old busts flew from there places and at the Jedi. That's when the inquisitors attacked in person. Four attached Ezra, three went for Kanan and Kyle, the rest went for the girls as a group. The fight quickly turned into a full-blown battle. People jumping off of walls, objects, and sabers being thrown around like children's toys. Unfortunately for Ezra, he missed the show as the four inquisitors proved to be good competition for him. "You guys are lucky I can't go all out with the force in here. "

  That's when he got thrown through a wall from behind. "Ah, that's cheap." He grumbled as he rolled out of the way of an inquisitor's low swing. Kicking the man in the back of the knee he falls to the floor. Ezra rolls over him, lightsaber on, and cuts him in half from the chest up severing his arms as well. Grabbing the man's saber he activates it then throws it at the man trying to jump on top of him. He failed to block the attack as the lightsaber flew past is guard, into his chest then out if his back. Using the force he throws himself off of the floor at one of them, kneeing her in the chest and knocking her to the floor. Spinning around he blocks an attack from what was behind. "You aren't as bad as the ones who came before you. But not good enough to beat me." The man's surprise got him by surprise for a moment. "You're blind! How are you doing any of this!?" He screamed out as the blades locked. Using the force Ezra grabbed the man's throat and squeezed. Lifting him from the floor he whips him around and throws him at the woman he kneed to the floor. Pulling a stray lightsaber from the floor to his hand and activating it on the way it slices threw the two with ease. "Good planning, I'll give you that. But no plan survives first contact."

  Turning to go back to the library he feels a distinct pull in the force. Turning again, he goes and followed the feeling deeper into the temple. He followed the feeling until he stood before a very tall door. "A trial? If that's what they want." Pushing the door open and walking onto the dark hall he waits for the vision to begin.

  The voices started out as a small murmuring but as he continued down the hall they became louder and louder but no clearer. The wind came suddenly and with a vengeance, but still, the unintelligible voices persisted in perfect clarity. Then he fell, the floor simply ceased to exist and he fell. Landing on as far as he could tell, nothing. When he realized he could actually look around he knew for a fact that he's having a vision. Looking around he sees portal's everywhere. "Like Lothal's temple. Wonder if they work the same?" Rising from the floor he looks around and sees nothing but portals and simple nonexistence behind them. "Was I confused? Why would the force lead me here?" Reaching out he realizes that he feels nothing from the force. "That's not possible! There's always at least cosmic force."

  Then he felt it, the living force. "Someone's here? Who would be here?" The sound of slightly slow, quiet, but sure footsteps echoed out in the distance. Getting up to go see who's there he feels the signature suddenly disappear then reappear behind him. Turning around he's startled by the pair of feet less than a foot from. Jerking back, he tumbles to this side then rolls and grabs his saber of his belt and jumps up ready to fight the stranger. Waiting for him to move first he stood there for several minutes. "Who are you? Why are you here? Why didn't you attack me?" None of his questions got an answer. The man took one step forward and looked him in the eyes.