Dren watched the last of the rubble fall as the tunnels filled with dust. It was blocked, and it was evident that they were no longer using this tunnel to get out. He hoped they were correct, that there were more entrances. They were now in a split tunnel, leading in two different directions. Lightsabers still lit the tunnels, but only so far. They could make out more of the ancient glowing carvings, which bathed the otherwise pitch black tunnels in dim ambient light.<br/><br/>“What happened?” Jedi Knight Teli asked.<br/><br/>“Was the tunnel not structurally sound? Perhaps a small tremor occurred and it collapsed.” Renth suggested.<br/><br/>“Or maybe something else,” Dren chimed in.<br/><br/>“What do you think?” Lotheal asked Dren with an inquisitive tone.<br/><br/>“I saw the mist forming again,” Dren explained. “At the entrance of the tunnel, as if it was watching us. I feel something off about this place. It’s as if a spirit, or the temple, is trying to keep us trapped here.”<br/><br/>“Or trying to kill us,” interjected Renth. “It’s not unheard of.”<br/><br/>Everyone fell silent for a moment, contemplating the situation.<br/><br/>“There may be more unstable tunnels, so be cautious as always,” Lotheal told them.<br/><br/>Suddenly, Dren’s mind went hazy for a moment. He couldn’t think straight, like if the blood was draining from his head. He felt something familiar. A bit like the cold drip on the back of his neck, but this was also warm at the same time, enveloping his body in it. He didn’t know what it was, but he felt like he should.<br/><br/>“Are you alright?” Asha said as she placed her hand on Dren’s should. She made sure to keep away from the other Jedi who were planning what the next move was.<br/><br/>It snapped him out of it, and in an instant the feeling was gone. Dren looked at Asha, her calming blue eyes met his. He forced a thin smile. “I’m alright,” he told her. It was always nice to be around Asha, she could always keep him calm and relaxed. They had become friends while they were both Padawans. She was a few years older than he, but regardless they got along fairly well, and she helped him through the more difficult times, like when Aeris left. “I just feel this place holds a lot of secrets. Is this how it always is?”<br/><br/>“Other than this, I’ve only been to one Sith Temple,” Asha explained. “It was--a strange experience. Light force users are not meant to tread where the dark side of the force resides. Like an infection to a wound, antibodies fight back.”<br/><br/>“This place is dangerous then.”<br/><br/>“Yes it is. But we’re all here to help you.” Asha gave him her signature smile. It was never forced, only soft and kind.<br/><br/>“Thanks,” he whispered.<br/><br/>Just then one of the Jedi, Shiek Foren, A Zabrak with face tattoos, began to walk away down one of the tunnels. He had been quiet this whole time, as he always was. He had a disfiguring scar on the left side of his face, which looked to be caused by a lightsaber, and left a white eye. He could have chosen to have a cybernetic eye with several enhancements. However he refused. He still had a good eye, and he knew the force gave him far superior enhancements to what a cybernetic eye could give. He was stubborn like that.<br/><br/>“Sheik, stop,” Lotheal commanded.<br/><br/>Sheik came to a stop and turned. “I work alone, you know this,” he told her with his raspy voice. It wasn’t unheard of for the Jedi Shadow’s to be lone wolfs. Often they went on solo missions when hunting artifacts. “We’ll cover more ground if you go that way, and I go this way.”<br/><br/>Lotheal lowered her hood, revealing the Lekku that was cut, with an intricate piece of hardware attached to help keep her alive. “We are travelling together. A Sith temple is dangerous, and we don’t know what dangers we’ll face. I’m fine with splitting up, but in groups of three. Dren and Asha will accompany you. Renth and Teli will follow me.”<br/><br/>“I’ll take the girl, but the kid’ll slow me down,” Sheik cut in. Dren couldn’t help but feel hurt by the comment. As if he didn’t already feel out of place, one of the other Jedi confirmed he didn’t belong.<br/><br/>“Dren is perfectly capable,” Asha came in his defense. “I trained alongside him. You cannot ask for a better companion. He is highly skilled and would be a value to any team.”<br/><br/>Sheik paused for a second, studying Dren, who was standing tall, holding onto his lightsaber tightly. Sheik sighed ever so slightly. “Fine, but you better keep up kid.”<br/><br/>“I’ll do fine,” Dren told him, with a grit of his teeth.<br/><br/>So they split up, and Dren now trailed behind Sheik and Asha. He wasn’t sure what to make of Sheik, but it certainly wasn’t a great first impression. At least Asha was there, as if to balance things out.<br/><br/>They walked down the tunnel for what felt like a good half hour, when they saw natural light for the first time. The tunnel opened onto what looked to be a massive five story room, with statues lining the walls, and bridges at various levels intervening with each other. It looked almost like a throne room, or a place of worship, but neither of them explicitly. The carvings also made it onto these walls, glowing ever so slightly. Most of the room was bathed in natural red light from the sun, which poured in through small sky windows at the top.<br/><br/>“This is impressive,” Dren blurted out, feeling the awe of the place.<br/><br/>“I’ve seen bigger,” Sheik told them. “Come on, let’s explore.”