Trials: Book One/Chapter Four

Around midday, Thrin and Kohl dropped from the canopy to the forest floor. They had been following snapped branches and beaten-down leaves and scratched bark all day. They found a small stream running through a clearing a few feet away, and drank deeply. The heat was oppressive, smothering them. They lay down in the creek for a few minutes, letting the surprisingly cool water wash over them. They were about to continue when Kohl sensed something with echolocation.

“Thrin, don’t look now, but we’re being watched”, said Kohl.

“Yes, I know. They’ve been following us for some time. My guess is they’re sentries”, replied Thrin coolly.

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“I knew that you would attack them if you knew. As it is, they pose no immediate threat. I knew you’d figure it out quickly enough to defend yourself if they attacked.”

“Oh, fine. Let’s take them”, he said, sitting up and reaching for his lightsaber.

“That thing isn’t going to work. It’s soaked!”

Truly enough, the blade crackled out, fizzed a few times, and disappeared altogether. Kohl put it back on his belt.

“What do we do if they attack? We’re defenseless.”

“Not quite. Between my ability to discourage them from attacking by using my mental powers and your telekinesis, we should be fine.”

A sudden yell brought their attention to the forest. Eight Coways were leaping from the trees, axes at the ready. Four more lurked in the rainforest still, bows and blowguns at the ready. Thrin stretched his hand out, and the eight charging stopped suddenly. They looked at each other confusedly, then retreated. A flurry of darts and arrows sped at the two Padawans, but they were quickly caught by Kohl and returned. Cries of agony as they found they mark echoed throughout the plateau.

“Let’s go before those eight with the axes come back with their little playmates. Still think they pose no immediate threat?”

“Alright, so maybe we’ve overstepped out bounds. That’s a good thing. It means we’re closer to Bask. Let’s hide in the trees. Maybe we can follow them back to their village”, replied Thrin.

No sooner had they hidden themselves among the branches than another band of Coways had found their dead compatriots. Solemnly tying them to branches which they carried on their shoulders, one in front, one in back, they meandered back through the trees on the ground. Kohl and Thrin followed them, being as quiet as they could. After about five minutes of walking, they came upon a large sinkhole. In it, five gloriously tall pyramids shone like gold, with smaller pyramids and huts around them. The center pyramid, the tallest one, had a large orb floating on top of it. Stunned by the sight at first, Thrin was the first to notice a form clothed in a loincloth being led up it in chains by three bulky Coways. At the top, under the floating orb, a large fire had been built. Coways dressed in headdresses with large feathers were holding staffs and beating them on the ground in a steady rhythm. Thrin looked closer, and saw that it was Bask they were leading up the mountainous temple.

“Kohl! I found him! They’re leading him up the center pyramid! They’re about to sacrifice him!”

The Togruta saw Bask being led up the mountain. He ignited his lightsaber, and, to his satisfaction, the cyan blade crackled to life. Thrin’s violet blade joined it, and they leapt down into the sinkhole. Landing in the shadows of one of the smaller pyramids, they were unnoticed as all the Coways were at the large temple. The bodies of the archers and blowgun marksmen Thrin and Kohl had killed were taken to one of the other pyramids, and the Coways that had undertaken them were leading women away from the festivities to the pyramid. The women were in tears, the children in the pouches on their backs crying as well. Kohl and Thrin quickly worked their way around the small pyramid to the back of the central one. The large pyramid did not have steps on this side, so they leaped from one layer of stones to the next. At the second-to-top layer, they stopped. Thrin gambled a peek over the side and saw that Bask had just reached the top. A look of fear collected in his eyes when he saw the Coways in priestly robes gathered around the fire with ceremonial staffs. Thrin put his head back down and signaled to Kohl. They leapt onto the top layer, igniting their sabers once more.

To say that the priests were shocked was an understatement. Their jaws flew open when they beheld the dragon and fiery one before them, wielding beams of light in their hands. When a twitch from the fiery one’s hand sent the guards around the edge of the temple flying, they immediately began running down the stairs. The guards holding Bask’s chains dropped them and brandished large stone hammers. Thrin confused them, and they fell backwards off the pyramid. Kohl tossed Bask his lightsaber, and he cut himself loose.

“Good to see you guys finally joined the party! I thought I was going to be dinner there for a second”, said the Bothan.

“You wouldn’t be the main course. Your flavor isn’t bold enough”, replied Kohl, a smirk on his face. Bask rolled his eyes.

“Hey, how about fighting these cannibalistic natives instead of each other?” suggested Thrin.

“Aren’t I? It’s getting so you can’t tell the difference any more”, replied Bask. Thrin and Kohl chuckled, but stopped as the first arrow smashed into the stone altar behind Kohl. Archers, spear-throwers, and blow-dart marksmen were lined on the surrounding four pyramids. Already, the air was a flurry of projectiles.

“Defensive positions! Bask, take that side, Kohl, the back. I’ll take this side.”

The warriors poured in from the front, but Kohl quickly blasted them back with the Force. Bask used Plant Surge to block the path with brambles. The oil-filled altar was still flaming, but repeated arrow strikes had breached it. The fire spread in all directions on the oil, while arrows, darts, and spears continued flying.

Unable to see his companions for the wall of flame, Bask tried sensing them to see if they were still alive. The momentary loss of concentration on the fight caused him to miss a single blowdart. The scorpion venom knocked him out instantly. The fire crept closer as pottery jars of oil thrown by the women shattered, their flammable contents instantly being consumed.

“If we cannot defeat them in combat, then the great god Kentzelkatu will defeat them through fire!” shouted the chieftain. The fire closed in even more on the Padawans.