Star Wars_ Fate of the Jedi 08_ Ascension - Christie Golden [74]
Sometimes they miscalculated in their negotiation of the treacherous terrain, either thinking land was solid where it wasn’t or surprised by an ysalamiri bubble, and sank into the reedy marsh water instead. Where there was no mud or water, there were tangles of vines, roots, and weeds that needed to be cleared with lightsaber slashes. After a very short while, all of them were in dire need of sanisteams.
“I think I liked Korriban better,” Jaina said. Strands of her brown hair were plastered to her forehead, both from sweat and from the moisture in the air.
“Yeah,” Ben said, scratching his head. “At least it was a dry heat.”
“And it had puppies,” Vestara added, using the Force to leap free from the marshy grip that had both of her feet. “Who doesn’t like puppies?”
The banter was a grim sort, a way to keep their spirits up and prevent the ubiquitous, lurking presence of the dark side from unsettling them completely. Luke lifted a hand, and they fell silent at once, turning to him attentively.
“We’re about two kilometers away,” Luke said. “I’m sure we’re all feeling it. It’s just going to get more intense. We should be very careful.”
They nodded, even the most halfhearted attempt at humor extinguished by the warning, and moved forward without speaking. Ben found his attention wandering toward Vestara, and not in the usual pleasantly distracting manner. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, hoping—and mostly believing—she would not suddenly turn on them, but knowing it was still a possibility.
Drenched by the falls into filthy water and the varied precipitation, Ben grew colder the closer they drew. He knew it had nothing to do with his body, and everything to do with his very essence—and the Force. The dark temple ceased to be a sullen unnerving shape on the horizon and instead became a looming threat. He extended himself in the Force, hyperalert for anything as he had been on Korriban. There they had been attacked by the tuk’ata. Here Ben could feel there were worse things lurking, just on the periphery of his Force sensing.
Luke came to a stop some twenty meters from the temple. He drew his lightsaber but did not light it, not yet. Ben emulated him, feeling his father’s own heightened attention in the Force. For a moment, they all stood, subconsciously forming a row, and regarded the temple.
It was solid stone, gray and massive, and heavy with banked threat. The darkness emanating from it was almost like a sound so deep that one could not hear it, but could feel it in one’s bones or blood. Ben could well believe that in its presence blasters and other mundane energy weapons and technology would be rendered useless. The lightsabers were both simpler and more complex; the technology was simpler, but because of their deep heritage with the Force, they were far more complicated than a blaster.
In the murky light, the four couldn’t possibly miss the pair of giant, golden statues of hooded figures, hands folded across the pommels of swords. The figures were more disquieting in this dark, dank place than the ones Ben had seen in Korriban’s desert. Painted vines with ominous blossoms and probably deadly thorns twined about the base of the temple.
“What do you sense?” Luke asked quietly, his head turning as he looked around.
“That nexus,” Jaina said promptly.
“Yeah,” Ben said. “And … some Dark Force manifestations, but not close. Not yet, anyway.”
“It’s … so strong,” Vestara breathed. Ben glanced over at her. Her brown eyes were wide, and her voice was a mixture of horror and attraction.
“Vestara,” Luke said, sharply but not angrily, and she blinked as if coming out of a daze. “Do you sense any signs of the Sith or Abeloth?”
She shook her head, looking more like her usual alert self. “No. That nexus pretty much drowns out anything else.”
“Agreed,” Luke said. “Let’s look for more ordinary clues. Stay in the courtyard, where we can all see one another. If anyone finds anything,