Yerbol protested himself at the thought of leaving the presiding Elder behind, but there was a look in Cheriss' eye that pacified him a bit more quickly than his, at times, stubborn partner. He wanted to warn her about what he saw in the Elder's eyes, the somber and ominous knowledge that shot through her glance on the subject. What did she know that they didn't? It wasn't like Voldon was keen on being buried inside the tomb. Was there something deeper in the temple that had to be disarmed? Was there some strange personal journey that Voldon had to go through? Was th-

[i]THAT'S AN ORDER, MASSANI![/i]

Cheriss' sudden command jolted Yerbol from his ill-timed tangent, conforming to said order with haste, slinging one of the mystics across his shoulders and forcing himself to address the immediate matter:
"Where do we go?" Cheriss and Ashara affirmed that there was a way out of the subterranean area, the latter taking point as they hauled the mystics limp bodies through winding hallways, steep flights of spiral and traditional staircases as well as through sweet smelling common areas fraught with the intermingling scent of bloody carnage. Voss, Alliance and a few Faceless bodies were in almost every area large enough for battle, reinforcing that their arrival on Voss came far too late. 

After arriving at what Cheriss claimed was the top of the temple, they spotted a few Alliance squadrons, one commander reporting that they had arrived about half an hour ago just in time to have the Gormak storm both Voss-Ka and the Temple. When Yerbol requested an update on potential incoming forces as the party of Qyaari found an empty room to catch their breath, the commander direly told them that most deployed Alliance forces were concerned about fending off Voss Ka and couldn't spare any other resources. Just as the Champion was about to wonder aloud as to how they were going to pull themselves out of THIS particular potentially world-ending scenario, Cheriss informed them that the Mystics were the key.
"How? There are three of them against..." He motioned to the Gormak marching tirelessly on the Temple, blaster bolts exchanged from the Alliance troopers remaining and the initial Gormak fighters. 
"I know that Ari and I have no experience with waking Mystics up, but we know how to fight off enemies. Could you and Ashara work on trying to wake them up? Those troopers are done for if we don't get down there and help." As if to accentuate the Champion's point, another rocket tore through the sky and slammed against the Temple, rocking the structure far too much for his liking. 
"So what's the call?" 

___

He snorted a chuckle at Cheriss' comment, retorting back:
"I've always enjoyed your pleasant demeanor!" The smile that had formed from the laugh vanished, the Elder taking one last look at Manus' fallen corpse. He stood for a moment, sentiment getting the better of him, memories flooding into his mind of times that felt like another life, one that he would have preferred to escape to at times. 

Shaking his head to clear the obstructive recollections, Voldon strode through the set of doors in front to find stone stairs that descended even further into the bowels of the Temple. 
"Smells like we shouldn't be here." He mumbled with a smirk, looking to his side only to find no one beside him. She had been here the first time they had come this far into the Temple, she a rather spunky, freshly initiated Jedi Knight who was more than willing to voice her opinion on their surroundings, even when her Master didn't ask for it. 

He would miss her. Terribly. 

"No more." His boots clanked down the stairs, reaching the bottom where a stone doorway opened up into an empty, vast circular chamber that extended into an eternity of darkness above. Torches were ensconced, burning brightly with a greenish tinted flame. Voldon strode to the center of the room, doffing his saber and robe before getting down on both knees, hands on his upper thighs as he closed his eyes. Not a minute passed until the chamber devoid of sound began to have whispers floating through it, swirling around the outer edge of the room. They began to grow in decibel volume and ferocity, fragments comprehensible through the storm. 

[i]You dare...

KILL HIM

Destroy them all to...

Cleanse..

DESTROY
[/i]

Voldon grit his teeth, focusing with all his might on maintaining his position as the whispers edged towards him, malice growing in the tone of the whispers that were now taking shape. Dark shaded shapes that formed into corporeal beings, their hands wrapped around the hilts of their respective blades. They drew within inches of him now, their presence nearly overwhelming, Voldon raising his voice as he cried out:
"I SUMMON YOU, GUARDIANS OF THIS TEMPLE, SPIRITS OF THE VOSS, CONSUME THE ENEMIES THAT THREATEN TO DESTROY YOUR PEOPLE!" The spirits raised their free hands at the same time, pointing at the tiring Champion before each form flickered forward into Voldon's body, infesting every part of his body and mind. A primal scream ripped from his throat as the last of the spirits made their home inside the Elder, Voldon collapsing forward, breathing coming in ragged gasps. Then soft breaths. Then stillness. 

____

Before Cheriss could answer Yerbol's question, the Force users and Alliance troopers were brought to their knees as a sudden, powerful explosion of Force energy surged through every crevice of the Temple. A cylindrical column tore through the main chamber, flinging troopers out of the way before looming in front of the entrance. Gormak forces halted for a moment, shouts of indecipherable commands being issued right as the column broke apart to reveal spectral forms littering the battlefield, their blades at the ready. Blaster bolts were fired at the forms, but to no avail: they cut through the Gormak with no hesitation, blood running freely over the once picturesque planet surface. The assailants stubbornly stood their ground only to find a quick death at the hands of the potentially endless spectral squadron. 

Yerbol was only able to witness the tail end of this spectacle, seeing as the unseen summoning had released such a massive shockwave of energy that the Champion was immobilized, only getting to his feet with some help from Khem Val, who seemed unaffected by the seismic outburst. After helping the others up, they witnessed the slaughter from the balcony, Alliance troopers cheering complemented by Gormak screams of pain. Yerbol couldn't muster the words to say anything in regard to what they were witnessing, but a deep voice behind the assembled party did:
"Why have the Guardians been awoken?!" Turning, Yerbol found the Mystics standing upright, their eyes glowing in what felt like righteous indignation. 
"Awoken?" Yerbol looked to Cheriss, asking:
"What are they talking about?" Another Mystic answered:
"Our Temple Guardians, ones that have been bound for ages only to be released in the most direst of circumstances. They were never to walk the face of Voss ever again. Who did such a thing and why was it done?"