Nightshift 35 - Ballroom (Basement)
[From here]
Moving down the stairs, keeping his senses alert, Qui-Gon led the way deeper beneath Landels. The darkness in the Force here was even stronger. Qui-Gon faced it even as he felt its effects; his stomach turned, he could feel the hair on the back of his hands standing up, and there was always the sense of someone looking over his shoulder and yet when he turned around, there was no one there. His boots seemed to thud unnaturally loud on the spotless black marble of the Ballroom's floor as he descended the last of the stairs. He adjusted his footsteps unconsciously.
Qui-Gon paused in the center, a hand on his hip and thumb hooked in his belt as he turned, surveying his surroundings and trying to sense any danger heading their way. It looked much like it had the night before, almost too silent. Off to the east and the west were the two doors they entered last night, doors Qui-Gon didn't feel inclined on trying again. They passed the tests this time...but there was no telling if the next time would be different, if the tests would be altered.
The Shield Artifact seemed to press in on him, feeling heavy and cold in his hand as he held it, glancing down at it.
"This is it," Qui-Gon said quietly. "Is everyone prepared?"
He glanced at everyone's faces, sizing them up, his gaze roaming from Callisto to Sanzo to Goku and finally coming to a rest for a slightly longer moment on Obi-Wan. He hoped everyone knew what was at stake here and the risk. Obi-Wan did, he knew. He wasn't sure about Goku, and he knew Sanzo was still recovering from last night's injuries, injuries that should have floored him. As for Callisto...well, she was a bit of a wild card. He believed she was determined, but what she expected out of this, he couldn't determine.
Moving down the stairs, keeping his senses alert, Qui-Gon led the way deeper beneath Landels. The darkness in the Force here was even stronger. Qui-Gon faced it even as he felt its effects; his stomach turned, he could feel the hair on the back of his hands standing up, and there was always the sense of someone looking over his shoulder and yet when he turned around, there was no one there. His boots seemed to thud unnaturally loud on the spotless black marble of the Ballroom's floor as he descended the last of the stairs. He adjusted his footsteps unconsciously.
Qui-Gon paused in the center, a hand on his hip and thumb hooked in his belt as he turned, surveying his surroundings and trying to sense any danger heading their way. It looked much like it had the night before, almost too silent. Off to the east and the west were the two doors they entered last night, doors Qui-Gon didn't feel inclined on trying again. They passed the tests this time...but there was no telling if the next time would be different, if the tests would be altered.
The Shield Artifact seemed to press in on him, feeling heavy and cold in his hand as he held it, glancing down at it.
"This is it," Qui-Gon said quietly. "Is everyone prepared?"
He glanced at everyone's faces, sizing them up, his gaze roaming from Callisto to Sanzo to Goku and finally coming to a rest for a slightly longer moment on Obi-Wan. He hoped everyone knew what was at stake here and the risk. Obi-Wan did, he knew. He wasn't sure about Goku, and he knew Sanzo was still recovering from last night's injuries, injuries that should have floored him. As for Callisto...well, she was a bit of a wild card. He believed she was determined, but what she expected out of this, he couldn't determine.