Ask Heart of the Blade

[Haldir Eressëa]

Spoiler: Mission Brief

Strength in Faith
Although we have lost much in the past few years, like all across the galaxy we must look to the youth as our future. A small group of seven Jedi Padawan's are set to complete their trials and become fully fledged Jedi Knights. But they need guidance upon their journey. Travel to the Lightsaber Forge of Duxn, here the Padawan's will take the walk across the dangerous forest to the ancient site with nothing but The Force and their minds to guide them...

​

Dxun.

Never thought he'd set foot on the Demon Moon again, and yet here he was.

Prior to his return to the Jedi Order, Haldir had planned on stepping back into the temple on Yavin IV to lend a hand in any way he could. His inclinations were more in line with the arts of healing and so the taciturn Arkanian Offshoot found refuge in the infirmary, mostly shying away from the usual lively encounters in the temple despite his desire to create the same bond he once shared with his former Master long before they suffered from a fall out that shouldn't have existed.

He wasn't usually one to dwell much on the past, but the sprawling forest before him– no, the two Padawans he was overlooking seemed kind of close with each other. Their interactions reminded him of people he would never forget, and while he couldn't bring himself to speak said people's names remembering them still brought a small smile to his lips.

The Jedi Knight's face was covered as usual, the bandages wrapped loosely but carefully around his head. Strands of white hair poked out here and there, and instead of wearing his Jedi robes he was currently clad in a suit that was more in line with the family he hailed from. He probably looked like some warrant officer of old to his current companions, clad in all black and his features oddly concealed. Clipped to his belt was his lightsaber, and holstered to his left thigh was a DL-18 Blaster Pistol. Two vibroknives were tucked to each boot. Slung to his back was a small pack with a medkit, extra bandages (both for his head and for injuries, as well as a ration of food that was enough to feed both Padawans.

Haldir might not be the best when it came to social interactions, but at least he was considerate enough to come here prepared. And besides, if push came to a shove the two teenagers could always rely on him to heal whatever injury they might receive. Haldir, after all, was a healer first, warrior second.

Facing the Padawans, the Knight lifted both gloved hands to chest level and signed, unaware if either of them knew sign language, "Keep your senses sharp and stay alert. Stay close and try not to wander too far. You can't lose life nor limb here in this Demon Moon."

Should neither of them knew how, he could always verbally speak. It was only a matter of deciding which voice to use instead of using his own. As much as he wanted to, old teachings simply refused to go away – no matter how hard he tried to forget.

@Nefieslab @Killa Ree

 

[Crix Aran]

Crix had never been to Dxun but, at the same time, he felt as though he had. He had, after all, had a bit of a history with jungle planets in recent months, enough for him to know that they didn’t like him and he didn’t like them. So long as this one didn’t have Madclaws or carnivorous bugs that swarmed then he was reasonably happy to be here and not one of the other jungle planets.

With a nickname like “The Demon Moon”, he didn’t hold out much hope that this belief would survive first contact with something from the depths of said jungle.

At least Willa was here too.

“I’m telling you Wiz – jungle planets hate me.” He was telling her with a smirk firmly in place on his face, “It’s science. Facts if you will.”

He gave Haldir a bit of a wink to let the Knight know that he was mainly just messing around – he was making it his mission during this mission to make Willa smile. His friend had taken on more than a bit of melancholy in recent months, not that he blamed her. Unlike his Master, her’s hadn’t come back from battle after all.

Crix watched as the Knight signed before glancing at Willa.

“He says stick close and keep your limbs attached at all times during the ride.”

Hans was fond of sign language on stealth missions.

@Forsythe Crowholde @Killa Ree

 

[Willa Kanz]

The last time she had been on any missions with Crix, it had ended with his getting hurt because of her. That guilt, along with the guilt of possibly failing her Master, had weighed heavily on the young woman in recent months. She kept in step with him, listening at his words.

He was so far ahead of her in his training. She looked over at him and gave him a small smile, but otherwise didn't really reply, merely nodded once.

She hadn't felt much like talking recently.

Looking up at Haldir, she gave the man a nod once. "Yes, sir." Her voice was soft, quiet as she glanced up at the Arkanian Knight. "I'm ready."

@Nefieslab @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Haldir Eressëa]

Entirely missing the wink sent his way as he spread his senses wide but oh so carefully through the Force, the spark of life nestled within the two Padawans burned bright and fierce against the rest of the lifeforms in their immediate surroundings. Aran was a splash of sunshine in the bleak forest, a bit rough around the edges from the experiences he'd faced. The former Sector Ranger knew his mother but never really worked with her nor even met her.

And he managed to get the gist of what Haldir told them. At least he did... should he correct the young man?

Kanz, on the other hand, piqued the Knight's interest. The young woman gave him the impression of a firework on its last legs, light growing ever dimmer as its gunpowder reserves ran out. The twinge of guilt he allowed himself to sense rom her wasn't something sentients her age shouldn't really be carrying. Where Aran was all sunshine, Kanz was the dark side of the moon.

A most curious pair to be overseeing in this equally curious mission on this dreaded Demon Moon. He'd learned who their Masters were, and while he felt somewhat inadequate to be the one looking after them the thought was immediately shrugged off almost mechanically. The Knight knew all too well the benefits and dangers of detaching one's self from negative emotions, but it was a commodity he couldn't afford to partake on. At least not yet.

With a simple nod at the two Padawans, the group began their trek further into the jungle, with Haldir on the lead but not straying too far ahead from the two. The place was teeming with wildlife – both curious and uncaring of the trio's presence. The ground was rough and uneven, but it wasn't something he was not used with. Overgrown vines hung from trees, and Haldir carefully pushed them aside as he led the Padawans forward.

There was a piercing screech somewhere above them, and peering up through the canopy Haldir spotted a lone Skreev circling the skies. Whether if the reptavian had already spotted them was undetermined, but perhaps he could gauge how truly prepared his companions were if it decided to swoop down and choose violence to greet them with.

"What do you know of our destination?" he asked the two Padawans, still signing until he realized that they wouldn't be able to see his hands with his back to them. Immediately brushing off his brief embarrassment Haldir mentally went over the voices he could use to verbally speak with Aran and Kanz. The Knight cleared his throat, the very first sound he had made in the presence of his companions, before he repeated his question.

"What do you know of our destination?" the voice of Poet Severino inquired of the two Padawans. While waiting for them to respond, his gaze flickered upwards toward the Skreev. The creature was beginning to circle ever lower, probably rearing for an attack.

@Nefieslab @Killa Ree

Spoiler: Dice

Rolled for Imminent Danger
A lone Skreev circles overhead! Whip up your Pokédexes, young Padawans– wait.

 

[Crix Aran]

Well Wiz wasn't talking much and Haldir seemed intent on not being a talkative kinda guy himself either. Crix would like to say that this was surprising but, really, it actually was not. He was often the chattiest person in any kind of room and it looked like he might be the only one inclined to do much chatting - Wiz had her reasons and he was sure Haldir had too. He wasn't trying to look down on either of them for not being talkative so much as he was accepting it as the way things were for now.

Maybe the status quo would change, who knew?

Trekking through the unfamiliar (yet familiar) jungle terrain wasn't something that any of the Jedi were all that enthused about, he could tell, but it was good for the soul and for the conditioning he supposed. As they walked, Crix noted the arrival of the Skreev flying around in the air, circling them. He leaned in closer to Willa as he muttered.

"Five Credits it tries to make off with me." he joked with a small smirk, "No?"

He noticed Haldir making movements with his arms but from where he was standing he couldn't see if the Knight was signing or not. When the Knight began to speak, Crix raised both of his eye ridges in surprise before his eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"... you're not Poet." he declared with a frown, entirely serious as he added, "I'd know his arse anywhere. Do you often imitate other people?"

Crix let out a small sigh.

"I know it's ancient. I know it's apparently protected and I know we're gonna get attacked before we arrive."

@Killa Ree @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Willa Kanz]

At Crix's words, she gave a small smirk and nudged him back.

"I'll take that bet and double it, you're a magnet for flying things."

However, the fact that there was one that seemed close was... concerning, to say the least. Nope, she wasn't gonna let him get snatched up yet again.

Still, the Knight's question and Crix's reply turned her focus to both of them, Crix's flat statement of a... Poet's?... ass making her brows raise. "Of all things, you'd know his ass. Why doesn't this surprise me."

She looked ahead. Max wasn't the strictest of Masters all the time, but he had made sure she knew some of the more important Jedi landmarks. "It's got a lot of predators... lot's of battles in history." Her voice was soft, quiet as she stared at the Knight's back.

@Nefieslab @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Haldir Eressëa]

There was something calming about listening to his companions joke and bet in spite of the dangers that lurked all around them. It was better than being surrounded by people who let their fears eat at themselves, the Knight supposed, so he didn't bother reprimanding them. And besides, one of them spoke about being ready and the bets made about which of the two of them the Skreev would take a fancy to was amusing.

Suspicion tugged at him through the Force, further accentuated by the seriousness in Aran's tone. Haldir glanced at the half-Zabrak over his shoulder, a brow rising in curiosity and a hint of confusion regarding the comment about the Sector Ranger's ass, of all things. The Padawan knew Rudra's firstborn?

He didn't reply immediately, opting to let the two finish answering his questions. Not the answers he was looking for, and it led him to the assumption that neither between the two have been to the Demon Moon before. The question about Haldir imitating people only prompted a half-smile on the Arkanian's face. Aran probably wouldn't appreciate the long answer, and Haldir wasn't obliged to provide the young man an extensive story nor a glimpse to his own upbringing. It wasn't relevant to their current mission, so why should he bother in the first place?

"Indeed, I am not. An astute observation," commented the Knight, neither sassy nor patronizing. "I am– was raised to do so."

Haldir was contemplating on teaching the two about the Lightsaber Forge, but the Skreev seemed to be intent on cutting the lesson short before it began. It had forgone belting out a defeaning screech and dove towards the trio, effortlessly maneuvering past the canopy and aimed straight for the easiest pick. The Knight counted on having garnered the reptavian's attention simply because he was the tallest in the group, thus making him easier to pluck off of the ground. As the Skreev swooped down and approached from behind the Padawans, Haldir swiftly faced the winged creature and slipped past his companions with a raised hand.

Haldir found it easier to utilize the Force by visualizing the energies into something that cements his intent, a technique taught to him by his teachers when he was but a youngling. The current goal was to lock the Skreev in a full body stasis before it could reach them. The vines hanging overhead gave him something use for the visualization process, and Haldir willed the Force to wrap around the creature. Perhaps the process would have been nearly instantaneous, but everything ultimately rested on the Will of the Force. As such, instead of halting completely and crashing to the earth the Skreev shot past above the trio, banking low enough for its tail to strike Haldir and knock the Knight off of his feet. The reptavian crashed meters ahead of the three, unable to gather its bearings from being restrained and unintentionally freed. It let out an angry screech, clearly disoriented as it struggled to right itself.

His clan's training kicking in, the Arkanian shoved the pain aside and swiftly rose back up again. Haldir was so focused on the Skreev that he failed to notice that he had dropped his cap, more so the bandages wrapped around his head becoming undone. One hand outstretched towards the Skreev's direction to re-establish the stasis, the Knight turned to face the creature and let out a quiet grunt, keeping the reptavian pinned to the ground.

The black bandages slid off of Haldir's head, revealing not just the Knight's white hair. He was too focused on keeping the Skreev down to even notice that the face he had been taught to hide was now bare for two Padawans to see.

"Aran. Kanz." Haldir called the two, glancing at them briefly before shifting his focus back at the downed Skreev. That loud screeching was bound to attract predators sooner or later. "Do you know how to forge a bond with non-sentient creatures through the Force?" he asked the two, not for his own benefit but for theirs.

@Nefieslab @Killa Ree

Spoiler: Dice

Haldir restrains the Skreev using the Force.
Rolled a 38 = barely a success. Still counts as one, though.

 

[Crix Aran]

He hoped he wasn’t going to be losing credits AND go for a ride but he was happy enough to take the bet, giving Willa a quick handshake to confirm that he agreed to the deal. With how the Credit was doing against the Crown, he was almost to the point where he could pass her a single Crown to fulfill the bet but that was beside the point.

The bet was made.

“His ass was nice.” He defended with a roll of his eyes, “And our esteemed colleague is currently also bandaged up to their eyeballs. What else am I supposed to use to establish who they are, Wiz?”

He totally used logic on occasion.

Watching as the creature began to swoop down, Crix wanted to say he told Willa so but it seemed that it was more attracted to their fellow Jedi. It was enough to take some of the levity out of him as he watched the Knight struggling to restrain the creature. Part of him considered simply killing the creature, knowing that it would be better to conserve their energy as they made their way through more and more of the hellscape that was Dxun.

But he didn’t consider it for long, instead reaching out with the Force to invade the struggling creature’s mind. Rather than control though, Crix was focusing on a different end.

“Willa. I’ll calm it, you see if you can form some controlling bond.”

Instead of attempting to control or, worse, harm the creature’s mind, Crix reached in deep and started to push calm and relaxing thoughts into the creature’s primitive mind. Enough that it stopped trashing quite so much, still finding it’s confinement concerning but beginning to find it less so as it just hung there.

@Forsythe Crowholde @Killa Ree

 

[Willa Kanz]

She wasn't gonna panic like she had last time. When the creature dove closer and knocked the Jedi Knight aside, she was already moving to either aid or protect, but the Knight's words stilled her hand from pulling out her training saber. Not that it would have done much, but still. However...

Karking hell, the Knight was hot.

She blinked once, looking at the shock of white hair, before she abruptly turned her gaze away, feeling her face heat to a bight blush that she was sure even a Miraluka could see, carefully keeping her gaze away from the Knight's face to avoid his noticing that she had noticed.

She shifted forward at Haldir's words, and briefly nodded.

"Max, he... taught me some things about the mind." Her words were spoken haltingly, throat tightening at saying his name. She could feel her hands tremble just remembering. But then Crix spoke, and she glanced his way, giving a nod.

They were a team.

Steeling herself with a breath, she began to walk forward. As the thing still flailed beneath Crix's influence, it wouldn't be hard for her to slip in and bond with it. It let out another screech, claws digging deep into the forest floor, when she reached out with her mind to it.

"Be calm."

It flailed again, baleful yellow eyes narrowing in on the Padawan. It opened its' maw as though to let out another screech, but she opened her hand, and the sound died in its' throat, giving a croak. "Hey. Calm down." She could feel the thoughts pushing through; this was not like a sentient creature, not really, but she could still sense keen animal intelligence, fear, and rage. It started to abate with every step, and she could sense it struggled less, watching with wide eyes. "Calm down. I am here now."

She crossed the last few steps, and she was close enough to see its' nostrils flare, its' wings flap once, twice. "It's okay."

At her spoken words, it closed its' eyes for a moment. At first, she thought she failed. For two heart-stopping seconds, her hand hovered, mere inches from its' snout.

It then lifted its' head, pressing against her hand, and yellow eyes opened again. It accepted her.

She couldn't help the quiet exhale and smile as the tension and fear fled, her voice soft to the others behind her. "It's done. You can release now." She glanced back at Haldir, then nodded once, quickly averting her gaze to not make him feel self-conscious of his bandages slipping.

"Think I can fly with this bad boy?"

@Forsythe Crowholde @Nefieslab

Spoiler: Dice Roll

Got a 15

 

[Haldir Eressëa]

Shoganai, Haldir thought the moment he took notice of his now bare face. White hair fell to his eyes, his attention still focused on the Skreev, making him unaware of the look Padawan Kanz sent his way. As the two Padawans worked on the reptavian, the Knight slowly loosened his hold on the creature through the Force so as to reinforce the calming thoughts the two were projecting in the Skreev's mind. At Kanz' prompt Haldir relinquished his hold completely and focused on pushing away the pain he felt from the Skreev knocking him aside moments earlier.

The Arkanian Knight retraced his steps, bending down to pick his fallen cap from the ground. He spared the bandages a brief glance, contemplating on his next steps with regards to his now bare face. With a quiet sigh he picked the bandages and stuffed them in his pocket, mind made to keep his face bare until the end of this task – another small act of rebellion from the lifestyle thrust upon him since childhood.

Cap back in place, Haldir turned to face the two and gave them a fleeting but genuine smile. "Well done, you two," he told them, pale blue eyes twinkling with amusement at the young woman's comment. "Not a bad thought, if only to help you escape if we find ourselves overrun by the wildlife. You have to look out for other Skreevs, though."

The thought was equal parts jest and serious advice. It probably wouldn't lift their spirits to be talking about that scenario, but the thought was lost on Haldir. Patting himself off to make sure that his belongings were still in place, the Knight motioned for the two to continue on their trek, ever mindful of the dangers that lurked around them. It would be wishful thinking to hope that their encounters with Dxun's wildlife would only be limited to the Skreev, and the fact that they were only met with a single one was somewhat suspicious.

For the sake of their small group, though, a small part of Haldir held optimistically onto that thought.

Here's hoping we don't run into some maalraas, too, thought the Knight, remembering how one of those creatures nearly killed him if it weren't for his former Master's help. Out of all the fauna in Dxun the maalraas were the ones he was wary the most. It did not help that they could use the Force to cloak themselves, and that they were too damn hard to keep track of.

Like a hound tracking a singular destination, Haldir led his companions deeper into the jungle and towards the Forge. It had been years since he visited the moon, but he could remember the location of the Forge clear as day.

"How is your progress in your training?" he asked the two after a few moments of silence, if only to help the Padawans ease around him. Haldir knew that he wasn't exactly a familiar face – concealed or otherwise – in the Temple, both in Ajan Kloss and Yavin IV. He wasn't there when the former was attacked and defiled by the Sith, still stuck as a Sector Ranger. He was still on the process of returning into the fold when Masters Maxims Tionson and Talak Rand fell on Denon. And while Haldir felt that he needed to work thrice as hard to compensate for the time lost when he was away from the Order, he was somewhat convinced that he had to do more.

Maybe... Maybe he should take a student under his wing, aside from undertaking his duties as a Knight?

@Nefieslab @Killa Ree

 

[Crix Aran]

Well damn - looked like Wiz had something that could fly wandering around at her beck and call now. Crix didn't bother trying to make a joke out of it at all in the end, just giving his long-term friend a bright grin and a thumbs up that she had well and truly earned.

"Give it a shot - just pack a parachute, yeah?"

Not that he didn't trust her ability to keep the connection but Crix wasn't someone who trusted flying all that much. He might have managed to become "Not Terrifying" at it but that didn't mean for one second that he enjoyed doing it, or even that he did it when there was ever an option not to. Having the flying be done by a living creature that had been trying to kill and eat him not a few moments prior to the bonding? Yeah that was a hard pass for him - if Wiz wanted to do that she was on her own.

Turning back to the Knight they were accompanying, Crix looked at the man behind the masking before shrugging slightly. Hot but not really hot enough to make a big deal out of it he supposed and he really wasn't quite sure just why the bandages had been on in the first place. To prevent a terrible sunburn? That... actually would make a lot of sense actually.

"So no aerial dogfighting with other Skreevs or their older, nastier, big brothers, Wiz."

As they progressed, Crix found himself frowning ever so slightly as he tried to keep his mind on his surroundings. The trouble with jungles was that every movement and noise could either be nothing or a dangerous creature out to kill them. On Dxun he imagined it was better to be safe/paranoid than sorry/dead.

Training?

"Soon to be coming to an end." he admitted, "My trials are done and all that's left is for the Masters to deliberate."

Hopefully he passed and could proceed because if he didn't, he knew Hannibal would have him running laps while singing musical numbers for the next fortnight at least. He... didn't linger on the subject of training however because he was very aware of Wiz's own issues with said training. Namely with the death of her Master in battle at the hands of the Sith - he'd seemed like a chill kind of Master too and Hans had brought him up a few times.

First with a smile and then, well, not.

Whenever he'd come up after Denon it was with a rather cold note of sadness that lingered around his Master. It felt like he remembered it feeling when his mom went away on a mission without much heads up - specifically the night time after she first left.

Unable to sleep with an ache that sat in his chest made of worry and a sense of loneliness that threatened to choke him if he dwelled on it.

@Killa Ree @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Willa Kanz]

She smiled once, then nodded. It made sense not to do something like that with as many predators around, but...

"Take to the skies, keep an eye out," she spoke to the Skreev, pointing. She wasn't sure if it would listen, or even understand, but with a whoosh of wings it began to take off. "Stick close and come when I call!" she called out after it, and it soon would disappear above again, keeping close. She'd have to mind her link for it to not suddenly turn on it, but for now... they had an ally here.

She looked back at Crix, and instead of feeling a pang of jealousy, she smiled warmly, nudging him with a shoulder lightly. She always knew he'd be first of their group. She didn't miss the feelings he gave off, either. She didn't have to know what he was thinking, to know that dwelling on it would be bad.

But... mention of training made her flush, this time in embarrassment. "...I had a master," she muttered. Even just thinking about that old weirdo made her chest ache. You said you'd be there.

...Are you there in the force, old man? I hope you're proud.

She still had those fragments of the box that he said he was gonna make into a holocron. She wondered if he had after all... she'd have to take a closer look once they returned. "I had some training," she finally forced a smile, meeting the Knight squarely in the eyes. "But not enough to rank up, yet. Gotta find someone that can tolerate me and my skills," she attempted to joke, but even she could feel it fell flat. Instead, she lowered her gaze, lips pursed slightly.

"So, what's our destination then?"

@Forsythe Crowholde @Nefieslab

 

[Haldir Eressëa]

The trek towards their destination was becoming more treacherous, not in the sense that the path was becoming more uneven and difficult to traverse but because the attention of creatures yet to show themselves were now fully focused on the three Jedi. The more territorial would have already attacked to defend their turf but whatever these creatures were, they chose to watch first – possibly assessing if the three posed a threat or if they could pass off as a meal.

Haldir's attention was divided but he was attentive both to the Padawans walking behind him and the creatures watching them from the gloom. He could catch a hint of confusion from Aran, directed towards the Knight for some odd reason, and the link forged between Kanz and the Skreev. Pale blue gaze sharpened as he surveyed the shadows between the trees and the undergrowth, the Knight's head tilting a little to the side to show that he was listening to their responses.

"That's good," he replied to Aran first, eyes still scanning for a glimpse of whatever was (or were) tailing them. "If you're confident that you've done well with your training and Trials then your promotion is already set."

He really couldn't speak for the Masters, and Haldir was simply repeating what had been said to him years ago by his old mentor. But there was truth in the words imparted to him which he now chose to share with someone else. The Knight didn't know if Aran wanted to hear them, but he wanted to say them anyway.

Kanz, on the other hand, was a different story. With her Master gone, it was understandable that her training would come to a temporary halt. Her muttered response, tinged with embarrassment he could feel through the Force, prompted the Knight to pause and look at her over his shoulder. Haldir blinked once, then twice, when she met his gaze and a small smile crossed his face, unbidden and rather curious at the attempted joke that fell quite short.

Finding someone who could tolerate her and her skills... the Knight's smile widened a little before shifting his gaze forward once more. Perhaps he should lend her a hand in her search for said mentor? Or maybe that mentor could be him, who knew? And while Haldir was aware that he could offer himself as the mentor she might be looking for, there was no way to tell if he would be the one she needed. He knew his own shortcomings and doubts that he might not be able to teach her the way Maxims Tionson did. The Knight's brows furrowed slightly, mentally chiding himself and almost missing the female Padawan's question.

Already a gloved hand was coming up to remove his cap, followed by another, fingers lightly pinching the bridge of his nose. He was too focused about the dangers that lurked around them to connect the dots – he had been asking them about the Lightsaber Forge earlier and their responses were about the Demon Moon itself. Perhaps he should have asked straight to the point, named their destination directly, but he knew they were not at fault. He expected that they already knew where they were headed.

At this point he started to question his own capabilities to teach Padawans, let alone take one under his wing.

"The Lightsaber Forge of Dxun," Haldir replied, trying to keep his embarrassment to himself. The pink on his cheeks stood out starkly against his skin, and he purposefully kept his gaze forward, the cap going back to his head and the visor lowering ever so slightly so they would not see should they catch up to him. His focus slipped, and that fraction of a second lost was the only thing their 'watcher' needed to make itself known.

Themselves, rather.

Four Gharzr burst from the gloom, letting out piercing shrieks as they charged towards the three Jedi.

@Killa Ree @Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

Crix didn't really like to compare his own training to the kind of training that Willa and the other Padawans received. Even before Willa's Master died, his friend didn't really have the same kind of training that he had. Hans was a bit of a maverick when it came to being a Jedi but when it came to training Jedi the only thing that he was was a gods damned slave driver and Crix was better off for it.

Just made comparing his own journey to others feel kind of weird.

He hoped that Willa wasn't trying to compare the journeys that the two of them had been on. It was like comparing apples to oranges - their Masters had different training styles and different priorities. Alongside that, the unfortunate truth was that Willa's Master had died before he was able to see her training through. He was sure that if Maxims had lived longer, Willa would be in the same situation as him.

The reminder of what they were actually after was rather strange in the effect it actually had on Crix. Honestly it made him kind of excited. They were basically looking for a powerful hidden location that had belonged to the Jedi of millennia ago - it was like the Jedi version of searching for a Holy Grail or something.

"... I'm totally going to make a secondary." he declared with a small smirk, "Gotta use it for what it's there for, right? Make sure it still works!"

Of course before he could actually go ahead with his desires, they were set upon by even more wildlife. The Gharzr were not the most dangerous of the fauna and that, really, wasn't damning them in faint praise. They were still deadly as six hells but there were just always worse things out there. One of them pounced towards him and Crix dove to one side, bringing his lightsaber up to cut through it's tail.

It was only when the second tail grabbed hold of his arm and tugged it hard to one side that he remembered that they actually had two tails. The creature used his distraction to spin around on the spot, launching itself at Crix once again. Raising his left hand, Crix grunted as he channeled the Force into his left forearm as the Gharzr did it's level best to bite through the Force Reinforcement he was using on his arm.

@Killa Ree @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Willa Kanz]

She flushed deep red at the Knight smiled at her. She didn't want to think about anything involving her training; she knew she had some time to go before she was Knight material. She almost wanted to ask him if he would train her, but given his reputation as a loner... not so likely. At Crix's words, she gave a smirk, then waggled her fingers. "Fine, you go ahead and get your second. My first is gonna be awesome."

It wasn't even a minute after her words fell that they were accosted by more of the dangerous predators of this moon. Weren't there any non-predators around? Fluffy Lothcats or something?

She didn't get the chance to finish that thought when the four creatures intercepted them. Unlike with the Skreev, she wouldn't be able to Bond with this pack of creatures, but she could even the playing field a little. Letting out a sharp, short whistle, she began to lure down the Skreev, to show it what lovely prey she had provided for it to snack on.

However, that single gesture cost her.

It cost her direly.

As she was about to turn for the one that had begun to stalk her, she did not take into consideration the fourth, remaining one that leapt towards her. She cried out as claws sank deep into her shoulder, its' weight shoving her down into the dirt and vegetation and crushing the air from her lungs. She was whipped around as she fell by the creature's weight, then began to get smothered.

She couldn't catch her breath, and by the time she did it was too late. A hard paw slashed into her face, claws raking across the left side of her face from temple to jaw and she let out a choked snarl as it locked its' jaws around one defensive arm, beginning to try and pull it away for a killing bite. Agony seared along the left side of her face, and she could feel blood running down, locking her shoulders as the claw and bite marks burned.

@Forsythe Crowholde @Nefieslab

Spoiler: Dice

Critical Fail

 

[Haldir Eressëa]

The exchange between the two Padawans about lightsabers was lost on Haldir as the small group of Gharzr made themselves known. One of the Stalkers made a leap towards Haldir, the Knight barely dodging the sharp claws aimed for his torso as he side-stepped to avoid the attack in the nick of time. One gloved hand found the hilt of his lightsaber as the Gharzr landed, pale blue gaze locking with a pair of slitted pupils as the predator swiftly turned to face him once more.

From the corner of his vision he could see Aran struggling to keep the Dxunian stalker at bay. The sharp whistle from Kanz heralded the arrival of the Skreev she had formed a bond with. Haldir focused on the creature that decided to square off against him, intent on taking it down as fast as he could so he would be able to provide the half-Zabrak the assistance he might need. Bowing slightly at the Gharzr in acceptance of its challenge, Haldir stepped forward as the creature charged towards him, activating his saber with a snap-hiss and swinging the weapon in an upward arc. Unable to stop nor change its trajectory at the last second the Gharzr was struck by the indigo blade, its head thrown backwards as the lightsaber slashed from its neck up to it's jaw. The predator screeched in a mix of pain and surprise, and before it could shake off the pain and reorient itself the Knight had already unholstered his DL-18 and fired a single shot straight in the Gharzr's right eye. The creature fell with a pained yelp, body twitching a little until it finally stilled upon death.

One down, and judging by the atrival of Kanz' Skreev there would only be two more of the Stalkers left.

The female Padawan's pained cry immediately drew Haldir's attention. A single, brief glance sent Aran's way was more than enough for the Knight to determine who among the two needed him the most.

The arrival of the Skreev had thrown the third Ghazr off from attacking, and Haldir took the opportunity it presented to run to Kanz' aid. The Padawan was pinned down by the fourth Gharzr, the predator clawing at her and attempting to take a bite off of her neck. Instead of throwing the creature off of the Padawan in fear of having it add more damage, Haldir drew on the Force within him before letting it surge forward towards the Gharzr, smothering it and slowing down it's bodily functions.

Morichro was an ability he didn't learn from his former mentor, and even after his return to his clan Haldir continued to utilize it's uses whenever he could.

Pale blue eyes narrowed to slits as he sharpened and kept his focus on the attacking Gharzr, keeping his grasp on the creature steady. Soon enough it's breathing started to slow, the predator caught off guard as it began to struggle against the forced hibernation it was being subjected into. It stopped it's assault on Kanz, becoming all the more sluggish and disoriented as it struggled futilely to remain awake. Before it's full weight could drop on her Haldir Pushed the creature off of her.

Weapons secured and reholstered, the Knight hurriedly approached the downed Padawan and fell on one knee beside her. Moving her was a big no but Haldir could not stop himself, carefully sliding an arm under her shoulders and gently cradling her against his chest as he surveyed the extent of her injuries. The Knight was a healer, but after using Morichro he knew he couldn't immediately call upon the healing energies of the Force to attend to her injuries.

They needed to move her somewhere even relatively safe.

In a way, Haldir knew that this was his fault. If his focus hadn't slipped, then these predators wouldn't have taken the three of them by surprise. He should have protected them better, but now one of them was heavily injured. He was at fault – he should at least push himself harder if he wanted for these two to get to their destination alive.

So pushed himself harder, the Knight did.

Lifting his free hand and tugging the glove off with his teeth, Haldir let his palm rest gently above her sternum. A soft, warm glow emanated from his hand as he summoned up every positive emotion he felt not just to combat his doubts but also to channel the Force's healing energies to try and mend her more serious injuries.

He trusted that Aran wouldn't need his help at the moment, trusted that the half-Zabrak could deal with the Gharzr he was facing on his own. Kanz – Willa – was currently defenseless from the injuries she had sustained, and Haldir didn't want to prolong the agony she felt.

"Stay with me and Crix, Willa," he whispered softly, quietly, at the Padawan, aware that he had switched from using Poet's voice to his own. "These wounds are not going to kill you, I'll make sure of that. Eyes on me – don't look at them. Eyes on me, Willa. Just breathe."

@Killa Ree @Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

With his forearm currently in the grip of it's jaws, the Gharzr thought that he was trapped but, with Force Reinforcement saving his arm, it was actually the creature that was trapped. Using it's own grip on his arm against it, he rolled with the creature, pinning it under his bodyweight. The creature immediately tried to jerk itself away but Crix held on, using his reinforced arm to keep the head in place for a moment before twisting violently.

There was a weak gurgle and a snap as he snapped the neck of the Gharzr using his own forearm for leverage. Pulling his arm free from the maw of the newly deceased creature, Crix pushed himself to his feet and searched for his allies.

A spike of concern and anger rushed through him when he saw the state of Willa but Haldir was on her before he could be. Instead he focused on the Gharzr that remained, currently circling as it tried to keep track of the airborne Skreev that had dive bombed it before. He couldn't help Willa right now, he needed to end the threat to her and Haldir first so he stamped down on the concern and the fear and instead launched himself forward.

The Gharzr roared in pain as Crix grabbed hold of both of it's tails at the base with his left hand, pulling back hard. As the creature turned to snap at him, the Skreev descended, tearing it's the side of the creature's face with violent fury. Writhing in pain, the Gharzr would have been at it's most dangerous, most volatile, had Crix not ensured his lightsaber hand was free.

With a single slash, he cut through the top of the creature's skull from behind, killing it instantly and freeing him up to remove his hands from it's tail. Letting the corpse fall, Crix extinguished his lightsaber and made for Willa and Haldir as the Skreev began to feed on the kill.

"Willa!" he called out, coming to a stop by her side, "Come on Wiz - gotta make yourself a shiny lightsaber. Keep yer head, yea?"

@Killa Ree @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Willa Kanz]

She hadn't even the time for fear when self-preservation began to struggle hard to the fore; she couldn't reach her training saber to even deflect it a moment, and when claws raked deep into her she could only let another pained cry. Her vision went black from her left eye, began to grow dim with the other. Every cut and bite burned, but coldly, and as its' savage attacks slowed she could feel herself begin to shake, fading out when suddenly, arms scooped her up.

I must be dyin' to see an angel, she thought blearily, dimly aware that she was still shuddering, that it was getting harder and harder to focus. But a voice kept pulling her back. Unfamiliar. One brown eye opened to see that it was the angel speaking to her, calling her by name. Telling her... what?

...Me. Don't look. Eyes on me, Willa.

Her mouth opened to say something, but nothing came out but a quiet breath of air. She was tempted to just slip back to the darkness and the warmth again. It would be easier. It would be so much easier to stop fighting and give up. Crix would finally get some peace; her old man wouldn't have to be angry anymore. It could be easier to just slip out.

Just breathe.

Willa!

It was that voice that snapped her out of it. She spasmed once, gasping, then let out a low moan as the claw marks across her face opened further, burning with the exposure to the atmosphere. She could feel the burning easing, the weight over her chest easing, and when her head bobbed vaguely down she could see the hand hovering, the glow. The memories came rushing back. Haldir. Knight Haldir.

"Hey... Angel," she muttered, cracking a half-grin. Her voice croaked, and she winced, feeling the wounds closing further. "Trixsy. It's okay... you don't gotta..." she rested her hand over Haldir's, left eye still closed. Her right eye began to sharpen, clarify. The more he healed, the more alert she was. "It's... okay. Stop. Keep your energy, please." Things began coming back. The stench of blood, the gnashing of teeth on flesh as the Skreev ate. Pain still humming along the nerves of her face every time she talked.

@Nefieslab @Forsythe Crowholde

 

[Haldir Eressëa]

His faith on Crix Aran was not misplaced. And while the half-Zabrak disposed of the final Gharzr, Haldir maintained his hold on Willa and the steady stream of healing energies he poured into mending her injuries through the Force. He could feel her wanting to give in to blessed unconsciousness, to escape from the pain inflicted to her by the Stalker, and the Knight would've let her sleep and rest but not here. Danger lurked everywhere in Dxun, so he did his best to pull her back, quietly muttering her name and only stopping when Crix began his approach.

When she opened her mouth to speak Haldir leaned down slightly, lending her an ear but no words came from the Padawan. The Knight pushed the budding concern he felt in the back of his mind when he sensed that Willa was tempted to simply black out. No, not here. He called out to her through the Force, hesitantly brushing her thoughts with his own. It was, ultimately, Crix's voice that brought her back to awareness, back to the waking world with a pained moan.

Haldir tutted once, irritation directed to himself, at having perceived that his attempts at healing her wasn't working–

Except it did. Her wounds began to close, muscle and skin knitting back and becoming whole under his ministrations. Haldir blinked once, twice, as he pushed more into the Force, his searching gaze meeting Willa's. Her left eye was still closed, and it became the newest point of concern for the Knight. He was about to ask her to try and open it but her words gave him pause.

Angel?

He was tempted to ask "where?" but he realized that it was directed at him. Haldir gazed down at her, expression impassive as he continued to heal her, but a light dusting of red now stood out starkly against his porcelain skin. Never one to know how to take a compliment – more so when it came to his physical features because, come on, his face was almost always covered – the Knight (shyly) averted his gaze, pale blue eyes finding the hand that rested over his. At the female Padawan's behest Haldir stopped hesitantly, turning his hand so he was now carefully holding hers.

Snatches of pain tugged faintly at him as he listened to her speak. The Knight would've pressed about mending her injuries thoroughly but he held his tongue. Instead Haldir focused on helping Willa get back up in a sitting position, one arm still supporting her. He looked at her then at Crix. When he spoke again he reverted back to using Poet's voice, though there was no hint of regret in his heart for using his own voice – his real voice – when he called out to Willa earlier.

"Are you alright?" he asked the half-Zabrak, gaze searching for any injuries the latter might have acquired before addressing their current predicament. This mission to go to the Lightsaber Forge was for the Padawans, and he, as a Knight, served as their guide and protector. He'd already failed on one aspect, but now he thought it best to leave the decision-making to the two Padawans.

Pale blue eyes met Willa's gaze, then Crix, when Haldir asked, "Do you still wish to proceed to the Lightsaber Forge?"

He wouldn't give them the option of retreating, of calling off the mission. The decision was theirs to make.

@Killa Ree @Nefieslab

 

[Crix Aran]

Crix let out a breath he hadn't know he had been holding - though he did so as a mixture of an explosive sigh and a short burst of laughter.

"Alive enough to flirt... unbelievable." he muttered to himself with a short little laugh and a shake of his head, "Karking hells Wizbang, you gotta stop throwing yourself into your problems face first! Soon you're gonna meet a problem harder than your bloody head...!"

He didn't miss the chance to glance at the 'angel' and almost couldn't resist the urge to tease the both of them. In the end, however, he did manage to resist because he really didn't want to be too much of a dick to her considering it looked like her face was going to need a lot more healing. He wasn't sure what the state of her eye would be after this though but one thought he couldn't help but voice bubbled out.

"I'm sure Master Tionson would love you following in his footsteps, Wiz, but this might be a bit too literal."

She might manage to save the eye but it was going to carry scars for the rest of her life regardless. When Haldir asked if he was alright, Crix waved the concern away with the hand that had been in the mouth of a creature. That the only damage was some angry red marks that hadn't broken the skin showed well enough that he was alright. He would be able to keep going without issue. When he gave them the option of leaving the mission (without actually saying it was an option), Crix actually considered it for a moment as he looked to Willa.

"... she still needs to do this." he declared, sighing ever so slightly in a rare moment of absolute seriousness, "This is why she needs a lightsaber and this is moon is a trial to achieve one. A test of character and determination."

He ran a hand over his spikes.

"I'll carry her."

@Killa Ree @Forsythe Crowholde