Open It's Real

[Darth Raze]

Death Enabled​

The wraith had felt her through the Force. She may have given up other names, but her true loyalty revealed itself in her last moments. She could have revealed his mechanics on how he used manipulation to the Jedi, but she didn’t. He felt the faith she felt in him, in the Dark Side, in everything he represented. The Dark Side embraced her in her final moments, releasing her from her binds. He manifested in her thoughts as she reached out to him, taking away the pain. Making her passing painless. She made promises to the Jedi as she died.

The beast carried that promise as he strode through the grass and towards the courtyard of the Jedi Temple on Ithor. The Grandmaster and Hera Albion were away shouldering the aftermath of yet another political debacle.

This was the equivalent of the monster giving a nod to the deceased Celeste. His hand rose and his fingers flexed, two columns in front of the temple crumbling and collapsing. A fissure streaked through the center of the courtyard and divided the earth into two halves. He practically glided towards the temple, plants and flowers crumbling and dying as he passed. The Light rejected his presence, but the Dark Side was just as oppressive to everyone within the temple.

A dark day had come to Ithor as Raze came to deliver judgment.

 

[Kaisa Vanloa]

She felt the presence of Darth Raze long before the crumbling towers and split earth. She didn't know it with the intimacy others might, unable to fathom who she would be meeting when she stepped out of the temple. In the end, whatever or whoever it was really didn't matter. A presence so dark, so twisted with malice and hate and anger was forever lost.

There was no choice but to stand and fight against the crashing of the waves.

Every soul inside that temple would have gotten Kaisa's demand to flee. Padawans and Knights had no purpose here. She would not send them to break upon the rocks of Darth Raze. She would not condemn them to useless efforts that ended only in misery.

That burden was hers alone to bear.

Quiet but determined footsteps echoed off the stone walls as Kaisa made her way to the front of the temple and outside. The crumbled columns that flanked her sides were a stark contrast to the resolute look cemented onto Kaisa's face as her gaze fell upon the form of the Darth.

Her eyes narrowed and her mouth pursed, but she offered no words. There was no need for them. The goal of the beast before her was clear and no amount of talking would change it.

Kaisa's lightsaber ignited in her hand, a streak of yellow light casting shadows on the ground. The last bastion of hope that pierced the darkness surrounding them all.

She would fight until there was nothing left to fight for. She would die so that there was something left to live for, if that is what it took. She knew this and accepted it with all of her heart.

Because of that, Kaisa Vanloa, Jedi Councilor and defender of Ithor would stand her ground.

And she did so without fear, without hesitation.

With a smirk on her face.

 

[Sylphrena]

Having ushered any and all she saw towards the nearest evacuation point, she continued moving towards the Sith, he wasn't hard to track down. Coming to a stop at the courtyard, she stared at the fissure now split it in two. She could see the planet far below, green, calm, pristine. A stark contrast to the her immediate surroundings.

She felt sick to her stomach, every breath was a struggle to not throw up. The Force helped, her light just enough to keep her from straight up cracking under the immense pressure of the Sith's presence. She could only imagine what the padawans and younglings must be feeling. Which was precisely why she had to do what she was about to. She was Jedi, and this was what that meant.

To protect those who could not protect themselves.

Rounding a corner, she spotted a group of Knights staring at the chaos beyond, locked in place by fear till one spotted a figure that had appeared to face the menace that threatened their home. "It's Coucnilor Vanloa!" There was hope in that voice, but others didn't share that hope, too clouded by the darkness. And so another rose in response. "But it's just her, what good can one Jedi do. Coucnilor Vanloa stands alone."

"Not alone." Syl spoke as she stepped past them, sending them flying back towards the temple with a simple push, away from the Sith's influence, away from certain death. She stepped out into the courtyard, blade lit at her side.

 

[Reinhart Grimm]

The wayward Paladin had adjusted poorly to life aboard a space station since his severe injuries on Yavin, although he'd recovered well in the care of Ithorians and Jedi healing techniques. Most of his time was spent teaching bladework to Jedi and discussing philosophy.

So there he was, doing both at the same time in a training yard when unfathomable darkness spread across the station-temple. Some had a demonic nickname; this felt like a real demon. As columns collapsed in the distance the paladin barked orders. "Sound the alarm and contact the council immediately. Evacuate the Ithorians." Pulling his Swokia comm from his belt he sent a message on a Jedi channel. "All defenders of Master or greater, we must defend our home once more." He grumbled slightly.

"We may need the machines."

Reinhart Grimm- always armed and armored, given his nature as a Paladin- rushed to the source of trouble. Local cameras, alarms, and security all reacted as well. The Ithorians had some defense droids and the like, but Emryc Thorne had also left a good chunk of droids as well. All began converging on the disturbance.

They would provide physical cover for fleeing civilians and Jedi.

THEME​

Grimm stepped up beside Kaisa and, expression stony with determination. This man did not fear death, nor doubt the abomination walking forth intended anything less than complete and utter destruction. All the same, there were neither fleets nor armies with this figure. No allies to speak of as they marched on the temple.

A blue blade ignited, joining Kaisa and Sylphrena's weapons, Grimm's second staying on his belt for now. "Stay together, now!" he shouted, voice echoing through the stone and metal chamber. "Though we walk in the shadow of death, we fear no evil. For the Force is with us."

Together, united, they would fight and die for a better tomorrow. They were Jedi, after all. The Paladin's mind steeled before the dark storm gathered before them, guard up as the Force flowed into and through him. He grit his teeth, fingers tensing and relaxing around his weapon. Softly, but with strength, he spoke to himself and those around him.

"Forth, and fear no darkness."

@Sreeya @Logan @Wit

 

[Oren Zapan]

This was the end, Oren knew that as much. Decades had come to pass since he had taken those first steps into the temple on Ajan Kloss. Over the decades he had come to have taught hundreds of students, many of whom had gone on to become successful Jedi, faces of the new Jedi Order, an order that he had failed long ago. Oren had never been a masterful politician or a soldier, teaching was his natural talent. During his earlier youth, he had become so focused on the order and its reputation that it had lead to a lack of foresight, a slip that lead to the downfall of Ajan Kloss and the death of hundreds of students.

He had run away from the galaxy then, away from those that had needed him most. For years he traveled the unknown regions and yet the threat of the darkside had always been present, tracking him down and bringing him back into the fold. In truth there was no running from pure evil. Oren knew that, finally in his old age.

As great calamity had befallen the planet of Ithor and the Jedi had begun to scatter, Oren did not run, but instead chose to stay. Sticking beside Councilor Vanloa and Master Sylphrena. He said no words, none needed to be said by the former council member, for radiance shun from his body. Darth Raze may have believed they would be alone, but that was not the case. Talak, Lilith, Nashyr, Hans, Max, and everyone that had come and gone stood with him at that moment. Oren dropped his signature brown robe and unhooked his lightsaber, igniting the crystal white blade, situating himself for defense. There is no death, only the force.

 

[Hauron Solus]

Spoiler: MUSIC

Hauron felt uneasy about coming to Ithor despite needing to research terraforming technology. The young Mikkian was going to network with the Jedi Order if he had the free time which was why he was walking by their temple. But the Warrior had a sense of dread he could not shake. At first he thought it was maybe going to be the weather or he would get some call on the holo about his favorite gravball team getting canceled. However only time would tell how unlucky the nomad was.

The last time he felt this way he had been on Onderon. The weather had got worse then and things had gone from bad to worse before they got better. But in the end he had met Hailee (@LadyRen ) from that and was able to rescue his buir as a result. He owed her and the Jedi Order a great deal which is another reason he had come alone to Ithor.

He did not want to be conspicuous so the Mandalorian was wearing a poncho just in the event of rain and it doubled to cover his plating that would otherwise draw unwanted attention. The inconspicuous traveler stopped in his tracks as he heard a loud cracking and rumbling. At first he wondered if there was an earthquake or some other architectural disaster occurring. He was not too far from the mark when he saw the barely visible tops of two columns crumble and fall out of view.

His stomach sank as he pictured a building falling on Hailee, or anyone else for that matter. Without waiting, he began to push through the crowd of civilians outside of the Jedi grounds. Some people began to run in the opposite direction while others began to pull out their dataphones hoping to record whatever was going to happen next.

Hauron made it to the Jedi Temple and unslung his sonic rifle from its tucked away place on his back. The signs of death and decay were not lost on the Mandalorian who took a breath. No blaster fire, no screams, it was unsettling for Hauron but he pushed on.

Once in view of the courtyard Hauron stopped and his heart rate jumped as he stared at the back of a lone, unarmed figure garnering everyone's attention. The man's instincts told him to move back into cover completely, to hide. Listening to these instincts, Hauron stepped close to the wall so only his visor was looking around the corner. Piles of rubble lay strewn around where the building had broken and a crack in the ground split everything apart. Various Jedi were appearing to confront this individual and doing so with signs of confrontation. Was this an attack by a single person? Hauron gulped mildly in anticipation, calming his nerves and remaining calm.

@Sreeya

 

[Caris Orlan]

He was dead once. Oh, they had tried to tell him he was alive, but he knew better. The body of Caris Orlan was buried on Yavin, or at least the man he had once been. Through desperation and despair, he had found a heartbeat again. Months…a year…slowly he could breathe. The students he took on helped. The missions away from Ithor even more. Caris Orlan wouldn’t wake up and find he was himself, for he wasn’t, but he had made a life here. A life he intended to protect. He knew the risks. He did not much care.

The bogey man had come to Ithor. A monster stepping from the stories. They had all felt the pulse. A shiver up the spine of the galaxy. The Council had warned them all. Raze had returned. He had not waited long to make his appearance. Ithor shook with the force of his arrival. Darkness pulling at the fabric of reality. Caris simply smiled. He knew that feeling well. He lived with it every day. It was an old friend. One he had grown accustomed to politely telling to fuck off. Where the others might cower in fear of the Darkside, he knew the truth.

Caris walked out to face his demons. The Temple was being swiftly evacuated. There would be little left for Raze by the time he slaughtered his way through the defenses. Defenses that were lacking a Grandmaster and a Councilor. Alex and Hera across the galaxy. They would make do with what they have. He made no dramatic entrance. The Jedi Knight simply stepped up beside the others. He had his saber and armor. Caris was disobeying orders. He’d never been one for them. A wry smile crossed his face. You couldn’t order a dead man. “I’m not running.” Maybe Raze could do what the others had failed to on Yavin.

 

[Ferrin Sipal]

Ferrin was still reeling from the past few days. Despite the successful procedure on Thyferra to restore his voice, the Pantoran had been given little opportunity to celebrate - as Ezra was abruptly surrounded by ISC security and ushered off the planet without any warning. Since then, he’d been completely unable to contact. of the quarter-Sephi. Similarly, Leon and Dash had dropped off the face of the earth, leaving his text messages and calls unanswered. For the first time, the Pantoran was entirely out of the loop from the rest of Scrub Squad - and he felt that pang of anxiety bubble up in the center of his chest.

The Padawan had lost those closest to him before, and this latest incident felt eerily similar. But with little other resource, Ferrin returned to Ithor - burying himself in duties at the Temple. For the moment, he had been assigned to assist with a those wounded within the medical bay.

He barely had begun work when Raze arrived at their doorstep.

Almost immediately, Ferrin felt the presence that permeated through the Force - pulsing through the hallowed halls so often bathed in Light. It was a Darkness unlike anything that the Pantoran had felt before, and it made the Drengir on Eiram look like childsplay. It was enough to wrack Ferrin with bouts of dread and nausea, forcing him to brace against the wall closest to where he was standing. Golden eyes flicked up to see the multitudes of others within the medbay, younglings and fellow Padawans bursting into tears or vomiting onto the polished floors of the temple.

Every instinct in Ferrin’s body told him to run. There was no courage that could stand against the Darkness that permeated across his consciousness. There was no desire to stand and fight. There was no honor or bravery in becoming fodder in the path of Darth Raze. The Pantoran felt the shame that coursed through him for it, but his own will to survive ultimately stronger. His need to get away from the Beast that had come for Ithor. To save himself even if it meant turning his back on the others. His gaze briefly turned towards the window - watching through colored glass as the greatest amongst them - Councilor’s and Jedi Master’s alike - rose to face the onslaught.

And then he turned to face the people within that medbay.

His mouth opened to speak, but the words caught worthlessly in his throat. He watched as fellow Knights and others attempted to help the wounded to their feet, to follow the Councilor's orders to flee. There was a part of the Pantoran that wanted to reach out - to help in any way he could. And yet the voice that echoed louder in his mind - the one that he couldn't tune out - reminded him that the wounded would only slow him down. An eternity passed as Ferrin stood in the corridor, frozen with fear.

When he finally began to move, it wasn't towards the wounded. The first few steps took him backwards, until the Pantoran finally turned around and began to bolt out of the medbay - through the doors and down the hallways. He briefly caught a glimspe of someone laying on a bed as he fled, but the Pantoran couldn't muster the courage to meet their gaze or the helplessness he would find behind their eyes. He felt the tears that stung at his golden eyes and streamed down his cheeks. His feet carried him as quickly as he could - bolting towards the hangar, where he would take whatever ship he could off the planet. He wouldn't stop. He wouldn't help evacuate. He wouldn't pause for anyone.

Raze had come for Ithor. The Jedi rose up to defend those who needed them most. And Ferrin Sipal ran.

 

[Arla]

Theme​

Arla was a potent Force-user in her own right, but she knew that against the backdrop of Darth Raze, Dark Lord of the Sith, she would be easily overlooked. This was to her advantage, and she would use it.

Arla had tracked her father to Ithor and, like him, wore no mask or armor. Her die were cast for better or worse, and this battle would decide her entire fate and future.

Be not afraid, the voice said.

While Raze walked straight up to the temple, Arla put to use two decades of sneaking among the Huntresses and Shadow Killers on Dathomir and training under the Duke on Anzat to position herself on the outer ledges of the temple itself. The Jedi looked out to her father, and against the stifling presence of his power, she would be all but unnoticed behind them.

Good.

Her adrenaline flowed freely, and she flexed her fingers as she ran through a variety of Signs on her fingers. She waited like the Huntress she was.

Risk oblivion, it said.

 

[Darth Raze]

Fear. The stench of it made his mouth water. It was a visceral reaction. He breathed it in, embraced it, and let it empower him.

His gaze panned over the Jedi gathered before him and the figure standing behind him. He was aware of a familiar presence on the battlefield. He did not invite her, but he would not oppose her presence here. He would complete his mission with or without her.

A massive wall of earth suddenly jutted up to briefly block the line of Jedi from him, cutting off their line of sight since they all stood neatly by one another.

The Force surged powerfully through him, darkness permeating throughout everyone that stood there. It would swirl within their minds, impacting some more than others. He had his ways, and they were all largely unseen and unclear. The Masters and Councillors would feel a pulse in darkness but little more than that.

However, for anyone that was a Padawan or below, it would be an agonizing invasion into their minds. There would be a massive blast erupting within their thoughts, the dark side shattering their psyche into a million pieces. Throughout the inside of the temple, younglings and padawans would abruptly collapse to the ground. Their eyes were rolled to the back of their heads and they were left as nothing more than husks.

Raze took it further, his dark presence manifesting not just here but surging through the Mother Jungle on the planet. He carried the deaths and agony of those he destroyed, channeling the darkness like a conduit through the living trees and forest. He violently invaded the telepathic neural network of the trees. The invasion would cause many of them to collapse, fissures running up the center, branches falling off, their unified voices crying out in agony as they died. The Ithorian on the surface, the beings that religiously and spiritually connected to the forest would collapse from the sudden agony and distress.

This collective song of despair would suddenly blast within the minds of the Councilors and Masters. As Jedi and protectors, this planetary anguish and despair would make it almost impossible to focus. Yet not focusing on it meant turning to the darkness that existed as an alternative.

The Sith did not close the distance just yet. He was the conductor of an orchestra, and his performers were playing their parts.

@Logan @Mr. Teatime @Phoenix @Darasuum @Valen Pelora @TWD26 @Wit

 

[Oren Zapan]

Theme​

Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. The Jedi proverb had always been one used within the early days of the New Jedi Order, a standardized saying that was presented to the younglings and padawans without much thought or consideration -- even to Oren. Standing here now, the former councilor, had fully begun to understand its meaning. Fear is what had driven them to this point of mass destruction and death. The aged Jedi had once believed it to be possible to destroy for good, but those thoughts had changed. His own fear, had lead to the death of many on Ajan Kloss, his own removal from the Jedi Order and his exile to the far reaches of the galaxy. The Jedi Master had always been afraid of leading the Jedi Order down the same path that the past Orders had always done, it was this fear that made him rigid in thinking, dogmatic, and ultimately a failure. But, there was no more time to worry about that now -- he knew what had to be done.

I don’t have any mystic wisdom for you. You ran when you shouldn’t have. You left your family when we needed you most. The words of Grand Master Voran echoed through his mind for just a moment, before dissipating into the ether. I won't run this time.

Power surged through the force, rippling the planet in a dark wave of destruction that began to shatter the minds of those who had no training, nor the ability to fight their temptations. The sky floor of the temple rumbled with a great magnitude as Raze had brought a large earth barrier upon them, cracking through the metal plating, ripping the durasteel and shooting it upwards into the sky. The Jedi had been cut off from directly targeting Raze and the first sister. But, that could play to their advantage.

Oren was no young man, within his seventies at this point, the Jedi knew that even he had limitations. If he was going to be of help, he would have to utilize his skills in a smart fashion. He lacked the speed and reflexes to keep up with the likes of their enemies, but he had the knowledge he had collected from decades of force training -- that was what he would do.

Oren felt the surge of darkness strike towards his mind, attempting to probe him, seduce him, lead him to his fear. He saw momentarily flashes of Nashyr's head being removed from her shoulders and dropped before her. Twisted images of Max and Hans suffering after her death, Nara's abandonment of the Jedi. All twisted interpretations that the powerful Raze had brought upon him, to test his resolve. He let the feelings come in, just as he had back on Raxus with Talak decade priors and with a deep breath he'd let them go.

Oren would begin to step back, deactivating his lighstaber and quickly clipping it to his belt. "May the force be with you." His aged voice cracked out to the group as he began to step backwards, still facing the barrier wall. He'd position himself several meters away from the main Jedi contingency. He'd bring both hands, metal and flesh, together and his eyes would close as he focused himself. He was vulnerable now, but had trust in his friends.

The Jedi Master knew that attempting to battle Raze's pulsing darkness in his advanced age would kill him through exhaustion, but that didn't matter now. His chest expanded and a deep exhale escaped from his nostrils as he began to channel himself to connect to the planet's living network. The ancient force nexus had existed for far longer than any of they had, Oren and Raze included. It was resilient and powerful, a beacon of light itself, but it would need his help.

Force energy radiated from his body as he channeled his own efforts combined with the living network to battle back against the twisted darkness that had befallen the planet. Trees had already fallen, but a conceded battle would begin to erupt within the planet itself, light and dark clashing. This place was sacred, if the network fell, the darkness would only permeate and increase the power that Raze had here -- he would hold it for as long as he could. It would also hopefully buy some mental anguish for the padawan and civilians that were still fleeing from the city, if only momentarily. Raze was far more powerful than him, he could only help to aide in matching due to the affinity of the tree network.

As the energy began to channel from himself into the larger cosmic force, sweat would drip from his forehead and down the old wrinkles of his skin. It was at this moment that he had begun to understand Oota's sacrifice. This would be his end and he was okay with that.

tag: @Sreeya @Phoenix @Wit @Darasuum @Valen Pelora @Altaris @Mr. Teatime @Logan

Spoiler

Oren gets challenged by the force darkness, pushes it off, deactivates lightsaber, steps back from the group (several meters). He brings both hands up and closes his eyes, facing directly at the barrier. He is channeling the force, which can be seen around him, in effort to aide the forest and keep the darkness from swallowing the battlefield.

 

[Sylphrena]

As the wall of earth went up Syl was immediately on the alert. But when first attack came, the first hint of Raze doing something, it was just that, a hint, an awareness, not the devastating blow she had expected. What followed though was more so. Her fingers tightened around the hilt of her lightsaber as she felt Raze's attack, not against any of them, but against the world beneath. Against Ithor's heart and soul, against Mother Jungle itself.

She felt the planet's pain, the forest complaining against the unwarranted strike against it. But alongside that pain there was strength. The forest was ancient, Mother Jungle was teeming with life, the Bafforr trees that formed the core of its telepathic network pulsing with life, with a wisdom that many a Jedi could learn from. Teeming with Light. And she found strength in their strength, inspiration in their refusal to just give in. So she latched onto the Light and she resisted, resisted the pain, the suffering, and the darkness that hoped to smother it. And as Oren joined his strength to the Forest, she focused on the light that connected him to the forest to find her center once more.

With the wall of earth in the way, she needed line of sight to do anything, so she used the Force to pull down a section of the wall before her. With that she pulled out her blaster, she fired two shots at the Sith Lord, aimed at his chest. Her blade still in her right hand, she began slowly moving to the left so that she was staying mostly at the same distance from Raze while beginning to circle him to the left, though restricted by having to keep in sight by her opening.

@Sreeya @Phoenix @TWD26 @Darasuum @Valen Pelora @Altaris @Mr. Teatime @Logan

tl;dr - With Oren supporting the forest, Syl latches on to his effort and resists the despair of the attack. She uses the force to bring down a section of the wall and fires two shots at Raze with her blaster and begins slowly moving to the side.

 

[Reinhart Grimm]

The Mother Jungle miles below the temple was ancient, wise, and intelligent beyond mortal measure, a mind formed of networked Bafforr trees that covered the surface of Ithor. It was considered a deity for good reason. A beacon of light and life, its alien mind was exponentially greater than any single person. The mind Raze reached out to corrupt massively outweighed his own. Oren was adding his strength to it in rebuke, but the Mother Jungle would not fall to one man's malicious will. There was no great tree collapse or tidal waves of anguish.

Raze would experience the Jungle's mind, a pure and holy feeling like light shining clear through his mind and body. It paid limited attention to most other sentient life, caring for and ruling the jungle. Now, this small thing was trying to invade its consciousness, and its unfathomable depths could easily overwhelm the Dark Lord in turn.

Coupled with focusing on such a massive, wide-ranging Force ability Raze was vulnerable and likely tiring himself quickly. He'd struck out at all aboard the herdship and the jungle far below them, a monumental effort of both concentration and stamina.

The Dark Lord tried to crush wills and end lives on a huge scale. Between Oren's bolstering and the Mother Jungle's resilience, it didn't work quite as intended. Some on the herdship-temple fell to the ground, little more than catatonic husks. But the Light here was strong, between the Jedi and the Jungle. The Epicanthix Paladin's disciplined mind was ironclad, resisting the encroaching dark influence with the help of his allies.

The darkness was thick from Raze, cloying, sickening. Its deep corruption disgusted the Paladin, and he knew in his heart and soul this malevolent man- no, demon- needed to die for the galaxy's greater good. The man felt fear, yet determination. Emotion, yet peace. Perhaps the Dark Side could be seductive, but Grimm felt not tempted by this damnable abomination and its disregard for life.

Forth for ruin, and the galaxy's ending. The Force is with me, and I am with the Force.

Paladin Grimm gathered the Force and strode forward. Using his mastery of earth and stone, he broke through a bit of wall in his way while advancing around toward Raze's left side. He lifted rubble from Raze's dramatic entrance to careen in from the Dark Lord's left and right sides with lethal force against their unarmored target. They were slower than Sylphrena's blaster shots but covered a wider area from two sides to try and trap the Sith between both attacks. Grimm stepped forward and to the right, moving to flank Raze with Sylphrena while closing toward saber distance.

@Sreeya @Phoenix @Logan @Wit @Darasuum @TWD26 @Valen Pelora

Spoiler: Grimm Actions

Bolstered by his allies' efforts and the surrounding Light, Reinhart resists darkness and despair and gets through the wall. Grimm throws stones/rubble to converge on Raze from his left and right sides when the temporary earth barrier drops to take advantage of his intense concentration. Grimm moves forward and to his own right (Raze's left), approaching saber range with his guard up.

Spoiler: Mother Jungle

Bafforr network/Mother Jungle resists Raze's psychic touch. Its mental presence is massive, alien, overwhelming, and Light Side-oriented similar to a Force Entity.

 

[Kaisa Vanloa]

The monster before her bore its fangs, raising walls and trying to use its venomous touch to corrupt the very planet beneath all of their feet. But in this place, Raze was an invader - an outsider who was unwelcome, unwanted, foreign. A disease that needed to be eradicated. A festering boil that needed to be lanced.

For all of his strength, there were still things that were stronger. Older. More powerful.

He was only just a man, after all.

Kaisa felt Raze's attempt to use the anguish of his attack on the mother jungle to disrupt her thoughts, but she wasn't so easily swayed. Crinkling her nose like someone who just caught the whiff of something rancid, Kaisa's lip curled in annoyance. She steeled her resolve, blocking out the dark sider's attempt to sway her.

Now it was time to move. Racing forward, Kaisa raised her hand to bring down the portion of the wall that blocked Raze from her view. As she began to close the gap, she reached out with the force to use the planet against the Sith as he had tried against all of them.

The ground below Raze would roil and churn, turning loose it opened up like a gaping maw and looked to swallow him whole. Like quicksand with reaching tendrils lashing out to grip him around his legs to keep him stationary and distracted while the others launched their assaults.

As Grimm moved to one side and Sylph to the other, Kaisa chose the most straight forward option and looked to move against Raze head on. Lightsaber gripped tightly in her right hand, Kaisa continued to advance towards Raze.

Spoiler: tldr

kaisa uses the earth beneath raze to try to trap and distract him while the others attack. she continues to move toward him.

@Sreeya @Phoenix @Mr. Teatime @Wit @Darasuum @TWD26 @Valen Pelora

 

[Hauron Solus]

Spoiler: Music

Hauron watched in horror as his mind was overtaken by the dominating fear, unaware of its source or even the truth about what was happening. This supernatural horror spread throughout every inch of the Mandalorian’s body telling him that he needed to get away from its source and also that fleeing was ultimately fruitless. There was no escape, he would always feel afraid. That meant he needed to kill the monsters. He needed to stop this nightmare and put an end to all of it.

Buir, you declared war on slavers, you cursed the Sith, you tried to kill them and you failed. They are still here. We are still suffering. But I’ll end it. I’ll kill them all. That's the only way to end this never ending living nightmare. The mikkian’s subconscious triggered his body to begin moving even as he struggled to consciously realize these decisions unfolding. He was acting on instinct, but even his conscious mind was being tricked. The only thing that was helping him push through the fear was his hatred.

Blue, yellow, purple, it did not matter what color the lightsabers were because Hauron’s eyes only saw crimson. Tan and brown Jedi robes turned to black tatters and leather pads. Hope and fear in the eyes of those standing before this stranger warped into expressions of sadism and malevolence. The bodies of fallen padawans turned into those of foundlings with burn marks from saber slashes, blaster bolts. Shock collars and stun cuffs appeared on necks and wrists of those taken out in the stranger’s assault. The Mandalorian’s mind rationalized the aspects of reality to form this hallucination and it hurt. It hurt so much he slammed his head against the wall behind him to just dull the pain for a moment.

Other people fear monsters. We kill monsters.

His left hand shakily reached down to the small of his back and pulled the pin on his one and only stun gas grenade. But he left it attached to his webbing. As the fuse to the grenade counted down, Hauron rapidly tapped the controls on his right gauntlet, setting his jetpack into flight mode while standing in full cover. He then looked up and flew high into the air until he was a dozen meters above the top of the courtyard wall he was taking cover behind a moment ago. From this vantage point he could see everything with an unobstructed point of view while still beyond the inner confines of the courtyard. But he would not linger nor hesitate in his actions.

The moment he came into view his right arm was already leveled at his intended target with his left hand at the controls. Hauron held his rifle in a somewhat loose grip with only his right hand so it would allow the wrist rocket to fire from the same gauntlet. He depressed the controls on his right arm knowing his target was well within the one hundred foot range of the weapon. With a woosh the warhead shot from the wrist launcher across the open air at high speed directly towards Kaisa Vanloa (@Logan ).The Jedi Counicilor’s natural appearance, her pointed ears changed to be more furred and savage, not to mention she was dead center when it came to charging at the stranger.

Hauron saw the Jedi Councilor as a Zyggerian queen wielding a red menacing saber by her side and there were more Sith around her. He hoped he could get multiple of them because even in his badger flying fight stage he was not suicidal. However he still did not risk the lives of the innocents, which meant he fired the missile intending for Raze to be just beyond the blast radius of the rocket.

I’ll kill you all. Slavers, Sith, I don’t care. You all deserve to die! He was tired of being afraid and was not going to hold back. If the Sith claimed to be forces of destruction then he would have them meet Kad Har’rangir so that they would know what it means to be utterly destroyed.

The stun gas grenade on the small of his back and out of direct view triggered, spewing gas in a cloud around the Mandalorian and the surrounding area, making him difficult to see. In a heartbeat he would be completely obscured. Even if he was moved against his own volition or flew across the battlefield, the gas would continue to billow from his webbing giving an unnerving visage like a cloud of darkness was following the flying warrior.

His own filter built into his helmet would keep him safe from the stunning effects of the grenade. If any enemy misunderstood the nature of the grenade they would begin to feel it in a matter of time. As long as they stayed further than forty feet away and were up wind, they were probably fine. However anyone that got in close with the Mandalorian or drew him close, would find themselves slowing down if they breathed in the gas that spewed from the grenade. “Ash'amur darjetii!” He would add after firing the warhead, though he did not expect them to speak mando’a nor did he care.

@Sreeya @Phoenix @Mr. Teatime @Wit @TWD26 @Valen Pelora @Logan

Spoiler: Summary

Hauron begins to trip balls as fear overtakes him. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. He sees everyone except for Raze as either a Sith or a slaver and wants to kill them all. Activating a stun gas grenade in preparation, he keeps it attached to his webbing so a cloud of smoke will constantly emanate out from him to a radius of 12 meters wherever he goes for the next five posting rounds including this one. But before the grenade activates, Hauron flies up above the edge of the courtyard walls and fires a wrist rocket at Kaisa Vanloa ( Logan ) and potentialy anyone nearby.

 

[Caris Orlan]

It began in earnest. The war of the Light against the Dark. Suddenly, Caris felt quiet a fool. He had happily faced down Sith on Ithor, Ossus twice, and Yavin. Those had been Sith he could understand. A power that felt close to his own. This was something else entirely. The Force brought to bear by Raze and in turn the Jedi, far out matched whatever he could muster. What was he going to do? Charge Raze with his ligthsaber? The thought was almost comical. He would have laughed under different circumstances.

Instead, Caris did all he could do. He retreated behind his mental walls. Throwing up what defenses might hold. The whispers of the Darkside seeking to worm their way through the cracks. He shut those lost pieces of his mind away. They were his constant companion, but they did not control him. He had learned to shut those voices out. The Light within him was bolstered by the work Oren poured into the Force. It gave him the strength to hold on. So it was, Caris kept his eyes on the battle field.

He felt the fear spike in the Mandalorian. He knew it in an instant for it was the same fear that Caris himself felt. Fear he fought against. Fear the Mandalorian did not. He watched the Mandalorian aim at Kaisa. The rocket begging to take flight. Caris couldn't fight Raze. Kriff, he was fighting the darker parts of himself and he wasn't sure he would win. He could fight the Mandalorian. As the rocket left the Mandalorian's wrist, Caris shoved with the Force at the rocket. It was only a dozen meters above them. Simple enough for a Knight. The Mandalorian was locked into Kaisa and clearly losing his mind. He would have little chance to react as the projectile hammered back into him.

TLDR: Caris works to protect his mind from the influence of the Darkside and shoved the rocket back into the Mandalorian.

@Sreeya @Logan @Darasuum @TWD26 @Phoenix @Wit @Mr. Teatime

 

[Darth Raze]

It was true - the attack on the Mother Jungle wasn’t sustainable. The Mother Jungle existed as a sentient connector for the Ithorians, no one else. No Jedi, no Sith. The Mother Jungle would reject both Raze and also Oren. Raze’s initial assault was quick and harsh, but he had no intention of keeping it going. In any case, drawing life away from the trees wasn’t nearly as taxing as the Jedi would hope thanks to a recent gift that was the exact antithesis to something like the Mother Jungle.

The wall also served its purpose, allowing a small delay while the Jedi had to jump over it or break through it after rushing towards it. He decided to capitalize on the moments before it came down. Raze focused the Force, his corporal form dematerializing where he stood. With the Mandalorian under his control, he wasn’t concerned about any attacks from his back. Even with Caris intervening with the rocket, Kaisa would be distracted even for a moment from the sheer surprise of the attack. By the time she brought down her section of the wall, by the time Reinhard slammed through it and by the time Sylphrena did the same and navigated the chunks of debris, Raze was already gone. They would see nothing but a faint mist of green where he stood. All of their concerted attacks would be towards thin air.

Teleportation was an exceptionally rare and forgotten skill. Unless they particularly studied the art, they would not know what just happened.

As the distance was short, the effort was negligible for the dark entity to reappear again. The deaths and the dark side presence all around made it near impossible to predict where Raze would appear again. He materialized again behind a column up the steps and behind Oren, who was a distance back from the other Jedi to begin with. From his vantage point, Raze was once again quite far away from the silly Jedi that rushed at him.

The Sith unleashed a powerful surge of lightning directly at Oren. Because of his decision to put his lightsaber away, the man would be caught off guard and also unable to quickly resist.

With his presence physically now closer to Caris, the Knight would feel an even stronger compulsion to fall. To question what good the Jedi around him ever brought. To question what was the point of it all when evil could kill and destroy so easily. He had already been teetering on the edge, and now it was more oppressive than ever.

@Logan @Mr. Teatime @Wit @Phoenix @Darasuum @Valen Pelora

 

[Arla]

Arla watched as her father simply tore his way through the Jedi as if they were nothing more than an inconvenience, and for the moment, she didn't even need to attack. Instead, she remained where she was, crouched down and half concealed by the parapets as she reached out to the Shadow that swam all around her.

The Nightsisters had a unique way of touching the Force, and Arla knew it well. This planet was steeped in the spirits like so many others in the galaxy that remained untouched by "mankind" and its "civilization."

Zelenyye dukhi, ya prizyvayu vas izgnat' iz vashikh korney sintetiku, k kotoroy vy byli privyazany, she spoke the words, letting her mind reach out into the Force, and her words speaking to the green spirits. It was odd, she thought, as even some of those green spirits here carried red streaks of their own... the Hanged Men, they called themselves. She could sense it, pent up and ready to be unleashed, its noxious toxicity only amplified by the actions of her father.

Deep in the lower portions of the city and along its outer walls, something began to move.

Even as she touched the Force, she continued to watch the battle below. The shattering of stone, the crackling of lightning, the ear-cracking split of blasterfire. Every world the Jedi came to, death followed in their wakes. She knew Ithor had been victim time and again. She knew the recent history of the attacks by Draugr and the older history under Darth Venator that was the inspiration for her actions. They said that life was a cycle, and it became more difficult to argue with each passing day.

 

[Kaisa Vanloa]

The sound of a rocket firing was a stark contrast to the things Kaisa expected to hear on the battlefield, and despite her better judgement it pulled a moment her attention towards the sky.

She saw the flying metal man, unable to comprehend several things as her mind raced. Why exactly was a Mandalorian here in the first place? Kaisa had always considered them useless warriors hanging onto bygone pride that had been washed away centuries ago.

Idiots who couldn’t see more than ten feet in front of their noses, unable to fathom that the galaxy had grown past them and left them behind.

Annoyance simmered under the calm waters that Kaisa almost universally displayed. She did not have time for weak minded fools interfering in events that they did not belong in.

Unsurprisingly, technology was no match for the will of the force. Seeing the rocket get yeeted by Caris, Kaisa decided the Mando needed to be removed from the equation.

Unsure of what the cloud of nearly see through smoke was that was billowing from the Mandalorian, Kaisa figured in the end it didn't really matter. She had no intention of closing in to fight him. Gnats like Hauron could be swatted from a safe distance.

Reaching out with the force, Kaisa use telekinesis to crush the Mando’s helmet around his head. It might not have been enough to kill him outright, but it surely was enough to disrupt his filter that kept him safe from his own gaseous emissions.

Moreover, it would make the helmet very difficult to remove and see out of.

Throughout all of this, despite ut only taking a few seconds in real time, Kaisa had lost track of Raze as he teleported away and was unable to interrupt him.

Her head on a swivel, Kaisa turned to see the Dark Prince looming over Oren. With all of the speed she could muster, Kaisa raced back to where she had come from, hoping to get there before Raze was able to kill the old man and the rest of her compatriots.

Spoiler: tldr

kaisa crushes haurons helmet, leaving him in a vulnerable spot as he will likely be effected by his own gas grenade as well as. In pain, his field of vision extremely limited.

she then makes her way back towards raze.

 

[Caris Orlan]

The Jedi fought as one to protect their home. To hold as long as they could for their brothers and sisters to escape. A piece of Caris waged that same battle. A piece growing smaller as the whispers in the dark corners of his mind grew louder…but it wasn’t fear that slowly grew from those shadowed spaces. Caris did not fear Raze. He had fought Sith Lords and the Demon Prince. He had faced his share of the galaxy’s monsters. Yet, it was far more than that. Fear was birthed by a desire to live…to fight…to survive. The struggle of life to go on in the galaxy. It was why the Jedi around him battled in earnest. It was the simplest of all motivations. To live. You feared the candle of your life, your hopes, your dreams, guttering out…cut short. Caris no longer shared that fear.

The Darkside could not be denied. In time, it would claim any who touched its surface, but it did not effect them all the same. It twisted the worst parts of you. Powerful men became tyrants. Ambitious men became gluttons. The angry became hateful, and the worrisome, fearful. Caris had wondered since Ossus what was his worth? Why had he lived when so many others died? That feeling had never left him. Only growing with each passing day. So now the Darkside grew louder in his mind. Not to rage, not to destroy but to stop.

He meant nothing. He was nothing. He wanted only for it all to end. For his mind to meet his body on Yavin. So Caris did not fear Raze. For he was the only one who could give Caris what he sought. Silence.

The thoughts flashed in his mind in an instant. He didn’t forget the Mandalorian. Only hoped the man found the same peaceful oblivion that Caris sought…craved. He saw the tell tale sign of Dathomirin magic. The green mist that accompanied it at all stages. Frankly, he had no idea what it meant or what it was. He knew only it could not come from them.

Caris saber was alive in his metallic hand. He charged the short distance at the mist. The Force fueling his run. Swing his blade horizontally right to left. It would be before the lightning, perhaps sparing Oren, perhaps before Raze fully materialized. There was only one thought in his mind. One the Dark Lord could almost certainly hear. Please, let it end.

OOC: Caris’ spiral into the Darkside is nearly complete. In an effort to end his suffering he charges the green mist hoping to provoke Raze into killing him.