Ask [Orsimer Prime] Finding Bones

Faen Akatosh

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...A Story to Remember...




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This would be the second time Faen had been on the Orcolan homeworld. It didn't bring any welcome memories either. The disturbing news he discovered on his past venture here nearly broke him, and he wasn't inclined to come back. However, the Jedi Order needed him and so did the Orcolans and Faen Akatosh never gave up the opportunity to serve others. Besides, how mature was it to avoid an entire planet because of one really really bad experience? (Faen actually still debated that thought, but for now he'd focus on the task at hand.)

With him would be Jedi Knight Sybella Demici and a Jedi Padawan, Atias Zaldreell. Sybella was a very close friend of Faen's and he knew he could trust her with his life if it came down to it. The Padawan was new to the Seer, but Faen knew of the passing of his master. Crix was a mighty Jedi of the Order, and he was expecting good things from the boy. But, he'd be sure not to be too hard on him- just enough so that they could all stay on their toes.

The mission was simple; figure out whatever's been eating the archeologists and get rid of it. Rumors spoke of a beast known as an Ubir, which was a name Faen had never heard of before. Hopefully, this would be quick and easy, but the growing feeling of tension in the Force made the Seer believe that maybe this would be anything but a normal adventure away from the temple.


"Alright, everyone, look for any sign of the creature that's been tormenting these people." The Seer would say as they arrived at the dig sight. Boy was padding alongside his master, sniffing the ground for anything out of the ordinary. "Teeth and claw marks, foot prints, hair, dung- anything that can give us a good picture of what we're after."




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Atias Zaldreell

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Atias had never visited Orsimer Prime. The planet was famous for being the homeworld of the Orcolan species. The Padawan had met some of them during some missions and in the Jedi Temple. They were strong and fierce people, which made the half-Morellian wonder what could have been making them afraid.

Apparently, a local creature called Ubir was capable of doing it. The Padawan had no idea about what this thing was or how it looked. However, if the Orcolan feared it, then it should be some type of monster. The disappearance of thirty people already showed that it was dangerous.

To discover more about what was happening, Atias was sent with Knights Faen Akatosh and Sybella Demici to investigate. He never interacted with these two before, so he had no idea of how things were going to be in this mission. Only now the half-Morellian noticed that there were many things in this mission that he didn’t know about.

Wouldn't it be better if we stayed together? We had no idea of what a Ubir could do. It can attack us while we are separated.” Atias said to the Knightsnot feeling sure that Faen’s strategy was the best. The dig site was devoid of people, but full with the machines that were used to excavate. The creature could be hiding here.

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Sybella Demici

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Accompanying @Faen Akatosh on precarious missions was becoming a bit of a trend, not that Sybella was inclined to complain. By now, she had actually stopped counting, their ventures together too numerous to recall. However, Padawan @Atias Zaldreell was a rather new acquaintance. Admitedly, the Serennian was concerned for the hybrid and his safety. This was no simple mission. People had gone missing and reports of a monster ran rampant. Witnesses referred to it as an Ubir - whatever that was. Certainly not something she had heard of. Still, the heiress knew she should give the young Jedi some credit. The Council wouldn't send him if they weren't confident in his abilities. Nevertheless, Sybella felt the subtle urge to remain close by, just in case. Atias had a point; splitting up was a risky manoeuvre, especially if this animal was a type of predator. If given the opportunity, it would surely strike.

Keeping her eyes peeled, Sybella began to scan the nearby site, starting with the mechanical excavators. Stepping cautiously about the perimeter, she stopped short upon making a discovery.

"Over here. I've found...something."

Waving the two other Jedi over, the kohl-eyed knight presented their first find; marring the side of the heavy-duty digger was an elongated set of claw marks. They ran deep, splitting apart the metal exterior right down to its circuitry. Tracing her fingers from stem to stern, Sybella tried to determine the sheer scale of this creature; it must be quite large, having claws as powerful as this.

There was more, however. Upon inspecting her fingers, she would find evidence of coagulated blood. There was no doubt about it. The Ubir was a killer.


Does Sybella find any signs? Coin toss: Heads
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Faen Akatosh

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The Padawan brought up a good point, but it was never Faen's intention to completely split up the group. Merely just cover ground while staying within sight of each other. But before the Seer could explain to Atias, Sybella had already found something. The claw marks were a little eerie to say the least. The way they managed to dig into the digger's metal meant it was strong and not to be taken lightly.

"I think the Padawan has a point. Perhaps we should stay together. Close together." Faen added tracing over the claw marks with his own fingers. The beast wasn't much bigger than he was either, which meant it might have been quicker along with it's increased strength. "Maybe we should set a trap for this creature. I will try to lure it out of the caves, but we'll need to do something to ensnare it and subdue it quickly. Any ideas?"


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Atias Zaldreell

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Atias had barely finished saying his opinion when Sybella went to investigate the perimeter. The half-Morellian wanted to sigh. It seemed that the Knight didn’t hear his concern. If the Ubir was around here, it could attack the other Jedi while she was away and alone.

However, she didn’t go too far away. Sybella soon found something in a digger and the Padawan rushed to see it. Atias stared in surprise at claw marks in the machine, which meant that creature must be very strong. He believed that few animals would be capable of doing something like that.

While Sybella looked at her finger, the half-Morellian also gave it a peek. He knew very well what that red substance was. “Blood! Then the people that disappeared are dead!” with this proof, the three Jedi would need to pay close attention to their surroundings. The creature could jump at them at any moment.

It’s a good.” he said, after hearing Faen’s suggestion of trapping the Ubir. “Anyone have blasters? Maybe we could immobilize them with the Force, while someone uses it to stun the creature.” unless they already wanted to kill it, but the Padawan doubted that the Knights would want to do it.

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Sybella Demici

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Sybella hadn't meant to snub Atias' earlier suggestion; she was so used to looking after others, it wasn't often she allowed others to look out for her. The padawan was right, however. Signs of blood confirmed their worst fears - the Ubir was a predatory hunter. Chances are it had indeed killed the archaeologists. But, there was still a shred of doubt within the Serennian's mind; if there was a slaughter, where were the bodies? The gore and gristle? Other than the traces found, there was no sign of a death struggle or any other signs of predation.

Unless, of course, the damn thing was large enough to swallow them whole...

Just the thought made Sybella shiver, especially when it came to talks of trapping the creature. "It's not a bad plan. After all, it is three against one." Assuming, of course, everything went according to plan and there were no additional surprises. Could one imagine if there, in fact, a whole pack of these animals? Then they'd really be in for a fight.

"Faen, you're pretty nifty with blasters. Perhaps you have something to offer?" Sybella herself was a bit of a traditionalist. She'd choose a lightsaber over a pistol every time but that didn't stop some of her fellow Jedi from adding assets to their own personal arsenal.

Preferring to rely on the Force itself, the kohl-eyed knight wondered if perhaps she could try one of her new, developing skills. "I admit, I am curious about this Ubir. If we can detain the beast, perhaps I can try to connect with it." Admittedly, bonding with animals wasn't a very difficult skill. It actually depended entirely on sentience; the bigger and the smarter the creature, the more difficult it was to influence them. Still, Sybella felt confident to try, if her companions were willing to lend a helping hand.
 

Faen Akatosh

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"I do indeed have a few blasters that could be of use." Faen smiled at Sybella's idea, briefly leaving to his ship to pick up his equipment. It didn't take him long to arrive back with two of his WESTAR-35 blaster pistols and his F11-D blaster rifle. He laid them before the group and gave Boy a quick scratch behind the ears. "Take your pick. However, I don't think we should try keeping this thing alive. It has taken enough lives as it is." Faen mentioned after hearing Sybella's suggestion. "It seems to be too aggressive and dangerous. I won't risk the lives of others." Especially the young Padawan and Sybella herself.

"I'll go in with Boy and try to draw it out. You two should stand above the mouth of the entrance so you can shoot at it's back." And hopefully with the Seer's little arsenal it would end the Ubir. But, Faen would have to be quick and careful about how he want about baiting the creature out of it's hole. He wasn't so sure he wanted to be it's next meal. "Hopefully that will give me enough time to finish it off." He would say as he ignited his purple lightsaber before delving into the dig site with his Massiff companion.

The dig site was larger than he had expected, but their only seemed to be one set path without any small offshoot branch offs. Another idea popped into Faen's head as he walked. Would it just be easier to bury the creature alive? Well, considering that this thing came from under the dig site, it probably thrived in an environment like this. And, to prove that point, Faen came to halt before what looked like a cave in, but a hole large enough for Faen to crouch into seemed to go deeper into the site. Maybe the archeologists had already tried that tactic only to find it would be for nothing.

Something caused the dirt to settle in the cave and Boy began growling at the darkness from the hole. It was here. The Force gave Faen the urge to run, but he held his ground. This monster needed to know it was being intruded. The feeling of eerie warning only increased as the sound of a hoarse shriek echoed from out of the hole, silencing Boy. Then, more of these shrieks began to sound. There was more than just one! With that, Faen decided to get the hell out of there, sprinting as fast as he could with Boy leading the way.


"There's more of them than we thought! Get ready!" He would yell through his coms to the others.


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Sybella Demici

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Cursing under her breath, Sybella couldn't believe what she had just heard. More than one monster? None of the reports even hinted at such a possibility! They had basically walked into the mission completely blindsided. A warning, any at all, would have been better than nothing.

"Faen! Faen, get out of there! We'll cover you." Taking aim, the lady Jedi made ready whilst Atias did the same.

Nothing, however, could have prepared them for what came next. From the mouth of the cave came forth a swarm, a screeching, tittering mass of flesh and fangs. It appeared the ubir were chiropteran in nature; similar to bats, but far larger in comparison. More vicious too, given their predatory behaviour.
Even now, several of the smaller offspring were working in unison to lift Faen and Boy from the ground. They seemed intent on taking the pair back towards the cave. To consume them, perhaps? Had the archaeologists from earlier suffered the same fate? Not wanting to find out, Sybella fired on the creatures, striking half a dozen of them before they released their struggling prey.

The minor ubir were a nuisance, at best. The older, more adolescent creatures? They were troublesome. One had flown, at speed, right passed Sybella, stealing the blaster before then casting it aside. Were these monsters sentient enough to recognise weapons? Even worse, they seemed to have developed a rather nasty hunting tactic. Whilst the young pestered the prey, the older ones moved in for the attack; Sybella and Atias learnt this firsthand after being shunted into the air; when they fell to the ground, they fell hard. An aching pain flared within Sybella's left arm, making her wonder if it had been broken on impact. She, however, did not have time to find out.

Before them stood a trio of ubir, by far the largest sighted so far; from their gaping maws came an atrocious sound, a scream so powerful , it tore away one's very senses. Unable to bear it, the three Jedi sought to shield their ears. It was maddening; the longer it went on, the worse it addled the mind. With her vision growing hazy, Sybella felt she had little choice; she released a scream of her own. Amplified through the Force, it was enough to silence the creatures - though only for a few precious moments. They seemed confused and were skittering to one another, shrieking back and forth in abrupt tandems - if Sybella didn't know any better, she would have thought they were communicating amongst themselves. Planning a new tactic, perhaps?

"Faen, are you alright? Atias? We should leave now, while we still have a chance..."

When neither of them answered, it confirmed that only Sybella had managed to retain her consciousness. Hardly an impressive feat, given one of her eardrums was perforated, much like that of her companions; the warm blood, trickling from her ear was less than pleasant.

Shouting through her comlink, perhaps louder than intended, the Jedi hoped someone would relay what could be her final message. "Mayday! Mayday! This is Jedi Demici! Requesting reinforcements! I repeat, send reinforcements!"

Seeing the creatures were ready to swarm at any moment, Sybella staggered into stance; with a shakey exhale, she drew her saber and made ready once again. Force willing, she would not have to fight these beasts alone.


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Kedu Amihan

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”Are you sure about this, Mister Wanderer? I mean, I’ve just recently become an adult by my culture’s standard, and to be honest I barely escaped with my life when I-”

A fanged half-smile made Gol pause with her worried rant, brows drawn anxiously when the Wanderer - garbed in a very colorful robe of all things and surely a sight for sore eyes for predators that roamed the land - waved away her worries with a pale, clawed hand. The young Orcolan pursed her lips as she strode beside the half-Annfyn, dark eyes darting between him and the BA-10 Astromech Droid that hovered to the Jedi’s left.

The man who simply called himself the “Wanderer” appeared a day after they received news that a group of independent archeologists were attacked by creatures Gol’s tribe believed to be Ubir. Gol herself had never personally seen one, but stories of the creatures’ savagery were things she was familiar with. The pointy-eared male had introduced himself as a traveling merchant who was acquainted with the Jedi. Though he did not outright deny nor confirm that he was actually a Jedi, Gol couldn’t help but form a suspicion given how the Wanderer seemed so casual with endangering himself for the sake of acquaintances. Maybe he was a Jedi, too? Or a former Jedi?

“We could just wait for them back in the village…?” the female Orcolan offered again, but the half-Annfyn gently shook his head no.

”I grow restless, lady Gol,” the Wanderer spoke in a low voice, the hand that previously waved lazily in front of the young woman’s face now pointing at the dark sky. ”A red sun has set today, no? It’s unusual… unsettling.”

Now he was speaking in riddles. She wanted to point out that there was nothing wrong with the color of the sunset, for it was normal, but then again she didn’t want to be rude. He was a self-proclaimed merchant, but what if he was also a mystic? Was that even a thing?

”I don’t think I’ll be of much help if the thing that attacked the archeologists was an Ubir,” Gol admitted, unable to stop herself from speaking her mind.

A beep broke whatever she wanted to say next, and she watched as the Wanderer retrieved a comlink from the folds of his belt. He tapped at it, and a distressed voice soon filled the air.

"Mayday! Mayday! This is Jedi Demici! Requesting reinforcements! I repeat, send reinforcements!"

”I hope you can keep up, lady Gol,” he told her, the half-smile turning into a somewhat amused grin that made her slightly uncomfortable. How could he grin like that, when his acquaintances found themselves in a situation so dire? ”And for you to be able to swiftly evacuate the injured.”



One of the Ubir let out a horrible shriek before moving to strike at the lone, conscious Jedi who was not in the proper shape to fend off all three of the predators at once. However, the reinforcements Sybella had urgently requested arrived just in time to prevent her, Faen, Atias, and Boyfrom meeting the same fate as the missing archeologists.

A lit torch flew overhead past Sybella and her unconscious companions. A few feet behind her she would be able to feel the Force surging, and a voice would echo in her mind.

Shield your eyes, Knight.

Should Sybella follow the voice, the torch would burst into a ball of blue flame launching at the attacking Ubir. It was a direct hit, and the creature shrieked and howled as the flames devoured it whole.The flame’s intensity was strong but short-lived, leaving behind the burnt corpse of the predator. The light blindsided the two other Ubir, causing them to temporarily retreat.

Two, tall figures burst from the treeline. On the Wanderer’s right hand was another torch, and on his left was a heavy blaster pistol he claimed to have picked up someplace. Accompanying him was a young Orcolan woman armed with a battle ax. She made a beeline for the fallen Atias first, securing the unconscious Padawan on one shoulder before moving towards Faen. One of the Ubir quickly caught up on the Orcolan’s intent and moved to intercept, only to receive a blaster bolt to its left wing. The shot left a hole on the membranous wing, sending the Ubir crashing to the ground with a pained shriek. The wandering merchant wasted no time in letting the creature regroup and shot it square on the face.

”Ah, I should’ve come with you, lady Demici,” said the half-Annfyn by way of greeting as he tried to quickly assess the other Knight as he approached her. He turned to the Orcolan, a smile still plastered on his face. ”Lady Gol, leave as soon as you retrieve the other unconscious Jedi.”

The young Orcolan seemed to hesitate for a moment, charcoal eyes darting between the Wanderer, Sybella, and the massiff that seemed out of place. “Er, is that someone’s dog?”

”Do you want to… rescue it as well?”

Gol rolled her eyes, clearly irritated by the tone of surprised amusement that laced the half-Annfyn’s query. The Wanderer, for his part, resumed his gaze skyward as the remaining Ubir let out another shriek to summon reinforcements. An answering scream echoed from the cave, and it would have sent the Wanderer reeling given the sensitivity of his own hearing had he not noticed Sybella’s bleeding ear earlier. As such, the half-Annfyn had anticipated any aural assault and protected himself from it, with the Force coiling protectively around him and now extending to Sybella, Gol, and the two other Jedi.

”I hope you can still fight, lady Demici. I can sense something quite powerful down yon cave.”

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Sybella Demici

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Staggering to her feet once more, Sybella glared at the Ubir remaining above ground. The left side of her body flared with aches and pain but she drew her breaths in deep, trying to numb it. @Kedu Amihan's arrival was a great relief, as was the presence of Gol. She could help Faen and Atias whilst the other two knights dealt with the remaining monsters. Even with the persistent ringing, Sybella could hear the fretful howl of yet another creature; this one, however, seemed much bigger than the others. The queen of the colony, perhaps? They were about to find out.

Shaking off the last of her tremors, the lady Jedi gave Kedu a cursory glance. Her auditory functions were severely impaired, but she more or less understood his intent.

"Let's finish this..."


Charging at the beast, still in flight, Sybella called on the Force to pull it out of the air. Once in range, she slashed her saber across the membrane of the ubir's wing, essentially grounding it as she had seen done earlier with the blasters. The creature snarled and swiped at her with its elongated claws; when its talon failed to land, it gnashed its fangs and tried to bite at where Sybella was most vulnerable. She pivoted in order to protect her neck, so the ubir instead bit down on her left shoulder. Her cries of pain rang out as teeth ripped into flesh. The chiropteran, sensing weakness, used its maw as a grip; it slammed Sybella into the ground and perched itself atop her in an attempt to keep her properly immobilised.

With a shriek, the lady knight slugged her fist right into the ubir's eye, essentially gouging it out. She wanted to set the damn thing on fire, but the pain in her shoulder was simply too blinding. Desperate to pry the beast off of her, Sybella kicked viciously at its chest and neck; as soon as there was space between their respective bodies, the light of a saber would flash right across the creature's upper torso. Squirming in the throes of death, the ubir gave a shudder before finally collapsing off to the side of Sybella's prone form.

 

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Despite the protective layer he constructed through the Force to prevent his eardrums from being shattered by another powerful howl from within the cave, the Wanderer could not prevent even one of his hands from discarding what it held so he could press his palm against one ear. He blinked once, his smile flickering at the intrusive action before acknowledging Sybella's determined words with a simple nod. If she couldn't hear him due to her current state, the least he could do to adjust for her sake was to communicate with her through the Force.

Of course.

With the remaining Ubir preoccupied with Sybella, Gol was free to snatch Faen and carry him and Atias to safety. The Wanderer's droid zoomed out of its hiding spot from the trees and immediately made a beeline for the unconscious massif the Orcolan was worried about. It's manipulator arm went for one of the creature's leg, metal closing in on the limb. It retreated alongside Gol hurriedly, chirping and beeping hurriedly at the half-Annfyn.

The Wanderer had every bit of intention to move forward, unarmed, into the cave to tackle the root of the problem head on. Sybella's pained cries distracted him from his plan, and the half-Annfyn was forced to temporarily ditch it. He spun around to face where the Knight and the Ubir had fallen to the ground. The scent of blood in the air grew stronger, summoning a surprising surge of a particular emotion from the Jedi incognito.

With Gol and her precious cargo now practically out of sight and going further away from danger, the Wanderer's smile turned a little too sharp, a bit too vicious – fangs gleaming in the dim light. With too long strides he approached Sybella's prone form with unnatural speed as he holstered the blaster so he could free both hands for what he was about to do next.

Clawed hands dug onto one of the dead Ubir's wings. The Force wrapped around the Wanderer further, augmenting his strength. With a labored grunt he dragged the carcass forward before letting the Force burst from his palms to Push the Ubir forcefully towards the cave. Blood and strips of wing membrane clung to the Wanderer's claws but he ignored the mess in favor of finally getting the leader of the pack to emerge from her cave.

The Ubir Queen was evey bit intimidating, from her size, her wingspan, and from the blood –both fresh and dried –that matted her fur. Instead of taking to the skies she instead stalked towards the two remaining Jedi, her eyes burning with fury and hunger as she sized up the pair.

"My, my, lady Demici," the Wanderer began as he returned the Ubir Queen's glare with an audacious smirk. "I came here to fight side by side with you, not to witness you make a meal out of yourself for these Ubir."

Ocean eyes narrowed as he reached into the folds of his robes. One slender, clawed hand then emerged with an ornate sword hilt. The scabbard, topped with a grinning head, simply fell off to make way for the chartreuse blade that sprang forth from the hilt.

The Wanderer mostly refrained from using his lightsaber so as to avoid other beings from identifying him as a Jedi, only relying on it as a last resort. But Sybella was a fellow Knight, and he was the only one who could prevent her from being the Ubir's latest prey.

Without any further warning the half-Annfyn threw his ignited saber towards the Ubir Queen's heart with the intent to kill, the weapon's trajectory guided by the Force.

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Sybella huffed, trying not to roll her eyes. Who knew the Wanderer could be so witty, possessing such humour? Under any other circumstance, she would have appreciated the jest, but for the moment, the knight's full attention rested on the great, big, hulking beast that was currently making its way towards them.

Despite its lumbering size, the Ubir Queen was still quite nimble. It lurched off the side, avoiding the fatal stab of @Kedu Amihan 's saber - though the burn of the blade did graze its body. There was a yowl of agony, followed by a snarl of anger. The Queen appeared to be as sentient as her warriors. The move had been a calculated one; she could have stayed still, and been pierced at the saber, but instead, she chose to accept a non-lethal wound. What else was she capable of planning?

Large, taloned limbs reached out, slashing at the Jedi and the ground on which they stood. There was one blessing at least. With such a huge, primordial body, it seemed the Queen had evolved beyond the use of her wings; she couldn't take to the air, like the rest of her colony. Instead, she had to resort to pulling herself along the ground, scratching up a path ad she moved amongst the dirt. Nearby equipment and heavy digging machines were haphazardly tossed aside as the chiropteran matriarch tried viciously to squash the two offending Jedi.

Vaulting back, Sybella only managed a few evasive manoeuvres before her body buckled over. Such movements were aggravating her array of wounds; using the Force was all she could do to stall the bleeding. Whilst she would have preferred to remain in the thick of the fighting, she knew her wounded state was too much of a liability. Even now, the embers of pain still licked at her flesh; the Force could only do so much, numbing the sensation until Sybella could receive real medical attention.

With that in mind, the knight determined a new course of action; if she couldn't fight the beast, she would do everything in her power then to hinder it.

Reaching out with the Force once more, Sybella drew deep on its power. She pictured tendrils of energy splintering outwards before then penetrating deep into the earth below. There was a shaking of the ground, then a fracturing of topsoil. Gnarled and mangled tree roots, the size and thickness of snakes, shot upwards from the dirt; animated by an unseen force, they ensnared the Ubir Queen until she became completely entangled.

As impressive a feat as it was, the wooden veins wouldn't hold for long. Even now, the monstrous struggled, snapping and slashing at the various roots in an attempt to free herself. It was now or not. With one mighty bellow, Sybella called out to the Wanderer, hoping he could hear her over the Ubir's howling screams. "I'll hold her, you hit her! Do it now!"

 

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The Ubir queen was as hideous as it was fascinating. What it lacked on finesse and the advantage its wings would have offered, the creature made up for with nimble movements and an almost unparalleled strength. With the Wanderer remaining largely unharmed from the encounter, he managed to fluidly avoid the Queen's attempts to squash him into a mass of broken bones and flesh and blood.

As much as he wanted to attend to Sybella's injuries, the Wandered knew that eliminating the threat they both faced would need his full attention first. He holstered his blaster, then used both hands to draw paper talismans from his pockets. In truth they were nothing fancy nor powerful, just trinkets meant to pique his customers' interests (and for him to sell them in the guise of protective charms, really, for he was a shrewd and somewhat crooked merchant first and foremost), but they proved enough of a distraction when manipulated using the Force. The half-Annfyn tossed the bundle into the air and at the same time grasped each individual paper through the Force, forming a circle in front of him before he let them loose with a powerful Push towards the Queen. This happened simultaneously with Sybella restraining the creature, and while the lady Jedi focused on restricting the Ubir's body, the Wanderer aimed to cover the entirety of the Queen's head with the talismans to further disorient her.

With the bindings on her body and head constricting her movements, the Ubir Queen's struggling intensified. She managed to free one of her limbs and tore at the pieces of paper covering her face. The Wanderer, however, moved as Sybella urged him to. Drawing on the Light of the Force around and within him, the very air around the half-Annfyn rippled, leaving an illusion, a copy of the merchant, in front of the Queen as the man himself moved to position on the Ubir's blindside. Catching sight of his lightsaber, the blade still ignited, planted on the earth meters from him, the Wanderer summoned his weapon back into his waiting hand.

With a wrathful roar the Queen finally managed to fight off Sybella's attempts to restrain her, her baleful glare settling upon the Knight nearest to her. She swiped at the Wanderer's form with her bloody, lethal claws, only for the Jedi to dissolve into a ripple of mirage. Her talons met nothing but air, and before she could understand what had happened, a blade had already pierced the back of her head, chartreuse light emerging from her mouth opened in an angry scream that was cut short.

Just as the Ubir Queen swiped at the Wanderer's illusion, the half-Annfyn had leapt in the air towards her, lightsaber in hand. Distracted by her own anger at her assailants, the creature hadn't noticed the weight that suddenly dropped on her back, more so the blade that suddenly pierced her skull. As if in slow motion, the Ubir Queen crashed to the ground with the Wanderer still crouched on her back, clawed hands wrapped around the saber that took her life.

With a snap-hiss of the blade the Wanderer deactivated his lightsaber once the Ubir's life was fully snuffed out. Rising back to his full height, the half-Annfyn then dismounted from the corpse and threw it one final look, offering the body a bow as if in respect to her strength and intelligence. Turning away from the dead creature, ocean eyes then alighted upon Sybella. With a few but long and hurried strides he reached her, one arm wrapping carefully around her shoulders before she could collapse from her injuries.

"I can begin to tend to your wounds now... or would you rather we do it back to the village?"

The question was posed with a somewhat crooked innocence, and Sybella would be treated to yet another playful smirk from her fellow Jedi. Still, the Wanderer's offer was sincere aside from the hints of teasing laced within his next words.

"Still, you did well. I wouldn't have killed the Queen if it weren't for your fruitful efforts. Although," the smirk turned into a fanged smile, the corners of the Wanderer's lips curling upward, piercing ocean eyes narrowed with amusement, "I hope when we next meet you wouldn't be so beaten up as you are now."

@HoneyMagpie
 

Sybella Demici

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HoneyMagpie
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Though in a great amount of pain, Sybella refused the Wanderer’s offer. “The survivors, in the cave. They need…our help.”

Despite the knight’s rather severe injuries, the missing archaeologists remained her one and only thought. She could sense they were still alive, somewhere deep within the Ubir’s lair. With her companion shouldering some of her weight, Sybella limped towards the mouth of the cave. Seating herself upon the ground, she gestured for her fellow knight to continue on.

“Save them. I’ll..be fine…”

Of course, he might not believe her, given the fact she bleeding quite profusely. Still, the heiress was stubborn and wouldn’t hear a word of refusal. Instead, Sybella closed her eyed and breathed, drawing in deep lung-fulls of air in order to calm her feverish pain. Reaching out with the Force, the Jedi once more invited its power; this time, however, she allowed the inside energy to wash over her. A blanket of warmth enveloped her, slowly but surely. The rapid spilling of blood soon became nothing more than a trickle; the deep splits amongst her flesh were gradually starting to close as well. Ironically, the act of healing was not exactly the most pleasant thing to experience. Nevertheless, she persisted. The wounds wouldn’t be outright gone, but the threat to her life was significant less.

The Ubir’s cave was an eerie sight; a haunting spectacle nestled deep within the heart of the earth. On the edge of the opening, one could feel the air was thick with damp, musty odors; a potent mix of guano, decaying foliage, and the unmistakable stench of rotting flesh. Stepping inside the cavernous mouth, the Wanderer would see nothing but distorted shadows morphing and merging into one mass of blackness.

The cave's interior was a labyrinth of winding tunnels, their jagged walls glistening with moisture, as if weeping tears of darkness. Remnants of fallen rocks were scattered all over the uneven ground, creating an audible crunch beneath each step. Despite the death of the gruesome Ubirs, there was still a cacophony of unsettling sounds echoes through the cavern, resonating from the unseen depths. Whispers and echoes bounced off the cold, damp walls, creating an ethereal symphony that seemed to mock the Jedi’s very presence. Occasionally, the haunting screeches of minor bats would pierce the air, their little cries reverberating off the cavern walls. Luckily, they were but common creatures. Related to, but not akin, to the Ubirs from earlier.

Stalactites and stalagmites protruded from the ceiling and floor like grotesque, petrified teeth. Some of the formations had become intertwined, forming natural archways that led to deeper recesses. Strange, phosphorescent fungi also clung to the walls, casting an eerie, otherworldly glow that illuminated a portion of the cave in unnatural, sickly hues.

If the wandering Jedi listened close enough, he would hear the cries of people. At first, it might have been hard to determine their exact location, but soon enough he would discover all the tunnels of the cave led to one chamber: the Queen Ubir’s nest. Melded to the walls (via copious amounts of questionable goo) were roughly twenty living bodies. More than likely, they were the missing archaeologists. Looking a little worse for wear, but nonetheless still very much alive.

Coin toss - Head = archeologists are still alive
Sybella’s attempt at healing herself - 18/20
 
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Kedu Amihan

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Forsythe Crowholde
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The half-Annfyn helped the Knight settle down, ocean eyes assessing her both physically and through the Force. Upon ascertaining that she was managing to heal herself after watching her for a few moments, the Wanderer reverentially dipped his head to acknowledge her words. Sybella was correct, after all - their priority was to save the archaeologists… if they still lived, that is. But something told the Jedi incognito that the lady Knight’s efforts, as well as the other Knight’s and the Padawan’s, successfully bore fruit. Maybe the archaeologists still lived?

Only one way to find out.

”I will be quick,” he kindly told Sybella before proceeding into the cave. Reaching out through the Force, the Wanderer searched for any life other than the typical bats that resided in the place. He walked forward with purpose, retrieving the remaining paper talismans from his robe to mark his path. Although he would have liked to take his time to admire the haunting beauty of the cavern, the archaeologists still needed saving… or retrieving their bodies. The latter thought was immediately dispelled, however, when he sensed life other than the bats, other than the luminescent fungi that clung to the dark, damp walls.

”I wonder… if I could sell these,” thought the Wanderer as he briefly studied the fungi, but eventually decided against it. There were things that were meant to stay in their proper place, and somehow he sensed that the glowing clusters of fungus were not meant to be outside these dark caverns.

A faint sound soon reached the half-Annfyn’s fluted ears. The cries for help… his neutral expression showed the barest hints of relief. It seemed the archaeologists Sybella and her group were meant to rescue still lived. The Wanderer knew the lady Knight would feel genuine happiness at the discovery - she seemed to be that kind of person, after all. She wouldn’t have insisted on placing her mission first if she wasn’t.

Following the cries, the Wanderer soon found himself entering a chamber. Aiding him in his quest were skeletal remains that littered the path. He paid them no heed now that he was faced with the sight of the archaeologists stuck against the wall, trapped in place by viscous, brown goo. Stepping forward, one long, clawed finger carefully swiped at the goo to take a sample. It seemed it was made from the Ubirs’ saliva.

”P-Please, help us!” one archaeologist weakly exclaimed, followed by his colleagues.

”That is what I’m here for, you see…” replied the Wanderer as he drew his saber, igniting it once more. With careful and precise strokes, he dug the imprisoned archaeologists free one by one. Using the Force to remove as much of the goo from the group as possible, the half-Annfyn then retrieved his commlink and called his Orcolan guide, reporting to Gol that Sybella had succeeded in her task and that the archaeologists were still alive. Gol promised that she and a group of her tribe would be coming with supplies and medicines needed.

Ensuring that the archaeologists could manage to walk back out of the cave, the Wanderer led them out and reached the entrance within minutes. Spotting Sybella still seated by the cave mouth, the Wanderer silently pointed at her, the meaning behind it immediately understood by the archaeologists. While freeing them, the half-Annfyn had made sure to tell the group of Sybella and her companions’ efforts in finding them. When asked about his own part in the rescue, the Wanderer merely responded with a truthful, ”I’m simply backup.”

The rescued group approached the lady Knight, thanking her profusely for her actions. Their gratitude was full of sincerity and relief. One even expressed that they thought they would meet their wretched end within that chamber.

”Thank you, Knight Demici. If it weren’t for your and your colleagues efforts, we would’ve… we would’ve…!” a female Mikkian muttered before breaking down into tears.

True to Gol’s words, she and a number of her tribesmen arrived minutes later. They were quick to herd the archaeologists away, assessing them for injuries and giving them water and food.

The Wanderer, for his part, stayed by Sybella’s side. He looked at her, a hint of compassion seeping through his usually neutral gaze. The task concluded successfully; the archaeologists were all alive, securing the efforts of the Jedi the half-Annfyn had assisted. It was a relief that the night would end on a perfectly good note.

”Will you… let me see to the rest of your injuries now, Lady Demici?”

He wouldn’t act without her permission.

@HoneyMagpie
 

Sybella Demici

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HoneyMagpie
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To say Sybella was relieved would be much of an understatement. Although the Jedi had hoped for the best, she had also prepared herself for the worse. Missions sometimes went awry and not everyone could be saved. It was a harsh reality, one she always had trouble accepting. Seeing all the archaeologists alive, however, certainly lightened her spirits, even if her body had been broken and bruised in the process of their rescue. Touchingly, some of those who had been rescued expressed some concern, given the amount of blood that had stained her robes. Not to mention the steady stream that still trickled from the canals of her ears; Sybella, however, did her best to appease them. The sooner they got to safety, the better.

In the aftermath of it all, the heiress remained seated where she was, at the mouth of the cave. She wouldn't move, not until she was certain her mysterious companion was safe. In the meantime, she tried to sustain herself, using her remaining energy to stay connected with the Force. With every breath, she drew upon the mystical energy that flowed through all living things.

Closing her eyes, Sybella willed her connection to the Force to deepen. As she delved into the depths of her own being, a serene calmness washed over her, grounding her spirit and lending her strength. It would be temporary, a limited aid, but it would be enough for the time being. The Force responded (as it always did) like it was attuned to her very essence. A soft, ethereal glow emanated from her palms as she directed the energy towards her injuries. Though the mending of her wounds was slow, she certainly felt the Force begin to rejuvenate her weary body.

When Sybella finally opened her eyes, she could see she was no longer alone. The Wanderer had returned and it made the Serennian heiress smile. "So polite. How could I possibly refuse?"

Though a majority of her wounds were tentatively 'paused', they were far from healed. Medical attention, maybe even a bacta dip, would be in order. How she hated those infernal things....
 
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