Ask Returning To Basics

[Ezra Thorne]

Ezra was pleased with how Theia handled the chief. She could have flown off the handle or given him attitude for his behavior. However, she kept her cool and laid down the facts. Ultimately, they had a lead and freedom to operate without the village itself becoming a problem.

It wasn’t until they were out of earshot that Ezra turned to regard Theia, “I…have a theory. Not a sound one, but a hunch,” He said, “The Jedi that went to investigate Coruscant, Byblos and some of the other planets under attack, they spoke of surges in activities on a monthly cycle. I wonder if this monster has something to do with Raze, though not sure why he would target this village,” Ezra grimaced. Right when he thought he was getting closer to understanding the enemy, he was thrown back to square one.

Arrow’s Pass was a long hike and Ezra never developed his father’s love of hiking. He was annoyed just a few steps in, already wondering if there was a rental speeder they could adapt to take them up the path. Fortunately, with the planet’s strong presence of the Force, he felt better all around.

“Maybe it’s because of the Force on this planet,” Ezra mused, suddenly recalling the planet’s pull, “He would want to find ways to corrupt here and create a dark nexus. It would perhaps be the most powerful of all,” Ezra said. They couldn’t allow that to happen.

@GABA

 

[Theia Durand]

Theia listened closely to Ezra as he explained his theory on what was happening with this village, though as soon as he mentioned the name, Raze, Theia came to a sudden halt. "Raze?!" she hissed, eyes wide as her thoughts suddenly jumped to facing off with him. The padawan hurried to catch up with Ezra as he seemed to take naturally larger strides in his step. She had heard about what he was doing to the other worlds, and heard what happened to the Jedi on Ithor, it seemed like this monster had no weakness.

She looked up the mountain side, the trail was not a straight shot up the mountain, but it wind and twisted. She glanced over to Ezzie knowing he was never too enthusiastic about hiking, but continued on the path without verbal complaint. Internally, Theia shrugged as she listened to him continue talk about the planet's affinity for the Force. She certainly would have not connected the two if she were on her own and was glad for Ezzie's input. Theia frowned in her thoughts, "If he did decide to corrupt the nexus here, would we be able to stop him?" she asked.

"It seems like no one has been able to stop him, its like we're just cleaning up his messes as he goes and makes new ones for us to follow." Her gaze focused intensely on the ground as she walked, the cogs in her mind turning for a solution with the best probable outcome, "We're too predictable for him." the padawan sighed, looking up ahead and refocusing her attention on their trail and the Force.

@Sreeya

 

[Ezra Thorne]

“He has not corrupted it yet,” Ezra pointed out, “He would be hard pressed to corrupt it if we get there first,” His tone was confident because he was. This planet was incredibly powerful in the Force, and if it had a loyalty in either direction, it would be extremely difficult to make that budge. This didn’t explain the potential presence of an agent of Raze’s, but perhaps it was just a matter of time before the monster was informed.

“Because he is not humanoid,” Ezra explained. Normally he would roll his eyes at her frustrations or just stare blankly without offering a response. The fact that he answered meant he shared those exact frustrations, “We believe he may be…a Force entity of sorts..” He of course wouldn’t divulge that he was created from his father’s mind and allowed a physical vessel to manifest, “You can’t kill him with conventional methods. I doubt he even needs the body he uses.”

The last sentence lingered as a haunting, chilling truth as Ezra kept walking. It would begin to put into perspective just what they were dealing with. Though Theia couldn’t make it out yet, his sharp eyes could make out the outline of a tower ahead.

“There’s a watchtower of sorts,” Ezra observed, “I can’t tell if someone is actually inside it. It could be for show..” If this was one of the monsters from the other planets, he couldn’t imagine they had the foresight to arm towers and defenses.

@GABA

 

[Theia Durand]

Hearing Ezra say out loud that Raze may be an entity of the Force made her stomach twist into knots; she wasn't too sure how things worked in the Force, but entities were something of myth and generally those who claim to be weren't at all. However, she knew Raze's power was something else, she had seen the holonet, heard firsthand from other jedi of the creatures he created. The padawan stole a long glance at Ezra as his gaze remained forward on their trail up the mountain path. It was always hard to read his facial expressions, if he had any and tried to note any changes how his ears moved. Her own thoughts drifted for a moment to a game of what ifs, and mused to herself if defeating Raze was as so much as just not believing in him anymore like the monsters that once lived under her bed.

"A watchtower?" she questioned, looking at him, and then looking ahead, her light eyes squinting in an attempt to see what he saw, "I dunno how you can see that..." she huffed, and then smirked to herself, "I remember in primary school a classmate gave me a piece of paper and said it was an invisible map. I was so excited and ready to give over all my allowance to you in hopes you would tell me what it said." Theia reminiscence briefly before inhaling and refocusing on their mission.

Eventually a stone tower did become visible; built into the mountain, it had looked as though it were not used in centuries. The harsh seasonal elements had worn away at the stone, and any clue of its original purpose would have been left to the stories of the villages in the valleys that surrounded the mountain. Theia paused, noting a feeling as she listened to the whispers in the Force, "Someone is watching us, do you see anything?" she asked Ezra as they cautiously approached the base of the tower. "I think they're fearful." Theia reached out and touched the stone of the tower with her finger tips, noting unnatural grooves in the stone.

@Sreeya

 

[Ezra Thorne]

“I mean, invisible maps exist,” Ezra stated matter of factly, “Haven’t you heard the stories of Captain Tihsllub and his adventures to new seas?” He asked very seriously. His parents told him and Jayna plenty of stories about the captain, and each story was grander than the last. Tihsllub made a frequent appearance for any scenario that couldn’t be explained away easily.

His focus was back on the tower, but Theia picking up on the Force made him realize something, “I think there is a nexus here,” He stated, realizing that she was very easily picking up on a lot of things she wouldn’t normally, “I feel the fear too,” Ezra stated.

He spotted some movements behind a pillar and paused where he was, not taking a step forth. Ezra could have given chase, but that sounded counterproductive.

“We mean you no harm,” Ezra called out, “You can come out. We are Jedi.”

That could go in a great direction, or downright terrible. His fingers were near his hilt, but he didn’t draw his weapons. Out here, right by a nexus, he had full confidence in his Force abilities.

“Be on your guard,” He quietly muttered to Theia.

@GABA

 

[Theia Durand]

Captain Tihsllub

That was not a name she had heard in a long time, but it still invoked a sense of unease in Theia. Her mother used to tell her about him, the undead captain always searching to add to his crew; at first she didn't believe the stories but then weird things started happening at the lake, or when they were flying, just anywhere an explanation couldn't clear reason. Now it seemed Ezra knew too? Thinking about it, she found herself stepping closer to Ezra, though luckily, the mission before them was a good distraction to keep her from overthinking it.

Theia's eyebrows rose as he explained this place was a nexus and it made sense to the padawan why she was able to feel so much more here. It was odd being able to, to go from having a difficult time to not so difficult...

The sudden movement startled Theia and she placed her palm over her vibrosword as Ezzie called out, letting them know they were Jedi. She was uncertain what to expect, she wished the Force could just tell them sometimes, it would make things easier. Though, no one could be seen but a voice cried out, pleading for them to listen.

"Go! Leave!" It was certainly a man, "Leave before something bad happens again!" he begged.

"But we can help you," she took her vibroblade and tossed it aside, "We want to help, no more lives need to be lost, no one else has to be hurt." Theia raised her hands, showing she was unarmed. It remained quiet for only a moment as an elderly man peaked from behind a ledge.

"Will you help my granddaughter too?"

@Sreeya

 

[Ezra Thorne]

Now this was a turn of events.

“Just come out,” Ezra called out, “...please,” He added, remembering that those platitudes worked on people a lot. Sure enough, after a few moments, an older man stepped out into the open. He had white hair and looked like your average next door grandpa. Ezra quirked a brow, observing him in silence for a moment. The man had no weapons on him.

“We are only here to help,” Ezra repeated, “Where is your granddaughter?”

“Never mind that!” He yelped in a panic, looking between the two. He looked at Theia for a few seconds, “You look near her age..maybe she will listen to you..” The man frowned.

“What is the issue, exactly?” Ezra asked.

“She hasn’t been herself,” He mumbled, “Every month….something happens…she is not herself..and just…” He trailed off uselessly.

Ezra grimaced. Was he talking about a girl going through puberty or what? Grandpa was right, maybe Theia was much better prepared to handle the subject.

“Theia here will help,” Ezra voluntold his padawan, “Please take her to your granddaughter.”

@GABA

 

[Theia Durand]

Theia quirked an eyebrow when Ezra called out for him to come out again, but making sure he added please. She could probably count how many times on one hand she had even heard him use that word. Though her attention would turn back to the grandfather who seemed far too frightened to volunteer any information on her whereabouts, only until he looked at Theia for a moment longer than the girl seemed comfortable. This situation only became stranger when Ezra asked what the issue was with his granddaughter and as soon as he mentioned how she wasn't her every month, annoyance stirred within her.

Even more so when Ezra immediately volunteered for her to help-was it because she was a girl? Where these guys so immature they couldn't handle some kid on her cycle?

"OH, oh good, follow me!" he stuttered and beckoned Theia to follow. The padawan gave Ezra a look that would cue him in to needing to disassociate for several hours later when she rants, before she subtly huffed along behind the grandpa guy.

"Have you been able to visit a doctor in the village for help?" Theia asked, remembering the inn keeper spoke about the loss of someone's daughter and father. Coincidently, this guy looked old enough to be someone's dad and coincidently, he had a granddaughter.

"They can't help, so many have gotten hurt, they don't understand, and we have to keep everyone safe. I don't want anything to happen to her." he explained, but it remained so vague as he lead them further along the trail to a discrete doorway, one that would be easily missed and overlooked.

"What about the monster that is attacking the village? Have you guys been able to keep out of harms way?" Theia asked and suddenly the elderly man turned to look at her, it nearly startled the padawan, but he didn't say a word and led Theia inside, through a hall and pointed a room in complete darkness. Theia walked with the Force, letting her feel the fearful presence hiding inside.

"Elodie, there's a girl here, she thinks she can help you." he said, but there was silence; seeming satisfied with the lack of response, he gestured for Theia to enter. As she stepped quietly confused and cautious, a glow of a lantern grew, casting long shadows and revealing a dark haired girl of Theia's age in tattered clothing. She sat down beside Elodie, holding out her hand to take her palm. Though there was silence, Theia could feel something more, the Force was certainly strong here and if she listened, there were subtle waves and pulls that gave the padawan a read on Elodie. She could feel her despair, fear, but also relief and a spark of hope that someone had come. There wasn't need for either of them to speak and together they sat until an answer could come as to why she was here.

@Sreeya

 

[Ezra Thorne]

Ezra was wary about sending Theia off, but he wasn’t too far away. He could hear if something was off, and he trusted in her. If she was going to be a Knight anytime soon, she had to be okay venturing into places by herself and taking charge of situations. Ezra had to act against his own instincts to barge in and ensure nothing harmed her.

For now, the Thorne took a seat outside and meditated. Ezra detested meditation normally, but over time he learned that the Force worked best with a clear mind. The planet’s powerful Force presence made meditation a whole new experience.

Elodie had no response at first, and she stared at Theia’s hand for a moment. She had reached out to grasp it, but she drew back, curling her fingers. She hugged her knees to herself, resting her chin on her arms.

“You can’t help me..” She said quietly, “Grampy thinks I can be helped but no one can help me. I don’t remember what I do…but I’m always felt with the feeling knowing I was responsible somehow..” She gazed directly at Theia, a gaze that would send a chill down her spine, “Grampy saw it. He pretends he didn’t and he says it’s something else, but I know he saw me.”

@GABA

 

[Theia Durand]

Theia watched the girl's hand withdraw from her and the padawan's face fell into a look of concern for the suffering the girl was going through. Elodie seemed hopeless in anything helping her overcome whatever it was she was going through and as Theia slowed down her own thoughts and focused, she could feel this was not about a girl's changes into womanhood. ...I was responsible somehow...

The red headed girl's head tilted in curiousness as to what she meant by that, however, when their gaze aligned, something didn't feel right. It was beyond a natural cold as she could feel something trickle down her spine. It was as though it were no longer Elodie looking at her, but someone else entirely. Was she possessed by something? That could explain her feeling, and that look, a feeling told her she couldn't let that go. Theia didn't respond at first to Elodie, partly uncertain how she could change her mind to think someone could help her.

"Maybe he knows what he saw isn't really who you are." Theia said after silence settled between them, "Besides, if my Master and I don't help, then how will we ever know if we can be successful."

Elodie glanced at Theia before looking away, "It doesn't feel possible." she whispered as she leaned against the stone wall, pulling her arm over her face to hide herself. The padawan didn't say anything else, waiting a few silent moments before getting up and leaving the cave. The sun was beginning to set behind the mountain peaks and Theia saw Ezzie sitting not to far away. Quietly she approached him, feeling defeated in a way since she couldn't fix what was wrong with the girl. She wasn't even certain what was wrong except for that gaze she held.

"I don't know how to help her, master." she sat down beside him, resting her face in her palms. It was then the grandpa came running to the two jedi, a look of concern on his face as he beckoned them to come with him.

"Come...we have to hide before the sun sets just in case..." he said in a hushed voice and Theia, already feeling frustrated that she couldn't figure out what was wrong jumped to her feet in annoyance.

"Just in case of what? What is wrong with her?" she felt herself snap at the grandpa, "Just tell us, we can't help if we don't know!"

However, her question would be answered as a terrible shrill came from the cave where the girl resided.

@Sreeya