Ask Slicing winds

[Elidan]

Zeffo was an interesting planet of the Outer Rim. Its surface was constantly being swept by electromagnetic winds. Even with this particular weather feature, the planet was the homeworld of an ancient species known as Zeffos. They flourished and disappeared centuries before the formation of the Galactic Republic. However, they left several ruins and tombs.

During the time that it ruled the Galaxy, the Galactic Empire had sacked these ruins and removed the people that had settled on the planet. After the Empire came to an end, many of these individuals had returned to Zeffo. Soon, their villages were restored and they could live in peace once again.

However, the Empire had left behind many exposed ruins and abandoned buildings that were now attracting pirates and smugglers. It now became a problem for the inhabitants of Zeffo, with these criminals harassing their villagers. Recently a group became more aggressive, doing raids to a village that ended with several civilians wounded. Due to that, they asked for the help of the Jedi Order. Jedi Knight Caris Orlan went for this mission and for some reason Elidan was assigned to go with him. Perhaps it was because he still didn’t had a Master.

The boy was unsure about the man. He never met him before, not even at the Jedi Temple. This way he had avoided interacting with him during the entire travel from Yavin IV to Zeffo, with him reading a book on his Datapad. Now, their shuttle had arrived over the planet and was starting to land there. Elidan looked toward Caris. He hoped that this mission would go well.

@Valen Pelora

 

[Caris Orlan]

Caris played well with others…they just had to be certain others. He was efficient, well-trained, and singularly focused. He had little time for distractions. Alym was a perfect partner. He worked perfectly fine with many of the other Shadows, but the nature of their organization meant he could not only strike out from Ifrane. The Jedi Order as a whole was unaware of the Shadows existence. It was critical the hidden members appear as ordinary Jedi from time to time. Caris was currently shoehorned into one such outing. His mask and red saber were left on Ifrane. Today, he played the dutiful Jedi Knight…right down to babysitting duty. Shadows had no place teaching. Unfortunately, Jedi Knights did.

Caris felt the shuttle begin to descend on Zeffo. He sighed and mentally checked his equipment. The kid had been silent for much of the ride. That was just fine with him. They did not need to chit chat. The shuttle shuddered as the craft settled on landing struts. “Alright kid, put the book down…it’s time to work.” His eyes swept over Elidan again. Fuck the kid was young. He pointed at the lightsaber. “You do know how to use that thing?” This was not the happy adventure kind of mission. Caris shook his head. “Sorry…I’m used to an older crowd.” Ifrane tended to warp your emotions. That was part of the reason he had been sent away.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to scare them off without fighting.” Caris hoped that plan worked or else young Elidan was going to find out exactly who he traveled with. The Shadow motion for Elidan to follow and trudged towards the back of the shuttle. Zeffo’s harsh atmosphere greeted the Jedi. Thankfully, they had a short walk to the village.

@LouJoVi

 

[Elidan]

When the ship started to land, Elidan heard Caris talk for the first time since they left Yavin IV. The man didn't seem to be much happy with being there at Zeffo and even less with having a Padawan with him. His comments left it perfectly clear. Maybe not all Jedi Knights were prepared to have an apprentice.

"I know how to use a lightsaber." the half-Sephi showed a message that he had typed at his Datapad. He knew how to fight with it, being very good with Form II. Although, he had some problems in doing Form IV correctly. Even so, he wasn't a youngling. The Padawan wondered how old Caris thought that he was.

He didn't mind if they finished dealing with the pirates quickly. Maybe they would have some time to visit some of the ruins left by the Zeffo. While he was in the shuttle, Elidan had read about them in a book on his Datapad. Now he was really excited to visit them.

When the ship finally landed, Elidan followed Caris toward the exit. They were welcomed by a strong wind, something normal for Zeffo. The place that the ship landed was near a cliff, which allowed the Padawan to see the landscape. It was full of mountains, with some having its peaks covered by white and grey clouds. The clouds moved constantly due to the wind. The half-Sephi thought that it was so beautiful that he couldn’t resist and took a picture with his Datapad.

The walk toward the village was short and uneventful. They used a small trail that went through the slope of the cliff. Once again Elidan could see the landscape. The light of the planet's sun was now crossing the clouds and illuminating some mountains. It was like a painting. However, this time the Padawan didn’t take a picture. They needed to arrive at the village before the night.

When they arrived, Elidan noticed that all the houses seemed to be carved in stone. There were some buildings made of metal, probably what remained from the Empire. However, what was most strange was that there wasn’t anyone in the village. The boy thought that maybe the people were inside the houses. He turned to Caris, waiting for the other to say what they should do next.

@Valen Pelora

 

[Caris Orlan]

The pair walked in silence. Could the kid talk? The Temple hadn’t warned him they’d sent a mute. Caris resisted the urge to sigh. Just what he needed. Time alone with his own thoughts. Ifrane and the corrupted Kyber played tricks on the mind. The Shadows had a careful system to avoid the worse parts of the influence…but stray dark thoughts still crept by. Caris’ trip to Zeffo was part of his required decompression. He could not fathom why he’d been stuck with the kid. Well, there was nothing he could do about it now. Elidan was his responsibility.

Caris subtly deadened their steps while they walked. The village was close, but something felt off. The ordinary sounds of a bustling village never greeted the Jedi. Signs of life were nonexistent as they approached. His concerned only grew when arrived at the edge of the village. Nightfall was quickly descending around them. Caris flicked out with the Force…waves of fear raced back. Echoes of a people ripped from their homes. His lightsaber hilt snapped into his hand. Caris faced twisted into a grim mask.

“We’re too late.” The Shadow glanced around the village. There was very little sign of a struggle. “We might be able to find them…if we hurry.” Something anything. “The fear is still fresh. They haven’t been gone long.” It was bold to abduct nearly an entire village. Caris was uncertain their intelligence was accurate. A small band of raiding pirates would not have been so brazen. “Start searching the houses. There must be something here.” He walked further into the village his gaze intent upon finding anything they could use. “Call at the first sign of anything.” He would not risk Elidan’s life. Caris was a crabby partner but he was still a Jedi.

@LouJoVi

 

[Elidan]

When he saw Caris use the Force to summon his lightsaber to his hand, Elidan knew that something was wrong. While the Knight talked, the Padawan stared wide eyed at the village. What happened to the people from there? The half-Sephi hoped that they could still be alive.

Elidan nodded to Caris and went to search the houses. The boy didn’t even think about how he would call for the Knight if he found something, he was only concerned in finding something that could guide them to where the people went. Before entering the first house, the half-Sephi picked up his lightsaber. He would need to be prepared if some pirate was still hiding inside it.

After searching all floors, Elidan found nothing. There wasn’t any trace of a fight, it was like the people simply vanished in fin air. The Padawan would continue searching in the other houses, without any success. Whatever happened there, the pirates managed to cover their tracks very well.

While he walked around the houses trying to find some clue, Elidan heard something with his half-Sephi hearing. It was very low and sounded like someone was crying. The boy ran to where the sound was coming. It brought him to the outskirts of the village. Following the sound, he found a small cave. After activating his lightsaber to use it to illuminate his path, he walked inside it.

The cave wasn’t deep and he soon found out where the sound was coming from. Curled in a corner was a young boy, not older than eight. He was holding a toy, while sobbing. When he noticed Elidan’s presence, the kid first seemed scared. However, as soon as he saw the half-Sephi’s lightsaber, the child ran toward him and hugged the older boy’s legs.

Elidan stared wide eyed while the kid hugged his legs and continued to cry. He needed to communicate it to Caris. Not knowing how to proceed with the child and afraid that if he left the boy alone he would disappear, the half-Sephi closed his eyes and reached the Jedi Knight with the Force.

Using what Master Voran taught him, he would brush his presence against the Knight’s mind. Elidan would not try to establish a mental bond or anything of the type. He would be trying to warn Caris that he had found something.

@Valen Pelora

 

[Caris Orlan]

Caris nodded at Elidan as the Padawan walked off. The kid was young, but he wasn’t a youngling. He had to trust his partner had been trained correctly. Since joining the Shadows, Caris rarely worked with anyone outside the organization. That strictly excluded Padawans. He shook his head. The kid would be fine. Slowly extending his senses, he began to slowly walk around the village. It was as if the people had been here one moment and gone the next. A frown marred his features. That did not make sense. The earlier reports suggested pirates forcefully removing people from their homes. The fear fit but then where were the signs of a struggle.

Caris turned over the scenario in his mind. They could have held hostages…that would stop the fighting. Come with us or we’ll kill your daughter. Not many would resist with that threat over their head. Still, it just did not feel right. Something in his gut told him this was different. It was not so much the Force as years spent tracking and hunting Darkness. You just feel when it was waiting for you. Caris took a deep breath. They should not have sent Elidan. This was too dangerous.

He was just about to go break the news to the young man when a flick of a mind interrupted his thoughts. The intent was immediately noticeable. Caris gripped the Force and took off running. His knuckles white on his saber while the Force sped him onward. He skidded to a halt outside an ominous looking cave. What the fuck. Another deep breath with the Light raging in his heart. Caris slowly walked in to see Elidan standing with a cowering child gripping his legs. His body immediately softened. “It’s okay…help is here…can you tell us what happened?” Caris’ voice was soft as he knelt to speak with the boy.

@LouJoVi

 

[Elidan]

Didn’t take much time for Caris to arrive at the cave where the two were. Elidan felt relieved when the Knight appeared at the entrance. The Padawan didn’t know how to deal with a child. He could have started to make more friends with people of his age, but he wasn’t prepared to take care of someone so young. He didn’t even know what to do. He hoped that the man would take the boy and calm him down.

At first the child seemed to be scared by Caris' arrival. He hid his face in Elidan's pants, hugging his legs more tightly. When the Knight talked to him, the kid turned and saw the lightsaber at the man’s hand. The half-Sephi felt the boy’s grip on his leg weaken, but he didn’t let go.

“The bad guys took everyone.” the boy stared to say, his voice full of sadness and fear. He was still crying and sometimes would sob. “First they started to dig things at the forbidden area and steal our food, then most of the other children started to disappear and now they took everyone. Including mom and dad!” his cry became loud and he hid his face back at Elidan’s legs.

Uncertain of what he should do, the Padawan hugged the boy back and started to try to calm him with the Force. Slowly, the child would calm down and the half-Sephy would once again feel relieved. “I think that they discovered that the adults called the Jedi. I heard them screaming about it with my dad before I fled. One of them said that their bosses ordered them to cut loose ends to maintain their secret. I don’t know what that means.” the mention of this made Elidan stare wide eyed at Carris, he knew very well what it meant. Now he knew that the villagers were in real danger.

“You are a Jedi, right? My dad told me how they defeat bad guys using their lightsabers. You are going to defeat them and save everyone, right?” the boy’s questions made Elidan turn to look at Caris, waiting for his answer. The Padawan himself had several questions about what was happening there. What the child said about the actions of these criminals, it didn’t sound like something that simple pirates would. He hoped that the people of the village could still be alive.

@Valen Pelora

 

[Caris Orlan]

Caris smiled and nodded as the young lad spoke. What had they found? He wished Alym was here. The Shadow’s eyes flicked to Elidan briefly. It was nothing against the boy, he just needed a more experienced hand. He reached out and squeezed the child’s shoulder. “We are Jedi, and it is going to be alright.” He made careful eye contact with the child. “We will find your family and bring them back…but first we need to get you safe.” Caris stood smoothly, flexing the fingers in his left hand. The pit in his stomach was all too familiar. Violence was coming.

He turned to Elidan. “This is not what we thought.” His voice was careful and measured. No need to worry the child. “We need to take our new friend back to the ship and contact the Temple.” He knuckles stayed white on the saber hilt. “We should politely request a little help.” Caris smiled down at the boy.

“Come on, we are going to take you somewhere safe.” He patted the boy on the head and received a smile in return. Expanding his presences in the Force, Caris lead them out of the cave. His eyes swept back and forth as they walked, his mind searching the area. Cold hard ice grew in his stomach. He looked at Elidan. “Faster.” Slowly, they picked up the pace. It didn’t matter. The Force screamed warning in his mind. Horns blew from the edge of the village. What the fuck was that? Caris’ orange blade snapped to life. “Run!” He took a few steps towards the sounds. Elidan and the kid needed time. The horns blew again. They would never make it. “Hide!” He spun the blade looking for any sign of trouble. Caris was a killer, he knew it deep in his soul. He would do what was needed to protect the Padawan and the child.

@LouJoVi

 

[Elidan]

While Caris talked, the boy seemed to calm down. Elidan felt his grip on his legs weakening. However, by the way that the Knight talked, the Padawan knew that something wasn’t right. The way that the man flexed the fingers of his left hand made the half-Sephi think that the other Jedi was uncomfortable with something.

The Padawan could feel that there was something strange happening. When they arrived at the planet, he had felt only normality through the Force. But since they approached the village, Elidan had started to feel a growing darkness. His ears were twitching, showing how uneasy he was.

Elidan nodded to Caris, he felt that they would need more help to deal with the forces that were acting on Zeffo. He grabbed the child’s left hand and followed the Knight out of the cave. While they walked through the village’s streets, the feeling of danger grew. It was like a shadow was approaching them, and it was coming fast.

He started to walk fast when Caris asked. Then it started, the sound of horns. It was like the signaling of the arrival of the darkness. Elidan felt the boy strengthen his grip on his hand. “They are here!” he screamed. He wasn’t only afraid, he was terrified. The half-Sephi ran after the Knight, they needed to reach their ship.

When they were close to leaving the village, the sound of the horns stopped abruptly. For a moment the Padawan thought that they were safe, but it was only the calm before the storm. Suddenly, two buildings on each side of the street exploded. Elidan hugged the boy and jumped away from the collapsing debris. The child started to cry, when he turned to look he saw that the buildings had collapsed, leaving a cloud of dust and a pile of rock in front of them.

From the cloud of dust, Elidan saw three shadows appear. They slowly approached them and soon the Padawan could see their appearance. Two were dressed like Kage Warriors, while the one in the middle was dressed in some type of armor that he had never seen before. However, what shocked the half-Sephi was what he felt coming from the three beings through the Force. It was like a coldness that reminded him of when he was travelling through space. It was like the void, the emptiness. Not even with the Sith that attacked Ajan Kloss he had felt something like that. Who were these people?

“They want the Padawan and the boy alive, you two take care of it. I’ll kill the Knight.” the one in the armor said, before pulling what seemed to be some type of vibro blades. The child had started to cry and the half-Sephi felt tempted to do that. Their cold presence was so oppressive. However, he needed to focus. Elidan picked his lightsaber, preparing for the fight that was coming. He would not be captured by them.

@Valen Pelora

 

[Caris Orlan]

The pit in his stomach settled. That was it then. Silence was ruined by exploding buildings and the cries of the boy. Caris did not move. The Light flamed brilliantly within the Shadow. His eyes coming to rest on the figures emerging from the debris. A scowl crossed his face. Darkness…Caris knew the stench of the Sith and these armored figures weren’t that. They were something else. He could feel Elidan and the boy moving behind him. Caris carefully shuffled to the right. He firmly planted himself between his charges and the kidnappers. The big one spoke. The Shadow gave his answer.

“Fuck you.”

His left hand struck out with supernatural speed. Chunks of the debris cascaded towards the group. Caris began to rush forward his orange blade humming pleasantly. His body was calm. His heartbeat steady. His breathing even. These were not the first men Caris had faced down alone. His mind shot to Elidan. “Get out of here.” He wouldn’t make a killer of the Padawan. They had one job. Protect that kid…nothing else mattered. Caris would keep both Elidan and the child safe. No matter the cost.

As the he swiftly closed the distance, the Force burst from his hand again. A push hammered forward to push the interlopers backward. In a moment they would find the Jedi Knight among them, orange blade ready to steal their lives from them.

@LouJoVi

 

[Elidan]

Elidan watched Caris run toward the three men. The Knight moved so fast that the Padawan barely processed what happened. He felt the man use the Force, pushing the Kage Warriors back toward the debris. However, the armored man barely moved. The half-Sephi stared in horror when the guy also moved in a flash, intercepting Caris' lightsaber.

There was no doubt now. This guy wasn’t a simple warrior, he was also Force sensitive. The way that he had started to attack Caris, reminded Elidan of some lightsaber forms. Apparently, he was trained by someone that had knowledge with lightsabers.

The armored man would block the Knight's attack and then try to kick him with his left foot, hoping that it would open a space between them. If it was successful, he would use the blade being held by his left hand to attack Caris with a horizontal slash, aiming directly to the Jedi's head

Then Elidan heard the Knight's voice in his mind, yelling for him to run. The Kage Warriors were still collapsed over the debris because of Caris' Force push, making it the perfect opportunity for them to escape. The half-Sephi didn't wait to watch the full fight, he grabbed the boy's hand and started to run.

He wanted to help Caris, but the boy needed to be protected. The half-Sephi would not admit it, but he was also a bit afraid. The presence of these men on the Force scared him. The feeling of cold and void was worse than the hatred and malice that he felt coming from the Sith in Ajan Kloss.

Running aimlessly through the deserted village, the Padawan thought that he needed to find a way out of this place and back to their ship. He needed to contact the Temple and ask for help. This could be the only way to help Caris.

When he felt the boy pull his hand, Elidan stopped and turned to him "I know a way that we could use to flee. Follow me!" the Padawan would go with the child. After all, he lived there and would know how to walk around this place. After following him, the half-Sephi would arrive at the beginning of a carved trail that went down a cliff. Without any other option, he would start to walk through it.

Back at the place where Caris was fighting the armored man, the Kage Warriors had recovered from the Force push and were prepared to start to chase after the children. While the Knight fought, they would try to pass through him.


@Valen Pelora

 

[Caris Orlan]

Caris was a single Jedi Knight. He did not possess the strength of the great Jedi…but he was a tool…and a damn good one. The power of a full Jedi Knight was too often forgotten. His saber crashed against the armored man. Caris disengaged to quickly step backward and avoid the kick.

As the leg flew out towards empty air, Caris would wrap the Force around it and yanked on the ankle towards him. Hoping to throw the armored man off balanced. As he stepped back and yanked, his blade would strike out aiming to piecer the armor in the chest.

The Shadow was dimly aware of Elidan. The Padawan was doing well. He could briefly sense him running away with the child. Unfortunately, the Kage Warriors stirred. “They're nothing compared to me.” His voice dripped with acid. “Why steal a kid when you can have a Jedi Knight.” He laughed. “Assuming I let you live.” Fight him. “Which honestly…is very unlikely.” Focus on him.

@LouJoVi

 

[The Storyteller]

The armored man didn't expect that the Jedi would evade his kick. He was even more surprised when the other man used the Force to yank his ankle, making him lose his balance. However, he was trained to stay calm and it would not be enough to make him fall.

The armored man quickly recovered his balance and would use his blades to once again block the Jedi's attack. He didn't have much time to spend there. They had said that if he couldn’t capture the Padawan and the boy fast enough, he should abandon it and continue with the evacuation. The operation in Zeffo was already a success. These two and the Knight’s death were only bonuses and not essential for their true purpose on this planet.

"You are correct. They are nothing and because of it they aren't going to survive alone at night." he said to the Knight. Zeffo was a planet full of predators, the children were doomed. It was dangerous even to a Padawan. He would disengage from the Jedi and move backward, close to where the Kage Warriors were starting to rise up from the floor.

“We don’t have time for it anymore, let’s retreat.” after hearing his command, the Kage Warriors would activate explosives planted in two buildings located behind the Jedi. They would start to collapse, similar to what happened early. The armored man knew that it would not kill the Knight, but would work as a distraction.

While the Jedi was dealing with the falling debris, the armored man and his minions would escape. They would need to continue with the evacuation, with the Jedi still being alive they couldn’t left anything for him to discover.

@Valen Pelora

 

[Elidan]

While Caris fought against the armored man, Elidan and the boy continued running through the trail. More and more they moved away from the village and down the cliff. The half-Sephi hoped that the Knight would be fine. Now that they were away, the Padawan regretted not having stayed to help him. There were three against one, he should have helped.

After the two reached the end of the trail, they arrived in a valley with a small lake. It was surrounded by several cliffs and hills. Picking his Datapad, Elidan looked at the map of the region. Apparently if they crossed this place, they would be able to reach the ship.

He would continue walking with the boy, who had remained silent. Elidan knew that the child was occasionally staring at him, probably curious with the fact that the half-Sephi didn’t say anything. He knew that the boy wasn’t doing it because he thought that the Padawan was weird, but he couldn’t avoid thinking about how some of the other children back in the Jedi Temple would look at him this way, while muttering how he was a weirdo.

They would be walking for some time when the boy stopped. “I’m tired.” he said, while looking at the auburn-haired Padawan. Elidan looked at the sky, the sun was already close to set in the horizon. They needed to reach the ship as fast as possible to call to the Jedi Temple. However, the half-Sephi was also tired.

Looking around, Elidan found a place near a rock formation where they could sit and rest. Guiding the boy toward it, the two would sit on the floor, which was covered by some type of grass. “My name is Jael.” the Padawan heard the boy say to him, a smile on his lips.

"I'm Elidan and I have mutism." Elidan would answer the boy with a message from his Datapad. Jael didn't look at him differently with this revelation, he seemed to be even more curious. However, he stayed silent again. Perhaps he thought that would be impolite to ask.

Then, Elidan heard something approaching. He grabbed Jael and hid with him behind some rocks. Before the boy could ask him what happened, three fighters crossed the sky. They were flying close to the ground. The half-Sephi wondered if these ships were related with three guys that attacked them. He hoped that Caris would be fine.

@Valen Pelora

 

[Caris Orlan]

Caris had no time for a witty retort. The mysterious warriors backed off and another explosion rocked the village. His eyes narrowed as the men retreated. “Cowards!” The words were bit off as debris began to fall. Caris gripped the Force tightly. He was pushing the edges of his skill. The Force followed his body as he moved steadily around the falling buildings. His mind was calm pool while he avoided duracrete hunks. The Shadow was just not fast enough. As he stepped into the clearing, a hunk of building slammed into his left side. Caris went flying, the air rushing from his lung. He landed with an unhealthy thud on the ground.

His breath came in ragged gasps. His fingers probing his sides. Busted ribs, bruising, bleeding. More deep breaths. Caris pushed himself up. Pain flared up and down his chest. He clamped down on the feeling. His saber hilt sprung back into his hand. The Knight took a few shaky steps. He was fucked. Caris tried to take a deep breath, but the pain sent him stumbling back. He just barely managed to sink into the Force. Elidan had touched his mind before. He could follow that path to the young Jedi.

Caris quested across Zeffo…pushing the boundaries of his strength. He was exhausted and hurt. Finally…somehow…he managed to mind Elidan’s mind. “Ribs broken…can’t walk…need ship.” That was about all he could manage. Elidan was young and a Padawan, but they were still Jedi. He was putting the kid in danger but what choice did he have? It was that or wait here for death to find him in the night. We all had to grow up sometime. It just happened to be Elidan’s time today. Caris would have preferred it any other way.

@LouJoVi

 

[Elidan]

After the fighters disappeared in the sky, Elidan and Jael continued to walk toward the ship. They didn’t talk or stop anymore. The half-Sephi could feel that the boy was afraid. The Padawan feared for Caris and hoped that the Knight would still be alive. They needed to reach the ship as fast as possible, only this way he would be able to help the man.

If something happened with him, it would be Elidan's fault. He should have stayed there to help him fight these men. A part of him wondered with Caris thought that he was useless and had sent he away because he could end getting in his way rather than helping.

They would reach the ship when the sun was already setting. Thankfully no predator had attacked them. “It’s so cool!” Jael said while looking around, it was obvious that the boy had never seen this type of ship before. Elidan would move toward the cockpit, where he would use the comlink to contact the Jedi Temple.

Before he could do it, the Padawan felt the mind of Caris touching him. This made him relieved, the Knight was alive! However, his relief disappeared when he allowed the man to talk with him telepathically. The other Jedi was hurt and alone and needed Elidan’s help. Without thinking about his fear of piloting, the half-Sephi would start to activate the shuttle.

“What happened?” he would barely pay attention to Jael’s question. The boy had sat in a chair of the cockpit while Elidan piloted the ship like a madman toward the village. Hopefully there was an open space near the place where the Padawan could land the shuttle.

After he landed, Elidan would run toward the place where the three mysterious men attacked them. There he found that other buildings had collapsed, but there was no signal of Caris. He would search around until finally finding the Knight. He was still alive, but the Padawan feared that moving him back to the ship would hurt him even more.

Elidan was so disturbed by the situation that he didn't notice Jael leaving the ship after him and following the Padawan while he tried to find Caris.

Then, Elidan decided to use Force healing to heal Caris. He had practiced it with some of the Healers at the Jedi Temple, but it was still exhausting for a Padawan to do it. Kneeling next to the Knight, the half-Sephi would touch his ribs and close his eyes. Focusing the Force there, he would imagine them healing.

When Caris’ ribs were healed, Elidan would pass out, falling next to the Knight. He hoped that it would be enough for the man to be able to walk again. The last thing that he would hear before everything went black was a roar and Jael’s screams. “A Jotaz!”

@Valen Pelora

 

[Caris Orlan]

Caris’ vision swam. Pain jabbed over and over into his side. He was slumped on the side of a building…praying Elidan heard his cry. Oh…he had been in worse spots before. The life of a Shadow wasn’t exactly safe. It was hardly the first time Caris was slumped against a building, fighting blinding pain, and hoping everything would work out. Honestly, this would not be the last.

That didn’t make this fun.

The tiny whisper in the back of his mind wondered if he’d like to use that pain. How easy it would be to heal with just a little emotion. Caris ignored the voice. They towed a line the shadows, but they were creatures of the Light. That was his last thought before passing out. Caris was unconscious when the shuttle arrived. Unconscious when Elidan raced over and unconscious when the young Jedi collapsed. He only woke when the pure light of the Force shoved his ribs back together. His mind clicking on. Fuck. That hurt. Force healing was never pleasant and even worse when done crudely. Poor Elidan’s work could only be described as crude. Caris awoke just in time to hear the child yell. His mind barely registered the noise.

A roar? A roar. He gently shoved off the Padwan. Caris stood on wobbly feet while searching for the beast. “Get in the ship!” He yelled at the child. His words were harsh, but he had no choice. Caris summoned what little strength remained and began dragging Elidan words the shuttle. He moved as quickly as he could. He was not gentle. There was no time for that. He was pulling Elidan up the ramp and hammering the button to get it closed. The Jotaz was roaring. It was rushing closer and closer. Fucking hurry Caris. Hurry!

 

[Elidan]

Even with him having trained with the Healers, Force healing was still something difficult for Elidan. He had passed out again and it happened in the worst moment possible. A Jotaz, the largest predator of Zeffo, was approaching them.

Usually, these beasts would avoid approaching the villages, but the explosions had attracted this individual. The creature was roaring, while saliva ran from its mouth. The Jotaz was hungry and the three would be a perfect night snack for it.

Due to him having practiced more of Force Healing, Elidan would not stay much time passed out. He woke up confused inside the ship. The Padawan saw Caris trying to close the ramp and was happy to see that the Knight was well, but he couldn’t understand why the man seemed so desperate.

However, when he saw the Jotaz approaching the shuttle, Elidan understood why the Jedi Knight was acting this way. They needed to get out there immediately! The Padawan tried to get up, but he was still tired due to the effort of healing Caris. His legs were so weak that he nearly fell back on the floor.

Then he heard Jael crying. The boy was curled in a corner, scared of everything that was happening. His fear made Elidan force himself, he needed to protect the child. The Padawan would move to the cockpit and start to pilot. Hopefully he would be able to move the ship away from the Jotaz. He would only need Caris to held the creature off for a bit longer.

@Valen Pelora

 

[Caris Orlan]

Caris was vaguely aware of Elidan moving. He just needed to buy a little time. Caris summoned what remained of his strength…which admittedly was not very much. He reached out with the Force, feeling the rage and beating heart of the creature. Stop. He pressed in the Force. Stop. Every ounce of strength poured from Caris. Stop. He screamed while the Force ripped from his body. Suddenly, the Jotaz halted. For just a moment the lumbering beast slowed. That was all they needed. That half second was enough for Elidan to get the ship airborne and the ramp to close. Caris flopped onto his ass. A sigh of relief escape. He looked towards the kids. “It’s okay…we’re safe…we’re safe.” His own vision swam, and he was barely able to get to his feet. “Just wait here a moment. I’ll be right back.”

On unsteady legs, he shuffled to the cockpit. He slumped into the chair next to Elidan. “Fuck.” His head rolled back. “Sorry kid. I misjudged you.” Caris took a deep breath to try and sit up straight. “I’d be dead without you.” He nodded his thanks. “Get us into orbit so we can com the Council. They’ll tell us what to do next.” He rubbed his chin. “Although this seems far beyond our pay grades.” His head tipped back again while he closed his eyes.

“You ever see anything like that? Those sure as shit were not pirates…” The problem was Caris had no idea what they were. Who took an entire village and just left 1 kid? What could you even do with an entire village? That was a darkness he wouldn’t even blame on the Sith. They left blood for Jedi to find. This was something else entirely. He had a feeling the Council would want more information than they could give.

@LouJoVi

 

[Elidan]

Elidan was trying to make the ship move as fast as he could. The lives of Jael and Caris were in his hands. He knew that the Jotaz was coming close and if the creature hit the shuttle, it would be their end. The knowledge that there were others depending on his abilities made him nervous.

After what seemed to be an eternity, the ship finally flew. When the ship reached a safe altitude, the half-Sephi took a deep breath and relaxed. They were safe now, the Jotaz would not be able to attack them anymore. Then Elidan remembered of Caris, he had used Force healing on the Knight, but this could have been not enough.

Before he could leave the cockpit, Caris sat next to him. Elidan was relieved to see that the Knight was safe. As the man had asked, the Padawan continued piloting the ship, seeking to reach the orbit. The constant electromagnetic winds of Zeffo left disturbed the sensors and communication of the shuttle, making it impossible to contact the Temple.

When the ship reached the orbit, Elidan turned to talk with Caris. “Never. Did you feel them? It was different from the Sith. There wasn’t rage, only cold. It was like the void of space.” reminding the feelings of when they meet the three mysterious warriors sent a shiver through the Padawan spine. “I fear what they could have done to the villagers. We need to help them.”

@Valen Pelora