Stupid Luck

[Isola Rin]

Chalacta

Loa chewed on her rations slowly as she looked out across the mountainous landscape, her thoughts clearly as she felt her body release the tension of her journey that she had been holding inside. She used not to like the solitude, growing up on Coruscant left her yearning for that contact with others, however, ever since Silas had moved the orphanage to Andara, there was something peaceful about it. There was obviously the quiet, but she also felt as though she could just take up as much space as she wanted while she was here. Her senses could stretch for miles uninterrupted as she could feel from the rocky mountain peeks to the damp leaves, wet with melted snow.

Though there was something else she was learning from this solitude: not as much as to how to appreciate it, but learning how to accept what aloneness felt like, and what it meant to truly be at ease of who she was. Which of course, Loa still struggled with some of these concepts, her teenage brain refused to accept some ideas, but in time, her mentors and the Chalactan adepts believed she would find her place. It however, may not forever remain on Chalacta as Loa still held her aspirations to becoming a Jedi Knight, to travel the galaxy and help others and use the Force to protect people from the bad guys who looked to use them for their malicious desires. Loa's mind slightly drifted and soon she found herself daydreaming about holding her own lightsaber and the fights she would have against the dark siders who wielded the red sabers.

The daydreaming has brought her some problems as she would lose focus during her meditations and was quickly reminded with a snap of a switch to arm to bring her back to reality. Regardless, she was learning and determined, and Loa had to believe that would count for something good.

Finishing her food, she brushed her hands together, cleaning them of crumbs before standing up and stretching. There was a remote village in the mountains she was sent to aide, illness had struck the children with rashes and fevers and Loa was quick to volunteer to check things out and report back. She used her staff to aide her in the hike along the steep and rocky path of the mountain, eventually realizing, she may have to climb some of the way. The dark haired girl adjusted the staff to her back, looking to see where the best place to start would be before deciding for certain her path. Reaching up, she grabbed onto a ledge and hoisted herself up, carefully finding her footing before looking for the next sturdy niche to pull her up a few more inches.

Some loose rocks dribbled beside her as she continued, slow, but steady, until there was a sudden unease and the rocks beneath her feet gave, causing the girl to fall and landing awkwardly with the distinct sound of a cracked bone. It Loa a moment to realize what had just happened, she panted, trying to catch her breath in the thin mountain air. The ground was cold, uncomfortable as she laid on jagged rocks and then the pain came; she rolled over to her side, and then to her stomach, her hands, slipping over the rough rocks and ground as she looked for some control. Loa pushed herself up to look at the damage, her ankle was twisted unnaturally.

Loa closed her eyes and felt despair, but pushed it away quickly as she fought through the pain, trying to regain her focus and use the Force to ease it. The pain was great, she would have to reset her ankle too, but didn't have any clue on how to do it without touch it. Loa laid back down, carefully and sighed, trying to focus long enough to make a sound plan.

@Vosrik @Shalken

 

[Galahad Vult]

theme​

"So...how does this aerokinesis differ from merely using telekinesis? If I wished to redirect an incoming boulder, it would be far easier to push it aside with my mind than directing the air with the Force. It seems slower, less intuitive." Galahad slowly trod beside his friend Austin along a narrow beaten path, one that supposedly led through Chalacta's mountains to a small settlement nearby. The two Jedi had heard rumours of the village being afflicted by a disease of some sort, and decided to go investigate. While en route, Austin was reading passages from the book that he had recently found in the ruins of Devaron. It primarily described how to make use of two specific techniques: Force Light and Aerokinesis, both of which Galahad was quite unfamiliar with but eager to learn nonetheless.

As the two strolled along the dirt pathway, Galahad heard a distant rumble of falling rocks, accompanied with a meaty crunch. There was also a sudden disturbance in the Force: a sudden spike of strong emotion, primarily pain. Brow furrowed, the former Knight observed, "That was no natural rockslide. Someone has fallen." Picking up the pace as best he could, the Knight rounded the cliffside to see the shape of a young woman sitting in a pile of loose rock, her ankle twisted very badly. Concern spread across Galahad's face as he saw her predicament. "Ma'am, are you all right? We are Knights of the Jedi Order, and my friend here is also a doctor; we can help," he offered.

@Vosrik​

 

[Austin Wolfe]

Flipping through the first few pages of Caladglær, Austin looked for the answer Galahad sought. In truth, Austin wasn't quite sure himself what the difference was...other than the more obvious conclusion in that it was the manipulation of the air. Looking at some of the basic descriptions in the book written by Saeros, the doctor sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Well...it seems that one of the major advantages is that it's a highly unusual method of elemental manipulations, making it difficult for an opponent to defend against it if they're caught by surprise." He raised his eyebrows as his index finger traced the loopy, neat handwriting of the deceased Rishii. "Ah! You'd enjoy this here, Galahad," he exclaimed, speeding up to reach his fellow Jedi's side as Austin had fallen a bit behind in his concentration.

"There's an exceptionally potent defense here that Aerokinesis can grant, particularly against screams or shouts amplified by the Force. It says if you —" he began, but then fell silent as the rattle and thunder of a rockslide interrupted him. Nodding in agreement to Galahad's observation, Austin closed the book and firmly replaced it to its place on his belt. "I felt it too, I sense someone in pain." Their further research into the heavy tome would have to wait for another day, it seemed. Following the former Guard along the narrow path around the cliffside, the doctor peeked around Galahad's immense frame as best as he could. Seeing the woman's ankle, he rushed forward and kneeled beside her. "My name is Dr. Austin Wolfe. It seems you have a fractured ankle — I can mend it if you wish. We are not far from the village we were traveling to." He awaited her response.

@GABA @Shalken​

 

[Isola Rin]

Long deep breaths, Loa... the girl kept reminding herself as she breathed, feeling into the Force just long enough to pull the pain for a moment until she felt something. It seemed like a wild thought to think she had felt others nearby and soon she heard a voice as two men approached, introducing themselves as Jedi Knights and one was even a doctor. Loa felt herself perk up as he instantly examined her awkwardly twisted ankle, but the pain was still present and quickly to remind her of her break when she felt herself tense a muscle.

"Yes, please!" she said grasping her leg, trying to sooth the pain as close as her body would let her touch the site. "I was going to a village too, there are children who are ill and I was going to help." she explained, "But now I feel bad because this happened." Loa frowned glancing at Austin and then to Galahad. She much wanted to be excited in the presence of Jedi Knights, they were heroes to her regardless of what Silas had taught her and thought to be one someday, though saw her broken ankle as another bump in the road. The Force had led her everywhere but the Jedi.

"Is that the same one?" she asked in regards to the village, perhaps she could still help while her ankle was on the mend. "I can certainly use some help though, I can heal, but not mend broken bones, I'm not that good...yet." she frowned and took a deep breath.

"My name is Isola Rin by the way, Loa for short." the girl introduced herself, trying to take her mind off the pain.

@Shalken @Vosrik

 

[Galahad Vult]

As Austin knelt beside the girl to examine her ankle, Galahad marveled at her willpower. Many others would have wailed in agony and perhaps even have gone into shock from such a wound, but this "Loa" was able to continue a conversation as if she had sustained a mere scratch. But that was not all; there was something more about her that the Knight sensed...something deeper. ⋮⋮ This woman has an exceptionally strong spirit, possibly even a great connection to the Force. If she can heal wounds, then she must have a rudimentary understanding of it. ⋮⋮ He could not help but wonder who had trained her to use such abilities but had not shown her the path of the Jedi.

Nodding in affirmation, Galahad put his musings aside. "Aye, it appears we have the same destination. Well met, Isola — I am Galahad Vult, and we will gladly accompany you on your journey, if you wish." Even though it was simply logical and straightforward for the trio to complete their journey together, the former Guard also wished to examine Isola's character further. Raw power could be either a boon or a curse. A selfish mind would use strength for personal gain, but one tempered by wisdom and kindness would strive to use it for good.

Once Austin had completed his work, Galahad approached Loa, offering to her his ornate staff he had found among Saeros' belongings on Devaron. "Though my leg may be weak, you are currently in far greater need of this than I. Until we part ways, may it provide you with the stability that it has faithfully given me."

@Vosrik @GABA​

 

[Austin Wolfe]

Hearing an overwhelmingly positive response from the girl, "Loa", Austin slowed his breathing and immersed himself in the Force before beginning his work. He stretched out his hand, the air suddenly glowing a soft blue-yellow as the doctor focused the healing energies of the Force. Although her ankle was certainly fractured, it wasn't a compound break — making realigning it far easier. "This may sting a little," he warned quietly before strengthening the waves of healing, resetting the bones in her ankle to their proper place. Austin then accelerated the bodily healing that Isola already possessed, jump-starting the natural healing process. However, despite the doctor's many years of experience, there was only so much he could do to mend the injury. The energies and light faded as he leaned away from Loa, inspecting his work. Her ankle, though definitely not perfectly healed, would be as though it was several weeks into recovery. Not good-as-new, but still close. ⋮⋮ One day, perhaps, ⋮⋮ he mused, thinking on how vastly more skilled healers like Master Jinlo Halan were. There was one more thing, however, as the doctor leaned back in and summoned the Force once again. Carefully, and with a surgeon's precision, he drew some of the heat away from Loa's ankle. The result would be the same as if ice had been applied for a while — a slight numbing of the nerves to ease the pain.

"Well met indeed," Austin replied, smiling widely at their newfound companion. There had been several occasions where the duo had been met with neutrality and outright hostility to Jedi help — coming across one who openly welcomed them was incredibly refreshing and encouraging. The medic stood back up, brushing some of the mountainside gravel off his knees as he did so. Nodding in approval as Galahad loaned his staff, Austin held out a hand to help her up and made sure that Loa used the staff in the correct hand — the one opposite of her wounded ankle. As the trio continued their journey to the village, he posed a question to Loa. "Tell me, young one, what inspired you to go help the ailing children of this village? Many would simply give their thoughts and prayers, not bothering to go so far out of their way to lend a hand. I commend you in your efforts."

Casting a sidelong glance at Galahad, he knew that the two shared a singular thought — the potential in this one to become a Jedi. Having only met her moments before, Austin already saw many qualities that were upheld in the Order. He decided that he would attempt his utmost to help her achieve that goal if she so desired.

@GABA @Shalken​

 

[Isola Rin]

She managed to grin wider in spite of the circumstances as Galahad explained they were heading to the same village; she was glad her journey has lead her to this point and the Jedi who followed. She opened her mouth to speak to Galahad, but as Austin informed what he was about to do would sting, Loa prepared herself, though, it was as painful as the break. Loa inhaled sharply, holding her breath as she felt the warmth of the Force gently realign the bones in her ankle, the waves of pain faded some, and the girl remembered to breath again. Closing her eyes, she felt the gentle healing waves of the Force; there was still much pressure, but it suddenly felt chilled; the girl opened her eyes, looking slightly confused, on how he was able to do that, but instead she heard Silas' voice echo in her head with the Force, anything is possible. Internally she rolled her eyes at the clearly obvious answer.

The Knight finished, leaning back to inspect his work and Loa looked at her ankle also, still swollen, but not twisted awkwardly as it had only been moments earlier. She was even able to stand with Austin's help, but was hesitant to much weight on it; Galahad offered his staff and she quickly glanced at his leg as though there were large neon sign saying it was not as well as the other leg, but not wanting to be rude she quickly reached for her own staff, "That's ok, I have..." she saw half of her own staff on the ground and felt disappoint as she reached down to grab the halves, "I had a staff..." she sighed, but wasn't ready to leave it behind just yet as she had the same staff since she first lifted it with the Force years earlier. She took the staff thankfully from Galahad, though it felt awkward in her grasp.

The trio continued up the mountain side albeit slower, when Austin spoke up, asking Loa about her journey to help the children and she glanced up at him. Her disappointment seemed to have faded for the moment, "Its a little bit of a long story...I've been on Chalacta for a little while now, I decided to study the Force with the Adepts here." she explained and pointed to the piercing between her eyes, "They seek knowledge from the Force in order to aid the people here, so sometimes it involves helping the sick." the girl paused, her thoughts were disrupted when she accidentally put too much weight on her injured ankle, "I've always wanted to be a Jedi," Loa continued, "Though it seems like there have been a lot of hiccups to achieving that."

The dark haired girl refocused, "But, I came to Chalacta because I was seeing things when I slept, but I left home without telling anyone, that isn't very Jedi like; I've helped people who hate the Jedi, my teacher would say I am not ready, and I think he was right." Loa shrugged and gave Austin and Galahad a smile, "But I am happy you two are here, I dunno how I would have gotten help otherwise."

@Shalken @Vosrik

 

[Galahad Vult]

As Austin used the healing powers of the Force on Isola's ankle, Galahad could not help but marvel at his abilities. This was the first time that the Knight had witnessed the doctor actually heal an injury, and he realized Dr. Wolfe had likely healed Vult's burns in a similar manner after the hangar explosion. As the trio continued down the path together, Galahad lightly strengthened his weaker leg with the Force to steady his gait. He listened intently to Isola's story, visibly intrigued by her history. ⋮⋮ So that his how she learned to use her abilities, from these Adepts. They must be some form of light-aligned Force-using religious group, ⋮⋮ he contemplated, his mind buzzing with questions. Galahad knew of many cults that worshiped the Dark side of the Force — some even convened in the Holy City, whose presence he despised — but this was the first time he had heard of the opposite. He was unsure of what hiccups Loa spoke of, but not wishing to pry, he held his peace.

"Joining the Jedi Order is not a set goal that can only be achieved by those who are without error — nay, it is is for those who know they are not, and wish for guidance in becoming so and helping others in the process," he began thoughtfully. "Being a Jedi is not the destination. In reality, it is much like the path we walk at this moment. It is full of twists and turns, is sometimes clear and straightforward, and at other times overgrown and difficult to tread. Often it seems the destination is so distant that it is completely out of sight." The trio began to ascend a hill with a steep ridge off to the side. "For many, the way is too difficult, and the try to take shortcuts away from the trail. Straying too far, they fall into the depths, ultimately forgetting their purpose altogether. But those that stick to the path and persevere..." the blond Knight smiled as they crested the hill, revealing the shape of the village further off in the distance. "...will one day reach their destination."

Continuing along the gravelly trail, Galahad considered Loa's concerns about becoming a Jedi. "I do not mean to discredit your teacher, whomever he may be; but in what ways would he say you are not ready?"

@Vosrik @GABA​

 

[Isola Rin]

Loa listened carefully to Galahad as he spoke first, explaining the path to the Jedi Order, it was a familiar explanation and Loa was pretty certain Master Silas had told her the same thing and it was probably what he meant that being a Jedi was a life long journey. Though it did give her some confidence in her training so far, she believed the Force would lead her on the path as it did with purpose; it wasn't that it wished for her to struggle as she had learned even more since leaving Andara. Her paced slowed a little as the path became steeper her eyes glanced up to the sky as she heard an eagle's cry, it flew low, circled and returned back the direction it came.

They reached the top of the hill where the eagled dived down to catch its prey and its human hunter ran quickly to meet it. Life looked as though it were continuing as normal, which was a good sign to Loa, it told her things had not gotten severe yet. Loa glanced at Galahad as he asked what she thought why Silas didn't think she was ready.

"Master Silas is just very protective of us, especially after Nan died..." she frowned; though it had been some time, she still missed the elder woman who had raised her when her parents could not. Loa continued with her story as they descended the hill to the village. "You see, I was raised in an orphanage, there were a few of us and Nan raised us all. A few years back a man came to help, I knew he was a Jedi, there was something different about him, but he helped us, and when things were starting to get bad, we moved to Andara. I begun to get curious about the Force and Silas decided to help me by training me and some of the other kids who were sensitive too...but I always feel that I can't be good enough in all my lessons, he's always hard on me." explained the girl, however, what she didn't want to tell the Jedi or admit vocally that she missed him and home, she had been learning so much on Chalacta but homesickness seemed to interfere with her lessons from the Adapts at times.

@Vosrik

 

[Austin Wolfe]

After having expended a fair amount of his energy from healing Loa's ankle and numbing the pain, Austin was more than content to just follow and listen as the two others spoke. He wholeheartedly agreed with the analogy that Galahad used, knowing quite well himself that he still had many things to learn on his own journey as a Jedi. Loa's comment about "seeing things when she slept" intrigued Austin greatly — premonitions, perhaps? Visions of the past, maybe even Psychometry? He'd have to ask her later about these though, as the conversation drifted to something of more importance and their destination lay quite close.

"Having a constant feeling of inadequate abilities or skills is indeed a poor training environment to be in," the medic spoke thoughtfully. "Though I also do not want to fully discredit this Master Silas. He seems to have taught you well up until this point, both in your knowledge of the Force and in your willingness to help others. I know I cannot speak for him, but I believe that although Silas was being hard on you, he still cared for you deeply and only wished to see you succeed. The Galaxy is a rough and painful place, filled with sorrow as much as it is with joy and happiness." He looked onward toward the village as a reminder of such. A peaceful and happy home for many, though afflicted with sickness. "That is why it is our duty as Jedi to face such hardships — to return happiness and life back to the Galaxy."

The hunter caught sight of the trio, and he raised his arm in greeting and began making his way closer to speak to them. Though Loa said little of her home, Austin could still sense something within her when she spoke of Silas and her Nan. "I sense...longing in you. Do you miss your former master?" he inquired, not wanting to pry too much though still curious of the answer. If she was truly dedicated on becoming a Jedi, any attachments she had would indeed be a hindrance and maybe even destructive to her training.

"Hail, Jedi!" the hunter welcomed, his arm shifting the weight of the eagle as it opened and flapped its wings to keep its balance. "Thank the stars you've come, many of our little ones are still very sick. Can you help them?" Smiling, Austin bowed slightly in response and replied, "We shall do what we can. Come, join us as we continue walking. What are some of the children's symptoms?" As the man fished a small piece of meat out of a leather pouch and fed it to his eagle, his brow furrowed thoughtfully as he formulated an answer. "Well...ol' Trin's son came down with a nasty fever some days ago. Couple doors down, Lyell and Tina's little one started coughin' real bad soon after. Don't know if it's all the same thing or not." Even though the information was somewhat ambiguous, Austin breathed an inward sigh of relief and cast a glance over to Galahad. At least they weren't dealing with anything like they had on Dantooine.

@Shalken @GABA​

 

[Galahad Vult]

As Austin took his turn to speak, Galahad mulled over Loa's words on her master. He knew that many teachers had difficulty showing affection outside of rigorous training; Vult himself had one such master before he was granted Knighthood. He still did not quite understand Silas' resistance to Isola joining the Jedi. Being overprotective was one thing, but Galahad could not help but suspect a deeper reason. Perhaps he held some sort of personal grudge or had misgivings about the Order? He would never know for sure unless their paths crossed.

After the group was joined by the hunter who detailed some of the symptoms the children were showing, Galahad again held his peace, having little to no knowledge of diseases. The only experience he had with pestilence was that he and Austin had discovered on Dantooine...and that was something he never wished to see ever again. As the four travelers approached the village, Galahad was better able to see that it was bustling with activity. Produce was bought and sold in the marketplace, various pack animals were led to and fro, and townsfolk carried out their everyday business. The village overall gave off a cheery, welcoming atmosphere, inviting the group in to rest from their journey. "This way folks, the mayor'll likely have words for yeh," the hunter directed as he took the lead, winding his way through the streets towards their destination. Following behind, Galahad's sharp eyes caught sight of the villagers, and he now noticed that everything was not as it seemed. A woman passed by with a bucket of water, lines creased on her brow in worry. A snippet of low conversation was heard from two men discussing making the trek into the city for more snake oil. "The shadow of disease always leaves its mark, it would seem," Galahad commented quietly. "While it has little hold over the masses in larger cities, its threat can loom heavily over those that live in more remote locations." But that was exactly why they were there — to help those in need that were less fortunate.

Slowing to a halt in front of a larger house, the hunter faced the trio and extended an arm towards the door, bowing lightly as he did so. "Right in here, the mayor'll be out to meet yeh shortly. Not sure what yeh've got in mind, but I'm sure the little 'uns'll be right as rain in no time with yer help." With a tip of his hat, he trotted away towards the marketplace to prepare and sell his wares, leaving Austin, Galahad, and Isola to their business.

@GABA @Vosrik​

 

[Isola Rin]

Loa limped along and Austin spoke up next, speaking about her training thus far and inquired about a longing. She found it an odd question, but luckily the hunter approached the trio before she would answer. They followed along into the village as the the hunter briefly filled them in on what was happening; the girl's attention was else where, she sensed hesitation and uncertainty of what was going on with the sick. Her senses continued to reach outward, feeling the people as they passed, but even further, the air was heavy and there was something that twisted itself into it.

Her steps fell behind the Jedi Knights as she concentrated, trying to hone in on the feeling, however, she was pulled aside by a villager while the rest continued their way to the mayor's location. The woman looked worn, her eyes heavy with worry and sadness as she blessed the gods for them sending an Adept. Loa reassured the woman as best as she could before she urged the girl to come with her and Loa followed.

When the two Jedi Knights entered the home, they would notice the coziness and welcoming feeling it held: a fire crackled in the fireplace, warming from the mountain air chill; there were wooden benches and stools, but no other cushioned sitting pieces were present. A boy came out and gave the two Jedi a bow, holding a tray of hot tea to serve to their guests. "My papa will be down in a moment," the boy frowned, his voice becoming softer, "I think my sister is getting sick too." he glanced down at the tray and then set it down on a small table, gesturing for the Jedi to sit as he poured them the tea and offered it to them. The child then disappeared as he heard his father's footsteps.

The mayor wasn't an old man but the worry about the people had made him look years older than his age. "I apologize for my delay," he started, "I'm glad the Jedi could spare the time to help us." he looked among them before taking a seat. "We don't know what is making the children sick, and it seems like it is only the children, none of the adults are getting sick."

@Vosrik @Shalken

 

[Austin Wolfe]

As they followed the hunter's guide and Galahad spoke, commenting on the effects of overwhelming disease in cities and villages, Austin noticed the sudden absence of Loa. He halted, looking around wildly to see if their companion hadn't simply vanished into thin air. Not seeing the girl, he reached out wide with the Force, now able to feel her presence with another woman. There was something uneasy about the woman who pulled Loa aside, though Austin was unable to discern exactly what. Perhaps, being dressed in the garb of an Adept, she had been singled out and pulled away for some nefarious reason? Or perhaps that was paranoia talking, and the appearance of an Adept was more than a welcome sight in an ailing village. Opening his mind to Loa, Austin telepathically relayed to her, ⋮⋮ If you need help, we are not far. May the Force be with you. ⋮⋮

Entering the Mayor's abode, the medic was greeted by the crackling, warm fireplace and a cup of tea. "Thank you, young one," Austin replied, grasping the hot dish in his hands as he sat in one of the wooden chairs. Although it certainly wasn't as comfortable as the plush meditation couches on Tython, it definitely wasn't unbearable like sitting on a rock would be. Though the boy displayed his worry to the Jedi, Austin simply offered a kind smile as he disappeared into the depths of the house. Before either Austin or Galahad took a sip of the tea, the medic waved a hand over the offered tea. Calling upon the Force, he examined it for any impurities, poisons, or anything that would potentially harm the two Jedi. Finding nothing, he nodded almost imperceptively to Galahad and tasted the hot beverage. It was quite good.

Placing the cup back on the table as the Mayor entered the room, Austin stood to meet the man and shook his hand. "It's our pleasure, good sir. Would you be able to tell us anything about their symptoms — any similarities, perhaps something to help us understand what's affecting them?" He took his seat once more, across from the Mayor who also seated himself. "Hmm let me see...Lyell's little girl has come down with a terrible cough, hasn't let up at all." The doctor nodded, having heard the same from the hunter. The man continued, "Couple more have a fever...of a sort though. One seems to be overheated constantly while the other is always cold. All very young, though the oldest of the sick we have is in her early teens." He leaned forward, the worry and stress showing in the creases of his forehead. Austin also frowned sternly in thought, having no questions for a moment as he wracked his mind for possible explanations. What he didn't want to admit quite yet was that he'd never heard of something like this before.

@Shalken @GABA​

 

[Galahad Vult]

Galahad also noticed Isola get pulled aside by the worried, elderly woman. Not feeling any emotions of alarm or sensing any danger, Galahad let her be. The girl was needed elsewhere, and perhaps they would cover more ground separated.

Once inside the cozy home, Galahad nodded his thanks as well to the young lad, grasping the cup of tea as he took a seat as well. Gingerly blowing on the beverage to cool it, the ex-guard was about to take a sip when he saw Austin pass a hand over the drink, causing him to pause. The thought hadn't even occurred to Galahad that something in the water might be causing the illness, which disturbed him greatly. ⋮⋮ I should be more mindful of such things, ⋮⋮ the Knight reprimanded himself as he sipped the drink, now having Austin's confirmation it was free of disease. As they waited for the mayor to appear, Galahad glanced about the house, searching for any sort of clues. Frankly, he knew very little about illnesses and other conditions that plagued the galaxy. The only other two options that the blond Knight could think of were contaminated food or perhaps something in the wood they used to heat their homes...but that didn't explain why only some of the children were being affected.

Also rising momentarily from his seat to shake hands with their host, Galahad let Austin take the lead with questioning the man about the strange disease. He was a doctor, after all. Although Vult's understanding of illnesses was limited, one thing he had learned was that the symptoms between different patients were always the same — which was what made this case so much stranger was that nothing similar, except for the age of those affected. Galahad stroked his beard contemplatively, his brow furrowed in thought. This case, though not as immediately dire as Dantooine, was far more mysterious. "Do the children play in groups together? And if so, are only some of these groups affected?" Galahad asked, thinking that perhaps some of them played around something that caused their sickness. But his idea was proved incorrect when the Mayor shook his head, "No, the ill kids aren't all from the same...cliques, I guess. Besides, the wilds can be dangerous, especially with all the cliffs nearby; the young ones are only allowed to the outskirts of town until they come of age."

Looking over to Austin, Galahad really could not think of any other questions. They simply did not know enough. "Perhaps we could visit some of the afflicted children? We might be able to glean more answers from what they were doing and where, when they first felt the symptoms." The mayor nodded in agreement, "Of course, I'm sure their parents would allow it. We could use all the help we can get." Thanking their host again for the refreshments, Galahad stood to his feet, but realized he had to take a few moments to catch his breath. His senses were beginning to cloud, and that dark miasma he'd felt over the town before still lingered in the back of his mind.

@GABA @Vosrik​

 

[Isola Rin]

Though she didn't see where the Jedi Knights had gone, she could still feel their presence and the comforting reassurance they would be near if anything would happen. Loa limped alongside the woman who had pulled her away, still praising the gods the Adept had arrived.

"My grand baby, he is so small, so fragile, and now he is sick too!" she explained, perhaps having the sudden realization she should explain to the helper what was happening. The woman held back tears from her distress and Loa nodded in understanding, placing her palm on the woman's arm, the Light flowing through her as she looked to calm the woman, which seemed to work, but as the girl withdrew, she felt as though someone had snapped very loudly by her ears. Loa paused in her step, looking around, her senses reaching outward to figure out where the source of the noise came from, but the old woman kept walking, stopping only to realize Loa had stopped a few meters behind her.

"What's wrong?" she asked, but Loa shook her head and quickly caught up.

They reached the small, humble home of the old woman and Loa walked inside, seeing a baby cradled in the arms by another child who was trying to comfort them while their Grandma sought help. Loa knelt down and was given the baby, who she tried to sooth also with baby talk and tongue clicks; it distracted the infant for a moment before he started fussing again.

"How long has he been like this?" Loa asked, swaddling the child like Nan had shown her how to do with the infants at the orphanage.

"A week, but his fever won't break, we've tried everything and I fear its the sickness that has been going around." explained the old woman. Loa looked down at the concerned sister, "Where are their parents?" Loa asked next, but the woman seemed reluctant to discuss their whereabouts.

"They left almost a month ago, saying they had found some place to resettle, but haven't returned."

"You're not at all concerned?" Loa asked, resting her finger tips on the baby's cheek as she begun to focus the energies of the Force, letting it run through her and the baby to heal whatever was bothering him.

"Its not the first time they have done this."

Loa frowned, but didn't pry anymore, it was not her place as an Adept. She tried her best to heal the baby of whatever was making him sick, but her efforts were minimal, managing to break the fever and get him to sleep. Loa felt as though her own abilities felt drained afterwards. The kettle whistled and the old woman prepared the girl a cup of tea; Loa gently laid the baby on the bed, accepting the cup and sipping quietly as she focused on gathering her energy.

"Thank you," she said after a quiet moment, "He's not cured, but no fever, I need to find my friends though, they're here to help all the way from the Jedi Order." Loa explained taking a bigger drink of the tea. The old woman didn't say anything, only nodded and Loa studied her carefully, though she acted as though she understood, deep down, she felt something else, an urge to not take the woman's response as legitimate. Loa stood up and gave a small bow, taking her exit from the home in order to find the Jedi.

 

[Austin Wolfe]

While Austin remained lost in his own thoughts and contemplation as to what the cause of the bizarre sickness could be, Galahad asked some questions of his own from the Mayor. It appeared that it wasn't spread by association or location...the cases were completely random. Austin shrugged to his companion, still not having any better ideas. In all his medical career, the doctor hadn't ever seen or heard of something this strange. As the three got up and exited the Mayor's abode, Austin felt an odd tickle in his throat and coughed a few times to get rid of it. Leaning closer to Galahad as they walked but keeping his voice low, he commented, "I have a bad feeling about this. It does not seem natural, none of this. I am preparing myself for the possibility this is being caused by someone or something dark."

Not wanting to cause any more concern than necessary, Austin was beginning to feel a dark taint over the village but hadn't mentioned it yet. Furthermore, he was beginning to feel strangely unwell — coughing several times more on their trip to the afflicted family's house. ⋮⋮ This is most bizarre, ⋮⋮ Austin thought, his face changing to that of deep concern. Though he had definitely been sick many times before, the Jedi had never come down with an illness in the span of a few minutes. His mind pushed aside the thought as they arrived at the cozy-looking home, knocking politely on the door. Austin would worry about his own condition later — the well-being of the people came first.

As the trio were greeted by the weary and worried faces of the parents, Austin could see a spark of hope in the back of their eyes. The Jedi were here. He could only hope that they would be successful in finding a cure. As the mother left to fetch their young one, the doctor reached out with his senses and felt that Galahad's mind was clouded by something. Austin broke out coughing again and wheezed as he stated, "Please excuse us, we will be back in a moment." Taking his fellow Jedi outside, he quietly spoke to Galahad. "I think we are being affected by the sickness as well, which means it isn't just children — it is something certain children have in common that the adults don't." Reaching out with a hand, Austin called upon the Light to cleanse whatever was affecting the former Guard. If the doctor was correct in his thinking, the other Jedi should feel much better. They were beginning to get to the root of the problem — Austin could only hope that Loa was having similar success in her findings. She knew where and how to find them.

@Shalken @GABA​

 

[Galahad Vult]

As Galahad took his leave alongside Austin, the fogginess in his head did not clear when they exited the building and breathed in the fresh air — if anything, it got far worse. When the doctor expressed his concerns about the disease, the Knight's brow furrowed in thought. The chance of it being caused by something dark opened up a multitude of possibilities. Though he had personally never heard of it before, the former guard would not be surprised if corrupted Force users had somehow discovered the ability to control illnesses, perhaps through some form of dark magic. Until they had learned more, however, they could only speculate.

As the two Jedi approached the dwelling of one of the sick children, it occurred to Galahad that he had not seen Austin suffer from sickness or any physical infirmity until now. The irony of the situation was mildly amusing to him, albeit momentarily. While Knight Vult was certain that the doctor would be able to easily discover the remedy for himself, it was a troubling turn of events nonetheless.

Entering the cozy home and greeted by its inhabitants, Galahad smiled in greeting. ⋮⋮ Even in these troubling times, these people still hold on to hope, ⋮⋮ the blond Jedi thought, encouraged. Suddenly, he felt a wave of exhaustion pass over him, forcing him to rest a hand against a nearby wall to steady himself, having temporarily loaned his staff to Loa. Galahad's breathing became laboured and difficult. Doctor Wolfe could tell something was obviously wrong, and excused the two of them as he pulled Vult outside. As Austin cleansed the ex-guard of his immediate symptoms, Galahad could suddenly breathe much easier again, and felt slightly rejuvenated once more. However, the fogginess still hung over his mind, making it somewhat difficult for him to concentrate fully. "I concur, but what? What do we have the other adults here do not?" Pressing against his temples in deep thought, Galahad tried to piece it all together. It wasn't just the parents that were in full health, a fair number of the younglings were as well. After a few moments, a realization dawned upon him. "The Force! We are Force-sensitive, but the other adults here do not appear to be. They likely would have left to join the Jedi before they reached their current age. It only affects a portion of the children because only a few have Force aptitude as well." His headache beginning to return, Galahad grasped his forehead. "That would appear to be the most obvious solution, in any case."

Hearing footsteps nearby, the Knight looked up to spot Isola in the distance. Waving to her, he called out, "Loa, it is possible we discovered the cause of the illness!" Once she had come closer, Galahad explained, "There seems to be some dark aura affecting this village, striking all the people here that are sensitive to the Force with random symptoms — including us, not just some of the children. That is our best guess that makes sense, though we do not know how or why. Have you discovered anything peculiar?"

@GABA @Vosrik​

 

[Isola Rin]

Loa was relieved to see Galahad and Austin; she waved back and stopped as she examined her hand, seeing the speckles of a red rash that seemed to have quickly spread across her body. Her brow furrowed in bewilderment and continued to limp towards the Jedi. When she got close enough, Galahad spoke, explaining their hunch; she pushed up her sleeves, revealing more of the rash and glanced at Austin and Galahad, who were looking a tad pale, "I think you may be right...we weren't sick when we arrived." Loa sighed and looked around, scratching her head.

"The old woman I went with said grandchildren's parents left to resettle else where...but otherwise, I didn't get much else." She glanced at the Jedi before looking at her feet, "There are a few dark sided cults on Chalacta, darker magic to the people here, it wouldn't be out of the question that they had a hand in this, but illnesses is not their game, they like blood sacrifices." Explained Loa, thinking about her first encounter with a cult who killed an entire village just because they could. "I don't know how to fix it, I tried to help a baby, but getting his fever down was draining." there was a slight defeat in her tone as she wanted to do more to help but didn't know where to start. Which for her was a familiar in a lesson learned, trust her instincts and let the Force lead her.

Though, she wanted answers now and yet Loa knew what happened the last time she sought for answers immediately, she had received nothing but more questions. However, she still tried, her mind quieted, she focused a little harder as she felt her ear start to ache as she reached deeper into the Force, letting it guide her senses as she could more clearly feel the dark aura that seemed to engulf the small village. There was something more concentrated North of town as her eyes settled on it before she felt her ears pop with a stabbing sensation inside her head, throwing her focus off. "That way..." she pointed to what she felt as she rubbed the outside of her ears.

@Vosrik @Shalken

 

[Austin Wolfe]

The conclusion Galahad came to was indeed sound — all the Force-sensitive adults would indeed either have become Jedi or joined the local Adepts here on Chalacta, leaving only the children affected by the sickness. "Excellent thinking, my friend! I believe you are right. This plague must indeed be caused by some foul thing. This is worse than Dantooine," he mused as Loa caught up to the two Jedi. Austin covered his mouth, breaking out into another of his sporadic coughing fits. He did not enjoy being sick. Clearing his throat, he listened to the young one's thoughts with great interest, as she had insight about Chalacta that neither Jedi had. Austin grimaced at the mention of blood sacrifices. "Savages..." he muttered under his breath. Such pain and suffering brought on innocents was utterly abhorrent to the doctor.

Austin could sense that Galahad's mind was becoming clouded once more. "I feel that any efforts we make to help these children and ourselves will be fruitless unless we destroy the source." Reaching out with the Force he also sensed the concentration of Dark Sided energy, but not without bringing on another bout of coughing. Nodding, red-faced from the physical effort, Austin approached the Mayor to speak before they left. "My apologies, but we believe we have found the source of the sickness affecting your children. I would explain more, but know that it is something unnatural." The doctor fought back the tickle returning to the back of his throat. "We will not be gone long — and I believe when we return, all these sicknesses will begin to leave." The Mayor looked surprised and bewildered, but nodded anyway. "Best of luck then, master Jedi," he replied, turning to speak to the family they had just visited.

Beckoning to his companions, Austin hacked awkwardly in an attempt to hold back a cough. The direction Loa had pointed to actually had a small, barely noticeable pathway that led into a swamp-like forested area. As the trio walked single file along the path, the trees and foliage around them steadily grew blacker and more sickly. "This does not bode well," Austin murmured, pushing his way through a painful thornbush. The forest opened up before them, revealing what appeared to be the source. Murky black ponds lay ahead, spotted with brown and beige patches of dead grass. Soaked wooden boards had been placed in some areas to allow someone to walk across, as the barely-used path led to a hut built into a black, twisted-looking tree. Nothing natural grew here, and the torches that lit the house burned weakly.

"Who...would live in such a place..." Austin asked quietly. They had no idea whether the hut was abandoned, but the presence of the still-burning torches led him to believe otherwise. "We must tread with caution."

@Shalken @GABA​

 

[Galahad Vult]

theme​

The source of the corruption now identified, the three set off in its direction, the path leading them away from the town and into the woods surrounding it. While most of the flora nearby had been healthy and flourishing, the plants here seemed sick, like something was slowly sucking the life out of them. The path they tread was thin, hedged in by rotting bushes and dark, leafless trees that almost seemed to be stretching their twisted branches out to ensnare them. Austin had taken the lead, and Galahad let Loa go between them as he took up the rear guard. If she were snatched away for whatever reason without his notice, the ex-guard would likely not be able to forgive himself.

When the path finally opened away into a small clearing that hid the dreary treehut, Galahad's eyes watered from the vile fumes that poured forth from the bog that surrounded it. "Only those that revel in their corruption," he replied to the doctor. After a preliminary inspection of the houses' exterior and seeing nothing of note, the Knight approached its front door, raising his hand to knock. Much to his surprise, his fist went straight through the boards, punching a hole in the rotten wood. Shaking his head, Galahad pulled his hand loose before simply walking through the locked door, leaving it in a pile of splinters on the threshold. He brushed the chips off his robes while gazing about the cabin, seeing nothing of consequence on the first floor. Rats skittered away into their holes in the walls, and a small cloud of flies buzzed dizzyingly around a lit lamp. Someone had been here, and recently. Despite his mental fogginess that was slowly returning, Galahad could feel a distinct chill emanating from the basement. It wasn't the same cold as a low temperature; this was unnatural, like what he sensed during his meeting with the Sith Lord, Leviticus, though perhaps not quite as powerful. Nevertheless, this dark force was harming the villages' children and must be destroyed. "I can sense it, down beneath us."

Slowly making his way down the stairs — his leg always made stairs...difficult at best — Galahad quickly spotted the source of the corruption. Before them stood a large wide table, decorated with yellow-tinged scrolls and candles. Dead animal bones, wilted flowers, and lines of blood were traced into a circle dotted with strange symbols. While he did not recognize this form of dark magic, In the center of it all floated something he did understand: a large bleeding Kyber crystal about the size of his fist. Approaching the ritual site cautiously, the blond Jedi eyed the table with suspicion as he clutched his head, the fuzziness getting even worse. "This is the source," he murmured hazily. "We must destroy it."

Suddenly, a grim cackling could be heard behind the trio. Slinking down the stairs was the old woman that Loa had met before, her face deformed and eyes yellowed with Dark Side corruption. "That's all you Jedi ever do, isn't it?" she mocked, "You say you help people and bring balance to the Force, and so on...but deep down, you just break things you don't like. See?" Her lips peeled back into a wicked smile, revealing a set of brown, rotting teeth. "You're not so much different than we are."

@GABA​