Ask What Remains of our Pride

Kraud

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The Whiphid stood in front of one of the Jedi statues, studying the facial expression. Long ago, the statues were whole. But now, most of them were faceless and without limbs. The surface of many blackened by energy weapons, meant to make the locals forget about the Jedi who had once lived here, when the temple had been whole. But all that remained after the devastating Clone Wars and the rule of the Empire, were ruins. Ruins of a temple that had been a stronghold of the Light Side. And what a stronghold it had been. Even now, years after its destruction, not a single tree had managed to penetrate the flagstones that once made up the floor of the central hall. The remains of the temple were overgrown with all sorts of plant life, yes, but somehow it all just felt more.. complete. Enveloped by nature and connected to the Light side, like the way it should be. Like he should be.

The Knight had spend the last few decades searching for inner peace, but he hadn't found it yet. He was supposed to let go of the past, but the past tormented him no matter what he had tried. His outward appearance was that of a man at peace, with a serene and often stoic expression. He understood the Jedi Code, lead the life a Jedi was supposed to live and walked the path of the pacifist. But none of eased his burdens. The burdens of a father, a mentor and the immense guilt he felt for his past deeds. On days like these, he couldn't help but think of his brother and the Whiphids he had once considered his family. He had accepted banishment, which had sent him down a path stained by the blood of innocents. He would never be able to make amends for that. But he had tried, by taking care of those in need of help. He had guided many to the Order, hoping that they would find a better chance at life there. But as he looked at the relics of the old Jedi Order, the Whiphid feared that what he considered to be a safe haven for the lost and misguided, would once again fall to ruin, like it had done more than a century ago.

Kraud turned around, his vision slightly obscured by the hood of his cloak. The Devaronians weren't fond of the strangers, often pilgrims, who came to visit the remains of the Jedi Temple. That was why he had decided to keep his hood up, covering most of the white fur that made him stand out in the jungles of Devaron. He didn't want to be by a bother to the locals, which meant that he had to visit the remains of the temple in secret, hoping that it contained the wisdom he was looking for. But alas, this site had taught him nothing new. It was a nexus in the Force, but not one he managed to fully attune with. It was different, which had given him high hopes at first; only to realize that there was nothing out here. Like Vrogas Vas, all that remained were ruins. Taking a final look at the circle of statues around him, Kraud prepared to leave the temple ruins behind.

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Jeyten Dres

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Jey cautiously walked down the loading ramp, exiting The Kath Hound and was equipped with his two blasters, ancestor's damaged lightsaber and a datapad. The datapad was to, obviously record any information he found in Eedit and the inoperable lightsaber attached to his belt was simply for intimidation purposes as he had heard that the Devaronians didn't take kindly to strangers that strayed to close to the ruined Jedi Temple. It was strange, even stepping into the open - Jey could feel the Force flowing through the planet, however, he wasn't sure if this was because of his growing connection to the Force or if the planet was just some sort of... vergence in the Force, or maybe it was both.

The youth had decided to land not too far from the Temple of Eedit and so, the walk from The Kath Hound to the Temple was rather short, five minutes at best. Jey had heard stories about the Temple of Eedit growing up, from his father specifically and how the Clone Wars and Galactic Empire were key reasons for the state of the Temple now. Drawing closer to the Eedit, Jey could feel the echoes of the past reverberating through the Force and how the area had some rich history behind it - he hated to admit it but... it was pretty interesting.

Finally arriving, the hazel-eyed teen stopped just outside the ruins and took a moment to simply gaze at the wrecked Jedi statues that were scattered across the Temple's ruins, staring at one in particular. It was surreal, witnessing the relics, the ruins of religion that was so intertwined with the history of his family as well as his own personal history, something he had utter disdain for. But yet, here he was, funny how life - or the Force worked. Jey shook his head as he returned to reality, noticing that the Temple's entrance was blocked off by a giant crater, he crossed his arms and frowned, wondering how his father managed to leave a clue inside the Temple if the entrance was sealed off.

However, before he could formulate some kind of plan to enter, he noticed a figure in the distance. A tall, cloaked, hulking and intimidating figure as a matter of fact, but... Jey couldn't sense any danger coming from this figure, maybe they were an ally? Or at the very least, they weren't a threat which the Force-sensitive teen greatly appreciated. Raising an eyebrow, the black haired boy pondered the idea that maybe this person was here for the same reason he was... and maybe, they could work together and figure out some kind of way inside? Taking the risk, Jey cautiously decided to begin approaching the tall cloaked figure.

"Hey!" he called out in the most friendly tone he could muster while simultaneously waving his arm out to the cloaked figure. Hopefully he wasn't making a mistake...

@Powerfullhorus
 

Kraud

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He had come here of his own volition, and yet it felt as if the Force guided him here, even this time. It was something he realized the moment he sensed an unrefined presence in the Force. Someone slightly tainted by his own emotions, but not someone who was lost to the Dark side. Kraud turned, facing the direction where he believed the presence originated from.

The Whiphid's gaze fell upon a young boy. A teenager, approximately a few years younger than his two daughters. He was armed, carrying two blasters, a holopad and... a lightsaber? He doubted that the black-haired teen was a Jedi, given the fact that the signature he left in the Force showed his inexperience. For a minute, it reminded him of Alana. The last time he saw her was months ago, and she wasn't exactly doing okay. Astra told him a thing or two, although he usually didn't want to hear it. He had made the promise to look after them when their parents died and while he intended to live up to that promise, so far he wasn't really succeeding at it.

He gave the kid a slight nod as a greeting when he approached. "I did not expect someone else to visit these ruins. What brings you here, young one?" He began with a slight smile. Of course, the Knight had a faint idea. The lightsaber attached to his belt was all the indication Kraud needed. His own robes and lightsaber were hidden underneath his cloak, making it hard to tell that he, in fact, was a Jedi Knight. His presence in the Force wasn't going to give it away either; the nexus amplified his power, but it simultaneously hid him from any but the most experienced practitioners.

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Jeyten Dres

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The cloaked figured turned to acknowledge Jey, revealing himself to be a Whiphid with a slight smile and nod. The man seemed friendly, but the sheer size and stature of Whiphids had always intimidated him. The teen pondered what he was doing here, and attempted to use the Force to sense the Whiphid's intentions or at the very least, if he was like him. Although, it was difficult and wasn't sure as to why - was it because of this Force nexus?

"Me neither." Jey responded to the Whiphid's statement "Uhh... I'm just here to look around." he stated, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly - what he said wasn't technically a lie but it wasn't the full truth either but he couldn't trust this Whiphid enough to reveal the whole story, not yet at least. Jey placed his hands on his hips and tilted his head upward to make eye contact with the towering Whiphid "What about you, old man?" he queried in a lighthearted tone and a childish grin, if the Whiphid would answer Jey would turn to look behind him, seeing something else in the distance, but this time it was a small figure.

"What's that?" he asked out loud, making his way to approach whatever it was as it also approached him. Getting closer, Jey realised the small figure was a 4EY scout droid, and it seemed... pretty friendly actually. Crouching down to talk to it, Jey patted the droid's head "Hi, what're you doing out here all on your own? Where's your master?" he asked, Jey's binary was rusty so he struggled to understand what it was beeping and chirping back, but he understood that it lost its master. The 4EY unit introduced itself as 4EY-18, with a smile "Nice to meet you, hang with me and I'll help you find your master." he offered. The small droid gratefully accepted and proceeded to hop on Jey's back.

The black haired teen returned to the Whiphid, scratching his temple "Sorry about that, so someone left their 4EY unit here?" he half asked with a shrug before moving onto to introducing himself "I'm Jeyten Dres by the way, but feel free to call me Jey." with his arm outstretched, he figured it would probably be in both of their best interests to work together.

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Kraud

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For a brief moment, he felt the teen's attempt to sense his attentions. It wasn't going to work, but it was amusing to the Whiphid nonetheless. Unable to sense the Whiphid's attentions, the black-haired teen returned the question. "Looking for clarity.." he muttered in response, as he mind wandered off again. His answer was honest; the Whiphid's mind felt clouded. He wasn't sure what to do anymore. He preached pacifism, but it seemed to have little effect, as demonstrated by his own Padawan.

Kraud quickly assessed the danger when he saw movement in the distance. His new acquaintance immediately approached the droid, while he was still a little cautious. He recognized the droid as a scout model, which meant that someone could be observing them. Once the droid specified that it had lost its owner, however, he felt a little more at ease. The black-haired teen swiftly offered to help the droid, which confirmed what he felt through the Force. The boy was not here to do any harm. Had that been his intention, the Whiphid would've been forced to stop him.

"Perhaps." Kraud began. "Although I doubt someone would leave his droid behind with no reason..." he stated, glancing at the droid. As Jey introduced himself, so would he. "I am Kraud. Perhaps we may be able to help each other here. I presume you'd like to enter the ruins. Got any suggestions as to how we could get inside? " Getting inside wasn't going to be hard for the Whiphid. But he was just curious what the teen would come up with.

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Jeyten Dres

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The Whiphid raised a good point, a point that even caused Jey to hook his fingers to his chin and ponder... what if this 4EY unit was left behind by... no, that was crazy, Jey was overthinking (for once). The Whiphid returned the introduction, introducing himself as Kraud, Jey smiled to himself slightly as he averted his gaze from the Whiphid, "Seems like a Kraud." he thought to himself. Jey wasn't given long to chuckle at his own humour before Kraud moved on to the next point of interest, entering the ruins, as he asked if he had any suggestions on entering.

"Uh... yeah, there's something I'm supposed to find in these ruins." he revealed cryptically. The hazel-eyed teen raised an eyebrow and scratched the side of his temple, "I... I'm not really sure yet." he confessed with a shrug, "There's a massive cave in at the entrance... but you probably already knew that, huh?" he stated, answering his own question and chuckling at himself. 4EY-18 chimed in rather quickly with a few beeps and a single chirp, it took a few moments for him to understand what the droid was saying but he got to it eventually. The hazel-eyed youth turned to grin at the droid, conveying a look of thanks before turning to look back up at Kraud.

"Little guy says that he knows another way inside the ruins and to follow him." Jey revealed pointing his thumb at the droid on his back. With that, the little droid hopped off of Jey's back and began directing the young human and elder Whiphid to the 'secret entrance'. The 4EY unit began leaving the ruins of Eedit's courtyards and headed further into Devaron's jungle, Jey turned to look at Klaud in confusion "Uhhh... little guy?" he called out to the droid, "I think we're going the wrong way." maybe the droid had loose circuits or something... either way, 4EY-18 responded with a chirp that Jey couldn't understand.

Finally, 4EY-18 stopped in an open area and tapped its foot on, what seemed like hollow ground, actually revealed a secret passage. A smile formed on his face, maybe the little droid wasn't so crazy after all. Allowing the droid to hop onto his back once more, Jey crouched down and removed some of the vines on the floor and opened up the secret passage, the passage revealed a ladder going down. Without discussing it, Jey decided to enter the passage and climb down the ladder first - a long stone tunnel lay ahead..

Waiting for Kraud to follow, he began making his way down the long tunnel and by the time the towering Whiphid had caught up to him, he placed his arms behind him and relaxed his hands on the back of his head, communicating a relaxed demeanour. "What's your story, Kraud?" the teen asked, half genuine interest and half simply wanting to break any awkward silences.

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Kraud

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Kraud stared at the teen as he revealed his reason for being here. Well, revealed. His words were a little roundabout; having to find something. For a fact, the Whiphid knew that there was nothing left inside these ruins, except for the statues and the imprint of the Light Side the Jedi had left in the Force, before they were forced to abandon this temple. That knowledge alone made him realize that the black-haired teen probably didn't know what he was looking for either. And that, in itself, amused the white-haired Whiphid.

The small scout droid was quick to provide them with information, once Jey explained his goal. It had been faster than Kraud could answer, the arguably rhetoric question. "Very well. Lead the way." Kraud stated, gesturing for the droid to take the lead. To his surprise, however, the droid did not go in the direction of the temple. Instead, it made the decision to move deeper into the jungle. Normally, he would distrust a droid for such an action. Especially because it seemed so eager to help. But that was the Kraud before he had joined the Jedi Order. The cruel and slightly paranoia hunter of both man and beast. No, he was no longer that person. He had left that behind him long ago. "Let's just follow it and see where it leads us. I doubt it'll do us any harm." he suggested, calm and confident in both his own and Jey's abilities to get out of a tight situation.

Kraud patiently strolled after the droid, following it until it suddenly halted near a formation of vine-covered flagstones. The Knight had passed it on his way here, but had assumed that it belonged to a second courtyard or building that was once part of the impressive temple. But it was more than that. It was a hidden passage. "Didn't know this was here. None of the records I've read mentioned a passage like this." he commented, a little surprised that the secret passage was still intact. If the records were incomplete, perhaps the other Temple ruins had hidden passages like this one as well.

Following Jey down the ladder, into the stone tunnel. It was dark; illuminated only by the spotlight of the scout droid. As they started walking, he responded. "Nothing special. I lived as a hunter for about a century or so. But now, I'd like to give some purpose to what remains of life." It wasn't the exact truth, but none of it was a lie. He did not want to tell the black-haired teen that he was part of the Jedi Order just yet. No, he wanted to know more about him first. And whether the boy would have it in him to join the Order. "And what about you? I reckon you aren't here just to 'find something.' without a motive, are you?" he chuckled, expecting yet another roundabout answer.
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After a short walk through the cramped stone passage, the Whiphid saw something in the distance. Light. Kraud quickened his pace, wanting to investigate the room that the passage opened into. It was well hidden, the hole covered by vines that dispersed the light which normally would have illuminated the now deteriorated fountain. Plants had found their way inside, living of what little light still entered the room. "It's not what I expected.." the Knight mumbled, as he scanned the room for anything of value to the Order. Two stairs led to a single doorway behind the fountain, which meant that there was more to the passage than just this room. "Come, whatever you seek may be behind that door."


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Jeyten Dres

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"Me? Nothing to tell really." he shrugged while concealing his ancestor's lightsaber, attempting to hide his lie through the Force "I'm just Nar Shaddaa trash, here looking for purpose too I guess." when the Whiphid had mentioned giving purpose to his own life, Jey felt a sense of kinship with the older man. 4EY-18 also interjected, in beeps he explained that he too didn't have much to tell... due to the fact that he couldn't remember anything, prompting a reassuring pat from Jey.

Jey's eyes squinted slightly as the three neared the ending of the tunnel, he saw... light? And he wasn't the only one, Kraud must have seen it too as he began picking up speed causing Jey to follow suit. Entering this hidden room, the black haired teen let out an audible gasp at the sight of it - despite the planet's ecosystem beginning to retake this hidden room, it had a beauty to it. Crazy, this whole time the Jedi had some safe house or something of the calibre - Jey quietly snickered to himself, the Jedi were definitley crafty ones, would also explain why they've survived so many freakin' purges over millennia. "Wizard..." he uttered before turning to look at the scout droid on his back "Nice job, bud." he praised with a smile.

Noticing the two stairs that led up to a single doorway, Kraud instructed Jey to follow. With a nod, he followed the Whiphid toward the doorway and entered first - the other side of the doorway revealed a large stone vault filled with rectangular pillars, various trinkets, and ancient signs, symbols and scriptures scattered across the walls, as well as another doorway located at the end. While he didn't understand them, he had the right to assume these were linked to the Jedi Order. "You got any idea what all this is, Kraud?" he asked, as he asked his question - the scout droid leapt from Jey's back and begun scanning the walls. That was useful, maybe he can get 4EY-18 to link his findings to his datapad later.

A pedestal was located at the far back of the vault, Jey approached it cautiously and saw a book lay atop it, picking it up he read 'Journal of Cayne Dres' at the front of it. Suddenly, and out of earshot from Kraud, the droid began projecting a holorecording - a recording of his father! Staring right through Jey and Kraud, the recording began to speak "My son, if you're seeing this then that means everything is being set in motion and you've met 4EY-18." he revealed, pointing towards the little scout droid "I have left this droid behind to aid you in your journey, he'll help you decipher the clues I have left behind. Each location you visit will unlock a piece of his memory that will lead you to me. Good luck, Jeyten." with that, the transmission ended.

A surprised look turned into a grin as he looked at the droid, as it all began to make sense now. "Guess I'm your master now, huh? Don't worry, I'm a lot more fun than my Dad." he said with a wink. Jey opened the book and flipped through the pages before closing it once more and returning to Kraud. "Found what I was looking for... how about you?" he asked with a smirk. Suddenly, he heard a loud and deep croaking noise in the doorway leading to the vault's exit, and through the Force... he sensed it wasn't an ally. "You hear that?"

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Kraud

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The room was filled with trinkets, decorated with symbols and well maintained. It was both strange and rare to find a place like this, as the Whiphid knew that the Empire had done it's utmost to wipe out any memory of the Jedi. That included any piece of evidence that they ever existed. So how had they missed this vault?

Kraud grabbed one of the trinkets, studying it carefully. He could tell that the object had little cultural value. That, and all the trinkets in the room did not seem affiliated to the Order at all. The few things that had been kept here which had actual value, were most likely taken by the Empire long ago. The Whiphid suspected that the empty vault had been used by a smuggler as a storage for a while, before being abandoned in this state. A swift summon of the Light side to gain information from the object was all he needed to confirm his theory.

Moving over to the wall, Kraud took his time to study the patterns and symbols. He recognized a few, most notable the reoccurring symbol that was used by the Temple Guards almost two centuries ago. Unaware of what the black-haired teen was doing, Kraud spoke up. "This vault belonged to the Temple Guards of the Jedi Order. After the fall of the Order, a smuggler started using this place to store his goods. Don't know if he's still around." his explanation summarized what he had found. What made the Whiphid suspicious, however, was the state of the trinkets. The smuggler or smugglers obviously hadn't visited this place. So what had happened to them?

For a minute, the Jedi Knight was pondering over this question, until Jey approached him again, claiming that he had found what he was looking for. "Perhaps. Although I doubt I'm going to find what I am looking for in this these ruins." his answer was honest. He knew exactly where to find his answers, but he refused to accept that he had to look within himself.

Before either of them could ask another question, a loud croaking noise filled the room. The Whiphid slightly tilted his head, as he tried to gather his thoughts. The most prominent being what the kriff that just was. It was a hostile creature. That much he could sense. "Yes." Kraud narrowed his eyes, as he marched in the direction of the exit. "There's no point in hiding. It knows we are here." he stated, as he single-handedly moved the large stone that obstructed the path.

Setting foot outside, the Whiphid started to gather the energy of the Living Force around him. The creature that made the noise was no where to be seen. Was it going to ambush them? Even so, there was little he could do about it. Patiently, Kraud scoured his surroundings. Nothing moved, and yet the Force told him that the creature was nearby.

When the Whiphid took another step forward, the predator moved. The ground before his feet erupted, as the beast came out of his hiding place. The tortoise-like creature had buried itself just below the soil, giving it the element of surprise. And now, Kraud stared directly at a huge beak filled with razor sharp teeth, coming straight at him with incredible speed. The Jedi, however, moved way faster. Sidestepping the bite that would've instantly killed him, the white-haired Whiphid countered. Channeling the energy of the Force through his body, he greatly enhanced his strength punching hard against the beast its temple. His hit connected, knocking the creature back.

"Appears he's tougher than I expected..." Kraud muttered, his knuckles clearly bleeding due to the punch.

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Jeyten Dres

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"How do you know that?" Jey asked in a hushed tone as he followed him to the exit, clenching his father's journal to his chest as if it was the most important thing in the galaxy. Strangely, Kraud seemed calm and at peace despite the potential danger they were in - honestly though, it was pretty comforting. He felt slightly safer, something he hadn't felt in a while.

After Kraud removed the large stone that blocked their entrance, his eyes widened with surprise as the feat of strength was impressive - "Wizard..." - stepping outside, he and Kraud noticed the source of the loud croaking noises was nowhere to be seen. No way they were just hearing things, Jey's face formed into a frown as his eyes scanned the forest, looking for whatever the hell made that noise as he could sense it slightly through the Force.

"E chu ta!" was all the black haired teen could muster as the colossal tortoise-like creature had literally emerged from the ground but that wasn't the worst part - the creature charged at him and Kraud, he was so startled he wasn't sure how to react. Kraud on the other hand and called to action - the Whiphid was further ahead than Jey was and had managed to sidestep the creature's attack with inhuman speed and countering with a hard punch to the temple, causing it to stagger. Jey knew Whiphid's were strong but this was... different, was Kraud Force-sensitive too? Did he use the Force to make himself faster and stronger or something?

Either way, there was no time to think. "Here." the black haired teen ordered the scout droid on his back, 4EY-18's legs unfolded as he hopped off of his back and looked up to him expectantly "Take this and hide." he stated as he handed the journal to the droid and pulled out his blaster pistols. He had no idea how he was going to take this creature on but... he wasn't going out without a fight.

Unloading a barrage of blaster bolts at the creature. Dread would fall over Jey however, as he expected, this creature had a really thick hide as the blaster bolts barely pierced its skin. Groaning, Jey muttered "Great..." sarcastically under his breath. The creature however spotted Jey due to the blaster fire and turned its attention on him and charged in his direction - the hazel eyed teen simply rolled out of the way to avoid the attack.

"Little help, big guy!" he cried out to Kraud as he began to flee from the creature while shooting at it from behind him. This wasn't going to be as easy as he thought.

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Kraud

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Kraud did not initially answer Jey's calls for help. Not because he ignored it. Not because he decided to save his own life instead. No, the tall Whiphid was in deep concentration, as he channeled the warm embrace of the Force around him into a singular, well-timed technique. When Jey came running in his direction, Kraud would patiently wait until the creature was within range.

The time he had spent with the Jedi Order, he had used to study a variety of Force techniques. After all, why rely on your lightsaber if your most powerful ally is life itself? But against larger and more feral opponents like this, his usual approach would greatly strain him or perhaps fall short. Telekinesis was out of the question and he certainly wouldn't be able to restrain the beast with Force Stasis or the many vines that surrounded them. Plus, the tortoise-like creature was too angry because of the volleys of blaster bolts, to be calmed by beast control. It was one of the few occasions where the daunting Jedi would actually have to use his lightsaber.

Once Jey was past the Whiphid, he reacted. With only a couple of meters between him and the creature, Kraud stretched out his left hand and breathed out. A flash of bright, blinding light burst from his hand, staggering the creature for a brief moment. And that brief moment would be enough for the Whiphid to act.

In one swift and fluid motion, green fire erupted from his right hand. His blade moved down upon the creature in an diagonal arc, leaving an afterglow that showed exactly what path the blade had traveled. It connected with the creature's shoulder, barely missing the neck, as intended. His saber left a deep cut, one that made the creature jump back in fear. The cut he made was not intended to kill the creature, but to scare it off. It would limp for a while, but the wound had cauterized itself, meaning that its survival chances were still high. After releasing another loud croak, it turned and limped away as fast as it could, realizing that this prey was not worth risking its life for.

With the press of a button, Kraud extinguished his lightsaber and turned to Jey. "That help enough for you?" the Whiphid remarked with a slight smile. Gauging if the black-haired teen got injured or not.


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Jeyten Dres

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Jey's fight or flight instincts were in full swing right now, although due to the bizarre circumstances they were in a state of flux. While running for his life, he kept on turning back to shoot at it every once in a while hoping to either slow it down or kill it - "What the kriff is he doing?!" was the primary thought that replayed in his head over and over again as he glanced over every few moments to see Kraud not doing anything, did punching the tortoise-like creature scramble the bolts in his brain?

The teen didn't want to endanger the white haired Whiphid, but he didn't want to die either and he needed the help. Maybe if he brought the creature his way, it would snap him out of whatever trance he was in. Changing his course of direction, Jey headed straight for Kraud and hoped the loud footsteps of the creature would bring him back to reality. He would have tired by now but adrenaline was keeping him going, and for the moment, alive.

Picking up speed, Jey created some distance between him and the creatue and eventually managed to run straight passed Kraud with the creature in tow. After passing him, the black haired teen skidded on the soil and did a 180 degree turn to provide cover fire for Kraud but before he could even do anything - a swift, bright green light cut the creatures shoulder, it happened so fast Jey's hazel eyes couldn't even register what had happened. When the towering Whiphid had slowed down and the creature fled from his attack, Jey spotted an emerald lightsaber. He knew it! He knew Kraud had the Force, but he had no idea he was a Jedi!

Jey was so dumbfounded, Kraud's witty remark went completely over his head as he pointed in multiple directions and stuttered out "You--but--how--you're? You're a Jedi?!" Jey was surprised that Kraud had managed to conceal his Force-sensitivity from him and hide the fact he was a Jedi for so long... but then it all made sense after all, he was over a hundred years old - old man probably had more than a few tricks up his sleeve. Gathering his bearings, Jey crossed his arms and presented the Whiphid with an annoyed expression "Why didn't you say anything?" he asked. While he still wasn't fond of the Jedi, Kraud seemed like good people... and powerful, maybe he could learn a thing or two before parting ways.

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Kraud

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Kraud frowned at Jey's remark. "Does it truly matter what, or who I am? Would it have made a difference if I told you?" he countered with a calm, questioning tone. One's actions spoke louder than words. In his opinion, the words or role of an individual did not matter. What mattered, were one's decisions and actions. Of course, there was an exception to this rule. Those who fell to the Dark side were a danger to everyone; to life itself. Only those corrupted by the Dark side were an exception to him.

The Whiphid reattached his lightsaber to his belt. "Besides, I think you shouldn't focus on my chosen path, nor judge me for it." he said with a sharp tone. He had felt the surprise and slight frustrations of the black-haired teen the moment he figured it out. "Focus on yourself first. You called yourself 'Nar Shaddaa trash', is that truly all you think you are? Some derailed kid?" his tone remained sharp. "No. You are more than that." Kraud sat down on a boulder near him, glancing at the entrance to the vault again. "You have a gift, Jeyten Dress." he continued. "The gift of kindness." The old Knight's gaze shifted to the droid as he spoke. Did he need any more proof? He came here looking for answers, but instead found a promising Force-sensitive.

The Force could be a blessing or a curse, depending upon the person who had an aptitude for it. It had nothing to with destiny or luck. What mattered, was one's heart. One's desires, even. He had seen many with a lust for power, or those who didn't understand the responsibilities they had been given. It was why he valued kind souls such as Astra or Mila. The kind of people who were willing to aid and stand up for others.

@AfroBandit20
 

Jeyten Dres

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AfroBandit20
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The teen's arms remained folded as he listened to what the Whiphid had to say - "Guess not." Jey begrudgingly replied, Kraud had a point but for someone who lived life on the edge, the young teen wasn't a fan of surprises. Or, maybe... he was annoyed at himself for not seeing it, seeing as Kraud was a man who just gave off the 'vibe' of a Jedi.

Kraud continued to bestow wisdom onto the teen, or at the very least raised some internal questions for Jey to answer. He listened intently to what the Whiphid had to say, his crossed arms loosening and frowned face softening with every word he said. As Kraud went on, Jey grinned to himself at how much he sounded like Astra... not only in their Jedi-isms but also in how they try to see the best within others, as a matter of fact, the two were very much similar.

However, the white haired Whiphid was raising strong arguments and as Jey's attention was shifted to the scout droid he had decided to take in, he pondered. For a moment... Jey almost bought into what Kraud was saying, but then his mind travelled to what he had done in the past. Jey had done a lot of bad in his life... he was a former Death stick addict, had killed people, smuggled spice and more...

Jey's guard restored and his softened expression returned to a frown, he exhaled through his nose that came out like a laugh "Kindness don't make make up for the kriff I've done in the past, old man." Jey stated glumly.

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Kraud

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Kraud was quick to respond. "The past is the past. You cannot undo what has happened, so learn to let go and move on." his statement was a little hypocritical, given as to how the old Knight still blamed himself for the things he had done in the past. It was perhaps the hardest requirement of being a Jedi; learning to let go. As he spoke, he saw the many faces again. The faces of those he had killed, on purpose and on accident. An almost never ending list, which still scarred him up until this day. But he would not let that get in the way of his argument.

"You have a choice, Jeyten Dres. A choice to be better. I will not force you to take it, but do know that it doesn't hurt to try." he remarked, locking eyes with the black-haired teen as he conveyed his message. "Right now, a path has opened up for you. I don't know what exactly you found in the vault of the Temple Guards, but I know what it can become." He was not going to reveal what he meant by that. It was up to the teen, after all, to figure out what to do with it. Although the white Whiphid was fairly certain he knew where it would lead Jey. "From what I've seen, I think you'll end up making the right choices. But that is still entirely up to you."

Now finished with his speech, Kraud closed his eyes, allowing the warm embrace of the Living Force to greet him again. It felt so tranquil, even with the presence of the black-haired teen so close by. Perhaps he would stay near the ruins for a while longer, and attune to the Force in this place.

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Jeyten Dres

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There he went again, raising really good points that Jey couldn't argue with. Kraud was right, ever since Alana and Astra had saved him from certain death on Coruscant, Jey had been trying to set his life straight... to be better, Kraud's words really struck a cord in the young teen as it was something he really needed to hear. Jey smiled and laughed through his nose - "Thanks, old man. Means a lot."

Jey watched as Kraud closed his eyes and allowed, what he assumed, himself to meditate... or something. The teen took the moment to approach his new droid companion and picked up the journal from him, he winked and whispered "Thanks for looking after this." before allowing 4EY-18 to climb up onto his shoulder. Jey turned to Kraud and saw him still sat on the boulder, he approached him quietly.

Jey scratched his temple and glanced to each side of himself, before closing his fists and moving it toward his mouth - he fake coughed to get the Whiphid's attention. "So uh... before we part ways and never see each other again-" he lightheartedly stated, "I've been learning to reconnect to the Force more recently, and I was just wondering if you could maybe teach me a few things?" he explained, hoping that the Whiphid would agree. Kraud seemed pretty powerful, and the teen knew he had to take the chance to learn anything he could before leaving Devaron.

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