Private A Servant of the People

[Dhalinar Greystar]

Kolene

The recent skirmish over the colony world of Kolene had left much of the city in shambles. Bad information on the side of the Corellian Confederation, terrible management on the side of the mining companies, chiefly the Directorate, and the fact that the Corellian Jedi were stretched so thin had allowed the battle to be far bloodier than it needed to be. Now the areas that Corellian strike teams had used to infiltrate the captured city lay in disrepair. Families were left to fend for themselves, and criminals were on the rise in what had once been the Hope of Socorro's Belt. Darkness too was harbored in this place. Not a surprise as hunger and famine ravaged this city like it had in so many other Belter cities.

But Morteg and his apprentice weren't here to save the city from itself. They weren't here as its saviors, at least not directly. With the reformation of the Confederation into what rumors were saying to be a new Republic the military and defense forces of various systems had pulled back and the Forgotten Sons were at it again. They, Morteg and his apprentice, were staking out one of their bases now. A small noodle shop which scans had showed to have secret tunnels leading all sorts of places throughout the city. It was night now, at least as simulated night as it could be on a bio dome colony.

A cool breeze passed over them as they watched. A meeting was taking place....He looked up at his padawan. Now nearly a grown man, Val had matured much since that fateful mission against the Rakgouls. Morteg himself had only recently finished his spiritual healing after nearly losing his life on that ship. He knew Val was still dealing with the pain and fear of that day. But he had grown into a fine warrior.

"Ready Padawan Ticon?" He asked as the last man entered the shop and the single guard took up his post outside.

Val Ticon

 

[Val Ticon]

Standing with his master on the roof Val reached down holding his stomach an audible growl escaping it. Just how long did Morteg plan on them staying up there? They’d been watching from their perch for over three hours and at this point, Val was getting a bit fed up with it. He’d ran through the nutribars he’d carried on him well over an hour ago, he was a growing boy after all.

No longer was Val the short twelve-year-old that walked behind Morteg hanging on to his every word. He had grown into a man that stood at an even six-feet, his body honed from his Jedi training, his musculature detectable even beneath the clothes he wore. Having thrown out the old robes given to younglings Val preferred to wear what many would describe as Swoop Racer Clothing. A black leather jacket which he left unbuttoned, heavy boots, thick pants, and a skin-tight shirt.

On one hip Val carried his lightsaber, the one given to him as a youngling, on the opposite sat a blaster pistol. Over the years, especially after the run-in with Rakghouls the Padawan had learned just how valuable a ranged weapon could be. Of course, set to stun, he was still a Jedi after all and their goal was to preserve life, not take it.

As the final target entered the noodle shop Val straightened slightly. “I was ready over three hours ago Master. The faster we get this done, the sooner we can get something to eat. Whoever takes out the least pays for dinner.”

Without giving Morteg a chance to offer a rebuttal the adolescent leaped backwards off the roof and into the nearby alley. The force surged to the padawan, coalescing around him and slowing his descent to where he landed on his feet barely making a sound.

Across from him, the guard scanned the area, completely overlooking Val hidden in the darkness the valley offered. Index finger pulling in Val flicked it guiding the force once more. A flick to the back of the guard’s head through it. Where he spun around offering the padawan his back. Not a wise choice.

Crossing the narrow distance quick as a gamorrean sand viper, Val’s arm locked around the man’s neck, his hand covering the guard’s mouth. Leaning his weight back and dropping to a knee the padawan choked the guard into unconsciousness. “Sleep tight.” Val whispered before rising once more to his feet and looking back to find where his master had gotten off to.

Dhalinar Greystar

 

[Dhalinar Greystar]

"Padawan Ticon-" Morteg stretched out his hand as if to grab the young man by the collar of his jacket but was one moment too late. He cursed under his breath and watched as his padawan took out the guard in silence. He huffed a sigh and jumped down, letting the Force guide his fall. He landed with barely a huff of air much unlike his padawan.

"A game, this is not. Dangerous, the Forgotton Sons are." He waved a hand and forced open the door which hissed in protest. The room revealed to them held two more guards who had been sitting across the room playing what looked like Sabaac with a third lounging by the caf machine. His eyes widened in surprise and without a second breath raised his right hand and clapped the card players' heads together just as they turned to the sudden interruption. Their heads cracked together and they tumbled to the floor as the third fumbled for his blaster. With a flick of his wrist he pulled the caf machine from the counter and crashed it over his head, the glass pot shattering and spilling lukewarm caf on the man's bruised skull.

"But," he said once the danger had passed, "Biscuit Baron I shall have."

Val Ticon

 

[Val Ticon]

“You say that about everything Master, and more often than not we make it through just fine.” As if to emphasize his point Val did nothing as he stood in the doorway watching his mentor dispatch the other guards with only movements of his wrists. What more could one expect from a Jedi Master? A lot more, in fact, Val had never been fortunate or unfortunate enough to see Morteg bring his full might to bear. Part of the apprentice wanted to see just what his mentor was capable of, the other part feared the moment that would cause such a thing to happen.

“Biscuit Baron again?! That’s going to be the second time this week, are you sure it’s not going to you Master. Your robes are looking a bit more snug than usual and I know its not from the training.” More often than not Val was the one to lose the bets he made with his Master but they made the mission more fun and took his mind off the possible negatives.

“Hey, the boss said to keep it do-” A baritone voice came from behind the next door that slid open revealing to the two Jedi a large Romoan that could barely fit through the passageway. A shrill squeal left the pig-like aliens mouth as it charged towards the two its arms up not even reaching for a blaster.

“Get down!” Reacting off instinct and releasing a small force push to send Morteg out the way Val didn’t have time to save himself. The large alien ramming into him with all the force of a speeder before they both rammed into the wall with enough force to shake the noodle shops walls. A Val shaped dent left where he was held. Teeth gritting Val slid down the wall barely catching himself on his feet as the Romoan backed away.

“I got this one master, you can handle the rest.” Val said nodding towards the doorway, he was sure the other Forgotten Suns would be coming through. Head-turning to focus back on the Romoan, Val saw him charging once more. Sidestepping to the right Val narrowly dodged the large figure’s body that slammed into the wall turning what had once been a dent into a crater.

“Kark, what are they feeding you?” In answer to Val’s question the Romoan backhanded the Jedi with enough force to lift him from his feet and send him careening into a table that cracked and buckled beneath Val’s weight. Ok, now I’m nettled.

Dhalinar Greystar

 

[Dhalinar Greystar]

The Ramoan was a surprise. There weren't many around in the Core Worlds these days, but he should have predicted it. Their low intelligence and massive strength made them popular as bouncers. Morteg nodded his understanding and ran down the corridor that the Ramoan had lumbered up. He was still in the noodle shop and he needed to find his way down into the meeting. Their target would be there. When he was far enough down the hall that he could only hear the whispers of his padawan's fight he stopped and closed his eyes. He allowed the Force to flow through him as he centered his mind and body and he reached out.

A path was laid bare to him and he followed it. The Force led him to a door. An ominous feeling gripped at the pit of his stomach and threatened to pull it up through his mouth.

"Strong, the Dark Side is here...Careful I must be..." The door hissed open as he stepped forward, surprising him. In an instant his lightsaber was in his hand, its green blade erupting with a "snap-hiss". It clashed with a yellow blade and a familiar voice made his heart sink.

"Its been too long, Master Morteg."

Val Ticon

 

[Val Ticon]

Next time I’ll leave the big ones to Master Morteg. Val thought every part of his body aching from being slammed into the walls and furniture of the noodle shop. The juvenile could already feel where welts and bruises were beginning to rise on his back. Yet pain was nothing to a Jedi, at least thats what he was taught. That a Jedi did not give into their base emotions, that they didn’t cow in the face of opposition. Neither did a Ticon.

Shifting his weight the padawan entered a back roll, a whistling of air and subsequent crashing sound warning Val that if he hadn’t moved he wouldn’t have been one with the force but one with the floor. Giving himself to the momentum of the roll, Val came up to his feet. The Romoan rose rolling its massive shoulders, its beady black eyes boring into the Jedi.

Anyone who knew of Valentine Ticon knew that he enjoyed teasing and joking with people. It was as much a part of his being as a Jedi. It was rare to get a moment of silence from the boy. The blue eyes narrowed, Val’s legs spreading to shoulder-width apart and his body lowering slightly.

A snort escaped the bouncer as they also lowered and surged forward with a speed belying their behemoth stature. In the face of this Val didn’t move, he didn’t shake, he didn’t even blink. He steeled himself right foot shooting forward turning his right side to the Romoan. Then came his right elbow where it impacted the Romoan in its over-sized gut. The large alien gasped as air escaped their lungs, stunned from the impact of the hit.

Giving no quarter the padawan laid into the alien. A fist to the cheek, another elbow to the opposite, a sidestep then a hook into the creature’s kidneys. The only sounds escaping the room now were the labored grunts of the bodyguard and the impact of Val’s strikes. Each swing from the creature Val dodged, never moving an inch more than necessary before replying with another blow for the alien’s trouble.

Taking a step back with his left foot, Val then pushed off with it building up the kinetic force for the mother of all uppercuts and in the span of a second everything changed. There was a blossom of pain from the upper part of the adolescent’s chest. The floor became the ceiling, and all the air had escaped the Jedi. What?

Dhalinar Greystar

 

[Dhalinar Greystar]

The man before him was average height and well muscled. Black hair lay in a mess atop his head and a menacing eyepatch covered his left eye. The glow of his yellow lightsaber illuminated the rest of his features as well revealing deep scars on his face and a prosthetic arm. His eyes were a deep brown, bordering on the yellow of the Dark Side.

"Oh Syn..." Morteg muttered. He could feel the hate, the anger boiling inside the man's Force aura. It was like a Dark hurricane with the Light of his heart at the center. Syn's lips twisted from a smirk into a snarl as he pulled back his blade and shoved a boot into Morteg. With Syn's boot being nearly the size of Morteg's entire torso the blow sent the air from his tiny lungs and he crashed back into the wall behind him. Syn's boots clacked up the stairs, the hum of his lightsaber a harsh reminder of the battle. But Morteg couldn't help the memories that were beginning to flood his mind. His head was cloudy and it was difficult to think.

"You should have stayed at the temple old man." Lightning cracked at the tips of his fingers. The Dark Jedi clenched his fist, stomping out the fiery passion as his eyes faded to deep brown. "Maybe you would have lived longer- AH!" The prosthetic hand and the lightsaber flew into the air, an arc of green following as Morteg's lightsaber hummed past and back into the tiny three fingered hand.

"Much to learn, you still have." Morteg shifted to the opening attack stance of Ataru and Force pushed the man back down the stairs. "A shame to find you here, it is."

Val Ticon

 

[Val Ticon]

Flying through the air, Val collided with what had for a brief moment in time been the ceiling from his perspective. The Jedi’s body bouncing off the hard duracrete floor with a solid thud, and rolling across it before skidding to a stop. Teeth gritting Val clutched his chest, gulping down air that seemed unable to satiate his need to breathe. Looking up the padawan saw the Ramoan approaching at an almost leisurely pace.

Reacting before thinking Val surged to his feet rushing to tackle the swine low and hopefully off-balance him, instead it was like running shoulder first into a wall of beskar. A deep chuckle came from the Ramoan, one that Val could feel rumbling through his being as he was lifted from the floor and flung like a ragdoll into the ceiling.

Shoulders and back throbbing Val fell back to the floor with yet another thump. The taste of copper filled Val’s mouth, a stream of crimson retreating from his now freshly busted lip. Every fiber of the youth’s being told him to give in to the sweet embrace of unconsciousness. The boar-like alien had different plans, he seemed to want Val in the grave as a large shadow loomed over the Jedi’s form.

Rolling to the right, the Ramoan’s foot impacted where Val’s head had just been. The duracrete shattering, pulverized by both the weight and strength of the alien. Continuing the roll and up to his feet, Val lashed out with a punch for the Ramoan’s temple.

For the first time, it seemed like Val had actually done something to the bouncer as its head rocked to the side, a groan escaping it. That was before the head snapped back impacted with Val’s face. The Jedi’s nose making a sickening snap, more of the sanguine ichor escaping his body. Now streaming from Val’s forehead, crushed nose, and bruised right eye that was completely bloodshot.

Stumbling back barely on his feet Val could barely stand as the room spun around him. A sense of vertigo overtaking his being. Rely on eyes a Jedi must not. The words of Morteg sprung to the Jedi’s mind unbidden but they were what Val needed. Eyes shutting Val opened himself to the force, submerging himself into its currents.

For everyone the force was slightly different, for Val it was much like falling into an ice bath. A cold, almost freezing energy that soothed him and drowned out his aches and pains. Leaning to the left Val dodged a blow from the Ramoan and turned the dodge into a strike of his own his right leg coming up and around to impact the creature’s temple.

While he was not seeing the noodle shop through his eyes Val still felt like he could see everything, perhaps even better than before. Kicking off the floor with his left foot Val turned what had been a high kick into a tornado kick the heel of his left foot coming around to make contact with the swine’s jaw. A sharp snap filled the air, a groan and then the thud of the Ramoan dropping.


Dhalinar Greystar

 

[Dhalinar Greystar]

The green of his lightsaber illuminated the stairway with his only company being the sound of his own steady breathing. He hadn't seen where the hand and lightsaber had gone after he'd disarmed the man but he could only assume his old apprentice had retrieved it through the Force.

"You shouldn't have come Master..." came the Knight's voice from deeper within. "I'm just trying to help people...Why don't you understand that?!" The hall was still dark and Syn's voice sounded like it came from any number of rooms. The Force would be Morteg's ally here. "Rely on the eyes, a Jedi must not" he had once told Val and now he was about to put the words into practice. Morteg stepped into the Force, clearing his mind and looked for a presence he hadn't felt or thought to feel in years. The memories were flooding his mind again. The day that Corellia broke. The great disturbance in the Force...The screams...

The hum of Syn's lightsaber was stopped with Morteg's. They crackled, the feelings of abandonment and fear that Morteg had been so close to moments ago leaked from his old padawan.

"Corellia would see these people die in squalor! It is our sacred duty!" Morteg pushed the man back into shadows. Morteg gave chase, leading them to a meeting room. Caf still warm was sitting on the table. He cursed and pressed a finger to his ear.

"Val, follow down the stairs, you must. Quickly. A problem, we have."

Val Ticon

 

[Val Ticon]

A sharp chirping filled Val’s ear as Morteg’s voice came over the comlink. “Can’t get a break for even a second can I?” The padawan’s labored breathing evident, along with a horrible lisp from his busted lip. Sighing Val activated the com once more. “I’m on my way.” Kicking the downed Ramoan one final time in the gut the juvenile was rewarded with a pained grunt. “And you stay right there, we’re going to have a long talk after this is over.”

One hand clutching at his side Val limped down the stairs, each step bringing a new wave of pain through his body. Back hunched over Val looked more like a minion from a holodrama than the Jedi he was supposed to be. Droplets of blood left a small trail behind the youth as he finally stumbled into the room where Morteg waited.

Glancing around the empty chambers Val felt a darkness on the edges of his perception in the force. Teeth gritting Val raised his hand and from his hip, the silver hilt flew up landing firmly in the Corellian’s palm. With a flick of his thumb, a blue saber sprung to life, the scent of ozone accompanying the signature snap-hiss of the weapon. “Something you want to tell me, Master?”

It had been years since Val had felt a signature such as the one around them. It wasn’t as strong as the one that wreathed the plagued ship nor the Sith accompanying it. That meant nothing. Memories forced themselves to the surface of the troubled youth’s mind. The sickening sound of bones popping, sinew tearing, the horrific howls, the sight of Morteg being blasted by the purest expression of the dark.

Dhalinar Greystar

 

[Dhalinar Greystar]

The Darkness lingered...HE still lingered. Which meant that the others weren't far away despite their belongings having been abandoned.

"A Jedi," he murmured, "Fallen to the Darkness he is. Dangerous and cunning." His eyes scanned the room and his ears twitched as he felt the tickle of something familiar in the air.

"Is this your new padawan Morteg?" came the gruff voice from every shadow in the room, "I hope he's only said good things about me." He heard the snap hiss too late and the yellow blade fell from the shadows above. Syn flew at Val, his eye blazing orange and a viscous snarl on his face.

"Padawan Ticon!"

Val Ticon

 

[Val Ticon]

“Oh, great yet another darksider. This was supposed to be the easy mission!” Scoffing Val stood in the center of the chamber examining the caf, the room as a whole. How the darkness seemed to cling to the surroundings yet never came close to the Jedi, it was unnatural, to say the least and troubling. The air around them seemed to grow stale and cold, goosebumps rising up on the Jedi’s flesh as the voice came from the abyss that surrounded them.

“Sorry, he hasn’t mentioned anyone at all. I don’t think I’d mention such a failure either.” Val called back to the dark a smug grin on the youth’s face. In truth, the only apprentice Val had known Morteg to have taught was Ador. The Jedi was certainly old enough to have possibly taught many others, yet none had been mentioned to the padawan.

The warning of Morteg may have come too late, but Val’s reflexes bolstered by the force saved him from what would’ve been a bisecting slash from above. Both hands grasping the hilt of his lightsaber Val raised it to meet the yellow blade of Syn. The Dark Jedi’s strength was enough to cause Valentine’s knees to buckle and collapse driving him hard into the floor.

Hairline fractures appeared in the duracrete beneath Val as his saber was locked with Syn’s. The cyan and amber blades shooting sparks across the area. Val’s aquamarine eyes staring past the beams of plasma and directly into the orange orbs that adorned Syn’s skull. “By the force you’re ugly as the backside of that Ramoan upstairs.” grunted the Jedi as his own blade slowly began to lower towards his neck.

A snarl escaped Syn as his strength was bolstered further. “Bit of help here Master.”

Dhalinar Greystar

 

[Dhalinar Greystar]

He didn't have to tell Morteg twice. With both hands the tiny, green Jedi thrust out both of his hands, extending a powerful wave of the Force. The blow knocked Syn away and sent him spinning on the floor. Without a second hand to stop his momentum he jammed his lightsaber into the ground to slow himself and brought his one-eyed gaze to the pair, the same snarl shifting to a smirk as his attention seemed to fade somewhere distant.

"Looks like you're out of time," he goaded and extinguished his lightsaber. "Remember, a true Jedi's first and only responsibility is as a servant of the people." After he clipped it to his belt the man reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver tube. Morteg's eyes widened and as he shouted "Detonator!" Syn's thumb pressed against it. Morteg leaped not towards Syn to stop him but to his Padawan's side, extinguishing his blade and clipping to his belt in one fluid motion. He extended his arms and reached deep into the Force, creating a bubble around them as from both sides of the room explosions of fire and permacrete consumed the room.

The force of the explosion nearly broke Morteg's shield, some of the heat slipping past. With what seemed like an extreme exertion Morteg released his shield and repulsed the fire and smoke around them revealing a gaping hole in the burning building and Syn gone. Morteg cursed under his breath as the distant sounds of sirens began to ring and approach.

"Leave the fire quickly we must..." he said, sounding drained. He took a step forward and nearly fell over, catching himself quickly and extending a hand to stop his Padawan if he tried to help.

Val Ticon

 

[Val Ticon]

Centimeters away from Val’s throat the beams of gold and cyan energy hovered. His grip on the saber weakening. The muscles within the Jedi’s chest, shoulders and even his back burned from the exertion of holding back Syn. Sweat formed around the padawan’s collar, soaking the shirt. The help Val requested came in the form of the force, air whooshing over his prone form as Syn was sent careening across the room.

Rolling up and to his feet, left hand reaching for his blaster Val drew the weapon coming up to a knee, aiming it at the dark jedi. The detonator was drawn at the same time the Jedi fired, but stopping the blaster bolt from hitting Syn was the barrier Morteg had erected. The needle of energy reflecting off the interior of the bubble and back into the weapon sending out of Val’s hand and to the ground in a smoking heap.

“Show off.” Val said to his master evaluating the damage that sat all around them. Getting caught at the scene of the crime wouldn’t be becoming of a Jedi, the council would never let the two hear the end of it. “Well you won the bet, Biscuit Baron it is.”

-One Hour Later-

“Here’s your drinks. The food will be out shortly.” The zeltron waitress said, giving the two Jedi a smile before turning and heading off to the kitchen. The entire time Val’s eyes followed the woman till she crossed the threshold that blocked his line of sight.

“Come on and let’s get the scolding over with. I know its coming, me not being cautious enough or whatever other reason you see.” Val and Morteg constantly had these discussions, the adolescent growing bored over them more and more as the years passed. It was as though his master always found error in Val’s methods no matter what he did. But what did he expect? Val to be one of the perfect padawans like the Silver Jedi supposedly had? Rumors of a majority of them becoming knights younger than Val.

Dhalinar Greystar

 

[Dhalinar Greystar]

Val always seemed to think Morteg had something negative to say about his performance on missions. Which, to be fair was often the case. There was always something he and his padawan could improve on, always a different branching path that the Force had kept from them at the time. In this case he had but one thing to say. With a wave of the Force Morteg splashed some of the water from his padawan's cup into his face. The water was cold and filled with ice and a little bit of some local Corellian fruit flavor so it was bound to be sticky later. Val was a growing boy, and while the Green Jedi Order and most modern Jedi Orders had no ban or restrictions on attatchments Morteg found the hormones of his apprentice most inappropriate. Especially because he wasn't good at hiding his interest.

"Need the Force, someone does not to see the lust in your eyes Padawan Ticon." the little green Jedi took a sip of his own slightly flavored water drink. "Avert your eyes. Or at least sneaky, you must strive to be. Like a paralope in headlights you look." He shifted in his elevated seat uncomfortable and bore down on his apprentice. And that was his only criticism. His eyes turned from his padawan and towards the skyline of Coronet city. There was a small enclave for the Green Jedi here set up by the acting Dictat who was a friend of the Jedi. But they were only here for a stop before they reached the temple. And before they made it there Morteg was determined to air out the aklay in the room.

"You may ask about him," he said.

Val Ticon

 

[Val Ticon]

Raising the mug to his lips Val prepared to take a sip from the fruit drink, at least till most of the contents of the mug painted the padawan’s face. Hair now draping into his face and clinging to his forehead Val’s aquamarine eyes glanced over the rim of the cup to his master. An exhalation of air was the only answer Val would give right now, but he would have his revenge before they left Biscuit Baron. The faint stinging coming from the adolescent’s busted lip was a mere second thought to his vengeance.

“I was just enjoying the sight master. Don’t I deserve at least that after dealing with the Ramoan?” Finishing off what little remained in the mug Val set it down and began to clean his face off with the napkins. As if the force sought to embarrass the adolescent the waitress returned with their plates stacked with Bantha Breakfast biscuits, and a bowl of Galactic grits. The smell of freshly made buttered biscuits enough to make the Jedi’s mouth water.

“Here, let me refill that for you.” The waitress said not commenting on the fact that Val now smelled slightly of fruit and his hair still being damp.

“Thank you.” Without looking up to meet the waitress, Val focused solely on the food. His face slightly flushed till the waitress wandered off to serve another table. “I’m sure you know the questions that I’m going to ask. Just who is he? I’ve never heard of a Syn in the temple. Was he from a different order? And just what happened?”

Dhalinar Greystar

 

[Dhalinar Greystar]

Morteg crossed his arms and sighed heavily. That was the question wasn't it?

"My Padawan...He was, before the Corellian Cataclysm," he began, "A promising student, he was. Strong in the force, hot headed and foolhardy. Much like you, he was." He sagely nodded with a nostalgic smile. His eyes cracked open, revealing the deep sadness in his heart as he continued.

"But that day...Aiding civilians we were. Split in half the planet was. Swallowed by the planet he was...Lost to the Force." He sighed. "Tried to save him I did. But the Force...That day, distorted the Force was. But for moments at a time, could I touch the Force. Slipped into the void he did...Dead he should be." But that obviously wasn't the case as he showed up now, before them stronger than ever and with scars and prosthetics. It pained him to know how his padawan had felt, abandoned and alone, unable to touch the Force.

"Unsure I am, of what has happened from then to now. Powerful in the Dark Side he is. Return to the Council we must. Inform them of the Forgotten Son's connection to this Dark Jedi." He shoved one of the sandwiches into his mouth whole and swallowed and reached out to pick up another.

Val Ticon

 

[Val Ticon]

Val had only heard tales of the Corellian Cataclysm, an event that wrecked the world the Corellian’s were so proud of. One of the darkest moments in galactic history as the planet split in half. The event happened Val had been no more than an infant. Blissfully unaware of what had happened to his parent’s homeworld.

“You know comparing me to the person that less than an hour ago trying to take my head isn’t the most comforting thing.” Val managed to say through a mouthful of the breakfast biscuit that was criminally dry. If he hadn’t gotten a refill it was more likely the boy would’ve choked on the food. All the while Morteg ate his whole. It never ceased to both disgust and intrigue the young padawan how the smaller alien ate.

Waiting for Morteg to begin to eat the second one, Val reached through the force snatching the meat patty right from between the bread before his master could eat it. The piece of meat floating to Val’s own sandwich where the boy took a bite out of it. Victory tasted delicious, yet still dry.

“In all seriousness, I am sorry to hear what happened Master. Next time we run into him, we’ll put a stop to it. Though we’re still telling the council you let him get away.”

Dhalinar Greystar